The Red Turtle tells the tale of a man trying to escape a desert island. Photograph: Studio Ghibli

The legendary Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli knows a thing or two about talent. Co-founded by the great auteur Hayao Miyazaki, the company is the home of classic films such as Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, My Neighbour Totoro and the Tale of the Princess Kaguya. But until the gorgeous Oscar-nominated feature The Red Turtle by Michael Dudok de Wit, Ghibli had never worked with a non-Japanese director.

It is not hard to see why Dutch animator Dudok de Wit caught the attention of a company that cherishes the traditional techniques of 2D, hand-drawn animation over the flashy computer-generated techniques favoured by many other animation studios. The Red Turtle is a work of profound simplicity and exquisite beauty. Although the films animation style is quite different to much of the Ghibli output, its themes a deeply spiritual examination of nature, magic and mystery chime perfectly with the companys ethos.

While The Red Turtle is Dudok de Wits first feature film, his gentle, elegantly sparse short films are considered to be masterpieces of the medium. Isao Takahata, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, was struck first by Dudok de Wits six-minute 1994 film the Monk and the Fish; he subsequently fell in love with the Oscar-winning meditation on mortality, Father and Daughter (2000). In 2004, Takahata and Dudok de Wit met at the Hiroshima international film festival, and in 2006, Dudok de Wit received a letter offering him what he later described as the once in a lifetime chance to make a feature film with Studio Ghibli.

The result of a collaboration, which afforded Dudok de Wit a creative freedom beyond what he could have hoped for, is a truly stunning film. Perhaps closest in tone to the mythic fantasy and fairytale quality of Takahatas the Tale of the Princess Kaguya, The Red Turtle is nonetheless very much its own beast. His Ghibli collaborators stressed that they didnt want Dudok de Wit to adapt his style to fit in with the distinctive Japanese sensibility of their usual productions. This was to be a European film, the idea and approach was Dudok de Wits to choose.

The story he decided to tell has more in common with the fairytales and Greek and Roman myths that he devoured as a child, than it does with the bombastic assault of much of contemporary animation.

The Red Turtle is the tale of a man who is stranded on a desert island during a storm. His desperate attempts to escape, by lashing together bamboo canes to form a raft, are repeatedly thwarted by some unseen undersea force that shatters his vessel. On his third attempt, the man comes face to face with his saboteur, a giant red turtle

What follows is an unquestioning acceptance of the enchantment and mystery of the natural world that is very reminiscent of the Tale of the Princess Kaguya, a film that tells of a perfect female child who is found inside a stalk of bamboo. But while the story of Kaguya unfolds within the restrictions of the Japanese court, The Red Turtle embraces the wild unpredictability of nature, in a story that combines quiet moments of intimacy with the intense savagery and drama of the natural world.

Perhaps the most remarkable achievement is that the film does all this entirely without words. Dudok de Wit had originally intended to include a few lines of dialogue, but was persuaded not to by Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki. Its a bold decision that invests the films striking visual component with a potent magic. And visually, the film is a wonder.

The backgrounds were drawn using charcoal on paper, giving it a hand-hewn artisanal quality that works beautifully with the rough realities of the location. Dudok de Wit decided against the traditional palm-fringed island that has become a cinematic cliche. Instead, his island is unpredictable, with green glades smashed by furious and sudden storms.

This is not a film that hammers home a message; its more intriguing and elusive than that. But while there is no overt ecological agenda here, there is something that is both simple and powerful a reminder and a celebration of our spiritual connection to the natural world.

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The Red Turtle: a moving meditation on our relationship with the ... - The Guardian

When your heart is alternately breaking and expanding with equal beats in a rhythm of truth you are fully alive, bearing witness to the events of our days. You are in each present moment awaiting the exercise of love.

Beyond all of the judgments and fear and hatred and blind loyalty and hopes that someone will save us is our inner powerful still small voice that knows what we need to look at in our lives, what actions need to be taken, what world comes into being with all that happens that there are the commitments we make to show up for someone.

This is a choice.

A privilege.

A way of being in a very human world.

There are actions we know we need to make for ourselves and those actions lead to the person we are, that remains unchanged, that stands in the vulnerable light of humanity and knows the care and consideration of being held and seen and supported and free from oppression and fear and joy and love and wildness and all that appears in these spaces. On the surface it may be a time of truly devastating tragedies and deep ungrounded indulgence bringing up all our worst fears, numbing us into inaction because what was will not be what is. Tempting us to fall asleep. On a deeper level we are being called and encouraged to move into the adult conversation, to open up wide to the great resourcefulness and incredible displays of true inner spirit we are longing to reclaim. TO STAY AWAKE OR TO AWAKEN WITH GRACE into the eternal now where we remember our power and beauty and love.

Like Mark Antony urging mourners into action over the body of Julius Caesar If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. It most certainly wont be the last. But, remember these are adult tears. Propelling loving action. Finding solutions. Standing up for what is right. Being the one who makes love a way of being.

Love, Mel

#FlightoftheSoul #AllSystemsLove

May love surround you and work through you.May you offer your heart to the service of love.May you find peace today and everyday. May blessings and peace flourish in your presence.

To join the Mels Love Land team, become a lover, and contribute to Mels Love Land #MiniMag or learn more aboutbecoming anAmbassador of Love please emailinfo@alwaysalice.com Download the PDF of the latest Mels Love Land #MiniMagMELS LOVE LAND ISSUE 10 | LOVE EVERYONE heremore information on Mels Love Land here.

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Bare Witness and Excercise the Love of an aching Heart - Beliefnet

Exhibits at ashram enter Guinness Book of Records The Hindu Three exhibits at Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Ashram in the city, including the largest collection and display of bonsai trees, entered the Guinness Book of World Records. The certificates of records were conferred and received by Sri Ganapathy ...

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Exhibits at ashram enter Guinness Book of Records - The Hindu

We wish every-one a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend honoring our veterans who gave their lives for our country.

Friday, May 19, was Plantation Lakes Cinco de Mayo happy hour on Abuelos restaurants covered outdoor patio. Kathy Haight, Darla Hamlin, Janet Galvin and Margaret Sobel were great hostesses.

Abuelos attentive staff served plentiful tasty tacos and refried beans. Several new neighbors came to the well-attended event.

Saturday, May 20, was the Third annual Plantation Lakes Large Mouth Bass Fishing Tournament, sponsored by the lake committee.

They raised $250 that they donated to the Help for Kids organization. For 25 years, the organization has helped children from below poverty level families by providing clothes, backpacks, food and toiletry items. Lynn and Joe Bethle did an excellent job as main coordinators of the tournament.

Jay Cunninghams 3-pound, 4-ounce fish won him first place for the second year in a row. Tony Owens won second place with his 3-pound, 2-ounce fish. Jerry Thompson won third place with his 2-pound, 5-ounce fish.

Grayson Cunningham won fourth place with his 2-pound, 3-ounce fish. Russ Scales won fifth place with his 1-pound, 14-ounce fish. Dave Smith won sixth place with his 1-pound, 12 ounce fish.

Nick Stefanchiks Ducatis Trattoria and Pizzeria donated a delicious lunch after fishing. Seventeen door prizes were awarded while everyone enjoyed the sheet cake dessert.

Monday, May 29, Plantation Lakes water aerobics fortunately resumes this summer. Morning classes start daily at 8:45 a.m., Monday Friday. Tuesday and Thursday afternoon classes begin at 4 p.m. The free co-ed classes require no preregistration. Bring noodles and water weights and have a great time.

The Architectural Review Board meets Thursday, June 1, at 9 a.m.

The board of directors meets Thursday, June 1, at 7 p.m.

Friday, June 9, at 7 p.m. is the Plantation Lakes Bucky Lewis Comedy and Music Show. This is a sold-out event for resident Don Bownes New England comedian friend returning here by popular demand. Clubhouse doors open 6 p.m. BYOB.

Thursday, June 15, at noon is the next ladies luncheon at Pine Lakes Country Club, 5603 Granddaddy Drive off Robert Grissom Parkway. Hostesses are Virginia Godwin, Linda Lucas, Sharon Mungo, Donna Rosenberry and Marlene Schenkl.

The $20 price includes tax, gratuity, salad, entre, dessert, and coffee or tea. By June 5, tell Linda at 843-796-2744 your entre selection when you RSVP.

Pre-payment for tickets is due by June 25 for the Sunday, July 2. Plantation Lakes wonderful annual pool party celebrating Americas 241st birthday. No tickets will be sold at the door. A non-refundable $5 per person cash fee is the cost.

Gates open at 1 p.m. for the party. Food will be catered by Ducatis Trattoria & Pizzeria owned by resident Nick Stefanchik. It will be served between 2-4 p.m. followed by dessert. DJ Buff will entertain again.

Call or text Debbie Poat at 843-855-0918 to book your reservation. Give your cash payment to her to receive your tickets for our most popular event.

The social committee meets Tuesday, June 27. Note the special date change this month.

Residents Rich and Mary Lippmans daughter, award winning Militia Vox, performed at Hard Rock Caf on Friday night, May 19, to a packed house with many Plantation Lakes patrons.

Carolina Forest Civic Associations meeting was May 17. Josh Kay, president and CEO of Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corp. spoke.

The industries they recruit are aerospace, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and technology. He and his staff are site selection consultants for the best location, expansion, or relocation of existing industry plants.

Atlantic Beach Bike Week is May 25-29.

Saturday, May 27, the Military Appreciation Days Parade is at 10:30 a.m. on Farrow Parkway at The Market Common, followed by a family picnic from noon - 2 p.m. at Valor Memorial Gardens with military exhibits and music.

A Red, White and Blue Salute to Veterans at Brookgreen Gardens is Saturday, May 27, from 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. American flags are placed at patriotic sculptures, some of those created by veterans.

Monday, May 29, at 11 a.m. is a Memorial Day ceremony with Grand Strand Patriotic alliance at Myrtle Beach Convention Center Plaza.

Summer one and eight-week class registration at Coastal Carolina University is June 1-2. Classes begin June 5.

Wednesday, June 14, the Famous Toastery at 2005 Oak Heart Drive is serving a special Brunch for Dinner fundraiser from 5-8 p.m. for the Carolina Forest Civic Association. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Civic Association.

Famous Toastery is owned by Plantation Lakes residents Tim and Michelle McGinnis.

Email us at friendpa@aol.com about events, meetings, personal or neighborhood news. Many thanks.

Have a great week.

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Around the Lake: Water aerobics begins May 29 in Plantation Lakes - Myhorrynews

By Future Brown Herald Democrat

The Levitt Amp Denison Music on Main series kicks off Friday at Heritage Park in downtown Denison with its first concert of the summer. Brave Combo is scheduled to take the stage at 8 p.m.

Since the band is from Denton, a University of North Texas alumni night will also be held at the concert.

We want to bring people downtown so that they will return, Denison Main Street Director Donna Dow said. We want people to come for the music, but see the other offerings of downtown. We want them to want to come back and shop. This year, we are encouraging the stores on Main Street to stay open past 7 (p.m.) and we will give the people that go there and shop a T-shirt as a thank you for shopping on Main Street.

Brave Combo was formed in 1979 by Carl Finch, who recruited Tim Walsh, Dave Tito Cameron and Lyle Atkinson. Their first album, Polkamania was released in 1979. The group won Grammy awards in 1999 and 2004 for best polka album for their albums Polkasonic and Lets Kiss.

The bands website says Brave Combos music is a world music mix that includes salsa, meringue, rock, cumbia, conjunto, polka, zydeco, classical, cha cha, the blues and more.

The group has released more than 30 albums in their almost 40 years together. Their last studio album, The Liminal Zone, was released in 2015.

Current band members include Finch on guitar, Danny OBrien on the trumpet, Alan Emert on drums, Little Jack Melody on base guitar and Robert Hokamp on guitar.

According to their website, Brave Combos music has been featured in the Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek movie, Fools Rush In, and Ben Stiller and Christopher Walken movie Envy. The group was also immortalized in animated form in the 2004 Simpsons episode, Co-Dependents Day.

Last year, Music on Main attracted as many as 4,500 people from Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Overdrive Entertainment booking agent Tip Jones, who helped put this years lineup together, previously said he hoped that the diversity of artists will bring in attendees.

For those that have never attended Music on Main, it is good music, diverse genres and artists of different genders in a relaxing family atmosphere in a lawn setting, Dow said.

Holy Ghost Tent Revival will perform at the next Music on Main concert to be held at 8 p.m. June 2 at Heritage Park. Shermans free concert series, Hot Summer Nights, is scheduled to start June 1 with a performance by Trout Fishing in America.

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Music on Main to hold first concert of summer - Nueces County Record Star

Home Brain Function Sleep Cant sleep? Try this

I used to say sleep was the third pillar [of health]. I was absolutely wrong. Its the foundation.

If youve ever suffered from insomnia or been sleep deprived, youll surely agree with these words by Dr. Matthew Walker, director of the Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley.

After pulling an all-nighteror a few in a rowyou just arent able to be your normal self. Even if your health is in good shape, a couple of sleepless nights is all it takes to make your existence miserable. Youll discover new pains, youll have no energy In fact, the only thing that youll be sure of is that all you want to do is sleep.

Yet, despite the unpleasant aftermath of sleep insufficiency and the serious health repercussions of chronic sleep disorders, one out of every three adult Americans is sleep deprived.

Well, there are a myriad of things that dont let us get a good nights rest. Some of them are health-related and some have to do with our lifestyles. If youve been suffering from sleep problems for awhile, the first line of action is to see your doctor. Once common medical conditions that disturb sleep such as sleep apnea, hormone imbalances, and depression have been ruled out, its time to look at your sleep habits.

Do you sleep in when you dont have to be up at a certain time in the morning? If you do, youre probably not getting enough sleep during the week.

Meaning, get on a sleep schedule. Stick to the same bedtime and wake-up time every day.

Many people who have trouble falling asleep drink alcohol in the evening in hopes that it will help them unwind. Wrong. Booze fragments your sleep, so cut it out.

Yes, do something to help you unwind (without the assistance of alcohol). Stop checking your work emails and your social media accounts a couple of hours before bed. Or find a similar activity of the same effect.

Yes, sleep experts all around the world recommend leaving your gadgets outside the bedroom. But your devices can actually help you fall asleep if used wisely. The key is, whatever youre doing should promote your sleep rather than impair it. You can use your smartphone or tablet for a session of guided meditation, to listen to some relaxing music, or even do some journaling to let the thoughts that bother you out of your head.

No, you dont have to sacrifice your marriage for the sake of a good nights sleep. The two can peacefully co-exist together, but sometimes in different rooms. If you keep waking up time and again because of your partner, you may want to try sleeping in another room or even in a separate bed. Its normalin fact, about 30 percent of couples sleep apart.

If youve been having trouble falling asleep for awhile, you may have gotten used to this nagging feeling of tiredness and exhaustion. But the good news is, you dont have to commit yourself to this misery for the rest of your life. All it takes is getting your sleep back to normal.

Related:Sleep deprivation leads to weakened immune system: Study

Related Reading:

Getting more sleep makes you look healthier and more attractive: Study

Simple yoga exercises for restful sleep

http://time.com/4765198/insomnia-sleep-tips/

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Can't sleep? Try this - Bel Marra Health

Dive Brief:

According to a recent TechSci Research report,the global organic food market is projected to grow at a CAGR of more than 14% from 2016 to 2021.The new OTA survey supports this belief as the organic sector once again showed signs of an upward trajectory. In fact, organic food now accounts for 5.3% of total food sales in the U.S.

Growth like that is great for the industry, but there may be a problem lurking in the shadows. In order for supply to keep up with the rapidly expanding demand, more farmers will need to get on board the organic train. This is quite a challenge. Transitioning to organic farming is a long and expensive process, which takes three years, many process changes, and copious inspections. earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture partnered with the OTA on a new transitional certification program, which could make it more enticing for farmers to make the switch.

Its a move that many who support organics said is greatly needed as the shopper base has expanded far beyond the traditional core group of hard-core organic loyalists. Many analysts saying those who buy organics has more than doubled in a short time. However, others are not sure if consumers will understand what transitional certification means or if they will be willing to pay higher prices for food bearing that seal.

Organics may also get their own government-authorized check-off program, which could help raise $30 million a year to spend on research and marketing. The program was authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill, and the issue of how to establish it was opened for public comment earlier this year. If the program comes to be, those funds could also help expand the organic supply.

Its not just organic food seeing a rise in popularity. Sales of organic items for consumers'wardrobes, bedrooms and bathrooms are also on the rise. Non-food organic products saw sales increases of almost 9% to $3.9 billion, according to the report.

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Organic food sales totaled $43B in 2016 - Food Dive

The U.S. organic sector stayed on its upwardtrajectory in 2016,as consumers across the country ate and used more organic products than ever before.

TheOrganic Trade Associations (OTAs) 2017 Organic Industry Survey released on Wednesday showed organic sales in the U.S. totaled around US$47 billion in 2016, reflecting new sales of almost US$3.7 billion from the previous year.

Of the total, a record US$43 billion corresponded to organic food sales, marking the first time the U.S. organic food market wasbroken though the US$40-billion mark.

Organic food now accounts for more than 5.3%of total food sales in this country, the according to the report.

It added organic food sales increased by 8.4% year-on-year, far higher than the 0.6% growth rate in the overall food market. Sales of organic non-food products were up 8.8% in 2016, also surpassing the overall non-food growth rate of 0.8%.

The US$15.6-billion organic fruits and vegetables sector held onto its position as the largest of the organic food categories, accounting for almost 40% of all organic food sales.

Posting an 8.4% growth rate almost triple the 3.3% growth pace of total fruit and vegetable sales organic fruits and vegetables now make up almost 15% of the produce that Americans eat.

The OTA said produce had traditionally been the entry category for consumers new to organic, in large part because in the produce aisle the benefits of organic are probably the easiest to understand.

In produce, grab-and-go salads and ready-to-eat veggies (fresh or frozen), were top sellers.

Organic products of all sorts are now found in the majority of kitchens and households across our country, OTA CEO and executive director Laura Batcha said.

But the organic sector is facing challenges to continue its growth. We need more organic farmers in this country to meet our growing organic demand, and the organic sector needs to have the necessary tools to grow and compete on a level playing field.

That means federal, state and local programs that help support organic research, and provide the organic farmer with a fully equipped tool kit to be successful.

Photo: http://www.shutterstock.com

http://www.freshfruitportal.com

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U.S. organic food sales hit record US$43B in 2016 - FreshFruitPortal ... - Fresh Fruit Portal

Regulating [food] supply chains to ensure, for example, that organic foods deserve their labels is hard. Here are five reasons why.

1) The U.S. government doesnt enforce its standards for organic foods[T]he USDA doesnt actually administer the standards for imported foods. Instead, the certification checking that the food meets U.S. standards is done by USDA-recognized foreign regulators or USDA-authorized third-party organizations. This means the USDA outsources its authority to its equivalent agencies in other countries, as well as third-party certifiers.

2) Not all countries have U.S.-recognized regulators The number of USDA-recognizedinternational regulatorshasbeengrowing since 2009. However, it is still relatively small.

3) Thats why third-party certifiers are necessary USDAs Certifier Lookuppage lists 82 authorized third-party organizations. Although most of these USDA-accredited certifying agents are domestic, 33 areforeign agents. Also, although some of them are purely private, others arepublic.

4) But certification remains challenging in a complex global economy In practice, ensuring that imports labeled organic are actually organic is very hard, because global supply chains are complex and nontransparent. A number of suppliersor organizations may sell the product before they reach the final customer.

This creates ample opportunity for things to go wrong.

5) The problem stretches beyond the USDA This is not the USDAs fault it is one regulatory agency with limited resources, trying to deal with a multitude of suppliers. Some of these suppliers, in all likelihood, are operating unethically.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Why its so hard to know whether organic food is really organic

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5 reasons why it's so hard to know whether 'organic' food is really organic - Genetic Literacy Project

The global organic food & beverage market is expected to reach USD 320.5 billion by 2025. Growing popularity of non-GMO products among consumers, owing to the health benefits associated with their consumption, is expected to drive the demand over the forecast period.

Fruits and vegetables dominated the global organic food market accounted for over 37% of revenue share in 2015. Furthermore, increasing consumption of meat and poultry products resulted in the fastest growth of the segment and is expected to grow substantially at a CAGR of 13% over the forecast period.

Non-dairy beverages such as rice, soymilk, and oat beverages accounted for over 33% of the total share of organic beverages market in 2015. However, beer and wine is projected to grow substantially at a CAGR of 13.5% over the forecast period owing to increasing global economic conditions and high consumption of a broad range of flavored beverages.

The industry in Asia Pacific is projected to witness fastest growth over the forecast period and account for over 12% of global revenue by 2025. Asia Pacific is projected to witness highest growth on account of growing agriculture sector in the region coupled with robust domestic demand has led to significant demand for the product.

Companies Mentioned

Key Topics Covered:

1. Methodology and Scope

2. Executive Summary

3. Organic Food & Beverage Industry Outlook

4. Organic Food & Beverage: Product Outlook

5. Organic Food & Beverage Market: Regional Outlook

6. Competitive Landscape

7. Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/m2nb7f/organic_foods_and

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

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SOURCE Research and Markets

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Organic Foods and Beverages Market to Reach $320 Billion by 2025 - Growing Popularity of Non-GMO Products ... - PR Newswire (press release)