A brand-new life sciences hub is born at the heart of downtown Montreal
MONTREAL, May 4, 2023 /CNW/ - On the occasion of the Effervescence conference organized by Montral InVivo, Normand Rivard, Managing Partner, Life Sciences and Innovation at Jadco Group, and Martin Leblanc, Cofounder and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of CellCarta, unveiled Inspire Bio Innovations Montreal, a brand new life sciences and precision medicine hub that will be home to CellCarta's head office, among other things.
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Situated in the heart of the university district, opposite the IRCM (Montreal Clinical Research Institute) and at the centre of the city's health corridor, Inspire bio innovations revives the site of the former Montreal Chest Institute, which was a key medical centre in the history of Montreal and Quebec.
Ultimately, this large-scale project, with $350 million in private investment, will offer 450,000 square feet of state-of-the-art laboratories, offices and collaborative spaces. Inspire bio innovations will become the focal point of the life sciences ecosystem. Major pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, research institutes, students, university researchers and innovative startups will work together to accelerate the development of scientific discoveries and make them accessible worldwide.
The Montreal area and indeed all of Quebec will be able to count on this key hub to foster synergy and strategic meetings between relevant players in the life sciences and artificial intelligence ecosystems in health, accelerate innovation and discoveries, develop and recruit world-class talent, and retain and attract head offices in cutting-edge sectors. Some of the project's key features include a glass atrium, a conference and training centre, a rooftop terrace, and an exceptional architectural signature(NEUF architect(e)s, Fahey).
In addition, collaborative spaces, including state-of-the-art laboratories, along with top-notch professional services and a scientific entrepreneurial startup accelerator, will facilitate the creation, growth and success of the next generation of life sciences companies.
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Inspire bio innovations will be able to host, for example, early-stage drug development projects and accompany startups through the various clinical phases, allowing them to benefit from the proximity of all major clinical sites and CellCarta's expertise in clinical trial design and regulatory expertise.
Quotations
"For many years, researchers, startups and investment firms have decried the glaring lack of state-of-the-art laboratories in downtown Montreal, at the heart of the life sciences research and training ecosystem, near universities, hospitals, research centres and the business community. In addition, one of the greatest challenges faced by life sciences companies remains recruitment and retention of the skilled personnel they require for their development, in a context of shortage of qualified workers. Montreal is therefore facing strong competition, at a time when several major North American and European cities already have well-established life sciences hubs in the heart of their downtown areas that serve as major growth drivers. However, Montreal has all the assets to become one of the most dynamic and promising international life sciences hubs. This project is a perfect response to the needs expressed by the ecosystem and will allow Montreal and Quebec to maintain their position as leaders on the international scene." - Normand Rivard, Managing Partner, Life Sciences and Innovation, Jadco Group.
"We are very proud to be associated with this highly structuring and promising project for the future of the life sciences sector and of downtown Montreal. Having chosen to establish our laboratory operations and headquarters in downtown Montreal over 12 years ago, CellCarta is delighted to have found a site and a project that fully meets our strategic ambitions of reuniting all our Montreal employees under one roof and of securing the longer-term growth and sustainability of our operations in Montreal." - Martin Leblanc, co-founder and vice chair of the board of directors, CellCarta.
"As Mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal Borough and as the Executive Committee member responsible for economic development, knowledge and innovation, I am delighted to see this new life sciences innovation cluster being established in the heart of an area that has remained mostly unoccupied since the Montreal Chest Institute moved in 2015. The imminent arrival of Inspire bio innovations on this prime site is a testament to the fact that the downtown area continues to attract world-class projects, thanks to its proximity to world-class universities and teaching hospitals. These new laboratories will contribute to the emergence of a synergy between medicine, research and artificial intelligence, positioning Montreal among the most dynamic and promising international life sciences centres. This project and the many jobs it will create will also help revitalize this important employment hub and attract talent from all over to a highquality environment"- Luc Rabouin, mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, member of the executive committee of the City of Montreal and member responsible for economic and commercial development, knowledge, innovation and design.
About Jadco Group
Founded in 1987, Jadco Group designs, develops and builds signature residential and industrial projects, particularly those geared to the life sciences ecosystem. Recognized for the high quality of its projects that meet the most important ESG standards, Jadco Group, in collaboration with its institutional partners, has accumulated over $1.2 billion in investments in Quebec. The company acts as a property manager and prides itself on being a landlord of choice. For more information, see http://www.jadcocorporation.com.
About CellCartaCellCarta is a leading provider of specialized precision medicine laboratory services to the biopharmaceutical industry. Leveraging its integrated analytical platforms in immunology, histopathology, proteomics and genomics, as well as related ML/AI data analytics andsample logistics services, CellCarta supports the entire drug development cycle, from discovery to late-stage clinical trials. The company operates globally with 11 facilities located in Canada, USA, Belgium, Australia, and China, with more than 1,050 employees, a third of which are located at its laboratories and corporate headquarters in Montreal.www.cellcarta.com
New York, May 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The report published by Reports Insights reveals that theoxo alcoholmarket was worth USD 18.38 Billion in 2022and is projected to reach USD 28.27 Billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 4.9%. Oxo alcohols are widely used in various end-use industries, including paints and coatings, adhesives, and chemical intermediates. The rising construction activities and increasing automotive production are also contributing to the market growth.
Global Oxo Alcohol Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis, By IP Type By Type (Iso-Butanol, 2-Ethyl-Hexanol, n- Butanol, Octyl Alcohol F, and Others), Application (Plasticizers, Solvents, Acrylates, Acetates, Fuel Additives, Lubes, and Others), End-Use Industry (Paints and Varnishes, Plastic Industry, Automotive, and Others), and By Region, Forecast Period 2023 2030.
Oxo alcohol is a type of chemical that is produced through the oxo process, oxo process is a chemical reaction between an olefin (a type of hydrocarbon), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen (H2) in the presence of a catalyst. The result of the reaction is an alcohol with a specific molecular structure that is modified to produce various types of alcohol and other derivatives. Oxo alcohol chemical is a compound of n-butanol, isobutyraledehyde and iso-Butanol. It is used in a wide range of applications as a adhesives, solvent, and paint & coating in numerous end-use industries. Furthermore, oxo alcohols are deployed as a solvent for numerous applications such as extractants in the production of drugs, printing inks, and as a solubilizer in the textile industry.
Additionally, the growing construction industry contributed to the growth of the oxo alcohols market. Oxo alcohols are utilized in the production of paints and coatings owing to their various high-performance characteristics such as good adhesion, flexibility, and lower emissions. For instance, according to Statista, in 2021, the global paint and coatings industry accounted for approximately USD 160 billion and is projected to reach around USD 235 billion by 2029. Therefore, the rising demand for paints and coatings in commercial and residential buildings, transportation, and other infrastructure has boosted the construction industry, in turn, surging the growth of the oxo alcohols market. However, the volatility in the prices of raw materials such as propylene and n-butene is likely to hinder market growth.
Furthermore, the increasing concern regarding sustainability is surging the demand for green chemicals. Various manufacturers are focusing in the production of environment-friendly chemicals. For instance, Perstorp Group is evolving the oxo-market by introducing a portfolio that includes oxo aldehydes and alcohols made from renewable materials including biogas. Therefore, the development of bio-based oxo alcohols from renewable feedstock waste biomass and vegetable oils is expected to offer significant opportunity to the oxo alcohol market.
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Key Market Highlights
Global Oxo Alcohol MarketSegmentationDetails:
Based on Type,the octyl alcohol segment F is projected to offer a substantial share to the oxo alcohols market over the forecast period. Octyl alcohol F finds wide range of applications in various end-use industries such as the textile industry and automotive. These oxo alcohols are also used as raw materials for production inhibitors to improve the process of solid fuel combustion. For instance, Grupa Azoty, offers octyl alcohol F that is used as auxiliary agent and release agent in the textile industry. Therefore, the rising textile industry is expected to contribute to the growth of the segment.
Based on Application,the acrylates segment is anticipated to register the fastest-growing CAGR over the forecast period. Acrylates are used as a solvent for various applications such as automotive coating architectural coating and leather finishes owing to their excellent absorbency, flexibility, and toughness. For instance, according to a report published by Statista, the global architectural coating market is projected to account for around USD 109 billion by 2030. Hence, the growing demand of acrylates from different coating industries is expected to surge the growth of the oxo alcohols market.
Based on End Use Industry,the plastic industry accounted for the largest market share of the oxo alcohol market. In the plastic industry oxo alcohols are extensively used for the production plasticizer to enhance the quality of plastics and make them more durable and flexible. These plastics are then deployed in numerous end use industries such as automotive, construction, and packaging. As a result, the increasing consumption of plastics by various end-use industries is driving the oxo alcohols market growth.
Based on Region, Asia Pacific held the highest market share of the oxo alcohols market in 2022. The growing construction industry owing to rapid industrialization is boosting the oxo alcohols market. For instance, according to Invest India, the construction industry in India is projected to reach USD 1.4 trillion by 2025. Therefore, the abovementioned factors are expected to derive the growth of the oxo alcohols market.
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Recent Developments
List of Major Global Oxo Alcohol Market Players
The market research report examines various market factors to determine the key drivers, limitations, and opportunities affecting market players. The report includes a SWOT analysis, regional analysis, and segment analysis to give a complete view of the market situation. This evaluation helps to identify possible growth opportunities through the implementation of technology, product utilization, business strategies, and the launch of new products. The following are major market players operating in the market environment
Global Oxo Alcohol Market Segmentation:
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Hawthorn, May 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hawthorn, Victoria -
Zebra Plumbing, a Melbourne-based domestic plumbing company offering comprehensive, top-quality plumbing services, is receiving stellar 5-star reviews from homeowners throughout the region. Readers can find out more about the company by visiting https://zebraplumbing.com.au/.
As one of the newest names in domestic plumbing in Melbourne, Zebra Plumbing has struck a chord with local homeowners and business owners who have already come to rely on the wide range of plumbing services it offers. With a passion for quality workmanship and a commitment to outstanding customer service, Melbourne property owners trust the fully licensed and insured company to fix all their plumbing issues without any predatory upselling.
"We believe in clear client communication to help Victoria residents make the right decisions about their property's plumbing," says Byron Slabbert, the founder of Zebra Plumbing. "We offer honest and upfront no-obligation quotes that hide nothing, ensuring that you don't have to deal with sticker shock when we are done solving all your plumbing problems. For a nominal call-out fee of just $49, you get a thorough expert analysis of all the repairs you need to fully restore your home's plumbing. Quotes are valid for 30 days and if you book online, you get a $50 discount that can be applied to any of the services that you hire us for. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ZebraPlumbingAus to find out more."
Zebra Plumbing's dedication to putting the customer experience first has earned it the trust of Melbourne's property owners. This confidence is also reflected in the perfect 5.0 out of 5.0 overall rating on its Google Business Profile from over 50 local reviews with customers praising the company's affordable pricing, responsive customer service, and exceptional workmanship.
One of the latest 5-star customer reviews gives the company a thumbs up on professionalism, punctuality, quality, and responsiveness, and says, "Zebra Plumbing is fantastic. They fitted my new sinks, taps, and shower heads. Speaking from past experiences, I always get nervous about plumbers damaging the taps or tiles, but this time the plumber was diligent in delivering the perfect fit-out. He arrived on time and delivered top service. I plan to use Zebra plumbing again."
Another happy Melbourne homeowner writes, "We have had ongoing issues with our shower pressure and heating for many weeks until the shower pressure completely went. Zebra plumbing came out in a heartbeat to fix this. They were quick and efficient and very professional. Van came out fully stocked to deal with any issues at hand so there was no running back and forth to get equipment to fix it. Highly recommend!"
The Melbourne plumbing company's range of services includes the installation, maintenance, and repair of instant hot water systems and gas hot water systems, fixing drainage issues such as smelly or blocked drains, and a host of other services such as tap leak repair, tap replacement, burst pipes, toilet plumbing, CCTV camera inspections, pipe relining, gas line pressure testing, gas line replacement, gas leaks, gas fitting, carbon monoxide testing, and more.
Zebra Plumbing offers 24/7 emergency plumbing services for local homeowners in a bind who need urgent help. The company also offers interest-free payment plans for customers who need additional help to ensure that all their plumbing needs can be taken care of. Melbourne homeowners also enjoy a lifetime labor warranty, a testament to the confidence that Byron has in his highly vetted team of experienced plumbers.
When asked about how Zebra Plumbing has managed to scale the heights that it has in such a short time, Byron says, "As a locally owned and operated business, we understand the unique plumbing challenges faced by Melbourne residents. So, to live up to the expectations that our customers have, we utilize the industry's latest tools, techniques, and technologies that ensure that we deliver outstanding plumbing results on every job, large or small, that we take on. It is no wonder then that we have already become the go-to choice for homeowners seeking prompt, professional, and reliable plumbing solutions in Melbourne and surrounding areas. Find out more about the core values that drive us by visiting https://zebraplumbing.com.au/about/."
Readers can contact Zebra Plumbing at 1300 033 468 to schedule an appointment or write in their queries to contact@zebraplumbing.com.au.
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For more information about Zebra Plumbing, contact the company here:
Folks, let me tell you something: if being a plumber and union business manager taught me anything, it taught me about being responsible for the finances of others. It taught me to invest in yourself, your trade, your people, and your community. Every year, Pennsylvanias budget is a statement of who we are and what we want to be. Governor Shapiros budget proposal is exactly what our 9th Senate District needs to keep moving forward.
Our Governor wants to look forward and plan for our future. Investing in public education, including basic and special education, is crucial for giving our students the opportunities they need to learn and grow. As the husband of a teacher with a daughter also in the profession, I understand the importance of this issue.
Unfortunately, many students are falling through the cracks despite the best of intentions from educators. Thats why its so important to not only invest in bettering our classrooms but to also invest in career/technical education and workforce training programs. This ensures that residents of District 9 and our Commonwealth have the skills they need to succeed in todays world.
As someone who was able to take up a trade that changed my life, I know firsthand the opportunities trade schools can provide. In fact, investing in trade schools and technical education may be more important now than ever.
According to the Federal Reserve, the national student loan debt has reached a staggering $1.7 trillion. Meanwhile, many trade school graduates are earning incomes comparable to or even higher than those of their counterparts with bachelors degrees. For example, the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the median income for someone who attended a trade school is $35,000, which is on par with the median income for all bachelors degree recipients.
READ MORE Summary of key evidence presented at Central Bucks investigation into bias accusations
On the heels of the pandemic, weve all seen the importance of supporting our childrens mental health. Thats why Im thrilled that Pennsylvanias budget includes new funding for mental health support for students and staff. With a child mental health crisis on the rise, its crucial that we invest in resources to provide the care and assistance that our children need to thrive.
Additionally, the proposal includes funding for subsidized childcare, which can help working parents access the care and support their children need to grow and succeed. This is a direct investment in the well-being and futures of our children. We are also helping adults with mental health issues, with $29 million in new targeted funding including $5 million in funding to help build out the 988 Mental Health Assistance program.
Pennsylvanias budget proposal goes beyond expectations by investing in historically disadvantaged businesses and providing financial assistance for workforce training. This investment is crucial for the economic growth of the region, especially in the City of Chester, located in District 9, which has a history of economic struggles.
My District office is situated at the heart of the City of Chester, and I am fully committed to its revitalization and encouragement of future economic development. Investing in cities during economic downturns is essential for the well-being of Pennsylvanians. By investing in our communities, we can create new opportunities for businesses and workers, helping to strengthen our local economies and ensure a brighter future for all.
Lets talk farmland investments and let me tell you, farming is huge in the 9th district! And with over 25 percent of Pennsylvania consisting of farmland, farmland investments are crucial for maintaining our agricultural heritage. This includes our land in Chester County, and ensuring it continues to be the economic pillar of opportunity for its residents.
The mushroom industry is a major contributor to our regions economy. Kennett Square and Chester County are known as the Mushroom Capital of the World, providing over 68 percent of the worlds mushrooms. Here in the 9th, we have more than 50 family-owned commercial mushroom farms that operate within 25 miles of Kennett Square.
Farmland preservation is essential for Chester County and our Commonwealth to continue providing jobs and economic growth. Without it, the mushroom industry would suffer. As someone who has come to enjoy mushroom soup as much as the next person, I know the stakes were up against.
Pennsylvanias budget proposal includes funding for emergency services, which is crucial for the safety and well-being of all constituents, residents and visitors. In my time as a Senator, I have sat and met with countless Fire Stations, Emergency Responders, Police Forces and so many more who are in dire need of necessary funds to provide their community with the protections from disasters that can strike at any moment. We all want to feel safe in our communities, and to do that, these services need to be a priority.
Governor Shapiros budget is the real deal, like a plunger for all problems Pennsylvanians face. With this budget, we can flush away the old and embrace the new, ensuring our Commonwealth thrives without getting in the way of progress.
Senator John Kane represents the 9th senatorial district, including parts of Chester and Delaware Counties.
What happens when the plumbing of the financial system breaks down? Well, we are looking at it. Who is the plumber of last resort for the financial system? Well it would have to be the lender of last resort, which is, by definition, the Federal Reserve.
Every business everywhere, from a lemonade stand to JPMorgan (JPM) is based on constantly running transactions through a system. It's how fixed costs are amortized and how bankers make their bonuses. So, if that stops, then there is trouble for the U.S economy. Call it a credit crunch, call it fiscal tightening, call it what you will, but, make no mistake, it is visible everywhere.
Especially in the U.S. financial system, and specifically at regional banks. The Fed's disastrous decision to flood the economy with money in the depths of the Covid crash created inevitably a wave of inflation, which is still wracking the economy. As Powell and his clueless cronies at theFed only know one way to flood the economy with money -- dam-burst style -- similarly they are removing it with equal force.
Look at this chart from the St Louis Fed's FRED database:fred.stlouisfed.org/series/M2SL.
After rising steadily for the more than 80 years of data in the St. Louis Fed's data series, "M2 money supply" -- cash, checking accounts, CDs, and the like -- peaked in March 22 and has been trending downward since. So the U.S. economy is in its 14th month of monetary contraction and the casualties are forming. PacWest (PACW) looks likely to join First Republic, Signature, Silicon Valley Bank in the dustbin of history.
But why? I have never heard so many different answers to such a simple question from my friends that are Wall Street professionals. The answer to this medical condition is easy, though. The patient became addicted to a steady morphine-like drip of liquidity, and then the Federal Reserve -- to fixits own mistake -- removed that drip. Then things started to fall apart.
The classic bank business model is to borrow short (deposits are classified as liabilities for a bank) and to lend long. But what if it costs more to have funds available in the short-term than (deposit rate) than an institution can earn on a long-term loan (like a 10-year construction loan, for instance)?
The economics of your simple shoebox-style bank have just been totally upended. The yield curve has been inverted for 11 consecutive months now, a phenomenon that last occurred from 1980-1982. I just have no words for incompetently run this Fed and its ultimate backer, the Treasury Department -- run by Janet Yellen, a former Federal Open Market Committee Chair herself -- has been for the past three years.
So, I believe this credit crunch will eventually be resolved by having long rates gradually rise back through 4% -- making new loans profitable) not by the FOMC cutting the Fed Funds rate back to near-zero from the current 5.25% which would simply resuscitate the inflation monster. A yield curve re-steepening simply has to happen, and that was the genesis of my WYLD portfolio of currently-floating--rate preferreds. But, because preferred stock is counted as Tier 1 capital, the institutions that have the most incentive to issue them are ... you guessed it ... banks.
So, WYLD has paper issued by investment banks, insurance companies, NuStar Energy (NS-A) , which has been a terrific relative performer. Two WYLD names I have noted previously are Zions Bank's preferred (ZIONP) and Valley National Bank's (VLYPO) , and I am buying them both in size this week for Excelsior Capital, as we take advantage of their ridiculous yields. Those yields are based on three-monthLondon Inter-Bank Offered Rate plus an issuer-specific spread. Doing the simple math shows that VLYPO is yielding 14.69% currently, while ZIONP is "only" yielding 10.43% at today's price.
Those yields are crazy, and not reflective of the fundamentals at those banks. So, while I fully expect ZIONP and VLYPO will be just as volatile as their respective common stocks (VLYPO has had a particularly wild ride this week) I am committed to locking in those yields and then ... waiting. I don't think "this will all blow over" or any other such hoary cliche, but I believe the rewards we are reaping from these double-digit yields outweigh the risks. So, we wait.
At this point that is all we can do. I am not sure which is crazier, selling a security that one already owns that sports a nearly 15% yield that I judge to be safe, or buying that security in the first place. That ship has sailed. We are in these positions for the long haul.
When the plumbing is bad, I want to take advantage. That said, I don't like roulette, and I will not be looking to add any new names to my or my clients' portfolios for the foreseeable future. But the ones we have have gotten too cheap, and I am in there with bloody fingers from catching the falling knives and averaging down.
The famously conservative bankers at Zions navigated through 2008 (though ZIONP traded as low as 24 cents on the dollar then, which makes today's 56 cents on the dollar seem like a minimal reaction) and Valley National (VLY) has an ace in the hole, in the 14% ownership stake in VLY held by Israel's Bank Leumi. Valley bought Leumi's U.S. business last year, and, if thingsgo further, I would expect Leumi to consider returning the favor by buying the rest of Valley National.
The plumbing is broken now. Stick with names you own, andbe patient while collecting in love from those names, especially bonds and preferreds, and you will make it through this crisis without needing a bailout of your own.
(Please note that due to factors including low market capitalization and/or insufficient public float, we consider some of these stocks to be small-cap stocks. You should be aware that such stocks are subject to more risk than stocks of larger companies, including greater volatility, lower liquidity and less publicly available information, and that postings such as this one can have an effect on their stock prices.)
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The actors Justin Theroux (left) and Woody Harrelson play G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt in the new HBO miniseries White House Plumbers. The show premieres on May 1. Phillip V. Caruso/HBO hide caption
The actors Justin Theroux (left) and Woody Harrelson play G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt in the new HBO miniseries White House Plumbers. The show premieres on May 1.
The new five-part HBO series White House Plumbers, about the men behind the Watergate break-in, begins just like the movie All the President's Men: The time is the early 1970s. The place is the Watergate Hotel and office complex in Washington, D.C., where some mysterious men are trying to gain illegal entry to the Democratic election headquarters there.
But all of a sudden, as in some alternate dimensional timeline, the familiar details stop being familiar. The would-be burglars can't even pick the door lock and a superimposed message explains the confusing difference to viewers. It reads: "There were four Watergate break-in attempts. This was attempt number two."
Right away, you know this new White House Plumbers series is in great hands. Specifically, it's in the hands of writers and creators Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, both of whom worked on HBO's Veep and The Larry Sanders Show. The director of multiple episodes is David Mandel, who directed episodes of Veep and Curb Your Enthusiasm. And the many executive producers include Frank Rich, who's also an executive producer on Succession. So this group knows how to tell a story in unexpected ways, and to find the humor even in the more serious situations.
After starting with that less familiar Watergate break-in, White House Plumbers flashes back even further, to the moment when the Plumbers were formed, and then takes it forward from there, through the various break-ins, and to the Watergate hearings and a bit beyond.
The principals in this particular telling of the story are E. Howard Hunt, played by Woody Harrelson, and G. Gordon Liddy, played by Justin Theroux. These two larger-than-life schemers were at the heart of the Plumbers, a clandestine group created by the White House to investigate such press leaks as the Pentagon Papers, government documents that had been slipped to The New York Times and other papers by military analyst Daniel Ellsberg. They were called the Plumbers because, well, plumbers locate and stop leaks.
Hunt and Liddy partner and set out to, among other things, bug the Democratic National Committee headquarters. It's not quite a Mission: Impossible, but in the hands of this crew, it takes several tries, and even then, after listening devices are planted, there are problems.
The dialogue is rich throughout White House Plumbers, and so are the performances and characters. Harrelson is wonderful exploding like Ralph Kramden one minute, simmering like Macbeth the next and the supporting cast is a very deep bench, serving up unexpected treasures every episode. There's Kathleen Turner as lobbyist Dita Beard! And Lena Headey from Game of Thrones as Hunt's wife, Dorothy! And Gary Cole as FBI executive Mark Felt who, though he's not identified as such here, in real life was the infamous Deep Throat of All the President's Men. And lots, lots more.
Parts of White House Plumbers are laugh-out-loud outrageous but other parts do make you feel for some of these people, and, of course, compare that scandal to more contemporary ones. It's definitely worth seeing, and savoring. All the President's Men is one of my favorite movies of all time and White House Plumbers is good enough to be shown as a very long, all-Watergate double feature.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie keeps breaking records. Nintendos mascot has surprised everyone, as not even Shigeru Miyamoto, the plumbers creator, expected such box office numbers. The video game character has come a long way, jumping to the number-one spot in the movie business, showing that a beloved IP such as Mario can go far beyond its original media.
Among the many landmarks the Mario movie has achieved, the film competes with Frozen 2 regarding opening weekend box office records. Aside from the economic significance, one thing is clear: Nintendo is telling Disney they can give them a run for their money. Needless to say, this is just the first Illumination/Nintendo movie, and one isolated hit has a long way to go. Yet, Nintendo is working on a series of actions to make Mario the next big-time mascot, exceeding its already unrivaled video game reputation.
Furthermore, despite Disneys undeniable preponderance in the entertainment industry, the company has seen better days in terms of box office, and the recent sudden CEO change suggests some leadership issues. Be that as it may, this might be the start of Mickey Mouses dethroning as the biggest entertainment mascot. Of course, that is if Nintendo continues to play its cards right.
Marios movie and TV history is well known. Despite multiple attempts in the US and Japan to make a relevant cartoon or live-action film that properly depicts the plumbers heroic story, none had the same impact as the recent movie. This led to Nintendo being extremely careful with the Mario media rights for so long.
However, a different approach of the Japanese company can be traced to the last decade. The first significant breakthrough came with the announcement of the Super Nintendo World in Universal Studios Japan. Announced in 2015 and opened in March 2021, this new theme park area was founded under two distinctive decisions. The first one would be bringing the plumbers universe to a real-life set, an interaction that is only reserved for very popular IPs such as Star Wars, Marvel, DreamWorks, and other selected franchises.
This meant Mario not being exclusively a videogame character, as this grants visibility beyond gamers. Plus, it is a sophisticated way of advertising in which anyone who ignored Mario games until now might use a theme park visit as an excuse to join the party.
Related: Super Mario Bros.: Characters We Want to See in Future Movies
The second decision that stood Mario in the mascot wars arena was that Nintendo chose Universal instead of Disney for its theme park development. Again, there may have been some negotiations at some point in the past, but the story goes that Nintendo went with Universal, Disneys long-time theme park rival.
With a life-sized Mario running around a themed land, he and his crew are now in Mickey Mouses territory, greeting guests for photo-ops and creating family memories. The expansion plans have already hit America, with a recently opened Nintendo World on the west coast and an upcoming Floridian counterpart in 2025.
The truth is Mario triumphs in an industry to which Disney contributes but doesnt master. Sure, Mickey is a playable character, and Disney has created its fair share of popular video games that made an impact on the industry. But this doesnt mean that they have the same weight as Nintendo, or its competitors, Sony PlayStation or Microsoft Xbox for that matter.
Disney doesnt own a console nor pays more interest in video games than producing some based on their popular IPs. Ultimately, Disney has used Nintendo (and Sony and Microsoft) as a platform to showcase its franchises, so it cannot compete with Marios popularity.
As Mario slowly invades Mickeys territory, which is movies and TV, the mouse seems uninterested in competing side-by-side with the plumber in the video game terrain. Of course, there are many reasons not to do it, and probably commercial ones are the ones to keep them from creating their own console, but if Mario continues to grow, it might be a decision worth double-checking in the not-so-distant future.
Disneys paramount role in entertainment makes the company pursue leadership in every possible market. If Nintendo becomes a threat to its popularity, it might have to step up in ways it never thought viable before.
Related: The Best Nintendo Adaptations Like Super Mario Bros, Ranked
Its not that simple to dethrone the most famous mouse in the world. A century in the entertainment business has Walts favorite creation alive and well, with many promising new adventures to come and innumerable resources to keep ahead of the competition in mascot popularity.
Still, the future looks bright for Mario. His cinematic and theme-park popularity is on the rise, and his video game reputation is simply second-to-none. Now its a pivotal point for its roster of characters to jump in as well. Disneys domain relies on its rich set of lovable characters and stories that set them apart in the business.
But Nintendo is no stranger to this and has created its own roster of familiar faces and enticing playable adventures that could easily make great films and TV shows.
There is a terrible shortage of people who fix things. I am thinking of electricians, plumbers, glaziers, auto mechanics and many more skilled workers who keep life livable and society running.
It is frustrating if you cant get a plumber when you need one. But the skilled worker shortage has much more significant consequences than the inconvenience to the homeowner. The very rate of national progress on many fronts is being affected.
More housing is desperately needed, but architects tell me some new construction isnt happening because of the skilled worker shortage. Projects are being shelved.
The problem in electric utilities is critical and interesting because the utilities offer excellent pay, retirement and healthcare, and still, they are falling short of recruits. They are aware that many of their workers will be retiring in the next several years, adding to the problem. One utility, DTE in Michigan, has been training former prisoners in vegetation control the endless business of trimming trees around power lines.
Auto dealerships are scrounging for mechanics, now euphemistically called technicians.
Skilled workers are in short supply for the railroad and bridge industries. Many industries are prepared to offer training.
The need is great, and it has a quietly crippling effect on national prosperity.
President Biden has almost ceaselessly promoted solar and wind generation as job creators. Someone should tell him there is a severe shortage of those same electricians, pipe fitters, wind farm erectors and solar panel installers.
The skilled worker shortage has been worsening for some time, but it is now palpable.
Contributory factors have been building: The end of the draft meant an end to a lot of trade schooling in the military. Many a youth learned electronics, motor repair or how to paint something from Uncle Sam. That is the generation that is now retiring.
Then there is the education imbalance: We encourage too many below-average academic students to go to college. It is part of the credentialing craze. Those less suited to academic life seek easier and easier courses in lesser and lesser colleges just to come out with a bachelors degree a certificate that passes for a credential.
The result is a glut on the market of workers with useless degrees in such things as marketing, communications, sociology, and even journalism. If you arrive in college in need of remedial English, your future as a journalist is likely to be wobbly.
Since childhood, I have been impressed with people who fix things: People like my father. He fixed everything from diesel engines to water well pumps, burst pipes and sagging roofs.
Men, and some women, of his generation worked with their hands, but they were, in their way, Renaissance people.
They knew how to fix things from a cattle feeder to a sewing machine, from a loose brick in a wall to a childs bicycle to a boiler.
The work of fixing, of keeping things running, isnt stupid work; it involves a lot of deduction, knowledge and acquired skill.
Men and women who fixed things were at one with men and women who made things, often bound together in a common identity inside a union.
Think of the great names of the unions of the past and the sense of pride members once took in their belonging: the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, the Teamsters or the United Autoworkers. You had work and social dignity. You werent looked down upon because you hadnt been to college.
We arent going to bring back quickly honor to manual work or reverence for the great body of people who keep everything running. So we might look to the hundreds of thousands of skilled artisans who would do the work if they could enter the United States legally. Yes, the migrants milling at the southern border. Many skilled welders, plumbers and masons are yearning to cross the border and start fixing the dilapidated parts of this country.
The owner of a clothing factory told me she was desperate to find women who could sew. She said it is a skill that has just disappeared from the American workforce. A landscape contractor in Washington told me he would close without his Mexican workers.
A modest proposal: Let us write an immigration law based on who is really needed. Add to this a work permit dependent on fulfilling certain conditions. You would soon find company recruiters mingling with the border agents along the Rio Grande.
And we would lose our fear of a burst pipe. Help is just a frontier away.
On Twitter: @llewellynking2
Llewellyn King is executive producer and host of "White House Chronicle" on PBS.
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David Mandel isnt one to sugarcoat. Its a trait that appears in his work, from the vicious insults of Veep to the intentionally reprehensible characters at the center of HBOs White House Plumbers. It also emerged when TheWrap asked the longtime series creator his thoughts on the currently unfolding WGA strike.
I have no good answer, except to say, I think its going to be long and bloody, and its going to suck, Mandel said.
Also Read:Striking WGA Writers Say They Were Intentionally Hit by a Car While Picketing
Mandel, who is currently 52 years old, emphasized that hes been working in Hollywood for a long time but the current state of the industry doesnt make sense to him. His IMDb page reads like a collection of comedys greatest hits Seinfeld in the 90s, the cult hit EuroTrip in the 2000s, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Veep in the 2010s and over 60 episodes of Saturday Night Live over the course of three decades. And yet Mandel has noticed that in the last two years, even his contemporaries have struggled.
Im not talking about COVID. Im talking the changes are not working, Mandel said. They are scrounging for jobs in a way that doesnt make sense to me. I dont know what else to say. It does not make sense.
Mandel has heard leadership say theyre trying to turn writing into more of a gig economy.
It makes perfect sense because these are no longer studios. These are studios that are pieces of giant corporations. And giant corporations, since the heyday Jack Welch 80s, have basically decided to maximize profits by basically outsourcing anything and everything that you humanly can, Mandel said.
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Also Read:David Zaslav Says Studios Dont See Writers Strike as Cost-Saving Opportunity: We Are Not Glad (Video)
They devalue research, they devalue R&D, and thats what we are. Were research. Were the new product. Were R&D. They dont value us. They dont care. They worry about stock prices and debt sheets, Mandel said. And the irony is that their debt sheets and their stock prices are in the toilet because theyve made business decisions like, Hey, lets get rid of the cable money and go all in on streaming. I did not tell them to do that. I dont remember the writers getting consulted on that. So when these guys are at the bargaining table pleading poverty based on their own terrible decision-making theyre never going to admit they messed up their own businesses. And now theyre trying to take it out on the writers.
Mandel also briefly touched upon one of the most nerve-wracking parts of this strike: the threat of AI.
When the Writers Guild says to them, Hey, we want to talk about AI and they go, Oh, my God, no, theres nothing to see here, you start to go, Oh, man, theyve got weird plans for AI and replacing all of us,' Mandel said before concluding that he thinks the strike is going to be bad and long.
On Tuesday, the WGA started its strike following weeks of failed negotiations between the Writers Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). This marks the first WGA strike in 15 years since 2007s 100-day strike. There is a laundry list of concerns at the center of this strike, from the rise of professionally stifling mini-rooms to fears about artificial intelligence. But more than anything else, the strike is a response to the major ways Hollywood has changed in the age of streaming.
Truncated seasons and the rise of miniseries have resulted in fewer opportunities for newer writers to climb the professional ladder. Meanwhile, streaming shows have all but eliminated residuals paychecks writers often depend on to survive and the lack of viewer transparency from these companies has wounded writers bargaining power.
Related stories:All the WGA Strike Locations in L.A. and NYCHollywood Writers Strike: All the Impacted Shows, From Abbott Elementary to YellowjacketsThe Sticking Points: Writers Guild Breaks Down Why It Couldnt Reach a Deal With Studios
Also Read:WGA Strike Roundtable: Writers Say TV Is Broken, and Were Reinventing It Poorly (Video)
Category Plumber|Comments Off on Veep and White House Plumbers Showrunner David Mandel Fears the WGA Strike Will Be Long and Bloody – Yahoo Entertainment
TV shows about the Watergate scandal and the survival of the human race in an apocalyptic future highlight the list of scripted and reality content debuting in the first week of May.
HBO on May 1 will premiere White House Plumbers, which focuses on the Watergate scandal that brought down Richard Nixons presidency. The five-episode series stars Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Kathleen Turner and F. Murray Abraham.
Apple TV Plus's sci-fi series Silo follows the last 10,000 people on earth who are living in a mile-deep space protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. Rebecca Ferguson, Common and Rashida Jones lead the ensemble cast for the 10-episode series, which debuts May 5.
Here are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of May 1-7 on cable networks and streaming services. (For some videos, viewer discretion is advised):
May 1: A Small Light (drama), National Geographic
May 2: 100% Me: Growing Up Mixed (documentary), HBO
May 3: Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All (reality), Disney Plus
May 4: Bupkis (comedy), Peacock
May 4: The Other Two (comedy), HBO Max
May 4: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (drama), Netflix
May 5: The Great American Baking Show (reality), The Roku Channel
