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Firefox usage is down 85% despite Mozilla’s top exec pay going up 400%

Published

1 year ago

September 23, 2020

a graph showing that executive pay has grown fast while Firefox's market share has fallen

September 2020

Mozilla is in an absolute state: high
overheads, falling usage of Firefox, questionable sources of revenue and
now making big cuts to engineering as their income falls.

Mozilla recently announced that they would be dismissing 250 people.
That’s a quarter of their workforce so there are some deep cuts to their
work too. The victims include: the MDN docs (those are the web standards
docs everyone likes better than w3schools), the Rust compiler and even some
cuts to Firefox development. Like most people I want to see Mozilla do well
but those three projects comprise pretty much what I think of as the whole
point of Mozilla, so this news is a a big let down.

The stated reason for the cuts is falling income. Mozilla largely relies
on “royalties” for funding. In return for payment, Mozilla allows big
technology companies to choose the default search engine in Firefox – the
technology companies are ultimately paying to increase the number of
searches Firefox users make with them. Mozilla haven’t been particularly
transparent about why these royalties are being reduced, except to blame
the coronavirus.

I’m sure the coronavirus is not a great help but I suspect the bigger
problem is that Firefox’s market share is now a tiny fraction of its
previous size and so the royalties will be smaller too – fewer users, so
fewer searches and therefore less money for Mozilla.

The real problem is not the royalty cuts, though. Mozilla has already
received more than enough money to set themselves up for financial
independence. Mozilla received up to half a billion dollars a year (each
year!) for many years. The real problem is that Mozilla didn’t use
that money to achieve financial independence and instead just spent it each
year, doing the organisational equivalent of living hand-to-mouth.

Despite their slightly contrived legal structure as a non-profit that
owns a for-profit, Mozilla are an NGO just like any other. In this article
I want to apply the traditional measures that are applied to other NGOs to
Mozilla in order to show what’s wrong.

These three measures are: overheads, ethics and results.

Overheads

One of the most popular and most intuitive ways to evaluate an NGO is to
judge how much of their spending is on their programme of works (or
“mission”) and how much is on other things, like administration and
fundraising. If you give money to a charity for feeding people in the third
world you hope that most of the money you give them goes on food – and not,
for example, on company cars for head office staff.

Mozilla looks bad when considered in this light. Fully 30% of all
expenditure goes on administration. Charity Navigator, an organisation that
measures NGO effectiveness, would give them
zero out of ten on the relevant metric. For context, to achieve 5/10 on
that measure Mozilla admin would need to be under 25% of spending and, for
10/10, under 15%.

Senior executives have also done very well for themselves. Mitchell
Baker, Mozilla’s top executive, was paid $2.4m in 2018, a sum I personally
think of as instant inter-generational wealth. Payments to Baker have more
than doubled in the last five years.

As far as I can find, there is no UK-based NGO whose top executive makes
more than £1m ($1.3m) a year. The UK certainly has its fair share of big
international NGOs – many much bigger and more significant than
Mozilla.

I’m aware that
some people dislike overheads as a measure and argue that it’s possible
for administration spending can increase effectiveness. I think it’s hard
to argue that Mozilla’s overheads are correlated with an improvement in
effectiveness.

Ethics

Mozilla now thinks of itself less as a custodian of the old Netscape
suite and more as a ‘privacy NGO’. One slogan inside Mozilla is: “Beyond
the Browser”.

Regardless of how they view themselves, most of their income comes from
helping to direct traffic to Google by making that search engine the
default in Firefox. Google make money off that traffic via a big targeted
advertising system that tracks people across the web and largely without
their consent. Indeed, one of the reasons this income is falling is because
as Firefox’s usage falls less traffic is being directed Google’s way and so
Google will pay less.

There is, as yet, no outbreak of agreement among the moral philosophers
as to a universal code of ethics. However I think most people would
recognise hypocrisy in Mozilla’s relationship with Google. Beyond the
ethical problems, the relationship certainly seems to create conflicts of
interest. Anyone would think that a privacy NGO would build anti-tracking
countermeasures into their browser right from the start. In fact, this was
only added relatively recently (in
2019), after both Apple (in
2017) and Brave (since release) paved the way. It certainly seems like
Mozilla’s status as a Google vassal has played a role in the absence of
anti-tracking features in Firefox for so long.

Another ethical issue is Mozilla’s big new initiative to move into VPNs. This doesn’t make a lot of
sense from a privacy point of view. Broadly speaking: VPNs are not a useful
privacy tool for people browsing the web. A VPN lets you access the
internet through a proxy – so your requests superficially appear to come
from somewhere other than they really do. This does nothing to address the
main privacy problem for web users: that they are being passively tracked
and de-anonymised on a massive scale by the baddies at Google and
elsewhere. This tracking happens regardless of IP address.

When I tested Firefox through Mozilla
VPN (a rebrand of Mullavad VPN) I
found that I could be de-anonymised by browser fingerprinting – already a
fairly widespread technique by which various elements of your browser are
examined to create a “fingerprint” which can then be used to re-identify
you later. Firefox, unlike some other browsers, does not include any
countermeasures against this.

Another worry is that many of these privacy focused VPN services have a
nasty habit of turning out to keep copious logs on user behaviour. A few
months ago several “no log” VPN services inadvertently released terabytes
of private user data that they had promised not to collect in a massive
breach. VPN services are in a great position to eavesdrop – and even if
they promise not to, your only option is to take them at their word.

Results

I’ve discussed the Mozilla chair’s impressive pay: $2.4m/year. Surely
such impressive pay is justified by the equally impressive results Mozilla
has achieved? Sadly on almost every measure of results both quantitative
and qualitative, Mozilla is a dog.

Firefox is now so niche it is in danger of garnering a cult following:
it has just 4% market share, down from 30% a decade ago. Mobile browsing
numbers are bleak: Firefox barely exists on phones, with a market share of
less than half a percent. This is baffling given that mobile Firefox has a
rare feature for a mobile browser: it’s able to install extensions and so
can block ads.

Yet despite the problems within their core business, Mozilla, instead of
retrenching, has diversified rapidly. In recent years Mozilla has
created:

a mobile app for making websites
a federated identity system
a large file transfer service
a password manager
an internet-of-things framework/standard
an email relay service
a completely new phone operating system
an AI division (but of course)
and spent $25 million buying the reading list management startup,
Pocket

Many of the above are now abandoned.

Sadly Mozilla’s
annual report doesn’t break down expenses on a per-project basis so
it’s impossible to know how much of the spending that is on
Mozilla’s programme is being spent on Firefox and how much is being spent
on all these other side-projects.

What you can at least infer is that the side-projects are expensive.
Software development always is. Each of the projects named above (and all
the other ones that were never announced or that I don’t know about) will
have required business analysts, designers, user researchers, developers,
testers and all the other people you need in order to create a consumer web
project.

The biggest cost of course is the opportunity cost of just spending that
money on other stuff – or nothing: it could have been invested to build an
endowment. Now Mozilla is in the situation where apparently there isn’t
enough money left to fully fund Firefox development.

What now?

Mozilla can’t just continue as before. At the very least they need to
reduce their expenses to go along with their now reduced income. That
income is probably still pretty enormous though: likely hundreds of
millions a year.

I’m a Firefox user (and one of the few on mobile, apparently) and I want
to see Mozilla succeed. As such, I would hope that Mozilla would cut their
cost of administration. I’d also hope that they’d increase spending on
Firefox to make it faster and implement those privacy features that other
browsers have. Most importantly: I’d like them to start building proper
financial independence.

I doubt those things will happen. Instead they will likely keep the
expensive management. They have already cut spending on Firefox. Their
great hope is to continue trying new things, like using their brand to sell
VPN services that, as I’ve discussed, do not solve the problem that their
users have.

Instead of diversifying into yet more products and services Mozilla
should probably just ask their users for money. For many years the Guardian
newspaper (a similarly sized organisation to Mozilla in terms of staff) was
a financial basket case. The Guardian started asking their readers for
money a few years ago and seems to be on firmer financial footing
since.

Getting money directly has also helped align the incentives of their
organisation with those of their readers. Perhaps that would work for
Mozilla. But then, things are different at the Guardian. Their chief exec
makes a mere £360,000 a year.

Contact/etc

30 mins ago

October 6, 2021

becker blake

Window on Arts & Entertainment: Oct. 7, 2021 | Diversions

Dunedin Wines the Blues music lineup set

DUNEDIN — The Downtown Dunedin Merchants Association recently announced the lineup for this year’s Dunedin Wines the Blues event, set for Saturday, Nov. 13, noon to 11 p.m., on Main Street in downtown Dunedin.

The 30th annual Dunedin Wines the Blues will offer attendees an opportunity to walk around the downtown area businesses, shop, eat, and browse a selection of street vendors. This year’s festival will present three stages of nonstop blues, with live music performances beginning at 2 p.m.

VIP tickets are on sale and include unlimited drinks and food as well as access to the VIP lounge area with couches, tables, stage views, big screens and VIP-only desserts and signature drinks. The VIP tent is open from 5 to 11 p.m. VIP tickets cost $125. For tickets, visit www.winestheblues.com.

Following is the music lineup for this year’s Dunedin Wines the Blues event:

Main Stage

2 to 3:15 p.m. — Selwyn Birchwood
3:45 to 5 p.m. — Beth Mckee Funky Time Band
5:30 to 6:45 p.m. — Johnny Rawls Band
7:15 to 8:45 p.m. — Damon Fowler
9:15 to 10:45 p.m. — Vanessa Collier

West Stage

2 to 3:15 p.m. — Ellie Lee Band
3:45 to 5 p.m. — Steve Arvey
5:30 to 7 p.m. — Alex Lopez
7:30 to 9 p.m. — Sarasota Slim

East SBS Stage

2 to 3:15 p.m. — Trey Wanvig
3:45 to 5 p.m. — T Bone Hamilton
5:30 to 7 p.m. — Brian Leneschmidt Band
7:30 to 9 p.m. — Dottie Kelly Band

Performers and show times are subject to change without notice. For information, visit www.winestheblues.com.

Author releases new book, announces book signings

Reedy Press recently announced the release of “Tampa Bay Scavenger,” by Joshua Ginsberg.

You might think you know Tampa Bay, maybe even the weird, wonderful, and obscure parts of it, but get ready to take your exploring in an innovative and interactive new direction. With “Tampa Bay Scavenger,” you’ll embark on a gamified experience in the Tampa Bay area, complete with over three hundred clues to solve spanning seven counties.

From museums to natural wonders, historical markers, bars and restaurants, sports stadiums, and public artworks, you’re bound to discover something new and unexpected. Be the first one to solve all the riddles, take the whole family out on an adventure, or just find a creative excursion for a few hours as you unlock the hidden face of the Tampa Bay area.

Ginsberg — an author and local explorer — brings years of research and a poet’s sensibility to each of his carefully outlined quests. Follow along with the website www.tbscavenger.com and the #TBScavenger Facebook group for a truly interactive experience. It just might be the most elaborate and ambitious scavenger hunt that Tampa Bay has ever seen.

“Tampa Bay Scavenger” is available wherever books are sold.

Ginsberg will host several book signing events in the coming weeks. Book signings are free and open to the public. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. The author will take part in the following book signings:

Saturday, Oct. 9, 2 to 5 p.m., at Cueni Brewing Company, 945 Huntley Ave., Dunedin
Saturday, Oct. 23, 5 to 8 p.m., at Bastet Brewing, 1951 E. Adamo Drive, Tampa
Saturday, Oct. 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Clearwater Historical Society, 610 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater

Studio 1212 to launch new exhibition

DUNEDIN — An opening reception for “What a Relief” will take place Sunday, Oct. 17, noon to 3 p.m., at Studio 1212 Art Gallery, 234 Monroe St., Dunedin.

Participating artists will be on hand. Light refreshments will be served. The exhibit will run through Nov. 28. Studio 1212 is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit the gallery’s online store at studio1212.org.

Gulfport venue to present Amazing Acro-cats show

GULFPORT — The Amazing Acro-cats will perform four shows, running Friday through Sunday, Oct. 22-24, at the Catherine A. Hickman Theatre, 5501 27th Ave. S., Gulfport.

Performance times will be Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 3 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 p.m. Tickets start at $30. Visit www.rockcatsrescue.org or www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5233235.

The Amazing Acro-cats — featuring Tuna and the Rock Cats — are a troupe of rescued house cats. This one-of-a-kind, two-hour long “purrformance” features talented felines roll on balls, ride skateboards, jump through hoops, and more.

The finale is the only all-cat band in the entire world: Tuna and the Rock Cats. The current band lineup features St. Clawed on guitar, Bowie on drums, Nue on keyboard, Ahi on woodblocks, Albacore on cowbell, Roux on trumpet, and Oz on saxophone. There is even a chicken named Cluck Norris rockin’ the tambourine.

Featured on the Netflix docu-series “Cat People,” Tuna and the Rock Cats have also appeared alongside Stephen Colbert on his late night show, as well as PBS and Animal Planet.

Murals coming to two Pinellas Trail tunnels

LARGO — Creative Pinellas and Pinellas County Public Works have partnered to bring four new murals by Pinellas County artists to the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail tunnels at U.S. 19 in Tarpon Springs and Alternate U.S. 19 in Palm Harbor.

The artists’ mural designs for each tunnel face have been inspired by public surveys and meetings that were part of the artist selection process that occurred this summer and revealed a community that enjoys the sunshine and outdoor life, and appreciates the scenic landscape filled with Florida native plants and wildlife. The locations for the murals were selected as part of the Pinellas County Public Works Graffiti Abatement Art Program.

“Creative Pinellas is proud to be part of this multi-mural project on the Pinellas Trail,” said Barbara St. Clair, CEO of Creative Pinellas. “It is an opportunity to not only assist in Pinellas County’s effort to combat graffiti, it also brings talented Pinellas County artists in to create pieces that will engage the trail users in a new way. The new murals will add to the identity of the Pinellas Trail as a destination location in Pinellas County.”

The Palm Harbor location, just north of Wall Springs Park, will feature Taylor Smith’s design “Wetland Herons” that includes two great blue herons with an organic color scheme meant to highlight the beauty of Florida’s coastal wetlands on the south tunnel face, while the north tunnel face design by Yhali Ilan, “Island People,” celebrates the coastal lifestyle in North Pinellas through the use of vibrant plant life, people enjoying the beaches, and water related activities.

The Tarpon Springs location, just north of Live Oak Street, will include the design “Sun Tribute” created by Daniel Barojas (a.k.a. R5, Rope5) on the west tunnel face. The design is a stylized representation of the sun, an essential part of Florida lifestyle. Ricardo Delgado’s (Reda3sb) design “Birds and Flowers” also incorporates the sun, setting into the sea, vibrant flowers and tropical birds, to celebrate nature and Florida life on the east tunnel face.

The Pinellas Trail Mural program is a partnership between Creative Pinellas and the County with goals of defeating graffiti, building excitement and interest, and fostering community beautification projects. Since the beginning of the program, local artists have completed two murals in Palm Harbor and one along the Pinellas Trail overpass in Largo.

“Extending the graffiti abatement program to the Pinellas Trail exemplifies the County’s strategic plan goals to invest in our transportation infrastructure, maximize partner relationships and support a vibrant community,” said Tom Washburn, Pinellas County Public Works Transportation Division Director. “We are pleased to partner with Creative Pinellas and the Florida Department of Transportation in this effort to improve the quality of life for our residents and visitors.”

Artists will be working over the coming weeks and through mid-October. Both locations will remain accessible for trail users while the artists work.

For information about the project, visit creativepinellas.org/opportunity/pinellas-trail-artworks/.

Cracker Country to presents annual Tall Tales of Old Florida

TAMPA — Tall Tales of Old Florida will be presented Saturday, Oct. 23, beginning at 6:45 p.m., at Cracker Country, a living history museum found at the Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S. Hwy. 301 N., Tampa.

Each walking tour will last 60 minutes. This event is recommended for ages 6 and older. Admission is $14 per person and includes a snack. An advance purchase price of $12 per person is available through Oct. 17. Tickets are sold in time blocks. Tickets and more information available at www.crackercountry.org.

Attendees will explore Tampa’s 19th century living history museum by night. Along the way, they will meet storytellers who will spin wild yarns about a few of Florida’s unexplained oddities. A little scary, a little funny and always family friendly, the Tall Tales tour is a Florida history adventure by lantern light.

Cracker Country is a living history museum that represents aspects of home life, commerce and transportation as it was in many rural Florida communities at the end of the 19th century. During the Tall Tales of Old Florida tour, “tellers” will share uniquely Florida stories about skunk apes, misbehaving trains, cow hunting giants and other legendary creatures. Guests will also enjoy a magic lantern show, featuring a turn-of-the-20th-century projection technology that led to the birth of the film industry.

Guests are invited to come early and enjoy Victorian games and activities before their tour begins. Afterward, have a complimentary snack and do some holiday shopping in the General Store.

Chic Décor & Artisan Market set

SAFETY HARBOR — The Fall Chic Décor & Artisan Market will take place Sunday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 411 Main Street, Safety Harbor.

The Chic Décor & Artisan Market is returning to its home location in Safety Harbor.

This unique hybrid market highlights some of the best home décor artists, vintage pickers, and indie artisans in the Tampa Bay area. The Fall Chic Décor & Artisan Market will feature over 120 local décor artisans, vintage treasures, and furniture featuring assorted styles like coastal chic, farmhouse, shabby chic, cottage glam, and industrial. There also will be food vendors and live entertainment.

Parking and admission are free.

L.O.L. Surprise! Live show rescheduled

CLEARWATER — L.O.L. Surprise! Live scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 20, at Ruth Eckerd Hall, has been rescheduled.

L.O.L. Surprise! fans in Clearwater will be able to rock out in real life when the all-new hologram concert tour crisscrosses the United States and makes a stop at Ruth Eckerd Hall on Thursday, May 5, at 6 p.m. Tickets purchased for the Oct. 20 performance will be honored on the new date. Tickets, starting at $28.75, are on sale now. Visit www.RuthEckerdHall.com.

St. Pete Arts Alliance to present Second Saturday ArtWalk

ST. PETERSBURG — The Central Arts District, EDGE District, Grand Central District, Warehouse Arts District, Uptown Arts District and downtown Waterfront District will united to celebrate “ARTober” for the St. Petersburg Second Saturday ArtWalk, set for Saturday, Oct. 9, 5 to 9 p.m.

ArtWalk is opening night as some 40 galleries and studios premiere new works, with artists and demos on-site. It’s impossible to take in the entire ArtWalk in one night. Attendees should plan to drive, walk, or take the trolleys to visit the districts of their choice — or utilize the free Downtown Looper, which will run every 15 minutes.

To download the map and list of participants, visit www.stpeteartsalliance.org.

‘Legendz of the Streetz’ show rescheduled

TAMPA — Amalie Arena recently announced that the “Legendz of the Streetz” Tour has been rescheduled.

Originally set for Sunday, Oct. 17, the show will now be presented Friday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. All tickets bought will be honored for the rescheduled date. The tour will feature hip-hop heavyweights Rick Ross, Jeezy, Gucci Mane and 2 Chainz. Tickets, starting at $50, are on sale now. Visit Ticketmaster.com.

Entertainment

13 Horror Movies Perfect for Halloween Coming Out This Fall

Published

5 days ago

October 1, 2021

becker blake

13 Horror Movies Perfect for Halloween Coming Out This Fall

Many people out there might be sad to see Summer come to an end and the weather drop as Fall sets in. For others, however, it is a different story. Horror fans around the world tend to rejoice as we enter the Halloween season and what is typically the busiest time of year for horror movie releases and 2021 looks to be no different. From new additions to classic franchises to insanely unique and quirky new offerings, put out your Jack-o’-lanterns, grab your candy and check out the 13 best horror movies set to be released this Fall.

Horror movies are coming out in October 2021

RELATED: Halloween Movie Madness Is Unleashed in Retro AOL Horror Ad

Bad Candy – September 2021

Bad Candy is written and directed by Scott B. Hansen and Desiree Connell and stars cult favourites Zach Galligan of Gremlins fame and Corey Taylor from the masked heavy metal band Slipknot. As an anthology based film, the movie will tell a number of separate spooky stories based on a Halloween theme in the vein of 2007’s holiday favourite Trick ‘r Treat directed by Michael Dougherty. Bad Candy follows local Halloween stories based on both myths and lessons learned in the community of New Salem. With its annual Psychotronic FM Halloween show, re-enactment radio DJs Chilly Billy (Taylor) and Paul (Galligan) weave the tales of the supernatural of years gone by, and if the trailer is anything to go by, this is certainly not a movie for the faint of heart. In the Corey Taylor narrated trailer, which lasts just under two minutes, our senses are bombarded with an assortment of evil imagery including zombies, blood splattered walls, an evil clown and some sort of horned demon creature that looks to be straight from the deepest depths of hell.

Bad Candy
Release date: September 10
Format: September 10 (VOD), September 28 2021 (Blu-Ray)

Addams Family 2 – October 1, 2021

Following the, somewhat surprising, success of 2019’s Addams Family animated reboot, it was quickly announced that a follow up would be going into development. This time, it looks like they’re going with something a little different. We’re going to be following the whole family on a road trip around the United States. Morticia and Gomez have become distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners and slipping away from them, so they organise the trip in an attempt to bring the family together for one last family vacation. While not the scariest entry on this list, expect lots of pitch black comedy and supernatural hijinks a plenty in this star studded affair featuring the voices of Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Kroll, Javon Walton, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, and Bill Hader.

There’s Someone Inside Your House – October 6, 2021

Netflix have certainly upped the chill factor this year with their horror release slate. There’s Someone Inside Your House might not be among the most talked about Netflix releases this year but it certainly seems to be one of the most horrifying. Based on the 2017 Stephanie Perkins novel of the same name, the film follows Makani Young, who has moved from Hawaii to a remote town in Nebraska to live with her grandmother and finish high school. If that’s not stressful enough, students at said high school are, one by one, being stalked and gruesomely murdered. To top it off, the killer is committing these murders whilst wearing ultra realistic masks of the victims. It definitely sounds like a must watch for all the ‘die’ hard slasher fans out there.

Muppets Haunted Mansion – October 8, 2021

Okay, so this isn’t technically a movie, it’s more of a special but I couldn’t leave it off the list because… well, it’s the Muppets! Earlier this year, Disney announced that ‘The Great Gonzo – world famous daredevil artiste’ who ‘has done it all, seen it all, and survived it all’ will be taking on the greatest challenge of his life this Halloween night by spending one very daring night in the most grim grinning place on Earth …The Haunted Mansion. Inspired by the iconic Disney Haunted Mansion theme park attractions, expect a whole plethora of puppet paranoia from all of your favorite muppets as well as a slew of celebrity cameos and three new original songs, ‘Rest In Peace’, ‘Life Hereafter’ and ‘Tie The Knot Tango’.

Lamb – October 8, 2021

This little Icelandic flick looks as if it’s definitely going to sit on the more left field side of the horror spectrum. Being distributed in the US by A24, a company that has never shied away from unique and offbeat horrors, the movie is about a couple who, upon coming across an abandoned baby on their farm, decide to take it home and raise it as their own. The twist? The baby appears to be some sort of mutant human-lamb hybrid creature. Other than that, not much else is known about the plot but it’s sure to be one hell of a ride. This supernatural horror stars Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snær Guðnason and marks the feature-length directorial debut of Valdimar Jóhannsson, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sjón.

Lamb
Release date: October 8, 2021
Format: In theaters

Halloween Kills – October 15, 2021

What better way to kick this list off than with the latest sequel to the granddaddy of all Halloween horrors. Halloween Kills is a direct sequel to 2018’s box office hit Halloween which itself was a direct sequel to the 1978 classic of the same name. Jamie Lee Curtis will once again be back reprising her role, playing the totally badass protagonist Laurie Strode facing off against notorious masked mad man Michael Myers, one the world’s most iconic villains. Director/co-writer David Gordon Green will again be helming the project which precedes next year’s Halloween Ends, which is reportedly the final installment in this trilogy. Halloween Kills is expected to will pick up immediately after the previous movie left off with Laurie, her daughter Karen and granddaughter Allyson.

Halloween Kills
Release date: October 15, 2021
Format: In theaters, streaming on Peacock the same day.

Antlers – October 29, 2021

Partly due to the many Covid related delays it has gone through and partly due to the nail-biting trailers that have been released so far, the Guillmero del Toro produced Antlers is definitely one of most anticipated horrors of the year. Guilmero de Toro is never one to stick to the beaten path and judging by what we know so far, Antlers promises something absolutely deranged. Based on the short story ‘The Quiet Boy’ written by Nick Antosca, it follows a school teacher and her police officer brother in a small Oregon town where they become convinced one of her students is harboring a man eating supernatural creature. The film stars Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T. Thomas, Graham Greene, Scott Haze, Rory Cochrane, and Amy Madigan and is directed by Scott Cooper (Black Mass (2015) and Hostiles (2017).

Antlers
Release date: October 29, 2021
Format: In theaters

Last Night In Soho – October 29, 2021

Renowned director Edgar Wright is known to have flirted with horror genre frequently throughout his career, most notably with the terrifyingly funny Cornetto trilogy (made up of Shaun Of The Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World’s End (2013)). Last Night in Soho, however, marks Wright’s first foray into pure horror. The time-bending thriller stars Thomasin McKenzie as Eloise Turner, a young woman with a passion for fashion design. Somehow Eloise finds herself inhabiting the body of an iconic club performer named Sadie and is now living back in 1966 London. While as Sadie, she pursues a romantic relationship with a man named Jack, played by Matt Smith. She soon realizes, however, that Sadie’s life in the Swinging Sixties is not as glamorous as it appears to be and both past and present begin to fall apart with horrifying consequences.

Shepherd – November 5, 2021

Shot in ‘one of the most beautiful, remote and less filmed parts of Britain’, there seems to be a certain mystique surrounding the Russel Owens directed Shepherds. The plot centers on a man who, dealing with the grief following the mysterious death of his wife, takes a job as a shepherd in the remote UK countryside. While out there, he encounters a malevolent supernatural force. Soon his rural retreat becomes a heart pounding race to save his sanity and his life. Owens has been quoted as saying that the movie “allows its audience to decide for themselves the motivations behind (and the fate of) its protagonist by not giving its true foundations away,” only adding to the mystique. Bring on November.

Shepherd
Release date: November 5, 2021
Format: In theaters

Ghostbusters Afterlife – November 11, 2021

After the mixed reactions and poor box office performance of the 2015 Ghostbusters reboot, fans of the series have been clamoring for some sort of redemption and it looks like that might be arriving this fall in the shape of the highly anticipated Ghostbusters Afterlife. The film certainly ticks a lot of boxes; it is a sequel to the original films set thirty years after and is directed by Jason Reitman – son of original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman. It even sees Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts reprising their roles from the original films, joining newcomers Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace and Paul Rudd. The plot is reported to revolve around a supernatural phenomena somehow connected to those seen in the original movie. This time round, though, it’s up to the original ghostbuster’s grandkids, along with their family and friends, to solve the mystery of their grandfather’s relocation and use the Ghostbusters’ equipment and, become their successors.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City – November 24, 2021

After an impressive six movie run starring Milla Jovovich, starting from 2002’s Resident Evil and finishing with 2016’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, Sony Pictures have now rebooted the video game come horror movie sensation. The zombie survival flick stars Robbie Amell, Kaya Scodelario, Tom Hopper and Neal McDonough and has been directed by Johannes Roberts. The film is reportedly set in the abandoned wasteland of Racoon City. A group of survivors seeking the dark truths and secrets surrounding the town and the ‘Umbrella Corporation’ will have to make it through the night without being eliminated by an unspeakable evil that has been unleashed from below the surface.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – TBA, 2021

The new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie is going to be a reboot in the same vein as the 2018 Halloween movie in that it will be rebooted in the form of a direct sequel to original 70’s classic, whilst ignoring the numerous sequels, spin-offs and reboots that have come in between. The movie will be directed by David Blue Garcia from a screenplay by Chris Thomas Devlin from a story that Don’t Breathe’s Fede Álvarez was involved in. While the exact date has yet to be announced, we do know that it is set to come out this year and fans of the original will be glad to hear that, like the first, it will be R-rated and the monstrous Leatherface will be definitely be rearing his (or his victims’?) ugly head once again.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Release date: TBA, 2021
Format: Streaming on Netflix

Jeepers Creepers: Reborn – TBA, 2021

The Jeepers Creepers franchise has become somewhat of a cult sensation amongst horror fans, so it’s hardly surprising that it is amongst the horror franchises making a return this year. Currently in post-production, Jeepers Creepers: Reborn is set to be the beginning of a new trilogy for the franchise and follows a woman named Laine and her boyfriend as they attend a creepy horror attraction event. Laine begins to experience disturbing visions associated with the town’s troubled past and the notorious ‘Creeper’. Naturally, we expect the horror event to descend into blood soaked carnage. Exact information regarding the film’s release is still scarce but we know that it should be released by Screen Media Films later this year.

Topics: Halloween

Fashion

Fashion on Fifth: Week 2, Fall 2021 – The New School Free Press

Published

5 days ago

October 1, 2021

Emily walpole

Fashion on Fifth: Week 2, Fall 2021 - The New School Free Press

Welcome back to Fashion on Fifth, a beloved Free Press series showcasing New School students’ unique and wide-ranging style. After seeing how this creative community translated their personal looks to Zoom, our reporters are taking to the streets of Greenwich Village once again. This semester we are bringing you more in depth profiles and thoughts from your peers about their style evolution throughout the pandemic and since being back in New York City.

Via Ace

Via Ace, a second-year Strategic Design and Management student at Parsons who hails from New York City, described her style as “bold, in your face, and open. “I’m not scared of putting myself out there,” Ace said.

Growing up on the South Shore of Staten Island, a more conservative part of the city, Ace felt “confined.” Throughout her life, she has lived in Staten Island, Manhattan and Brooklyn. Ace was surrounded by predominantly white people with conservative political views wherever she lived. They would often judge her for being an Asian American woman in addition to how she dressed, she said.

Photographs by Alexandra Nava-Baltimore

On this rainy September morning, Ace wore platform boots from DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) and paired them with a chunky silver anklet. She has styled stackable silver rings from H&M with clip-on, gold hoop earrings from Amazon and a sleek high ponytail. “I like to mix my metals because I feel like no one does that,” she said. Ace tends to gravitate towards more oversized clothing, and here, she paired an oversized black T-shirt from Missguided with biker shorts from Aerie that have pockets along the side. To complete the look and protect her from the rain, Ace wore an army green bomber jacket from Zara.

Ace thrifts most of her clothing at the L Train Vintage in Brooklyn and on First Avenue in addition to other “random thrift stores” that she “stumbles upon.” She looks for her staples which include jewelry, tees, oversized jackets and jeans. Ace is constantly considering how her purchases will affect our planet and prefers to reuse and rework items over buying them new. She gravitates towards the men’s section in any store she shops at because she likes to mix more masculine pieces with feminine accessories and shoes. Overall, Ace said she draws a lot of her fashion inspiration from Rihanna and the “I don’t give a fuck’ attitude of NYC.”

During quarantine and subsequent online semesters, Ace said she typically put makeup on every day for Zoom class but stayed in her pajamas. She feels a sense of relief being back on campus for in-person courses, as she can now express herself fully in head-to-toe looks. “[The more] I feel comfortable expressing myself, the better my work will be,” Ace said. “I feel like I can conquer the world. I can do anything.”

Ace described a renewed sense of “motivation” when picking out her outfits each day because she knows they will make her more productive. At The New School, Ace feels like no one will judge her, and she can wear whatever she wants.

Annelise Cornet

Annelise Cornet, a second-year Strategic Design and Management major at Parsons, sported an effortlessly chic monochromatic look. She wore Yeezy Foam Runners, thrifted white silk pants and a graphic sweatshirt. Her accessories included a necklace, which is a family heirloom, and a Madewell facemask.

Photographs by Shivam Sachdeva

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Cornet finds living in New York City to be extremely liberating. “There are certain pieces I can wear because no one cares! Versus a small town in the suburbs, where people would stare,” said Cornet. Comfort is Cornet’s guiding principle for all school outfits . “I don’t wear anything I can’t move around in,” she said. She shops at a variety of places, focusing on buying from small businesses and thrifting. Cornet is inspired to step out of her comfort zone by the breadth of fashion at Parsons. She said she is drawn to the intricacies of their outfits, and often feels inspired to incorporate similar elements into her own looks.

Reflecting on her style shift throughout the pandemic, Cornet said the main difference is her desire to experiment with combining pieces head-to-toe. On Zoom her outfits consisted of pajamas, sweatpants and leggings. “As long as I looked decent on top, that’s what mattered to me,” said Cornet. Now she is driven and excited about creating complete looks that illustrate her personal growth and renewed creativity. “Some days I am giving flower girl vibes and might wear a floral dress. Other days I’m giving more streetwear. It just depends on my mood,” said Cornet.

Cornet reflected on her personal growth throughout the interview and, like many New School students, she fully expects her style to evolve as she does. “Being in college, I think it’s time to try something different. I’ve lowkey been wanting to dye my hair! I also want to get into knitwear, specifically dresses, as well,” said Cornet.

In closing Cornet offered some advice on discovering one’s individual style. She said, “Just do you! People who appreciate your style, or appreciate you as a person, will naturally gravitate to you. So yeah, just be yourself, which isn’t an easy thing to do, but once you start doing it you definitely will feel better!”

Ryan Minter

Artist, musician and Lang student Ryan Minter shared their dynamic approach to style.

“I like looking like a cartoon character a lot of the time! But I also like to be simple and let my hair do the rest,” Minter, a second-year studying Culture and Media, said. Today, their look consisted of a chunky pair of ‘80s-inspired boots, thrifted women’s trousers, an Ed Hardy tank top and a Lacoste rain jacket that they found at a friend’s place. Minter said he is inspired by the oversized trend. “I’m really into oversized shirts [and] suits right now, which has been a big thing for me,” said Minter. Minter purchases most of their clothes from thrift stores at home in Atlanta, Georgia. “I don’t really have any favorite thrift stores in New York City, but in Georgia and Long Island there’s great thrift[ing],” Minter said.

Photographs by Shivam Sachdeva

They mentioned that they no longer feel pressure to constantly have the perfect outfit. Minter said, “I care a lot less. I remember before Covid hit, I thought I had to dress my best all the time. But after Covid I realized I really don’t need to. I can show up in a shirt and pants and call it a day!”

Minter describes picking outfits for class to be, “…kinda dreadful. When I wake up I am very focused on actually waking up, and everything else is on autopilot,” they said. “I have a bunch of go-to outfits – recently it has been big pants and a t-shirt.”

Their outfits often reflect work they’re doing in their classes. “In my advanced screen print[ing] class I usually leave with ink all over myself,” said Minter,“so I wear clothes I can get messy and be comfortable in. For my morning class, it’s my JNCOs and a t-shirt!”

Reflecting on the difference between Zoom and in-person classes, Minter said “I wear pants now, so that’s pretty wild!” Now that classes have finally returned to campus and there is a reason to be outside, Minter said they are excited to explore “interesting silhouettes,” and begin experimenting with layering as the seasons shift.

Minter shared with The Free Press that they, “came out as non-binary over the course of the pandemic, which has been a big step out,” Minter said. “I’ve learned that I don’t have to be over the top to look decent.”

This new found confidence in their identity has unburdened Minter’s relationship to fashion and their personal style, bringing about a new era of growth for them.“I can really, actually do what I want now and just be myself, which has been really good,” they said.

Paula Kim

Paula Kim is a second year Strategic Design and Management student at Parsons with plans to minor in Fashion Communications. She described her style as a mix of girly, bohemian and chic aesthetics. “I think it’s kinda a good mix,” said Kim.

The outfit she wore for her interview with The New School Free Press highlighted the chic side of her personal style. She sported a pair of classic white, high-top Air Force Ones (which she thrifted for $15), linen Old Navy pants and a black turtleneck tank top from Uniqlo. Her necklaces hold a lot of meaning for Kim, as they were each gifts from her family. Most notably, the chain with her name, which was made from a baby bracelet gifted to her by her grandmother in her childhood. “The little bow is from the [original] bracelet,” said Kim. Her go-to outfit for school is anything comfortable. “I’ll probably do fun comfy pants and a cute little tank top,” said Kim.

Photographs by Shivam Sachdeva

Kim said of her shopping habits, “a lot of my wardrobe has been in my closet for at least five years, I have a lot of clothes that I’ve had since high school! This past year and a half, I’ve only been buying second-hand, taking my friends’ clothes or buying from consignment stores.” She is motivated by the electric energy and variety of the city’s street style. “I am always surrounded by inspiration,” said Kim, and described styling outfits for school as a double-edged sword: stressful yet exciting.

Kim said, “overall clothes are fun!” Her refusal to be yanked around by the chaotic pressures of the New School fashion landscape allows her to maintain a fun, carefree relationship to her personal style. “Experiment and do not let any outside factors get in the way,” said Kim, advice she is intent on living by herself.

Kim is looking forward to fall and plans to experiment with layering. “I’ve been styling for myself, feeling comfortable and confident,” said Kim. “I’ve been [getting] more into personal style and staying away from just wearing a white tank top and jeans!”

Maggie Keene

Maggie Keene, a fourth-year performing arts student at Lang, described her love of mixing classic and contemporary aesthetics as well as the nerves she feels getting dressed for class at an institution so renowned for its fashion.

On Tuesday, Keene wore white sandals and a pink skirt she paired with a rainbow belt. With it, she wore a bright, teal linen blazer with a white T-shirt underneath. To complete the colorful ensemble, she accessorized with butterfly earrings.

Keene, originally from Massachusetts, described having several iterations of her personal style that she rotates between and combines. She said she has an affection for more traditional “blast from the past” pieces. “I have a lot of things from the ’50s and ’70s that I like,” she said. “Very feminine, older, housewife style is what I call that.” She mixes this classic look with “super colorful modern street style.” Keene admitted she sometimes opts for a more laid-back look when she simply needs to get to class. Her go-to class outfit is a fun dress or graphic tee with bike shorts. Either way, she always loves a color-coordinated outfit, including her makeup.

Photographs by Harry Batalingaya

Returning to in-person classes has prompted Keene to put more effort into her looks now that more eyes are on her. Opportunities to showcase her style have been slim during the pandemic, so Keene is now trying to take advantage of the ability to wear something nice to her in-person classes. Last year, Keene opted for very colorful shirts on Zoom, but since she could only be seen from the waist-up, she often opted for pajamas on the bottom.

Since returning to campus after nearly 18 months of virtual classes, Keene described how her confidence and willingness to take risks grew over that time. “I used to worry about wearing things that would make me fit in, but now I just wear what I want and wear what I like,” Keene said. Her go-to outfit for class varies but is usually “either a dress or bike shorts and a graphic T-shirt,” she said.

Keene shared that picking out outfits for school isn’t always easy, though. “A lot of the people who go here have such good style,” she said. She said she feels a lot of pressure to measure up. Keene said she often thinks, “Oh my God, they look so good, and I can’t wear any of those things. I’ll look like an idiot.” However, Keene insisted that whatever pressure she feels is primarily overshadowed by the excitement of assembling an outfit she feels good in. “I’m usually very excited to pick out outfits and have people see them… other than my girlfriend,” she said.