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CONTENTS 10/20
Nannette Hammond p16
Katerina Melnikova p66
Halloween Horror Fest! p4
Classic Cries p48
Horror Games p26
On the cover | Amber Diamond p38
Dish Up Deliciousness! p82
04 HALLOWEEN HORROR FEST!
32 THE ANIMAL UNLEASHED
72 FAST & FLAWLESS
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As an a lt ring Hallo en, tri k or ti is ty no go unl ss you ve kids of your o B for e eryone else dress p an ing rs for candy is sure to et more than a few qui l and su iciou es. S ne do on the scariest night of the year? A scar movie arathon of ourse. t f the usual big st dio offerings then here is a list of some of the best, horror-ďŹ ll ovies you might not have heard of. 4
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RAW
A vegetarian veterinary student is forced to eat meat during a hazing ritual, and her subsequent violent allergic reaction soon turns into animalistic hunger, sheer bloodlust, and an embrace of carnality in all its forms. If large amounts of gore are right up your alley, then Raw is highly recommended. The movie contains some of the most gut-wrenching gore and bloody elements that it will make Freddy Krueger wince. However this flick is not just about its blood and guts, but also contains a compelling story that explores the human appetite and how we stop at nothing to satiate it. Lead actress Garance Marillier is perfect as a timid vegetarian who quickly takes control of her appetites, sexual and otherwise.
DANIEL ISN’T REAL
Burdened by childhood trauma and his mother’s schizophrenia, college freshman Luke resurrects his childhood imaginary friend Daniel. Daniel helps Luke with his confidence and romantic prospects before revealing he has his own independent, violent motives and may not be a figment of Luke’s imagination at all. This movie is perfect for fans of psychological horror films like The Invisible Man or the classic American Psycho. As the titular Daniel, the Terminator’s son Patrick Schwarzenegger is equal parts terrifying and enticing, and the ending, while a bit over-explained, ties everything together nicely.
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THE WAILING In this unbelievably tense supernatural thriller, a foreigner’s mysterious appearance in a quiet, rural village causes suspicion among the locals, suspicion which quickly turns to hysteria as the townspeople begin killing each other in brutal outbursts for seemingly no reason. As the investigating officer watches his daughter fall under the same savage spell, he agrees to consult a shaman for answers, unknowingly escalating the situation into something far more dangerous. Arguably one of the best supernatural horrors in quite some time, The Wailing is jam-packed with mindbending twists and deadly demonic rituals. Prepare yourself for an intense film that will leave you reeling when the credits roll.
BONE TOMAHAWK In a small western town, several of the residents go missing and are feared to have been kidnapped by a cannibalistic tribe who live in vast caves deep in the desert lands. Originally thought to be Indians, the tribe is actually a spoiled bloodline known as troglodytes, vicious killers who prefer human meat over all else. Determined to find the townsfolk, Sheriff Franklin Hunt enlists a team of gunslingers to risk their lives by confronting the remorseless cavedwelling maneaters. Bone Tomahawk delivers a unique western take on the horror genre and some of the scenes are guaranteed to make your stomach churn.
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A TALE OF TWO SISTERS This supernatural horror film from Kim Jee-woon is inspired by the ancient Korean folktale “Jangha and Hongryun”. Set in an isolated lakeside house, it begins with two young girls, Su-mi and Su-yeon, returning home after a period of hospitalization following the death of their mother. In the meantime, their father Mu-Hyun has married Eun-joo, whom the girls obviously despise. Strange, violent visions begin to disturb Su-mi and she becomes convinced that Eun-joo is keeping a dark secret from the family. As with most horror films from the East, A Tale of Two Sisters creates a deranged and disturbing setting that will haunt you for weeks. Although a Western remake called “The Uninvited” exists, it’s best to stick to the original if you want your scares to be truly terrifying.
THE GOLDEN GLOVE
Writer-director Fatih Akin’s film is based on Heinz Strunk’s 2016 historical crime novel of the same name, which dramatizes the life of German serial killer Fritz Honka. Honka prowls the nightlife of Hamburg’s St. Pauli district in the 1970s, killing and dismembering the women who followed him back to his apartment and leaving their corpses to rot behind his wall. The Golden Glove is both a character study of reallife serial killer Fritz Honka and a grim period piece. Be warned, this is not for those with a weak stomach as the film probes Honka’s disturbing mind and explores what makes a person a serial killer and what terrifying lengths they can go to if left unchecked.
HAUNT
It’s winter, and Evan has moved into a home with a dark history when he meets Samantha, the mysterious girl who lives nearby, and claims that the house is cursed. Later, as the pair delve ever deeper into the supernatural mystery, it begins to appear that sinister forces are stirring in the darkened attic. When an enigmatic device appears to open a gateway to the afterlife, allowing sinister spirits to cross into the living realm, Evan and Samantha seek out the last living member of the home’s original occupants in an attempt to close the portal they should have never opened.
THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN Shortly after the mysterious death of sixteen-yearold Alice Palmer, her family summons a psychic and a parapsychologist into their home and discovers that the secretive teen had been leading a double life. Alice was swimming in a local dam when she drowned tragically. Later, after her body is recovered and the coroner issues a verdict of accidental death, Alice is laid to rest and her family returns home to grieve in peace. The Palmer’s mournful silence is short-lived, however, when a series of strange occurrences in and around their home leaves them convinced that they are experiencing something supernatural. Seeking the advice of a psychic and a parapsychologist, who reveals that Alice had been keeping some profound secrets from her friends and family, the Palmers travel to Lake Mungo and begin unraveling the mystery of the troubled adolescent’s double life. A faux-documentary shot in the style of The Blair Witch Project and Diary of the Dead, Lake Mungo proves that the mysteries of the living don’t lie silent with the deceased.
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LITTLE EVIL Gary has married the woman of his dreams and life is looking quite rosy. That is until Gary starts to suspect that his new stepson might be the antichrist. Unfortunately for Gary, his stepson is indeed pure evil as his beloved new wife was impregnated by the devil himself before they met up. The plot is ridiculous and can be seen more as a comedy horror than a pure out and out horror. Yet Gary, wonderfully played by Parks & Rec star, Adam Scott, and there are some truly amazing funny moments and he tries to deal with his evil stepson. Little Evil comes from the director of Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil, and you can expect the same expert blend of horror with comedy in this hilarious flick.
VELVET BUZZSAW
Art agent Josephina discovers hundreds of eerie paintings when one of her reclusive neighbors dies. She ignores the warning left behind by the troubled, mentally ill man to destroy the paintings, instead of finding great buzz around them from her gallerist boss, an art critic and a curator. As these members of the Los Angeles art world elite try to profit off of the pilfered work, they begin to have supernatural experiences where the art violently comes alive to enact justice. With an all-star cast in Jake Gyllenhaal and Toni Collette, Velvet Buzzsaw offers a more refined horror experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very final frame.
AUDITION
Controversial Japanese director Takashi Miike creates this unnerving horror film about a widowed TV producer auditioning prospective wives. In his search, one candidate particularly stands out, a lovely ex-ballerina dressed in white. The widower cannot believe his good fortune until he starts looking more closely at his potential bride-to-be. Her details don’t quite check out, she has a number of ugly scars on her legs, and he learns that people in her life have a habit of disappearing. When he discovers a man trussed up in her living room with his tongue and feet lopped off, he concludes that she is perhaps not the woman of his dreams. Audition does an excellent job to heighten the terror as the audience discovers the true secrets behind the woman in white.
SUMMER OF ‘84
Four suburban teens, Davey, Woody, Farraday and Eats, suspect their policeman neighbor Mr. Mackey is secretly the serial killer known as The Cape May Strangler. Despite their parents’ dismissal, the group spends the summer of 1984 investigating his suspicious behavior until they find themselves in real danger. For fans of the 80’s classic The Goonies, Summer of 84 will feel very familiar. However unlike the innocent adventure, The Goonies find themselves on, Summer of 84 features some truly horrific scenes thanks to the wonderfully portrayed antagonist. For 80’s nostalgia fans that felt Stranger Things needed more blood, violence and overall horror, then Summer of 84 is perfect for you. 10
OCTOBER 2020
THE VOID
An overcurious detective discovers that his small town has a grotesque supernatural underbelly when he takes an injured man to the hospital. As the facility is surrounded by a mob of mysterious cloaked figures, he must protect helpless patients from night-shift doctors and nurses who have gone insane. The Void is a strange movie, with a sometimes confusing and hard to follow plot, yet it’s the visuals and the unique Lovecraftian horror that makes this a much watch. Containing some disturbing and downright nasty body horror, The Void is not meant for those with weak stomachs.
ONE CUT OF THE DEAD
Director Higurashi and his film crew are shooting a Japanese low-budget zombie movie in an abandoned World War 2 army building rumored to have been a site of army experimentation. The movie becomes a documentary, however, when they are attacked by real zombies. Despite the chaos that ensues, Higurashi orders the crew to keep filming. It’s a unique take on the typical zombie movie and unlike some other horrors on the list, is genuinely funny, with some laugh out loud moments peppered throughout the disturbing violence. It’s weird, twisted, hilarious and downright messed up, but if you like your LOL’s with your zombie outbreak then One Cut of the Dead is brilliant viewing.
PRESS X TO FUTURE When Microsoft announced its brand new next-generation console, there were a lot of questions as to what the future of the Xbox was. The current generation was trailing behind the incredibly popular PlayStation 4 and many felt the Xbox was in decline. So when Phil Spencer and his team announced the Series X, gamers were quietly confident that they might see the American console company return to the heights of the 360 days. Yet details on the machine were limited and a near-catastrophic gameplay reveal of the highly anticipated Halo: Infinite left a sour taste in even the most hardcore Xbox fan. However, Spencer and his team seem to have corrected the Series X ship and has given gamers around the world a lot to be excited about.
Power, Speed, Performance
The next-gen Xbox is without argument the most powerful console ever created with hardware and software innovations that will enable amazing possibilities for the future of games. The Xbox Velocity Architecture unlocks new speed and performance capabilities through the groundbreaking combination of hardware, a custom 1TB SSD and CPU and deep software integration, to make for richer and more dynamic living worlds unlike anything ever seen before. Powered by Microsoft’s custom-designed processor leveraging AMD’s latest Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures. The new system on a chip (SOC) has been built from the ground up for speed and performance, with 12 teraflops of processing power and with compatibility in mind for four generations of games. With 12 Teraflops of power, true 4K
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gaming with the promise of up to 120 frames per second gaming, the Series X is truly a beast of a machine. Spencer also claims that the Series X consoles are 8K ready, which immediately future proofs the console. Overheating has always been an issue with consoles, yet the engineers at Microsoft made that a priority when designing the new console. The three air-flow channels evenly distribute the temperatures generated by the advanced internal components, keeping the console cool and quiet. The innovative parallel cooling architecture allows for stunning game experiences with incredible graphical fidelity and performance. For the first time ever on console, an innovative split motherboard keeps the Xbox Series X internals evenly temperature controlled, allowing for the console to output more power. A heat sink is a non-
electronic, passive mechanical component that has a vital role in the reliability and performance of the Xbox Series X and is integrated directly into the chassis of the console. This unique component of the parallel cooling architecture helps lend to the distinctive design of the console. The vapor chamber in the Xbox Series X enables evenly spread temperatures with the core and memory. As part of the parallel cooling architecture, the whisper-quiet fan keeps the Xbox Series X internal components cool without disturbing your gameplay.
Show Me The Games
With all the tech talk out of the way, the biggest question gamers will have though is about the games. Power means nothing if you don’t have games to play on it, a problem the Xbox One faced this generation. Spencer made sure that they won’t make that mistake again, with the Microsoft giant investing millions in new games and developers. With some exciting new exclusives expected, Spencer has promised that this new generation will be the greatest for gamers yet. Of course one of the biggest highlights of the current Xbox One was backwards compatibility and this feature will be present in the Series X. Through the revolutionary new Xbox Velocity Architecture, thousands of games on Xbox One, including Xbox 360 and original Xbox Games, will experience improvements in performance, including improved boot and load times, more stable frame rates, higher resolutions and improved quality on Xbox Series X. So all gamers can bring their entire library across to the new generation and play their favorite games, but much improved. Games built using the Xbox Series X development kit are designed to take advantage of the unique capabilities of Xbox Series X. They will showcase unparalleled load-times, visuals, responsiveness and framerates up to 120FPS. The highly popular Xbox GamePass will also be featured, a fantastic feature where you pay a nominal fee a month and have access to all the new Xbox exclusives as well as hundreds of other titles. So when buying an Xbox Series X console you are guaranteed to already have a library of over a hundred games. It’s a fantastic offering and one that truly sweetens the deal when aligning yourself with the green brand.
The Costs of the Future
All the information listed so far sounds great, but with any new piece of tech, the price point is what will make or break a console. Fortunately, Microsoft has given this much thought and the recommended price for the top tier Xbox Series X console is $499. But this was not the only surprise Microsoft sprung on gamers. The biggest surprise was the announcement of a second console, a more affordable, slightly less powerful erosion of the Series X, aptly named the Xbox Series S, which comes in at a more wallet-friendly $299. This version won’t feature a disc drive and will be purely digital. It will also be less powerful than the Series X, but still promises a nextgen gaming experience for anyone who would prefer a cheaper alternative to the powerhouse big brother. It’s a smart move by Microsoft to offer both the consoles on launch as it allows everyone, regardless of price points, to afford a brand new Xbox console. With a proposed November 2020 launch, the next-gen experience is around the corner and so far the Xbox’s future is looking very promising. So far Phil Spencer and his team have hit all the right notes and it looks like they have learned a lot from the Xbox One failings. With Sony still to announce their prices, Xbox has taken an early lead in the next-gen console wars.
Nannette
Hammond @nannettehammond MUA @Sophiamarieperez Hair Kendra’s Boutique
OCTOBER 2020
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF? I’m not your average stay-at-home mum! I have six kids and live a very active BARBIE lifestyle! That “B” has EVERYTHING! WHAT IS THE MOST EXCITING THING ABOUT BEING A MODEL? I love the travel to exotic locations. Exotic is Exciting to me! WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES? Modeling, Traveling, and Pampering (ME) ANY PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR? More plastic surgery to enhance my BARBIE look – stay tuned! WHAT IS THE MOST SURPRISING THING ABOUT YOU? You can’t read this book by its cover! I juggle being a mum to six kids, cleaning bathrooms, to high end modeling shoots around the globe! DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT MAN. Any man that puts me first, is honest, and stays physically fit is perfect for me! And, I will show him just how much I appreciate him daily! ONE THING YOU CAN’T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT? A “kick-ass” attitude! WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF THE ULTIMATE DATE TO BE TAKEN ON? Private plane trip to dinner and sensual evening! WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER BEEN GIVEN? Just be YOU! I don’t worry about what others think of me! ANY LAST WORDS TO OUR READERS? FHM SA readers continue to be some of my BIGGEST FANS! I appreciate each and every one of you!
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Horror games have always been a staple of gaming, with massive franchises like Capcom’s Resident Evil and EA’s Dead Space series scaring the pants off gamers for years now. However, with the rise of the indie horror scene more and more scary games have become available to the wet-your-pants, sleep with the lights on enthusiasts out there. Here are some of the best little-known horror games out there to keep you thoroughly entertained and scared out of your wits this Halloween.
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DARKWOOD Set in a strange world, inspired by Slavic folklore, Darkwood is shrouded in mystery blurring the lines of reality. It’s best described as a topdown horror roguelike that oozes atmosphere, terrifying tension and is a totally unnerving experience. Unlike most games, Deadwood refuses to hold your hand as you brave the day time scavenging for materials around the sinister woods, crafting weapons and discovering new secrets. Yet when night time comes you have to find shelter and set up traps to defend yourself from the unseen horrors out to kill you. Darkwood is an incredibly tense game relying on its atmosphere and the unknown horrors to scare you instead of the usual jump scares other games rely on. The gameplay is brutal and the hands-off approach to the game’s difficulty makes exploration terrifying yet continually intriguing as you uncover more of the secrets hidden within the forest. Be prepared for a nightmarish fantasy that pulls no punches.
REMOTHERED: TORMENTED FATHERS Psychology plays a huge role within the horror genre and Remothered: Tormented Fathers uses it brilliantly. The story revolves around Rosemary Reed, a fascinating and mysterious woman, who visits Dr. Richard Felton in order to investigate the disappearance of a girl named Celeste. Yet when Dr. Felton learns of Rosemary’s true intentions, the true horror rises to the fore. Remothered relies heavily on psychological horror and features some of the most tense and truly frightening moments in gaming. As well as being mostly defenseless against your enemies, you have some classic survival horror design aspects to grapple with. While not as clunky as its forebears, the controls aren’t the smoothest. And saving and healing are constrained to special save points. Some solid visual design brings the game successfully into the present day, however, and its unpredictable story is well worth experiencing. If you enjoyed the Silent Hill series then Remothered will scratch that psychological horror itch. 27
THE BLACKOUT CLUB A first-person co-op horror game centered around a group of teenage friends investigating a monstrous secret beneath the skin of their small town. Think of it as your very own ScoobyDoo detective agency, with more true horror and less scooby snacks. Every night, everyone in town gets out of bed and sleepwalks. In the morning, they wake up with no recollection of what happened or where they were. Some teenagers in this town woke up during one of these blackouts, finding themselves in the woods or on train tracks with no idea how they got there. When they tell their parents, their teachers, the police... no one believes them. Taking matters into their own hands, they formed a club, The Blackout Club, to get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately, the recent disappearance of a close friend means that the sleepwalking isn’t just strange, it could be deadly. You and your friends must team up to overcome the powerful forces that are set against you. Using tools such as drones, noisemakers, and grappling hooks, you will outwit and outmaneuver the adults while attempting to obtain and record evidence that will prove what is happening to the rest of the world. The Blackout Club is the perfect game for people that like to explore horror along with their friends.
DETENTION In Greenwood High School, located in a remote mountainous area, two students find themselves trapped and vulnerable. The place they once knew has changed in unsettling ways, haunted by evil creatures. To escape, they must explore the mysterious campus filled with ominous objects and puzzles. Set in a fictitious 1960s Taiwan under martial law, Detention, is a storydriven atmospheric horror incorporating East Asian elements rarely used in games, Taoism, Buddhism and Chinese mythology, the game draws on local Taiwanese cultural references to tell a unique and terrifying story. In this 2D atmospheric horror sidescroller, players navigate the main characters in a classic point and click fashion to explore a high school where evil encroaches. While hiding from the rampaging monsters, your goal is to find items to interact with in the otherworldly rooms. And as more of the mystery is unveiled, the dark past of your cursed school will finally surface. Although Detention is a point and click at heart, don’t for a second think that it is less scary. Its brilliant use of some really creepy visuals and excellent sound design sets this little indie game apart from anything else on this list. 28
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BENDY AND THE INK MACHINE Don’t ever judge a game by its name alone, and Bendy and the Ink Machine is the perfect example of that. Bendy is a first-person puzzle action horror game that begins in the far days past of animation and ends in a very dark future. Think early days of Disney, but even more horrific. You play as Henry as he revisits the demons of his past by exploring the abandoned animator’s workshop of Joey Drew Studios. With twists and turns around every corner, Bendy and the Ink Machine is sure to thrill you and decimate your childhood. You’ll never look at cartoons the same way again. In the years since Joey Drew closed its doors, a seemingly possessed ink machine has been bringing all the studio’s old characters to life. As you tiptoe your way across the old floorboards and creak through heavy wooden doors, these characters stalk your every move, showing up every now and then just to remind you of what you should be afraid of. Expect tons of pants-soiling moments.
LITTLE NIGHTMARES Immerse yourself in Little Nightmares, a dark whimsical tale that will confront you with your childhood fears. As Six, you are exploring a mysterious realm filled to the brim with bustling monsters and horrific situations. Death and gore are around every corner in a unique art style that warps your surroundings into twisted terrors of childhood fear. Help Six escape The Maw, a vast, mysterious vessel inhabited by corrupted souls looking for their next meal. As you progress on your journey, explore the most disturbing dollhouse, offering a prison to escape from and a playground full of secrets to discover. Reconnect with your inner child to unleash your imagination and find the way out. Little Nightmares is a horror game that combines stealth and puzzles with an atmosphere of that strange childlike mixture of curiosity and terror, Tarsier Studios managed to build an entire world simultaneously creepy and delightful.
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PATHOLOGIC 2 Pathologic 2 is a narrative-driven dramatic thriller about fighting a deadly outbreak in a secluded rural town that is dying. Face the realities of a collapsing society as you make difficult choices in seemingly lose-lose situations. The plague isn’t just a disease, it is devouring the town. The chief local healer is dead, and you are now to take his place. Yet most of the dying locals are not best pleased to see you. This stubbornly unforgiving game will challenge and punish you at every turn as you try to last for twelve days in its deadly village. The town is beset by a vicious plague, and you desperately have to try and save as many as you can. Pathologic revels in darkness and its bizarre setting and story, which you’ll uncover more of if you survive long enough, you have to satiate your hunger, thirst and tiredness to keep on going. It’s a punishing game that does not care about the player, some may find it frustrating, others will revel in it’s unforgiving and horrific nature.
SOMA SOMA is a sci-fi horror game from Frictional Games, the creators of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It is an unsettling story about identity, consciousness, and what it means to be human. The radio is dead, food is running out, and the machines have started to think they are people. Underwater facility PATHOS-II has suffered an intolerable isolation and we’re going to have to make some tough decisions. What can be done? What makes sense? What is left to fight for? Enter the world of SOMA and face horrors buried deep beneath the ocean waves. Delve through locked terminals and secret documents to uncover the truth behind the chaos. Seek out the last remaining inhabitants and take part in the events that will ultimately shape the fate of the station. But be careful, danger lurks in every corner: corrupted humans, twisted creatures, insane robots, and even an inscrutable omnipresent A.I. You will need to figure out how to deal with each one of them. Just remember there’s no fighting back, either you outsmart your enemies or you get ready to run. SOMA’s fascinating sci-fi story is front and center, a real highlight of the game and probably the most moving as it not only shocks you with its horror but also it’s unexpected humanity. 30
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OBSERVER What would you do if your fears were hacked? That is the question Observer asks of its players. A cyberpunk horror game places you in a dark cyberpunk world beset by plagues, war and squalor. You are Dan Lazarski, an elite neural detective known as an Observer, and part of a corporatefunded police unit whose purpose is to hack and invade suspects’ minds. In this future, anything you think, feel, or remember can be used against you in a court of law. As you hack into the unstable minds of criminals and victims to look for clues, you will relive their darkest fears, forcing you to question your own reality and your sanity. Outside of all of the scary moments, Observer is a fascinating, well-realized piece of dystopian fiction. Its intriguing story, with voice acting from the late great Blade Runner star Rutger Hauer, makes it well worth a look for fans of dark dystopian sci-fi horror.
VISAGE If you were ever fortunate enough to play the Silent Hill demo, P.T. then you will feel right at home with Visage, a first-person psychological horror game. Explore a mysterious everchanging house in a slow-paced, atmospheric world that combines both uncannily comforting and horrifyingly realistic environments, and enjoy a genuinely terrifying experience. You’ll wander through the gloomy corridors, explore every dead room, and get lost in endless mazes, your head filling with memories of the dead families that once lived in this very home. This twisted environment, void of any life other than yours, takes you to places you couldn’t even begin to imagine. Much like P.T. you are defenseless, no weapons could save you from the dreadful entities stalking you from the next corner, the next door, or underneath your feet. You’ll be able to pick up key elements, interact with the environment, and search for things that may help you escape this nightmare or pull you deeper into it. Dying is part of the game. You need to avoid terror at all costs, as dark entities are attracted to it. Maintaining your mind as sane as possible will keep you from joining the ranks of the dead. Doing so will not be easy, and you’ll have to figure out ways, like staying in the light, to avoid going insane. 31
Many may know David Michael Bautista Jr. as the unstoppable WWE wrestler Batista, while many might be more familiar with his Guardians of the Galaxy character, Drax the Destroyer, but not many will be familiar with the story of how the son of a Filipino hairdresser became one of the most recognizable faces in the world. 32
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orn on the 18th of January 1969 in Washington D.C. to Donna and David Bautista Senior, a hairdresser in the DC area, Bautista grew up in one of the poorest and most violent areas in the U.S. at the time. Crack cocaine was a major problem on the streets and murder was a daily occurrence in the neighborhood. In his book Batista Unleashed, he talks about life expectancy for children at the time was worse than in many third world countries. He also casually mentions that three people died on his doorstep before he turned nine, he elaborates on one particular death where his mother found a man dying of a gunshot wound outside their house. She called for help, but the officials took too long and the man passed away. Meanwhile, Bautista, his sister, and several other children were playing in the street nearby. They were so accustomed to the violence that they weren’t surprised or upset about another dead body on their doorstep. This was when his mother decided she needed to save her children and move to San Francisco, a move that Bautista feels saved both his and his sister’s lives. Bautista’s parents would soon divorce though, with Bautista Snr. struggling to come to terms with being a father and the responsibility of raising the children would fall on his mother Donna. Yet the now single mother struggled with poverty and family issues of her own, and she sadly didn’t realize her son was slipping into a dangerous path of violence himself.
Bautista soon found himself in a gang, mostly specializing in petty theft, from stealing other kids’ clothes or taking their toys and reselling them. This soon turned more serious, as at the age of 13, Bautista turned his attention to stealing cars. Looking back on those days, a somber Bautista reflects on how most troubled youths ended up dabbling in some form of violence and crime. Things were not going better at school either, with his grades being way below average. In High School, however, he found lots of joy in wrestling and spent hours on the mat, however his grades were so bad that he was barred from wrestling until his grades improved. That’s when the disgruntled teenager turned his back on education and left school forever, never finishing his senior year. Bautista says not graduating from high school is something he regrets, especially because he knows he absolutely could have done it. If he had tried, whenever he bothered to apply himself, he got good grades and his teachers were perfectly willing to let him make up assignments. However, the young Bautista just didn’t care about education and it remains a sore spot in an interview with Sport Bible in 2018, Bautista admitted that if he could live his life again, he would focus on getting an education. Without an education behind his name and not a penny in his pocket, a 17-year-old Bautista had a massive falling out with his parents and decided he needed to live on his own and make his own way in the world. Normal jobs were hard to come by due to his lack of education, so he eventually ended up as a nightclub bouncer, due to his intimidating size and his love to get into fights. Sadly, he would end up being too aggressive with various clientele and was eventually arrested after a brawl left two patrons seriously injured. He was charged and sentenced to one year of probation, narrowly avoiding a prison sentence. It was this incident that made him realize he needed to find a passion, something to live for. It was then that he discovered bodybuilding.
Bautista became obsessed with the sport, spending as much time in the gym as possible. However, he fell into a dangerous cycle as he would work at night as a bouncer, spend hours in the gym and sleep the rest of the time. His obsession with bodybuilding reached a point where he always felt he was too small, something Bautista came to call reverse anorexia. Despite weighing over 300 pounds and doing virtually nothing but working and lifting, he felt he was never big enough. Bautista would spend most of his 20’s on this schedule, which didn’t do any favors for his family’s financial stability. A father to two young daughters, he realized he had wasted a decade of his life and was in a situation where he had to borrow money just so he could buy Christmas presents for his children. He soon realized he had accomplished nothing and he had no future. The 30-year-old had a big decision to make, not just for himself but for his family. It would be a high school passion that would shape the next few years of Bautista’s life. This bleak situation ultimately came with a silver lining as the impoverished Bautista decided to try his hand at wrestling. Dave Bautista entered the physically grueling world of wrestling at a relatively late age. Bautista first approached the World Wrestling Championship (WCW) and gave an audition at the WWC Power Plant but Sgt Buddy Lee Parker., who was working as one of the trainers there at the time, told him that he would never succeed in the professional wrestling business. Bautista then went to their biggest rival, WWE. After a successful tryout, WWE designated him to the Wild Samoan Training Center wrestling school to train under Afa Anoa’i. He also got lessons in Muay Thai and Eskrima. Bautista soon began to wrestle for Anoa’i’s World Xtreme Wrestling (WXW) promotion. Subsequently, Bautista signed a contract with WWE and started competing at one of their developmental territories, Ohio Valley Wrestling. In 2000, he made his debut under the ring name Leviathan and
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went on to win the OVW Heavyweight Championship. His rapid progression in the promotion convinced WWE to include him in the WWE main roster. However, his first tenure with the company was marred by injuries that sidelined him for months at a time. According to his book, Batista Unleashed, his first serious injury was a triceps tear that sidelined him for seven months. In 2006, he was forced to vacate his WWE world championship because of yet another torn triceps in 2008, a similar tear occurred in his hamstring, sidelining him for what was supposed to be six to eight months. He came back in four and had just enough time to capture the WWE championship before a biceps injury forced him to drop the title. Despite his numerous injuries Bautista went on to become one of the biggest stars in the WWE, regularly featuring in main events and always being in title contention. He finally made it to the big time, he was a superstar and he was making good money. However, the life of a WWE athlete took its toll on his family life. Bautista admitted that the year-round grind of being on the road with the WWE didn’t do any favors for his marriage and ended up ruining two of his marriages while he was on the road. And it wasn’t just his constant absence that was the problem. The superstar admits he was a prolific cheater and while Dave Bautista didn’t drink or do drugs, he was no different from his wrestling peers who struggled with addictions. His drug of choice just happened to be a little different, although he didn’t realize it at the time he was addicted to carnal pleasures while touring with the WWE.
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When the naturally shy and timid man became popular and suddenly had scores of girls interested in him, he was completely unequipped to handle it and dove in headfirst while he didn’t think it was a problem. At the time, he was eventually told that his constant womanizing was a problem. It would take years before Bautista realized this was becoming a serious problem and fortunately like most things in his life he was able to assess the situation and successfully move beyond it. He didn’t want to hurt his family anymore and decided that to become a good role model he had to sort his life out. Bautista decided he needed a break from the rigorous lifestyle of a WWE superstar and felt he could make it in Hollywood, much like his fellow wrestler Dwayne Johnson. Roles were hard to come by but he made his cinematic debut in an unaccredited role in Greg Glienna’s directorial venture ‘Relative Strangers in 2006. His next film appearance came about three years later, in the 2009 American-German film ‘My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?’ He had his first starring role in the 2010 direct-to-DVD action film ‘Wrong Side of Town’. But it would be his outing as Ray Shane, an ex-vice cop who had just been released after serving five years in prison, in ‘House of the Rising Sun’, that earned him critical praise and made casting directors take note. It would be his next role that shot him into superstardom. With the Marvel Extended Universe dominating the cinema landscape, Bautista was offered the role of Drax The Destroyer in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy. It was the role of a lifetime and one that Bautista completely threw himself into. This
was his biggest role to date, yet the gentle giant was suffering from near-crippling anxiety when on set for the first few weeks. But thanks to the director James Gunn and his fellow co-stars, Bautista overcame his anxiety and stole the show with his performance as the very literal alien warrior. But his anxiety wasn’t the only hurdle the former wrestler had to overcome. Dave Bautista is dyslexic and has been quite open about it. However, this made auditions and table reads along with his fellow actors quite a challenge. However, he found an unlikely ally in his struggles. Guardians of the Galaxy co-star Zoe Saldana has also admitted to being dyslexic, a fact that made the two stars bond and help each other through the difficult times. The two have often been praised for their outspokenness on the topic and have helped millions of sufferers come to terms with it. Yet despite all the challenges Bautista has faced in his dream to become a Hollywood superstar, the former wrestler has shown that no matter what, one can still achieve their dreams. He is now a much sought after actor and has starred in major blockbuster movies from Skyfall to Blade Runner 2049. The story of a Filipino hairdresser’s son has the hallmarks of typical Hollywood rags to riches story, a boy growing up in poverty, caught up in the violence and crime surrounding him, nearly losing everything, yet being able to rise to the top and become a better person for it. Dave Bautista had to restart his life at 34, a stage where most people are already set in their ways, yet the former WWE superstar and current Hollywood megastar proved that it’s never too late to run your life around.
Amber
Diamond Amber Diamond | @Diamond.Fur Photography by Ryan Dwyer | @letshoot PR Services @mainstreetproductions HMUA Bridget Martinez | @bridgetzglam
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Amber Diamond is a Huntington Beach local hottie, you can find this golden babe soaking up the sun on her Orange County beaches. Although she’s also lived in the states of Hawaii and Texas, Huntington Beach is where her heart will always be. She’s a natural babe, natural blonde, tan, and curvy. An organic lifestyle of tea, fruit, and Vitamin D is what the doctor ordered. Amber loves to travel and even though a bathing suit is her preferred fashion, she can be versatile and bundle up when in Europe. Luggage is her favorite accessory! To see more of this girl follow her @Diamond.Fur For her the most exciting part about being a model is being able to travel the world, connecting and sharing experiences with those around her. Her passion in life is her relationships with friends and family, Amber takes people into her heart and whatever she has to give wants to share. Amber loves being a dog mom and takes her dog everywhere - 158 cities and 3 countries alone last year needless to say, her dog is living the doggie high life! Amber thinks that being sexy should be natural, it doesn’t take hours of getting ready to shine. This goes for men too; her turn-ons are a man who is effortlessly cool. Who can surf all day with her, then go to a black tie event and will hold her door. A true gentleman that will sweep of her feet.
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I
cried the other night. Nothing unusual in that, other than it was at the end of a predictable rom-com whilst sitting in the lounge only forty-eight hours after I had become teary over a song that I had played on YouTube whilst shaving. At 57, I appear to have become a serial blubber probably crying more so now than I can recall when I was a much younger adult. The earliest signiďŹ cant cry that I can remember occurred when I was running along LongďŹ elds, Bicester in my grey shorts, to meet my friend Alan who was waiting for me at our primary school gates. Tripping on something or other I was propelled forward ripping open both kneecaps. If I pull the skin taught today I can still locate the scars.
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That hurt, and the tears that followed were examples of emotional tears as opposed to basal tears, which protect the eyes from foreign objects such as dirt or a blasted midge, and reflex tears that form when you peel an onion or when, as the Platters sang, “smoke gets in your eyes”. Culturally I wonder how many times I hid an emotional tear by pretending that it was reflex or basal? Being British, I had been indoctrinated in the ‘stiff upper lip’ posture where crying was almost considered a sin, especially after you had left the confines of the playground. This is somewhat bizarre since research into crying babies (Wolke, D., Bilgin, A., & Samara, M. The Journal of Pediatrics, 2017) places the United Kingdom as top of the weeping chart alongside Canada and Italy whilst newborns from Denmark, Germany and Japan are by far the most stoic. As I have advanced in years, I am relieved to have abandoned my cultural heritage although I struggle to pinpoint the moment of change when I ditched the ridiculous fortitude test of the country of my birth. Perhaps it was a collection of experiences that has led me to this present point and although I am willing to disclose a handful of my classic cries they do not represent the complete story since crying isn’t always done in public. Sometimes the only way to adequately deal with private grief is in isolation. It should be noted however, that crying is by no means exclusively attributable to misery and my personal meander through the waterworks of life seeks to shine a light on the other triggers with the sincere hope that what the majority of us did pretty much routinely and with great skill when we were born still has a place in our adult lives outside of tragedy. More so for men, as according to the figures, women cry emotional tears between thirty to sixty four times a year compared to the pitiful five to seventeen for men. Come on fellas, up your game! From a health perspective, its good for us too since crying emotional tears releases important chemicals which make us feel better and actually ease the associated physical and emotional pain.
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Our first born, Lucy, made her stunning appearance at Heatherwood Hospital, a stone’s throw away from the famous Ascot racecourse, on July 11th, 1990. I was twenty seven and was present during the birth holding my wife’s hand and uttering reassuring words of wisdom that on reflection probably enraged Theresa as she heroically negotiated childbirth alongside the most amazing midwife ever. If I had been the one giving birth, I would have demanded an industrial epidural and nitrous oxide by the lorry load whilst floating in a birthing pool listening to real whales. I was so glad that this part of parenting had been contracted out to her since I figured that if men had been given the responsibility the human race would have ceased to exist millennia ago. When Lucy eventually decided to put in an appearance I felt overwhelming relieved and exhausted. The former because our daughter was beautiful, perfect in every way and had a pair of lungs on her! On her introduction to life outside she totally claimed the monopoly on the crying front. In relation to the latter goodness knows why I felt devoid of energy since I had done, in the grand scheme of things, fuck all! As the main event drew to a close I remember seeing what Theresa had to endure post scene as the most delicate part of her body had been traumatized. Once again, I was thankful that I had been born a man and vowed that if reincarnation wasn’t a myth I would still come back as any other species as long as it was male. As I entered the crowded waiting room to commence the telephone calls with my stack of ten pence pieces (commercially available mobile phones were still a niche purchase in those days) I was feeling pretty proud! I had sired a daughter! Who’s the Daddy? Both literally and metaphorically! On hearing my Dad’s voice at the other end of the phone, I triumphantly said, “It’s a …” then broke down in a tsunami of tears and mini howls. I must have got there in the end, but this represented a typical attribute of emotional tears since they can spontaneously erupt without much of a prelude. On this occasion not only was it natural but it signified that my life henceforth would be changed forevermore and as I welcomed a new life into the world, simultaneously I said goodbye to the former me.
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, released in 1982 when I was nineteen, was a ground breaking film in many ways. Hitherto my diet of science fiction had portrayed alien life as menacing and uneasy on the eye or indeed both. Any visitors from outer space were always going to try and obliterate the human race, or at least try to until a small band of humans against impossible odds with inferior weapons but considerably more guile and cunning eventually won the day by blasting them to all to fuck. E.T. was the polar opposite, providing an adorable alien character who only had goodness in their heart. The clever bit, in my opinion, was making a sway of the adult cast, especially those that sought to capture E.T. and do all sorts of horrible intrusive scientific tests, the real villains. All was going well for me until the scene where the five kids on pedal cycles led by Elliot carrying E.T. in a handlebar basket are pursued by several police cars. Losing the cops, the two wheeled posse celebrate, only for a bunch of Feds to jump out of nowhere to narrowly miss their prize! The epic John Williams score beautifully and subtly captures the heartstrings whilst the eye is drawn to the relentless explosive action on screen. As the road ahead is blocked by the FBI agents alighting from their cars Elliot shuts his eyes and the audience awaits the oncoming collision and ultimate capture only for, and if you haven’t seen it (and if so where the hell have you been?!) here’s the spoiler, E.T. to magically lift the kids into the sky and peddle across the sunset! That was the moment when the tears ran down my cheeks but to my great relief I was in a darkened cinema and no one was looking in my direction! Personally, this embodied a core life value in the importance of overcoming adversity even when the odds seem perilously stacked against me. When Adam, my son, graduated with a First in Law at Bournemouth University in 2015 I knew that the chances of me crying were pretty high. To have achieved this epic result when his final exam was a week after his Mum had died was simply incredible. When my wife passed away I near as damn it crumbled. I knew that I would cry at the graduation and accepted that the inevitable place would be when his name was announced on the public address system as he crossed the stage to receive his degree during the main ceremony. Waiting in the reception area with all of the other proud parents, relatives, and friends I looked at the sea of mortarboards that swarmed in. When Adam appeared, to my astonishment I burst into tears and just couldn’t seem to come up for air. I was shocked since I had agreed a time and place to do this and was totally up for it yet as the strands of my life converged in that densely packed auditorium there
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were three people: my little boy, his Mum, and me. Unsurprisingly I cried at the previously designated later time too. What the hell, I was on a roll! In the Summer of 2016 on the way back from a business meeting in the North West of England I saw a sign to Ellesmere Port. For those of you unfamiliar with this incredibly special place it is a small town in Cheshire on the River Mersey opposite Liverpool. Ordinarily, I suspect that you would only visit there if you lived or worked there as it isn’t a seaside destination. But I did visit there with my late Dad when I was a kid, if my memory serves me right, in 1976 when I was thirteen to see the powerhouse that was the Ellesmere Port Gunners whilst we holidayed at my Grandparents in Lancashire. In speedway terms, they were the Manchester United of the second division! Parking close to the stadium my Dad had a pint at The Gunners pub opposite whilst I had a coke mesmerized by all the Gunners memorabilia that adorned the main bar. I was here! I would soon be seeing the awesome superstar and number one John Jackson on his home track! This was truly going to be a legendary night! We sat on the back row of the main stand at the furthest point on the right, having a perfect view of the starting gate and as I opened the match program with my pen in hand I double checked that Dad had safely stored my Gunners pennant in the inside pocket of his jacket! Heat one saw the megastar number one blast away the opposition and at the end of the meeting he had recorded another untroubled maximum. As Satnav guided me to Thornton Road I wondered what would now be standing at the old venue since the Gunners had last raced in 1985 and many old stadiums had been built on long ago, and if the pub was still there? This would be, I thought a quick trip down memory lane, a snap for Facebook and maybe an email to the Speedway Star magazine lamenting the disappearance of another famous old track. On arrival I was stunned. The stadium was still standing, derelict like some haunted mausoleum to a time long gone, surrounded by razor wire with huge signs warning of the safety risk and that entry was strictly forbidden. The opposite was the pub with the same proud name. I left the car and was totally transfixed as the magnificent and slightly eccentric Ellesmere Port coat of arms with a Sea Horse and Tabby cat supporting the central shield was still displayed on the outside of the main stand directly above the sign that read Ellesmere Port Greyhound Stadium. Tattered, peeling, and covered in decades of grime but nonetheless clearly marking this uniquely special place in sporting history.
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I walked around the perimeter head arched backward to gain a better view wishing that I could somehow penetrate the impregnable security that surrounded the site. It was clearly only a matter of time until this whole place would be demolished, and the precautions were, I figured, intended to protect children from the nearby estate if they had been encouraged to attempt entry. Then something peculiar took over me and the spirit of an inquisitive kid who had, occasionally, made it his work to rebel against adult warnings of impending doom returned. Whatever it took, falling short of slicing my knackers off on the razor wire, I would gain entry. Forty years later I was in exactly the same place in the arson ravaged stand, this time standing since all of the seats had been ripped out years ago. I didn’t leave that spot until the tears had fully subdued. A proximate police siren didn’t motivate me to take cover either. This moment would surpass any criminal conduct since being with my Dad again trumped everything. As I emerged from the thick undergrowth that had since penetrated the stadium on the second bend I knew that I deserved a pint. There was no trace of Speedway in the main bar but for a few moments, the spirit of those halcyon days returned as a big bald guy in his fifties sobbed whilst drinking a pint of Carling. The young guys playing pool, the fella reading his newspaper opposite and the two blokes sat on the bar stools never flinched. When I was six years old I won a painting competition for a wonderful rendition of a steam train in my homage to Vincent van Gogh, before I discovered Crayola crayons, where great dollops of smudged paint coalesced to form a shape. There was no mistaking that it was a train since the tell tale brown smoke was billowing out of the grand chimney, which was also brown. In fact, it was all brown. It was exhibited, as I recall, in a council office in Sheep Street, Bicester where we had moved to from Nottingham, along with many equally perplexing images created by kids of my age and perhaps a little older. Who cares anyway since I only had eyes for my creation and the sign that said, ‘Winning entry’! The prize was book tokens and I vividly remember my Dad taking me to the book shop where he let me choose some Ladybird books one of which I immediately grasped as the front cover gave me an instant view of a far, far away land in which an enchanting building offered mystery and adventure. The beautiful palace was surrounded by four huge pillars and its glow captivated my heart and mind. India was a trillion miles away from Bicester, but my new book would magic me there! And so, I proudly took Ladybird Books: Series 587, Flight Four, India from the shelf and held it tightly. I was now in possession of the Taj Mahal! Earlier this year and fifty one years later I arrived in Agra, India to finally see my incredible vision for real.
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Of course, I was excited as I caught my first glimpses from the nearby Agra Fort, learning about its history and the reverence the people of India have for this symbol of love. Later that evening I again admired it from the rooftop bar of the hotel and looked forward to visiting it the following day. As the tour guide highlighted various points of interest on the approach to The Western Gate I was becoming a little impatient since I still couldn’t see the primary reason for being there. I was nonetheless in tourist mode feeling no more excitable than I had done so earlier in the trip when I had walked amongst the incredible Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. Walking through the entry point I could see the Taj Mahal in the distance brilliantly framed within the red sandstone gateway. Once I had negotiated this boundary my eyes widened as never before. I was totally in awe of this majestic structure as the sun was reflected from the white marble making me squint and rapidly replace my shades. The surrounding pillars, all slightly inclined to compensate for the potential of earthquake damage, were exactly as I remembered as a six year old boy. I was here! I had entered my dream and my reality simply couldn’t keep up. I wasn’t aware of the stream of tears that flowed uncontrollably down my cheeks, but I soon became mindful of the slight coolness to my face as I caught the gentle breeze. Where was my easel? This kid was ready to paint again! In 2011 Jamie Lawson released the most beautiful ballad, “Wasn’t expecting that.” This song more than any spoke directly to me and I still cannot listen to it without crying. And that is all I have to say on that one. I think that now I am beyond any form of embarrassment and maybe that is where many of us adults actually get it wrong, as to why should we feel awkward when our emotions decide to take over? Isn’t the suppression of feelings our biggest personal crime? An excess of anything can be a burden that will inevitably slow you down and, if not kept in check, damage your health. An overloading of emotion is no different and it needs a route out. The triggers in my life story have been somewhat varied but the results have been consistent. A reminder that I am, after all, human and being so means that sometimes I can’t cope. I can’t always get a grip and the little kid who fell over and scared his knees for life still exists in a different type of body, that admittedly could now do with an iron in places, yet is vocal enough to make an appearance once in a while. I have come to welcome those moments and don’t get uncomfortable anymore. I think that it would be a crying shame not to have that little rascal in my life when I need him the most!
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was fortunate to grow up exposed to some of the best cop programs ever. The immortal lines of those TV detectives were pure gold: “Book ‘em, Danno!” (Steve McGarrett, Hawaii Five-0), “Elementary my dear Watson” (The adventures of Sherlock Holmes), and, my all-time favorite, “Just one more thing” delivered so brilliantly by Lieutenant Columbo. Who hasn’t watched a police series, especially when the suspect is being questioned, and thought, ‘I can do better than that!’? If you have then you are probably right as TV has created an illusion that police interviewing is somehow an adrenalinecharged game of cat and mouse devoid of any legal safeguards.
The reality is that real-life police interviews are pretty laborious, often foreseeable, and lack the excitement that many amateur sleuths associate with this discipline. How confidently can I say this? Well, I’m an ex-senior cop and have since specialized in the postgraduate research of investigative skills. However, I would like to take this opportunity to blow away some of the many myths and legends that surround this subject and give you the heads up on how easy it is to develop a pretty robust skillset in a matter of moments enabling you to improve your critique of the pretend cops but perhaps better still apply it to the domestic investigations that you encounter on a regular basis. For example, kids fibbing, things not adding up with a partner, or even a workplace issue that you are managing. I will commence with the presumption that you are a pretty effective interviewer already without even knowing it. If you like talking then you are almost there!
Initially though let’s debunk some of the crap that circulates about this not so dark art. Getting to the absolute truth of the matter is, at best, whimsical. Firstly, the truth, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. In the same way that history is written by the victors, a suspect will create their own narrative. Sensory perception will also affect what people recall and the importance they place on something. Two people looking out of the same window will inevitably note differences. As William Christopher, a partner in Kingsley Napley, London, once said to me, “There are ‘6 truths’; Truth perceived by the defendant, truth articulated by the defendant’s counsel, truth perceived by the victim, truth stated by the prosecution, truth maintained by the jury and, of course, the truth itself.” So, if you are seeking the 100% copper-bottomed truth then please think again because it isn’t going to be forthcoming. Getting somewhere close to the truth is, however, achievable. More of that later. Secondly, all democratic criminal justice systems have a legal safeguard against self-incrimination. In other words, the right to silence. For example, in the UK the police caution reminds all suspects of this
legal right. Sure, it may harm the defense of an accused if they do not mention when questioned something which they later rely on in court but that doesn’t undermine the fundamental right to say absolutely nothing. The historical context of this protection dates back to the times when the common person was considered too thick to understand the gravity of an alleged crime and needed to be represented by someone a lot smarter. From personal experience, I can testify that many real-life police officers struggled with this concept since very often the follow-up narrative to a successfully delivered caution were various incentives to deviate from this rule of law including, for example, “This is your opportunity to tell us what happened” or even coercive statements that are wholly illegal. I never tired of the look of astonishment on some officer’s faces that after four repetitions of the caution (on arrest, notice when in custody, advice by the duty solicitor, and prior to the first question) some suspects actually decided to say fuck all! So, if someone decides to opt for this route how the hell can you get an account (truthful or otherwise) unless that is you beat it out of them? Just for the
50-years of lie-detecting research have concluded that our ability to detect deception by observing behavior and listening to speech has a 54% success rate... The jury is still out on the use of polygraph tests too.
record, this is unlawful too. Thirdly, despite many of us claiming that we can sniff out a liar just by looking at them, we are actually pretty crap at this! Eyes up, down, to the right or left, scratching the nose, shuffling in their seat. Yes, even I believed that bollocks at the commencement of my law enforcement days. As a newly promoted Sergeant, I recall opening the heavy cell door at High Wycombe to remove a prisoner for questioning. Of Indian heritage, the young man immediately rose to his feet and looked directly down at the floor. ‘Ah-ha, a liar! How clever was I?’ It was only when a wise sage informed me that this was a cultural response to authority that I felt like a pillock. 50-years of lie-detecting research have concluded that our ability to detect deception by observing behavior and listening to speech has a 54% success rate (Vrij et al, 2011, p. 28). Marginally more than tossing a coin. The jury is still out on the use of polygraph tests too. Although many people believe that the use of this equipment in the U.S is mainstream only 23 of the 52 states employ it and 5 of those mandate that both prosecution
and defense must agree beforehand. If you are, like me, susceptible to a nervous twitch if anyone or anything comes within a whisker of your asshole (polygraph sensors are attached to various parts of the body including the abdomen) then naturally elevated stress levels will provide a false positive. To round this nonsense off I must give some credit to a guy who shall remain nameless (although if you ever meet me and ply me with copious amounts of alcohol I may crack and tell you) who made the most ludicrous claim ever. His golden rule was never ask a question that you don’t know the answer to. Can you imagine applying that to, for example, a murder investigation? “Where have you disposed of the body?” Doh! What a complete brain donor. Believe me, there are a lot of them about masquerading as professionals. So now let’s look at planning your interview, predictable dialogue, and how we can easily improve our questioning skills and ultimately reach a more reliable decision. In all approaches separate as best you can your interview plan into as many separate themes as possible and jot
them down on a piece of paper. When undertaking a domestic investigation try and commit them to memory as appearing to be unprofessional, sloppy, and unprepared has many advantages. Ideally, you want the suspect to think that you aren’t primed and that they have the ascendancy. Your role model should be Lieutenant Columbo. Let us use this case study where you suspect that your partner wasn’t actually at a business meeting that particular evening. Your themes would be: pre-meeting, meeting agenda, location, participants, outcomes & conclusion. This simple methodology can be duplicated for all future investigations too. People communicate in very predetermined ways. In fact, 4 modes: they can be honest, lie, say absolutely nothing, or choose a mixture of all three. As an interviewer lets be predictable too. In my professional opinion, the primary objective is simply to ask questions. Rudyard Kipling nailed it when he said, “I keep six honest serving-men (they taught me all I knew); their names are What and Why, When and How and Where and Who.” In short open questions.
I frequently ask delegates on the workshops that I facilitate to rank those choices in order of perceived difficulty, excluding the mixture since if you can deal with the other three, by definition, that outcome is a fait accompli. Silence always comes top followed by lies then the truth. I counter this since an uncooperative suspect is the easiest, a liar is the most fun and truth is the toughest. Absolute silence is, in my experience, as rare as rocking horse shit. Typically, the interviewee will be compelled to grunt something usually ‘no comment’, ‘I can’t remember’ or similar non-committal responses. I acknowledge that this will piss any interviewer off, but this is the time to keep your cool and launch the full range of Exocet Mr. Kipling missiles, those beautiful, simplistic yet highly effective open questions. I recall being asked to review an interview of a particularly nasty suspected robber who had preyed on old ladies collecting their pensions and was later acquitted at court. In the first taped interview, conducted by an experienced detective, he made no comment as was his constitutional right. Towards the end, I could detect the bubbling anger within the copper’s vocabulary and tone. In the second interview, this spilled out into a barrage of statements that disclosed that he knew the suspect was guilty as he was seen by several witnesses at key locations wearing specific clothing. Again, the suspect said nothing in response. Surprisingly, there was a third interview requested by the suspect’s solicitor. On this occasion, the suspect found his tongue, and graphically explained how the robberies had taken place. At court, his defense team successfully persuaded the jury that all the suspect had done was simply repeat back to the officer what he had blurted out in the second interview. In our case study, your opening statement would be: “Tell me about your business meeting” then simply listen. Let us imagine that on this occasion your suspect chooses the silent route and adopts a mafia-style composure. Don’t fret, just ask open questions about each theme in turn [pre-meeting]: ‘Where were you beforehand?’, ‘Who was with you?’ ‘What did you talk about?’, etc. ensuring that
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after each question you pause (imagining that the other person is responding). The power of the pause can be deafening. To really confuse them frequently thank them. Thanking someone for being uncooperative and saying nothing or little at all is a legitimate way to burden the other side with the stress. Remember that your primary objective is simply to ask questions. By maintaining this patient and repetitive formula I have witnessed even the most daunting suspects of a hitherto fixed mindset to simply crumble part way through and admit their deed. However, at the conclusion, and assuming they have on this occasion been wholly evasive and noncommittal, we can make a better-informed decision on whether we believe them or not. But more of that in a moment. On to my favorite: the liar. Typically, a liar will be reasonably honest in response to the themes that aren’t that threatening. In our working example perhaps the meeting agenda (that, notwithstanding they were never there, would be easy to describe based on previous ones). What a liar will often do is put distance between themselves and the scene of the crime. So being elsewhere they will create a narrative that can be their undoing. Thus, having said they were at a business meeting you can have great fun by putting a nuclear bomb under the themes of location, participants, and outcomes. Your ability to explore these issues with open questions far outweighs their ability to lie. For instance, what room were you in? Where did you sit? Who did you sit next to? Who was sitting directly opposite you? What were the agreed outcomes? What actions did colleague X end up with? etc. At the conclusion thank them and summarise back to them the lies. They will readily nod in agreement, thinking that you have swallowed this hogwash, until you tell them that you will check out what they have said. That’s when the house of cards will usually topple over. Even if they have tried to cover their tracks with an accomplice their collusion can never be more effective than your ability to ask open questions. Finally, the truth. Often hard to deal with as by virtue of initiating an interview your suspicions are already raised. Also, the truth
can often yield unexpected consequences that, on reflection, you may have wished to avoid. Having said that, continue with the standard formula and keep asking those wonderfully powerful open questions. If the accuracy of the account can be validated by simple cross-referencing then you can be reassured that it’s probably nothing to worry about. Deciding what is more likely to be factual and what isn’t requires a decision-making tool. For those in the criminal justice system that burden of proof is pretty damn high. Beyond all reasonable doubt requires a certainty in the region of 95%. Yet most of you reading this piece won’t be a cop. You will be the reasonable person sitting on the sofa trying to reach an outcome that doesn’t rely on the slide rule accuracy of a Judge led inquiry and here I can offer you a pragmatic solution. The civil burden of proof engages with the notion of the balance of probabilities. In other words, is it more likely than not that whatever you are reviewing has happened? As I refer to it, the 51% rule. A good example of the distinction between the two was highlighted in the prosecution of the former actor and sportsman O.J. Simpson in America. In The People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson, the defendant was charged with the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. The Jury was not convinced that the bar for conviction had been reached and he was acquitted. The 95% rule failed. Latterly relatives of the deceased filed a related suit against Simpson in which the civil court found in favor of the plaintiffs. The 51% rule succeeded. In conclusion, before you unleash your newfound skills of investigation please bear in mind one crucial thing. Wait until you have, at least, a hint of suspicion. A perspiring partner may just be hot. A child who looks nervously towards the ceiling may have just seen a spider. A colleague whose voice unexpectedly falters midsentence may have a touch of indigestion. Of course, if your patient application of the standard approach yields a result then there is only one final thing to say: “Book ‘em, Danno!”
...if your patient application of the standard approach yields a result then there is only one final thing to say: “Book ‘em, Danno!”
LOCKDOWN ROCKDOWN! Platinum-selling country band PARMALEE has been up to a lot during the lockdown in Nashville, TN
FOR THOSE THAT DON’T ALREADY KN OW! Parmalee is an
American coun try music band co nsisting of bro thers Matt Thomas (lead vocals, guitar) and Scott Thomas (drum s), along with th eir cousin Barry Knox (b ass) and Josh M cSwain (guitar), who is a best friend si nce childhood. The y are signed to the Stoney Creek d ivision of Brok en Bow Records a nd have charte d on Country Air play.
The band just released their latest single, Just The Way, with rapper Blanco Brown, which is hitting #1 on the charts worldwide and is now getting set to go back out on tour... making sure to stay 6 feet apart from their fans. FHM sat down with the guys to find out more about the music, upcoming tour plans, social media DMs, and what it’s like to be a rockstar in 2020! WHY MUSIC AND WHAT ATTRACTED YOU ALL TO EACH OTHER AND MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER? Music was always around growing up. We all had parents who played instruments and it was always cool to see people’s reactions when they performed. So my brother, cousin and I joined my dad’s band and it all took off from there. IS IT TOUGH HOLDING RELATIONSHIPS, BEING MARRIED, ETC. WHILE TOURING AROUND YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT? Being a musician definitely takes its toll on any relationship. We’re on the road most of the year, constantly in the spotlight and pretty much at a party every night we are working. It takes two very understanding people to make it work. ARE ANY OF THE BAND MEMBERS CURRENTLY SINGLE AND LOOKING AND IF SO, FOR WHAT TYPE OF WOMEN? Yeah, I’m single. I love a girl with a
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good sense of humor, someone who’s down to earth and isn’t afraid to take it out to the country. WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ABOUT TO START DATING A MUSICIAN? Just know what you’re getting into. It’s all about understanding the situation and trusting each other. DO YOU GUYS GET A LOT OF DMS AND IF SO, WHAT DO SOME OF THEM SAY OR ASK? Yeah, we do get a decent amount of DMs... The majority of them are from our fans talking about the music, but some of them are all over the map and stuff you could not make up even if you tried haha. People are definitely more confident behind a screen that’s for sure. WITH YOUR LATEST SINGLE BEING ABOUT LOVING YOURSELF, WHAT ABOUT EACH OF YOURSELVES DO YOU LOVE THE MOST - WHICH PERSONALITY TRAITS? We all share the same drive. I think that’s what got us here and why we’re still together. Now if you want to talk about personality traits we don’t like about each other I can make a long list... haha. HOW IMPORTANT IS SOCIAL MEDIA THESE DAYS TO PROMOTE YOURSELF AND HOW HAS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANGED SINCE YOU FIRST STARTED AS A GROUP? Social media is an essential part of being a musician. Having a person on social is just as important as anyone else on the team. I remember first getting on MySpace. It completely changed our promotional game. We went from reaching hundreds to thousands in a few months.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN, AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR THE REST OF 2020? We’ve been doing a lot of writing, recording and filming content. We’ve also done several online shows and guest appearances. The good thing is we have shows booked from August ‘til December and have had some successful ‘socially distanced’ outdoor concerts. People are figuring it out. WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE AS A GROUP YOU HAVE EVER BEEN GIVEN? Whenever I would ask my dad what we should do next, he would always say “keep on pluggin” - just keep working at it. LIFE ON THE ROAD IS OBVIOUSLY FUN TOO! GOT ANY FUN ROAD STORIES YOU CAN LEAVE US OFF WITH? When we were on tour with Jake Owen, we heard that he was going to prank us at the last show. We are definitely not pranksters but we felt we needed to have something lined up for him just in case. Every show, Jake would pop out of this road case they would roll into the middle of the arena, so we decided to load it up with hundreds of fishing crickets. He got in there a minute before the show and we heard him yelling “WTF!?” as he headed into the crowd. Of course, we were dying laughing as we watched him onstage shaking crickets out of his pants. Now, what did he prank us with? A new Yeti cooler and a pallet of Busch Light (our favorite beer). Guess we got the end of tour prank confused with the end of tour gift... to this day we all still feel bad about that one.
Katerina
Melnikova Katerina Melnikova | @katerina.melnikova.official Photographer Edward Bartkus | @bartkus_photography Retouched by Anastasiya Yazlovetskaya | @nastya_yazlovetskaya
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KATERINA! WHAT AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO HAVE YOU FEATURE! HOW EXCITED WERE YOU TO BE IN FHM? Oh yes! It is absolutely incredible, once I learned that I was going to be in FHM I could hardly breathe. I am so happy to be with you guys! MODELING IS A BIG PART OF YOUR LIFE, COULD YOU TELL US WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START AND WHAT YOUR JOURNEY HAS BEEN LIKE TO GET TO THIS POINT? I feel it is my way to say something and to share my personality with the world. I’ve always admired ‘80s and ‘90s supermodels, such as Cindy Crawford. I wanted to create beautiful photographic stories, so, I went to an open casting call to one of the most famous Russian agencies, and to my surprise, I was accepted. Since then I’ve been working for many different projects all over the world. YOU LOOK INCREDIBLE, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE WAYS TO WORK OUT? Thank you so much, I appreciate it. My favorite is to fall in love with a handsome man but the other option is to do yoga every day which is much more reasonable if you can understand. Also, I love dancing, especially belly and exotic dancing. WE WOULD LOVE TO GET TO KNOW YOU! DESCRIBE TO US WHAT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF KATERINA IS LIKE? Oh, very boring. I get up at around 7am, do my morning exercise routine, get breakfast, and check my stuff. Then go shooting or filming - or dating. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS TO DO? Definitely, I am fond of photography and filming. YOU’RE GLAMOROUS AND FUN, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY MAKES YOU THE
HAPPIEST? Oh, very simple things like meeting friends and family. Also, I’m always inspired by the arts, many forms of it, I love being at galleries, seeing modern art installations. I love wandering around old downtowns and along historical routes imaging what it was like a long time ago. I love movies and music makes me feel good for sure. TURN-ONS? Guys who are ambitious, confident, and committed, good cologne, wine, and diamonds for sure. TURNOFFS? Laziness, cheaters, and people who are too immature. WHAT MAKES YOU TICK? Planning. I need and always set up a goal, then I just follow the steps I defined to achieve it. That makes me work. AS AN ESTABLISHED MODEL, WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE ASPIRING MODELS OUT THERE TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS OF DOING WHAT YOU DO? I would say that the most difficult part about being a model is that you need to be very good with your time and planning things. Also, you need to be very determined. Don’t give up, always seek new options and opportunities and your dream will definitely come true. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SITTING WITH US AND LETTING US GET TO KNOW A BIT ABOUT YOU! ANY LAST WORDS FOR OUR READERS OUT THERE? The beauty is always inside us and when it shows it makes our planet a better place to live. Want to see more of Katerina? Then follow her adventure on Instagram @katerina.melnikova.official for all her latest news and story updates!
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THE FAST AND THE FLAWLESS BMW’S METHODICAL APPROACH TO SPEED & COMFORT LEAVES A FEW OTHER EXOTIC SUPERCARS BLUSHING
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This is a big one in the preservation of the low-slung, two-door BMW supercar as something of a metaphorical island in a global wave of SUVs and electric powertrains. The numerical eight is regarded as the magnum opus for engineering and performance within BMW, despite its somewhat incongruous lineage along the better part of three decades.
From the wedge-shaped 850i circa the 90s to the beguiling Z8 in the James Bond film, The World is Not Enough, and of recent times the hugely influential hybrid i8. These are all definitive halos of engineering in BMW’s history, so the natural expectation around the M8 is that it needs to be an absolute gamechanger. But I digress over these metaphorical crossroads, this is as far as BMW has pushed the envelope in terms of exclusivity and outright speed (especially in Competition specification as featured here) and when you think about it as having Aston Martin Gran Tourer qualities, Ferrari performance and an interior that eclipses either of them, well you might just believe BMW has pulled the cashmere rug from under their feet. For starters, the 4.4-liter V8 produces a stratospheric 617 horsepower and it’ll consistently catapult itself to 60mph before you can say turbo lag… which obviously is non-existent or overcome by that V8 muscle. And the M8 Competition continues buck physics with astute professionalism and brutal efficiency from its all-wheel-drive system that any memory of lairy rear-wheel-drive BMW M cars are – temporarily - banished. It’s a stunning and shocking combination of clutches and differentials, carbon core weight saving and configurable driving modes but its depth of talents run far deeper than mere acceleration tests. First, though, the BMW M8 needs to be pretty, if only because some of BMWs other recent designs have courted vitriolic remarks from the internet’s comments section. But it also needs to be pumped with attitude to ensure it’s not viewed as just a
longer and wider 4 Series every time its reflection is caught in the tall windows of an adjacent boutique café. However, the M8’s styling is rather conservative with the usual M car tropes of bigger grilles, blistered arches, smatterings of carbon, including the roof, and quad pipes. Sure it’s aerodynamic in silhouette but it’s not bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful, although the convertible version is a little closer to achieving that. But those shark-nosed looks that often define the genre usually come at a cost to practicality, which the designers at BMW weren’t willing to compromise on – it’s form versus function, or should that be functions… A plethora of functions, working from sensors delivering millisecond adjustments – sometimes autonomously or by driver command. The highlight among these is the M8’s party mode – the all-wheel-drive system that can, with a few stabs at the right menus, become a hooligan rear-wheel-drive supercar with a vicious bite in the backside. Fortunately, the M8’s behavior is not as binary in as that, with plenty of intermittent modes offering a more delicate transition for those skid-loving drivers who like to leave breakfast runs without embarrassing themselves all over the internet. It’s still BMW’s rear-wheel-drive flair in most modes but cloaked in all-wheel-drive mode security, like an invisible hand straightening out the car with flattering subtlety. Like all modern BMW M cars the configuration is superbly detailed and separable from the next; engine, gearbox, dampers, braking, exhaust noise modifying the car instantly but also progressively. The M8’s near-infinite configuration goes one step further – the brakes. This truly is the golden age of configuration so why have brakes that can’t provide the same responsiveness irrespective of temperatures and wear? BMW’s engineers in white jackets must have asked themselves the same
“This is as far as BMW has pushed the envelope in terms of exclusivity and outright speed”
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question and devised a system that does exactly the above with two modes offering a discernible difference in feel. Just who would use such a thing, I’m not sure because the M8’s brakes are massive with plenty of stopping power in reserve. Could be one of those technologies that hasn’t quite matured in its current format but with the growth in autonomous drive and regenerative braking, could offer more in the coming years. Nevertheless, a juicy feature to boast about when a circle of car enthusiasts forms around the communal barbeque. Allied to this, the M8 Competition is stiffer than the still-absurdly-fast BMW 850i which leads it to give more feedback and texture through the steering wheel. The 850i by comparison floats along whereas new dampers and roll bar settings in the M8 Competition forcibly nail it to each apex. In the old days, a suite of driving modes such as these would have led to a significantly cluttered interior. Not so with the high-resolution touchscreens that can store and organize these in menus and sub-menus. You know you’re in an M8 rather than the M850i by flashes of color. The starter button is red, as are the M1 and M2 buttons on the steering wheel, and the headrests are illuminated with M signature colors. It’s all sportily sculpted around one’s ribs and posterior, but upmarket at the same time. It’s not all that exclusive, however, as the leather is probably sourced from the same cows as in a 4 Series. So the 8 Series suffers some mainstream recycled bits but the technology and graphics are reassuring at the same time and there’s a lot to be said for that! Does it make the jump into the rarefied space of an exotic gran tourer with supercar aesthetics and performance? It’s certainly flawless in most respects; a series of rolling and expanding accomplishments all packaged together in perfect harmony. However, it’s this harmony that can see the overall product come off as somewhat clinical at the same time. The M8 is positioned on the toes of supercars with much higher prices, bereft of the glitzy extras that come standard on the M8. We don’t often mention value in the realm of sacrosanct supercars, but it’s certainly another highlight in a colorful prism of features. Pawan Dhingra
NO MESS, NO FUSS AUDI’S CLEAN-CUT S6 GETS THE JOB DONE FIRST TIME
It’s understated, that’s for sure. Peek under the hood of the new Audi S6 and there’s a 444bhp, 2.9-liter V6 with turbochargers and Audi’s 48-volt hybrid system – a close-enough clone of the engine usually blessed with Audi’s highest-ranking RS moniker. However the larger S6 super-saloon is far more evenly tempered in styling and execution and even though it’s capable of reaching enormous speeds, it’s not the main focal point on display.
The new S6 is all about delivering maximum refinement at any time of day and on any road. The interior is a collection of glossy screens that flow smoothly in vertical and horizontal directions. Surfaces are vast and devoid of buttons and the interplay of leather and aluminum is a tactile delight. Another highlight is the Bang and Olufsen audio system that more than makes up for the quieter exhaust note of the S6. The exterior of the Audi S6 is equally minimalist; apart from the four exhaust pipes and optional 21-inch wheels, you might mistake it for a regular Audi A6.
That’s not a bad thing in our books, in fact, it underlines a statement of sophistication that will never go out of fashion. Behind the wheel, it doesn’t shatter serenity often but 0-100kph in less than 5 seconds does come as a handy reminder that one of Audi’s best modern engines is still at work. Allied to the Quattro system and rear-wheel steering, the S6 is surefooted and surprisingly agile, if not always exhilarating. The new S6 might not reach any rapturous highs, but it absolutely never dips and disappoints either. A real gentleman of car. Pawan Dhingra
0-120 MILES ON ONE CHARGE! THE ALL-ELECTRIC MINI COOPER SE HASN’T FORGOTTEN HOW TO HAVE FUN MINI has joined the race to full electrification and the better part of a decade spent in development is finally bearing fruit with the latest MINI Cooper SE, identified by its unique wheels and yellow wing mirrors. Although MINI is by no means the first – Nissan Leaf and BMW i3 come to mind well before – MINI is arguably the most suited nameplate to abscond the petrol engine in favor of a foundation of batteries. This is partly because MINIs are famously good at covering short distances between point A and point B and scything through traffic with go-kart handling – traits that are enhanced by an electric powertrain. And whereas other brands find it difficult to coerce buyers into their electric models, MINI’s loyal
customers have always been slightly unconventional in that regard and therefore more likely to embrace new technology. Based on the three-door MINI it has a 96-cell 32.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the vehicle’s floor and driving the electric motor. It’s rapid enough to just about hang with the Cooper S models up to most sane speeds but will do so in near silence and with zero pollution. As with all electric cars, the Cooper SE is amazingly athletic around town thanks to instant power the split second you squeeze down on the accelerator. It’s an addictive feeling that goes well beyond the mere novelty factor and makes petrol cars of the same size seem rather antiquated by comparison. Another characteristic that dictates a lot of the experience is the regenerative braking: every time you lift off the throttle, electricity is harvested back into the batteries as the car decelerates. Weird at first but it does mean that the Cooper SE can be driven for a large part of
time by leaning on and off the accelerator and rarely touching the brake pedal. There is however one problem with putting batteries into a MINI – Range! A small footprint doesn’t leave a lot of space for bulky batteries and as a result range is limited to around 120 miles between full charges. To erase anxiety from the picture, MINI eDrive Services keep you informed of the range, offer best driving tips and can have the closest charging points sent straight to the car’s navigation system. Pick one of the fast chargers and 80% of the range is replenished in 35 minutes but this time can go up to 15 hours if charging is done from a normal wall socket. The MINI Cooper SE is officially one of the cheapest electric vehicle on the market and is an endearing package that highlights many existing MINI qualities. It’s still as fun as ever to chuck around town and grabbing an artisan coffee while it charges is just part of the new MINI lifestyle. Pawan Dhingra
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ROASTED CHICKPEAS FOUR WAYS Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 35 – 40 minutes Servings: 4 - 6
Ingredients • 2 large cans chickpeas, drained • 2 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp raw honey
Cinnamon chocolate • 2 tsp caramel essence • 1 tsp salt • ¼ cup raw cacao powder • 2 tsp ground cinnamon • 1 tsp ground nutmeg (optional) • 2 tbsp almond flour Turmeric and black pepper • 2 tsp onion powder • 2 tsp ground turmeric • 2 tsp ground black pepper • 2½ tsp salt (reserve ½ tsp for sprinkling over once cooked) Honey-mustard and rosemary • 2 tsp onion powder • 2 tsp mustard powder • 2 tsp mustard seeds • 2 tsp dried rosemary • 2½ tsp salt (reserve ½ tsp for sprinkling over once cooked) BBQ • 2 heaped tsp paprika • 1 tsp ground black pepper • 2 tsp dried parsley • 2½ tsp salt (reserve ½ tsp for sprinkling over once cooked)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375F and spray a baking tray with nonstick cooking spray. Rinse the chickpeas, pat dry with a paper towel, and place in a mixing bowl. Drizzle the chickpeas with the olive oil and honey and add the flavoring of your choice. Mix well until all of the chickpeas are evenly coated. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Best served straight from the oven! Snack away the healthy way!
ALMOND ROSEMARY BREAD Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30min on 350°F Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients • 1 1/2 cup almond flour • 4 heaped tbsp flax powder/flour • 2 tbsp freshly chopped rosemary • 1 tsp dried thyme • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper • 3 tsp bicarb of soda • 2oz olive oil (1/4 cup) • 5 large eggs • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar • Almond flour and flakes to sprinkle on top
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F. Make use of a standard size bread loaf pan or mini loaf pan and line it with parchment paper or make use of nonstick spray for the mini loaves. Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Use a separate mixing bowl to whisk the eggs, then add to the rest of the ingredients and mix till well blended. Pour the batter into the bread pan (don’t fill it more than ¾ of the way) and make sure it is spread evenly. Sprinkle with almond flour and almond flakes. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool off slightly before serving.
GINGER & GARLIC BEEF STIR FRY Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 – 25 minutes Servings: 4
Ingredients • 10oz carrots, julienned • 2 tbsp sesame oil • 1 medium or 2 small red salad onions, sliced • 1 heaped tsp crushed garlic • 1 heaped tsp grated fresh ginger • 1.3lbs beef strips or cubes • 5 tbsp soy sauce • 2 tbsp sesame seeds • 1 tsp ground black pepper • 3 tbsp raw honey • ½ tsp salt • ½ tsp red chili flakes • 1 handful of chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish
Instructions
Steam the carrots in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave for 5 minutes and set aside. Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok over medium heat and fry the onion, garlic, ginger, and beef until the meat is golden brown and cooked. Combine the soy sauce, sesame seeds, black pepper, honey, salt, and chili flakes in a small bowl, and add to the pan or wok only once the meat is cooked. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add the carrots and stir well. Serve warm with rice or a side of your choice, garnished with the chopped fresh parsley. This is also delicious served on a bed of greens as a salad. Just allow it to cool completely. Ideal for the lunchbox the next day!
FILLET WITH CHILI CHOCOLATE SAUCE Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10minutes Servings: 2
Ingredients • 14oz fillet medallions • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 pinch salt • 1 pinch ground black pepper
For the sauce • 1 tbsp olive oil • 5fl.oz unsweetened almond milk • 4oz almond butter • 3 tbsp raw honey • 2 heaped teaspoon cacao (preferably raw cacao) • 1 pinch of salt • 1 tsp caramel essence • 1 chopped up fresh red chiliremove the pips • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Seal the fillet with olive oil and season with salt and ground black pepper, cook to preference. For the sauce, prepare a small size pan with nonstick spray. Add all the ingredients to the pan starting with the olive oil, almond milk, almond butter, and then the rest. Keep stirring till the desired thickness. Pour over meat and garnish with fresh thyme. Serve immediately!
BAKED RAISIN & DATE BROWNIE BISCUITS Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 10 – 15 minutes Servings: 20 biscuits
Ingredients • 10oz pitted dates, chopped • 10oz raisins • 5oz almond flour, plus ½ cup extra for rolling • 1 tbsp caramel essence • ¼ cup raw cacao powder • 1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting • 1 pinch of salt • 2oz almonds, roasted • 2 tsp raw honey Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking tray with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Soak the dates and raisins in enough hot water to cover for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and mash in a mixing bowl. Add the almond flour, caramel essence, cacao powder, cinnamon, and salt and mix well to form a soft dough. Using your hands, roll a heaped tablespoon of the dough into a ball, flatten it out and place a roasted almond in the middle. Roll it back into a ball and then roll it in the extra almond flour. To prevent the dough sticking to your hands, spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray. Once they start to get sticky, wash your hands and spray again. Place the dough ball on the prepared baking tray, flatten slightly and place another roasted almond on top. Repeat with the remainder of the dough. Drizzle the biscuits with the honey, dust with cinnamon, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. They are meant to be soft and chewy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.
GINGER BISCUIT BAKE Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 40min on 390°F Servings: 1 large biscuit bake
Ingredients • 1lbs steamed and mashed sweet potato • • • • • • • • • • • •
or butternut 10oz almond flour 2oz tahini 2 tsp bicarb of soda 2 tsp cinnamon 4 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp cloves 1 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla essence 2 tbsp blackstrap molasses 3 tbsp raw honey 3 large eggs Garnish with sesame seeds and a drizzle of honey and cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 390F. Prepare your preferred baking dish with nonstick spray. Add all of the ingredients to the sweet potato or butternut except for the eggs. Mix well. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl till fluffy. Add to the mix and beat again for about 60 seconds. Pour into a baking dish. Garnish with sesame seeds, cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey. Bake for 40 minutes and allow to cool off before serving. Serve warm or cold.
CHOC CHIP BLONDIES Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 – 20 minutes Servings: 12 - 16 blondies
Ingredients • 2 large cans chickpeas, drained and • • • • • • • • •
rinsed 6 tbsp raw honey 3oz almond butter 1 tsp vanilla essence 2 tsp caramel essence 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2oz almond flour 1 tsp salt 2 large eggs 3oz dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375F on thermofan. Line an 8 by 8” baking pan with baking paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add all of the other ingredients except the eggs and chocolate and process on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides, until the mixture is smooth and well blended. If you don’t have a food processor, you can pulp the chickpeas with a blender, add the rest of the ingredients and beat with an electric beater for 2 minutes on high speed. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl until light and fluffy, then add to the chickpea mixture and beat for another 30 seconds to mix well. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The edges will be crispy and firm to the touch, while the center will remain moist and soft. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and serving. The center will firm up a bit while cooling but will remain perfectly moist and soft. These gluten-free soft and fudgy blondies are bursting with healthy flavor, are naturally sweetened, and are the perfect dessert to sneak in some protein-packed chickpeas.
SKILLET SKILLS! Chef Aaron May is one of America’s top chefs who has made numerous appearances on The Food Network and appeared on Guy Fieri’s “Guy’s Grocery Games” and “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”. He is now the new owner of the famed pizzeria in Hollywood called Dough Pizzeria & Bar (doughsunset.com), and has been cooking up a storm and giving back during COVID-19. He spoke to FHM about his love of food and how a lady can land a cook like him
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A CHEF ORIGINALLY? Growing up in Chicago there was always great food around me and even my youngest memories are of family and friends passing and sharing food and stories at every gathering. As I got old enough to get a job, restaurants and the kitchen were the only places I felt comfortable. IS IT TRUE THAT A MAN CAN COOK HIS WAY INTO LOVE WITH A WOMAN AND HAVE YOU EVER USED YOUR SKILLS TO ATTRACT WOMEN? I think it’s absolutely true. What’s sexier than a man who can cook? The combination of creativity, craft and science that cooking needs really showcases a broad swath of talents to the fairer sex. I don’t tell tales but of course, if you’re great at something you use that to your advantage - I would be an idiot not to cook for a woman.
WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO SPECIAL DISH FOR COOKING ON A DATE? When cooking for a date you want to stay away from offensive flavors - garlic, onion and such, and also keep it light, like John Legend said, you have to “save room for the love” lots of vegetables, lobster or scallops and maybe some fish. A nice chocolate dessert or some fresh berries - keep it simple but elegant. BEING THE OWNER OF VARIOUS RESTAURANTS, WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHERS WANTING TO GET INTO THAT BUSINESS? Honestly, it’s not something I recommend for most people. The restaurant business is built on slim margins and long hours - you will find yourself working when everyone else is playing, and sacrificing tons of personal time and opportunity for the restaurant, and learning how to be a plumber, electrician, real estate lawyer? Dishwasher, cook, hostess, bookseller etc... There are a lot of easier ways to spend 70 to 80 hours a week. YOUR HOLLYWOOD RESTAURANT DOUGH PIZZERIA & BAR HAS ATTRACTED A TON OF CELEBRITIES IN ITS DOORS. WHY DO YOU FEEL WHAT YOU ARE SERVING IS BRINGING EVERYONE IN? Dough is the perfect neighborhood spot for pizza, beers and great food. I think celebrities, construction workers and everyone in between can enjoy it and they stop in regularly!
CAN SEX AND FOOD GO TOGETHER? Sex and food have gone together forever - literally with Adam and Eve and that apple! I think they still make a great pair. WHAT WOULD THE PERFECT FIRST DATE BE FOR YOU? Something a little outside everyone’s comfort zone is always good I think. That little strange museum show or world beat concert keeps everyone on their toes and makes for something to talk about, laugh about, or get excited to learn about. Dough is always good for a glass of wine and some pizza before heading out... WOULD YOU EVER DATE ANOTHER CHEF? How lucky would anyone be to date a chef? Of course, I would. ANY BIG PLANS FOR THE REST OF 2020? Well, if they ever let us out, ya never know what might happen. WHAT IS ONE ITEM YOU NEVER LEAVE YOUR HOUSE WITHOUT? I was told growing up that a gentleman always has a pen, a knife and a lighter. So I try to make sure to have all three when I leave the house.