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Below is a slow, meditative reading and reflection on a passage of scripture called Lectio divina.
Take Five for Faith: February 26-March 4
Spend a few minutes each day this next week in prayer and reflection, courtesy of Take Five for Faith.
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time - There's no room in the middle
Reflect on serving two masters in this weekend's gospel.
"Now, no man can serve two masters,
no man could love them both,
he will split down the middle
from such a heavy load,
When your love isn't hot
and your love isn't cold,
then you're caught in the middle
where no love can grow..."
On February 23rd the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr. Learn more about this saint below:
Take Five for Faith: February 19-25
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Turn the other cheek
Reflect on retaliation and love for enemies in this weekend's gospel.
On February 14th the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saints Cyril, monk, and Methodius, bishop. Learn more about these saints below:
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - The Law and the Prophets
Reflect on the words of Jesus concerning anger, adultery, divorce, and oaths in this weekend's gospel.
On February 10th the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin. Learn more about this saint below:
Take Five for Faith: February 5-11
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Your light must shine before others
Reflect on how you are to be salt and light in this weekend's gospel.
On January 31st the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest. Learn more about this saint below:
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Desjardins to join EDF in 201.6-MW wind project in Alberta
EDF Renewable Energy (Photo: Business Wire)
June 21 (Renewables Now) - Canada’s Desjardins Group Pension Plan (DGPP) intends to buy 40.5% of EDF Renewables Canada's interest in the 201.6-MW Cypress wind project in Alberta.
The Canadian pension fund announced this on Wednesday, saying the acquisition will be carried out once construction of the plant has been completed. The scheme is a partnership between EDF Renewables, Canada and the Blood Tribe, which will host the plant within its traditional territory in Cypress County. Following the transaction with DGPP, EDF Renewables will own 34.5%, while the Blood Tribe will hold 25%.
The 48-turbine Cypress wind farm will be developed, built and operated by EDF Renewables. Construction is scheduled to begin next year, while commercial operations are to be launched by 2021.
The project was selected in Alberta’s renewable energy tender launched in March 2018 and has in place a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO).
Canada invests CAD 4.6m in coast-to-coast EV charging network
EDPR's renewable production grows 5% in H1 2019
Weekly renewables M&A round-up (July 1-7)
Directors to take Carmanah private
British Columbia may get world's largest green hydrogen plant
Published Jun 21, 2019 14:47 CEST
Business Capacity Mergers & Acquisitions
Electricity Generation Energy/Utilities Renewable Energy Wind Power Onshore Wind
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FAITH & FRANCISCANISM
Davis Music Collection
Search this Collection
Select Collection All collectionsThis collection
Dick Davis was a professor of modern languages/linguistics at Saint Francis College from 1964 to 1989. He enjoyed creating music for a wide variety of poetry. This collection contains the contents of approximately 30 bound collections of original music. His music compositions were played at the National Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City, Washington, D.C., Saint Francis University, and other venues. The Archives contains additional background materials that have not been digitized.
Barrack Room Ballads: Volume 2
Barrack Room Ballads: Volume 1, Departmental Ditties and Barrack Room Ballads...
Beaudelaire et Verlaine (Chants): Mexico 1954, Baudelaire et Verlaine (Chants):...
COMPARAISONS 1957-97: stances de jean moreas choisies par andre gide
Carols By W. R. Davis : Book 1: Music for Selected Poems from H. C. Beeching's...
Carols By W. R. Davis : Book 3: Oxford List
Ciclitos 1-7 Musica para poesia (music for poetry) de Federico Garcia Lorca
Ciclitos 10 Musica para poesia (music for poetry) de Federico Garcia Lorca
Conservatory “Notes” Vol. 1 Spiel’ mir mal “Rosenzeit”: German Balladen...
Conservatory “Notes” Vol. 2 Spiel mir mal “Rosenzeit”! German: Deutsche...
P.O. Box 600, Loretto, PA 15940 | 814.472.3000
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Professor Andrew Cresswell
School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
a.cresswell@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 56769
Prof. Cresswell’s research interest is in the integration of neurophysiology and biomechanics (neuromechanics) to investigate the control of human movement.
Particular research interests lie within the areas of: Motoneurone, reflex and cortical excitability during lengthening and shortening muscle actions; Neuromuscular fatigue; Reflex and voluntary activation of the abdominal musculature during controlled postural tasks.
Prof Cresswell completed his medical doctorate in Neuroscience from the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, in 1993. He remained at the Karolinska Institute and University College of Physical Education and Sports until 2005 when he joined the academic staff at the University of Queensland with joint appointments in the Schools of Human Movement Studies and Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
Prof Cresswell was the Head of the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences (2014-2019).
Neural Control of Movement
Prof. Cresswell's research interest is in the integration of neurophysiology and biomechanics (neuromechanics) to investigate the control of human movement. Particular research interests lie within the areas of: Neural control of voluntary muscle actions; Neuromuscular fatigue; Muscle mechanics, Gait and Posture.
RESEARCHER ID
Bachelor of Education, Ballarat CAE
Master of Science, The University of Western Australia
PhD (Karolinska), Karolinska Mediko Kirurgiska Institutet
Journal Article: Tibialis anterior tendinous tissue plays a key role in energy absorption during human walking
Maharaj, Jayishni N., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2019) Tibialis anterior tendinous tissue plays a key role in energy absorption during human walking. Journal of Experimental Biology, . doi:10.1242/jeb.191247
Journal Article: Effects of inspiratory muscle strength and inspiratory resistance on neck inspiratory muscle activation during controlled inspirations
Washino, Sohei, Mankyu, Hirotoshi, Kanehisa, Hiroaki, Mayfield, Dean L., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Yoshitake, Yasuhide (2019) Effects of inspiratory muscle strength and inspiratory resistance on neck inspiratory muscle activation during controlled inspirations. Experimental Physiology, 104 4: 556-567. doi:10.1113/EP087247
Journal Article: Intrinsic foot muscles contribute to elastic energy storage and return in the human foot
Kelly, Luke A, Farris, Dominic J, Cresswell, Andrew G and Lichtwark, Glen A (2019) Intrinsic foot muscles contribute to elastic energy storage and return in the human foot. Journal of Applied Physiology, 126 1: 231-238. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00736.2018
Optimising the spring in your step to enhance footwear design
(2017–2020) ARC Linkage Projects
Can muscles tune foot stiffness to enhance efficiency of human locomotion?
(2016–2018) ARC Discovery Projects
The role of muscle and tendon mechanics in human muscle damage
View all Grants
Muscle-tendon interaction: implications for contractile speed and force development
(2017) Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the role of the Tibialis Anterior muscle in postural control
Effect of bike sway and body position on mechanical effectiveness and efficiency in sprint cycling.
Doctor Philosophy
View all Supervision
Tibialis anterior tendinous tissue plays a key role in energy absorption during human walking
Effects of inspiratory muscle strength and inspiratory resistance on neck inspiratory muscle activation during controlled inspirations
Intrinsic foot muscles contribute to elastic energy storage and return in the human foot
The functional importance of human foot muscles for bipedal locomotion
Farris, Dominic James, Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2019) The functional importance of human foot muscles for bipedal locomotion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 201812820. doi:10.1073/pnas.1812820116
The Effect of Cadence on the Mechanics and Energetics of Constant Power Cycling
Brennan, Scott F., Cresswell, Andrew G., Farris, Dominic J. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2018) The Effect of Cadence on the Mechanics and Energetics of Constant Power Cycling. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 1. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001863
The energetic behaviour of the human foot across a range of running speeds
Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Farris, Dominic J. (2018) The energetic behaviour of the human foot across a range of running speeds. Scientific Reports, 8 1: 10576. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-28946-1
The repeated bout effect can occur without mechanical and neuromuscular changes after a bout of eccentric exercise
Pincheira, P. A., Hoffman, B. W., Cresswell, A. G., Carroll, T. J., Brown, N. A. T. and Lichtwark, G. A. (2018) The repeated bout effect can occur without mechanical and neuromuscular changes after a bout of eccentric exercise. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, . doi:10.1111/sms.13222
Muscle-tendon length and force affect human tibialis anterior central aponeurosis stiffness in vivo
Raiteri, Brent James, Cresswell, Andrew Graham and Lichtwark, Glen Anthony (2018) Muscle-tendon length and force affect human tibialis anterior central aponeurosis stiffness in vivo. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115 14: E3097-E3105. doi:10.1073/pnas.1712697115
The immediate effect of foot orthoses on subtalar joint mechanics and energetics
Maharaj, Jayishni N., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2018) The immediate effect of foot orthoses on subtalar joint mechanics and energetics. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 50 7: 1449-1456. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001591
The effect of muscle-tendon unit vs fascicle analyses on vastus lateralis force generating capacity during constant power output cycling with variable cadence
Brennan, Scott Francis, Cresswell, Andrew G., Farris, Dominic James and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2018) The effect of muscle-tendon unit vs fascicle analyses on vastus lateralis force generating capacity during constant power output cycling with variable cadence. Journal of Applied Physiology, 124 4: 993-1002. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00356.2017
Subtalar Joint Pronation and Energy Absorption Requirements During Walking are Related to Tibialis Posterior Tendinous Tissue Strain
Maharaj, Jayishni N., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2017) Subtalar Joint Pronation and Energy Absorption Requirements During Walking are Related to Tibialis Posterior Tendinous Tissue Strain. Scientific Reports, 7 1: 1-9. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-17771-7
Cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation improves adaptive postural control
Poortvliet, Peter, Hsieh, Billie, Cresswell, Andy, Au, Jacky and Meinzer, Marcus (2017) Cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation improves adaptive postural control. Clinical Neurophysiology, 129 1: 33-41. doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2017.09.118
In vivo fascicle length measurements via B-mode ultrasound imaging with single vs dual transducer arrangements
Brennan, Scott F., Cresswell, Andrew G., Farris, Dominic J. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2017) In vivo fascicle length measurements via B-mode ultrasound imaging with single vs dual transducer arrangements. Journal of Biomechanics, 64 240-244. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.09.019
The influence of foot-strike technique on the neuromechanical function of the foot
Kelly, Luke A., Farris, Dominic J., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2017) The influence of foot-strike technique on the neuromechanical function of the foot. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 50 1: 98-108. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001420
Foot structure is significantly associated to subtalar joint kinetics and mechanical energetics
Maharaj, Jayishni N., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2017) Foot structure is significantly associated to subtalar joint kinetics and mechanical energetics. Gait and Posture, 58 159-165. doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2017.07.108
The effect of cadence on the muscle-tendon mechanics of the gastrocnemius muscle during walking
Brennan, S. F., Cresswell, A. G., Farris, D. J. and Lichtwark, G. A. (2017) The effect of cadence on the muscle-tendon mechanics of the gastrocnemius muscle during walking. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 27 3: 289-298. doi:10.1111/sms.12656
Muscle spindles in human tibialis anterior encode muscle fascicle length changes
Day, James, Bent, Leah R., Birznieks, Ingvars, Macefield, Vaughan G. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2017) Muscle spindles in human tibialis anterior encode muscle fascicle length changes. Journal of Neurophysiology, 117 4: 1489-1498. doi:10.1152/jn.00374.2016
The mechanical function of the tibialis posterior muscle and its tendon during locomotion
Maharaj, Jayishni N., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2016) The mechanical function of the tibialis posterior muscle and its tendon during locomotion. Journal of Biomechanics, 49 14: 3238-3243. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.08.006
Effects of series elastic compliance on muscle force summation and the rate of force rise
Mayfield, Dean L., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2016) Effects of series elastic compliance on muscle force summation and the rate of force rise. Journal of Experimental Biology, 219 20: 3261-3270. doi:10.1242/jeb.142604
Protection from muscle damage in the absence of changes in muscle mechanical behavior
Hoffman, Ben W., Cresswell, Andrew G., Carroll, Timothy J. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2016) Protection from muscle damage in the absence of changes in muscle mechanical behavior. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 48 8: 1495-1505. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000920
Three-dimensional geometrical changes of the human tibialis anterior muscle and its central aponeurosis measured with three-dimensional ultrasound during isometric contractions
Raiteri, Brent J., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2016) Three-dimensional geometrical changes of the human tibialis anterior muscle and its central aponeurosis measured with three-dimensional ultrasound during isometric contractions. PeerJ, 4 7: e2260. doi:10.7717/peerj.2260
Deconstructing the power resistance relationship for squats: a joint-level analysis
Farris, D. J., Lichtwark, G. A., Brown, N. A. T. and Cresswell, A. G. (2016) Deconstructing the power resistance relationship for squats: a joint-level analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 26 7: 774-781. doi:10.1111/sms.12508
Shoes alter the spring-like function of the human foot during running
Kelly, Luke, Lichtwark, Glen, Farris, Dominic and Cresswell, Andrew (2016) Shoes alter the spring-like function of the human foot during running. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 13 119: 1-9. doi:10.1098/rsif.2016.0174
Additional in-series compliance reduces muscle force summation and alters the time course of force relaxation during fixed-end contractions
Mayfield, Dean L., Launikonis, Bradley S., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2016) Additional in-series compliance reduces muscle force summation and alters the time course of force relaxation during fixed-end contractions. Journal of Experimental Biology, 219 22: 3587-3596. doi:10.1242/jeb.143123
Quantification of muscle co-contraction using supersonic shear wave imaging
Raiteri, Brent J., Hug, François, Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2016) Quantification of muscle co-contraction using supersonic shear wave imaging. Journal of Biomechanics, 49 3: 493-495. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.12.039
The role of human ankle plantar flexor muscle-tendon interaction & architecture in maximal vertical jumping examined in vivo
Farris, Dominic James, Lichtwark, Glen, Brown, Nicholas A.T. and Cresswell, Andrew (2016) The role of human ankle plantar flexor muscle-tendon interaction & architecture in maximal vertical jumping examined in vivo. Journal of Experimental Biology, 219 4: 528-534. doi:10.1242/jeb.126854
Effects of muscle activation on shear between human soleus and gastrocnemius muscles
Finni, T., Cronin, N. J., Mayfield, D., Lichtwark, G. A. and Cresswell, A. G. (2015) Effects of muscle activation on shear between human soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 27 1: 1-9. doi:10.1111/sms.12615
The effect of paired associative stimulation on fatigue resistance
Kumpulainen, Susanne, Peltonen, Jussi, Gruber, Markus, Cresswell, Andrew, Peurala, Sinikka, Linnamo, Vesa and Avela, Janne (2015) The effect of paired associative stimulation on fatigue resistance. Neuroscience Research, 95 59-65. doi:10.1016/j.neures.2015.01.015
Ultrasound reveals negligible cocontraction during isometric plantar flexion and dorsiflexion despite the presence of antagonist electromyographic activity
Raiteri, Brent J., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2015) Ultrasound reveals negligible cocontraction during isometric plantar flexion and dorsiflexion despite the presence of antagonist electromyographic activity. Journal of Applied Physiology, 118 10: 1193-1199. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00825.2014
A systematic muscle model covering regions from the fast ramp stretches in the muscle fibres to the relatively slow stretches in the human triceps surae
Tamura, Youjiro, Ito, Akira and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2015) A systematic muscle model covering regions from the fast ramp stretches in the muscle fibres to the relatively slow stretches in the human triceps surae. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 18 1: 97-106. doi:10.1080/10255842.2013.790016
Active regulation of longitudinal arch compression and recoil during walking and running
Kelly, Luke A., Lichtwark, Glen and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2015) Active regulation of longitudinal arch compression and recoil during walking and running. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 12 102: 1-8. doi:10.1098/rsif.2014.1076
Doublet potentiation in the triceps surae is limited by series compliance and dynamic fascicle behavior
Mayfield, Dean L, Lichtwark, Glen A., Cronin, Neil J, Avela, Janne and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2015) Doublet potentiation in the triceps surae is limited by series compliance and dynamic fascicle behavior. Journal of Applied Physiology, 119 7: 807-816. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00403.2015
Reactive stepping behaviour in response to forward loss of balance predicts future falls in community-dwelling older adults
Carty, Christopher P., Cronin, Neil J., Nicholson, Deanne, Lichtwark, Glen A., Mills, Peter M., Kerr, Graham, Cresswell, Andrew G. and Barrett, Rod S. (2015) Reactive stepping behaviour in response to forward loss of balance predicts future falls in community-dwelling older adults. Age and Ageing, 44 1: 109-115. doi:10.1093/ageing/afu054
Muscle fascicle strains in human gastrocnemius during backward downhill walking
Hoffman, Ben W., Cresswell, Andrew G., Carroll, Timothy John and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2014) Muscle fascicle strains in human gastrocnemius during backward downhill walking. Journal of Applied Physiology, 116 11: 1455-1462. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01431.2012
Reciprocal activation of gastrocnemius and soleus motor units is associated with fascicle length change during knee flexion
Lauber, Benedikt, Lichtwark, Glen A and Cresswell, Andrew G (2014) Reciprocal activation of gastrocnemius and soleus motor units is associated with fascicle length change during knee flexion. Physiological Reports, 2 6: e12044.1-e12044.10. doi:10.14814/phy2.12044
Intrinsic foot muscles have the capacity to control deformation of the longitudinal arch
Kelly, Luke A., Cresswell, Andrew G., Racinais, Sebastien, Whiteley, Rodney and Lichtwark, Glen (2014) Intrinsic foot muscles have the capacity to control deformation of the longitudinal arch. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 11 93: 20131188.1-20131188.9. doi:10.1098/rsif.2013.1188
Temperature affects maximum H-reflex amplitude but not homosynaptic postactivation depression
Racinais, Sebastien and Cresswell, Andrew (2014) Temperature affects maximum H-reflex amplitude but not homosynaptic postactivation depression. The FASEB Journal, 28 S1: .
Anticipatory postural activity of the deep trunk muscles differs between anatomical regions based on their mechanical advantage
Park, R. J., Tsao, H., Cresswell, A. G. and Hodges, P. W. (2014) Anticipatory postural activity of the deep trunk muscles differs between anatomical regions based on their mechanical advantage. Neuroscience, 261 6: 161-172. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.12.037
The effect of knee flexion contracture following total knee arthroplasty on the energy cost of walking
Murphy, Michael T., Skinner, Tina L., Cresswell, Andrew G., Crawford, RossW., Journeaux, Simon F. and Russell, Trevor G. (2014) The effect of knee flexion contracture following total knee arthroplasty on the energy cost of walking. Journal of Arthroplasty, 29 1: 85-89. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2013.04.039
Tibialis anterior muscle fascicle dynamics adequately represent postural sway during standing balance
Day, James T., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2013) Tibialis anterior muscle fascicle dynamics adequately represent postural sway during standing balance. Journal of Applied Physiology, 115 12: 1742-1750. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00517.2013
Recruitment of Discrete Regions of the Psoas Major and Quadratus Lumborum Muscles Is Changed in Specific Sitting Postures in Individuals With Recurrent Low Back Pain
Park, Rachel J., Tsao, Henry, Claus, Andrew, Cresswell, Andrew G. and Hodges, Paul W. (2013) Recruitment of Discrete Regions of the Psoas Major and Quadratus Lumborum Muscles Is Changed in Specific Sitting Postures in Individuals With Recurrent Low Back Pain. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 43 11: 833-840. doi:10.2519/jospt.2013.4840
Discharge properties of abductor hallucis before, during, and after an isometric fatigue task
Kelly, Luke A., Racinais, Sebastien and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2013) Discharge properties of abductor hallucis before, during, and after an isometric fatigue task. Journal of Neurophysiology, 110 4: 891-898. doi:10.1152/jn.00944.2012
Neuromechanical properties of the triceps surae in young and older adults
Barber, Lee A., Barrett, Rod S., Gillett, Jarred G., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Lichtwark, Glen A. (2013) Neuromechanical properties of the triceps surae in young and older adults. Experimental Gerontology, 48 11: 1147-1155. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2013.07.007
The efficacy of SMART Arm training early after stroke for stroke survivors with severe upper limb disability: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Brauer, Sandra G., Hayward, Kathryn S., Carson, Richard G., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Barker, Ruth N. (2013) The efficacy of SMART Arm training early after stroke for stroke survivors with severe upper limb disability: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMC Neurology, 13 71: 1-8. doi:10.1186/1471-2377-13-71
Bilateral tremor responses to unilateral loading and fatiguing muscle contractions
Kavanagh, Justin J., Cresswell, Andrew G., Sabapathy, Surendran and Carroll, Timothy J. (2013) Bilateral tremor responses to unilateral loading and fatiguing muscle contractions. Journal of Neurophysiology, 110 2: 431-440. doi:10.1152/jn.00228.2013
Changes in direction-specific activity of psoas major and quadratus lumborum in people with recurring back pain differ between muscle regions and patient groups
Park, Rachel J., Tsao, Henry, Cresswell, Andrew G. and Hodges, Paul W. (2013) Changes in direction-specific activity of psoas major and quadratus lumborum in people with recurring back pain differ between muscle regions and patient groups. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 23 3: 734-740. doi:10.1016/j.jelekin.2013.01.010
Corticospinal responses to sustained locomotor exercises: moving beyond single-joint studies of central fatigue
Sidhu, Simranjit K., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Carroll, Timothy J. (2013) Corticospinal responses to sustained locomotor exercises: moving beyond single-joint studies of central fatigue. Sports Medicine, 43 6: 437-449. doi:10.1007/s40279-013-0020-6
Recruitment order of the abdominal muscles varies with postural task
Tokuno, C. D., Cresswell, A. G., Thorstensson, A. and Carpenter, M. G. (2013) Recruitment order of the abdominal muscles varies with postural task. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 23 3: 349-354. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2011.01394.x
Sustained cycling exercise increases intracortical inhibition
Sidhu, Simranjit K., Lauber, Benedikt, Cresswell, Andrew G. and Carroll, Timothy J. (2013) Sustained cycling exercise increases intracortical inhibition. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 45 4: 654-662. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e31827b119c
Inferring tendon mechanical properties using ultrasound imaging
Lichtwark, Glen A. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2013) Inferring tendon mechanical properties using ultrasound imaging. Journal of Applied Physiology, 114 4: 518-518. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01525.2012
Changes in regional activity of the psoas major and quadratus lumborum with voluntary trunk and hip tasks and different spinal curvatures in sitting
Park, Rachel J., Tsao, Henry, Claus, Andrew, Cresswell, Andrew G. and Hodges, Paul W. (2013) Changes in regional activity of the psoas major and quadratus lumborum with voluntary trunk and hip tasks and different spinal curvatures in sitting. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 43 2: 74-82. doi:10.2519/jospt.2013.4292
Effects of running on human Achilles tendon length-Tension properties in the free and gastrocnemius components
Lichtwark, Glen A., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Newsham-West, Richard J. (2013) Effects of running on human Achilles tendon length-Tension properties in the free and gastrocnemius components. Journal of Experimental Biology, 216 23: 4388-4394. doi:10.1242/jeb.094219
Short-interval intracortical inhibition in knee extensors during locomotor cycling
Sidhu, S. K., Cresswell, A. G. and Carroll, T. J. (2013) Short-interval intracortical inhibition in knee extensors during locomotor cycling. Acta Physiologica, 207 1: 194-201. doi:10.1111/apha.12004
Racinais, Sebastien and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2013) Temperature affects maximum H-reflex amplitude but not homosynaptic postactivation depression. Physiological Reports, 1 2: e00019.1-e000197. doi:10.1002/phy2.19
Cortical and spinal excitability during and after lengthening contractions of the human plantar flexor muscles performed with maximal voluntary effort
Hahn, Daniel, Hoffman, Ben W., Carroll, Timothy J. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2012) Cortical and spinal excitability during and after lengthening contractions of the human plantar flexor muscles performed with maximal voluntary effort. PLoS ONE, 7 11: e49907.1-e49907.9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049907
Modulation of the soleus H-reflex during knee rotations is not consistent with muscle fascicle length changes
Tokuno, Craig D., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2012) Modulation of the soleus H-reflex during knee rotations is not consistent with muscle fascicle length changes. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 112 9: 3259-3266. doi:10.1007/s00421-011-2302-8
Motor cortex excitability does not increase during sustained cycling exercise to volitional exhaustion
Sidhu, Simranjit K., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Carroll, Timothy J. (2012) Motor cortex excitability does not increase during sustained cycling exercise to volitional exhaustion. Journal of Applied Physiology, 113 3: 401-409. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00486.2012
A comparison of two Hill-type skeletal muscle models on the construction of medial gastrocnemius length-tension curves in humans in vivo
Hoffman, B. W., Lichtwark, G. A., Carroll, T. J. and Cresswell, A. G. (2012) A comparison of two Hill-type skeletal muscle models on the construction of medial gastrocnemius length-tension curves in humans in vivo. Journal of Applied Physiology, 113 1: 90-96. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00070.2012
Differential activity of regions of the psoas major and quadratus lumborum during submaximal isometric trunk efforts
Park, Rachel J., Tsao, Henry, Cresswell, Andrew G. and Hodges, Paul W. (2012) Differential activity of regions of the psoas major and quadratus lumborum during submaximal isometric trunk efforts. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 30 2: 311-318. doi:10.1002/jor.21499
Corticospinal contributions to lower limb muscle activity during cycling in humans
Sidhu, Simranjit K., Hoffman, Ben W., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Carroll, Timothy J. (2012) Corticospinal contributions to lower limb muscle activity during cycling in humans. Journal of Neurophysiology, 107 1: 306-314. doi:10.1152/jn.00212.2011
Recruitment of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles with increasing postural demand
Kelly, Luke A., Kuitunen, Sami, Racinais, Sebastien and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2012) Recruitment of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles with increasing postural demand. Clinical Biomechanics, 27 1: 46-51. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2011.07.013
Changes in stepping response to lateral perturbations immediately following a single bout of physical activity
Egerton, Thorlene, Brauer, Sandra G. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2011) Changes in stepping response to lateral perturbations immediately following a single bout of physical activity. Physiotherapy Research International, 16 3: 141-150. doi:10.1002/pri.490
Dynamic postural stability is not impaired by moderate-intensity physical activity in healthy or balance-impaired older people
Egerton, Thorlene, Brauer, Sandra G. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2010) Dynamic postural stability is not impaired by moderate-intensity physical activity in healthy or balance-impaired older people. Human Movement Science, 29 6: 1011-1022. doi:10.1016/j.humov.2010.06.001
Age-related changes in postural responses revealed by support-surface translations with a long acceleration-deceleration interval
Tokuno, Craig D., Cresswell, Andrew G., Thorstensson, Alf and Carpenter, Mark G. (2010) Age-related changes in postural responses revealed by support-surface translations with a long acceleration-deceleration interval. Clinical Neurophysiology, 121 1: 109-117. doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2009.09.025
Increases in corticospinal responsiveness during a sustained submaximal plantar flexion
Hoffman, B. W., Oya, T., Carroll, T. J. and Cresswell, A. G. (2009) Increases in corticospinal responsiveness during a sustained submaximal plantar flexion. Journal of Applied Physiology, 107 1: 112-120. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.91541.2008
Technical or physiological limitations to the interpolated twitch technique?
Carroll, Timothy J. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2009) Technical or physiological limitations to the interpolated twitch technique?. Journal of Applied Physiology, 107 1: 364-364. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00362.2009
The immediate effect of physical activity on standing balance in healthy and balance-impaired older people
Egerton, T., Brauer, S. G. and Cresswell, A. G. (2009) The immediate effect of physical activity on standing balance in healthy and balance-impaired older people. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 28 2: 93-96. doi:10.1111/j.1741-6612.2009.00350.x
An enhanced level of motor cortical excitability during the control of human standing
Tokuno, C. D., Taube, W. and Cresswell, A. G. (2009) An enhanced level of motor cortical excitability during the control of human standing. Acta Physiologica, 195 3: 385-395. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1716.2008.01898.x
Fatigue after physical activity in healthy and balance-impaired elderly
Egerton, T., Brauer, S. G. and Cresswell, A. G. (2009) Fatigue after physical activity in healthy and balance-impaired elderly. Journal of Aging And Physical Activity, 17 1: 89-105. doi:10.1123/japa.17.1.89
Recruitment and rate coding organisation for soleus motor units across entire range of voluntary isometric plantar flexions
Oya, Tomomichi, Riek, Stephan and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2009) Recruitment and rate coding organisation for soleus motor units across entire range of voluntary isometric plantar flexions. The Journal of Physiology, 587 19: 4737-4748. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2009.175695
Trunk muscle activation in a person with clinically complete thoracic spinal cord injury
Bjerkefors, Anna, Carpenter, Mark G., Cresswell, Andrew G. and Thorstensson, Alf (2009) Trunk muscle activation in a person with clinically complete thoracic spinal cord injury. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 41 5: 390-392. doi:10.2340/16501977-0336
Corticospinal-evoked responses in lower limb muscles during voluntary contractions at varying strengths
Oya, T., Hoffman, B. W. and Cresswell, A. G. (2008) Corticospinal-evoked responses in lower limb muscles during voluntary contractions at varying strengths. Journal of Applied Physiology, 105 5: 1527-1532. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.90586.2008
Motor unit recruitment behavior is not readily identifiable from EMG spectral changes
Cresswell, Andrew G. (2008) Motor unit recruitment behavior is not readily identifiable from EMG spectral changes. Journal of Applied Physiology, 105 5: 1680-1680. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.zdg-8232-pcpcomm.2008
Differential control of abdominal muscles during multi-directional support-surface translations in man
Carpenter, Mark G, Tokuno, Craig D, Thorstensson, Alf and Cresswell, Andrew G (2008) Differential control of abdominal muscles during multi-directional support-surface translations in man. Experimental Brain Research, 188 3: 445-455. doi:10.1007/s00221-008-1377-x
Evidence for reduced efficacy of the Ia-pathway during shortening plantar flexions with increasing effort
Oya, T. and Cresswell, A. (2008) Evidence for reduced efficacy of the Ia-pathway during shortening plantar flexions with increasing effort. Experimental Brain Research, 185 4: 699-707. doi:10.1007/s00221-007-1198-3
Sway-dependent modulation of the triceps surae H-reflex during standing
Tokuno, C.D., Garland, S.J., Carpenter, M.G., Thorstensson, A. and Cresswell, A.G. (2008) Sway-dependent modulation of the triceps surae H-reflex during standing. Journal of Applied Physiology, 104 5: 1359-1365. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00857.2007
Cortical and spinal adaptations induced by balance training: Correlation between stance stability and corticospinal activation
Cresswell, A. G. (2007) Cortical and spinal adaptations induced by balance training: Correlation between stance stability and corticospinal activation. Acta Physiologica, 189 4: 303-303. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1716.2007.01679_1.x
Control of the triceps surae during the postural sway of quiet standing
Tokuno, C. D., Carpenter, M. G., Thorstensson, A., Garland, S. J. and Cresswell, A. G. (2007) Control of the triceps surae during the postural sway of quiet standing. Acta Physiologica, 191 3: 229-236. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1716.2007.01727.x
Ia-afferent input to motoneurons during shortening and lengthening muscle contractions in humans
Petersen, N. T., Butler, J. E., Carpenter, M. G. and Cresswell, A. G. (2007) Ia-afferent input to motoneurons during shortening and lengthening muscle contractions in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology, 102 1: 144-148. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00362.2006
Residual force enhancement after lengthening is present during submaximal plantar flexion and dorsiflexion actions in humans
Pinniger, G. J. and Cresswell, A. G. (2007) Residual force enhancement after lengthening is present during submaximal plantar flexion and dorsiflexion actions in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology, 102 1: 18-25. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00565.2006
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching - Mechanisms and clinical implications
Sharman, M. J., Cresswell, A. G. and Riek, S. (2006) Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching - Mechanisms and clinical implications. Sports Medicine, 36 11: 929-939. doi:10.2165/00007256-200636110-00002
The influence of natural body sway on neuromuscular responses to an unpredictable surface translation
Tokuno, C. D., Carpenter, M. G., Thorstensson, A. and Cresswell, A. G. (2006) The influence of natural body sway on neuromuscular responses to an unpredictable surface translation. Experimental Brain Research, 174 1: 19-28. doi:10.1007/s00221-006-0414-x
Deceleration affects anticipatory and reactive components of triggered postural responses
Carpenter, MG, Thorstensson, A and Cresswell, AG (2005) Deceleration affects anticipatory and reactive components of triggered postural responses. Experimental Brain Research, 167 3: 433-445. doi:10.1007/s00221-005-0049-3
Galvanic vestibular stimulation alters the onset of motor unit discharge
Kennedy, Paul M., Cresswell, Andrew G., Chua, Romeo and Inglis, J. Timothy (2004) Galvanic vestibular stimulation alters the onset of motor unit discharge. Muscle & Nerve, 30 2: 188-194. doi:10.1002/mus.20074
Central and peripheral contributions to fatigue in relation to level of activation during repeated maximal voluntary isometric plantar flexions
Nordlund, MM, Thorstensson, A and Cresswell, AG (2004) Central and peripheral contributions to fatigue in relation to level of activation during repeated maximal voluntary isometric plantar flexions. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96 1: 218-225. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00650.2003
Conditioning Ia-afferent stimulation reduces the soleus Hoffman reflex in humans when muscle spindles are assumed to be inactive
Nordlund, MM, Thorstensson, A and Cresswell, AG (2004) Conditioning Ia-afferent stimulation reduces the soleus Hoffman reflex in humans when muscle spindles are assumed to be inactive. Neuroscience Letters, 366 3: 250-253. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2004.05.044
Intra-abdominal pressure response to multidirectional support-surface translation
Hodges, P. W., Cresswell, A. G. and Thorstensson, A. (2004) Intra-abdominal pressure response to multidirectional support-surface translation. Gait and Posture, 20 2: 163-170. doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2003.08.008
Plantar- and dorsiflexor strength in prepubertal girls with juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Brostrom, E, Nordlund, MM and Cresswell, AG (2004) Plantar- and dorsiflexor strength in prepubertal girls with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Archives of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation, 85 8: 1224-1230. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2003.11.017
Recruitment of single human low-threshold motor units with increasing loads at different muscle lengths
McNulty, PA and Cresswell, AG (2004) Recruitment of single human low-threshold motor units with increasing loads at different muscle lengths. Journal of Electromyography And Kinesiology, 14 3: 369-377. doi:10.1016/j.jelekin.2003.10.003
Intervertebral Stiffness of the Spine Is Increased by Evoked Contraction of Transversus Abdominis and the Diaphragm: In Vivo Porcine Studies
Hodges, Paul, Kaigle Holm, Allison, Holm, Sten, Ekstrom, Lars, Cresswell, Andrew, Hansson, Tommy and Thorstensson, Alf (2003) Intervertebral Stiffness of the Spine Is Increased by Evoked Contraction of Transversus Abdominis and the Diaphragm: In Vivo Porcine Studies. Spine, 28 23: 2594-2601. doi:10.1097/01.BRS.0000096676.14323.25
The force-velocity relationship of the human soleus muscle during submaximal voluntary lengthening actions
Pinniger, GJ, Steele, JR and Cresswell, AG (2003) The force-velocity relationship of the human soleus muscle during submaximal voluntary lengthening actions. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 90 1-2: 191-198. doi:10.1007/s00421-003-0893-4
Gait in children with juvenile chronic arthritis - Timing and force parameters
Brostrom, E, Haglund-Akerlind, Y, Hagelberg, S and Cresswell, AG (2002) Gait in children with juvenile chronic arthritis - Timing and force parameters. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 31 6: 317-323. doi:10.1080/030097402320817022
Muscle activation and torque development during maximal unilateral and bilateral isokinetic knee extensions
Cresswell, AG and Ovendal, AH (2002) Muscle activation and torque development during maximal unilateral and bilateral isokinetic knee extensions. Journal of Sports Medicine And Physical Fitness, 42 1: 19-25.
Upper body movement during walking in children with lumbo-sacral myelomeningocele
Bartonek, A, Saraste, H, Eriksson, M, Knutson, L and Cresswell, AG (2002) Upper body movement during walking in children with lumbo-sacral myelomeningocele. Gait & Posture, 15 2: 120-129. doi:10.1016/S0966-6362(01)00147-3
Variations in the soleus H-reflex as a function of activation during controlled lengthening and shortening actions
Nordlund, MM, Thorstensson, A and Cresswell, AG (2002) Variations in the soleus H-reflex as a function of activation during controlled lengthening and shortening actions. Brain Research, 952 2: 301-307. doi:10.1016/S0006-8993(02)03259-6
H-reflex modulation during passive lengthening and shortening of the human triceps surae
Pinniger, GJ, Nordlund, MM, Steele, JR and Cresswell, AG (2001) H-reflex modulation during passive lengthening and shortening of the human triceps surae. Journal of Physiology-london, 534 3: 913-923. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7793.2001.00913.x
In vivo measurement of the effect of intra-abdominal pressure on the human spine
Hodges, P. W., Cresswell, A. G., Daggfeldt, K. and Thorstensson, A. (2001) In vivo measurement of the effect of intra-abdominal pressure on the human spine. Journal of Biomechanics, 34 3: 347-353. doi:10.1016/S0021-9290(00)00206-2
Perturbed upper limb movements cause short-latency postural responses in trunk muscles
Hodges, PW, Cresswell, AG and Thorstensson, A (2001) Perturbed upper limb movements cause short-latency postural responses in trunk muscles. Experimental Brain Research, 138 2: 243-250. doi:10.1007/s002210100693
The effect of muscle length on motor-unit recruitment during isometric plantar flexion in humans
Kennedy, PM and Cresswell, AG (2001) The effect of muscle length on motor-unit recruitment during isometric plantar flexion in humans. Experimental Brain Research, 137 1: 58-64. doi:10.1007/s002210000623
Significance of peripheral afferent input to the α-motoneurone pool for enhancement of tremor during an isometric fatiguing contraction
Cresswell, A. G. and Loscher, W. N. (2000) Significance of peripheral afferent input to the α-motoneurone pool for enhancement of tremor during an isometric fatiguing contraction. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 82 1 : 129-136. doi:10.1007/s004210050662
Tension regulation during lengthening and shortening actions of the human soleus muscle
Pinniger, GJ, Steele, JR, Thorstensson, A and Cresswell, AG (2000) Tension regulation during lengthening and shortening actions of the human soleus muscle. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 81 5: 375-383. doi:10.1007/s004210050057
Three dimensional preparatory trunk motion precedes asymmetrical upper limb movement
Hodges, P. W., Cresswell, A. G., Daggfeldt, K. and Thorstensson, A. (2000) Three dimensional preparatory trunk motion precedes asymmetrical upper limb movement. Gait & Posture, 11 2: 92-101. doi:10.1016/S0966-6362(99)00055-7
Interaction between voluntary and postural motor commands during perturbed lifting
Oddsson L.I.E., Persson T., Cresswell A.G. and Thorstensson A. (1999) Interaction between voluntary and postural motor commands during perturbed lifting. Spine, 24 6: 545-552. doi:10.1097/00007632-199903150-00009
Preparatory trunk motion accompanies rapid upper limb movement
Hodges, P. W., Cresswell, A. G. and Thorstensson, A. (1999) Preparatory trunk motion accompanies rapid upper limb movement. Experimental Brain Research, 124 1: 69-79. doi:10.1007/s002210050601
Central fatigue during a long-lasting submaximal contraction of the triceps surae
Loscher W.N., Cresswell A.G. and Thorstensson A. (1996) Central fatigue during a long-lasting submaximal contraction of the triceps surae. Experimental Brain Research, 108 2: 305-314.
Excitatory drive to the α-motoneuron pool during a fatiguing submaximal contraction in man
Loscher W.N., Cresswell A.G. and Thorstensson A. (1996) Excitatory drive to the α-motoneuron pool during a fatiguing submaximal contraction in man. Journal of Physiology-London, 491 1: 271-280.
Recurrent inhibition of soleus α-motoneurons during a sustained submaximal plantar flexion
Loscher W.N., Cresswell A.G. and Thorstensson A. (1996) Recurrent inhibition of soleus α-motoneurons during a sustained submaximal plantar flexion. Electromyography and Motor Control-Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 101 4: 334-338. doi:10.1016/0924-980X(96)95670-2
Influence of gastrocnemius muscle length on triceps surae torque development and electromyographic activity in man
Cresswell A.G., Loscher W.N. and Thorstensson A. (1995) Influence of gastrocnemius muscle length on triceps surae torque development and electromyographic activity in man. Experimental Brain Research, 105 2: 283-290. doi:10.1007/BF00240964
Changes in intra-abdominal pressure, trunk muscle activation and force during isokinetic lifting and lowering
Cresswell, A. G. and Thorstensson, A. (1994) Changes in intra-abdominal pressure, trunk muscle activation and force during isokinetic lifting and lowering. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 68 4: 315-321. doi:10.1007/BF00571450
Electromyographic responses of the human triceps surae and force tremor during sustained sub‐maximal isometric plantar flexion
LOSCHER W.N., CRESSWELL A.G. and THORSTENSSON A. (1994) Electromyographic responses of the human triceps surae and force tremor during sustained sub‐maximal isometric plantar flexion. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 152 1: 73-82. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1716.1994.tb09786.x
The effect of an abdominal muscle training program on intra-abdominal pressure
Cresswell A.G., Blake P.L. and Thorstensson A. (1994) The effect of an abdominal muscle training program on intra-abdominal pressure. Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 26 2: 79-86.
The influence of sudden perturbations on trunk muscle activity and intra-abdominal pressure while standing
Cresswell A.G., Oddsson L. and Thorstensson A. (1994) The influence of sudden perturbations on trunk muscle activity and intra-abdominal pressure while standing. Experimental Brain Research, 98 2: 336-341. doi:10.1007/BF00228421
Responses of intra-abdominal pressure and abdominal muscle activity during dynamic trunk loading in man
Cresswell A.G. (1993) Responses of intra-abdominal pressure and abdominal muscle activity during dynamic trunk loading in man. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 66 4: 315-320. doi:10.1007/BF00237775
Intramuskuläre und Oberflächelelektromyographie des M. trizeps surae während submaximaler isometrischer Plantarflexion
Löscher, Wolfgang N. , Cresswell, Andrew G. , Thorstensson, Alf and Gallasch, Eugen (1993) Intramuskuläre und Oberflächelelektromyographie des M. trizeps surae während submaximaler isometrischer Plantarflexion. Biomedizinische Technik, 38 s1: 161-162. doi:10.1515/bmte.1993.38.s1.161
Observations on intra-abdominal pressure and patterns of abdominal intra-muscular activity in man
Cresswell, A. G., Grundström, H. and Thorstensson, A. (1992) Observations on intra-abdominal pressure and patterns of abdominal intra-muscular activity in man. Acta Physiologica, 144 4: 409-418. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1716.1992.tb09314.x
Cresswell, A.G., Grundstrom, H. and Thorstensson, A. (1992) Observations on intra-abdominal pressure and patterns of abdominal intra-muscular activity in man. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 144 4: 409-418. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1716.1992.tb09314.x
Muscle activation during maximal voluntary eccentric and concentric knee extension
Westing S.H., Cresswell A.G. and Thorstensson A. (1991) Muscle activation during maximal voluntary eccentric and concentric knee extension. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 62 2: 104-108. doi:10.1007/BF00626764
Intra-abdominal pressure and patterns of abdominal muscle activation in isometric trunk flexion and extension
Cresswell Andrew G. and Thorstensson Alf (1989) Intra-abdominal pressure and patterns of abdominal muscle activation in isometric trunk flexion and extension. , 22 10: .
Lumbar spine and psoas muscle geometry revisited with magnetic resonance imaging
Thorstensson Alf, Andersson Eva and Cresswell Andrew G. (1989) Lumbar spine and psoas muscle geometry revisited with magnetic resonance imaging. , 22 10: .
The role of the abdominal musculature in the elevation of the intra-abdominal pressure during specified tasks
Cresswell A.G. and Thorstensson A. (1989) The role of the abdominal musculature in the elevation of the intra-abdominal pressure during specified tasks. Ergonomics, 32 10: 1237-1246. doi:10.1080/00140138908966893
Increase in jumping height associated with maximal effort vertical depth jumps
Bedi J.F., Cresswell A.G., Engel T.J. and Nicol S.M. (1987) Increase in jumping height associated with maximal effort vertical depth jumps. , 58 1: 11-15. doi:10.1080/02701367.1987.10605413
Motor unit activity and muscle strength development
Wood, G. A., Lockwood, R. J., Cresswell, A. G. and Henstridge, J. (1983) Motor unit activity and muscle strength development. Australasian Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, 6 2: 71-75.
Stand and deliver: muscle activity and mechanical energetics of the lower limb during cycling
Wilkinson, Ross D., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2018). Stand and deliver: muscle activity and mechanical energetics of the lower limb during cycling. In: Annual Meeting of the American-College-of-Sports-Medicine (ACSM), Minneapolis, MN, United States, (441-442). 29 May - 2 June 2018. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000536536.37611.4c
Bilateral Tremor Responses Are Induced With Maximal Effort Contractions Of A Single Limb
Kavanagh, Justin, Cresswell, Andrew, Stolz, Robert, Sabapathy, Surendran and Carroll, Timothy (2013). Bilateral Tremor Responses Are Induced With Maximal Effort Contractions Of A Single Limb. In: Abstracts - D-30 Free Communication/Poster - Neuromuscular Mechanics. 60th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis in, (358-358). 28 May - 1 June 2013. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000433695.35314.65
Dynamic function of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles during walking and running
Kelly, L., Lichtwark< G. and Cresswell, A. (2013). Dynamic function of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles during walking and running. In: The 2013 Asics Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport: abstracts. The 2013 Asics Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport, Phuket, Thailand, (e4-e4). 22 -25 October 2013. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2013.10.012
Carty, C., Cronin, N., Nicholson, D., Lichtwark, G., Mills, P., Kerr, G., Cresswell, A. and Barrett, R. (2013). Reactive stepping behaviour in response to forward loss of balance predicts future falls in community-dwelling older adults. In: The 2013 Asics Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport: abstracts. The 2013 Asics Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport, Phuket, Thailand, (e21-e22). 22 -25 October 2013. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2013.10.053
Changes in regional activity of the psoas major and quadratus lumborum with different trunk and hip tasks and spinal curvatures in sitting
Park, Rachel, Tsao, Henry, Claus, Andrew, Cresswell, Andrew and Hodges, Paul (2011). Changes in regional activity of the psoas major and quadratus lumborum with different trunk and hip tasks and spinal curvatures in sitting. In: XXIIIrd Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Brussels, Belgium, (). 3-7 July 2011.
Neural aspects of muscle fatigue
Cresswell, A.G. (2011). Neural aspects of muscle fatigue. In: C. T. Lim, J. C. H. Goh and R. Magjarevic, 6th World Congress of Biomechanics (WCB 2010) In Conjunction with 14th International Conference on Biomedical Engineering (ICBME) and 5th Asia Pacific Conference on Biomechanics (APBiomech). 6th World Congress of Biomechanics, Singapore, (). 1-6 August 2010. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-14515-5
Neural control of eccentric and post-eccentric muscle actions
Hahn, Daniel, Hoffman, Ben W., Carroll, Timothy J. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2011). Neural control of eccentric and post-eccentric muscle actions. In: Veronique Feipel and Serge Van Sint Jan, ISB2011 Brussels. XXIIIrd Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Brussels, Belgium, (72-72). 3-7 July 2011.
Kelly, Luke A., Kuitunen, Sami, Racinais, Sebastien and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2011). Recruitment of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles with increasing postural demand. In: Veronique Feipel and Serge Van Sint Jan, ISB2011 Brussels. XXIIIrd Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Brussels, Belgium, (70-70). 3-7 July 2011.
The effect of a more appropriate muscle model on the shape of triceps surae length-tension curves in humans
Hoffman, Ben W., Lichtwark, Glen A., Carroll, Timothy J. and Cresswell, Andrew G. (2011). The effect of a more appropriate muscle model on the shape of triceps surae length-tension curves in humans. In: Veronique Feipel and Serge Van Sint Jan, ISB2011 Brussels. XXIIIrd Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics, Brussels, Belgium, (84-84). 3-7 July 2011.
The effect of varying musculotendinous length on the construction of triceps surae length-tension curves
Hoffman, B., Carroll, T., Lichtwark, G. and Cresswell, A. (2010). The effect of varying musculotendinous length on the construction of triceps surae length-tension curves. In: 2010 Asics Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport Program and Abstracts. Hot Topics in the Tropics, Port Douglas, Qld, (e24-e25). 3-6 November, 2010.
Changes in cortical and spinal responsiveness during a fatiguing submaximal contraction
Hoffman, Ben, Oya, Tomomichi, Carroll, Tim and Cresswell, Andrew (2009). Changes in cortical and spinal responsiveness during a fatiguing submaximal contraction. In: Proceedings of the 7th Australasian Biomechanics Conference. ABC7 - 7th Australasian Biomechanics Conference, Gold Coast, (31). 30 November - 1 December, 2009.
Motoneurone firing behaviour and reflex excitabiliity during the performance of controlled isometric contractions and other more functional motor tasks
Cresswell, Andrew (2009). Motoneurone firing behaviour and reflex excitabiliity during the performance of controlled isometric contractions and other more functional motor tasks. In: Proceedings of the 7th Australasian Biomechanics Conference. ABC7 - 7th Australasian Biomechanics Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, (7-7). 30 November - 1 December, 2009.
Reciprocal modulation of plantar flexor and dorsiflexor motor units during postural sway in quiet standing
Cresswell, A.G., Carroll, T.J., Persson, J. and Selim, K. (2009). Reciprocal modulation of plantar flexor and dorsiflexor motor units during postural sway in quiet standing. In: 2009 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Neuroscience 2009, Chicago, IL, (np). 17-21 October, 2009.
Recruitment and firing rates of soleus motor units under a possible influence of persistent inward currents
Oya, T., Riek, S. and Cresswell, A.G. (2009). Recruitment and firing rates of soleus motor units under a possible influence of persistent inward currents. In: 2009 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Neuroscience 2009, Chicago, IL, (np). 17-21 October, 2009.
The effect of different reference transducer positions on intra-abdominal pressure measurement: a multicenter analysis
De Waele, Jan J., De laet, Inneke, De Keulenaer, Bart, Widder, Sandy, Kirkpatrick, Andrew W., Cresswell, Adrian B., Malbrain, Manu, Bodnar, Zsolt, Mejia-Mantilla, Jorge H., Reis, Richard, Parr, Michael, Schulze, Robert, Compano, Sonia and Cheatham, Michael (2008). The effect of different reference transducer positions on intra-abdominal pressure measurement: a multicenter analysis. In: 3rd World Congress on Abdominal Compartment Syndrome, Antwerp Belgium, (1299-1303). Mar 22-24, 2007. doi:10.1007/s00134-008-1098-4
Assessment of presynaptic inhibition and motoneurone excitability during ramp and hold contractions of the triceps surae
Oya, T. and Cresswell, A. (2007). Assessment of presynaptic inhibition and motoneurone excitability during ramp and hold contractions of the triceps surae. In: Ridding, M. and Gandevia, S., IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience Handbook and Abstracts. "Motor Control at the Top End" 2007 IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience Satellite Meeting, Darwin, (69). 18-21 July, 2007.
Modulation in corticospinal excitability during natural standing
Tokuno, C., Taube, W. and Cresswell, A. (2007). Modulation in corticospinal excitability during natural standing. In: Ridding, M. and Gandevia, S., IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience Handbook and Abstracts. "Motor Control at the Top End" 2007 IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience Satellite Meeting, Darwin, (68). 18-21 July, 2007.
Absence of an increase in the soleus H-reflex with increasing voluntary drive during shortening contractions in man
Oya, T. and Cresswell, A (2006). Absence of an increase in the soleus H-reflex with increasing voluntary drive during shortening contractions in man. In: S.F. Heinemann and R. Tanzi, 2006 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. , Atlanta, Georgia, (). 14-18 October, 2006.
Enhancing evidence based practice of PNF stretching
Sharman, M. J., Cresswell, A. and Riek, S. (2006). Enhancing evidence based practice of PNF stretching. In: CISC2006 Conference Organising Committee, 13th Commonwealth International Sport Conference Program and Abstracts. 13th Commonwealth International Sport Conference CISC2006, Melbourne, Vic, Australia, (204-204). 9-12 March, 2006.
General considerations for trunk stability in sports and exercise
Cresswell, A (2006). General considerations for trunk stability in sports and exercise. In: A. Burnett, D. Bishop and A. Meade, Proceedings of the 2nd Australian Association for Exercise and Sports Science Conference. From Research to Practice II, Sydney, (18). 28 September - 1 October, 2006.
The effects of sway velocity on the triceps surae H-reflex during quiet standing
Tokuno, C., Garland, S. J., Carpenter, M. G., Thorstensson, A. and Cresswell, A (2006). The effects of sway velocity on the triceps surae H-reflex during quiet standing. In: S. F. Heinemann and R. Tanzi, 2006 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting 2006, Atlanta, Georgia, (). 14-18 October, 2006.
Variations in the soleus and gastrocnemius H-reflex during quiet standing may be explained by naturally occuring sway
Tokuno, C. and Cresswell, A (2006). Variations in the soleus and gastrocnemius H-reflex during quiet standing may be explained by naturally occuring sway. In: P. Martin, Proceedings of the Australian Neurosicence Society 26th Annual Meeting. Australian Neurosicence Society 26th Annual Meeting, Sydney, Australia, (67-67). 31 January - 3 February, 2006.
Modulation of the H-reflex within naturally occurring sway during quiet standing
Tokuno, C. and Cresswell, A. (2005). Modulation of the H-reflex within naturally occurring sway during quiet standing. In: The Neuroscience of Human Movement in Health and Disease Programme and Abstracts. 2005 Special Group in Coaching Psychology 2nd Annual Conference, University College, London, (2P). 19-20 December, 2005.
Vestibulospinal influences on lower limb motoneurons
Kennedy, Paul M., Cresswell, Andrew G., Chua, Romeo and Inglis, J. Timothy (2004). Vestibulospinal influences on lower limb motoneurons. In: Canadian Journal of Physiology And Pharmacology. Proceedings of: Nerve, muscle, and beyond: the R.B. Stein Symposium. Canadian Physiological Society (CPS) Winter Meeting 2004: Symposium In Honour Of Professor Richard Stein, Vernon, BC, Canada, (675-681). 29 January-1 February 2004. doi:10.1139/Y04-080
Hodges, P., Kaigle Holm, A., Holm, S., Ekstrom, L., Cresswell, A., Hansson, T. and Thorstensson, A. (2003). Intervertebral stiffness of the spine is increased by evoked contraction of transversus abdominis and the diaphragm: in vivo porcine studies. In: International Society of the Study of the Lumbar Spine. International Society of the Study of the Lumbar Spine, Vancouver, Canada, (53). 13-17 May, 2003.
Posteroanterior stiffness of the lumbar spine is increased by contraction of transversus abdominis and the diaphragm: Porcine studies
Hodges, P. W., Kaigle Holm, A., Holm, S., Ekstrom, L., Cresswell, A. G., Hansson, T. and Thorstensson, A. (2003). Posteroanterior stiffness of the lumbar spine is increased by contraction of transversus abdominis and the diaphragm: Porcine studies. In: 14th International Conference of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy: World Physical Therapy 2003, Barcelona, Spain, (). 7-12 June 2003.
BIOMECHANICAL EFFECTS OF OVERSPEED TREADMILL TRAINING ON SPRINT RUNNING
Wood, G. A., de la Hunty, P. L. and Cresswell, A. G. (1982). BIOMECHANICAL EFFECTS OF OVERSPEED TREADMILL TRAINING ON SPRINT RUNNING. In: *, *, (144-144). *. doi:10.1249/00005768-198202000-00201
Other Outputs
Human foot muscle function during walking and running
Farris, Dominic, Lichtwark, Glen, Kelly, Luke and Cresswell, Andrew (2019): Human foot muscle function during walking and running. The University of Queensland. Dataset. doi:10.14264/uql.2019.3
Tibialis anterior muscle-tendon unit and fascicle behaviour during human walking
Maharaj, Jayishni N, Cresswell, Andrew G and Lichtwark, Glen A (2018): Tibialis anterior muscle-tendon unit and fascicle behaviour during human walking. The University of Queensland. Dataset. doi:10.14264/uql.2018.525
Tibialis Posterior and Subtalar Joint mechanics during walking
Maharaj, Jayishni, Cresswell, Andrew and Lichtwark, Glen (2017): Tibialis Posterior and Subtalar Joint mechanics during walking. The University of Queensland. Dataset. doi:10.14264/uql.2017.698
Grants (Administered at UQ)
2015-2016 Biomechanics Services and Research Agreement - UQ - Cricket Australia
(2014–2015) Cricket Australia
Undertake a pilot research study into the biomechanical efficiencies of the ASICS 'Natural' shoe
(2014–2015) Asics Oceania Pty Ltd
Quantification of muscle mechanical properties by an innovative shear wave elastographic technique for basic and clinical science.
(2014) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
Post Doctoral Position in Strength and Power (Muscle Mechanics)
(2013–2016) Australian Sports Commission
Biomechanics Services and Research Agreement Cricket Australia
An instrumented treadmill for understanding the forces responsible for walking and running under different conditions in both normal and clinical populations.
A virtual environment for the study of multisensory learning, adaptation and control
(2011–2013) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
A metabolic testing suite for clinical exercise physiology, sports science and sports nutrition research
(2011) NHMRC Equipment Grant
An ultrasound imaging suite for investigating musculoskeletal and cardiovascular function in health and disease
Reconsideration of the motor adaptation to pain
(2009–2012) NHMRC Project Grant
The efficacy of novel, non-robotic devices to train reaching post stroke
State of the art wireless electromyography system for clinical research
CCRE in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health
(2007–2012) NHMRC Centres of Clinical Research Excellence
An inverse control approach to resolving the neural basis of spatial and muscular dependencies in coordinated multi-limb movements
Cortical Mechanisms Mediating Bilateral Interactions Between the Upper Limbs
NHMRC_Equipment Grant = A high-accuracy, active marker, motion analysis system for recording and analysing human movement, Phoenix Technologies Inc., Visualeyez
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
Associate Professor Glen Lichtwark
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Sensorimotor control of foot function: Adapting the mechanical function of the foot to optimise balance and gait performance
Dr Luke Kelly
How do past actions and rewards bias goal directed movement?
Professor Timothy Carroll
Completed Supervision
(2017) Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
A biomechanical analysis of exercise-induced muscle damage in humans
In-vivo function of human plantar intrinsic foot muscles
Regional variation in the function of the deep ventrolateral muscles of the trunk in people with and without low back pain
Professor Paul Hodges
Investigation on motoneurone input-output properties with increasing voluntary drive in the human triceps surae
Professor Stephan Riek
(2009) Master Philosophy — Principal Advisor
The mechanical function of the subtalar joint and tibialis posterior muscle during walking
(2018) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Contraction dependent geometrical changes in human lower limb muscle and aponeurosis
Muscle-tendon mechanics, movement economy and preferred cadence in cycling
Effects of sustained cycling exercise on corticospinal responsiveness
The immediate effect of physical activity on the postural stability of older people
Professor Sandy Brauer
This staff member is a UQ Expert for media in the following fields:
Neurophysiology, Motor control, Biomechanics, Neuromechanics, Sports medicine, Exercise, Human movement studies, Forensic biomechanics
They are happy to lend their expertise to your articles or broadcasts and share their research discoveries and insights with the community via media channels.
For additional assistance with story ideas, general advice and information or help with seeking further experts, please email the UQ Media Team or telephone (07) 3365 1120.
ResearcherID: B-4936-2011
Scopus ID:
Google Scholar ID:
Dr Kylie Tucker
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Human Movement and Sports Science
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Kyle Busch Simon Pagenaud Joey Logano Erik Jones Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Denny Hamlin Roger Penske Brad Keselowski Sports NASCAR Automobile racing
Kyle Busch Joey Logano Erik Jones Martin Truex Jr. Denny Hamlin Brad Keselowski
NASCAR's top series a two-team show for now
By NOAH TRISTER - Jun. 11, 2019 04:29 PM EDT
Joey Logano celebrates with a burnout after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway, Monday, June 10, 2019, in Brooklyn, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — NASCAR's top series has been a two-team show.
Joey Logano's victory at Michigan on Monday gave Team Penske its fifth Cup win of the season. That's two fewer than Penske had all of last year, when Logano won the series title. In another year, Penske might be the clear choice as NASCAR's dominant team, but that's not the case at the moment. Joe Gibbs Racing has nine victories — together, these two teams have combined to win 14 of the 15 races so far.
"When I think of key races to win, obviously the crown jewel events that we probably all know, Brickyard, Daytona, Darlington, those type of racetracks that really stand out," Logano said. "This one is next in line to me because of Roger Penske, this being in his backyard. You always want to win at your home track."
It's been quite a few weeks for Penske, who won his 18th Indianapolis 500 thanks to Simon Pagenaud and now has the points leader in NASCAR with Logano. Of course, to win Monday, Logano had to hold off two of Gibbs' top cars — the No. 19 of Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 18 of Kyle Busch. Truex complained afterward that he thought Logano was too quick on an overtime restart.
Logano and Brad Keselowski are first and third in the Cup standings for Penske. Busch is second, Truex is sixth, and Denny Hamlin is seventh for Gibbs. The two teams combined to take four of the top six spots in Monday's race.
"We just did the best we could with what we had," Busch said. "Our M&M's Camry was not great, but we just kept working on it all day. We just kept falling back or doing rounds, doing air pressure, everything we could to get improving on it and make it better. ... Overall we came with about — way better than we should have. Let's go with that. Way better than we should have."
At this point last season, five teams had victories, and Stewart-Haas Racing and JGR had combined to win 11 of the 15 races. But through 15 races in 2017, eight different teams had already won, and none of them had more than three victories.
The next four races on the schedule — at Sonoma, Chicagoland, Daytona and Kentucky — are at places where Truex, Busch and Erik Jones won last year. They all drive for Gibbs at the moment, so perhaps Team Penske should feel a bit relieved after taking advantage of its opportunity at Michigan, where JGR has won only one of the past 15 races.
JGR has managed to win nine races despite having no poles yet this year. Logano was actually the first driver to win from the pole all season — although all three of his career wins at MIS were as the pole winner.
Just another factor that appeared to work in Penske's favor in Michigan.
"I think there's a lot of advantages to winning the pole here in Michigan. Number one being the pit stall you get is the best pit stall in not only this racetrack but probably the whole sport when it comes to winning a pole here," Logano said. "That first pit stall is really good. It's really close to the camera line, which obviously puts you in what position you're in when you're leaving. The closer it is, the faster the stall. Pretty big advantage to get it here. That pays rewards throughout the whole race.
"We had a fast car. We kept it out front."
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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353: Why Some Companies Last and Others Don't
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689: Stopping White-Collar Crime at Your Company
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686: Why You Need Innovation Capital — And How to Get It
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682: How Having a Rival Improves Performance
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677: Why People — and Companies — Need Purpose
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676: The Right Way to Get Your First 1,000 Customers
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675: Why U.S. Working Moms Are So Stressed – And What To Do About It
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674: A Theoretical Physicist (and Entrepreneur) on Why Companies Stop Innovating
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673: Why Are We Still Promoting Incompetent Men?
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672: Make Customers Happier with Operational Transparency
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671: Fixing Tech's Gender Gap
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670: How Innovative Companies Help Frontier Markets Grow
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669: How to Cope With a Mid-Career Crisis
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668: Why Business Jargon Isn’t All Bad
Anne Curzan, English professor at the University of Michigan, studies the evolution of language. While many of us roll our eyes at bizspeak — from …
667: Use Your Money to Buy Happier Time
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666: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace
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665: How Retirement Changes Your Identity
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664: The Harsh Reality of Innovative Companies
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663: How One Google Engineer Turned Tragedy into a Moonshot
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662: Improving Civility in the Workplace
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661: How One CEO Creates Joy at Work
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660: Why It’s So Hard to Sell New Products
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659: The Right Way to Solve Complex Business Problems
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658: Speak Out Successfully
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657: How Your Identity Changes When You Change Jobs
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656: Why Management History Needs to Reckon with Slavery
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655: Avoiding Miscommunication In A Digital World
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643: Networking Myths Dispelled
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639: Turning Purpose Into Performance
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638: The 2 Types of Respect Leaders Must Show
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632: Bill Clinton and James Patterson on Collaboration and Cybersecurity
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630: How AI Is Making Prediction Cheaper
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628: Choosing a Strategy for Your Startup
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627: Use Learning to Engage Your Team
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626: Why Technical Experts Make Great Leaders
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625: How AI Can Improve How We Work
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624: You May Be a Workaholic If
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623: Make Work Engaging Again
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622: Why CEOs Are Taking a Stand
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621: Leading with Less Ego
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620: McKinsey's Head on Why Corporate Sustainability Efforts Are Falling Short
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619: Harvard's President on Leading During a Time of Change
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618: Make Tools Like Slack Work for Your Company
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617: The CEO of Merck on Race, Leadership, and High Drug Prices
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616: The Future of MBA Education
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615: Does Your Firm See You as a High Potential?
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614: Women at Work: Make Yourself Heard
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613: Controlling Your Emotions During a Negotiation
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612: For Better Customer Service, Offer Options, Not Apologies
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611: Why Leaders Should Make a Habit of Teaching
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610: Hiring the Best People
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609: Breaking Down the New U.S. Corporate Tax Law
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608: Making Unlimited Vacation Time Work
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607: How Technology Tests Our Trust
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606: Box’s CEO on Pivoting to the Enterprise Market
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605: Why More CEOs Should Be Hired from Within
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604: Dow Chemical's CEO on Running an Environmentally Friendly Multinational
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603: When ‘Best Practices’ Backfire
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602: The Hardscrabble Business of Chinese Manufacturing in Africa
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601: Astronaut Scott Kelly on Working in Space
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600: 2017's Top-Performing CEO on Getting Product Right
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599: Everyday People Who Led Momentous Change
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598: So, You Want to Join a Startup
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597: How Successful Solopreneurs Make Money
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596: Microsoft's CEO on Rediscovering the Company's Soul
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595: Transcending Either-Or Decision Making
Jennifer Riel, an adjunct professor at the Rotman School of Management, presents a model way to solve problems: integrative thinking. It’s taking the …
594: Find Your Happy Place at Work
Annie McKee, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the book “How to Be Happy at Work,” tells the story of her journey to happiness—starting with her early job as a caregiver for an elderly …
593: How to Fix "Team Creep"
Mark Mortensen, an associate professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD, discusses the research on "multiteaming"—when employees work not only …
592: Why Everyone Should See Themselves as a Leader
Sue Ashford, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, breaks down her decades of research on leadership—who achieves it, …
591: Basic Competence Can Be a Strategy
Raffaella Sadun, a professor at Harvard Business School, explains why seemingly common-sensical management practices are so hard to implement. After …
590: How the U.S. Navy is Responding to Climate Change
Forest Reinhardt and Michael Toffel, Harvard Business School professors, talk about how a giant, global enterprise that operates and owns assets at …
589: When to Listen to a Dire Warning
Richard Clarke, former counterterrorism adviser to U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, has made a career of investigating disaster warnings. The way he sees it, catastrophes can happen at any time, so why …
588: When Startups Scrapped the Business Plan
Steve Blank, entrepreneurship lecturer at Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Columbia, talks about his experience of coming to Silicon Valley and building …
587: Build Your Portfolio Career
Kabir Sehgal, a corporate strategist, Grammy-winning producer, investment banker, bestselling author, and military reserve officer, talks about …
586: How AI Is Already Changing Business
Erik Brynjolfsson, MIT Sloan School professor, explains how rapid advances in machine learning are presenting new opportunities for businesses. He …
585: Nike's Co-founder on Innovation, Culture, and Succession
Phil Knight, former chair and CEO of Nike, tells the story of starting the sports apparel and equipment giant after taking an entrepreneurship class at Stanford and teaming up with his former track coach, Bill Bowerman. …
584: How Authority and Decision-Making Differ Across Cultures
Erin Meyer, professor at INSEAD, discusses management hierarchy and decision-making across cultures. Turns out, these two things don’t always track …
583: Mental Preparation Secrets of Top Athletes, Entertainers, and Surgeons
Dan McGinn, senior editor at Harvard Business Review, talks about what businesspeople can learn from how top performers and athletes prepare for their big moments. In business, a big sales meeting, presentation, or …
582: The Talent Pool Your Company Probably Overlooks
Robert Austin, a professor at Ivey Business School, and Gary Pisano, a professor at Harvard Business School, talk about the growing number of …
581: Blockchain — What You Need to Know
Karim Lakhani, Harvard Business School professor and co-founder of the HBS Digital Initiative, discusses blockchain, an online record-keeping …
580: Which Type of Entrepreneur Are You?
Chris Kuenne, entrepreneurship lecturer at Princeton, and John Danner, senior fellow at the Lester Center for Entrepreneurship at UC Berkeley’s Haas …
579: Why Finance Needs More Humanity, and Why Humanity Needs Finance
Mihir Desai, professor at Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School, argues for re-humanizing finance. He says the practice of finance, with …
578: 4 Behaviors of Top-Performing CEOs
Elena Botelho, partner at leadership advisory firm ghSmart, talks about the disconnect between the stereotype of the CEO and what research shows actually leads to high performance at that level. She says the image of …
577: Why Doesn't More of the Working Class Move for Jobs?
Joan C. Williams, director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, discusses …
576: How to Survive Being Labeled a Star
Jennifer Petriglieri, professor at INSEAD, discusses how talented employees can avoid being crushed by lofty expectations -- whether their own, or others'. She has researched how people seen as "high potential" often …
575: Low-Risk, High-Reward Innovation
Wharton professor David Robertson discusses a "third way" to innovate besides disruptive and sustaining innovations. He outlines this approach through the examples of companies including LEGO, GoPro, Victoria's Secret, …
574: Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant on Resilience
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg talks about returning to work after her husband’s death, and Wharton management and psychology professor Adam Grant …
573: Our Delusions About Talent
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at University College London, dispels some of the myths that have persisted in the 20 years …
572: To Reinvent Your Firm, Do Two Things at the Same Time
Scott D. Anthony, Innosight managing partner, discusses why established corporations should be better at handling disruptive threats. He lays out a …
571: Dealing with Conflict Avoiders and Seekers
Amy Gallo, HBR contributing editor, discusses a useful tactic to more effectively deal with conflict in the workplace: understanding whether you …
570: How Personalities Affect Team Chemistry
Deloitte national managing director Kim Christfort talks about the different personality styles in an organization and the challenges of bringing them together. Her firm has developed a classification system to help …
569: The Rise of Corporate Inequality
Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom discusses the research he's conducted showing what’s really driving the growth of income inequality: a widening gap …
568: Break Out of Your Managerial Bubble
Hal Gregersen, executive director of the MIT Leadership Center at Sloan School of Management, says too many CEOs and executives are in a bubble, one …
567: Making Intel More Diverse
Danielle Brown, Intel Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, talks about the corporation’s $300 million initiative to increase diversity, the …
566: Reduce Organizational Drag
Michael Mankins, Bain & Company partner and head of the firm's Organization practice, explains how organizations unintentionally fail to manage their employees' time and energy. He also lays out what managers can do …
565: Globalization: Myth and Reality
Pankaj Ghemawat, professor at NYU Stern and IESE business schools, debunks common misconceptions about the current state and extent of globalization. …
564: Why You Should Buy a Business (and How to Do It)
Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff, professors at Harvard Business School, spell out an overlooked career path: buying a business and running it as …
563: Escape Your Comfort Zone
Andy Molinsky, professor of organizational behavior at Brandeis International Business School, discusses practical techniques for getting outside of …
562: Business Leadership Under President Trump
Larry Summers, former U.S. treasury secretary, is calling on American business leaders to stand up to President Donald Trump. Summers sharply criticizes the administration’s protectionist agenda, and he says it’s time …
561: Generosity Burnout
Senior leaders Brad Feld, Sarah Robb O’Hagan, Mike Ghaffary, Heidi Roizen, and John Rogers Jr. discuss burning out on giving, the techniques they use to avoid it, and how they recognize it in their employees.
560: Stopping and Starting With Success
Jerry Seinfeld shares his insights into innovation, self-criticism, and how to know when to quit. The U.S. comedian conquered 1990s television with his sitcom and is now finding a new audience for his online talk show, …
559: Voices from the January-February 2017 Issue
Roger Martin of Rotman School of Management, Paul Zak of Claremont Graduate University, Clayton Christensen of Harvard Business School, comedian …
558: Collaborating Better Across Silos
Harvard Law School lecturer Heidi K. Gardner discusses how firms gain a competitive edge when specialists collaborate across functional boundaries. …
557: Restoring Sanity to the Office
Basecamp CEO Jason Fried says too many people find it difficult to get work done at the workplace. His company enforces quiet offices, fewer …
556: The Secret to Better Problem Solving
Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg discusses a nimbler approach to diagnosing problems than existing frameworks: reframing. He’s the author of “Are You …
555: What Superconsumers Can Teach You
Eddie Yoon, author of "Superconsumers" and growth strategy expert at The Cambridge Group, explains how companies can find their most passionate customers and use their invaluable insights to improve products and attract …
554: The "Jobs to be Done" Theory of Innovation
Clayton Christensen, professor at Harvard Business School, builds upon the theory of disruptive innovation for which he is well-known. He speaks …
553: Handling Stress in the Moment
HBR contributing editor Amy Gallo discusses the best tactics to recognize, react to, and recover from stressful situations. She's a contributor to …
552: How Focusing on Content Leads the Media Astray
Bharat Anand, author of The Content Trap and professor at Harvard Business School, talks about the strategic challenges facing digital businesses, …
551: Why the White Working Class Voted for Trump
Joan C. Williams, distinguished professor and director of the Center for WorkLife Law at UC Hastings, discusses the white working class voters who helped elect Republican Donald Trump as U.S. President, and why Democrat …
550: A Leadership Historian on the U.S. Presidential Election
Harvard Business School professor Nancy Koehn talks about the surprising election of businessman Donald Trump as U.S. president, and what leaders …
549: Re-Orgs Are Emotional
Stephen Heidari-Robinson and Suzanne Heywood, authors of "ReOrg: How to Get It Right" explain how good planning and communication can help employees adapt.
548: The 10 People Who Globalized the World
Jeffrey Garten of Yale School of Management discusses how Genghis Khan, Mayer Amschel Rothschild, Margaret Thatcher, and others made the world more …
547: What the World's Best CEOs Have in Common
Long-term thinking, short-term savvy, and relentless focus on employees.
546: Power Corrupts, But It Doesn't Have To
Authority changes us all. Berkeley's Dacher Keltner, author of the HBR article "Don't Let Power Corrupt You" and the book "The Power Paradox" explains how to avoid succumbing to power's negative effects.
545: When Not to Trust the Algorithm
Cathy O'Neil, author of "Weapons of Math Destruction" on how data can lead us astray–from HR to Wall Street.
544: Macromanagement Is Just as Bad as Micromanagement
Tanya Menon, associate professor at Fisher College of Management, Ohio State University, explains how to recognize if your management style is too …
543: Building Emotional Agility
Susan David, author of "Emotional Agility" and psychologist at Harvard Medical School, on learning to unhook from strong feelings.
542: Excessive Collaboration
Rob Cross, professor at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, explains how work became an exhausting marathon of group projects. …
541: Making the Toughest Calls
Joseph Badaracco, Harvard Business School professor, explains what to do when no decision feels like a good decision. He is the author of "Managing …
540: Email: Is It Time to Just Ban It?
David Burkus, author of "Under New Management", explains why some companies are taking extreme measures to limit electronic communication. Burkus is also a professor at Oral Roberts University and host of the podcast …
539: The Connection Between Speed and Charisma
Bill von Hippel, professor at the University of Queensland, on how the ability to think and respond quickly makes someone seem more charismatic.
538: How Work Changed Love
Moira Weigel explains how the changing nature of work has reshaped the way we meet, date, and fall in love. She's the author of "Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating" and is completing a Ph.D. at Yale University.
537: Negotiating with a Liar
Leslie John, Harvard Business School professor, explains why you shouldn't waste time trying to detect your counterpart's lies; instead, use tactics …
536: In Praise of Dissenters and Non-Conformists
Adam Grant, Wharton professor and author of "Originals", on the science of standing out.
535: The Zappos Holacracy Experiment
Ethan Bernstein, Harvard Business School professor, and John Bunch, holacracy implementation lead at Zappos, discuss the online retailer's transition …
534: The Era of Agile Talent
More of us are working in organizations employing a mix of freelancers, contractors, consultants, and full-timers, explains Jonathan Younger, …
533: We Can't Work All the Time
Anne-Marie Slaughter on (finally) bringing sanity to the work/life struggle.
532: Teaching Creativity to Leaders
Tim Brown, CEO and president of IDEO, on breakthrough problem-solving.
531: Brexit and the Leadership Equivalent of Empty Calories
Mark Blyth of Brown University and Gianpiero Petriglieri of INSEAD discuss Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
530: A Brief History of 21st Century Economics
Tim Sullivan, co-author with Ray Fisman of "The Inner Lives of Markets," on how we shape economic theory -- and how it shapes us.
529: Greg Louganis on How to Achieve Peak Performance
The champion diver explains how visualization and ambitious goal-setting helped him achieve double gold medals in back-to-back Olympic Games and why …
528: Getting Growth Back at Your Company
Chris Zook of Bain explains the predictable crises of growth and how to overcome them. His new book is "The Founder's Mentality," coauthored with James Allen.
527: Asking for Advice Makes People Think You're Smarter
The research shows we shouldn't be afraid to ask for help. Francesca Gino and Alison Wood Brooks, both of Harvard Business School, explain.
526: Yo-Yo Ma on Successful Creative Collaboration
The acclaimed cellist explains how he chooses and works with partners and shares advice on honing one's talent.
525: Be a Work/Life-Friendly Boss
Managers play a huge role in their employees' personal lives, which in turn affects productivity, morale, and turnover at work. Professor Scott …
524: Make Better Decisions
Therese Huston, Ph.D. and author of "How Women Decide," offers research-based tips for both men and women on how to make high quality, defensible decisions -- and sell them to your team.
523: Let Employees Be People
Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey, both of Harvard, discuss what they've learned from studying radically transparent organizations where people at all …
522: Isabel Allende on Fiction and Feminism
The bestselling author describes her creative process and explains why she was always determined to have a career.
521: The Condensed May 2016 Issue
Amy Bernstein, editor of HBR, offers executive summaries of the major features.
520: Understanding Agile Management
Darrell Rigby of Bain and Jeff Sutherland of Scrum explain the rise of lean, iterative management tactics, and how to implement them yourself.
519: Smart Managers Don't Compare People to the "Average"
Todd Rose, the Director of the Mind, Brain, & Education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the author of "The End of …
518: Life's Work: Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Iconic relationship expert Dr. Ruth discusses what she's learned over a long career.
517: How to Say No to More Work
Karen Dillon, author of the "HBR Guide to Office Politics", explains how to gracefully decline excessive projects–and thankless tasks.
516: The Condensed April 2016 Issue
515: Are Leaders Getting Too Emotional?
There's a lot of crying and shouting both in politics and at the office. Gautam Mukunda of Harvard Business School and Gianpiero Petriglieri of …
514: Your Coworkers Should Know Your Salary
Pay transparency is actually a way better system than pay secrecy. David Burkus, professor at Oral Roberts University and author of "Under New Management," explains why.
513: Talking About Race at Work
Kira Hudson Banks, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the department of psychology at Saint Louis University, and a principal at consulting firm the …
512: The Art of the Interview
Job interviews can feel more like a stylized ritual than a normal conversation. Esquire writer and journalist Cal Fussman, who's interviewed scores of people from Mikhail Gorbachev to Jeff Bezos to Dr. Dre, gives us his …
511: The Condensed March 2016 Issue
510: Closing the Strategy-Execution Gap
Paul Leinwand, co-author of the book "Strategy That Works," explains how successful companies solve this thorny problem.
509: Be a Superboss
Lorne Michaels, Bill Walsh, Alice Waters–all have had a disproportionate impact in their respective industries through their knack for collecting and …
508: How to Give Constructive Feedback
Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman have administered thousands of 360-degree assessments through their consulting firm, Zenger/Folkman. This has given …
507: Being Happier at Work
Emma Seppälä, Stanford researcher and author of "The Happiness Track," explains the proven benefits of a positive outlook; simple ways to increase your sense of well-being; and why it's not about being ecstatic or …
506: Stop Focusing on Your Strengths
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor at University College London and Columbia University and CEO of Hogan Assessments, explains how the fad for …
505: Make Peace with Your Inner Critic
Tara Mohr, author of Playing Big, explains how to deal with self-doubt (or help someone else manage theirs).
504: Achieve Your Goals (Finally)
Heidi Grant Halvorson, author of "No One Understands You and What to Do About It" and "9 Things Successful People Do Differently," explains how to …
503: Marketing Lessons for Companies Big and Small
Denise Lee Yohn, author of "Extraordinary Experiences" and "What Great Brands Do," explains what we can learn from retail and restaurant brands
502: The Condensed January-February 2016 Issue
December 23rd, 2015
501: Life's Work: Neil deGrasse Tyson
In every issue, we feature a conversation with someone who's been wildly successful outside the traditional business world. This time, it's an …
500: Becoming a More Authentic Leader
Bill George, Harvard Business School professor and author of "Discover Your True North," gives advice to both new and experienced leaders.
499: Accenture's CEO on Leading Change
Pierre Nanterme discusses the forces changing consulting, and other knowledge-intensive industries.
498: 4 Types of Conflict and How to Manage Them
Amy Gallo, author of the "HBR Guide to Managing Conflict at Work," explains the options.
497: The Condensed December 2015 Issue
496: Katie Couric on the Shifting Landscape of News
The renowned American journalist talks with HBR senior editor Dan McGinn.
495: Slide Deck Presentations Don't Have to Be Terrible
Evan Loomis and Evan Baehr, coauthors of "Get Backed," on how to win someone over with PowerPoint.
494: Simple Rules for Creating Great Places to Work
Gareth Jones, author of "Why Should Anyone Work Here?", explains the things managers know, but struggle to do.
493: The Man Behind Siri Explains How to Start a Company
Norman Winarsky, coauthor of "If You Really Want to Change the World," on ventures that scale.
492: China and the Biggest Startup You've Probably Never Heard of
Clay Shirky talks about Xiaomi, the subject of his new book, "Little Rice."
491: What Makes Social Entrepreneurs Successful?
Sally Osberg, president and CEO of the Skoll Foundation and author of "Getting Beyond Better" with Roger Martin.
490: The Condensed November 2015 Issue
489: Disrupt Your Career, and Yourself
Whitney Johnson, author of "Disrupt Yourself," on taking the big risks we secretly want to.
488: Why the Term "Thought Leader" Isn't Gross
Dorie Clark, author of "Stand Out," on having more influence.
487: Your Office's Hidden Artists and How to Work with Them
Kimberly Elsbach, author of the HBR article "Collaborating with Creative Peers," on collaborating better with a certain type of colleague.
486: Build Your Character (at Least for a Day)
Tiffany Shlain, filmmaker, on why we need more time to develop our inner selves.
485: The Creator of WordPress
Matt Mullenweg, founder and CEO of Automattic, on growth, leadership, and mindfulness.
484: The Condensed October 2015 Issue
483: What's Your Digital Quotient?
Kate Smaje of McKinsey explains how it's about more than being tech-savvy.
482: PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi on Design Thinking
How PepsiCo is harnessing the power of design.
481: Salman Rushdie on Creativity and Criticism
The acclaimed writer describes how he develops his novels, what he expects from reviewers, and why business people should still read fiction.
480: Become a Better Listener
Mark Goulston, psychiatrist and author of "Just Listen," explains how.
479: The Condensed September 2015 Issue
478: Building Healthy Teams
Mary Shapiro, author of the "HBR Guide to Leading Teams" and professor at Simmons, on dealing with conflict and other issues.
477: How Science and Tech Are Changing the Human Body
Juan Enriquez and Steve Gullans explain how we're "evolving ourselves."
476: The CEO of YP on Leading Digital Transformation
David Krantz, the CEO of YP (formerly the Yellow Pages), explains how they've reinvented their business.
475: "Social Media-Savvy CEO" Is No Oxymoron
Charlene Li, author of "The Engaged Leader," on why and how senior executives are diving into online networks.
474: Test-Taking Comes to the Office
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, author of the HBR article "Ace the Assessment," explores the rising practice of using tests in hiring and promotion decisions.
473: Can HR Be Saved?
Peter Cappelli, author of the HBR article, "Why We Love to Hate HR...and What HR Can Do About It," on perhaps the least popular function in business.
472: Michael Lynton on Surviving the Biggest Corporate Hack in History
The CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment discusses the crisis with editor-in-chief Adi Ignatius.
471: The Condensed July-August 2015 Issue
470: Beating Digital Overload with Digital Tools
Alexandra Samuel, online engagement expert and author of "Work Smarter with Social Media," on the tools you should use--and the ones you could be …
469: Are Robots Really Coming for Our Jobs?
James Bessen, economist and former software executive, on what we can learn from 19th century mill workers about innovation, wages, and technology.
468: George Mitchell on Effective Negotiation
The former U.S. Senate majority leader and U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland and the Middle East describes his approach to resolving disputes and …
467: Evernote's CEO on the New Ways We Work
Phil Libin discusses the impact of technology--from Microsoft Word to wearables--on our collaboration and productivity.
466: Making Sense of Digital Disruption
R. "Ray" Wang, author of "Disrupting Digital Business" on how business is transforming.
465: The Condensed June 2015 Issue
464: Consumer Privacy in the Digital Age
Timothy Morey and Allison Schoop, both of frog, on designing customer data systems that promote transparency and trust.
463: Why We Pretend to Be Workaholics
Erin Reid of Boston University on why men (but not women) feign long working hours.
462: Ethical CEOs Finish First
Fred Kiel, author of "Return on Character," explains his research on why being good benefits the bottom line.
461: Brian Grazer on the Power of Curiosity
The Oscar-winning producer explains why a passion for learning--about other people and pursuits--has been the key to his success.
460: Understand How People See You
Heidi Grant Halvorson, author of "No One Understands You and What to Do About It," explains the science of perception.
458: Making Health Care More Consumer-Driven
Regina Herzlinger, Harvard Business School professor, talks about how to dismantle the barriers to innovation in care delivery.
457: Case Study: Reinvent This Retailer
Hear this story based on real events at J.C. Penney. A discussion with contributor Jill Avery and editor Andy O'Connell follows.
456: Your Brain's Ideal Schedule
Ron Friedman, Ph.D., author of "The Best Place to Work," on how to structure your day to get the most done.
455: Blue Ocean Strategy and Red Ocean Traps
Renée Mauborgne of INSEAD explains how a landmark idea is evolving. She is coauthor, along with W. Chan Kim, of "Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded …
453: Set Habits You'll Actually Keep
Gretchen Rubin, author of "Better than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives," explains that you've got to know your habit-setting style.
452: Goldie Hawn on Female Leadership
The Hollywood icon explains why she moved from acting to producing and directing, then launched a foundation that teaches mindfulness to kids.
451: Be Less Reactive and More Proactive
Peter Bregman, author of "Four Seconds," on changing the way you lead.
450: Marissa Mayer's Yahoo
Nicholas Carlson, author of "Marissa Mayer and the Fight to Save Yahoo," on the CEO's management style.
449: Why Leadership Feels Awkward
Herminia Ibarra, author of "Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader" and professor at INSEAD, on moving forward, even when it's not comfortable.
447: GoDaddy's CEO on Leading Change
Blake Irving talks about the company's renewed focus on small businesses and bringing on a new leadership team.
446: Signs You're Secretly Annoying Your Colleagues
Muriel Maignan Wilkins, coauthor of "Own the Room," on the flaws everyone's too polite to point out.
445: Innovation Needs a System
David Duncan, senior partner at Innosight and coauthor of "Build an Innovation Engine in 90 Days," explains how to organize corporate creativity.
444: What Still Stifles Ambitious Women
Pamela Stone, professor at Hunter College, on the surprising findings from a massive study of MBAs.
443: How to Negotiate Better
Jeff Weiss, author of the "HBR Guide to Negotiating" and partner at Vantage Partners, explains how to prepare to be persuasive.
442: Skills We Can Learn from Games
Andrew Innes, game designer, product manager, and author of "What Board Games Can Teach Business."
440: What Makes Teams Smart (or Dumb)
Cass Sunstein, Harvard professor and author of "Wiser: Getting Beyond Groupthink to Make Groups Smarter."
439: Communicate Better with Your Global Team
Tsedal Neeley, Harvard Business School professor, explains how globally distributed teams can collaborate better together.
438: Explaining Silicon Valley's Success
AnnaLee Saxenian, author of the classic book "Regional Advantage," still thinks the area's future is bright.
437: Learning What Wiser Workers Know
Dorothy Leonard, author of "Critical Knowledge Transfer" and Harvard Business School professor, on retaining organizational expertise.
436: Making Good Decisions
Stanford's Ron Howard, one of the fathers of decision analysis, explains how it's done.
434: Boris Johnson on Influence and Ambition
The mayor of London explains why Churchill is a role model and whether his aspirations include the Prime Minister's office.
433: How to Change Someone's Behavior with Minimal Effort
Steve J. Martin, coauthor of "The Small Big: Small Changes That Spark Big Influence," on the little things that persuade.
432: Is the Corporate Campus Dying?
Jennifer Magnolfi, Founder & Principal Investigator at Programmable Habitats LLC, on how digital work, and the Internet of Things will …
431: Myths About Entrepreneurship
Linda Rottenberg, author of "Crazy Is a Compliment," on what it really takes to start a business.
430: Disrupting TV's Status Quo
Famed producer Norman Lear on developing groundbreaking sitcoms, managing creative partnerships and the lessons he wants to pass on to the next generation.
428: Focus More on Value Capture
Stefan Michel, professor at IMD, says your business should rethink how it captures value, not just how it creates it.
427: Does Your Sales Team Know Your Strategy?
Frank Cespedes, HBS professor and author of "Aligning Strategy and Sales," explains how to get the front line on board.
426: How Google Manages Talent
Eric Schmidt, executive chairman, and Jonathan Rosenberg, former SVP of products, explain how the company manages their smart, creative team.
425: Fixing the College Grad Hiring Process
Sanjeev Agrawal, Collegefeed cofounder and CEO, explains what recruiters, new graduates, and college career centers need to do differently.
424: How Silicon Valley Became Uncool
Walter Frick, HBR editor, explains why we valorize tech heroes from the past, but scoff at today's entrepreneurs.
422: The Fall of the Talent Economy?
Roger Martin, former dean of the Rotman School of Management, on why talent's powerful economic position is unsustainable.
421: Privacy’s Shrinking Future
Scott Berinato, senior editor at Harvard Business Review, on how companies benefit from transparency about customer data.
420: How to Stop Corporate Inversions
Bill George and Mihir Desai, professors at Harvard Business School, explain why our corporate tax code is driving American business overseas.
419: Prevent Employees from Leaking Data
David Upton and Sadie Creese, both of Oxford, explain why the scariest threats are from insiders.
417: The Art of Managing Science
J. Craig Venter, the biologist who led the effort to sequence human DNA, on unlocking the human genome and the importance of building extraordinary …
416: The Dangers of Confidence
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor at University College London, on how confidence masks incompetence.
415: The Future of Talent Is Potential
Linda Hill, Harvard Business School professor, and Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, senior adviser at Egon Zehnder, on the talent strategies that set up a …
414: To Do Things Better, Stop Doing So Much
Greg McKeown, author of "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less," on the importance of being "absurdly selective" in how we use our time.
413: Marc Andreessen and Jim Barksdale on How to Make Money
The tech luminaries on bundling and unbundling in the digital age.
412: The Fukushima Meltdown That Didn't Happen
Charles Casto, recently retired from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, on how smart leadership saved the second Fukushima power plant.
411: Yang Yuanqing: The HBR Interview
Lenovo's CEO on how the PC leader is poised to win in the "PC plus" world.
409: When to Go with Your Gut
Gerd Gigerenzer, director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, on how to know when simple rules and snap decisions will outperform …
408: Succeeding Quietly in Our Recognition-Obsessed Culture
David Zweig, author of "Invisibles," on employees who value good work over self-promotion.
407: The Secret History of White-Collar Offices
Nikil Saval, editor at n+1, on how gender, politics, and unions have affected the American workplace since the Civil War.
406: Cross-Culture Work in a Global Economy
Erin Meyer, affiliate professor at INSEAD and author of "The Culture Map," on why memorizing a list of etiquette rules doesn't work.
405: How to Manage Wall Street
Sam Palmisano, former CEO of IBM, on striking a balance between running a company for the long term and keeping investors happy.
404: Taking Business Back from Wall Street
Gautam Mukunda, HBS professor, on the dangers of managing companies for shareholders.
403: Time Is a Company's Most Valuable Resource
Michael Mankins, partner at Bain & Company, on how to get the most out of meetings.
402: Ruth Reichl on Challenging Career Moves
The renowned author and former editor of Gourmet talks about the magazine's closure and her recent transition to fiction writing.
401: Social Physics Can Change Your Company (and the World)
Sandy Pentland, MIT professor, on how big data is revealing the science behind how we work together, based on his book "Social Physics: How Good Ideas Spread."
400: Best of the IdeaCast
Featuring Jeff Bezos, Howard Schultz, Francis Ford Coppola, Maya Angelou, Nancy Koehn, Rob Goffee, Gareth Jones, Cathy Davidson, and Mark Blyth.
399: How Companies Can Embrace Speed
John Kotter, author of "Accelerate," on how slow-footed organizations can get faster.
398: How Unusual CEOs Drive Value
William Thorndike, investor and author of "The Outsiders," looks at some less-known but more effective executives.
397: Are You the "Real You" in the Office?
Harvard's Robert Kegan on companies that do really personal development.
396: Identify Your Primary Customer
Robert Simons, Harvard Business School professor, says companies still struggle to choose the right customer.
395: Our Bizarre Fascination with Stories of Doom
Andrew O'Connell, HBR editor, explains why we find tales of disaster so compelling.
394: Is Work-Family Conflict Reaching a Tipping Point?
Stewart D. Friedman, Wharton professor and author of "Baby Bust," presents new research.
393: Why So Many Emerging Giants Flame Out
John Jullens of Booz & Company says multinationals from China and other emerging markets must learn to innovate and manage quality while …
392: We Need Economic Forecasters Even Though We Can't Trust Them
Walter Friedman, director of the Business History Initiative at Harvard Business School, on the pioneers of market prediction.
391: How the U.S. Can Regain its Edge
Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, says the U.S. can remain a global leader only if it addresses issues at home.
390: John Cleese Has a Serious Side
The iconic comedian speaks with HBR's Adi Ignatius about work, life, and, yes, comedy.
389: Getting Excellence to Spread
Bob Sutton, Stanford University professor, talks about his book, "Scaling Up Excellence: Getting to More Without Settling for Less" (coauthored by Huggy Rao).
388: Building the Agile Workforce
Jeffrey Joerres, CEO of ManpowerGroup, on finding the talent you need in an unpredictable world.
387: Salman Khan on the Online Learning Revolution
The founder of the Khan Academy talks with HBR senior editor Alison Beard.
386: The Management Style of Robert Gates
The former Secretary of Defense talks with HBR editor-in-chief Adi Ignatius about his new book, "Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War."
385: Nomadic Leaders Need Roots
Gianpiero Petriglieri, professor at INSEAD, on the new global elite.
384: The Condensed January-February 2014 Magazine
383: The Management Myths Hurting Your Business
Freek Vermeulen of London Business School explains how best practices become bad practices.
382: The Economics of Online Dating
Paul Oyer, Stanford economist and the author of "Everything I Ever Needed to Know About Economics I Learned from Online Dating," explains the …
381: Reduce Stress with Mindfulness
Maria Gonzalez, author of "Mindful Leadership," explains how to minimize stress -- not just manage it. Contains a brief guided breathing exercise.
380: The Big Benefits of a Little Thanks
Francesca Gino and Adam Grant, of Harvard Business School and Wharton, respectively, discuss their research on gratitude and generosity.
379: Improving Management at Google
Eric Clayberg, Google software-engineering manager, talks with Harvard Business School professor David Garvin about the feedback and training that he …
378: Get a Dysfunctional Team Back on Track
Roger Schwarz, author of "Smart Leaders, Smarter Teams," explains how to build trust and accountability on your team.
377: Editors' Picks of the Week
HBR editors read top posts from HBR.org.
376: Feeling Conflicted? Get Out of Your Own Way
Erica Ariel Fox, who teaches negotiation at Harvard Law School, discusses how to resolve inner conflict to lead wisely and live well.
375: What the Best Decision Makers Do
Ram Charan, coauthor of "Boards that Lead," talks about what he's learned in three decades of helping executives make tough decisions.
374: Scott Adams on Whether Management Really Matters
The Dilbert creator talks with HBR senior editor Dan McGinn.
373: Christine Lagarde on the World Economy and the IMF's Future
The managing director of the International Monetary Fund talks with HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius.
372: How Goldman Sachs Drifted
Steven G. Mandis of Columbia Business School discusses his book, "What Happened to Goldman Sachs: An Insider's Story of Organizational Drift and Its …
371: Lead Authentically, Without Oversharing
Lisa Rosh, assistant professor of management at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University, explains how to build trust through skillful …
370: Clay Christensen and Dominic Barton on Consulting's Disruption
The HBS sage and McKinsey head discuss how to stay on top in a rapidly changing industry.
369: Leading Across Sectors
William D. Eggers and Paul Macmillan, authors of "The Solution Revolution," discuss why "triple-strength" leaders are the best problem solvers.
368: How CEOs Are Succeeding in Africa
Jonathan Berman, author of "Success in Africa," busts media myths about the continent.
367: Office Politics for the Pros
Karen Dillon, author of the "HBR Guide to Office Politics," talks with Dorie Clark, author of "Reinventing You."
366: The Rise of the Megacorporation
Richard Adelstein, professor of economics at Wesleyan University and author of "The Rise of Planning in Industrial America, 1864-1914."
365: Why We Love to Hate Consultants
Dan McGinn, HBR senior editor.
364: Working Fathers Need Balance, Too
Joan C. Williams, Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California and coauthor of the forthcoming book, "What Works for Women at Work."
363: How to Schedule Time for Meaningful Work
Julian Birkinshaw and Jordan Cohen, coauthors of the HBR article "Make Time for the Work that Matters."
362: The Women Who Become Board Members
Boris Groysberg and Deborah Bell, authors of the HBR article "Dysfunction in the Boardroom."
361: Big Brain Theory
Adam Waytz and Malia Mason, authors of the HBR article "Your Brain at Work."
360: The Booming Business of Craft Cocktails
Thomas Mooney, co-owner and CEO of House Spirits Distillery.
359: Attacking the Sleep Conspiracy
Russell Sanna, executive director of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
358: IT in the Cloud Era
Aaron Levie, cofounder and CEO of Box.
357: Read Fiction and Be a Better Leader
Joseph Badaracco, Harvard Business School professor.
356: Why We Need to Redefine Intelligence
Scott Barry Kaufman, adjunct assistant professor of psychology at New York University and author of "Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined."
355: Pricing Strategies People Love
Sandeep Baliga and Jeff Ely, professors at the Kellogg School of Management and Northwestern University.
354: The Science of Sharing (and Oversharing)
Jonah Berger, Wharton School professor and author of "Contagious: Why Things Catch On."
352: Talent Strategies for the Post-Loyalty World
Ben Casnocha and Chris Yeh, coauthors of the HBR article "Tours of Duty: The New Employer-Employee Compact."
351: The Secret to Effective Motivation
Heidi Grant Halvorson and E. Tory Higgins, authors of "Focus: Use Different Ways of Seeing the World to Power Success and Influence."
350: Maya Angelou on Courage and Creativity
Dr. Maya Angelou, renowned author.
349: Yes, Business Relies on Nature
Mark Tercek, CEO of The Nature Conservancy and author of "Nature's Fortune: How Business and Society Thrive by Investing in Nature."
348: Building a Company Everyone Loves
Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, authors of the HBR article "Creating the Best Workplace on Earth."
347: Austerity's Big Bait-and-Switch
Mark Blyth, professor at Brown University and author of "Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea."
346: The Truth About Creative Teams
Leigh Thompson, professor at Kellogg School of Management and author of "Creative Conspiracy: The New Rules of Breakthrough Collaboration."
345: Can You "Manage" Your Family?
Bruce Feiler, New York Times columnist and author of "The Secrets of Happy Families."
344: Take Control of Your Time
Elizabeth Grace Saunders, founder and CEO of Real Life E and author of "The 3 Secrets to Effective Time Investment."
343: Sheryl Sandberg: The HBR Interview
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO and author of "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead."
342: Solving America's Innovation Crisis
Bruce Nussbaum, professor at Parsons The New School of Design and author of "Creative Intelligence: Harnessing the Power to Create, Connect, and …
341: Improve Your Business Writing
Bryan Garner, editor in chief of Black's Law Dictionary and author of the "HBR Guide to Better Business Writing."
340: Mary Robinson on Influence Without Authority
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland.
339: Why We're All in Sales
Daniel Pink, author of "To Sell Is Human" and the HBR article "A Radical Prescription for Sales."
338: Encyclopaedia Britannica's Transformation
Jorge Cauz, president of Encyclopaedia Britannica.
337: Manage Up and Across with Your Mentor
Jeanne Meister, partner at Future Workplace and contributor to the "HBR Guide to Managing Up and Across."
336: The High Cost of Rudeness at Work
Christine Porath, associate professor at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and coauthor of the HBR article "The Price of …
335: Whole Foods' John Mackey on Capitalism's Moral Code
John Mackey, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market and coauthor of "Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business."
334: Why Organizations Are the Way They Are
Tim Sullivan, editorial director of Harvard Business Review Press and coauthor of "The Org: The Underlying Logic of the Office."
333: Jeff Bezos on Leading for the Long-Term at Amazon
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com.
332: Boost Your Productivity With Social Media
Alexandra Samuel, vice president of social media at Vision Critical.
331: The Rise of the Global Super-Rich
Chrystia Freeland, editor of Thomson Reuters Digital and author of "Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else."
330: Find the Next Disruptor Before it Finds You
Maxwell Wessel, fellow at the Forum for Growth and Innovation and coauthor of the HBR article "Surviving Disruption."
329: The Indispensable, Unlikely Leadership of Abraham Lincoln
Gautam Mukunda, Harvard Business School assistant professor and author of "Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter."
328: Why You Should Cannibalize Your Company
James Allworth, regular contributor to HBR and coauthor of the Nieman Reports article "Breaking News: Mastering the Art of Disruptive Innovation in …
327: The Four Fears Blocking You from Great Ideas
Tom and David Kelley, leaders of IDEO and authors of the forthcoming HBR article "Reclaim Your Creative Confidence."
326: Ernest Shackleton's Lessons for Leaders in Harsh Climates
Nancy Koehn, Harvard Business School historian and editor of "The Story of American Business."
325: How to Get the Right Job
Jodi Glickman, founder of the communication training firm Great on the Job and contributor to the "HBR Guide to Getting a Job."
324: Has America Outsourced Too Much?
Gary Pisano, Harvard Business School professor and coauthor of "Producing Prosperity: Why America Needs a Manufacturing Renaissance."
323: Nate Silver on Predicting the Unpredictable
Nate Silver, statistician and founder of The New York Times political blog FiveThirtyEight.com.
322: Big Data Solves Big Problems
Kevin Boudreau, London Business School professor.
321: Campaign for Your Career
Dorie Clark, strategy consultant and author of the HBR article "A Campaign Strategy for Your Career."
320: China and India Are an Opportunity, Not a Threat
Michael Silverstein, cofounder of The Boston Consulting Group's global consumer practice and coauthor of "The $10 Trillion Prize."
319: How a Culture of Accountability Can Deteriorate
Tom Ricks, journalist and author of the HBR article "What Ever Happened to Accountability?"
318: Reinventing Strategy for the Social Era
Nilofer Merchant, author of "11 Rules for Creating Value in the Social Era."
317: How Campaign Finance Reform Could Help Business
Russ Feingold, former US senator from Wisconsin and founder of Progressives United.
316: What Leaders Can Learn from Jazz
Frank Barrett, jazz pianist and author of "Yes to the Mess: Surprising Leadership Lessons from Jazz."
315: Pressed for Time? Give Some of Yours Away
Cassie Mogilner, assistant professor of marketing at the Wharton School and author of the HBR article "You'll Feel Less Rushed If You Give Time Away."
314: In a Fast World, Think Slowly
Frank Partnoy, professor of law and finance at the University of San Diego and author of "Wait: The Art and Science of Delay."
313: What's Wrong with Today's Entrepreneurs
Dan McGinn, HBR senior editor and author of the article "Too Many Pivots, Too Little Passion."
312: The New Sales Playbook
Matt Dixon, director at Corporate Executive Board and coauthor of the HBR article "The End of Solutions Sales."
311: Sally Ride on Breaking Ground in Aerospace and Education
Sally Ride, former NASA astronaut and founder of Sally Ride Science.
310: The Power of the Introvert in Your Office
Susan Cain, author of "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking."
309: Resilience Strategies for a Volatile World
Andrew Zolli, director of PopTech and coauthor of "Resilience: Why Things Bounce Back."
308: How Effective Leaders Talk (and Listen)
Boris Groysberg and Michael Slind, authors of "Talk, Inc.: How Trusted Leaders Use Conversation to Power Their Organizations."
307: Saving Banks from the Bankers
Sallie Krawcheck, former president of Bank of America Global Wealth & Investment Management and author of the HBR article "Four Ways to Fix Banks."
306: Let Your Employees Bet on the Company
Don Thompson, economist and author of "Oracles: How Prediction Markets Turn Employees into Visionaries."
305: Who Your Customers Want to Become
Michael Schrage, research fellow at MIT Sloan School's Center for Digital Business and author of the HBR Single "Who Do You Want Your Customers to …
304: Habits: Why We Do What We Do
Charles Duhigg, reporter for The New York Times and author of "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business."
303: Make Your Own Culturematic
Grant McCracken, anthropologist and author of "Culturematic: How Reality TV, John Cheever, a Pie Lab, Julia Child, Fantasy Football . . . Will Help …
302: Can an Algorithm Teach Leadership?
Marcus Buckingham, founder of TMBC and author of "StandOut."
301: Unilever's CEO on Making Responsible Business Work
Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever.
300: The Myth of American Decline
Daniel Gross, columnist and economics editor for Yahoo! Finance and author of "Better, Stronger, Faster: The Myth of American Decline . . . and the …
299: Welcome to the G-Zero World
Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group and author of "Every Nation for Itself: Winners and Losers in a G-Zero World."
298: Winning in the Intention Economy
Doc Searls, alumnus fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and author of "The Intention Economy."
297: Growth Isn't Rocket Science
Ken Favaro, senior partner at Booz & Company and coauthor of the HBR article "Creating an Organic Growth Machine."
296: Christiane Amanpour on Leadership and Ambition
Christiane Amanpour, renowned war correspondent and news anchor.
295: Boost Your Productivity with Microbreaks
Charlotte Fritz, assistant professor at Portland State University.
294: Do Women Need Confidence -- Or Quotas?
Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO of the consultancy 20-first and author of "How Women Mean Business."
293: Making Decisions in Groups
Tom Davenport, Babson College professor and coauthor of "Judgment Calls: Twelve Stories of Big Decisions and the Teams That Got Them Right."
292: Good Strategy's Non-Negotiables
Chris Zook, partner at Bain & Company and co-head of the firm's global strategy practice.
291: Getting a Job in Today's Market
John Lees, career strategist and author of "How to Get a Job You'll Love."
290: Restoring America's Innovation Economy
Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School professor and author of the HBR article "Enriching the Ecosystem."
289: How CEO Pay Became a Massive Bubble
Mihir Desai, Harvard Business School professor and author of the HBR article "The Incentive Bubble."
288: When Should You Tell Your Boss You're Pregnant?
Tiziana Casciaro and Lotte Bailyn discuss the HBR case study "When to Make Private News Public."
287: Idea Watch: Harnessing Creativity
Andy O'Connell and Scott Berinato, editors of the Idea Watch section of HBR and The Daily Stat.
286: The End of Customer Service Heroes
Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, authors of "Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business."
285: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Teamwork and Career Transitions
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, basketball legend, New York Times best-selling author, and filmmaker.
284: Designing Spaces for Creative Collaboration
Scott Doorley and Scott Witthoft, co-directors of the Environments Collaborative at the Stanford University d.school and authors of "Make Space."
283: The Right Mindset for Success
Carol Dweck, professor at Stanford University and author of "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success."
282: How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions
Peter Bregman, author of "18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done."
281: Breaking the Work/Family Deadlock
Stephanie Coontz, professor of history at The Evergreen State College and author of "A Strange Stirring."
280: Economics for Humans
Umair Haque, director of the Havas Media Labs and author of "Betterness: Economics for Humans."
279: Business Jargon Is Not a "Value-Add"
Dan Pallotta, president of Advertising for Humanity and author of "Uncharitable."
278: HBR's 2012 List of Audacious Ideas
Scott Berinato, HBR senior editor, featuring the ideas of Yale economist Robert Shiller, journalist Gregg Easterbrook, and Pulitzer Prize-winning …
277: What Motivates Tomorrow's Leaders
John Coleman, coauthor of "Passion and Purpose," with contributors Patrick Chun, Umaimah Mendhro, and Rye Barcott.
276: The Myth of Monotasking
Cathy Davidson, Duke University professor and author of "Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn."
275: Fire All the Managers
Gary Hamel, director of the Management Innovation eXchange and author of the HBR article "First, Let's Fire All the Managers."
274: Social Media's Untapped Power
Misiek Piskorski and Anthony J. Bradley, of Harvard Business School and Gartner Research, respectively.
273: What Successful People Do Differently
Heidi Grant Halvorson, motivational psychologist and author of "Nine Things Successful People Do Differently."
272: Business Wasn't Always the Villain
271: Higher Ambition Leadership
Michael Beer, Harvard Business School professor and coauthor of "Higher Ambition: How Great Leaders Create Economic and Social Value."
270: Keeping Employees Engaged in Tough Times
Douglas Conant, former CEO of Campbell's Soup Company.
269: Steve Jobs: A Perfect CEO
Steven Levy, senior writer at Wired and author of "The Perfect Thing" and "Insanely Great."
268: Debating the Future of Europe: An HBR Event
Sir Michael Rake, chairman of BT Group, and Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former communications director, sat down with editor in chief Adi Ignatius at the launch of Harvard Business Review's London office.
267: Francis Ford Coppola on Family, Fulfillment, and Breaking the Rules
Francis Ford Coppola, acclaimed film director.
266: Coca-Cola's CEO on Doubling the Size of His Company
Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola.
265: The Next Global Talent Pool
Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Ripa Rashid, authors of "Winning the War for Talent in Emerging Markets: Why Women Are the Solution."
264: All Business Is Green Business
Jib Ellison, founder of Blu Skye and coauthor of the HBR article "The Sustainable Economy."
263: Customer Loyalty in the Twitter Era
Fred Reichheld and Rob Markey, authors of "The Ultimate Question 2.0."
262: Tenacious Leadership on the Mountain and in the Organization
Rick Ridgeway, vice president of environmental initiatives at Patagonia.
261: What Health Care Really Costs
Robert S. Kaplan, Harvard Business School professor and coauthor of the HBR article "How to Solve the Cost Crisis in Health Care."
260: Leading in Office, in Crisis, and in Exile
Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile, executive director of UN Women.
259: Key Questions for Leaders
Robert Kaplan, Harvard Business School professor and author of "What to Ask the Person in the Mirror."
258: Pricing Secrets of Ticket Scalpers
Rafi Mohammed, pricing strategy consultant and author of "The 1% Windfall: How Successful Companies Use Price to Profit and Grow."
257: Getting Networking Right
Rob Cross, associate professor at the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce and coauthor of the HBR article "A Smarter Way to Network."
256: Idea Watch: Coworkers, Bosses, and Cubicles
Dan McGinn and Scott Berinato, HBR senior editors.
255: The (Next) Financial Crisis
Nicholas Dunbar, author of "The Devil's Derivatives: The Untold Story of the Slick Traders and Hapless Regulators Who Almost Blew Up Wall Street ... …
254: What Leaders Need to Know About Collaboration
Morten Hansen, professor at the UC Berkeley School of Information and author of "Collaboration."
253: The Education Bubble, Tenure Envy, and Tuition
Justin Fox, editorial director of the HBR Group and author of the article "Disrupting Higher Ed."
252: Disney's CEO on a More Modern Mouse
Robert Iger, CEO of Disney.
251: Why Pink May Not Work as a Breast Cancer Brand
Stefano Puntoni, professor at the Rotterdam School of Management and author of the HBR article "The Color Pink Is Bad for Fighting Breast Cancer."
250: Know Your Power Persona
Maggie Craddock, author of "Power Genes: Understanding Your Power Persona--and How to Wield It at Work."
249: The Hidden Demons of High Achievers
Tom DeLong, Harvard Business School professor and author of "Flying Without a Net: Turn Fear of Change into Fuel for Success."
248: Rebooting America's Job Engine
Henry Nothhaft, serial entrepreneur and author of "Great Again: Revitalizing America's Entrepreneurial Leadership."
247: Can You Make Your Team Smarter?
Anita Woolley, assistant professor of organizational behavior and theory at Carnegie Mellon University and coauthor of the HBR article "What Makes a …
246: When Competitors Give Away the Store
David Bryce, professor of strategy at Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management and coauthor of the HBR article "Competing Against …
245: The Food Crisis, Market Failures, and World 3.0
Pankaj Ghemawat, IESE Business School professor and author of "World 3.0: Global Prosperity and How to Achieve It."
244: Planning Your Post-Retirement Career
Marc Freedman, founder and CEO of Civic Ventures and author of "The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife."
243: Anthony Bourdain on Why Leaders Should Eat with the Locals
Anthony Bourdain, celebrity chef and host of the Travel Channel's "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations."
242: Productivity Secrets of a Very Busy Man
Bob Pozen, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and author of the HBR article "Extreme Productivity."
241: Productivity, Multitasking, and the Death of the Phone
Sherry Turkle, MIT professor and author of "Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other."
240: How Great Management Turned Around Baseball's Worst Team
Jonah Keri, sports and stock market writer; author of "The Extra 2%."
239: Ricky Gervais on Not Having a Real Job
Ricky Gervais, creator of the hit television series "The Office."
238: Who Do You Blame When Things Go Wrong?
Ben Dattner, founder of Dattner Consulting and author of "The Blame Game."
237: Post-Traumatic Growth and Building Resilience
Martin Seligman, director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the HBR article "Building Resilience."
236: Manage Your Organization's Energy
Bernd Vogel, assistant professor of leadership and organizational behavior at the Henley Business School and coauthor of "Fully Charged."
235: Getting Smarter About Mergers and Acquisitions
Andrew Waldeck, partner at Innosight and coauthor of the HBR article "The New M&A Playbook."
234: The Coherence Premium
Paul Leinwand, partner in Booz & Company's global consumer, media, and retail practice; coauthor of "The Essential Advantage."
233: Finding Profit in a World of Free
Saul Berman, vice president and global lead partner for Strategy Consulting at IBM Global Business Services and author of "Not for Free."
232: The Persuasive Power of Uncertainty
Zakary Tormala, associate professor of marketing at Stanford's Graduate School of Business.
231: eBay's CEO on Growth, Acquisitions, and Going Mobile
John Donahoe, CEO of eBay.
230: The Holy Grail of Continuous Growth
Paul Nunes, executive director of research at the Accenture Institute for High Performance and coauthor of "Jumping the S-Curve."
229: How to Fix Capitalism
Michael E. Porter, Bishop William Lawrence University Professor and coauthor of the HBR article "Creating Shared Value."
228: HBR's 2011 Agenda
With insights from A.G. Lafley, Dan Ariely, Bob Sutton, Daniel Pink, and more.
227: The New Global Entrepreneur
Anne Habiby and Deirdre Coyle, cofounders of the AllWorld Network and authors of the HBR article "The High-Intensity Entrepreneur."
226: Guilty People Make Good Managers
Frank Flynn, Stanford Business School professor and subject of the HBR article "Guilt-Ridden People Make Great Leaders."
225: The Glass Cliff Phenomenon
Susanne Bruckmüller, research associate at the Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and coauthor of the HBR article "How Women End Up on the 'Glass Cliff'."
224: Build a Better Business Model
Rita McGrath, Columbia Business School professor and coauthor of "Discovery-Driven Growth."
223: Why a Happy Brain Performs Better
Shawn Achor, CEO of Aspirant and author of "The Happiness Advantage."
222: Idea Watch: How We Sell and Why We Buy
Dan McGinn and Scott Berinato, HBR editors.
221: China's Secret Feud with Multinationals
Thomas Hout, visiting professor at the University of Hong Kong's School of Business and coauthor of the HBR article "China vs the World: Whose …
220: Why Businesses Need to Think Like the Media
Larry Kramer, founder of MarketWatch, Inc., and author of "C-Scape: Conquer the Forces Changing Business Today."
219: Defeat Criticism Before It Goes Viral
Leslie Gaines-Ross, chief reputation strategist at Weber Shandwick and author of the HBR article "Reputation Warfare."
218: The Economics of Mass Collaboration
Don Tapscott, chairman of nGenera Insight and coauthor of "Macrowikinomics: Rebooting Business and the World."
217: Leading Through a Major Crisis
Adm. Thad Allen, USCG (Ret.)
216: Oliver Sacks on Empathy as a Path to Insight
Dr. Oliver Sacks, neurologist and author of "The Mind's Eye."
215: Remaking Marketing at GE
Beth Comstock, chief marketing officer of General Electric and coauthor of the HBR article "Unleashing the Power of Marketing."
214: Talent Analytics: How Do You Measure Up?
Tom Davenport, Babson College professor and coauthor of the HBR article "Competing on Talent Analytics."
213: When Everyone Can See Your Supply Chain
Steve New, head of degree programs at Oxford University's Said Business School and author of the HBR article "The Transparent Supply Chain."
212: The New Era of Empowered Employees
Josh Bernoff, senior vice president of idea development at Forrester Research and coauthor of "Empowered."
211: Managing Older Workers
Peter Cappelli, Wharton School professor and coauthor of "Managing the Older Worker: How to Prepare for the New Organizational Order."
210: Women Are Over-Mentored (But Under-Sponsored)
Herminia Ibarra, professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD and coauthor of the HBR article "Why Men Still Get More Promotions Than Women."
209: Bringing Judgment Back to Finance
Amar Bhidé, professor at Tufts University's Fletcher School and author of "A Call for Judgment: Sensible Finance for a Dynamic Economy."
208: The Man Behind the Brands
Jeff Cruikshank, coauthor of "The Man Who Sold America: The Amazing (but True!) Story of Albert D. Lasker and the Creation of the Advertising …
207: HBR's Idea Watch: Strange-But-True Research Insights
Scott Berinato and Andy O'Connell, editors of the Idea Watch section of Harvard Business Review.
206: The Art of Leading Well
Warren Bennis, professor at the University of Southern California and author of "Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership."
205: Why Delighting Your Customers Is Overrated
Matthew Dixon, managing director of the Corporate Executive Board's Sales and Service Practice.
204: Avoid These Career-Planning Fallacies
Monika Hamori, professor at IE Business School in Madrid and author of the HBR article "Job-Hopping to the Top and Other Career Fallacies."
203: When the Corporate Ladder Becomes a Lattice
Cathleen Benko, vice chairman and chief talent officer for Deloitte LLP and coauthor of "The Corporate Lattice."
202: The Subtleties of Strategic Swearing
Bob Sutton, Stanford University professor and author of "The No Asshole Rule."
201: Howard Schultz on Starbucks' Turnaround
Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks.
200: Telling the Truth About Power
Jeffrey Pfeffer, Stanford Business School professor and author of the HBR article "Power Play."
199: Positive Deviance and Unlikely Innovators
Richard Pascale, associate fellow of Said Business School at Oxford University and coauthor of "The Power of Positive Deviance."
198: What Copycats Know About Innovation
Oded Shenkar, professor at Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business and author of "Copycats."
197: Managing the Productivity Paradox
Tony Schwartz, president and CEO of The Energy Project and author of "The Way We're Working Isn't Working."
196: How to Create an Entrepreneurial Economy
Daniel Isenberg, professor of management practice at Babson College and author of the HBR article "The Big Idea: How to Start an Entrepreneurial …
HBR IdeaCast Copyright 2019 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.
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We almost had a Co. Down outright winner on last Saturday’s Carlisle Stages Rally, but unfortunately a puncture on the final stage dropped Comber’s David Crossen to 4th. David was co-driven in his Mk2 Escort by Cork’s Aileen Kelly and they set some cracking fastest times through the day, even another puncture, on stage 2, not really hampering their progress. However the pair did win their class. Another class winner was Stanley Orr, driving his Mk1 Escort. Stanley was co-driven by Graham Henderson and they were running in the Historic section of the rally. Stanley is well placed in the British Historic Championship. The ‘Open’ section of the rally was won by Roger Chilman/Patrick Walsh, while the Historic victory was taken by Matthew Robinson/Sam Collis. Adrian Hetherington was also competing on the rally but retired when his Escort gearbox cried enough.
On the Sunday, although many were glued to their TV sets to see Rory McIlroy take a much needed victory on the Canadian Open and Lewis Hamilton scoring the win on the Canadian Grand Prix despite his rival Vettel crossing the finish line first in his Ferrari, but having to accept a five second penalty for squeezing the Hamilton Mercedes off the road at one point, there was rally drama closer to home.
For the Heartlands Mini Stages Rally outside Portlaoise, Declan Gallagher switched back to his potent Toyota Starlet and, co-driven by Derek Heena, scored a runaway victory. Torrential rain on the final loop of stages created big problems for the drivers. Pat O’Connell/Mark Wiley had been 2nd for most of the day but Pat got caught out in stage 5 when his Lancer slid into a chicane. Jonathan Pringle had held 2nd on the opening stage, but his Escort succumbed to a broken alternator bracket. Pat described the road on that final loop as ‘mental slippy’, but, although he wasn’t able to continue, he reported the damage to his Mitsubishi as minor. This mishap allowed Mark Alcorn/John O’Donnell into 2nd place with their Escort.
The sensation of that final loop was young Gary McNamee. The Oldcastle man suspected that heavy rain could arrive late in the day. He ran Michelin 21s on his Civic during the early stages, but carried two Pirelli N3s in the boot from stage 2. When the rain arrived, which Frank Kelly described as making the roads like lakes and akin to a skating rink, Gary bolted on the Pirellis and went for it. Always a good driver in wet conditions, Gary and his co-driver Brian Brady scythed their Civic through the top contenders to take a brilliant 3rd place after setting fastest time on the final stage. He remarked afterwards that he thought it was a ‘lovely little rally’, but would have liked a few more chicanes on the first stage where he was on maximum revs in top gear. (His 1.6 litre Civic goes from a standing start to maximum revs (9,900) in just 550 metres).
Just over 80 cars started the rally. Richard Moore & John McGrath were 4th, Martin Toner/Sharon Clarke 5th and Wesley Patterson/Johnny Baird 6th, all three in Mk2 Escorts.
Further news items include the new M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5 making its public debut at the 28th/29th/30th June Ypres Rally in Belgium. It will be driven by Eric Camilli in the role of ‘VIP Car’ – whatever that means! The car should be homologated by Rally Estonia and Sunninen, who is reportedly changing his co-driver to Jarmo Lehtinen, will drive it there. The government in Estonia is throwing its weight behind the event to make it like a mini WRC rally. Ott Tanak has risen to film star status in Estonia and is very much supporting the event. Certainly it would be a great shakedown for the 1000 Lakes – sorry Rally Finland! Elfyn Evans is also down to contest Estonia in his M-Sport Fiesta WRC car.
This weekend Tanak and all the other ‘works’ drivers will be in action on the Italian round, Rally Sardinia. Tanak, having won the last two rounds will doubtless be going for a hat-trick. A reminder of how close the points position is approaching this 8th round is that Ogier (Citroen) is on 142 points, Tanak (Toyota) 140 and Neuville (Hyundai) 132.
Also this weekend is the Motul Rally van Wervik, a brilliant small rally (with 150 plus entries) in Belgium, very close to Ypres Rally territory, but not with the same stages. In recent years a few drivers have entered Wervik to get themselves into the groove for Ypres. It is especially attractive for anyone contesting the British Rally Championship, as Ypres is again a round. One of those is Marty McCormack/Barney Mitchell in their Skoda R5. Others from here making the trip include: John Reddington/Darragh Mullen in their Mk2 Escort, as well as Anthony O’Brien/Niall McDaid in their Lancer. Some of the drivers going from the UK include Jason Pritchard, Damien Cole and Hugh Hunter.
Motorsport Ireland has announced a ‘tweak’ to the Billy Coleman Award scheme. The award started 19 years ago with the aim of giving young Irish drivers a helping hand into International Rallying. The main change to the scheme is cutting back on the number of nominees and additional support, to the tune of €15000 to the two runners up. The overall award is still €50000 of support. The age limit remains at under 26 years.
Looking forward to next weekend’s Joule Donegal Rally, it is interesting that, although the classic event is a round of the Tarmac Championship there are only three ‘R5’ cars in the top ten, six in the top 50. World Rally Cars predominate, with many drivers aiming for an outright win, rather than Tarmac points. That is not to say that an R5 car couldn’t win outright, but a WRC car must surely have the edge. Craig Breen, Sam Moffett, Desi Henry, Donagh Kelly, Declan Boyle and Garry Jennings have all opted for WRC cars. As has Joe McGonigle and Seamus Leonard, the latter listed in a Focus WRC. The highest seeded drivers in R5 cars who will be going for Tarmac points will be last year’s Donegal winner Manus Kelly along with Alastair Fisher, Josh Moffett and Callum Devine.
There are also some good drivers further back in WRC cars as well, including PJ McDermot, Stuart Biggerstaff, Declan McCrory and Ken Block. Of course just outside the top ten is a startlingly good line up of the Modified cars, with iconic Mk2 Escorts predominant although Declan Gallagher in his Starlet could upset that particular apple cart, as could Kevin Eves in his dynamic Corolla.
The most successful co-drivers on the Donegal Rally in recent years have been James O’Brien (5 wins) and Rory Kennedy (4 wins). Rory is sitting with Garry Jennings on this year’s Donegal and we managed a few words with Letterkenny man Rory earlier this week. He opined that Garry must have a chance at another victory, even though his Subaru is not the newest car: “It is as good as Garry can make it. The problem with the driveshaft on the Cavan Rally a few weeks ago was a fault that has never happened before: just one of those things” When asked about the victory odds, Rory continued, “it is hard to see past Craig Breen, he has proved himself on more than one occasion. And Sam Moffett has come really good again recently, as has Declan Boyle. Alastair (Fisher) is going really well, although a WRC car should have the edge over R5. It is wide open though!”
Donegal Motor Club has sourced good quality accommodation for rally crews entered in this years Joule Donegal Rally. Each house sleeps six, is fully equipped to a very high standard and has parking, WiFi, and an on-site restaurant and bar. Enquiries to the Club via e mail to: donegalmotorclub@hotmail.com and as per event website."
Another event coming up fast now (30th June) is the Carrick on Suir Motor Club’s Ravens Rock Rally – the next round in the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, as well as the Suirway Group South Eastern series. James Coleman is again the Clerk of the Course, with Rally HQ at Dooley’s Hotel in Waterford. The rally itself will be centred at Dungarvin with some brand new stages nearby and the service based in the town.
Unfortunately due to a severe weather forecast for Wednesday 12th June the RIAC Picnic in the Park has had to be postponed. The new date is Wednesday 24th July (4pm-8.30) at Marlay Park by kind agreement with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
Brian, Liz and Michael Patterson plus Paul McAuley
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Old man, young man and Planet of the Spiders (1974)
November 4, 2016 johnnyspandrell 2 Comments
“The old man must die,” says ersatz Buhddist monk Cho-je in Pertwee farewell tale Planet of the Spiders, “and the new man will discover to his inexpressible joy that he has never existed.” He’s explaining meditation to go-getter journalist Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), though soon enough she’ll actually be witnessing an old man being made new before her eyes. This is a story which draws parallels between the rejuvenation of the soul and regeneration of the body.
In fact, it’s the story that named the process where one Doctor transforms into another as ‘regeneration’ and in many ways, it’s the story that invents our modern understanding of the concept, as to what a Time Lord does on the point of death. The Doctor’s previous change was forced upon him as a punitive measure. And his first, back in The Tenth Planet, was a mysterious, explanation-light event. Although it’s hinted that the Doctor changed to avoid dying, it’s never overtly stated. It could easily be read as a refreshing of his body’s batteries, rather than a ‘get out of death free card’.
But if his first change was a renewal, and the second a punishment, this one is a genuine revivification. This is the first story where we see the Doctor, for all intents and purposes, die and then come back to life. When the seventh Doctor dies on the streets of San Francisco, his regeneration recalls this one. You have to die first to be reborn.
It’s also a form of natural justice.The War Games presented regeneration as a literal punishment for the Doctor and Spiders presents it as a metaphorical one, punishing him for the crime of theft (to whit, one large blue crystal) with a secondary charge of hubris. This idea gets repeated in future stories too; The End of Time suggests the Tenth Doctor’s (second) regeneration is payback for his manipulation of history in The Waters of Mars. And The Caves of Androzani suggests the Fifth Doctor’s death is the result of his recklessness, in delivering his companion Peri into danger.
But for a story which has given us so solid a basis for future regenerations, the actual event itself is treated fairly perfunctorily in Planet of the Spiders. It lasts only a few short seconds, a rudimentary roll-back-and-mix affair. After so much lead up to it, the change is done away with very quickly. That’s because as much as this story is thematically ‘about’ regeneration, it’s more practically about Jon Pertwee.
Regular readers of this blog (bless you all) will have noticed how Pertwee heavy it is. This is just one of those quirks of random selection; we’ve now looked at 19 out of 25 Pertwee stories. I’ll happily confess this is not my favourite era of the show, so while the nature of this blog is that I’ll get around to every story, had I been self selecting, I suspect a fair amount of Perts would be left until later.
Lots of Pertwee watching though, has given me a new appreciation of the bouffant one’s virtues. I’m talking Pertwee himself, rather than the Third Doctor, which I still find a significant deviation from my understanding of the character. He’s easier to like in his early stories, when he’s less patrician and condescending than once he’s settled in. But once he’s at home, with his UNIT lab to preside over, his pretty girl to boss around, his Brigadier to insult and the regular opportunities for mild violence, I find him too smug for words.
Jon Pertwee, though, I think is terrific. As a performer, you can see him so easily command attention. He’s present, in that actorly sense of the word, in every scene; whereas Tom Baker would every so often walk through a scene not engaging with what was going on around him, Pertwee’s listening and reacting all the time. Troughton used to almost sneak into a scene, and almost skirt around the camera’s gaze. Not Jon; the camera loves Pertwee and he loves it. A extrovert’s dream. I would have loved to have seen him live, and witnessed that bravado up close.
When former producer Derrick Sherwin cast Pertwee, he expected him to bring more of his entertainment background to the role of the Doctor. There was talk of him singing ballads and playing guitar. And in fact bits of this idea still sneak through; occasionally he pulls out a magic trick, puts on a funny voice or dresses up in drag. These, for me, are when the Third Doctor’s at his best, when he’s allowed to be a bit silly. A bit more showman, a little less action man, thanks.
Writer/Producer/Director Barry Letts saw this as a story about the Doctor atoning for his greed. Script editor Terrance Dicks has since observed that this sounded more like Pertwee than the Doctor. And that’s the key to this story really. Spiders is designed to be a farewell for Pertwee, rather than for his Doctor.
After all, it’s a story which has a whole episode given over to Pertwee driving lots of vehicles, including his own car. The guest cast is cherry picked from previous Pertwee stories. The entire UNIT family return, with a message from Katy Manning, like an absentee guest on This is Your Life. There are numerous ‘moments of charm’. And of course, he looks Pertastic in sombre dark velvet and snowy cumulonimbus hair. This story’s an exercise in making him look good and feel comfortable, as he leaves a series he loves.
Everything else – the 1970s mysticism, the treacherous bad guy, the oppressed villagers, the invasion of the giant spiders from space – feels like window dressing. Impressive window dressing, sure, but not the main game. The main game is that the old man must die, so let’s make him as comfortable as we can in his last days. It’s the least we can do.
As ever, my random Who generator likes to spit out stories in awkward order. Last time it was The Ark (LINK: human descendants being oppressed by creepy crawly aliens) and next time it’s The Ark in Space. Our two arks separated! It would have been nice to compare them.
But funnily enough, Spiders to The Ark in Space is but a short hop, so there’s plenty to compare between those two as well. So NEXT TIME… I’ll be talking about all three. Let’s give that helmic regulator quite a twist.
And one further note… that’s our second full season – Season 11 -complete. View the full list of randomed stories here.
BentonBrigadierPertweeregenerationSarah Janeunit
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2 thoughts on “Old man, young man and Planet of the Spiders (1974)”
Maurice says:
Thanks for the blog. Nicely written with interesting new ideas as always but… “And of course, he looks Pertastic in sombre dark velvet and snowy cumulonimbus hair.”
The bouffant is more cumulus than cumulonimbus (not really white at all actually). ( h t t p : / / typesofclouds.net/cumulonimbus-cloud/ )
johnnyspandrell says:
Hi Maurice and thanks for commenting!
I bow to your superior knowledge of clouds. I’ll do more (well, some) research next time!
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YOU WILL ALWAYS CHERISH THE SEA: a new video is born!
I’M GLAD TO ANNOUNCE THAT MY NEW VIDEO “YOU WILL ALWAYS CHERISH THE SEA” IS SCREENED FROM TODAY WITHIN THE EXPO “Ici et là-here and there/Les grands magasins”! OPENING TODAY AT 5PM!!!!!
JE SUIS HEUREUSE D’ANNONCER QUE MA NOUVELLE VIDEO “TOUJOURS TU CHERIRAS LA MER” EST VISIBLE à PARTIR D’AUJOURD’HUI LORS DE L’EXPO “Ici et là-here and there/Les grands magasins”! VERNISSAGE à 5H!!!!!
SONO FELICE DI ANNUNCIARE CHE IL MIO NUOVO VIDEO “AVRAI SEMPRE A CUORE IL MARE” è VISIBILE DA OGGI NELL’AMBITO DELLA MOSTRA ”Ici et là-here and there/Les grands magasins”. APERTURA OGGI ALLE 17H!!!
Watch a brief video excerpt:
The video « You will always cherish the sea » (title taken from a line from Baudelaire’s poem L’homme et la mer) presents the subjective view of a man swimming the English Channel. The film speaks of the relationship between man and nature, but also of the sea as a barrier – not only physical but political. Guy Dennis plays the representative swimmer. A tribute to those who challenge the sea for the sake of freedom.
Rossella Piccinno is an Italian film director and media artist based in France. Her work explores cultural identity, problems stemming from discrimination, and conflict within the family and the community. Recurring themes in her work are both individual and collective memory.lways concerned with the subject of migration, with this video she draws attention to those who brave the sea in quest of freedom.
Click here to see the flyer invitation to the exhibition: Ici Invite
Ici et Là-Here and There/Les Grands Magasins
Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea
6 September – 6 October 2013
Izabela Brudkiewicz (Eastbourne UK), Daniel Dowling (Hastings UK), Delphine Deshayes (Lille FR) Stefan Hoffmann (Rotterdam NL), Bie Michels (Antwerp BE), Rossella Piccinno (Lecce IT) Jini Rawlings (Brighton & Hove UK), Dominika Skutnik (Gdansk PL), Holger Stark (Rostock DE) Yvo van der Vat (Dordrecht NL), Inès Willaume (Lille FR)
The SPACE, The Roomz, Claremont Studios project space, St Leonards lower promenade St Mary in the Castle, Stade Hall, the harbour arm and the seafront
From 25 August through 6 October 2013, eleven artists will be working in Hastings & St Leonards creating temporary interventions inspired by the unique coastal landscape and maritime activities of the area. The artists are based in various mainland Europe port and coastal locations in the South East of England, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland.
The project has been initiated for Dunkerque 2013 Regional Capital of Culture and Hastings is the only UK location to participate in this major cultural tourism event. Artist/curator Christine Gist has developed Ici et Là-Here and There in partnership with Claremont Studios, St Leonards-on-Sea and Dunkerque artists’ group La Plate-Forme. In November/December 2013, the project becomes Les Grands Magasins as the artists will take over empty shops in Dunkerque’s town centre.
Ici et Là-Here and There populates locations outside a gallery context with the interventions finding niches in disused outdoor sites, redundant municipal buildings, art project spaces, music venues, the beach and obscure parts of the built environment. The artists’ interventions sre research-led and as such have emerged from encounters with the local community, the town’s social and architectural heritage and the pervasive influence of the sea, ensuring that the works create a dialogue with the places they inhabit.
Ici et Là-Here and There raises questions rather than offering definitive answers. How do the artists’ experiences of ‘living on the edge’ impact on their practice and how is this articulated in a cross-cultural context? Are artists who live and work on the littoral more responsive to global connectivity? In this challenging sociopolitical period where questions about European identity and inclusion dominate, this project aims to highlight the positive challenges of artists’ transnational collaborations.
The artists share a commonality through their experimentation in confronting visible and invisible frontiers, cliches, contradictions, logic and illogic. These issues are interpreted through performance, video, sound, photography, printmaking processes, sculptural installations and place-specific interventions.
Artists’ talks and performance take place throughout Ici et Là-Here and There. A symposium featuring Dutch artists-led initiatives takes place at University of Brighton Hastings on 26 September.
Ici et Là-Here and There is supported using public funding by The National Lottery through Arts Council England’s grants for the arts programme, Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais, Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque, Hastings and St Leonards Foreshore Charitable Trust, The Flemish Community, The Polish Cultural Institute London, The Polish Cultural Institute Paris, City of Dordrecht, Hastings Association of Twin Towns, University of Brighton Hastings and is realised in coordination with Hastings Borough Council.
Les Grands Magasins takes place in Dunkerque 1 November-14 December 2013. During November, the artists will participate in empty shops residencies and from 1-14 December they will have related works in La Plate-Forme’s project space, 67/69 rue Henri Terquem, Dunkerque.
The opening event at La Plate-Forme is 11.00 on Saturday 30 November and this is followed by a walking tour of the empty shops at 14.00.
Artists: www.holger-stark.com http://www.stefanhoffmann.nl www.biemichels.be www.dominikaskutnik.wordpress.com http://www.yvovandervat.nl www.jinirawlings.com/ https://rossellapiccinno.wordpress.com www.dakhlavision.com http://cargocollective.com/ineswillaume www.delphinedeshayes.com http://izabelabrudkiewicz.tumblr.com
Information: +44(0)788 144 1120 c.gist@btinternet.com – http://christinegist.wordpress.com
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IN DUNKERQUE!!!!!! A new adventure begin right now!!!! →
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‘Oprah Show’ Producer on RuPaul’s Potential With New Daytime TV Talk Show: “He Has What It Takes”
By Chris Gardner
The do-it-all 58-year-old debuted RuPaul, a weekday talk show on select Fox Television stations for a limited three-week run, and he’s brought couch-surfing guests like James Corden, Senator (and presidential hopeful) Cory Booker, Paula Abdul, Adam Rippon, Billy Eichner and Bachelorette Hannah Brown along for the ride.
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← King is what you call me
The Church Organist →
June 7, 2015 · 10:17
“But it’s in the Bible… “
from “Raw Story”
Louisiana Teachers Are Literally Using the Bible as Science Textbooks in Public Schools
State law allows science teachers to introduce supplemental materials to ‘critique’ scientific theories.
By Travis Gettys / Raw Story June 3, 2015
Some students in Louisiana literally use the Bible as their science textbook, according to recently obtained records.
State law permits teachers to promote classroom discussion on evolution, but critics say the Louisiana Science Education Act allows creationism to be taught in public schools.
That’s exactly what has happened in the Bossier Parish school district, where emails obtained by Slate as part of a public records request show that students read the Book of Genesis to learn creationism in biology class.
“We will read in Genesis and them [sic] some supplemental material debunking various aspects of evolution from which the students will present,” said Shawna Creamer, a science teacher at Airline High School in an email to Principal Jason Rowland.
A teacher at Caddo Parish schools wrote a newspaper column saying that her job is to present both evolution and creationism.
“God made science,” wrote fifth-grade teacher Charlotte Hinson.
While one parent complained to the principal that another teacher Cindy Tolliver, was “pushing her twisted religious beliefs onto the class,” another praised biology teacher Michael Stacy because he “discussed evolution and creationism in a full spectrum of thought.”
Although the state law, passed in 2008, allows science teachers to introduce supplemental materials to “critique” scientific theories – lessons on creationism are still illegal under federal law.
The emails reveal that some schools are also violating prohibitions on teacher-led prayer in school.
“Bossier [school district] has it’s [sic] problems but there are so many awesome Christians from the top down,” wrote teacher Carolyn Goodwin. “We pray at school functions and probably break the law all the time!!”
Lawmakers shot down a measure in April to repeal the education law, the fifth unsuccessful attempt to do so since 2010.
Tagged as bible, biology, creationism, Evolution, Genesis, Louisiana, science classes
When Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth: 3 (article in the New York Times)
Father O'Nasty
Cenotaph
The Eagle (a very old and well-known story)
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Personal reflections on the Land and Water Forum
By Waiology • 04/03/2013 • 1
By Hugh Canard
I was asked to contribute to Waiology’s series on water governance, and after a very brief struggle with my inertial guidance system, I thought my contribution should be from the inside of the governance tent looking out. I have been variously engaged in the early stages of the development through to the implementation phases of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy, and I have been a member of the small group of the Land & Water Forum. I was selected as a representative of water-based recreation, not for any real or perceived level of expertise in science or engineering.
The Land & Water Forum was a bottom-up response to a rapidly deteriorating state of many of New Zealand’s waterways and failed attempts to address the wider legislative issues. Agricultural intensification and a widespread perception of abundance of water failed to deal with the creeping decline of water quality in many catchments. The stakeholders collectively approached a receptive environment minister to fund the forum in a collaborative process to produce a series of reports.
The result was three reports full of recommendations, some unexceptional common sense, and others more challenging, requiring a paradigm shift from adversarial to collaborative processes to manage water. The government took a bold step in supporting a process with no specified outcome, and the response to the reports has been largely positive. What worked? What were the key features that enabled this process to deliver? I think – entirely from my perspective – three things.
1. Social organisation and kaupapa. Peer-to-peer selection occurred at a level of authority that left little wriggle room for backing away from commitments made around the table. We had CEOs and their equivalents. Having all competing user groups, iwi, eNGOs around the table made for an uncomfortable time during the early sessions and towards the report deadlines, but without a consensus across the full spectrum, the reports would have lacked force and would been diluted by political risk.
2. Resources. The government funded the process in part, with the participants contributing substantially in-kind. With senior representation in attendance the stakeholder contribution was significant enough to command attention from both the participants and the wider government. The chair was a critical choice. We needed both a facilitator and a guide through the labyrinth of government.
3. A common and elevated level of understanding. This is where the role of science came into play, so I’ll become more expansive. Each stakeholder came with their own personal knowledge. Some with detailed RMA knowledge, some with ecological, economic, operational or agricultural backgrounds. Each had a corporate agenda and a personal value set in varying proportions. Iwi had a multi-layered set of values that in many respects mirrored the national scene of competing interests. The early sessions included a briefing from each stakeholder which enabled the Forum members to understand where each of us were coming from, and a specialist science briefing from nationally recognised experts in all matters ‘water’. There was a notable two day session at which Clive Howard-Williams of NIWA assembled a range of scientists who addressed the Forum in a participatory process. There were legal, economic and policy sessions by experts as well. The end result was that all Forum members quickly began to appreciate the full spectrum of issues and be up to speed with the state of the art knowledge that exists in New Zealand. A notable exercise was when Fish & Game’s CEO gave a flawless representation of the dairy sector’s position on water, followed by an equally flawless presentation of the environmental NGOs’ views values and position by the Federated Farmers Dairy chair. Hard to imagine a year earlier.
The final report of the LWF contains many references to the role of science and understanding in aiding policy development and in the future management of water in New Zealand. Science informs, sheds light, and lifts the game. In turn policies inform future science direction in the service of the nation. That to me, at a professional and personal level, is one the major achievements that the collaborative process delivered.
Hugh Canard is an engineer, a kayaker, and the Group Manager, Environmental at Lincoln Agritech Ltd. His team addresses the issue of groundwater contamination.
Land and Water Forum
One Response to “Personal reflections on the Land and Water Forum”
Waiology says:
Very interesting to see the successes of LWF from the insight out, and the necessary ingredients. I wonder how other participants saw the process. But Now we shall wait and see which recommendations will be accepted by the government. [DC]
About Waiology
Waiology was a blog about our most precious natural resource - water, edited by Dr Daniel Collins. We have archived the blog for your reading pleasure.
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A committee of doctors formed from the pediatric and the neurology department of Civil Hospital in Asarwa have decided against performing a surgery on the 4-day-old baby of an 11-year-old rape survivor from Gujarat’s Rajkot. The baby girl, who was born on March 17 at the Civil hospital in Rajkot, was shifted to Ahmedabad because of a congenital defect called ...
Youths Gang Rape 40-Year-Old Woman, Post Video Online
The woman decided to tell the police after finding out that the video has circulated online. A 40-year-old woman in India has come forward to authorities about getting raped by a group of young people a month after the crime was committed. Six youths in Rajasthan’s Baran district sexually assaulted the woman then filmed the incident and posted it on ...
Minor four-month pregnant after gang-rape
Asmat Khan February 27, 2018 Gang Rape Leave a comment 17 Views
Muzaffarnagar (UP), A 15-year-old girl in Uttar Pradeshs Chimayu village has been found to be four-month pregnant after she was allegedly raped by three youths, police said today. The incident came into light after the victim complained of stomach ache, SHO, Charthawal Police Station, G C Sharma, said. “According to the complaint filed by the victims father, the accused gang-raped ...
Dinajpur rape: Mamata Banerjee meets survivor in hospital
MALDA: The brutality on a 30-year-old tribal woman from Kushmandi, gang-raped and left unconscious in the open for over eight hours, has left tribals in the region and neighbouring North Dinajpur fuming even as police arrested two persons for the horrific crime. Just two months ago, the area had seen a similar outburst of anger in neighbouring Raiganj when tribals ...
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Police Posing as Punks Bust Rockers: Don't Cops Have Better Things to Do?!
Ted Balaker | 6.20.2013 11:31 AM
Boston cops are so eager to bust DIY indie-rock shows that they won't simply wait to respond to noise complaints that might arise. Instead they're going online posing as punk rockers to bust bands before they perform. It's part of a citywide effort to crack down on basement and warehouse shows spurred by a recently passed nuisance control ordinance.
Slate's Luke O'Neil sets the stage:
Almost everyone in the DIY scene has had an experience with phony police emails, direct messages on Twitter, and interactions on social media. For some it's become just another part of the promotion business—a game of spot-the-narc in which the loser gets his show shut down. According to one local musician who asked not to be named, the day before a show this past weekend, police showed up at a house in the Allston neighborhood, home of many of these house shows, claiming that they already knew the bands scheduled to play. The cops told the residents of the house that they found out about the show through email, and they bragged about their phony Facebook accounts.
Officers take to social media to create hilariously inept punk personas:
This week the St. Louis band Spelling Bee posted a screencap of emails from an account that they believe was used by the police in a sting before their recent Boston show. It reads like an amazing parody of what you might imagine a cop trying to pose as a young punk would look like.
"Boston Punk Zombie," reads the crudely-scrawled avatar of a green-mohawked punk with the address bostonbeatgang@gmail.com. That name is apparently a generic-brand knockoff of an infamous Boston hardcore gang. Cred achieved. "What's the point" reads the tagline under the profile pic.
"Too bad you were not here this weekend," "Joe Sly" wrote. "Patty's day is a mad house I am still pissing green beer. The cops do break balls something wicked here. What's the address for SaturdayNight, love DIY concerts."
Don't cops have better things to do? Well, yes, especially in a city with more pressing problems, like, say, unsolved murders. The Boston Globe calls the "painfully slow rate at which most killings are solved" one of Beantown's most "intractable problems."
So instead of playing pretend online, maybe cops could spend more time in the real world catching real criminals.
Just under 2 minutes.
Follow the show on Twitter (@DontCops) and submit your nominees for next episode.
Scroll down for downloadable versions and subscribe to ReasonTV's YouTube Channel to receive notification when new material goes live.
"Don't Cops Have Better Things to Do?" is written and directed by Ted Balaker (@tedbalaker). Producer is Matt Edwards. Opening motion graphics by Meredith Bragg. Camera by Paul Detrick, Alex Manning, and Sharif Matar. Music by audionautix.com and "The Contessa" is by Maurice and the Beejays (Magnatune Records).
To watch another episode, "Sex First, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA1XeOga9PQ
Ted Balaker produced the Nanny of the Month and Don't Cops Have Better Things to Do? series for Reason TV, and is co-founder of Korchula Productions, a film and new media production company.
Police Music
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KainYusanagi's Profile
Ranked #790
No games here
Game Graphics Story/Writing/Dialogue
Starting up the demo, first thing's first: The "of" is placed such that your eye isn't drawn to it but in fact AWAY from it, since the bottom line of "valley" matches up pretty well with the flourish of the bottom of the A in "Ashe", *and* the word "of" is also a few font sizes smaller; English-speaking people default to read from left to right, top to bottom, which doesn't help it here. There's also a lot of blank space; I'd increase the dimensions to be at least twice the size it is proportionally, and increase the fontsize of and reposition the "of" to be between "The Valley" and "Ashe", moving "The Valley" to the left to be in front of more of the background art as well.
Second issue is the audio starts off EXTREMELY LOUD, and there's no Title Menu options where you can alter the sound volume. RPG Maker games by default always jack the sounds up to 100% and they come across very loud on most setups that can be used to watch Youtube at 10% sound mixer, 50% speakers, and 10% Youtube volume, to where even adjusting them to 10% output in the sound mixer with speakers at 50% has them still being too loud.
Starting the game proper, beautiful background music (but too loud, as above), but the typefont used has a few letters with small blobs that jut out and draw the eye to them, like on the bottom of the "e", and the shape of the "g"'s tail is too sharp, as well; additionally, the font isn't aligned properly horizontally, such that some letters hang below others, and it actually disturbs reading flow, and, frankly, looks a bit amateurish. The font style otherwise is pretty good, like a combination of cursive and blocktype fonts to evoke fantastical elements. The clacking sound when type scrolls onto the screen also is annoying in general, as well; it's too harsh a note to repeat as rapidly as the text scrolls onto the screen. Maybe something a little softer?
First image appeared, and the art is gorgeous. The story is interesting, but the way it's written needs work; At first you write that "Navi escapes with his life. The Horde followed" and continued on to talk about the humans for a bit, but then you suddenly mention that "Not all of the Horde followed Navi" without indicating so beforehand, nor with a, "However,"; and "Slowly, the monster attacks increase" without really indicating that attacks from the monsters were ongoing during this period, either.
Into the first scene of the in-game artwork, and it's gorgeous. A++ effort, here. Love the character design; The kid looks way too old in his bust shot compared to his little shrimpy model, though; or is it that you're still working on transitioning from the chibi models to the larger ones? Story pacing issues still here, though. The red-head twintail says "We'll make the monsters pay!" before saying "What happened?", for example; the question should have come first, followed by the explanation, then her exclamation. The 'cutscene' with the father shows him alone in the mines when you'd just said there were "so. many. undead."; maybe put a bunch of the enemy model you used to attack him and have the son kill crowding the mines behind him, so it actually visually represents that. In that scene as well, the kid says "come on, lets go home, dad." but in the next few lines when it transitions back, he talks about how his mum had already died and "now with my father dead..." but nothing there implied his father dying, only that he was attacked and left badly wounded; show us that, maybe just a short scene transition to him standing at a pair of graves sobbing, with one old (grass in front) and one new (recently disturbed earth)? Pacing issues in the story are the biggest issue I'm seeing all around, here. The core of what the story is, is decent, but just the how of the telling is the problem, if you get what I'm saying.
Second scene, Valen just suddenly in the forest immediately when he just said he's going to it. A: if the Elven Forest is a place players can go to, show Valen travelling to it on the map, perhaps? B: He shouldn't just "be there" in the middle of the forest in front of the elf as soon as the scene begins, regardless. If there was another scene with other characters before this, temporal pacing could be held, wherein we see that scene and the time passing seeing that can be used to infer travel time; Same with if he was another character entirely, because we haven't tagged them as a character of interest and their direct movements as important to the story until that point.
At the end of that scene, when character control is given, first thing I do is check the menu, and it is really solidly built; reminds me of Tales of Destiny in its style. Finally access to the options menu! This said, with the Equip screen showing the status of the character and their equipment, what, exactly, is the point of the Status screen? In Final Fantasy VI, which did this, there was a plethora of information available on secondary statistics and other notable things that only showed on the Status screen, so it had a purpose there for number crunchers; I can't see a reason for it here separate from the Equip screen, though.
First random battle starts up, and immediately, there's a bunch of things I notice that are wrong. The in-fight sprite, if you're going to have it animated to attack, should not just slide across the ground; archer characters also don't exactly need to move to fire their bow, either. Secondly, whenever Valen gets hit, and during the end of battle sequence when he's victorious, he briefly morphs to this... pixel art samurai version of himself? It looks quite a bit better than the hand-drawn art, probably because of the proportions and angle, as it's shown straight from the side instead of a weird isometric view that doesn't mesh with enemy sprites, battle screen layout, or battle animations; he also doesn't have a foot levitating off his shadow, either. Third, it seems all enemies operate off the same ATB timer speed, and it's always faster than you are; I can understand hornets being fast, but slimes? Plus, it's locked into an active ATB style without an option for a wait ATB style, which many of us RPG veterans prefer. Fourth, Valen's Firebolt skill says in the description that Sylvyth enchants his Focused Shot with fire... so why is it listed as costing *Valen* MP, instead of TP? Fifth At battle end, the victory screen force-transitions into the end-battle screen; leave this to the player to do, if possible, and try combining the battle spoils screen with the previous one; a whole screen for 18g is pretty meh.
Related note: If this is supposed to be the Elven Forest where it's one of the last few safe places from monsters, why are monsters attacking in it? I get the hornets (but not that hornets have life steal), but aren't slimes generally considered to be monsters themselves? Would think that any combat here would be animals-only because of that.
Out of combat, wandering around... and my head is clipping behind the tree's roots spritework. Click my mouse by accident, and there's an annoyingly fast flashing white square that Valen's now wandering to?... No, wait, he only took a few steps towards then randomly stopped. And he can't exit maps with it, either. Please either fully integrate mouse controls (in battles too; a click anywhere on screen should be the same as pressing "Z" to activate the currently highlighted item, instead of having to directly click on it) or disable them entirely. Even if it's an options menu toggle.
In "Ashe Town" (Shouldn't that be "Village of Ashe" going by the size?), first thing's first: Doorways are black voids into nothingness that are tile-edge-matched to the bottom-adjacent tile. This is really offputting becuse it's a flat, 2D plane in an isometric view. It's also completely un-edged so it looks like the tile textures of the surrounding tiles just abruptly stop; the stone border at the foot of the houses, as well as the plank siding of the buildings themselves. General Store lacks any identification like a sign, statue, or distinctive build style. When transitioning between screens, you place the player's model in the same space as the transition; the player should actually be one step beyond the transition tile in the direction they entered the transition point from (enter north, move one tile north on next screen, etc) to facilitate entering a building not intended and being able to leave immediately, or, upon leaving a building, and realizing you forgot something, being able to immediately re-enter. Also, to prevent being placed in the doorway tile and unable to immediately move left/right before you exit that tile.
I'm going to end it here; it's a great effort, especially for a one-man team, but there's a lot of problems and rough edges to it that I really hope to see get cleaned up in the future.
No likes here
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THEIA Gain Momentum With New Single
Rock trio THEIA have released the first single ‘Ride On’, once again showcasing the impressive sound from this band have, and this track rocks from start to finish.
When a band has released a previous song entitled ‘Whoop-Dee-F*cking-Doo’, this is something we are always going like before even hearing note, and having seen THEIA put on a stunning live performance earlier this year, there needed no convincing this band is on the rise with their hard rock sound, having also released 2 previous excellent EP’s.
As the band hail from Burton-Upon-Trent, unlike Marmite which is manufactured in the town, this is a single that you are only going to love. Full of crashing guitars and those soaring vocals, the band manage to sound far more immense than just a trio. With a sublime guitar solo and a delicious heavy rhythm throughout, their latest single continues to build on the buzz and momentum this band are creating.
THEIA are set to release their much anticipated debut album ‘Take A Pill’ in the near future, from which ‘Ride On’ is the first single, as well as some live dates, including an album launch at gig this month at Tower Brewery:
Sept 25th – Queens Hall, Nuneaton
Sept 26th – Tower Brewery, Burton Upon Trent
Oct 2nd – The Freeboard, Newcastle Under Lyme
Oct 3rd – Muthers Studio, Digbeth
Oct 30th – The Sitwell Tavern, Derby
The debut album is available to pre-order from the website of the band.
https://www.facebook.com/THEIAofficial
Tweets by THEIA_uk
THEIA Are:
Kyle Lamley – Vocals & Guitars
Paul Edwards – Bass Guitar & Backing Vocals
John Tolley – Drums
Album, Rock, Single, THEIA, Tour
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« October 2008 | Main | December 2008 »
Wal-Mart Employee Trampled to Death in Shopping Stampede
This gives a new definition to "shopping until you drop." A Long Island Wal-Mart employee is killed after an "out-of-control" mob of thousands of deranged shoppers smashed through a door and trampled him. The Daily News has excellent play-by-play and cellphone camera photos of the riot.
The Black Friday stampede plunged the Valley Stream outlet into chaos, knocking several employees to the ground and sending others scurrying atop vending machines to avoid the horde.
When the madness ended, 34-year-old Jdimytai Damour was dead and four shoppers, including a woman eight months pregnant, were injured.
"He was bum-rushed by 200 people," said Wal-Mart worker Jimmy Overby, 43. "They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me.
"When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling, 'I've been on line since Friday morning!'" says one witness. "They kept shopping."
Peace on earth and goodwill toward men ... unless they're standing between you and a flat screen on sale.
Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart [NYDN]
Posted by Rod at 13:31 in Advertising, Crime, Current Affairs, New York | Permalink | Comments (20)
Happy Thanksgiving. Hopefully everyone is safe and having a great time. I'm taking a day or two off to enjoy the holiday with friends and family. Light posting over the weekend and regular schedule resumes Monday.
Oh and if anyone is in Chicago and would like to meet up for coffee, drop me an email. Ditto for Washington DC later next week.
Posted by Rod at 15:30 in Rod 2.0 | Permalink
Will An Openly Gay Black Man Become Obama's AIDS "Czar"?
For the second time in as many weeks, HIV/AIDS advocates are calling on President-elect Barack Obama to develop a comprehensive approach to domestic HIV/AIDS policy. The groups want increased federal funding for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and research "and a departure from some policies enacted under the Bush administration"—such the ban on federal funding for needle-exchange programs and mandates for abstinence-only sex education.
HIV/AIDS advocates are also urging the new administration to resurrect the White House Office on National AIDS Policy and appoint a new "AIDS czar." According to the Bay Area Reporter, one of the leading contenders is Jesse Milan Jr., chairman of the Los Angeles-based Black AIDS Institute.
The openly gay Milan, 52, who has been HIV-positive for 26 years, is vice president of the Altarum Institute, a nonprofit that focuses on health research. He also chairs the CDC Business and Labor Responds to AIDS Partners Board.
From 2002 until last year, he co-chaired the CDC's and the Health Resources and Services Administration's Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention and Treatments, through which he pushed to see adoption of a national AIDS strategy. Since last spring he has served on the national committee working on developing such a document.
Milan tells the Bay Area Reporter he would be happy to serve in an capacity in the Obama White House and is "hoping to be asked to do something to move the HIV/AIDS agenda forward."
Milan certainly has the credentials to become the nation's next AIDS czar. But his appointment would also crystallize the recent report by the Centers for Disease Controls which found black gay men are the demographic hardest hit by the epidemic. If anyone can tailor programs, policy and common sense to reach this hard-to-reach demographic, that would be Jesse Milan Jr.
Groups Push National AIDS Strategy [BAR]
More HIV
1,000+ Rally at WH Urging Obama to Prioritize HIV/AIDS [R20]
CDC: Young Black Gay Men Hit Hardest by New HIV Infections [R20]
HIV Spreading in NYC at Three Times National Rate Black/Latino Gay Men Hit Hardest [R20]
CDC: "Troubling" Rise in HIV Among Black Gay Men [R20]
GMHC's "I Love My Boo" Campaign [R20]
HIV Rates Rising Among Black NYC Gay Men [R20]
CDC Tracking "Serious" Strain of Syphilis [R20]
The HIV Morning After Pill? [R20]
Black Gay Men and "The Pill" [R20]
Jonathan Perry in "The Advocate" [R20]
Ending Black Homophobia Will Reduce HIV [R20]
Do You Disclose Your HIV Status? [R20]
Primetime Reports Black HIV Epidemic [After Elton]
"Out of Control: AIDS in Black America" [R20]
POZ Examines Race and the Down Low [R20]
HIV Rates Rise Among NYC Black Gay Men [R20]
Phill Wilson: Candidates Must Address HIV/AIDS [R20]
"Urban Rally Against AIDS" [R20]
The ABCs of Black HIV [R20]
Suicide Tuesdays [R20]
Posted by Rod at 13:12 in Barack Obama, California, Current Affairs, Gay, Health, HIV/AIDS, Jesse Milan, Politics, Race, White House | Permalink | Comments (5)
Wendell Lissimore Does Gucci in Russian "GQ Style"
If you can score a copy of the phone book-sized fall/winter Russian GQ Style you might be surprised to see model of the moment Wendell Lissimore—recently seen without clothing—has a full page in this killer black and white editorial. The magazine is hard to find so here is a scan. The editorial highlights minimalist monochromatic fashions and Wendell is wearing out this tailored Gucci coat and pant. It's kind of cool, if you click on the image you can see the Cyrillic copy at the bottom of the page.
Courtney Taylor and two other black models are also featured in this issue. Not surprising. With the major exception of the fabulous Flaunt, there are routinely more black male models in the European fashion magazines than their American counterparts.
Wendell Lissimore is represented by RedNYC.
Photography GUZMAN
More WENDELL LISSIMORE
You May Have Missed ...
Wendell Lissimore in "DNA" [R20]
It's All About Wendell Lissimore During Milan Fashion Week [R20]
Wendell Lissimore Featured in Campaign for Basic House Korea [R20]
Wendell Lissimore by Rick Day [R20]
Wendell Lissimore in British "GQ"[R20]
Is Sean John "Geared Towards Bisexual Men"? [R20]
Diddy Hires Only Black Models for Sean John [R20]
Photographer Walter Pfeiffer on Gorgeous Boys [R20]
Wendell Lissimore [R20]
Posted by Rod at 11:30 in Entertainment, Fashion, GQ, Gucci, Gymnastics, Magazines, Men, Wendell Lissimore | Permalink | Comments (4)
NYT Editorial: Prop 8 "Obliterated the Rights of a Targeted Minority"
An excellent editorial in The New York Times laser-focuses on the central challenge to the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban on same sex marriage. The editorial questions the initiative process to "obliterate an existing right for a targeted minority."
The case turns on whether Proposition 8 is a constitutional amendment, requiring only approval by a bare majority of voters, or a more far-reaching constitutional revision, requiring a two-step process: either a constitutional convention or a two-thirds vote of the State Legislature followed by voter ratification. The court, which has struck down several measures before, should not lightly overturn the will of the people. But it has not confronted a revision this far-reaching in terms of upsetting basic rights and the state’s constitutional structure.
The court has correctly determined that the equal protection clause prohibits governmental discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, which extends the right of marriage to same-sex couples. But the issue goes well beyond gay rights. Allowing Proposition 8 to stand would greatly limit the court’s ability to uphold the basic rights of all Californians and preclude the Legislature from performing its constitutional duty to weigh such monumental changes before they go to voters.
Almost anytime the rights of a minority are put to a popular vote, they will lose. Prop 8 is a dangerous precedent that demonstrates this all-too-well. That's probably why the nation's leading civil rights groups—including the California NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund—rejoined the marriage equality fight and are suing Prop 8.
In other Prop 8-related news: The California Fair Political Practices Commission will investigate the role of the Mormon Church, which heavily bankrolled the campaign to ban same sex marriage.
California’s Legal Tangle [NYT]
CA to Investigate Mormon Aid to Prop 8 [P1Q]
Did You Read ...
NAACP Rejoins CA Marriage Fight, Suit Against 8 [R20]
CA Speaker Bass: No on 8 "Bypassed Black LGBT Leadership" [R20]
Dan Savage Pulls Racist Column Before Appearance on "Colbert" [R20]
Not One Black Gay/Lesbian Couple in "No on Prop 8" Ads. Why? [R20]
N-Word Hurled at Blacks During Prop 8 Protest[R20]
OMG The Gays Are Trying To Get Gangsta With It [Cannick]
N-Bomb Is Dropped on Black Passerby [PHB]
Stop Scapegoating Black Folk on Prop 8 [JJP]
WeHo Marriage Rally Attracts "Noah's Arc" Stars [R20]
"Yes We Can" to "YES on 8": Blacks Overwhelmingly Approve Prop 8 [R20]
Anti-Gay, Black Pastors Use Children for Prop 8 [R20]
Blige, Etheridge Raise $3.9M for No on Prop 8 [R20]
"Noah's Arc" Cast Urges "No" on Proposition 8 [R20]
"Noah's Arc" Actor Doug Spearman, Black Ministers Urge "NO" on Prop 8 [R20]
SCLC Leader Criticizes Anti-Gay, Black Pastors [R20]
Posted by Rod at 12:43 in California, Current Affairs, Gay, Gay Marriage, New York, New York Times, Politics, Proposition 8, Religion, Republican Party | Permalink | Comments (1)
Family Defends Accused Killer of Transgender Woman, Introduces Victim's Arrest Record
More developments in the horrific murder of Lateisha Green, a young black transgender woman in Syracuse, New York. The victim was in the process of transitioning and reportedly shared this information with the alleged shooter. The family of the accused killer "doesn't believe" Dwight DeLee gunned down the transgender woman and maintains he did "not" have extreme dislike of gay and transgender persons. The family also introduces the murder victim's criminal record ...
Two uncles are quoted as maintaining DeLee's innocence and claim he was "set up" as a fall guy because he was on parole. One uncle, Greg DeLee Sr, is quoted as saying his nephew could have "only" committed the murder if he were "provoked or under the influence."
The family maintains DeLee's innocence despite the presence of two eyewitnesses to the shooting—including Lateisha's 18-year-old gay brother, who was also shot. There is also an alleged accomplice who says Lateisha Green was "lured" to the party.
DeLee is charged with second degree murder and plead not guilty. He is being held without bail. The Onondaga County District could beef up the murder charges with hate crime charges.
The family tries to gain sympathy by portraying the Dwight DeLee as a victim of the criminal justice system and says "at least six members of the DeLee family are in jail." That is a common defense and not surprising. What is disturbing is that the family introduces the victim's criminal record—providing evidence the murder victim was charged in May 2008 with felony assault and misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon. In the light of Greg DeLee's comments about his nephew possibly being "provoked" this is no small matter. The claims of provocation and the introduction of the victim's arrest record gives rise to suspicions the suspect may claim self-defense, or, a "gay-" or "trans-panic" defense.
Family Defends Accused Killer [TPS]
Will Hate Crimes Charges Be Filed in Syracuse Transgender Murder? [R20]
No Bail for Syracuse Suspect, Victim ID'd as Trans [R20]
Black Syracuse Man Killed Simply for "Being Gay" [R20]
Posted by Rod at 09:45 in Crime, Current Affairs, Gay, Hate Crimes, LaTeisha Green, New York, Transgender | Permalink | Comments (14)
Burundi Outlaws Homosexuality
Burundi takes three steps forward but two steps behind.The parliament of the small East African nation overwhelmingly moved to outlaw the death penalty but criminalized homosexuality.
The new legislation criminalizes homosexuality for the first time in the history of the nation. Same-sex acts are punishable by "between three months and two years in prison, along with a substantial fine."
"Unfortunately, this penal law is also a regression because it now makes homosexuality a criminal offense, whereas it had been tolerated until now," says MP Catherine Mabobori, who abstained during the vote.
The sole pro-gay group in the small nation, the Association for the Respect of Homosexuals' Rights (ARDHO), says it is "outraged" and appeals to international community. "We don't understand how educated people can adopt such a law because homosexuality is neither a disease nor a deviance," an official told AFP. The activist "was speaking on condition he not be named" and adds, "How are we going to be able to continue the struggle against AIDS in our community if every homosexual has to go underground?"
Burundi's surprise move comes in the wake of "considerable hostility to homosexuality" in the East African region, reports the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. "Two-thirds of African nations maintain criminal penalties for consensual same-sex behavior. In recent years several countries, including Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Uganda, have threatened to strengthen laws against homosexuality." In particular, the government of nearby Uganda has undertaken a major anti-gay offensive. Authorities threaten to prosecute anyone who comes out.
Thanks CARY and IGLHRC
Burundi to Criminalize Homosexuality [Afrol]
Burundi Abolishes Death Penalty, Outlaws Homosexuals [AFP]
Ugandan Cleric: Exile Gays, Leave Them to Die [R20]
Uganda Ethics Minister Advises Gays to Leave [R20]
Report: "Abstinence Only" Policy Spreads HIV, Death [R20]
Bush Admin Funding Anti-Gay Groups in Uganda [R20]
Ugandan Minister Receives Award for Anti-Gay [R20]
Uganda Launches Major Anti-Gay Offensive [R20]
Posted by Rod at 20:36 in Burundi, Crime, Current Affairs, Gay, IGLHRC, Politics, Religion | Permalink | Comments (4)
Beyoncé Confirms She Has Not Reached Out to Jennifer Hudson
Thousands of fans, celebrities, and well-wishers—even President-Elect Barack Obama—have reached out to Jennifer Hudson since the brutal slayings of the Oscar winning singer/actress' mother, brother and nephew. Everyone that is except her Dreamgirls co-star Beyoncé Knowles.
MediaTakeOut first reported this interesting trivia two weeks ago and Beyoncé confirms the report. "On Friday, radio personality Elvis Duran asked whether she reached out to Jennifer since the tragedy. Beyonce responded, and we quote, 'No, but I’m praying for her.' "
No phone call, no emails, no text message, but, she's "praying for her." Seriously, is anyone surprised. After all this is Beyoncé we're talking about.
Child's Body in SUV Linked to Hudson Shooting [R20]
Family Dispute Over Money Led to Hudson Slayings [R20]
Hudson Suspect Told Officers He Was "Babysitting" [R20]
Jennifer Hudson on "Jennifer Hudson" [R20]
Posted by Rod at 15:35 in Beyonce, Chicago, Crime, Current Affairs, Dreamgirls, Entertainment, Film, Jennifer Hudson, Music, Television | Permalink | Comments (97)
Gallup Poll Finds Record Disapproval for Republican Party
The hits keep coming for the increasingly irrelevant and scandal-plagued Republican Party. The latest Gallup Poll finds "only 34% of Americans have a favorable view of the party" and the 61% now holding an unfavorable view of the GOP "is the highest Gallup has recorded for that party since the measure was established in 1992."
In contrast more than half of Americans, some 55%, "currently hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party and only 39% an unfavorable view."
George W. Bush will be remembered as presiding over the worst administration in history and relegating the country's once dominant political party to the wilderness. Good riddance.
Posted by Rod at 11:35 in Current Affairs, George W. Bush, John McCain, Politics, Republican Party, White House | Permalink | Comments (0)
Bobby Jindal in Iowa, Courting Anti-Gay Social Conservatives
The president-elect has yet to be inaugurated, but, it's never too early to start thinking about the next presidential campaign. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) traveled to Iowa over the weekend and increased speculation that he is considering a presidential bid in 2012.
Think Progress reports the highlight of Jindal’s weekend visit was delivering the "keynote address at a 'Celebrating the Family' banquet hosted by the Iowa Family Policy Center, a conservative Christian group that promotes issues important to social conservatives such as home-schooling and opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage."
The conservative and anti-gay Louisiana governor expressed concern for the "coarsening" of our culture. "As governor, I can't censor anything or take away anyone's freedom of speech," Jindal said, adding, "There are things we can do as private citizens working together to strengthen our society."
Gay rights could soon take center stage in the Hawkeye State. The Iowa Supreme Court is expected to soon rule on a same sex marriage case that could bring marriage equality to the heartland. Oh and speaking of things to do to "strengthen society": In August the governor dropped an executive orderr prohibiting employment discrimination against gay and lesbian state employees that was put in place in by his Democratic predecessor.
Jindal in Iowa [Think Progress]
Jindal Puts Focus on Culture [DMR]
Some Background ....
Jindal Drops Anti-Gay Discrimination Order [R20]
Posted by Rod at 10:30 in Bobby Jindal, Current Affairs, Gay, Iowa, Politics, Religion, Republican Party, White House | Permalink | Comments (9)
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The Lodge at Rolling Hills
The Inn at Rolling Hills
The RV Park
I-5 Travel
Meetings/Groups
Timbers Steakhouse
Aroma’s Coffee House
The Equestrian Center
Amphitheater Events
Casino Events
Guests 1 Guest2 Guests3 Guests4 Guests
Casino Grants $15,000 for Local Education in February
Rolling Hills Community Development Foundation announced grants made in February of over $15,000 to educational programs in Tehama County. This is in addition to over $32,000 granted to local community programs earlier this year.
“The Foundation supports vital programs that extend education beyond the core curriculum, and provides opportunities to youth that would not otherwise be available in our area,” said Scott Chandler, Marketing Director of Rolling Hills Casino. “These programs engage youth in learning, build confidence, provide exposure to career options, and inspire youth to pursue their dreams. For many youth in this area, these programs are crucial to break the cycle of poverty.”
Tehama County Department of Education received a $5,000 grant for the Makerspace program. The Makerspace grant enables students to explore electronics, graphic design, animation, coding, engineering, and video production through hands-on, minds-on activities. “This wonderful program provides students throughout Tehama County the opportunity to develop marketable skills as well as a greater connection to the community through internships and public service announcement projects,” said Natasha Magana, tribal council member of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, owners of Rolling Hills Casino.
Gerber Elementary School received a $5,000 grant to send 6th grade students to Whiskeytown Environmental Science Camp. In addition to providing a rich environmental science curriculum, the camp enables many of the students to experience nature in a camp-like setting for the first time.
The Red Bluff Back to School project received $1,500 to sponsor the Ultimate Spelling Bee Challenge. The Challenge raises funds to provide new clothing, shoes, and backpacks to thousands of elementary and high school students throughout Tehama County.
The Foundation also granted $2,500 to the Sacramento River Discovery Center, $1,000 to the Anderson Aqua-Gators Swim Club, and $1,500 for the Western Open Fiddle Championships. Smaller grants from $250 to $750 went to local Sober Grad programs, Mercy High School, REACH, NorCal Rage Sponsorship, Willows K-9 Fund, and Students for Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship. In addition, the Foundation donated hundreds of dollars worth of gift certificates for hotel stays, golf, and restaurant meals to be used as prizes for charity raffles.
The Rolling Hills Community Development Foundation committee reviews applications for grants on a quarterly basis. Applications and more information are available on the Rolling Hills Casino website at www.rollinghillsfoundation.com.
2655 Everett Freeman Way
Corning, California 96021
Grant Request
Win/Loss Statement
Tribal Info
© 2019 Rolling Hills Casino - All Rights Reserved
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Trump impeachment vote will be forced today, says Rep. Al Green
by Mo Barnes
Photo source: [email protected]
Congressman Al Green, D-Texas, has announced that he intends to bring an impeachment vote against President Donald Trump today.
Green will use a rule to allow a privileged motion to bring the vote forward, hr announced on C-SPAN today. The motion will allow him to force a vote in the House within a two-day span without having to get approval from Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan.
According to Green, “This president is unfit. He has committed high misdemeanors. Andrew Johnson was impeached for less, and articles of impeachment will be brought against him today.”
Earlier this week Green released a letter to fellow House members that read in part:
“This is not about Democrats, it is about democracy. It is not about Republicans, it is about the fate of our Republic. … May everyone vote their conscience knowing that history will judge us all.”
Green further stated in the letter to fellow House members that statements by Trump and his administration have associated the presidency with White nationalism, neo-Nazism, and “inciting hatred and hostility.”
The motion by Green is considered a symbolic action and is not expected to pass. However, it will serve to officially note the stance of other House members on the impeachment of Trump. It is expected that Speaker Ryan will bring a “motion to table” Green’s impeachment resolution to stop the vote. Green was the first member of Congress to call for the impeachment of Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Green is expected to bring his resolution at the same time President Trump will be delivering a speech about his new Israel policy today at 1 p.m.
Tags: Al Green, congress, Donald Trump, impeachment, President, resolution, trump, vote
Mo Barnes
Maurice "Mo" Barnes is a graduate of Morehouse College and Political Scientist based in Atlanta. Mo is also a Blues musician. He has been writing for Rolling Out since 2014. Whether it means walking through a bloody police shooting to help a family find justice or showing the multifaceted talent of the Black Diaspora I write the news.
Mo Barnes December 6, 2017
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Is The Battle Won And Done For Those Who Fought For Net Neutrality?
February 28, 2015 In a 3-2 vote on Feb. 26, the FCC approved new rules, regulating broadband internet as a public utility. NPR's Arun Rath speaks with Mat Honan, San Francisco bureau chief for BuzzFeed News, about the political implications of the vote.
Homeland Security Gets Stopgap Funding, But More Political Battles Loom
February 28, 2015 Congress will fund the Department of Homeland Security for one more week. Political correspondent Mara Liasson talks with NPR's Arun Rath about the politics of the battles being waged by congressional Republicans.
Dalia Wrochesinsky (left) and Robin Saidenberg check their phones during the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday. Emily Jan/NPR hide caption
Emily Jan/NPR
How Conservatives Are Readying Their 'Grassroots Army' For 2016
February 28, 2015 The message from the Conservative Political Action Conference's first-ever Activism Boot Camp was clear: a win for Republicans in 2016 must be a team effort.
Speaker of the House John Boehner responds to reporters about the impasse over passing the Homeland Security budget on Friday. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption
Funding Homeland Security: Where Do We Go From Here?
February 28, 2015 President Obama late Friday signed a stopgap measure to keep the department running for another week, but the tussle over his executive action on immigration, linked to the funding, is not over yet.
Conservatives Heckle Jeb Bush On Education, Immigration
February 28, 2015 Some Republicans have said that former Gov. Jeb Bush isn't conservative enough. This week he appeared before the Conservative Political Action Conference and made his case for a possible 2016 run.
Despite Big Advantages, Emanuel Forced To Face Chicago Runoff
February 28, 2015 Chicago will hold a runoff mayoral election in April. Incumbent Rahm Emanuel will face Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia. NPR's Scott Simon talks to columnist Carol Marin about the race.
House GOP Scurries To Avert Homeland Security Shutdown
February 28, 2015 A last-minute scramble to fund the Department of Homeland Security exposed rifts among Republicans. NPR's Scott Simon talks to correspondent Ailsa Chang about the latest battle in Congress.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush shakes hands with the audience after speaking at CPAC Friday. Carolyn Kaster/AP hide caption
Carolyn Kaster/AP
Jeb's Rowdy Supporters Help Him Escape The CPAC Lion's Den
February 27, 2015 The former Florida governor's supporters shouted down his hecklers at his much anticipated appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Homeland Security Funding Bill Caught Up In House
February 27, 2015 With Senate passage of a $40 billion funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, all eyes turn to House Speaker John Boehner. The Senate's bill does not contain language blocking President Obama's executive actions on immigration, which many House conservatives have insisted upon.
Some Republicans Skeptical Of Jeb Bush's Conservative Credentials
February 27, 2015 The Conservative Political Action Conference has been meeting just outside Washington, D.C., this week. A parade of presidential hopefuls addressed the annual event for grassroots activists. There were many conservative favorites, including Senator Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. But perhaps the biggest test at CPAC was for Jeb Bush, who's long been greeted with skepticism by conservative activists.
Josh DiNatale (left) and Zachary Burns, St. Joseph's University students and members of their College Republicans chapter, get ready to pose for a photo with a cutout of Sen. Rand Paul at CPAC 2015. Emily Jan/NPR hide caption
What Do Conservatives Want For 2016? We Asked
February 27, 2015 Attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference say they want the next president to focus on bipartisanship, faith, security and lower taxes.
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio walks to the House chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Friday. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption
Congress Agrees To Maintain Homeland Security Funding — For A Week
February 27, 2015 The Senate approved a bill that funded Homeland Security through Sept. 30. The Republican leadership in the House decided to move forward with a more limited bill, but that failed.
CPAC Attendees Hear From GOP Presidential Hopefuls
February 27, 2015 The annual Conservative Political Action Conference is a draw for some 10,000 activists. Would-be GOP presidential candidates are differentiating themselves from others who may run.
"It is a waste of time. We will not allow a conference to take place. It won't happen," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday about the possibility of the two chambers reconciling Department of Homeland Security funding bills. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption
House Not Quite Ready To 'Suck It Up' Over Homeland Security Funding
February 27, 2015 For a few days now, most Senate Republicans have come to terms with how this story would end. But the House has a new plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security for just three weeks.
President Obama remarks on his proposal to tighten consumer protections for people saving for retirement as Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Labor Secretary Tom Perez listen, at AARP on Monday. Getty Images hide caption
White House Move To Protect Nest Eggs Sparks Hopes And Fears
February 27, 2015 The Labor Department will draft new rules requiring retirement advisers to put consumers' best interests first. The industry warns that low-income people might lose out on financial planning advice.
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Topic BPM and microservices
SubTopic Process modeling and design
Process modeling and design
BRMS
Cloud and iBPM
Dynamic case management, SPAs
EDA, CEP and operational intelligence
Top trends to watch for in BPM and BPEL
The state of BPEL in 2013
The case for cloud-based DCM
Most important customizations for SOA governance
How mobile is revolutionizing SOA BPM
Mobile apps make a splash in BPM middleware
Mobile BPM overview: Real-life success and failure stories
How to make processes mobile
Must-know: Key BPM and BPEL terms
Business process discovery
Business process execution language (BPEL)
Business process model and notation (BPMN 2.0)
Test your Mobile BPM IQ
'Portable processes' quiz
This content is part of the Essential Guide: SOA BPM guide: Mobile, cloud drive BPM, BPEL changes
The state of business process execution language (BPEL) in 2013
Business process execution language hasn't changed much over the past few years, but it has received more attention from vendors.
Christine Parizo
When it comes to integrating systems and automating workflow, business process execution language (BPEL) holds its own in the SOA world and provides a consistent process for coordinating disparate systems. In the last five years, BPEL hasn't undergone any major changes, but it has received more mature support from vendors. The support hasn't come without a price, but if developers use BPEL for automating technological processes and eschew excessive customization, they can overcome some common problems with the technology, experts say.
BPEL originally started off as an aid for the business end of enterprises, according to Léon Smiers, solution architect at global consulting firm Capgemini. While the only part of the standard that has changed has been a better user interface, BPEL itself has shifted more toward the technical end of enterprises, better suited for integrating different technical services, Smiers said.
Where business process execution language has an edge
Used for small- or large-scale integrations, BPEL helps connect abstractions and route information, as well as combine several technological processes that could be seen by the business as one, Smiers said. For example, a company could enter an invoice, one business process, but that invoice would also need to update a second system and an SAP application for multidepartmental viewing. "From the business perspective, you're entering the invoice information, which is one step, but the technology is three steps, and you have to combine the systems together," he added.
One example of BPEL's usefulness is in the insurance industry, according to Nauman Noor, a New York-based management consultant. A customer might visit a website for an auto insurance quote, entering an address where the car is garaged, and the quote would be based on information provided by a service that provides VINs of other vehicles in the area. On the back end, a BPEL tool would take the address and turn it into a format accepted by the VIN service. After retrieving the information, the BPEL tool would then send information from the VIN service to the next step in the process, he said.
The problem with BPEL is it doesn't solve a lot of issues such as human processes.
Vaughn Bullard, founder and CEO of BuildAutomate Inc.
"One reason why these tools use BPEL instead of BPMN [business process modeling and notation] is because BPEL has robust error handling," Noor said. In the insurance example, BPEL would have a secondary path to send the VIN numbers, should an error occur in the process, he said.
As a standard component in middleware, BPEL has a long future shelf life, with more standardization along the way, according to Smiers. BPEL helps standardize environments and allows for processes to be reused. "One of the reasons we want to have [BPEL] is that you lower risk in your solution," he said. This, in turn, makes it less expensive to run disparate systems.
Reusing processes and code tends to be a strong driver for companies to use BPEL, according to Noor. A lot of third-party tools use similar BPEL flows, and developers can reuse the code rather than starting from scratch. "It decreases the maintenance cost and the effort and time to market," he said.
"Software architects should feel comfortable in using BPEL, knowing that support by vendor tools is fairly mature and most of the implementation kinks have been worked out," Noor added.
Where business process execution language falls short
However, BPEL does come with its downsides. "It's a standard driven by committee, so interoperability across vendor tools will be difficult," Noor said. For example, a company using Oracle for BPEL that wants to switch to Tibco will need to convert the workflows, and the extensions involved can also be challenging, he said.
Another problem that can arise is that while new developments tend to be user-centric with a lot of iterations available. BPEL itself isn't suited to that kind of agile development, since it's impractical to put in a tool to route emails or implement in a heavily user-centric environment, Noor said. "You're not going to call out the workflow separately [in BPEL]," he said.
"The problem with BPEL is it doesn't solve a lot of issues such as human processes," said Vaughn Bullard, founder and CEO of Ashburn, Va.-based consultancy BuildAutomate Inc. An additional specification called BPEL4People exists, but it hasn't gone very far, he said.
Business process execution language in action
BPEL helps on the railroad
AT&T dials in to BPEL
Online real estate moves into BPEL
Verizon calls on BPEL
This is where the BPEL camp splits into two, according to Bullard. BPMN is the other standard, primarily used for human-driven processes. While BPEL isn't well-suited for people-centric processes, it still is a well-defined standard supported by large companies and isn't going anywhere anytime soon, he added.
BPEL also runs up against formal languages to describe business processes, according to Noor. "Typically, for smaller initiatives and in cases of agile development … the team may eschew the overhead of using a formal language like BPEL and enable the end result through custom development," he said.
Another problem that arises with BPEL has to do with normal issues in SOA, according to Smiers. Many times, developers will want to highly customize it, but that just makes the application more difficult and expensive to maintain, which happens in more than just BPEL, he said. "People forget it's there for a reason," he added.
Developers sometimes also want to extract all their functionality in middleware, which typically isn't done in BPEL, Smiers said. "It's good at linking things together," he said, but for batch processes that require a lot of cycles, it's not meant for that.
With solid vendor support and mature implementations that have ironed out the kinks, BPEL is here to stay. Developers working with it can expect consistency, and because there are so many vendors that have adopted it, they can also expect it to grow in popularity and be paired with BPMN to automate more of the business.
Christine Parizo is a freelance writer specializing in business and technology. She focuses on feature articles for a variety of technology and business-focused publications, as well as case studies and white papers for business-to-business technology companies.
Follow us on Twitter @SearchSOA and like us on Facebook.
This was last published in July 2013
Christine Parizo asks:
Do you use BPEL for automating technological processes and avoid excessive customization?
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If you're a Symmetrix user and have stringent remote replication requirements, Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) is pretty much the only game in town. But SRDF has its limitations: It's extremely expensive and only works within Symmetrix environments. Last month, EMC chipped away at those complaints with the introduction of EMC Open Replicator for Symmetrix, which copies data between a Symm and IBM Shark, HDS Lightning and HP EVA. In addition, EMC added SRDF/Star, a three-site replication suite that allows a Symm to replicate synchronously and asynchronously at the same time to two separate sites. Today, the replication market stands at about $1 billion, and is split about 70/30 between array-based replication such as SRDF and IBM's PPRC, and host-based replication such as Veritas Volume Replicator, says Arun Taneja, founder of Taneja Group. SRDF has "the lion's share" of the array-based replication market, he says. For EMC, "it's the goose that laid the golden egg." But over the next couple of years, the majority of ...
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This discreet yet powerful vibrator is specially designed to hug your clitoris without providing too much bulk. It also comes with a one-size-fits-most thong with a special pocket you can tuck the vibrator into. There’s also a remote control with five vibration settings so you or your partner have ~options~ to choose from and tease each other with.
Looking for the best sex toys for women? Whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced using a sex toy, you'll find exactly what your looking for in our Female Toy collection. The best pleasure toys for women include rabbit vibrators, G-spot vibrators and clitoral vibrators. But that's not all there is. The perfect female sex toy depends on the women, and that may not include a vibrator at all. We also have nipple toys, dildos, ben wa balls, anal toys and so much more. So go ahead and explore our massive collection of female sex toys and we guarantee you'll find what you're looking for! Dildo G Spot
If you want to have more adult fun (like more sex!) with your partner, then Spencer’s has the sex toys for you. With high-quality couples sex toys, and solo toys as well, we truly have something for everyone. You can even take the initiative and pick out any of our erotic massagers, lotions, or anal plug you think they’ll enjoy and surprise them during your next risqué rendezvous. And with our guaranteed discreet packaging, you'll feel totally assured when ordering online from our adult store!
Sex toys are classified as novelties because the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has extensive testing and financial requirements in order for sex toys to be classified as medical devices. Therefore, sex toy manufacturers more often choose less complex production by labelling them a novelty, where their listed ingredients do not have to be accurate in chemical composition or percentage of ingredients. Due to the novelty classification, sex toys may contain toxins such as phthalates, which have been banned in children's toys by the CPSC.[12][13] Phthalates are chemical plasticizers that are added as softeners, to create the malleable and soft effect that many look for in sex toys.[12]
Sex dolls, also called blow-up dolls, are male sex toys that offer the sensation of penetrating a live partner. Nearly life-size, these sex dolls have openings in all the traditional places: mouth, vagina, and anus, so you can penetrate every orifice to your heart’s content. Some models are even equipped with large egg vibrators to increase stimulation and maximize your orgasms. Bullet Toys
When you want to get close to the real thing without strings or stalkers, this is it. In addition to being penis shaped, these dildos look and feel real. From having textures of veins and skin to being curved with a defined head, the details are what counts here. CyberSkin is a popular material for this type. Really add fun to your solo or couple play!
Conventionally, many dildos are shaped like a human penis with varying degrees of detail; others are made to resemble the phallus of animals. Not all, however, are fashioned to reproduce the male anatomy meticulously, and dildos come in a wide variety of shapes. They may resemble figures, or simply be practical creations which stimulate more easily than conventional designs. In Japan, many dildos are created to resemble animals or cartoon characters, such as Hello Kitty, so that they may be sold as conventional toys, thus avoiding obscenity laws. Some dildos have textured surfaces to enhance sexual pleasure, and others have macrophallic dimensions including over a dozen inches long.[2]
Pretty lights; sweet, crispy deep-fried dough; the rush of adrenaline as you narrowly escape with your life — there’s just something magical about carnivals. So, to celebrate 11 years of sex toy blogging, I decided to throw a DILDO CARNIVAL! Where instead of winning a lousy stuffed animal you didn’t really want anyway, you can win a fancy sex toy of your choice.
Jump up ^ The OED cites Jonson's 1610 edition of The Alchemist ("Here I find ... The seeling fill'd with poesies of the candle: And Madame, with a Dildo, writ o' the walls.": Act V, scene iii) and Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale (dated 1611) ("He has the prettiest Loue-songs for Maids ... with such delicate burthens of Dildo's and Fadings.": Act IV, scene iv).
The New Tongue Joy 3 Way Vibrating Ring is designed in a unique way that allows partners to use it with multiple different settings. While most ring-based vibrators are supposed to be worn like a cock ring around the penis to stimulate the woman’s clitoris and make sex more enjoyable for the man, the New Tongue Joy 3 Way Vibrating Ring can also be worn on the tongue or on the fingers.
Discreet yet anything but boring, the Ohmibod Club Vibe 2 is your answer to racy fun in public or private. The lacy panties are designed to hold the Vibe 2 in the lining, while a partner controls the remote from up to 20 feet away. The vibrator measures approximately two inches wide and four inches long, and has 5 different speeds so that her pleasure can be increased one notch at a time. Sex Toys 50 Shades Of Grey
The etymology of the word dildo is unclear. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) describes the word as being of "origin unknown".[3] One theory is that it originally referred to the phallus-shaped peg used to lock an oar in position on a dory (small boat). It would be inserted into a hole on the side of the boat, and is very similar in shape to the modern toy. The sex toy might take its name from this sailing tool, which also lends its name to the town of Dildo and the nearby Dildo Island in Newfoundland, Canada. Others suggest the word is a corruption of Italian diletto "delight".[4] The Egg Vibrator
Thinking about making your bedroom scene kinky and erotic? Bondage sex toys for couples are the perfect addition to your sex life. From masks to cuffs, you can find bondage accessories that will bring the kink factor to your bedroom and allow you to indulge in light BDSM play with your partner. Whether you want to do simple bondage moves or go all out with a full BDSM scene, these couples bondage sex toys and accessories give you that forbidden pleasure you desire. Toys Bdsm
©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. View our online Press Pack. For other inquiries, Contact Us. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) Adult Massagers
Five (!!) lucky winners will receive the best magic wand of all: the Magic Wand Rechargeable, donated by Vibratex. To enter to win this prize, comment on this post with a memorable quote from one of my blog posts, including a link. You may comment more than once to increase your chances, as long as each separate comment is about a different quote. My favorite responses (hint: you’ll probably want to go beyond simply pasting the quote) will each win a Magic Wand Rechargeable. Sex Shop Vibrator
These are your standard run of the mill dildos, which are shaped like a penis. When it comes to a dildo, being shaped like a penis is important because, well let’s face it ladies, it feels good. They can be used solo or with a partner. They are available in various skin tone colors or vivid colors like pink. Being standard, they are designed with various types of materials (more on that below). Strap On For Guys
Whether you’re away on a business trip or absent due to a fun weekend away, distance is no factor for sexual intercourse with the Kiiroo Pearl + Onyx Couple. The Pearl (intended for the female; which is a very effective vibrator) and the Onyx (a Fleshlight, essentially) are bluetooth compatible and react to each other’s movements due to its touch sensitive skin and capacative technology. The toy recreates long-distance sex in the most authentic way possible, and is the first of its kind. Bdms Toys
If you and your lover are looking for a new toy, then don't worry. Spencer’s has everything you need to find the dildo of your dreams. In addition to wanting the best dildos around, some sex toy lovers seek out realistic-looking dildos, as realistic dildos feature flesh colored material that mimics the male anatomy. Whether you're playing with yourself or with a partner, these lifelike toys are perfect for letting your sexual fantasies run wild. Toys For Pleasure
The middle market and high-end market emerged in the USA around 1992. The market has grown for two main reasons. Firstly, the last twenty years have seen huge improvements over earlier types of sex dolls, and customers come to realize this through using the web. Secondly, the method of retail purchase has also improved, now showing customers what the actual doll, seams, hair, and even orifices look like. Canadian Sex Shop
And keep in mind, because of these toys are usually in contact with intimate parts of your body, that you should take the time to clean them properly. For toys that are inserted into your body, like dildos and plugs, Spencer’s offers a toy cleaner that you can use to make sure the toy is properly sterilized. If you have a stroker, however, then it’s important to remember that it should be cleaned with a refresh powder; this allows for the stroker to look and feel almost like new each time you use it. You should clean your sex toys after each use to keep them clean and sterilized. Not only will this stop bacteria from growing, but it will also make your sex toys last even longer! Toys For Masterbation
Erotic electrostimulation refers to the act of using electricity for sexual stimulation. Electrostimulation dates back as early as the mid 1700s. By the mid 1970s, medical transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) machines were widely available. The machines work by stimulating nerve endings with electricity, sending signals of stimulation to the brain. Electrostimulation works off this same principle, when the brain received a signal of stimulation from the genitals, pleasure hormones are released.
Okay, so maybe you’re interested in anal play, but butt plugs aren’t exactly what you want—chances are, you may prefer anal beads. A string of beads attached by a handle or ring, anal beads can be inserted gradually, allowing their user to get use the sensations. Anal beads can also be a great first step to anal play, as you can insert as few or as many beads as you want. You can do this yourself, or have your lover do it for you during foreplay. And when you’re ready, you can pull the beads out as slowly or as quickly as you’d like, creating moan-worthy stimulation in the already sensitive area. Most people who use them would agree that one of the best sensations is having the anal beads pulled out of you.
Some Conservative Christians believe that the use of sex toys is immoral. The Southern Baptist preacher Dan Ireland has been an outspoken critic of such devices and has fought to ban them on religious and ethical grounds.[32] Ireland led an effort to outlaw dildos and other sex toys in Alabama to "...protect the public against themselves."[35] Other Christian religious leaders such as Evangelical Lutheran Church of America pastor Heidi Johnson, who founded a student group on sexuality at Duke Divinity School, have a positive view of sex toys in Christian sexuality.[36]
This one may seem like it’s just for the ladies, but we consider it more of a male-female win-win. Kegel balls work to strengthen the vaginal muscles of the pelvic floor, creating tighter muscles and more control that both women and their partners will notice in the bedroom. Kegel balls can also be incorporated into foreplay and sex, and can be inserted for up to 6 hours (check the manual on this one). Kehel by Joy ON outperforms the competition by providing a variety of vibration modes and intensities that can be controlled through a free app, a feature that allows partners to participate in pleasure training. Kegel balls also help improve bladder control and post-partum recovery — a fact that may help to sway your partner into giving them a try. (You’re welcome.)
Anal plugs come in a variety of materials, including glass, PVC, and silicone. Each style offers different sensations, as well. For example: glass is a firm, stiff material that can be used with temperature play, while silicone is more flexible and gives a more “realistic” feel to its user. The most important part of choosing a butt plug is to understand exactly how your body reacts to different toys. Extra-large anal plugs definitely aren’t for everyone, and some may even prefer vibrating anal plugs. But regardless of what you want from your sexual experience, you can find an anal plug to meet your needs right here at Spencer’s. And just like dildos, you should never mix silicone lube with silicone butt plugs; if you’re unsure of what your butt plug is made of, then water-based lubricant will be your best bet. Online Adult Shops
In Japan one can purchase inflatable love pillows or "dakimakura" that are printed with a life-size picture of a porn star or anime character. Other less common novelty love dolls include overweight, intersex, elderly and alien dolls, which are usable for pleasure but also tend to be given as gag gifts. Some inflatable dolls even have the form of children.
Dildos are obliquely referred to in Saul Bellow's novel The Adventures of Augie March (1953): "....he had brought me along to a bachelor's stag where two naked acrobatic girls did stunts with false tools".[25] A dildo called Steely Dan III from Yokohama appears in the William S. Burroughs novel The Naked Lunch (1959).[26][27] The rock band Steely Dan took their name from it. Sex Toys Site
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Tag Archives: Pelarian
World Refugee Day 2012
Filed under 1
Tagged as 2012, Disaster, EURO, Humanitarian, IDP, IDPs, mangsa, Pelarian, Pengungsi, Refugee, Refugees, UN, UNHCR, Victims, war, World, World Refugee Day
Hari Pelarian Sedunia 2012
Tagged as 2012, assistance, Humanitarian, IDP, IDPs, Pelarian, Pengungsi, Refugee, UNHCR, World, World Refugee Day
Aid Worker Diaries – Top 10 Critical Needs Facing Refugees & Persons Displaced in Emergencies
During the initial stages of a conflict or natural disaster, those who are forced to flee are particularly at risk—women, children and young people most of all.
The Women’s Refugee Commission has identified 10 pressing needs that must be met during the first weeks and months of an emergency to ensure the safety and well-being of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs)*. Some 43 million people are currently uprooted from their homes by armed conflict and persecution.
1. Keep refugees and IDPs safe. Ensure that they are settled in a secure location away from borders and ongoing conflict.
2. Provide safe access to basic needs, including food, safe and appropriate cooking fuel, potable water, sanitation and shelter.
3. Communicate with the people most affected and ensure their safety whether or not they have legal status or official documents. Ensure every adult is provided with individual documentation that allows him or her to access key services.
4. Provide life-saving health care, including reproductive health care. Ensure there are enough health workers and all necessary medicines and supplies to prevent and respond to infectious diseases and other health needs. Establish priority reproductive health services for women and girls.
5. Prevent and respond to sexual violence. Protect women and children from sexual violence by ensuring safe access to food, cooking fuel, water, latrines and other basic necessities. Offer medical services and psychosocial support to survivors of sexual violence.
6. Reduce the transmission of HIV. Enforce use of infection control measures by health workers; make condoms freely available; and ensure blood for transfusion is safe by screening it for HIV and other blood-borne diseases.
7. Prevent excess maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. Provide skilled birth attendants for normal births; manage obstetric complications at health facilities; establish 24-hour emergency referral system; provide contraceptives to meet demands; provide clean delivery kits to all visibly pregnant women.
8. Identify vulnerable individuals with specific needs, such as unaccompanied minors, child- or women-headed households, pregnant women, victims of trafficking and persons with disabilities. Secure their care and physical security. Monitor, report and respond to violations against children.
9. Provide education to children and young people. Offer structure for children and restore hope and a sense of normalcy in a safe, adult-supervised space. Teach basic literacy and numeracy skills, and provide vocational training for young people.
10. Provide economic opportunities and preserve existing economic assets. Build on refugees’ skills, taking into account local market needs, to provide the best chance for a sustainable income. Protect women and girls from sexual exploitation by providing them with economic opportunities.
* A refugee has crossed an international border; an internally displaced person (IDP) has fled from his or her home but is still in his or her own country.
– http://www.trust.org/alertnet/blogs/aid-worker-diaries/top-10-critical-needs-facing-refugees-persons-displaced-in-emergencies/
Tagged as Conflict, Disaster, Humanitarian, IDP, kemanusiaan, Malaysian Relief Agency, MRA, Pelarian, Refugee, UN, UNHCR, Volunteer
Few refugees opt to go home
GENEVA – ONLY 251,000 of the world’s 15 million refugees returned to their home countries last year, the lowest rate in two decades, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo forced many refugees from those countries to stay put last year.
Other crises that had appeared to be abating, such as in Iraq and southern Sudan, also proved stubbornly stagnant in 2009, discouraging uprooted people from returning home, Guterres said in a statement accompanying a UNHCR report.
‘Already a majority of the world’s refugees have been living as refugees for five years or more,’ the former Portuguese prime minister said. ‘Inevitably, that proportion will grow if fewer refugees are able to go home.’ About 1 million refugees normally voluntarily repatriate every year, according to the UNHCR.
The world’s overall number of refugees – defined as those who flee conflict or persecution across international borders – was stable last year at 15.2 million.
Over the last decade, at least 1.3 million refugees have been naturalised in another country, more than half of them in the United States. — REUTERS
Filed under IDP, Inilah dunia, Refugee
Tagged as Pelarian, Pengungsi, Refugees, UNHCR
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Archive by Author
The 2014 Oscars: Who Will Win and Who Should Win
Best Picture:
Who Will Win: 12 Years A Slave
Why: Guiiiiilt trip.
Who Should Win: Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
Why: This breathtaking adventure flick digs deep into issues surrounding age, vitality, and societal expectations of the elderly. With gritty performances from its ensemble cast, Bad Grandpa was basically “Nebraska,” “The Wolf Of Wall Street” and “American Hustle” all rolled into one whirlwind ride that critics described as “a movie,” “the next installment in the popular Jackass series,” and “R-rated.”
Best Director:
Who Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Why: Consider this a make up prize for when his work on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was snubbed.
Who Should Win: Continue reading →
Tags: 12 Years a Slave, 2014, Academy Award, actor, actress, American Hustle, Amy Adams, animated film, August: Osage County, best, Bound 2, Dallas Buyers Club, director, Freaks and Geeks, Frozen, Gravity, Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, Jared Leto, Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Let It Go, Memento, Meryl Streep, Oscars, picture, predictions, screenplay, Sideboob, The Hunger Games, The Lone Ranger, The Wolf of Wall Street, who should win, who will win
Author Sir Edward Twattingworth III
8 Reasons You Don’t Have A Valentine
Not shown: The Valentine’s Day-themed porno this dude is streaming. (via Mashable)
Well, it’s February 14th once again, and lo and behold, you’re Valentine-less. But don’t curl up with that pint of Ben and Jerry’s and a whole lotta misplaced emotions just yet! You don’t need to sob over your loneliness, because all of us singles can band together and know that we don’t have a Valentine this year because we are just too damn cool to be weighed down in a relationship! Don’t believe me? Just check out these top eight reasons that you don’t have a Valentine this year:
Tags: alone, culture, humor, ice cream, list, lonely, reasons, relationship, Valentine's Day
8 Winter Olympic Events Northwestern Would Win
1. Die-athalon. Also known as “Inline Midterms,” the Die-athalon requires the participants to be fully willing to die in University Library over the course of a grueling five day span. The athletes must sustain themselves only on the weird ham sandwiches you can buy in those vending machines on the second floor, and are judged on how many times they click away from Netflix as they pretend to prepare for their six midterms in three classes. The Die-athalon annually claims the lives of all but one of the contestants.
2. Pairs Figure Skating. “The partners see each other now, locking eyes from nearly half a block away on Sheridan. They glide gracefully toward each other, veering side to side in near unison, almost as if they’re actually just trying to pass each other but can’t stop slipping on all this goddamn ice. They’re almost to each other now! The girl falls backwards, pretending to slip, in the utmost display of trust. The man reaches out, catching her in his arms! They spin around, papers flying! And at last they’re still, a perfect catch! 9.8’s from every judge, and gold to Northwestern!” Continue reading →
Tags: bitching, comment wars, Die-athalon, events, Harry Potter, humor, internship, list, Luge, netflix, Northwestern, Pairs figure skating, pledge babies, Russia, Sochi, students, weather, win, Winter Olympics
Categories Sports
Your Guide to Super Bowl XLVIII
(via Wikipedia)
Q: What is the Super Bowl?
A: It’s a game of American football played between professional teams.
Q: Is this different from the Superb Owl?
A: No.
Q: So why is it different from any other game?
A: The Super Bowl is a much bigger game, with much higher stakes.
Q: I’m intrigued, explain more about these stakes.
A: In the Super Bowl, each touchdown is worth six points, unless the defense invokes the Vanderbilt Rule and successfully clubs at least three (3) baby seals before the extra point attempt. If the defense is able to Vandy in time, the score is worth only four and everyone has to wear Ralph Lauren, Chubbies, topsiders and speak in a southern drawl for the next five minutes. Additionally, the winning team may choose any eight virgins from the other team’s city.
Q: Anything else happen to the losing team?
A: They’re forced to stare at Roger Goodell’s dick until they go blind.
Q: This seems messed up.
A: You should see the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.
Q: How many players are on each team?
A: 11 are on the field for each team at a time.
Q: Why 11?
A: To represent Jesus and the 10 Disciples.
Q: I’m not sure that’s right.
A: I’m a Catholic priest.
Q: So who’s playing in the Super Bowl?
A: The Seattle Seahawks (booooo) and the Denver Broncos (yay, I guess).
Q: Why do we like the Broncos better?
A: While Seattle has some likeable players like Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman and Marshawn Lynch, they are also coached by an absolute douchenozzle. The Broncos, on the other hand, have a coach who overcame a heart surgery and a quarterback who overcame a spinal injury.
Q: Which team has that tight end who killed like eight people?
A: Neither, the Broncos actually defeated that team last week.
Q: Now I understand why we’re all rooting for Denver.
A: That, and it’s funny because Seattle doesn’t even have an NBA team any more.
Q: Low blow. What’s a “12th Man?”
A: A mythical creature native to the northwest United States, the 12th Man wanders wooded areas, scaring campers and complaining about the officiating in Super Bowl XL.
Q: Why do we use Roman numerals in naming the Super Bowl?
A: Because we ~fancy~.
Q: Where is the Super Bowl being played?
A: Just outside of New York City.
Q: Ohhh, so this is all about New York! That’s why we all care!
A: You are Satan.
Q: Teehee.
A: …Any more questions?
Q: Yeah, do we all get free Papa John’s if Peyton Manning wins?
A: No, but I do next time I order because I’m just one point short of a free pizza on Papajohns.com!
Q: How high will everyone in Washington and Colorado be?
A: OMG NO WAY THE TWO TEAMS PLAYING ARE FROM STATES THAT LEGALIZED POT YOU MUST BE THE FIRST PERSON TO NOTICE.
Q: How long ago was Janet’s wardrobe malfunction?
A: 10 years.
Q: That’s when I discovered my sexuality.
A: Now I’m sad.
Q: What if I just wanna watch for the commercials?
A: Totally fine! Just make sure to tell everyone that over and over and over during the game and act all annoyed when people cheer.
Q: Have you seen that Budweiser commercial with the puppy?!
A: IT CHANGED ME.
Q: NOTHING WILL BE THE SAME.
A: Good chat.
Tags: 12th Man, commercials, culture, Denver Broncos, football, guide, Marshawn Lynch, New York, NFL, Papa John's, Peyton Manning, pot, Richard Sherman, Roger Goodell, Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, sports, Super Bowl XLVIII, Superb Owl
Point/Counterpoint: Is “Frozen” Humanity’s High Point?
Point: Frozen is the greatest thing that has ever happened to humanity.
Well, it’s all downhill from here, folks. We got what we came for, and what we came for was the perfect animated musical. See, as a human being with a heart, two eyes and a set of ears, I can confirm that Continue reading →
Tags: dementors, Disney, Disney's Frozen, Do You Wanna Build A Snowman, Elsa, Frozen, Heartless, Heartless By Kanye West, Let It Go, Queen Elsa, Soulless, Temple of Doom
Administration To NUCuisine Workers: “Don’t Get Any Ideas”
EVANSTON, Ill.– Following the news that players on the Northwestern football team have filed a petition to unionize, the school’s administration told cafeteria workers Tuesday “not to pay any attention to that stuff” and to “get back to work.” Continue reading →
Tags: Kain Colter, Norma Rae, Northwestern Football, Northwestern Football Union, Northwestern Wildcats, NU football, nuCuisine, Sam Walton, Unionization, Unions
Categories General Heinous, Local, Sports
Bieber To Invoke “Stand Your Ground” Defense
MIAMI– Explaining that the law provides “blanket immunity for white people,” pop star Justin Bieber announced Thursday that he will use Florida’s “Stand Your Ground Defense” against Continue reading →
Tags: Alan Dershowitz, Bieber, Bieber Arrested, Bieber Drag Racing, Bieber DUI, Bieber Florida, Bieber Mug Shot, Biebz, Justin Bieber, Stand Your Ground
Categories General Heinous, Music
“Ugh, I’m Such A SWUG,” Announces Girl With a 3.9 And Offers From McKinsey And Nielsen
EVANSTON– Senior Anna Penderson told her friends Tuesday afternoon that she is “officially” a senior washed up girl, according to witness reports.
“Ugh, I’m such a SWUG,” she declared while poring over her econometrics notes. “Like, Continue reading →
Tags: girls, GPA, McKinsey, McKinsey and Company, New Girl, Nielsen, Senior Washed Up Girl, senioritis, Seniors, SWUG, SWUG life, wine
Categories General Heinous, Local
GOP Candidate Declares Duck Dynasty Star The “Rosa Parks Of Our Generation”
Republican congressional candidate Ian Bayne said Saturday that Phil Robertson, the star of Duck Dynasty who was suspended for controversial anti-gay and racist remarks, is the “Rosa Parks of our generation” for his opposition to gay rights. Continue reading →
Tags: A&E, Anus, Duck Dynasty, gay rights, GOP, GQ, Ian Bayne, Phil Robertson, Rosa Parks, vagina
Categories General Heinous, Local, Politics
Translating the Things NU Kids Say Around Finals
“I completely failed that final”: I’d estimate that I got an 82% on that final.
“I honestly haven’t even started studying”: Besides these notes I took, all the lectures I attended and readings I did, and this handy little study guide I drafted up.
“We get a one-page cheat sheet, but I don’t think it’ll really help”: I will put the entirety of human knowledge on that sheet in size .25 font. Continue reading →
Tags: finals, formals, group project, HPME, netflix, Northwestern, Northwestern finals, orgo, research paper
Categories Advice, General Heinous, Local
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Black Box From Ethiopian Boeing 737 Max Crash Shows ‘Clear Similarities’ With Lion Air Tragedy
Nizar Manek and Rita Devlin Marier , Bloomberg
- Mar 17, 2019 4:42 pm
The cause of the Ethiopian Boeing 737 Max 8 crash will likely take time to determine but preliminary indications are that the parallels with the Lion Air crash are more than casual. The cozy relationship between Boeing and the FAA may come back to bite both of them.
The Ethiopian Air Boeing 737 Max crash had similarities to the Lion Air plane that went down off the coast of Indonesia about five months ago, the nation’s transport minister said, as scrutiny of one of the aircraft’s flight control systems continued to build.
A preliminary study of the flight data recorders show “clear similarities between Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 and Indonesian Lion Air Flight 610,” Dagmawit Moges said Sunday at a press conference in Addis Ababa. The findings will be subject to further investigation, and a preliminary report will be released within 30 days, she said.
The Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed March 10 minutes after it took off from Ethiopia’s capital, killing all 157 people on board. The accident prompted most of the world to ground Boeing Co.’s 737 Max 8 aircraft on safety concerns. Much of the attention focused on a specific flight-control system that may have thwarted pilots’ efforts to keep the plane from falling into a catastrophic nose dive.
In one of the most detailed descriptions yet of the relationship between Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration during the 737 Max’s certification process, the Seattle Times reported Sunday that the U.S. regulator delegated much of the safety assessment to Boeing and that the analysis the planemaker in turn delivered to the authorities had crucial flaws.
The newspaper’s report was based on interviews with current and former engineers directly involved or familiar with the evaluations, all of whom asked not to be identified, and was under way even before the Ethiopia crash.
Boeing told the newspaper Saturday that the FAA had reviewed the company’s data on the plane and “concluded that it met all certification and regulatory requirements.” The company, which is based in Chicago but designs and builds commercial jets in the Seattle area, said there are “some significant mischaracterizations” in the engineers’ comments.
Boeing’s System Safety Analysis of the flight control software — suspected to have contributed to the Lion Air jetliner crash in October and also under the spotlight in the Ethiopia accident — understated the power of the system, the engineers told the Seattle Times. The newspaper said the analysis also failed to account how the system could reset itself each time a pilot responded — in essence, gradually ratcheting the horizontal stabilizer into a dive position.
FAA technical experts told the newspaper that as the agency’s certification of the 737 Max proceeded, managers prodded them to speed up the process as development of the MAX was nine months behind that of the rival Airbus’s A32neo.
The Seattle Times said the safety analysis ranked a potential failure of the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentataion System, or MCAS, as “hazardous,” one step below “catastrophic.” But even that designation should have been enough to prod reliance on more than just one input sensor, the engineers told the newspaper.
This article was written by Nizar Manek and Rita Devlin Marier from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
Tags: 737s, black boxes, boeing, boeing 737 max, ethiopian airlines, faa, lion air
Photo Credit: Boeing, the FAA and international aviation authorities will have to figure out if the 737 Max 8 had systemic flaws. Bloomberg
New Skift Report: The Transformative Role of Design in Hospitality
American Airlines + Skift
American Airlines and Hyatt Partner to Amp Up Their Elite Loyalty Benefits
Global Airlines Worry About Havoc Caused by a Boeing 737 Max Regulatory Rift
There is a lot of buzz around what new distribution technology will do or won’t do for the industry, but really onl… https://t.co/p4cs4gmaed
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Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Skyroam SIMO and Africa mobile operator Smile Telecom form strategic partnership to provide improved mobile data services in Africa
Posted on: 02 July 2019
On June 18th 2019, Smile Telecoms, a Pan-African 4GLTE telecommunications group with operations in Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formally entered into a partnership with Skyroam Simo, the world’s leading mobile Platform as a Service (PaaS) company providing global data access services. This is a great partnership enable more Africa mobile users to seamlessly connect to the best 4GLTE mobile network with improved coverage, faster speed, and more flexible plans.
SIMO App emerges at the right time to bring access and affordability to mobile data for millions of Africans struggling today with expensive Internet prices that keep them out of the market entirely. Skyroam SIMO and its unique Virtual-eSIM™ technology can deliver seamless 4G data connection to any user automatically switch to the best 4G network nearby, ensuring the best reliability and speed.
In addition to creating a new way to access data for consumers, Skyroam SIMO helps carriers to develop their market at nearly “zero” cost by improving the efficiency of acquiring new customers, to ease the hassle of traditional sales channels, and to drive more value by improving the relationship with their customers. This partnership between Smile and SIMO will enable more Smile users to leverage Skyroam’s platform of over 135 countries and 200 mobile networks with best coverage and speed, is a big leap forward amongst Africa operators.
The partnership also gives International customers from various countries in the world who use Skyroam devices the opportunity to roam on Smile 4GLTE network in all countries of Smile presence.
“Smile is a leading 4GLTE carrier in Africa and we are always open to new and innovative technologies to bring continued value add and benefits to our users. Our partnership with Skyroam SIMO will leverage its leading position in global virtual sim platform and together bring the best service and value to our pan-African users.”
Ahmad Farroukh, Smile’s Group CEO.
While most mobile phone brands in the market are trying to solve this core problem through complicated dual SIM dual Standby technology, Skyroam SIMO was developed on the belief that the best solution is through simplicity and strong partnerships. SIMO have invested in long-term R&D with leading manufacturer of mobile chips company MediaTek, to have the patented Virtual-eSIM™ technology embedded in all MediaTek 4G chips used by manufacturers.
“Skyroam Simo will work with Smile Telecom, a great partner who continue to believe to bring value to its users as a long term strategy, together we will meet the needs of more people in Africa and bring explosive growth in mobile data usage. We will continue to innovate together with leading partners around the world to meet the demands of users where mobile data is becoming a must-have that impact our daily lives.”
Jing Liu, Founder and CEO of Skyroam.
About Smile Telecoms Holdings
Founded in 2007 and incorporated in Mauritius, Smile is a pan-African telecommunications group with operations in Nigeria (Smile Communications Nigeria), Tanzania (Smile Communications Tanzania), Uganda (Smile Communications Uganda) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Smile Communications DRC). Smile has a single transformative objective of using the best and most innovative technologies to provide its customers with fast, reliable, high-quality, easy-to-use and affordable communication services.
In 2012, the company launched Africa’s first 4G LTE commercial network in the 800MHz band (ITU “band 20”) in the East African market, starting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and then Kampala, Uganda. This was followed by the launch of West Africa’s first 4G LTE commercial network, also in band 20, starting in Ibadan and then Lagos, Nigeria.
Smile’s vision and mission is to be the 4G LTE voice and data provider of choice in all its markets and to enable its customers to benefit fully from the Internet world with data and voice services.
Visit www.smilecoms.com for more information.
Skyroam based in Silicon Valley with offices throughout Europe and Asia, is a leading Platform-as-a-Service company providing its leading Virtual-eSIM™ technologies and services to users around the world. Its platform enable mobile terminals such as Smart Phones, Personal WiFi Hotspots, Laptops, Cars, and other IOT devices to be able to access 4G local data seamlessly without the need of a physical SIM card or be hindered with expensive data roaming cost. Its platform currently support over 135 countries with over 200 carrier networks, bringing cross network data access via a software client which can be integrated into any MediaTek and/or Qualcomm modem chips. Skyroam have raised over $50M USD and recently closed its C round backed by leading global venture and strategic investors.
marketing@skyroam.com
www.skyroam.com
SMILE TELECOMS APPOINTS NEW GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
SMILE COMMUNICATIONS COLLABORATES WITH MEDIATEK TO LAUNCH VOICE OVER LTE SMARTPHONES IN AFRICA
SMILE TELECOMS APPOINTS AHMAD FARROUKH TO ITS BOARD to LEAD OPERATIONS
Intra-African business, Platforms for change
Copyright © 2019 Smile Telecoms Holdings Company Registration 72301. Smile Communications Company Registration 2007/009879/07.
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Tag Archives: fiscal policy
GOP Planned Parenthood grandstanding will cost Missouri taxpayers
Posted by willykay in Uncategorized
abortion, fiscal policy, Kurt Schaefer, Planned Parenthood
Republicans used to take credit for being fiscally responsible. In recent years, however, they’ve started to spend lots of taxpayer money on ideological gestures without getting much of anything in return. The sad thing is that GOPers, along with everybody else, probably know that they’re wasting money, but they can’t resist the pander credits that they hope to gain.
The latest boondoggle could be state Senator Kurt Schaefer’s (R-19) efforts to remove Planned Parenthood allocations from Medicaid federal funds. The pander credits he is trying to amass, as everyone agrees, are to be applied to his campaign for the office of attorney general:
… Schaefer leads a charge to punish Planned Parenthood for alleged traffic in human parts gleaned from aborted fetuses. […] The issue of how Planned Parenthood handles fetal remains stems from a thoroughly discredited video shot under cover and heavily edited to show an agency official discussing a possible legal sale of fetal material to a person claiming to be a possible buyer. A later investigation by the Missouri attorney general’s office found no wrongdoing. Two activists involved in making the video are under indictment by a grand jury in Texas.
Schaefer is head of the Missouri Senate committee investigating Planned Parenthood, a role he apparently covets as part of his campaign [for the office of attorney general].
Apropos a subpoena issued to the CEO of the Missouri Planned Parenthood:
Ironically, it might not matter much from an election politics standpoint what Schaefer’s committee can learn from an appearance by the Planned Parenthood CEO. Merely having her under attack for several days will solidify the chairman’s bulldog bona fides.
Just to be clear, as Think Progress notes:
Planned Parenthood does not use federal funding to provide abortions — thanks to the Hyde amendment, taxpayer dollars have been illegal to use to provide abortion services for decades (except in very rare cases such as danger to the mother’s life, rape, or incest). Instead, federal funding, like that from Medicaid, goes to provide family planning services like birth control, STD testing, and cancer screenings for patients who normally wouldn’t have access to these services.
Missouri is not alone in efforts to gain right-wing brownie points by crippling Planned Parenthood. It is one of twenty-four states proposing to cut the agency’s funding from Medicaid in spite of background rumblings to the effect that such efforts are likely to face legal challenges. In an April 19 letter addressed to the Medicaid Director of each of the fifty states, the Director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services raises the pitch (pdf) of previous warnings:
Pursuant to § 431.51(b)(1)(i), states may establish provider standards or take action against Medicaid providers that affects beneficiary access to those providers only (1) based on reasons relating to the fitness of the provider to perform covered medical services or to appropriately bill for those services, and (2) with supporting evidence of the provider’s failure to meet the state’s reasonable provider standards. This is consistent with longstanding CMS policy that Medicaid beneficiaries are provided with competent care by qualified providers and have the same ability to choose among available providers as those with private coverage.
Providing the full range of women’s health services neither disqualifies a provider from participating in the Medicaid program, nor is the provision of such services inconsistent with the best interests of the beneficiary, and shall not be grounds for a state’s action against a provider in the Medicaid program.
Can you, like me, see losing lawsuits in the offing if Missouri goes ahead with efforts to cut funding to Planned Parenthood? And we all know who will pay to defend the meaningless showboating of Senator Schafer and his pals. I wonder if the majority of Missourians, apart from anti-abortion hysterics, really want to go out-of-pocket to finance Kurt Schaefer’s political ambitions? Especially when there are so many things the state needs -decent roads and schools, for example – that Schaefer and his pals tell us we cannot afford?
Faith-based budgeting.
budget, fiscal policy, missouri, republicans
Best quote of the day comes from economist Jared Bernstein’s blog:
House Republicans released their budget today, and I found it to be…um…how can I put this nicely?…orthogonal to reality
“Orthogonal to reality.” And here I thought we’d exhausted all the ways that there were to describe GOP delusions. Bernstein amplifies his remarks:
The policies put forth in this document suggest that America’s main problem is that the poor have too much and the wealthy, too little. The budget plan “corrects” this perceived imbalance by deeply cutting programs that help low- and middle-income people, and cutting taxes on those with high incomes, capital gains, multinational corporations and “pass through” business income.
Of course, as he notes, GOPers claim that this recipe results in growth that floats all our boats. Sadly, as Bernstein observes after pointing out the rather obvious problems with this logic:
I too believe in the American people and growth but I don’t believe in magic asterisks or tax cuts that pay for themselves. It’s great to have faith, but math is good too
Read the entire piece – it’s quite brief. And remember that part about the importance of math. I think that the observation is pertinent to the budget Missouri’s Republican-dominated legislature wants to impose on us. Something on the order of what is sinking Kansas, Wisconsin and a whole host of states with like-minded legislatures. That’s where the phrase “orthogonal to reality” becomes relevant to us as well. Just think, Scott Walker is destroying Wisconsin with this same mumbo-jumbo and, as a result, he’s a front-runner for GOP presidential candidate.
Missouri’s Shutdown Hall of Shamers: Too costly for us?
Ann Wagner, Billy Long, Blaine Luetkemeyer, budget, Deficit, fiscal policy, Government shutdown, Jason Smith, missouri, Sam Graves, Vicky Hartzler
All of Missouri’s Republican House delegation joined the 144 Republican House members who voted no on the budgetary continuing resolution sent to them from the Senate, which amounts to five votes from Missouri to keep the shutdown going. To a man or woman, these members of the Missouri Shutdown Hall of Shame tried to justify their votes with references to those all-purpose boogymen, the deficit and “out of control spending” (see also here).
To a man or woman, they have all also refused to admit they initially went to war with the nation’s well-being for no reason other than to defund the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – even though the ACA reduces the deficit long-term. Nor are they willing to admit that the main ACA concession they demanded as a sop when it became clear that the rest of the Congress and most of the country regarded their anti-Obamacare jihad as laughable, a repeal of the medical devices tax, was a special interest boondogle that would have undercut the ability of the ACA keep government costs down. All that reasonable bystanders can conclude from this is that our GOPers are either dishonest, severely deluded, or dumber than fenceposts.
According to S&P estimates, the antics of these shutdown diehards cost the U.S. economy $24 billion and cut 0.6% off of yearly fourth quarter GDP growth. Tell me how this reflects concern with the economy. Think Progress has compiled a partial list of government expenditures that could have been financed by the amount of money lost in the shutdown:
— The net cost of to the government from the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP): $24 billion
— The Department of Agriculture’s proposed budget: $22.6 billion
— NASA’s approved budget: $16.6 billion
— All air transportation programs, including the Federal Aviation Administration, security, research, and other costs: $21.9 billion.
— The Child Tax Credit: $22.1 billion.
— The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program (formally known as welfare): $17.7 billion.
— The cost of Head Start, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Women Infants and Children (WIC) program combined: $25.2 billion
I hope you noticed that all or parts of these expenditures were or are bitterly opposed by these same GOPers who insist that we can’t afford them. Nevertheless, they’re all more than willing to run up similar costs in the service of empty symbolic gestures meant to impress their base. But as Think Progress also noted, these pols have been making the same types of choices from the getgo:
The shutdown was just the latest budget crisis that has been costly to the economy. A recent report found that the uncertainty created by fights over funding the government and raising the debt ceiling that have cropped up since 2010 has cost the economy nearly a million jobs.
And, to cap it all off, there are already rumblings from the GOP crazy caucus, with whom Missouri’s GOPers seem to have allied themselves, that they’ll be willing to give the ol’ shutdown routine a go once again early next year when yesterday’s agreement runs out. However, as Michael Tomasky wrote today, one thing may have changed:
. . . At least the American people did get to see what assassins the Republicans are. That was valuable. Many of us have been trying to say for many years now about Washington’s polarization and dysfunction that yes, both sides are to blame, there are no Boy Scouts here, but the sides are not remotely equally to blame, and this is a crucial point, and journalists and commentators who keep insisting on framing things this way out of some devotion to “balance” that is out of whack with the facts of reality are disserving the republic; lying, basically. I don’t think now any commentator can seriously maintain that fiction. . . .
As Roy Blunt goes, so goes the GOP
ACA, Affordable Act, fiscal policy, Government shutdown, missouri, Obamacare, Roy Blunt
Today GOP Senator Roy Blunt voted to shutdown the government. He’s made noises in the past that indicated he knew just how wrong and stupid such an event would be. But he did it anyway. Last Wednesday I wrote about Blunt’s effort to confuse us with his fancy dancing around the issues:
No matter what, though, don’t let him sell you any of his equivocating mumbo-jumbo; when push comes to shove he will have told us by means of his vote on the Continuing Resolution whether or not he’s decided that, discretion being the better part of valor, it behoves him to kiss the ring on Rush Limbaugh’s hand and cede the Republican Party to big, bad Ted Cruz.
So now we know what it means to be Republican in this day and age and suffice it to say it isn’t pretty. Duane Graham of The Erstwhile Conservative understands just why Blunt migrated from the dark side to the pitch-black GOP netherworld:
… even though Democrats prevailed on the vote, I’m sure that all the soldier-loving, Social Security-sucking seniors in Missouri who put Blunt in office are as happy as can be that he voted with 43 other Republicans, many with grossly undeserved reputations for “reasonableness,” to show the world that the United States government is just one Republican-friendly election away from Tea Party disaster.
Disgust at Blunt’s craven behavior aside, this whole situation has lots of potential to burn Republicans badly – no matter how they attempt to squirm and wiggle their way out of the trap they have built for themselves. As Michael Tomasky aptly puts it:
You can only set so many houses on fire before people finally figure out that this isn’t happening by accident and you must be an arsonist. The GOP is now flirting with that moment. It can’t come soon enough.
Blunt seems to have some primitive awareness that something really, really bad could be waiting at the end of the current GOP trail, which could be why, although he has conceded the budget fights to the Cruzians in his party, he has refused to endorse the ugly suggestion of Missouri’s fully insured (at taxpayer expense) Lieutenant Governor, Peter Kinder, that uninsured Missourians boycott the Obamacare exchanges. Blunt, unlike Kinder, is not a total idiot and I am guessing that he’s figured out that if too many innocent bystanders get burned in the GOP Götterdämmerung, even agile corporatist equivocators like himself might go up in smoke come election time.
Why is Claire McCaskill so feisty while Roy Blunt shows his squeamish side?
ACA, Affordable Care Act, Claire McCaskill, fiscal policy, Government shutdown, healthcare reform, missouri, Obamacare, Roy Blunt
Via Politico we learn that Claire McCaskill seems to be feeling her oats when it comes to the threatened GOP government shutdown over their OCD efforts to defund the Affordable Care Act (ACA):
I don’t think in America we should throw tantrums when we lose elections and threaten to shut down the government and refuse to pay the bills,” the Missouri Democrat said on “Fox News Sunday.” “The American people had a choice last November. They had a choice between someone who said repeal Obamacare, and President Obama.”
“I cannot believe that they are gonna throw a tantrum and throw the American people and our economic recovery under the bus,” she said of Republicans. “It is really gonna hurt real people. And this is just political point-making.”
McCaskill was feeling so empowered that she characterized the GOP shutdown antics as “Akin-itis.” (Well … duh! Did anyone ever really think that Todd Akin was an isolated phenomenon in the party of Galloping Old Poops?)
McCaskill’s GOP opposite number, though, Senator Roy Blunt, has a different take as you might expet. Nevertheless, there are plenty of hints that he’s a bit squeamish when it comes to the floor-kicking, full-out tantrum that folks like Ted Cruz are promising:
Blunt has given no indication of siding with a determined element promising every rules trick to keep the anti-heath law offensive alive. Before that moment comes, all Republicans can weigh in heartily on the new law.
“I’m no supporter of the president’s health care plan. I believe it won’t work, there’s evidence every day of that, and I’ll vote to not move forward with it,” he said in a Friday interview.
He added: “I don’t know where we’ll be in the middle of the week.”
What could account for McCaskill’s political vim and vigor and Blunt’s cautious and worried tone? Could it be, as Robert Kuttner points out, that an unpopular shutdown is a dangerous ploy for vulnerable Republicans:
This very high-profile mess, just a year before next mid-term election, could upend assumptions about 2014. Democrats need to pick up just 17 seats to take back the House. Most analysts put the number of at-risk Republican seats at between 20 and 25, meaning that Democrats would need to run most of the table. But a deeper look suggests that more Republican seats could be vulnerable. In 2012, Republicans won 41 seats with 55 percent of the vote or less. If Democrats hold their own seats and win back even half of those, they take back the Majority.
Of course, for Blunt the issue probably also threatens to have even more tellling blowback: the people who employ him, his corporate cronies, are aghast at the reckless abandon of his more extreme Tea Party congressional colleagues. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has urged the GOPers to act in a more fiscally responsible manner. Even Wall Street recognizes the foolishness for what it is. The big money folks will fund any kind of stupidity as long as it gets pols sympathetic to their money-making needs into power. Where they draw the line, though, is when the stupidity spills over into financial lunacy – a fact that is surely not lost on Blunt. After all, as Slate’s John Dickerson puts it:
House Republicans aren’t just courting disaster. They’re helping President Obama make the case that they were the problem all along.
No wonder McCaskill is energized and Blunt suitably subdued.
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US20070213805A1 - Expandable stent grafts and methods of use thereof - Google Patents
Expandable stent grafts and methods of use thereof Download PDF
stent graft
support frame
graft assembly
Darin Schaeffer
David Grewe
Cook Medical Technologies LLC
Cook Inc
MED Institute Inc
2007-03-05 Application filed by Cook Inc, MED Institute Inc filed Critical Cook Inc
2007-05-17 Assigned to MED INSTITUTE, INC., COOK INCORPORATED reassignment MED INSTITUTE, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: GREWE, DAVID D., SCHAEFFER, DARIN G.
2012-02-27 Assigned to COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC reassignment COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: COOK INCORPORATED
2012-02-27 Assigned to COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC reassignment COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MEDICAL ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE, INC. D/B/A MED INSTITUTE, INC.
A61F2/82—Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents
A61F2/86—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
A61F2/88—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils
A61F2/885—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils comprising a coil including a plurality of spiral or helical sections with alternate directions around a central axis
A61F2/04—Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts
A61F2/06—Blood vessels
A61F2/07—Stent-grafts
A61F2/90—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
A61F2/91—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
A61F2/915—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
A61F2002/075—Stent-grafts the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
A61F2/30—Joints
A61F2002/30001—Additional features of subject-matter classified in A61F2/28, A61F2/30 and subgroups thereof
A61F2002/30316—The prosthesis having different structural features at different locations within the same prosthesis; Connections between prosthetic parts; Special structural features of bone or joint prostheses not otherwise provided for
A61F2002/30329—Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
A61F2002/30459—Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements stapled
A61F2002/30461—Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements sutured, ligatured or stitched
A61F2002/30518—Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements with possibility of relative movement between the prosthetic parts
A61F2002/3052—Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements with possibility of relative movement between the prosthetic parts unrestrained in only one direction, e.g. moving unidirectionally
A61F2220/00—Fixations or connections for prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof
A61F2220/0025—Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
A61F2220/0041—Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
A61F2220/0066—Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements stapled
A61F2220/0075—Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
This invention relates to a medical device and, in particular, to a prosthesis or stent graft assembly for use within the human or animal body and, more particularly, to the fastening of a stent to the graft material of the stent graft assembly or prosthesis.
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional applications Ser. No. 60/780,894 filed Mar. 9, 2006. The disclosure of this priority application is incorporated herein in its entirety.
This invention relates to a medical device and, in particular, to a prosthesis or stent graft assembly for use within the human or animal body and, more particularly, to the fastening of a stent to a graft material of the stent graft assembly or prosthesis.
Various implantable medical devices are advantageously inserted within various body vessels, for example to improve blood flow through a restricted or weakened vessel. Minimally invasive techniques and instruments for placement of intraluminal medical devices have been developed to treat and repair undesirable conditions within body vessels. Various percutaneous methods of implanting medical devices within the body using intraluminal transcatheter delivery systems can be used to treat a variety of conditions. One or more intraluminal medical devices can be introduced to a point of treatment within a body vessel using a delivery catheter device passed through the vasculature communicating between a remote introductory location and the implantation site, and released from the delivery catheter device at the point of treatment within the body vessel. Intraluminal medical devices can be deployed in a body vessel at a point of treatment and the delivery device subsequently withdrawn from the vessel, while the medical device retained within the vessel to provide sustained improvement in blood flow or to increase vessel patency.
Stent grafts have proven to be effective medical devices for minimally invasive treatment of vascular occlusions such as atherosclerosis and restenosis and treatment of weakened or diseased vessels. Stent grafts include a graft member inside or outside a stent structure. The graft member reestablishes a flow lumen, the stent structure supports the graft member, reinforces the weakened vessel, and prevents occlusion or stenosis.
It is desirable that there is some secure method for fastening of the stent to the graft member. Examples of fastening of a stent to a graft member are described in commonly owned U.S. Publication No. 2004/0225348, published Nov. 11, 2004 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,369 filed Sep. 6, 2005 which are both incorporated by reference. In particular, the method of fastening must be compatible with compressed and expanded states of the stent graft and must allow the graft member to remain fastened to the stent as the device is moved between the compressed and expanded states. For medical devices which move or slide circumferentially, there is a need for a fastening system which allows the support frame to move circumferentially with respect to the graft member such that the graft member and stent remained fastened in and during the transition between the expanded and compressed states and during.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a stent graft assembly, having a tubular graft member, a support frame, and at least one fastener. The graft member is secured to the support frame in a manner that allows the support frame to move circumferentially with respect to the tubular graft member when the support frame is moved between compressed and expanded states.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a stent graft assembly, having a tubular graft member, a support frame, and a means for securing the tubular graft member to the support frame in a manner that permits the support frame to move circumferentially with respect to the tubular graft member when the support frame is moved between compressed and expanded states.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, depicting a stent graft assembly in a radially expanded state.
FIG. 2 is another schematic view of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, depicting a stent graft assembly in a compressed state.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an illustrative support frame.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of another illustrative support frame.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. In case of conflict, the present document, including definitions, will control. Preferred methods and materials are described below, although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. All publications, patent applications, patents and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. The materials, methods, and examples disclosed herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
The term “implantable” refers to an ability of a medical device to be positioned at a location within a body, such as within a body vessel. Furthermore, the terms “implantation” and “implanted” refer to the positioning of a medical device at a location within a body, such as within a body vessel.
An “alloy” is a substance composed of two or more metals or of a metal and a nonmetal united, such as by chemical or physical interaction. Alloys can be formed by various methods, including being fused together and dissolving in each other when molten, although molten processing is not a requirement for a material to be within the scope of the term “alloy.” As understood in the art, an alloy will typically have physical or chemical properties that are different from its components.
A “biodegradable” material is a material that dissipates upon implantation within a body, independent of the mechanisms by which dissipation can occur, such as dissolution, degradation, absorption and excretion. The actual choice of which type of materials to use may readily be made by one of ordinary skill in the art. Such materials are often referred to by different terms in the art, such as “bioresorbable,” “bioabsorbable,” or “biodegradable,” depending upon the mechanism by which the material dissipates. The prefix “bio” indicates that the erosion occurs under physiological conditions, as opposed to other erosion processes, caused for example, by high temperature, strong acids or bases, UV light or weather conditions.
A “biocompatible” material is a material that is compatible with living tissue or a living system by not being toxic or injurious and not causing immunological rejection.
A “non-bioabsorbable” or “biostable” material refers to a material, such as a polymer or copolymer, which remains in the body without substantial bioabsorption.
As used herein, the phrase “bioactive agent” refers to any pharmaceutically active agent that produces an intended therapeutic effect on the body to treat or prevent conditions or diseases.
Implantable Stent Graft
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, and alterations and modifications in the illustrated device, and further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein are herein contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Devices and systems of the invention are desirably adapted for deployment within a body lumen, and in particular embodiments, devices and systems of the invention are adapted for deployment within the venous system. Accordingly, preferred devices adapted are stents.
One aspect of the present invention provides a self-expanding or otherwise expandable stent graft for deployment within a bodily passageway, such as a vessel or duct of a patient. The stent graft is typically delivered and implanted using well-known transcatheter techniques for self-expanding or otherwise expandable prostheses.
The stent graft of the present invention includes a support frame and a graft member. The graft member is positioned coaxially within the inner surface of the support structure or over the outer surface of the support structure. The stent graft, when positioned in an artery, generally conforms to the shape of the artery wall and defines a lumen within the vessel. The stent graft, when positioned in a vein, generally supports the vein and defines a lumen within the vein.
The graft member is slidably secured to the support frame in a manner such that the support frame can move circumferentially with respect to the graft member during radial alteration of the stent.
Illustrative Stent Graft
This invention will be particularly discussed in relation to the fastening of self-expanding stents to graft members, however, it is to be realized that the invention is not limited to this particular application, but may be applicable to other types of stents and other graft members.
FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which the stent graft assembly is in an expanded state, and includes a graft member 32 with a support frame 34 fastened to the graft member.
The stent graft assembly includes a support frame which has a cylindrical shape coaxially disposed about a longitudinal axis 42, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a plurality of arms 50. The support frame extends both “axially” and “circumferentially” along the longitudinal axis. “Circumferentially” refers the arms 50 being bent into generally circular or elliptical configurations and generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The arms need not extend completely around the circumference, and preferably extend only around a portion of the circumference. “Axially” refers to the arrangement of a plurality of arms extending along the longitudinal axis, each arm being generally perpendicular to the axis. The support frame, when completed, is in a substantially cylindrical or drum form.
The support frame is defined by a plurality of arms, each arm including one or more circumferential segments 52. The circumferential segments are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and extend along the circumference or periphery of the support frame. In one embodiment two circumferential segments are interconnected by a curved segment 54 to form arm with an outermost edge 60.
The stent graft assembly includes a tubular graft member for implanting in a body vessel. The tubular graft member is deformable and has first 38 and second 40 ends defining a longitudinal axis, a peripheral surface 44 and inner surface 45 extending between the first and second ends.
The tubular graft member is attached to the support frame with at least one fastener 64. Each fastener slidably secures an arm or a portion of an arm to the peripheral surface. The arm slidably secured by at least one fastener may slide generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and circumferentially with respect to the peripheral surface during radial alteration of the support frame. Radial alteration is the expansion or contraction of the circumferential dimension of the support frame such that the diameter of the support frame is either enlarged or reduced during expansion or contraction, respectively. The graft member is attached to the support frame at a point of attachment on the circumferential segment. The point of attachment is defined as the point on the circumferential segment where the graft member is attached. The point of attachment is represented by the point on the circumferential segment where the fastener contacts, crosses over, or wraps around the circumferential segment. Each fastener has a point of attachment on the circumferential segment, and thus the graft member attached by a plurality of fasteners is attached at multiple points of attachment, defined by multiple fasteners and the position thereof.
FIG. 2 illustrates a stent graft assembly in a contracted state. During radial alteration, oppositely facing arms move radially and circumferentially relative to each other, and the point of attachment on the circumferential segment moves relative to and along the circumferential segment. During contraction of the stent graft assembly, the oppositely facing arms move in opposite circumferential directions such that the outermost edges of the oppositely facing arms move circumferentially towards and past each other. The point of attachment slides away from outermost edge 60. When a circumferential segment is slidably secured by more than one fastener, the point of each attachment of each fastener on the circumferential segment moves. For example, during contraction of a stent graft assembly, the point of attachments move distally from the outermost edge, causing neighboring points of attachment on a singular circumferential segment to move closer together.
As the point of attachment moves during contraction of the stent graft assembly, the arms of the support frame slide relative to the fasteners and peripheral surface of the graft member, causing the tubular graft member to gather in a series of folds or pleats 70. When the graft member is attached to the inner surface of the support frame, these pleats or folds 70 are formed in lumen defined by the support frame.
The Support Frame
The support frame used in the stent graft assembly of the present invention can be, for example, formed from wire, cut from a sheet or a section of cannula, molded or fabricated from a polymer, biomaterial, or composite material, or a combination thereof. The pattern (i.e., configuration of struts and cells) of the outer frame, which is selected to provide radial expandability to the device is also not critical for an understanding of the invention. Any support frame is applicable for use with the claimed stent graft assembly so long as this frame supports the graft member in the required position, can move between a compressed state and an expanded state and can be slidably secured to the graft member.
Any suitable support frame can be used as the support frame in the medical device. The specific support frame chosen will depend on several considerations, including the size and configuration of the vessel and the size, the nature of the medical device, the vessel in which the medical device is being implanted, the axial length of the treatment site, the inner diameter of the body vessel, the delivery method for placing the support frame, and other factors. Those skilled in the art can determine an appropriate implantable frame based on these and other factors.
The support frame is preferably a substantially cylindrical implantable frame defining a central longitudinal lumen. The support frame preferably defines a substantially cylindrical or elliptical lumen providing a conduit for fluid flow. Preferably the support frame has arms which circumferentially support the graft member and are bent into generally circular or elliptical configurations. The arms have circumferential segments which move circumferentially when the support frame is moved between the compressed state and the expanded state.
Optionally an arm may have one or more curved segments 54. In other embodiments, an arm 50 may contain a plurality of curved segments, no curved segments, or combinations of circumferential and curved segments. Examples of arms that are within the scope of this invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,752, the entire disclose of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
In one embodiment, the support frame 34 is configured as a vascular stent such as the commercially available Gianturco-Roubin FLEX-STENT® or GR II™ coronary stent from Cook Incorporated, Bloomington, Ind. Such stents are typically about 10 to about 60 mm in length and designed to expand to a diameter of about 2 to about 6 mm when inserted into the vascular system of the patient. The Gianturco-Roubin stent in particular is typically about 12 to about 25 mm in length and designed to expand to a diameter of about 2 to about 4 mm when so inserted.
These stent dimensions are, of course, applicable to exemplary stents employed in the coronary arteries. Support frames such as stents or catheter portions intended to be employed at other sites in the patient, such as in the aorta, esophagus, trachea, colon, biliary tract, or urinary tract will have different dimensions more suited to such use. For example, aortic, esophageal, tracheal and colonic stents may have diameters up to about 25 mm and lengths about 100 mm or longer.
FIG. 3 depicts a pictorial view of an illustrative support frame. The support frame is a GR II™ which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,632,771 and 6,409,752, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Unmounted flexible stent 10 in an overlapping state and comprising a waveform pattern 13 formed from a flat sheet of biocompatible material and into a tubular shape. The tubular shaped pattern is expanded in a body passage such as a blood vessel to maintain an open lumen therethrough. Pattern 13 is formed from a flat sheet of malleable, biocompatible material, for example, photochemically removing a majority of the sheet material and leaving a framework of integrated support members that has a small surface area relative to the initial surface area of the sheet. After formation from the sheet, the pattern is formed into a partially cylindrical or U-shaped surface around a cylindrical mandrel and then positioned in the overlapping state around a delivery device and into tubular shape.
Pattern 13 includes a reinforcing member 14 extending longitudinally between opposite ends 15 and 16 for providing longitudinal stability thereof, particularly during radial expansion of the stent in the body passage. The length of prior art stents that are formed from a tube typically shorten as the stent is radially expanded. When formed into a tubular shape, pattern 13 includes a plurality of interposed closed cells 17-19 that extend laterally from the reinforcing member for providing vessel wall support. The tubular shaped pattern also exhibits longitudinal flexibility for introducing the stent through tortuous vessels to, for example, a coronary artery. Unlike a wire stent in which a wire is bent into a waveform pattern, waveform pattern 13 is formed from a flat sheet of material without any stresses being introduced at the curved segments thereof. As a result, thickness 23 of stent 10, as well as the sheet, can be made extremely thin in comparison to that of a wire stent to minimize endothelial tissue buildup in the vessel. The same well-known moment of inertia or stiffness of a wire stent is maintained by adjusting the width of each pattern member segment for a given sheet thickness.
When stent 10 is positioned in the overlapping state around a delivery device, any segment of a laterally extending cell that overlaps the reinforcing member only forms a combined thickness 29 with and along the reinforcing member of no more than substantially twice the thickness of the sheet material. When the stent is expanded in a blood vessel, the tubular shape is radially altered from a reduced, minimal inside diameter to an expanded diameter for holding the blood vessel open. In addition, oppositely facing, outermost longitudinal edges 20 and 21 of the pattern move radially and circumferentially relative to each other so that the pattern in the sheet of material is not stressed or deformed in the plane of the sheet of material. The substantially cylindrical surface of the tubular shape has a range of diameters between the expanded diameter and the reduced diameter for holding the vessel open in which the interposed cells are free of overlapping sheet material. The pattern is integrated in such a way that the framework thereof maintains a fixed length when the cylindrical surface of the tubular shape is expanded from the reduced diameter of the overlapping state to a larger diameter.
Interposed cell 17 includes fixedly sized aperture 22 with segments 24-26 and reinforcing member 14 disposed around the aperture. Substantially straight segments 24 and 25 extend laterally from reinforcing member 14, and curved segment 26 interconnects straight segments 24 and 25. Straight segments 24 and 25 are positioned circumferentially around the tubular shape in the space of aperture 22 without overlapping themselves or other adjacent cell segments for minimizing the stent profile or thickness in the overlapping state. Straight segments 24 and 25 extend laterally from the reinforcing member at angles 27 and 28, for example, both slightly acute at 82-83 degrees. Therefore, as depicted in FIG. 3, the straight segments cross over reinforcing member 14 but do not overlap themselves or each other. Furthermore, interposed cell 17 is separated from adjacent cells so that the segments of other cells do not overlap segments of cell 17. The width of the segments is greater than the thickness of the segments, or the sheet of biocompatible material, to maintain an acceptable moment of inertia and to increase the effective vessel wall support area. For example, segments 24-26 are approximately 0.014″ wide and 0.005″ thick.
FIG. 4 depicts a pictorial view of an illustrative support frame. The support frame is a Gianturco-Roubin FLEX-STENT® which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,800,882 and 5,041,126, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The unmounted flexible stent 10 is shown as having a longitudinal axis 42. The stent comprises a plurality of curved sections 90 that are situated generally perpendicular to the axis 42. Adjacent curved sections 90 are joined by bends or cusps 82. A loop 84 is formed at each free end of the wire stent 10 in order to shield the wire end. The curved sections 90 are formed into a circular configuration so that the stent 10 has a cylindrical opening formed therein. The curved sections 90 and cusps 82 form a series of alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise loops 88 and 86, respectively. The clockwise direction relative to the axis 42 has been arbitrarily selected and is noted by the heavy arrow 92.
Preferably, the implantable frame is adapted for intraluminal implantation in a body vessel using a catheter delivery system and is moveable between a first, compressed configuration for delivery within the catheter delivery system and a second, expanded configuration upon deployment within the body vessel. In some embodiments, the expanded configurations can be resiliently further extended in one or more radial directions. In some embodiments, a frame can expand from a compressed, or unexpanded, delivery configuration to one or more radially expanded deployment configurations, for example through self-expansion or balloon expansion of the frame. The expanded configuration can have any suitable cross-sectional configuration, including circular or elliptical. In one embodiment, the frame can be oriented along the longitudinal axis of a body vessel in the expanded or compressed configurations.
Preferably, an implantable frame is self-expanding. Upon compression, self-expanding frames can expand toward their pre-compression geometry. In some embodiments, a self-expanding frame can be compressed into a low-profile delivery conformation and then constrained within a delivery system for delivery to a point of treatment in the lumen of a body vessel. At the point of treatment, the self-expanding frame can be released and allowed to subsequently expand to another configuration. A self-expanding frame can be sized and configured to exert an outward radial force on a body vessel upon implantation, for example to secure the frame in the body vessel or to exert an outward radial force on the body vessel (for example, to perform a “stenting” function).
Support Frame Composition
The materials used in the support frame, including the outer frame and the radial members can be selected from a well-known list of suitable metals and polymeric materials appropriate for the particular application, depending on necessary characteristics that are required (self-expansion, high radial force, collapsibility, etc.). Suitable metals or metal alloys include: stainless steels (e.g., 316, 316L or 304), nickel-titanium alloys including shape memory or superelastic types (e.g NITINOL or ELASTINITE); inconel; noble metals including copper, silver, gold, platinum, paladium and iridium; refractory metals including molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, rhenium, or niobium; stainless steels alloyed with noble and/or refractory metals; magnesium; amorphous metals; plastically deformable metals (e.g., tantalum); nickel-based alloys (e.g., including platinum, gold and/or tantalum alloys); iron-based alloys (e.g., including platinum, gold and/or tantalum alloys); cobalt-based alloys (e.g., including platinum, gold and/or tantalum alloys); cobalt-chrome alloys (e.g., elgiloy); cobalt-chromium-nickel alloys (e.g., phynox); alloys of cobalt, nickel, chromium and molybdenum (e.g., MP35N or MP20N); cobalt-chromium-vanadium alloys; cobalt-chromium-tungsten alloys; platinum-iridium alloys; platinum-tungsten alloys; magnesium alloys; titanium alloys (e.g., TiC, TiN); tantalum alloys (e.g., TaC, TaN); L605; magnetic ferrite; bioabsorbable materials, including magnesium; or other biocompatible metals and/or alloys thereof.
In various embodiments, the support frame comprises a metallic material selected from stainless steel, nickel, silver, platinum, gold, titanium, tantalum, iridium, tungsten, a self-expanding nickel-titanium alloy, NITINOL, or inconel.
One particularly preferred material for forming a frame is a self-expanding material such as the superelastic nickel-titanium alloy sold under the tradename NITINOL. Materials having superelastic properties generally have at least two phases: a martensitic phase, which has a relatively low tensile strength and which is stable at relatively low temperatures, and an austenitic phase, which has a relatively high tensile strength and which can be stable at temperatures higher than the martensitic phase. Shape memory alloys undergo a transition between an austenitic phase and a martensitic phase at certain temperatures. When they are deformed while in the martensitic phase, they retain this deformation as long as they remain in the same phase, but revert to their original configuration when they are heated to a transition temperature, at which time they transform to their austenitic phase. The temperatures at which these transitions occur are affected by the nature of the alloy and the condition of the material. Nickel-titanium-based alloys (NiTi), wherein the transition temperature is slightly lower than body temperature, are preferred for the present invention. It can be desirable to have the transition temperature set at below body temperature to insure a rapid transition from the martinsitic state to the austenitic state when the frame can be implanted in a body lumen.
Preferably, the support frame comprises a self-expanding nickel titanium (NiTi) alloy material. The nickel titanium alloy sold under the tradename NITINOL is a suitable self-expanding material that can be deformed by collapsing the frame and creating stress which causes the NiTi to reversibly change to the martensitic phase. The support frame can be restrained in the deformed condition inside a delivery sheath typically to facilitate the insertion into a patient's body, with such deformation causing the isothermal phase transformation. Once within the body lumen, the restraint on the support frame can be removed, thereby reducing the stress thereon so that the superelastic support frame returns towards its original undeformed shape through isothermal transformation back to the austenitic phase. Other shape memory materials may also be utilized, such as, but not limited to, irradiated memory polymers such as autocrosslinkable high density polyethylene (HDPEX). Shape memory alloys are known in the art and are discussed in, for example, “Shape Memory Alloys,” Scientific American, 281: 74-82 (November 1979), incorporated herein by reference.
Some embodiments provide support frames that are not self-expanding, or that do not comprise superelastic materials. For example, in other embodiments, the support frame can comprise silicon-carbide (SiC). For example, published U.S. Patent Application No. US2004/034409 to Hueblein et al., published on Feb. 14, 2004 and incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, discloses various suitable frame materials and configurations.
Other suitable materials used in the support frame include carbon or carbon fiber; cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, silicone, polyethylene teraphthalate, polyurethane, polyamide, polyester, polyorthoester, polyanhydride, polyether sulfone, polycarbonate, polypropylene, high molecular weight polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, or another biocompatible polymeric material, or mixtures or copolymers of these; polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid or copolymers thereof, a polyanhydride, polycaprolactone, polyhydroxybutyrate valerate or another biodegradable polymer, or mixtures or copolymers of these; a protein, an extracellular matrix component, collagen, fibrin or another biologic agent; or a suitable mixture of any of these.
Graft Materials
The graft member is formed of a graft material which is biocomaptible. Examples of graft materials include polyesters, such as Dacron® (polyethylene terphthalate or PET); fluorinated polymers, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and Teflon® (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene or eP.TFE); polyurethanes such as THORALON™; polyamides such as nylon; or any other suitable material such as coliagenous extracellular matrix (ECM) material including small intestine submucosa (SIS), which is commercially available from Cook Biotech, West Lafayette, Ind., U.S.A. Besides SIS, examples of ECM's include pericardium, stomach submucosa, liver basement membrane, urinary bladder submucosa, tissue mucosa, and dura mater.
Graft materials may include sheets containing a biocompatible polymer. Examples of biocompatible polymers from which sheets can be formed include polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polylactide, polyglycolide and copolymers thereof; fluorinated polymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), expanded PTFE and poly(vinylidene fluoride); polysiloxanes, including polydimethyl siloxane; and polyurethanes, including polyetherurethanes, polyurethane ureas, polyetherurethane ureas, polyurethanes containing carbonate linkages and polyurethanes containing siloxane segments. In addition, materials that are not inherently biocompatible may be subjected to surface modifications in order to render the materials biocompatible. Examples of surface modifications include graft polymerization of biocompatible polymers from the material surface, coating of the surface with a crosslinked biocompatible polymer, chemical modification with biocompatible functional groups, and immobilization of a compatibilizing agent such as heparin or other substances. Thus, any polymer that may be formed into a sheet can be used to make a graft material, provided the final material is biocompatible. Polymers that can be formed into a sheet include polyolefins, polyacrylonitrile, nylons, polyaramids and polysulfones, in addition to polyesters, fluorinated polymers, polysiloxanes and polyurethanes as listed above. Preferably the sheet is made of one or more polymers that do not require treatment or modification to be biocompatible.
The graft material may include a biocompatible polyurethane. Examples of biocompatible polyurethanes include THORALON (THORATEC, Pleasanton, Calif.), BIOSPAN, BIONATE, ELASTHANE, PURSIL and CARBOSIL (POLYMER TECHNOLOGY GROUP, Berkeley, Calif.). THORALON (THORATEC, Pleasanton, Calif.), is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,377 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,361, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. According to these patents, THORALON is a polyurethane base polymer (referred to as BPS-215) blended with a siloxane containing surface modifying additive (referred to as SMA-300). Base polymers containing urea linkages can also be used. The concentration of the surface modifying additive may be in the range of 0.5% to 5% by weight of the base polymer.
The SMA-300 component (THORATEC) is a polyurethane comprising polydimethylsiloxane as a soft segment and the reaction product of diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,4-butanediol as a hard segment. A process for synthesizing SMA-300 is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,861,830 and 4,675,361, which are incorporated herein by reference.
The BPS-215 component (THORATEC) is a segmented polyetherurethane urea containing a soft segment and a hard segment. The soft segment is made of polytetramethylene oxide (PTMO), and the hard segment is made from the reaction of 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and ethylene diamine (ED).
THORALON can be manipulated to provide either porous or non-porous THORALON. Porous THORALON can be formed by mixing the polyetherurethane urea (BPS-215), the surface modifying additive (SMA-300) and a particulate substance in a solvent. The particulate may be any of a variety of different particulates or pore forming agents, including inorganic salts. Preferably the particulate is insoluble in the solvent. The solvent may include dimethyl formamide (DMF), tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethyacetamide (DMAC), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), or mixtures thereof. The composition can contain from about 5 wt % to about 40 wt % polymer, and different levels of polymer within the range can be used to fine tune the viscosity needed for a given process. The composition can contain less than 5 wt % polymer for some spray application embodiments. The particulates can be mixed into the composition. For example, the mixing can be performed with a spinning blade mixer for about an hour under ambient pressure and in a temperature range of about 18° C. to about 27° C. The entire composition can be cast as a sheet, or coated onto an article such as a mandrel or a mold. In one example, the composition can be dried to remove the solvent, and then the dried material can be soaked in distilled water to dissolve the particulates and leave pores in the material. In another example, the composition can be coagulated in a bath of distilled water. Since the polymer is insoluble in the water, it will rapidly solidify, trapping some or all of the particulates. The particulates can then dissolve from the polymer, leaving pores in the material. It may be desirable to use warm water for the extraction, for example water at a temperature of about 60° C. The resulting pore diameter can also be substantially equal to the diameter of the salt grains.
The porous polymeric sheet can have a void-to-volume ratio from about 0.40 to about 0.90. Preferably the void-to-volume ratio is from about 0.65 to about 0.80. The resulting void-to-volume ratio can be substantially equal to the ratio of salt volume to the volume of the polymer plus the salt. Void-to-volume ratio is defined as the volume of the pores divided by the total volume of the polymeric layer including the volume of the pores. The void-to-volume ratio can be measured using the protocol described in AAMI (Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation) VP20-1994, Cardiovascular Implants—Vascular Prosthesis section 8.2.1.2, Method for Gravimetric Determination of Porosity. The pores in the polymer can have an average pore diameter from about 1 micron to about 400 microns. Preferably the average pore diameter is from about 1 micron to about 100 microns, and more preferably is from about 1 micron to about 10 microns. The average pore diameter is measured based on images from a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Formation of porous THORALON is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,826 and 2003/0149471 A1, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Non-porous THORALON can be formed by mixing the polyetherurethane urea (BPS-215) and the surface modifying additive (SMA-300) in a solvent, such as dimethyl formamide (DMF), tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethyacetamide (DMAC), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The composition can contain from about 5 wt % to about 40 wt % polymer, and different levels of polymer within the range can be used to fine tune the viscosity needed for a given process. The composition can contain less than 5 wt % polymer for some spray application embodiments. The entire composition can be cast as a sheet, or coated onto an article such as a mandrel or a mold. In one example, the composition can be dried to remove the solvent.
THORALON has been used in certain vascular applications and is characterized by thromboresistance, high tensile strength, low water absorption, low critical surface tension, and good flex life. THORALON is believed to be biostable and to be useful in vivo in long term blood contacting applications requiring biostability and leak resistance. Because of its flexibility, THORALON is useful in larger vessels, such as the abdominal aorta, where elasticity and compliance is beneficial.
A variety of other biocompatible polyurethanes/polycarbamates and urea linkages (hereinafter “CON type polymers”) may also be employed. These include CON type polymers that preferably include a soft segment and a hard segment. The segments can be combined as copolymers or as blends. For example, CON type polymers with soft segments such as PTMO, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, polycarbonate, polyolefin, polysiloxane (i.e. polydimethylsiloxane), and other polyether soft segments made from higher homologous series of diols may be used. Mixtures of any of the soft segments may also be used. The soft segments also may have either alcohol end groups or amine end groups. The molecular weight of the soft segments may vary from about 500 to about 5,000 g/mole.
Preferably, the hard segment is formed from a diisocyanate and diamine. The diisocyanate may be represented by the formula OCN—R—NCO, where —R— may be aliphatic, aromatic, cycloaliphatic or a mixture of aliphatic and aromatic moieties. Examples of diisocyanates include MDI, tetramethylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, trimethyhexamethylene diisocyanate, tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, dimer acid diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, metaxylene diisocyanate, diethylbenzene diisocyanate, decamethylene 1,10 diisocyanate, cyclohexylene 1,2-diisocyanate, 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, xylene diisocyanate, m-phenylene diisocyanate, hexahydrotolylene diisocyanate (and isomers), naphthylene-1,5-diisocyanate, 1-methoxyphenyl 2,4-diisocyanate, 4,4′-biphenylene diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethoxy-4,4′-biphenyl diisocyanate and mixtures thereof.
The diamine used as a component of the hard segment includes aliphatic amines, aromatic amines and amines contaning both aliphatic and aromatic moieties. For example, diamines include ethylene diamine, propane diamines, butanediamines, hexanediamines, pentane diamines, heptane diamines, octane diamines, m-xylylene diamine, 1,4-cyclohexane diamine, 2-methypentamethylene diamine, 4,4′-methylene dianiline, and mixtures thereof. The amines may also contain oxygen and/or halogen atoms in their structures.
Other applicable biocompatible polyurethanes include those using a polyol as a component of the hard segment. Polyols may be aliphatic, aromatic, cycloaliphatic or may contain a mixture of aliphatic and aromatic moieties. For example, the polyol may be ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,8-octanediol, propylene glycols, 2,3-butylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, dibutylene glycol, glycerol, or mixtures thereof.
Biocompatible CON type polymers modified with cationic, anionic and aliphatic side chains may also be used. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,664.
Other biocompatible CON type polymers include: segmented polyurethanes, such as BIOSPAN; polycarbonate urethanes, such as BIONATE; and polyetherurethanes, such as ELASTHANE; (all available from POLYMER TECHNOLOGY GROUP, Berkeley, Calif.).
Other biocompatible CON type polymers can include polyurethanes having siloxane segments, also referred to as a siloxane-polyurethane. Examples of polyurethanes containing siloxane segments include polyether siloxane-polyurethanes, polycarbonate siloxane-polyurethanes, and siloxane-polyurethane ureas. Specifically, examples of siloxane-polyurethane include polymers such as ELAST-EON 2 and ELAST-EON 3 (AORTECH BIOMATERIALS, Victoria, Australia); polytetramethyleneoxide (PTMO) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polyether-based aromatic siloxane-polyurethanes such as PURSIL-10, -20, and -40 TSPU; PTMO and PDMS polyether-based aliphatic siloxane-polyurethanes such as PURSIL AL-5 and AL-10 TSPU; aliphatic, hydroxy-terminated polycarbonate and PDMS polycarbonate-based siloxane-polyurethanes such as CARBOSIL-10, -20, and -40 TSPU (all available from POLYMER TECHNOLOGY GROUP). The PURSIL, PURSIL-AL, and CARBOSIL polymers are thermoplastic elastomer urethane copolymers containing siloxane in the soft segment, and the percent siloxane in the copolymer is referred to in the grade name. For example, PURSIL-10 contains 10% siloxane. These polymers are synthesized through a multi-step bulk synthesis in which PDMS is incorporated into the polymer soft segment with PTMO (PURSIL) or an aliphatic hydroxy-terminated polycarbonate (CARBOSIL). The hard segment consists of the reaction product of an aromatic diisocyanate, MDI, with a low molecular weight glycol chain extender. In the. case of PURSIL-AL the hard segment is synthesized from an aliphatic diisocyanate. The polymer chains are then terminated with a siloxane or other surface modifying end group. Siloxane-polyurethanes typically have a relatively low glass transition temperature, which provides for polymeric materials having increased flexibility relative to many conventional materials. In addition, the siloxane-polyurethane can exhibit high hydrolytic and oxidative stability, including improved resistance to environmental stress cracking. Examples of siloxane-polyurethanes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 2002/0187288 A1, which is incorporated herein by reference.
In addition, any of these biocompatible CON type polymers may be end-capped with surface active end groups, such as, for example, polydimethylsiloxane, fluoropolymers, polyolefin, polyethylene oxide, or other suitable groups. See, for example the surface active end groups disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,563, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Graft materials may be woven (including knitted) textiles or nonwoven textiles. Nonwoven textiles are fibrous webs that are held together through bonding of the individual fibers or filaments. The bonding can be accomplished through thermal or chemical treatments or through mechanically entangling the fibers or filaments. Because nonwovens are not subjected to weaving or knitting, the fibers can be used in a crude form without being converted into a yarn structure. Woven textiles are fibrous webs that have been formed by knitting or weaving. The woven textile structure may be any kind of weave including, for example, a plain weave, a herringbone weave, a satin weave, or a basket weave. A textile material contains fibers and interstices between the fibers.
In one example of woven textiles, knitted textiles include weft knit and warp knit fiber arrays. Weft knit fabric structures (including double-knit structures) utilize interlocked fiber loops in a filling-wise, or weft, direction, while warp knit structures utilize fabric loops interlocked in a length wise, or warp, direction. Weft knit structures generally are more elastic than warp knit structures, but the resiliency of warp knit fabrics is satisfactory to provide a substantial degree of elasticity, or resiliency, to the fabric structure without substantially relying on tensile fiber elongation for such elasticity. Weft knit fabrics generally have two dimensional elasticity (or stretch), while warp knit fabrics generally have unidirectional (width wise) elasticity. The different elasticity properties of the various knit or woven structures may be beneficially adapted to the functional requirement of the particular graft material application. In some cases, where little elasticity is desired, the fabric may be woven to minimize in plane elasticity but yet provide flexibility. For large diameter vascular grafts (6 mm diameter or larger) and various reconstructive fabric applications, polyethylene terephthalate fiber fabric arrays of suitably small fiber size may be utilized as materials for subsequent impregnation with the extracellular collagen matrix. Commercially available woven and knitted fabrics of medical grade Dacron fibers including, single and double velour graft fabrics, stretch Dacron graft fabric and Dacron mesh fabrics, provided the fibers that have suitably small diameter and other properties to provide graft materials in accordance with the present invention. For smaller vascular graft applications (less than 6 mm diameter), and for other applications for which suitable substrates of desired structure are not commercially available, special manufacture may be necessary.
Woven fabrics may have any desirable shape, size, form and configuration. For example, the fibers of a woven fabric may be filled or unfilled. Examples of how the basic unfilled fibers may be manufactured and purchased are indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,137, by Tolliver. Fibers similar to those described are currently being manufactured by the DuPont Company from polyethylene terephthalate (often known as “DACRON™” when manufactured by DuPont), and by other companies from various substances.
The graft material may be a reconstituted or naturally-derived collagenous material. Such materials that are at least bioresorbable will provide advantage in the present invention, with materials that are bioremodelable and promote cellular invasion and ingrowth providing particular advantage.
Suitable bioremodelable materials can be provided by collagenous extracellular matrix materials (ECMs) possessing biotropic properties, including in certain forms angiogenic collagenous extracellular matrix materials. For example, suitable collagenous materials include ECMs such as submucosa, renal capsule membrane, dermal collagen, dura mater, pericardium, fascia lata, serosa, peritoneum or basement membrane layers, including liver basement membrane. Suitable submucosa materials for these purposes include, for instance, intestinal submucosa, including small intestinal submucosa, stomach submucosa, urinary bladder submucosa, and uterine submucosa.
As prepared, the submucosa material and any other ECM used may optionally retain growth factors or other bioactive components native to the source tissue. For example, the submucosa or other ECM may include one or more growth factors such as basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and/or platelet derived growth factor (PDGF). As well, submucosa or other ECM used in the invention may include other biological materials such as heparin, heparin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, fibronectin and the like. Thus, generally speaking, the submucosa or other ECM material may include a bioactive component that induces, directly or indirectly, a cellular response such as a change in cell morphology, proliferation, growth, protein or gene expression.
Submucosa or other ECM materials of the present invention can be derived from any suitable organ or other tissue source, usually sources containing connective tissues. The ECM materials processed for use in the invention will typically include abundant collagen, most commonly being constituted at least about 80% by weight collagen on a dry weight basis. Such naturally-derived ECM materials will for the most part include collagen fibers that are non-randomly oriented, for instance occurring as generally uniaxial or multi-axial but regularly oriented fibers. When processed to retain native bioactive factors, the ECM material can retain these factors interspersed as solids between, upon and/or within the collagen fibers. Particularly desirable naturally-derived ECM materials for use in the invention will include significant amounts of such interspersed, non-collagenous solids that are readily ascertainable under light microscopic examination with specific staining. Such non-collagenous solids can constitute a significant percentage of the dry weight of the ECM material in certain inventive embodiments, for example at least about 1%, at least about 3%, and at least about 5% by weight in various embodiments of the invention.
The submucosa or other ECM material used in the present invention may also exhibit an angiogenic character and thus be effective to induce angiogenesis in a host engrafted with the material. In this regard, angiogenesis is the process through which the body makes new blood vessels to generate increased blood supply to tissues. Thus, angiogenic materials, when contacted with host tissues, promote or encourage the infiltration of new blood vessels. Methods for measuring in vivo angiogenesis in response to biomaterial implantation have recently been developed. For example, one such method uses a subcutaneous implant model to determine the angiogenic character of a material. See, C. Heeschen et al., Nature Medicine 7 (2001), No. 7, 833-839. When combined with a fluorescence microangiography technique, this model can provide both quantitative and qualitative measures of angiogenesis into biomaterials. C. Johnson et al., Circulation Research 94 (2004), No. 2, 262-268.
Further, in addition or as an alternative to the inclusion of native bioactive components, non-native bioactive components such as those synthetically produced by recombinant technology or other methods, may be incorporated into the submucosa or other ECM tissue. These non-native bioactive components may be naturally-derived or recombinantly produced proteins that correspond to those natively occurring in the ECM tissue, but perhaps of a different species (e.g. human proteins applied to collagenous ECMs from other animals, such as pigs). The non-native bioactive components may also be drug substances. Illustrative drug substances that may be incorporated into and/or onto the ECM materials used in the invention include, for example, antibiotics or thrombus-promoting substances such as blood clotting factors, e.g. thrombin, fibrinogen, and the like. These substances may be applied to the ECM material as a premanufactured step, immediately prior to the procedure (e.g. by soaking the material in a solution containing a suitable antibiotic such as cefazolin), or during or after engraftment of the material in the patient.
Submucosa or other ECM tissue used in the invention is preferably highly purified, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,931 to Cook et al. Thus, preferred ECM material will exhibit an endotoxin level of less than about 12 endotoxin units (EU) per gram, more preferably less than about 5 EU per gram, and most preferably less than about 1 EU per gram. As additional preferences, the submucosa or other ECM material may have a bioburden of less than about 1 colony forming units (CFU) per gram, more preferably less than about 0.5 CFU per gram. Fungus levels are desirably similarly low, for example less than about 1 CFU per gram, more preferably less than about 0.5 CFU per gram. Nucleic acid levels are preferably less than about 5 pg/mg, more preferably less than about 2 pg/mg, and virus levels are preferably less than about 50 plaque forming units (PFU) per gram, more preferably less than about 5 PFU per gram. These and additional properties of submucosa or other ECM tissue taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,931 may be characteristic of the submucosa tissue used in the present invention.
Fastener Types
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the graft member is slidably secured to the support frame by threading the frame through the graft member. Support frame 34 has a plurality of arms 50 which are bent into generally circular or elliptical configurations. The arms have a circumferential segment 52 which is threaded through an opening 80 in the graft member. Optionally, the perimeter of the opening may be reinforced with a rivet, stitching, or other reinforcement means. The circumferential segment is threaded through a plurality of openings circumferentially aligned along the graft member. When threaded, the circumferential segment is alternately located on the peripheral and inner surface of the graft member with each successive opening that is threaded.
In another embodiment, the graft member is slidably secured to the support frame by a plurality of fasteners. The fastener may be any suitable type of fastener which slidably secures the graft member to the support frame. Examples of suitable fastener include sutures, staples, wires, or fibers. The fastener may be mono filament or multi filament including braided filaments. Preferably the fastener may be an elongate flexible fiber or thread such as a mono filament suture material or braided suture.
Sutures, wires, fibers or threads may be utilized in a sewing operation. For example, the fiber, thread, wire or other suitable strand may extend out of the graft member, pass over the circumferential segment, and extend back into the graft member. This process may be repeated such that a suitable strand extends longitudinally along the graft member and fastens a series of circumferential segments. In this manner a new point of attachment is formed with each time the suitable strand extends out of the graft member, passes over the circumferential segment, and extends back into the graft member. In other embodiments the fastener may include one or more turns of a suitable strand, and may include one or more knots to tie off the suitable strand.
Fastener Materials
The fastener material may be made of any appropriate material which is blood compatible or biocompatible and which slidably secures the graft member to the support frame. Although the fastener may be a single or multiple strand wire (platinum, platinum/tungsten, gold, palladium, tantalum, stainless steel, nickel/titanium, etc. or alloys thereof), much preferred is the use of polymeric biocompatible filaments. Synthetic polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyglycolic acid, polyesters, polyamides, their mixtures, blends, copolymers, mixtures, blends and copolymers are suitable; preferred of this class are polypropylenes such as PROLENE, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate including DACRON®, ETHICON and MYLAR® and polyaramids such as KEVLAR, polyfluorocarbons such as polytetrafluoroethylene with and without copolymerized hexafluoropropylene (TEFLON® or GORETEX), and porous or nonporous polyurethanes, and polyurethane ureas such as THORALON. Natural materials or materials based on natural sources such as collagen are also suitable.
Bioactives
Medical devices of the present invention can include a bioactive agent. A bioactive agent can be included in any suitable part of the medical device, for example in the support frame and/or the graft member. Selection of the type of bioactive agent, the portions of the medical device comprising the bioactive agent, and the manner of attaching the bioactive agent to the medical device can be chosen to perform a desired therapeutic function upon implantation and, in particular, to achieve controlled release of the bioactive agent.
For example, a therapeutic bioactive agent can be combined with a biocompatible polyurethane, impregnated in an extracellular collagen matrix material, incorporated in the support frame or coated over any portion of the graft member. In one embodiment, the medical device can comprise one or more graft members comprising a bioactive agent coated on the surface of the graft member or impregnated in the graft member. In another aspect, a bioactive material is combined with a biodegradable polymer to form a portion of the support frame.
A bioactive agent can be incorporated in or applied to portions of the graft member by any suitable method that permits controlled release of the bioactive agent material and the effectiveness thereof for an intended purpose upon implantation in the body vessel. The configuration of the bioactive agent on or in the graft member will depend in part on the desired rate of elution for the bioactive agent. Bioactive agents can be coated directly on the graft member surface or can be adhered to a graft member by means of a coating. For example, a bioactive agent can be blended with a polymer and spray or dip coated on the graft member surface. For example, a bioactive agent material can be posited on the surface of the graft member and a porous coating layer can be posited over the bioactive agent material. The bioactive agent material can diffuse through the porous coating layer. Multiple porous coating layers and or pore size can be used to control the rate of diffusion of the bioactive agent material. The coating layer can also be nonporous wherein the rate of diffusion of the bioactive agent material through the coating layer is controlled by the rate of dissolution of the bioactive agent material in the coating layer.
The bioactive agent material can also be dispersed throughout the coating layer, by for example, blending the bioactive agent with the polymer solution that forms the coating layer. If the coating layer is biostable, the bioactive agent can diffuse through the coating layer. If the coating layer is biodegradable, the bioactive agent is released upon erosion of the biodegradable coating layer.
Bioactive agents may be bonded to the coating layer directly via a covalent bond or via a linker molecule which covalently links the bioactive agent and the coating layer. Alternatively, the bioactive agent may be bound to the coating layer by ionic interactions including cationic polymer coatings with anionic functionality on bioactive agent, or alternatively anionic polymer coatings with cationic functionality on the bioactive agent. Hydrophobic interactions may also be used to bind the bioactive agent to a hydrophobic portion of the coating layer. The bioactive agent may be modified to include a hydrophobic moiety such as a carbon based moiety, silicon-carbon based moiety or other such hydrophobic moiety. Alternatively, the hydrogen bonding interactions may be used to bind the bioactive agent to the coating layer.
The bioactive agent can optionally be applied to or incorporated in any suitable portion of the medical device. The bioactive agent can be applied to or incorporated in the medical device, a polymer coating applied to the medical device, a material attached to the medical device or a material forming at least a portion of the medical device. The bioactive agent can be incorporated within the material forming the support frame, or within pores formed in the surface of the support frame. The medical device can optionally comprise a coating layer containing the bioactive agent, or combinations of multiple coating layers configured to promote a desirable rate of elution of the bioactive from the medical device upon implantation within the body.
A coating layer comprising a bioactive agent can comprise a bioactive agent and a biostable polymer, a biodegradable polymer or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the bioactive agent is blended with a biostable polymer to deposit the bioactive agent within the porous channels within the biostable polymer that permit elution of the bioactive agent from the medical device upon implantation. Alternatively, a blend of the bioactive and the bioabsorbable polymer can be incorporated within a biostable polymer matrix to permit dissolution of the bioabsorbable polymer through channels or pores in the biostable polymer matrix upon implantation in the body, accompanied by elution of the bioactive agent.
Multiple coating layers can be configured to provide a medical device with a desirable bioactive agent elution rate upon implantation. The medical device can comprise a diffusion layer positioned between a portion of the medical device that comprises a bioactive agent and the portion of the medical device contacting the body upon implantation. For example, the diffusion layer can be a porous layer positioned on top of a coating layer that comprises a bioactive agent. The diffusion layer can also be a porous layer positioned on top of a bioactive agent coated on or incorporated within a portion of the medical device.
A porous diffusion layer is preferably configured to permit diffusion of the bioactive agent from the medical device upon implantation within the body at a desirable elution rate. Prior to implantation in the body, the diffusion layer can be substantially free of the bioactive agent. Alternatively, the diffusion layer can comprise a bioactive agent within pores in the diffusion layer. Optionally, the diffusion layer can comprise a mixture of a biodegradable polymer and a bioactive positioned within pores of a biostable polymer of a diffusion layer. In another embodiment, the porous diffusion layer can comprise a mixture of a biodegradable polymer and a biostable polymer, configured to permit absorption of the biodegradable polymer upon implantation of the medical device to form one or more channels in the biostable polymer to permit an underlying bioactive agent to diffuse through the pores formed in the biostable polymer.
In one aspect of the invention, the bioactive agent is an antithrombogenic bioactive agent. Medical devices comprising an antithrombogenic bioactive agent are particularly preferred for implantation in areas of the body that contact blood. An antithrombogenic bioactive agent is any therapeutic agent that inhibits or prevents thrombus formation within a body vessel. The medical device can comprise any suitable antithrombogenic bioactive agent. Types of antithrombotic bioactive agents include anticoagulants, antiplatelets, and fibrinolytics. Anticoagulants are bioactive agents which act on any of the factors, cofactors, activated factors, or activated cofactors in the biochemical cascade and inhibit the synthesis of fibrin. Antiplatelet bioactive agents inhibit the adhesion, activation, and aggregation of platelets, which are key components of thrombi and play an important role in thrombosis. Fibrinolytic bioactive agents enhance the fibrinolytic cascade or otherwise aid is dissolution of a thrombus. Examples of antithrombotics include but are not limited to anticoagulants such as thrombin, Factor Xa, Factor VIIa and tissue factor inhibitors; antiplatelets such as glycoprotein IIb/IIIa, thromboxane A2, ADP-induced glycoprotein IIb/IIIa, and phosphodiesterase inhibitors; and fibrinolytics such as plasminogen activators, thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) inhibitors, and other enzymes which cleave fibrin.
Further examples of antithrombotic bioactive agents include anticoagulants such as heparin, low molecular weight heparin, covalent heparin, synthetic heparin salts, coumadin, bivalirudin (hirulog), hirudin, argatroban, ximelagatran, dabigatran, dabigatran etexilate, D-phenalanyl-L-poly-L-arginyl, chloromethy ketone, dalteparin, enoxaparin, nadroparin, danaparoid, vapiprost, dextran, dipyridamole, omega-3 fatty acids, vitronectin receptor antagonists, DX-9065a, CI-1083, JTV-803, razaxaban, BAY 59-7939, and LY-51,7717; antiplatelets such as eftibatide, tirofiban, orbofiban, lotrafiban, abciximab, aspirin, ticlopidine, clopidogrel, cilostazol, dipyradimole, nitric oxide sources such as sodium nitroprussiate, nitroglycerin, S-nitroso and N-nitroso compounds; fibrinolytics such as alfimeprase, alteplase, anistreplase, reteplase, lanoteplase, monteplase, tenecteplase, urokinase, streptokinase, or phospholipid encapsulated microbubbles; and other bioactive agents such as endothelial progenitor cells or endothelial cells.
Other examples of bioactive coating compounds include antibodies, such as EPC cell marker targets, CD34, CD133, and AC 133/CD133; Liposomal Biphosphate Compounds (BPs), Chlodronate, Alendronate, Oxygen Free Radical scavengers such as Tempamine and PEA/NO preserver compounds, and an inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases, MMPI, such as Batimastat. Still other bioactive agents that can be incorporated in or coated on a frame include a PPARα-agonist, a PPARδ-agonist and RXR agonists, as disclosed in published U.S. Patent Application US2004/0073297 to Rohde et al., published on Apr. 15, 2004 and incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
Methods of Implantation
The medical device as described herein can be delivered to any suitable body vessel, including a vein, artery, biliary duct, ureteral vessel, body passage or portion of the alimentary canal. Methods for delivering a medical device as described herein to any suitable body vessel are also provided, such as a vein, artery, biliary duct, ureteral vessel, body passage or portion of the alimentary canal. While many preferred embodiments discussed herein discuss implantation of a medical device in a vein, other embodiments provide for implantation within other body vessels. In another matter of terminology there are many types of body canals, blood vessels, ducts, tubes and other body passages, and the term “vessel” is meant to include all such passages.
In some embodiments, medical device of the present invention having a compressed delivery configuration with a very low profile, small collapsed diameter and great flexibility, may be able to navigate small or tortuous paths through a variety of body vessels. A low-profile medical device may also be useful in coronary arteries, carotid arteries, vascular aneurysms, and peripheral arteries and veins (e.g., renal, iliac, femoral, popliteal, sublavian, aorta, intercranial, etc.). Other nonvascular applications include gastrointestinal, duodenum, biliary ducts, esophagus, urethra, reproductive tracts, trachea, and respiratory (e.g., bronchial) ducts. These applications may optionally include a sheath covering the medical device. In one aspect, the medical device described herein are implanted from a portion of a catheter inserted in a body vessel.
Still other embodiments provide methods of treating a subject, which can be animal or human, comprising the step of implanting one or more medical devices as described herein. In some embodiments, methods of treating may also include the step of delivering a medical device to a point of treatment in a body vessel, or deploying a medical device at the point of treatment. Methods for treating certain conditions are also provided, such as, esophageal reflux, restenosis or atherosclerosis.
The functional vessels of human and animal bodies, such as blood vessels and ducts, occasionally weaken or even rupture. For example, in the aortic artery, the vascular wall can weaken or tear, resulting in dangerous conditions such as aneurysm and dissection. Treatment of such conditions can be performed by implanting a prosthesis within the vascular system using minimally invasive surgical procedures.
An endoluminal prosthesis typically includes one or more stents affixed to graft material and is delivered to the treatment site by endovascular insertion. Once the endoluminal prosthesis is radially enlarged, it should remain in place indefinitely by self-attachment to the vessel wall, acting as a substitute vessel for the flow of blood or other fluids.
Treatment of vascular conditions near a branch point with an endoluminal prosthesis can present a number of difficulties. A single, straight section of a tubular prosthesis may not be able to span the aneurysm or dissection and still maintain sufficient contact with healthy vascular tissue to secure the prosthesis and to prevent endoleaks. For example, most abdominal aortic aneurysms occur at or near the iliac bifurcation, and treatment with an endoluminal prosthesis requires the presence of prosthesis material in the main aorta and in the iliac branch arteries (Dietrich, E. B. J. Invasive Cardiol. 13(5):383-390, 2001). Typically, an endoluminal prosthesis for use near a bifurcation will have a main lumen body, for placement within the aorta, and two branch lumens extending from the main lumen body into the branch arteries.
One example of a bifurcated prosthesis is a single piece prosthesis. Such a unitary structure has a main tubular body and pre-formed leg extensions. The structure provided by this configuration can minimize the probability of leakage within the prosthesis. Another example of a bifurcated prosthesis is a modular system. In this system, one or both of the leg extensions can be attached to a main tubular body to provide the final prosthesis.
Other uses of the stent graft assembly of this invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Any other undisclosed or incidental details of the construction or composition of the various elements of the disclosed embodiment of the present invention are not believed to be critical to the achievement of the advantages of the present invention, so long as the elements possess the attributes needed for them to perform as disclosed. The selection of these and other details of construction are believed to be well within the ability of one of even rudimentary skills in this area, in view of the present disclosure. Illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described in considerable detail for the purpose of disclosing a practical, operative structure whereby the invention may be practiced advantageously.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only exemplary embodiments have been shown and described and do not limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The illustrative embodiments are not exclusive of each other or of other embodiments not recited herein. Accordingly, the invention also provides embodiments that comprise combinations of one or more of the illustrative embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the invention as herein set forth can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.
1. A stent graft assembly comprising:
a tubular graft member having a lumen disposed about a longitudinal axis, the graft member comprising a graft material;
a support frame extending axially and circumferentially around the longitudinal axis, being movable between a compressed state and a radially expanded state; and
at least one fastener that secures the tubular graft member to the support frame in a manner that permits the support frame to move circumferentially with respect to the tubular graft member when the support frame is moved between the compressed state and the expanded state.
2. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the graft material is a bioremodelable material.
3. The stent graft assembly of claim 2, further comprising a bioactive material attached to the stent graft assembly.
4. The stent graft assembly of claim 2, wherein the support frame comprises nitinol.
5. The stent graft assembly of claim 2, wherein the graft material is selected from the group consisting of a reconstituted or naturally-derived coliagenous material, a collagenous extracellular matrix material, submucosa, renal capsule membrane, dermal collagen, dura mater, pericardium, fascia lata, serosa, peritoneum or basement membrane layers, intestinal submucosa, including small intestinal submucosa, stomach submucosa, urinary bladder submucosa, and uterine submucosa.
6. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the graft material comprises an angiogenic collagenous extracellular matrix material.
7. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the graft material comprises a biocompatible polyurethane.
10. The stent graft assembly of claim 7, wherein the fastener is a suture, loop, staple, wire or fiber.
11. The stent graft assembly of claim 7, wherein the fastener is an elongate flexible fiber having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are attached to the graft member to define a closed loop securing the tubular graft member to the support frame.
12. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the support frame comprises nitinol.
14. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener is an elongate flexible fiber having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are attached to the graft member to define a closed loop attaching the graft member to the support frame.
15. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener is a mono-filament suture material or a braided suture material.
16. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, further comprising a bioactive material attached to the stent graft assembly.
17. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the graft material is selected from the group consisting of a biocompatible polyurethane, a reconstituted or naturally-derived collagenous material, a collagenous extracellular matrix material, submucosa, renal capsule membrane, dermal collagen, dura mater, pericardium, fascia lata, serosa, peritoneum or basement membrane layers, intestinal submucosa, including small intestinal submucosa, stomach submucosa, urinary bladder submucosa, and uterine submucosa;
wherein the support frame comprises nitinol; and
wherein the fastener is a suture, loop, staple, wire or fiber.
18. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the support frame comprises,
a sheet of biocompatible material having a specified thickness and reinforced with a reinforcing member extending longitudinally therealong and a plurality of cells extending laterally from said reinforcing member in a surface of said sheet of material, selected of said cells being a closed cell and including a fixedly sized aperture extending through said surface of said sheet of material, said sheet of material having a tubular shape including an overlapping state in which certain of said cells overlap said reinforcing member while none of cells overlap each other and form a combined thickness anywhere along said reinforcing member of no more than substantially twice said specified thickness of said sheet of material.
19. The stent graft assembly of claim 18, wherein the graft material is a bioremodelable material.
20. The stent graft assembly of claim 19, wherein the graft material is selected from the group consisting of a reconstituted or naturally-derived collagenous material, a collagenous extracellular matrix material, submucosa, renal capsule membrane, dermal collagen, dura mater, pericardium, fascia lata, serosa, peritoneum or basement membrane layers, intestinal submucosa, including small intestinal submucosa, stomach submucosa, urinary bladder submucosa, and uterine submucosa.
21. The stent graft assembly of claim 18, wherein the graft material comprises an angiogenic collagenous extracellular matrix material.
22. The stent graft assembly of claim 18, wherein the graft material comprises a biocompatible polyurethane.
23. The stent graft assembly of claim 18, further comprising a bioactive material attached to the stent graft assembly.
24. The stent graft assembly of claim 18, wherein the fastener is a suture, loop, staple, wire or fiber.
25. The stent graft assembly of claim 18, wherein the graft material is selected from the group consisting of a biocompatible polyurethane, a reconstituted or naturally-derived collagenous material, a collagenous extracellular matrix material, submucosa, renal capsule membrane, dermal collagen, dura mater, pericardium, fascia lata, serosa, peritoneum or basement membrane layers, intestinal submucosa, including small intestinal submucosa, stomach submucosa, urinary bladder submucosa, and uterine submucosa;
26. The stent graft assembly of claim 1, wherein the graft material comprises a fluorinated polymer.
27. The stent graft assembly of claim 26, wherein the fluorinated polymer is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.
28. A stent graft assembly comprising:
a tubular graft member having a lumen disposed about a longitudinal axis;
means for securing the tubular graft member to the support frame in a manner that permits the support frame to move circumferentially with respect to the tubular graft member when the support frame is moved between the compressed state and the expanded state.
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Justia Patents Barrier Permeable To Gas And Impermeable To LiquidUS Patent for Flask vent and method of making same Patent (Patent # 6,193,088)
Flask vent and method of making same
A closure (20) for sealing a micro-organism container (50) is disclosed. The closure (20) includes a resilient seal (24) for sealing the container (50), a passageway (26) extending through the seal (24), or filter media (28) extending across the passageway (26) integrally molded to the seal (24) for allowing sterile gas exchange therethrough. A method of making a flask closure (20) is also disclosed. The method includes molding a sealing member (24) having a port (26) extending therethrough while simultaneously sealing a peripheral edge (31) of a filter media (28) within the passageway (26).
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/606,596, filed Feb. 26, 1996 now pending.
The present invention relates to a closure for a vessel or well. More specifically, the present invention relates to a closure for allowing sterile gas exchange therethrough.
The use of closure devices for covering microbiological vessels, such as flasks, has been a widely accepted and longly used practice in microbiology. Closures are used in order to prevent the contamination of microorganisms being cultured or stored within the flasks by airborne contaminates or particulate matter. Additionally, these closures have been used to prevent the escape of microorganisms being cultured or stored in the flasks from being released from the flasks where they can become airborne and become contaminates themselves.
It is, generally, an absolute necessity that microorganisms or cultures must be grown under sterile conditions. Likewise, such sterile conditions must be kept in cell cultures and present day genetic manipulations of cells and cell fractions. Depending on the type of microorganism being cultured, either aerobic or anaerobic, closures have been designed to accommodate the specific growth requirements for each of these types of microorganisms. For example, aerobic microorganisms are only able to live in the presence of oxygen whereas anaerobic microorganisms are capable of growing, and in some circumstances are unable to grow, in the presence of oxygen. Therefore, for anaerobic organisms a closure may be required which is capable of maintaining sterile conditions within the interior of the flask or vessel by preventing the introduction of contaminating microorganisms while at the same time preventing the entrance of oxygen into the container or vessel. The same issues relate to such genetic manipulations as cloning and hybridization.
Another requirement for a microbiological vessel or flask closure, is that while maintaining the sterility of the microorganisms or cultures being grown therein, the closure should provide free access into the container or flask to facilitate the addition or removal of contents from the vessel or flask, such as sterile removal of microbiological culture from the vessel or flask.
Historically, cotton or gauze was formed into a plug and was inserted into the opening of a container or flask. These cotton or gauze plugs serve the general purpose of preventing contamination of the container or flask while simultaneously permitting the free exchange of oxygen with the atmosphere. This type of closure has many deficiencies such as it can be difficult to resterilize the plug for subsequent use and after repeated usage, this type of plug tends to readily decompose.
Another type of similar closure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,401 to De Long this closure is adapted to fit over the open end of a microorganism container. The closure further includes a disposable plug made from a porous material which is positioned within the closure. This device has the deficiency that it does not allow for a seal between the closure and the container or flask to be established.
Another more recent development in microbiological container or flask closures provides the advantage of a filtering device combined with a plug type closure. This closure is referred to as the Steri Plug (CTP Corp. Huntington, N.Y.). This device is constructed of multiple components including a stopper portion, a filter, and associated gaskets and retainers. Because of its complex design, this type of closure is expensive and cumbersome to use.
Additionally, a cap is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,073 to Fay et al. This cap has an outer collar and an inner collar and the top portion includes a permeable section. However, this device does not disclose the use of a permeable section made from filter media nor does it disclose the method for making a cap including a sealing portion and filter media in a single step.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a closure assembly for use with microbiological containers or flasks in which the closure assembly includes a filter membrane and a seal which allows for creating an air and fluid tight seal between the closure and the container or flask and in which the closure assembly can be produced in a one step process thereby eliminating the complexity and lowering the cost of assembly and manufacture and eliminating the deficiencies described above for prior art closure devices. It would also be advantageous to apply this technology to multiwell plates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a closure for sealing a microorganism container which includes a resilient seal for sealing the container, a passageway extending through the seal, and a filter media extending across the passageway integrally molded to the seal for allowing sterile gas exchange therethrough.
The present invention further provides a method of making a closure by molding a seal having a passageway extending therethrough while simultaneously sealing a peripheral edge of a filter media within the passageway.
The present invention also provides a multiwell plate assembly, which includes a tray including a plurality of wells therein and a closure for sealing at least some of the wells, the closure includes a resilient framework having a plurality of sealings interconnected by the framework for sealing engagement with at least some of the wells into which the sealings are disposed, at least one of the sealings includes a passageway extending therethrough and filter media extending across the passageway for allowing sterile exchange therethrough in and out of the well in which the sealings are disposed.
The present invention provides a closure for sealing a container which includes a resilient framework including a plurality of sealings interconnected by the framework with at least one of the sealings including a passageway extending therethrough and filter media extending across the passageway for allowing sterile exchange therethrough.
The present invention further provides a plurality of plugs, each of the plugs including an opening extending therethrough defining a central axis for each of the plugs and a resilient framework interconnecting each of the plugs.
The present invention also provides a closure member which includes a plurality of wells, each of the wells including an opening extending therethrough and a framework interconnecting the wells.
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a closure assembly in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top view of a closure assembly in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along line 3—3;
FIG. 4 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a side view in cross-section of a mold for making the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a top view of a further embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 9 is a side view of the further embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, a closure assembly for sealing a microorganism container 50 is generally shown and designated by the reference numeral 20. Referring specifically to FIG. 1, the closure assembly 20 includes a resilient seal or plug 24 for sealing the closure 20 to a container 50. The closure assembly 20 further includes filter media 28 integrally disposed and connected within the seal or plug 24 for allowing sterile gas exchange therethrough.
The container 50 can be a flask, microtitre plate or other known type of container which retains liquids and microorganisms or cells, or cellular components therein for the purpose of propagating aerobic or anaerobic microorganisms or conducting other biological manipulations, such as hybridization, PCR, etc. The container 50 is preferably made of glass or pyrex®, plastic or other suitable materials which can withstand autoclaving or other such methods of sterilization.
The closure 20 can also include a port or passageway 26 axially disposed within the seal or plug 24 which extends through the seal or plug 24 allowing fluid communication between the container 50 and the external atmosphere. The passageway or port 26 is defined by a cylindrical side wall 25.
The seal or plug 24 is generally frustoconical in cross-section. The seal or plug 24 can be tapered and have a shape similar to a wedge. When an insertion end 42 of the seal or plug 24 is inserted into the container 50, the closure assembly 20 forms an air and liquid-tight seal with an inner surface 52 of the container 50. The side wall 25 of the seal or plug 24 is graduated and, therefore, it can be inserted into containers 50 having variously sized openings therein and form an air and liquid-tight seal therewith. The cross-sectional diameter of the wall 25 of the seal or plug 24 increases in the direction opposite of the insertion end 42 of the seal or plug 24 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Since an infinite number of diameters can be accommodated, the closure assembly 20 can be used with and create both air and liquid-tight seals with variously sized containers 50.
The resilient seal or plug 24 is a generally unitary member formed of a resilient material which is capable of conforming and sealing to the contours of the openings of flasks or containers 50. The resilient seal or plug 24 is constructed of a material which is capable of deflecting and/or yielding to sealingly conform to or to sealingly engage with the inner surface 52 of a container such that both an air-and liquid-tight seal is formed and maintained therewith. The seal or plug 24 can be constructed or manufactured from suitable flexible and resilient materials, for example, silicones, natural synthetic rubber materials, polypropylenes, polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, polycarbonates, polystyrenes, styrenes, co-polymers, and fluoroplastics. This list is not meant to be exhaustive and can include other suitable materials known to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The closure assembly 20 further includes at least one filter media 28 in the form of a filter having a top surface 29, a bottom surface 30, and a peripheral edge 31. In a preferred embodiment, the filter 28 is somewhat flat or disk-shaped. The peripheral edge 31 of the filter 28 is sealed within the port or passageway 26 which axially extends through the seal or plug 24. The seal between the peripheral edge 31 and the seal or plug 24 must be both air- and liquid-tight in order to maintain the integrity and/or sterility of the closure 20 and contents of the container 50. The filter media 28 must be positioned and affixed within the port or passageway 26 such that any fluids (gaseous or liquid) can only pass through the filter media 28 and not around the periphery of the filter media 28 thereby breaching the sterility of the closure 20/container 50 system. In other words, the peripheral edge 31 of the filter media 28 must be affixed to the plug or seal 24 in such a manner to form a seal therein such that when the closure 20 is in place in the opening of the container 50, fluid and/or gas exchange can only occur across the filter media 28 thereby maintaining the sterility of the container 50 and its contents.
The filter 28 can be sealed within the passageway 26 of the seal or plug 24 by affixing or integrally molding the filter 28 within the port or passageway 26.
Referring to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the closure assembly 20 is shown. In this embodiment, the closure 20 has a generally cylindrical shape and is designed to fit over the container 50 and forms an air and liquid tight seal with an outer surface 54 of the container 50. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 can be made in any desired size and therefore can be constructed to fit any size container 50.
In order to provide rigidity in support to the filter 28, a support 32 can be provided adjacent to the filter. The support can be disposed about and below the peripheral edge 31 of the filter 28. The support 32 can be disposed is about the peripheral edge 31 at a position approximately level with the position of the peripheral edge 31. Referring specifically to FIG. 6, the support 32″ can be disposed about and above the peripheral edge 31 of the filter 28. The support 32 can be a ring molded or affixed to either the bottom of the peripheral edge 31, the top of the peripheral edge 31, or molded or affixed to the peripheral edge 31 in the same plane as the filter 28. The support can be constructed of any suitable materials including a metal, such as stainless steel, and plastic. The material comprising the support 32 must be able to withstand the temperatures and pressures encountered during autoclaving.
Alternatively, the support can include a mesh-like matrix disposed on either the top 29 or bottom 30 of the filter 28 (not shown). The support member 32 can be constructed of any suitable material, such as the same material as comprises the closure 20.
The filter 28 and the support 32 are positioned within the port or passageway 26 of the seal or plug 24 and can be fixed in place by means such as affixation during molding of the seal or plug 24 or can be positioned and fixed in place following molding of the seal or plug 24 such as by gluing or embedding the filter 28 and support 32, in the plug or seal 24 to the seal closure 20.
A skirt 90 can be added around the outer perimeter at the support 32, as an additional measure to ensure proper seal closure.
The filter 28 and the support 32 can be affixed to one another by means including molding or other types of affixation such as gluing, cementing ultrasonics, insert molding, heat sealing or UV curing.
The filter media 28 can include any suitable materials or membranes such as depth media including HEPA or OPA rated glass microfiber, cotton wool, a steel plug, hydrophobic membranes such as polypropylenes, polytetrafluoroethylenes (PTFE), polysulfones, polyvinyldifluoride (PVOF), or any other porous material. Further, the filter material may be woven or nonwoven and may contain multiple layers. These multiple layers may be made up of the same or different filter media 28. This list of materials is not intended to be exhaustive and other suitable materials known to these skilled in the art can be utilized without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The filter media 28 is made from a material which is capable of permitting the exchange of gas thereacross, but will not permit the passage of micro-organic contaminants.
The closure assembly 20 can include at least one aperture or opening 36 extending therethrough to allow for the insertion of tubing, thermometer or the like therein. Since the aperture 36 is disposed within the seal or plug 24, the aperture 36 is able to conform and perfect a seal about any tubing or the like placed therein. The aperture 36 allows for sterile access to the interior of the container 50 and the contents therein without the risk of introducing any contamination.
The present invention can be adapted to be an effective sealing device for a multiwell tray system. As shown specifically in FIG. 5, the closure assembly 20′ can include a resilient framework 56 which contains therein a plurality of sealings 58 which are interconnected by the framework 56. This resilient framework 56 can be constructed of any suitable materials including metal, such as stainless steel and plastic. However, this list is not meant to be exhaustive and can include other suitable materials known to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the assembly can be a three part system. The system includes an upper member 90 and lower member 92. The sealings or plugs 58 are made up of a female portion 60 of the lower member 92 having at least one opening 70 extending therethrough and a male portion 68 also having an opening 71 extending therethrough. The male portion 68 of the upper member 90 is made such that it is disposed within the female portion 60 and the openings 70, 71 are properly aligned. Fitted between the female portion 60 and the male portion 68 is a filter media 28 which extends between the openings 70, 71. The filter media 28 is made from a material which is capable of permitting the exchange of gas thereacross, but will not permit the passage of microorganic contaminants, such media having been discussed above.
The upper member 90 and the lower member 92 portions can be connected by any bonding technique which is capable of holding the two parts together, for example, glue, heat welding, suction force, ultrasonics or injection molding.
More specifically, the male portions 68 define the plugs which each have a wall 25 extending from the resilient framework 56 thus interconnecting the plugs 24. Each of these plugs 24 have a base portion 72 which includes at least one opening 71. Additionally, each of the female portions 60 defines well 74 having side walls 27 and a bottom base portion 64 which includes an opening 70. Each of the walls 25 of the plug 24 fit in sealing engagement with the side walls 27 of the well 74.
Each of the side walls 25 of the plugs 24 also includes a shoulder 76 extending outwardly therefrom thus forming a sealing shoulder 76 about said wall portion 25, forming a perfect seal against the side walls 27 of the well 74. The shoulder 76 acts as a sealing ring to engage the well and further perfect a seal therewith. This sealing engagement forms a liquid tight seal which is maintained therewith.
The seal or plug 24 can be constructed or manufactured from suitable, flexible and resilient materials, for example, silicones, natural or synthetic rubber materials, polyolefins, and fluoroplastics. This list is not meant to be exhaustive and can include other suitable materials known to those skilled in the art.
Referring specifically to FIG. 5, the multiwell plate assembly can include a tray 80 including a plurality of wells 96 therein. The closure assembly 20′ includes the resilient framework 56 which has therein the plurality of sealings 58 which are interconnected by the framework 56. The sealings 58 can be forced to sealing engagement with at least some of the wells 74 into which the sealings 58 are disposed. At least one of the sealings 58 includes a passageway 86 extending therethrough. Additionally, filter media 28 extends across the passageway 86 for allowing sterile exchange of gas therethrough in and out of the well 74 upon which the sealing 58 is disposed.
Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the closure assembly 20 can be a multiwell assembly made of a single piece of material. Preferably, the assembly 20 is injection molded with the filter media 28 placed within the assembly 20 such that the peripheral edge 31 of the filter 28 is sealed within the passageway 26 in the seal plug 24 while the closure assembly 20 is being formed.
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the assembly can be formed into a single piece including plug sections 100 surrounded by gripping portions 102. The gripping portions sealingly engage the upper portion of walls 104 of the tray wells. Media 106 is integrally connected to the framework of the plug sections.
The present invention further provides a method of making a flask closure 20 by molding the seal or plug 24 having the port or passageway 26 extending therethrough while simultaneously sealing the peripheral edge 31 of the filter media 28 within the port or passageway 26. That is, a one-piece, unitary closure assembly 20 is formed while simultaneously sealing the peripheral edge 31 of the filter 28 within the passageway 26 of the seal or plug 24. The molding step is accomplished by techniques well known to those skilled in the art.
The present invention can be practiced with various shaped filter medias 28 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 as long as the filter media 28 can be supported and the peripheral edge 31 of the filter media 28 is available for sealing affixation to the passageway 26 of the sealer plug 24. Additionally, the present invention can be practiced with multiple layers of filter media 28. These layers may be made up of layers of the same or different filter media 28. Also, a single sheet of filter media 28 may be utilized for the entire assembly 20 by placing the filter media 28 inside the assembly 20 prior to an injection molding procedure.
The method of forming the closure assembly 20 can also include the step of disposing the support 32 within the passageway 26 either during the molding step or following the molding step. The method generally includes sizing the filter media 28 to a desired size. The support 32 can also be specifically dimensioned. The filter media 28 and the support 32 can be loaded into a mold cavity and are held in place on top of core pins by locator pins. A suitable material, such as silicone, can then be injected into the mold cavity. The silicone fills the mold cavity and encapsulates the filter media 28 and support 32 and can then be cured by means such as utilizing heat from the mold. After a suitable curing period, the closure assembly 20 can be removed from the mold.
In another method embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the closure assembly 20 is made by gluing or otherwise affixing a die cut filter 28 onto the support. Specifically, an activator, such as Loctite 770, is applied to the top surface at the support 32. This is allowed to dry for approximately three minutes or time as required for the activator. A bead of adhesive, such as Loctite 454, is then applied to the same surface onto which the filter media 28 is immediately pressed. After the adhesive has dried, the assembly 20 is ready for usage.
Throughout this application various publications are referenced by citation or number. Full citations for the publication are listed below. The disclosure of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.
The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of description rather than of limitation.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, reference numerals are merely for convenience and are not to be in any way limiting, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
1. A closure ( 20 ) for sealing a micro-organism container ( 50 ), said closure ( 20 ) comprising:
resilient sealing means ( 24 ) for sealing the container ( 50 );
a passageway ( 26 ) extending through said sealing means ( 24 ); and
at least one filter media extending across said passageway ( 26 ) integrally molded of material different from that of said resilient sealing means to said sealing means ( 24 ) for allowing sterile gas exchange therethrough, said closure including a resilient framework including a plurality of said sealing means interconnected by said framework, each of said sealing means including a female portion having at least one opening extending therethrough and a male portion including an opening extending therethrough, said male portion being disposed within said female portion whereby said openings are aligned, said filter media being contained between said male and female portions and extending between said opening.
2. A closure ( 20 ) as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sealing means ( 24 ) is a unitary member having a port ( 26 ) extending therethrough and said filter media ( 28 ) integrally molded within said port ( 26 ).
3. A closure ( 20 ) as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sealing means ( 24 ) includes at least one aperture ( 36 ) extending therethrough to allow insertion of tubing therein.
4. A closure ( 20 ) as set forth in claim 1, wherein said resilient sealing means ( 24 ) has a frustoconical cross section.
5. A closure ( 20 ) as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said male portions define plugs having a wall extending from a framework interconnecting said plugs, each of said plugs having a base portion including at least one of said openings, each of said female portions defining a well having side walls and a bottom base portion including one of said openings, each of said walls of said plugs fitting in sealing engagement with said side wells of said wells.
6. A closure ( 20 ) as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said side walls of said plugs include a shoulder extending outwardly therefrom forming a sealing shoulder completely about said wall portion thereof for perfecting a seal against said side wells of said well.
7. A closure ( 20 ) as set forth in claim 1, wherein said filter media includes a filter membrane ( 28 ).
8. A closure ( 20 ) as set forth in claim 7, wherein said filter membrane ( 28 ) is constructed of a hydrophobic material.
9. A closure ( 20 ) as set forth in claim 7, wherein said filter membrane ( 28 ) includes at least one support means ( 32, 32 ′, 32 ″, 32 ′″) disposed adjacent to said filter membrane ( 28 ) for supporting said filter membrane ( 28 ).
2153981 April 1939 Heineman
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2191447 February 1940 Beardsley
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3313712 April 1967 George
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3744661 July 1973 Fischer, Jr.
3952902 April 27, 1976 Prouty et al.
4034885 July 12, 1977 Hunkler et al.
4136796 January 30, 1979 Dubois et al.
4235344 November 25, 1980 Kulle et al.
4253572 March 3, 1981 Halbich
4271973 June 9, 1981 Quagliaro et al.
4935371 June 19, 1990 Rickloff
5011018 April 30, 1991 Keffeler
5037754 August 6, 1991 Tanaka et al.
5071001 December 10, 1991 Ryman, III
5180073 January 19, 1993 Fay et al.
5188628 February 23, 1993 Rani et al.
5358872 October 25, 1994 Mussi et al.
5395006 March 7, 1995 Verma
5522769 June 4, 1996 DeGuiseppi
265723 December 1965 AU
582541 December 1976 CH
2900807 July 1979 DE
88/01605 March 1988 WO
Filed: Jul 13, 1999
Inventors: Monty E. Vincent (Ann Arbor, MI), John R. Costello, Jr. (Tecumseh, MI), Jonathan N. Lipsky (Hanover, MA), Ralph W. Collins (Green Harbor, MA), Robert A. Giacobbe (Rahway, NJ)
Primary Examiner: Stephen K. Cronin
Attorney, Agent or Law Firm: Kohn & Associates
Current U.S. Class: Barrier Permeable To Gas And Impermeable To Liquid (215/261); Compartment (215/6); With Vent And Air Filter Means (215/248); Communicating Through A Filter (215/308); Composite (215/364); 215/DIG.003; Integral (220/23.8); Cells (i.e., Identical Or Similar Compartments Each Intended To Hold A Single Item) (220/507); Closure Has Means To Engage Compartment Forming Elements (e.g., Forms Seal Between Closure And Compartment) (220/526); With Filter (220/371)
International Classification: B65D/5300;
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Justia Patents Surface Contact Only (i.e., Friction)US Patent for Single dispensing film strip container Patent (Patent # 7,661,555)
Single dispensing film strip container
Dec 15, 2003 - Union Street Brand Packaging
Moving a lid dispenses single thin films from a container. A pad coated with TPE, rubber or silicone rotates downward and contacts the top thin film strip. The pad moves the strip toward a front opening. When the lid is fully opened, the strip has been ejected far enough for the user to remove it. A sliding top and lever dispense a strip. The user slides back the top of the container, causing lever with a living hinges and links to flex downward. A pad rotates downward towards the top strip and outward towards an opening exposed in the front of the container and the strip is ejected out this opening. The pad is connected to a lever on a gear. Sliding the top of the container rotates the gear. The pad contacts the strip and moves the strip through the uncovered front dispensing opening.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/433,006, filed Dec. 13, 2002.
Containers for holding thin films and strips and other similar products are known in the art. However, there is a lack of effective methods for dispensing individual thin films and strips from storage containers. Current containers require a consumer to reach a finger into the container and attempt to extract a single thin film for use. Often, the consumer will extract multiple strips, requiring the consumer to replace the excess films. The films are not easy to handle and often become wrinkled, bunched up or otherwise misshapen and damaged. Additionally, because the consumer may need to touch the extra films, there is a risk of contamination.
Needs exist for improved containers and automatic methods of dispensing single strips of thin film products that are easy to use and eliminate contamination concerns.
The present invention is a thin film-dispensing container that ejects one thin film or strip at a time. The automatic, easy and reliable dispensing of one thin film at a time is advantageous when compared to previous containers due to ease of use. When only one strip is dispensed at a time there is less frustration at having to replace unused strips that were inadvertently dispensed. Further, because excess strips do not have to be handled, there is a reduced risk of contamination caused by touching the strips.
The thin film-dispensing container holds a stack of individual thin film strips. The strips are dispensed by lid opening mechanisms.
In one embodiment, the lid is raised or a lever is moved and an extension or a pad extending into the container is rotated downward to contact the top strip. The pad is coated with TPE, rubber or silicone to create friction with the top strip. As the lid is raised or moved further, the pad continues to swing toward the front opening and moves the top strip with it. When the lid is completely opened, the top strip is far enough out of the container to allow the user to grasp and remove it. The pad is returned to the start position when the user closes the lid.
In another embodiment, a lever mechanism is used. The user pulls back on the top of the container. A pad is connected to a living hinge within the container. The lever mechanism and the attached pad are forced downward and forward. As the lid is pulled further back, the pad moves the top strip toward the opening that is created by moving the lid backwards. When the top is pulled completely back, the strip is ready to be removed by the user. The top and lever return to the initial position when pressure removed by the user.
Another embodiment of the thin film-dispensing container involves a gear mechanism. Again, the user slides or pulls back on a part of the top cover of the container to operate a rack. The gear starts at the back of the rack region. A TPE, rubber or silicone tipped pad extension is attached to the gear in a fixed position. It begins in a horizontal position at the top of the container. As the gear is rotated forward, by the user sliding or pulling the top cover backward, the pad is rotated downward towards the thin films. The pad contacts the top film and moves it forward as the gear is rotated. When the top has been slid or pulled completely back, the strip is forced out of the opening created by moving the top backward. The user removes the strip. The container is prepared to dispense another strip by pushing the top of the container forward into the initial closed position.
A preferred strip dispenser has a container for holding a stack of strips. A lever is connected to the container and an extension is connected to the lever and extends into the container, A tip of the extension has a friction surface for engaging the top strip within the container. Lifting the lever moves the extension tip in the container and slides the extension tip outward from the container.
Preferably the lever is pivoted on a hinge connected to the container. The extension extends in a direction from the hinge opposite a direction of the lever. In one embodiment, the friction surface is one a side of the extension opposite from a top of the lever.
A dispensing opens and closes opening at one end of the container. A cover connected to the lever moves with the lever, closes the opening when the lever is aligned with the container, and uncovers the opening when an end of the lever is moved away from the container. Preferably the lever is a lid on an upper surface of the container for opening at least a part of the upper surface of the container. The preferred extension is flexible and has a relatively slippery surface on a side opposite the friction surface for sliding over a next adjacent strip on a return stroke.
The container holds a stack of aligned strips. A top strip in the stack slides along a next adjacent strip outward through the opening when the lever is moved. Preferably the dispensing opening extends substantially over an entire end of the container.
The lever is a lid hinged at one end to a central portion of a top of the container and extends outward to the opening in the end of the container for opening and exposing at least a portion of the stack of strips in the container.
In one form, a link is connected to the lever and to the extension. A slide is connected to a link and to the container for sliding on the container and uncovering an opening, and for moving the link, the lever and the extension, and moving the friction surface on the tip of the extension and one strip in the direction of the opening.
Living hinges interconnect the slide, the links and the lever. The lever is pivoted on an end of the container base at an end of the lever remote from the links, and at an end of the container base remote from the opening.
In one embodiment, a gear connected to the lever turns the lever and the extension as the gear is turned for moving the top strip. A slide connected to the container slides in a first direction to expose a dispensing opening. A rack on an inside of the slide turns the gear and moves the strip when sliding in the first direction. Sliding the top in a second direction closes the dispensing opening and turns the gear, the lever and the extension for sliding over a next adjacent strip.
A preferred method of dispensing a strip comprises an end of providing a container and a dispensing opening in the container, placing strips in the container, and engaging the top strip with friction surface on a tip of an extension extending into the container. Moving a lever connected to the container opens the dispensing opening, moves the extension and the tip in the direction of the opening, and moves the top strip and exposes it through the opening. Moving the lever and the extension in an opposite direction slides the side of the lip opposite the friction surface rearward over the next strip and closes the dispensing opening.
Initiating the moving of a lever moves the tip of the extension inward in the container and toward the at least one strip. Completing the moving of the lever and extension in the opposite direction moves the tip of the extension away from a next adjacent at least one strip. Moving the lever opens and closes the dispensing opening.
Sliding a slide opens and closes the dispensing opening and moves the lever and the extension with the slide.
In one method, the lever and the extension are connected to a gear which rotates in a cover of the container. Sliding the slide moves a rack across the gear and turns the gear for moving the lever and the extension.
The strips may be stacked or connected strips of any thickness, and the container may be of any size to accommodate the strips. The strips may be connected by weakened or perforated areas, or the cover may include a cutter to puncture, perforate or sever the strips. The strips may be in one continuous form as end-to-end connected strips. In the latter case, the strips may be dispensed in predetermined lengths or may be pulled outward to desired lengths before separation.
These and further and other objects and features of the invention are apparent in the disclosure, which includes the above and ongoing written specification, with the claims and the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a top view of the packaging for thin film strips utilizing a lid-activated mechanism.
FIG. 2A is a side view of the packaging with the lid closed and the lid extension at the top of the container.
FIG. 2B is a side view of the packaging with the lid partially open and the lid extension contacting the thin film strips.
FIG. 2C is a side view of the packaging with the lid in a vertical position and the thin film strip being ejected.
FIG. 2D is a side view of the packaging with the lid in the fully opened position and with the thin film strip ready to be removed.
FIG. 3A is an oblique view of the packaging with the lid closed.
FIG. 3B is an oblique view of the packaging with the lid partially opened.
FIG. 3C is an oblique view of the packaging with the lid in a vertical position.
FIG. 3D is an oblique view of the packaging with the lid in a fully opened position.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the packaging utilizing a lever mechanism.
FIG. 5A is a side view of the packaging with the lid and the lever in the initial position.
FIG. 5B is a side view of the packaging with the top being drawn back, the lever beginning to flex and the pad contacting the top thin film strip.
FIG. 5C is a side view of the packaging with the top further drawn back and the strip being moved forward.
FIG. 5D is a side view of the packaging with the top completely drawn back, the lever fully flexed and the thin film strip ready to be removed.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the lever mechanism.
FIG. 7 is a top view of the packaging with the gear-activated mechanism.
FIG. 8A is a side view of the packaging with the gear in the initial position.
FIG. 8B is a side view of the packaging with the top being drawn back and the pad contacting the top thin film strip.
FIG. 8C is a side view of the packaging with the pad in a vertical position.
FIG. 8D is a side view of the packaging with the top drawn completely back and the strip ready for removal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
Packaging for thin film strips uses a lid-activated mechanism to dispense one strip at a time.
In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, lifting the lever 3, which in this embodiment acts as a lid, activates the dispensing mechanism 31. An extension 5 on the lid 3 extends into a container 1. A tip 51 of the extension 5 provides a friction surface made from or coated with a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), rubber or silicone. One side 53 of the tip may be coated as a friction surface and the other side 55 may be left uncoated.
The use of the thin film dispensing container 1 is shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D. The lid 3 initially starts in the closed position with the extension 5 resting against the top wall 2 of the container 1. When a user lifts the lid 3 (FIG. 2B), the extension 5 swings downward and contacts the top strip 7 in the container 1. As the user continues to open the lid 3 (FIG. 2C) and further swings the extension towards the container opening, friction moves the strip 7 forward. When the lid 3 is completely open (FIG. 2D), a single strip 7 is out of the container far enough for a consumer to reach the strip 7, grasp an end of it and pull it from the container 1. When the lid 3 is closed, the extension 5 moves back to the starting position shown in FIG. 2A, ready to eject the next strip 7 upon the next opening of the lid 3.
In a preferred form as shown, the lid 3 has a generally truncated triangular shape with a living hinge 32 at one end joining the lid to the cover 2. The lid has a lip 33 which extends beyond a closure 34 that snaps over the end dispensing opening 4 in the end of the container 1. The tapered body 36 of the lid covers the opening 6 in the top of the container. The bottom 8 of the container curves upward near the dispensing opening to direct the top strip 7 and subsequent strips in stack 71 through the opening. The pad extension 5 flexes so that its tip slides over the next adjacent strip in stack 71 on its return and engages the uppermost strip 7 when the lip moves toward the opening 4.
FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D show an oblique view of the thin film-dispensing container 1. The lid 3 is shown in operation, with the extension 5 starting in the horizontal position and moving downward and toward the front opening.
A second embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, uses a hinged lever 11 and a sliding top 9. To operate the lever mechanism, the user pulls back on the sliding lid 9 on the upper surface of the container 1.
FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D show the operation of the thin film-dispensing container 1 utilizing the lever mechanism 37. The lever 11 and extension 5 originally start in the relaxed stored position, as shown in FIG. 5A, with the extension 5 against the upper surface of the container 1. Upon sliding back the lid 9, the lever 11 is depressed by a link 12, which moves the tip 51 of the extension 5 towards the strips 7. Living hinges 13 are formed between the lever 11, links 12 and 14 and the molded sliding top 9 of the container 1. The TPE, rubber or silicone tipped pad 5 is connected to link 12 between living hinges 13. As the lid 9, which is the top of the container, is slid backward, as shown in FIG. 5B, the lever 11 is pressed downward, and the pad 5 contacts the top strip 7. As shown in FIG. 5C, the cover 9 is further slid backward and as the lever 11, which has a fork engaging a rear wall of the container bottom, is pressed further, the link 12 and extension 5 are rotated downward and forward and the strip 7 is ejected out the front of container 1. The molded top 9 of the container slides back to uncover the dispensing opening 4 while depressing the lever 11. The device relaxes when pressure is released and returns to the start position. The top 9 is slid forward, closing dispensing opening 4 and pulling links 14 and 12 into aligned position.
FIG. 6 is a detail of the lever mechanism 27 in molded position. The lever 11 is connected to the sliding top 9 through links 12 and 14 and living hinges 13. The pad 5 is attached to link 12 between living hinges 13. A living hinge 13 is attached between link 14 and the slidable molded top 9 of the container 1.
As shown in FIG. 7, a third embodiment uses a gear-activated mechanism 17. To operate the thin film-dispensing container, the user pulls back on the sliding top 19 of the container 1.
FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C and 8D show the operation of the gear-activated mechanism 17. A user pulls back on top of container 19 to operate a sliding rack gear 21. A pinion gear 23 on a fixed or movable axle 25 starts at the back of the rack gear region 21. A TPE, rubber or silicone tipped pad 5, which is connected to the pinion gear 23, starts in a horizontal position at a top of the container 1, as shown in FIG. 8A. The pad 5 is attached to a lever 24 on the pinion gear 23 in a fixed position. As the pinion gear 23 is rotated forward by sliding back the top 19 and rack 21, the pad 5 is rotated downward towards the top strip 7, a shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C. The pad 5 contacts the top strip 7 and forces it forward. As the operator pulls back on the sliding top 19, dispensing opening 4 in the front of the container opens, allowing strip 7 to be ejected, as shown in FIG. 8D. When the operator pushes forward on the top 19 of the container, the dispensing opening 4 closes, and the rack gear 21 returns the pinion gear 23 and the pad 5 to the start position.
Operations and advantages of the three embodiments:
Packaging for thin film strips with lid-activated mechanism:
dispenses one strip at a time
lifting lid activates dispensing mechanism
extension on lid extends into container
tip of extension coated in rubber or silicone
when lid is lifted, extension contacts top strip in container
friction moves strip towards packaging opening
when lid completely open, single strip is out far enough for consumer to reach
when lid is closed, extension moves back to start position
ready to eject next strip
Lever mechanism:
user pulls back on the upper surface of the container
lever is depressed towards the strip
a living hinge is between the lever and the molded front of the container
the rubber or silicone tipped pad is on the living hinge
as the lever is pressed down, the pad contacts the top strip
as the lever is pressed further down and forward, the strip is ejected out the front of the container
the molded front of the container slides back to reveal an opening opening during the depression of the lever
the device relaxes when pressure is released
returns to start position
Gear-activated mechanism:
user pulls back on top of container to operate
gear starts at back of gear region
rubber or silicone tipped pad starts horizontal at top of container
pad attached to gear in fixed position
as gear is rotated forward, pad is rotated downward towards the top strip
pad contacts strip and forces it forward
as operator pulls on top, front of container opens, allowing strip to be ejected
when operator pushes forward on top of container, top closes and gear returns to start position While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the following claims.
1. A strip dispenser comprising a container for holding at least one movable strip, a lever connected to the container, an extension connected to the lever and extending into the container, a tip of the extension having a friction surface for engaging the at least one strip within the container, whereby lifting the lever moves the tip of the extension in the container and slides the at least one movable strip outward from the container, wherein the lever is a cover and is pivoted on a hinge connected to the container, wherein the extension extends in a direction from the hinge opposite a direction of the lever.
2. A strip dispenser comprising a container for holding at least one movable strip, a lever connected to the container, an extension connected to the lever and extending into the container, a tip of the extension having a friction surface for engaging the at least one strip within the container, whereby moving the lever moves the tip of the extension in the container and slides the at least one movable strip outward from the container, wherein the friction surface is on a side of the extension opposite from the top of the lever and not another side of the extension, wherein the lever is a cover and is pivoted on a hinge connected to the container, and wherein the extension extends in a direction from the hinge opposite a direction of the lever.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a dispensing opening at one end of the container and a closure connected to the lever for moving with the lever and closing the opening when the lever is aligned with the container, and for uncovering the opening when an end of the lever is moved away from the container.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the lever is a lid on an upper surface of the container for opening at least a part of the upper surface of the container.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the extension is flexible and has a relatively slippery surface on a side opposite the friction surface for sliding over a next adjacent strip.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one strip comprises a stack of aligned strips, and wherein a top strip in the stack slides along a next adjacent strip outward through the opening when the lever is moved.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the dispensing opening extends substantially over an entire end of the container.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lever comprises a lid hinged at one end to a central portion of a top of the container and extending outward to the opening in the end of the container for exposing at least a portion of the stack of strips in the container.
9. A method of dispensing a strip, comprising providing a container and a dispensing opening in the container, placing at least one strip in the container, providing a lever on the container, providing an extension connected to the lever and extending into the container, engaging the at least one strip with a friction surface on a tip of the extension extending into the container, moving the lever connected to the container, opening the dispensing opening, moving the extension and the tip of the extension in the direction of the dispensing opening, and sliding the at least one strip toward the dispensing opening and exposing the at least one strip through the opening, grasping and removing the exposed strip, moving the lever and the extension in an opposite direction and sliding a side of the tip opposite the friction surface over the at least one strip and closing the dispensing opening, wherein the lever is a cover and is pivoted on a hinge connected to the container, and wherein the extension extends in a direction from the hinge opposite a direction of the lever.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein initiating of the moving of the lever moves the tip of the extension inward in the container and toward the at least one strip, and wherein completing the moving of the lever and extension in the opposite direction moves the tip of the extension away from a next adjacent at least one strip.
11. A method of dispensing a strip, comprising providing a container and a dispensing opening in the container, placing at least one strip in the container, engaging the at least one strip with a friction surface on a tip of an extension extending into the container, moving a lever connected to the container, opening the dispensing opening, moving the extension and the tip of an extension in the direction of the dispensing opening, and sliding the at least one strip toward the dispensing opening and exposing the at least one strip through the opening, grasping and removing the exposed strip, moving the lever and the extension in an opposite direction and sliding a side of the tip opposite the friction surface over the at least one strip and closing the dispensing opening, further comprising opening and closing the dispensing opening by moving the lever and the extension, wherein the lever is a cover and is pivoted on a hinge connected to the container, and wherein the extension extends into the container in a direction opposite a direction of the lever.
12. A strip dispensing method, comprising providing a container holding several strips, providing a cover on the container, wherein the cover is a lever and is pivoted on a hinge connected to the container, providing an extension connected to the cover and extending into the container in a direction opposite a direction of the lever, providing a tip of the extension with a friction surface for engaging an upper strip within the container, whereby lifting the cover moves the tip of the extension in the container and slides the upper strip outward through an end opening in the container.
342101 May 1886 Hoyt
646726 April 1900 Chelimer
930619 August 1909 Russell
933663 September 1909 Pollock
2588152 March 1952 Newman
3094323 June 1963 Catania
3140777 July 1964 Gordan
3276622 October 1966 Krzyzanowski
3517855 June 1970 Hillis
4071165 January 31, 1978 Leopoldi
4121726 October 24, 1978 Pemberton
4214673 July 29, 1980 Heath et al.
4381860 May 3, 1983 Silverberg
4626092 December 2, 1986 Konno
4739902 April 26, 1988 Joslyn et al.
5104000 April 14, 1992 Goff
5197630 March 30, 1993 Kirla
D372723 August 13, 1996 Schaefer et al.
5687876 November 18, 1997 Lucas, Jr.
D422460 April 11, 2000 Haner et al.
7287666 October 30, 2007 De Laforcade
7428978 September 30, 2008 Lewis et al.
20030121932 July 3, 2003 Wajda
Assignee: Union Street Brand Packaging (Chester, NJ)
Inventors: Christopher T. Evans (Long Valley, NJ), Christopher Gieda (Long Valley, NJ)
Primary Examiner: Gene O. Crawford
Assistant Examiner: Rakesh Kumar
Attorney: James Creighton Wray
Current U.S. Class: Surface Contact Only (i.e., Friction) (221/259); Actuated By Source Container Section Movement (221/37); Concurrent Separation And Distortion Of Flexible Article (e.g., Napkin Holders) (221/33); With Integral Outlet Closure (221/269); Segregation By Sliding Movement Of Cover Relative To Container (221/246); Article Adhering Or Gripping Type (221/210); With Reciprocating (including Oscillating) Ejector (221/232); With Collapsible Or Telescoping Supply Container Walls (221/65); For Pocket Or Personal Use (206/38); With Ejector Mechanism (206/39.4)
International Classification: B65H 3/02 (20060101); B65H 3/00 (20060101);
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Tag Archives: upsetting
Court Seeks Help to Link Murders in Turkey to ‘Deep State’
Posted on November 18, 2009 by particularkev
Reports mount linking top gendarmerie officials to Malatya slaughter.
MALATYA, Turkey, November 17 (CDN) — Judges and prosecutors in the trial regarding the murder of three Christians in this southeastern city in Turkey on Friday (Nov. 13) renewed their request for help from the Istanbul High Criminal Court as reports mounted linking the slayings to top gendarmerie officials.
The Malatya court judges overseeing hearings on the murders of Turkish Christians Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel and German Christian Tilmann Geske requested that the Istanbul criminal court establish whether the case was linked to the controversial cabal of military, political and other influential figures, Ergenekon, which has allegedly been trying to overthrow the government by upsetting Turkey’s peace.
For the last two and a half years prosecuting lawyers have established the case that Emre Gunaydin, Salih Gurler, Cuma Ozdemir, Hamit Ceker and Abuzer Yildirim, who were caught at the murder scene on April 18, 2007, were not acting independently but were incited by Turkey’s “deep state,” an expression of which is Ergenekon. Seven months ago the Malatya court requested from prosecutors on the Ergenekon case at the Istanbul high court to examine whether the two cases were connected. They have not received a reply yet.
The court and various mainstream media have received informant letters with specific names linking the murders to top gendarmerie officials. Last month a Turkish newspaper received a list of payments the gendarmerie made to informants to physically follow and collect information on Christians in Malatya. Phone trees also show calls made from the murderers to two alleged “middle-men,” Huseyin Yelki and Bulent Varol Aral, gendarmerie officials and other nationalist figures in Malatya.
“We are expecting the Istanbul prosecutor to make a careful investigation and give us a response and attest to the connections the court has found,” said prosecuting attorney Erdal Dogan on Friday during a press briefing. “The actions of these men who are on trial were not independent, and from the beginning we believed they were organized by Ergenekon. Our theories have become more concrete, and we are expecting the Istanbul prosecutor to investigate these closely, establish the connections and give us a response.”
Lawyers said that informant letters, testimonies and other evidence have only confirmed their original suspicions. The most striking of these is that the local gendarmerie forces were following activities of Christians in Malatya in the months leading up to the murders and afterwards yet did not stop the young men from stabbing and slashing the three Christians to death.
“If you have been watching a small, tiny group so closely,” said lawyer Orhan Kemal Cengiz, “how could it be possible that you disregard this murder? This is a legitimate question which requires ordinary intelligence.”
Last month the head of Istanbul police intelligence, Ramazan Akyurek, was demoted amid allegations that he had neglected to investigate three Christian murder cases between 2006 and 2007. When Turkish news reporters asked Dogan whether prosecutors would make a request to investigate whether Akyurek played a greater part in the murders, he said that it was not out of the question.
The five young suspects were apprehended after Zirve Publishing Co. workers went to the publishing house to find out why the three Christian men were not answering their phones. Finding the door of the office locked and getting no answer, they called police. In a report prepared by Akyurek’s department, his staff claimed that the murderers were apprehended thanks to phone tapping – which attorney Dogan said is a lie.
“According to a report, they said that they had been listening to the murderers’ phones and following them, and that that’s how they found and arrested them,” said Dogan. “You know this is a lie. The five men were arrested haphazardly. We know that. We also know that the gendarmerie was in fact listening to their conversations, but there’s something interesting here: On the one hand they are listening to the criminals’ phones, but on the other they couldn’t thwart the crime.”
Prosecuting lawyers said that this makes both Akyurek’s department and the gendarmerie guilty of being accomplices to the crime, and that they should be tried along with the five young men.
“They should stand trial for not thwarting a crime and failing to perform their duties,” said Dogan. “They [gendarmerie and the police intelligence security] should be tried under Article 8 of the penal code as accomplices because they are connected. This is not a question of removing someone from his position. They should stand trial with the men who are now on trial.”
The lawyers expressed frustration at being able to see the bigger picture yet not having enough evidence to proceed, as well as with having to wait on the Istanbul prosecutor for more evidence.
“It is crystal clear,” said attorney Cengiz. “There is a much bigger agenda and much more complex connections. We convinced everyone, but we cannot do this beyond reasonable doubt; we can’t prove it. We are blocked, actually.”
Cengiz explained that as lawyers for the victims’ families, they are not in a position to collect evidence.
“We are heavily dependent on what the prosecutor is doing, and unfortunately they are not able to do much,” he said.
Cengiz said that although the case was complicated and the Malatya judges resisted their arguments at the outset of the hearings, now they agree with the prosecuting lawyers that there is a broader network behind the murders.
“Now they are very clear – they know what happened and what kind of connections there are, etcetera, but they are fighting against a dragon,” said Cengiz. “So they desperately sent this request to the prosecutor in Istanbul, hoping that it will be the Istanbul prosecutor who will create these links rather than them. It should be vice versa because they have all these details, but they are not ready for this confrontation.”
Cengiz explained that while the Malatya court has a better understanding of the case than the Istanbul prosecutors, the advantage of the Istanbul High Criminal Court is that it has the backing of the Justice Ministry and is better positioned to take on the powers that may be behind this and other murders.
“They can’t take the responsibility because this is just a tiny court in the remote part of Turkey, so how can they confront the reality?” he said.
The next hearing is set for Dec. 25, and prosecutors expect that by then the 13th Istanbul High Criminal Court will have sent an answer about connections of the murders to Ergenekon. They are also expecting the prosecuting judge to demand all five of the young men be charged with “three times life imprisonment,” plus additional years for organizing the crime.
“In our estimation, until now in a bizarre way the accused are acting like they have been given assurances that they will be forgiven and will get off the hook,” Dogan commented on the comfortable demeanor of the five men in court and their denial that others were behind the murders. “In the last months we see a continuation of the attempts to wreak havoc and chaos and overthrow the government. So we think whoever is giving confidence to these guys is affecting them. It is obvious to us that there is a group actively doing this. That means they are still trying to create chaos.”
Last week Ergenekon prosecutors found a hit-list consisting of 10 prominent representatives of minority groups as well as subscribers to Armenian weekly newspaper Agos, whose editor-in-chief was murdered three months before the Christians in Malatya. Cengiz explained that Ergenekon members are obsessed with purging Turkey of non-Muslim elements and non-Turkish minorities, which they see as a threat to the state.
“They were trying to create chaos in Turkey, and of course they were trying to send a clear message to members of non-Muslim groups that they are not wanted in Turkey,” said Cengiz of the way the three Christians in Malatya were murdered. “They did it in a horrendous, barbaric way. This was also part of the message. Everything was planned but not by them, by other people. They are just puppets.”
Further Evidence of Cabal
This week Turkish news magazine Yeni Aktuel published a five-page article with pictures chronicling the “anti-terrorist” activities of a counter-guerilla team leader identified only by his initials, K.T.
In the article, K.T. described how for years he and his team pursued and killed members of the outlawed Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK). Anti-guerilla activities in Turkey are paramilitary efforts managed by the “deep state.”
In K.T.’s account, he claimed that during his time in Malatya he met with members of an ultra-nationalist group who talked about murdering Hrant Dink, editor of Agos. Also during that time, members of the group spoke about how those who distributed Bibles in Malatya had to be “punished.”
One of the members of this group was a high school teacher called “O.” The teacher said that he arranged to be out of town before the Malatya murders, because police were following him and he wanted to make sure that they could not connect him to the Malatya murders.
Posted in Armenia, Christianity, crime, Germany, Islam, Turkey | Tagged 2006, 2007, Abuzer Yildirim, accomplices, acting, Agos, allegations, alleged, allegedly, amid, answer, answering, apprehended, Armenian, article 8, attest, attorney, briefing, Bulent Varol Aral, cabal, called, calls, careful, case, caught, Christian, Christianity, Christians, city, claimed, collect, connected, connections, controversial, court, crime, Cuma Ozdemir, death, deep, deial, demoted, door, duties, editor-in-chief, Emre Gunaydin, Erdal Dogan, Ergenekon, establish, examine, expression, failing, figures, follow, following, found, gendarmerie, German, government, groups, guilty, Hamit Ceker, head, hearings, help, hit list, house, Huseyin Yelki, incited, independently, influential, informant, informants, information, Intelligence, investigation, Islam, Istanbul High Criminal Court, judges, justice, lawyers, letters, lie, link, linking, list, listening, locked, mainstream, Malatya, media, middle-men, military, ministry, minority, mounted, murder, murdered, murderers, murders, Muslim, muslims, names, nationalist, Necati Aydin, neglected, newspaper, obsessed, office, officials, Orhan Kemal Cengiz, overseeing, overthrow, payments, peace, penal code, perform, Persecution, phone, phones, physically, police, political, press, prominent, prosecutors, publishing, puppets, purging, Ramazan Akyurek, received, renewed, reply, reports, representatives, request, response, Salih Gurler, scene, seeks, show, slashing, slaughter, slayings, southeastern, specific, stabbing, staff, state, subscribers, suspects, tapping, threat, thwart, Tilmann Gesge, top, trees, trial, tried, trying, Turkey, Turkish, Ugur Yuksel, upsetting, various, weekly, workers, Zirve Publishing Co. | Leave a comment
TALIBAN THREATENS POPE IF CHRISTIANITY IS SPREAD IN AFGHANISTAN
In the lead-up to his coming trip to the Holy Land, Pope Benedict XVI has been warned by Islamic extremists that he must stop any attempts to convert Muslims to Christianity or face “the consequences of a severe reaction,” reports Hilary White, LifeSiteNews.com.
ANSA news service reports that the Taliban issued the statement on an Islamic website after the Islamic news service Al Jazeera showed American soldiers holding copies of the Bible translated into the two local languages.
“The Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan asks Pope Benedict XVI to act to stop the foolish and irresponsible actions of the crusaders upsetting the feelings of Muslim rebels, without awaiting the consequences of a severe reaction,” said the message on the website, alemarah1.org.
“The Taleban forcefully exhort the mujaheddin [jihadis], scholars and all religious circles to control the activities of the invaders and crusaders, and not allow anyone to preach religions except Islam,” the message continued.
The US army later responded, “Any form of religious proselytism by troops is prohibited,” and assured that the bibles pictured had been “confiscated and destroyed.”
At the same time, Islamic extremists in Jordan condemned the Pope’s visit, claiming that he had failed to apologise for what they regard as insults to Islam in a speech at Regensburg in 2006. The Pope is scheduled to arrive in Jordan on Friday for the first stage of a tour that will include Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Zaki Bani Rusheid, head of the Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the international organisation the Muslim Brotherhood, told Reuters, “The present Vatican pope is the one who issued severe insults to Islam and did not offer any apology to the Muslims.” The Islamic Action Front is the Jordan’s largest mainstream Islamist party.
In 2006, Pope Benedict spoke to an audience at the University of Regensburg where he had once served as professor of theology, on the inherent unity of faith and reason. In it he quoted the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus, who wrote in 1391, “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” The emperor was writing on jihad and of forced conversions of Christians by conquering Muslims.
The comments, after careful management by liberal western news media, prompted a wave of riots and violence by Muslims around the world, including attacks on Christian churches in Israel, the murder of a nun in Somalia and the beheading of a priest in Iraq.
Observers note that there are early signs that the same media that instigated the “Muslim outrage” in 2006 are setting the stage for another round.
The Huffington Post reported at the end of April that in the town of Nazareth a large banner has been stretched across the main square condemning anyone who insults Mohammad. HP’s Diaa Hadid wrote, “The pontiff may have to tread carefully with his visit to Nazareth,” and said that “many Muslims” are still angry over the Regensburg speech. Hadid quotes an Anglican head of a local ecumenical group that Christians in the area fear more violence if the Pope makes any other “contentious” statements on Islam.
The Guardian’s religious affairs correspondent Riazat Butt wrote on Tuesday that Pope Benedict “must” go to Jerusalem as a “penitent pilgrim.” Butt cites 35 Christians, Jews and Muslims who claim that “papal blunders” are sending out “‘divided messages’ on anti-Semitism and inter-faith activity.”
Report from the Christian Telegraph
Posted in Afghanistan, Anglicans, Christianity, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Jews, Jordan, Roman Catholicism, Somalia, Taliban, USA, War on Terror | Tagged 1391, 2006, actions, activities, activity, Afghanistan, Al Jazeera, American, Anglican, angry, anti-Semitism, apologise, apology, arm, army, arrive, assured, attacks, attempts, audience, banner, beheading, Benedict XVI, Bible, blunders, brought, Byzantine, careful, carefully, Christian, Christianity, Christians, churches, circles, cites, command, comments, condemned, confiscated, conquering, consequences, contentious, control, conversions, convert, copies, correspondent, crusaders, destroyed, divided, early, ecumenical, Eiazat Butt, emperor, evil, exhort, extremists, failed, faith, feelings, first, foolish, forced, Guardian, head, holding, Holy Land, Huffington Post, inherent, inhuman, instigated, insults, inter-faith, international, invaders, Iraq, irresponsible, Islam, Islamic, Islamic Action Front, Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan, Islamist, Israel, issued, Jerusalem, Jews, Jihad, jihadis, Jordan, languages, large, largest, Liberal, local, main, mainstream, management, Manuel II Paleologus, media, message, messages, Muhammad, mujaheddin, murder, Muslim, Muslim Brotherhood, muslims, Nazareth, new, news, nun, organisation, outrage, Palestinian, papal, party, penitent, Persecution, pictured, pilgrim, political, pontiff, Pope, preach, priest, professor, prohibited, prompted, proselytism, quoted, reaction, reason, rebels, regard, Regensburg, religions, religious, Religious Affairs, responded, riots, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholics, scheduled, scholars, served, service, setting, severe, showed, signs, soldiers, Somalia, speech, spread, square, stage, statement, stop, stretched, sword, Taliban, territories, Theology, things, threaten, tour, translated, tread, troops, unity, University of Regensburg, upsetting, USA, Vatican, violence, visit, warned, wave, Website, western, world, Zaki Bani Rusheid | Leave a comment
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Home / Articles / Emperor Hirohito Radio Address on August 15, 1945
Emperor Hirohito Radio Address on August 15, 1945
August 5, 2015 By: Bruce D.
Showa Emperor Hirohito
The following is a translation of Emperor Hirohito’s radio address from August 15, 1945 accepting the Allies terms of surrender. The language that he spoke in was very difficult for common Japanese people to understand. Emperor Hirohito had an imperial dialect that was confusing for many.
To our good and loyal subjects:
After pondering deeply the general trends of the world and the actual conditions obtaining in our Empire today, we have decided to effect a settlement of the present situation by resorting to an extraordinary measure.
We have ordered our Government to communicate to the Governments of the United States, Great Britain, China, and the Soviet Union that our Empire accepts the provisions of their joint declaration.
To strive for the common prosperity and happiness of all nations as well as the security and well- being of our subjects is the solemn obligation that has been handed down by our Imperial Ancestors, and we lay it close to the heart.
Indeed, we declared war on America and Britain out of our sincere desire to ensure Japan’s self- preservation and the stabilization of East Asia, it being far from our thought either to infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations or to embark upon territorial aggrandizement.
But now the war has lasted for nearly four years. Despite the best that has been done by everyone– the gallant fighting of the military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of our servants of the state and the devoted service of our 100 million people–the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan’s advantage, while the general trends of the world have all turned against her interest.
Moreover, the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is, indeed, incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should we continue to fight, it would not only result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization.
Such being the case, how are we to save the millions of our subjects, or to atone ourselves before the hallowed spirits of our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason why we have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the joint declaration of the powers.
We cannot but express the deepest sense of regret to our allied nations of East Asia, who have consistently cooperated with the Empire toward the emancipation of East Asia.
The thought of those officers and men as well as others who have fallen in the fields of battle, those who died at their posts of duty, and those who met with death and all their bereaved families, pains our heart night and day.
The welfare of the wounded and the war sufferers, and of those who have lost their homes and livelihood is the object of our profound solicitude. The hardships and suffering to which our nation is to be subjected hereafter will be certainly great.
We are keenly aware of the inmost feelings of all you, our subjects. However, it is according to the dictates of time and fate that we have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the unendurable and suffering what is insufferable. Having been able to save and maintain the structure of the Imperial State, we are always with you, our good and loyal subjects, relying upon your sincerity and integrity.
Beware most strictly of any outbursts of emotion that may engender needless complications, and of any fraternal contention and strife that may create confusion, lead you astray and cause you to lose the confidence of the world.
Let the entire nation continue as one family from generation to generation, ever firm in its faith in the imperishableness of its divine land, and mindful of its heavy burden of responsibilities, and the long road before it. Unite your total strength to be devoted to the construction for the future. Cultivate the ways of rectitude, nobility of spirit, and work with resolution so that you may enhance the innate glory of the Imperial State and keep pace with the progress of the world.
All you, our subjects, we command you to act in accordance with our wishes.
For those who speak Japanese you may try to understand the speech in the video below. There are English subtitles as well.
Beyond The Bomb: Why Did Japan Surrender?
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Tag: economic recovery
The burden of debt
Household debt in the UK has reached a record level. Individuals now owe £1430 billion. This compares with the UK’s general government debt of £1443 billion – also at a record level. These figures are illustrated in the chart (click here for a PowerPoint).
But these figures are nominal. If you look at the real figures (i.e. corrected for inflation), household debt has been falling. In today’s prices, household debt peaked at £1668 billion in March 2008. Also, if you look at household debt as a proportion of GDP, it fell from a peak of 100.96% in May 2009 to 87.43% in July 2013 (see chart). However, since then it has begun rising again, standing at 87.65% in October 2013.
So has household debt become less of a problem? In aggregate terms, the answer is probably yes. However, it is too early to know whether a continuing recovery in the economy will be fuelled by real debt rising again and whether the recovery will encourage people to take on higher levels of debt?
For many people, however, debt has become more and more of a problem. In other words, the aggregate figures conceal what has happened in terms of the distribution of debt. According to a Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) study:
Indebted households in the poorest 10 per cent of the country have average debts more than four times their annual income. Average debt repayments within this group amounted to nearly half their gross monthly income.
And the poorest families, often with very poor credit ratings, are frequently forced to turn to payday lenders, charging sky-high interest rates (see Capping interest rates on payday loans: a government U-turn?).
As mainstream banks reduced access to credit following the financial crash, the market for short-term high-cost credit (payday lenders, pawnbrokers, rent-to-buy and doorstop lenders) increased dramatically and is now worth £4.8 billion a year.
Payday lenders have increased business from £900 million in 2008/09 to just over £2 billion (or around 8 million loans) in 2011/12. Around half of payday loan customers reported taking out the money because it was the only form of credit they could get. The number of people going to loan sharks is also said to have increased – the most recent estimate puts it at 310,000 people.
With rising energy and food bills hitting the poorest hardest, this section of the population could find debt levels continuing to rise, especially if interest rates rise. As Chris Pond, who chaired the CJS study, stated:
The costs to those affected, in stress and mental disorders, relationship breakdown and hardship is immense. But so too is the cost to the nation, measured in lost employment and productivity and in an increased burden on public services.
£1,430,000,000,000 (that’s £1.43 trillion): Britain’s personal debt timebomb Independent, Andrew Grice (20/11/13)
Average household debt ‘doubled in last decade’ The Telegraph, Edward Malnick (20/11/13)
UK household debt hits record high BBC News (29/11/13)
UK debt crisis: poorest face ‘perfect storm’ Channel 4 News (20/11/13)
One in five struggle with serious debt The Telegraph, Nicole Blackmore (27/11/13)
It doesn’t matter what we do with Wonga: personal debt is about to rocket The Telegraph, Tim Wigmore (26/11/13)
Poorest families ‘need more help over debt’ BBC News (20/11/13)
More than 5,000 people a year ‘homeless’ as household debt crisis deepens, CSJ warns Centre for Social Justice Press Release (20/11/13)
Monthly amounts outstanding of total (excluding the Student Loans Company) sterling net lending to individuals and housing associations (in sterling millions) seasonally adjusted Bank of England
Public Sector Finances First Release – Public Sector Consolidated Gross Debt ONS
Household debt (Economics Indicators update) House of Commons Library (29/11/13)
What are the macroeconomic implications of rising levels of household debt?
Why may an economy which has high levels of household debt be more subject to cyclical fluctuations in real GDP?
What are the problems of having a recovery driven largely by increased consumer expenditure?
Why have many people in the poorest sectors of society found their debt levels rising the fastest?
Why may rising levels of debt of the most vulnerable people make it harder for the Bank of England to use conventional monetary policy if recovery becomes established?
What policies could be pursued to try to reduce the debts of the poorest people?
Discuss the effectiveness of these various policies.
Tags: Tagsborrowing, Centre for Social Justice, debt, economic recovery, general government debt, household debt, lending, Nominal, payday loans, poverty, Real, recoveryPosted in: CategoriesEconomics 10e: Ch 11, Economics 10e: Ch 17, Economics 10e: Ch 18, Economics 10e: Ch 22, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 18, 7e Ch 18, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 29, 7e Ch 29, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 30, 7e Ch 30, Essential Economics for Business: Ch 10, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 07, 7e Ch 06, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 09, 7e Ch 08, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 11, 7e Ch 10, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 13, 7e Ch 12Authored by: John Sloman
Posted on 16 May 2012 28 May 2012
That’s one deficit that’s been reduced
The UK’s trade deficit narrowed in March to £2.74bn from £2.95bn in February. The goods deficit fell just slightly to £8.56bn from £8.59bn, but the services surplus rose more substantially to £5.83bn from £5.64bn.
So was this a sign of the UK economy’s relative weakness holding back the demand for imports? Or was it a sign of a recovering export sector, especially in services?
And what of the coming months? What will be the effect of a growing crisis in the eurozone on (a) the sterling exchange rate, (b) the rate of economic growth outside the UK and (c) UK economic growth? And what will be the effect of these on the demand for imports and exports and on the trade balance? The following articles examine the issues.
(For a PowerPoint of the above chart, click on the following link: Balance of trade)
UK goods trade deficit stable as exports to non-EU countries rebound Reuters (15/5/12)
UK trade deficit narrows in March to £2.7bn BBC News (15/5/12)
Exports close UK trade deficit Guardian (15/5/12)
First trade surplus in cars since 1976 The Telegraph, Emma Rowley (15/5/12)
UK trade deficit narrows in March Fresh Business Thinking, Marcus Leach (15/5/12)
ONS Release
UK Trade, March 2012 ONS Release (15/5/12)
Distinguish between the balance on trade in goods, the balance of trade and the balance on current account.
Why did the UK’s trade deficit fall in March 2012?
Why did the UK experience its first trade surplus in cars since 1976?
What is likely to happen to the UK’s balance of trade in the coming months? How is the income elasticity of demand for UK exports and imports relevant to the answer?
What has been happening recently to the sterling exchange rate? How will this impact on the UK’s balance of trade? How will the size of this impact depend on the price elasticity of demand and supply for imports and exports?
Tags: Tagsbalance of payments, balance of trade, balance on trade in goods, balance on trade in services, current account balance, economic recovery, exchange rates, income elasticity of demand, price elasticity of demand, price elasticity of supplyPosted in: CategoriesEconomics 10e: Ch 24, Economics 10e: Ch 26, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 24, 7e Ch 24, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 32, 7e Ch 32, Essential Economics for Business: Ch 12, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 14, 7e Ch 13Authored by: John Sloman
Posted on 5 June 2011 6 June 2011
The IMF
The International Monetary Fund consists of 187 countries and is concerned with its members’ economic health. It promotes co-operation, economic stability and is also there to lend to those countries facing difficulties. The role of the IMF as a lender has come into question, as critics argue that the conditions placed on loans to countries can cause more problems than they solve, as the cause of the problems is not always identified. However, despite the criticisms and the current charges facing the former IMF Chief, the International Monetary Fund continues to play an important role in the global economic environment.
Many countries have used IMF credit and over the past two decades it has predominantly been the transition and the emerging market economies that have demanded the IMF’s resources. Whilst its lending did drop off in the mid 2000s, the global financial crisis of 2008/09 saw an increase in the demand for IMF funds from emerging economies to some $60 billion. In May 2010, we saw the IMF together with the EU put together a rescue package for Greece and it is now the turn of Egypt. The uprisings in Egypt put the stability of the economy in jeopardy, as investment declined, tax revenues decreased and the usually buoyant tourist industry started to struggle. Despite the efforts of the government to stabilise the economy, it remains short of cash and the IMF looks set to agree a loan deal of $3 billion (£1.8 billion). Egypt would have five years to repay the loan at an interest rate of 1.5%, after a three year ‘grace period’.
Other countries to receive loans include Ireland, Belarus, the Ukraine and Iceland, the latter of which owes the IMF $2,828.67 per person of its population. The UK has used the IMF back in 1976 and it may be something to look out for, depending on how our recovery continues. The following articles look at the IMF and its role in promoting global financial stability.
IMF to lend Egypt $3 bn: Ministry Associated Press (6/5/11)
IMF agrees $3bn financing deal with Egypt BBC News (5/6/11)
Timeline: Greece’s debt crisis Reuters (5/6/11)
Egypt strikes $3bn IMF deal to ‘re-launch’ economy Guardian, Jack Shenker (5/6/11)
The IMF versus the Arab Spring Guardian, Austin Mackell (25/5/11)
EU/IMF/ECB statement on Greek bailout Reuters (3/6/11)
Belarus wins $3 billion loan from Russia-led fund, still seeks IMF’s help Bloomberg, Scott Rose and Daryna Krasnolutska (4/6/11)
IMF frees up $225mn for Iceland Associated Press (4/6/11)
IMF loan: which country owes the most? Guardian (24/5/11)
International Monetary Fund Homepage
IMF outlines $3 billion support for Egypt International Monetary Fund, IMF Survey Online (5/6/11)
What is the role of the IMF and how is it financed?
What are the objectives of the loans to countries such as Greece, Iceland and Egypt?
What other countries has the IMF lent to and what are the conditions that have been placed on these loans?
What has been the impact on the Egyptian economy of the uprisings? Think about all the industries that have been affected and the wider impacts.
Can you find any examples of circumstances in which the conditions of an IMF loan have made problems worse for the recipient?
Why are the conditions of the IMF loan to Egypt favourable and how will the loan help the economy?
Look at the trend in IMF lending. What factors explain the peak and troughs? In particular, what is the explanation for the incresae in lending during the financial crisis?
Tags: Tagscooperation, debt, economic recovery, Egypt, Greece, IMF, interest rate, Ireland, lending, recessionPosted in: CategoriesEconomics 10e: Ch 15, Economics 10e: Ch 22, Economics 10e: Ch 25, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 32, 7e Ch 32, Essential Economics for Business: Ch 10, Essential Economics for Business: Ch 13, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 09, 7e Ch 08, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 14, 7e Ch 13, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 15, 7e Ch 14Authored by: Elizabeth Jones
Has Merlin lost his magic?
The banking sector was at the heart of the credit crunch and it may also be at the heart of the recovery. Too much lending to those who could not repay has now translated into government encouragement and targets to stimulate further lending. Banks made a deal with the government (Project Merlin) to lend £76bn to small and medium sized companies (SMEs) in 2011, however, the data for the first quarter of 2011 shows that the top five UK banks lent only £16.8bn, some £2.2bn short of their quarterly target (about 12%). Despite this sum still being a significant figure, small companies have said that they are still finding it difficult to obtain credit from banks. A poll found 44% of companies that asked for a loan were turned down and many were discouraged from even applying as they had almost no chance.
Encouraging banks to lend and hence stimulating investment by businesses may prove crucial to the UK’s recovery. Vince Cable’s words with regard to lending emphasise its importance:
“We will monitor the banks’ performance extremely closely and if they fail to meet the commitments they have agreed we will examine options for further action.”
If small businesses can obtain credit, it will help them to develop and expand and this should have knock on effects on the rest of the economy. Jobs could be created, giving more people an income, which in turn should stimulate consumption, further investment and finally aggregate demand. It may not be the case that the UK’s recovery is entirely dependent on bank lending, but it could certainly play an important role, hence the government’s insistence for further lending. It may also act to create confidence in the economy. The following articles consider the bank’s role in providing credit to SMEs.
Bank lending falling short of promises by £25m a day Mail Online, Becky Barrow (24/5/11)
Cable tells banks to increase lending to small firms BBC News (23/5/11)
Bank lending targets: What the experts say Guardian, Alex Hawkes (23/5/11)
Major banks fail to meet their lending targets Independent, Sean Farrell (24/5/11)
Banks on course to miss small business lending target Guardian, Philip Inman (23/5/11)
Project Merlin needs to be less woolly and more wizard Guardian, Nils Pratley (23/5/11)
Bankers caused the crash and now they strangle recovery Guardian, Polly Toynbee (27/5/11)
Trends in Lending Bank of England (see in particular, Lending to UK Businesses)
Why have banks not met their lending targets for the first quarter of 2011?
Why is project Merlin so potentially important to the recovery of the economy?
Using an AD/AS diagram, illustrate the possible effects of further lending.
Are there any possible adverse consequences of too much lending?
Why might banks have little incentive to increase their lending to SMEs?
Tags: Tagsaggregate demand, banking sector, credit, demand for money, economic recovery, lending, macroeconomic policy, supply of money, unemploymentPosted in: CategoriesEconomics 10e: Ch 15, Economics 10e: Ch 18, Economics 10e: Ch 22, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 26, 7e Ch 26, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 28, 7e Ch 28, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 30, 7e Ch 30, Essential Economics for Business: Ch 10, Essential Economics for Business: Ch 11, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 09, 7e Ch 08, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 13, 7e Ch 12Authored by: Elizabeth Jones
The route to recovery: alternative paths
With an election approaching, there is much debate about recovery and cuts and about the relationships between the two. Will rapid cuts stimulate confidence in the UK by business and bankers and thereby stimulate investment and recovery, or will they drive the economy back into recession? The debate is not just between politicians vying for your vote; economists too are debating the issue. Many are taking to letter writing.
In the February 2010 news blog, A clash of ideas – what to do about the deficit, we considered three letters written by economists (linked to again below). There has now been a fourth – and doubtless not the last. This latest letter, in the wake of the Budget and the debates about the speed of the cuts, takes a Keynesian line and looks at the sustainability of the recovery – including social and environmental sustainability. It is signed by 34 people, mainly economists.
Letter: Better routes to economic recovery Guardian (27/3/10)
Letter: UK economy cries out for credible rescue plan Sunday Times, 20 economists (14/2/10)
Letter: First priority must be to restore robust growth Financial Times, Lord Skidelsky and others (18/2/10)
Letter: Sharp shock now would be dangerous Financial Times, Lord Layard and others (18/2/10)
Summarise the arguments for making rapid cuts in the deficit.
Summarise the arguments for making gradual cuts in the deficit in line with the recovery in private-sector demand.
Under what conditions would the current high deficit crowd out private expenditure?
What do you understand by a ‘Green New Deal’? How realistic is such a New Deal and would there be any downsides?
Is the disagreement between the economists the result of (a) different analysis, (b) different objectives or (c) different interpretation of forecasts of the robustness of the recovery and how markets are likely to respond to alternative policies? Or is it a combination of two of them or all three? Explain your answer.
Why is the effect of the recession on the supply-side of the economy crucial in determining the sustainability of a demand-led recovery?
Tags: Tagscrowding out, cuts, cyclical budget deficit, economic controversies, economic recovery, fiscal policy, forecasting, Keynesian policy, new classical policy, structural budget deficit, supply sidePosted in: CategoriesEconomics 10e: Ch 16, Economics 10e: Ch 17, Economics 10e: Ch 19, Economics 10e: Ch 21, Economics 10e: Ch 22, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 29, 7e Ch 29, Economics for Business: 8e Ch 30, 7e Ch 30, Essential Economics for Business: Ch 10, Essential Economics for Business: Ch 11, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 09, 7e Ch 08, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 10, 7e Ch 09, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 12, 7e Ch 11, Essentials of Economics: 8e Ch 13, 7e Ch 12Authored by: John Sloman
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Mailbag: A Battle In Rome With Satan
September 24, 2018 by sd
We do “spiritual warfare” on the pages of this news site, especially at this time — Michael’s time — of the year.
Crows caw. The sword must be unsheathed.
Across society, around the world, has been an intensification of dark spirits, quite talented at everything from false accusation to disrupting sleep — sometimes, dramatically.
From the mail, from someone who wants to remain anonymous, but had quite an experience while accompanying a priest to Rome on Church business (integrating an Anglican parish with Roman Catholicism). Can it really be as spectacular as described? For your discernment.
“I went soundly to sleep only to be suddenly awakened at about three a.m.,” he relates.
“There was the shadow outline of a man in my room, darker than the dark of my room. He was standing near my bed and he had red burning coals for eyes. My mind was frozen with terror, and without thinking the words came out of my mouth, “I know who you are!’ His dark arm pointed toward me and the sheets flew up around me and in an instant trussed me like a straight-jacket or a mummy; I felt myself lifted above the bed —perhaps several feet? — and swung slowly sideways.
“I suddenly knew what was coming, and though panicked, I struggled mentally with the greatest effort to say, ‘Hail Mary’. . . and then I was brutally and suddenly slammed against the wall — to bounce down on the bed. The pain was great, and I knew I should have broken bones; but to my astonishment, I was okay though very, very, sore all the next day or so. I stayed awake the rest of the night praying and trying to make sense of what happened. I said nothing to anyone next morning at breakfast.
“Unbeknownst to me, back in my parish in the U.S., a spiritual friend of mine (call her Mrs. Y) had been vacuuming her carpet and she said suddenly I was standing before her, looking terrified. She was startled; she knew I was away on pilgrimage. A few moments later when I ‘disappeared’ she knew something was terribly wrong. She turned off the vacuum and sat down on her sofa and immediately said the Rosary for me and prayed for me the rest of the day. Mrs Y. was due to work in the sacristy that afternoon, and when she went she met our pastor in a hallway, and told him what happened, he was thoughtful and said he would also pray for me.
“When I returned, I would not have said anything to anyone, except my friend told me what happened and asked what terrible thing had happened to me. So I told her, and we both went to our pastor and told him the whole story. He said we should ponder and discern what message there was in this. After a awhile we concluded that Satan hated the Anglican union (with Catholics) and what it represented (undoing the English Reformation). He hates it because the Ordinariate is a new work of the Holy Spirit: truly ecumenical, bringing Anglicans and many lapsed Catholics and people in mixed marriages into or back into the Catholic Church though the beauty of our Ordinariate liturgy and its cultural patrimony.
“We also figured out that Satan really wanted to harm the priest I was with, Fr. X, but that perhaps since I —though just ordinary and ‘not that holy,’ had volunteered to ‘back him up in prayer’ that day in Rome, I was something like a ‘spiritual bodyguard’ for him.
“God would not permit Satan to touch this holy priest, as Fr X was old and not in good health; however me being younger and stronger, God permitted Satan to show his displeasure and take out his frustration by throwing me up against the wall instead.
“It was a message that ‘we were doing something right’ in this prototype of the Ordinariate, and therefore we should be encouraged by it.
“And we were! Pope Benedict XVI—our old friend and protector Cardinal Ratzinger —instituted the Ordinariate in the U.K., the U.S., and Australia a few years later.
“My spiritual friend,Mrs Y and her husband are devout but ordinary Catholics, and are very proud that a few years later their son (for whom I was sponsor at his Confirmation) is now a very fine young priest.”
[resources: books on spiritual warfare] and Michael Brown retreat, southern Connecticut]
Filed Under: Spiritual warfare Tagged With: demon, exorcism, priest, Rome
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Appeals court: Schools cannot silence off-campus expression
ARKANSAS — A federal court of appeals ruled Aug. 28that it was beyond the jurisdiction of a school district to expela student for profane and violent lyrics he wrote outside of schoolabout his former girlfriend.
In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the EighthCircuit upheld the judgment of U.S. District Judge George HowardJr., who had ruled in November that the written words of studentJosh Mahan were protected under the First Amendment.
The appeals court said in Doe v. Pulaski County SpecialSchool District, 2001 WL 968357, that since Mahan’s "statementsdo not amount to a true threat, his speech is protected becausehe wrote the compositions at home, and the school district cannotsilence a student’s personal expression that occurs off campus."
U.S. Circuit Judge David R. Hansen was the lone dissentingvoice, saying that in his view the lyrics were a true threat."The young lady who was the target of the threats consideredthem to be very real; so real that she took to sleeping with thelights on," Hansen wrote. He also said the district courtinadvertently valdified the "disgusting document" bycalling it a "composition."
Court documents describe Mahan’s lyrics as "patently offensive,"with references to "violence, misogynism, and suicide."
Mahan, a junior high student who is represented by the AmericanCivil Liberties Union, was expelled for one year after schoolofficials obtained the lyrics he wrote. Mahan never brought thewritings to school, nor did he attempt to present the lyrics directlyto his ex-girlfriend. According to court documents, they werestolen from his home by a friend who gave the lyrics to the formergirlfriend. She then gave them to school administrators.
Rita Sklar, executive director of the ACLU of Arkansas, commendedthe decision, telling the Associated Press that the ruling helpsto clarify when speech that contains violent thoughts is protectedby the First Amendment. Sklar said the ruling, "affirmsthe principle that schools may not reach out beyond school wallsto punish off-campus protected activity it doesn’t like."
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Tag Archives: Nyquist
2016 Preakness and Black Eyed Susan Fields
May 18, 2016 Matthew Dixon Leave a comment
Nyquist is looking to win the second jewel of the Triple Crown at Pimlico (Patrick Smith/Getty Images North America)
The 2016 Preakness Stakes and Black Eyed Susan fields are now known. Nyquist, the 2016 Kentucky Derby winner, is looking to make it 9 for 9 in his career with a win in the Preakness. Meanwhile, the three year old fillies will be in action on Friday with the Black Eyed Susan.
2016 Preakness Stakes
The 2016 Preakness Stakes will have a field of 11 males going 1 3/16 miles on the main track for the Grade 1 event. The forecast in Baltimore, Maryland is calling for rain on Saturday which will make for a sloppy going. The field of 11 is running for purse of $1.5 million with the top two finishers in the Kentucky Derby returning in Nyquist and Exaggerator with that duo heavily favored over the other nine entrants.
Also entered is the highly regarded new shooter Stradivari, who won his latest race at Keeneland by nearly 15 lengths though he did only beat five horses and there are questions about the quality of that field.
Post time for the Preakness Stakes is scheduled for 6:45 PM Eastern time and is listed as the 13th race on a 14 race card. Free past performances can be found here. The full field can be found in the table below along with the jockey, trainer, and morning line odds listed.
Morning Line Odds
1 Cherry Wine Corey Lanerie Dale Romans 20-1
2 Uncle Lino Fernando Hernandez Perez Gary Sherlock 20-1
3 Nyquist Mario Gutierrez Doug O'Neill 3-5
4 Awesome Speed Jevian Toledo Alan Goldberg 30-1
5 Exaggerator Kent Desormeaux Keith Desormeaux 3-1
6 Lani Yutaka Take Mikio Matsunaga 30-1
7 Collected Javier Castellano Bob Baffert 10-1
8 Laoban Florent Geroux Eric Guillot 30-1
9 Abiding Star J.D. Acosta Edward Allard 30-1
10 Fellowship Jose Lezcano Mark Casse 30-1
11 Stradivari John Velazquez Todd Pletcher 8-1
2016 Black Eyed Susan Stakes
The Black Eyed Susan Stakes is a full field of 14 fillies going 1 1/8 miles on the main track for a purse of $250,000 in the Grade 2 race. Unlike the Preakness, the forecast for Friday does not include rain. The Kentucky Oaks runner up, Land Over Sea, returns as does the fourth place finisher in that race Go Maggie Go. No other fillies that ran in the Kentucky Oaks are entered in this race.
The 2016 Black Eyed Susan stakes is scheduled for 4:50 PM Eastern time as the 11th race on a 14 race card. Free past performances can be found here. The full field is listed in the table below.
1 A P Majestic Victor Carrasco Michael Tombetta 30-1
2 Dothraki Queen Julien Leparoux Ken McPeek 15-1
3 Land Over Sea Mario Gutierrez Doug O'Neill 2-1
4 Ma Can Do It Brian Hernandez Jr. Dale Romans 30-1
5 Go Maggie Go Luis Saez Dale Romans 5-2
6 She's A Warrior Gary Stevens Peter Eurton 6-1
7 Downdraft Angel Cruz James Lawrence II 30-1
8 Double Entendre Scott Spieth Peter R. Walder 30-1
9 Midnight On Oconee Gabriel Saez Larry Jones 15-1
10 Kinsley Kisses John Velazquez Todd Pletcher 6-1
11 In The Navy Now Trevor McCarthy Michael Trombetta 30-1
12 Flora Dora Junior Alvarado Marialice Coffey 30-1
13 Cced Florent Geroux Steven Asmussen 15-1
14 Mom's On Strike Joseph Rocco Jr. Joe Sharp 15-1
2016 Black Eyed Susan Stakes2016 Preakness Stakes2016 Triple CrownAbiding StarAP MajesticAwesome SpeedBlack Eyed Susan StakesCcedCherry WineCollectedDothraki QueenDouble EntendreDowndraftExaggeratorFellowshipFlora DoraGo Maggie GoHorse RacingIn The Navy NowKinsley KissesLand Over SeaLaniLaobanMa Can Do ItMidnight On OconeeMom's On StrikeNyquistPimlicoPreakness StakesShe's A WarriorStradivariTriple CrownUncle Lino
Four Year Trends Under The Kentucky Derby Points System
May 7, 2016 Matthew Dixon 1 Comment
The dust has hardly settled on Nyquist’s win in the 142nd Kentucky Derby, but that does not stop us from looking back on his race as well several other Kentucky Derbies. 2016 marked the fourth year of the Kentucky Derby Points System that helps determine the entrants into the race. Below we will take a look at the last four years (2013 through 2016) under the Points System as well as the four years prior to the Points System (2009 through 2012).
Some trends have become apparent in the last few years, but keep in mind that 4 years of data is hardly enough to start planning a strategy around betting the 2017 Kentucky Derby. And anyone who has followed horse racing knows this sport can turn in a hurry. Let’s look at the first trend of the winners in the last eight years.
Favorites Dominate Kentucky Derby Under Points System
The favorites have won each of the first four runnings of the Kentucky Derby under the points system. In the four years prior to the Points System, the favorite never won and only one to hit the board was Bodemeister in 2012 with his wonderful front running effort. The tables below show each of the last 8 years.
4 Years Since Start of Kentucky Derby Points System
Year Winner $2 Win $2 Exacta Field Size Favorite Finish
2016 Nyquist $6.60 (Fav) $30.60 20 Winner
2015 American Pharoah $7.80 (Fav) $72.60 18 Winner
2014 California Chrome $7.00 (Fav) $340.00 19 Winner
2013 Orb $12.80 (Fav) $981.60 19 Winner
4 Years Prior to Start of Kentucky Derby Points System
2012 I’ll Have Another $30.60 $306.60 20 2nd
2011 Animal Kingdom $43.80 $329.80 19 8th
2010 Super Saver $18.00 $152.40 20 6th
2009 Mine That Bird $103.20 $2,074.80 19 18th
One thing to keep is mind is that the favorites are so for a reason: they are considered to be one of the best going into the race. This is quite true for each of the last four horses. Nyquist was considered the best three year old, though there were concerns whether he could handle a mile and a quarter. American Pharoah and California Chrome were considered stand outs against their peers while Orb was a tepid favorite, but still highly regarded to get the distance and had a beloved trainer in his corner.
Even the exactas have gotten chalkier since the start of the Points System. Orb’s exacta paid just short of a grand, but is has been shorter since then including a paltry $30.60 with Nyquist and Exaggerator going 1-2 this year. It is hard to see the payout getting much smaller than that unless there are two towering choices in 2017.
California Based Horses Rise To The Top Under Points System
California horse racing is known for its speed. The horses are bred to go as fast as possible as soon as possible. That does not exactly seem like a recipe for getting a mile and a quarter, but we have seen a shift of 3 year old dominance to the West Coast.
Consider this: 4 of the last 5 horses to win the Kentucky Derby have spent significant time based in California during their two and/or three year old season.
Nyquist (2016): Ran five of his eight races in California. His three races outside of the state have been in Kentucky (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and now Derby) and Florida (Florida Derby), which happens to be the site of his three biggest career wins.
American Pharoah (2015): Ran all three of his two year old races in California before being shipped between California and Arkansas for his Derby Preps. It worked well as he went on to become the first Triple Crown Winner since Affirmed in 1978.
California Chrome (2014): He ran 10 races in California prior to the Kentucky Derby.
Orb (2013): He wintered in Florida where he won three races before winning the Kentucky Derby.
I’ll Have Another (2012): He raced twice in California as a two year old before a poor race at Saratoga to end his season. At three, he stayed in California before heading to the Kentucky Derby.
Animal Kingdom (2011) and Super Saver (2010) were nomadic in their careers prior to the Derby. Mine That Bird (2009) did have a race in California as a two year old, but it was a stopover in the Breeders’ Cup after his career started in Canada. He eventually landed at Sunland Park before his unlikely Derby win.
For whatever reasons, California has churned out the Kentucky Derby prospects and they are not just winning. They are also doing well enough to hit the board the last two years. Nyquist and Exaggerator went 1-2 this year while American Pharoah, Firing Line, and Dortmund went 1-2-3 in 2015. Again, two years of data in dominating the exacta is far from a serious trend, but is still worth noting.
Position of Winners Under Points System
Another trend that has begun to emerge from the last four years is not just favorites or Californian horses winning the Kentucky Derby. It is also how they are winning the race. Each of the last three years the winning horses have been very close to the lead with none of the them being worse than third during their race. The tables below provide some insight as to where the winners were during their race.
Year Winner 1/4 Split 1/2 Split 3/4 Split 1 Mile Split Final Time Field Size Track Condition Winning Style
2016 Nyquist 22.58 45.72 1:10.40 1:35.61 2:01.31 20 Fast Near Front / Presser
2015 American Pharoah 23.24 47.34 1:11.29 1:36.45 2:03.02 18 Fast Near Front / Presser
2014 California Chrome 23.04 47.37 1:11.80 1:37.45 2:03.66 19 Fast Near Front / Presser
2013 Orb 22.57 45.33 1:09.80 1:36.16 2:02.89 19 Sloppy (Sealed) Deep Closer
2012 I’ll Have Another 22.32 45.39 1:09.80 1:35.19 2:01.83 20 Fast Off Leaders / Stalking
2011 Animal Kingdom 23.24 48.63 1:13.40 1:37.49 2:02.04 19 Fast Mid Pack / Closer
2010 Super Saver 22.63 46.16 1:10.58 1:37.65 2:04.45 20 Sloppy (Sealed) Off Leaders / Stalking
2009 Mine That Bird 22.98 47.23 1:12.09 1:37.49 2:02.66 19 Sloppy (Sealed) Deep Closer
In the five previous Kentucky Derbies (2009-2013), runners close to the pace were usually nowhere to be found. As previously mentioned, Bodemeister set the pace in the 2012 Kentucky Derby won by I’ll Have Another and finished second. Shackleford tried to wire the field in 2011, but finished fourth by 3 3/4 lengths. Super Saver was close to the lead in terms of position, but was more than 5 lengths off the pace until the mile marker. Pioneerof the Nile (Sire of American Pharoah) was close throughout his Kentucky Derby run (never more than 3 lengths off the lead) while finishing second to Mine That Bird.
One of the hardest conclusions to draw is from race position. Each Kentucky Derby is completely different in how it is run. How many horses were setting the pace? Was there any pressure on the leader(s)? How was the track condition? How did the track condition affect the shape of the race? Did one of the speed horses not break well? Those are just a few of the many questions that can have different answers each year in how the race was run.
Nevertheless, the trend is there that horses near the front are doing well. However, keep in mind that the last three years, the top 3 year old entering the Derby was considered above the rest of the crop. Perhaps this is nothing more than the best horse in the race having a similar style and just being better than their peers.
Speed Under the Kentucky Derby Points System
Last year I postulated that the Kentucky Derby was slowing down in terms of time. After three years of data it appeared to be correct, but then 2016 happened. This year the Kentucky Derby went in 22.58 for the quarter and 45.72 for the opening half-mile. 2015 saw the same fractions go in 23.24 and 47.34, respectively. As stated two paragraphs above, the shape of the race is contingent on many different factors. The draw, the track condition, if a bias is present on the track, the break at the start of the race, etc. all can completely change how a race is run and won, especially in a race with as many as 20 horses.
What you have read above was worth pointing out, but by no means should sculpt one’s handicapping for the 2017 Kentucky Derby. The favorites have dominated the last four years and the winner has run the same race in the last three years. Does that mean it will continue? Not at all, but the trend can also still continue in 2017.
What makes the Derby so different (and difficult) is there is no race to compare it. There are no other races for 3 year olds that are run at a mile and a quarter AND allow 20 horses. The uniqueness of it allows it to be one of, if not the, most popular races each year. That uniqueness also makes it hard to find parallels as noted above.
Horse racing is a fickle sport. The highest highs can be followed by the lowest lows. The trends laid out above could easily be blown apart when a horse completely changes tactics (see Palace Malice in the 2013 Kentucky Derby). A real, concrete pattern may not emerge for another decade or more (four years is hardly a great basis for drawing a solid conclusion). A lot of things can change in the next decade which may show this four year trend as an anomaly.
One trend that will not probably change is my picking of the Kentucky Derby Toss. I had #9 Destin this year and he finished 6th. In addition, there will probably be an article like this one looking back at five year trends instead of four year trends. Enjoy the Triple Crown!
American PharoahAnimal KingdomBodemeisterCalifornia ChromeChurchill DownsDortmundExaggeratorFiring LineHorse RacingI'll Have AnotherKentucky DerbyKentucky Derby Points SystemMine That BirdNyquistOrbPalace MalicePioneerof the NileShacklefordSuper Saver
2016 Kentucky Derby Field Set
May 4, 2016 Matthew Dixon Leave a comment
Nyquist Won the Florida Derby and is a perfect seven for seven in his career (Photo courtesy of the Miami Herald/Adam Coglianese)
The 142nd Kentucky Derby field is now set with 20 three year olds ready to face off to wear the garland of roses. There were 22 horses entered, but the #21 and #22 are also-eligibles and will only race if there are scratches prior to Friday.
The favorite is Nyquist, the undefeated horse who has won in California, Kentucky, and Florida. Nyquist is listed at 3-1 and is breaking from post 13, the same post he had when he won the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.
The 2016 Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 7 and has a post time of 6:34 PM Eastern Time. It is carded as the 12th race at Churchill Downs and the field will be going 1 1/4 miles on the main track.
The full field is in the chart below with the program number, horse, jockey, trainer, and morning line provided.
Program Number Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Trojan Nation Aaron Gryder Patrick Gallagher 50-1
2 Suddenbreakingnews Luis Quinonez Donnie Von Hemel 20-1
3 Creator Ricardo Santana Jr Steve Asmussen 10-1
4 Mo Tom Corey Lanerie Tom Amoss 20-1
5 Gun Runner Florent Geroux Steve Asmussen 10-1
6 My Man Sam Irad Ortiz Jr Chad Brown 20-1
7 Oscar Nominated Julien Leparoux Mike Maker 50-1
9 Destin Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 15-1
10 Whitmore Victor Espinoza Ron Moquett 20-1
11 Exaggerator Kent Desormeaux Keith Desormeaux 8-1
12 Tom’s Ready Brian Hernandez Jr Dallas Stewart 30-1
13 Nyquist Mario Gutierrez Doug O’Neill 3-1
14 Mohaymen Junior Alvarado Kiaran McLaughlin 10-1
15 Outwork John Velazquez Todd Pletcher 15-1
16 Shagaf Joel Rosario Chad Brown 20-1
17 Mor Spirit Gary Stevens Bob Baffert 12-1
18 Majesto Emisael Jaramillo Gustavo Delgado 30-1
19 Brody’s Cause Luis Saez Dale Romans 12-1
20 Danzing Candy Mike Smith Clifford Sise Jr 15-1
21 (AE) Laoban Cornelio Velazquez Eric Guillot 50-1
22 (AE) Cherry Wine Robby Albarado Dale Romans 30-1
The Kentucky Derby card looks fantastic with a plenty of full fields and a total of 14 races to be run on the day. First post on Saturday is at 10:30 AM Eastern Time. The overnight for the card can be found here.
The Kentucky Oaks will be run about 24 hours earlier and the entries for that race can be found here.
2016 Kentucky DerbyBrody's CauseCherry WineChurchill DownsCreatorDanzing CandyDestinExaggeratorGun RunnerHorse RacingKentucky DerbyLaniLaobanMajestoMo TomMohaymenMor SpiritMy Man SamNyquistOscar NominatedOutworkShagafSuddenbreakingnewsTom's ReadyTrojan NationWhitmore
Nyquist Survives In FrontRunner
September 26, 2015 Matthew Dixon Leave a comment
Nyquist had to survive a run from Swipe in the stretch, but also had to survive him after the Grade 1 FrontRunner in the form of an inquiry. He was successful in both, as he won his fourth straight race to being his career and also made it back-to-back Grade 1 victories.
Go Long went to the lead from the rail, but he was trailed closely by Nyquist and Mt Veeder. Blameitonthelaw was also close in fourth while further back was Swipe, Hollywood Don, Rare Candy, and On Fire was in last by 10 lengths.
Go Long continued to lead on the backstretch with Nyquist and Mt Veeder close in tow, but Blameitonthelaw and Swipe also started to get closer. Behind them were Hollywood Don and Rare Candy while On Fire continued to be well at the back of the field.
Nyquist went to the lead on the far turn along with Mt Veeder, as Go Long was clearly done. Swipe started to move up as well and took over the rail position entering the stretch. Nyquist was able to hold off Swipe, who really had no excuse for not passing the winner. Those two were well clear of Hollywood Don in third by 5 3/4 lengths.
The rest of the field in order of finish was Rare Candy, Blameitonthelaw, Mt Veeder, Go Long, and On Fire. The stewards inquired about the stretch run between Nyquist and Swipe, but determined there was nothing affecting the order of finish. A full chart can be found here via Equibase.
Nyquist is a two year colt by Uncle Mo out of the Forestry mare Seeking Gabrielle. He was ridden Mario Gutierrez and trained by Doug O’Neill. He ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.89 and paid $3.00 to win, $2.40 to place, and $2.10 to show.
Nyquist received 10 points towards the Kentucky Derby Points Leaderboard for his victory. Swipe received four points, Hollywood Don received 2 points, and Rare Candy earned 1 point.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues next weekend with three races. Two will be run on Saturday and one will take place on Sunday.
2015 FrontRunner Stakes2015-16 Road to the Kentucky Derby2016 Road To The Kentucky DerbyBlameitonthelawDoug O'NeillFrontRunner StakesGo LongHollywood DonHorse RacingMario GutierrezMt VeederNyquistOn FireRare CandyRoad To The DerbyRoad to the Kentucky DerbySanta AnitaSanta Anita ParkSwipe
2015 FrontRunner Stakes Preview
The Road to the 2016 Kentucky Derby makes its second stop on Saturday, September 26 at Santa Anita. The Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes will be front and center for the 2 year old males.
The FrontRunner Stakes will be run at 1 1/16 miles on the main dirt track with a purse of $300,000. The winner will receive 10 points towards the Kentucky Derby Points Leaderboard while second, third, and fourth will receive 4 points, 2 points, and 1 point, respectively.
Post time is scheduled for 5:30 PM Eastern Time and the race is carded as the fifth race of a 11 races. Free past performances can be found here by going to Saturday, September 26 and race 5. The entires have been listed in the table below.
Post Position
1 Go Long Fernando Perez Keith Desormeaux 20-1
2 On Fire Gary Stevens Simon Callaghan 12-1
3 Blameitonthelaw Tyler Baze John Sadler 5-1
5 Hollywood Don Brice Blanc Peter Miller 4-1
6 Rare Candy Joseph Talamo David Hofmans 15-1
7 Swipe Kent Desormeaux Keith Desormeaux 5-1
8 Mt Veeder Martin Garcia Bob Baffert 6-1
1. Go Long – He started his career from the dreaded rail spot in his debut and had a decent effort. He showed speed and tired to finish fourth by 4 3/4 lengths. He went to the lead again in his second start and had plenty of company, but was able to pull away near the wire for a 3/4 length victory. In his last start, he went long, but on the grass at one mile in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. It was a dull effort where he sat well of the pace before passing tiring horses and finished sixth. The return to dirt will help, but he has to step up in a big way to contend in this spot.
2. On Fire – In his debut going 6 furlongs, he went to contend for the lead shortly after the break, but was no match for the top two. He did, however, hang on for third and lost by 5 1/4 lengths. He was given more distance in his second race going a mile. He had a wide trip for most of the race and prompted the pace three wide on the backstretch and far turn. He took the lead in the stretch, but had to hold on for the win by a half-length. The connections are appealing, but he too will have to run better in this spot to contend for the win honors.
3. Blameitonthelaw – He began his career at Del Mar going 5.5 furlongs where he got a wonderful trip behind the leaders. He was able to pull away in that one to win by 4 1/4 lengths before taking on Grade 1 competition in the Del Mar Futurity. In that race, he had a similar trip behind the leaders while wide. However, he was no match for the to two and he finished third by eight. Both of those horses he lost to return here (Nyquist and Swipe). He will have to get better in this spot, which he could with is pedigree and the blinkers going on. He has a good chance of hitting the board.
4. Nyquist – We arrive at the favorite for this race, a colt who has done little wrong. He won his debut in a game effort by a head before waiting for graded stakes competition at Del Mar. His second race was in the Grade 2 Best Pal where he improved dramatically with a 5 1/4 length win while pressing the pace. His latest race was the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity where he battled for the lead and then had a nice bid entering the stretch to win by 3 3/4 lengths. He has not raced at two turns, but being by Uncle Mo, it should not be an issue. He is the deserving favorite and is the one to beat.
5. Hollywood Don – He began his career going a mile on the turf, but had a slow start and then was wide for most of the running of the race. He made no impact on the race late, as he finished seventh by 4 1/4 lengths. He came back in his second start to go gate-to-wire in an impressive race where he set fast fractions early on and was tracked all the way around the turf course. His last race was the Del Mar Juvenile Turf at one mile where he employed a new winning tactic. He sat over four lengths off the lead in the first two calls, but made his move on the far turn. He went on to win by 1 1/2 lengths for his second victory in a row. He has not raced on dirt and clearly has an affinity for turf. He has a running style that will help, but he will need to be more competitive to have a chance to win though he could hit the board.
6. Rare Candy – He started his career in New York with a five furlong turf dash at Belmont. He took a while to get going, but closed determinedly to finish only three quarters of a length back in second. He was then shipped to California where he was sent a mile on the turf in another maiden race. He went gate-to-wire that day in a game performance where he won by 2 1/4 lengths after setting comfortable fractions. He then took on stakes competition in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf, but was outrun early. He made a solid rally in the lane and just missed third place. He has had some really good works on the Santa Anita main track, but the question is can he be good enough?
7. Swipe – He is the most experienced horse in this race with five starts. His first start was in May at 4.5 furlongs where he broke poorly, but rallied strongly to finish second by 2 1/4 lengths. His second start was in the Tremont, but he could not rally again and finished third by 4 1/4 lengths. He broke his maiden in his third start in the Summer Juvenile Championship with a driving finish to win by a head. His next two starts were at Del Mar where he finished second both times to the favorite, Nyquist. He is out of Birdstone so the two turns is not an issue. He is a top candidate to round out the exacta.
8. Mt Veeder – He debuted at Del Mar going 5.5 furlongs where he dueled on the lead before pulling away to win by 2 1/4 lengths. He stepped up into stakes competition where he went gate-to-wire and won by 4 3/4 lengths. He has not raced beyond six furlongs, but he is by Ghostzapper so two turns should not be a big issue. He is probably going to try and wire the field again and has a solid chance here.
#4 Nyquist is the clear favorite here and is decisively the one to beat. He should be able to rate off the speed, which makes him incredibly dangerous, but he will be a short price. #8 Mt Veeder will be going to the lead and could be good enough to make this a very good race. #7 Swipe has been consistent in his career never missing the board, but has not beat Nyquist in the previous two races. #3 Blameitonthelaw is going both long and getting blinkers on, which could improve his chances while #5 Hollywood Don could take a liking to dirt though he will probably have short odds.
Top selection – #4 Nyquist
2nd selection – #8 Mt Veeder
3rd selection – #7 Swipe
4th selection – #3 Blameitonthelaw
A recap of the Grade 1 FrontRunner will be posted on Saturday so be sure to come back and check it out.
2015 FrontRunner Stakes2015-16 Road to the Kentucky Derby2016 Road To The Kentucky DerbyBlameitonthelawFrontRunner StakesGo LongHollywood DonHorse RacingMt VeederNyquistOn FireRare CandyRoad To The DerbyRoad to the Kentucky DerbySanta AnitaSanta Anita ParkSwipe
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"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." -- John 13:34-35 (NIV)
Spring Convocation
Dear University Community,
We want to welcome you back to another incredible community opportunity to serve one another and our students. As we find ourselves gathering for another year of service to our Lord, let us be encouraged to pray for one another, build up one another, and join with one another in making a difference in the lives of our students. We are writing to invite you to attend our University Convocation on Wednesday, January 23, at 10:00 a.m. in the...
Submitted by: Office of the President
What's News 1/15
What’s News—a collection of updates from the media and our own news website
Credential alumnus Kristi Swen’s starting the Kids Wonder Play Center was the subject of a January 14 article in the Highlands Ranch (CO) Herald highlandsranchherald.net/stories/my-name-is-kristi-swen,275305
Kings River Life Magazine included FPU on its round up of 2018 theater highlights posted...
Submitted by: Wayne Steffen
Athletics 1/14-1/20
Both basketball teams will be at home TWICE this week, so come out to the Special Events Center and back the ‘Birds!
Submitted by: Jordan Herrod
Hiebert Library Network Cutover
On Saturday, January 19, from 8am to 12pm, Network Services will be migrating the Hiebert Library to FPU’s new network. Network access will be unavailable in that building for the duration. Similar announcements will be made for all other campus buildings as we make progress in our campus-wide wired network refresh.
Submitted by: Ryan Brunkhorst
Ted Smith's Passing
We are so grateful to Ted and Joyce Smith for their donation of their home to Fresno Pacific University. It is called the Smith House for Ministry, and it is the home that Dr. and Mrs. Jones live in now.
Ted passed into Jesus’ arms on January 5. Services will be held on January 19, 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Community Church, with lunch to follow, 12168 N. Willow Avenue, Clovis CA 93619.
Submitted by: Mark Deffenbacher
Registrar’s Office E-Form Submission Process
All Registrar’s Office forms have been moved to an electronic format which can be submitted online, with the exception of the Academic Petition form (e-form coming soon!). Paper forms will no longer be available for faculty or students. Please note that forms are based on roles and will only be accessible depending on the role. For example, student initiated forms will only be accessible to students and faculty initiated forms will only be accessible to faculty.
To access a faculty form, log into Sunbird Central (sc.fresno.edu) and click on the briefcase icon (Daily Work) along the left-hand side. Select...
Submitted by: Patricia Hitter
Manna Moments: New Beginnings
Grace and joy to you, Sunbirds!
Please join us as we start the year with Manna Moments: New Beginnings. Let us join together in fellowship and encouraging one another as students, faculty and staff. Just click on the link below...
Submitted by: Office of Spiritual Formation and Diversity
All-American Velarde Inks Contract with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
After a historic senior season, Fresno Pacific midfielder Anthony Velarde has signed a professional contract with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC of the United Soccer League, as announced by the club on Monday. The Reedley, Calif. native earned his Bachelor's degree from FPU in December and is expected to join the club next month.
FULL ARTICLE: https://bit.ly/2D9mb1G
Congratulations to Dr. Francisco Del Canto Viterale
Dr. Francisco Del Canto Viterale, ALAS Project Coordinator, has published an article on the university within the international system in the most recent issue of Tuning Journal for Higher Education.
The article “University as a global actor in the international system of the 21st century,” examines the role of the university within...
Submitted by: Patty Salinas
Senior Professionals Announcement 1/22
The Senior Professionals seminar for next week Tuesday, January 22 (2-4 p.m. in SCC 103), features Linda Hoff on“Education: The Changing Landscapes in Schools.”
Teacher education is the first and continuing premier professional training program of Fresno Pacific University dating back to the 1960s. The School of Education currently offers a broad array of teaching credentials as well as masters degrees. Hundreds of credentialed graduates have found their way into...
Submitted by: Dalton Reimer
Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary hosts “Women in Pastoral Leadership” Webinar
“Women in Pastoral Leadership” is the name of a webinar hosted by the Center for Anabaptist Studies at the Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary.
Tim Sullivan, chair of the USMB Board of Faith and Life, will be moderator for the event, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Pacific and 10:30 a.m. Central on Wednesday, January 23, 2019. Panelists will be...
Submitted by: Lynn Jost
Pacific Artist Series, January 27
Our third concert in the series is on Sunday January 27, 4pm, in the McDonald Hall Atrium. Otto Lee and the Otto Lee Sextet will be performing jazz arrangements of familiar hymns. Admission is payable at the door; $15 general, $10 seniors, $5 FPU community, including alumni ID cardholders.
Submitted by: Alice Smith
Faculty/Registrar Open Forum
The Faculty/Registrar Open Forum scheduled for January 18th has been cancelled. Please join us at our forum on Wednesday, January 30th at 10am. We hope to see you there!
Todd Davis Poetry Reading
Mennonite poet Todd Davis will read from his work at a free public event on Thursday, January 31, at 7:30 p.m. in North Hall 123 (Seminary Chapel). The twelfth speaker in the Jean and Louis Janzen Visiting Writers Series, Davis is the author of six full-length collections of poetry, most recently Native Species and Winterkill. He grew up in...
Submitted by: Eleanor Nickel
North Fresno Campus Convocation
What: 2nd Annual North Fresno Campus Convocation
When: February 1, 2019 @ 7:00pm
Where: Cross City Christian Church – 2777 E. Nees Ave, Fresno, Ca 93720
Please join us for our 2nd Annual Fresno Pacific University North Fresno Campus Convocation. Our students will gather on this special day to...
Submitted by: Eric Self
Merced Convocation
Please join us for an evening welcoming our students into the Spring 2019 semester at our 2nd annual Merced Campus Convocation.
Friday, February 8th at 7:00pm
Gateway Church Merced
353 E Donna Dr
Enjoy music, encouragement, prayer, food and beverages! We would love...
Submitted by: April Holloway
Christian Writers Seminar
Professors, Mentors, all who work with students…
On Feb. 9, 9 AM-3 PM, the Third Annual “Christian Writer Seminar” will be meeting on the FPU campus (Seminary).
Deans of four schools have provided a small contribution to the seminar, which allows students to register for $15 for the day (half price) or to attend for free...
Submitted by: Steve Varvis
SCORR 2019 at Biola University (Feb 22-24)
The Student Congress on Racial Reconciliation (SCORR), held annually at Biola University, is right around the corner and we have a limited number of spots for faculty and staff to attend. SCORR is a 2 day conference (Feb. 22-24) during which student, faculty and staff from many Christian universities gather to learn about and celebrate the wonderful diversity within the body of Christ. This year...
Submitted by: Cindy Jurado
SUIT UP Event
FPU faculty and staff are invited to join the Career Services team and FPU students for an exciting, exclusive shopping opportunity on February 24th! Fresno Pacific University and JCPenney will host a SUIT-UP event to provide the FPU community private access to shop for everything you need for your professional wardrobe - including suits, dresses, sport coats, dress pants, shoes and accessories. FPU students, faculty and staff receive 40% off all apparel during this exclusive event! Just present your FPU ID card at checkout to secure your discount. Also...
Submitted by: Rose Winn
Let the Intramurals Board help you with your New Year’s resolution! Join an intramural basketball team to have fun, meet new people, and stay active. Open to all students, staff, faculty, and their spouses, as well as alumni! Sign ups end on January 25th. Contact rachel.barcelos@fresno.edu for questions or more information.
Submitted by: Rachel Barcelos
New Home Sought for Scottish Terrier Puppy
With great regret I am seeking a new home for my adorable puppy, Toby. It appears he is complicating our youngest daughter’s already complicated health. Toby is house broken, neutered, microchipped, up to date on all his vaccinations, kennel trained and a real joy. He has grown up in a family with young children and is excellent with kids. He is friendly to people and other dogs and loves to play with canine companions and their owners at the dog park. He is not fussy and will eat any brand of puppy food he is presented with. We do not know if he would be good with a cat. Toby is purebred Scottish Terrier with paper work. My only hope is he goes to a family who will love him as much as we do. He is 11 months old. If you would like Toby to join your family or know of a family who might, please contact Ray Nickson at 559 375 3892.
Submitted by: Ray Nickson
Rooms for Rent in the Historic Neighborhood on Huntington Blvd
For rent: A huge private room (18ft x 16ft) for $600 with shared bathroom (female only please). Also a furnished, smaller room with a private bathroom for $575. Deposit required plus shared costs for PG&E, alarm, and Wifi. House is close to FPU and just a few blocks away from Fresno Community Hospital. House is 4800 sqft, in an unique, historic, quiet neighborhood. If you are interested, please contact Eleanor at: (559) 313-1837
Submitted by: Sonia Pranger
Squawk Box is run on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the academic year and on Wednesdays only during the summer break. All items sent to squawk.box@fresno.edu must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. the day before a Squawk Box edition is to be released. The Squawk Box is a publication from University Relations and it welcomes submissions on professional and academic achievements. University Relations reviews Squawk Box to ensure all submitted content is appropriate. Submissions are not reviewed or edited for spelling or grammar, so individuals who send in announcements are responsible for the spelling and grammar within their submission.
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You are here:Home/News/ Righettino’s Views
Righettino’s Views Denis Ribouillault Delivers the 2016 Garden and Landscape Studies Public Lecture https://staging.doaks.org/newsletter/righettino2019s-views https://staging.doaks.org/logo.png
Righettino’s Views
Posted On February 23, 2017 | 15:50 pm | by baileyt | Permalink
Denis Ribouillault Delivers the 2016 Garden and Landscape Studies Public Lecture
When, in the waning years of the sixteenth century, Pope Sixtus V was presented with an elaborately illustrated compendium of city views, he was also regaled with the idiosyncrasy of its production. The artist, working painstakingly to prove a point, had illustrated the entire volume using only his left hand.
That artist, Girolamo Righettino, was the subject of this year’s Garden and Landscape Studies Public Lecture, delivered on November 9 by Denis Ribouillault, an associate professor at the University of Montreal and a former summer fellow at Dumbarton Oaks.
Ribouillault’s talk, titled “Glorifying the City in Counter-Reformation: Girolamo Righettino Rediscovered,” traced Righettino’s involvement in the political life of Venice in the mid-sixteenth century, employing his sole surviving work of art as a case study: a view of the city of Turin executed in 1583.
Righettino, as Ribouillault made clear, was an anomalous figure. Though testimony survives comparing his lost oeuvre to the works of the celebrated mapmakers Abraham Ortelius and Gerard Mercator, Righettino was decidedly less professional. His city views were a hobby, one pursued largely for his own amusement. Lacking traditional training in surveying, Righettino frequently cribbed the technical aspects of his city views from preexisting works, among them Jacopo de Barbari’s famous Map of Venice.
Early in his talk, Ribouillault focused on the political implications of Righettino’s art. A theologian and Lateran canon, Righettino employed his skills as a draftsman diplomatically, attempting to serve his religious order and his Venetian patrons. His illustrations of cities like Rome and Genoa gained him favor with political figures like Marcantonio Barbara; he moved in the same intellectual circles as the luminary Palladio, and was held in high esteem by Venetian senators. Much of this fame derived from the use of his city views as diplomatic gifts—Sixtus V would not have been the only one presented with an original Righettino.
The absence of the bulk of Righettino’s work allows for rich and intriguing speculation, aided by newly discovered contemporary documents. For instance, as Ribouillault demonstrated, it is entirely possible that the aesthetics behind Sixtus V’s large-scale and controversial urban reform program were influenced by the collection of city views given to him by Righettino.
Righettino’s works were often blatantly flattering; their status as diplomatic gifts was even encoded in their composition. The view of Turin displays an act of gift-giving in the lower left corner: a ducal figure beneath a flowing baldaquin receives a book from a diminutive figure, half-boy, half-man. (Righettino, accounts attest, was famously short.)
In the second half of his presentation, Ribouillault began to analyze the ideology of the view of Turin, focusing on its elaborate ornamental and allegorical fecundity. Righettino was not a cosmographer or geographer, as Ribouillault argued, but rather a fine panegyrist whose view of Turin might best be described as an example of “chorography,” that is, a detailed delineation of a particular district or region.
Indeed, Ribouillault took pains to suggest that the most evident spiritual dimension in Righettino’s work was its detail; for the Italian artist, detail was tantamount to prayer. And yet the larger iconographical program of the view of Turin carries its own spiritual weight. As Ribouillault pointed out, the entire composition, in which the image of the city is cloistered within a geometric, ideal order, continuously oscillates between topography and allegory; the city is a grid, and also, by Ribouillault’s analysis, a “ladder toward paradise.”
According to Ribouillault, Righettino was working squarely within the “epideictic tradition of chorography,” in which the image of the city became a visual paean and the traditional cartographic view—top-down and essentially omniscient—was equated with the view of God.
As fantastic and as impressive as Righettino’s view of Turin is, the complex commingling of personal, political, and aesthetic concerns that helped to produce it was not unique to the Italian theologian, even if it does act as an exemplary case study. Toward the end of his presentation, Ribouillault recounted an anecdote about the fourteenth-century Sienese painter Ambrogio Lorenzetti that he believed threw light on Righettino’s own career.
Commissioned by a civic group to deliver an upbuilding triptych, Lorenzetti set about composing The Allegory of Good and Bad Government by imagining an ideal city. It was only after he had begun painting that he made sure this city was Siena.
Video: Glorifying the City in Counter-Reformation Italy: Girolamo Righettino Rediscovered
Garden and Landscape Studies Public lecture
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Home » NEWS » No change in poll times, says Supreme Court
No change in poll times, says Supreme Court
Author: rajtechnews
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to advance the timing of polls from 7 a.m. to 4.30 a.m. or 5 a.m. for the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha polls, considering the heat wave and that it is the holy month of Ramzan during which Muslims fast during the day time.
A Vacation Bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said a change in the poll timing would create logistical problems for the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Justice Banerjee told the petitioner-advocate, Mohammed Nizamuddin Pasha, that polling started as early as 7 a.m.
“People can come in the morning to cast their votes,” the court remarked.
The petition was originally filed before the fifth phase of the elections.
The court had referred the case to the Commission, asking it to pass necessary orders.
The EC, however, refused to change the timings. After which, Mr. Pasha approached the court again.
The petition said the sole object in public interest was to “increase voter participation in the electoral process” and to ensure “a convenient and fair opportunity to persons of all communities, particularly the Muslim community, to cast their vote”.
This sentiment, it said, was to ensure their equal participation in the democratic process consistent with the principles of Article 14.
The petition said the Indian Meteorological Department has issued a temperature warning, indicating severe heat wave conditions.
“In this intense heat, it will be very difficult for Muslim voters to queue up at the polling booths during the day to exercise their franchise… During Ramzan, most practising Muslims stay up/ wake up for an early morning meal called Sehri and sleep after the morning Fajr prayer. Thereafter, they avoid going out in the heat to the extent possible to avoid thirst, dehydration and the possibility of a heat stroke,”the petition said.
Source:- thehindu
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In the Spirit of Legends: Chet Baker & Scott LaFaro
In the Spirit of Legends: Chet Baker & Scott LaFaro Frederic Alarie Trio
Booklet für In the Spirit of Legends: Chet Baker & Scott LaFaro
Label: 2xHD
Subgenre: Contemporary Jazz
Format Preis Im Warenkorb Kaufen
FLAC 192 $ 14,90
DSD 64 $ 14,90
Richard Beirach (b. 1947):
1Leaving07:45
Scott LaFaro (1936 - 1961): Gloria's Step:
2Gloria's Step: Intro Gloria's step00:37
3Gloria's Step05:00
Bill Evans (1958 - 1980): Nardis:
4Nardis: Intro Nardis01:00
5Nardis08:45
Scott LaFaro:
6Jade Visions04:10
Miles Davis (1926 - 1991):
7Solar07:12
8Excerpt from Bill Evans interview, Commenting on the sound of Scott LaFaro's bass01:11
Frédéric Alarie:
9Tribute to Scott03:14
Total Runtime38:54
Info zu In the Spirit of Legends: Chet Baker & Scott LaFaro
Fred Alarie, one of the most sought-after stand-up bassist in Canada amazes by the colour, depth and audacity he puts forward in his work: as a musician, composer or soloist, he constantly pushes the limits of both his own expression and of jazz itself. In 2016, the Frederic Alarie Quartet presented a concert dedicated to Alarie’s idol Scott LaFaro at the Montréal International Jazz Festival. Exceptionally, the International Society of Bassists (ISB), owner of LaFaro’s restored famous bass, lent the precious instrument to Alarie for this occasion. He was allowed to keep the bass for more performances and he recorded the last track of this album in the studio with this celebrated instrument.
Jonathan Valin of The Absolute Sound: “Sounded truly wonderful—beautiful, majestic, and very full-range. I was particularly wowed by Fred’s tribute to Chet Baker, recorded with Neumann U67s, which had gorgeous timbre and realistic bite on trumpet .
Frederic Alarie Trio:
Frédéric Alarie, double bass
John Roney, piano
Ron Di Lauro, trumpet
Frederic Alarie Trio
Label: Fidelio Records
Frédéric Alarie Trio
Frédéric Alarie
Despite his now veteran status, bassist Frédéric Alarie has never stopped striving to refine his playing — described as smooth, sensitive and daring — since his arrival on the jazz scene in the late 80s. He has been a member of many bands, including those of Lorraine Desmarais, Bernard Primeau, Jean-Pierre Zanella, and Yannick Rieu, to name just a few. He has also been fortunate to perform with well-known artists such as Oliver Jones, Ranee Lee, Sheila Jordan, Salvator Adamo, Charles Aznavour, and Michel Legrand. He has led his own bands, including Frédéric Alarie & Basse Section, and as a composer he has made six critically acclaimed CDs. Vision, with his band Basse Section garnered a 1997 ADISQ nomination for Jazz Album of the Year. That same year, Saison Jazz Montréal named him Discovery of the Year, and in 1998 he won the Prix de Jazz Trébas.
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Virginia Appeal Bond
Bond Penalty: Amount of Judgment + Costs of Court
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, a defendant that takes an adverse verdict is allowed the opportunity to appeal (an appeal of right). Simply filing a notice of appeal does NOT however restrain a judgment creditor from pursuing collection of the underlying judgment. A Virginia appeal bond must be filed and approved by the court to stay execution (collection) on the judgment.
Appeal bonds are addressed under §8.01-676.1 of the Code of Virginia, and its subsections. Titled, "Security for appeal," the requirements are generally as follows:
A party filing a notice of an appeal of right to the Court of Appeals shall simultaneously file an appeal bond in the penalty of $500, or such sum as the trial court may require, subject to subsection E, conditioned upon paying all costs and fees incurred in the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court if it takes cognizance of the claim. If the appellant wishes suspension of execution, the security shall also be conditioned and shall be in such sum as the trial court may require as provided in subsection C.
An appellant whose petition for appeal is granted by the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court shall (if he has not done so) within 15 days from the date of the Certificate of Appeal file an appeal bond in the same penalty as provided in subsection A, conditioned on the payment of all damages, costs, and fees incurred in the Court of Appeals and in the Supreme Court.
An appellant who wishes execution of the judgment or award from which an appeal is sought to be suspended during the appeal shall, subject to the provisions of subsection J, file a suspending bond conditioned upon the performance or satisfaction of the judgment and payment of all damages incurred in consequence of such suspension, and except as provided in subsection D, execution shall be suspended upon the filing of such security and the timely prosecution of such appeal. Such security shall be continuing and additional security shall not be necessary except as to any additional amount which may be added or to any additional requirement which may be imposed by the courts.
The surety company must be approved by the court in which the Virginia appeal bond is filed. The Code authorizes the Supreme Court to approve the specific wording which the surety bond must follow and must be published in the "Rules of Court." The appeal bond penalty must likewise conform to the statute which offers a formula for determining said penalty. "(J.) In any civil litigation under any legal theory, the amount of the suspending bond to be furnished during the pendency of all appeals or discretionary reviews of any judgment granting legal, equitable, or any other form of relief in order to stay the execution thereon during the entire course of appellate review by any courts shall be set in accordance with applicable laws or court rules, and the amount of the suspending bond shall include an amount equivalent to one year's interest calculated from the date of the notice of appeal in accordance with §8.01-682. However, the total suspending bond that is required of an appellant and all of its affiliates shall not exceed $25 million, regardless of the value of the judgment.
Obtaining a Virginia appeal bond quote is simple. We request a complete judicial bond application and a copy of the entry of judgment. Underwriting of appeal bonds should be accomplished by a surety bond underwriter with knowledge of judicial obligations and local court rules. Virginia surety bond leader SuretyOne.com specializes in court bonds. A Virginia appeal bond application is reviewed and responded to within one hour of receipt. We are the most agile appeal bond underwriter in the United States. Call (800) 373-2804, email us at Underwriting@SuretyOne.com or click here for a live chat with an underwriter for further information or to discuss your particular need.
Judicial Bond Application
Additional Attachments
Copy of complaint and entry of judgment
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Category Archives: Open Quest
Basic Roleplaying, Fluff/Inspiration, FUDGE, Open Quest, Other Systems, Random musings, RPG, Savage Worlds
Roleplaying in the world of The Elder Scrolls series
November 27, 2013 Stargazer 15 Comments
Recently I have started playing “The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim” again. The fifth game in the Elder Scrolls series is one of my favorite computer games and even though some people call it “dumbed down”, I still love it a lot. What I like the most about the game (aside from the open gameplay and the excellent soundtrack) is it’s lore. The Elder Scrolls universe can easily compete with famous D&D worlds like the Forgotten Realms. There’s a history stretching back thousands of years, there are nine playable races with different cultures, there are memorable characters and a vast world to explore. What makes The Elder Scrolls interesting is that while it shares a lot of tropes with “regular” fantasy worlds, most of them come with a “twist”.
As a long-time fan of the series I often mused about running a TES-inspired roleplaying campaign. Of course a project like this can be pretty daunting, but my recent success with my Fallout conversion to Fudge, made me consider working on a TES pen & paper game again. Writing a conversion to Fudge would probably work, but I also see a lot of similarities between the system used in the Elder Scrolls computer games and Runequest. Both are basically skill-based and use percentile values. In both RQ and the TES games you improve your skills by using them. Both magic systems are based on some kind of spell points. Writing a TES conversion for Runequest shouldn’t be particularly hard.
The big question is how closely I want the rules to resemble the source material. If the focus is on converting the setting (and not the rules), you can basically use Savage Worlds, Fate Core, etc. without much hassle. But for some reason I feel that the mechanics used in the TES series are part of its charm. At the moment I am looking into various RQ variants and other systems to find mechanics that closely fit my vision of a TES pen & paper game, so that the work to write a conversion is minimized.
Alas using computer roleplaying games as a basis for pen & paper campaigns also has its share of problems. If your players are avid fans of the series you can’t just recycle quests and stories from the computer games, and they may actually know the lands of Tamriel better than the GM. Especially the latter may cause long discussions with your players. Another common issue is that computer game worlds are often extremely small. I still cringe when I think about Ultima IX’s Britannia. The capital of a whole continent was reduced to a handful of houses. Ouch. In such cases the immersion goes right out of the window! Luckily the world of Tamriel feels almost big enough to not have this particular problem.
At the moment I’m in a very early planning phase because I am still busy running Fallout Fudged! and my other group has expressed interest in Shadowrun. But as I wrote in an earlier post, I’ve decided to start planning earlier. What are your thoughts on this project? What system would you use? Do you think Fudge might work or do I need something a little bit more crunchy? What about Runequest? Please share your thoughts below!
Basic Roleplaying, Call of Cthulhu, Freebies, Open Quest, Other Systems, RPG
Freebies: Renaissance
December 6, 2011 Stargazer 2 Comments
Yay! I have been waiting for this since I first read about it: Renaissance is a free roleplaying system designed for historical and fantasy games in, as the authors put it, “age of blackpowder weapons”. It was created by Peter Cakebread and Ken Walton who are known for Clockwork & Chivalry 1st Edition and Abney’ Park’s Airship Pirates. Renaissance is based on D101 Games’ OpenQuest which itself is based on Mongoose Publishing’s Runequest SRD.
The 139-paged PDF contains all the rules needed to play, two magic systems and a bestiary. Kudos to Cubicle 7 and Cakebread & Walton for releasing the rules for free. The PDF doesn’t contain any artwork, but that’s negligible especially since the PDF is mainly meant as a System Reference Document. The rules of the game can be used under the OGL.
If you are a fan of Chaosium’s Basic Roleplaying and Runquest, you actually have the choice between quite a few different rule variants now. There’s Renaissance, Mongoose Publishing’s Legend, D101 Games’ OpenQuest, Chaosium’s Basic Roleplaying and Goblinoid Games’ GORE. All those games are more or less compatible, so you can use material designed for one game in the other with ease.
Renaissance looks pretty interesting because it was created with the Renaissance era in mind. The magic system also looks pretty unique. If you’re looking for a skill-based RPG with a percentile dice mechanic, you should definitely check Renaissance out!
Freebies, Open Quest, Other Systems, RPG
Freebie: Système Alamänder
October 19, 2011 Stargazer Leave a comment
On the D101 Games site I found a link to a free OpenQuest-based game. The game is obviously set into the world of a French fantasy book series by Alexis Flamand which combines humor, criminal mysteries and fantasy – or at least that’s what I think the French descriptions said.
The 44-paged “Système Alamänder” is a beautifully laid out PDF that makes me wish I was fluent in French. Alas I am not, so the only thing I can do it look at the pages and admire them. 🙂
In the case you speak French and if you have perhaps even heard about the book series you should have a look at the “Système Alamänder” and after that please come back here and let me know what you could learn about it.
Damn, I wish my games were looking that great!
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Dayton History - Carrillon Historical Park
1000 Carillon Blvd, Dayton, OH 45409
Front of the Wright Flyer III inside Wright Hall at Carillon Historical Park in Dayton, Ohio.
Photo credit: By Nyttend (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Dayton's official historical organization operates a 65-acre campus containing more than 30 historic structures with a major focus on the region's 'technological innovations.
Facilities include the Wright Brothers Aviation Center, featuring the 1905 Wright Flyer III, regarded as the first practical airplane. The Heritage Center of Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship pays tribute to other technologies developed in the city, including the cash register and automobile self-starter.
The James F. Dicke Family Transportation Center houses an 1835 B&O steam locomotive and 1903 Detroit & Mackinac passenger car.
The group also maintains a research archive and operates other sites the in the Dayton area, including Hawthorn Hill, once home to Orville Wright.
Arts and Crafts in Cincinnati...
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Emporia in Cincinnati...
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Ghosts and Mysteries in Cincinnati...
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Steamiest Places in Cincinnati...
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CATch the City
CAT Return Ticket
What to do in Vienna
Enjoy your stopover in
16 min non-stop
Your short break in the city center!
Do you have 4 hours or more to spend in Vienna?
Why not take a trip to the city center and explore the capital of Austria and some of its most famous sights?
With the City Airport Train you’ll reach the very center of Vienna within 16 minutes, with a reliable connection every 30 minutes.
• City Airport Train (CAT) return trip Vienna International Airport – Wien Mitte/Vienna city center
• Ticket for the ride on the Vienna Ring Tram for one Ring tour (once the ticket has been validated, it is valid for 30 minutes - 1 round).
• Day pass valid until midnight for the Wiener Linien (public transport in Vienna)
the vienna ring tram
The Vienna Ring Boulevard is an Austrian World Heritage Site. The majestic road with its side alleys was laid out in the mid-19th century around the center of the city, replacing the old city walls. Ornate buildings such as the State Opera, parliament buildings, the City Hall, The Imperial Theatre and numerous palaces were erected along the Ring. All of these sights can be viewed from the Vienna Ring Tram, irrespective of the weather. Hop onboard and enjoy the tour in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Russian or Japanese. The version in Viennese dialect and a channel for children are also popular with German-speaking visitors.
Opening hours & location:
Daily from 10 am to 7 pm
Last admission 6.30 pm
Location: A-1010 Vienna, Domgasse 5
This package includes a CAT Return Ticket, entry to the Mozarthaus Vienna including special exhibition and Audioguide as well as a day pass for the Wiener Linien (public transport Vienna).
mozarthaus vienna
Visit the historic apartment which was Wolfgang Amadé Mozart’s residence from 1784 to 1787. At Mozarthaus Vienna you can find the composer’s only surviving Viennese apartment, where he composed more music than anywhere else. It presents information about the life and work of the musical genius with focus on the great composer’s Vienna years, which represent the peak of his creative achievement. In addition to the main exhibition the Mozarthaus offers temporary exhibitions.
01.03. – 26.04.19 10:00 am – 22:00 pm
27.04. – 01.09.19 09:00 am – 12:00 am
24.12.19 10:00 am – 05:00 pm
31.12.19 10:00 am – 02:00 am
This offer includes a CAT Return Ticket, admission to the Vienna Giant Ferries Wheel as well as a day pass valid until midnight for the Wiener Linien (public transport in Vienna).
the vienna giant ferris wheel
Located in Vienna‘s world-famous Prater entertainment park, the ferris wheel has been turning since 1897 and has become a famous landmark in the Viennese skyline. During the ride you can enjoy breathtaking views of the city.
Opening hours/Meeting point:
Daily from 09:28 to 17:18, every 6-15 minutes.
Combine your CAT ticket with a HOP ON HOP OFF ticket in Vienna. Change from CAT Terminal „Wien Mitte“ to the HOP ON HOP OFF bus and discover the city.
This combination offer includes a CAT Return Ticket as well as a HOP ON HOP OFF sightseeing bus ticket for the red line.
hop on hop off bus tour
Discover the city with a HOP ON HOP OFF bus tour. The RED LINE takes you to the most important buildings along the Ringstraße boulevard, from the State Opera past the Imperial Palace, the Museum of Art History, Parliament and Vienna City Hall to Burgtheater. There is also free WIFI on board.
Daily except Tuesday: 9 am – 5.30 pm
Last admission: 5.00 pm
Location: A-1010 Vienna, Hofburg, Schweizerhof
At the underground station Stephansplatz, only 10 minutes by public transport from Wien Mitte.
This package includes a CAT Return Ticket, entry to the Imperial Treasury as well as a day pass for the Wiener Linien (public transport Vienna).
the imperial treasury at the hofburg palace
The Imperial Treasury is one of the most important treasuries in the world. It contains a valuable collection of secular and ecclesiastical treasures covering over a thousand years of European history. It houses an extraordinary collection of relics and insignia, like the Crown of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Imperial Crown and further Habsburg treasures of immeasurable value.
Daily 10.00 am – 9.00 pm
Location: A-1010 Vienna, Wallnerstraße 4
At the underground station Herrengasse, only 10 minutes by public transport from Wien Mitte.
This package includes a CAT Return Ticket, entry to the Museum of Illusions as well as a day pass for the Wiener Linien (public transport Vienna).
museum of illusions
The Museum of Illusions is Austria's first museum dedicated to illusions and trick art. With its large collection of holograms, stereograms and optical illusions it creates moments of magic. The exhibition promises entertainment, interactivity and educational experiences for visitors of all ages. Unlike ordinary museums this concept is based on interaction with the visitors. For this purpose, participating and touching the exhibits is expressly desired. But be careful, the museum will flip your world upside down.
Would you like to stroll around in the city, enjoy some local treats or buy souvenirs without beeing pressed for time? In just 16 minutes the CAT takes you non-stop to the city center and back to the airport – so you can make most of your stopover in Vienna. You can also reach e.g. St. Stephen´s Cathedral within 30 minutes of departung the airport.
CAT Opening hours: 06:09 (to Vienna) – 23:07 (to the airport)
Book your CAT RETURN TICKET right here
All package consist of a CAT Return Ticket as well as the tourist attraction.
The packages "Coffee brak in Vienna" and "The Vienna Giant Ferries Wheel" ...more
The packages "Coffee brak in Vienna" and "The Vienna Giant Ferries Wheel" also include a day ticket for the Wiener Linien (public transport in Vienna until midnight).
Special extra:
Use the security fast lane upon return to the airport and easily reach your connecting flight.
Where do I get my ticket?
The Stopover-tickets can be bought from the CAT sales staff in the baggage claim hall or at the CAT counter in the arrivals hall.
Travel and visa information:
Please ensure that you arrive at Vienna Airport in good time before your flight and keep informed about any check-in times as well as up-to-date information ...more
Please ensure that you arrive at Vienna Airport in good time before your flight and keep informed about any check-in times as well as up-to-date information on your flight status. The City Air Terminal Betriebsgesellschaft m.b.H. is not liable for any missed onward flights. Immigration information: When visiting Vienna, please make sure that you fulfil the immigration requirements for the Schengen area (e.g. passport, visa etc.)
What to do in Vienna?
hop on hop off
The HOP ON HOP OFF tours of VIENNA SIGHTSEEING are an easy way to explore Vienna. On your audio guide you can choose from 16 languages and jump off and on as often as you like.
kunst haus wien museum hundertwasser
Just 14 minutes' walk from the CAT terminal you can find the KUNST HAUS WIEN, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The museum and exhibition center has established itself as a fixture within the Viennese cultural scene thanks to top-class exhibitions of contemporary art with a focus on photography. CAT customers receive a reduced ticket for 10,- € instead of 12,- € (presentation of the CAT ticket required).
wien mitte the mall shopping center
The CAT takes you directly to Wien Mitte - The Mall - the largest and most modern shopping center in Vienna's city center. Whether you are looking for food, beauty and lifestyle or fashion - The Mall offers a large shopping variety right next to the CAT terminal.
saint stephen's cathedral
Saint Stephen's Cathedral is the most famous landmark in Vienna. Located in the city center on the Stephansplatz, the cathedral offers a spectacular view over Vienna from its 136 meter high South Tower. The Gothic nave, the North Tower with the second largest free-swinging church bell in Europe and the catacombs are also open to visitors.
© 2019 City Airport Train
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Voices of Bears Ears
Voices are screaming, howling, pleading, and hoping for the protection of the canyons, sagebrush forests, and cliffs full of history and sacred messages. The chorus is diverse and loud, but drums beat a counter-point that appears to resonate with the ones making decisions at the highest levels. Rather than listen to land, the wind in the alcoves, the stories told by descendants of the original occupants, the travelers that come, or the science of what truly makes the place special, the powers tune in the squeaky sounds of greed. They may strip Bears Ears of its rightful boundary, but they can never silence the voices.
It pained me to fill our gas tank in Blanding, Utah. A giant sign greets visitors as you enter town–“RESCIND BEARS EARS.” A few hundred yards down the same highway a visitor center parking lot is full of information seekers emerging from RVs of all sizes, and there are eager locals handing out brochures and information on how to get to ruins and backroads of Bears Ears. They simultaneously declare war and seek tourism dollars. This is intolerable madness, but our tank needed to be full before we disappeared down a dirt road. I yield a few dollars and then we head to the unmarked turn for the Butler Wash Road and a trip deep into the stories of Bears Ears.
The farmers and gatherers spoke to us in Fish Mouth Cave. From the road the alcove in the distance does appear to be the gaping jaws of a giant leviathan. The walk through the canyon under a canopy of blazing orange cottonwood leaves was delightful. The air smelled of musty leaves crunching underfoot and savory sage. We passed a series of small ruins each exquisitely tucked into an alcove, the sensual connection of nature and human handiwork. Then we reached the toe of the sandstone slab and began a steady climb to the throat of the fish. Upon entering the shade of the cave our eyes adjusted and began the process of taking note of granaries, grinding stones, and potsherds. Ancient corn cobs rested in the dirt and on stones. The voices came through raised hands painted on the sweeping back wall, proclaiming this as their space, their crops, and their legacy. We listened as we stared out of the cave and across the wash, a vista deserving protection.
The architects spoke to us as we respectfully walked the canyons in Butler Wash. There are castles constructed of rocks and mud throughout Bears Ears. A week before we walked the trail to Monarch Cave we had strolled the streets of Richmond, Virginia admiring architecture that marks early America. An even earlier story is told in sandstone nooks of Utah. For nearly two decades we have visited the dwellings and churches of Ancestral Puebloans. The quality of construction and level of preservation of the ruins in Butler Wash is remarkable. The original adobe remains with the wispy prints of the fingers that plastered the wall. The twigs of a roof shoot like arrows pointing toward the unknown future. The spring still provides sufficient water for ivy to grow among the structures. But a deep crack and lean of a wall reveals the whispers of the builders—we took pride in this and built it for the ages. Mother Earth will reclaim our homes but please let her set the pace.
The coyotes spoke to us in our sleep. Howling from the wash in a frolic and frenzy, there were generations of voices surrounding us to the point I expected to descend from our tent on top of the truck to find a ring of paw prints encircling us. The sphere was incomplete, but the prints were there. I have spent many hours grinning my way through wild canine serenades around the Southwest, but this concert felt different. There was a voice humming within the songs begging the listener to save the desert for the creatures.
The shaman spoke to us from the walls, foretelling of conflict between religion and science–the struggle between faith and knowledge that is as old as the etched cliffs. The Wolfman Panel of petroglyphs in Butler Wash is one of the best. The human figure seeming to ooze wisdom from fingers and toes as shields and suns stand guard nearby is hauntingly vocal. I hear a tale of civilization struggling with growth, with overuse of resources, with confusion of belief systems, and with impending need for radical change or rampant decline. The desert is a delicate environment, and no one knew that better than the artists and shamans. The story carved in that rock must be heeded and preserved.
The owners of driveways and boulevards in Bluff, Utah spoke, perhaps the loudest of all the voices. Signs proudly claiming the town as the gateway to Bears Ears National Monument stood in defiance of those who would have you believe all of Utah is in opposition. We drove around a few blocks to take inventory and study the charming old houses. Each block revealed more signs supporting Bears Ears. If I’d needed gas in the tank, this is where I would want to spend my dollars. These modern Utah voices speak—leave it as it is. It is our treasure, our heritage, our future.
I add my voice. Bears Ears was properly vetted. The designation did not alter access for traditional uses. Profiteering off alleged resources under the ground will only lead to the evisceration of the soul of the place no less than grave robbing stole relics and stories in earlier times. Stripping it down to line the pockets of current generations will ultimately quiet the voices we all need to hear to understand the full story of who we are, where we live, and what we might become.
American Southwest, Conservation, National Parks, nature, Public Lands, Travel, Uncategorized
Bears Ears, National Parks, Rock Art, Ruins, stewardship, Utah, wanderlust
Learning to Overland
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Ardha Kumbha Mela to start tomorrow; to be celebrated with much fanfare and grandeur
IndiaFeatures
By Ten News Network
Greater Noida (14/01/2019) : Kumbh Mela – a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith where a very large number of people assemble at the confluence of holy rivers where taking a dip or bath is considered as sacred. It is celebrated as a festival where people from other religion also participate. Hindus perform puja to get salvation as the holy water cleanses a person of all their sins. People from other religions help in organising the fair by carrying on different administrative and other connected duties. The greatest good of the festival is that all take bath together irrespective of any caste or creed, rich or poor and worship together. This brings unity in diversity.
It is learnt that this year the emphasis is on cleanliness of the rivers and efforts are being made at all places through which the river flow to stop falling of sewerage and other nalas and industrial waste into the river. For this a number of treatment plants have been setup at various places to ensure that only clean water falls into the river. Special effort ares being made to scavenge the river of the offerings made at Ghats. It is also being ensured that no plastic items are thrown into it. A strict watch is being carried out by the police and other agencies to ensure that there is no untoward incident.
Kumbh Mela is held once in twelve years, however Ardhkumbh melas are held every six years. These are held at Prayagraj, Hardwar, Nasik and Ujjain. The exact date of celebrations is determined as per Vikram Samvat calander and in accordance with the Jyotish where a combination of Zodiac position of the Jupiter the sun and the moon make the difference. At Nasik and Ujjain mela may be held while a planet is in Leo and is called Simhastha. At Hardwar and Prayag an Ardhkumbh (Half Kumbh) is held every sixth year and a Mahakumbh occurs after 12 years. The exact age of the festival is uncertain but according to medival hinduism Lord Vishnu dropped some drops of Amrita (the drink of immortality) at four places while transporting it in a Kumbh (Pot) these four places are identified as the present day sites of the Kumbh mela viz. Prayag, Hardwar, Nasik and Ujjain. One of the legends also mentions that devine physician dhanavantri who carried the pot stopped at four places where Kumbh mela is celebrated.
Kumbh Mela literally means Kumbh festival where Kumbh is derived from Hindi word Kumbh (Pot). Kumbh mela derives its name from both the original festival being held according to the astrological science Kumbh (“Aquarious). According to the Hindu legend the Gods and Demons fought over a pot or Kumbha of nector that would give them immortality. It was churned out of the ocean called “Samudra Manthan” where the Mandara mountain was used as a churning rod to churn the ocean of milk. Mahadev’s serpent, Vasuki, offered to serve as the rope pulled on one side by a team of asuras (Demons), and on the other, by a team of Devas (Gods). They say many useful other items also came of the churning and were taken away by both the sides.
‘Kumbh’ means an earthen pot. The human body is called ‘Parthiv’ (Predominant in the Absolute Earth Principle). The body is created from earth and merges into the earth; therefore, ‘Kumbh’ (the earthen pot) symbolises the human body.
They say by bathing during the Kumbh Mela, merits equivalent to performing 1,000 Ashvamedha Yadnyas, 100 Vajapeya Yadnyas and 1 lakh pradakshinas (Circumambulations) around the earth are obtained. Similarly, by bathing once during the Kumbh Mela, merits equivalent to 1,000 baths in the Kārtik month, 100 baths in the Māgha month and 1 crore baths in the River Narmada during the Vaishākha month are obtained.
Those who congregate in the Kumbh Mela include the Shankaracharyas of different Peeṭhas (Seats of faith) in Bharat, the Ascetics of 13 Akhadas, Mahamandaleshwars, followers of the Shaiva & Vaishnav sects, many scholars, renunciants, Saints and evolved souls. Hence, the nature of the Kumbh Mela is magnificent as if it is a convention of Saints. Due to the Kumbh Mela, devotees get a golden opportunity to be in the company of Saints and by their taking bath in the river the water gets purified and sanctified.
#Kumbh2019Ardha Kumbha Mela to start tomorrow; to be celebrated with much fanfare and grandeur
People come to meet me because of faith’ says Pilot Baba
2,500 graduates were conferred degrees at Galgotias University 2019 convocation
दिल्ली पुलिस ने श्रीनगर से दो लाख के इनामी आतंकी को किया गिरफ्तार
स्किल इंडिया डेवलपमेंट के 4 वर्ष हुए पूरे, विभिन्न कंपनियों के साथ एमओयू किए गए साइन
केंद्र के सरकारी कर्मचारियों के महंगाई भत्ते में की जाएगी बढ़ोतरी, पढें पूरी खबर
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Tennis Atlantic
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All posts tagged Jerzy Janowicz
Mannarino, Janowicz Surge Into @_Swiss_Indoors Main Draw
Posted in: 2015 ATP Draw Challenge, Adam Addicott, ATP, ATP Qualifying, Basel. Tagged: Adrian Mannarino, atp, basel, denis kudla, Jack Sock, Jerzy Janowicz, qualifying, Swiss Indoors, Switzerland. Leave a comment
Adam Addicott, Tennis Atlantic
The 2015 Swiss Indoors tournament has a star-studded field with eight out of the world’s top 16 players participating in the event. Headlining the strong field is Roger Federer, who will be bidding to claim a historic seventh title in Basel. Ahead of the main draw, two rounds of qualifying took place with 16 men battling for four places in the main draw.
Mannarino
French top seed Adrian Mannarino endured a bumpy ride into the main draw. In his first round of qualifying he defeated Australia’s John-Patrick Smith (6-4, 6-4), to set up a meeting with American fifth seed Denis Kudla. Kudla moved into the second round after his opponent, Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic, retired at the start of the third set. Mannarino was in danger of losing to Kudla as he trailed 4-0 in the deciding set of the match. Despite the odds being in Kudla’s favour, he failed to maintain the lead as Mannarino clawed his way back to win 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, after an hour and forty-eight minutes.
Mannarino will play in the main draw of the tournament for the second time of his career. The first was in 2013 where he lost in the opening round to Roger Federer. The 27-year-old will be aiming to reach his third ATP final this year after Auckland, New Zealand in January and Bogota, Colombia in July. In the first round Mannarino will play Serbia’s Viktor Troicki for the first time in his career. At 42 in the world, Mannarino is currently ranked 18 places lower than Troicki.
There was consolation for Kudla after he received a lucky loser place in the main draw following the withdrawal of Marcos Baghdatis. In the main draw he will play fellow American Jack Sock. Kudla has played sock on four previous occasions, losing in three of them. Their most recent meeting was in the first round of the Canadian Open where Sock won in three sets.
Former Wimbledon semifinalist Jerzy Janowicz was more convincing in his qualifying campaign. The world No.65 recently underwent surgery on his left knee when he had stem cells injected into it. In the first round, he brushed aside Spanish wild card Jaume Munar (6-1,6-3). The fourth seed faced a potentially tricky match against former top 10 player Minhail Youzhny, who beat Georgian sixth seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in straight sets. The Russian was no match for Janowicz as the Polish player defeated Youzhny 6-4,6-1 after 65 minutes.
Janowicz will play Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber in the first round. The Pole will be hoping to repeat his form displayed during last week’s Vienna Open where he stunned fifth seed Dominic Thiem in the first round. It is this second time this year that Janowicz has played the German. Their first encounter was in the second round of the Stuttgart Open where Kohlschreiber won in straight sets.
Robin Haase overcame a testing second round match to reach the main draw. In the first round, he Defeated Swiss wild card Adrien Bossel (6-2,6-4) to meet Benjamin Becker. Becker dropped just three games in his opening match against Swiss qualifier Antoine Bellier. Despite being broken four times in the second set by the German, Haase edged past Becker 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Haase’s first round opponent will be Austrian 22-year-old Dominic Thiem. The Dutch player currently has a 100% winning record against Thiem after winning their two previous meetings (2014 Vienna Open and 2015 Davis Cup).
Completing the lineup is Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic, who survived a marathon encounter. After a straight sets win over France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu, he faced Belgium Ruben Bemelmans. The Belgian stunned second seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the first round. Lajovic was two points away from defeat but held his nerve as he edged his way past Bemelmans 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 6-4, after two hours and eleven minutes.
Lajovic’s reward for surviving his marathon match will be a clash with Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov. The Serbian will be seeking revenge after losing in three sets to Dolgopolov in the third round of the 2014 Miami Masters.
2015 ATP Metz (@moselleopen) and St. Petersburg (@spbopen_ru) Preview and Predictions
Posted in: ATP, Metz, St Petersburg Open, Steen Kirby. Tagged: 2015 ATP Metz, 2015 ATP Metz Predictions, 2015 ATP St Petersburg, 2015 ATP St Petersburg Predictions, 2015 Moselle Open, 2015 St Petersburg Open, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, atp, ATP Metz, ATP Metz Predictions, ATP Moselle Open, ATP Predictions, ATP St Petersburg, ATP St Petersburg Predictions, Benoit Paire, ernests gulbis, fernando verdasco, gilles muller, Gilles Simon, Jerzy Janowicz, John Millman, Marcos Baghdatis, Martin Klizan, milos raonic, Moselle Open, Moselle Open Predictions, Paul Henri Mathieu, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, ricardas berankis, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Simone Bolelli, St Petersburg Open, St Petersburg Open Predictions, Stan Wawrinka, tomas berdych. Leave a comment
2015 ATP Metz and St. Petersburg Preview and Predictions
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
The ATP World Tour returns with the start of the European fall indoor hard court swing. A pair of 250s are up this week, one in Metz, France, and the other in St. Petersburg, Russia, as that event returns after being absent from the tour calendar last season.
ATP Metz
Moselle Open
ATP World Tour 250
September 21-September 27, 2015
Prize Money: €439,405
Top 4 seeds (who all receive first round byes) (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Stan Wawrinka (4)
2: Gilles Simon (10)
3: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (17)
4: Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (31)
Two top 10 players, and three top 20 players gives Metz a quality field for a small indoor 250 at this point in the season.
First round matchups to watch
(5)Philipp Kohlschreiber vs. John Millman
Kohlschreiber had a successful outing in Davis Cup for Germany over the weekend as he went 2-0, but the former Metz finalist has had a down season at the ATP level thsi year. Additionally, he may have to fight fatigue and jet lag as he’s coming back from the Caribbean with Davis Cup duty. Millman is a talented underachiever who won a pair of challengers over the summer and can play solid tennis at times, Peppo is still the favorite, but this match has some upset potential.
(6)Martin Klizan vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu
PHM is playing on home soil, and veteran who relies on solid ballstriking is a relatively solid player indoors. He recently reached the final in Kitzbuhel on clay over the summer, beating his opponent Klizan in the process, and qualified for the US Open. Klizan comes off a 2-0 result in Davis Cup and has an indoor h2h win over Mathieu in Rotterdam (2013, 3 sets) but he’s a streaky player who can ball bash well, or struggle mightily. Depending on what version of Klizan will show up, he’ll either advance with ease or lose in an upset in this matchup of contrasting styles.
(WC)Pierre-Hugues Herbert vs. Sergiy Stakhovsky
The US Open doubles champion Herbert recently reached his first ATP title in Winston-Salem, and on home soil with a big serve, he’s a danger to the serve and volleyer Stakhovsky. Stako reached the third round of the US Open and a recent challenger final however (in Istanbul), so his form appears good. An inspired PHH could rock the boat this tournament, and with a recent h2h win over Stako, I have him winning against him again.
(8)Fernando Verdasco vs. Alexander Zverev
Verdasco is just 2-5 since Wimbledon, and he risks dropping that number to 2-6 at the hands of the young gun Zverev. The teenager had a successful summer and qualified for the US Open among other good results. His indoor game isn’t as good as his clay court game, but the big hitting Verdasco has struggled to find rhythm and I’m going to go with an upset and pick Zverev, who is on the upswing of his career, while Verdasco is clearly heading downhill.
Top Half:
Stan Wawrinka was pushed to five sets in his DC singles rubber against the lower ranked Thiemo De Bakker on Friday, but the Swiss #2 is unlikely to have much trouble getting past the first couple of matches in Metz. Wawrinka is 42-13 on the season and also reached the semis of the US Open most recently. Look for him to get past a serve and volleyer in his first match, either Rajeev Ram or the big serving Dustin Brown, who also comes off of DC duty, and then past Kohlschreiber for a spot in the semifinals. Stan the Man is 2-0 in the h2h, and should not only be in better form, but also be fresher than his German counterpart. Both players have elite one handed backhands and it’ll be a fun matchup if it takes place. The Kohlschreiber/Millman winner faces either Belgium’s Davis Cup hero Steve Darcis, or dirtballer Paolo Lorenzi in round 2 with the serve and volleying Darcis likely too tired to make much of an impact this tournament.
Two-time Metz champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was excellent at the US Open, where he reached the quarterfinals, and the aggressive Frenchman tends to play well indoors, and at home. The fan favorite is placed in a weak section that will feature either a qualifier or Pablo Carreno Busta in the round of 16, and by ranking #7 seed Adrian Mannarino in the quarterfinals. Nicolas Mahut, the other half of the winning US Open doubles team, could prove to be a bit of a dark horse if the serve and volleyer can get his game together and beat a struggling Federico Delbonis (a loser of 5 straight matches) and Mannarino, who has been streaky this season. All of the French players are fan favorites at home, but Tsonga is a clear favorite to reach the semis for a likely matchup against Wawrinka. I have Mahut slipping past Mannarino, though it’s hard to tell with Adrian.
Bottom Half:
Two-time Metz champion Gilles Simon, another of the French fan favorites at this tournament, will open with a qualifier and from there should advance to face the big serving and dangerous Gilles Muller in the quarterfinals. Muller opens with Aljaz Bedene as he looks to snap a 3 match losing streak. The serve and volleyer is at his best on fast surfaces and I see him slipping past the Verdasco/Zverev winner in a potentially close match. Simon beat Muller last year in Tokyo, and I see him earning a pair of wins to snap a four match losing streak and reach the semifinals.
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez won a pair of matches at the US Open to improve his form, but of the four top seeds, he’s still the most likely to exit before the quarterfinals, as the Herbert/Stakhovsky winner could stymie him with their unique styles of play. The Spanish veteran has won a title on indoor hard courts this season though and he has more experience than Herbert in a tough section. The other quarterfinalist will be one of Aleksandr Nedovyesov/Vasek Pospisil/Klizan/Mathieu, with Mathieu my favorite out of the section. Pospisil also has talent but he’s inconsistent, so look for Mathieu past Pospisil, and then Garcia-Lopez over Mathieu in a wide open section.
Dark Horse: Gilles Muller
Frenchmen Herbert, Mathieu, and Mahut could all serve as unseeded dark horses this week, but with the #2 seed Simon struggling, if Muller serves well he could reach the semifinals, and potentially the final out of the bottom half. After gaining some rest, he should be fresh and he plays well on these types of surfaces historically.
Semis:
Wawrinka d. Tsonga
Simon d. Garcia-Lopez
Tsonga has a h2h win in Metz (2007) but the previous few meetings have gone in favor of Wawrinka, and the Swiss has clearly outperformed his French counterpart this year, and in recent memory. Wawrinka simply should be a cut above his semifinal opposition.
Simon is in a slump but he’s 5-0 in the h2h against GGL, so if he gets this far, he should reach another Metz final.
Wawrinka d. Simon
Presuming Wawrinka devotes effort to this 250 tournament he should win it, he’s the best player in the field by a considerable margin, and a player like Simon won’t be in the form to match him toe to toe right now.
ATP St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg Open
St. Petersburg, Russia
Prize Money: $1,030,000
1: Tomas Berdych (5)
2: Milos Raonic (9)
3: Dominic Thiem (20)
4: Roberto Bautista Agut (22)
Even without the strong contingent of home players that Metz sports, St. Petersburg returns to the ATP Tour after funding problems last season with a strong field that features two top 10, and three top 20 players in what should be an entertaining edition of the tournament.
Simone Bolelli vs. (WC)Andrey Rublev
Their teams faced each other in Davis Cup over the weekend, with Bolelli and Italy emerging victorious, but now the young gun Rublev would like to extract some personal revenge for that loss at home in St. Petersburg, where he is one of the stars of the tournament, and the future of Russian tennis at the moment. The teenager qualified for the US Open, snapping a summer of struggles, but his loss in Davis Cup to Fabio Fognini should dent his momentum a bit. Bolelli, a solid player indoors, is also the loser of three straight however and the Italian veteran is looking to gain momentum himself. Look for big hitting in this matchup, and as celebrated as Rublev is, I have Bolelli grinding out the win.
(6)Benoit Paire vs. Jerzy Janowicz
Janowicz beat Paire in three sets earlier this year on indoor hard, but Paire has had a much better season than Jerzy and has been in excellent form since the summer. The French all-courter and his one handed backhand reached the second week of the US Open while Janowicz is 2-3 over his last five, which includes Davis Cup duty over the weekend. Janowicz with his power game is also solid indoors, but I have Paire winning this matchup of talented but often underachieving players.
Marcos Baghdatis vs. Ernests Gulbis
Two aggressive baseliners will face off in this one, Gulbis one the 2013 edition of St. Petersburg, while Baghdatis is 0-3 since suffering an abductor injury in the ATP Atlanta final back in July. Gulbis has lost four straight and, like Baghdatis, his last match ended in a retirement, as both guys have struggled to get healthy. A poor season for Gulbis is contrasted by a good season overall for Baghdatis, and I have the Cypriot notching the victory presuming his health has sorted itself out. Baghdatis is 3-0 in the hard court h2h.
Tomas Berdych had a poor summer by his top 10 standards, but the Czech is still 45-15 on the season and should have the inside track against Bolelli/Rublev. In the quarterfinals, look for him to face Australian young gun Thanasi Kokkinakis. Kokkinakis opens with pedestrian Spanish veteran Marcel Granollers, and then he’ll face either Joao Sousa or a qualifier in round 2. Both Sousa and Kokkinakis come off of Davis Cup play but Sousa is in poor form, and although he’s had a lot of success on indoor hard, I have Kokkinakis winning that matchup. Berdych should power past Kokkinakis at that stage however.
#3 seed Dominic Thiem reached the third round of the US Open in a decent showing for the Austrian, and he’ll look to continue to improve on fast surfaces with a routine win over Daniel Gimeno-Traver or newlywed Andreas Haider-Maurer in round 2, as both players much prefer clay. In the quarterfinals, Mikhail Kukushkin could prove to be the dark horse, as he opens with a relatively struggling Denis Istomin and then will face a qualifier or the mightily slumping Benjamin Becker in round 2. Kukushkin played well at the US Open and beat Istomin at the start of the season, his game tends to peak for these smaller 250 events. Thiem and Kukushkin have never played one another, but Kukushkin’s hard court form is arguably better right now, and I have him scoring the rankings upset and reaching the semis.
Milos Raonic has struggled since Wimbledon with a pedestrian 2-3 record. The Canadian #1 hasn’t been the same with his rocket serve since foot surgery, but he’s playing an easy match to open in St. Petersburg against either Evgeny Donskoy or a qualifier. Donskoy, a wild card, has been in excellent form at the challenger tour level this summer but Raonic should still prove too much for him. In the quarters he’s likely to face another player in a slump, as the Baghdatis/Gulbis winner or Tommy Robredo/Mikhail Youzhny are options. The 33 year old Robredo has had a far superior season to Youzhny, so though Youzhny is playing on home soil, Robredo should get through, and likely get past Baghdatis/Gulbis as well, as they may be rusty in their own right. Raonic is 4-0 against Robredo in the h2h with all wins coming since 2013, so with that in mind the Canadian should make the semifinals.
Roberto Bautista Agut is 29-23 this season and comes off a second week showing in the US Open that should give him some good momentum in what has been a rather average year by his standards. Russian Davis Cup participant Teymuraz Gabashvili, presuming Gaba beats a qualifier, should await him in round 2, and Gabashvili is a player capable of crafting upsets, like he did against Andy Murray this summer in Washington. RBA is the section favorite, but Gabashvili could find form and reach the quarters, though he’s not my pick to do so. Paire/Janowicz or Ricardas Berankis/Lucas Pouille will await most likely ether RBA or Gabashvili at that stage. Presuming Paire continues his run of form, which is always in question, I look for him to make it that far before falling to RBA. Berankis has also been in good form as of late with his undersized game. RBA is 7-0 in the h2h against Paire.
Dark Horse: Ricardas Berankis
If a non seed is going to reach the semifinals or better, Berankis is the player to watch, he’s just 5-8 but he’s always been talented and he’s one of the better pure baseline ball strikers on the ATP tour. He reached consecutive quarterfinals on the US Open Series this summer and he plays well on fast indoor surfaces. Paire/Janowicz are streaky, and RBA/Gabashvili are beatable, so it’s far from out of the question that the Lithuanian will do well at a tournament that is close to home for him.
Berdych d. Kukushkin
Raonic d. Bautista Agut
Berdych is simply better than Kukushkin and has a h2h win, so like Wawrinka in Metz, if the top seed puts his efforts into this tournament, he’s the favorite. Raonic has a h2h win over RBA last year in Paris, an indoor tournament, and he should be motivated to fight hard this fall on fast surfaces to gain some ranking points after a slow Summer.
Berdych d. Raonic
Indoors Raonic leads the h2h 2-1, but Berdych appears to be in better form and for that reason I have him as a slight favorite over Raonic in this possible final.
2015 @DavisCup Semifinals and World Group Playoffs Preview
Posted in: Davis Cup, Steen Kirby. Tagged: 2015 Copa Davis, 2015 Davis Cup, 2015 Davis Cup Playoffs, 2015 Davis Cup Semifinals, 2015 Davis Cup World Group, Andy Murray, Borna Coric, Copa Davis, david goffin, Davis Cup, Davis Cup 2015, Davis Cup Playoffs, Davis Cup Semifinals, Fabio Fognini, Jack Sock, Japanese Tennis, Jerzy Janowicz, Kei Nishikori, lleyton hewitt, Martin Klizan, Philipp Kohlschreiber, roger federer, Stan Wawrinka, taro daniel, Thomaz Bellucci, Victor Estrella, Yuki Bhambri. Leave a comment
2015 Davis Cup Semifinals and World Group Playoffs Preview
A pair of semifinals take place starting Friday in the 2015 Davis Cup, along with the entire World Group Playoffs, with teams looking to move up to the world group or hang on to a coveted world group spot after an early exit in the world group main draw earlier on in the season.
World Group Semifinals
Australia vs. Great Britain
Tennis Atlantic will have onsite coverage as Australia travels to Glasgow, Scotland a raucous Emirates Arena for a commonwealth battle with team GB. The British have Andy Murray once more on indoor hard courts, and presuming he’s in shape, it’s likely he’ll be able to win his pair of singles rubbers over Thanasi Kokkinakis and likely Bernard Tomic on Friday and Sunday. This tie should come down to the doubles, as Sam Groth and Lleyton Hewitt, the veteran rock of the Australian team, are set to do battle with either Dominic Inglot/Jamie Murray, or perhaps the Murray brothers, or Inglot/Andy Murray depending on what team GB captain Leon Smith decides.
Challenger tour level player Dan Evans was an interesting choice for this tie, and is likely to be an afterthought against Tomic/Kokkinakis in singles. With all that said, we could well be looking at Evans in a live 5th rubber, and I give Australia a slight edge in this tie with a strong doubles pairing as long as their team doesn’t implode with so many combustible personalities. Tomic, of course, has his problems with Tennis Australia for starters.
Prediction: Australia
Argentina vs. Belgium
The Belgians get home court advantage and thus get to hold this tie on a favorable indoor hard court surface in Brussels. That fact alone makes them the favorite in this tie, as David Goffin and his veteran teammate Steve Darcis should be able to manage three wins in singles alone against the Argentina pairing of Federico Delbonis and Leonardo Mayer that is scheduled for the singles rubbers.
Goffin has been in good form as of late, and Delbonis is poor on hard courts, though Mayer can play solid tennis at times and may have an edge over Darcis. In doubles it’s scheduled to be Kimmer Coppejans/Ruben Bemelmans against Carlos Berlocq/Diego Schwartzman, and given the surface, the Belgians also have an advantage there. In a surprising result, Belgium should see itself in the Davis Cup final, though they aren’t a powerhouse tennis nation.
Prediction: Belgium
World Group Playoffs
Czech Republic vs. India
India gets home court on outdoor hard but they face a Czech team with stronger players and more experience in Davis Cup. Yuki Bhambri and his teammate Somdev Devvarman, both of whom rank outside the ATP top 100 are expected to play singles against top 100 Czechs Jiri Vesely and Lukas Rosol while the veteran pairing of Leander Paes/Rohan Bopanna should have a minor edge over Radek Stepanek/Adam Pavlasek in doubles.
Vesely should be able to win both his singles matches, but look for Bhambri to potentially rise coming off of a challenger title. He’s a talented player and could shock Rosol in the opening rubber. With that said, the Czechs have a rankings and talent edge here and I have them pulling out a win.
Prediction: Czech Republic
At home on indoor hard it would be a shock if the Swiss won by anything less than a 3-0 sweep. That is due to the fact that the fearsome tandem of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka are playing to keep them in the World Group against a Dutch squad lacking a top 100 player. The Dutch have underachievers Thiemo De Bakker, Jesse Huta Galung, Matwe Middelkoop, and Tim Van Rijthoven on their squad and they are facing a Swiss Goliath in this one. Barring an injury or change in the Swiss lineup, they should win this with ease, and Marco Chiudinelli and Henri Laaksonen will be able to get experience in the dead rubbers.
Prediction: Switzerland
Italy vs. Russia
Italy has a solid veteran team but they do have to travel to Russia for this indoor hard court battle. Fabio Fognini, coming off his first hard court wins of the season in a strong US Open showing will look to continue the momentum against Russia’s Andrey Rublev and Teymuraz Gabashvili, and if he wins those matches, the pressure will fall on either Simone Bolelli or Andreas Seppi/Paolo Lorenzi to provide the tie clinching victory.
Rublev is a gutsy young gun battler and Gabashvili is a talented shotmaker at times, but outside of the combustible Fognini, the Italian team seems to have a consistency advantage on their side. Evgeny Donskoy and Konstantin Kravchuk round out the Russian team that will need a true team effort to pull this off. Bolelli could falter, but Seppi and Fognini should be good enough to get the job done and keep Italy in the World Group.
Prediction: Italy
USA vs. Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan has the huge advantage of getting to face team USA on red clay at home, and they could be facing a jet lagged USA due to the sheer difference in location. This is a tough test for American tennis which could see itself exiled from the World Group once more, if Denis Istomin and Farrukh Dustov can pull off an upset.
Team USA captain Jim Courier is going with some new faces on the team this time, with Jack Sock, Steve Johnson, and Donald Young joining veteran presence Sam Querrey. A lot of pressure will ride on Sock, who is the best clay court player on this team (he won an ATP title on clay this year in Houston) but is coming off of a heat stroke at the US Open, which could factor into his fitness. Istomin is a streaky player and Dustov is a challenger level player in poor form, so most likely Dustov will lose twice, and it may come down to Johnson/Querrey doubles to decide the tie. We could be looking at a live fifth rubber, but some how, some way, a unified Team USA should survive.
Prediction: USA
Japan vs. Colombia
Outdoors on clay team Colombia will have a chance against Kei Nishikori and Japan, but presuming Nishikori has resolved the injury that hurt him at the US Open, the team from the land of the rising sun are favorites in this tie. The veteran pairing of Santiago Giraldo and Alejandro Falla, along with doubles specialist tandem Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah are back for Colombia, while Japan has Nishikori, the young Yoshihito Nishioka, Yasutaka Uchiyama for doubles, and Taro Daniel, who is solid on clay, for singles.
The Colombians with a specialist doubles tandem should win that rubber, and pressure will fall on an out of form Giraldo to snap his slump and get past the still challenger level Daniel, who poses a threat to him. Presuming Nishikori is raring to play, look for him to beat Falla/Giraldo, and a live fifth rubber could be quite interesting in this one, especially in regards to which player, besides Nishikori, Japan will nominate for it. Cases can be made for the speedy Nishioka, or Daniel, based on how Daniel plays on Friday, but in the end I don’t feel Colombia is in good enough form to win this tie at the moment.
Prediction: Japan
Germany vs. Dominican Republic
Germany, even on the road on hard courts in the Dominican Republic, are heavy favorites in this rubber simply because the DR has no top 200 players outside of veteran wonder Victor Estrella, who isn’t in world beating form at the moment. The German team has veterans Philipp Kohlschreiber and Benjamin Becker, with Philipp Petzschner and Dustin Brown for doubles. while the DR rounds out their team with Jose Hernandez-Fernandez, Roberto Cid, and Jose Olivares, an 18 year old.
Becker is in horrible form for this tie, and may lose his rubber, but Kohlschreiber and the German doubles tandem should be enough on their own to get the job done, as Estrella in his current form is not going to be able to do it all. I’m surprised Germany didn’t nominate Brown for singles over Becker.
Prediction: Germany
Croatia vs. Brazil
Brazil gets home clay for this tie against European tennis power Croatia and if the veteran Thomaz Bellucci can step up, they may just pull off a big win over a weakened Croat team. Joining Bellucci are Joao Souza, a dirtballer, and Marcelo Melo/Bruno Soares for doubles. Croatia matches with the young gun Borna Coric, Ivan Dodig, and Franko Skugor for doubles, and Mate Delic as a second singles player.
Bellucci is in good form and should cruise past the challenger level Delic, while Coric presents a tougher test, but a winnable one all the same. Along with that, Brazil has a clear edge in doubles with their specialist pairing, and Delic should prove the weak link that sends Brazil through even though Souza is in abysmal form.
Prediction: Brazil
Slovakia vs. Poland
This closely matched European battle matches former Eastern Bloc nations on indoor hard court in Poland. Jerzy Janowicz, Michal Przysiezny, Lukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski, the latter two for doubles, make up the Polish squad, while Slovakia counters with Martin klizan, Norbert Gombos, Andrej Martin, and Igor Zelenay, a doubles specialist.
Like a couple of the other WG playoff ties, this one could go either way and the potential Janowicz vs. Klizan Sunday clash may be what swings the tie. Klizan should be able to beat challenger level Przysiezny, and Gombos is a close match for him, while Janowicz is the wild card depending on his streaky form. The Polish team likely has an edge in doubles, so if Janowicz plays well, Poland should win, if he fails however, the advantage shifts to Slovakia. Given home court advantage, I’m favoring Poland by a hair in this one.
Prediction: Poland
Action Outside of the World Group
Relatively few notable matches will take place outside of the World Group semis and playoffs this weekend, but Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer have gotten the Spanish Armada back together again and should steamroll a weak Danish team in Denmark to hold onto group 1 status. Likewise Ricardas Berankis and Lithuania are sure to have an edge at home against a Ukrainian team that lacks their best two players. Joao Sousa and Portugal face Belarus, and Gonzalo Lama and Chile face Venezuela.
2015 ATP Cincinnati Preview and Predictions (@Cincytennis)
Posted by Admin on August 16, 2015
Posted in: ATP, Cincinnati, Steen Kirby, Western & Southern Open. Tagged: 2015 ATP Cincinnati, 2015 ATP Cincy, 2015 Western and Southern Open, Andy Murray, ATP Cincinatti, ATP Cincinatti Predictions, ATP Cincinatti Preview, ATP Cincy, bernard tomic, Cincy Tennis, feliciano lopez, fernando verdasco, gael monfils, Gilles Simon, ivo karlovic, Jack Sock, Jerzy Janowicz, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, milos raonic, Nick Kyrgios, novak djokovic, Richard Gasquet, roger federer, western and southern open, Western and Southern Open Predictions, Western and Southern Open Preview. Leave a comment
2015 ATP Cincinnati Preview and Predictions
The final Masters stop on the Emirates Airlines US Open Series is in Cincinnati as most of the top players in the men’s game will attempt to “do the double” and play back to back in Montreal and Cincy. The joint event is one of the best tournaments in the USA and this years Western and Southern Open also promises to be special.
2015 ATP Cincy Preview
Western and Southern Open
August 16-August 23, 2015
1: Novak Djokovic (1)
2: Roger Federer (2)
3: Andy Murray (3)
4: Kei Nishikori (4)*
7: Marin Cilic (8)
8: Rafael Nadal (9)
Of top names, only David Ferrer is absent due to an elbow injury. Kei Nishikori was injured in Montreal and also pulled out, replaced by Alexandr Dolgopolov.
First round matchups to watch:
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Fernando Verdasco
Tsonga has a 3-1 h2h advantage in this matchup of power baseliners. Verdasco is currently on a four match losing streak, but the big hitting Spaniard played a solid match against Nick Kyrgio and may be turning a corner. Jo won three matches at the Rogers Cup and reached the quarterfinals, with that in mind, his form should carry him to a win here, but this match should feature some great ball striking on both sides of the net.
(10)Gilles Simon vs. Ivo Karlovic
A close h2h (3-2 in favor of Simon) should make this match more interesting than it looks on paper. Simon is higher ranked, but Karlovic has had a solid summer overall and scored a pair of quality wins in Montreal. The Frenchman by contrast suffered an early round 2 exit, and his bland counterpunching game, may not be well suited for the wam-bam thank you ma’am tennis of Karlovic. The styles of play are totally opposite, and if the surface plays fast enough here, I see the veteran Karlovic scoring an upset.
(14)Gael Monfils vs. Jerzy Janowicz
JJ beat Monfils this year at the Australian Open (1-1 h2h), and with that in mind this matchup could also result in an upset, though I’d still say Monfils is the favorite. Janowicz is just 6-6 on hard courts this year, while Monfils exited round 2 in Montreal, and both guys are looking to find some form headed into the US Open. Janowicz is a power hitter, and Monfils is a great mover and defensive player, I favor his skills to find him a win, but it could go to three sets.
(12)Richard Gasquet vs. Nick Kyrgios
Gasquet and Kyrgios will meet for the 5th time in just two seasons as they have a knack for finding each other in draws. Richard won both their meetings this year and overall leads the h2h 3-1, that said Kyrgios, who drew fire for his insults aimed at Stan Wawrinka in the Rogers Cup, is actually playing good tennis right now on hard courts and continues to be a dangerous non-seeded lurker in ATP draws. Kyrgios has a lot of baggage surrounding him, and people are having to take sides either for or against him, but that shouldn’t distract from his actual abilities as a tennis player as the young Aussie reached the third round in Montreal. He may be distracted, but Gasquet pulled out of the Rogers Cup before his first round match, so his health has to be somewhat in doubt. A healthy Gasquet likely has an edge, but I’m picking Kyrgios because Gasquet is in question.
(9)Milos Raonic vs. Feliciano Lopez
Raonic has a 3-2 edge over Lopez as both players are big servers who are comfortable coming to net to finish points. Milos, who has lost two straight matches and was bounced round 1 at his home tournament in Canada, isn’t in great form at the moment and is playing well below what his ranking would suggest. Lopez likewise has struggled this year and has lost two straight matches, as the veteran has been dogged by inconsistent and sloppy play, especially in clutch moments. I doubt this match will feature either player at their best, Lopez will have an upset chance, but I see Raonic surviving and reaching round 2.
Djokovic’s section:
Djokovic, a four time finalist who has never won in Cincy, will try once more as the top seed and world #1 to get a trophy he has long sought. He lost in the Montreal final, and though he had some shaky matches in Montreal, and possible elbow problems, he’s still in good form and the best player in the world. First up for Novak is likely to be Gilles Muller (who faces qualifier Benoit Paire, who is in good form, round 1), Djokovic is 2-0 against Muller this year without dropping a set and thus he should win that over the big server. The Tsonga/Verdasco winner could be a danger in his second match though, presuming they win over David Goffin/qualifier Rendy Lu. The Belgian ballstriker is just above .500 on hard courts this year but won two matches in Montreal. Tsonga leads the h2h over Goffin 3-2 and they split meetings this year, given the surface, Tsonga should earn a win and reach round 3.
Tsonga actually won his last meeting over Novak (Toronto 2014), though Novak overall has a h2h edge. The winner will likely come down to Novak’s physical condition, especially with his elbow, Tsonga will have a chance, though I have Djokovic reaching the quarterfinals.
Stan Wawrinka did not perform well in Montreal and he’s just 10-8 in his career in Cincy, with that in mind, expectations have to be low for a player who retired in the third set of his heated match against Nick Kyrgios. I see Wawrinka being bounced out in round 2 at the hands of Borna Coric, presuming the young gun Croatian beats fellow young gun qualifier Alexander Zverev in round 1. Coric is 9-9 on outdoor hard (lost to Wawrinka early in the year) and upset Andy Murray this year on the surface in Dubai, he comes off a close loss to Tsonga in Montreal, and Wawrinka is vulnerable to his abilities, thus look for Coric to get another top 10 win in his young career. The Simon/Karlovic winner will have the inside track to face Coric/Wawrinka round 3 as neither Dominic Thiem nor Martin Klizan (a loser of three straight), are in good form. Thiem should hopefully be rested and adjusted from clay now, but I see him falling to Karlovic in round 2.
I see Karlovic beating either Coric/Zverev or Wawrinka, as he’s in good form, the surface favors him, and he should be able to eke out a win and reach the quarterfinals, in what would be a nice dark horse run for the well traveled veteran. Karlovic beat Coric on clay this year.
*Nishikori’s section:
Kei Nishikori pulled out due to injury and was replaced by Alexandr Dolgopolov, who is likely to face Bernard Tomic in his first match. Tomic upset Marin Cilic in Montreal, reaching the third round, and also won a title this Summer in Bogota, his form is well-known to be inconsistent, but I see the junkballing Aussie beating Sergiy Stakhovsky and then beating the streaky Dolgopolov in a shotmakers special. Tomic vs. Monfils/Janowicz is the likely third round match, Monfils should be able to avoid the upset against Jared Donaldson/qualifier Nicolas Mahut as long as he beats Janowicz, though this tournament will be a good opportunity for the teenage American Donaldson to play against the ATP’s best.
Monfils and Tomic have played just one time at the ATP level (Stockholm 2011), and thus it’s hard to predict a winner, that said if Tomic is in form I see him reaching the quarterfinals as another under the radar threat.
Tomas Berdych, who suffered a shock loss to Donald Young in Montreal, will look to recover and build upon his 19-6 hard court record this season. Presuming nothing is physically wrong with Berdych he should have a decided edge over Jiri Vesely/Thomaz Bellucci in his first match. Vesely has a better outdoor hard court record than Bellucci this year, but Bellucci got some match play in in Montreal, thus I have him beating the Czech before falling to Berdych. John Isner is the likely third round opponent for Berdych in a weak section. Isner has been in fantastic form this summer (Atlanta title, Washington final, Montreal quarterfinals), and he’ll face his countryman Sam Querrey in round 1. Isner is just 1-3 against Querrey and lost to him this year in Memphis, but his form is better, and thus I see him getting his second win in the matchup of long time American top 100 players. Isner should also have the edge over Tommy Robredo, presuming Robredo beats Pablo Andujar round 1 in a clash of Spaniards, these days Isner is the better hard court player.
Berdych is 6-2 against Isner in the h2h, but Isner’s two wins have come on North American hard courts, presuming bg John isn’t overly fatigued I see him scoring the upset over what may be a shaky Berdych to reach the quarterfinals. Isner is a former finalist in Cincy and seems to play hard and enjoy this tournament.
Murray’s section:
The two-time Cincy and current Rogers Cup champion Andy Murray will look to continue his excellent run of form in Southern Ohio. Murray has a chance to secure world #2 with a good result here and his first match against Mardy Fish/Viktor Troicki isn’t likely to trip him up. Fish will be saying goodbye to Cincy, and though he is 0-2 in his singles matches this year, he could get out of round 1 given Troicki has four straight pedestrian losses. Regardless Murray should cruise over either opponent, and an inspired Fish could rise over Troicki. Grigor Dimitrov is the favorite to face Murray round 3, Dimitrov opens with Lukas Rosol, and though the Bulgarian is struggling right now, he should be good enough to win that one. Dimitrov is 2-2 this summer, while Rosol upset Kevin Anderson in Montreal before losing to Ernests Gulbis round 2. Dimitrov/Rosol will face a qualifier round 2, and a qualifier could also reach round 3. The qualifiers are Denis Kudla and Vasek Pospisil, and they will face off round 1 as Denis looks to continue his good form.
Look for Murray to beat Dimitrov as he’s better than the Bulgarian with a similar style of play, his form is also superior, in fact I don’t even expect it to be a close match like their 2015 AO meeting.
Marin Cilic should be on a path to face Murray in the quarters. The Washington semifinalist got some rest after an early Montreal exit and he’s the favorite against Philipp Kohlschreiber/Joao Sousa round 2. Both players are coming off of European clay and neither have good outdoor hard court records this seasn, though Kohli’s form may be slightly better. Cilic should then face Kyrgios/Gasquet round 3. Kyrgios/Gasquet should face a qualifier round 2, as Fabio Fognini still has yet to win hard court match this season and opens with a qualifier.
Given Kyrgios streaky form, I think Cilic will find a way to win and reach the quarterfinals, an injured Gasquet weakens this section.
Federer’s section:
Six time and defending Cincy champ Roger Federer will open with Roberto Bautista Agut or Pablo Cuevas. The Swiss maestro has played a somewhat limited schedule this year but he’s 16-2 on hard courts and has two titles, well-rested and focused, he should do well here as he competes to try and maintain the #2 ranking. RBA is in poor form but should have enough game to beat the dirtballer Cuevas, from there Federer should roll through to round 3, where he could meet Jack Sock. Sock was a quarterfinalist in Washington and won two matches in Montreal, thus his form is good. In round 1 he will face Bjorn Fratangelo who has two challenger semis and a challenger final on his resume this summer on the USTA Pro Circuit.
Fratangelo is a rising talent, but Sock should be a cut above as he’s an ATP caliber player right now. I look for Sock to get past Leo Mayer/Kevin Anderson as well since Anderson is in poor form (two consecutive early exits this summer) and Sock beat him in Houston this year, also Mayer is not a great hard court player. Federer beat Sock this year in Indian Wells, and he has a better forehand than even Jack does, giving him an edge.
Rafael Nadal, the 2013 champion in Cincy, will open with Rajeev Ram/Jeremy Chardy round 1, as he continues his efforts to build his ranking back up to top 5 status. Chardy caught fire this week in Montreal, scoring a random deep run to the semifinals, while Ram is struggling since his Newport title. Chardy is likely fatigued, thus I don’t see him as a threat to Nadal, but he should get out of round 1. Rafa improved to 10-5 on hard courts this year with a run to the quarters in Montreal where he played poorly in a loss to Nishikori.
Look for Nadal to beat Lopez/Raonic in round 3, likely Raonic. Adrian Mannarino should be Raonic’s round 2 opponent, presuming he beats a struggling Andreas Seppi. Mannarino has had some good play this season, but Raonic’s big serving should prove to be too much. Nadal is 5-1 against Raonic and his only loss was a close three setter in Indian Wells this year. Raonic’s form is worse than it was then, and thus Rafa should move to 6-1 with his strong defensive play.
Dark Horses: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Bernard Tomic, Nick Kyrgios, Jack Sock
If Tsonga can get to the third round, he’ll have a chance to upset Djokovic and go as far as the final, he has the talents, it’s just putting it all together for a week long run. Tomic should take advantage of Nishikori’s injury and reach the quarterfinals, presuming he can find consistency and focus at a big tournament, he could even get as far as the semis.
Kyrgios will have to get past Gasquet and likely Cilic, but if he does he’ll be in the quarterfinals with a punchers chance against Andy Murray. The media will be watching, as will the fans given his recent behavior.
Sock continues to rise and on home soil he may well get another shot at Federer in round 3. I don’t see him winning that, but even putting up a good effort would be a good sign for his upcoming US Open campaign.
Djokovic d. Karlovic
Isner d. Tomic
Murray d. Cilic
Federer d. Nadal
Djokovic has always struggled with Karlovic (1-3 h2h including a loss this year), and I could well see Dr. Ivo pulling off another win over the world #1 if the conditions are right and Novak’s elbow gives him problems. That said I don’t have the boldness to pick that result.
Isner has a lone h2h win over Tomic and should continue his good run of form on the US Open Series, Murray has a 10-2 h2h over Cilic and is simply outplaying everyone except Djokovic and possibly Federer on tour right now.
Nadal has a good h2h record and matchup advantage vs Fed but his hard court form still isn’t great at the moment and given this is Cincy I see his run ending at the hands of the Swiss.
Semifinals:
Isner d. Djokovic
Federer d. Murray
Djokovic is 7-2 (2-0 this year) against Isner, but one of those losses came in Cincy (2013) and something tells me Isner is going to rise up and grab a win this time if they meet, due to his good form and motivation at home, while Novak may well want a break before the Open. This tournament is a great chance for the American #1 to reach another Masters final.
Federer outplayed Murray at Wimbledon with masterful tennis, and Murray may be somewhat worn out at this point, it could be a great match, but like the above matchup, something tells me Federer finds a way to win in Cincy.
Federer d. Isner
Federer is the better player and has dominated the history of this tournament in his career, I see him taking the title as long as he gets past Murray, whether he faces Djokovic, Isner, or some other opponent in the final.
Murray, Hewitt, and Rublev Star in Weekend @DavisCup Action
Posted by Admin on July 20, 2015
Posted in: Davis Cup, Steen Kirby. Tagged: 2015 Davis Cup, 2015 Davis Cup Recap, Andrey Rublev, Andy Murray, david goffin, Davis Cup, Davis Cup Recap, denis istomin, Dominic Thiem, Federico Delbonis, Gilles Simon, Grigor Dimitrov, Hyeon Chung, Jerzy Janowicz, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Joao Sousa, leonardo mayer, lleyton hewitt, Martin Klizan, Mikhail Kukushkin, Nick Kyrgios, Robin Haase, Sam Groth, Steve Darcis, Tommy Robredo, Victor Estrella, Yuki Bhambri. 1 Comment
Murray, Hewitt, and Rublev Star in Weekend Davis Cup Action
The Davis Cup had some exciting ties over the weekend as young guns, veterans, and a few top players starred in the action worldwide. Here is a recap of everything worth noting that went down.
Australia, Great Britain, Belgium and Argentina Advance From World Group Quarterfinals
The most anticipated tie of the weekend was between team GB and France at London Queen’s club on grass, and it did not disappoint as an emotional Andy Murray single handedly carried his team to a 3-1 victory in the tie. Murray had a part in all three of the needed wins for the players sporting the Union Jack, he beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga with ease on Friday, won a crucial doubles point with his brother Jamie in 4 sets on Saturday, and then closed out the tie with a win against Gilles Simon after dropping the first set. Simply put, the French team didn’t perform up to the level needed to defeat Murray, as their depth couldn’t beat the British star power.
James Ward lost the other rubber to Simon on Friday as he couldn’t repeat his Davis Cup heroics of previous ties.
The next opponent for the British will be their Commonwealth partners Australia, as the green and gold clawed back from 0-2 down on Friday against Kazakhstan and relied on the steady veteran presence of Lleyton Hewitt to push them into the semis. The Aussie young guns Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios both played poorly with the pressure on Friday, Kokkinakis failed to win a set against the veteran Mikhail Kukushkin on grass, while Kyrgios lost a 4 setter to Aleksandr Nedovyesov, and stated after that he wasn’t sure he wanted to be there playing DC.
Aussie captain Wally Masur, and Captain in waiting Lleyton Hewitt seemed to take that statement to heart, as Hewitt stepped up himself in his final year as a pro player. The veteran took part in the doubles rubber with the big serving Sam Groth and won it over Nedovyesov and Andrey Golubev, and then Groth beat Kukushkin in four sets, and Hewitt closed out Nedovyesov in straights to win the tie. He’s struggled all year in singles, but in what could have been his final Davis Cup match, Hewitt played fantastic, and proved why he’s one of the most tenacious battlers the game will ever see.
GB vs. Australia could well be something special with Hewitt, Murray, the Aussie young guns with a chance to redeem themselves, and a pro British crowd filling the stands in the UK as they look for a spot in the Davis Cup final.
The fatally weakened teams of Serbia and Canada both slumped to defeat against Argentina and Belgium respectively, Team Serbia lacked Novak Djokovic and on the road in Argentina on clay they clearly struggled without his talent and leadership. Leonardo Mayer and Federico Delbonis scored singles wins on Friday over Filip Krajinovic and Viktor Troicki, Delbonis’ win coming from two sets to love down, and then on Saturday Mayer and Carlos Berlocq clinched the tie with a routine win over Troicki/Nenad Zimonjic. The dead rubbers resulting in the tie ending 4-1.
Team Canada was without their injured stars Vasek Pospisil and Milos Raonic and without their big serving, they were whitewashed 5-0 by an undersized Belgian team on clay in Belgium. The Canadian team was uncomfortable on the slow surface, as Steve Darcis beat veteran journeyman Frank Dancevic in four sets,and David Goffin rolled young gun Filip Peliwo in straights. The tie was then clinched by Ruben Bemelmans/Kimmer Coppejans who beat the veteran rock of Daniel Nestor, and Adil Shamasdin in the doubles tie. Coppejans and Darcis beat Dancevic and Peliwo in the dead rubbers to complete the rout.
Argentina will travel to Belgium in an interesting tie that will decide the other finalist spot.
Russia, India among teams with chance at 2016 World Group Participation
Group 1 ties also took place across the globe and the biggest story was Russia toppling a B-list Spanish Armada to book their spot in the world group playoffs. The Spanish team, led by veteran Tommy Robredo, got off to a good start on indoor hard on the Pacific coast city of Vladivostok far on the Asian side of Russia. Robredo beat young gun Andrey Rublev in straights, making Rublev extremely flustered, and Pablo Andujar beat Karen Khachanov also in straights for a 2-0 lead. However it was clear the Russians had more team unity and spirit, while the Spanish, with turmoil in their federation and a recent change in coaches, couldn’t seal the deal. Evgeny Donskoy and Konstantin Kravchuk beat Marc Lopez/David Marrero, one of the top doubles teams in the world in a shocking five set Saturday upset. On Sunday Donskoy upset Robredo in 4 sets, and then Rublev was the hero, winning a surprisingly routine 5th rubber over Andujar. After some time in the wilderness, Russia, a nation with a strong history in tennis, is close to returning to the top tier of the Davis Cup, while Spain will spend another year away from the spotlight.
Also advancing from Europe’s group 1 are the Netherlands, Poland, and Slovakia. The Dutch upset Austria on the road and on clay, as Dominic Thiem choked away a ton of break points to hand Thiemo De Bakker an opening rubber win in five sets, and though Andreas Haider-Maurer steadied the ship with a win over Robin Haase to make the tie 1-1, Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer won the doubles over Jurgen Melzer/Oliver Marach, and then Haase beat a disoriented Thiem in straights to clinch. The tie ended 3-2 as the Austrians won the dead rubber, but all the same it was a surprisingly clutch performance from a Dutch team made up of well known headcases, while the young gun Thiem failed under pressure and now has a lot to think about.
The Poles won 3-1 over Ukraine, their team had more depth and it showed on indoor hard in Poland. Alex Dolgopolov of Ukraine won the opening rubber over Jerzy Janowicz in straights, but Michal Przysiezny scored a minor upset in straights over Sergiy Stakhovsky, Lukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski beat Dolgopolov and Denys Molchanov in double, and Janowicz closed out the tie with a four set win over Stakhovsky.
Slovakia went 1-0 down on the road against Romania on clay,as Marius Copil beat Norbert Gombos in a thrilling 12-10 5th set tiebreak, but then they rolled off three consecutive rubber wins to clinch the tie between the two former Eastern Bloc nations. Martin Klizan beat Adrian Ungur and Copil in singles, and in between Andrej Martin/Igor Zelejnay upset Florin Mergea/Horia Tecau, a top 5 doubles team, to win the pivotal doubles rubber, as the tie again ended 3-2 with a Romanian dead rubber win.
In Asia’s group 1 Uzbekistan and India were winners, as expected. Denis Istomin carried his Uzbek team with a doubles rubber win partnering with Farrukh Dustov, and two singles wins over South Korea, as Hyeon Chung, the young gun leading the Korean team, came down injured in the 4th and decisive rubber. India beat New Zealand despite the best efforts of Michael Venus and company, Somdev Devvarman recovered from a five set loss from two sets up on Friday in singles, and beat Marcus Daniell on Sunday, while Yuki Bhambri was key as he scored two singles wins over Jose Statham and Venus, his routine win over Venus in a live fifth rubber.
In the America’s group 1 on clay, Colombia slipped past Uruguay 3-2, and the Dominican Republic slipped past Ecuador 3-1(3-2). Alejandro Gonzalez went a key 2-0 in singles as Pablo Cuevas’s Uruguay came up just short. Pablo and his brother Martin played all the matches for Uruguay, winning the doubles rubber and the 4th rubber (P. Cuevas d. Giraldo) to force a live fifth rubber from 2-0 down at the start of Saturday, but Gonzalez closed out Martin for the win. Victor Estrella did what Andy Murray and Denis Istomin did, carrying the load for the DR even at his age as they beat a weak Ecuador team that lacked any sort of top player. Estrella won the 1st, and 4th rubbers, along with the doubles rubber.
Results from Group 2 as Dimitrov and Sousa star in wins
Chile blanked Mexico 5-0 in the Americas’ group 2, Pakistan will face Taiwan in the 3rd round of round 2 in Asia, and in Europe it will be Portugal vs. Belarus and Hungary vs. Bulgaria. Of note, Grigor Dimitrov played for Bulgaria this weekend (they won 5-0 over Luxembourg) and Joao Sousa ensured the Fins lost 4-1, they were led by veteran Jarkko Nieminen.
Serve and Volleyer Groth Reaches Quarters @MercedesCup ATP Stuttgart 2015
Posted by Admin on June 11, 2015
Posted in: ATP, Guest Writer, On Site, Stuttgart. Tagged: 2015 ATP Stuttgart, 2015 Mercedes Cup, Alejandro Falla, atp, ATP Stuttgart, ATP Stuttgart Qualifying, Dominic Thiem, Dustin Brown, feliciano lopez, gael monfils, Gilles Simon, Jerzy Janowicz, Lukas Rosol, marin cilic, Matthias Bachinger, mercedes cup, Mercedes Cup Qualifying, Mikhail Kukushkin, Nadal Stuttgart, Philipp Kohlschreiber, rafael nadal, Rafael Nadal Stuttgart, Sam Groth, Viktor Troicki. Leave a comment
Andreas Thiele for Tennis Atlantic
Groth volleys into quarters (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
Wednesday in Stuttgart wasn’t as windy as the previous main draw days, yet almost as cold as we had yesterday, maybe a bit warmer. However, conditions weren’t relevant for the first time at this tournament and many players didn’t want to forfeit their chance to have some good practice on the practice courts.
Practice impressions
Almost every player was practicing today, even those who lost their matches in singles and doubles. Grass season recently started and not everyone feels comfortable with the grass. Dominic Thiem for example practiced a lot with Lukas Rosol who was also his doubles partner. They were joking a lot and talked about tennis, while working on their forehands. Thiem’s forehand looks a bit better, backhand was a bit worrying though. Thiem really didn’t look happy with his progress at the beginning, but he cheered up with every backhand cross which went on the line. I reckon Rosol is a bit injured, since he didn’t move as well. Dustin Brown and Gilles Simon also practiced in front of fans. Just like Rosol and Thiem they laughed a lot and put on a show with some great shots.
Dreddy and Gillou (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
Next to them on the same court were Alejandro Falla and Mikhail Kukushkin training, though the Colombian got defeated by Sugita on Sunday. Falla worked on sharpening his game on grass and his backhand got more effective now, he really displayed a much better tennis than he did on the weekend. Especially his backhand slice looks pretty good. Kukushkin on the other side wasn’t as inspiring as the Colombian and appeared frustrated.
Rafael Nadal was practicing today and expected his second doubles match. Unfortunately Robert Farah had wrist problems and had to call off (wish you a speedy recovery). His forehand was looking very solid with depth and power. However, his backhand didn’t improve a lot and he needs time to fix it.. He looked very pleased about his training and smiled, he really enjoys the grass-practice in Stuttgart. Francisco Roig looked happy too, as he watched Rafa’s down-the-line forehands land in again and again. Still, one has to admit the conditions made the grass courts very slow and the grass here doesn’t have a low bounce.
Marin Cilic got the biggest court to train on, Court 1! He hit many backhands at practice, trying to fix the shot that bedeviled him in doubles. His cross-court forehand looked to be a strong weapon, but he wasn’t clicking on down the line shots.
Cilic on the practice courts (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
Wednesday Second Round Matches
Alexander Zverev was up in the first match against Viktor Troicki on Center Court and I’m certain that a member of his team watched Troicki’s match yesterday. Zverev employed a strategy more suited to clay than grass, but his gameplan was to stay in rallies and to attack Viktor’s flaws (his almost careless shot selection and his poor groundies). Though the scoreline would indicate otherwise, Viktor didn’t play great Tuesday against Borna Coric hitting many forehand unforced errors, so it wasn’t a bad idea to be more defensive for your second grass match ever if you’re Zverev.
Problem was his shots lacked depth and Troicki was able to dictate the rallies like he wanted. Zverev started very bad in the first set losing his serve and having many problems on his second serve. He didn’t find his rhythm at first, and by the time he did, the first set was in the books in favor of Troicki. Second set started similar, problems holding his serve and lost his service again. Troicki hit the balls very well and moved quickly on grass. He was very often at the net, Zverev almost never and he got too passive during rallies, the Serb toyed with him playing the balls back and forth. The young German couldn’t always yield an advantage of his serve today to be more competitive. Troicki served a bit better and returned very much better than Zverev who had problems anticipating the Troicki serve.
Troicki had a very good depth today, hence Zverev the younger had to move very often on the baseline and slipped and fell quite often. After a while Troicki lost his focus and was inattentive, he started to prefer the worst option and his shot selection was awful. He lost his two match points in the breaker due to this, and lost the second set with a stab volley right into the net. Once again, in the third set, Zverev had many problems with his serves as he didn’t aim to hit a winner and let Troicki dictate the game. This match was full of very long rallies, seemed to be more a clay event than a grass match in reality. Zverev failed to break Troicki again, and the Serb served it out though with some silly UEs 6-3 6-7 6-3.
Gael Monfils routined Andreas Haider-Maurer 7-6(6), 7-6(5), a typical scoreline for a match on grass. Both served very well in the first set, Monfils couldn’t convert the first break point at the first game thanks to an ace the Austrian hit and Haider-Maurer couldn’t convert his break point (which was a set point too) because of a very strong forehand cross winner Monfils hit. Breaker had to decide the first set and the Austrian had a very rare problem: His two foot faults cost him greatly as he double faulted twice. Monfils couldn’t hold the edge with the first mini-break, but converted his next set point on his serve. Second set started like the first one with lots of service winners due too good serves. The Frenchman lost again his concentration and couldn’t break the Austrian. He put up on a show to amuse the crowd after he started to return well. Haider-Maurer had more problems returning, so Monfils didn’t have many problems with his serve apart from a service game. Just like Zverev before Haider-Maurer, a dirtballer, played like on clay, very defensive and cautious. He wasn’t as often at the net with serve-and-volley as Monfils was, but when he decided to take over the rally, he went forward and won it. In contrast to his rival who tried many hot shots and serve-and-volleys, some of them enchanting the crowd.
Monfils won in two tiebreaks (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
Furthermore, both had problems volleying, since Haider-Maurer waits for these net approaches to pass Monfils and the Austrian went forward after a very harmless shot. Many volleys landed at the net. Gael played very well when he needed to and had an eye on the clear space for the winners. However, breaker had to decide the second set again and the Austrian led with a mini-break, but gifted it right back to Monfils. Then he again committed the first UE to lose his serve after a good return while the Austrian played serve-and-volley. Monfils closed the match of course with an ace. Monfils has promised his fitness trainer the new Mercedes-Benz car if he wins the title.
Against Feliciano Lopez, a grass court expert, big serving Aussie Sam Groth notched a huge win. After losing a service game in the first set in routine fashion, he didn’t lose another service game. His match would have been easier if he converted all the volleys and smash opportunities that Lopez offered up. Both were serving fantastically without any big problems they couldn’t handle. Lopez began suddenly to play less slice and more top-spin which helped the Australian a lot and his returns became less hazardous. The Spaniard lost his confidence as the match continued, whereupon Groth gained more confidence in his groundgame which got more threatening as the games went by. Lopez’ surprising slice shots vanished Groth’s rhythm during the second set and so it got very difficult to break him. The Spaniard’s usual return position was a few meters behind the baseline, His distance was even farther away from that line returning in the 2nd set.
This wasn’t the best approach against Groth, as Flopez’s passivity in the second set resulted in a losing result unlike in the first. When Lopez failed to get amazing return winners he was going for, Groth didn’t have any problem with his serve-and-volley to win the points on serve. Lopez hit slice and topspin body shots at Groth when the Australian went forward, but Lopez couldn’t repeat this strategy to success execution wise. The second set tiebreaker seemed to be very even for a long time, but after a very good return on the line and a long slice rally Groth hit a miraculous and lucky bh slice in front of Lopez’ feet. Furthermore the ball had a rare bounce, rendering it unreachable. Groth served fantastically well and Lopez didn’t have the ghost of a chance to break him. The third set tiebreaker was more of a nailbiter than even the second set tiebreak, and after Groth’s incredible forehand on the line Lopez’ backhand slice reached the net. Groth served it out without problems and won the match after losing first set 3-6 7-6(5) 7-6(6).
Philipp Kohlschreiber posted another routine win in round 2, defeating Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 6-4. Kohli played very well today and Janowicz couldn’t keep up the level he had in his match against Brown. Kohlschreiber moved very well and anticipated Janowicz’ shot selection well. As a contrast to the Pole, Kohli served with accuracy not just power. Kohlschreiber often played the ball in to stay in the rally, expecting an UE from Janowicz and JJ had no clue how to handle this approach. It was a very one-sided match as Kohlschreiber dominated the whole match and didn’t lose the control of it. Janowicz didn’t have his serve today, so his groundies were even worse, as he didn’t have much confidence during the match. He had a very negative body language as well.
Kohli served well (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
The German did everything right: He stood a few meters behind the baseline to return weak Janowicz serves, and pulled surprising returns out of his hat. Jerzy, who moved poorly on the day, struggled with the fact Kohli didn’t give him a chance to gather rhythm. Kohli was able to trigger forehand and baseline shanks out of Janowicz. The Bavarian counter attacked with his power, very clever shot-selection and very good movement. A big quarterfinal match with Gael Monfils will be next for him.
Tomic Back in the Groove, Coric Shelled Tuesday @MercedesCup ATP Stuttgart 2015
Posted in: ATP, Guest Writer, On Site, Stuttgart. Tagged: 2015 ATP Stuttgart, 2015 Mercedes Cup, Alex Zverev, Alexander Zverev, Andreas Seppi, atp, ATP Stuttgart, ATP Stuttgart Qualifying, benjamin becker, bernard tomic, Borna Coric, Dustin Brown, Jerzy Janowicz, Lukas Rosol, Marcos Baghdatis, Mate Pavic, Matthias Bachinger, mercedes cup, Mercedes Cup Qualifying, Mischa Zverev, Peter Gojowczyk, rafael nadal, Sam Groth, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Tommy Haas, Viktor Troicki. Leave a comment
Tomic Back in the Groove, Coric Shelled Tuesday at ATP Stuttgart 2015
Tomic back in the groove (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
It was the fourth day of this year’s ATP Stuttgart tournament and it was the coldest and windiest day yet. It’s always the worst what can happen here in Germany in terms of weather, with dark clouds, strong winds, and no rain: A winter day during summer. Many players had problems today, especially muscular problems. We witnessed the first retirement in a main draw match and many tennis players moving poorly. Conditions were a challenge today, but matches were completed in full.
Difficult wind created the highest amount of unforced errors per match today, yet very beautiful winners which were powered by the wind. Even in the press centre it was quite cold. In the cold, fans gathered around Rafael Nadal, Gael Monfils and Dustin Brown seeking an interaction with their favorites. Nadal had to call the security team to get through the crowds, when he played doubles with Feliciano Lopez.
Main Draw Round 1
The schedule looked promising on Tuesday, especially for the German crowd. as German was featured in 8 out of 11 matches. Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki led off the day.
Borna Coric’s father was quite optimistic this could be the day he wins his first match on grass, before the match began. With Croatian journalists in the stands Borna just absolutely disappointed his countrymen and couldn’t end his negative run of four losses in a row on grass (0-4 career record). His first service game looked promising, though he had problems holding it. He still doesn’t know how to move on grass and gets too passive during rallies. Troicki was the way more aggressive player and hit some great winners, but some funny unforced errors. While the beginning of the first set was competitive, Borna lost his second serve with a fight, it seemed he wasn’t up for the match entirely. The second serve game he lost was on him and Troicki didn’t even have to play well.
The second set was just pathetic, Coric only won nine points out of 36 and just won a lone return point during the whole set. I stopped watching it after the first break which was very hard-fought (three times deuce) and Troicki won it a few minutes later. Troicki’s forehand didn’t look that bad at all, in contrary to Coric’s which can’t be even called a weapon. Given he’s a young gun, Coric will have the time to develop his game on grass, but in the present day Troicki rolled 6-2 6-0 in a blowout.
Jan-Lennard Struff struggled on the day, though he offered some great forehand-shots and even nicer volleys. Bernard Tomic was out of his league, he offered up great variation in his serve and delivered what he needed, to win, throwing in some great winners. The first set was very one-sided, Tomic won the very first game which was a break to love and broke him at the end of the first set again. However, like is often the case with his matches. Bernie wasn’t consistent enough to close out the match routinely, leading a set and a break ahead.
Struff started to hit one good return after another, and dictate the rallies – He almost always won the point at the net and almost always lost the points on longer rallies, as he hit many forehand unforced errors under pressure. After Tomic broke his serve with a fantastic forehand down-the-line winner, he immediately was broken bakc after serving two double faults and committing a very easy backhand ue after a poor return. The set built up its tension because of the fact both served very well till the second set breaker, when the Borussia Dortmund-fan suddenly led 3-0. Two long forehands later, and Tomic took a decisive advantage, eventually closing out the breaker 7-5 for a 6-3 7-6 victory. Tomic’s game looked quite sharp today, although there was room for improvement. Bernie has to face now another German he lost to in Halle three years ago, Tommy Haas.
Another German moving on here is Mischa Zverev who’s showing great grass tennis as a veteran. The underrated grass specialist had many problems at the beginning against Dominic Thiem and lost even his serve, but he managed to catch himself and rebroke, converting his first break point of the match. As the match progressed, both started to serve better and the breaker had to decide the set. After three consecutive mini-breaks Zverev held his serve to get set point and Thiem failed to save another set point, as he didn’t serve well under pressure. Zverev looked fresher, though he played every day in the last three days, and could break him again. Thiem broke himself with a lot of unnecessary errors. The German served well in set 2, broke Thiem again returning and moving very well to hit one forehand after another in his last service game to close the match 7-6 6-2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLKQkFWd6Q0
Marcos Baghdatis vs. Lukas Rosol looked like a great match on paper, but Rosol played poorly on the outer court. Baghdatis lost the first game and his serve, but Rosol couldn’t maintain the advantage and ended up losing the first set with a double break. Rosol moved poorly and showed signs of rust. He didn’t have the fortune to trust in his first serve, it was either too long or into the net in big moments and Baghdatis even started to return well when given the chance. The veteran Baghdatis had very good and strong groundstrokes, made Rosol run, and in this way the Cypriot hit many winners. His form looked excellent, throwback in a way and could have some great results in the next week overall like today where he won 6-3 6-4. Depending on Rafael Nadal’s form on the day he could come even through in their match.
Baghdatis was smooth in Stuttgart (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
Benjamin Becker came back to Germany in good form after some wins at Roland Garros, and was excited to start the grass court season, his best surface, but unfortunately the shoulder-problem he had in Paris discomforted him again and he was in pain. Therefore he slumped in defeat against Andreas Seppi. After the first set he asked for a medical timeout and it went better afterwards. He held twice his serve, and he had signs of a comeback, but after Seppi served again his should flaired up once more. The German let the match slide and wants to focus now on getting completely recovered again. Wish you all the best, Benjamin, and a speedy recovery! Seppi defeated injured Becker 6-1, 6-2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdTcH5gsxYo
Similar to Becker Sergiy Stakhovsky had medical problems against Sam Groth. The first set Stakhovsky won with a classic grass court serve and volley game, often chipping and charging with brilliant volley winners. Groth, famous for his fastest serve ever recorded at a Challenger in South Korea, served again very well, but was too slow to reach Stakhovsky’s volleys. Especially the second serves were attacked by Stako, till the Australian let off steam and yelled
“he always gets my 2nd serve” after 0-30, *3-5 in the first set. Bit by bit Stakhovsky started to play more passively and gave Groth some opportunities at the net that he could approach.
Groth and Stakhovsky volleyed away (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
Nothing changed in the second set and Stakhovsky’s serve lessened in effectiveness, he had to save seven break points in the second set alone, as Groth wasn’t always attentive at his chances. On the eight break point chance in set 2, a set point as well, Groth finally won it. Stako lost his serve at the beginning of the third set, and then retired 5-3 down in the third. At the end his serves were a shadow of the his serving in the 1st set, so Groth won it 4-6, 7-5, 5-3. Wish you a speedy recovery as well, Stako!
Matthias Bachinger again displayed great tennis against Peter Gojowczyk. Gojo dictated with his forehand in very good rallies and the Bavarian Bachinger ran left and right to get the balls. Both were serve-and-volleying very well and little things decided this match. One of these things was Bachinger’s fighting spirit, and his poison slices which were a hazard for Gojowczyk. He committed unforced errors and many forehands landed at the net after Bachinger’s slices.
Bachinger was very clutch on important points and didn’t give up any game. Gojowczyk was leading in his last service game in before a theoretical breaker 40-0, but many forehand unforced errors and an incredible forehand smash into the net after a long slice-rally and a well played lob gave Bachinger a break. The Bavarian served the match out, just like in the first set he did after winning the break and will face #2 seed Marin Cilic. Bachingers win was 7-5 7-5.
Alexander Zverev was the better player against Mate Pavic and deservedly won after losing the first set 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. It was a bad start at the beginning facing a break point, and he eventually got broken and lost the first set. In the second set the young German improved his serve on break points, and his forehand was very sharp against Pavic, who likes to attack at the net with his backhand volley. Zverev was aware of that and could read his serve-and-volleys, as he stood meters behind the baseline and didn’t give Pavic many free points.. All in all Zverev played with a very good strategy and kept his head cool, against a nervous Pavic. He finally won the match with a very strong forehand triggering a Pavic error.
Both Zverev brothers advanced on the day (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
The old German master Tommy Haas returned finally to the tour! His win over Mikhail Kukushkin was a graet match, based on good serve and offensive forehands. Kukushkin didn’t have any clue how to react and it says a lot about his tennis on grass when he gets dominated by the rusty Haas. In the second set Haas lost his rhythm and started to gift Kukushkin games he never would have been able to win. Giving that Kukushkin at the end couldn’t hold the break and Haas was able to raise his level again to finished it in two 6-4 7-5.
The last German who played today, Dustin Brown lost in three to Jerzy Janowicz. Both were rock solid on serve, and Brown lost some points due to easy unforced errors he hit. The first set went quickly as Dreddy took it in a tiebreak but Janowicz was able to break him in the second and third sets, while Brown wasn’t able to convert break points. Janowicz completed the comeback 6-7 6-4 6-3. It was still a successful tournament for Brown as he qualified for an ATP event for the first time since Munich.
Janowicz vs. Brown was a quick match (photo credit: Andreas Thiele)
In the other singles match on the day, Andreas Haider-Maurer dashed the hopes of young German wild card Max Marterer 7-6 6-3.
Tuesday Doubles Scores
Lopez/Nadal d. Junaid/Shamasdin 7-6 6-2
Cabal/Farah d. Rosol/Thiem 7-6 7-6
Matkowski/Zimonjic d. Monfils/Simon 6-3 6-4
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Overdrive Touring
Turilli/Lione Rhapsody (ITA)
Crowbar Sydney (Leichhardt, NSW)
Thursday, 10 October 2019 7:30 PM
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Turilli/Lione Rhapsody Announce First Ever Australian Tour!
The legendary Rhapsody alumni Fabio Lione and Luca Turilli have re-united at long last, and together they are set to conquer Australian shores off the back of their latest opus “Zero Gravity (Rebirth & Evolution)”.
When it comes down to the genre defining albums, there is no denying that it is often an iconic duo weaving it’s inexplicable and extraordinary magic. And when it comes down to Symphonic Metal, there is no way around the creative chemistry of Luca Turilli and Fabio Lione. Whenever and wherever guitarist, keyboardist and composer Turilli and vocalist Lione have been working together, the result was something extraordinary. Something both metal and rock lovers around the globe loved, cherished and memorised forever. Now, after eight long years, the two brothers in arms are finally back together again. Not to warm up old stories, mind you. But to start an exciting new chapter on their journey that will take the trademark sound of their old bands not only to another level, but to an altogether different universe.
Turilli/Lione Rhapsody is a dream come true for every fan of cinematic, bombastic, epic Symphonic Metal. No, it is much more than that, although even that would have been enough by far to please the crowds. This band is a redefinition of their Italian trademark sound and a modern interpretation of their old virtues and roots. And while a lot of bands claim to do that, Turilli/Lione Rhapsody actually do. It’s a fact: Symphonic Metal never sounded so fresh, so original, so dramatic and so weightless as it does on “Zero Gravity (Rebirth and Evolution)”, proof not only of their unparalleled talent but also of their untiring mission of reinventing themselves, of pushing forward, of reviving a genre that was stagnating at best.
Tuilli/Lione Rhapsody will take the stage in Australia this October 2019 for three incredible performances, with their Melbourne performance being the headliners of the inaugural “Southern Gathering” Power & Symphonic metal festival!
Ticket Price: $65 (General Admission), $140 (VIP)
VIP to include: Early Entry, Meet and Greet with Turilli/Lione Rhapsody, A3 Tour Poster
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MMA Fighter Donates Son’s Organs After Toddler Killed by Alleged Drunk Driver
By Melissa Chan
A professional mixed martial arts fighter has donated the organs of his 15-month-old son who was mowed down by an alleged drunk driver over the weekend while he was sitting inside his stroller.
Marcus Kowal and his wife took their baby, Liam Mikael Kowal, off life support on Sunday after doctors declared the infant brain dead. “He tried to fight so hard. He even died at one point but they brought him back. He’s a little fighter,” the Sweden-born athlete wrote on Facebook.
“Our hearts are broken and there’s a void in my soul but we will get through this,” he added.
The couple decided to donate their son’s heart so it “can make another child live” and prevent another family from going through the same heartbreak, Kowal added. “It hurts to write this but Liam loved to share and the person we were going to raise him to be would love to help someone else,” Kowal said, urging his Facebook followers to message him if they knew of any child in need of a new heart.
Their young son’s life was cut short Saturday after a 72-year-old woman plowed her SUV into the baby and his 15-year-old aunt while the two were crossing the street in California, police said in a statement. A police photo of the accident scene shows the stroller broken in half.
The driver, identified as Donna Marie Higgins, was allegedly intoxicated when she drove through a crosswalk, struck both victims and then attempted to flee, according to the Hawthorne Police Department. Witnesses chased after Higgins’ vehicle for about a block and blocked her SUV with their own cars until police arrived. Authorities said Higgins was arrested for felony hit-and-run and felony drunk driving.
Kowal’s wife, Mishel Eder, mourned her son in an emotional Facebook post and remembered how the happy boy loved to eat, swim, count in Russian, chase dogs and help wash dishes. She wrote about his smile and how she felt putting her son in bed after he had fallen asleep in his father’s arms.
“I’m shattered. So is Marcus. Our little family is broken,” Eder said. “Last time we were in the hospital, he was born. Now the light of my life is being taken away.”
The family’s heartbreak has touched hundreds of people across the world. More than 1,000 people have donated over $81,000 to an online fundraising page set up to help the family pay for medical expenses and funeral costs.
Contact us at editors@time.com.
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Pratyusha Banerjee was a television actress who gained recognition in 2010 in the TV show Balika Vadhu playing the role of "Anandi". She had participated in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (season 5), Bigg Boss 7, and Power Couple. Banerjee had played vital roles in TV serials - Hum Hain Na, Sasural Simar Ka and Gulmohar Grand. On 1 April 2016, Banerjee was found hanging in her Mumbai apartment, and according to the postmortem report the cause of death was suicide (asphyxia).
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Vikas Gupta remembers late Pratyusha Banerjee on her death anniversary; apologizes for not being there
Balika Vadhu fame Pratyusha Banerjee passed away on April 1, 2016. Even though it has been three years, good friend Vikas Gupta hasn't been able to come to terms with the actress' untimely demise and mourned the same on his social media account.
Two days after 1st list of candidates, angry leaders continue to desert BJD
Actress Pratyusha Paul misses her ‘Tobu Mone Rekho’ days
Pratyusha shared a throwback photo with 'Tobu Mone Rekho' team, in which her former boyfriend can also be seen.
I was destined to meet Vijay Deverakonda and Samantha: Keerthi Pratyusha
Actress Pratyusha Paul shares a throwback pic; wishes her mom on her birthday
Pratyusha's mother has always encouraged the actress to follow her dreams.
Pratyusha Paul’s BFF Bhavna Banerjee to reveal her secrets on ‘Didi No. 1’
Bhavna and Pratyusha had a great time during the shoot.
Actor Rahul Raj Singh booked for cheating
Guests at event organised by him allegedly vandalised Juhu hotel, hosted by him, vandalised the hotel in the early hours of Tuesday.
#MeToo movement: Tanushree Dutta drags Pratyusha Banerjee and Jiah Khan's name into the case!
Tanushree Dutta on bigotry: How many more Jiah Khan and Pratyusha Bannerjee to die?
Tanushree released a fresh statement today that puts light on the extreme judgmentalism that prevails in our country and also the level of consciousness.
Pratyusha Banerjee’s boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh marries Saloni Sharma
Rahul and Saloni tied the knot in Mumbai on Thursday.
Late actress Pratyusha Banerjee's boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh marries Saloni Sharma
Late TV actress Pratyusha Banerjee’s boyfriend, Rahul Raj Singh has tied the knot with actress-entrepreneur Saloni Sharma.
#MeToo: Rahul Raj Singh accuses screenwriter Mushtaq Sheikh of sexual harassment
Rakhi Sawant wants to donate this body part of hers to spread love
The video has already gone viral
Kamya Punjabi's birthday wish for late Pratyusha Banerjee is heart-wrenching
Kamya Punjabi's birthday wish for BFF late Pratyusha Banerjee is heartwrenching.
KCR
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XXVI Videos 2017
Vijay Rupani
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No. 22 Contents
Browse Issue
Mar/Apr 2001
Pete Krebs/ Danny Barnes: duet for clarinet and goat CD
Reviewed by Larry Crane
No, there's no goat on here. Instead, we're treated to Danny Barnes (Bad Livers, plus solo) and Pete Krebs (Hazel, Golden Delicious, solo stuff) hanging out at Danny's home studio doing some wacky recording. Mr. Barnes has been upsetting many by playing banjo to drum machine beats lately, and luckily this is no different. A respect for the past is obvious with covers of "House Carpenter" and "Why You Been Gone So Long" but electronic beats, synthesizers, distorted vocals and an irreverent version of Hazel's "Jilted" evince a playfulness that draws the listener in. This is truly digital folk music - we are lucky the technology is there to create and capture this kind of fun.
(www.cavitysearchrecords.com)
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Suspected mastermind behind Argentine cocaine smuggling arrested in Germany
Andrei Kovalchuk is not considering the issue of getting political asylum
© Egor Aleev/TASS
MOSCOW, March 2. /TASS/. Suspected organizer of smuggling cocaine from Argentina to Russia and European countries, Andrei Kovalchuk, has been arrested in Germany at Russia’s request, his Defense Attorney Vladimir Zherebenkov informed TASS on Friday.
Cocaine smuggling kingpin's detention means gang’s elimination — Argentine authorities
"A court in Germany has upheld the motion by that country’s prosecutor’s office. Kovalchuk will be waiting for a decision on the request for extradition to Russia in custody," he said.
Andrei Kovalchuk is not considering the issue of getting political asylum, as heavy criminal charges have been brought against him, and granting asylum with such charges runs counter to Germany’s practice, Kovalchuk’s defense attorney pointed out.
"The political asylum issue was raised before, but that’s next to impossible, since Kovalchuk is accused of a serious criminal offense. Today he was taken into custody, and granting asylum with such charges runs counter to Germany’s practice," he said.
China sees no grounds for participation in Russia-US nuclear arms treaty talks
China's diplomat lauded the Russia-US initiative though
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Nonequilibrium thermodynamics and energy efficiency in weight loss diets
Richard D Feinman1Email author and
Eugene J Fine1, 2
© Feinman and Fine; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2007
Carbohydrate restriction as a strategy for control of obesity is based on two effects: a behavioral effect, spontaneous reduction in caloric intake and a metabolic effect, an apparent reduction in energy efficiency, greater weight loss per calorie consumed. Variable energy efficiency is established in many contexts (hormonal imbalance, weight regain and knock-out experiments in animal models), but in the area of the effect of macronutrient composition on weight loss, controversy remains. Resistance to the idea comes from a perception that variable weight loss on isocaloric diets would somehow violate the laws of thermodynamics, that is, only caloric intake is important ("a calorie is a calorie"). Previous explanations of how the phenomenon occurs, based on equilibrium thermodynamics, emphasized the inefficiencies introduced by substrate cycling and requirements for increased gluconeogenesis. Living systems, however, are maintained far from equilibrium, and metabolism is controlled by the regulation of the rates of enzymatic reactions. The principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics which emphasize kinetic fluxes as well as thermodynamic forces should therefore also be considered.
Here we review the principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and provide an approach to the problem of maintenance and change in body mass by recasting the problem of TAG accumulation and breakdown in the adipocyte in the language of nonequilibrium thermodynamics. We describe adipocyte physiology in terms of cycling between an efficient storage mode and a dissipative mode. Experimentally, this is measured in the rate of fatty acid flux and fatty acid oxidation. Hormonal levels controlled by changes in dietary carbohydrate regulate the relative contributions of the efficient and dissipative parts of the cycle. While no experiment exists that measures all relevant variables, the model is supported by evidence in the literature that 1) dietary carbohydrate, via its effect on hormone levels controls fatty acid flux and oxidation, 2) the rate of lipolysis is a primary target of insulin, postprandial, and 3) chronic carbohydrate-restricted diets reduce the levels of plasma TAG in response to a single meal.
In summary, we propose that, in isocaloric diets of different macronutrient composition, there is variable flux of stored TAG controlled by the kinetic effects of insulin and other hormones. Because the fatty acid-TAG cycle never comes to equilibrium, net gain or loss is possible. The greater weight loss on carbohydrate restricted diets, popularly referred to as metabolic advantage can thus be understood in terms of the principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and is a consequence of the dynamic nature of bioenergetics where it is important to consider kinetic as well as thermodynamic variables.
Plasma Fatty Acid
Nonequilibrium Thermodynamic
Macronutrient Composition
Carbohydrate Restriction
Isocaloric Diet
Dietary carbohydrate provides both an energy source and, through its effects on insulin and other hormones, regulatory control of metabolism. In the context of obesity, diabetes and related pathologic states, it is argued by many researchers that the level of carbohydrate, by its hormonal effects, controls the disposition of nutrient intake beyond simple caloric balance [1–11]. From this point of view, fat plays a relatively passive role and the deleterious effects of high dietary fat are expected only if there is sufficient dietary carbohydrate to provide the hormonal state in which the fat will be stored rather than oxidized. In its practical application, the principle has given rise to several forms of popular diet strategies which have in common some degree of carbohydrate restriction [12–14] or effective glycemic level [3, 15]. Experimentally, protocols based on carbohydrate restriction do as well or better than fat reduction for weight loss (reviews: [16–18]), but because they are somewhat iconoclastic with respect to official dietary recommendations and because they derive from the popular diets where discourse is heated, they remain controversial. The extent to which carbohydrate restriction is successful as a strategy for control of obesity or diabetes can be attributed to two effects. The strategy frequently leads to a behavioral effect, a spontaneous reduction in caloric intake as seen in ad lib comparisons. There is also a metabolic effect, an apparent reduction in energy efficiency seen in isocaloric comparisons, popularly referred to as metabolic advantage. The two are not necessarily independent: an association between thermogenesis, a reflection of inefficiency, and satiety has been established by Westerterp, et al., for example [19].
Experimental demonstrations of energy inefficiency in humans have recently been summarized [16, 17, 20] and the phenomenon has been demonstrated in animal models (e.g., ref. [21] and, most dramatically ref. [22]). This metabolic effect, however, is not universally accepted as a major component in human experiments, oddly even by investigators who have provided experimental support [23–26]. Variable energy efficiency, however, is known in many contexts: hormonal imbalance [27, 28], intensive insulin therapy [29], studies of weight regain [30, 31] and particularly knock-out experiments in animals [32–34]. Experiments demonstrating variable energy efficiency in the context of weight loss, however, remain controversial because of the difficulty in validating compliance in dietary interventions and because of a resistance to what is perceived as a violation of thermodynamics, that is, an intuitive feeling that, in the end, everything must even out. Thus, progress in this field still depends on a proper understanding of caloric efficiency and a description of how energy balance can account for differences in weight loss in isocaloric comparisons.
We have previously described how different isocaloric diets are actually expected to have different effects on metabolism and therefore on body mass [16, 35, 36]. Our previous arguments were largely based on equilibrium thermodynamics because this is most familiar. However, living systems, and in particular, TAG stores in adipocytes, are maintained far from equilibrium and the rates of breakdown of such high energy compounds are regulated by the kinetics of the enzymes that catalyze hydrolysis and re-synthesis. Because the system is maintained far from equilibrium, energy measurements provide values of (∂G/∂ξ)T,P where ξ is the reaction progress coordinate and the path-independence of state variables, that is, ΔG values measured in a calorimeter do not necessarily apply [37]. In essence, then, the problem is as much one of rates as of free energy. Much progress has been made in the development of nonequilibrium thermodynamics for the study of metabolism although there is no universally accepted approach ([38–40] and references therein) and the current work is intended to provide a first step towards developing the problem of energy efficiency in response to dietary macronutrients.
Here we review the basic ideas of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and provide an approach to the problem of maintenance and change in body mass following these ideas. The emphasis is on flux of metabolites in adipose tissue since, in the end, this is the major reflection of energy balance and obesity. The work has several goals:
To recast the problem of TAG accumulation and breakdown in the adipocyte in the language of nonequilibrium thermodynamics. In particular, we want to describe adipocyte physiology in terms of cycling between an efficient storage mode and a dissipative mode. Experimentally, this is reflected in the rate of fatty acid flux and fatty acid oxidation.
To provide a plausible mechanism for how different efficiencies of isocaloric diets can be accounted for by changes in kinetics. To show that hormonal levels controlled by changes in carbohydrate intake determine the relative contributions of the efficient and dissipative parts of the TAG-FA cycle.
Overall, the model is intended to provide a conceptual framework for energy efficiency in nutrition and to point the way to future research. We feel that the approach has general implications as well and is tied to the philosophical position espoused by Prigogine and followers in emphasizing the dynamic nature of physical processes, that is, the need to consider kinetics as well as thermodynamics [39, 41–44].
We emphasize that metabolic efficiency is not always seen in diet comparisons. A thermodynamic analysis, however, shows that inefficiency is to be expected and it is the cases where "a calorie is a calorie" that need to be explained: it is the unique characteristics of living systems – maintenance of a steady-state through tightly controlled feed-back systems – not general physical laws that accounts for energy balance when it is found. Practically speaking, the importance of obesity and other metabolic disorders makes it important to see what the requirements are to break out of these stable states.
Nonequilibrium thermodynamics
It is traditional to separate thermodynamics and kinetics but such a division applies strictly only to equilibrium systems [41, 45]. Systems that are far from equilibrium may undergo chemical reactions that never attain equilibrium and are characterized by the flux of material as well as energy. In a dietary intervention, the flux of material must be integrated over time to determine the total change in weight or fat loss. Thus, accumulated changes may be controlled by the presence of a catalyst or other factors that affect the rate of reaction.
In the case at hand, adipocytes cycle between states of greater or lower net breakdown of fat (lipolysis and reesterification) depending on the hormonal state which, in turn, is dependent on the macronutrient composition of the diet. A hypothetical scheme for changes in adipocyte TAG and a proposal for how TAG gain or loss could be different for isocaloric diets with different levels of insulin is shown in Figure 1. Under normal control conditions of weight maintenance, the breakdown and utilization of TAG by lipolysis and oxidation is balanced by the re-synthesis from food intake. Assuming, for simplicity. an instantaneous spike in food at meals, the curves represent the net flow of material (possibly through several TAG-FA cycles) within the adipocyte. In a coarse-grained analysis, the integral over time of the fluctuations between different states, measures the change in stored TAG in the time of a dietary experiment. The average is stable, that is, appears as weight maintenance. If now each meal is maintained at constant calories but there is an increase in the percentage of carbohydrate leading to higher insulin levels, the lipases may be reduced in activity (blue line in Figure 1). The rate of re-synthesis of TAG is less perturbed by the elevated insulin [46] and indeed may go the other way. The system may cycle between states, which, while they never come to equilibrium, have the net affect of producing changes in the direction of accumulation of TAG.
Hypothetical kinetics of fat storage and hydrolysis. Model for the effect of insulin on efficiency of storage. Black line indicates response under conditions of weight maintenance. Blue line shows the effect of added insulin on hormone sensitive lipase activity.
In carbohydrate restriction, the decrease in carbohydrate may be accompanied by an increase in dietary fat and the relative effect on rate of TAG accumulation due to disinhibition of lipolysis vs the effect of increased substrate will determine the efficiency. As noted below, experiments in the literature [47] show that after chronic exposure to a low carbohydrate diet (higher dietary TAG), the plasma levels of TAG following a high fat meal are reduced compared to controls. Of course, replacing dietary carbohydrate with dietary protein at constant lipid will be consistent with the model in the absence of compensating effects.
In these cases, the integrated change in TAG over the course of a day (or several days) will no longer be zero. In this way, two diets may lead to different weight gain (as indicated by accretion of fat), even though they have the same number of calories, simply because they affect hormonal levels differently. An analysis based on rates suggests further that a new steady state may be obtained in which TAG may be maintained at a higher or lower level even if the hormonal state returns to one that does not lead to further change. The cell may then relax from one steady state to another, the observed macroscopic weight gain or loss. The goal here is to ask what would it take to produce behavior like that in Figure 1.
For minor perturbations, there will be compensating effects of competing pathways (increase in insulin secretion due to fatty acid production [48, 49], for example) and one can expect, insofar as the model corresponds to reality, there may be a threshold effect. This is reflected in the emphasis on extreme carbohydrate reduction in the early phases of popular weight loss diets [12–14]. We emphasize that all of the potential sources of metabolic inefficiency – increased reliance on gluconeogenesis and consequent increased protein turnover, up-regulation of uncoupling proteins – described previously [16, 36] may still be operative but the net change in fat stores must be the final common output if body mass is to undergo change.
Formalism of nonequilibrium thermodynamics
For systems that are not at equilibrium, changes in entropy will drive the system towards equilibrium. If the system is close to equilibrium or, as in the case here, there is a small change in the total free energy – only a small fraction of TAG is actually hydrolyzed in the course of a day – then the change in entropy will be due to dSe, the flux of entropy that is exchanged with the environment and dSi, that due to the irreversible effect of the chemical reaction [41, 50, 51]. We are then interested in the rate of entropy production, Φ, due to chemical reactions at constant T and P:Φ = dSi/dt = - (1/T) ΣN μk dnk/dt
In nonequilibrium thermodynamics, overall flux of entropy is considered as a product of forces (derivative of the potential), Xk and flows Jk, all forces and flows vanishing at equilibrium. In a chemical system, the force Xk is defined as the negative of the chemical potential of the kth reaction, sometimes referred to as the affinity A = - (∂G/∂ξ)T,P where ξ is the extent of chemical reaction. In other words, a positive sign of × indicates spontaneous forward driving force. The force, then, depends on the concentration of reactants and products, the standard free energy and the extent of reaction. It is worth noting that for the systems like the adipocyte that are maintained far from equilibrium the distinction between ΔG values and (∂G/∂ξ)T,P noted by other authors [37] is important, that is, the simple additivity of state variables that underlies the idea that all calories are equivalent, is not valid.
The flows, Jk, are identified with the flux of the kth reaction. The flux of fatty acid in an adipocyte, for example, J1 = vlipolysis + vsynthesis, the sum of breakdown and synthesis rates for TAG. In the phenomenologic approach of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, the forces and flows may be the sum of several individual processes.
In applying the principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, the analysis will be simplified if we make the assumption that the fluxes are linear functions of the forces, in analogy with similar linear equations such as Fick's law of diffusion (diffusion is a linear function of the concentration gradient), or Ohm's law (current is a linear function of the potential). The proportionality constant Lkj is called the phenomenological coefficient.Jk = Σn LkjXj
Although the general requirement that condition (2) hold is that the system be close to equilibrium, the linear approximation is often observed to be appropriate for systems very far from equilibrium, subject to stabilizing feedback and in enzymatic systems operating in the range of substrate concentrations that are close to KM [52, 53]. Further discussion is found in references [54–56]. Whereas the assumption of linearity is reasonable for the current model where small perturbations far from equilibrium occur in a region of high substrate, in the end, it is a working assumption and experimental tests of the model will ultimately determine if the assumption is justified.
Qualitative features of the adipocyte model and comparison to glycolysis
F igure 2 shows a simple model that is proposed for adipose tissue metabolism under conditions bearing on changes in body mass. The flux of TAG (1) represents the net accumulation or output with respect to the cell itself. This process driven by (2) the input of glycerol-3-phosphate from glycolysis or glyceroneogenesis and (3) fatty acid (FA) from plasma FA. The high energy form of the cycle, TAG, is stored. From the point of view of the organism, it is the FA output that provides fuel for oxidation and cell metabolism. This output may be taken as analogous to the system load as it is usually described in nonequilibrium thermodynamics. Oxidation and FA uptake are largely controlled independently, that is, the adipocyte system has high output conductance and low input conductance, that is, by analogy with an electronic system, is an ideal amplifier. Because there is effectively no load on the system and overall metabolic effect is simply to reduce the affinity of fatty acid, the analysis is greatly simplified. The flux of FA, J3 is of general physiologic importance and is the most experimentally accessible of the relevant parameters.
In the comparison of different diets, an additional component is (4) input of fatty acid from TAG-containing lipoproteins. Our treatment of the problem is to consider fluxes in the absence of this input since that is how it is usually described in the literature and then to consider the effect of input from lipoproteins as a perturbation. Focusing on the reaction in the absence of lipoprotein input, the overall relations of fluxes and flows:J1 = L11X1 + L12X2J2 = L21X1 + L22X2J3 = L13X1 + L33X3
As an example of the application of these principles, Aledo, et al. addressed the negative correlation between glycolytic flux and intracellular ATP concentration in yeast, the so-called ATP paradox [54, 57, 58]. The paradox was resolved by showing that if ATP-consuming pathways are more sensitive to glucose than the glycolytic pathway, the cell can switch from an efficient (ATP-conserving) to a dissipative (ATP-utilizing) regime [54, 58]. The dissipative regime offers higher output at high glucose cost, whereas the efficient regime has higher accumulation of ATP but lower glycolytic flux.
In the adipocyte model, periodic switching between dissipative and conservative regimes is meant to describe the dynamic cycling of TAG. The goal in development of the model is to show the constraints on the system for conservation of fat mass, and conversely, how isocaloric dietary inputs of different composition might plausibly bring about weight gain or loss, that is, how efficiency is regulated in the TAG-FA cycle and the activity of the reactants. In essence, we want to know what it would take for the blue line in Figure 1 to occur.
The major controlling variables will be the Lij, the phenomenologic constants which depend on hormonal levels, and the thermodynamic activity of plasma triglyceride (supplying fatty acid). Looking ahead, the simplest application will be the effect of replacing dietary carbohydrate with dietary protein at constant lipid where a semi-quantitative prediction can be made. In the most general case, however, we also want to know the relative impact of insulin reduction on the Lij (reduced lipolysis rate) compared to the increase in thermodynamic activity (X4) due to increased dietary fat.
The variables as they apply to the adipocyte model are as follows:
X1 = the output force is the affinity of the lipolysis-TAG synthesis cycle. The analysis can be simplified by the assumption that lipolysis of available TAG (and possibly re-synthesis) in an adipocyte occurs at a heterogeneous interface. We can therefore take the thermodynamic activity of TAG as 1, that is, although other concentrations may influence X1, the amount of TAG will not. (The contribution of TAG activity is unlikely to change in any case since perturbations in TAG concentrations are extremely small compared to the total stored TAG).X1 = -RT (ln (Keq)FA-TAG - ln ([FA]3 [glyc-3-P]/[TAG]) = - 3 RT ln (([FA] [glyc-3-P]/K')
X2 = the driving force for supply of glycerol-3-phosphate whose major term is normally the availability of carbohydrate. Under conditions of carbohydrate restriction, however, there is also an increase in glyceroneogenesis from protein [59, 60].
X3 = = the driving force for supply of fatty acid from cellular TAG.
X4 = the force due to the supply of fatty acid from lipoproteins (chylomicrons and VLDL).
In the approach taken here,
L11, L12 are the sensitivities of the flux of TAG to the levels of TAG and the levels of substrate (glycerol-3-phosphate) which depend primarily on the hormonal levels (via phosphorylation of the lipases and other enzymes). It is generally assumed on theoretical grounds (Onsager relation) that L12 = L21 although this has to actually be established for systems that are not close to equilibrium.
L22 is the sensitivity of the glycerol-3-phosphate flux to the availability of carbohydrate (or other sources) which may also be controlled by hormonal levels.
Although somewhat beyond the level of analysis presented here, it is worth noting some of the derived parameter that are traditional in a NET analysis. The degree of coupling, q = L12 /√L11L22 is a dimensionless parameter that indicates how tightly the output process is coupled to the driver process [55] and takes on values from 0 to 1 in the forward direction. In the model in Figure 2, q will vary with different subjects and different metabolic states, in particular, is strongly under the control of insulin.
Model for adipocyte metabolism. See text for details.
The phenomenological stoichiometry is defined as Z = (√L11/L22)
It should be noted that L11, L12 and L22 and the derived parameters, q and Z, in general, are where the enzymatic activity and the effect of hormones reside. It is important to emphasize that many important variables, such as coenzyme levels are hidden in the phenomenologic constants. For the adipocyte Z = 1, that is, TAG synthesis is tightly coupled to glycerol-3-P production. These parameters hold the promise to quantify insulin resistance, at least in the adipocyte.
The experimental parameters that are most frequently determined in the literature are the rates of appearance in the blood of fatty acid and glycerol, traditionally written Ra (FA) and Ra (glycerol), and the total rate of TAG oxidation (largely oxidation in non-adipocyte), denoted here as ROX. For the simple two compartment model considered here, there are four species, adipocyte TAG, plasma TAG, FA and CO2 (from oxidation).
The goal is to re-cast the problem of metabolism and regulation of body mass in the formalism of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, or more simply, in a way that emphasizes rates in addition to energetics. Applying the traditional measurements above leads to particularly simple form. From conservation of carbon mass of fatty acid species, we can write for the mass fluxes:0 = d(FA)/dt + d(TAG)/dt + d(CO2)/dt = Ra (FA) + J1 + ROX + J4or J1 = - (ROX + Ra (FA) + J4)J3 = Ra (FA)
Although no experiment in the literature has been done that would allow for a complete quantitative test of the model, further analysis can support the value of a nonequilibrium approach in understanding variable efficiency in weight loss experiments. Experiments comparing the effect of different macronutrient composition, for example, can allow us to look at the effects on TAG accumulation (J1) without explicit analysis of the individual reactions. Results from the literature that support the underlying thesis show that 1) fatty acid flux and oxidation (ROX + Ra (FA), eq. (6)), follow the levels of dietary carbohydrate, 2) the effect of carbohydrate is expressed in the regulation of insulin levels, 3) lipolysis is the primary target of insulin, 4) the availability of substrate affects efficiency, 5) insulin increases J4 and finally, 6) chronic diet can affect the force X4 and thereby the response to dietary input in a single experiment. In the following sections, we consider these in turn. The net effect is that accumulated time-dependent changes due to carbohydrate intake control the efficiency of fat storage and we consider that a nonequilibrium thermodynamic approach allows clear justification as to how variable weight gain can be expected on isocaloric diets.
Fatty acid flux and oxidation follow the levels of dietary carbohydrate
Similarity of starvation and carbohydrate restriction
Over the years, several investigators have made the observation that the metabolic response to carbohydrate restriction resembles the response to starvation, in particular, for the current model, increased fatty acid mobilization and oxidation [61–65]. Perhaps the best example is an elegant study by Klein & Wolfe [65] comparing responses of subjects on an 84 hour fast to the same subjects on a similar fast in which lipids were infused at a level equal to resting energy requirements. Table 1 shows that the levels of glucose, insulin, the rates of appearance of fatty acid and fat oxidation, ROX + Ra (FA), were similar in the two groups. For comparison to equation (6), the molar fluxes would have to be converted to mass and the role of J4 would have to be considered explicitly. In fact, as measured here, J4 is subsumed in the rate of fatty acid appearance and appears to have little effect despite large differences in X4. These rather dramatic results were summarized by the authors as demonstrating that "carbohydrate restriction, not the presence of a negative energy balance, is responsible for initiating the metabolic response to fasting." It might be said that this was the fundamental observation for understanding the role of carbohydrates in energy balance and the need for a kinetic rather than equilibrium thermodynamic analysis. The controlling variables are presumed to be carbohydrate itself which provides substrate for glycerol-3-P synthesis and insulin which will affect the phenomenologic constants. Bisschop, et al. [62] showed a similar increase in FA rate of appearance and oxidation in a low carbohydrate, high fat diet (CHO:Lipid:Protein = 2:83:15) compared to either a high carbohydrate (85:0:15) or control (44:41:15) diets, and there is agreement with Klein & Wolfe's data (Table 1). Considering the difference in protocol, the similarity of the response to carbohydrate restriction, fasting and fasting + lipid is very good. Although the subjects in Klein & Wolfe's study lost comparable amounts of weight in the two procedures, the short duration and the substantial changes in body water make it difficult to accurately determine whether TAG storage follows the calculated value of J1 [65]. It is important to point out that in Bisschop's experiment, fatty acid oxidation does not keep up with the increase in dietary TAG but according to equations (6) and (7), the flux of TAG is increasing in the direction of breakdown of TAG and, again, explicit inclusion of J4 would further bias the results in that direction.
Similarity of the effects of starvation and carbohydrate restriction on fatty acid flux and oxidation
Study/subjects
Ra FA
- (ROX + RaFA)
(mg/dl)
(μmol/l)
(μmol/kg/min)
Ref: [62] High CHO
Ref: [65] Fast 84 h
Fast + Lipid
Data from references [62] and [65].
Although it would obviously be difficult to carry out experiments for long periods of time in humans, studies by Tomé's group have shown that rats fed a high fat diet without carbohydrate ate less and also gained less weight per calorie consumed than rats fed a high fat diet that included carbohydrate [21]. Similar results have recently been published by Kennedy, et al. have shown that a high fat/ketogenic diet could reverse the obesity induced by an isocaloric high fat diet that also contained sucrose [22]. The principle that the level of dietary TAG plays a passive role and that carbohydrate restriction is controlling suggests that evidence from the older literature showing weight loss on very high fat diets [66] might be worth re-examining. These were presumably not followed up because they were so counter-intuitive.
Glucose flux regulates TAG flux
Wolfe and Peters [67] measured the response to infusions of glucose in humans. The data shown in Table 2 indicate that the flux of glucose regulates the rate of TAG synthesis largely through the inhibition of lipolysis. The effect of glucose, in turn, is presumed to rest primarily with the effect of insulin.
The effect of glucose flux on calculated TAG flux
Ra(glucose) (μmol/kg/min)
fat oxidation (μmol/kg/min)
Ra FA (μmol/kg/min)
- SUM
Δ SUM
Data from reference [67].
The effect of carbohydrate is expressed in the regulation of insulin levels
Lipolysis is the primary target of insulin
It is well established that the primary effect of insulin, both kinetically and in terms of physiologic effect is on the inhibition of lipolysis and there is a large literature studying this effect (Review: [68]). In the language of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, this is expressed in the phenomenologic constant, L11. Campbell, for example, studied fatty acid metabolism in humans infused intravenously with insulin [46]. Figure 3 shows the decline in fatty acid flux as the plasma insulin is increased. Oxidation of fatty acid was also inhibited but by a much smaller amount, from 2.7 to 0.9 μmol/kg lean body mass/min. The total rate of primary reesterification (from fatty acid that is not released to the plasma after lipolysis) was similarly increased. Insulin levels further increase the uptake of plasma TAG due to increase lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. Frayn and coworkers[69, 70] have shown how the combination of LPL and lipolysis leads to increase in flux towards TAG storage. Again, the relative hormonal reduction in lipolysis and any increase in esterification due to mass action if plasma TAG is increased will determine if net TAG accumulation will occur. The importance of insulin can be seen in studies in which insulin secretion is indirectly inhibited via administration of a somatostatin antagonist octreotide. This intervention leads to a reduction in fat mass [6]. Conversely, it has long been known that chronic insulin therapy for diabetes leads to weight gain and decreased flux of fatty acids compared to isocaloric controls.
Effect of insulin on fatty acid flux. Free fatty acid appearance in plasma R(a) were examined in healthy humans infused intravenously with insulin. Data from reference [46]. Units converted for comparison to figure 5.
The most dramatic if abstract demonstration of the potential effect of carbohydrate restriction on insulin stimulation of fat cells comes from the study of the adipose-specific insulin receptor knockout mice FIRKO mouse of Bluher & Kahn [32, 71]. These animals have a knockout of the insulin receptor specific to the adipocyte. Widely discussed because of their increased longevity they also show greatly reduced efficiency in the storage of lipid and are significantly thinner than the wild type even though both groups consumed the same amount of food (Figure 4).
Weight change and food intake of the FIRKO mouse. Data from reference [71, 88] Adipose-specific insulin receptor knockout (FIRKO) mice have normal or increased food intake but are protected from obesity.
Insulin Flux
The flux of insulin for diabetic patients under two dietary conditions is shown in Figure 5. A consistently lower level of insulin throughout the day is seen under conditions of lower carbohydrate intake. In addition, Such behavior has been measured frequently in the literature. Chronic carbohydrate restriction means that this reduced insulin never catches up with control. The study from Gannon & Nuttal [72] was carried out under conditions of weight maintenance so that there is presumably a compensating fatty acid oxidation but it is clear that insulin flux is controlled by dietary carbohydrate which, in turn, reduces the flux of fatty acid.
Effect of diet on serum insulin concentration. Mean serum insulin concentration before (red) and after (blue) 5 weeks on a reduced carbohydrate diet (CHO:Lipid:Protein = 20:50:30) using a randomized crossover design with a 5-week washout period. Data from reference [72]. The control diet was (55:30:15). As noted in the text, the insulin values are in the linear range of the dependence of fatty acid flux on insulin and the pattern roughly proportional to the flux of fatty acid.
Availability of substrate affects efficiency
Glycerol-3-phosphate: PEPCK overexpression
The key substrate for TAG synthesis is glycerol-3-phosphate. Because adipocytes normally have very low levels of glycerol kinase, the flux of TAG is dependent on processes (J2) that supply glycerol-3-phosphate: glycolysis or, under conditions of starvation or glucose deprivation, glyceroneogenesis, a truncated form of gluconeogenesis [59]. These processes are dependent on the composition of the diet and the hormonal state of the organism. One approach to separating the effect of glucose from the effect of glucose-induced insulin, is the genetic manipulation of the level of enzymes under conditions of low glucose. Such a strategy allows one to isolate the driving force from the effects of hormone on the phenomenologic constants, L22 and L21. Franckhauser [73] overexpressed phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) in mice adipocytes. Under conditions of starvation, transgenic mice showed increased glyceroneogenesis which was accompanied by increased reesterification of free fatty acids (FAs), and a corresponding decrease in circulating FAs, both reflecting an increase in stored TAG (Table 3). In fact, the transgenic mice showed increased adipocyte size and fat mass, and higher body weight. Insulin sensitivity was preserved. When fed, nutrient consumption was the same for the experimental animals and the wild type. Thus, the change in the enzymatic activity of PEPCK affects the accretion of fat in the absence of any change in caloric intake or change in hormonal level that normally triggers changes in PEPCK levels. An overall change in the efficiency of food utilization is 2-fold for the heterozygotes and almost 4-fold for the homozygotes.
Effect of overexpression of PEPCK of starved mice on feeding
Starved mice
PEPCK activity (%)
(J2) pyruvate -> glycerol (cpm/mg prot/2 hr)
(J1) FA reesterification (mmol/mg prot/2 hr)
J1/J2 (mmol/cpm)
FAT PAD Wt. (mg)
Food consumed mg ± SE
3.3 ± 0.1
hetero-PEPCK
homo-PEPCK
In similar experiments, Shepherd, et al. [74] overexpressed adipocyte GLUT4 in transgenic mice. Body lipid was increased 2–3 fold in these mice compared to wild-type and the mutants had increased insulin sensitivity. Direct comparison to the simple model in Figure 2 is complicated by the fact that the transgenic mice showed fat cell hyperplasia rather than a simple increase in size.
Dietary fat and the effect of chronic carbohydrate restriction
The key question in the application of the model is the extent to which lipolysis and other catabolic processes that are increased by reductions in insulin are compensated for by the increased availability of dietary TAG (X4) if carbohydrate in the diet is replaced by fat. At this point, we can consider the process indicated by J4, the influx of plasma FA from plasma TAG, as a perturbation on overall TAG storage. The activity of lipoprotein lipase (J4) is increased by higher insulin and will be reduced by chronic carbohydrate restriction [75]. The effect of chronic diet on the response to dietary fat challenge can provide further data on this point. Sharman, et al. [47] showed that six weeks on a low carbohydrate ketogenic diet led to a substantially reduced postprandial serum triacylglycerol (TAG) response in normal-weight men (Figure 6). The low carbohydrate group, in distinction to controls, showed drastically reduced (-34 %) insulin levels. Thus, despite the higher fat intake, the rate of lipolysis increased and the contribution of activity of TAG (X4) went down.
Effect of chronic diets on postprandial response to high fat meal. Responses to high fat meal before and after 6 weeks on low carbohydrate (< 10% energy) ketogenic diet in overweight men. Data from reference [47].
The bottom line: efficient and dissipative modes
While no experiment in the literature measures all the relevant variables, comparisons of Figures 3, 5 and 6 give a sense of the difference in time dependent responses on low carbohydrate and high carbohydrate (high insulin) diets. The individual components that contribute are as follows:
1. Rate of lipolysis. Insulin represses lipolysis as shown in Figure 3. This is true even in insulin-resistant states such as diabetes. Carbohydrate restriction reduces insulin fluxes as indicated in Figure 5.
2. Figure 6 shows that the effect of chronic carbohydrate restriction compared to controls is to reduce plasma triglycerides (X4) in response to a fat challenge, reducing the activity of FA in the carbohydrate-restricted state compared to the higher carbohydrate state.
3. Lipoprotein lipase is known to be up-regulated by higher insulin increasing the flux of FA into the adipocyte (J4) under conditions of high carbohydrate.
4. Carbohydrate represses per cent fat oxidation.
Thus, all of the differences in high and low insulin states are in the direction of efficient modes in the former and toward more dissipative modes in the latter.
As a guide to future research, then, the continuous monitoring of FA flux and oxidation, or other variables that allow determination of TAG flux can be done with current technology and it is possible to test the role of kinetic regulation in different weight loss strategies and to rationalize variable efficiency. It is important to point out that a thermodynamic analysis explains the potential for the metabolic advantage for particular diets but can, as well, point the way to identifying other factors that maintain homeostasis. In other words, isocaloric diets do not always show differences in efficiency and the thermodynamic analysis suggests that it is as important to explain cases where metabolic advantage does not occur as those where it does.
Conductance matching
A metabolic scheme of the type considered here is traditionally evaluated in terms of the effect of the demand on the output by the load, or conductance matching by analogy with electronic systems [54, 58]. The assumptions of the model in Figure 2 is that there is effectively no load on the adipocyte: output of fatty acid and its subsequent utilization by other tissues, are independently regulated and the adipocyte, in effect, has very high output conductance, that is, supplies whatever fatty acid is required. Wolfe and coworkers [76–78] have emphasized the extent to which glucose controls fatty acid metabolism rather than the other way around as originally suggested in the Randle cycle [79, 80]. From the perspective of further metabolic analysis, the adipocyte may be considered a discrete modular element and could be patched into a larger network.
Variable metabolic efficiency due to the macronutrient composition of the diet is plausibly explained in terms of nonequilibrium thermodynamics by a shift in the cycling between dissipative lipolytic modes and efficient storage modes. Such a mechanism is consistent with experimental data on the effect of diet on metabolism. The nonequilibrium thermodynamic approach and the application to the FA-TAG cycle may raise general questions about metabolism.
Fatty acid flux, insulin resistance
There is an increasing perception that circulating fatty acids are critical in metabolic responses and, in particular, in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes [81–83]. The effect of insulin resistance on the disinhibition of lipolysis and an increase in fatty acid flux may be as important for the adipocyte as the effect on glucose uptake. In combination, the two effects may reduce TAG storage and may represent a down-regulation in response to excess insulin. As such, it may be thought of as beneficial for obesity and, at the same time, suggests that reduction in insulin directly or via carbohydrate restriction will improve insulin resistance.
The increase in circulating fatty acid remains problematical in that, whereas it does indicate that less TAG is stored, it is generally considered deleterious and may lead to peripheral insulin resistance. In addition, fatty acids are known to stimulate insulin secretion. On the other hand, the effects of high plasma FA may be different under conditions of low carbohydrate: FA-induced insulin secretion, for example, is strongly dependent on carbohydrate levels [48] and is probably not a factor at all if plasma glucose is low. In practice, carbohydrate restriction improves insulin resistance and the increased fatty acids may be considered a reflection of a more general paradox: it is observed that fatty acid levels are increased in obesity[68] and references therein), diabetes and insulin resistance but are also elevated by those conditions that mediate against these conditions: exercise, starvation and carbohydrate restriction. It is also paradoxical that the TZD's increase insulin sensitivity but also pre-dispose to obesity. The latter effect has been shown to be due at least partly to the increase in glyceroneogenesis (X2) [59, 84]. It could also be argued that the high levels indicate that FA is not being taken up by peripheral tissues as happens in insulin-resistant states. A recent review by Westman argues similarly that a so-called glycolytic pressure controls the disposition of fatty acid as fuel in muscles [85].
General perspective
Animal models provide very clear-cut demonstrations of inefficiency as a function of macronutrient composition and therefore it seems there is no theoretical barrier to accepting demonstrations in humans where ideal control is not possible. The driving force for TAG flux in the proposed model is the availability of carbohydrate and the key regulating phenomenologic constant depends on insulin and other hormones. Of course, the system is going to be subject to other cells and processes. De novo fatty acid synthesis is a significant effect. Moreover, this simple model makes no attempt to account for compensatory processes and the nonlinear effects that are ultimately expected in complex biological systems. For example, hepatic production of β-hydroxybutyrate, which increases twenty-fold during very low carbohydrate diets, inhibits lipolysis [86], likely blunting the effects of reduced insulin concentrations. The increased fatty acid flux under carbohydrate restriction will lead to increased insulin secretion and, at some point, these process would have to be added back into the model.
Relation to previous arguments on reduced energy efficiency
We previously pointed out a number of errors in the idea that weight regulation is necessarily independent of diet composition (and therefore insulin levels) [16, 35, 36]. We proposed several mechanisms and, in a practical sense, all of these – increased gluconeogenesis and associated increased protein turnover, increased mitochondrial uncoupling and increased substrate cycling – must be reflected in the flux of TAG if fat loss is to be effected. We have also pointed out that in a dietary intervention it is important to be specific about changes in fat mass not simply weight loss [87]. The mechanism is ultimately through fatty acid oxidation which, again, will be under separate control of glucose and hormones.
From a theoretical standpoint, the simplest objection to the idea that calorimeter values are sufficient to understand processing of food is that it assumes that no process other than complete oxidation takes place, that is, that metabolic reactions are the same as calorimeter reactions. This is obviously not generally true since living organisms use other reactants and make all kinds of products, proteins, ATP, etc. In comparing two diets of different macronutrient composition each diet itself must conform to the first law, but because they may be carrying out different overall chemical reactions, there is no requirement that the energy changes are the same in the two biological reactions just because the reference calorimeter values are the same. In addition, it is expected that different pathways will have different efficiencies as dictated by the second law. Thus, it is not thermodynamics, but the special characteristics of living systems that explain why energy balance is usually observed. Under most conditions, a steady state can be attained in which oxidation of food to CO2 and water is the major process, and the differences between the diets in the other reactions are small.
Finally, as noted above, application of thermodynamic laws is limited in systems that do not come to equilibrium. This has been described in the literature as the inappropriate use of ΔG values [37] when what is really measured under conditions where equilibrium is not attained is (∂G/∂ξ)T,P where ξ is the reaction progress coordinate. In the end, a thorough going analysis of the potential for inefficiency must consider nonequilibrium conditions.
Emphasis on kinetics and nonequilibrium thermodynamics provides a conceptual framework for understanding the effect of macronutrient composition on maintenance and change of body mass and possibly for analysis of adipocyte metabolism in general. The simple model presented is intended to be consistent with a general shift away from equilibrium thermodynamics and towards a more dynamic analysis of cellular processes.
FA:
FIRKO:
Adipose-specific insulin receptor knockout mice
LPL:
PEPCK:
phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase
Ra:
rate of appearance
triacylglycerol (triglycerides)
TZD:
thiazolidinedione
The authors contributed equally to the preparation of this work and have read and approved the final manuscript.
Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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Geography - International Service - Broadband Media Intelligence Service Service - Professional Video Intelligence Service
Advertising Intelligence Service (5)
Digital Signage & Professional Displays Intelligence Service (12)
Starz to launch international subscription VoD service
Tim Westcott | October 13, 2014
US pay TV broadcaster Starz is to launch a subscription video-on-demand service featuring its own and third party content outside the US. The venture, branded Starz Play International, will be a partnership with Parsifal Entertainment Group (the Sweden-based company which was invloved in the launch of HBO Nordic) and other financial institutions. Target date for the launch, and markets in which the service will be available, are still to be confirmed.
Netflix bids to adapt traditional film value chain
David Hancock | Charlotte Jones | October 03, 2014
The pact marks an industry first to debut a major feature film side by side on premium cinema screens and an online streaming service.
World Cup of Infrastructure and Technology
Przemek Bozek | August 04, 2014
The FIFA World Cup 2014 saw an interesting mix of innovation, strategy, preparation and achievements on the pitch - but these qualities were also notable in the broadcasting efforts that showcased the tournament to a global audience on a larger scale than ever. The investments in infrastructure and technology for the tournament proved that the broadcasting industry is entering a new age - where data is larger than ever before, networks more complex, availability must be guaranteed at 99 percent with several 9s after the coma, with secondary feeds always accessible to step in. In this new era, storage, sharing and network capacity cannot be considered as issues, but as a commodity, elementary service.
Media transport services market almost doubled in under 10 years
Przemek Bozek | July 23, 2014
“The global market for media transport services reached $16.5 billion in 2013 from $8.3 billion in 2006. During this period, traditional providers from satellite, teleport and terrestrial verticals recorded a doubling of revenues while fibre and CDN markets increased by three times and six times, respectively.
Cross Platform 3D Movies Market Monitor
Charlotte Jones | Fateha Begum | November 15, 2012 Subscribers Only
More ads good for short-term, but quality of ads will drive future Facebook growth
Facebook reported revenue growth of 32.3 per cent year-on-year (yoy) in Q3 2012, reaching global revenues of $1.26bn. Revenues from advertising amounted to $1.09bn, increasing 36.1 per cent yoy. They...
DreamWorks announces new international partnerships
DreamWorks has entered into a strategic partnership with London-based Mister Smith, a film finance, sales, and licensing company formed in May 2012 as a joint venture with Munich-based film production and distribution company Constantin Films. The deal in
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Your Dose Of Disruptive Tech For This Week !
Sankara Narayanan October 23, 2016
As a part of the tech in Techstory, we bring you the latest in the technology from around the world under “TECH THIS WEEK!” every Sunday! This week we saw Google flight’s new feature to update you regarding surge pricing and Whatsapp’s latest video calling feature for windows users in Sweden. We also saw Microsoft’s upgrade in speech recognition and Facebook’s efforts to load news feed even in low internet connection. In case, if you’ve missed any of those, along with Elon Musk’s final announcement on the product release, don’t worry just keep reading !
Google Flights Now Notifies You About Fare Changes
Google Flights can now help you be more confident that you’re booking your flight at the right time to get the best price. Google Flights now shows you when prices are expected to increase for some specific flights and routes you’re interested in.
After selecting a specific flight, a notification may appear letting you know when the current fare is expected to expire and how much you can save if you book now. For example, this flight to San Diego is likely to cost more in eight hours — and you would likely save $87 if you book before then.
If you’re looking at a certain route like New York to San Diego, but haven’t selected a specific flight yet, you may see a notification bar with multiple tips showing how to find the best price for this route. Tips can include things like recommendations for alternate airports or dates. You may also see a new tip telling you about an expected price jump based on historic prices for that route. When you tap on the card, you’ll see more details like how much the price is likely to increase and when.
If you’re still looking for inspiration on where to travel, tap on Explore to find ideas on destinations to visit based on the type of vacation you’re looking for. For example, you can look for destinations in the Caribbean with direct flights only.
Microsoft Researchers Reach Human Parity in Conversational Speech Recognition
Microsoft has made a major breakthrough in speech recognition, creating a technology that recognizes the words in a conversation as well as a person does.
In a paper published Monday, a team of researchers and engineers in Microsoft Artificial Intelligence and Research reported a speech recognition system that makes the same or fewer errors than professional transcriptionists. The researchers reported a word error rate (WER) of 5.9 percent, down from the 6.3 percent WER the team reported just last month.
The 5.9 percent error rate is about equal to that of people who were asked to transcribe the same conversation, and it’s the lowest ever recorded against the industry standard Switchboard speech recognition task.
The milestone means that, for the first time, a computer can recognize the words in a conversation as well as a person would. In doing so, the team has beat a goal they set less than a year ago — and greatly exceeded everyone else’s expectations as well.
The research milestone comes after decades of research in speech recognition, beginning in the early 1970s with DARPA, the U.S. agency tasked with making technology breakthroughs in the interest of national security. Over the decades, most major technology companies and many research organizations joined in the pursuit.
The milestone will have broad implications for consumer and business products that can be significantly augmented by speech recognition. That includes consumer entertainment devices like the Xbox, accessibility tools such as instant speech-to-text transcription and personal digital assistants such as Cortana.
Tesla Will Have Fully Autonomous Cars By End Of 2017 !
In a time when Apple seems to have scaled back on its iCar project and Google is making every efforts to gets Google self driving car out on the road, Elon Musk today announced that all vehicles being produced in the Tesla factory will have hardware needed for full self-driving capability. Elon Musk also said that the safety level of these cars will be much higher than that of human driven cars.
Musk said that his company is aiming to demonstrate a drive of this full autonomy from LA to New York, including parking the car, by the end of next year. The company apparently has been testing their hardware for the last 1 year.
These new cars now have 8 cameras for a 360 degree view of the surroundings and have a new computer, boosting the processing power by a factor of 40.
By promising to deliver a fully autonomous car by the end of 2017 , Elon Musk has show yet again that he is going to work with very aggressive timeframes. While Google has been working on the project since 2009, well know car brands such as Ford, Mercedes, and others are giving a 2020 to 2025 timeframe for their cars to become self-driving.
Facebook to Show News Feed Even in a Slow Connection
Facebook reported that it has just brought an important change to the News Feed, the heart of your Facebook experience where updates and other posts show up when you log into the social network.
Now, as you scroll down your feed, Facebook will insert new stories as and when they pop up, instead of showing you an alert that there are new stories.
The idea is pretty straightforward – when you scroll down the News Feed on mobile, you’re only looking at old stories. This change means that instead of having to go to the top of the feed and refresh your list, you’ll be able to see new stories while you’re scrolling through old ones.This feature will be accessible only on the Android app as of now.
While the impetus of this work comes from focusing on improving the News Feed experience for people in emerging markets, these updates also will benefit people who typically have strong internet connections, as we all experience less than ideal internet connections at times.
WhatsApp Video Calling Beta Version Out Now on Windows!
Finally the moment that everyone was waiting for has arrived, WhatsApp has started testing Video Calling on Windows phone for now. It’s still in beta version, but soon we’ll get to see that come into the latest update.
The Windows Phone users can update their app to see the feature getting available, but remember, the call receiver on the other end also needs to be on the Windows Phone OS, otherwise the video call won’t go through.
However, the video calling feature is yet to roll out on Android or iOS-based phones. As per reports the features will follow on these devices soon, but its unclear on any timeline.
As one clicks on the call button, on the windows phone, both Video and Voice call options appear. You can even mute or swap between the front and rear cameras during the video call.
There are lots of interesting things coming up in the latest update. A recent WhatsApp update added several new camera features for the user, reports the Independent. These new features allows a user to add emoji to the images. The update also brings a new way to add a user to group conversations and some Snapchat-like features lined up as well.
Source: techstory
For regular updates on Tech, check out Techstory’s Technology Space!
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Techstory’s TECH NEWS 21st June 2019
Rohan Mathawan June 21, 2019
RPA Firm Automation Anywhere Announces Strategic Collaboration with Microsoft
Apoorv Anupam June 13, 2019
Facebook stops Huawei from pre-installing apps on smartphones
Udit Agarwal June 8, 2019
Infosys and Microsoft Collaborate to Deliver Smart Buildings and Spaces Solutions
Apoorv Anupam June 6, 2019
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More cases of Facebook app data exposure found by researchers
Updated: April 3, 2019 7:54 PM EDT
In this March 29, 2018, file photo, the logo for Facebook appears on screens in New York's Times Square. Richard Drew / AP
SAN FRANCISCO — Security researchers have uncovered more instances of Facebook user data being publicly exposed on the internet, further underscoring its struggles as it deals with a slew of privacy and other problems.
Facebook left millions of passwords readable by employees
Facebook launches AI to find and remove ’revenge porn’
Facebook data deals under criminal investigation: Report
The researchers from the firm UpGuard said in a blog post Wednesday that the data, which included user names and passwords, came from two different Facebook apps that stored their data publicly on Amazon’s cloud services. Facebook said the databases have been taken down.
But the episode illustrates Facebook’s issues with controlling its users’ data, especially once it is in the hands of third-party developers.
The databases were from a Mexico-based media company called Cultura Colectiva, which included more than 540 million records — like user comments and likes — and from an app called At the Pool. The researchers said passwords stored for At the Pool were “presumably” for the app and not for Facebook. Still, storing them publicly could put people at risk if they used the same passwords across different accounts.
While the At the Pool data collection was not as large as that for Cultura Colectiva, UpGuard said it included plain text passwords for 22,000 users. The app itself shut down in 2014, and UpGuard said it is not known how long the user details were exposed.
The discovery comes a little over a year after Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which the data mining firm affiliated with Donald Trump got personal data on millions of Facebook users.
“As Facebook faces scrutiny over its data stewardship practices, they have made efforts to reduce third party access. But as these exposures show, the data genie cannot be put back in the bottle,” UpGuard wrote in its blog post. “Data about Facebook users has been spread far beyond the bounds of what Facebook can control today.”
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Marketing strategies by Bisleri
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Marketing Strategies of Bisleri
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Bisleri Marketing Strategies - 77 Pages (1)
BISLERI PROJECT REPORT
Bisleri Test
Bisleri Marketing Strategies
2362. Studying the Impact of Marketing & Distribution Strategy of Bisleri[Akshay]
Bisleri-Project of Marketing Strategies
Sales and Distribution of Bisleri
HNCD-130204
Analysis of Marketing Strategy of Mineral Water Industry
Bisleri Marketing Project
Bisleri project for management student
Bisleri Marketing & Competitor Analysis New Project
Is Your Organization Living Up to Its Core Values
Title 1.Acknowledgement 2.Introduction 3.Company Profile 4.Marketing Strategy 5.Advertising Campaign of Bisleri 6.Packaging and Distribution 7.Marketing Mix 8.Competition in Market 9.Product Profile 10.Manufacturing 11.Objective 12.Research Methodology 13.Result & Discussion 14.Conclusion 15.Recommendation 16.Limitations 17.Bibliography 18.Annexures Page No. 3-4 5-14 15-16 17-22 23-31 32-34 35-42 43-47 48-52 53-58 59-60 61-66 67-75 76-79 80-82 83-84 85-86 87-90
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The accomplishment of my research was possible only due to the cooperation, coordination and united efforts of different individuals, several sources of material, knowledge and time. Pertaining to this I therefore take this opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude to entire staff and employees of the Bisleri Ltd.
I am very graceful to Mr. Mukesh Cooperation.
Agarwal (Sr. Sales
Executive) for his guidance and encouragement for his Kind
The moving spirit behind this research was all of them, without their constant encouragement and support this research would not have been a successful outcome.
(Vivek Kumar Mishra)
INTRODUCTION Water is the most important liquid in the world. Without water, there would be no life, at least not the way we know it. In today's living condition, the need for Pure Drinking Water is becoming the issue for the common Man. Eighty percent of the human metabolism consists of water. This is the reason why 90% of human diseases are water borne. There are 3 types of water impurities, which are root cause of water borne diseases. 1. Microbiological-Bacteria / virus. 2. Dissolved impurities - chemical. 3. Imbalance of Mineral Content. There are rapid changes that are taking place in our environment since long and the air and the water pollution is on an increase. The main source of drinking water is river and downstream which also have not been able to escape the pollution. When a consumer became aware of the
problems caused by water pollution the market saw an advent of ceramic water filters, which filters the dust and suspended particles but dissolved impurities and
microbiological impurities are not cleared out. The mineral balance is also not maintained. 1980's witnessed more changes by a tap attachment wherein Iodine resin is used to filter the water. It deactivates microbiological impurities to an extent but has side effects due to iodine and it does not take care of dissolved impurities mineral balance. Late 1980's witnessed Ultra Violent based purifier, which filters dust and deactivates bacteria to a great extent. It maintains the odor and color of water but does not clear out the dissolved impurities and mineral particles. Thus came advent of mineral water. Historically, the need for purified water within Indian homes had been kept down to a minimum. Essentially, there were three types of water that was used for different purposes.
The first type was used for rinsing. The second type, which was used for cooking, was cleaner and kept covered. The third type was the cleanest drinking water and was very often boiled before use. Since an average family needed a small quantity, not more than five or six liters a day, boiled and filtered water had been a convenient solution for some time .The fallouts were obvious. It was very difficult to convince the people that purification system was worth the price. There was no visible way to demonstrate the benefit. The otherwise somnolent market began to change once companies like Eureka Forbes targeted the office segment, while the mineral water players went after travelers. Ion Exchange was the only company, which had any measure of success in entering homes with Zero-B. But clean drinking water returned on the national agenda a little later. Around 1989, drinking water became an issue again.
Around early 1990s,Time did a story on India as a key emerging market and that was the trigger for all the players eyeing this market.
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE West Europeans, south Asians and Japanese live in the most densely populated regions of the globe and worry constantly about the quality of their drinking water drawn from rivers and lakes. Most is polluted and unfit for human consumption. In North America, people never worried about water quality and safety until early 1970s and restaurants always provided iced water free. Some still do. Then came Perrier, the French mineral water emphasizing how restaurateurs could increase their revenues by replacing iced water service with bottled water. Restaurateurs never miss an opportunity to increase their profits, and soon studies started to surface claiming that serving iced water was costly and no one benefited. Many restaurants started serving automatically bottled water, and charged outrageous amounts i.e $ 3.50 for 300 ml. These days, a 750 ml bottle goes for $ 10.- in some restaurants, plus applicable taxes and tip!
Meanwhile, the word savvy bottled water marketers started circulating the myth that drinking bottled mineral water is safer, never mentioning what their studies were comparing. It is said that the inhabitants of seven cities between Switzerland and the Netherlands consume the water of the Rhine River. In these parts people drink beer, wine, bottled water or fruit juices and shun tap water. North Americans have recently begun to drink bottled water, but already the distinction between spring water, mineral water, and filtered tap water is blurred beyond redemption. Spring water must come from a natural springs with proven purity of contaminants; mineral water must contain 2000 parts per million in minerals; and filtered tap water means just that. Europeans always preferred mineral water or eau de source (spring water) since their rivers were polluted a long time ago. Now considerable efforts are made to clean all major European Rivers. The Rhine River, the Thames, the Loire are clean enough to allow several species of fish to thrive.
As always, large companies with considerable cash reserves dominate the market. Groupe Danone, a French conglomerate, markets Evian, Volvic and Crystal Springs; Nestle, a Swiss food multinational with headquarters in Montreux markets Perrier,
Nestle Pure Life and San Pellegrino. Not to be outdone soft drink giant Coca-Cola joined the cause with filtered tap water and positioned their brand as pure, safe, life-style water. Coca Cola markets Dasani and Pepsi Cola Aquafina. When it comes to mineral water, Voss (Norway); Tynant (Ireland); Vitel, Cathledon, Volvic, (France); Appolinaris (Germany), Spa (Belgium); Gasteiner (Austria); San Benedetto, San Pellegrino, Aqua di Nepi, Lete (Italy), Ramlosa (Sweden);Borsec (Romania) stand out. They display distinct taste profiles that spring and filtered waters lack, but tend to be more expensive. When it comes to consumption, Canadians consume approximately 30 litres per capita, Italians 158 litres, French 133, Dutch 119, Germans 101 and Americans 76. The low per capita consumption can be attributed to the illusion that tap water is safe. In reality, only large cities control tap water quality regularly and vigorously and treat it appropriately for safety. In small communities, scarce financial resources and lacking expertise often make tap water safety questionable. Since the introduction of PET bottles (polyethylene terephate) bottled water consumption increased by 16 percent in five years and continuing growth of the market is forecast by the Canadian Bottled Water Association in Richmond Hill, Ontario. The question for restaurant patrons remains whether to ask for
It all depends on the situation. You can ask politely for ice water, if that is what you prefer, or a glass of wine, or beer. The cost is almost the same for all the three, or you can complain to management that prices charged for bottled water are ridiculous as is the case with wine.
MINERAL WATER INDUSTRY CURRENT MARKET SCENARIO
A few years back, the mineral water market had been crawling at the rate of 3-4%, or even a lower figure. Indians carried drinking water in earthen pitchers, plastic or PUF bottles. But increasing cases of typhoid and other waterborne diseases began to be reported. In addition to this,
liberalization happened and the mineral water industry began to be stirred and shaken. The market started growing an astounding rate of over 100% per annum. The fact that there were very few players in the market meant that their business grew by leaps and bounds. The market today has grown to Rs11bn. The organized sector - branded mineral water -- has only Rs5bn of market share. The rest is accounted for by the unorganized sector, which is dominated by small regional players. The market is still growing at a rate greater than 80% per annum.
In the branded segment, Parles Bisleri is the market leader with a share of more than 45%. Parle Agros Bailley comes a close second with market share of 15%. Other major players in the market are Yes of Kotharis, Ganga of T-Series, Himalayan, Hello, Nestls Pure Life, Pepsis Aquafina, CocaColas -Kinley Prime etc. Sensing the opportunity that this segment holds, MNCs began to draw up plans to enter the market. Today the market is proving to be yet another battlefield for an ongoing battle between the Desis and MNCs. Last year the industry had around 170 brands. This figure is over 300 presently. The major foreign players are Coca-Cola promoted Kinley, Pepsis Aquafina, Britannias Evian, Nestls Perrier, Herbert sons and Danone International.
The origins of Bisleri in Italy , and the brand owes its name to founder Felice Bisleri, an Italian entrepreneur. In 1967, Bisleri set up a plant in Mumbai for bottling and marketing mineral water, which was first of its kind in India. However, it didnt work well. Among other reasons, the fact that the Indian consumer was unprepared to accept bottled mineral water was responsible for its failure. Consumer mindsets were more geared towards boiling water at home. In 1969, Parle bought over the Bisleri brand. In those days Bisleri water was available in glass bottles. Parle's taking charge of Bisleri did not make a dramatic difference to the brand's fortunes immediately. While it did gain in terms of visibility and reach ( Parle's existing distribution network), efforts to expand the bottled water market were not exactly painstaking. Parle at that particular time was interested in making soda water and not mineral water. There were just minor initiatives on part of the company for making mineral water, as it was not considered to be a very profitable business at that time as people still considered boiling water to be a safer and better than mineral water. Moreover they
were not ready to pay for a commodity like water, which was so abundantly available. In 1972-73 Parle changed the packaging of its bottled water to plastic bottles and that significantly made a difference in the sales. The buyers, then, were mainly the upper class - the trendy people. In 1993, Coca-Cola bought Parles soft drink brands- Thumpsup, limca etc. While Coca-Cola actually bought over Parle's beverages, it agreed to a settlement that allowed the multinational to bottle and distribute Bisleri soda for a time frame of five years. The charge of Bisleri water, however, remained with Parle. The upsurge in the sales of Bisleri started from this point as Parle sold off its stable of brands to CocaCola. This was the time when it started concentrating on making Bisleri a success in the domestic mineral water market. The reason why Parle chose to retain the Bisleri name was that Parle saw a fairly lucrative business of mineral water in Bisleri's equity. The real shift in companys policy towards mineral water industry came in 1998,although the conscious efforts had already been started in 1994. This change was primarily because of the fact that the people, at this time, had started becoming more health conscious.
It is complete and an unbeatable plan designed specifically for attaining the marketing objective of a firm. The marketing objective indicate what the firm want to achieve. The marketing strategy provides the design for achieving them the linkage
between marketing strategies and over all corporate success is indeed direct and vital. Realizing the marketing objectives is the purpose of two generic categories . 1. price based 2. Differentiation based
price based marketing strategy a business that opts for the price route in its competitive battle will enjoy certain flexibilities in matter of its product and use prices as main competitive level . it will price its product to suit the varying competitive demands . it will be enjoying certain inherent cost advantages , which permits it to resort a price
based fight . the major forms where such cost advantage can occurs are economies of sale , absolute cost advantages ,. Benefits of early entry a large market share build over a time . it provides freedom in the matter of pricing but after producing a particular product and getting stuck in the face of the competition , one can not successfully opt for a price led strategy .
The differentiation based strategy marketing strategy based on differentiation works on the principle that any aspect of the offer and any activity of the firm can be made distinctive compared with the competiting offers. Right from technology, plant location to post sale and service a company can perceptibly differentiate and many buyer values. Companies usually choose those functions , Which give them the greatest relative advantage.
Different firms adopts different strategy stances as their situational design differ18
Broadly strategy stances can be classified under three heads1- Offensive StrategyOffensive Strategy also known as confrontation strategy , is a strategy of aggression. A firm that is not presently the leader usually employs it, but it aspires to leadership position in the Industry.
2- Defensive StrategyThe leader who has the compulsion to defend his position against the confrontation of powerful existing competitors or to dislodge the leader from his topmost position usually employs it.
3- Niche StrategyA firm pactising the niche strategy neither confronts other nor defends itself. It cultivates a small market segment for itself with unique products / services supported by a unique marketing mix.
Formulating the Marketing StrategyFormulating the marketing strategy consists of two main steps1- Selecting the target marketIt does not fully bring out import of the inseparable linkage between the two. When the selection of the target market is over an important part of the marketing strategy of the firm is already determined, defined and expressed. 2- Assembling the marketing mixAssembling the marketing mix means assembling the four ps of marketing in the right combination.
The firm has to find out how it can generate the best sales and profit. It plans different marketing mixes with varying levels of expenditure on each element and tries to figure out the effectiveness of each combination in terms of the possible sales and profit.
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN OF BISLERI Every brand needs a good ad campaign to establish itself in the market. So it becomes very imperative to look at various ad campaigns that Bisleri undertook to build itself as a brand. Bisleri started its game plan with the punch line of Pure and Safe and used the same catch-line for advertising. But with the advent of many new players, all claiming the purity, it became very imperative for Bisleri to differentiate its product so as to stand out in the market. Bisleri found the answer in sealed cap bottles. It claimed 100% purity. While the bottles of the other brands, it claimed, could be refilled with ordinary, or even germinated water, Bisleris seal capped bottles ensured the consumer of purity of water and single-used ness of the bottles. The ad showed a milk-man and a child showering their buffaloes and filling the so-called mineral water bottles with the same water and packing them with the simple polythene seal and the consumer not knowing about the purity of the water he is drinking. Next clip shows the Bisleri bottles being sealed with plastic caps and ensuring the purity of water. The ad did work for Bisleri and it got its much needed product differentiation.
In 2000, some giant brands like Pepsi and coca-cola entered the mineral water industry with a big bang. Bisleri now had a big threat of maintaining its market cap. While Coca-cola introducing its brand Kinley as a health care product, Pepsi projected Aquafina as something as pure as Your own body. Pepsi targeted the young generation and introduced Aquafina as a fancy product to carry. The ad campaign of Aquafina emphasized as 70% of your body is water and thus give your body the purest water. The ad showed young vibrant models and created the atmosphere of youthfulness. Water, Pepsi claimed, was no longer a simple beverage, but was something highly fashionable. They complimented it by giving their bottles an attractive look. This soon caught the eye of the consumer. All these factors made Pepsi the biggest upcoming competitor of Bisleri (whereas Kinley lagged behind the race, showing a doctor advising a family to take Kinley for pure water not a very attractive ad campaign). Bisleri, to counter-attack the new Feel-Young fever had to even bolder steps. They first changed their base line from Pure and Safe to Play Safe. They tried a brand new ad campaign to catch the fancy of consumer. The new ad showed a young romantic couple on a marooned island, when the girl seductively
attracts the guy and he follows her in trance. The moment he gets hold of her, she whispers something in his ears. The next few shots show the guy looking for something in frenzycan not find it.rushes towards the chemists shop.buys something (keeping the audience in suspenseor rather implicitly pointing for ). The girl opens it and.POOF.takes out a bottle of Bisleri and quenches her thirst. Caption: Play Safe. This campaign was to catch the attention of youth and a new Indian society which is supposed to be not-so-prudish. Thus Bisleri has taken a very bold step. The T.V. ads have been complimented by print ads also. The company has to focus on the marketing management of the product. In light of the challenge in front of the company and its current strengths and position, we have incorporated the marketing mix to counter the marketing strategies of the competitors by developing its own marketing.
AQUAFINA ADVERTISEMENTS AND BISLERI
A drop-dead gorgeous body flexes its muscles on the screen. This starkly arresting black and white image is then splashed with water. A voice-over informs you that 70 per cent of your body is water. Why not give it the purest. Aquafina Bottled water from Pepsi. This kind of advertisement campaign used by the competitors is giving the company a tough time. The competitor, Pepsi, is utilizing the brand image built by it and is again targeting the Generation X maintaining the company image. Its an unusual ad for this category. Till now, most marketers have focused on educating the consumer on how bottled water is a safer option, with the lead of course, taken by the popular national brand Bisleri. But Pepsi chose to junk this approach and it could well afford to. Bisleri, after all, had already done most of the hard work needed to build the bottled water category. What Pepsi needed was to establish its brand in this crowded, fragmented market. Our task was made easier because was made easier because Bisleri had
concentrated on educating the consumer, instead of building its own brand values," says Rohit Ohri, vice president and client services director, Hindustan Thompson Associates Limited (HTA). We wanted the imagery to posit~on Aquafina as a youthful, premium and fun brand," says Vibha Rishi, executive director, Pepsi. The idea, she says, was not to objectify bodies so that one could drool over them. "Instead, we are talking about your body and the need for each one to take care of his or her body." The ad copy, which spoke of the water content in our bodies, was actually trying to establish how important water was to our well- being and how we need to continuously replenish it. While the thinking was clear that the imagery had to be built in and around purity, HTA did toy with a couple of other ideas and situations. Initially, the idea was to focus more strongly on the fun aspect and create a story line complete with a smart idea and a twist at the end. "But we gave it up because we felt that the story might take the mind away from the purity aspect that was a must to highlight," says Ohri. So HTA adopted a minimalist approach and created a film with little clutter and no props, which tried to capture the emotion of "feeling good about yourself'. While the film and the imagery are
completely the work of HT A, the strategic thinking comes from the Mother Company in the US. Aquafina, in fact, is the largest-selling bottled water brand in the US with a 12 per cent market share, and India is the first country outside of the US where Aquafina is being bottled. Even in the US, the ad talks of the percentage of water in our bodies, but the handling is a little more serious. For example, the film will show an emotional moment where someone starts crying, and then you will hear the voice-over, "85 per cent of your eyes are water. "There is no internal law that forces us to follow the international positioning. But seeing the quality of thinking that has gone into this, we decided to stay with this positioning, though the statements here are quite different," explains Rishi. Aquafina, like all offeFings that come from the Pepsi stable, also imbibes the core values of the mother brand. It addresses the Pepsi-user base, largely the youth, and like Pepsi ,it is also being positioned as a hip brand. But Aquafina is a lot that Pepsi is not. It is a little bit older, mature and affluent, and not as mass based as Pepsi.
Pepsi's role in the communication is that it is the source of credibility for the product and, of course, establishes the youthfulness of the brand. But Aquafina is a brand in its own right and with each piece of communication, its personality will emerge," feels Ohri. But while Aquafina is being given a distinct identity, it is also being targeted at the Pepsi consumer and is addressing their need for safe and reliable drinking water. Will this not cannibalize Pepsi sales? "Water does eat into the cola market," agrees Rishi, "but we can't build a business for Pepsi based on people's lack of access to safe drinking water. How can any business be built on deprivation?" Both will have to co-exist and carve a market out for themselves, And~ while Pepsi targets the 18-25 year olds, Aquafina also includes the 30somethings together with the college crowd. Like Pepsi, Aquafina too is looking to command a premium without being unaffordable. It is being positioned as a premium product, not via pricing, but in imagery and packaging. Priced at Rs. 10 in Delhi for a 750ml. bottle, it is priced marginally higher than the competition that gives you one liter for Rs. 10. The swirl shaped PET bottle resembles the Pepsi family and is sturdier and more hip than most others in the category that take their design cues, it seems,
from the one liter refined oil bottles in the market. The decision to break the norm and come up with a 750 ml pack size was more driven by the fact that water is fundamentally consumed on the go and the 750 ml size is easy to carry around. "It is ideal for an half-an-hour in the sun, one liter gets too bulky," says Rishi. Pepsi's future plans at the moment don't include commg up with size variants. They have also ruled out the possibility of catering to the bulk market, which actually constitutes 30 per cent of the total bottled water market that stands at 70 million liters annually, and is growing anywhere between 30 and 50 per cent. Pepsi, obviously, is looking for a big slice of this burgeoning market, but as Subroto Chattopadhyay, executive vice president, marketing, Pepsi, says, "We have a building blocks approach, first we have to build the brand, and then the volumes. Bisleri is tackling the situation by building the brand on the purity plan. Akin to brand building in soft drinks, an aggressive printand-TV campaign is being backed by hoarding, point-of-sale material, and every interface with the consumer is being used as an opportunity to reinforce the message. For instance, all the vehicles used for supply have been painted in bright blue, bear the Bisleri logo and sport catchy baselines like. "Play Safe".
Variety is spices of life. Today for any business organization to be successful it has to provide its customer with the differentiated product that is a value buy for them. In order to cater to changing needs of the customer the business has to continuously come out with the variants of the products so that it can target the maximum segments. Today Bisleri Minerals offers a variety of packaging options: 1 lit, 2 lit, 5 lit, 20 lit. The 5 litre bottles account for 35 % of sales showing a growing health concern among the Indian society. 1 litre bottles account for 30% of the share . The 2 litres bottle introduced to slowly and steadily replace the conventional 1 litre bottle.
The 5 litre packs, launched in dec 1999 everywhere.
Its obvious that availability holds the key to the market .For any product to be successful distribution system has to be really good. Large tracts of the country have not been explored by the national brands, which explains the proliferation of smaller brands. Bisleris strategy is to build a direct distribution system at an all India level that means serious investment In company owned trucks and carts, this would make it the largest fleet owner in the country. Bisleri has around 80,000 retail outlets in the country with about 12,000 each in the Delhi and Mumbai. It is intended to be increased this no. to 10,00,000 in order to expand brands reach.
The company will invest approximately Rs.200 cr. to procure 2000 trucks and hire same no. of sales people. The company plans to have its own distribution network in places where it has its own plant
tools-
product,
promotion, and place (4 Ps), that the firm blends to produce the response it wants, in the target markets.
Product The main product of the company is the mineral water by the name of Bisleri Mineral water. Other than mineral water the
company has also the soda water under its brand name called the Bisleri Soda Water. The concept of bottled mineral water was introduced in India, first by Bisleri, and that is the reason, it has become a generic name for the mineral water. Bisleri has become a perfect synonym of the mineral water for the Indian consumers. The main challenge facing the company or any other player in this mineral water industry is that there is no scope of invention and innovation in the product, which can be added as the additional benefits of the product.
It is just water after all. This is what the Indian customers think of the bottled water. If we are talking about a product like television we can think that the innovations could provide extra benefits derived from the product. For example other than its core usage the product can provide for Internet facilities using conversion.
Place Place stands for the company activities that make the product available to the target customers. To make the product available to the target consumers a good distribution network has to be there to support the good quality of the product. Here in the case of the mineral water industry the distribution network is the important factor in being
competitive and the catch lies in making water available to maximum number of places in the country.
DISTRIBUTION NETWORK: The small-scale players built their sales by piggybacking on the generic category built up by Bisleri. Its a battle that Bisleri can win by sheer distribution muscle. One of the reasons why Bisleri is running strong in this industry is its strong distribution network built over the years since its inception. Further, Bisleri plans to increase its distribution network over the southern and eastern region, where it is
behind popular brands like Team in Tamil Nadu and in Andhra Pradesh. Prices for following packaging variants (AN ECONOMIC FACTOR AFFECTING THE BUYERS BEHAVIOR) Price is the sum of values that consumer exchange for the benefits of having or using the product or service. Price is the only element in the marketing mix that produces revenue. All other elements represent costs. In India, where the majority of the population comprise of the middle-income group and lower income groups it is not hard to understand that pricing is one of the most important factor in the buying decisions. Bisleri has met the expectations of the consumers in terms of pricing the product and also making the product available in variations of litres, making Bisleri both convenient and affordable. The company is following a very aggressive pricing. Its product is available at a very reasonable price.
1 Ltrs 2 Ltrs 5 Ltrs 20Ltrs Promotion
Rs. 13&15/Rs. 22/Rs. 40/Rs 70/-
Modern marketing calls for more than just developing a good product, pricing it attractively, and making it available to the target customers, companies must also communicate with their customers, and what they communicate should not be left to chance. A Companys total marketing communications programcalled its Promotion Mix consists of specific blend of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and public relations tools that the company uses to pursue its
advertising and marketing objectives.
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN:
While designing the advertisement campaign, it is necessary to keep in mind the opinion leaders. Youth are the opinion leaders of the present time. And thus it becomes necessary to design the campaign keeping the youth in mind. The opinion leaders would further trickle down the message to the less active members of the society. This is exactly what Bisleri is doing. Bisleri has started an advertisement campaign stressing the point of purity and flaunting the patent right the company has over the breakaway seal. The company has tried to put the message across louder, by using the ad campaign that catches the eye of everyone, specially the youth. \
CONTENT OF THE CAMPAIGN: Bisleri that was looking for a differentiator decided to make the breakaway seal the symbol of purity. The tamper-proof seal was developed, around which the communication was woven. The campaign stresses the safety provided by the
conventionally sealed bottles can be refilled and recycled. The objective with the campaign would have been to highlight the tamper-proof seal and create doubt in the consumers mind of the purity of the other brands. That is, Bisleri is the only one that guarantees purity and keeps you Safe. To conclude: We find that new advertisement campaign of Bisleri is eye catching. This is what the company should do. And also the company should make the message clearer to the customers that it has the patent right over the breakaway seal. In the survey we found that the consumers are aware of the breakaway seal but are not aware that the company has the patent right.
Apart from a high dose of investments on expanding bottling capacities and an ad budget thats risen six-fold over last year, if Bisleri wants to penetrate every possible segment of the market, it can do that by introducing more pack sizes and establishing the brand strongly with trendy new packaging. Apart from creating consumer pull with campaign, the company, to increase its sales would have to do the sales push as well. For that it would have to give the retailers and
other stockiest high trade margins and incentives for keeping the product. This is very important in case of this product because consumers would take up what is available to them at ease and whatever retailer is giving.
The mineral water market is set to explode and hit the Rs.2,000-crore mark in the next couple of years. This is drawing the big guns attention. First Britannia launched Evian. And recently, soft drinks giant Pepsi entered the fray with Aquafina. Now, Nestle too is reportedly planning a foray. Meanwhile, Parle Agros Bailey has been growing steadily. Small local players too are breathing down Bisleris neck riding on better trade margins and intensive distribution (in their respective areas of operation). The competition facing Bisleri can be categorized into a few brand names like
Parle Bailey Pepsi Aquafina Coca Cola Kinley
With Parles Bailey being the main competitor and second in market share in the organized market, Bisleri faces
tremendous competition from the unorganized sector.
Aquafina The advantage for Aquafina is that though there are over 300 labels of bottled water in the Indian market, few can be called brands. It is necessary to remember that every product with a name is not a brand; even Bisleri has become generic to this category. It does not have any emotional values attached to it. So there was no difficulty for Pepsi in creating space in such a market, which is completely different from the soft drinks market, where it will be very difficult for any new player to find a slot. So the creative team at HTA virtually had an empty canvas to work on. And it came up with a campaign that did have people talking. First, a series of teasers, followed by a film
that showed healthy bodies and youthful people and, of course, lots of water. Although Aquafina is only available in a 750 ml pet bottle, the pricing, at Rs.10, is competitive. And it is safe. In addition to the tamper proof seal, there is a reliable method of checking whether the bottle has been refilled. The date of
manufacturing has been written on the cap as well as on the bottle. Thus a person who is refilling it would have to find a matching cap and bottle, the probability of which is very low. Coca Cola- Kinley Coca-Cola joined the race by announcing the imminent launch of its own brand of water and, in the process, putting to rest rumors of its so-called takeover of Bisleri. Kinley is targeting institutions. Parle Agros- Bailley Bailley the brand that is owned by Ramesh Chauhans brother Prakash Chauhan is very popular in the southern part
of India. Southern part of India accounts for 20% of the sale of the whole water market industry. Bisleri would have a tough competition from Bailley since the company plans to spread its presence in that part of the country. Another thing that makes the competition difficult for the company is the price at which its competitor is offering the product. Like Bisleri it also gives the 1 lt. For Rs.10. The only strength point of the company, which it can capitalize, is its generic name. And also the company would have to enter that market with a strong distribution base. We know the fact that Bailley has grown at a rapid pace using the route of franchising, which Bisleri has not adopted as yet. This is another point, which the company would have to take care of to face the competition.
Its a compliment being generic to the category, but its not very good when consumers think any mineral water brand is Bisleri Bisleri, a product established in India by Ramesh Chauhan, Chairman of Parle Aqua Minerals has become a generic brand. Bisleri was the first marketed bottled water in a totally virgin market. The brand has become synonymous with mineral water; consumers accept any brand offered by the retailer when they ask for Bisleri. So far Ramesh Chauhans Bisleri enjoys the largest market share of 56% in the Rs1100 crores mineral water markets and is growing at the rate of 180% per annum. Annual sales of Bisleri have touched Rs400 crores. In seventies, 'Bisleri' was the only mineral water, which had national presence, and the sale was to the tune of approximately one hundred thousand cases valued at about Rs.60 lacs.
i. ex e
5 liter jar Rs.35
20 liter jar Rs. 60
A quick look at Bisleri's manufacturing reach indicates that it is represented across the country North accounts for 35% of sales for the industry, West accounts for 30%, South 20% and the East 15%. In order to be available in untapped areas Bisleri has setup 16 plants located all over the country - three-fourths of which are company owned. The balance is run by franchisees. Bisleri has 5 plants in the North, 5 in the West- two of which were setup in the last year at Ahmedabad and Surat, 4 in the South and 2 in the East. The company has bottling units located in Chennai, Bangalore, Calcutta, Mumbai, Delhi,
Jaipur, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Indore and Nepal. The new plants are being set up in states like Kerala, Orissa, Bihar and North Eastern States, which have been unexplored by the company.
It is also changing its production strategy and shifting to a 10-hr production schedule with sudden increase in demand planned to be met by additional production. Bisleri has planned to expand its operations by investing Rs.60 crores in the upgradation of facilities. The 120-bottles per minute (BPM) capacity of the 16 units across the country will be increased to 240 BPM. Conscious of the environmental implications of its PET bottles, the company is to set up recycling plants at Delhi and Chennai, each with an outlay of Rs.50m. These will process 500 kg of PET per hour. The processed material will be an input for polyester yarn manufacturers. In centers other than Delhi and Chennai, the company will set up crushing units to crush the used PET bottles. The company's expansion plans will see its water bottling capacity go up from the present 400 million liters to 500 million liters. Parle Bisleri Limited (PBL) is planning to invest Rs 200 crores to increase its bottling capacity and double its
turnover. The expansion will also increase the number of company's bottling plants from 16 at present, to 25. The company will set up all the new plants as green field plants. It doesnt have any intentions to acquire any existing plants.
PURE BOTTLED DRINKING-WATER Is Dangerous The Safety of Bottled Drinking-water Because of the large number of possible hazards in drinkingwater, the development of standards for drinking-water requires significant resources and expertise, which many countries are unable to afford. Fortunately, guidance is available at the international level. The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality which many countries use as the basis to establish their own national standards. International Standards for Bottled Drinkingwater The intergovernmental body for the development of
internationally recognized standards for food is the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). WHO, one of the co-sponsors of the CAC, has advocated the use of the Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality as the basis for derivation of standards for all bottled waters.
CSE Report on pesticide residues in bottled water The Centre for Science and Environment, a non-governmental organization based in New Delhi, has set up the Pollution Monitoring Laboratory to monitor environmental pollution. Its main aim is to undertake scientific studies to generate public awareness about food, water and air contamination. The bottled water market share of major brands is Bisleri (51%), Bailley (17%), Yes (11%) followed by Kinley (10%), Aquafina (4%). Drinking water filled in hermetically sealed containers of various compositions, form, and capacities that is suitable for direct consumption without further treatment
Bottled drinking water samples of some top brands Bisleri (Parle Bisleri Pvt. Ltd.), Bailley (Parle Agro Pvt. Ltd.), Aquafina (Pepsico India Holding Pvt. Ltd.), Kinley (Hindustan Coca Cola Beverage Pvt.
Ltd.) and of other less popular brands like Best, Royal Aqua, Seagull etc., which were being sold and manufactured in Mumbai and nearby areas like Pune and Daman, were purchased randomly. All the samples were purchased from retail outlets in the market and from railway station and were checked for proper seal, date of manufacture and batch number. Even the top brands, which claim to use treatment methods like purification filtration, activated carbon filtration, demineralization and reverse osmosis were found to contain residues of pesticides. It might be due to the reason that the manufacturers may be by-passing the raw water after partial treatment and remixing it with the fully treated stream so as to cut down the cost of treatment. On the basis of the results different brands can be rated in terms of total organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides from least to most contaminated asAquafina Bailley Seagull Bisleri Bally
Macblue Kinley Sheetal Brilliant Apurva
To analyze the marketing strategies of the company with To determine the market share of Bisleri Brand of Bottle Water. To find out the preference level of respondents regarding Bisleri Brand of Bottle.
To assess the brand awareness of the Bisleriin the Mineral Water Segment. To Study the brand positioning of Bisleri.
RESEARCH DESIGN MEANING OF RESEARCH DESIGN The formidable problem that follows the task of defining the research problem is the preparation of the design of the research project, popularly known as the research design. Decisions regarding what, where, when, how much by what means concerning an inquiry or a research study constitute a research design. A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of data in manner that aims to combine relevance to the research purpose with economy in procedure. In fact, the research design is the conceptual structure within which research is conducted; it constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement and analysis of data. As such the design includes on outline of what the researcher will do from witing the hypothesis and its operational implications to the final analysis of data. More explicitly, the design decisions happen to be in respect of : (i) (ii) What is the study about ? Why is the study being made ?
(iii) Where will the study be carried out ?
(iv) What type of data is required ? (v) Where can the required data be found ? (vi) What periods of time will the study include ? (vii) What will be the sample design ? (viii) What techniques of data collection will be used ? (ix) How will the data analysed ? (x) In what style will the report be prepared ?
TOOLS AND INSTRUMENTS USED FOR THE STUDY
It is necessary for a researcher to define conceptual structure which research would be conducted. The function of research design is to provide for the collection of relevant evidence with minimal expenditure of efforts, time and money. In this research the research design was as follows:1) Time available for the research is every day in the week. 2) The means of obtaining the information is through : Primary data like questionnaire Secondary data like magzines, net and Pumplets etc. 3) There is cost factor related to researcher.
PROCEDURE OF DATA COLLECTION
Data compilation is an intermediate stage between data collection and analysis. Data compilation involves classification and summarization in order to make data amenable to analysis. In dealing with any problem, once the sample has been selected the data must be collected from the sample population. There are several ways of collecting appropriate data which differ considerably in context of money cost, time and other resources. They can be broadly classified in to two categories. Two sources to collect data are namely: 1. Primary Source 2. Secondary Source PRIMARY SOURCE OF COLLECTING DATA The Primary Data that I collected were the first hand information which I received through personal interviews with the
consumers and through questionnaires. This data gave the most vital information for making my analysis of the prevailing purchasing behavior of the consumers.
QUESTIONNAIRE TECHNIQUE The method of collecting data mailing and personally distributing questionnaire to the respondents is the most extensively employed technique in various economical surveys. This method is quit popular, particularly in case of big inquiries. A typical questionnaire consists of a number of questions arranged and printed in definite order on a form or a set of forms. The questionnaire is given to the respondents who are expected to read and understand the questions and write the response in the given space meant for the purpose in the questionnaire. SECONDARY SOURCE OF DATA COLLECTION Secondary Data involved in my research were the information that I collected through the various broachers and pamphlets of the company which were provided to me during the analysis.
RESEARCH DESIGN : The research design which has been used in the project report is descriptive in nature. SAMPLE DESIGN: The sample design which has been use in this project report is simple random sampling. SAMPLING UNIT : A decision has to be taken concerning a sample unit before selecting the number of samples. It may be geographical as well as individual. Here all NCR region has been taken as a
geographical unit and retailers as an individual unit. SIZE OF SAMPLE: This refers the number of items (Outlets) to be selected from the finite universe to constitute a sample size. The survey was conducted of 200 outlets.
FINDING After the tabulation and analysis of 50 respondents from Ghaziabad city:He following findings are obtained: 1. According to market share figure, Bisleri is the leading brand which 55.45% market share. While Kinley 23.33%, Kingfisher 3.97%, Aquafina 13.95% and others 6.30%.
60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Bisleri kinley Kingfisher Aquafina Others
2. 80% retailers prefer to sell Bisleri brand because of demand, brand and profit margin.
80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% KEEP Other brands Dont keep any Brand Bisleri
3. Bisleri is the most selling brand in the specific region it is at 45% selling among the competitors.
45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Bisleri Kinley Aquafina Kingfisher Others
4. Retailers those are selling Bisleri brand of bottle water is 50%. 5. The company has recently launched Bada Bisleri, Same Price at Rs. 10/- for 1.2 Ltrs means 2% extra.
6. There is
discrimination in the prices of distributor or the
prices at which retailers directly purchase from the market. 7. Most of the customers first ask for Bisleri bottle water just because of its Generic name not because of brand loyalty.
STRENGTHS Old and famous brand name Better packaging Effective distribution network Famous as pure & safe among consumer Good product mix Frequent quality checking Much used by corporate world Better management Give regular follow up to distributor Indian image Better sales force Sponsoring various cultural program Better visibility Good intensives to dealer
WEAKNESS-: one liter packs which accounted for 50 per cent of the companys turnover has come down to 30 per cent. The twoliter packs, which have practically disappeared from the shelves, have come down from 20 per cent to five per cent. The growth has come from the 500 ml and the five-liter category, which account for 15 per cent and 36 per cent of turnover respectively. Earlier, Bisleri was selling at a premium of Rs.12 for the same size. But beginning last year, it has been selling its one- liter bottles at Rs.15 each. Aqua Minerals attributes the Price slashing to retailer margins being on the higher side earlier. The competitive Rs.15 price tag has been working well for the brand. In what could be a masterstroke, Aqua Minerals is testing out the possibility of mass marketing 20-litre Bisleri bottles for an
MRP of Rs.40. That works out to Rs.2 a liter. If the logistics, manufacturing and distribution do fall in place, it could change the face of the purified water market for keeps. OPPORTUNITIES So far, Chauhan has not used the franchising route very aggressively unlike Parle Agros Bailley which has grown very fast using this route. He has around six franchisees in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Goa and Rajasthan. We
shunned this route so far because in most areas where we had no presence, it was imperative that we did it ourselves. Now for further expansion we can afford to use the franchisee route.
Bisleri will be taking the packs back and refilling them. But the packs cannot be sterilized since the material used is PET and cannot withstand high temperature. So how can he ensure purity? Strategy to counter threats and others? We subject the bottles to chlorine washes, hot water washes and ozone washes before we refill the bottles. The company is betting on the home segment. The reason being that filters and water purifiers also need to be cleaned periodically and still do not guarantee absolutely clean water. In order to service this segment, the five liter packs are being pushed through the route of fat dealers (wholesale dealers) who are retailers as well as stockiest and serve as supply points from where customers can pick up the required quota. In future, consumers will be able to call the fat dealer and place orders for home delivery of the five-liter pack. The company has so far appointed 180 such dealers. This is a high turnover, low-margin retailer who does not keep a store but serves a similar purpose with other items such as rice or atta.
The players who will endure will be those who have a strong regional presence. Take the case of Team, which enjoys immense popularity in TamilNadu. Similar brands with a regional presence are Siruvani, and Koday. Thus, new players will be looking for a distinct positioning. One such brand is Pepsis Aquafina, the largest selling bottled water brand in the US. After its successful test launch in Mumbai and Bangalore, Aquafina was released in Chennai,
Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Pune. Pepsi has invested over Rs.5 crore in the new Aquafina water project in Maharashtra, which is the only Aquafina plant outside the US. According to Deepak Jolly, executive vice president,
corporate communications, Pepsi Foods Ltd. Aquafina will be helped by Pepsis network. Moreover, Aquafina will be served absolutely chilled. That makes sense too, since surveys have indicated that an overwhelming majority of the
bottled water that is consumed in India is by people who are traveling.
With the big players, who have the support of the financial muscle and a large consumer base in other categories with them, like Pepsi, Britannia, Nestle and Coke the battle is the tougher arena of brand building. All the multinationals are looking at high-octane advertising targeting specific
consumer segments. Sensing troubled waters ahead, Bisleri is busy working on a strategy to soak up the competition and protect his water kingdom.
Strategy which the company could adopt, are as follows: 1.The soft target Selling bottled water requires constantly expanding the market. The company should also target the market for soft drinks. All the soft drinks addresses three issues: fun, thirst and refreshment followed by status to some degree. The
thirst and the status value of the mineral water are well accepted. There is very little the mineral water brands can do to add the fun element around the product. Again here, it becomes important for the company to have a good distribution network. It should be understood that if the mineral water is easily available everywhere then it can be said with confidence that it would be able to replace the soft drinks as thirst quencher. If we try and look at the reasons that why consumers buy soft drinks as thirst quenchers: we would find the answer as that either water is not available or if it is available then safety is not assured. Therefore, backed by a good distribution network mineral water industry can grow at a rapid rate.
Advertisement to build the brand image that will provide the required ground to establish the authenticity to the product.
POP (Point of Purchase) displaying the cost of water at Rs. 3 per liter, as the perception of the people is that mineral water cost Rs. 10 per Lt.
Awareness programs at health club, schools & Nursing homes.
To win over the consumer belief and faith over the genuity of the product.
Display of hot and cold dispensers and bottles at places like hotels, clubs and airports where upper class group visits, as they are the potential customers. Place like departmental stores, petrol pumps and super bazaars can also be considered.
The company should organize camps at various part of the city also road show to bring about the difference between mineral water and filter/purified water and to tell the people how mineral water is more hygienic than filtered water/purified water.
To aware people the cost benefit analysis to the customer of how the mineral water would cot less and benefit more, because people using purifier system cost too much.
LIMITATIONS A small segment of the market has been covered only, so the conclusion cannot be generalized. The data collected cannot be free from errors, since some of the respondents failed to give correct information. Study accuracy totally based upon the respondents response. Stipulated short span of time for survey.
Marketing Management Annual Report, Bisleri 2006 Business Magazines 2006 Business
Philip Kotlar
Websites www.bisleri.com www.discovery.com www.google.com
1. Which brand of bottle water do you sale more? a. Kingfisher b. Kinlery c. Aquafina d. Bisleri e. Others 2. What is your monthly sale? ________________________________________________ 3. Which brand of bottle water do you prefer to sell more? ________________________________________________ 4. Why do you prefer to sell more this particular brand? a. Easily available
b. More demand c. Quality Factor 5. Generally which brand of bottle water customer demand? ________________________________________________ 6. Frequency of services no. of days] between two service of the company/WD in the area / market? Bisleri Aquafina Kingfisher Kinley Others
Q. 7 When you talk of drinks, what brands come to your mind? ____________________________________________________ Q. 8 Whether the customers are already aware about this product? ____________________________________________________ Q. 9 Which are the brands available in your shop? ____________________________________________________
Q. 10 Number of buyers who buys this brand per day? a) 0-5 b) 5-10 d) 10-15 e) Above 15
Q.11 Are you satisfied with the current margins on this brand? Yes / NO ____________________________________________________
Q.12 Whether you are getting any complaints from customers, specify? ____________________________________________________
Q. 13 To which brand and reason? Brand:- _____________________________________ Reason:- _____________________________________
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TV ReviewsMarvel's DaredevilSeason 3
Daredevil’s stripped-down third season premiere tackles cataclysms and catechisms
Caroline Siede
Filed to: RecapFiled to: Recap
Photo: Nicole Rivelli (Netflix)
Daredevil is a show built from familiar pieces assembled in unexpected ways. You see that most clearly in the show’s conception of Matt Murdock. Given his guilt-ridden demeanor, obsession with vigilante violence, and dead-dad issues, Matt could easily feel like a Batman knockoff. Yet rather than lean into the angst of Matt’s story, Daredevil complicates his characterization by giving him an almost Captain America-like earnestness. Most of that comes from Charlie Cox’s absolutely fantastic performance, which has never gotten as much credit as it should. Like Chris Evans, I don’t know if Cox is an actor with a huge amount of range, but both performers excel at channeling their inherent likability into pitch-perfect superhero portrayals. It doesn’t really matter if Cox is a transformative actor when he’s so good at playing this particular role.
Marvel's DaredevilSeason 3
Cox largely carries this opening hour of season three, which sees Matt at the lowest he’s ever been. As we saw at the end of The Defenders, Matt managed to survive the destruction of the Midland Circle building and is being cared for by Father Lantom and the nuns at the Catholic orphanage in which he was raised. Given that Daredevil has never exactly been a subtle show, it’s not long before Matt is monologuing about his Job-like existence and his decision to turn his back on God. But whereas a different performer might lean into Matt’s anger or petulance, Cox makes the far more interesting choice to color Matt’s emotional state with a certain wry detachment. It helps that he finds a fantastic sparing partner in Joanne Whalley’s Sister Maggie, a no-nonsense nun who’s deeply invested in her charge, but not particularly interested in coddling his bruised ego. While Father Lantom immediately sets his sights on repairing Matt’s broken soul, Maggie realizes that Matt’s physical recovery will likely be a crucial stepping-stone on his spiritual one.
In this third season premiere, new showrunner Erik Oleson consciously calls back to Daredevil’s smaller scale first season rather than its overstuffed second (or the messy Defenders series). That’s most clearly demonstrated by the fact that Matt is back in a version of his original black costume rather than his fancy hi-tech red one. The other way in which Olseson echoes the first season is by making Wilson Fisk a major player again. Fisk doesn’t have a ton to do in this Matt-centric premiere, but just seeing Vincent D’Onofrio back in the role with the promise of more to come is hugely exciting. For now, however, Olseson is content to slowly rebuild the world of the show rather than rushing to add a whole bunch of new elements at once.
Though I don’t think I’ve ever said this about a Marvel Netflix show before, I actually wouldn’t have minded if “Resurrection” had been even slower and more myopic. The episode’s sound design creates an unnerving sense of Matt’s lost abilities, and I would’ve happily lived in that realm a little longer rather than so quickly rushing through his recovery. In particular, I didn’t need to see Matt back out on the streets so soon, even if it’s clear he’s not yet fully recovered and is as interested in self-flagellation as he is with helping people. It’s also odd that “Resurrection” ends with a very tacked on segment about new character, FBI Agent Rahul “Ray” Nadeem (Jay Ali). Nadeem’s blown his savings paying for his sister-in-law’s cancer treatments, and the episode briefly implies he’s going to use his gun for something nefarious before revealing his actual plan is just to negotiate a pay raise (the gun is just part of his FBI work equipment). Agent Nadeem’s money woes eventually connect up to Wilson Fisk, but it’s an odd, disjointed way to end the episode. I suppose you could argue that “Resurrection” is an episode about three men hitting their lowest points, with Matt, Fisk, and Ray as parallels for one another. But it more so feels like Daredevil just didn’t want to commit to a fully Matt-centric opening for its third season. That’s too bad. The show should never underestimate what it has in Charlie Cox.
Welcome to binge-review coverage of Daredevil season three! Reviews of all 13 episodes will be up by tomorrow evening.
As with most live action superhero adaptations, comic book readers might already know some yet-to-be-revealed details about certain characters. For my part, I’m only going to discuss what’s been revealed in the show itself.
After The Defenders jumped ahead, “Resurrection” circles back to the second season cliffhanger in which Matt first told Karen he’s Daredevil.
At Karen’s insistence, she and Foggy are paying Matt’s rent in case he ever returns from the dead. I find Karen’s naive belief that Matt is alive to be kind of annoying, especially because she’s improbably right.
I genuinely never thought I’d see a scene where a superhero uses a Neti Pot. It truly is the golden age of diverse superhero storytelling!
My absolute favorite detail from this episode is that in order to find a sparring partner for Matt’s boxing practice, Father Lantom seems to have assigned the job as penance to one of his congregants. As the guy puts it, “Beats the Hail Marys.”
Remember The Defenders
The Defenders kicks off with four conversations about one thing
In episode 3, The Defenders finally becomes a must-see Marvel team-up
In its season finale, The Defenders brings down the house (of the Hand)
Contributor, The A.V. Club. Caroline Siede is a pop culture critic in Chicago, where the cold never bothers her anyway. Her interests include superhero movies, feminist theory, and Jane Austen novels.
Recent from Caroline Siede
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is bubbly and smart, just like Marilyn Monroe
Queer resilience thrives in this rom-com about love in the time of the AIDS crisis
Jessica Jones ends the Marvel Netflix universe on a high note
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The Event: NBC Orders Full Season; Can Fans Relax?
by Trevor Kimball, October 19, 2010
The peacock network has announced that they are ordering nine more episodes of The Event. Loyal fans of the series may be overjoyed but, it’s important to look at the news in context with the ratings.
The Event follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter)who’s investigating the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend. He slowly begins to uncover the biggest cover-up in the country’s history. Others in the cast include Sarah Roemer, Laura Innes, Ian Anthony Dale, Scott Patterson, Clifton Collins Jr., Taylor Cole, Lisa Vidal, Bill Smitrovich, Zeljko Ivanek, and Blair Underwood.
On September 20th, the freshman series had a positive debut with a 3.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 10.88 million viewers. Unfortunately, viewership didn’t stay at that level for subsequent episodes and the show’s numbers have been declining each week. Last week’s episode fell all the way to a 2.2 demo rating and 6.5 million viewers. That’s a loss of nearly 40% in the all-important demo rating — in just four weeks.
What’s more, The Event has been ranking in third place for the timeslot in the demo numbers. For the first two weeks, it was opposite FOX’s ratings disaster Lone Star but now, running against FOX’s Lie to Me, The Event could easily slip to fourth place.
The NBC press release about the renewal touts that The Event is outperforming last year’s timeslot holder (Trauma) by 30% in the demo. That’s not exactly very hard to do considering Trauma tanked in the ratings right from the start. It only lasted as long as it did because NBC ended up having lots of airtime to fill because of the Jay Leno Show debacle.
While the full season order for The Event is a positive thing for fans who want to see more of it, the series will have to turn their numbers around to survive to see a second season. That’s a really hard thing to do considering the fact that it’s an ongoing serial with lots of mysteries and a growing mythology. History has shown us that this kind of show’s audience typically shrinks over time, not grows.
If the show is cancelled after one season, hopefully the producers will give loyal fans some closure by the last episode — instead of what happened with FlashForward last season.
What do you think? Will The Event see a second season or be cancelled? Why do the ratings keep dropping? How would you attract new viewers — or at least keep those that the show already has?
Image courtesy NBC.
More about: The Event, The Event: canceled or renewed?, The Jay Leno Show, Trauma
The Event: Are You Satisfied with “Arrival,” the Last Episode?
The Event: TV Show May Still Be Renewed for Season Two
The Event: NBC Cancels TV Series; No Season Two
The Event: Season One Wraps, Hope for Season Two?
The Event: How Did the NBC Series Do Last Night?
The Event: NBC Series Returns; Is It Worth Saving from Cancellation?
The Event: NBC Series Return Delayed Until March 7th
The Event: NBC Plans Relaunch; Will It Be Saved or Cancelled?
Primetime Network TV Show Ratings: Monday, November 8, 2010 [finals]
The Event: Big New TV Show for NBC; Cancel or Keep It?
Trauma: NBC TV Show Cancelled (for the Second Time); No Season Two
Trauma: NBC Ends Season Early, Gone for Good?
Mercy: Will the NBC TV Show Be Cancelled or Return for Season Two?
Trauma: NBC Medical Drama Not Cancelled After All?
Trauma: NBC Effectively Cancels TV Show, No Season Two
Trauma: Painful Ratings; Cancel It or Keep It?
136 Comment threads
112 Comment authors
tameica folkes
I have been waiting a long time to watch season 2 of the event and my husband absolutely love this show please bring it back ?
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TTT Tours
A Luxury Stay at The Landmark London
In a recent blog post on our night at the Cosmopolitan Influencer Awards (also known as the night that I devoured my own fortune), I mentioned my love for London. Not the London with the angry sirens, irked commuters or dark corners that smell like urinals, but the London you see in Mary Poppins or Love Actually. You know – the largely fictional London. This city glitters and sparkles, it features cobbled pavements and Georgian terraces, and is inhabited by city-dwellers with unlimited disposable income. It’s not a London I regularly see.
There are rare glimpses of it, however. Walk up to the misty Highgate Cemetery on a freezing Sunday morning and you might catch it. Wander down Little Venice during the summer and you might find it there, or look out for it down the pastel-coloured mews streets, near Gloucester Road. These are pockets of London that I cling to when I’m queuing in Victoria station for 60 minutes, or have stepped in that eternal pile of vomit that occupies a grim corner outside of Euston station (seriously, there’s always a puddle of it there – 365 days a year).
So, as we made our way into central London last Thursday for the Cosmopolitan Influencer Awards, I was – as ever – on the lookout for more of these elusive glimpses. Making our way down the hidden lanes behind Baker Street, passing the premature Christmas lights, I thought one might be close. And I was right. Pulling up outside our home for the night – the infamous The Landmark London – I realised that I’d hit the Mary Poppins jackpot.
The Landmark London belongs to that iconic family of railway hotels: those grand establishments that sprang up during the 19th century. Founded by enterprising rail entrepreneurs, these hotels were the finest places in town to hit the sack; allowing well-heeled Victorians to glide seamlessly from train carriage to hotel suite. It all sounds very civilised. I tend to glide off the train and immediately into a harshly lit Gregg’s bakery. Cholera and rat-infested streets aside, it seems that the Victorians had it good.
And so it was that in 1899 The Landmark London opened – an enormous, red-brick building with a clock tower perched on the top. Its opening was attended by royalty and it was declared one of the most luxurious hotels in the city. As Claire and I walked in, thanking the porter and his tipped bowler hat, it seemed that nothing much had changed.
As you walk through the entrance, the air smelling like a mysterious expensive perfume, you’re immediately met with the hotel’s pièce de résistance: its ‘Winter Garden’.
Featuring a towering atrium, crowned by a glass ceiling that glitters in the evening light, this certainly isn’t your regular hotel lobby. Mature, tall palm trees reach up to the arching ceiling, creating the feeling of being in a tropical paradise; the sound of piano music tinkling from the balconies above. It’s all incredibly refined. For anyone who reads our blog regularly, you’ll know that we reside in the town (alas, not yet a city) of Milton Keynes, which also has its very own ‘Winter Garden’. Regrettably, the two couldn’t be more different. Whilst Milton Keynes’ Garden features an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet and a resident crew of scrappy birds, the Winter Garden at The Landmark London makes for a breath-taking sight; something that it has become renowned for. Rather than featuring the Dragon Boat Chinese Buffet, this hotel’s Winter Garden offers guests and visitors alike the chance to dine under the shimmering ceiling, enjoying its incredible food and afternoon tea.
After gawping at this beautiful space, we made our way down the plush corridors to our room. The sense of history in this place is immediate. Indeed, the hotel has witnessed a dizzying amount of events and spectacles. From hosting a ‘welcome home from prison’ brunch for Emmeline Pankhurst in 1908, organised by the Suffragettes; to accommodating officers during WW1 and later, the M19 during WW2, The Landmark London boasts an incredible heritage. The hotel has also been privy to a secret illegitimate birth, which took place in one of its rooms, and the suspected suicide of one of its former managers, in 1935. The story goes that should you stay on the 4th floor, you might even see his ghost: wandering the halls in a smart pinstriped suit and top hat.
The Landmark London has over 300 rooms and 51 suites. Whilst the regular rooms alone are luxurious, the suites are something else. Claire and I were staying in a ‘twin studio’. Normally, this equates to a small room, with two narrow single beds hastily pushed together. Not at this hotel. Walking into our room, we were greeted by our very own marbled entrance hall. Breaking into an excited jog, we ran through to the living room area, complete with a widescreen TV, sumptuous sofas, and a chilled bottle of champagne. Veering excitedly into our bedroom, we discovered it featured two separate double beds and another TV area. Our days of sharing a bed were over! Finally – and the crowning jewels of the room – came the enormous marble bathroom, featuring three separate areas. That this studio is not even classified as a suite by the hotel, tells you something about the incredible standards that The Landmark London keeps. We were blown away.
After plundering the delicious room service (as I mentioned in my previous blog post, this comprised solely of carbs: an ideal meal before trying to squeeze into a unforgiving evening dress), we began getting ready for the Awards. The studio was the perfect place for this; providing us with plenty of room for the panicked frenzy that characterised the next hour. Dressed in our thick, white gowns and slippers, we enjoyed the many Molton Brown products that the hotel provided (now hoarded away in my ‘hotel minis’ box in my bathroom) and generally sashayed around our beautiful room. Sassy.
Fast forward a few hours and we were home from the Awards, crippled by our heels and suffering from the viral cold that has engulfed the UK lately. All that was left to do was to enjoy a soak in our enormous sunken bath (separately), before crawling into bed. Considering the hotel’s central location and its noisy neighbour – Marylebone station – the hotel was completely silent. As our room overlooked the atrium, all that could be heard was the occasional sound of clinking cutlery. I thought of all the many guests that have stayed in this illustrious hotel, wandering its corridors (the idea of the resident ghost pushed forcefully to the back of my mind), and decided I would add my stay at The Landmark London to my ‘magical London’ list. Forget Condé Nast; this is a very prestigious list be a member of.
Morning came too quickly and after desperately trying to enjoy every part of our room before we had to leave (sitting down at the desk, on the sofa and in the armchair, all in the space of a minute), it was time to enjoy breakfast in the Winter Garden, before making our way home. As the smiling porter led us out into a bitterly cold and noisy London, it felt like rejoining the real world; The Landmark London bubble now popped.
Our stay here was a truly lovely one, offering a glimpse into a Victorian world of true hospitality, elegance and refinement. Visit here for the opportunity to experience one its many beautifully-appointed suites, or even for its renowned afternoon tea, under the glass roof of the Winter Garden. I know that I’ll certainly be back. In meantime, next time I step in that puddle of sick outside of Euston Station, I’ll be gritting my teeth and thinking of you, The Landmark London. How’s that for praise?
Thank you to The Landmark London for hosting us and for a wonderful stay.
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2 responses to “A Luxury Stay at The Landmark London”
Wow – what an amazing hotel. I think I’ve passed it a few times but never gone in. That atrium is incredible!
Kiran P says:
What a story! And what a place. I’ll add it to my ‘magic London’ list too!
Discussion Cancel reply
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You are here: Home » Community, Local authorities » Uckfield hazardous chemicals to be moved this week
Tuesday, November 7, 2017 | Last updated about 7 hours ago
Uckfield hazardous chemicals to be moved this week
Update at 4.45pm on Tuesday, November 7: Wealden Council says it is dealing with a pension fund to arrange removal of dangerous chemicals from an Uckfield industrial unit.
The council said in a statement this afternoon: “The council is dealing directly with the pension fund, which owns the building.
“Arrangements have been put in place and we hope that all concerned co-operate fully, to help to resolve this matter without further delay.”
In response to a question earlier today about whether a prosecution might be considered about the chemicals the council said: “Re prosecutions – if there was anything to be pursued this would be carried out either by the Health and Safety Executive or the Environment Agency.”
From an Uckfield News story published this morning: Dangerous chemicals stored in an Uckfield industrial unit are to be moved this week.
The news was given by Wealden District Council yesterday (November 6).
Picric Acid
It follows the discovery of a large quantity of Picric Acid, which was used in the past to make bombs, and, when in an unstable condition, can blow up.
A district council spokesman said the chemicals “remain in a controlled environment and there is no immediate danger to local businesses in the area”.
The chemicals, along with NHS sample pots labelled with what appears to be confidential information were found when a landlord took repossession of the unit on the Bellbrook business estate after the tenant company went into liquidation.
Read what happened after the discovery
Dangerous chemicals found in industrial Unit
Owner told to remove dangerous chemicals
NHS to investigate discovery of patient test pots
The story broke with the ‘bomb’ squad being called to the estate on October 27
Uckfield teen film star up for awards
Tributes to the man who transformed Uckfield Chamber of Commerce
What’s in an Uckfield street name?
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WEDNESDAY OF PASSION WEEK
[Commemoration]SAINT JOHN CAPISTRAN
INTROIT (Ps. 17:48-49)
You, who preserved me from the wrathful nations, will exalt me above my adversaries. You, O Lord, will rescue me from the man of violence. Ps. 17:2, 3. I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my support, my refuge, and my deliverer. You, who preserved me . . .
O God, sanctify the Lenten fast and in Your mercy enlighten the hearts of Your faithful. Hear the prayers of those who, by Your grace, call upon You with devotion. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT JOHN CAPISTRAN
John was born in 1386, at Capistrano in the kingdom of Naples. He became a famous lawyer and then was appointed governor of Perugia. At the age of 34 he entered the Franciscan Order. John Capistran was the friend of four Popes: he reformed his order, and he evangelized Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Poland. At the close of his life, John led a crusade against the Turks and was a chief organizer of the glorious Christian victory at Belgrade in 1456.
O God, blessed John manifested the power of the most holy name of Jesus when he led the faithful in triumph over the enemies of the Cross. May we overcome the deceits of our spiritual enemies and receive the crown of justice from You through the intercession of this saint. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .
LESSON (Lev. 19:1-2, 11-19, 25)
In those days, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel. And thou shalt say to them: 'Be ye holy, because I the Lord your God am holy. You shall not steal. You shall not lie: neither shall any man deceive his neighbour. Thou shalt not swear falsely by my name, nor profane the name of thy God. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not calumniate thy neighbour, nor oppress him by violence. The wages of him that hath been hired by thee shall not abide with thee until the morning. Thou shalt not speak evil of the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind: but thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, because I am the Lord. Thou shalt not do that which is unjust, nor judge unjustly. Respect not the person of the poor: nor honour the countenance of the mighty. But judge thy neighbour according to justice. Thou shalt not be a detractor nor a whisperer among the people. Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbour. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: But reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him. Seek not revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of thy citizens. Thou shalt love thy friend as thyself. I am the Lord. Keep ye my laws. I am the Lord your God.' "
GRADUAL (Ps. 29:2-4)
I will extol You, O Lord, for You have upheld me, and have not let my enemies rejoice over me. V. O Lord my God, I cried out to You and You healed me, O Lord, You have brought my soul up from the depths, You have preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
TRACT (Ps. 102:10; 78:8-9)
O Lord, repay us not according to the sins we have committed, nor according to our iniquities. V. O Lord, remember not our iniquities of the past; let Your mercy come quickly to us, for we are being brought very low. (All kneel.) V. Help us, O God our Savior, and for the glory of Your name, O Lord, deliver us; and pardon us our sins for Your name's sake.
GOSPEL (John 10:22-38)
At that time, And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. The Jews therefore came round about him and said to him: "How long dost thou hold our souls in suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them: "I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. And I know them: and they follow me. And I give them life everlasting: and they shall not perish for ever. And no man shall pluck them out of my hand. That which my Father hath given me is greater than all: and no one can snatch them out of the hand of my Father. I and the Father are one."
The Jews then took up stones to stone him. Jesus answered them: "Many good works I have shewed you from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?" The Jews answered him: "For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy: and because that thou. being a, man, makest thyself God."
Jesus answered them: "Is it not written in your law: I said, you are gods? If he called them gods to whom the word of God was spoken; and the scripture cannot be broken: Do you say of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world: Thou blasphemest; because I said: I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though you will not believe me, believe the works: that you may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in the Father."
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 58:2)
Rescue me from my enemies, O my God; and defend me from my adversaries, O Lord.
O merciful God, hear us, and grant that we may offer this sacrifice of praise and reparation with true devotion. Through Our Lord . . .
May the sacrifice we offer please You, O Lord, and protect us against the trickery of our enemies through the intercession of Your blessed confessor John. Through Our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ps. 25:6-7)
I wash my hands in innocence, and go around Your altar, O Lord, listening to the sound of Your praises and recounting all Your wondrous deeds.
POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Almighty God, we humbly beg the heavenly blessings of Your Sacrament which we have received. May it bring us Your grace and salvation. Through Our Lord . . .
We have been nourished by the Food of Heaven and refreshed by Spiritual Drink. Shield us from our evil enemies and keep the Church in enduring peace. Through Our Lord . . .
PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
Hear our petitions, Almighty God. You gave us hope because of Your goodness, now graciously shield us with Your mercy. Through Our Lord . . .
Labels: Saint John Capistran, Wednesday of Passion Week
“Unknown substance”
Vandals deface statue in front of chapel dedicated to celebrating traditional Latin Mass
A small Santa Clara chapel dedicated to offering the traditional Latin Mass was the target of vandals over the weekend.
Sometime between Friday evening, March 23, and Sunday morning, March 25, vandals defaced a statue of Madonna and Child in front of the Oratory of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel, 1298 Homestead Road, in Santa Clara.
The vandals applied “an unknown substance” to the faces of both Madonna and Child, according to a report from a parishioner. The incident was reported to the Santa Clara Police Department.
"When I arrived Sunday morning several parishioners were gathered around the statue discussing and taking pictures," said one witness in an email to California Catholic Daily. "We are not sure what was applied but it was most likely spray painted."
Since 2007, when San Jose Bishop Patrick McGrath designated the oratory chapel as an approved location for “the celebration of the Mass in Latin according to the Missal of 1962,” priests approved by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest have been offering the Latin Mass there.
The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is a religious order specifically dedicated to the celebration of the traditional Mass.
Currently, Extraordinary Rite Masses are offered at the Oratory chapel on Sundays at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. The schedule for weekday Masses varies.
The vandalism at the Oratory of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel marks the latest in a string of crimes directed at Catholic institutions in California dating back several years. On Ash Wednesday, vandals desecrated St. Anne Catholic Church in Union City, destroying a cross, defacing statues and spray painting satanic symbols on church walls.
In November 2011, vandals knocked over monuments and headstones at Rohnerville Catholic Cemetery, where they scattered mutilated animal parts across the cemetery grounds.
In April 2011, someone used black paint to spray crude slogans on either side of the entrance to St. Barbara’s Parish at historic Mission Santa Barbara. A week earlier, a fire that investigators said was deliberately set destroyed St. John Vianney Church in Hacienda Heights. The fire, which began shortly after midnight on a Saturday, left only a burned out shell where the 5000-member parish’s sanctuary once stood. Various press reports said the blaze caused an estimated $8 million to $10 million in damages.
In January 2011, a vandal spray-painted the words “Kill the Cathlics” on the walls of St. Boniface Catholic Church in Anaheim and St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Irvine.
Beginning in December 2010, Holy Family Catholic Church in Glendale was forced to tighten security measures after a thief repeatedly broke into collection boxes used by parishioners to donate money to the needy.
In November 2010, Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Woodland was victimized by criminals for the fourth time since 2007. Thieves broke into the parish office and stole more than $2000. Just days before Christmas 2009, vandals knocked over and smashed into pieces a 60-year-old statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary dedicated to the memory of veterans outside Holy Rosary. Vandals also entered the church sometime during the same time period and desecrated a Nativity scene. A week earlier, someone entered the church and pushed over a statue of St. Joseph, cracking the base of the statue.
In October 2010, someone burglarized the rectory at St. Stanislaus Church in Modesto. The thief or thieves stole a computer sometime over the weekend of Oct. 16-17. In late August of 2010, vandals broke into and vandalized St. Stanislaus, breaking a window to gain entrance. The vandal or vandals knocked down four statutes of the Blessed Virgin and desecrated the sanctuary. Among the damaged statues was one from Belgium that was more than 200 years old and is considered irreplaceable.
In late May 2010, vandals broke into and ransacked St. Rose of Lima parish school in Maywood. They scrawled “666” on walls and drove a knife into the face of a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Maywood-Cudahy Police Department reported. “Further investigation revealed that some of the vandalism was of a heinous nature, and in fact, consistent with a ‘hate crime,’" said the police statement. “The suspect(s) defecated in the auditorium (adjacent to the kitchen area) and wrote ‘666’ on areas of the kitchen, and a cross was displayed in a sacrilegious manner,” police said.
In April 2009, just hours before Easter services were to commence, a vandal or vandals decapitated a statue of the Blessed Virgin outside Santa Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica. In early January of 2009, vandals spray-painted swastikas and the message “Niederauer, Ratzinger – where is the love” on the front walls of Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in San Francisco.
In late October of 2008, a ciborium containing consecrated hosts was removed from a locked tabernacle and stolen during a burglary at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Watsonville. The thieves also stole a safe that had been bolted to the floor containing $44,400 in cash and checks.
From http://www.calcatholic.com/
TUESDAY OF PASSION WEEK
SAINT JOHN DAMASCENE
Confessor and Doctor of the Church
All the world's hatred and suffering are the results of sin, original or personal. To restore all things to love and order and joy, Jesus atoned for sin by His death and won the grace that effects forgiveness. His indwelling life is the basic sanctity of Christians, to be developed into acquired splendor. As His Old Testament prophets suffered the price of preparing for His coming, so the members of His Mystical Body suffer in order to continue His work of restoring all things. All anguish is personalized because consecrated to Christ, through Christ's priesthood exercised in His Church, Jesus did His best to reveal Himself as the world's savior, and then surrendered Himself to suffer and die for all men.
INTROIT Ps. 26:14
Wait for the Lord with courage; let your heart take courage and wait for the Lord.
Ps. 26:1. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Wait for the Lord . . .
May our fasting be acceptable to You, O Lord. Let it atone for our sins, make us worthy of Your grace and lead us to eternal life. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT JOHN DAMASCENE
Although Christian, John was grand vizier of the Mohammedan caliph of Damascus, when Emperor Leo the Isaurian began his campaign in the eight century against the veneration of holy images. John strongly opposed the destroyers of images, and for that reason lost his high post. John became a monk and passed the rest of his life in prayer, in study, and in writing about the things of God. He composed commentaries on St. Paul, many beautiful poems, and the Fountain of Wisdom, a summary of Christian beliefs. He is the last of the Greek Fathers, and has been called the St. Thomas Aquinas of the East.
Almighty and Eternal God, You endowed blessed John with divine learning and wondrous fortitude of soul in order that he might defend the veneration of sacred images. May the example and prayers of blessed John help us to imitate the virtues and enjoy the protection of the saints whose images we venerate. Through our Lord . . .
LESSON Dan. 14:27, 28-42
In those days, the Babylonians came to the king, and said: "Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thy house." And the king saw that they pressed upon him violently: and being constrained by necessity: he delivered Daniel to them. And they cast him into the den of lions, and he was there six days. And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given to them two carcasses every day, and two sheep: but then they were not given unto them, that they might devour Daniel. Now there was in Judea a prophet called Habacuc, and he had boiled pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl: and was going into the field, to carry it to the reapers. And the angel of the Lord said to Habacuc: "Carry the dinner which thou hast into Babylon, to Daniel, who is in the lions' den." And Habacuc said: "Lord, I never saw Babylon, nor do I know the den." And the angel of the Lord took him by the top of his head, and carried him by the hair of his head, and set him in Babylon, over the den, in the force of his spirit. And Habacuc cried, saying: "O Daniel, thou servant of God, take the dinner that God hath sent thee." And Daniel said, "Thou hast remembered me, O God, and thou hast not forsaken them that love thee." And Daniel arose, and eat. And the angel of the Lord presently set Habacuc again in his own place. And upon the seventh day the king came to bewail Daniel: and he came to the den, and looked in, and behold Daniel was sitting in the midst of the lions. And the king cried out with a loud voice, saying: "Great art thou, O Lord, the God of Daniel." And he drew him out of the lions' den. But those that had been the cause of his destruction, he cast into the den, and they were devoured in a moment before him. Then the king said: "Let all the inhabitants of the whole earth fear the God of Daniel: for he is the Saviour, working signs, and wonders in the earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions' den."
GRADUAL Ps. 42:1, 3
Do me justice, O Lord; from the deceitful and impious man rescue me.
V. Send forth Your light and Your truth; they shall lead me on and bring me to Your holy mountain.
GOSPEL John 7:1-13
At that time, Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews feast of tabernacles was at hand. And his brethren said to, him: "Pass from hence and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see thy works which thou dost. For there is no man that doth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, manifest thyself to the world." For neither did his brethren believe in him. Then Jesus said to them: "My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you: but me it hateth, because I give testimony of it, that the works thereof are evil, Go you up to this festival day: but I go not up to this festival day, because my time is not accomplished." When he had said these things, he himself stayed in Galilee. But after his brethren were gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not openly, but, as it were, in secret. The Jews therefore sought him on the festival day and said: "Where is he?" And there was much murmuring among the multitude concerning him. For some said: "He is a good man." And others said: "No, but he seduceth the people." Yet no man spoke openly of him, for fear of the Jews.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 9:11-12, 13
Let them trust in You who cherish Your name, for You do not forsake those who seek You, O Lord. Sing praise to the Lord enthroned in Sion, for He has not forgotten the cry of the poor.
O Lord, we offer You as a sacrifice these gifts, which are symbols of our consolation in this life. May they keep us from ever losing hope in the promises of eternal life. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT JOHN DAMASCENEO Lord, may our offerings be pleasing to You through the prayerful intercession of blessed John and of Your saints whose images we today venerate in our churches because of the efforts of their defender. Through Our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 24:22
Redeem me, O God of Israel, from all my tribulations.
O Almighty God, may our ceaseless search of divine things make us worthy of the reward of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT JOHN DAMASCENEShield us, O Lord, with Your divine protection through the Gift we have just received. Cover us over with the prayers of blessed John and of all Your saints whose images are held in veneration in our churches today because of his efforts. Through Our Lord . . .
O Lord, grant that we may persevere in being obedient to Your will so that our own day may see an increase in the numbers and merits of Your faithful. Through Our Lord . . .
Labels: Saint John Damascene, Tuesday of Passion Week
At last – an English bishop with the courage to reintroduce the traditional Latin Mass – Telegraph Blogs
Here's a photograph to gladden the heart of any traditional Catholic. The prelate wearing that magnificent mitre is a bishop of England and Wales, believe it or not, presiding at a solemn Latin Mass to mark the re-opening of a parish where the worship will be in the Extraordinary Form. More than a thousand people attended.
Read more about it here: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100146977/at-last-an-english-bishop-with-the-courage-to-reintroduce-the-traditional-latin-mass/
25 March: The Good Thief, St. Dismas | Fr. Z's Blog – What Does The Prayer Really Say?
Were it not for the observance of Passion Sunday, today would have the Feast of the Annunciation.
However, did you know that today is the feast day of the “Good Thief”, known by tradition as St. Dismas?
Here is his entry from the Martyrologium Romanum:
2. Commemoratio sancti latronis, qui, in cruce Christum confessus, ab eo meruit audire: “Hodie mecum eris in paradiso”.
Can you imagine, even through that kind of suffering, to hear those words?
“Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Think: Last Rites.
Our Lord gave to us in Holy Church the ordinary means for our salvation.
We have the sacraments and the Church’s teaching on faith and morals.
No matter what sort of sins we have committed, Our Lord is ready for us with unbounded mercy. Holy Church is the refuge of sinners and it is precisely for the likes of us that He came to live and to die. He died between two thieves for company, after all.
Let us show gratitude to the Lord for all His good gifts by using the sacraments well, by hearing and accepting the Church’s teachings, and by upright lives full of good works.
THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK IN LENT
SAINT ISIDORE THE FARM LABORER
IN ALL DIOCESES OF THE UNITED STATES
Man's cleverest technique cannot synthesize life nor restore it. Man can frustrate life or destroy it but he cannot compound it. Life's mystery escapes human genius. Only God is the author and lord of life. From Him it comes; to Him it returns. He alone can give or restore human life, either directly or, more commonly, through human agents. He alone gives and restores the supernatural life of the soul. As shared divine life surpasses human life, so the marvel of restoring a soul, through the sacraments of Baptism or Penance from the death of sin to the life of grace surpasses the miracle of restoring physical life. It is the mission of the Church to give soul-life to all men.
INTROIT Ps. 104:3-4
Let every heart that seeks the Lord rejoice. Seek the Lord and find strength; seek the Lord evermore.
Ps. 104:1. Give glory to the Lord and invoke His Name; make known His deeds among the nations.
O Almighty God, grant that we may be happy in chastising our bodies through fasting. May we bring our passions under control, and thus more easily attain the rewards of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT ISIDORE
In the twelfth century, Isidore earned his living as a day laborer on an estate just outside Madrid. Because he attended Mass daily, some fellow laborers, reported to the owner that Isidore was neglecting his work. St. Isidore was not troubled by what was said of him, because he knew that the Christian must have patience and must keep up his courage, "for the coming of the Lord is at hand"
O Merciful God, shield us from the pride that comes from learning, through the intercession of Your holy farm worker Isidore. May his merits and example help us to please You by our humble service. through Our Lord . . .
LESSON IV Kings 4:25-38 [2 Kings 4:25-38]
In those days, a Sunamite woman came to Eliseus to mount Carmel: and when the man of God saw her coming towards, he said to Giezi, his servant: "Behold that Sunamitess. Go, therefore, to meet her, and say to her: Is all well with thee, and with thy husband, and with thy son?" And she answered: "Well."
And when she came to the man of God, to the mount, she caught hold on his feet: and Giezi came to remove her. And the man of God said: "Let her alone for her soul is in anguish, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me." And she said to him: "Did I ask a son of my lord? did I not say to thee: 'Do not deceive me?' "
Then he said to Giezi: "Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go. If any man meet thee, salute him not: and if any man salute thee, answer him not: and lay my staff upon the face of the child." But the mother of the child said: "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." He arose, therefore, and followed her. But Giezi was gone before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child, and there was no voice nor sense: and he returned to meet him, and told him, saying: "The child is not risen."
Eliseus, therefore, went into the house, and behold the child lay dead on his bed: And going in, he shut the door upon him, and upon the child, and prayed to the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child: and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he bowed himself upon him, and the child's flesh grew warm. Then he returned and walked in the house, once to and fro: and he went up, and lay upon him: and the child gaped seven times, and opened his eyes. And he called Giezi, and said to him: "Call this Sunamitess." And she being called, went in to him: and he said: "Take up thy son." She came and fell at his feet, and worshiped upon the ground: and took up her son, and went out. And Eliseus returned to Galgal.
GRADUAL Ps. 73:20, 19, 22
Be mindful of Your covenant, O Lord, and forget not forever the lives of Your poor.
V. Arise, O Lord, defend Your own cause; remember the abuse hurled against Your servants.
At that time, Jesus went into a city that is called Naim: and there went with him his disciples and a great multitude. And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother: and she was a widow. And a great multitude of the city was with her. Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her: "Weep not." And he came near and touched the bier. And they that carried it stood still. And he said: "Young man, I say to thee, arise." And he that was dead sat up and begun to speak. And he gave him to his mother. And there came a fear upon them all: and they glorified God saying: "A great prophet is risen up among us: and, God hath visited his people."
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 69:2, 3, 4
O Lord, make haste to help me. Let all be put to shame who plot evil against Your servants.
Cleanse us, O merciful God. Let the prayers of the Church, which are so pleasing to You when they are accompanied by this offering, be even more acceptable to You because our souls are free from sin. Through Our Lord . . .
Let our prayers win peace for Your people, O Lord, so that their offerings may be pleasing in Your sight. Grant the requests we confidently make of You through the intercession of Your blessed confessor Isidore. Through Our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 70:16, 17, 18
O Lord, I will be mindful of Your singular justice. O God, You have taught me from my youth, and when I am old and gray, O God, forsake me not.
O Lord, let us not be condemned by unworthily receiving this Gift of Heaven which was instituted for the spiritual health of Your faithful. Through Our Lord . . .
May this Heavenly Sacrament bring us health of soul and body, O Lord, and through the intercession of Your blessed confessor Isidore make us feel the power of the sacred rite that we have celebrated. Through Our Lord . . .
O God, Creator and Ruler of Your people, free Your own from the temptations assailing them, so that they may please You and be protected by You. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ . . .
Labels: Saint Isidore the Farmer, Thursday fourth week in Lent
Papal blessing at New Brighton shrine church
Pope Benedict XVI is offering a Papal Blessing with an attached Plenary Indulgence for all the faithful who attend the grand opening of the Shrine Church of Ss Peter and Paul and St Philomena, New Brighton, Wirral, on March 24
The Mass will mark the opening of the shrine church following the closure of the parish church in 2008 amid rising maintenance and repair costs.
The shrine church will be a special place of prayer and devotion open every day for adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist.
The church will also serve as a centre in the Diocese of Shrewsbury for the celebration of the Holy Mass and other sacraments in the Latin Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
The Parish of Holy Apostles and Martyrs is served from the Parish Church of English Martyrs and Father Philip Moor, the parish priest, will assist at the opening Mass.
The church (pictured) will become the first in Britain to be entrusted to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a society of Apostolic life of Pontifical Right.
The Celebrant at the Mass, which begins at 10.30am, will be Monsignor Gilles Wach, the French founder of the Institute, and the homily will be preached by the Rt Rev. Mark Davies, the Bishop of Shrewsbury. People are expected to travel from different parts of the country and some from overseas to the church that the Bishop of Shrewsbury hopes will become a special centre of devotion for people from the immediate area and far beyond.
The Vatican, which has taken an interest in the establishment of the shrine church, issued a decree last month announcing the Papal Blessing and Plenary Indulgence to all the faithful who attend the Mass.
It reads: “The Apostolic Penitentiary, empowered by a faculty granted to it in a special way by our Holy Father Benedict XVI, by Divine Providence Pope, happily grants his Lordship the Most Reverend Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, that, on the 24th March next, on which the pastoral care of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and St Philomena is solemnly entrusted to the members of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, after the offering of the Divine Sacrifice, he may impart to all the faithful present, who, their souls entirely separated from attachment to sin, take part in the sacred mysteries, a Papal Blessing with an attached Plenary Indulgence, which may be gained under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion and Prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff).
“Those faithful unable for a reasonable cause to be present at the sacred rites may devoutly receive this Papal Blessing and the Plenary Indulgence, according to the norms, if they follow the rites with a pious intention of mind by means of radio or television broadcast. Nothing to the contrary withstanding.”
The foundation of the shrine church will ensure that the patrimony of the church building so dear to Catholics and other members of the local community is secured and continues to bear witness to the faith and mission of the Church in the Wirral and beyond.
Bishop Davies said: “It is a source of great joy that we have received the blessing of the Holy Father and a Plenary Indulgence to mark the new mission of this historic church of the Shrewsbury Diocese.”
A plenary indulgence is the remission of the whole of the punishment due for forgiven sins.
On this occasion it applies to Catholics who are free from mortal sin and who perform the good work of attending the opening of the Shrine Church of Ss Peter and Paul and St Philomena, receive Holy Communion and go to Confession within seven days and who pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.
The doctrine and practice of indulgences, the Catechism of the Catholic Churchexplains, are “closely linked to the Sacrament of Penance”.
Catholic doctrine holds that when a person is forgiven their sins, there still remains a “temporal punishment” or debt due to those sins.
This may be undertaken by offering up penance and the sufferings of this life; that which still remains at death will need to be completed in the state of purification (Purgatory).
The shrine church of Ss Peter and Paul and St Philomena is a cruciform church with a green dome, built in the Renaissance-style and opened for use in 1935.
A Grade II listed building, it towers above New Brighton and the Bay of Liverpool on a sandstone outcrop and can be viewed from as far away as Llandudno in North Wales.
(Pictures of Canon Olivier Meney of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, celebrating Mass in the Weekday Chapel of Ss Peter and Paul and St Philomena, New Brighton, and of the dome of the shrine church by Simon Caldwell, St Gabriel News and Media)
Rose Chasable
http://www.saintbedestudio.bizland.com/
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
SAINT CYRIL OF JERUSALEM
Bishop and Doctor
Lent is half over, and Easter is enticingly near. This Sunday is a foretaste of Easter joy. Knowing the ebb and flow on intensity even in our best efforts, God deals with us tenderly in rhythms of consolation and desolation. So today, the thoughts of freedom and joy come in the middle of Lent. But the joy does more than cushion our failing energies and needle our lagging spirits. It is a positive, meaningful joy, born of our fruitful life in Christ and of our sweet freedom as His purchased children. The Eucharistic banquet of heavenly Bread, foreshadowed by the multiplied loaves and fishes and become now the Bread of Life for the whole Christian world, adds to our Laetare joy the quiet gladness of every festive meal.
INTROIT (Isa. 66:10-11)Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and come together all you who love her. rejoice with joy, you who have been in sorrow, that you may exalt, and be filled from the abundance of your consolation. Ps. 121:1. I rejoice at the tidings that were told me, "We shall go into the house of the Lord." V. Glory be . . .
O Almighty God, we are being justly punished for our sins, but comfort us with Your grace, that we may live. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT CYRIL OF JERUSALEM
After Cyril (c. 315-86) had been ordained to the priesthood in Jerusalem, he was appointed to the vital duty of instructing and preparing the candidates for baptism. We still have one series of his instructions, and they are the earliest extant record of the systematic teaching of the Church on the Creed and the Sacraments. Having been chosen bishop of Jerusalem, he served as one of God's instruments in combating widespread contemporary heresy. Cyril was several times persecuted and driven from his see city because of his defense of the Catholic Faith. He remained at peace, recalling that his Lord had said, "No disciple is above his teacher, nor is the servant above his master" (Matt. 10:25)
O Almighty God, may the prayers of Your blessed bishop Cyril help us to know You, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent, so that we may be numbered among the flock that obeys His voice. Through the same Jesus Christ . . .
EPISTLE (Gal. 4:22-31)
Brethren: For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman and the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh: but he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are said by an allegory. For these are the two testaments. The one from Mount Sinai, engendering unto bondage, which is Agar. For Sina is a mountain in Arabia, which hath affinity to that Jerusalem which now is: and is in bondage with her children. But that Jerusalem which is above is free: which is our mother. For it is written:
Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not: break forth and cry thou that travailest not: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband.
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was after the spirit: so also it is now. But what saith the scripture? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman." So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman but of the free: by the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.
GRADUAL (Ps. 121:1, 7)
I rejoice at the tidings that were told me, "We shall go into the house of the Lord." V. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your towers.
TRACT (Ps. 124:1-2)
They who trust in the Lord are like Mount Sion; he who dwells in Jerusalem shall never be moved. V. Mountains are round about it, and the Lord is round about His people, from henceforth and forever.
GOSPEL (John 6:1-15)
At that time, After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were diseased. Jesus therefore went up into a mountain: and there he sat with his disciples.
Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" And this he said to try him: for he himself knew what he would do.
Philip answered him: "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one may take a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him: "There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves and two fishes. But what are these among so many?" Then Jesus said: "Make the men sit down."
Now, there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves: and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In like manner also of the fishes, as much as they would. And when they were filled, he said to his disciples: "Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost." They gathered up therefore and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which remained over and above to them that had eaten.
Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: "This is of a truth the prophet that is to come into the world." Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come to take him by force and make him king, fled again into the mountains, himself alone.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 134:3, 6)
Praise the Lord, for He is good; sing praise to His name, for He is sweet. All He has willed, He has done in heaven and on earth.
Look with favor upon these offerings, O Lord, that they may be an aid to our devotion and to our salvation. Through Our Lord . . .
Look with favor upon the immaculate gift we offer You, O Lord. may we always receive it with clean hearts through the intercession of Your blessed confessor bishop Cyril. through Our Lord Jesus Christ . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ps. 121:3-4)
Jerusalem was built as a city with compact unity; to it the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, to give praise to Your name, O Lord.
O merciful God, we never fail to be nourished by Your Sacrament. May we offer it with true devotion and receive it always with faith. Through Our Lord . . .
O Lord Jesus Christ, sanctify our hearts and minds by the Sacrament of Your own Body and Blood which we have received. Make us worthy to share in Your divine nature through the intercession of the holy bishop Cyril; who lives and rules with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
Labels: Fourth Sunday in Lent, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem
The painting is by Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri; Italian, ca. 1591-1666),
Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery, 1621.
SATURDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK IN LENT
Bishop and Confessor
INTROIT Ps. 5:2-3
Hear my words, O Lord; consider my cry. Hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my king and my God.
Ps. 5:4. For to You I pray, O Lord; in the morning You hear my voice.
O Almighty God, while Your servants mortify their bodies by fasting, may they also follow after righteousness and avoid sin. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT PATRICK
Toward the close of the fourth century, the pagan Irish captured during a slave-hunting raid the Christian youth who would become St. Patrick. The lad was put to work in Ireland as a pigherd for six years. Then he escaped, but with the intension of returning to th eland of his captivity as an apostle. The former pigherd was ordained to the priesthood, and in 432 was made a bishop. The Pope himself commissioned Patrick to carry the Faith to Ireland. In his apostolic travels St. Patrick covered the length and breathe of the island. He overcame heartbreaking difficulties and sorrows, because he made Christ his sole changeless friend and helper.
O God, You sent Your blessed confessor bishop Patrick to preach Your glory among the nations. May we fulfill all the duties commanded of us through his merits and intercession. Through Our Lord . . .
LESSON Dan. 13:1-9, 15-17, 1930, 33-62
Now there was a man that dwelt in Babylon, and his name was Joakim: And he took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Helcias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared God. For her parents being just, had instructed their daughter according to the law of Moses.
Now Joakim was very rich, and had an orchard near his house: and the Jews resorted to him, because he was the most honourable of them all. And there were two of the ancients of the people appointed judges that year, of whom the Lord said: 'That iniquity came out from Babylon, from the ancient judges, that seemed to govern the people.' These men frequented the house of Joakim, and all that had any matters of judgment came to them. And when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went in, and walked in her husband's orchard. And the old men saw her going in every day, and walking: and they were inflamed with lust towards her:
And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments.
And it fell out, as they watched a fit day, she went in on a time, as yesterday and the day before, with two maids only, and was desirous to wash herself in the orchard: for it was hot weather. And there was nobody there, but the two old men that had hid themselves, and were beholding her. So she said to the maids: "Bring me oil, and washing balls, and shut the doors of the orchard, that I may wash me."
Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders arose, and ran to her, and said: "Behold the doors of the orchard are shut, and nobody seeth us, and we are in love with thee: wherefore consent to us, and lie with us. But if thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee, that a young man was with thee, and therefore thou didst send away thy maids form thee." Susanna sighed, and said: "I am straitened on every side: for if I do this thing, it is death to me: and if I do it not, I shall not escape your hands. But it is better for me to fall into your hands without doing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord." With that Susanna cried out with a loud voice: and the elders also cried out against her. And one of them ran to the door of the orchard, and opened it. So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the orchard, they rushed in by the back door, to see what was the matter. But after the old men had spoken, the servants were greatly ashamed: for never had there been any such word said of Susanna. And on the next day, When the people were come to Joakim, her husband, the two elders also came full of wicked device against Susanna, to put her to death. And they said before the people: "Send to Susanna, daughter of Helcias, the wife of Joakim." And presently they sent. And she came with her parents, and children and all her kindred.
Therefore her friends, and all her acquaintance wept. But the two elders rising up in the midst of the people, laid their hands upon her head. And she weeping, looked up to heaven, for her heart had confidence in the Lord. And the elders said: "As we walked in the orchard alone, this woman came in with two maids, and shut the doors of the orchard, ans sent away the maids from her. Then a young man that was there hid came to her, and lay with her. But we that were in a corner of the orchard, seeing this wickedness, ran up to them, and we saw them lie together.
And him indeed we could not take, because he was stronger than us, and opening the doors, he leaped out: But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us: of this thing we are witnesses."
The multitude believed them, as being the elders, and the judges of the people, and they condemned her to death. Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said: "O eternal God, who knowest hidden things, who knowest all things before they come to pass, Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me: and behold I must die, whereas I have done none of these things, which these men have maliciously forged against me."
And the Lord heard her voice. And when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel: And he cried out with a loud voice: "I am clear from the blood of this woman." Then all the people turning themselves towards him, said: "What meaneth this word that thou hast spoken?" But he standing in the midst of them, said: "Are ye so foolish, ye children of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth, you have condemned a daughter of Israel? Return to judgment, for they have borne false witness against her."
So all the people turned again in haste, and the old men said to him: "Come, and sit thou down among us, and shew it us: seeing God hath given thee the honour of old age." And Daniel said to the people: "Separate these two far from one another, and I will examine them." So when they were put asunder one from the other, he called one of them, and said to him: "O thou that art grown old in evil days, now are thy sins come out, which thou hast committed before: In judging unjust judgments, oppressing the innocent, and letting the guilty to go free, whereas the Lord saith: The innocent and the just thou shalt not kill. Now then if thou sawest her, tell me under what tree thou sawest them conversing together?": He said: "Under a mastic tree." And Daniel said: "Well hast thou lied against thy own head: for behold the angel of God having recieved the sentence of him, shall cut thee in two."
And having put him aside, he commanded that the other should come, and he said to him: "O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thy heart: Thus did you do to the daughters of Israel, and they for fear conversed with you: but a daughter of Juda would not abide your wickedness. Now, therefore, tell me, under what tree didst thou take them conversing together?" And he answered: "Under a holm tree." And Daniel said to him: "Well hast thou also lied against thy own head: for the angel of the Lord waiteth with a sword to cut thee in two, and to destroy you."
With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and they blessed God, who saveth them that trust in him. And they rose up against the two elders, (for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth) and they did to them as they had maliciously dealt against their neighbour, To fulfil the law of Moses: and they put them to death, and innocent blood was saved in that day.
GRADUAL Ps. 22:4
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, O Lord.
V. Your rod and Your staff, these give me courage.
At that time, Jesus went unto mount Olivet. And early in the morning he came again into the temple: and all the people came to him. And sitting down he taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees bring unto him a woman taken in adultery: and they set her in the midst, And said to him: "Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou?" And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him.
But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground. When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself and said to them: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." And again stooping down, he wrote on the ground.
But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: "Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee?" Who said: "No man, Lord." And Jesus said: "Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more."
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 118:133
Direct my footsteps according to Your promise, O Lord, and let no iniquity rule over me.
Almighty God, grant that our sacrificial offering may cleanse and protect our frail nature from all evil. Through our Lord . . .
O Lord, may Your Saints everywhere be a source of joy for us, and may we feel the power of their intercession with You as we solemnly recall the deeds of their lives. Through our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON John 8:10, 11
Has no one condemned thee, woman? No one, Lord. Neither will I condemn thee. From now on sin no more.
O Almighty God, may we, who have received the Body and Blood of Christ in Communion, be numbered among the members of His Mystical Body; who lives and rules with You . . .
O Almighty God, may the expression of our gratitude to You for all Your gifts bring us even greater benefits, through the intercession of Your blessed Confessor bishop Patrick. Through our Lord . . .
PRAY OVER THE PEOPLE
O Lord, stretch out Your helping hand from heaven to all the faithful who seek You with all their hearts. May they be worthy of receiving that which they rightly ask for. Through our Lord . . .
Posted by Deacon John at 8:01 AM 0 comments
Labels: Saint Patrick, Saturday third week in Lent
MONDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK IN LENT
[Commemoration]SAINT GREGORY THE GREATPope and Doctor of the Church
God will not force His grace upon anyone. He insists only that every person accept His ordinary channels of grace: the Sacraments, sacramentals, people, circumstances, events, things. When a man does not believe in God's power to use anything or anybody as His instrument, God gives His grace to other men who do so believe. To disbelieve, and to reject God's way and time for answering prayer, is to be like the Nazarene's who rejected Christ. Souls in mission lands, as well as thousands everywhere, await the faith to see God at work in everything, especially through the Sacraments and the Mass.
INTROIT Ps. 55:5
Through God I will glory in this word, through the Lord I will praise this speech: in God I trust, and I will not fear what man can do to me.
Ps. 55:2. Have pity on me, O God, for men trample upon me; all the day they press their attack against me.
V . Glory be . . .
O Lord, mercifully fill our hearts with Your grace. We mortify our bodies by abstaining from food; may we also guard our senses from the danger of unbridled pleasures. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT
Pope Gregory I (c. 540-604) had founded seven Benedictine monasteries on his ancestral estates, and he himself had become a monk in one of them -- St. Andrew's on the Coelian Hill. In the sixth year of his pontificate, he sent to England forty Benedictine monks of St. Andrew's, with St. Augustine, their prior, as leader of the pioneer mission band. Gregory also dealt courageously with the conquering Lombards, enlightened the whole Church by his teaching, governed both East and West with vigorous humility, and gave to the world a perfect pattern of pastoral rule.
O God, You rewarded the soul of Your servant Gregory with eternal happiness. Mercifully relieve us from the oppressive weight of our sins through the intercession of this saint. Through Our Lord . . .
LESSON IV Kings 5:1-15 [2 Kings]
In those days, Naaman, general of the army, of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable: for by him the Lord gave deliverance to Syria: and he was a valiant man, and rich, but a leper.
Now there had gone out robbers from Syria, and had led away captive out of the land of Israel, a little maid, and she waited upon Naaman's wife. And she said to her mistress: I wish my master had been with the prophet that is in Samaria: he would certainly have healed him of the leprosy which he hath.
Then Naaman went in to his lord, and told him, saying: Thus and thus said the girl from the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said to him: Go; and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment; And brought the letter to the king of Israel, in these words: When thou shalt receive this letter, know that I have sent to thee Naaman, my servant, that thou mayst heal him of his leprosy.
And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he rent his garments, and said: Am I God, to be able to kill and give life, that this man hath sent to me to heal a man of his leprosy? mark, and see how he seeketh occasions against me.
And when Eliseus, the man of God, had heard this, to wit, that the king of Israel had rent his garments, he sent to him, saying: Why hast thou rent thy garments? let him come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.
So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Eliseus: And Eliseus sent a messenger to him, saying: Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh shall recover health, and thou shalt be clean. Naaman was angry, and went away, saying: I thought he would have come out to me, and standing, would have invoked the name of the Lord his God, and touched with his hand the place of the leprosy, and healed me. Are not the Abana, and the Pharphar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel, that I may wash in them, and be made clean? So as he turned, and was going away with indignation, His servants came to him, and said to him: Father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, surely thou shouldst have done it: how much rather what he now hath said to thee: Wash, and thou shalt be clean?
Then he went down, and washed in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored, like the flesh of a little child: and he was made clean. And returning to the man of God, with all his train, he came, and stood before him, and said: In truth, I know there is no other God, in all the earth, but only in Israel: I beseech thee, therefore, take a blessing of thy servant.
GRADUAL Ps. 55:9 2
O God, I have recounted my life to You; You have placed my tears before You.
V . Have pity on me, O God, for men trample upon me; all the day they press their attack against me.
TRACT Ps. 102:10; 78:8-9
O Lord, repay us not according to the sins we have committed, nor according to our iniquities.
V . O Lord, remember not our iniquities of the past; let Your mercy come quickly to us, for we are being brought very low. (All kneel.)
V . Help us, O God our Savior, and for the glory of Your name. O Lord, deliver us; and pardon us our sins for Your name's sake.
At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees: "Doubtless you will say to me this similitude: 'Physician, heal thyself. As great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in thy own country.' " And he said: "Amen I say to you that no prophet is accepted in his own country. In truth I say to You, there were many widows in the days of Elias in Israel, when heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there was a great famine throughout all the earth. And to none of them was Elias sent, but to Sarepta of Sidon, to a widow woman. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet: and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian."
And all they in the synagogue, hearing these things, were filled with anger. And they rose up and thrust him out of the city: and they brought him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them, went his way.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 54:2-3
Hearken, O Lord, to my prayer and turn not away from my pleading; give heed to me, and answer me.
O Lord, transform this gift we offer You in worship into the Sacrament of our salvation. Through Our Lord . . .
May this sacrifice, which You offered to wash away the sins of the whole world, O Lord, help us through the intercession of blessed Gregory. Through Our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 13:7
Who shall bring out of Sion the salvation of Israel? When the Lord shall have restored His people from captivity, then shall Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.
Almighty and merciful God, may we cherish with our hearts the Sacrament we have received with our lips. Through Our Lord . . .
O God, You bestowed the merits of the saints upon the blessed Pope Gregory. May we who celebrate this feast in his memory also follow the example of his life. Through our Lord . . .
O Lord, aid us by Your mercy. Protect us from the dangers that threaten us because of our sins, and lead us to salvation. Through our Lord . . .
Labels: Monday Lent week 3, Saint Gregory the Great
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GOP’s Brian Kemp Purged 1 in 10 Georgia Voters: I’ve Got the Names
Journalist Greg Palast confronts GOP candidate for Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp outside the Sprayberry Barbecue in Newman, Georgia, asking, “Mr. Kemp are you removing Black voters from the voter rolls just so you can win this election?”
Video still by David Ambrose, courtesy of the Palast Investigative Fund.
Greg Palast,
My lawyer had to threaten Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp with a federal lawsuit to force him to turn over the names of over half a million voters whose citizenship rights he quietly extinguished.
This past week, I released the name of every one of these Georgia voters Kemp flushed from voter rolls in 2017. If you’re a Georgia resident, check the list. If your name is on it, re-register right now. You only have through tomorrow (October 9).
It’s no coincidence that Georgia’s Purge’n General is also running for Governor: The Republican candidate is fighting a dead-even race against Stacey Abrams, Democratic House Minority Leader. Abrams, if she wins, would become the first Black woman governor in US history.
Suspiciously, Kemp sent no notice to these citizens after he took away their voting rights. If they show up to vote on November 6, they’re out of luck — and so is Georgia’s democracy.
I brought in one of the nation’s top mailing database experts, Mark Swedlund, and his team to go through the list, name by name. Among the voters purged are thousands who supposedly left the state but remain in Georgia. Thousands more are people who moved from one end of town to another and lost their vote — and we even found one who simply moved from one apartment to another in the same building.
These registration cancellations are therefore dead wrong and, say voting law experts, coldly break the law.
That is why Gerald Griggs, counsel for the Atlanta NAACP, and voting rights attorney Nse Ufot, executive director of the New Georgia Project (a nonpartisan voter registration initiative), are joining in my suit against Kemp.
We’ll be hauling Kemp into federal court to force him to open the records to which the public is entitled under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 — provisions meant to prevent just this type of voter roll shenanigan. In particular, we’re forcing him to disclose the complete detailed process that led to each voter’s removal.
Suspiciously, Kemp sent no notice to these citizens after he took away their voting rights. If they show up to vote on November 6, they’re out of luck
I don’t file federal suits on a whim. Kemp has continually turned down legitimate Open Records Act requests over my five years of investigation for Al Jazeera and Rolling Stone.
Griggs and Ufot made their announcement about the suit at a press conference October 2 in Atlanta at the national headquarters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the civil rights group that traces its origins to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The location was meant to make a point. The racial stench from the computerized torching of the Georgia voter files has motivated prominent civil rights leaders from Georgia to add their names to the lawsuit: Axel Adams, executive editor of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition that grew out of two nonprofit organizations founded by Jesse Jackson; Joe Beasley, the former southern regional director for Rainbow PUSH; and SCLC President Dr. Charles Steele Jr., who currently holds the post held by Dr. Martin L. King Jr. until his assassination.
Steele told the gathered media and rights leaders, “Many people have died and paid the supreme sacrifice for people to have the right to vote. What is taking place here in Georgia is an insult to all these efforts and accomplishments.”
Dr. Charles Steele, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, announces that he will join the suit against Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp.
David Ambrose, courtesy of BET.
Why did I wait to release endangered voters’ names until days before the last day of registration? Because Kemp dragged his feet on my request for the purge lists until literally the last hours before the 90-day deadline imposed by the law.
I tried to get Kemp’s answers to the NAACP’s and SCLC’s charges that the mass purge of 1 in 10 Georgia voters was aimed at decimating the Black electorate so he could steal the governorship from Abrams.
Technically, Kemp removed voters after they had skipped voting — and failed to return a postcard that, according to Morgan County Elections Board member Helen Butler, “Looks like junk mail. You’d throw it away.” Butler, who also serves as executive director of the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, is wary of Kemp’s purge methods. Just last year, her group settled a suit against Kemp that forced him to return over 40,000 voters to the rolls.
The National Voter Registration Act specifically prohibits cancelling voter registrations for not voting. But the failure to vote, in combination with not returning a postcard or other information, can be used to justify a cancellation if there is legitimate belief this is evidence the voter has moved.
“But they have not moved,” notes Swedlund, who says not returning a postcard is an “absurd, dangerous” way to determine if voters have moved — especially if their rights are at stake. And basing cancellations on non-responses to postcards is, Swedlund notes, endemically biased against voters who move often, including the poor, students, and Black and Latino voters — in other words, Democrats.
Notably, Swedlund’s analysts found that 108,000 of the names on Kemp’s hit list were also on the notorious “Interstate Crosscheck” list, which my investigations team had obtained from an insider in Kemp’s office as part of my investigations for Rolling Stone.
The lists were created for Georgia by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, President Donald Trump’s “fraudulent voter hunter.” Kobach himself, interviewed in Kansas, told me the list was sent to Kemp and others to indicate a voter had moved out of state. In fact, we went through each and every Crosscheck-tagged voter’s name — and only 2,000 of the 108,000 Crosschecked voters who were purged have left the state. And the majority of others purged had not moved from their original registration address. In simple terms, most of those whose registrations have been cancelled are legitimate Georgia voters.
Representatives from Kemp’s office issued a statement this week denying they used the Crosscheck list, but they did not know we had obtained the list despite Kemp’s resistance. Furthermore, Kemp’s former deputy and his predecessor as Secretary of State both confirmed Georgia participated in Crosscheck.
Meanwhile, Kemp had no clear response as to why the others were removed.
So, I thought it important to get the answers about the purges from the horse’s mouth. But Kemp has weaved and ducked all my interview requests in my several trips to Georgia beginning in 2014.
So, this time, I decided to track down his campaign bus. On Tuesday, I located the candidate in the parking lot of a BBQ joint in Newnan, 38 miles outside Atlanta. You could smell the pigs roasting.
I asked Kemp, bluntly, “Mr. Kemp are you removing Black voters from the voter rolls just so you can win this election?”
Kemp’s answer was to turn his back as I was physically body-blocked, then grabbed and hauled away by Georgia “smokies,” the local county deputy sheriffs. (They claimed that Sprayberry’s Barbecue ordered me off the property, but the owner said otherwise.) It was later reported that his handlers had clocked me before the bus pulled in.
The civil rights leaders are dissatisfied with Kemp’s response and will press our litigation. “Georgia,” said the SCLC’s Steele, “needs to know that we’re not going to take it anymore.”
Note to Georgia residents: You can find out if your registration has been cancelled here. Type in your name and zip code now — you have only Monday and Tuesday to re-register.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.
Investigative reporter Greg Palast is the author of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, now a film, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: The Case of the Stolen Election.
Ohio’s Junk Mail Trick Led the Supreme Court to Approve Jim Crow Voter Purge
A team of attorneys has found a way to fight back against the racially biased practice.
Get Ready for More Voter Suppression
At least 20 states are considering laws that would make it harder to vote.
Jen Herrick,
OtherWords
How Do Republicans Get Away With Voter Suppression?
There aren’t enough white guys to elect Donald Trump, so he had to eliminate people of color from voter lists.
Mark Karlin,
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Update on Issues and Changes to the Philippine Dual System of TRICARE
In this issue we will try to address some ongoing issues and changes to policy that the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and International SOS (ISOS) feel do not need to be made available to beneficiaries in the Philippines. This appears to be local policy rather than worldwide policy. For example DHA announced that service centers were to be closed at military facilities and over a two month period we received at least 20 notices and reminders from DHA. Given their apparent guidelines on publicizing policy changes for Philippine beneficiaries we would have been lucky to have seen even one notice.
Certification Process and Cebu Hospitals
We have been working for more than a year trying to get to the bottom of why Cebu Doctor’s Hospital, in March of 2013, and then Chong Hua Hospital, in December 2013, were removed from the Certified Provider List. Providers are removed for three reasons; 1) they refuse to have anything to do with ISOS, a growing problem, 2) they have not had a TRICARE claim filed for care provided by them in three years or 3) ISOS determines they are not a legitimate provider or were suspected of fraud and declared secretly sanctioned.
ISOS does not want you to know why, how or what they do with your benefit and invoke various false claims of secrecy or proprietary privilege to keep you in the dark. In most cases these claims are bogus but they depend on you not taking them to court and spending money to get an answer you have every right to have; it works to keep you in your place and allows them to do pretty much as they please. In the case of certification they claim they and their local administrative clerks are immune from discussing certification in accordance with 10 USC 1102. 10 USC 1102 concerns the protection of medical quality assurance records. However per the DODIG they state, “According to the [ISOS] contract, the non-network provider certifications include confirming the existence of a physical building through onsite reviews, verifying the credentials of the facility or provider, assessing the adequacy and capability of the facility or provider for providing patient care, and ensuring that the credentials conform to the requirements of the Philippine government and its licensing boards.” The National Center for Biotechnology Information defines quality assurance as, “Activities and programs intended to assure or improve the quality of care in either a defined medical setting or a program. The concept includes the assessment or evaluation of the quality of care; identification of problems or shortcomings in the delivery of care; designing activities to overcome these deficiencies; and follow-up monitoring to ensure effectiveness of corrective steps.” Confirming the physical existence of a provider and verifying their credentials against the Philippine licensing boards doesn’t qualify as “quality assurance” information. That leaves “assessing the adequacy and capability of the facility or provider for providing patient care”. The DODIG qualified this process as [recording] “various items to be observed in medical facilities such as medical equipment, number of staff, and patient volume”. This also doesn’t qualify as “quality assurance records”. Further medical quality assurance is carried out by highly trained physicians and nurses, not local administrative clerks looking for fraud and checking boxes on a form.
After much effort by our group, including Congressional inquiries, it appears we have succeeded in getting Chong Hua Hospital back on the Certified Provider List and it should appear on the 15 April 2014 list. (For anyone that used this facility while it was classified as an illegitimate hospital and had a claim denied you can now request reconsideration and the claim should be paid.)
We have not been so lucky with Cebu Doctor’s Hospital. We were successful in fighting the initial sanction for suspected fraud by providing the Philippine law that required the action they were sanctioned for. However ISOS Program Integrity, the proponent for certification, does not accept the Philippine government’s licensing standards and have added additional requirements. If a hospital does not or will not jump through the additional hoops they are removed and sanctioned as an illegitimate hospital. It appears this is the current status. So while they are accredited by a U.K. based clinic and hospital accreditation organization, licensed by the Philippine government, accepted by the U.S. Embassy and is accepted by hundreds of real insurance companies worldwide, TRICARE patients are not allowed to use this facility simply due to a bureaucratic paperwork exercise that has nothing to do with the validity of the hospital and certainly nothing to do with the quality of care or quality assurance. To add insult to injury and demonstrate how unrealistic the ISOS process is, they have certified 3 or 5 subordinate hospitals owned or affiliated with Cebu Doctor’s Hospital; talk about a dichotomy.
We can only wonder how the Philippine government and people will feel about the U.S. government claiming their ability to license hospitals is questionable and requires the U.S. government to go behind them and second guess their policies and actions. This is probably the reason they keep these sanctions secret from beneficiaries unlike listing them for everyone to see everywhere else in the world.
Billed Charges Now Sometimes Apply in the Philippines
We have been working this issue for more than a year also and for most of that year we could not get a definitive answer from DHA. But finally we have an answer although at present all indications are DHA doesn’t feel the need to advertise this change; instead calling it a misinterpretation of policy that has been corrected and therefore not a change in policy.
Early into the Demo we discovered many claims filed by Demo hospitals were being paid in full without regard to the CMAC rates which if they had been applied about 25% of the billed charges would have been denied which would have also reduced the copay by 25%. We did an appeal to one of these to WPS indicating it appeared to be in error. The written response failed to provide specifics but said the claim was processed and paid IAW current DHA policy. Later we were able to obtain more specific feedback.
The references cited in that feedback were the TRICARE Reimbursement Manual 6010.58-M, Chapter 1, Section 34 and Section 35 para 4.1.1. These references discuss how hospital and physician claims are to be paid in the Philippines, in essence mandating the use of the CMAC designed for U.S. billing practices. If you read through all of this what is missing are references to non-inpatient hospital claims. Non-inpatient claims from a hospital would be for a full range of outpatient services including laboratory, radiology, chemo therapy, physical therapy, ambulatory surgery, nuclear medicine, etc. Note, these same bills from a private lab etc. are not covered by this exception and will still be paid under the CMAC designed for U.S. billing practices which is inconsistent but the Dual TRICARE Benefit system in the Philippines is built on inconsistencies.
This technicality allows the payment of billed charges for both provider and beneficiary filed claims. Further, since this is not a change to the manual but a change based on what would be called a previous misinterpretation, all claims that were underpaid since the implementation of the U.S. designed CMAC, some six years ago, should be reviewed and the denied amounts cost shared. While it appeared Wisconsin Physician’s Service (WPS) was inclined to do this it also appears that DHA would just as soon look the other way. We requested that these claims be reprocessed but have not received an answer and are not confident DHA will do the right thing.
We also requested that DHA issue a notice on this change but the feedback we got was, since it is not a change to policy, there is no need for a notice. We appealed this claiming while policy may not have changed, how it is applied has.
However a beneficiary can request that any claim previously filed be reconsidered based on new information and in particular those within the previous 3 years. We recommend you review any old EOBs and take this action if appropriate. Further everyone should check their current claims closely to insure they are processed correctly as we are finding examples where WPS still inappropriately applies the CMAC and assisted with one that was appealed where the difference was then paid.
Acceptable Double Proof of Payment
Recently we were assisting with a claim and WPS demanded the infamous “Double Proof of Payment” and emailed a list of acceptable items that could be used. The list was significantly different from what we had seen before.
The following is the full list of approved proof of payments provided by them:
1. Credit card statement or credit card receipts.
2. Beneficiary's bank statement documenting the dispersal of funds with provider name. Cash withdrawal on a bank statement must have one of 3, 5, or 6 attached.
3. “Paid” stamp with provider name and date of payment on a claim, receipt, itemized bills, or a statement (stamp has to be on every page summary or total page).
4. Copy of the check showing the service provider’s name in the “Pay to the order of” field and signed by patient or sponsor.
5. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) transmission with the provider’s name (if not directly to the provider, one of: 3, 4 or 6 are required).
6. Provider’s itemized bill statement and (provider’s) matching official receipt signed by the cashier or check number. “Matching” means that the same (dollar) amount and official receipt or check number must be on both documents.
Further discussion reveled with item 2 they expected bank statements to show the name of the provider associated with the withdrawal or cash withdrawals in exact amounts when compared with items 3, 5 or 6. Item 6 requires both the itemized bill and receipt include references to the receipt number and both letterheads match; possible but not likely in the Philippines.
We asked about ATM receipts and loan statements and were told to refer to the “official list” previously provided.
After months of discussion we were told that ISOS would provide further guidance to WPS and include information that allows ATM receipts and loan statements and that the withdraw amounts from banks do not have to match dollar for dollar with each receipt but that we may be asked to explain which withdraw(s) went to pay which bill. We have no way of knowing if ISOS will follow through with this promise as we have multiple examples where they promised DHA they would do something and never did.
If anyone encounters issues with the “Double Proof of Payment” requirement please contact us.
Secret Lens Purchase Agreement
The Demonstration was developed in a vacuum by bureaucrats in Washington with no experience with the Philippine health care industry standards and refused input from local military retirees, some with years of experience in health care administration and the local standards. Then they turned lose a contractor with little or no supervision. The predictable and inevitable occurred; secret agreements between the contractor and providers, unanticipated consequences due to lack of knowledge of the local industry and more.
Some of these we already know about and previously reported:
Instructed providers that they could/should increase fees by 2 to 4 fold such as visit fees.
Agree to allow providers to collect deductibles at time of care without considering local industry standards and no requirement that they submit claims.
Completely unaware of local standards where hospitals require inpatients to purchase from outside sources many items required in the provision of their care.
Allowed some hospitals to refuse care to beneficiaries after hours and tried to hide it from both beneficiaries and DHA.
Unaware of local industry standards of care where local insurance plans provide private rooms and where semi-ward conditions constitute semi-private rooms forcing beneficiaries to suffer ward like conditions or pay for their own rooms under the Demo.
Made no provisions for beneficiaries with PhilHealth so many were refused care under the Demo.
The latest exposed agreement requires beneficiaries to purchase the lens used during cataract removal surgery. This secret agreement was first exposed when a beneficiary tried to obtain assistance from the ISOS front Global24 (G24). As is common practice G24 made no attempt to resolve the issue and the beneficiary had to pay for the lens. It was reported to DHA and he was assured that G24 staff and all ophthalmologists were retrained and lenses were covered under the Demo. Seven months later the same thing happened again and once again G24 ignored the beneficiaries request for assistance. The beneficiary asked the facility why he was required to pay for the lens and was told that G24 had instructed them that it was up to the doctor if he wanted to participate on the lens or require the beneficiary to pay for the lens. This was reported to DHA who ignored the complaint about G24’s lack of assistance but claimed that ISOS would talk to the providers involved and denied G24 told providers they could decide if they participated on the lens; implying the providers made it up. Our investigation of this claim showed that, as expected, the ISOS claim was weak as providers at other hospitals claimed they were told the same thing by G24. A follow-up with the original hospital and doctor to see if G24 had corrected the claimed misinformation resulted in our being told that yes ISOS had talked to them but agreed they could still decide to participate or not on lenses and pointed out they had just done another surgery under the Demo and the beneficiary was required to pay for the lens. Another follow-up with DHA resulted in a comment that G24 was now admitting to the secret agreement and it was required or these doctors would resign from the program.
Our suggestion passed to ISOS that they post a notice on their webpage and provide handouts on this policy to the doctors to give to beneficiaries to explain the exception, including lenses covered and how to file a claim but it was ignored. We then passed the suggestion to DHA who is taking our suggestion under advisement but there has been no commitment that beneficiaries will be told of this secret agreement. In the meantime beneficiaries will continue to be told to believe the DHA and ISOS hype; “You will not have to file claims for medical care received by an Approved Provider. Approved demonstration providers have agreed to file claims on your behalf.”
One of the insidious consequences of this secret policy is beneficiaries may find they are not reimbursed for lenses the ophthalmologists recommends and some ophthalmologists push higher priced lenses because they add a percentage to the actual cost. Because ISOS is unaware of this they have made no provisions for it. The policy manual only allows a lens that restores vision. They generally do not pay for those that also correct previous vision deficiencies which can increase the cost 4 fold. ISOS failed to train Demo providers in these rules, IAW the TOM Chap 18 Sec 12 para 4.2.7 so they have no clue and one of the reasons we suggested a handout. Disregard the comment in the manual that states “Lenses must be FDA approved” as that does not apply under the TRICARE Overseas Program. However many ophthalmologists offer them and we recommend their use if available.
Use of Non Certified or Approved Providers and without Waivers Okay Under Some Circumstances
The jury is still out on this as it violates multiple provisions of the TRICARE Operations Manual so be careful, but this policy has been in place for at least a year. We recently addressed this WPS policy to DHA and the policy was confirmed but they may decide to reverse it. And as happens much of the time these changes to the Dual Philippine TRICARE Benefit are done in secret to the detriment of beneficiaries; they call it cost avoidance in the fight against beneficiary fraud.
A beneficiary recently had to undergo an emergency ambulatory procedure at a Demo hospital. There were no approved providers so a non certified or approved provider was used and the providers billed amount was paid through the hospital cashier. The beneficiary then requested a waiver which was approved and submitted the claim which was paid within 5 days without question. Surprised, the beneficiary called WPS who explained that what physician provided care was not important; only the provider name on the letterhead of the receipt which would always be considered as the actual provider of care. This policy applies under either Standard or the Demo.
In essence as long as the policy stands and as long as the receipt reflects a certified hospital, or approved in Demo areas, you can use any provider of your choice. Also because DHA considers the care provided by the hospital and not a physician and if it is outpatient care, the provisions of, “Billed Charges Now Apply in the Philippines”, as outlined above apply which means for surgical procedures, which are grossly underpaid by the CMAC, will be cost shared in full. It appears this policy also applies to inpatient professional fees as well as long as the receipt for those providers is from the hospital.
However, as with all policies that affect the Dual TRICARE Benefit system in the Philippines, they are subject to change without notice. If we find this or any other policy changes we will immediately post the change to the TRICARE Overseas Philippines Blog.
TRICARE Plus Removes you from the Demonstration
In a recent development a retiree took his family to Guam and because of many issues he had with the Demo and sought care at the local military hospital (MTF). The hospital enrolled him and his family in TRICARE Plus. While the TRICARE webpage claims that this does not affect your TRICARE Standard benefit and only offers primary care at the MTF, G24 refused to allow the family to use the Demo on return unless they disenrolled from TRICARE Plus. An inquiry to DHA confirmed that G24 was correct in their refusal since they think the family does not reside in the Philippines. So it appears, if you prefer not to be saddled with the Demo limitations on access to care and chose your own providers even within a Demo area simply go to Guam and use the MTF and get enrolled in TRICARE Plus.
Limited Access to Care under the Demo
TRICARE’s published Patient Rights states, “As a patient in the Military Health System, you have the right to: Your choice of health care providers”. In many instances ISOS has recruited only one provider in a specialty but chose to ignore TRICARE policy and force us to use a single provider. In one instance, not only was only one provider made available they provider only offered 4 hours of clinic in the Demo area and no inpatient coverage because they lived 50+ miles away. This violation was brought to DHA’s attention and they directed ISOS to recruit more providers or request waivers. So they have been digging at the bottom of the physician barrel to recruit providers who are not certified because no beneficiary previously wanted to see them, quality issues come to mind, to get them to sign up. In addition several areas still lack two providers but DHA seems to feel as long as ISOS claims they are still searching for a warm body willing to sign up, that meets the standard of our right of choice of health care providers. We suggest, if you need to see a provider and there is only one and you don’t trust that provider, you should request a waiver under the provisions of TRICARE’s Patient Rights
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About Valarie
Speaking Programs & Opportunities
Film, TV & Essays
TV + Stage
Facebook Tag
By Valarie Kaur
Blog, Open Internet, Opinion Essays
Is the Internet About to Get Sloooooow?
Published on CNN. Editor’s note: Barbara van Schewick is an expert on net neutrality, a professor at Stanford Law School and director of the Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society. She is the author of “Internet Architecture and Innovation.” Follow her on Twitter at @vanschewick. Valarie Kaur, a media and strategy fellow at the Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society, contributed to this article. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. On Wednesday, millions of Americans visiting their favorite websites will
Barbara van Schewick, Comcast, Facebook, FCC, Google, Internet Slowdown, Net Neutrality, Open Internet, Skype, Stanford, Stanford Law School, Tom Wheeler, Valarie Kaur, Verizon, Yale Law School
Blog, Hate Crimes, Millennials, Press
Dynamic Leader Using the Power of Media for Social Change
Published on the blog for the Middle East Studies Center at Ohio State University. We had the honor of co-hosting Valarie Kaur with the Multicultural Center, OSU Hillel, Mundo, OSU First Year Experience, the Office of Student Life, Asian American Association, Better Together, Indian Student Association, and the South Asian Student Association. Twelve years ago, in the wake of September 11, 2001, Kaur set off across the country to discover the stories of those affected by this post-9/11 anger and hatred toward what Mahmoud has called "Muslim-looking others". Since September 11th Sikhs, who often wear
9/11, Facebook, Groundswell, hate crime, Interfaith, Muslim, Ohio, Ohio State, OSU, Sikh, Twitter, university, Valarie Kaur
Blog, Election, Groundswell, Guantanamo, Hate Crimes, Immigration, LGBTQ, Millennials, Sikhs
What Would You Say To the President?
I've just received an invitation from President Obama to the White House on Wednesday for a briefing and reception in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage. The shock is not wearing off. I've asked Sharat to come with me, and both of us are brainstorming about how to make this visit useful. There's so much on our minds --preparing for the 9/11 anniversary, supporting multifaith movement building, mobilizing Millennials, standing up for Sikh and Muslim Americans, pushing for immigration reform and LGBT equality and closing Guantanamo
9/11, AAPI, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage, Election 2008, Election 2012, Facebook, Guantanamo, hate, immigration, India, Interfaith, LGBT, Millennials, multifaith, Muslim, Obama, Sharat Raju, Sikh, South Asian, Twitter, Valarie Kaur, White House
Breathe and Push (19)
Current Projects (34)
Divided We Fall (89)
Essays Gun Freedom (8)
Essays Internet Freedom (4)
Essays Millennials (6)
Essays Sikh Faith (7)
Groundswell (58)
Hate Crimes (128)
Millennials (86)
Oak Creek (52)
Open Internet (15)
Opinion Essays (56)
Profiling (53)
Reclaim Love (1)
Revolutionary Love (32)
Sikhs (150)
TV/Radio (18)
Millennials to Candidates: Talk to Us
Journey from Oak Creek to Newtown
Remembering the Oak Creek Tragedy in Film
Blog Breathe and Push Current Projects Divided We Fall Election Essays Essays Gun Freedom Essays Internet Freedom Essays Millennials Essays Sikh Faith Films Groundswell Guantanamo Guns Hate Crimes Immigration LGBTQ Millennials Muslims Net Neutrality Newsletters Oak Creek Open Internet Opinion Essays Press Prisons Profiling Reclaim Love Revolutionary Love Sikhs TV TV/Radio Uncategorized Women Writing
Valarie Kaur is a seasoned civil rights activist, award-winning filmmaker, lawyer, faith leader, and founder of The Revolutionary Love Project. She harnesses love as a public ethic and shared practice to fight for social justice. She believes “the way we make change is just as important as the change we make.”
We're in this together. #TheSquad https://t.co/88nb3bvwGT
So fiercely proud of #TheSquad today. We have your back. https://t.co/xWwN23MRfd
One Week After Christchurch…
Christchurch Massacre: Urgent Call for Solidarity
CALLING ALL Sikh American women committed to social justice!
COPYRIGHT © VALARIE KAUR, All Rights Reserved.
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/ FBI Lockdown of Solar Observatory: “This is how it happens when extraterrestrials make contact with Earth”. UPDATES ADDED!
FBI Lockdown of Solar Observatory: “This is how it happens when extraterrestrials make contact with Earth”. UPDATES ADDED!
I was first alerted to this strange event in Sunspot, NM by Tyler at Secureteam10 YT channel. It’snow making waves in the MSM. Here’s the story via Gizmodo and Secureteam’s vid:
This Is How It Starts: FBI Suspiciously Locks Down, Evacuates Solar Observatory in New Mexico
This is how it happens when extraterrestrials make contact with Earth.
It starts with a newspaper report about suspicious activity at a space research facility—government agents and military vehicles. The local sheriff gets angry and confused. Then the TV news reports feature interviews with locals saying things like, “Nothing really happens here very much. And since nobody knows, it could be almost anything.”
All that has happened over the last week at the National Solar Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico, 130 miles southwest of Roswell—and the situation is still a mystery.
It seems to have started last Friday when the observatory was temporarily closed because of an undisclosed security issue. Shari Lifson, a spokesperson for the group that manages the facility—Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)—told the Alamogordo Daily News: “We have decided to vacate the facility at this time as a precautionary measure. It was our decision to evacuate the facility.”
Otero County Sheriff Benny House told the Daily News that FBI agents told his officers to “standby,” and would not explain the security threat to him or why the federal law enforcement agency was involved. “But for the FBI to get involved that quick and be so secretive about it, there was a lot of stuff going on up there,” House said to the Daily News. “There was a Blackhawk helicopter, a bunch of people around antennas and work crews on towers, but nobody would tell us anything.”….REST HERE
Six More Solar Cams Down Simultaneously:
“Just in case you were blowing off the tin-foil-hat views of the observatory closure, we note that all these solar/space cams down at the same time:
AXIS 232D Network Dome Camera located in Sydney Australia
Webcams located at SOAR Observatory – The Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope located in Chile
BRT Tenerife Telescope Webcam located in Spain
Webcam located at Mauna Kea observatory at the University of Hawaii Hilo
Webcam from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope observatory in Hawaii
Webcam at JAT OBservatory in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania”
READ MORE AT ZEROHEDGE
And From ufosightingshotspot.
6 More Solar Observatories closed and This could be the reason!
UPDATE AGAIN!
Today 15 September, a series of photos are doing the rounds claiming to be of UFOs swarming around the sun. Taken by “Maria G. Hill” of Salem Indiana, using a “special Cellphone Camera attachment”, I am very skeptical of the veracity of these images for a number of reasons and am digging deeper. I’ll add information as more detail is uncovered. Some of these images are depicted in the ufoblogspot link above, I have been given many more via Email and am seeking permission to publicise for reader interest.
Martin H
looks like those pics are essentially fake, mostly reflections.
For your own evaluation, here’s a YT presentation:
And the following statement in the Comments below:
“LaHomeGrown & KingdomBound
13 hours ago (edited)
This woman is deceiving thousands. She refuses to move her clip on lenses, her binoculars she films through, and so on. The couple times she did, you can CLEARLY SEE the “objects ” move. Everything she has captured is either a flare, a reflection, or a reflection of a flare. I was friends with her on fb until she blocked me because I asked her to please try to move her binoculars or move the clip on lens around while she is filming. I tried to explain to her how cameras work, and some of what she is doing is akin to putting a mirror in front of a mirror. She refuses to listen and says i am slandering her name. It is only slander if it is UNTRUE. She has binoculars taped up on a tripod and rigs her iPhone up to video thru that…she adds some lenses here and there…causing more reflections of flares and reflections of reflections. I didnt want to believe she was knowingly or purposely deceiving people, because she seemed like such a nice lady. But I was so wrong. 🙁
Also, what she calls her “infrared” filter/lens is nothing more than a red plastic filter. It is NOT a true infrared lens.
Try it yourself. Film it yourself. Get extra filters, lenses, clip-on lenses….you’ll get the same things she is getting. But then, if you’re an honest person, you’ll make sure you aren’t deceiving people and you’ll do everything you can to make sure what you are filming is truly what you say it is. She ABSOLUTELY REFUSES to do anything that may cause her “objects” to move. Because they do. They are not objects.
And she KNOWS THIS.”
I’d say this is a false lead in finding an answer to observatory lockdown mystery!
MartinH
AND IT STILL CONTINUES!!
A New Theory: Chinese spying!?
Why are so many WTC First Responders dying?
Respect: President Trump Puts Lives Ahead of Drones.
What’s Hidden In Your New ‘Smart City’ Street Lights?
Orwellian Future: Facial Recognition & Mass Surveillance Is Coming To U.S. Schools
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Scottish police staff are ‘brunt of perverse game of control’- UNISON
Police staff union UNISON has criticised ‘insulting’ comments made by Vic Emery, the chair of the Scottish Police Authority today (Tuesday 27 November) in his dispute with Chief Constable, Stephen House regarding the overall direction and control of police staff in the new single service.
During a session of the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee, the SPA Chair commented that “police staff will always be employed by the SPA… they are ‘just’ staff until I and the SPA Board hand them over to the police services of Scotland”.
George McIrvine, Chair of UNISON’s Scottish Police Staff Committee said:
“Yet again we see police staff being the brunt of a perverse game of who controls us in the new service. It is disturbing to think that Mr Emery describes police staff as ‘just plain staff’ until he and the SPA hand over direction and control to the police service, and only then will they be ‘police staff’.
“It is an insult to us all, as we have always been police staff and we will remain police staff, loyal and committed.”
UNISON police staff have also noted the assurance given that there will be resolution “by the end of the year” on issues of governance as well as a voluntary redundancy package that will cover the whole of Scotland. The SPA are due to meet formally on 5 December to ratify – but police staff have not been involved in any consultations or negotiations.
George McIrvine said:
“Today has left police staff in Scotland with more questions than answers to our future – while those at the top huff and puff their way to the single police service which is due to start in April.
“We have also noted that both Mr Emery and Mr House have taken commercial legal advice around their remit within the Act which transpires was paid for from the public purse. UNISON would challenge if this is best value of taxpayers’ money”.
1. UNISON represents police staff across Scotland. Police staff deliver a wide range of services including complex and specialised functions that are central to modern day police forces, while allowing uniformed officers to concentrate on their operational policing duties.
2. Police staff are not just ‘staff’ until the Scottish Police Authority hands them over. They have a defined legal status in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (s26-30) and transfer under the Act with that status.
3. Up to three thousand police staff across Scotland face losing their jobs as a result of Scottish government commitment to budget savings for the new police service while at the same time maintaining police officer numbers at the current level of 17,234.
4. Documents giving UNISON’s analysis of the police reform process and our ongoing campaign for a balanced, modern police force – rather than cutting thousands of police staff jobs – are available on our website: For more information see UNISON’s police pages https://unison-scotland.org.uk/police/index.html
George McIrvine, chair of UNISON’s Scottish Police Committee, on 07842 542677
Dave Watson, Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, UNISON Scotland, on 07958 122 409
Malcolm Burns, Communications Officer, UNISON Scotland, 0141 342 2877 or 078765 66978
Best ValuecutsjobspolicePolice ScotlandPolice staffpublic servicesredundancyScottish Police Authority
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Shipwreckers
Publisher: Psygnosis (1997)
Rating: Kids to Adults (animated violence)
May contain pirates
As the only pirate game I've seen for the Playstation One, Shipwreckers offers a nice change of pace. Too bad it's mired by a slew of video game cliches. It begins with a wacky animated intro that lets you know right up front that this isn't serious game. In the one-player mode, you view your vessel from overhead as you battle other ships, collect floating crates, and unlock new areas. Controlling your ship is simple - maybe too simple. Steering it around isn't much different than steering around Pac-Man - you'd think they could have at least incorporated the wind somehow. There's a nice selection of weapons, and it's cool how you can fire cannons off both sides of your ship. Sinking other ships provides some thrills, as it's quite satisfying to watch them go down. Townships and beaches serve as attractive but unremarkable scenery, and excellent metal-drum music gives the game a tropical flavor. You'll find some cool power-ups, including one that lets you fly in the air like a blimp. Unfortunately, Shipwrecker's stages tend to be set up like claustrophobic mazes with endless canals, gates, and switches. These confined areas hardly convey the feeling of plundering and pillaging on the high seas, and the multiplayer mode is even more disappointing. You would think that five pirate ships battling in the open water would be an absolute blast, but there's minimal strategy as the ships trade shots back and forth. Making matters worse, when they move apart, the view scales out so far that you can barely see them! Shipwreckers isn't terrible, but it definitely feels like a missed opportunity. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.
Find Shipwreckers on
If you like this game, try: Ocean Battle (Arcadia 2001),
Pirates: The Legend of Black Kat (Playstation 2), Ms. Pac-Man (Atari 5200),
Air-Sea Battle (Atari 2600), Jr. Pac-Man (Atari 5200)
Shooter Space Shot
Publisher: A1 Games (2000)
Rating: Everyone
Could they have come up with a less imaginative name for this? Space Shot is a 3D side-scroller in the same vein as Einhander, but in terms of fun it's not even in the same ballpark. This generic shooter is part of A1's line of $9.99 games, and you get what you pay for. It might have have respectable five years ago, but the constant slowdown, pixelated scenery, and boring enemies make it seem positively archaic. You're equipped with a rapid-fire weapon and lock-on missiles. By positioning your ship, you can lock onto a series of targets and release a barrage of missiles, which by far is the highlight of the game. Stage intermissions present some very cheesy Japanese animation sequences you'll want to skip. Shooter Space Shot can only recommend this to shooter fans on a very tight budget. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.
Find Shooter Space Shot on
If you like this game, try: Einhander (Playstation),
Ray Storm (Playstation), Ketsui (Japan) (Playstation 3),
Skygunner (Playstation 2), Grind Stormer (Genesis)
Publisher: Konami (2000)
Rating: Mature (violence, blood, gore)
This game is terrifying
Silent Hill begins by flashing a disclaimer about the game's graphic violence and disturbing scenes. It's certainly warranted, because this survival horror classic sends chills down my spine and makes my blood run cold. If Resident Evil is the Night of the Living Dead of video games, then Silent Hill is the Exorcist. The opening cinematic depicts a car crash, followed by a father's desperate search for his daughter in a nearby deserted town. With moody lighting and amazing audio, Silent Hill creates the most intense atmosphere I've ever experienced in a video game. You view your character from behind (like Tomb Raider), and the camera swings around to capture the most dramatic viewing angles. The creatures you encounter are weird and unsettling, and the line between fantasy and reality is constantly blurred as you navigate a surreal, ever-changing world. For much of the game you explore pitch-dark rooms with the help of a flashlight, and your limited visibility really adds to the tension. But the scariest aspect of Silent Hill is its eerie sound effects that increase in volume as danger approaches, heightening your sense of paranoia. The tension can reach unbearable proportions, making it difficult to play the game alone or with the lights out. There are plenty of "find the key" puzzles, but they tend to be more thought-provoking than frustrating. I found myself slowly drawn into the game even as I became more and more anxious. Silent Hill is a legitimate classic, and perhaps the most terrifying video game ever made. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.
Find Silent Hill on
If you like this game, try: Silent Hill 2 (Playstation 2),
Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare (Dreamcast), Nightmare Creatures (Playstation),
Silent Hill Origins (Playstation 2), Silent Hill 4: The Room (Xbox)
Silhouette Mirage
Publisher: Working Designs (1999)
Silhouette Mirage is one of those quirky anime-style games that you either love or hate. You play a cute little witch named Shyna in this highly unconventional 2D platform/fighter/shooter. Shyna appears either red or blue depending on which side she is facing, and each color enables you to harm a certain class of creature (Silhouette or Mirage). If she's not the correct color when she shoots something, no damage is done and she loses vitality. The developer (Treasure) would later use a similar scheme in their cult-hit Ikaruga (GameCube, 2003), but at least in that game enemies were either black or white. Here, they come in all shapes and colors, including green jack-o-lanterns, blonde rag dolls, tiny fairies, and big stomping mechs. It's rarely obvious which enemies respond to what color, and when it comes to bosses, it seems like you're always on the wrong side! You can "flip" your color via the triangle button, but that initiates a tedious animation. Making matters worse are an excessive number of moves, some of which look effective (like the "grand slam") but apparently inflict zero damage. Then there are various colored meters and indicators whose purpose is never clear. In addition to non-intuitive gameplay, Silhouette Mirage has an incomprehensible storyline conveyed through endless text dialogue. I'm sure Treasure fans will eat up the whimsical prose, but others will just be annoyed. On the bright side, the game's production values are definitely "up there". Clever use of scaling and rotation facilitate some nifty effects, including satisfying explosions with chunks of metal flying every which way. There's a beautiful castle and an appealing downtown stage with a striking night skyline. The game does have its moments, including a funny encounter with a lizard sporting an outrageous Australian accent. In the city, people in an apartment complex get mad at you for making noise and begin throwing TVs and other appliances. Despite the sporatic humor, Silhouette Mirage comes off as one big inside joke. After completing each frantic stage I found myself asking, "What the hell was that all about?!" My friend Jonathan (and long-time Treasure fan) defended the game by saying "You have to be in the mood for it" and "I've played much worse." Denial can be an ugly thing. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.
Find Silhouette Mirage on
If you like this game, try: Ikaruga (Japan) (Dreamcast),
Ikaruga (GameCube), Jack Sprite vs. the Crimson Ghost (Philips CD-i),
Bangai-O (Dreamcast), Dragonfire (Colecovision)
Sled Storm
Publisher: Electronic Arts (1999)
Seasonal winter fun Supports three or more players
My love of snow led me to purchase this game, and it paid off. Sled Storm is a realistic snowmobile racer with blizzard conditions, icy mountain scenery, and good multi-player support. The races deliver white-knuckle thrills as you bound over hills, careen through valleys, and sideswipe your opponents to gain position. A steady frame-rate keeps the action running smoothly - even on the four-player split screen! The controls are simple but you have the ability to lean into your turns. Catching air and performing tricks lets you rack up points for upgrades, but sometimes it's not worth the risk of a wreck. I love how the sleds bounce softly over the slopes and kick up snow behind them. The courses are ideal in length and come in two flavors: snocross and open mountain. The snocross tracks are closed motorcross-style courses with banked turns and bumpy sections. I prefer the mountain tracks that wind through scenic forests and along harrowing cliffs. Ramps and hidden shortcuts are abundant and add replay value. You can destroy obstacles like fences and snowmen for points, and I earned 7500 points for running over a rabbit (and yes, I feel bad about that). The steering feels about right and sliding along icy patches is especially fun. The single-player championship is addictive, and I like how CPU racers tend to wipe out, giving you a chance to come from behind. That's important considering you need to finish first to advance. The soundtrack is dominated by Rob Zombie's blaring "Dragula", but it could be worse, right? Not really! It seems like every "extreme" game of the late 1990's had to license that annoying song. Still, this game is one of the best of its kind. Whether playing alone or against friends, Sled Storm provides ageless competitive winter racing action. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.
Find Sled Storm on
If you like this game, try: Sled Storm (Playstation 2),
Sno-Cross Championship Racing (Dreamcast), ATV Offroad Fury (Playstation 2),
Freekstyle (GameCube), Ski-Doo Snow X Racing (Playstation 2)
Publisher: D3 Publisher (2000)
Seasonal winter fun Released as budget title
I recently picked this up for 99 cents at a local game shop. It's generic as hell but I found it refreshing to go "back to the basics". Snowboarding offers two basic modes. In race mode you try to beat three competitors down a hill and trick mode challenges you to top their scores. In addition to CPU competitors you can also challenge a friend via split-screen. The graphics are not bad at all, with a digitized moutain backdrop that blends in nicely with the foreground polygon graphics. The trail is constrained by invisible walls but the slopes have nice natural features and even a few alternate paths. The controls are responsive enough to navigate the twisting terrain, although I found it odd how there's a "tight turn" button and a "really really tight turn" button. While trying to straighten yourself out you might find yourself weaving from side-to-side. The fact that you can't crash eases the frustration but also limits the intensity - especially when it comes to executing tricks. Snowboarding does have a few nice bells and whistles. I like how you gradually unlock a grid of courses, even if they are just slight variations on the original. Should you earn a top-five time the game prompts for your initials and saves to them memory card. You can select your music before each race, and I found the gentle piano of "Aurora" to be very soothing. Snowboarding may be a simple pleasure but it's arguably more appealing than most modern snowboarding titles. © Copyright 2017 The Video Game Critic.
Find Snowboarding on
If you like this game, try: Cool Boarders (Playstation),
SSX 3 (Playstation 2), Cool Boarders 3 (Playstation),
Big Mountain 2000 (Nintendo 64), SSX (Playstation 2)
Sol Divide
Publisher: XS Games (2002)
Rating: Everyone (violence)
As the release of PS1 games has slowed to a trickle, I've noticed that most new titles tend to be derivative and low quality. Sol Divide however caught me by surprise with its old school style. The Playstation was never known for its 2D games, but Sol Divide is classic 2D all the way. It's like one of those old medieval hack-n-slash games (Golden Axe comes to mind) - only without the gravity. That's right, your warrior floats around, as do your enemies, which include eyeballs, skeletons, wizards, and dragon-riders. Sol Divide looks like a shooter from a distance, but hand-to-hand combat is much more effective than your weak projectiles. That's too bad, because close combat also means you'll sustain constant cheap hits. A guard would have come in handy! Fortunately, almost every defeated enemy drops some kind of health or power-up to sustain your energy. Your warrior can also cast of number of powerful spells, including fire, thunder, freeze, lightning, and the all-powerful "death" spell. Graphically, Sol Divide is stunning. The magnificent fantasy backgrounds are a sight to behold, some looking nearly photographic. Digitized bosses like dragons, golems, and minotaurs appear to have been animated using stop-motion techniques like those used in films like Clash of the Titans. Sol Divide could have been a surprise hit if it played like a conventional shooter. As it is, it looks better than it plays. Other drawbacks include lack of memory card support, and the fact that you don't even get a score! Even so, the extraordinary visuals kept me wanting to see what the next stage had in store. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.
Find Sol Divide on
If you like this game, try: Golden Axe (Genesis),
Golden Axe: Beast Rider (Xbox 360), Final Fantasy VII (Guest Review) (Playstation),
Shinobi Legions (Saturn), Dragon Heart (Saturn)
Publisher: Namco (1997)
Rating: Teen
As the predecessor of the Soul Calibur games, Soul Blade is a high-quality 3D fighter with fighters who brandish weapons like swords, poles, hammers, daggers, and clubs. This is easily one of the best looking fighters you'll find on the Playstation, and its music video intro is absolutely incredible. The bouts take place on raised platforms, and in one particularly impressive stage you battle on a raft drifting down a river. The variety of weapons allow for some innovative moves, and the gameplay tends to be fast and furious. The two-player versus mode is great, but there's also a cool story mode that lets you collect and upgrade your weapons. Easy to play and easy on the eyes, Soul Blade is a stand-out fighter for the Playstation. © Copyright 1999 The Video Game Critic.
Find Soul Blade on
If you like this game, try: Soul Calibur (Dreamcast),
Soul Calibur V (Xbox 360), Soul Calibur IV (Xbox 360),
Dead or Alive 2 (Dreamcast), Last Bronx (Saturn)
Activision likes to reintroduce old classics with a new coat of pain, but this effort was less than successful. Granted, Space Invader's updated graphics are fine, with large 3D aliens and fantastic explosions, but where's the challenge? In the original arcade game, even clearing one wave was a major accomplishment, but here the waves of invaders are nothing but warm-ups for bosses. And with the exception of the very first boss, those are easy as well! Part of the problem is the huge size of the invaders, which makes them hard to miss! The high-altitude mother ships, which required excellent sharp-shooting skills in the original game, are sitting ducks here. I also noticed that Activision went way overboard with the power-ups. Once you obtain a shield and double-shot, you're pretty much unstoppable. You'll be playing till the cows come home - and hating every minute of it! And remember those protective barriers of the arcade game? In this edition, they not only protect you, but blow up any invaders they touch! The original Space Invaders game is included in this package, but only if you complete the disappointing "updated" version. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Find Space Invaders on
If you like this game, try: Space Invasion (Colecovision),
Alien Invaders (Arcadia 2001), Vector Vaders 2: The Director's Cut (Vectrex),
Astro Invader (Arcadia 2001), Space Invaders (Atari 2600)
Publisher: Jaleco (1998)
The best thing about this rare game is the intro, which plays the entire animated opening of the Speed Racer TV show. That catchy theme song was the soundtrack to my childhood! "Adventure's waiting just ahead!". Too bad the game itself is just a mediocre Ridge Racer clone. It's hard to complain about the graphics though. The frame-rate is surprisingly smooth and there are three good-looking tracks included, although they do "overlap" (a la Ridge Racer). You have all the Mach-5 accessories at your disposal, including the auto-jack (jumping), the rotary saws (cutting trees), the special tire belts (rough terrain), and even the homing pigeon. So far, it sounds like a dream come true for Speed Racer fans, right? Sadly, this game never lives up to its potential. The accessories are only useful on the not-so-hidden shortcuts, and activating the correct one while driving is a major hassle. Cutting through grassy hedges doesn't slow you down, so cutting corners is the order of the day. The audio is really bad. An annoying announcer repeats the same phrases over and over, and the sountrack is weak. There's no two-player mode, and the analog controller is not supported. In the end it looks like Jaleco took a generic racing game and slapped the Speed Racer license on top of it. Gotta love that theme song though! © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Find Speed Racer on
If you like this game, try: Ridge Racer Type 4 (Playstation),
Ridge Racer V (Playstation 2), Ridge Racer 64 (Nintendo 64),
Ridge Racer 7 (Playstation 3), Excitebike 64 (Nintendo 64)
Spin Jam
Publisher: Empire (2000)
Yes, it's another puzzle game, but this one isn't a Tetris clone. No, Spin Jam quite original, not to mention surprisingly fun and addictive. Played on a rotating, flower-shaped playing field, you shoot colored bubbles into the "petals" from the center, attempting to burst them all. Clearly Spin Jam was inspired by another classic puzzle game, Bust A Move. Before each game, you select a Pokemon-type character, but as far as I can tell, these have no effect on the actual gameplay. In the single player game, you must complete stages that gradually increase in difficulty, and once you get the hang of it, you'll be hooked. There's not much in the way of graphics, but the catchy electronic music takes me back to my 16-bit days. Spin Jam's gameplay is fun enough, but the user interface could use some serious work. First off, the main menu is in dire need of text! Does Empire really expect people to know what those weird icons are supposed to mean? In addition, the two-player split screen mode is a major letdown. Instead of clearing stages, both players participate in one never-ending stage, and things get out of hand right away. For the solo player however, Spin Jam is a safe bet. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.
Find Spin Jam on
If you like this game, try: Pokemon Stadium (Nintendo 64),
Bust-A-Move 4 (Dreamcast), Tetris and Dr. Mario (Super Nintendo),
Tetrisphere (Nintendo 64), Tetris DS (Nintendo DS)
Publisher: Sony (1998)
May contain chickens May contain dragons Suitable for children
This impressive, go-anywhere adventure puts you in control of a cute, fire-breathing baby dragon . Spyro's cartoonish graphics look superb and its stages are absolutely huge. Unlike other games of its time, you can see areas far away, allowing you to glide from high peaks to distant locations. Spyro's ability to glide is great fun, as is using his fire breath as a weapon. The scenery in Spyro the Dragon has a cool medieval thing happening that I find appealing. The difficulty climbs at a gradual pace until you reach the "big tree top" stage, which is insanely hard. Aside from that however Spyro is a charming little adventure that will appeal to all ages. © Copyright 1999 The Video Game Critic.
Find Spyro the Dragon on
If you like this game, try: Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon (Xbox 360),
Yoshi's Island DS (Nintendo DS), Muppet Monster Adventure (Playstation),
Metalstorm (NES), Dragon Spirit (Turbografx-16)
Star Wars: Dark Forces
Publisher: LucasArts (1995)
Based on a film
This may have been great on the PC, but Dark Forces on the Playstation gives me a massive headache. It's a remarkably sloppy first-person shooter, and its only redeeming feature is the fact that it's set in the Star Wars universe. You assume the role of a generic rebel named Kyle Katarn who is attempting to thwart the activation of the Empire's latest weapon. I found the game practically unplayable, mainly due to the pitiful framerate. The action is so choppy that it's difficult to navigate or aim with any degree of precision. There's only one strafe button, and using a shoulder button to aim up or down is a real drag. Dark Forces doesn't even look good, suffering from ugly textures and poorly-designed stages. In one particularly atrocious stage, you're forced to crawl around in a sewer for what seems like an eternity. The stormtroopers and Imperial Officers appear short and squat, but I do like how they fall back as you mow them down. Dark Forces is strong on the audio tip. The musical score is intense, and its familiar sound effects are lifted straight from the films. But that's a small consolation. Technically deficient and devoid of fun, I can't even recommend Dark Forces to Star Wars fans. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.
Find Star Wars Dark Forces on
If you like this game, try: Star Wars (NES),
Star Wars Demolition (Dreamcast), Star Wars: Rebel Assault II (Playstation),
Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles (Dreamcast), Star Wars: Rebel Assault (Sega CD)
Star Wars: Episode One The Phantom Menace
Phantom Menace is a great-looking game that loosely recreates the film's storyline. All of the diverse movie environments are rendered in colorful 3D, and superb cut-scenes effectively glue the stages together. The voice acting is also commendable, despite not having been done by all the original actors. That brings us to the gameplay. How come whenever a game allows you to save at any point, it overcompensates by being incredibly difficult and frustrating? Yes, you will need the patience of a saint (or better yet a cheat code) to make it all the way through this perilous adventure. The analog control is sufficient for walking around, but leaping across narrow columns (a common task) is frustrating as hell! Another problem is the limited overhead view some stages offer. It's reasonable when your direction is clear, but in expansive areas like Mos Eisley you're forced to "feel" your way around the edges. The lightsaber controls allow you to skillfully deflect laser bolts, but there are so many frickin' enemies that you're often overwhelmed. Phantom Menace has its share of action sequences, but too much of its gameplay revolves around tedious puzzle solving. In the end, the frustration outweighs the fun. A music video is included as a bonus, but it looks terribly grainy. Phantom Menace should attract a lot of Star Wars fans, but only die-hards will be able to see it through to the end. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.
Find Star Wars Episode One The Phantom Menace on
Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles (Playstation), Super Star Wars (Super Nintendo),
Kinect Star Wars (Xbox 360), Sonic R (Saturn)
Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles
Oh yes, this is the game Star Wars fans have been waiting for! In contrast to last year's Phantom Menace, Power Battles doesn't waste your time with tedious puzzles. No, this is non-stop arcade action, much like the SNES Star Wars games - only this time in 3D. You can play as one of five Jedi knights, slashing your way through all the imaginative locations you saw in the film, from the metropolises of Coruscant to the jungles of Naboo. Best of all, two players can battle side-by-side. The graphics are clean and sharp, and the character movements look realistic. The stages are linear and each culminate with the obligatory boss encounter (although most are not from the film). A clever control scheme allows you to deflect laser blasts back at the enemy (block after they fire). Interestingly, the main problem with Power Battles is the same one that plagued its 2D ancestors - frustrating platform jumping! Chances are, you'll deplete most of your lives by falling off cliffs, which typically send you all the way back to the previous checkpoint (arrggh!). This problem is exacerbated in the two-player mode, where both characters are expected to make the same difficult leaps at the same time! Give me a break! Jedi Power Battles does have an "easy" difficulty setting, but that won't make the jumps any easier. Even so, Power Battles looks terrific and packs a great deal of action and excitement. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.
Find Star Wars Jedi Power Battles on
If you like this game, try: Star Wars: Episode One The Phantom Menace (Playstation),
Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles (Dreamcast), Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (Xbox),
Super Star Wars (Super Nintendo), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (GameCube)
Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi
Based on a film ET Award for extreme disappointment
An ill-advised title if I ever saw one, Teras Kasi was a clumsy attempt to cram the Star Wars universe into a 3D fighting game. You may recall that 3D fighters were at the height of their popularity in 1997, and LucasArts simply couldn't resist jumping on the bandwagon. On paper, Masters of Teras Kasi doesn't seem half bad. Trust me, it's bad. The all-star lineup includes Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia, Chewbacca, a Tusken Raider, and everybody's favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett. There's also a chick named Arden Lyn who's never even appeared in any of the movies. I suspect she was included to boost the number of female fighters (to two). While each character has his own unique combat skills, none lend themselves particularly well to hand-to-hand combat. Example: the Tusken Raider has a frickin' stick for a weapon. How can he be expected to compete against Boba Fett, armed with a blaster and rocket? It doesn't take much of an imagination to think of even more lopsided match-ups. The entire premise is ludicrous, which becomes painfully obvious when you actually try to play the thing. The special moves are very hard to execute, and get this - shooting your blaster is considered a special move! That's right - you actually need to execute a complicated sequence of button presses simply to pull the trigger! You'll be playing as Han Solo, and Leia will be beating the living [expletive] out of you as you try in vain to get off a single shot! Heck, with controls this bad a Jawa could kick Han's ass. In terms of graphics, the quality is uneven. The fighter selection scenes feature awesome rotating holographs, but in combat the fighters look far less impressive, with chunky bodies and faces that border on hilarious. Incidentally, LucasArts put a lot of effort into the lighting effects. Talk about misplaced priorities! They're hardly spectacular, and the background scenery is incredibly dull! Masters of Teras Kasi is what happens when a substandard concept is poorly executed. Did anything good come out of this game? Yes, a newfound appreciation for Tekken. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.
Find Star Wars Masters of Teras Kasi on
If you like this game, try: Star Wars: Bounty Hunter (Playstation 2),
Star Wars Chess (Sega CD), Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Game Boy),
Star Wars Demolition (Dreamcast), Tekken 4 (Playstation 2)
Star Wars: Rebel Assault II
Rating: Kids to Adults
Includes two CDs Based on a film Contains Full Motion Video
This game is a bastard child of the full-motion video (FMV) craze of the mid-90's. Long on graphics but short on gameplay, Rebel Assault II is a collection of target-shooting and ship navigation stages loosely held together by less-than-captivating live-action cut-scenes. Filmed against fake-looking matte paintings, the actors used props left over from the three original movies. The acting performances are abysmal - and thank God - because otherwise these scenes would have been completely forgettable. Rebel Assault's 15 stages include space battles, stormtrooper shootouts, tunnel navigating, and even a speeder bike chase in the woods. The first stage has you simply shooting at Tie Fighters, and this rekindled fond memories of Star Wars: The Arcade Game (1983). Rebel Assault's visuals are great, but its controls leave much to be desired. The shooting crosshairs don't feel responsive and the collision detection is lacking. For example, shooting a stormtrooper in the head doesn't seem to register - but a body shot will. The stages where you navigate through tunnels or canyons can be a nightmare, and memorization is usually more critical than skill. The stormtrooper stages would be ideal for a lightgun, but sadly my gun couldn't reach the edge of the screen. One aspect that really saves the game is its tremendous audio. The rousing musical score (taken directly from the films) is inspirational and occasionally exhilarating. Rebel Assault features a slick stage select screen, and it even saves your high scores. It may be a bit shallow, but based on looks alone, Rebel Assault II should attract Star Wars fans. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.
Find Star Wars Rebel Assault II on
If you like this game, try: Star Wars: Rebel Assault (Sega CD),
Star Wars Arcade (Sega 32X), Star Fox Assault (GameCube),
Star Wars Battlefront (Playstation 4), Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike (GameCube)
Steel Harbinger
Publisher: Mindscape (1996)
Rating: Mature (blood and violence)
Contains violence and gore Contains Full Motion Video May contain hotties
I vaguely recall this futuristic shooter plastered on the cover of several popular game magazines in the mid-90's. I assume that was the result of money changing hands because this ridiculously bad game quickly faded into obscurity. Like many early PS1 titles Steel Harbinger features a live action intro, and this one is must-see TV. I don't know what's worse - the bad CGI graphics or the acting - but you can't take your eyes off the screen. I was expecting the game itself to be a 3D adventure but it's more like a free-range shooter. You control a digitized babe infected by aliens from space. Her transformation failed to improve her acting but it did make her about ten times hotter. Weilding a pair of high-powered guns and a thong, this chicks blasts spawning aliens while saving aimless humans. It's kind like Robotron 2084 (Atari 7800, 1986) - if you could image that game being 3D and really bad. Enemies include Terminators and dogs with freaking lasers mounted to their heads. The controls really suffer from a lack of strafe. You're forced to run toward enemies to kill them, often colliding with them in the process. Steel Harbinger is best played with the camera pulled far back, but this makes the graphics appear muddy and harder to discern. Each mission feels like a wild goose chase as you frantically scour the post-apocalyptic landscape for some elusive object. There's a surprising amount of gore, with body parts strewn all over the place. I like the idea of entering houses and buildings, but all you'll find is one big empty room. The visual highlight the arctic base with blizzard conditions that serves as the hub of the game. The other stages are disappointing. LA is just a repetitive maze of canals. Las Vegas is a depressing wasteland and you're the only hooker in sight. A title like Steel Harbinger is fascinating to look back on, but man it's almost impossible to take a game like this seriously. © Copyright 2019 The Video Game Critic.
Find Steel Harbinger on
If you like this game, try: Arcade Party Pak (Playstation),
Robotron 64 (Nintendo 64), Vegas Stakes (Super Nintendo),
K.C.'s Krazy Chase (Odyssey 2), Robotron X (Playstation)
Publisher: Capcom (1995)
After endless iterations of Street Fighter 2, most fighting fans were primed for Street Fighter 3. Instead, Capcom released the ambiguous "Alpha" series, suggesting these games were actually prequels (rolling eyes now). That was lame, but as a rabid fan I was powerless to resist this tantalizing new chapter. While purchasing the game at Best Buy I recall the cashier telling me how jealous he was, and then proceeding to slam the game on the counter in an attempt to remove the plastic security box. Later I would discover he inadvertently smashed the bottom of the box (sigh). I took the game over my friend George's house where me and the guys used to congregate on Monday nights (while slamming beers and watching football). Everybody was totally psyched until we realized how super-long the loading screens were! I swear we spent more time staring at "Now Loading..." than actually playing the freakin' thing. It's a shame because Street Fighter Alpha is a rock-solid 2D fighter. The characters are larger and better animated than previous entries. The backgrounds and music use the same anime style as past Street Fighter games, but are less memorable. The Bourdon Street stage is attractive enough, but other areas like the train depot and Great Wall look bland. The Coliseum stage reminded me of the fight between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris in "Return of the Dragon". The game itself plays well and the special combo gauge adds depth. Street Fighter Alpha is actually more enjoyable today because you can play it from the faster-loading PS2. Street Fighter Alpha is nice to own for collecting purposes, but for optimal fighting pleasure I would direct you to its sequel, Street Fighter Alpha 2. © Copyright 2011 The Video Game Critic.
Find Street Fighter Alpha on
If you like this game, try: Bruce Lee (Commodore 64),
Street Fighter Collection (Playstation), Street Fighter Anniversary Collection (Playstation 2),
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (Playstation 2), Street Fighter Alpha (Saturn)
Street Fighter Alpha 2
May contain hotties
In 1996 a debate raged about which system had the best version of Street Fighter Alpha 2 - the Saturn or Playstation. No definitive answer was reached - until now. In order to finally settle this age-old dispute I had to consult with the foremost Street Fighter expert in the entire world. As luck would have it, that turned out to be my friend Chris who lives just a few miles away. And if you think the odds of that were slim, consider that I also live just a few miles from a restaurant with the "World's best fried chicken". Um... winning! Street Fighter Alpha 2 was the pinnacle of the Alpha series, raising the high water mark for 2D fighting in general. It added three new fighters (Gen, Sakura, Rolento) and brought back old favorites Zangief and Dhalsim. Easy to learn but hard to master, this game has incredible depth and playability. For hardcore players the super gauge has multiple levels of power and you can even perform custom combos. The stages have been given a visual overhaul and are far more intriguing. I'll never forget the first time I saw that hulking Harrier jet plane rise up behind my character in the Hong Kong stage. In another stage you can see a kid in a window playing a video game. And what's not to like about the party cruise stage with scantily clad Darkstalkers mingling with the crowd? It just goes to show that hand-drawn, 2D backgrounds will beat 3D-rendered backdrops any day of the week. So what is the best version of Alpha 2? To find out, Chris and I first played a few rounds with the Saturn version. After getting my ass handed to me repeatedly, we were primed to try the Playstation edition. Chris meticulously examined the graphics, audio, and controls. He was determined to declare that one of the two versions had the edge. After literally minutes of deliberation an exasperated Chris came to a stunning conclusion: They were exactly the same! That's right, he couldn't find any substantial differences between the two games! The Saturn version does include an extra survival mode and illustration library, but they don't carry any weight. In terms of sheer gameplay, both are equally superb. So finally, after 15 years of non-stop trash talking, Playstation and Saturn fans everywhere can put their differences aside and embrace each other in the spirit of peace and harmony. © Copyright 2011 The Video Game Critic.
Find Street Fighter Alpha 2 on
If you like this game, try: Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Saturn),
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (Playstation 2), Street Fighter Collection (Playstation),
Street Fighter Alpha (Playstation), Street Fighter Alpha (Saturn)
As a fan of Street Fighter 2 (SF2) since it arrived on the Super Nintendo in 1992, I've purchased more iterations of the series than I'd care to admit. Since most SF2 sequels only offered slight improvements, many fans got tired of the incremental upgrades and the popularity of the series waned. In retrospect however, Street Fighter Alpha was better than many gave it credit for. Although widely regarded as a stopgap measure to tide gamers over until Street Fighter 3, the Alpha series actually did a remarkable job of maintaining the classic formula while expanding the roster and enriching the gameplay. As the last edition of the Alpha series, this game is pretty freaking amazing. The huge 32 character roster includes many new faces and old favorites like Honda and Blanka. In terms of presentation, Alpha 3 is off the charts, with flashy set-up screens dishing out the eye candy faster than you can absorb it. The gameplay is deeper than ever, allowing the player to choose between three fighting styles (X-ism, A-ism, V-ism) which affect the complexity of executing super moves. The action is fast and furious, although matches tend to run longer than traditional Street Fighter bouts. The only thing that didn't impress me about SFA3 is the uneven quality of the background graphics. Some stages look grainy and washed out, and most lack the personality and clever animations Street Fighter fans have come to expect. Likewise the music isn't particularly memorable. In addition to arcade and versus modes, there's a World Tour mode that lets you adopt a character and pump up his abilities by completing series of challenges. Alpha 3's load times are minimal and there's a convenient auto-save. I would probably argue that the Alpha Series peaked at number 2, but this third edition still packs a wallop. Note: This game is also available on a PS2 compilation. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.
If you like this game, try: Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (Playstation 2),
Street Fighter Anniversary Collection (Playstation 2), Street Fighter Collection (Playstation),
Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Saturn), Street Fighter Collection 2 (Playstation)
Rating: Teen (animated violence)
Arcade-style joystick recommended Classic Game Compilation
This two-disc set contains arcade-perfect versions of Super Street Fighter 2, Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, and best of all, Street Fighter 2 Alpha 2 Gold. Oddly enough, despite being the first of two Street Fighter collections, this first one includes some of the later games in the series. The first game in this collection, Super Street Fighter 2, was actually the fourth game in the series. It introduced four new characters: Cammy, Dee Jay, Fei Long, and Thunderhawk. This arcade port gave me a new respect for the SNES version, which features identical graphics but better audio. The music here sounds a bit harsh, and the voices muffled. The second game in this collection is Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo. It offers a lot of minor tweaks, but its primary claim-to-fame is its three levels of "turbo speed". Some Street Fighter fans insist on cranking up the speed, but I personally find it too frantic when both players are hopping around like fleas. The third and final game in this collection is Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold, which comes as a shock to the system. The fighters are more detailed and rendered in more of an anime style. Quite different from the other two games, most of Alpha's characters are brand new, and a fresh set of backgrounds provide for some memorable scenes. The men's room stage is very comical (with guys at the urinals), and the huge hovering jet in the downtown stage looks amazing. In one stage you can actually see a little kid playing an NES through the window of a house! Alpha's gameplay ups the ante with advanced techniques like a super combo bar, custom combos, and alpha counters. The super-combos provide a satisfying way of turning the tables when you're down. I noticed the bouts in Alpha last longer because attacks tend to incur less damage. I'm not sure what the "Gold" indicates in the title, but this is probably the best Street Fighter game I've played (including Alpha 3 and Street Fighter 3). I would definitely recommend using an arcade-style joystick with all of these games, because the digital pad of the standard Playstation controller is pretty stiff to be executing "sweeping" motions. Considering this is a two-disc package, Street Fighter Collection seems a little sparse, offering no bonus material. The load times are modest, but there's no auto-save feature. All things considered however, this is a pretty outstanding collection. Note: These games are also available on PS2 compilations. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.
Find Street Fighter Collection on
If you like this game, try: Street Fighter Collection 2 (Playstation),
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (Playstation 2), Street Fighter Anniversary Collection (Playstation 2),
Street Fighter Alpha (Saturn), Street Fighter Alpha 3 (Playstation)
Street Fighter Collection 2
Logically speaking, this is what the first Street Fighter collection should have been, offering the first three iterations of the insanely popular Street Fighter 2 series on a single disk. Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior is an arcade-perfect port of the original one-on-one fighting bonanza, featuring eight colorful characters hailing from around the globe. The Championship edition provides the ability to play as the four bosses, and tweaks the special moves somewhat (including the addition of Honda's cheap moving hand-slap). Turbo Hyper Fighting gives the action a speed boost, and once you get used to the faster pace, it's hard to go back to the original game. My friend Chris who is a certified Street Fighter fanatic steadfastly maintains that Street Fighter 2 Turbo was the high point of the entire Street Fighter franchise. This disk also includes artwork, useful tips, and even unlockable secrets. An arcade style joystick is recommended for maximum enjoyment. The load times are respectable, but the game has no auto-save, which is a bummer. Street Fighter Collection 2 is not only a great package but a nice piece of history as well. Note: These games are also available on PS2 compilations. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.
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If you like this game, try: Street Fighter Anniversary Collection (Playstation 2),
Street Fighter Collection (Playstation), Street Fighter II Championship Edition (Genesis),
Street Fighter Alpha 3 (Playstation), Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (Playstation 2)
Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha
ET Award for extreme disappointment
Most Street Fighter games have aged like wine over the years, but EX Plus Alpha? Not so much! This much-maligned title marked the series' temporary but ill-advised foray into the realm of 3D. It didn't help to be saddled with the title "Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha" - an absolute abomination of a name! Not only does this lack a real name, but its lacks an identity. Let's face it - this could be any generic 3D fighter. Yes, there are a few familiar faces, but mostly a bunch of oddball newcomers (don't even get me started with the ridiculous "Skullomania"). The character models are very blocky, and even the blonde bombshell Blair looks positively chunky. The backgrounds are dull and flat, as if little or no effort was put into them. Despite the bland visuals, the animation is fairly smooth. The action occurs on a 2D plane, although fancy throws are depicted via dramatic camera angles. A few are somewhat impressive, like how Dhalsim slithers around his opponent's body before throwing them down. It's very easy to initiate throws in this game (intentionally or otherwise), so you'll be seeing plenty. EX is playable but doesn't have that crisp, responsive feel of a real Street Fighter game. The music covers a wide range, but some of the tunes seem jazzy and inappropriate. Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha is the unholy bastard child of Tekken and Street Fighter. It may have been an interesting novelty item in the late 90's, but now it's just bad. My friend Chris claims this game is not worthy of the Street Fighter name, and I think he's right. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.
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Street Fighter Alpha (Playstation), Tekken 4 (Playstation 2),
Largely overlooked upon its release, this two-disc package is a remarkable treat for gamers with old school tastes. Not to be confused with the lackluster Strider Returns (Genesis, 1990), Strider 2 is a sparkling gem designed specifically for the Playstation. It combines artistic character sprites with exciting layered 3D environments. This offers players the best of both worlds with simple, engaging gameplay set in rich environments with moving camera angles. The main character "Hiryu" can climb on anything, and he can swing his sword in a rapid-fire manner at the endless hordes of ninjas and levitating robots. A double-jump move is a welcome new addition, as is the "boost" meter which augments your slashes with heat-seeking "waves" of light! The fantastic intro stage has you leaping between buildings at night with a gorgeous city skyline looming in the background. From there you'll visit a castle, a lab at the South Pole, and finally, a space station. The jumping and slashing platform action is great, with bad guys that explode impressively and leave blue coins in their wake. You'll face some truly imaginative adversaries like bird-men armed with hockey sticks, and outrageous bosses like a robotic woolly mammoth! Strider 2 might seem boss-heavy, but none of them take long to defeat. Each stage is divided into several brief encounters, and you're constantly being whisked off to new locations. Between stages the storyline is conveyed via slick illustrations which look absolutely razor-sharp - even on my big plasma TV. Fans of the original Strider will witness many familiar sights, including a winding dragon you can climb on and a gravity-defying stage with a floating "core". Strider 2 has a whimsical side as well, with pixelated icons shaped like cows serving as bonuses. The only thing that bothered me about Strider 2 is its unlimited continues, which allow you to complete the game in roughly an hour. It's still possible to play for best time and score however, which are saved to memory card. The option menu includes a rapid-fire option to help avoid thumb strain. Strider 2's second disk holds an arcade-perfect version of the original Strider game, which is yet another fantastic game. I took Strider 2 for granted back in the day, but I won't be making that mistake again. NOTE: Interestingly, the disc containing Strider 2 is (mis)labeled as "Strider", and the one with Strider is labeled as "Strider 2". © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.
Find Strider 2 on
If you like this game, try: Strider (Genesis),
Strider Hiryu (Japan) (Playstation 3), Dragon Heart (Saturn),
Strider Returns (Genesis), Ninja Gaiden (NES)
Publisher: Agetec (2001)
This game is a hidden gem
As the owner of the Neo Geo (MVS) version of Strikers 1945, I was expecting this PS1 edition to be a second-rate translation - at best. Well, that's not the case at all. This vertical airplane shooter is every bit as fun as the Neo Geo edition, and its graphics are actually sharper, brighter, and more colorful. I've played Dreamcast shooters that don't look this good! The green and brown-tinged landscapes are nearly photo-realistic, and even with hundreds of moving objects there's no slow-down to complain about. You get your pick of six different souped-up WWII-era planes, and I love how your selection determines your starting stage. One or two players can unleash a devastating degree of rapid-fire mayhem, and plentiful weapon icons boost your firepower to the brink of insanity. When all else fails, unleash a "support attack" which pretty much obliterates everything on the screen (and serves as a shield to boot). Under the normal difficulty you'll need to use these just to escape imminent death every 15 seconds or so. The game offers two play modes with really bad names: "original 1" and "original 2". Both are "boxed" by black bars, but the second mode shifts the screen in an unsightly way, so avoid it. Striker's difficulty is up there, so be sure to turn the skill level down to very easy (or lower)! Rankings are saved to memory card. Strikers 1945 arrived late for the system, so a lot of people missed out on this under-appreciated shooter. Don't be one of them. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.
Find Strikers 1945 on
If you like this game, try: Strikers 1945 Plus (MVS) (Neo Geo),
Ghost Pilots (Neo Geo), Viewpoint (Playstation),
Fast Striker (Japan) (Dreamcast), Prehistoric Isle 2 (MVS) (Neo Geo)
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
Rating: Kinds to Adults
This Street Fighter spin-off takes a Tetris-style puzzle game and embellishes it with music, sound effects, and Capcom characters from Street Fighter II and Darkstalkers. The game itself is good, and the fancy window dressing doesn't hurt either. The Street Fighter characters include Ken, Ryu, Chun Li, and Sakura. The Darkstalkers are Morrigan, Felicia, Donovan, and Hsein-Ko. These characters are rendered in a stylized anime style, and have little bearing on the gameplay. I really don't like Ken with that sissy ponytail, and Morrigan looks really dumpy with her hair down. Each side of the screen features a rectangular box that colorful gems fall into, one by one. You stack gems strategically, using the occasional "crash gem" to clear all gems of the same color. It's simple enough for beginners to grasp, yet experts can plan and execute elaborate chain reactions. When your opponent performs a combo, "counter gems" with numbers on them fall into your side. These turn into regular gems after several turns, but in the meantime they tend to pile up and muck with your plans. Puzzle Fighter's gameplay is enjoyable but less intuitive than other puzzle games like Tetris 2 or Bust a Move. Even after becoming fairly good at it, I never felt as if I had fully grasped all the rules. Capcom fans will be delighted with the graphics and sound. The backgrounds are mini-versions of stages from the fighting games, and some of the music is remixed versions of familiar tunes. Some of the new music is excellent, particularly the song that plays throughout the Chun Li stage. Most of the sound effects are taken directly from Street Fighter II. An arcade mode allows you to play the CPU for high score, which is recorded to memory card. The CPU opponent is pretty relentless, and if you let him stick around for too long, prepare for an avalanche of counter gems. There's also a head-to-head versus mode and a puzzle mode that lets you unlock goodies. Puzzle Fighter might not be the most addictive puzzle game around, but it may be the most stylish. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.
Find Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo on
If you like this game, try: Super Puzzle Fighter II (Game Boy Advance),
Ultra Street Fighter II (Nintendo Switch), Bust-A-Move 4 (Dreamcast),
Street Fighter Anniversary Collection (Playstation 2), Street Fighter Alpha (Playstation)
Publisher: 989 Studios (1999)
Despite what you've heard, Syphon Filter is not a lousy Metal Gear Solid clone with a dumb name. No, this is a a very good Metal Gear Solid clone with a dumb name! This third-person espionage thriller features action comparable to the Die Hard movies. You begin in downtown Washington DC, trying to foil the plans of a terrorist leader and his operatives who are planting bombs in the subway. Although the graphics lack the style of MGS, Syphon FIlter seems to contain more mayhem, blood, and explosions. Dramatic "action movie" music adds to the tension, and the effectively use of footsteps and enemy voices add realism. The controls are responsive, although turning around quickly can be a problem. The vibration function is particularly effective, mimicking everything from the kick-back of a shotgun to rumble of a passing subway train. There are seventeen weapons that you'll find pretty much lying all over the place. The missions are well-designed with a female guide that provides regular updates over your radio. Thankfully, Syphon Filter is also a very forgiving game, providing plenty of flak jackets and checkpoints. If you finished Metal Gear Solid and want more along those lines, check this out. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Find Syphon Filter on
If you like this game, try: Metal Gear Solid (Playstation),
Metal Gear (NES), Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Playstation 2),
Medal of Honor (Playstation), Die Hard Trilogy (Playstation)
Playstation Listing of Games
Screen shots courtesy of IGN.com
Gaming Age Online
Playstation Museum
The ISO Zone
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#52FilmsByWomen, movies, review
29 of #52FilmsByWomen: Me Before You
June 8, 2016 mercuryseven Leave a comment
Me Before You (2016, directed by Thea Sharrock, written by Jojo Moyes)
[No. 29 of 52 in #52FilmsByWomen]
Emilia Clarke plays Louisa ‘Lou’ Clark, a very un-Daenerys-type character who is cheerful, bubbly, dorky and naive. Without much training or experience, she gets a job as a caretaker for Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), who became disabled after a traffic accident.
The big plot point for the movie is about how Will wants to commit suicide via euthanasia, because he doesn’t want to live the rest of his life as a quadriplegic. This aspect of the movie is probably doesn’t work as well, and it seemed to have caused a stir on the internet. I might say more about this in a separate post, but within the framework of the movie and the plot, Will’s motivation for this isn’t fleshed out all that well.
The reason for this is probably due to the fact that the story is told almost completely from Lou’s perspective. So the reason we do not understand why Will wants to die is because Lou (whose nature is endlessly positive and cheerful) doesn’t.
Will’s motivations aside, the movie is utterly captivating and charming, mostly because of Emilia Clarke’s performance. Lou’s happiness and positivity is potent and infections, and I couldn’t help but grin along when Lou gets excited about something.
It is also noteworthy that Lou’s sister Treena played by Jenna Coleman (Hi! Clara Oswald) is loving and supportive for Lou. It is so rare to see siblings that do not antagonise or hate each other in movies or TV, except maybe for Orphan Black. So in their first scene early in the movietogether assumed their characters are not related. Maybe it’s partly because my mind couldn’t process The Mother of Dragons and Clara Oswald as sisters. But Emilia Clarke is a good actor, and very soon I completely forgotten any associations with Daenerys Targeryn and became fully invested in Lou. She also shared many scenes with another Thrones veteran Charles Dance who plays Will’s father, and is almost like a more compassionate version of Tywin Lannister.
Despite the story dealing with tough emotional issues, it is also funny. Despite the controversy on the internet, the movie does depict the life of a quadriplegic character that is not stereotypical manner, or had any jokes at Will’s expense. At least, that’s as far as I can possibly tell, from the perspective of an able-bodied person.
#52FilmsByWomenEmilia ClarkeMe Before YoumoviesreviewSam Claflin
Previous Post22 of #52FilmsByWomen: Mon RoiNext Post23 of #52FilmsByWomen: What happened, Miss Simone?
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Saskatchewan Rush
Members of Team Homan decide to continue curling together next season
After taking some time off following a disappointing performance at the Pyeongchang Games, the members of Team Homan recently got together at a Toronto hotel to discuss their future plans.
They decided they will continue to curl together as a foursome.
“We had a really good meeting and we’re feeling really optimistic for the future,” said lead Lisa Weagle.
Skip Rachel Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Joanne Courtney and Weagle were hoping for big things in South Korea after capping a dominant 2017 calendar year by winning the Olympic Trials in Ottawa.
They had also won the Scotties Tournament of Hearts for a third time and ran the table en route to their first world title last year.
However, they never really got on track in their first appearance at the Winter Games and settled for a sixth-place finish.
“After the Olympics, we all took some time to recover,” Weagle told The Canadian Press from Ottawa. “A few of us went away and just did our own thing so that we could recharge and come back excited about curling.
“It was definitely a very emotional experience being at the Olympics and we obviously didn’t get the result that we wanted. But I think we’re still driven to keep curling and to accomplish more.”
Several elite curling teams have announced lineup changes for the upcoming quadrennial ahead of the 2022 Beijing Games. Teams skipped by Jennifer Jones, Kevin Koe, Chelsea Carey and John Epping — to name just a few — will have new-look rosters next season.
Team Homan stayed quiet as other squads made their announcements. Homan, Miskew, Courtney and Weagle did casually chat about the future before eventually finalizing plans at their meeting.
“Obviously another Olympic run would be the ultimate goal but there’s a lot of Slams and Scotties and worlds in the leadup to that time,” Weagle said. “I think we want to just keep pushing the boundaries and keep pushing ourselves and win as much as we can.”
The Ottawa team won its first national crown in 2013 with Alison Kreviazuk at second. A successful title defence came the next year before Kreviazuk left.
She was replaced by Courtney, arguably the most powerful sweeper in the women’s game. The team won the Canada Cup in 2015 to secure the first available berth in the Olympic Trials.
Homan and her crew were in strong form at Canadian Tire Centre last December. The 29-year-old skip guided the team to victory over Carey in the final to secure the Olympic spot.
“We’ve been together with this lineup for four years and it’s been an amazing four years,” Weagle said. “We’ve had some really incredible accomplishments: going to the Olympics, winning the worlds, winning the Scotties and Grand Slams.
“We’re all really great friends on and off the ice and we definitely want to keep curling together, keep pushing the boundaries of curling and women’s curling and see what else we can accomplish.”
Canada struggled in both team events at the Games. Koe entered the men’s competition as a medal favourite but also missed the podium.
It was the first time since curling returned to the Winter Games in 1998 that Canadian teams were not on the podium in both the men’s and women’s events. Canada’s John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes did win gold in the inaugural Olympic mixed doubles competition.
The Homan team struggled with draw weight and inconsistent shooting at the Gangneung Curling Centre.
The foursome opened the Olympics with one-point losses to South Korea and Sweden. Denmark then surprised Canada 9-8, but Homan bounced back with three straight victories to get back in the playoff mix.
However, she dropped under the .500 mark again by losing to China and a loss to Britain sealed her fate. Canada was one of four teams to finish round-robin play at 4-5.
“Our result was certainly disappointing, I do think we underperformed a little bit,” Weagle said. “I really don’t think we were that far off. We had a lot of very close games. Lots of them could have gone one way or the other with one more shot.
“I think everyone’s expectations of us were high and ours were as well. We’re certainly disappointed but we’re going to keep working at it.”
Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg won gold with an 8-3 victory over South Korea’s EunJung Kim. Japan’s Satsuki Fujisawa defeated Britain’s Eve Muirhead 5-3 for the bronze.
Homan returned for the penultimate Grand Slam of the season last week at the Players’ Championship in Toronto but was held winless. The team will close out the season next week at the Champions Cup in Calgary.
Homan and Miskew have been curling together since they were 11. Weagle joined the team in 2010.
Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter.
Anderson, Muyres advance to respective world curling semifinals Members of Team Homan decide to continue curling together next season
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by planet solin
Disclaimers: Xena, Gabrielle and their supporting cast belong to the lucky people at Renpic and I had just borrowed them temporarily. No money will be made on this bit of fanfiction and I want to thank the people of Renpic for creating these two wonderful characters.
Sex/Violence: Once again this is a story about the Conqueror so you better expect a little of both though, because our heroine is changing it has become relatively mild.
Other: This is the fifth instalment of a series of stories that I started on a lark and is best read as such. Hope you enjoy.
In order to best understand this it is important to read If …this had been the beginning, Home Again, Surrender and The Promise of Tomorrow before reading this part.
The entourage assembled before dawn and departed the Palace grounds as the first faint rays of light cracked the morning sky. They were a force of more than two dozen strong and at the head of the two columns rode a pair of women. The tall dark haired one was dressed in black leather and armour and mounted on a white warhorse. Her smaller blond companion was dressed in an ordinary green bilge top and a short rust coloured skirt; and only loosely held the reigns to the large dark gelding of which she was in charge.
Gabrielle felt a whole mixture of feelings that morning as they prepared to leave the place and city she had come to regard as home. Their most recent tenure at the Palace had been shorter than either woman had desired but both had pressing matters to attend. For Xena it was to search for a son she had long ago given up but had never stopped caring about and for herself it was a journey to share in her sister Lila’s marriage celebration.
Her stomach grumbled in protest at something and caused her to shift uneasily in her saddle. She had been nauseous that morning and unable to keep her breakfast down. She had mentioned nothing to her stoic companion assuming it was merely a reaction to the nervousness she felt at returning to her families home. Besides she knew how much her lover would worry and she didn’t want to burden the Empress with any more problems.
She chanced a glance over her shoulder and smiled. In spite of her still injured leg, Eponin had insisted on accompanying them and she had brought with her a dozen Amazon’s. Next to her was Zenon, the Captain of the Royal Palace Guard, a man who followed the Conqueror wherever she went. Behind him rode eleven of his best soldiers, each warrior dressed in their finest garments. In all they were a rather impressive sight.
She turned her attention once more to the road ahead as they wound their way through the wide streets of the Capital. Corinth was a long way from the small backwards village in which she had grown up but it was a place where she realized that she would have always ended up.
Gabrielle now scanned the shops and homes that lined the streets. It was still early in the morning yet already the shopkeepers were opening their doors to trade. Merchants from all over the world had set up shop in Corinth, trading wares brought in from all over the known world. It was colourful and fragrant and so different then the small town in which she had been raised.
She glanced at the people, seeing the mix of colour and race that made the city so cosmopolitan. In spite of the relaxed restrictions that Xena had put into place, the common people still viewed the Empress with some trepidation. Most now paused in their daily tasks to watch as the entourage of soldiers and Amazons snaked their way down the street towards the main city gates.
The years of living under the terror of the Conqueror’s reign had schooled people to behave in a certain way and not to show their emotions, and even though changes had been made in government policy many looked at the reforms with hesitation and distrust; uncertain whether to believe that the change was permanent or real. That belief was exhibited in the blank stares on their faces as they viewed the procession and it caused some pain in her heart.
She searched the faces of those very few who were brave enough to meet her gaze. Some smiled hesitantly while others allowed their feelings of contempt to show and the bard was reminded again that the Conqueror still had many enemies in the land. It didn’t matter that the realm had been quiet. There were always those who coveted the position of her tall dark haired companion and she knew in her heart that there were still those who were plotting to dethrone her lover.
A peel of laughter interrupted her morose thoughts and she spied a group of small children playing in a square at the corner of the street. The children paused in their game to watch the colourful procession and the bard smiled at the fascination and innocence on their faces. It made her heart sing with joy when her cheer was returned with genuine smiles and eager waves. It was in the children that she found a curiosity and openness that was absent from their elders. She knew that Xena’s legacy of terror would take a long time to erase from the memory of the people and she was determined to do everything in her power to help improve her companion’s image so that these children growing up would never know the evil warrior her lover had once been.
With that thought in mind she reached into a pouch that was attached to her saddle and withdrew a handful of individually wrapped sweets that the cooks had prepared especially for the journey, they knowing of her weakness for such treats. Without a second thought she tossed the sweets towards the children who pounced with glee on the unexpected gift.
Gabrielle laughed at the action and then fugitively cast her stoic companion a look, wondering if Xena would be upset but the Conqueror was staring forward and by the intense look on her dark features her thoughts were elsewhere. She knew that the Empress thought her to generous but after that one incident in the market so many seasons earlier the older woman said nothing, choosing instead to ignore the charity.
She looked back at the children and saw the happy smiles on their faces as they stuffed the sweets into their mouths. An unexpected feeling of loss and sadness suddenly engulfed her at the realization that she would never experience the joy of being a mother.
She had told Xena that the only thing that mattered was that they were together and that she would willingly give everything else up for that. It was true and she had meant every word but that still did not prevent her from feeling pangs of sadness over the fact that she would never bring another life into this world.
She shook her head unwilling to give into those morose thoughts, trying to remain focused on the matters at hand. She had learned a long time ago that it was useless to dwell on things that couldn’t be. Besides there was no reason that once they found Solan, the Conqueror’s son, that he couldn’t come to live with them in the Palace. The idea of helping his mother raise the lad was appealing and an opportunity she greatly looked forward too. Already she had a million different ideas how she could bring the warrior and the boy together as a family.
Xena glanced slyly at her small partner. She was not as totally indifferent to her surroundings as the blonde bard assumed. She had seen the children and had half expected the Amazon Queen to do what she had done, and in reality she would have been more than a little disappointed if Gabrielle had rode past the children without tossing them some treat. It was a part of her companion’s nature that she had come to love and appreciate.
She turned her attention back to the road. The gates of the city were looming ahead and as on every day of the week, the portal was busy with trade as people came and went. The economy of her realm was thriving and the removal of the travel restrictions had only increased the welfare of the people. There was less to grumble about but there were still some who refused to forget the past and see what was emerging in front of them.
Intense blue eyes scanned the crowds as they rode through the streets. She knew that there were people still out there plotting her demise and she could never be certain when the next attack would come and in all honesty it did not concern her. The only thing that mattered was that her partner and companion was kept safe, for the last thing she wanted was for Gabrielle to be hurt by someone trying to seek vengeance.
Today the land looked peaceful and according to Archius the realm was quiet and all seditious movements derailed by the most recent reforms that she had introduced, but she was not fooled. In spite of the peaceful scenes that greeted her sight, she could sense the undercurrent of tension that still existed. Her enemies were out there, bidding their time, waiting for the moment she would be most vulnerable. In her mind she had already begun to wonder if the plot had not already begun and that Solan’s disappearance was not a part of a whole greater scheme.
She knew that Kalipus, the Centaur leader, would not betray her, but she was not certain she could trust the younger generation of Centaur’s in the same way. In spite of the protection her army gave them, the half man, half equine creatures had no love for her and she would not trust one of them to reveal the truth about her son to one of her enemies. If that were the case she was not certain how she would react or whether she would be able to keep her word to the Centaur leader.
The thickness of human traffic increased as they neared the city gates as traders and visitors from beyond its borders began to filter into the city for a long day of business. There were merchants on horses and wagons, and common folks walking in sandals carrying small bags with meagre possessions. They were a diverse group of people all coming to the city for a variety of reasons, the colourful and ordinary all joining together to make up the character of the city she had chosen as the Capital of her Empire.
“Miss, miss,” a crippled old woman broke from a group of people huddled at the entrance to the gates and stepped up beside the bard’s horse, reaching out to touch the young woman’s leg. Gabrielle immediately brought her mount to a halt and glanced down at the bent over crone seeing the tattered black dress and the moth eaten black shawl that covered a grey crown of hair. For a moment green and dark eyes met and the bard felt a shiver race down her neck
“Miss for you, to help you on your journey,” the old woman held up a cloth bag. The bard was reluctant to accept the offering thinking that whatever this woman was giving her was probably more than she could afford, but not to accept would be an insult.
“Thank you,” the small blonde woman took the offering with a smile and opened the bag to see that it contained a mixture of local fruit. “May the God’s bless you for your kindness,” the bard said and looked down again only to see the old woman melting back into the crowds that had collected at the gates. She watched in puzzlement for a moment and then shrugged, tying the bag next to her pouch on her saddle.
“What is it?” Xena asked curiously. She had stopped alongside the bard and was looking at the smaller woman.
“The strangest thing,” Gabrielle recounted the occurrence. “An old woman just gave me a bag of fruit and then disappeared before I could thank her.”
“What did she look like?’ the Conqueror asked, ever vigilant in her protection of the smaller woman.
“Over there,” the bard pointed as she spotted the elderly woman who was slowly pushing her way through the crowds.
The Conqueror stared at the woman but saw nothing more than a old crone. It was not unusual for her companion to be offered gifts from strangers, for the bard was becoming as well known for her generosity as the Empress was known for her evil. She suspected it was just another such citizen rewarding her companion for some kindness that the bard had done and then forgotten. She said as much.
“You probably did her some favour that you have forgotten about,” she dismissed the old woman intent on getting them under way. She was anxious for them to get out of the city and onto the open road. The sooner she got Gabrielle to Potedaia for her sister Lila’s wedding, the sooner she could begin to coordinate the search for her son Solan. Gabrielle nodded and clicked her heels prodding the horse forward.
It was not uncommon for them to travel straight through the day as Xena was notorious for pushing relentlessly forward forgetting about the necessities of life and though Gabrielle was usually the one to remind the woman to stop, this day she resisted. She knew that her stoic companion’s mind was on her son.
Therefore the bard was especially grateful later for the kind offering of the old woman as she extracted an apple from the bag and munched on it as they rode through the countryside. She offered a piece of fruit to her companion but the warrior merely shook her head.
It was dusk when the Conqueror finally called a halt to the procession, choosing a grove of trees by a small creek not far off the road as their resting stop. The further they had gone from the Capital the emptier the road had gotten, so now the Empress deemed it was safe enough for them to camp near the main track.
Before long the camp was set and as the sun fell beyond the earth, fires were lit to cook the food that had been captured and gathered by an industrious pair of Amazon’s who had been hunting game alongside the road as they travelled.
“Are you thinking about Solan?” Gabrielle said when her dour companion settled onto the ground next to the fire by which she was sitting. Xena had been quiet throughout the day, speaking only when directly addressed and the bard longed now to hear the lilting tones of her lover.
“Yes,” the tall dark haired woman admitted with a sigh. Intense blue eyes scanned their immediate surroundings. There had been three fires lit with the Amazon’s and soldiers sharing two and leaving them alone with the third. She was glad for she longed for the opportunity to spend some time alone with her lover.
“I’m sure he’s all right,” the bard said and then handed her companion a plate of meat that had been cooked. She had tried to wait while the Conqueror had gone with Zenon to set up the perimeter but her stomach had rumbled and she had been unable to prevent herself from eating her share of the meal.
“I suppose so,” the Conqueror agreed snapping a piece of meat from the plate and popping it into her mouth even though she was not hungry. She knew that if she didn’t eat the bard would get on her case and she had no desire to argue with the smaller woman.
If she were honest she had no idea about the boy and what he could or could not do. The regular reports that Kalipus had sent informed her that the lad was a competent hunter and able to survive on the land. She was grateful to the Centaur for giving the boy those skills.
“What does he look like?” the bard asked finally giving into her natural curiosity. She had wanted to know everything about the boy since the Empress had admitted to having the child many days earlier but she had been respective of her companions feelings, waiting until the older woman confided in her. But Xena was not one to reveal her thoughts and so now, after days of holding her tongue she could not remain silent any longer.
“I don’t know,” the Conqueror sighed reluctantly revealing a truth that she was embarrassed to admit. She popped another piece of meat into her mouth. “I have never met him.”
“But surely in one of the letters that Kalipus sent you he must have described him,” the small blonde persisted hoping to get her companion to open up about her feelings. She knew that her stoic companion was more emotional than she allowed anyone to see.
Xena sighed. If there was one thing about the small woman, it was that she was tenacious. Most of the time she admired that quality in the blonde but today she wished that the girl would not be so focused.
“Mostly he just said that the boy was growing and was a strong lad,” the Empress admitted reluctantly, “but there was one time when he mentioned that the boy had corn coloured hair and blue eyes.”
“I’ll bet he looks like you,” Gabrielle said thoughtfully.
“I hope not,” came the sincere response.
“Why?” was the startled response.
“Because it wouldn’t be good for him,” the Empress admitted honestly and then fell silent and the bard knew not to press the woman. She could sense that the Empress was getting uneasy talking about her son and so she let the subject drop, which came as a relief to the tall dark haired woman who kept her blue eyes pinned to the fire in front of them.
Gabrielle’s stomach moved uneasily and she suspected now that something she had eaten wasn’t settling well. On top of that she was unusually tired, her energy drained by the many miles they had covered that day. She glanced about their surroundings.
The Amazon’s had been willing to pitch a tent for their Queen but Gabrielle had opted to sleep out in the open under the stars. She enjoyed the luxurious bed they shared back at the Palace yet there was something decidedly romantic about sharing a bedroll under the night sky with her tall lover. She had many fond memories of the previous nights they had spent on the road. She lifted her arms and stretched, not having to fake a yawn.
“I’m exhausted, I think I will turn in,” the bard said moving over to where their bedding had been laid out.
“Gabrielle are you okay?” Xena was immediately alert. Her blue eyes turned from the fire to the small blonde woman who was now settling beneath the furs.
“Yeah, just tired,” the blonde woman cast her partner a weary smile. “All that luxury of the palace has made me lazy.”
Xena frowned not certain she believed the smaller woman. Blue eyes searched the other woman’s face and noted the tired lines that were etched on the paler than usual face. Silently she chided herself for not paying more attention to her lover, for it was obvious that she had pushed her companion to hard that day.
“I’m sorry Gabrielle,” the Conqueror immediately apologized. “I shouldn’t have pushed us so hard. I forget sometimes that not everyone has the same constitution as myself.”
“That’s all right,” the bard smiled as she settled into the furs. “I just need a few days to get back into the groove. It’s amazing how soft I get after only a few weeks of palace living.”
Xena stared at her lover allowing her heart to shine through her eyes. There were so many things that she wanted to give the bard. She wanted to pamper the small woman, to lavish her with gifts and all the comforts that she could afford. But it seemed that every time they settled back into the Palace and some semblance of a routine, something happened to call them away. Gabrielle deserved so much more than a few blankets on the hard ground.
The Empress set down the unfinished plate of food and crawled across the ground to where the bard was laying, slipping under the blankets next to the small woman. Innocent green eyes softened considerably as the tall woman settled beside her drawing her into a warm embrace.
“I love you Gabrielle,” the Conqueror said with undisguised affection and the bard smiled.
“What brought this on?”
“Guilt,” the Empress admitted honestly as she reached over with one hand and gently brushed her palm across an exposed cheek. She allowed her fingers to comb blond strands of hair back from the girl’s brow.
“Why what have you done?” Gabrielle was concerned. She could think of nothing to bring on such an emotion in her companion.
“I get so caught up in my own concerns that I forget about everything else,” the tall woman said continuing to stroke the smaller woman’s cheek.
“You are definitely focused,” the blonde woman’s smiled and then allowed it to fade. “But that’s one of the things that I admire most about you. I know that you are concerned about Solan, even if he hasn’t been a part of your life. I know inside here,” a small hand lifted up and rested on the Conqueror’s breast, “you care very much for him.”
“No buts,” the bard put a finger to the other woman’s lips silencing her. “I know you love me Xena, and I don’t need you to tell me that all the time.”
There was silence as blue eyes stared into green orbs. A tender look passed between them and the Empress leaned down and placed a gentle kiss upon the smaller woman’s lips. Though both women would have liked to extend the passion they were only to aware that they were not alone.
“Thank you,” the Conqueror whispered and then lay down next to her lover, drawing the smaller woman tightly up against her body. She knew that she would never find anyone as kind hearted or understanding as the woman she now held in her arms, and she had no intention of ever giving the woman a reason to question her love.
She glanced down at the bard who snuggled up against her tall rangy body. The green eyes were closed and the other woman’s breathing was even and steady signalling the small woman was already sound asleep. A smile came to her lips as she leaned forward and placed another kiss on the other woman’s brow.
She thought about the instructions she had left with Archius. By the time they returned to the Palace all but a few of the details would be arranged. She had promised to marry the bard and she would do just that when they returned from this journey. Pushing all other thoughts aside the tall, dark haired woman closed her blue eyes and dreamt of the day when she could truly call Gabrielle her own.
Another pair of blue eyes watched the couple from a distance. The owner of these orbs stared for a long moment before turning to glance at the others who had yet to turn in for the night. She had volunteered to stand the first watch and from her post near the road she could still hear the muted voices and laughter of her fellow Amazon’s.
She turned her head and through the darkness she could detect the outline of the soldier with whom she had been paired. He was a rather simple minded individual and she knew that she could dispatch him with very little effort. It would be so easy for her to wait until everyone was asleep and then kill the other guard before creeping over towards the Conqueror and slitting her throat.
She was certain she could carry it off but she had made a pact with Ares, the God of War, and she was intent on keeping her end of the bargain. She had watched the old woman at the gates and then smiled when Gabrielle had dug into the offering of fruit. It would not be long before the young woman became ill and then it would be time to act.
She did not know why Ares wanted the Conqueror to go to Amphipolis. There was no significant reason but even though she did not understand she would follow his plan. He had promised her ambrosia and she was willing to sacrifice her own desires until she gained her reward. Then she would be on a playing field all her own. She was a skilled warrior and there was no reason, that once she became a God, that she would not be able to challenge Ares himself.
A cruel smile touched the corners of the blonde Amazon’s lips as she imagined her life as a Goddess. There would be no stopping her and she would use her power to exact revenge on everyone who had ever caused her grief. She stifled the evil laugh that gurgled in her throat as she dwelled on all the possibilities. She only hoped she was patient enough to wait.
Xena woke before the dawn and lay for a long moment enjoying the warmth of her companion who was nestled within the circle of her arms. She sighed contentedly and wondered if there would ever be a time when they would just be able to enjoy the simple things of life without some urgent matter demanding their time and attention. She wished that just for one day she would be about to lie in bed with her companion and forget about everything but the two of them.
But there were many responsibilities attached to her position, responsibilities that she was unable to ignore. With that thought she carefully extracted herself from her sleeping companion, gently placing a kiss upon her brow before rolling away. It was still to early for the camp to start stirring but the prefect time for her to take a run and sort through her thoughts.
She stretched her lanky body and breathed deeply, inhaling several a lungful of the chilly morning air before moving off with long smooth strides that carried her away from the camp and along the dirt road.
“Urgh,” Gabrielle woke with a start aware immediately that she was alone. But the thought was with her for only a few brief seconds before the turmoil in her stomach began to announce it’s revolt. In the next instant she was scrambling out from under the blankets and racing towards the small cluster of bushes at the edge of the camp. She barely managed to make it before the contents of her stomach came up her throat.
She knelt for a long time coughing and gasping as the remnants of the previous evenings meal emptied from her body. Finally when there was nothing left she sat back on her heels and closed her eyes feeling completely drained. She normally had a resilient constitution and was rarely ill but when the sickness hit her it generally made her very weak. Once again she hoped it was only nervousness and not some sickness that she had contacted. The last thing she wanted now was to be sick for her sisters wedding.
She wiped her mouth and stood up, walking back across the camp to where the bedding lay, more than a little relieved that no one seemed to notice her incapacitation. Briefly she wondered where Xena had gotten too but the question was quickly answered when the Conqueror suddenly appeared, a bead of sweat decorating her brow.
“Good morning,” the Empress flashed the woman a swift smile as she came to a halt next to the smaller woman. She had not been gone long and was somewhat surprised to see the bard awake. The sky was just beginning to brighten and a quick glance around the camp told her that most of their escort were still asleep. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, good morning,” Gabrielle answered with a corresponding smile, hastily taking a gulp of water from their waterskin and rinsing her mouth before spitting it out. Only then did she move across the distance that separated them to place a tender kiss on her tall lover’s cheek.
Xena accepted the embrace aware of the unusual paleness of her companions skin. Her blue eyes narrowed perceptively as she watched the small woman move back towards their bedding, bending down to start rolling the furs into a bundle. She opened her mouth to speak but before the words came out she heard herself being summoned. A glance over her shoulder indicated that Zenon was headed in her direction.
By the time she was finished speaking with the Captain of the Royal Guard, Gabrielle’s colour had returned and the bard seemed her usual cheerful self. The Conqueror dismissed the earlier paleness as a result of the bard’s unusually early waking. By the time they got under way that morning, Gabrielle was feeling much better with only a slight twinge of nausea.
The next two days were uneventful as they travelled the well used path that cut through the rugged terrain of the countryside. Up at dawn they journeyed through the day bypassing most of the villages along the way uncertain of their reception as they travelled steadily towards their destination.
“Was it Ulyess’?” Gabrielle asked thoughtfully breaking the silence of the group, her slender body rolling with the gentle sway of the horse as they moved along the trail.
“Nope,” Xena answered almost methodically with a single word, briefly distracted from her thoughts.
“Hades,” the bard swore under her breathe at a loss for what the answer to her question could be.
Anxious to alleviate the boredom of travel and to forget about the queasiness that persisted in her stomach, Gabrielle attempted to engage her rather stoic partner in a word game. But she was being met with a varying degree of success for she knew that her dour companion had other more serious thoughts on her mind. Besides concern over her missing son, the Conqueror was also worried about their safety and because of that they were taking the most direct route towards their destination.
The bard fell silent and the Empress turned her attention and eyes towards the sky. It was the fall season and the time of year when the weather was the most unpredictable but they had been fortunate and for the most part the weather had cooperated, remaining clear and sunny with only brief afternoon rain squalls to add a renewed freshness to the day.
She knew if they proceeded on this route they would reach Potedaia in another three days. Once there she would ensure that Gabrielle was settled before taking her leave to return to the Regional Army camp where she could coordinate a search for her son. She was happy that everything was going smoothly but as usual she needed to be certain.
She brought the column to a halt at a fork in the road. If they proceeded on the route that went directly north they would be in Potedaia in three days. To take the east route would add an extra two days to their journey but it was less dangerous and they did not have to cross the river at Norath. In spite of the good weather the river was sometimes swollen at this time of the year and if that were the case, they would waste a least another two days in travel.
She glanced at her companion and saw that Gabrielle was fanning the air around her face. It was just after midday and though the day was pleasantly warm, the bard seemed unusually flushed. She looked past her companion to Zenon.
“The weather has been good but the river at Norath is fed from the mountains and is normally high at this time of the year. I want two scouts to go forward and check that the crossing is safe,” she instructed the Captain of the Royal Guard who immediately glanced back at their escort, calling out for two volunteers.
“I will go,” Callisto hastily moved forward seeing this opportunity to advance her own interests.
“And I,” a smaller dark haired soldier also volunteered and the blonde Amazon smiled inwardly. It had become apparent over the course of their journey that this member of the Royal Guard had developed an affection for her. Now his innocent lust would work in her favour.
Xena did not know the Amazon that stepped forward but had seen her around the Army camp and the Palace grounds. She was a quiet warrior who went about her duties without question. The soldier had been with her Royal Guard for several seasons and had proven himself a capable and brave soldier as well as a skilled horseman.
The Empress nodded and motioned to a small cluster of trees not far in the distance. She was glad that this route ran parallel to a small creek. They had travelled hard for several days and knew that it was time to give both the horses and riders a much needed break.
“We will camp here tonight and await your return on the morrow” she instructed.
The two scouts nodded, digging their heels into the flanks of their mounts and took off down the road while the rest of the party dismounted and walked towards the trees. In short order camp was set up and several Amazon’s were dispatched on a hunting expedition.
“Gabrielle, would you like to go for a walk?” the Conqueror asked her small companion.
“Yes certainly,” the bard responded with more enthusiasm than she felt. A form of listlessness and lethargy had taken hold of her senses over the past few days and though the idea of a walk left her exhausted she would not turn down any opportunity to be alone with her lover. There had been to few minutes over the course of the last week when they had a chance to be alone.
While Xena briefly spoke to Zenon, Gabrielle snatched up her pouch of fruit and a waterskin. They set off along the creek, carefully picking their way along the bank until they came to a shady spot where the stream widened into a small placid pond before a narrow ledge where it tumbled down several feet before carrying on it’s way.
“Are you interested in taking a swim?” the Conqueror asked with a sly smile and without bothering to answer the smaller woman began to peal off her clothes. Within minutes they were splashing and playing in the chest high water. It was a long time before they returned to the bank where they sprawled out side by side.
“I needed that,” Gabrielle sighed with contentment as she lay on the soft cushion of thick grass and closed her green eyes.
“Yeah,” the Empress agreed rolling onto her side and allowing her blue eyes to slowly wander over her companions naked body. She could feel the gentle caress of the light breeze that was blowing and she watched in fascination as that same touch caused small goosebumps to rise upon the smooth skin of the younger woman, making the small pink nipples harden. She felt her own body stir.
“You know what I need,” the older woman whispered quietly in a thick voice. A pair of green eyes popped open and a blond head turned to meet an intense blue gaze. She could see the lust and the love in those familiar orbs. It had been more than a week since they had last been intimate and she knew that was a long time for her companion.
She rolled over and reached out, running her hand up and down the curves of her companions still wet body. She loved the feel of the silky skin against her palm and the way her own body could be aroused merely by a look or a single touch.
Without another word the Conqueror leaned forward and brushed her lips against those of her lover, savouring the sweet taste. The kiss was returned and before long the passion of their exchanges grew. Like so many times before the intensity of their love stoked the fires of their arousal and tender caresses merely preceded more urgent strokes.
Xena rolled forward pushing her companion back onto the ground as she covered the smaller woman with her own body gentling driving one of her thighs between the other woman’s legs and pressing it against the heat that had built there.
Gabrielle groaned as she felt the exquisite pressure against her throbbing clit. The taller woman had the ability to manipulate her body to the point where she was sometimes no longer conscious of anything but the pleasure that she was receiving. It was like that on this day and she forgot about everything but the feel of the older woman’s lips on her skin and the way the tall body slid against her own.
Xena gazed down at her lover, seeing warm green orbs filled with unfulfilled lust. A tender smile tipped her lips as she gazed into the sweet face of the woman she loved. It gave her joy to pleasure the woman and she did all she could to satisfy the young woman. Before Gabrielle she only sought pleasure, but now with the bard she only sought to give pleasure.
“Oh by the Gods Xena please I want to feel you in me,” Gabrielle begged as she began to feel her body begin to shudder and shake with the first spasms of her orgasm take control of her body.
“I love you Gabrielle,” the Conqueror whispered before obliging her companion plunging her fingers deep into the woman and pressing down on her clit as the small body beneath her crested.
It was a long time later before the women were lying exhausted in each other arms. After a brief rest the bard had been determined to pleasure her companion and the Empress had not denied the smaller woman her request, giving up control of her body to the only person she trusted with her entire being.
Gabrielle glanced across at her tall companion, unable to disguise the love she felt as she stared at the classical profile of the woman who had come to mean everything to her. Xena was her life and if her family never excepted her back she would still be happy. She closed her eyes and allowed her senses to drift as her mind gave in to the call of Morpheus.
It was near sundown when the two scouts arrived at the bridge that crossed over the Norath River. As the Amazon had feared the crossing was securely intact and the water levels no danger. She knew that she would have to develop a plausible explanation to divert the Conqueror from this path and towards Amphipolis. She glanced sideways at her companion and saw the unbidden look of lust in his eyes and smiled. An idea formed in her head.
“I think we should take a break before heading back,” she suggested slipping out of her saddle and leading her mount to the waters edge so that it could quench it’s thirst.
“The Conqueror will be expecting us back as soon as possible,” the soldier disagreed, his brown eyes never leaving the form of the slender woman. He had admired her from the moment he had first set eyes upon her many days earlier at the Palace.
“She could hardly complain if we took a bath and rested before beginning the journey back,” the blonde woman smiled sweetly and then stretched her arms over her head, giving the soldier a full view of her luscious body.
After that it was easy to persuade her companion to take a break before heading back with their information and once he was off the horse it was even simpler to entice him to take a swim. She merely stepped to the edge of the river and started to slip out of her leather costume. The man eagerly joined in stripping off his own armour and leathers and jumping into the water next to where she was bathing.
The blonde seductress cavorted with the man, flirting outrageously so that he would be caught completely off guard by her action. She acted playfully, waiting until she was able to position herself behind him, then when he least expected it, she jumped on his back and dunked him under the water, holding him there.
He fought valiantly as water started to invade his lungs but the force holding him down was to strong. He thrashed violently hoping to dislodge the Amazon from his back and shoulders but it was useless and his life came to a swirling end at the bottom of the river.
Callisto held the man down, holding his head under water for several extra long moments to ensure that she had achieved her objective in killing him. When she finally released her hold the lifeless body popped to the surface and then drifted lazily along with the current of the stream. She watched for a moment before swimming to the bank.
It didn’t take more that a candlemark to dispose of any further evidence of the soldier as she tossed his clothing and gear into the river. After stripping the horse of its tack, which she also disposed of in the stream, she lead the animal across the bridge and then turned it loose, smacking its hind quarters and sending it off in the opposite direction from which they had come. Once that was done she sat down and lit a fire, an evil grin on her face as she stared into the dancing flames.
Xena was up early the next morning. She left Gabrielle sleeping while she went for a short run, ending her circuit by Eponin who was on watch at the perimeter of their makeshift camp. In spite of her injury the Amazon Weapon’s Master refused to be treated like an invalid, insisting on taking her turn on watch along with the others. The woman’s tenacious nature and stubbornness made her a favourite with the Empress.
“How goes it?” the Conqueror greeted the feather clad warrior.
“Quiet,” Eponin replied straightening up and trying not to grimace when she twisted her still healing limb the wrong way. Xena stared at the look of pain that flashed over the other woman’s face and though she was tempted to say something she held her tongue, turning to glance over the still sleeping camp.
“What time did the scouts return?” she inquired instead and the question brought another unexpected grimace to the Amazon’s features.
“They haven’t returned yet,” Eponin hated to be the one to impart the news and instantly she saw the pensive frown that decorated the Empress’ face. She had been forewarned to expect the scouts return during the night but when they hadn’t arrived she began to worry.
Xena was silent as she mentally calculated the possibilities. From past experience she knew how long the trip took and reckoned that the pair of riders had probably reached the river around sunset. Giving ample time for a brief respite and break to water the horses and refresh themselves they should have been back candlemarks earlier. Briefly she wondered if they had run into trouble.
“Would you like me to arrange a search party?” the Amazon warrior offered.
“No,” the Empress shook her head turning her eyes to scan the distant horizon. “We will wait until after breakfast. Perhaps they were delayed.”
Gabrielle woke with a groan and like the previous morning she was up and out of her bedroll in a hurry reaching the nearest bush as she once again relieved her heaving stomach of its contents. She continued to retch until there was nothing more and then sat back on her heels and wondered what was wrong. She cast a glance over her shoulder seeing her tall dark haired lover by the road conversing with the Amazon on watch. She stood up slowly, her legs shaking like jelly.
“My Queen are you all right?” a soft voice inquired and Gabrielle spun around to see Solari standing not far away. She grimaced at the idea that the Amazon had witnessed her moment of weakness.
“Yes,” Gabrielle flashed a weak smile. “I think something I ate last night didn’t agree with me. Didn’t Eponin do the cooking?”
“Yes my Queen,” Solari chuckled. It was common knowledge amongst the Amazon tribe that while Eponin was an able and fierce warrior in battle, she was completely hopeless in the area of preparing food.
“Let’s see that she doesn’t get a hold of the food again okay,” the small blonde woman continued with a smile and the other Amazon nodded. “I think I need something to settle my stomach now.”
“I could fetch you some fresh berries,” the warrior offered but Gabrielle shook her head.
“Thank you but I still have some fruit left in my pouch, I better eat that before it goes bad.”
The Amazon nodded and then watched as the small woman strolled back to her bedroll. It was not the first time she had witnessed the bard in distress but she had hesitated to mention anything. She reminded herself to keep an eye on the Queen.
Gabrielle was relieved that she had been able to convince Solari that nothing serious was wrong. She didn’t want anyone to worry about her but more than that she didn’t want Xena to know. It was important that she was not perceived as being weak in the eyes of her stoic companion. She took a swig from the waterskin and rinsed her mouth before selecting an apple from the remaining fruit. She felt dizzy and put it down to the fact that she had not yet had anything to eat. She took a large bite and munched noisy as she strolled across the camp towards where her companion stood staring into the distance.
“What’s up?” she said as she stepped up beside the tall warrior, squinting her eyes towards the horizon where her companion was staring.
The Empress was about to answer when her eyes caught the slightest of movement on the horizon. She saw the cloud of dust in the distance following the form and before long the distinctive outline of the Amazon she had sent ahead to scout the route was recognizable. She searched for the soldier who had accompanied the woman but he was nowhere in sight.
“What news have you brought?” Xena greeted the Amazon stepping up to grasp the horses halter as the blonde warrior drew up to the camp.
“The bridge at Norath has been washed away,” Callisto reported her lie.
“And your colleague where is he?” the Empress demanded sensing an untold story.
“We rode for a distance in both directions along the river until we found what we thought was a safe crossing,” Callisto hastily related the story that she had formulated in her head on the trip back to the entourage. “He went first and was about halfway across when a log slammed into him, knocking him off the horse. I tried in vain to rescue him but both of them were carried quickly down steam. I couldn’t do anything but watch them go under. I searched for several candlemarks but I could not find the body.”
The Conqueror was silent as she listened to the Amazon’s tale. Her first reaction to the news of the soldiers demise was a little incredulous. She glanced up at the sky and then towards the mountains in the distance. She knew the rains they had encountered would not be enough to swell the river.
The Empress remained silent as she considered the Amazon’s words. She was tempted to disregard the evidence and continue the planned journey certain that she would be able to locate an appropriate crossing but then her eyes fell upon Gabrielle. While she would be willing to take a chance she would not risk the life of her lover. They would take the longer route, the one that took them by Amphipolis.
“We will follow this road until Magra and then head north towards Amphipolis. There is another crossing near the town, it will add an extra two days to our journey but hopefully that bridge will not have been washed out,” she decided, not certain why she was bothered by the Amazon’s account of what happened. She had no reason to disbelieve the tale for it was plausible enough. She had witnessed many good horsemen losing their lives by taking risks for which they were unprepared to handle. She turned to Eponin with instruction.
“I want to break camp immediately and get on the road,” she decided.
“Yes, My Empress,” the Weapon’s Master nodded and hurried to do the tall woman’s bidding.
“Do you wish me to scout ahead?” the blonde Amazon asked of the Conqueror.
“No,” Xena decided abruptly unhappy with the unexpected delay , though realistically she decided that perhaps it was to their advantage. Anyone who sought to do them harm would certainly know of her penitent to take the most direct route to her destination. She turned to her small companion. “Come Gabrielle let’s get our horses.”
Within a short while they were once again on their way and Gabrielle immediately attempted to engage her stoic companion in a word game. But the Conqueror was not in the mood and after several unsuccessful tries the bard fell silent giving into the Empress’ pensive mood.
Xena glanced briefly at her mute companion and sighed. Normally she didn’t mind playing the games that the bard invented to entertain them, but today she had too many things on her mind. She could not dismiss the nagging doubt that penetrated her thoughts. She was tempted to send a party of soldiers to investigate but she realized that it would probably be a wasted effort.
She glanced over her shoulder and spotted the blonde Amazon bringing up the end of the column. It occurred to her that she had seldom seen the woman in the company of any of the other Amazons. Mentally she reminded herself to keep an eye on the woman. There was no reason to doubt the story she had been told, but then she had never been one to trust anything anyone said.
She turned her gaze to her solemn companion and saw that her brow was puckered into a thoughtful frown. She was not in fear for her own life but that of the bard’s. Gabrielle had become more precious to her than all the riches that she possessed and she had no intention of ever allowing anything to happen to the woman. She couldn’t begin to imagine life without the woman and her companionship. Besides she would need the woman’s help in the coming days
Her face darkened at the thought of her son Solan. She had not been entirely honest with the bard. She had seen the child on several occasions over the years when she had passed by the Centaur lands. She had snuck close to the village and watched from a distance as the child had played with his centaur friends.
She had limited such visits though, consciously reminding herself that the reason was out of fear that the boys existence would be discovered by her enemies. But there was a deeper reason. In truth the pain of the separation was too much and the longing to take the child into her arms and hold him was too strong to bear. So she had simply pushed him from her mind and stayed as far away as possible. But now she knew it would not be possible to do that again. She knew that no matter what became of their search, Gabrielle would make sure that the boy was never forgotten.
Gabrielle glanced across at her lover and saw the intense expression on her face and knew that the Empress was deep in thought. She sighed, not entirely pleased with this new turn of events. Not only was she anxious to reach there destination, but her stomach was beginning to feel worse with each passing candlemark in spite of the fruit that she had been nibbling on constantly since they had broken camp that morning. As if on cue her stomach rumbled uneasily.
She had tried to ignore the upset but with each passing day the ache inside her belly had been growing and nothing she did seemed to alleviate the problem. She reached back into her saddle bag and withdrew another apple from the small bundle that she had been given by the kindly old woman.
She unconsciously shivered as she remembered the brief instant she had taken to look into the elderly woman’s eyes. They were dark, blacker than any she had seen and though the smile on the crones face had seemed genuine there was something about the woman that had caused the hair on her head to stand on end. It had only been a brief feeling and then gone and the bard had been left thinking that her imagination was over reacting.
She brought the apple up and polished it briefly on her shirt before taking a big juicy bite out of the fruit. It was more delicious than any she had eaten and any reservations she had about the gift were quickly forgotten. Like before she savoured the sweet juices and hoped that the fruit would help settle the queasiness in her stomach.
Xena kept her gaze on the road. They were nearing the Regional Army camp and though they could divert there path and sleep in the comfort of cots that night she kept them on a steady path along the road to Amphipolis.
She rather enjoyed camping out under the night sky and having her small companion snuggle tightly against her in an attempt to ward off the chill of the evening. It reminded her of an earlier time, a time before she had all the demands of her victories placed on her shoulders. She liked being the ruler of the nation but she also missed the simpler times when she had been merely a warlord with a small army. Many nights she had stared up the at the sky and dreamed of the future.
Well those dreams been fulfilled and now she had other visions that she wanted to realize. Visions which now included her young companion. She thought of the instructions she had left with Archius and briefly she allowed herself to imagine another more wonderful dream.
Gabrielle was content to munch on her fruit, allowing her thoughts to dwell on the problem at hand, yet the uneasy feeling in her stomach only seemed to get worse with food now in her belly. On top of that she began to feel unusually warm.
“Xena?” she called after her companion who was slightly ahead of her. The Conqueror immediately pulled her horse up, turning in her saddle to look at the smaller woman who had lagged a short ways behind.
“Do you think we could take a break?”
“Why?” the older woman asked curiously glancing at the other woman.
“I’m feeling a little warm,” the smaller woman asked waving a hand in front of her face.
“Certainly,” the older woman nodded her head, capably masking her concern. It was warm with the sun beating down but it was the fall season and so the day was not uncomfortable. A quick glance at her companion though and she noticed a slight flush in the younger woman’s cheeks. “Do you think you can manage for a bit, if I remember correctly there is a creek not far from here.”
“Yeah,” the blonde woman nodded her head and then continued to follow her companion. But she was worse off than she suspected and not more than a few hundred yards had passed before she could take no more.
She felt her stomach roil and the contents of her breakfast rise up in her throat. Suddenly she felt dizzy and her vision became blurry. She barely had time to pull up and slide off her mount and unto her knees before emptying the contents of her stomach onto the side of the trail. Her head pounded and it felt like all of Tartartus was in her gut.
Xena saw her companions’ distress and in one swift motion was off her horse and kneeling by the smaller woman’s side, holding her around the waist with one strong arm while the other hand held blond hair from the younger woman’s face. A frown marred her stoic features as she hung onto the woman.
“Gabrielle, are you okay?” she asked as the younger woman finally sat back on her heels. The bard merely nodded her head, her throat burning and her stomach continuing to heave. As if by magic the older woman produced a waterskin and gratefully the girl took a long swig of the surprisingly cool contents.
“I must have caught a sickness,” Gabrielle finally spoke aware that her head was still spinning. She could tell by the expression on the Conqueror’s face that her lover was worried and she hastened to reassure her companion, even though her stomach continued it’s protest. “I’m sure I’ll be okay in a few days.”
“I’m not going to wait that long,” the Empress announced decisively. She would not risk the blond woman’s health. “Amphipolis is the nearest village. We will head straight there. They have a healer.”
“Xena I don’t need a healer,” the bard protested but it was a feeble admission and the frown on the Conqueror’s face deepened. She placed a hand on the brow of her small companion and was shocked by the hot skin under her touch.
“You’re burning up Gabrielle,” the Empress echoed her thoughts in a disturbed voice.
“I’m just a little warm,” the smaller woman disagreed not liking the fact that she was feeling ill. “I’ll be okay.”
As if to prove her point she attempted to stand but her legs were to weak and if it hadn’t been for the strong arm wrapped securely around her waist, she would have tumbled face first onto the road. Xena caught the bard the instant the girl’s legs began to buckle and lifted her in one smooth motion into her arms and carried her over to where Argo was patiently awaiting her master. She could feel that the smaller woman’s body was flushed with fever and burning up, the normally soft skin was now sweaty and hot to the touch.
“Is the Queen all right?” Eponin asked with concern as she rode up from the back of the column to where the Empress was now mounting her horse with the blonde woman laying limply in her arms.
“She has a fever,” the Conqueror muttered unable to mask the anger she felt surging through her body. “I have to try and bring it down. There is a cold stream not far away, I am going to take her there.”
Without another word the Conqueror clicked her heels against the flanks of her warhorse and headed off in a quick gallop towards a stream she remembered from her youth. Behind her followed their entourage an uneasy worry settling over the group with the exception of one. Callisto lagged behind, unable to wipe the smile that came to her face.
The small stream was where the Empress remembered and she brought the horse to it’s very edge before dismounting. She waded into the clear water, feeling it’s cold embrace chill the bareness of skin not covered by her leathers. Gabrielle had seemingly fallen asleep but the green eyes fluttered open as the cold water engulfed her fevered skin.
“Xena what are you doing?” she asked with a clarity that she did not feel and the Empress looked down into the precious pools of green.
“You said you were warm and so was I,” Xena thought there was no reason to alarm her companion though she wasn’t certain the younger woman fully understood what was going on. “I thought a cold swim would do us both good.”
“Yeah,” the small blond woman sighed as her feverish body began to embrace the refreshing water that swirled over her. She closed her eyes feeling incredibly tired yet also reassured because she was being held by her lover and she knew that Xena would never let anything happen to her.
“I love you,” Gabrielle murmured for no reason.
“I love you too Gabrielle,” the Conqueror repeated the sentiment.
Even though the water was cold, the Empress remained within it’s depths, sacrificing her own comfort for the sake of her lover. She was immune to everything but the flushed cheeks of her companions face, not realizing that the others having since caught up to her were now carefully watching the proceedings. It was a while before the Conqueror felt the first shudder come from her companion.
“Xena?”
“What love?” the Empress asked carefully clinging to her lover.
“I’m cold,” the bard murmured through parched lips and as if to emphasis her plight another shudder went through the girl.
Xena reacted immediately, turning and wading back unto shore where the Amazon’s had thoughtfully laid out a blanket on the ground under a nearby tree. The Conqueror set the smaller woman down dismissing the wordless offer of a cloth to wipe the dripping water off her own body. Her first and only concern was the bard and to that end she reached out and touched the girl’s brow. It was still warm but without the heat that had been radiating from her before.
“Empress,” Solari said stepping forward. Intense blue eyes glanced up and pinned the Amazon where she stood.
“I don’t know if this means anything but this morning I found the Queen throwing up,” the Amazon revealed hesitantly. “I don’t think it was the first time.”
“Why didn’t you mention anything to me?” Xena barked irrationally and the Amazon flushed under the scrutiny.
“She seemed okay,” the Amazon stammered not knowing what else to say.
“Does she look okay?” the Conqueror couldn’t help snarling and the slight woman automatically backed up.
Xena immediately forgot her frustration towards the Amazon when the bard shuddered violently on the blanket. In the next instant she made a decision, picking up the corners and wrapping the smaller woman into it’s bulky warm folds before lifting her up once more in her arms.
“She needs a healer,” she announced even as intense blue eyes searched for her mount. She whistled and the horse, which was grazing only a few feet away, quickly trotted to her side. “I am taking her to Amphipolis.”
“Is there anything you would like us to do?” Zenon wanted to know.
“Just follow,” Xena advised the Captain of the Guard as she settled once more into the saddle the small ailing woman in her arms.
“Will the Queen be all right?” he dared to asked aware of the concerned expression in the Empress’ face.
Xena took a look at the face of the Amazon who was sleeping in her embrace, seeing the paleness of the skin and the beads of sweat that were beginning to form again across her brow before turning to the other anxious people all waiting for her verdict. She knew by the looks on their faces that they were as concerned about Gabrielle as she was.
“I hope so,” the Conqueror hissed through clenched teeth and then clicked her heels against the flanks of the horse, urging it forward.
She glanced at the young woman in her arms, seeing the delicate golden lashes that now covered those beautiful green eyes that she had grown to love. She dared not think about what her life would be like without the woman.
Xena took another deep breath, before slowly expelling the air in her lungs in an attempt to settle her own fears. She didn’t dare allow herself the thought that the girl’s illness might be serious. She didn’t want to contemplate the idea that she might lose the younger woman. She couldn’t imagine herself going back to the empty life she had led before meeting the bard.
“You have got to be okay, Gabrielle,” she whispered fiercely as unshed tears moistened her eyes.
Ares looked down from his seat on Mt. Olympus extremely pleased by the events that were unfolding. He had been uncertain that he could trust the blonde Amazon to carry out his wishes but was delighted that she had, his earlier doubts replaced by admiration for the way she had carried out her assignment. Perhaps she was someone that he needed to invest more time and attention on. Pushing thoughts of the blonde woman aside he focused again on the scene that was occurring down on the mortal realm.
There were changes happening in the Immortal world of the God’s and the Deities had to align themselves with the one whom they predicted would win the upcoming battle. He knew that the birth of a new and stronger Deity was on the horizon. A Deity who would be able to defeat his father Zeus and all other God’s that reigned on Olympus. A Deity so strong that there would be no one powerful enough to oppose Him.
He had secretly chosen to side against his family and join the side of this new God, assured by the deal he had made with the one who was currently confined to an existence beneath the Underworld. He had made the deal in order to survive the purge that would happen once the new God took control.
A scowl formed on his dark handsome features. Dahok would have stayed in the dark morass of his environment if not for the unwarranted intervention of his sisters. If they had not interfered with his Chosen, then none of this would be happening now. They were the ones who were to be blamed for what was about to happen and therefore he felt no remorse at making his deal with their enemy.
It was a traitorous world amongst the God’s and change was apart of the unending revolution of existence. A revolution he was determined to survive. He would not end up a memory, entombed in stone like the Titans, Giants who had ruled the Earth before their defeat by the God’s who now ruled Olympus.
He would survive and learn from his new Master and then when the time was right he would bring his own army to fruition and defeat his new ally to take control of the mortal world. A evil laugh echoed through the dark cavernous halls of the temple in which he sat.
It was nightfall before they finally reached the outskirts of the village of Amphipolis; the quiet part of the evening when most of the townspeople were in there homes eating dinner. Though the streets were virtually empty, Xena knew that with thee arrival of their small entourage, it wouldn’t be long before the square was filled with curious villagers. She dismissed those thoughts and headed straight for the healers hut.
Paulus had just sat down for his evening meal when there was a knock on the door. He was not surprised by the summons for it seemed that people were always waiting until the supper hour before coming to seek his assistance. It was a reality he had accepted along with the challenge of his profession. One he had been in for a very long time having brought many of the village citizens into the world.
He opened the door and felt his jaw drop in shock at the sight of the imposing figure standing on the threshold. Before he had a chance to speak, the Conqueror pushed passed him into the room, her intense blue eyes searching the humble dwelling for the nearest available cot. She spotted it near the fire pit and in two swift strides was across the room.
The healer watched wordlessly as the tall dark woman carefully lowered the small bundle in her arms onto the pallet and then turned to face him. For the first time he was aware that he had not moved from the door.
“You are the healer, aren’t you?” The man nodded in affirmation too dumbstruck to speak. “Then start healing, my friend here is sick.”
The man’s first thought was to refuse this evil woman’s request for his services, but seeing the girl lying motionless on the cot he changed his mind. He could not turn them away, even though he hated the Empress and held her responsible for the death of his only son. He was a healer and had sworn to use his skills to help everyone, even his enemies.
He moved swiftly across the room to bend over the still form, recognizing the blond woman immediately. It was Gabrielle the Bard, the young woman who had often come to Amphipolis to entertain the villagers. His eyes narrowed as he scanned her pale features, searching for some mark that might implicate the Conqueror as the cause of the girl’s condition. But there was none. If the rumours he heard were true then the girl was the Empress’ slave. He glanced contemptuously at the tall imposing woman having no fear.
“Leave us.”
“No!” Xena had no intention of leaving her companion’s side. The man straightened his bent frame and for a moment weary grey eyes met ice blue orbs.
“If you want me to treat your friend you will have to leave,” he said with steely resolve. “I will do nothing if you remain.”
The Conqueror’s eyes narrowed into dangerous pale slits. For a moment she was about to refuse, as the panther inside slowly woke from it’s slumber. How dare this common man challenge me, it growled. I am Xena Warrior Princess, Destroyer of Nations, Empress of all of Greece. I am the Conqueror.
But even as those words flitted through her mind, her eyes fell to the bard who had started moving restlessly on the bed. In what seemed like another lifetime she would have killed the healer for his insolence but now with Gabrielle’s life at stake it was something else. She would not allow her pride to risk the girl’s life.
“All right but if you do anything to bring her harm and I will kill your whole family and then you,” with that the Conqueror turned on her heel and strolled out of the small cabin.
The man watched the woman leave not quite believing he had achieved victory. It was a small triumph and for the first time he noticed another woman standing in the shadows by the doorway. His anger welled up again for this one was dressed as a warrior with colourful feathers adorning the small string of leather clothing her body. He would have ordered her out except that he noticed the splint upon her leg and the wooden cane on which she was leaning.
“Who are you?” he demanded icily, certain that the woman was a spy for the Conqueror.
“My name is Eponin and I am Weapon’s Master for my Amazon tribe,” the brown haired woman said in a quiet yet proud voice that carried across the silent room. “I am not here for the Conqueror. It is my sworn duty to protect my Queen, Gabrielle.”
“You think I might harm her?” He could not keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
“I am sworn to protect her from anyone who might bring harm to her,” the warrior woman answered. “Queen Gabrielle is in danger by her mere association with the Conqueror. There are many people who would use her to get at the Empress.”
The healer knew that statement to be the truth. In the flickering light of the fire, the man saw the loyalty in the grey eyes that were staring at him. The woman was crippled by her injury yet there was something in her countenance that made him realize she would defend the Queen to the death. She might even challenge the Conqueror, he mused to himself.
“You may stay but keep out of the way,” he said briskly dismissing the woman before turning his attention back on his patient. “What are her symptoms?”
“Nausea, vomiting, fever,” Eponin explained.
The healer nodded intently, his first guess was that the smaller woman had caught a fever. His second guess that she was being poisoned for the symptoms were very similar. It did not surprise him to find it was the latter.
“Who prepares her meals?” he asked and the warrior frowned.
“We all share in the preparation,” the Amazon stated. “She eats the same food as the rest of us.”
“The same food as the Conqueror?” the man wanted to know, turning his head slightly so that he could see the expression on his companion’s face.
“They often feed each other,” the woman replied stoically not liking what the man was implying. “I can assure you that the Empress is not trying to poison the Queen.”
The man nodded, aware that the woman truly believed what she said. He turned his attention back to his patient to continue the examination. So intent was he in his thoughts, that he jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and gazed into a pair of serious grey eyes that were only inches from his face. He had not heard her approach which surprised him because of the cumbersome splint on her leg.
“You must understand how important Queen Gabrielle is to the Conqueror and how important it is that she not die,” the Amazon said in a solemn voice.
The healer looked at the woman for a long moment. He could see that she was serious yet he was not impressed. He doubted the Conqueror cared about any one or thing.
“I had but one son,” the healer replied in a even voice. “He died while serving the Conqueror’s Army, so I do not fear being killed.”
“It is not for you I worry but for all of Greece,” Eponin said softly her eyes falling briefly to the still woman on the cot. “If Gabrielle dies there will be no one to save any of us from the Conqueror’s black heart.”
The man was silent as he contemplated the woman’s words. He had heard rumours that the Conqueror had changed and that those changes had come as a result of the young woman now entrusted in his care. A woman who it seemed was more than a mere slave to the Empress.
“Have a seat,” he motioned towards a wooden bench along one wall. “I will see to you when I am done here.”
Eponin would have protested but her leg ached. They had ridden hard and fast that day and her limb hurt, the injury worsened by her own fatigue. She nodded and limped over to the bench, pleased to be able to finally rest her weary body, content with the knowledge that she could still watch over her Queen.
Xena exited the hut, expelling a huge breath that was like a puff of smoke in the chilly evening air. It was late fall and the night had brought with it colder temperatures, but she noticed none of it, her thoughts solely on the woman she had left behind in the hut.
She began to pace restlessly, unable to mask the worry she felt. She chided herself for leaving the bard alone and was about to storm into the hut when a familiar figure emerged from the surrounding shadows.
“My Conqueror,” Zenon spoke, interrupting her thoughts.
“What?” the Empress barked pausing for a moment to look at the intruder. The soldier took a deep breath. He knew how worried the Conqueror was. They were all worried.
“I just wished to advise you that I have left instructions to set up camp just outside the village gates,” the Captain of the Guard reported. “I have instructed the perimeter guards to be extra attentive and be aware that there may be persons willing to tempt fate and try to attack you.”
“Good,” Xena nodded her approval. She was aware of her unpopularity in the country. But the hatred was not more greater then in her own home village. It would not surprise her if someone did not try an attempt on her life. But she could handle that. She glanced at the closed door of the healers hut.
“I want there to be a guard with the Queen at every moment of the day and night until she is well,” she turned her intense blue orbs back on the soldier. “Too many people here know of her association with me.”
“The Amazon’s have already volunteered their services,” Zenon advised, glad that Solari and her small party of warriors had arrived at the Palace prior to their departure on this journey. He had been pleased when the Amazon’s had insisted on escorting them, knowing that they could use the extra help.
“How is the Queen?”
“I don’t know,” Xena admitted reluctantly her eyes honing in on the door to the healers hut feeling a rising fear in her gut.
Toris was sitting at a table in the corner of the tavern, pouring over the ledgers of the Inn when the door unexpectedly burst open. Like the rest of the patrons who had chosen to eat at the Inn that evening, he glanced up, a smile automatically coming to his lips at the sight of his friend Saiderus.
“Saiderus…” Toris began but his words were cut-off by the other man.
“The Conqueror…,” the younger man barely managed to sputter as he hurried across the room.
“What about the Conqueror?” the older man was immediately alert, his blue eyes narrowing.
“She’s here,” Saiderus continued, struggling to catch his breath. He had run from his home at the
entrance to the town. “She and her entire entourage rode into the village just moments ago.”
“What is she doing here?” Toris wanted to know, automatically rolling up the scroll that he had been working on. His whole body tensed.
“I don’t know but she was headed towards the healers hut,” the man explained. “I saw her enter just as I arrived here. She was carrying something.”
“One of her pet hounds no doubt,” the older man snorted sarcastically. “I wonder why she is here, she knows that she is not welcome.” It had been several seasons since the woman had last been in Amphipolis, and then she had only come in search of the bard Gabrielle. His blue eyes narrowed. “Did you see Gabrielle, the bard anywhere?”
“No,” the messenger shook his head. “There was another woman with the Conqueror but she was dressed as a warrior.”
Toris’ attention was momentarily distracted by the appearance of his mother who came out of the kitchen. He watched as she strolled over to a couple in the middle of the room and set two steaming plates of stew down in front of them. He knew how she would feel knowing that the Empress was here. But he had no intention of telling her, deciding in that moment to go to his sister and demand she leave. He stood up, looking at his friend.
“Say nothing to anyone until I find out the purpose of her visit here.”
“What about the others?” the other man asked looking up at his friend. Toris knew that already his associates would be gathering.
“Keep them here until I return,” the man said and his friend nodded, watching as the tall man walked out of the Inn. He did not fear for the man, knowing that the Conqueror would do nothing to harm her brother.
Toris strolled purposefully through the darkened streets of the village, aware that news of the Conqueror’s arrival had already filtered through the town. People were standing in small clusters near their houses whispering to their neighbours, all wondering what had brought the feared warrior back to her home town.
The man glanced briefly at his friends, an angry frown etching it’s way across his brow. None of them wanted her here and he knew it was his duty as a member of her blood family to send her away.
He turned the corner and headed through the shadows towards the healers hut at the end of the dusty lane, his footfalls landing softly against the ground. He peered through the darkness, his blue eyes honing in on the tall figure that was pacing restlessly in front of the cabin. His back stiffened, for though he could not distinguish the features of the individual, he knew that it was his sister, the most feared person in the Empire.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded in an angry voice as he stepped out of the darkness.
Xena tensed. She had heard the approach and had been alert. Slowly she turned on her heel to face the man who matched her in height, but who was much less formidable even though he was physically larger.
“I am in no mood for your games Toris,” she advised in a quiet voice that warned most people that it was ill advised to bother her.
“Games,” the man snorted coming to a halt a few feet from his younger sibling. “You call what we do games, what do you call what you do?”
“Toris,” the name was ground out behind clenched teeth. “I am not in the mood to argue with you or be bothered by your petty grievances. I caution you that I may not be able to control my actions at this moment so you better scurry back to where you came from before I end up hurting you.”
“What right have you got…,” the rest of his words were cut off as the sharp edge of a knife was suddenly pressed against his throat drawing a slight trickle of blood. The Empress had been so swift that he had not been able to react.
“I have every right to do whatever I want,” the Conqueror warned in a chilling tone. “And you are pushing your fate right now. I am in no mood for your childish tantrums so leave before I show no conscience and slit your throat.”
The man was abruptly released and his hand automatically went to this throat. He stared at his sister and saw that the threat was real. There was a blackness in her eyes that truly made him afraid. He swallowed compulsively and unconsciously backed up, aware that whether he lived or died depended on his next actions. Before he had known that he could push her as far as he wanted and still not have to worry about retribution, but tonight something was different.
He watched as she dismissed him by turning her back. He took a decisive step forward but felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He turned his head angrily towards this person and saw a heavily armoured soldier standing there.
“You would be wise to heed the Empress’ words,” Zenon uttered the advice in a quiet, solemn voice. “For there is no one here who would make the attempt to save you.”
Toris hesitated. Normally, he would have paid no attention to such a caution but there was something in the other man’s expression that made a thread of fear race up his spine. He turned his blue eyes back to the Conqueror who had paced up to the cabin and was staring at the closed door intently.
“Gabrielle is very ill,” the soldier explained in the same hushed tone, aware that the Empress would not appreciate him discussing the matter.
Toris glanced sharply at his companion oblivious to the fact that the hand had been removed from his shoulder.
“And that is a reason I should worry?”
“It is a reason for us all to fear,” Zenon said, his own hazel eyes casting a discreet glance at the Conqueror before turning his attention back to the villager. “There is no telling what will happen if the Queen dies.”
“I have no fear of what the Conqueror can do,” Toris retorted angrily.
“Then you are a fool,” Zenon retorted aware of the severity of the situation. He was as worried about the bard as was the Conqueror and the Amazon’s.
“You don’t know who I am,” Toris scoffed.
“You are the Conqueror’s brother,” the soldier said without care. “But today that means nothing.”
Toris was momentarily confused. If he accepted what this man was saying then he would have to accept the fact that his sister cared deeply for the small bard he had befriended so long ago. But it was a hard concept to accept. Xena had not really cared for anyone or thing since Lyceus’ death. It was a novel idea and one he had never considered.
“Go back to your home and advise your fellow townsfolk’s to do the same,” the soldier said. “It would be suicide to try anything against the Conqueror now for she would show no mercy, not even to those who are of her own flesh and blood.”
Toris glanced once more at his sister before backing away and the Captain of the Guard was relieved that the man had not been stupid. He had no desire to fight these villagers. He had experienced enough bloodshed to last him for a while. Besides he had served many years with the Empress and knew when the animal inside her was awake and he could see by the stance of her body that the creature was clawing at the latch to the cage in which she kept it. He had no doubt that it would be released if the bard were to die.
Xena forgot her brother the moment she turned her back. She had no time to deal with him and the hatred he felt towards her. She paced restlessly around in a circle her eyes glued to the doorway of the hut, anxious for news of her young lover, uncertain how long she could contain her impatience.
She slumped down onto the top step of the hut, feeling completely helpless for the first time in her life. She feared the worst yet begged that it not be so. She remembered that night so long ago in the meadow where the Goddess’ Artemis and Aphrodite had promised to grant her deepest desire. She had told them she had none, yet now she wished they would offer that wish again.
Paulus did all he could, mixing the various herbs into the tea which he then spoon fed to the restless woman. But it was a thankless task for the bard would move just as he went to feed her and the contents would spill upon the blanket. He sighed in frustration.
“The Conqueror would be more than willing to help,” a voice from the far corner of the room offered the suggestion. The healer turned his head to look at the Amazon, not masking the irritation he felt.
“I am quite capable of administering to this woman myself,” he growled. “However if you think otherwise you could offer your services.”
“It wouldn’t help,” Eponin shook her head gravely. She had seen many things in her tenure at the Queen’s side and there were certain things that she knew. “Call the Conqueror, Gabrielle will calm down with Xena at her side.”
Paulus snorted in disbelief but when after several more tries he was still unable to get any of the medicine down the small woman’s throat he was willing to try anything. He turned and glared at the Amazon.
“Where would I go to find her?” He was not certain he would know where to look. There was no place in the village where the Conqueror would be welcome.
“You need only to go to your door,” Eponin replied confidently. “She will be waiting outside.”
The healer doubted the claim but he reluctantly did as the woman suggested. He had hoped to prove her wrong, suspecting that the Conqueror had better things to do then wait outside for the girl in his care to heal. He was barely able to hide his surprise when he opened the door and the thin shaft of light from within fell upon the Empress who was sitting on the top step just outside his door. Xena immediately jumped to her feet and stared at the healer.
“What’s wrong?” she demanded her nostrils flaring, fear lacing through her body.
“I believe the young bard has been poisoned,” Paulus did not lie.
Xena was stunned and angry. A blinding rage suddenly filled her being. Gabrielle was the kindest person she knew and she could think of no one who would want to harm the woman. No one but an enemy of the Conqueror. Someone who knew of the bard’s importance and wanted revenge.
“You have medicines to heal her,” the Empress stated angrily as she continued to absorb the information.
“Yes,” a slight flush crept up the man’s neck as the intense blue orbs continued to stare at him. For the first time in his life he felt an indescribable fear as he witnessed the animal in the woman’s soul. “However, I have been unable to administer them to her. She has been to restless to feed.”
Without waiting for the man to finish Xena brushed passed him into the hut. She strolled purposefully across the room kneeling by the cot where her lover lay. She looked down at the girl, gently combing the damp blond bangs off her forehead. The healer watched in amazement as the unconscious woman seemed to sense the touch and grow calm.
“Where is the medicine?” the Conqueror asked without looking up and the healer immediately grabbed the bowl of tea and herbs he had mixed.
Xena carefully manoeuvred herself around on the cot so that the smaller woman’s head was tilted up on her lap. Only then did she reach for the bowl of herbs.
“Gabrielle, it’s Xena,” she said softly, brushing the side of the smaller woman’s face with one hand as she brought the bowl towards the dry pink lips of her lover. “I need you to drink this. It will make you feel better.”
The healer watched smugly as the blonde woman continued to lie still and unmoving.
“Gabrielle, you must drink this, please, if you don’t I will lose you and you must know I can no longer live without you,” the Warrior Princess repeated in a soft and coaxing voice. “There are so many things that I have yet to show you, so many things we have yet to share. Once I find Solan I will need you more than ever.”
There was silence as the Empress’ voice fell quiet. The healer was shocked by the words that he had heard coming from the Conqueror’s lips. Perhaps more shocked then the knowledge that they seemed to have their desired affect as there was a slight gurgling sound before the small blond woman opened her lips.
For the next candlemark he watched mesmerised as the tall dark haired woman patiently fed the brew to the sickly woman who lay calmly, somehow soothed by the Empress’ touch and the soft words the older woman spoke. Paulus had never thought that the Destroyer of Nations, a woman who killed so easily, could be this gentle and tender.
Even once the tea and herbs was gone the Empress refused to move from her position and the healer knew that it would be unwise to ask the tall woman to do so. He knew then that the Empress had nothing to do with the smaller woman’s sickness. He turned and left the two women alone, returning to his regular chores.
Toris walked slowly back to the tavern uncertain what he would do. He knew that his associates would be awaiting his return. It would be his decision as to what they would do next. He paused outside the Inn and stared for a moment in the direction of the healers hut, remembering the look in his sisters eyes.
He had only watched her in battle once. It had been a terrifying and memorable experience and the reason that he had decided to fight against her. He had seen the essence of evil in her that day and she had glorified in that power. Tonight he had seen the barest reflection of that cruel nature. He mounted the steps and walked into the tavern knowing what he must do.
“What can we do?” Saiderus stood up and rushed eagerly to their leader’s side as the tall dark haired man entered the room. They had all gathered with the thought of challenging the Conqueror.
“Go home,” Toris wisely advised, knowing that he was making the right decision. “There is nothing we can do.”
“But this is the perfect opportunity,” another young man proclaimed jumping up from his seat near the wall. “Robinus and I scouted out the party. There are no more than two dozen escort and half of which are Amazons. We can raise at least double that number within a candlemark.”
“It would be suicide,” the man shook his head. “Now is not the time.”
“Why not?” another man demanded challenging the tall dark haired man. “Now that the time has come have you grown fearful and unable to fight the Empress. Perhaps it is more important to you that she is your sister.”
“No,” the blue eyed man disputed the charge, aware that none of them had seen the animal that lived inside his sister. “I hate Xena and everything she is but we are all in much more danger than we believe. I beg you to go home and wait quietly. Do nothing and when the time is right we will act.”
There was a moment of grumbling but finally the men departed the Inn leaving Toris with the feeling that somehow he had lost control of the group. He knew they were unhappy with his decision but there was nothing more he could do and he didn’t know how else he could tell them about his unnatural fear. He turned from the door to see his mother staring at him from a position by the kitchen.
“Is it true, is Xena here?” Cyrene wanted to know, feeling a mixture of emotions at the news.
“Yes,” the man sighed. “It seems that Gabrielle is sick.”
The older woman was silent. She had always been fond of the small blond storyteller. The girl had a warmth and friendliness that had reached out to everyone with whom she came into contact. She felt a genuine sadness at the knowledge that Gabrielle was ill.
“Do you know what’s wrong?”
“No,” Toris shook his head, watching as a mirage of emotions flitted across his mother’s face. “I did not get a change to speak with the healer. Xena and her men have the place well guarded.”
Cyrene looked at her son. He was so similar to his younger sibling that sometimes it was hard to look at him without remembering the daughter that she had borne. For a long time she had felt hatred towards her only female child, yet the passing of time and the seeming appearance of the bard into both their lives had done much to change her feelings.
“And Xena, your sister, how is she?” the older woman dared to ask of her son.
“I did not think to ask,” Toris replied through gritted teeth. He could see the cautious anxiety in his mothers eyes. He knew that she still cared for the Conqueror in spite of everything that had happened. She had blamed Xena for Lyceus death yet perhaps time had mellowed her feelings.
Without another word he gathered up the scrolls he had been working on and walked stiffly out of the tavern. Cyrene stared at the receding back of her only surviving son. He had been such a good boy, remaining by her side while the rest of her children had gone off to seek fortune and power. She loved him dearly but she could not help feeling a mother’s devotion to her other children in spite of their faults. With a tired sigh she turned and retreated back to the kitchen.
Xena remained by the bard’s side, devoting her entire attention to the small woman, not knowing when night turned to day. Her only focus was on the woman who held her life.
The healer felt strange at the tenderness he witnessed in the Conqueror. It reminded him of the child he had brought into the world so many years before. The girl who had selflessly helped her mother at the tavern and who had run through the meadows with the other village children playing games with wooden swords.
No one had ever suspected that she would grow up to be the cruel despot that now ruled the Empire and until the previous day he had believed like the rest of the village that she was ruthless and without emotion. Yet after watching her care for the bard he wondered if there was not something of the young girl still left in the Empress. Perhaps like so many things the once caring child had been buried under a hard shell. A crust which she had needed to survive the death of her brother Lyceus and the pain and harshness she had suffered since.
Under the Conqueror’s watchful eye he continued to monitor the small woman’s progress. The fever seemed to have diminished with the use of the herbs yet there was still something puzzling about the bard’s condition. He wondered if there was something he had over looked in his examination. He was careful though to ensure that his thoughts were not transferred to the Empress.
“How is she?” Xena asked quietly, her voice made raw by the long sleepless hours she had spent at the bard’s side.
“The fever has stablized,” the healer sighed, feeling his own sense of weariness.
“Should it not have broken by now?” the Empress asked and Paulus knew that he was not dealing with an amateur. It was obvious that the Conqueror was aware of the medicines and there healing powers.
“Yes,” the man admitted nodding his head glumly. “If there is no change by tomorrow morning, I will try a new recipe of herbs.”
Xena nodded aware that her own knowledge of herbs and medicines was rudimentary. Even though the idea frightened her, she knew that she had to rely on the doctors knowledge and understanding. She hated the helpless feeling that encompassed her.
“She must live,” the Conqueror breathed and then stared intently at the bard, lowering her lips to the ear closest to her face. “You have to live Gabrielle. My life is nothing without you.”
The healer heard the softly spoken words and felt like he was intruding. Dutifully he left the stifling heat of the hut and stepped out into the freshness of the morning. His eyes fastened on the young woman who was strolling towards his cottage.
“I am sorry to be late,” Seraphim aplogized and then hurried to explain that she had been held up by the sermons of the leader of the group that she had joined.
“It is all right,” Paulus dismissed the excuse as he slumped down onto the top step of the porch. “I have no need for your services today.”
The young blonde nodded her head. Her brown eyes studied the aged healer, seeing the lines of fatigue that were etched into the corners of his eyes and lips. She had seen the tent encampment at the edges of the village and now noted the two scantily clad warriors, whom she assumed were Amazons, standing on guard on each side of the door leading into the healers hut.
“Did I miss some excitement?” the girl naively asked and the healer couldn’t help but laugh.
“If you call a visit by the Conqueror excitement, then yes my dear you have,” Paulus said ironically.
“The Conqueror!” the girl’s eyes grew large and round. “Is she sick?”
“No, I don’t think any ordinary disease would ever dare attack the Empress,” the healer said with a hint of ill humour. “It is her companion, a bard named Gabrielle who has come down with a sickness.”
“The bard Gabrielle!” the girl echoed with widen eyes. “I was raised in Potedaia with Gabrielle.”
The healer eyed his assistant thoughtfully, privately wondering if she had been raised in Potedaia, how she had come to be associated with the people with whom she travelled. It then occurred to him that the children of Potedaia seemed to have a habit of hooking up with an odd crowd.
“Come back tomorrow,” Paulus said having grown tired of the conversation.
“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do?” Seraphim asked aware that she was being dismissed. The healer paused thoughtfully. It had been many hours since he had last eaten and he was certain that his unexpected guest could also use some food.
“Run over to the tavern and get a small pot of soup. Tell Cyrene it is for her daughter.”
“Okay,” the girl nodded and then hurried off to do his bidding, aware that she would have some gossip to share with her group when she returned to their camp in the hills.
There was no change in the bard’s condition that day and the soup that Seraphim had delivered from the tavern went uneaten. Day turned to night and when Paulus retired to his bed the Conqueror was still sitting quietly at the small woman’s bedside, alternately whispering encouragement and stroking the bard’s brow, and at other times cradling the smaller woman’s head on her lap and administered the much needed herbs.
It was dawn of the next morning when the fever finally broke and only a few candlemarks later before a pair of glassy green orbs fluttered open. The Empress could have wept with joy but she remained stoic not daring to reveal the true depth of her feelings for the other woman. She did however allow herself to lean down and kiss the smaller woman.
“Gabrielle,” Xena anxiously found herself saying the other woman’s name.
“Xena,” the bard gave her companion a weak smile.
“How are you feeling?” the Conqueror reached out and gently combed an errand strand of damp blond hair from the girl’s face.
“Like a herd of centaurs just rode all over me,” Gabrielle barely managed to croak our the complaint. “What’s wrong with me?
“Nothing serious,” the Conqueror lied, not willing to confront the smaller woman with the truth until she was better healed. The tall woman cracked a small smile, her heart pounding violently in her chest. “The healer says that you will be all right and that you just need rest.”
“Ok,” the bard nodded, closing her eyes as sleep settled more comfortably over her weary body.
Xena sat for a long while at her lover’s bedside and only moved when her knees began to grow numb. She stood up and looked around the room, catching the sight of the healer watching her from a bench at the far end of the room. She walked towards the door.
“You have done well and will be rewarded accordingly,” she said opening the portal. The healer was unexpectedly angered by her brusque words.
“If you truly wished for her health you would leave her here and continue on your way,” the man bravely suggested bringing the Conqueror to a standstill. For a long moment blue and grey eyes met in a silent exchange.
“I cannot leave her,” the tall dark woman said softly. “She is like the air that I need to breath and I can no longer live without her.”
Without another word the Conqueror stepped through the door, closing it quietly behind her. The healer stared at the door for a moment longer before glancing across the room to the small woman sleeping on the cot. He wondered if she would feel the same when she knew the complete truth.
Xena glanced only briefly at the two Amazon guards that had been posted at the door of the healers hut. She was only half way across the town square headed to the village gates, when Zenon stepped out of the blacksmith shop and hurried to join her.
“Who has been preparing our meals on this journey?” she asked as they continued to walk towards the makeshift camp.
“Everyone has been taking turns,” the soldier dutifully replied. “Why?”
“It seems that someone has been poisoning Gabrielle,” the Empress advised the man. “I want you to find the source and those responsible.”
“Yes, My Conqueror,” the man replied aware of the responsibility with which he had just been entrusted. He liked Gabrielle and didn’t know of one person who wished her harm. “We set up a tent for you in the middle of the camp.”
Though he knew that the Empress needed some sleep he was loaf to make the suggestion that she take some rest. He knew that until the perpetuator was caught none of them would find peace. He actually pitied the poor person who had attempted hurt the bard.
“Thank you,” Xena nodded seeing the tent and feeling a measure of relief. She longed for the privacy that it offered and stepped inside while Zenon hurried off to begin his investigation.
She felt more exhausted then she had ever felt in her life and that included the times that she had spent days fighting in battle. There was nothing so tough as the emotional and mental strain that fear exacted on a person and she gratefully slumped onto the cot that had been set up, not bothering to remove her leathers.
She threw her arm across her head and closed her eyes but she would not find any sleep. Peace would not come until she found out who was responsible for attempting to kill her lover. The panther inside her soul was to enraged to be settled until some revenge had been exacted.
The Conqueror spent only a short while wallowing in her own guilt. She was used to doing something and in spite of the fact that she had assigned to Zenon the task of uncovering the culprit, she was too restless to find any measure of relaxation, her thoughts turning to the perplexing question of who and how her young lover had been poisoned.
She dwelt on the various scenarios and came up with no clear idea as to who might be responsible or how the bard had been administered the lethal serum for it was obvious that her lover had somehow ingested the fatal potion. Suddenly she sat up on the cot, her mind a mixture of confusing emotion as a thought occurred to her. Not more than a candlemark later she stepped out of the tent dressed in a fresh set of leathers.
Intense blue eyes scanned the surrounding area. She saw a mirage of Amazon and soldiers searching through the small load of baggage that they had brought along with them. She doubted their search would reveal any find.
“Solari, Zenon,” she called to the Amazon leader and the Captain of the Royal Guard. Both immediately hurried to her side.
“Yes, My Conqueror,” they said in unison.
“Has anyone else reported feeling ill?” Xena wanted to know. She could not remember anyone else being sick but she was not often privy to such matters. The two leaders looked at each other, thinking of the people under their charge.
“No one,” Zenon shook his head.
“Edisa, a young Amazon was ill a few days ago,” Solari reported remembering the unpleasant symptoms that had hobbled the younger Amazon a few days into their journey. “But it was only brief and she is recovered.”
“She is here?” the Empress wanted to know and Solari nodded, turning to call over to a small redhead Amazon who was standing not far away. The girl immediately ran up to her leader, unable to keep her shy green eyes off the imposing Conqueror, who was much more intimating then the Queen whom she had befriended.
“Edisa?” Xena asked and the girl bobbed her head wondering if she had done anything to offend the Empress. “You were sick a few days ago, do you have any idea what might have brought on your illness, anything you may have eaten?”
The young girl was quiet as she considered the question. She glanced fugitively at the Amazon leader before focusing her attention once more on the Conqueror.
“I ate only what the others did, some rabbit and some edible root,” the Amazon replied shuffling nervously on her feet. “Oh, and Queen Gabrielle gave me an hand full of dates. But they were quite bitter tasting and so I tossed most of them away.”
The confession came with an embarrassed flush and the girl wondered if she would be punished for discarding a gift from the Queen. But she need not have worried because the Conqueror was already on the move, striding quickly across the ground to the Command tent. Solari and Zenon followed closely on her heels aware that something was happening.
It did not take long for Xena to find the bard’s pouch among their possessions. She ripped open the small cloth bag that had contented the fruit that the old crone had given Gabrielle upon their departure from the Capital. The bag was almost empty with the exception of a few small pieces of fruit which had begun to rot.
The Conqueror took a bite out of one piece and then automatically spit it out at the odd, yet sweet taste. Her normally stoic features were an angry mask as she realized that the innocent gift had been the source of the bard’s woes.
“Damn it to all Hades,” she cursed violently, flinging the bag across the tent in anger. She railed at the God’s and her own inability to sense danger. She should have been more alert. She should have inspected the fruit before allowing the bard the chance to eat it.
“It was in the fruit,” Solari voiced the words that no one had yet dared to speak aloud. She glanced up at the Conqueror in astonishment.
“The fruit she got as a gift from a strange old crone as we were departing the capital,” Xena finished with an ugly twist to her mouth.
“But what grievance could she have had against the Queen?” Zenon was equally surprised by this discovery.
“Probably none,” the Empress spat out bitterly. “The old woman was either trying to hurt me or doing someone else a favour.”
“I will immediately send a message back to the capital for my men to begin searching for her,” the Captain said but the Conqueror shook her head.
“No, I doubt we will be able to find her,” Xena had a vague idea who might be the instigator of this plot. She had sampled this type of poison only once before and that time it had been administered by herself to an enemy. The potion had been a gift from Ares.
“What do you wish us to do?” the Amazon asked quietly unnerved by the lengthening silence and the growing anger that seemed to be radiating from the Conqueror.
“Nothing,” the tall woman snarled. “Fetch my horse.”
Zenon hurried to do his master’s bidding, having served with her long enough not to question her actions. If she wanted them to help she would tell them, until then he knew it was best to stay silent and out of the way. He could see the animal that was stirring inside her soul.
“I will be back,” the Conqueror informed her escort when she mounted Argo. “Until then ensure that Gabrielle is kept safe.”
“Yes, My Conqueror,” the two leaders agreed and then stood in silence as the stoic warrior clicked her heels into the horses flanks and took off down the road in a cloud of dust.
There was only one thought that filled the Conqueror’s head as she pushed her horse down the road towards the small clearing and pond that she used to visit as a child. It was far enough away from the village not to be disturbed and secluded enough so that no one would be hurt if a confrontation ensued. Upon reaching the edge of the placid pool of water she slipped out of her saddle and strolled to the center of the narrow meadow.
“Ares, you son of a bachccae, get down here right now!” Xena yelled at the top of her lungs. A small cloud of birds were scared from their nearby perches and took flight at the harsh disturbance to their realm. When they were gone nothing remained but silence.
“Ares, you coward,” the Conqueror continued to taunt the Deity aware of how to get the God of War to respond.
“Xena, Xena, Xena,” the handsome man suddenly appeared behind her and the Empress swung around to face him, the sword already in her hand ready to strike.
“So you had the guts to show up yourself,” the Empress snarled. “I am almost surprised you didn’t send another old crone to do your work.”
“I can’t imagine what you are talking about,” the God of War acted completely innocent.
“You know what I am talking about,” Xena hissed moving swiftly forward until her sword was pressed up against his Adam’s apple. “You tried to poison Gabrielle.”
“Ahhh,” the Deity continued to pretend ignorance. “Your little blond tart is sick and you find the need to blame someone.”
“Gabrielle was poisoned,” the Empress ground out the smaller woman’s name and pressed her sword a little more against the man’s neck. “What favour did you grant to the old crone who gave Gabrielle that lethal fruit or was that you really in disguise?”
“Please,” the God screwed up his face in distaste at the idea of changing his appearance to look like an old woman. Didn’t these mortals know that he had retainers for such work? “I have no need to disguise myself.”
“No, there are plenty of willing servants to do your dirty work right?” the tall woman intoned bitterly.
“Well, what can I say?” the Deity spread his arms. He was inwardly pleased that His Chosen had been intelligent enough to deduce his deception even though that meant that the bard had not been harmed. Nonetheless, his part of the bargain had been fulfilled.
“You can say that you will leave her alone,” the Conqueror snarled. “Don’t mess with her Ares because you will regret it.”
The Empress turned away from the God and whistled for her horse. She had gotten the answer she had wanted and had issued her own threat. There was nothing more for her to do here. She jumped onto the warhorse but was unable to leave as the Deity had moved and taken hold of the creatures bridle.
“Xena, I think you have forgotten who made you,” the God of War said in a soft voice.
“No Ares,” Xena spat out. “That is something I will never forget. But know, in spite of that you don’t own me, or have you forgotten that.”
Without another word the Conqueror clicked her heels and set the horse once more in motion, forgetting about the God of War, her mind already focused on the village and her lover.
Gabrielle gingerly lifted her head off the pillow to survey her surroundings, aware of the pounding in her brain. She was lying on a cot not far from a blazing fireplace in what appeared to be a small cottage. There were few furnishings save for a table and chairs at the far end of the room and a bench on which a folded blanket lay. The only other thing she noticed were the shelves carefully built into the walls. They were fully burdened with a multitude of jars. She noticed a man standing in the shadows.
“Are you the healer?” she asked in a hoarse voice.
“Yes I am,” the man’s kindly demeanour asserted itself in spite of his best intentions. There was something about his patient, a sweet innocence and a charm that was captivating. He pulled up a stool next to the pallet and sat down. “My name is Paulus.”
“Nice to meet you Paulus,” the bard smiled weakly and would have extended her hand in greeting but felt to drained to move. She asked the next question not because she was fearful for herself but for her companion whom she knew would be worried. “Am I terribly sick?”
“You were fortunate,” the healer said quietly pulling back the bed-sheets to examine the woman carefully. “With time and plenty of rest you should be fine.”
There were several matters that he needed to broach yet he was cautious about doing so. In spite of what he had seen, he did not know the circumstances of the relationship between this young woman and the Empress. Though he had been surprised by the Conqueror’s attitude towards the bard, he still knew of her capacity for violence and worried that when the dangerous Warrior learned the truth there would be no one who could protect the girl. He had lived too many years under her oppression to easily dismiss her true nature.
Hesitantly he glanced at the empty bench where the Amazon warrior had spent the last two nights. Only once she was reassured that the bard was going to be okay, was he able to persuade the woman to join the rest of her companions at the small encampment on the outskirts of the village. In spite of the woman’s assertion he wondered if her people would really be able to protect this girl from the Destroyer of Nations.
“What was it? What made me so ill?” Gabrielle saw the man’s indecision and swallowed, almost afraid to hear what he had to say.
“How well do you trust the Empress?”
“With my life,” came the unwavering reply and the man could see the girl was sincere. He sighed, realizing this would be more difficult then he imagined.
“What is wrong with me?” Gabrielle repeated her earlier question.
“It appears that someone has been poisoning you,” he was blunt, seeing no other way to break the news.
“No!” the bard was startled by the revelation. “But how can that be, we all share the same food and no one else has gotten ill.”
“The traces are very minuet but concentrated,” the healer continued. “You probably wouldn’t have survived if it hadn’t been for your condition, though it will be some time before you will be able to tell if there are any lasting side effects.”
“Condition? Side effects?” Gabrielle was confused. She lightly shook her head having a hard time digesting the information. The healer looked at her pensively, not realizing that she didn’t know.
“Surely you must have sensed that something was wrong,” the man said knowing of no way to soften the blow. A thoughtful frown appeared on his brow. “Of course, you could have assumed the vomiting was a result of your illness.”
“It wasn’t?”
“Then why was I throwing up?”
“You are pregnant.”
“Pregnant!” the bard’s green eyes grew large and round. “That’s impossible.”
“I am afraid not my child,” Paulus felt sympathetic. “You are almost a full season with child.”
“But you don’t understand, I have never been with a man,” Gabrielle protested with a hint of fear and anxiety. Her embarrassment forgotten as the seriousness of her situation took hold of her senses. She thought of everything that had recently happened and her outings with Jason. She knew that Xena would never believe that nothing had happened. Unconsciously she spoke her last thoughts out loud.
“Well, unless I am mistaken, or the Conqueror does some magic tricks that our science has not yet learned, you are definitely with child,” the man replied sceptical of the woman’s claim. He studied her features pensively.
“Are you in fear for your life?” he asked with genuine concern. “We can give you refuge if needed. I have friends that can help you escape from the Conqueror.”
“No!” In spite of her trepidation Gabrielle was not one to run away. Besides she had done nothing wrong, though she couldn’t figure out how she had gotten pregnant. She had never been with a man and though she was not an expert on such matters, she knew that being with one was a prerequisite. She turned pleading green eyes towards the healer.
“Please, I beg of you to say nothing of this to anyone,” she needed time to figure out a way to break the news to her lover, but the man once again misunderstood her request.
“Your secret is safe with me,” he sighed and gently picked up her hand. “But there are people who are no friends of the Empress who would gladly help you if you fear for your life.”
“I appreciate your offer,” Gabrielle replied her thoughts distracted by this unforseen situation.
It was almost too much to think about right now and her head started pounding so hard that it was difficult for her to hear her own thoughts. She felt a wave of nausea threaten and sensing her distress the healer quickly stood up and retreated to the table, returning immediately with a steaming bowl of herbs.
“Drink this,” he instructed passing her a full mug of tea and herbs.
The Queen nodded and accepted the offering. She sat up and slowly sipped the warm liquid, feeling it burn down her throat and settle into the pit of her stomach. It had it’s desired affected, immediately going too work to settle the uneasy churning inside.
“What do you wish to do?” the healer asked looking down at the small woman.
“I don’t know,” the bard replied honestly. “I need time to think.”
“Well, I will be here if you need anything,” the older man nodded his head in quiet understanding.
There must have been some sleeping potion mixed into the concoction for no sooner had she finished the medication when her eye lids began to feel heavy. She settled back down onto the pallet and was soon asleep with all thoughts of her problems momentarily forgotten.
The healer watched the small woman for a long moment, not certain what the future would bring for the bard or for himself for that matter. He did not envy the blonde woman’s position. He had been witness to the Empress’ wrath and feared for anyone who dared to incur it. He turned away and went back to mixing his herbs in anticipation of the next crisis.
Xena was tempted to head straight over to the healers hut once she returned to the village but her emotions were still roiling inside her body. Rather than pass the chore on to one of her soldiers she decided to tend to Argo herself, knowing that the exercise would give her the necessary time to settle her anger before she went to see the bard.
A candlemark later, her rage was once more under control. She spent a few minutes washing up and walking around the makeshift camp before taking the lonely stroll through the village gates and across the square towards the healers hut.
“Xena!”
The Conqueror paused at the summons. She turned and watched as a woman stepped out of the lengthening shadows of a nearby building. There was a pensive expression on the face which was lined with the signs of the many years of hard work.
“How are you Xena?” the older woman asked breaking the silence that enveloped them in the empty courtyard.
“Fine,” the younger woman replied, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. She was the Empress but she would always feel like a small child in the presence of her mother. “I was just on my way to see Gabrielle. She is sick.” The Conqueror added unnecessarily, aware that the reason they were in the village was probably common knowledge.
“Yes I heard,” Cyrene nodded, hesitantly lifting the bowl in her hands. “I was on my way to the healers. I prepared some of my soup. It always used to help you when you were ill. Maybe you can bring it to her.”
“Thank you,” Xena nodded accepting the gift. “I am sure Gabrielle will appreciate it.” There was a slight pause as the Conqueror briefly looked down at her feet before glancing back at her mother. “I am certain she would appreciate a visit from you if you have the time. She often talks of her visits here.”
“We miss her stories,” the older woman said wistfully and then dared to ask the question that had gone unanswered in all the rumours she had heard. “What is wrong with her?”
Xena was silent for a long moment uncertain she wanted anyone to know the truth, feeling a wave of guilt. She looked down at her feet again, seeing the dust upon the toes of her boots. Cyrene had just about given up on getting an answer when the tall woman glanced up again.
“She was poisoned,” the Conqueror admitted in a low voice.
“Who would do such a thing to that sweet woman?” The Innkeeper asked in astonishment, forgetting briefly with whom she was speaking. She heard a hiss of breath and glanced up at her daughter, realizing only then what she had said.
“Anyone who wants to get back at me,” the Empress said in a hard voice. Without another word she turned away and continued on her path towards the healers hut.
Cyrene felt her heart ache. For just a brief instant she had seen the pain and hurt in her daughters eyes. She knew without a doubt what she had only suspected before, and it was something no one believed was possible for the woman who had conquered all of Greece. Xena cared. More specifically she cared for Gabrielle the bard. Slowly the Innkeeper turned and retreated to the tavern.
Xena stepped into the healers hut, not bothering to knock before entering. She paused on the threshold her eyes honing in on the small woman who was sleeping on the pallet. The sounds of her light snoring was a blessing to the tall woman.
“Come in,” Paulus said with a hint of sarcasm and the Empress turned her head to look at the man who was seated in a far corner of the hut reading from a scroll on his lap.
“How is she?” the Conqueror ignored the barb noticing that the wooden bench where Eponin had slept the last two nights was empty.
“Better,” the healer replied simply. “She woke earlier and was quite lucid. I gave her some more herbs and they put her back to sleep. It will be a few candlemarks before she wakes again.”
“I will wait,” Xena decided, glancing briefly around the room before setting the bowl of soup her mother had given her on the table. “Cyrene sent over some soup.”
“Thanks,” the man nodded his head before turning his attention back to the scroll he was reading.
Xena ignored the man and walked across the room to settle onto the stool that was next to the bards cot. She looked down at the sleeping woman, not able to stop herself from reaching out and combing thin strands of blonde hair from the girl’s face. Gabrielle always looked so innocent in sleep, but today there was a frown upon the normally serene face. The Conqueror wondered what was worrying her friend.
“I am sorry Gabrielle,” the Empress apologized quietly to her lover. “Please forgive me, I should have been more careful. I promise you that I will never allow something like this to happen again.”
As if to seal her promise, the dark haired woman leaned forward and brushed her lips against the still warm brow before settling back to wait for the bard to wake. It was many candlemarks later and well into the afternoon when green eyes fluttered open once again.
“Hi sweetheart,” the Conqueror whispered to the smaller woman. “How are you feeling?”
“Miserable,” Gabrielle replied with a weak smile aware that her throat was dry and ached. Her eyes searched the stoic face that was bent over her. A hand automatically reached up and gently stroked strands of dark hair away from the lovely face that was etched with lines of worry. “Xena you look terrible, when was the last time you slept?”
The tall warrior smiled wearily, knowing by the small woman’s comment that she was going to be all right. It would take a few more days before she was completely recovered and before they could continue their journey but the bard was going to be okay and that was all she was concerned about. Silently she sent a prayer of thanks to the Goddess’ to which she had prayed. She grasp the younger woman’s hand.
“I can’t remember,” the Empress replied not daring to lie knowing that the other woman would immediately see through the falsehood.
“You should get some sleep,” Gabrielle scolded. “You look ready to drop.”
“I’ve been up longer,” the Warrior countered. There were many times in her quest to conquer Greece that she had not slept for days, but then her body had been fuelled by blood lust, such was not the case on this day.
“Xena?” the bard looked at her and the Empress hung her head waiting to be admonished.
“I was worried about you,” the tall woman mumbled and a gentle smile came to the bard’s lips.
“I appreciate that,” Gabrielle said hoarsely, touched by the sincerity in her lover’s voice. “I am better now so promise me that you will go get some sleep.”
“Okay, I will leave in a little while but I would like to talk to you first,” the Warrior promised.
“Okay,” the bard nodded to weary to argue with her companion. She ran her tongue over her dry lips. “The healer said I was poisoned.”
“Yes,” the Conqueror nodded solemnly. “The fruit that the old crone handed you as we were leaving Corinth was poisoned. Did you not taste anything odd?”
“Yes,” the bard admitted with an embarrassed blush, remembering that the fruit had tasted unusually sweet and bitter. “But I was hungry. I know you can go without eating for long hours and days,” Gabrielle defended herself unable to meet her lovers eyes. “And I’ve really tried to mimic you Xena but I just need food.”
“Oh sweetheart, I’m not chastising you,” the Empress smiled indulgently aware of her companions voracious appetite and knowing that it only seemed to grow worse in recent weeks. She reached out and gently patted the blanket where the younger woman’s abdomen lay. “I know this is an insatiable monster.”
The bard blushed again, but was relieved that her lover was not angry. She knew that she should have mentioned something to the older woman aware of the constant threat against them both. She had momentarily dropped her guard and been hurt because of it.
“I promise to be more vigilant,” Gabrielle promised, vaguely remembering the odd feeling she had gotten when looking into the old woman’s eyes. “But the woman seemed harmless, I should have followed my instincts.”
“I should have paid more attention but I was too preoccupied with my own concerns,” the Conqueror sighed. “Can you forgive me for that?”
“Oh Xena, this wasn’t your fault,” the bard hastened to reassure the woman. “I know that people are out to get you and I know that I have to be careful. I can’t expect you to look out for me all the time.”
“But you were only hurt because of me.”
“You don’t know that,” the smaller woman disagreed. The Conqueror was unable to meet the other woman’s gaze, thinking back to her earlier confrontation with Ares. She realized then that she had not bothered to ask him why, assuming that she already knew the answer.
“Xena?” the soft voice cut through the stoic woman’s reserve and solemn blue eyes looked up into green orbs. “Please stop blaming yourself. We both got careless. I am going to be all right and next time someone, anyone, gives me anything I will be more careful. Ok?”
“Ok,” the Conqueror mumbled still not happy with herself. “You look tired, why don’t you go back to sleep.”
“Promise me first that you will get some sleep too.”
“I will go as soon as you fall asleep,” the Empress promised. Gabrielle nodded her head and because she was still exhausted she closed her eyes and quickly fell back asleep. Only then did Xena bend forward to place a tender kiss on the small woman’s lips before she rose and slowly made her way to the door of the hut. She glanced at the healer who was still sitting mutely in the corner, a witness to the scene.
“If her condition changes I want to be summoned immediately.”
Paulus nodded mutely and watched as the woman stepped out of the hut. He glanced at the small woman who was once again sleeping calmly on the cot, marvelling again at what he had witnessed. He turned and went about his business.
The bard woke the next dawn, feeling better yet still very weak from her experience. Paulus conducted another thorough examination of the woman assuring her that she would fully recover from her ordeal.
“And the baby?” The Queen asked quietly.
“I am afraid you won’t know that until the child is born,” the aged healer sighed moving across the room to the fireplace where he had a pot of porridge cooking over the fire. “I have never before had a case such as your own.”
Gabrielle was not comforted by his words but had little time to dwell on her thoughts as he returned to her bedside with a bowl of steaming gruel. The bard unconsciously screwed her nose up in distaste at the sight of the unpleasant soupy meal.
“It may look disgusting,” the man snorted with a hint of amusement correctly guessing her thoughts. “But I can assure you it tastes better than it looks. Besides I am not certain your stomach would be able to handle anything more substantial.”
The Queen nodded and hesitantly stared at the foul looking meal. She swallowed once, summoning her courage before bringing the thick broth to her lips and swallowing a small sip of the lumpy liquid. She gasp and looked up at the healer who was now looking at her with a broad smile on his face.
“This tastes terrible,” she remarked with an honesty that was a large part of her character.
“Yes,” the man dismissed her complaints with a wave of his wrinkled hand. “But it is good for you.”
Any further discussion on the matter was interrupted by the arrival of the Conqueror who walked in through the door and straight over to the bard to plant a kiss on the still warm brow, before glancing down at the foul smelling concoction her lover was holding.
“What is that?” she asked pointing with disgust at the bowl.
“A really good soup that Paulus has invented,” the bard replied impishly. “You must have a taste, I think it could be all the rage in Corinth.”
“No way,” the Empress lifted her hands in self defense backing away from the bard who openly laughed at her companions disdain.
“How are you feeling this morning?”
“Much better though I am still very tired,” the Queen answered and managed to take another sip of the medicinal soup that the healer had brewed. It was surprising how comforting the fluid felt in her stomach.
“How long before it will be safe for her to travel?” the Conqueror asked directing her question this time to the healer who was retreating to the far corner of the hut.
“It is my advice that she rest for several days more and then take it easy for another week,” the man replied, thinking that the extra time would give the younger woman a chance to decide what she wanted to do about her situation.
“Then I will tell the others that we will be here for at least another week,” Xena decided without discussion, her first concern the woman at her side.
“But what about Lila’s wedding or Solan?” the bard looked at the older woman, swallowing the lump in her throat knowing that each passing day was another day in which the Conqueror’s son was lost.
“There will still be plenty of time to make it to Potedaia for Lila’s wedding,” the tall woman assured her lover.
“And Solan?” Gabrielle implored, knowing that the situation must be eating away at the Empress.
Xena looked down at the wooden floor, noticing the deep grooves marked into the wood. She could not look at the smaller woman for a long moment, realizing that she had not thought of the boy at all in the last few days, feeling a measure of guilt about that. You are growing soft, her thoughts decided, before nothing would have made you feel guilty.
“There is still plenty of time to find Solan,” she finally answered in a quiet voice. “I am sure that he is all right. Kalipus told me he is a strong and capable lad.”
The bard felt a wave of sympathy for her companion and reached out to clutch the other woman’s hand.
Xena stayed for several candlemarks, leaving only once the bard showed signs of tiring. She kissed the smaller woman before retreating to the encampment outside the town walls, wondering what she would do to occupy herself for the next week. She was not known for her patience.
Not long after the Empress departed, Paulus was summoned to an emergency out of the town on a local farm where a woman was about to give birth. He left his assistant Seraphim in charge sending her off to the tavern to collect a tray of food for their patient before leaving with the distraught farmer.
Gabrielle woke and lay for a long moment savouring the silence of the room. A sweeping glance told her that she was alone and with a sigh she closed her eyes again. But this time sleep did not come as thoughts of her predicament rolled through her head.
What will Xena think? Will she believe me now when I say nothing happened between Jason and myself? Will she think I lied to protect her feelings? How did this happen? These were all the questions that rolled around inside her brain, but the one that gave her most fear was the one she did not want to contemplate. Will she believe I have betrayed her like everyone else?
Tears filled green eyes and would have fallen but for the commotion that interrupted her thoughts. Hastily she wiped the dew from her face as the door opened. She watched as a young woman with short blonde hair entered bearing a tray. The Queen looked briefly at the girl an automatic smile breaking across her face as she recognized her visitor.
“Seraphim, is that you?”
The girl glanced up and the solemn expression on her young face was immediately replaced by a smile. The two women had grown up together in Potedaia but they had not seen each other since Gabrielle had gone to Corinth in search of the Conqueror.
“Gabrielle, I heard that you were ill.”
“Yes, but what are you doing here?” the bard asked happy to see someone from her home town, someone with whom she had shared a childhood. If only briefly she was given a reprieve from the torment of her worries.
“I am the healer’s assistant,” the girl replied cheerfully as she set the tray down next to the cot and then sat down to help the other woman eat. Paulus had not said whether their patient had the strength to feed herself and she was prepared to help if necessary.
“When did you leave Potedaia?” Gabrielle allowed her natural curiosity full reign. She accepted the bowl of broth that the other woman held out and sitting up she rested the bowl in her lap.
“Soon after the Conqueror lifted the travel restrictions,” Seraphim smiled watching closely as the other woman gingerly brought the spoon to her lips and sucked in the warm liquid. “I realized you had the right idea. I didn’t want to get married and I knew I would have too if I stayed in Potedaia. After my parents died of the sickness I hitched a ride with the first travelling merchant caravan that came through town.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your parents,” the bard was sincere remembering the kindly couple that had been friends with her family. She took a spoonful of the soup. She was hungry but she wasn’t certain that her stomach could handle too much right now. “Is that how you came to be here in Amphipolis?”
“Indirectly,” the other woman smiled. “I travelled with the merchants for awhile doing odds and ends to pay for my keep and then left them when we got to Britannia. They were going further north and then to the land of the Norse Gods so I joined with a band of refugees that were heading back this way. When they settled not far from here I got work as the assistant to the healer. I want to learn the trade so that I might help these new friends.”
“It sounds like you have been leading an exciting life.”
“Not as exciting as you,” the other girl exclaimed. “By the God’s Gabrielle you are living with the Conqueror.”
“I know,” the bard tried not to smile but was unable to prevent her lips from twitching into that joyous expression.
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“I suppose in the beginning I should have been,” the Queen admitted thinking back over her life with the Empress. She shook her head. “I have heard all these awful things about her but I’ve never seen her in the way other people have described her.
“She is a fierce warrior but with me she has always only ever been the most gentle person I know,” Gabrielle said. “Even when she’s angry with me, she never really gets upset. There hasn’t been one time since I have been with her that I have been afraid.”
“You are so brave,” Seraphim mused in wonderment. “But then you always were.”
“So tell me more about these people that you are travelling with now,” Gabrielle prodded taking another mouthful of the broth.
“They are the most wonderful people,” the girl extolled. “They don’t believe in the Olympian Gods. They believe in only the One God and He is a kind and gentle. One day he will enter the world and cleanse it of all evil.”
The bard listened quietly. She was always fascinated by what others had learned and experienced during their travels and it seemed that her friend from Potedaia had an interesting story to tell. She knew of the One God that the Israelites worshipped and wondered if this was the same one. She was curious to learn more and said as much when her friend finally stopped speaking.
“When you are better I will take you to meet our Leader and Priest,” Seraphim enthused. “His name is Khrafstar and he is the kindest and most intelligent man you can ever meet.”
Gabrielle hid the smile that came unbidden to her lips. It was obvious by her friend’s enthusiastic description that she had a small crush on the Priest. The bard wondered if the affection was reciprocal or if the man had to remain celibate as was the custom and practice of some Priest’s in Eastern religions.
They continued to speak while the Queen of the Amazon’s worked on eating the broth. By the time the bowl was finally empty she was exhausted not only from the effort that it took to eat but also from the affects of talking to her friend. Seraphim saw the other woman stifle a yawn and was immediately apologetic.
“I have exhausted you with all this talk,” the girl said taking the bowl and standing up. She knew that the healer would be disappointed in her but she feared more the wrath of the Conqueror.
“Yes,” Gabrielle did not disagree as she slipped down underneath the blankets again. “But please come back and visit, there is still so much that I would like to know.”
“I will,” Seraphim promised and hurried out of the hut. She glanced briefly at the two Amazon’s who were standing guard at the front door to the hut and then hurried along to the tavern. She met the healer halfway there surprised by his quick return.
“It was a false alarm,” the man snorted at the girl’s question. By the time they had reached the farm both men had been surprised to see the woman out tending the garden. After a thorough examination the healer had determined it would be many days yet before the baby arrived and a somewhat harried farmer had driven him back to the village.
“So she managed to eat the whole bowl,” he mused thoughtfully as he glanced at the empty dish.
“She seemed much better,” the girl replied. “We talked for a while as we come from the same village of Potedaia and grew up together but she has gone back to sleep now.”
The man nodded a frown burrowing its way across his aged features.
“Is there a problem Paulus?”
The healer looked at the girl. Seraphim had been helping him now for almost a full season. She had been one of the first of the group of foreigners to enter the village and interact with the townsfolk. They had all been surprised to find that she was a fellow Greek and though they were not entirely certain as to how she had come to be with these strange refugees she had worked hard and provided a bridge between them.
For some reason the man needed to talk to someone and the fact that his assistant had grown up with his patient somehow seemed to make it easier. He possessed a burden which he was uncertain how he could handle.
“Did she say how her relationship with the Conqueror was?” he asked the young woman.
“She said that the Empress was the most gentle person she knew and that she was not afraid,” the girl replied truthfully and the man nodded. “Is there something wrong?”
“I am afraid there might be,” he mused and then said no more before walking towards his home leaving the young girl to watch for a moment longer before taking the tray back to Cyrene and the tavern kitchen.
Xena whiled away the candlemarks by joining the Amazon’s in the various competitions they had set up to hone their skills and occupy their time. It was no surprise when she defeated everyone else from her entourage in the archery test they had composed or the mock sword fight they had scripted. It was a good work out for the Conqueror and for that brief time she was able to think of something other then the bard’s illness and a son that was still missing.
“What are you doing with yourself?” Gabrielle asked that evening when the Empress came to visit. The older woman was obviously restless for she shifted uncomfortably on the stool and the bard knew how difficult it was to keep the woman entertained.
“I have been playing games of skills with the Amazon’s,” the older woman replied.
“Ouch,” the blond woman winced, just imagining what the Conqueror meant. “You didn’t hurt anyone to badly did you?”
“Of course not,” the Empress said indignantly but had the temerity to blush as she remembered the painful bruises that she had inflicted on the more aggressive warriors. At least she hadn’t killed or seriously injured anyone.
“Xena you didn’t,” the Queen moaned aware that the Empress had probably inflicted more damage than just to their egos.
“I had to defend myself,” the tall woman protested indignantly and the smaller woman laughed. She was aware that her Amazon’s were more than unusually aggressive when duelling with the Conqueror. She didn’t doubt that there wasn’t one Amazon who didn’t fantasize about besting the Empress in some form of competition.
The smile from the younger woman’s face disappeared as she looked into the intense blue eyes of her lover. She worried about Xena, aware what enforced inactivity did to her companion. But there was something else that she worried about. They were in Amphipolis, the place of her lovers birth.
“How are you doing up here?” The blond woman lifted her hand and gently tapped it against the dark haired woman’s chest. “Is it terribly hard for you being back here?”
“It brings back memories,” the other woman confessed. She thought of the candlemarks she had spent visiting places that she used to haunt as a child. She had even gone to Lyceus’ tomb, to remember a brother she had lost so long ago.
“Have you seen your mother?” the bard asked quietly aware that her companion was unable to meet her gaze.
“Briefly,” the Empress admitted. “I ran into her in the town square a few days past.”
“Was she still angry with you?”
“No,” the Conqueror shook her head. She realized that her mother’s attitude had been different since that day many seasons ago when she had come to Amphipolis looking for the bard. “She was quite pleasant and expressed concern for your health.”
“I appreciate that,” Gabrielle smiled wistfully remembering the many evenings she had spent in the older woman’s company when travelling the countryside storytelling. “I miss her. She was always so much more accepting than my parents.”
The Empress nodded, remembering as a child how the Innkeeper had never chided her for the things she had done. She had spent more time playing warriors with the boys from the village than she did playing dolls with the girls, but Cyrene had never tried to curb her interests or desires. More then once she remembered the Innkeeper had defended her unladylike behaviour to the other women of the town. She briefly wondered now if her mother regretted those times; regretted the discipline that she did not enforce on her wild female child. Perhaps things would have turned out differently.
“It sounds like to me if she has started to forgive you,” the bard suggested quietly and the Empress nodded.
“She certainly didn’t threaten to kill me like she did when Lyceus died,” Xena snorted ruefully, remembering the angry words that Cyrene had vented that day she had walked into the tavern with a dead Lyceus in her arms.
She felt a twist of pain in her heart at the memory. She had blocked it out until now, the hateful words her mother had hurled at her, blaming her for her beloved brothers death. She had silently borne the rage before turning and running out of the Inn with tears steaming down her face. She had not returned until the day she had come in search of the young storyteller who had captured her heart.
“Maybe it’s time to heal old wounds,” Gabrielle said softly and blue orbs glanced at her intently.
“You don’t know what you are asking,” the taller woman whispered, thinking of how it would hurt if her mother rejected any advances for a treaty. Before she hadn’t cared but since Gabrielle had been in her life, things had taken on a different feel. All the emotions she had buried with Lyceus so long ago were there, bubbling to the surface, threatening to make her feel more than she could handle.
“Perhaps not,” the bard conceded thinking of her own relationship with her parents. She picked up the Conquerors hand and squeezed it gently. “But it sounds like she is ready to talk. I think she probably misses you as much as you miss her.”
I don’t miss her, the Conqueror wanted to protest but deep inside she knew that it was a lie. She had missed her mother’s calming influence and harsh honesty. In that way Gabrielle was much like Cyrene and perhaps that was the reason she had been so ready to let the bard into her life.
She thought about the bard’s words later as she headed back across the town square after leaving the healers hut. It was dark but as she passed through the village she could see the light and hear the laughter radiating from the tavern that her mother kept. She paused for a long moment staring through the darkness towards the light that spilled out of the windows.
She had never felt fear before meeting Gabrielle. Yet now everything seemed to make her heart ache with worry. She swallowed and redirected her path strolling calmly towards the tavern. I am the Conqueror and I can go wherever I want, she told herself defiantly, and if I chose to have a meal at a tavern rather then with my escort then that is my right.
It was no surprise that the boisterous room fell silent the moment she stepped through the door. Blue eyes scanned the interior of the Inn briefly seeing all the eyes of the patrons turned in her direction. She spotted an empty table near the bar and calmly strolled through the room, ignoring the whispered comments that followed in her wake.
Cyrene was standing behind the bar with Toris when the tall dark haired warrior entered. She held her breath and watched as the woman strolled through the room and took a seat. She wondered what the Empress wanted.
“I will go see what she wants,” Toris spoke her thoughts out loud and she watched mutely as the boy walked out from behind the bar and approached the Empress. “What do you want Xena?”
The Conqueror glanced up at her brother who was now towering over her. To someone else his large presence would have been forbidding but the Empress was not intimidated.
“This is an Inn, is it not?” she growled holding his gaze steadily. “I wish for a meal.”
“We don’t serve your kind in here,” the man responded unable to mask his anger.
“My kind?” A dark eye brow rose in speculation, an intense gaze pinning the man. “What is my kind?”
“Brutal and cruel barbarians,” Toris breathed venting his simmering rage. “You don’t belong in a place that caters to respectable folk.”
Xena felt her irritation rise. She had never gotten along with her older brother, realizing from an early age that it was a result of jealousy. A jealousy borne of the knowledge that though she was a female and younger than himself, she was also stronger, and more capable of protecting the family after their father had died. Even after all this time she could remember the humiliation he had felt the first time she had bested him in a race. The fact that their younger brother Lyceus had applauded her victory and admired her for it, had only deepened his resentment and anger towards her.
The Empress slowly rose to her feet. She had only been intent on savouring the taste of a good cooked meal and perhaps some quiet time in her mother’s presence. She had not come here to endure a confrontation. Before she could reply their mother interrupted the battle of wills.
“It’s all right Toris,” Cyrene said. She had followed the young man aware of the trouble that could erupt between the two stubborn siblings. She glanced at the tall woman. “What would you like?”
“What is the house special?”
“A lamb stew with fresh bread and baked tomatoes,” the older woman answered.
“Sounds good, I will have a plate,” the Conqueror decided, her eyes still on her brother. Toris was not known for his intelligence and she worried that he would do something stupid.
“It will be right out,” the older woman said with a half smile hoping to break the tension between the siblings. Toris spun around to look at his mother.
“How could you?” he demanded an explanation from his parent and Cyrene sighed.
“She is and always will be my daughter and your sister,” the older woman said quietly revealing more than she intended in that simple statement.
“I no longer consider her my sister,” Toris scowled and spun around on his heel, retreating back behind the bar where he could keep an eye on the Conqueror.
“Thank you,” Xena said softly swallowing the lump of emotion that caught in her throat. Cyrene looked at her with an sad smile.
“The food will be right out.”
Without another word the woman turned and retreated to the kitchen. True to her word she returned moments later with a steaming bowl of stew and a warm plate with the tomatoes and bread. She set it down in front of the warrior along with a mug of ale.
“Please, if you have the time, can you join me for awhile?” the Conqueror asked when the older woman turned to go.
An uncertain expression crossed the woman’s face as she glanced around the Inn. She saw the eyes that were watching her and knew that her actions would be ridiculed and she might be shunned by the other townsfolk for her actions, but at that moment she didn’t care. In spite of the hate she felt for her daughter, she still cared deeply for the young woman she had given birth to so many seasons ago. She sat down on a bench across from the warrior.
Xena felt a measure of happiness flow through her body. Her mother had never been one to be governed by convention, a trait that she had inherited. It pleased her that the woman was willing to sit with her though it also worried her how the villagers might react.
“How have you been?” The Empress opened the conversation, idling playing with the food on her plate. She wasn’t really hungry and had used the meal as more of an excuse then anything. The little bit of hunger she had felt had since completely disappeared.
“Good,” Cyrene said sharing the awkwardness that her daughter felt. “How is Gabrielle recovering?”
“A few more days of bed rest and she will be back to her normal self,” the Conqueror shared unable to stop the hint of smile that curved her lips at the thoughts of the bard.
“She is a very strong personality,” the tavernkeeper said and her analysis brought a humorous snort from the other woman.
“That she is.” The Empress agreed and an awkward silence fell over the two women.
Cyrene’s dull grey eyes studied the younger woman sitting across the table from her. Her daughter had grown into a beautiful young woman, with exotic features that reminded her so much of the man that had fathered the child. Xena had always been a special child and regardless of what had happened in the past, she still kept a piece of her heart open to the girl.
She watched the famed Empress idly play with the food sitting in front of her, instinctively knowing that the woman’s appearance here tonight was the girl reaching out to a family that she had been thrown out of so long ago. The anger that she had seen in the girl even months ago was noticeably absent and she silently credited the bard, certain that the blond woman was responsible for the taming of the animal inside her daughter.
“Xena,” Cyrene paused until she had captured her daughters full attention, knowing it was time for her to speak openly. She swallowed wondering if she had the courage to say the words that she needed to speak, the words that might bring her daughter back to her family. “I want to apologize for what I said to you that day you brought Lyceus back to me.”
The Empress remained silent stunned by her mother’s unexpected apology. A weary smile slipped unconsciously onto the older woman’s face as she idly played with the ends of the apron tied around her waist. It had taken a lot of thought for the innkeeper to realize how she had helped to set her daughter on her murderous path. It had been a harsh realization and she had spent many a night crying and thinking how things may have been different if she had reacted differently.
“I know that you would have changed places with Lyceus if you could have and that your motives for raising an army and defending Amphipolis had been honest,” Cyrene tried to explain unable to meet her daughter’s intense gaze. “I know how much you loved Lyceus and in my grief I forgot that. I was hurt and I needed to blame someone, to inflict the pain I was feeling on someone else. I am sorry that I chose you.”
“It is forgotten and in the past,” Xena mumbled unable to meet the older woman’s gaze.
“Perhaps,” Cyrene sighed. “but I can’t help but blame myself for what you became.”
“No,” this time the Conqueror lifted her head and stared directly at the woman. “I had a choice and I chose my life. You had no part in that decision.”
“If I had not blamed you for Lyceus’ death…”
“If I had not raised an army Lyceus would not have died,” the Empress was succinct, sweeping her hand to include everyone in the room. “It was at my insistence that we fought Cortez and it is because of me that so many of the towns people lost fathers, sons and brothers.”
There was silence as the Innkeeper stared at her daughter.
“You did what you thought was right,” Cyrene said quietly.
“I was a child,” Xena countered bluntly, “what did I know.”
“You saved the village,” was the gentle reminder.
“But at what cost?” The Empress asked pointedly. “When does the price become to high?”
“I don’t know,” the older woman was at a loss to answer the question and she looked down at her hands which were folded together on her lap.
“After Lyceus died I thought there was nothing that was of value any more,” Xena spoke so softly and Cyrene looked up to see that her daughter was staring at the plate of untouched food.
“For too many years the only thing I coveted and valued was the power and riches I could attain with that power.” There was a slight pause and Xena glanced up to meet her mothers gaze. “That changed the day I met Gabrielle and I realized that sometimes the price of victory or power was to high, that life is a precious thing and too valuable to waste.”
There was another pause as the dark haired woman cast a glance back towards the bar where Toris was standing and eyeing them with animosity.
“A tiger does not change its strips,” the Conqueror continued. “I am what I am and nothing will change that. When faced with danger or in order to protect those I hold dear, I will not hesitate to kill. There will always be a part of me that will feel the bloodlust that has made me the Conqueror.”
Cyrene understood what her daughter was saying. Regardless of the forgiveness that was extended, Xena would always carry around inside the ruthless person that had risen to conquer the nation. If any reconciliation was to be made between them it was to be understood that Xena was two people, the woman who could give her heart to a blond bard with an infectious smile and a cruel warlord who could kill someone on a whim.
The older woman nodded her head and slowly rose to her feet, knowing that she needed to absorb this information. She could not pretend that her child was any different then the person she was and in order for them to resume a relationship that realization had to be accepted.
“Mother,” Xena said a word she had not spoken in almost twenty years. The Innkeeper turned to look once more at her daughter. “Even now as we sit here preparations are taking place for my marriage to Gabrielle. I know that she valued your friendship and therefore I hope for her sake you would consider travelling to the Capital to attend the celebrations and ceremony.”
“I will consider the invitation,” Cyrene said and then walked across the room and into the kitchen without casting even a slight glance in the direction of her son who continued to scowl in his siblings direction. Without touching her food, Xena retrieved some coins from her pouch and dropped them on the table before strolling out of the tavern.
It was easy for Callisto to slip away from the camp. She waited until the end of her guard duty before mounting her horse and riding off undetected as the first faint rays of the dawn began to crack the sky. It was mid morning before she finally reached her destination, a large and solitary temple located in a small meadow not far off the main track. It stood alone in the clearing, erected to pay homage to the God of War by dedicated followers who had since moved on.
She pushed the wooden door open and then strolled into the inner chamber. Though the place was unattended, the torches placed along the stone walls were burning, casting a shadowy glow throughout the room. She stepped to the center and stood before the marble sculpture that depicted the Deity in all his Godly glory.
“Ares!” the blonde Amazon screamed, her shrill voice echoing against the cavernous walls. “Ares!”
“Keep your voice down,” the God of War growled as he appeared in a brilliant flash of light beside the statute. He glanced at the sculpture and raised his eyebrows in appreciation of the detail that the artist had given his appearance. “Nice work.”
Callisto glanced from the sculpture to the Deity and then back at the stone works. “Whatever,” she shrugged indifferently. She had no interest in the God of War. “I have come to collect the ambrosia.”
“The job has been finished?” the Deity asked even though he knew the response.
“I led the Conqueror and bard to Amphipolis as you requested,” the Amazon stated flatly.
Ares looked at the woman in front of him. She was a beautiful creature, her portions well defined and honed by the exercise she routinely engaged in to keep up her fighting skills. He reached up and stroked his beard thoughtfully. Perhaps he had underestimated her value to him.
“Are you sure there isn’t something that you would like rather than the ambrosia?” He asked with a smirk.
“What could be better than ambrosia?” the blonde warrior asked, wondering if there was a gift more powerful than the right of immortal life.
“Well think about it,” Ares raised his eyebrows seductively and glanced at the statute of his form. “The artist did a marvellous likeness, down to the smallest detail, if you get my drift.”
It took a moment for Callisto to understand what the Deity meant. Though he was a perfect specimen of the male form she was not interested in any type of dalliance with the God of War. That could wait until she was immortal and had disposed of the Conqueror. Her lips curled into a half smile, half snarl.
“As appealing as that may be, I have other plans that need to be completed before I can turn my attentions to more pleasurable pursuits,” the Amazon said.
“Whatever, your loss,” the God of War shrugged his shoulders. He reached into his vest pocket and withdrew a small pouch which he eyed for a moment before tossing it across to the woman. “Consider this payment for a deed well done.”
Callisto grabbed the pouch out of the air. She was eager to taste the gift of eternal life but she decided to wait. She could feel the God’s eyes upon her. More calmly then she felt, she tucked the pouch into the belt fastened around her waist. With the coveted prize in her possession she could be more gracious to her benefactor.
“Perhaps in the future we can collaborate on another project,” she raised her sword in salute.
“Just call me when you need me,” Ares replied graciously and watched as the woman nodded her head before spinning on her heel and hurrying out of the temple.
“I can’t believe you did that,” a shrill voice said as Discord emerged from the surrounding shadows.
“Did what?” Ares asked casually glancing at the woman who strolled up next to him. He noticed the glance she cast at the statute.
“Gave her the ambrosia,” the demi-Goddess replied impatiently a little annoyed at the God of War. She had witnessed the exchange between the Deity and the mortal, and she was perturbed by the idea that the God of War was transferring his attention onto the other woman.
Ares’ deep laugh filled the empty chamber, revibrating off the walls and amplifying the sound. “Do you honestly believe I would give her the ambrosia?”
“But I just saw you,” Discord said her dark eyes narrowing.
“Only a fool would really think I would give an mortal the gift of immortality. Surely you can not be so naive?”
“Then what did you give her?” Discord asked. In spite of their alliance she was not at all trustful of Ares. She was certain that whatever he was plotting, he had not revealed all his plans to her.
“Exactly what I told her, payment for services rendered,” Ares laughed. Without another word he disappeared in a flash of brilliant light.
Each day Gabrielle grew stronger so that by the end of the week she was anxious to rise from her bed and take a walk outside in the fresh air. Paulus was reluctant, uncertain yet how much damage had been inflicted on the bard, but he knew that he could not keep the young woman immobile forever.
“I think Miss Gabrielle would benefit from a short walk outdoors,” the healer conceded grudgingly when the Conqueror arrived that morning to visit the blond woman.
“Great!” the bard was excited to finally be allowed out of her confinement.
“Are you sure she is well enough?” Xena was not as convinced and looked at the healer for confirmation.
“Yes,” Paulus nodded his head. “But don’t go far, as I fear she will tire quickly.”
“If I do you can always carry me,” Gabrielle smiled impishly making the Empress snort in mild amusement.
“And when did I become your personal pack mule?”
“The day we met, when you defended me from the those bandits,” the bard replied with a brilliant smile and the Conqueror was at a loss to deny the truth.
“Come on,” she said gruffly helping the younger woman to her feet and leaving a protective arm around the smaller woman’s waist.
Though it was great to be on her feet again, Gabrielle quickly realized that the poisoning had rendered her weaker then she had imagined. She leaned heavily on her companion, and savoured the fresh crisp air that she sucked into her lungs the moment she stepped out of the hut and onto the porch. It was a beautiful day and the sun was shining brightly.
Xena attentively held onto her lover and guided her on a short walk around the immediate area. She did not attempt to engage her young companion in conversation aware of the bard’s laboured breathing as they walked. She steered the girl back towards the hut and knowing how much the bard savoured the outdoors, settled her onto the bench on the porch.
“Are you okay?”
“I am fine,” Gabrielle smiled at her companion seeing the genuine concern on her stoic partners dark features. She settled back into the bench and closed her eyes savouring the gentle caress of the fall sun on the exposed parts of her body. “It just feels wonderful to be out here again.”
“Humph,” Xena mumbled almost incoherently, her intense blue eyes scanning her lovers delicate features. She was pleased that the girl was recovering without problems and was anxious that they be careful so as not to cause any setbacks.
“I’m sorry Xena,” the bard apologized. “I know this has upset your plans.”
“No,” the Conqueror shook her head vigorously. “The only important thing is that you are well before we travel again.”
“I love you too Gabrielle,” the Conqueror said the words that were coming so naturally out of her mouth now. Words that she had never imagined hearing herself say.
The two lovers sat quietly for a long time content just to be in each others company. But Gabrielle was still easily tired and before long the Empress lifted the bard into her arms and carried her back into the healers hut, depositing her on the cot.
“Don’t go,” the bard implored her tall lover as the woman tucked the blankets around her.
“You need sleep,” the Empress smiled indulgently as she leaned over and planted a chaste kiss on the smaller woman’s brow. “I promised some of your Amazon’s that I would take them hunting this afternoon. I will come see you when we get back.”
“Be careful Xena.”
“I always am my love.”
Seraphim and the healer watched the exchange from a corner of the hut where they were crushing and mixing the various herbs that the healer used. They watched silently as the tall woman waited until the bard had fallen asleep before making her departure.
“The Conqueror truly seems to care for Gabrielle,” the young woman sighed wistfully as she reminisced about the scene they had just witnessed.
“Perhaps,” Paulus was still not convinced in spite of the Empress’ devotion to the bard. The young aide glanced across at the old man noticing the frown upon his face.
The healer glanced across at the young woman. In the few months that she had served as his apprentice they had formed a strange bond where he had shared many of the townsfolk’s secrets with the girl. On occasion it was necessary for her to know such things in the advent that matters arose and he was occupied elsewhere. He didn’t need to share the secret he now held but the burden had been weighing heavily on his shoulders.
“I fear for the bard Gabrielle,” Paulus sighed.
“Why?” Seraphim was surprised. “Do you think that the Conqueror was the one who poisoned her?”
“No,” the man shook his head. “I fear what the Conqueror may do when she learns the truth.”
“What truth?” the blond woman was confused yet aware that the man was holding some intriguing secret.
“Gabrielle is with child,” the healer confided hearing his apprentice gasp.
“That seems to be the question in dispute,” Paulus snorted. “I have come across women in similar situations. The Amazon’s keep company amongst themselves and raise children, but they usually enlist the services of local gentleman to get pregnant.”
“So what is the problem?” Seraphim still did not understand the healers concern.
“Gabrielle insists that she has not been with a man,” the healer sighed.
“Is that possible?” Seraphim had learned allot since she had become an apprentice but she knew there were still things that she hadn’t been taught.
“No,” the man snorted glancing across the room at the sleeping woman.
“You think Gabrielle was lying to you?”
“Yes,” the healer nodded his grey head. “I believe she had an indiscretion that she does not want the Conqueror to know about. I fear for her safety once the Empress finds out.”
Seraphim was silent as she contemplated this new revelation. She knew that what the healer told her was in confidence but she thought that perhaps her Priest might be able to offer some solutions to the situation. She mulled over the confession in her mind as they continued their work in silence.
Xena stood up in the saddle, rising the bow and drawing the string back as she aimed the arrow towards the target. A fair sized doe was standing in a small clearing in the forest, grazing on a stand of tall grass and completely ignorant of the danger. The Conqueror cleared her mind and held her breathe waiting for the exact moment the deer raised it’s head. The instant it did, she released the string sending the arrow piercing through the air.
The deer stiffened for an instant and then dropped without making a move to escape. The arrow had found it’s target, striking it dead with a single blow. A quiet round of cheers arose from the small hunting party.
“Good shot My Conqueror,” Solari addressed the Empress who nodded in quiet satisfaction, settling back into her saddle as several of the contingent moved quickly to collect the fallen creature.
It had been a successful afternoon. They had managed to slay two fair sized deer and half a dozen pheasants. Each member of the party was eager now to get back to the camp where they could start preparing the meat for the evening meal.
Xena watched quietly as the Amazon’s strapped the doe to the back of one of the pack horses they had brought along to carry their haul. For a moment her eyes strayed to the far end of the clearing where Zenon and two soldiers suddenly appeared, trailing behind them was a fine looking steed. She had noticed the wild creature grazing earlier and had sent the men to capture the animal.
“You caught the beast,” the Empress greeted the Captain of the Guard.
“She gave us a bit of a chase but once we caught her, she turned as docile as a lamb,” the soldier replied as he brought the creature to a halt near the Conqueror. “You might want to look at the mark behind it’s right ear.”
Xena looked intently at the man before sliding from her saddle and striding around to the captured animal. She pushed back the small appendage and stared at the mark that had been stamped there. It was a mount from her own stable.
“Have we lost any horses?” she asked the Captain.
“Only the animal that Varanus was riding,” Zenon replied solemnly.
The Conqueror glanced up at the man before running her hand over the creature. It was in good shape with only a few minor injuries but nothing consistent with what the animal might have incurred in a life and death struggle to swim from a raging creek. She glanced at the hemp rope that had been strung around it’s neck.
Zenon didn’t need to say anything. He instinctively knew what the woman was thinking. They had found the animal in good health and without the tack that it should still have been carrying if the Amazon’s story of their colleagues demise were true.
“I want you to immediately dispatch two soldiers to check the bridge at Norath and if conditions permit, I want them to search the waters for anything they might find.”
The Captain of the Royal Guard understood what the Empress was wanting to know. He motioned towards the two soldiers who had accompanied them on this hunting exhibition, sending them on their new mission before following the rest of the party back towards Amphipolis.
The Conqueror held her own counsel during the journey back to their makeshift camp. Her mind working overtime as she wondered if this treachery was tied to the bard’s poisoning.
“I want to see this Amazon Callisto,” she informed the Captain as they reached the end of their journey. The man nodded, passing the captured horse over to a soldier before hurrying to carry out the Conqueror’s orders. It did not come as a surprise to the Empress when the woman was no where to be found.
“Who is she?” Xena demanded to know of the two Amazon leaders who had been summoned to her quarters and then informed of their discovery. She pinned both women with a withering gaze. “Surely one of you must know something about her.”
“She came to us about three summers ago,” Eponin said stepping forward. She squared her shoulders and faced the enraged woman. She had seen the Conqueror angry and now felt the first stage of rage radiating from the Empress. “She said that her family had been killed and that she was alone in the world. She kept pretty much to herself. She was a good warrior and seemed loyal to the tribe.”
“I want her found and then brought to me,” the Empress said in an icy voice before turning and dismissing the women. “Have one of the deer that we slew taken over to the tavern.”
The two Amazon’s nodded before hurrying off to do the Conqueror’s bidding.
Khrafstar listened patiently to the blond woman as she excitedly explained the situation. He had been reluctant to accept her into the group when she had first approached them in Britannia but since then she had proven to be a devoted follower and a willing participant in all their rituals. Her ability to mix and mingle with the local population where they had settled was proving an added bonus.
“I do not see the problem,” the Priest sighed once the girl fell silent. He had come across many similar situations where young unwed women had become with child after an indiscretion with a local gentleman.
“The problem is that Gabrielle claims there is no father,” Seraphim emphasized. “She told the healer that she has never been with a man.”
The Priest’s posture immediately straightened as what the girl was telling him suddenly took on a new significance. He wondered if it were truly time for the One God to enter the world. They had begun this journey on the assumption that they would find the woman who would bear Dahok’s form, but for it to happen so quickly would truly be a miracle.
“Do you believe her story?” he wondered out loud. He knew many a girl had made the same claim but in the end they were always found to be lying.
“Yes,” the blond woman was certain. “I grew up with Gabrielle in Potedaia and I have never known her to lie.”
Khrafstar pondered the reality, feeling the excitement in his body begin to rise. If this were true, and Gabrielle was carrying the child in which their One God was to take form, then they needed to prepare. They had no time to waste.
“Can you bring her here to talk with me?” he asked knowing that the naive young woman would do whatever he requested.
“Not for a few days,” Seraphim frowned. “She is pretty weak and guarded constantly by a pair of Amazon’s.”
“Then you must find a way to bring her here,” Khrafstar said earnestly, pausing a minute before deciding to reveal his beliefs in the hopes that it would encourage this woman help their cause. “If this is true and Gabrielle is with child without benefit of a father, then she is the blessed one, the one chosen to carry the form in which our God will be born. It is important that she be brought here so that we can bless her and the unborn child as soon as possible.”
“I will try to get her here,” Seraphim promised reverently. “She is a curious sort always seeking knowledge, I am sure that I can find an excuse. In truth I have already spoken of you and she has expressed curiosity in getting to know more about our God.”
“Good,” the Priest clapped his hands in glee as he rose from his seat. “We will start to prepare for the ceremony and await word of when you can bring her forth to us.” He turned his eyes to the sky and spread his arms in exaltation. “Soon my Master, soon you will be here with your willing servants.”
With each passing candlemark Gabrielle grew stronger and when Xena came to visit she found the bard sitting on the porch outside enjoying the evening. With one glance the Conqueror could see that the bard was not as pale and her heart soared at the realization that it would only be a few more days before they would no longer need the services of the healer. She had spent too many nights alone and longed for the moment when she could once again hold the woman in her arms.
“How did the hunt go?” the Queen was curious to know how her lovers day had been.
“We were fortunate and felled two fully grown deer,” the Conqueror smiled as she settled down next to the smaller woman and collected one of the small hands into her own. “How was your day?”
“Good,” the bard replied. “After I woke this afternoon I took a long walk around the village with Eponin.”
“You did not feel tired?” the Conqueror was concerned.
“Yes, but it is a good tired,” the smaller woman replied. They fell into a comfortable silence though it was apparent to the Queen that something was troubling her tall brooding companion. “What’s wrong?”
Xena took a deep breath and then spilled her guts, revealing what they had uncovered during the day. She finished off by telling the small woman that the Amazon in question was no where to be found. She knew that she could have kept the situation away from the bard yet decided against it. Gabrielle was Queen of the Amazon’s and the matter directly affected her reign.
“She is familiar,” the bard scrunched her nose up thoughtfully remembering the woman in question. “I remember seeing her around the army camp when we were up North. At first I thought she was a member of your Army but when we returned to Corinth she resided with the other Amazon’s. I do not know why she did not return with the other warriors to Amazonia when we reached the capital. Do you think she might be a traitor?”
“I hope not,” the Conqueror confided, realizing if the woman had indeed infiltrated her army then there could be many others who were also waiting, bidding their time until they were ready to strike. She didn’t want to think about such possibilities now. “So when do you think the healer will allow you out of here?”
“I will ask tomorrow,” the Queen replied aware that her stoic companion was changing the subject. She was content to let the issue of the mysterious woman drop for now but she would speak with the Amazon’s on her own.
Callisto rode towards Amphipolis, bringing her horse to a halt near a small lake North of the village. She dared not go any closer aware that it was likely her absence had been noticed and questioned. She had taken a gamble in leaving the escort party but she considered it worthwhile for the reward that she had collected. After tethering her mount she made a small camp fire, aware that it would soon be dark. Only once a good blaze was burning did she reach for the pouch that she had received from Ares.
She juggled the small bag in her hands a twisted smile decorating her face. Nothing mattered any more, nothing except the contents of the pouch. Soon she would be able to ride into the Conquerors camp and challenge the Empress with no fears of being defeated.
A harsh evil laugh erupted from between her thin lips as she ripped the string from the pouch and brought the small jelly substance inside out into the open. Her blue eyes sparkled as she dipped her finger into the ambrosia and then brought it to her lips, sampling the sweet tasting nectar. She laughed aware that she had now joined the world of the immortal’s. She was a God and there was no one who would not bow to her will.
She jumped to her feet eager to test her new status, certain that she was now invincible. She withdrew the knife from her belt and brought it down to her index finger. As an immortal she would feel no pain and any injury suffered would heal immediately. She drew the knife down on her finger flinching as the sharp steel pierced her skin drawing a faint line of blood.
She stared at the cut, watching the injury turn red and expecting any moment for it to disappear. Instead she felt an instant throbbing as the blood began to seep from the small wound. The joy on her face quickly turned to anguish and rage as she realized she had been cheated.
“Ares,” she screamed like a wounded animal before casting the pouch and it’s remaining contents into the fire. The shrill sound echoed through the clearing and in response a low mocking laugh echoed through the valley.
Gabrielle’s recovery progressed steadily. As promised she approached the healer about moving to the encampment outside the village gates. The man was silent for a long moment as he contemplated her request. She was healthy enough to leave his immediate care but there was one issue that neither of them had spoken of since that first morning when she had woken.
“You are strong enough to leave, but I do not suggest any arduous journey’s for a few more days,” Paulus said, mindful of the fact that the entourage was headed for Potedaia. He paused and looked intently at the young woman. “Have you resolved what you wish to do in regards to your other health issue?”
Gabrielle was silent. She had avoided thinking of her pregnancy in the hopes that somehow the situation would resolve itself, but sadly she knew that would not be the case. She would have to deal with the child she was carrying and her lovers reaction to the news.
“If you wish to get rid of the child I have herbs that can assist the process,” the healer offered in a quiet voice.
“No,” the Queen immediately voiced her objection. In spite of the trouble she was certain it would cause, there was no way she would consider aborting the baby that was growing inside her body.
“Do you wish my help in getting you away from the Conqueror?” Paulus continued aware that the bard had made up her mind to keep the child.
“No,” there were few certainties in her life but Gabrielle was sure of several things. She had more confidence in her lover than anyone else and she would need that belief to sustain her through this trial.
“I hope you are not making a grave mistake,” the old man sighed thinking that the girl might be fooling herself into believing that the Conqueror would treat her right.
“I know you share the same opinion that most of Greece has of the Conqueror,” Gabrielle quietly defended her lover. “Xena can be cruel, I will not deny the truth for I have witnessed her in battle, but she is also fair. She would never intentionally hurt those who are innocent.”
“Have you forgotten about Cirra?” the man wanted to know his voice harsher than he had intended.
“No,” the bard shook her head. “But I know that the young warrior who took her army rampaging across the whole of Greece is not the same woman that I gladly lie in bed with each night. People change.”
“I hope you are right,” the man sighed realizing that no amount of persuasion would change the young woman’s mind. He turned away from the bard wondering if he had wasted his efforts in saving her, only for her to face a more horrible death at the hands of someone she proclaimed to love.
By the time Xena made it over to the healers hut that morning Gabrielle was sitting on the porch waiting. The bard had been tempted to walk back to the camp on her own but had decided to be more prudent and wait for her lover.
The Empress was ecstatic that the Queen was free from the healers presence, happy that the night would see them lying together once again. It had become a strain for her to sleep alone yet she had not entertained taking anyone else to her bed. It was strange, in the past the Conqueror had seen nothing wrong in seducing anyone yet now she longed only for the bard’s company, knowing that no one else would be able to satisfy her as the Amazon Queen did.
Gabrielle’s arrival in the makeshift camp was a cause for celebration and after greeting her return several Amazon’s volunteered to go on a hunt in hopes of capturing an animal worthy of using for an appropriate celebration. Xena left the Queen in the company of her Amazon’s while she went with Zenon to speak with the two soldiers who had returned from Norath.
“The bridge was intact and the stream was quite peaceful,” the older of the two men reported to the Conqueror while his companion held out the saddle that they had uncovered in the river. “We found this at the bottom of the stream.”
The Conqueror studied the bindings and straps. There were no rips or cuts to indicate that the tack had been torn from the creature that bore it. She knew then without a doubt that the soldier had probably been murdered.
“Has there been any sign of the Amazon Callisto?” she asked the Captain of the Guard.
“No,” Zenon shook his head. He had warned the night watch to be on alert in the event that the woman returned to the camp. He suspected though that they would not see the Amazon again.
Xena nodded and dismissed the soldiers. She could not help wonder who was behind this plot and if Gabrielle’s poisoning, Solan’s disappearance and Ares’ involvement where all apart of some greater plot. She felt the need to get away to think the situation over without interference.
“I am going out for a ride,” she advised the bard when she found the woman resting alone in their tent. “I shall be back before dark. What will you do?”
“I think I will take a nap while you are gone,” Gabrielle answered aware of the restlessness that was radiating from her lover. She knew at times like this Xena needed to be alone to resolve whatever matter was troubling her thoughts.
“Make sure if you go anywhere that you take a couple of Amazon’s with you,” Xena cautioned though it was unnecessary. The Amazon’s took their duty as the Queen’s protectors seriously, never leaving the young woman alone for even a moment.
The Empress rode hard in the vein attempt to have the wind blow every thought from her mind but it was an impossible feat and by the time she finally reined in Argo she found herself a long ways from Amphipolis near a river where she had often come to fish as a child growing up.
She slipped off the horses back and lead him to the edge of the creek allowing him to drink his fill before setting him free to roam through the surrounding meadow. In the meantime she settled onto a large boulder at the edge of the stream and stared at the dark water that was flowing swiftly downstream.
It was quiet except for the ripple of the water over the rocks in it’s bed and the distant call of the few night creatures who were awaking after a long day of slumber. The sun was already on it descent towards the horizon. But the Conqueror wasn’t interested in nature on this evening, her thoughts to tremulous to enjoy the surrounding beauty. She needed to uncover the plot that seemed to be slowly twisting itself around them. Unconsciously she shrugged her shoulders, as if to free herself from the invisible noose that seemed to be drawing tighter around her.
Already Gabrielle had been hurt because of the unfolding events and it bothered her that she had not been vigilant enough to foresee the problem. She needed to solve the mystery before anyone else was injured.
Seraphim waited until the Conqueror had departed before attempting to see her friend. She had been watching from the shadows of a nearby bush. If she believed completely what Khrafstar had told her then Gabrielle, her friend from Potedaia, was carrying the child which would be the body for entry into the world of their beloved Master. She walked casually across to the Command tent aware of the soldiers who were standing at the entrance. She smiled.
“I have medicine for Gabrielle from the healer,” she held up the small vial that she had taken from the healers hut. She figured that she would need an excuse to get close to the other woman and knew that this would prove a valid reason to get passed the guards.
“Go ahead,” one of the guards motioned for the young woman to enter the tent. The Amazon’s were aware that this woman was not only an assistant to the healer but also from the same village as their Queen. They saw no danger in her presence. They knocked on the pole outside the tent and then announced the blond woman’s presence.
Gabrielle wasn’t in the mood to entertain anyone at this moment but she hastily ran her hand across her face, wiping the last remnants of sleep from her eyes before calling out for her visitor to enter. She was almost glad when it turned out to be Seraphim. The girl represented just a small part of the home she had left behind.
“Are you all right?” the other woman was immediately concerned by the strange look on the Queen’s face.
“Yes, I just woke from a nap,” the bard replied in a cheerful voice. “What has brought you here?”
“The healer thought you might like some medicine, in case you have trouble sleeping,” Seraphim replied displaying the vial which she handed to the bard.
“Thank you,” Gabrielle smiled graciously.
“Have you a minute to talk?” the healers assistant asked cautiously.
“Yes,” the Queen patted the seat next to her and waited until the other woman had sat down. “What’s up?’
“I was thinking about your problem,” Seraphim began thoughtfully.
“Problem?” Gabrielle answered in guarded surprise.
“Yes,” Seraphim had the grace to blush. “Paulus told me about you, he is ever so worried.”
“He doesn’t need to be, and you can tell him that, I trust Xena,” the Queen said with confidence. “Is that why you are really here, to check up on me?”
“Why would you say that?” the healer’s assistance now seemed surprised.
“Well, the healer gave me a vial of sleeping potion before I left this morning,” Gabrielle said quietly telling the woman her trick had been discovered.
“Oh,” Seraphim blushed once again and then looked down at her hands suddenly shy. “I actually came to talk to you about your baby.”
“Did Paulus send you to talk some sense into me?” the Amazon Queen wondered with amusement.
“No, Paulus does not believe you when you say you haven’t been with a man but I do and I know someone else who also will believe you.”
“Who?” Gabrielle asked her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
“Khrafstar, the Priest for the One God that I told you about,” Seraphim explained delicately aware that she needed to proceed cautiously. “He believes that sometimes the God’s can give gifts to the mortal world in the form of a child but Khrafstar will be able to explain everything much better than I can. If you want we can go see him right now and you can ask him all the questions you have.”
Gabrielle thought about it for a minute. If this Priest could explain it to her in a way that she could make Xena understand then it was worth a try. She stood up and held out her hand for the other woman to take.
“Let’s go see what your Priest has to say.”
Gabrielle was so eager for a way out of her situation that she ignored the uneasy feeling she got when she stepped into the camp of Khrafstar and his followers. It wasn’t anything in particular that nibbled at her sub-conscious, it was just a general feeling. But she pushed any misgivings aside, accepting the open friendliness of the people without question and comforted in the presence of the two Amazon Warriors who had accompanied them, aware her unease may have come from the longer then expected walk that it took for them to get to their destination.
She was sceptical about Seraphim’s claim but when meeting the Priest for the first time she came to understand how the other girl could be so enamoured with the man. Khrafstar was tall, about the same height as the Empress, with long brown hair that hung down in flowing waves over a pair of broad shoulders. He was dressed in a dark red robe that almost took on the colour of blood in the last faint rays of light in the dying day.
Though his physical appearance was impressive, it was the eyes that captured the bard, for the dark brown orbs radiated a warmth that was almost hypnotizing in their affect. She was almost certain that if she hadn’t already been in love with the Empress, that she, herself might have been seriously affected by the man.
“Gabrielle,” the man accepted her outstretched hand and cupped it between both the palms of his own. The greeting was familiar and warm just like the personality he exuded. “Seraphim has talked so much about you.”
“I’m not sure what she could have said,” the bard said shyly causing the man to smile.
“She is in awe of your bravery, as we all are, for taking on someone as hard and cold as the Conqueror.”
“But Xena isn’t like that,” the bard protested.
“Of course not, she wouldn’t seem that way to someone who loves her as much as you so obviously do,” the man continued to smile taking the sting out of his words and Gabrielle found herself being mesmerized by the sound of his voice. She shook her head to clear her thoughts glancing briefly at the Amazons who were standing nearby. She did not wish for them to know her secret.
“It was a tiring walk, and I am still recovering from an illness,” she smiled. “Would it be an imposition for my companions and I to get something to quench our thirst?”
“Certainly,” the Priest answered graciously and motioned for one of his associates to escort the Amazon’s to the camp fire a short distance away where a pot of tea was boiling. The Amazon’s reluctantly left their Queen’s side but only after they were assured that she was still within their protective vision. Gabrielle waited until they were gone before speaking.
“Seraphim said that you believed in a mortal having the ability to conceive a child without being physically intimate with another individual,” the bard said introducing the subject that had brought her here.
“It is a primary teaching of our faith. Our God is to be resurrected in the body of a woman who is a virgin,” the man said.
“But how can that be?” the bard was curious.
“The God’s are all powerful and their ways are not always known to us mortals,” Khrafstar explained and then glanced about the camp. For the first time Gabrielle noticed that the others were slowly filing towards the entrance of a cave around which the camp was laid out. “Perhaps you would like to see our religion first hand, we are to be meeting in a few minutes.”
“Yes,” the bard bobbed her head eagerly anxious to know more so that she might have a better understanding of her own position.
“Good,” the man smiled and then motioned to Seraphim who was once again standing next to her friend after having disappeared for a brief moment. “Ahh, here is your drink.”
Gabrielle gratefully accepted the mug of refreshment her old friend was holding and gulped it down. It was sweet tasting but it slid easily down her dry throat. It had been a long walk from Amphipolis up the hill to the camp of these people from Britianna. She handed the empty mug to her friend and then glanced back at the man who seemed to be waiting for her to finish. There was a smile on his face.
“Come,” he said motioning towards the entrance of the cave before leading the way.
The place was brighter than Gabrielle expected for there were several dozen burning torches stuck into the crevices of the stone walls. The cave was a large single cavern and had room not only for the two dozen followers but also for a large stone slab table that was positioned in the middle of the cave. There was a small step naturally carved into the far wall and a deep pit with a roaring fire at it the bottom.
The place was warm and Gabrielle felt a little light headed as sweat broke out over her body. She surmised that she was not completely recovered from her poisoning, and along with the exertion from the long walk and the sudden heat of the cave was making her slightly dizzy.
“Are you all right Gabrielle?” Seraphim whispered in her ear as they stepped to one side of the cave while Khrafstar proceeded onto the small step to face his followers.
The bard nodded her head, determined not to make any sudden movement in case it caused any further debilitation to her senses. She watched as the room grew silent when the man raised his arms and began to speak.
“Welcome my friends and followers of the One God,” Khrafstar began with a smile as he glanced towards Gabrielle. “Today we have a special guest, her name is Gabrielle of Potedaia and she is the reason we were led to this foreign land.”
The bard was confused by his words but her thoughts had become blurry and any resistance she had was gone by the time the two men appeared at her side. They grabbed her arms and lead her without resistance to the altar. She had grown so weak so quickly that they had to help her onto the table where she lay struggling to let her mind catch up to the events that had suddenly taken hold of her. There was a sudden crack of thunder and an incredible fear seared through her heart.
“Xena,” she cried as loud as she could but it came out of her mouth only as a feeble whisper. “Xenaaaaaa.”
The Conqueror lifted her head in the late afternoon light, listening intently, searching for the source of who had called her name. But there was only the sound of the wind as it rippled through the leafs of the surrounding trees.
“Xenaaaa.”
It came again and the Conqueror was immediately on her feet, instantly aware of who was calling out to her.
“Gabrielle,” she called the bards name and knew in that instant that the small woman was in trouble. She whistled for Argo who was grazing nearby. With one jump the Conqueror was on the back of her trusty steed and in a full gallop towards Amphipolis.
The chanting in the cave grew, pulling Gabrielle from the drug induced spell in which she had been placed. Bleary green eyes blinked rapidly as they tried to focus on her surroundings and it took a moment for her mind to clear enough to see what was happening around her. She tried to move but couldn’t lift her limbs. Through the haze she felt fear and danger. Directly above her was an opening in the cavern ceiling.
“Xena,” she whimpered softly through parched lips as she watched the Priest move towards her.
Khrafstar raised his hands, lifting his arms and voice to the heavens which was quickly beginning to cloud over with ominous looking black clouds. Unnatural bolts of energy flashed across the unlit sky.
“Our Lord, Our Master, come to us, we your faithful here have the carrier, the one who has been seeded by the Gods.”
Gabrielle didn’t understand what was happening. The words she heard were foreign and made no sense, but she heard a clap of thunder that seemed to answer the Priest’s entreaty. A shiver raced down her spine and she became truly frightened.
Xena heard the clap of thunder overhead and briefly glanced up, studying the swirling mass of clouds filling the sky. She had dealt with the Gods before and knew what she was witnessing was unnatural. A deep fear grew in the pit of her stomach. She reached the edge of the camp, dismayed to find that there were no guards posted outside the command tent. It did not surprise her that the tent was also empty.
“Where is Gabrielle?” she demanded of the first person she encountered after emerging from the vacant shelter.
“I don’t know,” the young Amazon stammered in fear aware of the tight grip the Conqueror had on her slender arm and the fierce look on the dark face.
“She went for a walk with her friend Seraphim,” Solari said striding over towards the command tent at the first sign of commotion.
“Where did they go?” Xena demanded in a harsh voice.
“I don’t know, but they headed north,” the Amazon Warrior replied pointing in the direction the bard and her friend had gone. “You don’t have to worry Vera and Angelius were with her.”
The foreigners camp, the Conqueror surmised immediately as she stared in the direction the Amazon had pointed. Fear began to build as her feet took flight. Perhaps it was all the thoughts that had occupied her mind that afternoon, but she did not trust these strangers in her Empire, or the woman who was a friend from Potedaia. It all seemed to convenient to be a coincidence.
Solari watched as the Empress broke out into a sprint headed north. A crash of lightening bolted through the suddenly dark sky and she felt a shiver of fear race through her spine. She motioned for her Amazon Warriors to follow and Zenon ordered his own troops to do the same.
Xena found the foreigners camp with little trouble. Though it appeared that they did not welcome visitors, the strangers from Britannia had made no attempt to hide their presence. As she feared the camp was empty except for the two Amazon guards who had been assigned to protect their Queen. They were laying unmoving next to a fire.
She paused and allowed her senses full reign as her pale blue eyes swept the surrounding area. There was another thunderclap and a bolt of lightening that lit up the dark afternoon sky. It was in that instant that she spied the narrow entrance to the cave and the flickering light that was spilling out from within. There was another crack of thunder and then over the roar she could hear the steady cadence of a rising chant.
Without wasting another second she was racing towards the cave entrance, her hand automatically reaching for the sword strapped to her back. By the time she charged though the opening it was clutched firmly in her hand.
She came to an abrupt halt, the Warrior inside herself assessing the situation with one sweeping gaze. They were formed in a circle, all wearing red robes, their hands joined together and raised to the heavens. In the center on a makeshift altar lay Gabrielle.
The Destroyer saw the swirling fire that had entered the cave from a hole at the far end of the cave. She could feel it’s evil as the fingers of flame reached towards her beloved. A deadly growl erupted from deep inside her gut and rolled out through her throat as she released the panther inside.
“Ayyyeeeiii,” she gave her familiar cry and the chanting stopped as all eyes turned towards the entrance.
Khrafstar was momentarily shaken from his spell. His brown eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the fierce looking woman standing alone in the entrance of the cave, her sword already clutched in her hand. They were so close that they could not lose this opportunity now. It was time for their Lord and Master to enter the world.
“Get her,” he screamed pointing to the Conqueror. Half a dozen of the men rushed forward to restrain the Empress while the remaining members, lead by the Priest, began to chant once again.
Xena saw the flame begin to grow once more and move steadily towards the bard. She rushed forward to meet the opposition and with several quick efficient sweeps of her hand cleared a path to the makeshift altar. There was little chance for these poorly armed followers against the Conqueror now that the panther was in full reign. They died quickly and violently at the end of her sword which left no one alive.
Those who dared to challenge her were swiftly vanquished as the others stepped back and out of her way. They had no wish to die that day and Xena glanced at them threateningly before rushing to the platform and lifting the small woman into her arms before the flames from the pit could reach the immobile woman. Seeing his last opportunity to give his Master a form and a chance to enter the world, Khrafstar reached into the folds of his robes and withdrew a dagger.
“For you my Lord,” he proclaimed before rushing towards the warrior who had turned her back and was now walking with the bard in her arms towards the cave opening.
He rushed at the unprotected back but Xena had not become known as the Destroyer for no reason. She sensed the danger, feeling the shift in the air as the man hurried across the cave to strike.
She spun around to face the danger lifting one leg to knock aside the arm that was starting to plunge the knife downward. There was a crack and a whimper of pain as the knife flew out of the man’s hand and across the cave clattering against the wall before falling uselessly onto the ground. There was a snarl as the Empress brought her leg back up and cracked the side of the man’s head snapping it violently sideways and breaking his neck. The priest slumped dead into a heap on the ground. Without another word the Destroyer of Nations turned on her heel and strolled out of the cave. She was met at the entrance by a small group of Amazon’s led by Solari. They saw the limp body in the tall woman’s arms and the raging expression on her face.
“Empress?” the Amazon looked at the woman questioningly.
“I want someone to hurry and get the healer,” Xena said in a cold voice. “And then I want the rest of you to go round up the remaining band of foreigners who are camped in the surroundings hills and I want them brought to me.”
The soldiers and Amazon’s hurried to obey the dark woman aware that the panther was out. They moved quickly as Xena carried the bard back to the camp, settling her gently onto their pallet before sitting down to await the healers arrival.
“What am I going to do with you?” she whispered softly brushing damp strands of blond hair from her forehead. “Can I not leave you alone for a moment?”
“It appears not,” Paulus said dryly entering the command tent without knocking. Normally Xena would have reprimanded him for his arrogance but today she allowed the comment to pass stepping aside so that the man could examine her lover.
The Empress watched in silence as her thoughts whirled around this new development. She could not believe that Gabrielle and not her was the focus of their plan and so she sought to find someone who could explain the reason that they had almost killed the bard.
The healer sighed and lifted the blanket over the unconscious bard before reaching to pick up the small sachel he carried that contained his most often used medical instruments and herbs. He turned to face an anxious looking Conqueror, his throat suddenly going dry as he noticed the paleness of the eyes staring back at him.
“She will be all right,” the man said in reassurance. “It seems she was only given a sleeping potion. One meant only to render her unconscious and nothing more.”
Xena would have be relieved except for the fact that the panther was still in control. It was the creature that needed answers and so waiting only until after the healer had left did she go in search of the reasons for this new attack on her companion. She stepped out of the command tent to find her mother standing just outside the door.
“Paulus was in the tavern when the Amazon came in search of him,” Cyrene explained her knowledge and presence. “I came as quickly as I could to see how Gabrielle was doing?”
Xena looked down at her mother. The expression on her face and the tone of the older woman’s voice was sincere. Her mother had been a true friend of the bard and she was aware she could trust the woman to be in Gabrielle’s company. Yet the panther was reluctant.
“I would do nothing to hurt her,” the tavern keeper said slowly sensing the tall woman’s indecision. She knew that her daughter could trust few people.
“The healers said she had been given sleeping potion,” Xena spoken finally. “I would appreciate if you stayed with her until I return from handling this business.”
Cyrene nodded immediately understanding what had just happened. She wanted to hug her daughter, to tell her child that she still loved her in spite of everything that had happened. She wanted to apologize, to beg forgiveness for the cruel way she had acted to set her on this violent and destructive path, but this was not the time. She nodded and ducked inside the tent.
“We found some people,” the Weapon’s Master informed the Conqueror and leaving the bard in her mother’s care she turned and looked at the small group of person’s that her entourage had rounded up. The Empress looked at the collection, her blue eyes falling on a familiar face. It was a woman whom Gabrielle had known from Potedaia.
“You,” she reached out and grabbed the woman by the throat and lifted her slightly off the ground. “What were your plans for Gabrielle?”
Seraphim looked with undisguised fear at the Conqueror seeing the paleness of her eyes and the barely controlled violence on the dark features. She had witnessed the woman’s fury in the cave, and had watched helpless as she had destroyed Khrafstar and many of their associates. She swallowed afraid for her own life.
“Why were you trying to kill Gabrielle?” the Empress demanded, tightening her hold on the girl’s throat.
“To let our Lord and Master Dahok enter the world,” the blond woman confessed in a strangled voice.
“By killing her?” the Conqueror didn’t understand.
“By taking her unborn child,” the girl corrected.
“What?” Xena wasn’t certain that she had heard correctly and the girl whimpered as the grip on her throat tightened, being slightly squeezed under the large hand that held her there.
“Dahok was to enter the world through Gabrielle’s unborn child,” Seraphim explained in a whimper. “Khrafstar was to kill Gabrielle and then offer the child to Dahok giving him a form to enter the world.”
A whirl of questions swirled around the Conqueror brain but there was only one thought that kept intruding on all the others. Gabrielle was with child. A child that needed to be conceived in some manner.
“Gabrielle is pregnant?” she spoke the words out loud her hand continuing to tighten around the slender neck.
“Almost a full season,” the younger woman shrieked her eyes beginning to bulge out of their sockets.
“Why Gabrielle?” the Conqueror wanted to know.
“Because Dahok our God could only enter the world through the birth of a pure child,” the girl whimpered in pain as she tried to explain.
The Conqueror didn’t understand and she didn’t care to hear any more excuses. She growled and snapped her hand closed as she gave vent to her emotions. She cast the limp body in her grip viciously aside and the girl hit the ground in a heap. The Empress did not know or care whether the girl was alive or dead.
A rage in the Conqueror broiled almost uncontrollably as she thought of the implications of what she had been told. Gabrielle was pregnant and everything that the bard told her had been a lie. She looked at the others who were watched her with a mixture of emotions, her face draining of colour. She could not believe the truth and she staggered under the implications.
Zenon and Eponin looked at each other with shock and fear. Both were at a loss of what to do or feel. They turned to their prisoners and knew that taking care of them was there first concern. A decision needed to be made.
“My Conqueror, what do you wish for us to do with the rest of these people?” Zenon gathered the courage to speak to the tall woman, hoping that she would not turn his fury on him.
“Kill them!” The decision came out in a low growl. The soldier immediately nodded and stepped back.
“They tried to kill our Queen and did kill two of our warriors,” Eponin stated simply when the Captain of the Guard turned towards her. Zenon looked at the half dozen hapless prisoners they had gathered and then at the determined Weapon’s Master and nodded.
Wordlessly the chained prisoners were turned over to the Amazon’s who took the group away from the camp into the forest where they enacted their own revenge and justice for the lives of their two companions lost that day and the attempt on their Queen. It was done without a word spoken and they returned silently to the camp only once the bodies had all been buried.
Gabrielle woke to see Cyrene bending carefully over her. The older woman looked worried and yet she smiled when the green eyes blinked and opened.
“What happened?” the bard wanted to know.
“You were kidnapped,” Cyrene said softly. “A group was about to sacrifice you.”
“They wanted to kill me for my unborn child,” the bard murmured remembering what she had heard.
“You’re pregnant!” the older woman could not hide her shock.
“Yes,” the bard nodded her head and then glanced about the room. “Where is Xena?”
“They captured some prisoners and she went to interrogate them,” the older woman advised. “She wanted to know why these people would do such a thing to you.”
The bard nodded and closed her eyes, feeling a great relief that the Conqueror was there to take care of her. She could be content now that Xena was there to take care of the situation. Suddenly she bolted upright on the cot, a sickly expression on her face.
“No,” she cried hoarsely, terror in her eyes. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know, outside I imagine,” Cyrene said and then watched as the girl struggled to get out of bed. “What are you doing, you need to rest?”
“I have to talk to Xena,” the bard said in a stricken voice, she looked with panic at the older woman. “She doesn’t know that I am pregnant.”
Gabrielle had hoped that she could break the news gently to the Conqueror and now she feared that it would be told by someone who wouldn’t be able to explain. She stood up and swayed for a moment until she was able to regain her balance, and then walked as swiftly as she dared across the tent and outside, aware that the older woman was following close behind. She had hoped by some intervention that the Conqueror was still ignorant of the news but she knew otherwise the instant she stepped out of the tent and the fierce woman turned to look at her. Her heart plummeted to her feet.
Xena looked at the smaller woman now, unable to contain her anger or the thoughts of how Gabrielle had turned out to be like all the rest. The one person she had learned to believe and trust had betrayed her.
“Is it true?” the Conqueror wanted to know in a cold voice.
“Is it true!” the Empress shouted. “Are you pregnant?”
“Yes,” there was nothing else to say.
Xena stared at her companion, her heart plummeting to her stomach where an ache now grew. There was a part of her heart and soul that desperately hoped that it had been some kind of misunderstanding, yet now she knew the truth. There was no denying the words that Gabrielle had spoken. Her emotions ranged from bitter disappointment to incredible pain as she recalled the conversation they had shared not so many moons earlier.
To other observers it would have appeared that the Empress was speaking without emotion but the bard knew different. The many seasons that they had lived together had taught her a lot about her companion and now she was good at reading the tall woman’s various moods and speech patterns. She swallowed the lump that had caught once again in her throat.
“Xena,” Gabrielle implored but was immediately cut off.
“Why did you lie to me?” it was the first thing out of her mouth as her thoughts suddenly became the spoken word. The tone was harsh and commanding.
“Lie?” Gabrielle was momentarily confused. She did not understand what the Conqueror was saying.
“When you told me that you had not gone with Jason,” Xena answered impatiently, turning and taking a few angry strides away from her lover. At that moment she had needed to put distance between them.
“I didn’t,” Gabrielle insisted, bracing herself for the next angry outburst from her lover.
“Then whose child is it,” Xena wanted to know, as she whirled around on her heel and faced the small woman once again, the flaring of her nostrils the only indication of the intensity of the feelings that were currently coursing through her body.
“I don’t know,” the bard replied lifting her arms in a helpless gesture.
The Conqueror stared for a long moment at the blond woman. The expression on the girl’s face was genuine and she had never known the younger woman to lie, yet if the bard was pregnant then there had to be a father.
“Don’t play innocent with me,” the Empress scoffed at the suggestion that her lover didn’t know with whom she had slept. “I am not so naive as to think that this was some kind of miraculous conception.”
“I know,” Gabrielle sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She thought about what Paulus had said and knew that the healer had been right. Xena wouldn’t understand, yet she had hoped that the Empress would believe her. She looked up at the tall woman her heart aching as she saw the coldness in the blue eyes.
“You have to believe me Xena,” she pleaded, afraid that she might lose her lover and friend. “I don’t know how this happened, I have never been with anyone but you. I have never wanted to be with anyone but you.”
The Conqueror stared at the girl for a long moment, her heart aching at the pitiful sight of the woman she loved pleading for her to believe her story. She wanted to say yes, she believed but the animal inside wouldn’t let her. It reminded her of all the others who had betrayed her in the past. The other times people had lied and she had believed them only to realize that they were mocking her. She couldn’t forget those times now.
“I don’t hate you for being with child Gabrielle, for not so long ago I sought for you to experience this miracle,” the Empress said in an emotionless voice that made the bard wince. “But I despise the fact that you think you must lie to me about the circumstances of your pregnancy. Are you in love with the father?”
“There is no father,” the bard said in desperation, her face ravaged with emotion as tears began to gather in her emerald eyes. She had hoped that she could convince the Conqueror but it felt like her dreams of doing that were dying along with those of spending the rest of her life with the Conqueror. “You are the only person I have known.”
“Then how did this happen?” the Conqueror needed some sort of explanation that she could believe.
“I don’t know,” Gabrielle racked her brain for some sort of explanation as she wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “All I can think about is that night several full moons ago when we were out in the meadow and were visited by Artemis and Aphrodite.”
“Impossible,” the Empress dismissed the suggestion with an arrogant wave of her hand even as a seed of doubt was planted in the back of her brain. “The God’s have many and great powers but everyone knows that this sort of thing is beyond even them.”
“Is it?” Gabrielle wanted to know, sensing that the Empress was at least giving the idea some thought. “We know that the God’s are able to do many things, perhaps this is a power they have not yet shown us.”
“Then why us and why now?” the Empress was sceptical, certain that the smaller woman was just trying to invent a plausible excuse for an indiscretion to which she did not wish to admit. “In the past a God has always been with a mortal to create a new life. Why should it be different now?”
“I don’t know,” the bard answered honestly. “Perhaps there was never a need until now.”
Xena wanted to believe the smaller woman. She loved Gabrielle that much but at this moment she felt too much hurt to want to contemplate any alternative suggestions. Right now nothing that Gabrielle said would make her believe anything but that the bard was hiding the truth. She moved away needing to put distance between them afraid of the rage that was slowly building in her body. She paused and turned to look at the girl for a long moment. Gabrielle saw the hurt and the intense sadness in the tall woman’s sparkling blue eyes.
“I have trusted you to be honest,” the Conqueror said with a note of finality. “That was the only thing I ever really wanted from you and that is the one thing which you have now taken from me.”
Without another word the Empress turned and strolled across to where Argo was standing. Zenon approached cautiously as the tall woman grabbed the horses reins and swung herself up onto the saddle. In that next moment their gazes caught.
“You will stay here and protect the Queen, until you receive further orders,” the Conqueror barked on the instructions and then with a click of her heels she sent the horse into a gallop down the road.
Gabrielle stood silently watching as her stoic companion disappeared down the road, a small cloud of dust rising behind the horse and rider as they hurried towards the horizon. Her heart ached and tears moistened her green eyes. She had worried that this day would come and here it was and she felt worse than she could have imagined.
Eponin watched the scene unfold. She turned from the fading figure on horseback to the small woman left in the standing alone in the middle of the camp. She felt a surging mixture of fear, anger and frustration. Fear for how her Queen would react, anger at the Conqueror for behaving so coldly and frustration because she was unable to do anything. She hobbled across the distance.
“Give her time,” the Weapon’s Master tried to be cheerful. “You know how she is.”
“I don’t think it will make a difference this time,” Gabrielle answered quietly, brushing a hand quickly over her features to wipe away the flow of tears that were streaming down her cheeks. “She thinks I have betrayed her and lied.”
“Just give her time,” the Warrior said weakly. The Amazon didn’t know what to say. She was uncomfortable in situations where counselling was needed and today was no exception. Looking across at the small blonde woman she desperately wished that Ephiny was there. The Regent would know what to do in this situation. “I’m sure once she has had time to think about things then she will change her mind.”
The bard desperately wanted to believe that to be true but unfortunately she realized that the truth was be to much for the Empress to accept. Hades, she had a hard time accepting the truth and it was happening to her. She also knew that history was against her. So many others had lied and betrayed the dour dark haired woman that the Empress found it impossible to believe that not everyone was like that.
She sighed, the weight almost to heavy on her heart to bear yet she knew that she must put on a cheerful facade. Lila was expecting her for the wedding celebrations and she would not disappoint her sister. She turned to the Captain of the Guard.
“Zenon, will you do me a favour?”
“Yes, Miss,” the soldier bowed his head respectfully. In spite of the seeming split between the two women the guard knew that the Conqueror would want him to honour any requests that the small blond woman had.
“I know that the Empress wished to go off on her own, but I fear for her safety,” Gabrielle wasn’t certain how to make the request, aware that it might put the soldiers in an awkward position. But she had confidence that her lover would not punish the men for doing what she asked. “Could you take your men and follow, to ensure that she remains safe.”
The soldier was silent for a moment as he contemplated the request. He knew that the Empress was a target but he also knew that the Conqueror was capable of protecting herself. He looked at the smaller woman and knew what he must do.
“We will see that she safely reaches her destination,” the man assured her. He knew that his actions were in direct defiance of the Conqueror’s orders but he too was concerned for the Empress. He knew that he might be doomed for disobeying orders but he did not have the heart to turn down the Amazon Queen’s request.
“Thank you,” the bard was relieved and she watched as the man abruptly turned on his heel. With several hasty shouts he had the rest of his squad mounted and ready to follow their Ruler. The Amazon’s watched as the Royal Guards rode off down the road in pursuit of their Master.
“I think it’s time for us to be on our way,” the bard said turning to face the Weapon’s Master who was still standing at her side. Within the next candlemark they too were packed and headed in the direction of Potedaia. This all happened under the watchful eyes of the tavernkeeper who returned thoughtfully to the Inn.
“Why don’t you intervene?” Artemis asked of her Godly sister, disappointed at the way things were turning out.
“And spoil all the fun?” Aphrodite asked with amusement raising her eyebrows for affect.
“Whose having fun?” the Goddess of the Hunt wanted to know, seeing only her beloved Chosen alone while the one who held her heart rode away into the late evening.
“Sister, sister, sister,” the Goddess of Love tried not to sound impatient. “Love is a journey and one that sometimes has to go over a few bumps. The warrior babe loves the little bard… she will be back.”
“How can you be so certain?”
“Cause I can see into their hearts.”
“But if we only told Xena about the baby?”
“And spoil the opportunity for her to realize just how much the bard means to her, not a chance,” Aphrodite shook her blond curls and then sighed not certain that her sister would understand. “Xena isn’t ever going to come to terms with the depth of her feelings for the bard until she understands just how important the little blond is to her.”
“But she hurried back to save her,” Artemis argued.
“Yes, but that’s what she does,” the Goddess of Love waved her hand. “It’s easy for the Conqueror to kill people, to protect those she cares about. She uses the sword she carries for everything. But this is one thing she has to learn that she can’t use the sword for. She has to accept Gabrielle and the baby on her own. She has to learn to love it with her heart and not her sword. Only then will they truly be happy as a family.”
“I still think it would be easier if we just told Xena what we did,” Artemis said with a pout.
“Yes but the easy path is not always the best,” Aphrodite sighed again. “Believe me sister it is better to let the Empress come to her own conclusion. Besides you know how she hates it when we interfere in her life.”
Artemis nodded even though she still did not believe that to be true. But Aphrodite was wiser then her in matters of the heart and so she decided to let the Goddess do her thing and hope that the plan wouldn’t backfire.
It was because Xena was preoccupied with her thoughts that she failed to notice anything amiss until the bandits were upon her. The net was flung from the trees above and landed over her head and shoulders. A swift jerk brought her off the horse unto the ground and before she had time to stand up she was surrounded by a motley crew of thieves.
“No use fighting little lady, you’re our prisoner now,” the leader of the brigands smiled with a toothless grin as he cockily strolled up to the stranger. He guessed by the fancy dress of his prisoner that she belonged to a wealthy family. He could envision a chestful of coins for her return.
The Empress rested on her knees for a moment, her blue eyes narrowing into thin pale slits as she studied the man, assessing him with one calculated glance as she discreetly withdrew the small knife strapped to her boot. She straightened to her full height and the group took a collective step backwards. There was an arrogance and disdain on the dark haired woman’s features and the men were stupid enough to think that it was a result of breeding and not the fact that the woman was the most dangerous person in the Known World.
“Do you know who I am?” the Empress asked without fear, the panther beginning to pace inside her soul.
“Does it matter?” the would be kidnapper snorted making the others in his party laughed nervously. Most of them had never encountered a victim so bold and her seeming defiance of the situation was making them uneasy.
“It does,” Xena confirmed succinctly giving free reign to the animal. “You have thirty seconds to start running and I suggest you do so.”
There was silence for an instant and then the men burst out in laughter at the idea that this woman, their prisoner, was telling them what to do. There was a sword lashed to her back but with the net securely around her upper body there was no way that she would be able to draw it from it’s sheath. Unfortunately the men were too ignorant to see the panther, a creature that didn’t need a weapon.
“Run from you,” the leader of the gang laughed at the suggestion and that was the very last thing he did. The smile on his lips fading slowly as his dark eyes glanced down towards the knife that was sticking out of his chest. A slow trickle of blood was starting to dribble down the front of his vest. None of them had seen the woman move.
“Ayyyiiiee,” the Conqueror yelled her famous cry and did a flip in the air, discarding the noose from her body in the process.
The remainder of the group watched in amazement as the woman somersaulted over them and landed behind their backs. When the shock finally wore off they scattered, some running towards the forest while the others turned to face their opponent, not yet aware of whom they were facing.
Xena was no longer in control. The panther was out and it didn’t even bother drawing the sword from her back as it charged forward to meet the onslaught. A high kick on the chin of one bandit snapped his head back and broke his neck. A spin and a second kick sent another attacker crashing against a tree.
The Conqueror whirled to face a man who was looking at her with a saucy grin on his face. In his right hand he twirled a large sword. This man knew that now their leader was dead it was his opportunity to take over the gang. What he didn’t know was that he would not live to see the end of the day.
He charged waving the sword dangerously in the woman’s direction but Xena was too experienced to be frightened by the display. She neatly stepped aside from his challenge and booted him in the back sending him sprawling onto the ground, the sword careeming into the underbrush.
The Conqueror watched with an evil grin as the man picked himself up and turned to face her. There was a challenge in his features and she met it with glee.
“Come and get me,” she taunted the man and he did, rushing forward, hoping to knock her flat on her back with his weight, but the Empress was too agile and skilled a fighter. She easily rebuffed his attack, stepping sideways and hooking her arm into his, she pulled him back, flipping him over onto his back and knocking the air from his lungs. Before he had a chance to move her booted foot was on his throat pressing down. He gasped and struggled to remove the limb but she was to strong. His eyes wildly appealed for her to stop but she only increased the pressure until she could hear the bones in his neck snap, leaving him gurgling for a few seconds before his whole body went limp.
The others watched in stunned horror the callous way the tall feral woman killed their comrades and they were of no mind to see Hades that day. But the panther was out and would not be denied the blood it sought. In a saner moment the Empress would have let the others go but today she was the hated and feared Destroyer of Nations, the person who lead her army into Cirra and demolished the village and killed it’s people. Today she would not be satisfied until they were all dead.
With the blood pumping fiercely through her veins the Conqueror gave chase to the fleeing men. She pounced onto the first, dropping him to the ground. Before he had a chance to struggle she grabbed his head between her hands and jerked it viciously to one side breaking his neck.
She caught the next man in the forest and though he had time to draw his sword it was no protection against the animal that was stalking him. He lunged at the dark haired predator but the woman grabbed his arm and bent it backwards. The man screamed in agony as the bones in the limb snapped, causing the sword to fall from his grip.
The Conqueror caught the weapon in her grasp before it had a chance to hit the ground. She brought it up and swung it sideways so that it sliced into the skin beneath the small square of armour that protected the man’s chest. Blood squirted out of the wound as the man keeled forward onto the ground.
The Empress stood silently now, her blue eyes scanning the area. There was one more attacker and she was not about to let him get away while the others died for their efforts. She waited, her ears honed to the sounds that surrounded her and suddenly a gleam entered her pale blue eyes and an evil smile slowly etched its way across her face. She could hear the man’s frightened breaths as he hid behind a clump of bushes. She stalked quietly towards the hiding place.
“Come out and die like a man or I will stick you like a pig,” she said in a haughty voice and then waited. The terrified man jumped from his position with his arms raised in surrender. He had no intention of fighting this crazy woman or running so that she could continue the hunt.
“I give up,” he croaked in a horse voice. “I surrender.”
“There is no surrender,” the Conqueror sneered and whipped her arm around.
The sword came up and with one powerful stroke took the man’s head off his shoulders. Blood squirted everywhere catching the Empress in the face as the headless body slumped forward to the ground at her feet. She looked dispassionately at the sweet sticky red that spilled onto the earth and lapped at her boots.
With a satisfied grunt she tossed the sword unto the ground next to the body and then turned and strolled back to the clearing where the incident had first begun. She glanced down the road and watched as a small troop of horseman came riding towards her. The Conqueror braced herself to meet the next assault, her nostrils flaring in anticipation of the continued fight.
Zenon pulled his horse to a halt a safe distance from the Empress. He had fought alongside the tall warrior often enough to recognize the signs and he knew to approach the woman with caution. He waited tensely as the Conqueror strolled towards him. He could see the anger radiating off her in waves and the soldier felt a fear like he had not in a very long time.
“I thought I commanded you to remain with Gabrielle, Queen of the Amazon’s,” Xena snarled, the panther continuing to pace restlessly. The soldier swallowed before squaring his shoulders.
“The Queen made a special request of us,” the man said solemnly. “She asked us to follow you to ensure your safety.”
“So now you do what the Amazon’s want and not what I tell you?” the Conqueror sneered.
“I only did as she requested because I thought that you would want us to respect her desires,” the soldier said in his defense.
Xena snorted though she was slightly placated. For a very brief instant there was a sense of jubilation that the small woman, in spite of the disagreement between them, still cared enough to be concerned about her welfare. But the feeling was fleeting, replaced by the pain of betrayal and distrust that she felt towards the bard.
“This is your one chance,” the Conqueror said to the Royal Guard through clenched teeth. “Disobey me again and you will suffer the consequences.” She turned cold eyes on the remainder of the escort and each man realized in another time and place they would have been dead.
“Yes, My Empress,” Zenon bowed his head respectfully aware of the sweat that had begun to bead across his forehead. He was a lucky man and the Conqueror’s decision to spare him this afternoon only proved that. He could see the animal in her eyes and knew that it was out of it’s cage and memories of other such moments flitted across his brain.
The Conqueror’s nostrils flared but she held her anger in check and without another word turned and whistled for her horse. Argo emerged from the woods and with one swift motion the tall raven haired woman mounted the animal. With a click of her heels she was off again, leaving the soldiers behind.
Zenon watched as the Empress rode off down the road. He only released his breath when he was certain that she was no longer able to hear him. He turned to glance at the carnage on the ground around them and then at his equally silent comrades. Their faces were pale. They knew of the Conqueror’s penitent for violence, yet the creature of destruction had been kept chained for so long that they had almost forgotten the truly dangerous and destructive nature of their Ruler.
“Follow the Conqueror,” he motioned towards two frightened guardsman who hesitated a moment. “Stay well back and you will have nothing to fear from her.”
The soldiers glanced at one another for an instant before nodding their heads and urging their mounts
forward. Only then did he turn to the others.
“Let’s bury this lot,” he instructed climbing down from his horse.
Rather than stop, Xena choose to ride straight through to her destination. It was nearly dawn by the time she reached the outskirts of the Regional Army camp and slowed Argo to a trot. She had been riding all night and her mood had grown bleaker with each mile she had covered. Her thoughts focused on the confession of her lover.
Gabrielle was pregnant and though Xena knew that she should rejoice in that event she could only feel the pain of betrayal and the seeds of distrust that filled her heart. She had thought the bard was different yet it seemed that once again she had been proven wrong.
She brought the warhorse to a halt and slipped from the saddle. She could barely make out the outline of the small forest that bordered the Army camp and she knew from experience where the guard posts were located. She decided to sneak up on the guards and test their readiness for battle. A gleam entered her pale blue eyes as she drew her sword from the sheath on her back.
“Meet me at the camp,” she instructed Argo. The horse nayed quietly and she watched as the animal
disappeared into the darkness before slipping into the shadows herself.
Solan shifted uncomfortably in his position in the crook of the tree next to the guard hut, barely able to contain his anger at the loud snoring of his companion who had fallen asleep at his post. He would have climbed down and woken the hapless man but for the fact that he knew that no sooner would he return to his post in the trees then the other soldier would be asleep again. He sighed, and silently cursed the God’s who had seemingly singled him out to look after the man.
Joxer, was no soldier yet he insisted on continuing the training even though the other soldiers repeatedly singled him out for mistreatment. In the beginning Solan had been unable to ignore the abuse but as time passed he had grown more callused and less inclined to intervene. Now he was more likely to turn his head when the other recruits targeted the man.
However, he had not completely lost all his compassion and when it was possible he allowed the two of them to be partnered up for various drills and duties, giving the clumsy man some respite from the abuse. Thus was why he found himself once again on guard duty, manning the forward post with the man. He shifted his position and sighed.
“Joxer,” he hissed not daring too speak to loudly for fear that someone might hear. He knew that the Drill Master routinely came by to check up on them and doled out suitable punishment for any infraction. It was a miserable night, cold and damp, so he hoped that the man would be tucked tightly up in his cot.
Suddenly he noticed the dark outline of a form moving silently through the forest towards them. He tensed, his hand gripping tightly the hilt of the sword at his side. He knew it could be the Drill Master yet there were something sinister about the figure and he prepared himself for a confrontation.
Xena heard the loud snores from a long distance away and by the time she reached within striking distance, she was completely annoyed by the realization that one or both of the guards on duty were sleeping. She spotted the small guard hut and the form slumped in the corner, his chest rising and falling with each breath. She stepped into the open intent on ending this hapless man’s slumber when something landed on the ground behind her.
Automatically she whirled around, defending the sword thrust of the figure, striking down with an intensity that made the aggressor stumble backwards in retreat. But the fighter was not easily discouraged and charged again swinging his sword in deadly fashion aiming to slay his opponent.
Xena laughed enjoying the bravery of this unknown soldier yet pitying his stupidity. With a series of swift moves she disarmed her smaller opponent and brought her sword up under his chin. Solan straightened his shoulders and waited for the final thrust to be made, but instead he was surprised when the edge of the weapon was withdrawn.
Normally Xena would have killed her attacker and thought nothing of the action, but she had caught a
glimpse of the soldier and realized that he was merely a boy. In spite of her reputation she had never
willingly killed a child. She slid the sword back into it’s sheath.
“Do you know who I am?” she asked placing her hands on her hips and waiting for an answer.
“No,” the boy stammered uncertain who he was facing and why he had not been killed.
“Then you don’t know how lucky you are,” the Conqueror snorted her eyes surveying the young man.
“What’s going on here?” a stern voice commanded from out of the darkness and both individuals turned to see the newcomer. Solan was relieved at the appearance of the Drill Master and the Sergeant.
“That is a question I should be asking you,” the Empress replied in a cold voice and the two newcomers immediately stiffened.
“My Conqueror,” the Drill Master breathed before falling to his knees in a respectful stance, the other soldier mimicking his actions.
Solan swallowed the lump in his throat and turned to stare at the woman in front of him. After all these years he had finally come face to face with the one person he hated the most, the woman who had killed his family and made him an orphan.
In all his dreams he had never thought that she would be so tall and he had to crane his neck to look up. She was more formidable in appearance and her features were dark with the most mesmerizing blue eyes he had ever seen. For one of the few times in his young life he would find himself speechless as two pairs of blue eyes assessed one another.
“The protection of this camp has been seriously undermined by the incompetence of the guards which where posted to the perimeter,” Xena said coldly her attention briefly diverted from the boy to the one in charge of camp security. “You were lucky it was only me and not an invading Army. If you can not protect this small Army post then how can I expect you to protect my Empire.”
“They are still in the midst of their training,” the man mumbled the explanation, the skin around his neck turning red.
“Then their training has been sorely lacking,” the tall woman snorted and glanced at the boy who stood before her and the man still sleeping in the guard house. “Since when have we been enlisting children and incompetent fools?”
“We haven’t been,” the Drill Master shifted uneasily as he rose to his feet, the collar of his tunic suddenly to tight around his neck. He glanced at the two recruits in question and silently berated himself for not listening to his own instincts and getting rid of them before now.
“Then why are they here?” Xena asked pointedly.
“Since you lifted the travel restrictions, the local economies have been booming and the healthy young men are no longer inclined to sign up for the army,” the Drill Master explained.
“I wasn’t aware that this was a problem,” the Empress said slowly. She was not deceived. She knew that the pay and benefits of being a member of her Army far exceeded any earnings they could make as an apprentice to some merchant. “None of my other Commanders have a problem fulfilling their quota for fresh troops. Why would this region be different?”
The Drill Master flushed under the intense scrutiny of the woman before him, wishing that it was the Commander and not himself in this position. He knew he could lie and hope to get out of trouble but he also knew the consequences of trying to deceive the woman. He bowed his head in shame.
“I have no excuse,” the man said.
“And you are lucky that you don’t,” the Conqueror said lifting the man’s chin with the tip of her sword which suddenly appeared in her hand. “If you ever attempt to lie to me I will not hesitate to make an example of you and your subordinates. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” the tall man nodded his head, his voice barely above a whisper and he watched as the woman turned her attention once more to the boy.
“Where is your family?”
Solan’s blue eyes met the intense gaze once more and he swallowed compulsively. The tall woman’s personality was more than he imagined it would be and he wondered now how he might ever be able to kill her. Her whole manner was as if she were a God and he wondered if she might be.
“They are all dead,” he finally managed to utter a hint of defiance in his voice.
“And where are those who are responsible for you?” the Conqueror could not help the frown that decorated her brow. “Do they know that you are here?”
“No,” the boy shook his head unable to meet the woman’s gaze.
The Conqueror sucked in her breath and looked once more at the Drill Master. She was of a mind to chastise him for his incompetence but decided instead to do it later when they were in private.
“What is their name so that they can be notified of your whereabouts?”
Solan hesitated. He had been raised by the Centaurs and he knew how much those half man, half equine creatures were disliked by the general population. If the truth got out it was likely he would be punished for his association with them.
“Tell her boy,” the Drill Master directed his barely controlled anger towards the boy by giving him a cuff on the shoulder. The punch hurt but the boy remained silent until he turned to look at the tall woman who was obviously still waiting for an answer. He allowed his eyes to become icy and his stance stiffened.
“His name is Kalipus and he is the leader of the Centaurs.”
Xena took an involuntary step backwards. It was like she had been delivered a physical blow and for a brief instant the mask on her face slipped revealing an emotion that she had kept buried for so long. But just as quickly the dour expression was back on her features and her face bland and without the whirling emotion that she was feeling.
“What is your name?” she demanded tersely already knowing the answer.
“Solan,” the boy said defiantly.
Xena stood stone faced in front of the boy, as she considered her next response. She had never expected her search to be so easy. She had never expected to find him as a member of her own Army.
She took the time now to look at the boy who had grown from the baby she had bore thirteen summers earlier. She had been too young than to have a child and too selfish to look after someone else. Even though she had loved the child from the first moment she had held him in her arms, she had known that because of who and what she was, she could not raise him as her own.
Thus she had made a deal with Kalipus to raise the child and in return the Centaurs would be guaranteed protection from all outside sources. They had honoured both parts of their agreement and out of respect the Conqueror had kept her distance from the child. But there had been a rare occasion when she had given into the maternal urge to see the child.
Several times when her armies had moved through the area she had slipped away to the Centaur village and standing hidden in the forest she had watched the little man child play with the other centaur children in the village. She had felt strong maternal instincts towards the boy but she had pushed them down, knowing that ignorance of his birthright was the best thing she could do for him.
She allowed her blue eyes to swallow him up now. She had often wondered during many a sleepless nights what he would look like, and if he had inherited her tall dark features or if he looked more like his deceased father Borias. Now she had all the answers and studying him thoroughly for the first time she could see a little bit of both of them in the child.
“Have a messenger sent to the Centaur village,” she said turning to address the Drill Master. “Tell their leader Kalipus that the boy Solan is here and now under the care of the Empress.”
“Yes,” the man bowed his head and motioned for his Sergeant to handle the matter. The soldier nodded and hurried off to ensure that the Conqueror’s request was taken care of.
Xena turned her attention back to the boy. He was average height for his age, about the same size as her partner Gabrielle, with corn coloured hair and bright blue eyes that matched her own. He had broad shoulders and she knew that in time he would grow to be a strong young man. She decided then that she would not miss those years.
“I am tired and in need of food,” she spoke abruptly directing her words to the Drill Master even though her eyes remained on the lad “My escort should be along shortly…ensure that they are also properly fed and housed. You follow me… and someone do something about that sleeping buffoon.”
Without another word the Conqueror turned on her heel and strolled in the direction of the army camp. Solan remained rooted to his spot. Though the woman had motioned him to follow he was undecided, uncertain that he wanted to spend time with the person whom he was going to kill. In the end it was the shove in the back from the Drill Master that got him moving.
“You better get going,” the older man growled roughly, grateful for the reprieve that he had unexpectedly received. For some reason the Conqueror was interested in the boy and he was not going to give the woman reason to get angry. He turned his attention to the sleeping soldier, disgust written across his face.
Solan followed the Empress uncertain what she wanted with him. Dawn was just cracking the sky and the camp was beginning to stir as soldiers rose to greet another morning. He was aware of the curious mixture of looks that he received and returned them defiantly.
Xena headed straight for the Commanders tent catching him still asleep in his cot and ignorant of the scene that had just taken place in his army camp. Solan watched with mixed emotions as the Conqueror went up to the pallet and unceremoniously dumped it over on its side spilling it’s occupant onto the ground.
“What in Hades is going on?” the Commander sputtered as he awoke on the cold floor of his tent.
“That is a question I posed earlier,” the Empress said bluntly and watched as the man on the floor looked up at her with wide and frightened eyes.
“My Conqueror,” he bowed his head respectfully before scrambling to his feet, attempting to remain dignified in spite of his nakedness. He was unable to prevent the colour from flushing his cheeks as pale blue eyes glanced coldly over his body. It was obvious by the stoic expression on her face that the woman was not impressed by his physical form.
“Get dressed and meet me in my tent,” she commanded and then spun on her heel and exited.
For a brief moment blue and grey eyes met and Solan could see the humiliation of the older man. He felt slightly sick, uncertain what power the tall woman had, that made grown men quake in fear. Without a word he spun around and followed the Conqueror across the main square of the camp.
The Empress proceeded him into the Command tent and he paused briefly inside wondering if he would find it as opulent as some of the soldiers had suggested. But the tent in which the Conqueror would be staying was ordinary, decorated simply with a cot, a table, a washtub and a few benches on which to sit. He stood uneasily at the door flap and watched the tall woman unsnap her armour and toss it on the floor. He had recognized the tattletale signs of blood on the metal and because he could see no wounds or injuries to the woman’s body he assumed that it belonged to someone else.
Xena turned to look at the boy, her blue eyes once again searching his face, memorizing each line and curve, feeling the unexpected love that only a mother could experience. For the first time in her life she didn’t know where to begin. Gabrielle would have known, the thought came unbidden to her mind, but she hastily chased any further thoughts of the bard away.
“You show signs of being a competent swordsman, who taught you?” She asked deciding to stick to a subject that was safe for her.
“Kalipus,” Solan answered uneasily, wondering why the Conqueror had singled him out. “But it is different training with the Centaurs than with the army.”
“It should be,” the Empress nodded and looked intently at the boy. He looked strong and healthy and showed none of the signs of abuse that often fell on recruits during training. “How do you enjoy army life?”
“It suits me fine,” the boy replied with as few words as he could.
“And is this the life you wish to choose for yourself?” the Conqueror wanted to know.
“For now,” the boy nodded.
“Then I will show you how to survive,” Xena said making a decision without giving thought to the consequences. “Go get some sleep and I will meet you out in the practice field late in the afternoon.”
Solan had not expected this friendly gesture and was uncertain about the woman’s motive. He had heard many things about the Conqueror but friendliness and kindness had never been included in any of those descriptions.
“Yes,” the boy nodded aware that he had been dismissed. He exited the tent as confused as he was when he entered. He was half way across the camp square when he was summoned by the camp Commander who by now had been apprised of the situation by the Drill Master.
“What did the Conqueror want?” he demanded of the boy worried about his own future.
“She was most unhappy with my training and wished to continue it herself,” Solan did not lie and the Commander looked at the boy incredulous not believing a single word the lad had spoken.
“Don’t lie to me,” the man snapped raising his hand to slap the boys cheek. He knew now what had happened and was certain that his interview with the Conqueror would determine his fate. He was paranoid enough to think that this boy might have tried to blame him in order to survive his own punishment.
“I’m not,” the boy replied steadily but the man wasn’t listening.
“Why don’t I believe that,” the older man snorted. “Maybe a few days in the prison cell with your friend will loosen your tongue. Take him to the gallows. Once I am finished with the Conqueror I want them both flogged.”
Solan tried to protest but his pleas went unheard as two burly soldiers grabbed him by the arms and escorted him to the gallows where he was thrown into a dark cell next to Joxer who was already occupying another of the cells.
Xena was almost to tired to deal with the upcoming situation. Too much was happening at once, so that she didn’t know how to deal with it emotionally. She had never been faced with so much personal turmoil, not since the day Lyceus died when she shut down her emotions. But as hard as she tried today she could not dismiss the pain.
She could not understand why Gabrielle had lied to her and continued to do so. It was not in the bard’s nature yet there was no other explanation for how the bard could be with child. To accept the idea that the baby was conceived by the God’s without human intervention was impossible for someone as practical as herself to believe. She sighed, the pain in her heart more incredible than any she had ever before experienced.
She had been hurt when Lyceus had died yet even that pain seemed to pale in comparison to the anguish she now experienced for Gabrielle had come to be everything to her. As before she determinedly pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind relieved when a knock came on the pole outside her tent. The Commander of the Camp entered at her summons.
The Empress stared at the nervous man for a long moment in silence. She pinned him with her steely blue eyes and noticed the sweat begin to form on his brow. She realized now that she had made some mistakes in her chain of command. She had killed to many able commanders so that all that were left were men like the one that stood before her. She suddenly longed for the old days when her General’s held a measure of contempt for her command.
“I am certain you have already been advised of this mornings incident,” the Empress began and the man bobbed his head.
“Yes, My Conqueror, the men involved are being punished as we speak,” the General replied certain that his actions would find favour with the tall woman.
“And what does that punishment entail?” Xena was curious.
“They are to be flogged and imprisoned for dereliction of duty,” the man announced proudly assuming the Empress would be pleased by his decision.
“You fool,” the Conqueror snapped angrily. “You punish those who are not responsible for their actions.”
“But,” the General sputtered astonished by the woman’s unexpected tirade. He watched with fear as the tall warrior paced around the small tent.
“But nothing,” the Empress growled. “It is the Drill Masters responsibly to make certain that the recruits are properly trained for the duties they perform and your duty to ensure that the Drill Master is doing his duty. Is the army here so bad that only fools and boys wish to join?”
The Commander had no response, his heart sinking into the pit of his stomach. Everything the Conqueror said was true. He knew better yet he had allowed both the boy and the fool Joxer to remain in training. He could have reassigned them but he had been desperate to fill his list of recruits. He bowed his head certain that he was about to face the very wrath he had wanted to avoid in the first place.
“You have no response for me?” the Conqueror wondered.
“No,” the man replied discovering a small hidden well of courage. He looked up and met the tall woman’s gaze. “I failed in my duty.”
Suddenly Xena felt drained, tired of the confrontations she had been enduring in the past long weeks. She looked at the man knowing that she would probably regret her decision to keep him alive and in command. But she was tired of fighting everyone and everything in her life.
“You are fortunate that I have other matters on my mind,” the Destroyer of Nations said in an icy voice. “I want you to commute their punishment. I will conduct a full inspection this afternoon. Whether you remain in command will be determined by what I find so if there is anything you need to do, you have a few candlemarks in which to do it. If I do not find everything to my satisfaction I will make you suffer their punishment. Is that clearly understood?”
The man nodded and hurried from the tent to do his own inspection to ensure that the Conqueror found no reason to meld out her punishment on him. He had no intention of feeling the tips of the whip upon his back.
It was late in the afternoon when Gabrielle and the rest of the escort party finally reached Potedaia. The bard looked around at the small farming community as they rode through the town gates. Nothing had changed in the village over the course of the many seasons she had been gone. She felt a measure of relief at being back to the place of her birth.
They rode through the square and headed to the far edges of the village where Herodatus and Hercuba lived with their youngest daughter, the small entourage making people on the street stop and stare. Gabrielle ignored the loud whispers and the pointing fingers. She knew what they were saying but she didn’t care. Instinctively her shoulders straightened and she sat taller in her saddle. She was proud to be known as the Conqueror’s lover and even if Xena never wanted to see her again, she would always carry the knowledge that for a while she had loved and been loved by the most wonderful woman in the world.
The party came to a halt outside the small hut that had once been her home. Before she was able to dismount her parents emerged from inside with Lila close on their heels. Herodatus stood in front of the others and watched silently as his oldest child strolled up towards them.
“What do you want?” he was blunt. He would never forgive her for taking up with a woman he hated.
“I have come to help celebrate Lila’s marriage,” Gabrielle said quietly.
“You weren’t invited and are not welcome,” the man snorted and was about to turn away when his youngest daughter stepped forward.
“I invited her. Linus and I both want her to help celebrate our marriage.”
Gabrielle smiled in appreciation at her younger sister. Lila had never stood up to their father before and it was nice that she was being strong now. Herodatus looked at his youngest child, an angry retort on his lips but one glance at his wife and he refrained from speaking. Instead he grunted his discontent before stalking off towards the barn.
“Gabby,” Lila waited only a short minute before closing the distance between them and enveloping her sister in a big hug. “I am so glad you came.”
“Thanks Lila, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” the bard whispered in her sister’s ear returning the embrace.
“Gabrielle,” a quieter voice interrupted the greeting and Lila released her sister so that the bard could go to their mother. Hercuba had missed her oldest daughter probably more than she had ever imagined she would.
“I missed you mom,” Gabrielle said quietly coming to a halt in front of the older woman.
“Then you should come home more often,” Hercuba chided the younger woman.
“I didn’t think it were possible,” the bard was honest as she glanced over her shoulder towards her father who was working on the fence near the barn. “I thought you felt the same as father.”
“I don’t agree with some of your decisions but you are still my daughter and I will always love you in spite of what you do,” Hercuba said softly and unable to stop the tears Gabrielle ran into her mothers arms and sobbed quietly.
“So tell us what you have been up to?” Lila pressed her sister later when they were sitting in the kitchen sharing a pot of herb tea.
“It’s been really hectic,” Gabrielle confessed before launching into a monologue of the events that had enveloped her life since her last visit to Potedaia. Lila and their mother sat quietly as the blonde woman wove her tale.
Both women could hear the love that filled the bard’s voice when she spoke of the Conqueror. Though neither could understand what it was that attracted the girl to the Empress, they had grown to accept the realization that there was nothing they could do. Only Herodatus held out any hope that he could change the situation.
“How come the Empress didn’t come with you?” Lila asked the obvious question when Gabrielle finally fell silent.
“We both assumed that you would not welcome her presence,” Gabrielle said with a weary smile.
“It is just as well,” Hercuba said finally as she rose from her chair. “I know your father isn’t happy with your presence but at least he doesn’t have to deal with that woman. That should make things slightly easier for him to tolerate. Where are you staying?”
“I will camp with the Amazon’s,” Gabrielle said.
“Nonsense, you are family, you will stay with Lila in your old room,” Hercuba announced with finality.
“What about father?”
“Let me worry about your father,” the older woman said and then bustled about the kitchen as she began to prepare the evening meal.
Cyrene could not shake the vision of the bard’s breaking heart as she had watched Xena ride away. It was strange how it so affected her, yet she felt the overwhelming need to do something to reason with her stoic daughter. To make her see that Gabrielle was worth forgiving. In spite of her own feelings she believed the bard was telling the truth.
“You’re nuts,” Toris was blunt when his mother told him what she was planning. “You have no clue where to find her.”
That was true enough but she knew Xena in spite of their separation. If she was right her daughter would retreat to comfortable surroundings which meant she would go to the nearest military camp. It was a place where Xena would be surrounded by familiar things, things that required no emotion. Things she could control.
“I don’t know why you want do this,” the man continued to argue.
“I know you don’t,” the older woman agreed quietly looking up at him with dull eyes. “Maybe some day when you have children of your own you will understand. Perhaps then you will truly know the importance of family.”
There was so much more that Cyrene could have said, but she knew that Toris would never understand. She could not tell her son that her attempt to reunite Gabrielle and Xena was just a small penance for the way she had treated her daughter so long ago. Now that the anger had gone she could see the situation more clearly.
“Well, at least allow me to accompany you, there are bandits on the road,” Toris sighed in resignation.
“No son, I need you to look after the tavern while I am gone,” Cyrene said grateful at the concern that her son expressed. “Joesus, has agreed to let me to accompany his two oldest sons when they go to deliver the monthly supplies to the army camp.”
Truth be told Cyrene had not formulated her plan until hearing that the two boys were about to leave on their monthly trip to the camp. It hadn’t taken much persuasion on for the old man to allow her to ride with his sons. Joesus, like the rest of the village folk, knew of the special protection the tavernkeeper was accorded because of her relationship to the Conqueror.
Toris gave in without further argument knowing that he would be unable to change her mind. His mother was a smart woman and he could trust the two young men to take care of her on the journey, yet he also knew that he would worry until she returned.
Gabrielle followed her sister through the village, listening as Lila prattled on non-stop, her green eyes taking in the festive decorations she had missed the previous day when she had arrived at the village. The wedding was a town celebration and as such everyone had taken an active part in colouring the village with ribbons and banners. Pots of freshly planted flowers were placed around the main square and a dais had been set up next to the main drinking well. Early tomorrow tables would be placed outside the various homes and after the marriage ceremony the whole town would join in the celebrations, dancing and eating until well after dark.
Tears misted her eyes as she allowed herself to briefly think of how she had once imagined her own future. Xena had promised to marry her, but had yet to do so and now she doubted that they would ever celebrate a union such as the one her sister was about to celebrate.
She shook her head unwilling to allow her own despair to overwhelm her. This was Lila’s moment and she would do nothing to spoil her sister’s happiness. Even her mother had been firm the previous evening in dealing with their father, who had adamantly voiced his displeasure at her presence. He had grumbled about the Amazon’s who had set up camp in his front yard and was only slightly placated when a party of hunters returned with a small cache of pheasants for their meal.
But she was unaccustomed to Lila’s stubbornness unaware that her own strength and determination to be with the Conqueror had inspired the girl to become more like the woman she admired the most, her older sister Gabrielle. Once shy and acquiescent, Lila now made all her own decisions.
“What’s wrong?” Lila asked after a long silence, aware that her sibling had not noticed that she had stopped talking.
“Nothing,” Gabrielle denied bringing her thoughts to the present. She glanced around and realized they had reached the meadow by the creek. They had come out to collect some fresh fall blooms for the bouquets that were to be placed on the dais during the wedding.
“Don’t give me that nothing bit,” Lila announced with determination. “I know when something is wrong. I promise I won’t tell mom or dad.”
It was true. She could trust Lila to keep her secrets. Gabrielle was silent, wondering what her family would say if they knew the truth. She could imagine the smug satisfaction her father would be feeling and the sympathetic but knowing look that her mother would give. But she was sure that Lila would be sympathetic.
“Did something happen between the Conqueror and you?” the younger woman asked astutely.
“Yes,” Gabrielle sighed and dropped to the ground. Before she could stop herself she was spilling out the story. Revealing the sad truth of what had happened and why.
“Pregnant!” Lila exclaimed in astonishment and joy. “That’s wonderful Gabrielle.” She had never thought that she would get to be an Aunt. She embraced her older sibling joyfully.
“Thank you,” the bard couldn’t help being affected by the other woman’s exuberance. But she quickly sobered.
“I take it Xena wasn’t as happy about the situation,” Lila surmised wisely.
“As the God’s of Olympus are my witnesses I have never been with a man. The only one who I have shared my body with is Xena.”
“Wow, she certainly is a woman of many skills,” the younger girl joked trying to lighten the mood.
“That’s the point,” Gabrielle sighed. “I don’t know how I got pregnant. There is only one explanation and she would not except it and really it is so far fetched I don’t know if I was in her place if I would either.”
“Give her time Gabby,” Lila said wisely. “Xena loves you. I think she just needs to be alone to realize how much she feels about you.”
“I wish I could be as certain,” the bard wasn’t convinced.
“Mark my words,” the younger girl continued optimistically. “I bet before you have a chance to leave here she will come to take you back to Corinth.”
Gabrielle laughed at her sister’s romantic notion. There was a time when she could have believed the same but too much had happened and she had grown to wise to know that sometimes love was not enough to keep a family together.
“I envy you,” the bard admitted wistfully catching her sister by surprise.
“Because for you this is all so simple,” Gabrielle sighed. “Nothing about Xena or our life is easy. We have been together nearly three summers and yet we haven’t lead anything close to a normal life. No sooner do we settle into the palace then some emergency pops up and we have to leave again. We continuously have to be careful because there is always someone with a grievance attempting to settle a score. Even those who are a part of her inner court can not be trusted.”
“Then perhaps this separation is for the best,” the younger woman counselled. “Perhaps it’s time for you to come home.”
Gabrielle smiled aware that any sane person would take the other woman’s advice, but she was beginning to believe that she might not be sane.
“Yeah,” she agreed quietly. “The sane thing to do would be to come home but the truth of the matter is my heart would never let me do that. For all her faults Xena is a wonderful woman. There are aspects of her personality that people wouldn’t believe. She is known as being violent and cruel but she can also be kind and tender, and very much a romantic.”
“Then what are you going to do?” Lila wanted to know.
“After the wedding I will return to Corinth,” the bard said knowing that she would try her hardest to make the Conqueror see reason. “Somehow I will convince Xena to take me back… that we can be a family, her, me and this baby.”
Lila smiled, knowing how stubborn and determined her older sibling could be. She knew that if Gabrielle wanted something she would get it, and privately she didn’t think that the Conqueror had an chance.
“You will have this Gabby,” the younger girl whispered knowing in her heart that it was true even though her sister was filled with doubt and uncertainty.
Xena was surprised and pleased by what she found. A thorough inspection of the Army camp revealed that it was orderly, well organized and smoothly run. A request for a military combat display was insightful and showed the Conqueror that in spite of some questionable judgment on the part of the Commander, the troops were skilled and more than competent in the art of hand to hand warfare. She credited it to the Drill Masters instruction and intense training regiment.
Her personal sparring lessons with Solan showed that the boy had inherited the strength and natural ability with the sword that both his parents possessed, though she had to wonder how much could be credited to his genes and how much was the result of Kalipus’ tutelage. She knew the Centaur leader was an accomplished and fierce warrior.
The boy was nimble on his feet and agile with his sword arm. He already knew more than the basic moves of a soldier though he made the same mistake as most of her opponents, attempting to use brute force instead of skill to disarm the opposition.
Solan swung his sword in the fashion that he had been taught. Though he showed a higher than normal proficiency with the weapon he found his skills sadly lacking in comparison to the tall dark woman he faced. No matter what move he tried, the Conqueror seemingly effortlessly countered it, sending him onto the ground more than once.
“Don’t try to force the sword,” Xena counselled as she parried another one of his attacks. She could feel the strength behind the blows but most of the strikes were made so that the majority of the force had been expended before the blow was actually struck. “Move the sword with your whole body and not just your arm.”
The boy nodded and attempted to follow her instructions but it was hard for him to concentrate with his anger so near the surface. Always in the back of his mind was the promise he had made to himself that he would kill this woman if he ever had the chance. He had thought the task would be difficult to accomplish yet here he found himself sparring as part of his new daily military exercises. In spite of his desire to inflict a fatal injury to the Conqueror he found it impossible to penetrate her defenses.
“Enough for today,” Xena said after she sent the boy stumbling onto his backside for the umpteenth time. She hadn’t even broken a sweat but she could see that the boy was tiring. There were beads of perspiration forming across his brow. She sheathed her sword into the scabbard on her back and held out her hand to help the boy up.
For a long time Solan stared at the extended appendage and then at the dark haired woman who towered over him. For all intense purposes she was unarmed and he knew that this might be his only chance to exact revenge. He allowed her to help him to his feet and then watched as she turned her back.
Xena had not survived this long with as many enemies as she had without being able to read people. She had sensed something in the boy when they sparred, it was more than a simple exercise and he had been unable to hide his emotions. Thus when she felt the air around her move she was ready.
She swung around as the sword came down, using the leather bracer on her arm to deflect the brunt of the blow as she knocked the blade aside. In the next motion she spun out her leg and knocked his legs out from under him, the sword in his hand flipped into the air to be caught negligently by an empty hand which automatically spun it around and brought it down, the tip of the metal pressing into his throat under his chin. Glittering blue eyes stared harshly into sullen blue orbs that matched her own.
“You will have to do much better than that if you want to kill me,” the Empress said her lips curling into a mock sneer. She lifted the blade and looked at the nicks in the metal. “And it will take more than this piece of crap.” She tossed the sword aside and held her hand out to him.
The boy stared at the extended limb, aware that the woman could have killed him. Others had been sent to Hades for lesser infractions and he had been certain that she would have impaled him for his feeble attempt on her life. He rose to his feet with her assistance.
“Aren’t you going to kill me?” he asked with a defiance that made the tall woman smirk. It was a memory of a younger self.
“I don’t kill children,” she snorted and turned on her heel.
“You should kill me,” he challenged her back. “Because I will only try to kill you again.”
“Get in back of the line,” Xena laughed without amusement as she continued to walk off the practice field.
“I hate you,” Solan yelled childishly and this time the woman paused to glance over her shoulder at him.
“So does most of your countrymen,” she replied in a soft voice, pushing down the strange feelings of hurt that surfaced at his claim. She turned away from the boy.
“My Empress, what do you wish for me to do with the boy?” Zenon asked quietly as the Conqueror strolled passed him. He had been witness to the attempted assassination.
“Keep an eye on him,” Xena said without explanation. “I want him to accompany us when we return to Corinth.”
“And the punishment for attacking you?” the Captain of the Royal Guard asked barely able to mask his surprise at this unexpected revelation. He knew how complicated the Empress was but he considered the boy extremely lucky to still have his head attached to the rest of his body.
“Think of something that won’t hurt him, but will make him think twice before he tries anything as foolish as that again.”
“Yes, My Conqueror,” the soldier nodded his head before turning his attention to the lad who was standing alone in the middle of the practice field.
Xena strolled passed the Camp Commander who looked at the Drill Master briefly before hurrying to catch up to the tall woman. He had witnessed the boy’s attempt to harm the Conqueror and was fearful that she would focus the blame on him.
“I will have him punished for his insubordination,” the General declared in a nervous voice.
“My Royal Guard will take care of the matter,” she replied in a cold voice and paused to look at the man her intense blue eyes boring into him. “I cannot hold you responsible for what goes on in another’s mind, just as I am pleased to note that my first impression of the camp and my fears have been allayed. The lad is merely a child, his thoughts obviously influenced by others. Those are the ones that you should worry about and not the children whom they press to do the dirty work.”
“I will have my Lieutenants conduct a thorough investigation into the matter,” the General promised.
“You do that,” the Conqueror nodded and then strolled off leaving the men in her wake.
Xena was relieved to be alone in the privacy of her tent. She unclipped her armour, tossing it onto the floor before slumping onto the cot and burying her head in her hands. She had not even noticed the slight trail of blood that was on her arm just above her bracer. It wasn’t the pain of her injury that hurt, but the knowledge that the boy hated her. She wondered what she had done to instil such hatred in her son.
She leaned back, resting her weary head on the pillow and closed her eyes. She was tired, both mentally and physically. In the few days that she had been in the camp she had not gotten any sleep, her thoughts allowing her no peace. She had hoped that through time she would be able to befriend the boy yet his actions showed how naive those thoughts were. She didn’t know how to handle the situation.
Gabrielle would know what to do about Solan, the thought came unbidden to her mind only to be summarily dismissed. The bard wasn’t around and that realization only caused another rift of pain to drive through her heart.
“Why does everything have to be so complicated?” she asked out loud to herself.
“It’s only as complicated as you make it,” a voice answered and in an instant Xena was on her feet staring at the older woman standing just inside the tent.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you,” Cyrene said bluntly as she glanced around the barren room spotting a stool in a corner. “Do you mind if I have a seat, the ride was rather odious and I am not as young as I used to be.”
“Certainly,” Xena nodded and then hurried to retrieve the stool from the far wall and put it next to her mother. She waited until the woman settled onto it before speaking again. “What are you doing here?”
Cyrene looked up at her tall daughter. As always the younger woman was surrounded by a nervous energy that radiated off her in waves. A closer look at the girl’s face showed the shadows under those pale blue eyes and the weary lines that were etched into the corners of those startling orbs.
“When was the last time you got any sleep?” the older woman asked ignoring the earlier question.
“I don’t know,” Xena shrugged impatiently. If the truth was known she hadn’t gotten a proper nights rest since before Gabrielle was poisoned. Since she had left Amphipolis four days earlier she had not managed to even lay down for a few candlemarks rest. “Does it matter?”
“Certainly it does,” the Innkeeper said her grey eyes staring at her daughter. “Gabrielle is pregnant she will need your help now more than ever.”
“No!” the Conqueror hissed through her teeth. Anyone else would have known that the Empress wanted to drop the subject and they would have done so but Cyrene was not bound by the ordinary rules.
“No Xena, it’s time for you to listen,” she interrupted. The Empress was about to argue but clamped her lips shut and waited for the older woman to continue. Cyrene took a deep breath, what she had to say next would be hard for the both of them.
“I haven’t been a good mother, and you have a right to be upset at me for the way I treated you, but even though I may have been angry with you, I never stopped loving you, caring about you, worrying that you were all right.”
Xena was silent as she stared at the older woman. As with everyone she searched her face to try and understand why she was saying these things but she was only able to see genuine concern in the older woman’s features. She sighed and slumped back onto the cot.
“Why are you here?” the Conqueror said in a weary voice feeling for a moment overwhelmed by all the things happening in her life.
“I saw what happened between Gabrielle and you…,” Cyrene began but was rudely interrupted as the Empress jumped to her feet again.
“Why do you think that?” the Innkeeper asked.
“Because what she says is impossible.”
“And you know this for a fact?” the older woman challenged. “Do you know without a doubt that there wasn’t some divine intervention that gave Gabrielle your child?”
“My child,” the Conqueror snorted in disdain.
“Those else could it be?” Cyrene asked and when no answer was forthcoming she decided to change her appeal. “Has Gabrielle ever lied to you? Has there ever been one time when she denied you the truth?”
The Innkeeper didn’t know what had passed between the two women but she was certain she knew the bard and she would bet her life that Gabrielle would never lie to her daughter. The small blonde woman was the most genuine and caring woman that she had ever had the fortune to meet and she was grateful that the bard had chosen her daughter to love.
Xena remained silent. It was only three summers ago that they had met yet it seemed like the bard had been in her life forever. Gabrielle had always been honest with her regardless of what the consequences might be. Brilliant blue eyes turned to look at the older woman.
“If the child is the product of the God’s intervention, then why don’t they just tell me?” the Empress wanted to know.
“Perhaps to tell you the truth would defeat the purpose of the reason they are giving you this child,” Cyrene sighed.
“Why can’t I get a simple yes or no answer?” The Empress demanded in frustration. Everything had been going so well and she had been happy for the first time in so many years. Now it seemed that it was all an illusion.
“Sometimes the simplest answer would leave you with doubt,” Cyrene replied softly. “If you look inside your heart you would know the truth and it wouldn’t matter how the child inside Gabrielle was conceived.”
It was the truth, and Xena knew that, but she wasn’t ready to accept the truth. She wanted to hang onto her anger, because to accept anything else would mean that she had lost control; of her life and everything she believed in. The weariness invaded her body causing her to slump to the cot and bury her head in her hands.
“I don’t know what to believe,” the Conqueror sighed.
“Yes, you do Xena,” the Innkeeper scolded the Empress. “You are just unwilling to accept the truth, because you know if you do, you would be giving yourself over to her completely, to someone else, and you have never done that with anyone have you? You have allowed others to share your bed and parts of your life but you have never allowed anyone complete access to your love, not since Lyceus.”
Xena remained silent. It was a truth that she had not wanted to acknowledge. She had given herself to Gabrielle but she had still held something back, that last remaining vestige of trust that would give the bard complete control over her.
“She will hurt me,” the Conqueror murmured softly.
“You must know by now that Gabrielle would never purposefully hurt you,” Cyrene chided the warrior.
“Then why do I feel this way now?” The Empress demanded to know.
“Because your pride won’t let you believe something which you don’t understand,” the Innkeeper said simply. “Sometimes Xena we just have to believe even if we don’t understand. Do you not believe that Gabrielle loves you?”
“I used too,” the Warrior admitted.
“And this makes you doubt the truth?”
Xena was silent as she contemplated those words of wisdom and the older woman felt a small triumphant. She could see that her words had gotten through to her stoic daughter.
“Gabrielle is who she seems,” the Innkeeper said softly. “If you looked deep into your heart you would know the truth.”
The Empress knew what her mother said to be true. She looked across the room and for the first time saw the weary lines that graced the older woman’s face.
“When was the last time you had something to eat?”
“Sunrise,” Cyrene said honestly.
“Come,” the Conqueror ushered the woman out of the tent towards the meal hut. Only once she had seen that her mother had eaten and been settled in for a nap did she grab Argo and take the warhorse out for a ride. Before long she found herself in the meadow by the waterfall where Gabrielle and her had spent their first evening together, talking and getting to know one another. She sat down on that same rock and stared out into the valley below.
It would have been easy for the God’s to tell her the truth yet what her mother had said was also true. Search your heart, Cyrene had said and she did that now, yet the only things she could feel was the pain and the love she felt for the bard. It was in that overwhelming conflict of emotion that she finally found her answer and for the first time since Lyceus’ death she wept, giving control of her life away to another.
Gabrielle felt tears in her green eyes as she watched her younger sister stand on the dais next to the young merchant. She wept freely and cheered along with the rest of the villagers when the Mayor declared the pair husband and wife. The town erupted into a celebration which carried on late into the evening, long after the newlywed couple had retired to the local Inn for the night.
The bard retired not long afterward the couple departed. She lay in bed, in the room that she had once shared with her sister. The sounds of the ongoing festivities drifted in through the open windows as she stared up at the ceiling through the darkness that surrounded her.
She knew that with Lila’s wedding over she had to make a decision on what to do next. Yet she also knew that there was only one course of action. She would return to Corinth and talk to Xena and try to make her understand the truth.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought about the Conqueror. She had never felt so lonely as she had since Xena had ridden out of Amphipolis that day. Her heart had felt like it had been ripped out of her chest yet she had faith in her tall dark warrior. She hoped that it was not misplaced.
The next morning the Amazon Queen found her escort a little worse for wear. Once convinced that their intentions were honourable, the villagers had embraced the small party of Warriors and if she was right in her assumption at least one and possibly two connections had been made between members of her escort and the single young men in the hamlet.
She found Eponin sitting alone on the porch where she had spent the night. The bard settled next to the Weapon’s Master, casually glancing at the mug that was in the warriors hand. It was a foul looking mixture and a smile tugged at the corners of the Queen’s lips as she recognized the smell as a herb tea the Amazon’s regularly used to treat the effects of a hangover.
“Good morning Eponin, how are you this fine day?” she greeted the taller woman with a smirk.
“Fine, Your Highness,” the Weapon’s Master mumbled trying hard to ignore the insistent pounding in her head.
“Good to hear,” Gabrielle allowed the smile to grace her features. “I take it you and the rest of the Amazon’s enjoyed themselves last night?”
“Yes, My Queen,” Eponin nodded slightly and glanced sideways at her companion. “It was nice of your sister and her husband to invite us to join them. The way the whole town celebrated, it was like being back at the Amazon village.”
“Yes,” the bard nodded her head and gazed out over the town which was slowly waking after a long night of partying. “If there was one good thing about the travel restrictions that used to be enforced, it was that the town became like one big family. You got to know your neighbours and everyone shared in everyone else’s joys and sorrows.”
The Amazon nodded. It was hard to believe that there once was a time when people were not allowed to travel freely around the country. It seemed like a lifetime ago yet it was only three short summers since the Queen had come into the Empress’ life and started to change the world. She glanced at the woman seated beside her.
For all intents purposes the Queen looked like she was without a care in the world, but it was an illusion. It was only when one looked into the green eyes and saw the sadness there that they knew it was a lie. She knew the young woman was hurting even though she was going on as if nothing in the world was wrong.
“So what’s the plan?” she asked, broaching a subject that nobody had dared bring up since they had departed Amphipolis.
“I guess everyone is anxious to go home,” Gabrielle sighed the smile on her face disappearing.
“We go where you go,” the Weapon’s Master declared not wavering in her devotion to her Queen. “Have you decided what you want to do?”
“I haven’t been here for a long time so I thought now that all the excitement was over I would spend some time with my family.”
“And then?” the Amazon prompted her brown eyes glued to the other woman.
“Then we go back to Corinth and hope that I will be able to get close enough to the Conqueror to explain and make her see reason,” Gabrielle sighed.
“Do you think that is wise?” Eponin questioned the other woman’s decision.
“I don’t know,” the Queen said in a heavy voice. “My head says that it is crazy for me to think that Xena will listen to anything I have to say, but my heart wants to believe.”
“Well, you have always trusted your heart before,” the Amazon warrior said softly knowing that it was the truth. She had seen the young Queen act on her feelings and had been rewarded for her unending kindness.
“Yes,” Gabrielle nodded with a half-smile. “I fear though that one of these times my heart will mislead me.”
“No,” Eponin shook her head vigorously and then groaned at the pounding that it stirred inside her brain. “Do not be afraid my Queen, you have the best instincts of anyone I know. Your heart led you to the Conqueror and I think it will lead you back together.”
“I hope so,” the bard sighed. “So what have you got planned for the Amazon’s this morning?”
The Weapon’s Master knew that the bard wished to change the subject and so launched into a short dialogue of how she would be sending the escort on another hunting party. Though her leg was healing, it would be many more days yet before she would be able to remove the splint and join her sisters.
By the time Xena returned to the camp, she knew what she had to do. She advised Zenon of her plans sending the man into a hurried preparation for their journey. They would be escorting her mother back to Amphipolis before continuing on to Potedaia. The Captain of the Guard was glad, for he knew that the Empress was only a shell of a person without the bard. He had no desire to see the Destroyer of Nations return.
Solan was confused by the order he received. He had thought that he would be sent back to the Centaurs but it appeared that he was supposed to accompany the Conqueror and her entourage. He was given a horse from the camp’s stable and told that it was now his responsibility.
Three days later the small military entourage neared the small village of Potedaia. They had dropped Cyrene back at Amphipolis, staying only for a meal before continuing on their journey. Xena was anxious to see the small woman and didn’t want to waste time. They rode hard reaching their destination late in the afternoon.
The Conqueror remembered from her previous visit where Gabrielle’s parents resided. She lead the small party through the centre of the town towards where Herodatus and Hercuba lived. She hoped that the bard was still there and was relieved when she saw the small Amazon camp next to the house.
Solan remained mute throughout the trip, his sullen blue eyes observing every detail of his new commander, the Conqueror. If he were to succeed in killing her, he would have to know her vunerabilities. He didn’t know why they had come to this farming community and no one had thought to explain. In the few days he had been a part of this company he had learned that the soldiers were unfailingly loyal to the Emperor. At first he thought it was the result of fear but he soon learned it was out of respect for her as a Commander. The realization left him confused.
Xena slid off her horse and passed the reigns to Zenon who would wait outside with the others. She paused for a moment and allowed her intense blue eyes to survey the outer walls of the small house in which Gabrielle’s parents lived. She knew that she could offer them something more, but in the same thought she knew that the proud couple would never accept anything from her. She was well aware of their hatred. From the corner of her eye she noticed the Amazon Weapon’s Master approach.
“How is she?” the Conqueror asked without preamble.
“She tries to be herself but there is something missing in her,” Eponin was honest. The Empress contemplated this revelation feeling a slight hope that Gabrielle was missing her.
“Have they treated her well?”
“Yes,” the Weapon’s Master was honest, aware that the Conqueror would expect nothing less. “I think her father knows that he would pay dearly if he tried to do anything to harm her.”
“He certainly would,” the Empress nodded and realizing that she could waste no more time she squared her shoulders and marched firmly across the distance, taking the front steps in one long stride. She rapped her knuckles against the door and then waited, hoping that she would not be rejected. She had never felt more afraid of anything in her life.
“Gabrielle would you get that?” Hercuba asked turning briefly from the shelves to look at her daughter who was seated at the kitchen table watching her father fix a leather harness.
“Yes,” the small blonde woman nodded and stood up to do her mother’s bidding. She secretly hoped that it was only a neighbour come to visit. She was tired of fending off the young men whom her father insisted on inviting over after his daily visits to the local tavern. The man could not understand that she was only interested in the one person who held her heart so completely.
She plastered on a false smile and then opened the door her green eyes popping wide open at the sight of who was standing on the other side of the threshold. She had hoped, and dreamed that her lover would come for her, but she had almost resigned herself to the fact that the Conqueror would never be able to accept the truth. Xena was a proud woman and the last thing she had expected was for the proud woman to come for her.
“Xena what are you doing here?” Gabrielle was delighted to see her lover but surprised by the tall woman’s sudden appearance.
“I have come to get you,” the Conqueror said simply and saw the pained expression cross her small partner’s face.
“I know we have some things to talk about,” the Empress cut the other woman’s words off, glancing over her slender shoulder to the older couple. Hercuba had moved across the room to stand next to her husband. She could see the man glowering in her direction and the concerned expression on the older woman’s face. She glanced back down at her lover. “But first I need too talk to your parents.”
Gabrielle was confused but she did not stop her lover as Xena stepped into the small house and strolled up to her father. Herodatus stood up, unwilling to allow the tall woman’s presence to intimidate him.
“What is it you want?” the man asked in a stern voice not hiding his dislike.
It was an uncomfortable moment and Xena shifted uneasily on her feet. She was the most powerful person in the Empire and yet she felt like the small village girl that she had once been. She glanced nervously at the older woman before turning her attention once more to the man.
“Well what is it?” Herodatus demanded impatiently. Though he knew that his insolence could be rewarded with a swift blow from the tall woman’s sword, he was not afraid. It was as if he instinctively knew that he was protected by his daughters alliance with the woman.
The Empress took a deep breath and counted to ten to allow the sudden surge of anger that filled her to subside. She was the Empress and she could easily make him pay for his insolent manner yet she knew at the same time that she would never do anything to hurt the man all to aware of her lover who was standing hesitantly at the door waiting for the scene to unfold.
“I would like to ask your permission to take Gabrielle’s hand in marriage,” she said in a rush, getting the words out before she changed her mind. She didn’t have to ask for this man’s consent but she wanted to do it right. She heard three gasps and they all measured a verying degree of surprise, hesitation and anger.
“Are you serious?” Herodatus wasn’t certain he had heard the woman correctly.
“Yes,” Xena nodded her dark head.
“Xena you don’t have to do this,” Gabrielle rushed to her tall lover’s side, gently putting a hand on the other woman’s forearm to get her attention. A dark head turned and blue eyes gazed into soft green orbs.
“Have you changed your mind?” the Conqueror asked quietly, her heart pounding erratically in her chest. She had never really considered the fact that Gabrielle might change her mind. But perhaps her actions had given the girl reason to reconsider her feelings.
“No,” green eyes misted with tears as Gabrielle saw in the Conqueror’s blue eyes all the love and hope that she had ever wanted to see from the woman.
“Then I have to do this,” Xena replied in the same soft tones as she gently placed a larger hand over the girl’s. She smiled faintly and then turned her attention once more to the man who was standing silently witness to the scene. There was an angry expression on his face.
“I would like your permission to marry Gabrielle,” she repeated her earlier request, her voice now more confident then it had ever been, her shoulders straightening with reassurance.
“Does it make a difference what I want?” the man asked bluntly.
“Not to me,” the Empress was honest, “but it does to Gabrielle.”
“And if I refuse?” Herodatus asked.
“I will marry Xena anyway,” Gabrielle said facing her father and not caring what kind of wrath her answer evoked. The fact that Xena still wanted her even after everything they had been through made her realize just how much the stoic woman cared. There was a long moment as the man looked at the appeal in his daughters eyes. He knew that she wanted him to give his permission but he was loath to do so.
“It’s not right,” he said making his feelings known once more. “Gabrielle should be joined with someone who can give her a normal life, a man who can give her children. With you her life will be nothing but turmoil and she will always be looking over her shoulder to see who might be next to try and kill her.”
“I am not afraid of the danger my position as consort will put me in,” the small blond bard answered her fathers misgivings. Brown eyes met green for a moment and the man saw that his daughter was sincere. He turned his attention once more on the older woman.
“If you love my daughter you would not want to put her in that position.”
“I will protect her with my life,” Xena stated simply, meaning every word.
“And what of children?” Herodatus wanted to know, disgust evident on his face. “Do you wish to deprive her of the joy of being a mother?”
There was silence for a moment and Xena felt a brief tug on her arm. She glanced down at her lover and for a long moment green and blue eyes met in an understanding exchange. The Conqueror knew what the girl was asked and she nodded her head, giving the woman permission to reveal the truth.
“Thank you,” Gabrielle whispered to her partner before turning to face her father, including her mother this time. “Dad, Mom, you don’t have to worry about that, Xena and I are going to be parents.”
“How?” the man demanded to know feeling a measure of frustration as the realization that there was nothing he could say to persuade his daughter not to join with this woman. “Are you going to steal some child or adopt an abandoned orphan? That is not the same as having your own child Gabrielle.”
“I know Dad,” the small blonde said and then took a deep breath glad for the comforting hand that she suddenly felt on the small of her back and the lazy reassuring circles that it was making. “Xena and I are going to have our own children.”
“How?” the man repeated his earlier question.
“Don’t ask me how because I don’t know if you would understand, I don’t think we even understand how it happened but,” the bard said softly glancing at her partner for one last reassuring look before revealing the secret. “Xena and I are already expecting a child.”
“What?” the man was astonished by the announcement.
“Gabrielle are you saying…” her mother spoke for the first time and the bard glanced at her parent and nodded.
“Yes, mother, I’m pregnant,” the small woman confirmed the truth.
“Then you should be with the father,” Herodatus decided adamantly.
“She will be,” Xena said succinctly placing a protective arm across her lover shoulders, her blue eyes latching onto the man’s gaze. Brown eyes widened in shock as it occurred to him what the woman was implying.
“That’s impossible…. you can’t be….” he sputtered.
“I know it sounds unusual…” Gabrielle tried to explain.
“It’s impossible!” the man retorted, not believing what they were trying to tell him.
“Perhaps normally,” the Conqueror conceded in a soft voice, her blue eyes embracing her lover. “but it seems we had some help from the God’s.”
Gabrielle’s heart nearly pounded out of her body it was beating so hard. She could not believe what she was hearing yet the truth was in the sincere look that the tall woman gave her. Xena truly believed what she was saying.
“No…” the man shook his head unable to believe what he was hearing.
“You see why it is so important that I marry Gabrielle,” Xena spoke again, her piercing blue eyes pinning the man firmly in place. “I will not allow our child to be born a bastard.”
“It will always be a bastard because of who you are,” the man retorted before he realized what he was saying. He heard the quick intake of breath but he was captured by the gaze of intense blue eyes so that he could not turn to see who had gasp. He was aware of the flare of nostrils as the woman before him struggled to remain in control of her temper.
“You deserved to be killed for your insolence,” the Conqueror said taking a half step towards the man, ready to do him physical harm, but she felt the soft touch of her lover’s hand on her bare forearm and stopped. She counted to ten and reigned in her emotions. “Once again you owe your life to your daughter, for if it were not for her, you would surely be dead.”
Gabrielle winced at the harshness of her companion’s words. She knew that she should be afraid for her father but she was also aware that Xena would never hurt the man regardless of how badly he behaved. The Conqueror treated her family as if they were her own and they would be once they were joined.
“Father!” Gabrielle turned pleading eyes on her parent hoping for some concession from the man, hoping that he might see as Lila and her mother did how much she loved the Conqueror.
“No, Gabrielle,” the man refused to back down, his brown eyes meeting the Conqueror squarely. “I refuse to give my permission for you to marry my daughter, though I doubt it will matter much what my opinion is. What you do to my child is an abomination and I want no part of it. I will not consent too continue to have her corrupted by you and though I don’t suppose I will be able to do anything more than to express my feelings, know that your union will never get my blessing.”
Gabrielle reacted with a pained expression at her father’s words. She turned appealing green eyes towards her mother who remained silent, unwilling to go against her husband’s wishes. Her heart was filled with sadness.
“So be it,” Xena said abruptly. She had done her best to bridge the gap. There was only one more thing she could do for the sake of her lover. “Let it be known that I will marry your daughter even though you oppose our union.” There was a slight pause. “However, I hope that you can reconsider your decision for the sake of the daughter you say you love, and because I do love her, I extend an invitation to our joining ceremony which is to take place in the capital two full moons from now.”
“We will not be there,” Herodatus stated simply and the Conqueror nodded her head and glanced at her companion.
“Gabrielle?”
“Yes,” the bard agreed knowing that it was time to leave. “I just need a moment alone with my parents.”
“I will be waiting outside for you.” Xena nodded. Then without another word she turned and strolled out of the house and down the road to where her escort was waiting.
Gabrielle watched her lover’s abrupt departure before turning to face her parents for what she felt would probably be the last time. It hurt in her heart but she knew that it was her destiny to be with Xena, to live at her side until it was time for their lives to end.
“Gabrielle….” this time her mother tried to appeal to the girl’s common sense.
“No,” the bard put up her hand to silence the entreaty. She looked at them with a direct gaze, her voice unwavering when she spoke. “I know you don’t understand this and probably you never will, but my life is with Xena.”
“How can it be?” the man wanted to know. “How can you stand to be with the butcher of Cirra?”
“I love her,” was the simple answer. “Don’t ask me to explain it because I can’t, except to say that she is my life, the very air that I breathe and without her I could not live.”
“But she hurt you,” her mother protested. “I know what you say, but when you came here I could see the hurt in your eyes and I know she was the cause of that.”
“Yes,” the bard did not deny the truth. “Xena did hurt me but the fact that she came here today and asked for your permission to marry me spoke volumes about the way she truly feels for me.”
“And how is that?” Herodatus wanted to know. In his mind his daughter would only ever be a sex slave to the hated Destroyer of Nations and when the Conqueror grew tired of taking that pleasure then she would move on too another to satisfy her appetite and their daughter would be left to fend for herself.
“We had a disagreement,” Gabrielle said choosing her words carefully not willing to explain exactly what had gone on between Xena and herself. “But things are better now.”
“Do you really think so?” Herodatus asked angrily.
“Yes,” the bard nodded her head with absolute assurance, realizing then just what had just taken place. Her stubborn companion for whatever reason had changed her mind. She was suddenly impatient to talk to the tall woman.
“I know by her presence here today just exactly how much she really loves me. It was only reinforced by her asking for your permission to marry me. By the Gods, she is the Empress, she doesn’t have to ask anyone for anything and for her to come here today and ask you knowing what your answer would be just shows me how much she cares.”
“I don’t believe it,” Herodatus continued not to be persuaded and that notion saddened his daughter.
“I know,” Gabrielle sighed. “I hope some day you might change your mind. Xena is a wonderful woman and nothing like the person you think she is.”
“Did her army not destroy Cirra?”
“Did she not lay siege to all of Greece and rule it with an iron fist?” the man continued. “Is your memory so short that you have forgotten that until two summers ago it was impossible for us ordinary folks to even travel to the next village without her permission.”
“No I haven’t forgotten,” the bard shook her head.
“Then how can you stand there and continue to defend her as if she were some misguided young woman.”
“Nor is she simply the murderer that you assume her to be,” the small blonde woman said. “It’s more complicated than you imagine and when I first met her I was of the same opinion as you but Xena isn’t like that. I can’t defend her actions and what she did because I know that she did some horrible things, but I love her and I have been given the unique position of being able to see the whole person, the animal that has reigned over Greece for so long and the wonderful woman that is buried beneath, and it’s that woman that I love.”
“What happens when she becomes again the murderess bitch that made her the Conqueror?” Herodatus wanted to know.
“Xena will never become that person again,” Gabrielle said with a confidence that came from deep in her heart. It was a confidence born of the knowledge of who her lover really was and how much the Destroyer of Nations had changed.
“I don’t know but I am,” she shrugged and allowed her hand to rest on the flat of her belly, noticing for the first time that it had begun to swell. “And with the birth of our child she will change even more. You will see.”
“Umpf,” Herodatus snorted in difference to his daughter’s opinion. “Have you thought about the baby and what kind of life it will have to endure living with that woman?”
“I know you won’t believe me but this child will be the most loved and cherished baby in the Empire and not because I am it’s mother,” the bard knew in her heart that to be the truth.
“I hope you are right dear,” Hercuba said her heart aching as only a mother’s could as she watched her daughter prepare to leave.
“I love you but I belong next to Xena,” Gabrielle said finally bringing any further discussion to an end. The bard turned to leave, her heart heavy as she knew that this might be the last time she would see her family. She paused with her hand on the door, intending to make one last appeal, after all they were her parents, they were her family.
“I know that you can’t give your blessing to our union but if you could see it in your hearts to put aside your differences I really would like you to come to Corinth for our joining. I want you to know your grandchild that I am carrying. I want it to know it’s family and from where it came.”
“We can’t do that,” Herodatus said slamming the door on any further contact.
“If that’s the way you feel but know that you will always be welcome in our home,” Gabrielle said and then with nothing left to say she turned and made a hasty departure her eyes filled with moisture.
Xena glanced up at the sight of her lover. She had begun to grow impatient waiting for the bard and had begun to worry that Gabrielle’s parents were being successful in persuading her to stay with them. Not that the bard didn’t have a legitimate reason not to, after the way she had treated her. The Empress knew that they had to discuss what happened at the first possible moment.
Blue eyes narrowed intently on the small blonde and her face tightened at the sight of the tear tracks on the girl’s flushed cheeks. Her back stiffened and her first instinct was to march into the older couples house and demand to know what they had done to the bard but she reigned in her instincts.
“Gabrielle?” she left the rest unspoken and the bard glanced at her with a sad smile.
“It’s all right,” she hastened to assure the tall dark haired woman, aware of how protective the Conqueror was towards her and her feelings. “They didn’t touch me. It was their words that hurt mostly.”
Xena was silent not sure what to say. She knew of Gabrielle’s love for her parents and it genuinely hurt her that the older couple could not see that her daughter was happy. Though they could not be happy for their child, the Empress thought they at least could accept the girl’s decision without making her so miserable. She glanced at the escort who were waiting patiently for her orders to begin the journey back to the capital.
“Gabrielle, we need to talk,” she said instead knowing that the others would have to wait. She needed to say her peace before they took one more step along their journey.
“Xena can it wait,” the bard implored not certain she was capable of enduring another emotional scene.
“No,” the Conqueror shook her head even though she was aware of her lover’s feelings. “There are a few things I need to say to you, things I need you to know.”
“Okay,” the bard merely nodded her head and then allowed the older woman to lead her away from the escort to a pile of rocks at the corner of the family property. They settled onto the boulders flat surface and sat for a long moment in silence as Xena gathered her thoughts in order.
“After everything that happened between us perhaps I was a bit presumptuous to ask your father’s permission to marry you. I am not even certain that you still want to be with me.”
“Xena.”
“No,” the Conqueror held up one hand to silence the bard. She needed to say what she felt in her heart. She needed the bard to know the truth. “I want you to know everything Gabrielle. I need you to know.”
“Okay,” the small woman nodded and fell silent.
“When you told me that you were pregnant I was both excited and upset,” the Empress confessed admitting nothing that the bard didn’t already know. “More than anything I wanted you to get pregnant, to know what it was like to bear a child and to be a mother. That was the reason I tried to set you up with Jason.”
“I know,” the bard nodded sympathetically and the Empress took another deep breath before continuing.
“In spite of that I was nervous about you being with someone else, afraid that you might no longer find me interesting,” Gabrielle was about to protest but once again the Conqueror held up her hand. “It was my own insecurities I know, yet when you told me that you hadn’t been with Jason and longed only to be with me I was ecstatic. Then when you told me you were pregnant all my feelings suddenly came crashing down because I thought that you, the one and only person that I truly trusted, had lied to me.”
Gabrielle remained quiet, her heart aching with sadness as she remembered the emotional scene they had shared and the devastated look on the Empress’ face when she had finally revealed the true nature of her reoccurring illness.
“It wouldn’t have mattered to me if you had been with Jason, but it hurt that you had lied to me,” Xena continued wanting to get all her feelings out into the open. “You see I narrowly believed that there was only one way to get pregnant.”
“And you think differently now?” asked holding her breathe and wondering what had made her lovely partner change her mind. Briefly she wondered if one of the God’s had intervened.
“Yes,” the Conqueror nodded her dark head unable to look at her companion. “When I was staying at the army camp I had plenty of time to think and I realized that never once in the entirety of our relationship have you ever lied to me, even that very first time we met when we were complete strangers you were bluntly honest.
“It was than that I realized I had no basis in which to think that you would lie to me now because you had no reason too. I had tried to set you up with Jason for this purpose and you could have just admitted to having slept with him and ended matters there. But you didn’t because you hadn’t slept with him nor ever taken another person to your bed.”
“Then you believe that this child is yours?” Gabrielle asked tentatively, not certain the trembling of her heart wasn’t going to make her sick.
“Yes,” the Empress nodded her head looking at the bard for the first time in many moments. She reached across and gently picked up one of the small hands and cradled it between her own. “I don’t know how it could have happened, it’s a little beyond the realm of believability that I could somehow make you pregnant but I know inside my heart that the child growing inside you is a product of the both of us.”
A tentative smile played hesitantly at the corner of the bard’s lips and she wondered if the God’s had played a visit to her tall companion and that was the reason for her change of heart. In the next thought she didn’t care because all that mattered was that Xena was there and willing to accept her and the child as their own.
“I love you Xena,” that was all the bard was able to say before tears started to flow freely from her eyes.
“I know and I consider that the greatest gift I will ever receive,” the Empress said solemnly but it was too much for the bard who flung herself into the taller woman’s arms.
Xena clung to the smaller woman holding on tightly as the girl sobbed openly, soaking the cloth of her shirt. She closed her own eyes yet was unable to prevent the tears that gathered there from escaping and rolling down her own cheeks. It was many long moments before the Conqueror gently pushed the younger woman away reaching up to tenderly wipe away the tears that still streaked the girl’s face. There was a loving and tender smile on her normally dour features.
“Are you ready to go home love?”
“Yes,” the bard nodded. “Let’s go home.”
“Ok, but first there is one important thing that I must do before we go anywhere,” the Conqueror announced and then before the bard knew what the taller woman was doing Xena dropped to her knees in front of her and grasp both her small hands and held them tightly in her own.
“Shhh,” the Empress chided the girl softly, her blue eyes softened with love. “I know that I have already asked you this question but because of what has happened between us lately I feel the need to ask again. If there is one thing I never want to do Gabrielle is take you or your feelings for granted.” There was a pause as blue and green eyes locked on to each other.
“Gabrielle, my heart is filled with love for you,” Xena continued softly. “Each morning, I rise only because I know that I will experience the eternal joy of getting to see your face and hearing your voice. Each night I go to bed filled with love because I get to hold you in my arms and to feel the touch of your hands on my body. I have never known a greater joy and I know I will never find anything better.
“It is with all these feelings that I have inside my heart that I ask you now, would you consent to join with me and be my wife: to allow me the opportunity to use the rest of my life to show you exactly how much you mean to me. In return I offer to love, and to protect you and our child as no one else would. Gabrielle, will you marry me?”
The simple answer was all that was needed and the Conqueror leaned forward and sealed the union with a gentle kiss that spoke of all the love she held in her heart for the young blond woman. It was a kiss that spoke of the beginning of something more wonderful than what they had already shared.
Xena rose once the kiss was finally broken. She could have remained on her knees in front of the bard for all eternity if it meant looking into the girl’s green eyes but the practical side of her nature finally overruled. She wanted to get home to the capital so that she could honour her request and marry the bard.
“Come on,” she said holding out her hand for the small woman to take but Gabrielle gently shook her head, delicately wiping the tears from her face.
“Please Xena give me a moment,” the bard pleaded with a soft smile. “I don’t want to face the others until I have some semblance of a normal appearance.”
“Gabrielle you always look beautiful to me,” the Empress protested.
“I know, but I’m more concerned about the Amazons,” the bard confided with a weak smile. “If I come back looking like I have been bawling then they will think you have been beating me and well, I just don’t want there to be any more misunderstandings for a while.”
“I understand,” Xena nodded. It warmed her to know that the Amazon’s cared so much for their Queen. “I will wait with the others, take as much time as you want.”
Gabrielle continued to wipe the tears from her face as she watched the tall woman stroll away. There was a sudden unexpected flash of light and then standing right in front of her was Aphrodite the Goddess of Love. It was as if the Deity was answering her silent call.
“For what?” the Goddess wanted to know.
“For convincing Xena that this baby was hers.”
“I wish I could take the credit bardy poo, but no such thing,” Aphrodite shook her head. “She came to that conclusion all on her own. It wouldn’t have been fair to you if I had interfered.”
“Then thank you for making her love me.”
“Sorry, but once again I wish I could take credit but the only thing I did was make it so the both of you could meet. The rest you did all by yourselves,” the blonde Deity shook her head. “What you feel and what Xena feels is real, and not a spell. The Empress truly loves you with all her heart, don’t ever doubt that.”
“I won’t, not ever,” Gabrielle whispered.
“Good, then go join your warrior babe,” the Goddess smiled as the bard stood up. Gabrielle paused and looked at the Goddess.
“Will you come to our joining?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” the Goddess said and then waved her hand before fading away. “You better hurry you know how impatient tall, dark and beautiful gets.”
“I know,” the bard smiled at the way the deity referred to her companion.
Xena waited patiently for Gabrielle to rejoin her. Without saying a word the Amazon’s had packed all their travelling gear and prepared their horses for the impending trip back to Corinth. Within a candlemark the bard had said her final farewells and the entourage was ready to depart. Gabrielle walked to her lover who had been standing by Argo as the bard had given her family a last hug.
“Are you ready to go?” the Empress asked quietly and the smaller woman nodded her head. “Good,” a brilliant smile broke across the normally stoic woman’s dark features. “Let’s go home and start being a family.”
“Yes,” Gabrielle nodded with a smile. She climbed onto the brown horse she used and waved one last time before following her lover through the village and towards their home. She chanced one last glance at the place where she had grown up and then turned her head in the direction of their destination. A smile growing on her face as she thought about the future and the beginning of her own family.
continued in Forever
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We Updated Our Review of the Best Markdown Writing App for iOS
After spending time with the best hand-written notes app for iPad and our favorite notes app for iOS, we figured it was also time to revisit our favorite iOS apps for working with Markdown: iA Writer.
Markdown writing apps are a playground on iOS, and this keeps the category vibrant and interesting. Our pick for this category is still iA Writer, but it’s enjoyed some recent feature updates that keep it relevant and as powerful as ever.
The team behind iA Writer have been busy over the past several months, so let’s start with what happened in version 5.1. Like most writing apps today, iA Writer follows a strong folder-based approach to organizing your documents. With the additional option to use hashtags, your organization power grows exponentially. Hashtags are automatically recognized by the app and you can also add them as quick access buttons on the file browser pane. Hashtags combined with Smart Search is a dream come true for organizing all those documents scattered through iCloud, Dropbox, and elsewhere.
With version 5.2, the team introduced an all new typeface to the mix. Instead of just mono and duo, we now have quattro. They all have their stengths, but the additional option is welcome to writers and editors alike who crave the larger space and clean image while working and reading.
Version 5.2 also includes “open-in place” support, a feature we here at The Sweet Setup have been using in new and improved ways. We’ve adopted a workflow that utilizes a Bitbucket repository, Working Copy, and iA Writer to track changes on our text files, and we’re now able to do all our writing inside iA Writer thanks to its “open-in place” support. Although this isn’t a perfect collaborative writing workflow, we’re happy to report that the iPad has come a long way for teams working on shared text files.
There’s a lot more to like about iA Writer today, and you can read all about it in our review. And if iA Writer isn’t quite your thing, there’s always 1Writer and several other worthy options for your consideration.
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SaneBox brings sanity back to your inbox by prioritizing what's important, removing spam/junk, grouping newsletters together, and automating tedious tasks. Advertise Here
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Articles of The COVENANT of The Last Few Words
“When you complete your passage through life, you will be brought before my Chief Judge who shall take the accounting of your deeds and doings and pass such order as may be deemed fit in the facts and circumstances of your Janam”
Deeds are the acts that keep an individual in compliance with The Teachings.
Deeds are Acts of Commission.
Doings are acts or actions that an individual has carried out, done or performed, which place him or her in violation of The Teachings.
Doings may be Acts of Commission or Acts of Omission.
There is no provision for punishment.
The Chief Judge shall take note of the fact whether the Task has been carried out or not.
The Chief Judge shall take note of the dishonour of Grants if denied, disregarded or avoided by the Soul in front of Him.
The Chief Judge will receive an accounting of the number of times GOD was remembered by the Atma (body+mind) through the repetition of OMNMNKAAAR.
The Chief Judge will give credit equal to ten times the repetitions of OMNMNKAAAR.
The Chief Judge will take account of the blessings distributed and earned by the Atma (body+mind).
The Chief Judge will give credit equal to ten times the blessings earned.
The Chief Judge will take account of the deeds of the Atma (body+mind).
The Chief Judge will give credit equal to ten times the deeds earned.
The Chief Judge will take account of the doings of the Atma (body+mind).
The Chief Judge will take account of The LAWS obeyed.
The Chief Judge will give credit equal to ten times The LAWS obeyed.
The Chief Judge will take account of The LAWS violated.
The Chief Judge will take account of all The Rules followed.
The Chief Judge will give credit equal to ten times The Rules followed.
The Chief Judge will take account of all The Rules disobeyed.
The Chief Judge will take account of all The Teachings observed and obeyed.
The Chief Judge will give credit equal to ten times The Teachings observed and obeyed.
The Chief Judge will take account of all The Teachings disregarded/flouted.
Where required, The Chief Judge has the facility to obtain witnesses to the account of deeds and doings of a particular Soul through The Teacher.
On completion of accounting, The Chief Judge shall pass such an order as may be deemed fit in the facts and circumstances of the passage of an Atma through Janam in the body+mind given to that Soul for that Janam.
The Chief Judge in His order shall specify the number of Joonis that will be required to cleanse that Soul of the layers of sin covering that Atma from that passage through life.
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Old dog, old trick
Unsurprisingly, VTGOP chair David Sunderland has rejected VPIRG head Paul Burns’ invitation to a public debate on the idea of a carbon tax. I’m sure that Burns would press him, not only on that issue, but on where Sunderland stands on climate change. After all, his only public statement on climate change was a denialist claim that there’s “science on both sides.”
No, Dave. There’s the scientific community on one side, and a handful of tame “experts” on the fossil fuel industry payroll plus a few cranks operating outside of their core competency. Recent revelations about ExxonMobil make this even more clear: nearly four decades ago, the oil giant’s own scientists concluded that climate change was real and caused by human activity.
Well, instead of debating a very knowledgeable person who heads an organization which supports a carbon tax, Sunderland has seized the opportunity to renew a pointless call for a debate with Dottie Deans, his Democratic counterpart. His wafer-thin rationale: the carbon tax is “sponsored by over two dozen Democrat legislators,” hence it must be a Democratic — pardon, “Democrat” — idea, hence Ms. Deans is responsible for defending it.
Yeah, well, nuts. Unless the carbon tax is in the Democrats’ platform, Deans is not answerable for it.
Besides, as I have previously observed, while Deans’ job title is the same as Sunderland’s, her work substantially differs from his. He spends his time putting out heavily partisan press releases, she concentrates on the behind-the-scenes work of maintaining a sizeable organization. She rarely acts as a public spokesperson for her party.
Interestingly, there is a smidgen of actual Republican policy in Sunderland’s latest missive. Unfortunately, it’s a dog’s breakfast of rehashed Laffer Curve poppycock.
Instead of taxing our way out of this problem (which clearly hasn’t worked), we know we need to grow our way out of this problem. If we do what’s necessary …we know we will be able to make investments in energy conservation, weatherization and the real innovation we need to protect our environment.
Sing it with me, folks: You’ll get pie in the sky when you die, that’s no lie.
Sunderland’s energy policy is the same as the Republican policy on just about every issue: cut taxes, let loose the hounds of the “free market,” the rising tide will lift all boats and provide plenty for everybody. And only then can we address climate change.
(You know, the Garden of Eden was a free market overseen, as God intended, by Adam. It was a boundless paradise, with wealth and prosperity flowing without cease. Unfortunately, Eve blew it, and intrusive regulation was the consequence of Original Sin. Just look at the Pentateuch: pages and pages of minute regulations! Contrast that with Jesus’ message of salvation through faith, which lifts the tyrannical regulatory burden from the backs of humanity. It says so right there in the Gospel of Dave.)
(But I digress.)
Sunderland’s letter includes some dramatic upticks in partisan rhetoric. This typical sentence about Democratic damage ends with a new twist:
In our state middle class incomes are stagnant, working age Vermonters are leaving the workforce and the state and more drug dealers are moving in.
That’s a new one: Governor Shumlin’s tax policy is responsible for our opiate epidemic.
Sunderland recounts his false narrative of a new and heavily burdensome carbon tax without mentioning that every carbon tax proposal includes counterbalancing tax cuts, and then adds a new kicker:
Why? So you and your cronies can decide how to redistribute money to your wealthy donors by forcing Vermonters to purchase things they may not want using money they can’t afford to give up in the first place.
“Redistribute money to wealthy donors,” whaaaaa? I guess he means David Blittersdorf, the Sidney Blumenthal of Vermont environmental policy. But that’s complete nonsense and Sunderland knows it. The vast majority of carbon-tax revenue would be offset by tax cuts for working Vermonters.
It also takes a lot of gall for a Republican to complain about “wealthy donors.”
Sunderland’s letter has the sour funk of crotch-grabbing about it. He concludes by pumping up the theatrics of his debate challenge, positing a scenario worthy of Mickey Spillane:
I would be happy to meet Dottie Deans, Chair of the Vermont Democrat Party, in an empty storefront or abandoned factory in downtown Springfield.
Ooooh, an abandoned factory! Such a manly atmosphere, befitting a serious policy discussion, not.
I used to worry about Jack Lindley’s blood pressure when he was VTGOP chair, pumping out over-the-top press releases about Democratic — pardon me, “Democrat” — perfidy. Now I’m starting to worry about Sunderland’s. Please, Dave, don’t blow a gasket in an overwrought effort to score a false political point.
This entry was posted in David Sunderland, Energy, Environment and tagged Carbon tax, David Blittersdorf, Dottie Deans, Gospel of Dave, Laffer Curve, Paul Burns, publicity stunts, VPIRG on November 3, 2015 by John S. Walters.
← The Chamber’s selective complaint Climate change follies →
5 thoughts on “Old dog, old trick”
Doug Hoffer November 4, 2015 at 10:47 am
“In our state middle class incomes are stagnant”
True. But that is also the case for most of the nation. From 2008 to 2013, Vermont’s median household income declined by 1.9%. However, that was better than 41 other states. Indeed, only three states saw growth and all have large extractive industries (ND, TX & WY). Moreover, eight of the nine states with no income tax fared worse than Vermont. According to Republicans, that’s not supposed to happen.
Dave Katz November 4, 2015 at 2:27 pm
It’s what they do. Hyperventilating liars gonna lie. Then the Democrats will cringe, scramble to apologize abjectly whilst resolutely unable to extricate themselves from their enemies’ framing (Truth be told, they have to appeal to the same business/connected constituency for their perceived political survival–“agreement in spirit” might be a little harsh, but there you go) and then proceed to roll, baby, roll.
T’was ever thus.
Dave Katz November 4, 2015 at 10:28 pm
This guy commented on Charlie Pierce’s Esquire blog today:
Vinay Edwin · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“Why aren’t Dems more competitive at the state and local level? I suspect the unspoken answer is that social issue outrage and republican intransigence is the perfect cover for maintaining the status quo, something that the Money appreciates.
“Democrats can point and laugh at the Republican clown show and shake their heads in exasperation but never really have to go out and pass legislation that helps create a more equitable society. All the while those who bathe in unearned privilege continue to reap the rewards of a dysfunctional democracy. At some point you have to stop wondering why Dems don’t learn their lessons and just assume they have a reason not to.
“I think I just made myself sick.”
Spot on, y’ask me. A total ironic twist on Both Siderism (TM).
Hey, the Cokey Roberts Rule…”Well it’s out there, now….”
Mark Donka November 5, 2015 at 8:07 am
But NASA just released info that Antarctica ice has increased by leaps and bounds. Much more than the lose on one side. But VPRG will only talk about the ice that melted not what has increased. The group of scientist that report on the warming are on the Government payroll working off of grants. If they reported that the climate has not changed appreciably for 18 years they might be out of work. Al Gore said the ice would be gone by 2014 what happened?
John S. Walters Post author November 5, 2015 at 10:31 pm
You deniers are always quick to glom onto any piece of information that supports your views, while ignoring the vast preponderance of scientific evidence. Two points about the NASA Study:
— The authors don’t claim that the ice has increased because the climate is colder; it’s because of increased snowfalls in the continent’s interior. Which is one aspect of climate change: less predictable and more extreme weather.
— This study is at odds with others, which report dramatic decreases in the ice shelf and concomitant rises in sea levels. It’s one piece in the puzzle, and the vast majority of pieces show a warming planet with potentially catastrophic effects.
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Tag Archives: journalistic ethics
Ethics, shmethics
Riddle me this, Batman: How is a political blogpost like a roadkill skunk?
The apparent answer: At first their stench makes them unfit for polite company, but after three weeks or so the smell goes away.
See, way; back on January 19, I wrote a piece about a bill before the legislature to establish a Latin motto for Vermont. Over time, the story went viral; it appeared on the Huffington Post, the Daily Kos, Reddit, Fark, and Gawker. It was shared on Facebook more than 10,000 times, and I literally got over 100,000 pageviews out of it.
But nobody else in Vermont media picked up on the story.
That is, until now. The Associated Press’ Dave Gram wrote a piece about it. The Burlington Free Press posted it on their paywalled website; here’s a link to the story on a non-paywalled site.
Nice of Dave to finally notice the story. Don’t know why it took three weeks.
Not so nice: he didn’t credit the Vermont Political Observer as the original source. Maybe the story’s blogorrific stench has dissipated, but the smell still permeates the dread name “theVPO.”
Gawker, that irresponsible gossipmonger, credited me; the local media, I guess, chooses not to.
Now I realize that (a) this is a trivial story, a sidebar to our coverage of politics and policy, and (b) nobody outside of the room I’m sitting in cares whether I get fair credit. But I do. And the giving and receiving of credit is always a lively topic whenever journalists gather; my salaried colleagues are quick to complain when they are slighted by another media outlet.
So here’s my complaint. For the vast majority of you who don’t care, my apologies and I promise something more relevant next time. Just needed to get that off my chest.
This entry was posted in The media and tagged Burlington Free Press, Dave Gram, Gawker, Huffington Post, journalistic ethics, Latin motto, Stella quarta decima fulgeat on February 7, 2015 by John S. Walters.
Fogler Departs, Crudification of Free Press To Accelerate
Big news in Vermont media: Jim Fogler is stepping down as president and publisher of the Burlington Free Press. And leaving the newspaper business entirely, for a rewarding and soul-enriching gig as a vice president at Party City, the national chain of party supply stores.
Those journalistic ethics should come in handy over there.
I have made my share of sport at Fogler’s expense in the past — if I recall correctly, I wrote that when Jim Fogler writes an optimistic column in the Freeploid, readers (and staff) run for cover. But if I were to guess, I’d say his departure is not good news for Vermont’s Largest Newspaper.
First, there are the circumstances. His resignation is announced on September 25, and his last day at the Freeploid will be October 1. That’s a nanosecond by the standards of executive turnover. I have no inside information whatsoever, but it does make me wonder if his departure was voluntary. Not that he was fired; but rather that they let him know that he’d be replaced, and gave him time to arrange a soft landing. He had spent 26 years with Gannett, after all, so perhaps a little consideration was in order.
The big change comes as Gannett’s newspapers are transitioning into a new era of newsroom organization. A few Gannett papers have already gotten the makeover, which has resulted in the following:
— More reporters, but fewer editors. A smaller newsroom staff overall. Get ready for an explosion in typos, bad writing, and bad grammar.
— Everyone has to reapply for newly redefined jobs. Presumably with lower pay and benefits.
— A dependence on “audience analytics,” i.e. covering stories because of reader interest (pageviews!) rather than importance.
— What appears to be a troubling degree of “synergy” between news and ad sales.
Expect Gannett to parachute in a corporate loyalist (after a, cough, “nationwide search”) to institute the new regime at the Freeploid.
This entry was posted in The media and tagged Burlington Free Press, Gannett, Jim Fogler, journalistic ethics on September 25, 2014 by John S. Walters.
The Burlington Free Press: Your Shameless Hometown Daily
Last week, I called attention to a bit of hypocrisy from Vermont’s Largest Newspaper: Veteran reporter Mike Donoghue Tweeting a complaint that WCAX had poached his story without attribution. Which was a clear example of Pot/Kettle Syndrome, since the Freeploid has a reputation among journalists as a serial story poacher. Like ESPN, the ‘Loid likes to pretend it’s the only news source in its market.
At the time, I pointed out just one recent example of the Freeploid failing to give credit to another outlet, to wit Paul “The Huntsman” Heintz at Seven Days.
Well, they’re at it again.
On September 3, Seven Days published an article about John Barone, superintendent of schools in Milton, receiving his advanced academic degrees from an institution known to be a diploma mill.
And hey, whad’ya know, on today’s Freeploid front page, there’s a story about John Barone, superintendent of schools in Milton, receiving his advanced academic degrees from an institution known to be a diploma mill.
And it gives no credit to Seven Days.
If you think that’s a coincidence, I’ve got a bridge you might be interested in buying.
And the Free Press had the brass-plated balls to COPYRIGHT the story.
I’m sure they have some ass-covering explanation for this, but I ain’t buying.
Burlington Free Press, serial story-poacher.
This entry was posted in The media and tagged Burlington Free Press, John Barone, journalistic ethics, Paul Heintz, Seven Days, story poaching on September 18, 2014 by John S. Walters.
On hiring a “disgraced journalist”
Remember Scott Milne’s new “flat organization”? The one with no campaign manager? The one that includes his son Keith and a few others?
Well, VPR’s out with a story about one of them.
Scott Fletcher, a former managing editor for the Times Argus. Fletcher was fired in 2002 for a front-page story that didn’t seem to be based in reality.
And after the brouhaha over that one story, serious questions emerged about others penned by Fletcher. He couldn’t, or wouldn’t, provide tangible evidence to support the stories.
So I guess you’re expecting This Partisan Blogger to go all medieval on Fletcher’s ass and the Milne campaign’s.
Nope, got some nuance to peddle.
A disgraced journalist, like any offender, deserves a second chance. Hiring a past offender isn’t, by itself, worthy of criticism. Indeed, it’s often praiseworthy.
There are some issues, however.
First, Fletcher is unrepentant. He insists his stories were true. Which makes me wonder if he’s learned any lessons and if he’s capable of doing the same stuff again.
Which leads to the second: Fletcher’s role in the Milne campaign.
That role, Milne said, is “research and background stuff that he’s doing directly for me.” The candidate said he has no concerns that Fletcher is bringing forth anything but the truth.
Why NOT? Good grief, Fletcher’s current job directly relates to the duties that got him in trouble in the first place. And to judge by his professions of innocence, I’d have a hard time trusting him as a researcher and writer. I’d have no problem hiring him to run my phone banks or buy ad time or drive my freakin’ car — but hiring an unrepentant serial fabricator to do my research? Hell no.
If Scott Milne knew about Fletcher’s past, the hire is yet another example of the candidate’s tone-deafness. If he didn’t know, well, he should have.
This entry was posted in 2014 election, Scott Milne, The media and tagged journalistic ethics, Scott Fletcher, serial fabricator, Times Argus on September 18, 2014 by John S. Walters.
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Watch out, grandpa! Republicans are coming for your Social Security.
Hey, Rand Paul, why don't you tell us how you really feel?
Last week, the junior senator from Kentucky mocked people on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD), suggesting their ailments are not worthy:
What I tell people is, if you look like me and you hop out of your truck, you shouldn’t be getting your disability check. Over half of the people on disability are either anxious or their back hurts. Join the club… Who doesn’t get up a little anxious for work every day and their back hurts. Everybody over 40 has a little back pain. [Huffington Post]
This is just the prelude to the GOP's plan to roll back the whole of Social Security. Paul’s remarks are part of a PR campaign to portray the program as riddled with lazy deadbeats and cheats.
Don't believe me? Earlier this month, the Republican Congress adopted a rule change regarding the disability portion of Social Security. It has occasionally run short of money, which last happened in 1994 and will happen again in late 2016. Typically, the disability side is topped up with money from the (much larger) general Social Security funds. But Republicans have changed the rules to prevent this, which means disability payments will be cut by a fifth when the money runs out.
Now, they’re beginning to argue this is a great time to “reform” the system as a whole:
One of the co-sponsors of the rule change, Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY), said that his intention was to "force us to look for a long-term solution" to the disability program. But the rule itself says it will allow a revenue transfer if the "overall health" of Social Security, encompassing both the retirement and disability programs, is improved. That's what Democrats are warning about, but some conservative analysts who have consulted with House staffers are also hoping that the GOP uses the threat of benefits cuts to go big. [Talking Points Memo]
If you examine the history of conservative animosity towards Social Security, as Dylan Scott does in a great piece, the long game here is obvious. Conservatives hated the program when it started, tried to abolish it for a generation, rolled it back slightly when it became firmly politically entrenched, and tried to privatize it in the Bush years. Conservative activists have been plotting this move for years.
The political entrenchment of Social Security explains the slyness of their tactics today. Social Security is one of the most popular programs in the country, and attempting to privatize it was a political disaster for Bush. Thus, passing bill after bill scrapping the program altogether a la ObamaCare would be committing political suicide. Much better to use a manufactured funding crisis to force a complicated political bargain that most people don’t understand. Better still to maneuver Democrats into accepting cuts, and then blame them for it and run against them on the issue.
Let’s look at the policy. Are conservatives right about SSDI being riddled with fraud, as an episode of This American Life squirmily argued two years ago? They are not. As a Center for Budget and Policy Priorities analysis shows, the increase in disability payments is mainly due to demographic factors. There is little fraud in the program (in reality, a large majority of applicants are rejected). The program doesn’t pay out much per beneficiary. And the general Social Security fund can top up the disability fund with only a tiny overall effect.
How about Social Security in general? Contrary to Republican anti-tax zealotry, the problem with Social Security is that it is not nearly generous enough. American retirement security used to rest on pensions, the 401(k) system, and Social Security. The first of those is almost dead, the second has been an utter failure, and the third is simply not big enough to provide a genuine retirement for most people. Boosting the program substantially would be simple and good policy.
Many years ago, it was widely accepted that as our country got richer, we could afford to work less as a whole. Disabled people could be kept out of poverty, and old people could retire. But conservatives are increasingly abandoning this idea. There is no reason Paul’s logic about the disabled couldn’t be applied to retirees, too. Can your grandma stack shelves at Walmart? Maybe she should, the lazy parasite.
In reality, we can easily afford to boost Social Security. Indeed, we can easily afford to eliminate poverty altogether. That we don’t is a political choice, nothing more.
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March /
Resolutions to honor Deriek Crouse, name campus building, and define weapons regulation approved by board of visitors /
An expert in gerontology shares her thoughts on aging and well-being
Healthy Paths program takes multidisciplinary approach to battling eating disorders
VT KnowledgeWorks business concept competition finalists announced
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine to host diversity symposium, April 13 through 15
Xin Luo joins veterinary college as assistant professor of immunology
Defining Hokies: Student Sean Simons is driven to express his creativity
Brian Mathews joins University Libraries as associate dean for learning and outreach
Imani Winds to perform East Meets West concert
Turner Street project to house university offices, support parking needs for Center for the Arts
Obama highlights Virginia Tech partnership with Rolls-Royce at plant speech
Virginia Tech Rescue Squad wins collegiate Advanced Life Support Skills competition
From Africa to Europe, Virginia Tech students take their education abroad
Scientists awarded grant for mosquito egg production research
Search committee for the Vice President for Student Affairs selects three finalists for campus interviews
Center for Animal-Human Relationships focuses on therapeutic benefits of companion animals
Graduate Education Week to be held March 26 through 30
S.K. De Datta honored with emeritus status
Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets to host combat veterans at 17th Gunfighter Panel
Curriculum changes to better equip students seeking careers in public and corporate veterinary medicine
UPS grant marks 16th year of support for Virginia Tech's industrial and systems engineering
Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech asks community to leave its mark on new facility
Fits and Fanfare by Leila Cartier on display at Perspective Gallery March 17 through April 12
Kathleen Alexander finds brucellosis pathogen persists in Botswana buffalo, may pose a threat to humans
Commander of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to give public presentation at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Tom Ridge to give Cutchins Distinguished Lecture
Violin, viola duo 'marcolivia' returns to Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech's Principles of Community: Renew your commitment
Pamplin alumnus to discuss entrepreneurship in Wells Fargo Lecture
Club ice hockey team to play in its first national tournament
New campus network to unite campus telephone, data systems; ‘Unified Communications’ project to simplify, enhance campus connectivity
Steve Brown named WVTF Public Radio's new music director
In memoriam: Michael D. Olsen, professor emeritus of hospitality and tourism management
Virginia Tech to host 2012 ACC Meeting of the Minds undergraduate research conference
Academic and Student Affairs building renamed Lavery Hall
Energy conservation initiative begins in six campus buildings
Alternative transportation program recognized with national award
Outstanding Performance in Laboratories award recognizes staff contributions
Two professors honored for outstanding contributions to weed science
Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets' Echo Company to lead White Ribbon Campaign
Award-winning dining and accommodations await Virginia Tech and Hotel Roanoke conference-goers
Virginia Tech: A great place to work in a top-rated town
Astrophysicist Evalyn Gates to present public lecture on dark matter and dark energy
Student organization to drop more than 30 tons of snow onto the Drillfield for SnowJam 2012
Preservation Hall Jazz Band comes to Virginia Tech March 28
Senior Vice President and Provost Mark G. McNamee to give 2012 Graduate School Commencement address
Leadership Tech shapes future leaders and active citizens
Virginia Tech to participate in statewide tornado drill Tuesday, March 20, will test VT Alerts
Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets to hold Annual Squad Tactical Challenge
18th century slapstick comes to life in 'A Servant of Two Masters'
Kathleen Alexander's work in Botswana attracts attention of U.S. ambassador
Technology entrepreneur talks community and innovation at the Lyric Theatre
Charles C. Stallings honored with emeritus status
A big discovery in the study of neutrinos, tiny particles that have a big role in the universe
Celebrate Jewish Awareness Month at Virginia Tech through April 15
U.S. News ranks Virginia Tech's engineering, business, public affairs programs among best
Michelle Theus joins veterinary college as assistant professor of neuroscience
X.J. Meng elected to the American Academy of Microbiology
Harold 'Skip' Garner steps down as executive director of Virginia Bioinformatics Institute; Dennis Dean named interim executive director
Virginia Farm to Table Plan now available
Nathaniel L. Bishop named chair of Department of Interprofessionalism at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Celebrate diversity with the 53rd annual International Street Fair March 31
Five named Multicultural Fellows
Wu Feng, internationally known computer scientist, receives Turner Fellowship
Virginia Tech statement on ruling overturning findings of the U.S. Department of Education
Pamplin College of Business Dean Richard E. Sorensen to retire next year
Class of 2015 to complete Caldwell March as freshman training year concludes for cadets
Jon Udell to serve as first Distinguished Innovator in Residence
Alison Matthiessen named communications manager for the Division of Undergraduate Education
Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets regimental band to perform at NASCAR race
'This I Believe II' reaffirmed as Virginia Tech's 2012-13 Common Book
Retired brigadier general to speak at Pamplin ethics symposium
Virginia Tech wildlife researchers explore DNA research to help save Nepal's Bengal tigers
Colorado Quartet to present all-Beethoven concert
In memoriam: Charles M. Forbes ’49, former vice president for development and university relations
Corps of Cadets to hold Jaffe Eager Squad and Eager Individual competitions
Virginia Tech again cited among 'best value' public universities
Virginia Tech offers campus lodging for families and guests during spring commencement
Virginia Issues & Answers examines changing demographics, redistricting, voter behavior, and school funding in the commonwealth
VT Alerts now available on several Virginia Tech Twitter accounts
Crime alert: Sexual assault in Slusher Hall
First Lady Michelle Obama to address Virginia Tech graduates
Virginia Tech hosts Eating Issues and Body Image Awareness Week March 19 through 23
Virginia Tech gives back to the community with annual Big Event March 31
'The Real World: Hawaii' alum talks alcohol, LGBTQ issues, diversity at Virginia Tech April 4
Horse owners to blend science/trust at extravaganza
Two grants strengthen traffic safety programs on campus
Virginia Tech launches new tire research group with National Science Foundation
Stefan Duma, recognized brain trauma expert, named Harry Wyatt Professor in Engineering
Elizabeth McBride named director of development at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute
Current page: Resolutions to honor Deriek Crouse, name campus building, and define weapons regulation approved by board of visitors
In memoriam: Celia Ray Hayhoe, associate professor and Extension specialist
Secretary of Education Laura W. Fornash to speak at 2012 National Capital Region commencement
Letter from President Charles Steger regarding today's court ruling
James R. Bohland honored with emeritus status
Dennis Welch honored with emeritus status
Virginia Tech Board of Visitors to meet March 25 through 26
English department hosts 'Internationalizing the Curriculum' conference
Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets to hold annual Leadership Conference
Nowhere to hide: New study finds future of Sumatran tigers threatened by human disturbances
Earving L. Blythe, vice president for information technology, to retire Aug. 1
Resolutions to honor Deriek Crouse, name campus building, and define weapons regulation approved by board of visitors
At its quarterly meeting held on campus today, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors approved several resolutions, including one honoring the life of the late Deriek W. Crouse.
Crouse, a Virginia Tech Police officer, was slain in the line of duty Dec. 8, 2011. The board will present a copy of the resolution to Crouse's family.
Also at the full meeting of the board, the selection of the student representatives to the board for 2012-13 were announced. Nicholas Onopa of Wausau, Wis., a junior majoring in public and urban affairs in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, was named the undergraduate student representative. Robyn Jones of Blacksburg, Va., a master's degree student in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the College of College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, will join the board beginning July 1, 2012.
A full story on the two new student representatives will appear in Virginia Tech News the week of April 9.
The adoption of a short-term disability program for restricted faculty was also approved by the board. As a well-established research university with almost 800 restricted faculty, this new employee benefit will help Virginia Tech recruit and retain researchers who will foster continued growth in the university’s research portfolio.
Next year’s compensation package for graduate and teaching assistants was also approved. The university will advance the stipend scale by providing a base stipend increase of one percent, as well as increase the academic year supplement from $200 to $300 to help mitigate the university’s assigned costs.
A resolution extending university policy to require conviction checks on all non-student full-time, part-time, and temporary/wage positions, including teaching and research faculty was approved by the board. The action will further protect university interests, institutional resources, and the welfare of Virginia Tech students, employees, and the public.
Conviction and driving record checks are currently required in all administrative areas for administrative/professional (A/P) faculty, staff and 1,500-hour wage positions, as well as throughout the university for those hired for specified wage and salary positions. Current Virginia Tech employees will not be subject to retroactive conviction/driving checks, unless a check is required by state law, federal law, or university policy.
The board approved a resolution to establish a regulation concerning weapons on campus. In 2011, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that policies at public institutions governing weapons are not enforceable by law. In its action’s today, the board approved a regulation regarding weapons on campus that would be enforceable by law. The weapons on campus regulation will be posted on Virginia Tech’s policies website.
The Virginia Tech Crisis and Emergency Management Plan, which includes all-hazards plans and procedures for disasters, was approved by the board. The plan is a living document, and as such, the Office of Emergency Management will update it as required. The board must review and adopt the plan every four years as required by the Code of Virginia.
The board voted to rename the Academic and Student Affairs building currently under construction on Old Turner Street at the north end of campus to Lavery Hall in honor of the university’s 12th president. During the late William E. Lavery’s 12 years as president, which spanned from 1975 to 1987, the university established the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, and entered the ranks of the nation’s top 50 research universities.
On Sunday, board members received several reports from university officials, including those on the progress of the Long-Range Plan, university budget, and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.
On Monday, the Academic Affairs Committee received a report from Associate Vice President for Human Resources Hal Irvin and Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs Jack Finney on organizational climate. They reported an employee climate survey of salaried employees provided data highlighting changes in employee opinions from fall 2009 to fall 2011. Even though employees expressed concerns about staffing levels and compensation, given the difficult economic climate, there were many positive results including improved employee perceptions regarding campus morale, opportunities for career growth, and support for professional development. Ninety-two percent of survey respondents believe Virginia Tech is a good place to work.
Rosemary Blieszner was reappointed to her second 10-year term as an Alumni Distinguished Professor. In addition, the board honored nine current faculty members with appointments to endowed professorships or fellowships, and approved resolutions to honor five faculty members with emeritus status.
Complete stories on Blieszner and the other 14 individuals honored will appear in Virginia Tech News beginning Tuesday, March 27.
The board did not consider a resolution for 2012-13 tuition and fees at this meeting and will do so at an additional meeting to be held later this spring. The Virginia General Assembly has yet to pass a budget. Thus, the university is unable to finalize its proposed budget for next year and its potential impact on tuition and fees. The board plans to meet again in late April to consider and set tuition and fees for academic year 2012-13.
The next full Virginia Tech Board of Visitors meeting will be held June 3 through 4, 2012, in Blacksburg. More information on the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors may be found online.
Board of visitors approves new degree programs in nuclear engineering; continues discussion on long range plan
Larry Hincker
Mark Owczarski
Blacksburg, Va.
Virginia Tech Board of Visitors
Virginia Tech Police
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Biomedical and Biological Engineering
In Biomedical & Biological Systems the focus is primarily on challenges in biomedical engineering and biological sciences. We deal with both basic research in biomedical systems as well as in fundamental issues of health and wellbeing.
Problems in fundamental research of humans, human systems and healthcare are interspersed with very applied projects around the design, development and deployment of assistive technologies and rehabilitation techniques. Various specialties combine together through mathematical modelling, systems engineering, signal processing along side anatomy, physiology, pharmacology - applied to various conditions and research goals.
Our Laboratories
The Research Group is organised into four research laboratories:
Applied Biomedical Signal Processing and Intelligent eHealth Lab
Biomedical & Biological Systems Lab
Stochastic and Complex Systems Lab
Associated Centres
Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre (WISB)
WISB delivers an integrated, internationally leading programme of research, innovation and training for synthetic biology. WISB is a BBSRC/EPSRC funded Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), supported through the UK Research Councils' Synthetic Biology for Growth programme.
EPSRC & BBSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Synthetic Biology (SynBioCDT)
The EPSRC & BBSRC Synthetic Biology Centre for Doctoral Training (SynBioCDT) is a 4-year doctoral programme that offers training in the new field of Synthetic Biology, the “Engineering of Biology”. This centre is a collaboration between the Universities of Oxford, Bristol and Warwick.
The Biomedical and Biological Engineering Group is part of the Systems and Information Stream.
Prof. Declan Bates
Prof. Mike Chappell
Dr Joanna Collingwood
Dr Neil Evans
Prof. Christopher James
Dr Natasha Khovanova
Dr Vishwesh Kulkarni
Dr Leandro Pecchia
Prof. Nigel Stocks
Last revised: Tue 14 May 2019
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/ Home / Research and expertise / Psychology / ExSpaND: Exploring Spatial Navigational Differences
ExSpaND: Exploring Spatial Navigational Differences
ESRC: £355,091. 2018 to 2021
Plymouth researchers
Dr Alastair Smith (PI)
Dr Tara Zaksaite (RF)
External researchers
Dr Trudi Edginton (CI): City University London
Professor Catherine Loveday (CI): University of Westminster
Professor Hugo Spiers (CI): University College London
Spatial navigation is a fundamental component of our daily lives, from retracing a familiar journey to work through to exploring a city that we are visiting for the first time. Effective navigation requires a complex synthesis of psychological abilities, including our perception of the environment, directing our attention to useful parts of it, and our ability to remember those features for future journeys. Because of this complexity, it is no surprise that people can experience difficulty with navigation, and this can take a great toll on quality of life, psychological well-being, and employability. Whilst many people experience difficulty at some point in their lives, such as old age or when receiving chemotherapy, other people experience lifelong impairments, and their needs are rarely recognised or met. In this project, we will provide a full understanding of individual differences in navigational ability, in both typical adults and a vulnerable population. We will also test new methods to assist people experiencing difficulties with daily wayfinding.
We will first recruit a representative sample of adults with Hydrocephalus, a common condition associated with an excess of fluid in the brain. This condition is anecdotally known to have a very large impact on navigational ability which, in turn, adversely affects the daily lives of people and their carers. However, scientists have not produced a full account of this issue, nor have they characterised the underlying cognitive abilities responsible. Participants will complete a battery of experimental tasks designed to assess a broad range of navigational abilities. Importantly, the tests will take place both in the laboratory and the real world. Performance across these tasks will be related to basic cognitive abilities, which will enable us to understand both the variety of strengths and weakness present in this group, along with the basic cognitive skills that underlie them.
Difficulties with everyday navigation are not confined to vulnerable groups - there are great individual differences within the typical population. The scientific literature currently lacks a comprehensive and contemporary study of normative individual differences in navigational abilities, which can pave the way to understanding and assisting difficulties across populations. A large representative sample of typical adults (N=200) will complete the same battery of tasks as the individuals with hydrocephalus. This will provide a full characterisation of strengths and weaknesses, alongside a greater understanding of the skills that underlie them.
Finally, we will develop and test new cognitive methods to assist people experiencing difficulty. No such methods currently exist, and while much effort is being devoted to the development of navigational aids based on GPS guidance, psychological research has demonstrated that this method can actually impair navigational performance in users. We will invite people from both of the preceding stages who had the most difficulty on our tasks, and they will take part in a study that compares two different methods. These strategies will be compared to a general mindfulness strategy, and we will assess which have the most positive effect on route-learning a week later. We will later follow-up participants' daily navigational experiences, along with their quality of life, to assess the longer-term benefits of intervention.
Together, this work will provide an important step-change in our understanding of a fundamental daily behaviour, in both typical adults and a sizeable vulnerable population. It will also spearhead an evidence-based approach to rehabilitation that can improve the daily experiences of individuals experiencing navigational difficulties. This will pave the way to a future programme of interventions that will be applicable to a broad variety of groups whose lives are affected by wayfinding problems.
To improve our understanding of differences in navigational skills, we invite you to play a fun game called Sea Hero Quest and fill out a short questionnaire. This game is played on an iPad or a personal mobile device. To take part, you have to fill in a consent form, download the game, play the selected 10 levels, email your data to the researcher, and fill out the short questionnaire online.
Email tara.zaksaite@plymouth.ac.uk to get set-up!
Note that you must be 18-65 years old to take part in this research.
Funding related to this project
Alastair Smith (PI): Understanding and assisting difficulties with everyday spatial navigation
Economic & Social Research Council: £355,091
ESRC project reference: ES/P011632/1
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Andrew Christopher
Angus Henderson
Antonia Rose
Ara Margossian
Garth Sinclair
Graeme Quigley
Henry Willis
Ishtiaque Omar
Michael Gartshore
Reay McGuinness
Tom Bridges
garth.sinclair@webbhenderson.com
LLB, University of Otago
BCom (Accounting and Finance Major), University of Otago
1987 (New Zealand)
2011 (Australia, New South Wales)
2011 (Registered Foreign Lawyer, Singapore)
Garth is a highly regarded corporate and projects lawyer with a broad range of experience spanning over 30 years in New Zealand and London.
Garth acts for a wide range of clients, including multinational and domestic companies (both listed and privately owned), financial sponsors, infrastructure companies, company boards, and directors. In addition to New Zealand based projects, Garth has worked on projects in Australia, Europe, Asia and America.
Garth has a market reputation for quickly understanding the key requirements of the transaction or project, operating as an integral part of the client’s team, and delivering pragmatic, quality advice in a timely manner to assist clients to achieve their business outcomes.
He has wide professional networks within the legal profession and business intermediaries including investment banks, transaction services providers and other financial advisers.
Garth’s broad corporate experience includes advising clients on major acquisitions and dispositions (including contested, bilateral and in a listed takeover/scheme of arrangement context), joint venture arrangements and other forms of investment (including both domestic and offshore investment), new capital issues and capital structure requirements, corporate re-structuring, other major commercial transactions and contracts, stock exchange listing requirements, and shareholder and governance arrangements.
Garth also advises leading energy and utility companies on the full range of infrastructure projects. His experience includes advising on consortium formation and shareholder arrangements, competitive tenders, preparation and negotiation of project documents and procurement and outsourcing programmes. Garth has been involved in projects that range from the construction of high voltage electricity transmission tunnels and electrical and fibre optic systems to the procurement of thermal, geothermal and wind generation plants, the establishment of oil and gas fields, and the construction of water and wastewater assets.
Garth’s experience includes advising:
Stevenson Group on the sale of its construction materials business to Fulton Hogan;
Genesis Energy on its acquisition of Nova Energy’s LPG business for $192 million;
Pacific Equity Partners and Patties Foods on the acquisition of frozen food manufacturer Leader Products;
IAG New Zealand on Insurance Australia Group’s purchase of Wesfarmers’ underwriting businesses for A$1.845 billion;
Harvard Management Company, Inc. on the sale of a 31.25% interest in the Kaingaroa Forest for media-estimated $700 million;
Ironbridge Capital and management shareholders on the $501 million disposal of Enviro Waste Services to Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings;
SKYCITY Entertainment Group on the $402m Crown deal for the New Zealand International Convention Centre;
SKYCITY Entertainment Group on its construction contracts with Fletcher Construction for the New Zealand International Convention Centre and the 5-star, 300 room Hobson Street Hotel;
Mediaworks’ Board of Directors in relation to its restructure and receivership (circa $700m debt);
IAG New Zealand on its successful bid to acquire certain assets and liabilities of AMI Insurance for $380 million;
Contrucciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A. on its successful $640 million bid to supply and maintain 57 new electric trains for the city of Auckland;
Goldman Sachs on a $500m equity issue for Fletcher Building;
SKYCITY on a $200m equity placement with international investors;
Fonterra on the $1.1 billion restructuring of its consumer dairy business in New Zealand with New Zealand Dairy Foods Limited;
Goldman Sachs Australia and private equity funds managed by Goldman Sachs on the $216 million three-way merger of Vision Senior Living, Metlifecare and Private Life Care Holdings;
Royston Hospital Trust Board in its joint venture with Medusa Limited for the $52 million partial takeover offer for 50.01% of shares in Acurity Health Group;
Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation on the $142 million acquisition of a 35% interest in Datacom Group from New Zealand Post
Fisher Trust on the $112 million sale of its interests in Highbrook Business Park to Goodman Property Trust
Ironbridge Capital on its $365 million acquisition of Enviro Waste Services from Fulton Hogan and advising Enviro Waste on the disposal of certain businesses to TPI and subsequent “bolt-on” acquisitions
Garth has been recommended in a number of leading publications including IFLR 1000 (Mergers & Acquisitions, Capital Markets), ALB Roaring 40 (Corporate Lawyer), The International Who’s Who (Mergers & Acquisitions) and PLC Which Lawyer?
Before joining Webb Henderson, Garth was a senior partner and former Board Chair at a leading New Zealand firm.
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Domaine Benjamin Leroux 2016 Burgundy Offer Final Tranche
Wide-spread frosts wiped out crops in many villages & vineyards leaving others untouched. Working through the wines Leroux certainly seems more comfortable in the Côtes de Beaune. His whites show more harmony and refinement than his reds at this early stage. The reds needing time to uncoil & express.
View Offer Subject to availability. We'll do our best.
Jump to the reviews
We grabbed a few extra bottles of 2015 these are now available in the Shop. See what’s left.
I had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours with Ben this week tasting through a range of his 2016’s with a couple of 2014’s in the mix. Turns out he’s good mates with Alex Moreau who I’ve spent a fair bit of time within Australia and Burgundy. So much so he’s Godfather to Tom, Alex’s son!
His high profile has not taken his head from the earth. He’s well and truly connected to the ground, both, by feet and focus. It was fascinating to hear him talk of the experiments he runs, the main influences on his winemaking over the past 10-15 years, his plans for the future, and, of course, the background to each the wines we tried. We recorded the audio for the session and share it in several podcasts below.
How to drink wine with Benjamin Leroux!
Look …
Smell …
Devour …
A Review of the 2016 Vintage for Benjamin Leroux
When you hear of the how widespread the frosts of 2016 were, it’s a surprise that any wine made it into bottle at all! While some areas remained untouched, many saw production drop to just 15% of normal. There are some good and bad consequences for us, the bad being, there is not much wine to go around, the good being that many sites were declassified, not for lack of quality, simply because there was insufficient wine to firstly make the wine practically, remembering this is a region that often makes only a barrel or two of a particular wine, secondly there wasn’t sufficient volume to justify an individual bottling.
It was simply not feasible to make most of the Grand Cru’s. Chambertin was hit particularly hard by the frosts.
Of the wines tasted, Leroux certainly seems more comfortable in the Côtes de Beaune. His whites show more harmony and refinement than his reds at this early stage, just post-bottling. It will be interesting to watch these wines evolve and see how they pull together.
I’ll be intrigued to see how Ben’s understanding of the different appellation and vineyards evolves over time. Moving from making 6 wines, only red for much of the time to near 50 is a considerable undertaking. With the minuscule quantities made of some wines, it is difficult to conduct many experiments, perhaps, slowing the evolution of styles.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to look at the 1er Cru’s from Côtes de Nuits, or the Grand Crus other than the Clos-Saint-Denis. Understandable given the price and volume of many of these!
Vintage backgound, winemaking consequences to achieve harmony, changes for the negociant.
Whites I – 2016 Bourgogne Blanc, Auxey-Duresses, Puligny-Montrachet and Mersault
The wines, different barrel formats, lees stirring, oxidation, PremOx and, bottling.
Whites II – 2016 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Baudines, 1er Cru Les Embazées, &, 1er Cru Tȇte du Clos
Exploring Chassagne-Montrachet, the history behind 1er Cru Tȇte du Clos (similar soil profile to Chevalier-Montrachet), and, Morgeot. The stylistic impact of frost on whites in Burgundy. Embazées great stand alone, Baudines needing food, longer lived, edge of phenolics. The difference between seeing the land as an asset and a lifestyle.
Reds I -2016 Bourgogne Rouge, 2014 Savigny-lès-Beaune, 2016 Savigny-lès-Beaune, 2016 Pommard
Vintage impact on the reds. Loads of 1er Cru in the village wines. Destemming techniques. Wild fermentation. Impacts of stalks. 1/3 1er Cru in the 2016 Savigny. Cork vs Diam vs Screwcap. Shift to using big oak, foudre. The history of the 228L Burgundy barrel. Modern vs Traditional. Élévage. Climate change. 2/3 1er Cru in the Village Pommard.
Experience across varieties, villages, and, influence on winemaking
At Comte Armand, Ben only made 6 wines all Pinot. There was a period where they made some whites. His exposure to a vast number of villages and parcels has accelerated his experience. Remember winemakers rate of learning is limited by only having a one shot a year at making wine. Compare this to my experience where we had 28 grape varieties from one site and Yering Station where we had a dozen varieties from dozens of sites across the entire Yarra Valley, an area roughly 50 times the size of the main quality producing area of Burgundy!
Reds II – 2016 Volnay, 2014 Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans, 2016 Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans, 2016 Volnay 1er Clos de la Cave du Ducs (monopole)
Young vine Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans went into the Volnay. 14 drinking well now. 2016 Tightly wound. Clos de la Cave du Ducs is an excellent wine. Discussion of Aligoté and it’s potential. It always reminds me of doing vintage at Domaine Bernard-Moreau, drinking it at the end of the day as a Kir, mixed with Cassis. Discussion of Saint-Romain appelation.
Reds III – 2016 Morey-Saint-Denis, 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin, 2016 Vosne-Romanée, 2016 Clos Saint-Denis
Exploration of Côte de Nuits, changes in barrel sizes and use.
About Benjamin Leroux
“You may remember that when I asked Allen Meadows, aka Burghound, on this video who he thought might be a natural heir to the late great Henri Jayer of Burgundy, one of the two people he cited was young Benjamin Leroux of Domaine Comte Armand.” Jancis Robinson
“Leroux’s passion, ambition and sheer talent have already resulted in a number of stunning, beautiful wines, but my sense is that the best is yet to come.” Wine Advocate # 194 May 2011
“I have never heard a more articulate and insightful presentation.” James Halliday on the Leroux 2008s Masterclass with Benjamin Leroux, The Australian, 11th September 2010.
Benjamin Leroux, previously manager/winemaker of Domaine Comte Armand launched his own label with the 2007 vintage. He works from a brand new winery in the centre of Beaune (just off the Boulevard) that he shares with Dominique Lafon and two other wine growers. The operation is very small and will eventually specialise, primarily, in Puligny and Volnay, but with many other appellations also covered. While there are over twenty terroirs produced, this is certainly a ‘micro negociant’ operation with only two to five barrels made of most of the cuvées. Leroux works with vineyards he manages, vineyards he owns and also buys fruit (never juice or wine) from growers with who he can work closely; growers that produce the quality of fruit to match Leroux’s exacting standards.
Leroux’s vision has always been to build an Estate and to this end he has already started buying vineyards. The first stage of his evolution, however, has been to establish the micro negociant business: a phase that has allowed him to establish a winery and refine his ideas and his understanding of the terroirs with which he wants to work. The way Leroux has structured this side of his business is highly innovative. His aim has been to create the same quality standards of the finest Domaines, despite not owning most of the vineyards. He has long-term relationships with the growers that he works with, some of which he pays by the area of land rather than the quantity of fruit harvested. This allows him to dictate lower yields, ripeness, date of harvest, and so on. He only works with high quality growers who plough or do not use herbicides or pesticides. Most are organic or biodynamic. For those that are not there is an understanding that they will move to organics over a five-year period. Leroux’s knowledge of the Côte is encyclopedic and he has been able to unearth some very interesting, previously hardly known sources for his portfolio. It’s important not to underestimate how close Leroux works these growers as that is one of the keys to his ability to coax the finest fruit quality from the vineyards.
A total of 120 barrels were produced in his first vintage, 2007 and some of the cuvees offered had already been produced by Leroux for a number of years at Comte Armand. These wines have now come across to the Benjamin Leroux label. Leroux is considered one of the most gifted and knowledgeable wine growers in all of the Côte d’Or.
Leroux is considered one of the most gifted and knowledgeable wine growers in all of the Côte d’Or. It only suffices to ask any other serious producer about Leroux to realize the respect he has garnered amongst his colleagues in the region. He was always considered a prodigy, studying at the Lycée Viticole in Beaune from the age of 13 and taking the reins at the esteemed Domaine Comte Armand when he was only 26. Leroux’s success with the Domaine’s wines over the last decade has well justified the decision to appoint such a young man to run the show. He continued to manage Comte Armand until 2014, despite now having his own range of wines (another sign of how well respected he is). While his range includes many famous terroirs, Leroux is determined only to work with vineyards that have been well managed and produce outstanding fruit, regardless of whether or not they have famous names. This makes sense, Leroux’s knowledge of Burgundy’s countless terroirs runs deep and producers like him are waking up the wine world to the fact that the reputation of many Côte d’Or vineyards has as much to do with the producers who work them than any intrinsic qualities of the sites themselves.
*Stocks of the Grand Crus and Premier Crus are extremely limited. First come, first served. Wines are available for immediate delivery.
This offer has expired, wines are subject to availability. We'll do our best to satisfy your tastebuds.
Benjamin Leroux 2016's Final Tranche
There's a couple of sneaky ***2015's marked with ***
THE WHITES All 750ml format white under Stelvin Lux
2016 Benjamin Leroux Aligoté
$55 in a mixed 6 or more.
Price: $ 60.00 Quantity:
2016 Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Blanc
***2015 Benjamin Leroux Saint-Romain Sous le Château
2016 Benjamin Leroux Saint-Romain Sous le Château
***2015 Benjamin Leroux Auxey-Duresses 375ml
2016 Benjamin Leroux Meursault
$130 in a mixed 6 or more.
Price: $ 140.00 Quantity:
2016 Benjamin Leroux Puligny-Montrachet
2016 Benjamin Leroux Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot
2016 Benjamin Leroux Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Baudines
2016 Benjamin Leroux Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Embazées
2016 Benjamin Leroux Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Tête du Clos
***2015 Benjamin Leroux Saint-Romain Sous le Château Blanc
2016 Benjamin Leroux Saint-Romain Sous le Château Blanc
THE REDS (all wines under cork unless stated)
2016 Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Rouge
2016 Benjamin Leroux Pommard
2016 Benjamin Leroux Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens Hauts
2016 Benjamin Leroux Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets
2016 Benjamin Leroux Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Cave des Ducs (Monopole) MAGNUM
2015 Benjamin Leroux Vosne-Romanée
***2015 Benjamin Leroux Gevrey-Chambertin 375ml
2016 Benjamin Leroux Gevrey-Chambertin MAGNUM
2016 Benjamin Leroux Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champeaux
2016 Benjamin Leroux Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru La Perrière
2016 Benjamin Leroux Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots
2016 Benjamin Leroux Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru
AVAILABLE IN MAGNUM ONLY As it should be!
2016 Benjamin Leroux Clos de La Roche Grand Cru MAGNUM
$1200 in a mixed 6 or more.
Price: $ 1,300.00 Quantity:
2016 Benjamin Leroux Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses MAGNUM
$1,400 in a mixed 6 or more.
Discounts will be applied when you order is processed.
Requests / Substitutions if a wine is not available
*If you do not receive a confirmation email after submitting your allocation request please contact us immediately on 1300 811 066 or [email protected]
About the Wines
The Whites (all 750ml format white under Stelvin Lux)
2016 Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Aligoté
New cuvée. Killing two birds with one stone, Burgundy style. This year Benjamin took on a parcel of 1oo year old, goblet pruned Aligoté Doré – the high-quality, low yielding cultivar in Bouzeron (Côte Chalonnaise). The wine was finished in stainless steel before bottling. Leroux has considerable pedigree with this variety, as followers of Domaine Comte Armand will no doubt attest.
The 2016 Bourgogne Aligoté is a new addition to the range and comes from old vines. Benjamin had a lot of empty barrels and so he thought it would be a good opportunity to “park” some Aligoté instead of risking the barrels drying out and becoming unclean. It has a light perfumed bouquet with dried honey and tangerine notes. The palate is balanced with a smooth opening, a touch of spice and a brisk, slightly saline finish. This is a fine debut.
Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate #234
A real mélange of sources this year, Leroux’s estate parcels in Les Millerands, Sous la Velle (both in Mersault) and les belles Côtes are joined by fruit from Puligny and the Hautes-Côtes. There’s also a parcel of Vosne-Romanée Bourgogne level in the mix. Raised in 1,200L foudre and some 300L barrels.
Playful, fun wine, florals and musk lend complexity to mid-weight and length of fruit. Beautifully layered and harmonious.
Paul Kaan - Chief Wine Hacker, Wine Decoded
Bottled in mid-October and aged in 12-hectoliter foudres (10% new), the 2016 Bourgogne Blanc has a strict, slightly earthy bouquet. The palate is soft and generous on the entry, perhaps just missing a little tension in the middle with a slightly waxy-textured finish. Drink over the next two or three years.
White Villages
2016 Benjamin Leroux Auxey-Duresses
Leroux’s Auxey-Duresses vineyards lie below the village, abutting the Meursault Villages Les Vireuils Dessus and Les Meix Chavaux. The land here is north-facing and is therefore affected by the cold air rolling down from the Hautes-Côtes. The wine comes from three terroirs in this cool, mineral (rocky) place – Les Hautés, La Macabrée and Les Boutonniers. The oldest vines date back to 1946, planted just after the war. With a relatively generous 2 hectares to work with, Auxey-Duresses has become a principal wine for Leroux. This was vinified in 1,200L and 300L barrels.
Perfumed
There's an immediate increase in depth and length as would be expected, fuller and richer. Spiced, savoury, with a fine lick of oak, beautiful acid and perfume.
87-89 Points
The 2016 Auxey Duresses Blanc comes mostly from the Meursault side of the appellation. It has quite a concentrated bouquet with a tincture of yellow flowers infusing the citrus fruit, later hazelnut developing with time. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, harmonious and poised with just a tang of spice on the finish.
Leroux’s Saint-Romain hails from a 0.5-hectare parcel in the lieu-dit of Sous le Château. Organically farmed, there are in fact two parcels with 20 and 60 year old vines. The stony, rugged soils here are typical of Saint-Romain’s terroir, yet the site is also well protected from the northern winds and the plethora of stones on the surface radiate heat. It is therefore a warm terroir in the context of the village, and hence escaped the spring frosts in 2016. Vinification was half in foudres and half in 300-litre barrels.
Light yellow. Ripe stone fruits as well as an obvious element of smoky oak on the nose. Attractively supple, dry, musky wine with lovely lemony lift and cut and a suggestion of hazelnut reduction. This very savory, well-delineated wine finishes with a firm mineral spine and very good length. The crop was normal here, noted Leroux, while the Auxey-Duresses got a bit of frost.
Stephen Tanzer, vinous.com
2016 marks the third vintage of the ‘Estate’ Meursault, exclusively from Benjamin Leroux vineyards. It comes from a range of lieux-dits – Les Millerands, Bois de Blagny, Les Criots and Au Moulin Landin – which combine for a total of 1.6 hectares. The oldest vines again date back to 1944, and the high elevation of Leroux’s terroirs make for a particularly tightly wound mineral wine. Only 15% of this saw new oak and the viticulture across the parcels is now biodynamic. Yields were just 500L per hectare. 3,500 is considered low!
There's a beautiful fine line and length to the Mersaulty, elegant and poised, with a floral, perfumed sent and a splash of earthiness.
The 2016 Meursault Villages is a mix of frosted and non-frosted vineyards, around half and half in terms of volume according to Leroux. It has a conservative bouquet, quite stony and Puligny-like in style. The palate is well balanced and shows more vivacity and energy than the aromatics at this point: subtle orange zest and fresh lemon notes with a pretty finish. If the nose improves, this will deserve a higher score.
The Clos du Château and the high-grown Le Trézin, were so heavily frosted that no fruit came from them in 2016. Fruit came from lieu-dit Corvée des Vignes and Les Reuchaux, on the Mersault side of Puligny. Across the parcels, the vines now average 40 years old. The Puligny was raised in mostly 300 litre barrels (25% new).
Lovely élévage, the wine is together, beautiful, rich, balanced with great harmony, poise and a substantial increase in depth of fruit. A lick of spiced oak is layered in. Lovely linearity of acid.
This was the first 2016 white to finish its malo: Light-medium yellow. Very ripe, almost candied peach on the nose, plus a whiff of banana. A distinctly glyceral, opulent style, quite full but rather exotic: I feel more warmth today than actual fruit intensity. Finishes full but slightly aggressive. The alcohol here is a moderate 12.8%, without chaptalization. Leroux noted that the frost here was "like a green harvest; we still produced 45 hectoliters per hectare.
The Abbaye de Morgeot vineyard is situated in the southern part of the Morgeot 1er Cru. Morgeot, like many of the larger sites of the Côte d’Or, is in fact a collection of smaller terroirs. Some of these are richer in clay and were historically planted to red grapes. The lime-rich soils of the Abbaye de Morgeot lieu-dit, like Tête du Clos and Fairendes, was always known as a white wine site and it continues to produce deep, layered yet very mineral expressions of Morgeot, hence the separate labelling. It has a soil of limestone and marl (chalky clay) with a reddish tinge, due to the presence of some iron in its soil. Leroux’s 0.5-hectare parcel was planted in 1969, and from yields of 8 hl/ha, there are only two barrels of the 2016, instead of the usual ten. Accordingly, no new oak was used.
The 3.60-hectare Les Baudines vineyard sits up high on the slope, near the tree line on the south-western border of Chassagne. It’s naturally a very cool site with mostly white clay soils and offers a terroir that perfectly suits Leroux’s desire to produce cool, fine-boned Chassagne. From vines planted around 1980.
Textured Bold
Of Embazées and Baudines, the Baudines is definitely the bolder wine. It shows a greater textural element with phenolics, balancing a lovely core of fruit, savoury and spicey flavours. A little grip at the back of the palate matches a wine of great length
Bright medium yellow. Lemon, pear and white flowers on the ripe nose. At once thick and savory, conveying terrific texture to its almost honeyed stone fruit flavors lifted by flowers. Finishes with a slowly building whiplash of flavor. Leroux used just one-third one-year-old barrels, and the rest older, explaining that Baudines is a cooler site and he "didn't want to kill the floral character with wood.
Another of Chassagne’s lesser-known gems being explored by Leroux, Embazées can also be bottled under the Bois de Chassagne name but is typically labelled as Embrazées, even though the correct name on the map is Embazées, without the ‘r’. This site sits right on the south-western border of Chassagne above Tête du Clos and just below Les Baudines. So it is a terrific terroir with shallow top soil that is full of limestone pebbles. Leroux works with just 0.28-hectares planted around 1980. Both this wine and Les Baudines were vinified with 15-20% new oak.
Supple Floral
The harmony of this wine makes it incredibly approachable. Supple with lovely mineral acids, it's the kind of wine you can just crack and hoover. Perfumed and floral.
Bright medium yellow. Deeply pitched nose currently dominated by clove spice. The palate boasts lovely extract thickness, offering concentrated, saline flavors of lemon and wild herbs, plus some smoky influence from the oak. Finishes firm-edged, with a late suggestion of licorice. Serious juice.
Tête du Clos, another sub-climat of Morgeot, lies at the apex of the vineyard where the soil is very rocky, with white clay and plenty of limestone on the surface. It’s about the same altitude as Les Embazées, but it showcases a completely different expression of Chassagne – both richer and more mineral. Leroux’s old-vine parcel (0.4-hectares planted in 1955) produces small, concentrated clusters and the resulting power means that it sees a tad more new oak (25%) than the preceding Chassagnes. Here you have genuine depth of fruit combined with intense earthy minerality. This is so typical of this site (la Romanée as well). A “baby grand cru” as Ben calls it. Intense, mixed stone fruit and citrus peel, shot through with intense spice and chalky notes. Class and power.
Nearly GC
Excellent length and depth of fruit. A powerfull, rich Chardonnay, yet refined long, pure and harmonious. The mid-palate weight, sign of a great Chardonnay is there in spades. Lovely expression with intrigue and poise.
Musky, noble reduction to the aromas of pear, minerals and flowers. At once thick and juicy, boasting lovely concentration and clarity to its soil-driven flavors of stone fruits and saline, rocky minerals. Tight in the middle at present but this fine-grained wine broadens out on the very long, glistening, palate-saturating back end. Leroux told me he made between 25 and 30 hectoliters per hectare from these very old vines, which he noted is the normal yield here.
A blend of Santenay villages and Santenay 1er cru Commes Beaune 1er Cru les Cent-Vignes, Monthelie (villages and 1er Cru), Saint-Roman, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and a little estate Bourgogne Pinot vines in Pommard. This cuvée is now being raised in 5,000L Grenier cask, a vessel so large that it has to be assembled in the cellar. There is no new oak and the grapes for the wine were entirely destemmed.
Like the Bourgogne Blanc, the Rouge is a playful fun wine. Vibrant sour cheery, juicy acid and a pretty perfume all come together beautifully.
Bright medium red. Lively perfume of raspberry, blood orange and flowers. Very pretty, leanish wine with excellent intensity and definition to its flavors of red fruits and flowers. This delightful Bourgogne includes a lot of Beaune villages and premier cru fruit, as production in these vineyards was too tiny to merit separate bottlings.
The 2016 Bourgogne Rouge was aged in wooden tank, bottled mid-October and includes a potpourri of vineyards from here, there and everywhere that had been frosted. This has a delightful bouquet with vivid red cherry and strawberry fruit that is well defined and probably more like a village cru. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh red berry fruit mixed with bay leaf and a touch of black tea. I was smitten by this modest generic red and I bet it will be good value for money.
What is it they say? You can take the man out of Pommard…? This is the second release of Pommard from Leroux. With both this cuvée and the wonderful Les Rugiens-Hauts, Leroux is back in Pommard with a bang. The 2016 is a blend of Les Vaumuriens, high on the slopes, and declassified 1er Cru La Platière (also above the village but on the Beaune side). In normal vintages this cuvée would include fruit from Les Cras. This was also crafted from 100% destemmed berries and raised with roughly 30% new oak. It has outstanding depth and characters of plum, iodine and all kinds of spice. Superb length too. Not without reason is Leroux considered a master of this appellation.
Density & Purity
Still very youthful, the quality of fruit, and, Leroux's ability to yield fine tannins from Pommard, he's brought us a long linear wine with lovely density, length, and, purity balanced with juicy acid.
This too is mildly reduced though the earth character does show through the funk. Otherwise there is excellent vibrancy to the rich and full-bodied flavors that possess a muscular mouth feel that continues onto the moderately rustic and slightly chewy finish. This is not a wine of elegance but then that's not why one usually buys villages wines from Pommard.
Allen Meadows, Burghound, Issue 70
The 2016 Pommard Villages includes some declassified premier cru fruit this year. It offers earthy red and black fruit on the nose, quite floral in style with fine definition. The palate is juicy and (for a Pommard) quite corpulent on the entry, grainy in texture with nicely structured red berry fruit with a touch of salinité on the finish. Very fine in the context of a village cru.
2016 Benjamin Leroux Gevrey-Chambertin
Following the ever-declining yields in Volnay, Gevrey has seemingly cemented its position as Leroux’s northern powerhouse. In the main, the 2015 village blend was drawn from two vineyards – the 50 year old vines of Les Seuvrées (bordering Morey), makes up 65% of the blend while the balance comes from the northern, limestone-rich site of La Justice. Each parcel was vinified separately before blending after the malolactic. Just 15% new oak here, and 20% whole bunches. It’s a seductive, layered, Gevrey loaded, with sweet, fresh, spicy fruit that builds to a sappy, delicious finish. Yes please.
Powerfull
Incredibly tightly wound on the nose, the palate is much more expressive with rich savoury, meaty, flavours, round, and full. Edge raw in it's youth, should come together nicely.
Good dark red. Subtly complex aromas of redcurrant, smoky underbrush and dried rose petal. A lovely silky, lightly saline midweight with noteworthy red berry intensity. Like the Vougeot Clos du Village and Savigny-lès-Beaune, this wine finished its malolactic fermentation very early. This is normally Leroux's largest cuvée (about 10,000 bottles per year) and does not include any declassified premier cru fruit in 2016. Should make a terrific village wine.
The two core parcels here, both home to organically-farmed, 60 year old Pinot Fin vines, and both lying on the Flagey side of the village: Maizières Basses and Les Violettes (which borders Clos Vougeot). The fruit from both of these vineyards was fermented entirely as whole bunches, while the harvest from a third parcel, Aux Raviolles, (making up a third of the blend), was entirely destemmed. Aux Raviolles lies at the opposite end of Vosne, under the northern 1er Crus of Nuits-Saint-Georges.
The least yielding of all the village wines tasted. There is perhaps better value to be had with the Volnay, Gevrey and Morey.
Mostly from vines on the Flagey side, but also includes one-third from Aux Raviolles, from the opposite site of the village; 80% vendange entier, but most of the Raviolles was destemmed: Good deep red. Very subtle aromas and flavors of dark berries, spices, minerals and violet, plus a minty nuance. Suave, classy village wine with a fine-grained texture and a long, pliant finish. This lovely wine finished its malolactic fermentation early and will get an early bottling
The 2016 Vosne Romanee Villages is an expanded cuvée since Leroux takes all the fruit from his contractors. It has an engaging bouquet with a gorgeous red cherry and strawberry bouquet laced with violets. The palate is medium-bodied with supple red and black fruit, quite a good backbone for a village cru partly from whole bunch (50+%) with a detailed finish. Recommended
2016 Benjamin Leroux Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Cave des Ducs (Monopole)
Clos de la Cave des Ducs is a monopole vineyard that measures only 0.64 hectares and is owned by the family of Leroux’s right-hand man, Jean-Charles Carré. It’s a wine that was rarely seen before Leroux started bottling this site. With Jean-Charles, Leroux controls every aspect of viticulture and so the site is managed biodynamically and with meticulous care. The vineyard is situated within the upper boundaries of the village – the highest 1er Cru of Volnay in fact – on fine, light soils. The oldest vines here are now 80 years old although the average age evens out to be about 50 years, and includes a 20 year old massale selection parcel sourced from Comte Armand’s Clos des Epeneaux. This year Leroux utilised 50% whole bunches (high for him) and just 15% new oak.
The most rewarding of the reds tasted on the day. Such a beautifull mouthfeel, great length of both tannins and flavour. Layered, complex, and balanced. With savoury, earthy characters, balancing some darker fruits. Although very tightly wound at the moment, there was still an early generosity. A sign of good things to come for this wine as it matures.
Morello and red-cherry notes flutter. The palate frames them in floral oak, with taut, sprightly tannin and a velvety lick of richness. Freshness pervades and heightens the aromas. Lovely, slender, expressive, and profound. The lasting echoes are as perfumed as the first sip.
Anne Krebiehl MW, World of Fine Wine, Issue 59
An overtly floral nose combines notes of wood toast, essence of red and dark currant plus a hint of spice. There is a lovely inner mouth perfume to the racy, refined and stony lighter weight flavors that terminate in a youthfully austere finale.
The 2016 Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Caves des Ducs, which has 50% whole-bunch fruit, has a transparent, red cherry and crushed strawberry bouquet that opens with more confidence than the Les Mitans. The palate has a fine bone structure, quite focused and grainy in the mouth with a keen thread of acidity, quite stern toward the finish but you have to admire the detail here. This has great potential.
With its eroded, limestone walls covered in vines and wildflowers, this ancient and picturesque climat has a medieval feel about it. It is situated up high, on the border of Brochon, in the most beautiful part of Gevrey. The soils here are mostly stony, red clays with the parent rock (limestone of course) very close to the surface. Leroux’s vines are 40 years old. This is a site that typically delivers very small berries and intense, aromatic fruit. Fans of Domaine Denis Mortet will be familiar with this vineyard and the Leroux bottling, too, is seriously impressive. From organically tended vines, there is only two barrels made from half whole bunch and half destemmed fruit.
Dark ruby-red. Aromas of dark cherry, licorice and menthol convey a distinctly rocky character. Medicinal and quite unevolved in the mouth owing to the late malo, with very dark flavors of blackberry and blueberry dominating. Finishes with slightly clenched tannins. Excellent potential, from a premier cru that performed very well in 2016.
Leroux describes this vineyard as the Gevrey equivalent of his favourite parcels in Chassagne (Tête du Clos) and Volnay (Clos de la Cave des Ducs). In spite of the fact that Les Goulots is hardly seen on wine labels, it is, to quote Leroux, “a top, top Gevrey 1er Cru”, and one that has been on his wish-list for some time. One of the reasons that this terroir is not well known is because of its size. Lying just above Champeaux, it is a tiny vineyard with few owners. It is the northernmost 1er Cru, on the slope that includes Les Cazetiers and Combe aux Moines and it is one of Leroux’s latest parcels to ripen. The vines here are a 50/50 mix of 20 and 43 year old vines, and the wine was raised in 50% new oak with 20% whole bunches in the ferment.
Healthy medium red. Very complex, floral aromas of black cherry, blackberry and licorice; like virtually all of these 2016s, this conveys lovely flavor purity. Fine-grained and sexy in the mouth, with purple fruit flavors given punch by high-altitude calcaire lift. Finishes very long and pure, with suave tannins and an impression of full phenolic ripeness.
Nestled underneath the Grand Cru vineyard of Mazis-Chambertin, La Perrière enjoys a superb location and has some of the oldest bedrock in the village. As the name suggests, it is a very stony vineyard – pierre means stone and the site was once a quarry. Planted in 1978, Leroux’s 0.10 hectare of vines are certified organic and these vines yielded just two barrels in 2016, one of which was new.
Good medium red. Sexy aromas and flavors of raspberry, strawberry, rose petal and crushed-stone minerality complicated by spicy oak. Wonderfully precise and light on its feet; this is a bedrock wine from a quarry but the fruit was picked a week before the Goulots and the combination of minerality and higher acidity gives it terrific lift. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and excellent length.
Like more and more growers in this part of the Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Leroux uses the historic lieu-dit name of Mazoyères to indicate that this terroir is significantly different to the rest of the AOC and arguably superior. In fact, there is not only a difference between the Mazoyères part of the Charmes-Chambertin GC and the rest of the AOC, but there are also differences between parcels that lie within the lieu-dit itself! For example, this comes from 0.13-hectares of Mazoyères Dessus (planted in 1965), the favoured top part of this vineyard, near Combottes and Latricières, bordering Morey. Three barrels this year, one of which was new, and only 10% whole bunches utilised.
The 2016 Mazoyeres Chambertin Grand Cru was completely destemmed. It has an outstanding bouquet with detailed blackberry, raspberry, cold stone and subtle damp undergrowth aromas—very complex and it seems to gain intensity with aeration. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine, supple tannin that make this Mazoyères less oppressive than it might have been. There is a confit-like finish that lingers long in the mouth and you are already yearning for the next sip (always a positive sign). Give this several years aging to fully melt the tannins, then you will have a superb grand cru on your hands.
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate #234
2016 Benjamin Leroux Echézeaux Grand Cru
Usually drawn exclusively from the Vignes Blanches climat (often referenced as Les Criots) on the Vosne border, this year Leroux added sources from a few other lieux-dits due to frost damage. Even so, only two barrels were produced and the fruit was entirely destemmed. The Vignes Blanches vines were planted in 1965.
A relatively somber but attractively spicy nose reflects notes of red and dark berries, lavender, Asian-style tea and a floral hint. The lush and very rounded medium-bodied flavors possess good mid-palate fat before terminating in a slightly edgy and tangy finish that is just enough to cut the length somewhat short today. My predicted range assumes that the tartness will age out once this is bottled.
Allen Meadows, Burghound issue 70
Leroux began with only Vignes Blanches but now gets fruit from multiple climats in Echézeaux; totally destemmed: Dark, bright red. Distinctly dark, brooding aromas of blackberry, bitter chocolate and licorice accented by a peppery quality. A bit youthfully brutal on the palate, offering savory flavors of blueberry, crushed stone, pepper and spices. This firmly structured, uncompromising Echézeaux finishes with dry, granular tannins and is very difficult to taste today. These vineyards were hit hard by the frost in 2016 and the malolactic fermentation was late.
2016 Benjamin Leroux Clos de La Roche Grand Cru
Bottled in magnum only. At its finest, (which comes down to the producer and location within the Clos) Clos de la Roche can produce some of the Côte d’Or’s most profound reds. This wine is very typical of the finest makers in the appellation, offering a deep, layered, dark fruited personality with the exotic spice of Morey’s northern slopes. The wine hails from 0.15 hectares of vines, located mid-slope on shallow, rocky soil with a high limestone content. The vines here were planted in 1965. As you would expect, there is more structural muscle and minerality than the Clos Saint-Denis. In short, this is a stunning wine of great depth and elegance that clearly has enormous ageing potential, especially in magnum. Matured in one-third new oak, this cuvée was 90% destemmed.
Bright, dark red. Medicinal red cherry and pungent chalky minerality on the nose. Wonderfully silky and juicy on entry, then precise and sharply delineated in the middle palate, with the sappy red cherry and wild herb flavors given added punch by crushed-stone minerality. Really stunning perfume and lift in the mouth. Finishes with terrific energy and subtle rising length. This and the Bonnes-Mares weigh in at about 13.5% alcohol, the highest among this outstanding set of 2016s.
The 2016 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru was much more muted on the nose compared to the Clos Saint-Denis (although the oak treatment is identical). This is a little withdrawn at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, quite firm in the mouth, a more masculine wine compared to the Clos Saint-Denis but without the same finesse. A bit like Dujac, this is a pair where I prefer the Clos that replies to the name Denis.
2015 Benjamin Leroux Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
Bottled in magnum only. From 0.06 hectares of Les Amoureuses, planted in 1972, this is Leroux’s smallest parcel. There are so few magnums available that we shouldn’t even be writing notes! As has become the custom, Leroux vinifies this wine without any new oak and with only destemmed fruit.
♥ Outstanding. An overtly floral and exceptionally pretty nose is elegant, airy and admirably pure with plenty of spice elements adding breadth to the essence of red currant aromas that are trimmed in discreet oak nuances. There is a wonderfully refined quality to the much stonier middle weight flavors that possess a silky and highly seductive mouth feel, all wrapped in a balanced and impressively lengthy finale. Lovely stuff that is class in a glass.
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Star Wars fans feel the force for old action figures
ABC Ballarat
By Gav McGrath and Danny Tran
Updated November 30, 2015 16:38:42
Photo: Star Wars fan Chris Brennan dressed as Darth Vader, holds a Darth Vader action figure. (Supplied: Chris Brennan)
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Map: Ballarat 3350
A 'Yak Face' Star Wars action figure in original packaging, which once sold for one dollar in stores, is now worth close to one thousand dollars.
But what about buying up merchandise from the new Star Wars film The Force Awakens with a view to making a profit down the track?
To paraphrase one fishy-looking alien admiral: "it's a trap".
Chris Brennan from Starwalking Australia, which is acknowledged as the oldest Star Wars fan club in the world (well, this world at least) by no less than George Lucas himself, said there was extraordinary money to be made from Star Wars collectables.
But only if you have the right stuff, he quickly added.
"The 1977 to '83 range, which was the original release of the Star Wars stuff, a lot of that is very, very collectable and sought after by fans," Mr Brennan told ABC Ballarat's Steve Martin.
"But then you get to the later release range from about 1995 onwards, everyone thought it was going to be collectable and so they hoarded as much of it as they could. There's so much of it, it's not that pricey and not that collectable.
"Some of the items were limited release and they go up in value, but [overall] it is the original stuff which really held its value and makes it to the high dollar value."
Photo: Chris Brennan stands with large models of Jabba the Hut and a Millennium Falcon. (Supplied: Chris Brennan)
Rarity and originality are among the key factors that lift the price of collectable Star Wars merchandise: but they are not the only considerations.
There's a thing called an AFA (Action Figure Association) grading that grades the quality of action figures for all action figures ... The higher the grading, the more it's worth.
Star Wars fan Chris Brennan
"There was a prototype of a missile-firing Boba Fett action figure which was released — this is a three and three-quarter inch piece of plastic, keep in mind — and one recently sold for $16,000," Mr Brennan said.
"They never made it to the packet because they were a prototype. There were 120 made and then it was decided they were too dangerous because the missile could be a hazard for young children.
"Some of the commercially released individual action figures will go for $800–$900 each.
"If you've got a lot of the original stuff sitting in the garage, now's the time to start pulling it out, dusting it off, and getting it assessed.
"Value depends on so many factors. There's a thing called an AFA (Action Figure Association) grading that grades the quality of action figures for all action figures — superheroes, everything. The higher the grading, the more it's worth.
"An original Darth Vader release with an AFA rating of nine can go for $8,000 to $10,000 depending on the quality of the bubble, the condition of the card, and whether they have the punch out of them. It's a real science.
"There's one figure called 'Yak Face' — they've created a real name for him but that's what he was called when he first came out — and at the Royal Melbourne Show in 1984 they were selling for $1 a pop. Now you will pay upwards of $900 for him on a card."
The Force Awakens interest in Starwalking fan club
Starwalking Australia was formed in 1988 and, unlike the official Star Wars fan club, has never gone into recess.
However trailers for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, have awoken fresh interest and led to a surge in new membership.
Starwalking Australia runs regular fan club get-togethers and movie-screenings for its 4,000 members Australia-wide.
"We give fans an outlet where they can get together with other fans and talk Star Wars," Mr Brennan said.
"It's different things to different people. Some people get lost in the escapism of good versus evil. Other people are like me: science geeks who love the robots and the technical aspects of it. Other people get involved in the political aspect with the Empire versus the Rebels and whether the Rebels are freedom
fighters or just a bunch of terrorists.
"I punched in number 3,988 the other day on our membership table. We've actually had people sign up their babies even before they're born.
Photo: Star Wars fan Chris Brennan with some of his collection. (Supplied: Chris Brennan)
Topics: science-fiction-films, popular-culture, ballarat-3350
First posted November 30, 2015 14:51:10
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Push for women to consider career in dairy despite ongoing drought, milk price pressures
ABC Illawarra
By Ainslie Drewitt-Smith and Justin Huntsdale
Posted September 27, 2018 06:36:53
Photo: Eighth generation Nowra dairy farmer Tracey Russell is managing a life balance running a dairy farm in drought. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
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Map: Nowra 2541
Women are being encouraged to consider a career on the land despite the industry being in crisis as it continues to struggle through the worst drought in living memory.
Eighth generation dairy farmer Tracey Russell said the dry conditions were the worst she had seen since she took her first steps on the family farm east of Nowra on the New South Wales south coast 52 years ago.
"I actually went for a mental health walk on the beach because I had totally had enough," Ms Russell said.
"I spend most of my time working out which cows I have to send away and that's breaking my heart."
Uncertainty, isolation, lack of control
Ms Russell's family milks just over 700 cattle on the property but they are now uncertain of their future.
Photo: The dairy industry has taken a dramatic hit with milk prices and the drought. (ABC Illawarra: Ainslie Drewitt-Smith)
"We're at the mercy of the supermarkets, we're at the mercy of the processors that process our milk and we don't set the price for anything," she said.
"The only thing we have control of is how much feed we have to bring in through the front gate and we don't even have control over the price of that at the moment.
"It's extreme. I don't know if we're even going to survive."
According to Ms Russell, isolation makes the struggle more difficult to handle on a daily basis.
"We don't get the opportunity to get out and even to talk to other farmers and when we do, it's because we're at crisis point," she said.
Conference provides opportunity to seek support
Dozens of female dairy farmers from across Australia are meeting at the annual Women in Dairy conference being held at Jamberoo, on the state's south coast.
The event provides an opportunity for women to network and share the challenges they face living on the land.
Conference chair Megan Nicholson said delegates would be discussing how they coped with running their families and business and farms, all under one roof.
Photo: Tracey Russsell milks 700 dairy cows each day at her property east of Nowra. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
Ms Nicholson said the committee had considered cancelling the event due to the pressures currently facing women in the industry.
But for the same reason, she said it was important for the event to go ahead and anticipates it will be an emotional experience for many attendees.
"Sometimes [being a dairy farmer] is 24/7 you don't get a break from it and because there's less of us, we're feeling quite isolated as well," she said.
"So we are going to share all of these topics and it is going to be quite challenging."
Women encouraged to consider dairy careers
South coast dairy farmer Laura Burn is among the dozens of women attending the three-day event.
Photo: Dairy farmer Laura Burn turned to a career in dairy after working in hospitality. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
Dairy farming for the 33-year-old is not a birthright — she chose to pursue a career in the industry after feeling dissatisfied working in retail and hospitality.
"A dairy traineeship came up and I kind of jumped at the opportunity and haven't looked back since. I love it," Ms Burn said.
She manages a robotic dairy farm at Numbaa, east of Nowra, and said it had taken her some adjusting to become comfortable with the unfamiliar lifestyle.
"The early mornings were a big shock," Ms Burn laughed.
"The hail and rain wants to keep you inside sometimes, but you've just got to get outside in it, put on your plastic covers and head out.
"The cows don't care if it's raining or if it's 40 degrees, so they'll keep doing what they do."
This is the first drought Ms Burn has experienced during her time working in the dairy industry.
"Seeing cows that are going off to sale and the condition that they're in, it is heart breaking," she said.
Photo: Dairy farmer Laura Burn says spending time with her animals is her favourite part of the job. (ABC Illawarra: Ainslie Drewitt-Smith)
Gender no barrier to success in dairy
Despite being a male-dominated industry, Ms Burn said she had not felt held back being a woman and was well-supported by her male counterparts on the farm.
"I'm received pretty well — I think most of them just see me as one of the blokes," she said.
Ms Burn is now a member of the Developing Dairy Leaders' program, encouraging other women to pursue a career in the industry.
She said women should not be deterred by the challenges but instead, buoyed by the rewards of a diverse and fulfilling role in an important industry.
"Just get out there and do it," she said.
"It's a great industry and you get to work with some awesome animals, it's good fun, and there's an awesome support network out there if you need it."
Topics: dairy-production, women-in-agriculture, mental-health, rural, rural-women, drought, community-and-society, work, nowra-2541, numbaa-2540, jamberoo-2533
Contact Ainslie Drewitt-Smith
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Gary Johnson gives $100,000 to his U.S. Senate campaign
SANTA FE — Gary Johnson is pumping some of his own money – $100,000 to start with – into his U.S. Senate run.
The former governor, a Republican-turned-Libertarian who jumped into the race this month to fill a vacant ballot spot, was making the contribution on Monday, his longtime communications director, Joe Hunter, told the Journal.
And Johnson is prepared to give more to his campaign in the coming weeks, he added.
“Gary feels strongly he wants to put his own money toward the effort,” Hunter said, while also citing many small outside donations Johnson has gotten since he announced his campaign.
The self-financing could help Johnson launch campaign ads and pay for other campaign operations, though he still likely has far less cash on hand than incumbent Martin Heinrich, a Democrat who reported nearly $4 million in his campaign account at the end of June.
The third candidate in the race, Republican Mick Rich of Albuquerque, was trailing far behind Heinrich in fundraising at the latest reporting deadline, with nearly $200,000
As a Libertarian, Johnson probably can’t count on deep-pocketed national groups coming to his assistance, though an independent expenditure group, or super PAC, called Elect Liberty PAC was recently created to support his campaign.
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NEWS & PRESS RELEASE
Home Media News Access Bank’s XclusivePlus Wins Best Affluent Banking Initiative In West Africa
Access Bank’s XclusivePlus Wins Best Affluent Banking Initiative In West Africa
XclusivePlus, a premium lifestyle proposition by Access bank, designed to provide special privileges and exceptional services to customers has been awarded “Best Affluent Banking Initiative in West Africa 2019” at the prestigious Asian Banker Awards held at Eko hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday, April 25, 2019.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Emmanuel Daniel, Chairman, Asian Banker, said, “As you all know, the Excellence in Retail Financial Services Programme is probably the most rigorous, prestigious and transparent Award Programme for consumer financial services in the world. We evaluate more than 300 banks and non-bank retail financial service players in more than 42 countries in a thorough evaluation process every year.”
“The programme also assesses all new players such as payments companies’ marketplace platforms and alternative financial services platform made possible by financial technology company’s (FINTECH) who are gratefully contributing to the transformation of the retail financial services industry. Through this, we aim to capture the evolving competitive landscape and recognize outstanding players and initiatives, from which the industry can learn from to, improve consumer products, services and experience. The XclusivePlus proposition is one of such great initiatives in the financial service sector, and that is why we are recognizing the product today as “Best Affluent Banking Initiative in West Africa 2019” he concluded.
Receiving the award on behalf of Access Bank, Dolapo Orelaja, Head, Consumer Propositions in her speech acknowledged the Asian Banker for the recognition. “I am honored and humbled to stand here today to receive this award on behalf of Access Bank and the XclusivePlus team. Thank you, Asian Banker and the International Panel of Advisors for nominating and awarding the XclusivePlus Initiative as the “Best Affluent Banking Initiative” in West Africa. This award would not have been possible without great team effort of colleagues and the support of our Executive Management” Dolapo said.
The XclusivePlus Proposition is a premium lifestyle offering specifically designed to provide our customers with the exceptional service and exclusive privileges that they deserve. It was launched in October 2018 and today has thousands of subscribers who understand the value of the proposition. It takes less than 2minutes to subscribe to Xclusiveplus with only N5, 999. One can also choose to make an upfront payment for one year and get a 20% discount to enjoy a bouquet of benefits such as:
Free upgrade to a Visa Signature debit card - a debit card with access to local and international spend
Travel in style with free access to over 800 premium airport lounges globally
Free medical emergency cover for you and your loved ones anytime you travel
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Network with Industry leaders at our various seminars and conferences
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Ebola crisis update from Sierra Leone
Wednesday 22nd October 2014
Mohamed Sillah
Executive Director, ActionAid Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is in the grip of the worst Ebola outbreak in history. The whole country has been in a state of public emergency since the end of July. Our Exective Director in Sierra Leone reports back on how we're helping stop the spread.
ActionAid facilitator Hawa conducts an Ebola awareness session in Bo district, Sierra Leone
Greetings from Sierra Leone. I write to update you on the Ebola situation here and our response so far.
Emergency alert closes schools indefinitely
The current State of Public Health Emergency imposes restrictions on all gatherings not related to the fight against Ebola, as the disease is spread by contact with body fluids of an infected person. This means that all our schools are closed indefinitely and community groups are unable to meet.
Initially the public emergency act was planned to end on 31st October 2014. However, looking at the scale of the current crisis we think it could be extended until at least 31st December 2014.
Ebola disrupts lives
There has been complete disruption to the livelihoods of the poor people in the communities we work in. All the areas we work in have reported cases of people infected with Ebola. Children who have lost their parents are particularly affected. As of 20th October there were over 1,700 Ebola cases reported in the districts we work in. (Bo -153, Bombali – 441, Kambia-26, Kono- 24, Moyamba-85, Tonkolili – 150 and Western Area – 851)
Two of our operational districts (Bombali and Moyamba) have been isolated due to high numbers of infections and the movement of people within some chiefdoms and outside of these areas is restricted.
What are we doing to stop the spread in communities?
We’re working with families and communities to help them survive the epidemic by:
providing food support and hygiene supplies to quarantined families.
continuing to deliver education to people on the symptoms of the virus and how to take measures to avoid being infected.
How are we helping the medical response to the Ebola outbreak?
We have supplied disinfectant, soaps and protective clothing to the District Health Management Teams and Ebola emergency coordination units in all our operational districts to support the isolation and treatment centres to contain the spread of the virus. An isolation centre is where suspected cases are held until their results are out and treatment centres are where infected victims are cared for.
We also provided logistical support (fuel) to Ebola emergency coordination units in their day to day co ordination.
How can you help stop the spread?
We’re doing everything we can to stop the Ebola virus in its tracks. You can help by donating to our Ebola Crisis Appeal. Together we can reach more people and save lives.
£25 will pay for cleaning and disinfectant materials
£50 will buy three sets of personal protective equipment for the most exposed health workers
£125 will provide medical lab supplies for an Ebola care unit for one month
Please donate to save lives and stop the spread of Ebola
Ebola Appeal
Ebola outbreak is over.. now recovery must begin
How handwashing helped bring Ebola under control
What’s happened to the orphans of Ebola?
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Weekly Roundup: 5 Must-See YouTube Videos for Entrepreneurs (May 8, 2015)
Posted on 8.May.2015 by Mike Winters | @amcomcap
It’s Friday! I hope everyone had a great National Small Business Week. Celebrate by kicking back and watching this week’s batch of essential videos for entrepreneurs, which includes digital marketing expert Kevin Ryan’s advice about taking on the big guys, Brendon Burchard on the power of habit, and Jack Ma’s 10 Rules for Success. Plus, Barbara Corcoran gives advice to an entrepreneurial newbie and David R. Bell discusses how the offline world affects online sales.
Think Big: A Q&A with Digital Marketing Expert Kevin Ryan
For National Small Business Week, Rachel Sterling of Google Small Business Community sat down with Kevin Ryan, author of Taking Down Goliath, which is all about how small businesses can compete with the big guys when it comes to digital marketing. It’s a 31-minute conversation, so grab your favorite beverage, but skip the popcorn because you’ll be busy jotting down tips and insights that could help your own small business compete with the big ones.
The Power of Habit: Setting Up “Triggers” to Sustain Habits
In this video, the always-worthwhile Brendon Burchard discusses the power of habit on the road to achieving goals. He talks about cultivating “trigger moments” that can activate good habits. It’s a fairly simple idea that could have a huge impact on life and work. Just watch.
Jack Ma’s Top 10 Rules for Success
Evan Carmichael presents this video outlining Jack Ma’s 10 Rules for Success. As the richest man in China with a net worth in excess of $29 billion, he has to be doing something right! And to think, he started his business (Alibaba.com) with a mere $20,000 that he raised with the help of his wife and a friend. While some of the rules may seem obvious (“stay focused,” “have passion,” “customers are #1”), listening to Jack Ma discuss and expand upon them is enlightening and inspiring.
What If I’m Not a Great Salesman? Advice From Barbara Corcoran.
When fresh-faced Derek Bluford pitches his startup QuickLegal to Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran, she pulls no punches in telling him he’s not a very good salesman. She gives him quick advice on why he needs a partner (“someone who’s super creative, has an idea a minute, is a little bit of a nutjob, drinks too much, doesn’t dress right”) to handle the selling. It’s a good lesson for all the entrepreneurs who have ideas and drive but lack salesmanship.
How the Offline World Affects Online Commerce
David R. Bell, Professor of Marketing at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, speaks about why the physical world is still hugely important, even in the world of online commerce. He uses three case studies to illustrate his point. Any entrepreneur or business selling something online should watch this 17-minute video for the keen insights on why we can’t afford to forget about the physical world’s impact on business on the Internet.
Roy Brooks and American Commercial Capital, LLC, has provided invoice-factoring services to Houston-area small businesses since 2003. We work with businesses in San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Corpus Christi, and other nearby Texas cities.
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Business Video Roundup: How to Make a Million-Dollar Deal, Small-Business Surprises & More
In this week’s roundup of great videos for entrepreneurs and business owners, Gary Vaynerchuk chats with Manhattan-based restauranteur Michael Chernow about life, motivation, and thriving in business; Entrepreneur‘s Elevator Pitch sets its sights on businesses in the cannabis industry; and CNBC explores the impact that Amazon is having on the business of shipping boxes. Plus, Evan Carmichael presents Simon Sinek’s top 10 rules of success and The Small Business Revolution…
Business Video Roundup: The Cost of Not Having a Mentor, Firing Toxic Employees & More
In this week’s roundup of great videos for entrepreneurs and business owners, Gary Vaynerchuk offers up several golden nuggets of business advice, the founder of high-protein meat-snack company EPIC Provisions discusses the mistake that cost them half a million, and the latest episode of Entrepreneur’s Elevator Pitch catches up with a pair of furniture founders from last season. Plus, CNBC explores why Jumia is beating Amazon and Alibaba in Africa…
Business Video Roundup: When Business Partners Clash, the Entrepreneur’s Mindset & More
Welcome to the first day of summer! In our latest roundup of great videos for entrepreneurs and business owners, there’s plenty of rock-solid advice to start your summer off right. Patrick Bet-David talks with the founder of Quest Nutrition about what happens when business partners clash, Gary Vaynerchuk heads an insight-filled 90-minute discussion at USC, and Forbes shows why Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has been such a smashing success.…
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Home Community News Wing facing child abuse charge
Wing facing child abuse charge
Joe Hendricks
Now facing a felony child abuse charge, Deborah Wing met with Anna Maria city officials in November to discuss the private security used at Bayfest. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
HOLMES BEACH – Former Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce President Deborah Kay Wing is facing a charge of third degree felony child abuse without great bodily harm.
According to the Holmes Beach Police Department, Wing, 53, 5626 Gulf Drive N., Holmes Beach, was arrested on Wednesday, April 4 and charged with violating Florida Statute 827.03(2)(c).
According to the statute, “A person who knowingly or willfully abuses a child without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement to the child commits a felony of the third degree.”
If convicted, the charge carries a potential penalty of up to $5,000 fine and/or up to five years imprisonment.
An arraignment hearing has been scheduled for Friday, May 4, at 9 a.m. at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
On Thursday, April 5, a no contact with the victim order was issued as a condition of pretrial release. Wing’s printed name, what appeared to be her signature and the handwritten date, 04-05-18, appear at the bottom of that form, on the Manatee Clerk of Court’s website. Wing was released that day on a $500 bond.
“I’m confident that this incident will be expunged,” Wing’s attorney, Pete Mackey, said on Friday.
Wing expressed a similar sentiment, saying she does not believe the police reports provide a completely accurate portrayal of the events that transpired during the family disagreement. She said she is hopeful the charge will be dismissed.
Wing resigned as Chamber president in November. She was named president in mid-2015 after serving as vice president for six years.
According to the police reports, Officer Mike Walker and Sgt. Brian Copeman from the Holmes Beach Police Department responded to a call at 11:10 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4.
In their reports, Wing is referred to as “Person 1” and Mark Davis, of Bradenton, who was present, is referred to as “Person 2.”
Walker’s report states: “I was dispatched to a missing person. Upon arrival I spoke with Person 1 (Wing), who advised juvenile ran away from the residence. Person 1 (Wing) stated juvenile left the residence approximately three hours (ago).
“Person 1 (Wing) started becoming agitated and uncooperative, stating I was only asking questions to send to the newspaper. I advised I was asking juvenile’s name so I had some idea of what missing person we were supposed to be looking for.
“Person 2 (Davis) called stating he located juvenile hiding in a nearby parking lot. Person 2 (Davis) then drove juvenile back to the residence where juvenile stayed seated in the front passenger seat of the vehicle.
“Sgt. Copeman and I then walked over to the vehicle and began speaking with juvenile who was visibly upset and crying. Juvenile stated juvenile and Person 1 (Wing) were in an argument. Juvenile stated juvenile was lying in bed and told Person 1 (Wing) juvenile hated person 1 (Wing). Juvenile stated Person 1 (Wing) became irate and began slapping her on her left arm and leg. Juvenile advised Person 1 (Wing) was slapping juvenile so much that Person 2 (Davis) had to come and restrain Person 1 (Wing).
“Juvenile stated that once Person 1 (Wing) was restrained juvenile ran out of the house in fear. Juvenile stated juvenile did not want to go back to the residence,” Walker’s report says.
Copeman’s report says, “Person 2 (Davis) stated that Person 2 (Davis) had to step in and pull Person 1 (Wing) off the juvenile. Person 2 (Davis) stated that Person 1 (Wing) did hit juvenile on the leg and arm. Juvenile said Person 1 (Wing) is never going to forgive juvenile and that Person 1 (Wing) will hate juvenile forever. Juvenile also stated that Person 1 (Wing) has made several comments in the past about wanting to kill herself.”
The officers’ probable cause affidavit posted Monday at the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court website says, “The victim also stated that the defendant (Wing) advised she was going to kill herself in an attempt to make the victim feel guilty.”
According to Walker and Copeman’s reports, Wing was handcuffed, transported to the Holmes Beach Police Department where the arrest paperwork was completed. She was then transported by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office to the county jail.
“Juvenile’s grandmother responded to the scene to take custody of juvenile. I also contacted the abuse hotline and advised of the situation,” Walker’s report noted.
Manatee County court records indicate that Wing has no prior legal issues other than traffic violations and a dissolution of marriage/child support case.
Corporal punishment of a child by a parent is not illegal in Florida.
According to Florida Statute 39.01(2), “Abuse means any willful act or threatened act that results in any physical, mental, or sexual abuse, injury or harm that causes or is likely to cause the child’s physical, mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired. Corporal discipline of a child by a parent or legal custodian for disciplinary purposes does not in itself constitute abuse when it does not result in harm to the child.”
According to Florida Statute 39.01(30)(a), “Harm to a child’s health or welfare can occur when any person inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physical, mental, or emotional injury.”
Deb Wing
http://www.amisun.com
Correspondent Joe Hendricks covers Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach. Email
County submits Coquina Beach tree replacement plan
More changes proposed for VRC program
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OpinionColumnistsLeonard Levitt
By Len Levitt @LenLevitt
Slow justice in the Ramarley Graham case
A marked NYPD car Photo Credit: Newsday File
Updated January 9, 2017 6:06 PM
An internal police report on the 2012 shooting death of Ramarley Graham placed the major burden of guilt not on Officer Richard Haste, who shot the unarmed teenager in the bathroom of his Bronx apartment. Instead, the report placed it on the sergeant at the scene for failing to stop Haste from rushing pell-mell into the apartment building before backup arrived, NYPD Confidential has learned.
The report, never made public, was written in 2014 by then-Chief of Department Philip Banks, who chaired an ad-hoc group of police officials known as the Firearms Discharge Review Board. While criticizing Haste for tactical mistakes, the board recommended only minor discipline, police sources said.
But when Banks presented the findings to then-Commissioner Bill Bratton, Bratton asked Banks to change his conclusions and to place the onus on Haste, said the police sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the report. Banks refused, the sources said.
It is unclear whether the report will affect Haste’s upcoming departmental trial. But it underscores how politics can influence police decisions, even in a racially charged case.
Bratton did not return phone calls or an email seeking comment. Banks, who retired at the end of 2014 amid controversy after Bratton promoted him to first deputy, said he was “busy golfing and fishing. I am retired. Leave me alone.”
Department spokesman Stephen Davis declined to comment, citing Haste’s departmental trial on failure to use proper tactics, scheduled to start Jan. 17. The sergeant at the scene also faces disciplinary action.
Haste’s is one of two controversial cases involving the deaths of unarmed black civilians at the hands of white officers that continue to dog the NYPD. The second case is the “chokehold” death of Eric Garner in Staten Island involving Officer Daniel Pantaleo in 2014. A Staten Island grand jury declined to indict him on criminal charges. Two and a half years later, the Justice Department has yet to decide whether to indict Pantaleo on civil rights charges.
In Haste’s case, a Bronx grand jury indicted him in Graham’s death. But a judge dismissed the 2012 indictment on a technicality. A second grand jury chose not to indict him, and federal prosecutors declined to seek an indictment on civil rights violations.
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Len Levitt is the author of “NYPD Confidential: Power and Corruption in the Country's Greatest Police Force."
'No games' on 9/11 victims fund bill, officials warn Senate
Epstein had cash, diamonds, fake passport: prosecutors
Migrant detention center protest planned for Herald Square
Man tries to rape 73-year-old woman in lower Manhattan: Cops
No confirmed ICE raids reported to city gov't
Advocates rush to prepare immigrants before expected ICE raids
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Analyst predicts 2 Samsung Galaxy S5 models with varying specs
Shawn Ingram
Samsung Galaxy S5 concept
New claims from an analyst say the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 will come in two different models, both using plastic casing and a fingerprint scanner.
The claims come from a note to investors from KGI Research analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In the note Kuo says Samsung will release two Galaxy S5 models, a Standard model and a Prime model. The two phones will have many similar specs, but will have two key differences: their processors and RAM.
According to Kuo, the Standard Galaxy S5 will use either a quad-core Qualcomm MSM 8974AC (otherwise known as a model of the Snapdragon 800) or the eight-core Samsung Exynos 5422. The Standard will likely have 2GB of RAM. The Galaxy S5 Prime, however, will use the upgraded eight-core Samsung Exynos 5430 processor with 3GB of RAM according to the note.
Every processor Kuo mentions is a 32-bit processor, potentially ruling out the chance of a 64-bit chip in Samsung’s next phone. Notably, the iPhone 5s has a 64-bit chip, though the benefits of the chip aren’t immediately recognizable to most users beyond it’s speed.
Both models of the phone will have a 5.2-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) display, a 2MP front-facing camera, 16MP rear-facing camera, 3D gesture support, and the aforementioned fingerprint scanner. The specs fall in line with previous rumors of Samsung’s next flagship phone, which could mean the phone is just about ready for release in the coming months.
Kuo says in his note that some recently rumored features won’t make it into the Galaxy S5 in time for launch. The iris scanner in particular might be ready in time for launch. Kuo says Samsung is looking into the technology for future devices, but wouldn’t say if it will come to the Galaxy S5. It’s far too early to speculate on any devices beyond the Galaxy S5, though.
For now it seems Galaxy fans will have to be happy with Samsung bringing a fingerprint scanner to its next flagship for added security. With Apple incorporating Touch ID in the iPhone 5S and even smaller rivals like HTC putting fingerprint scanners in phones like the HTC One max, Samsung really can’t avoid adding the feature. Hopefully the company copies Apple and puts the scanner in an easy to access location.
With any luck the feature will be at least as reliable as it is on the iPhone 5s. Anyone who has used the Apple’s flagship for an extended period of time will know Touch ID isn’t exactly reliable, as it routinely stops recognizing fingerprints for many users.
The big question regarding Kuo’s prediction, though, is how will Samsung price the two models? Will it follow Apple’s example of putting on at $100 on contract, and one at $200 on contract? Or will it keep the Standard model at a premium price and charge extra for the Prime model?
Phones, Rumors, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy S5
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ANDRU BEMIS
About Andru
Songsheets
Piano Rescue
Chenango Sessions
Jun 28 – Mulebone
Jul 10 – The Vollmers
Sep 27 – North Sea Gas
Oct 25 – Tommy Sands
Cranberry Coffeehouse
Jun 1 — John Kirk & Trish Miller
Binghamton Live Songwriters Series
Dan Duggan & Peggy Lynn @ Cranberry Coffeehouse — 16 Feb 2019
Posted by andru on February 5, 2019 February 20, 2019
Cranberry Coffeehouse presents…
DAN DUGGAN & PEGGY LYNN
16 FEBRUARY 2019 @ 7:30 PM
DOORS @ 7:00 PM
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION — 183 Riverside Dr, Binghamton, NY
$8 SUGGESTED DONATION
The combined artistry of Peggy Lynn and Dan Duggan provides an evening of beautiful singing and fiery instrumentals, ranging from sublime loveliness to freewheeling good fun. Dan Duggan and Peggy Lynn are celebrating ten years of marriage and fifteen years of performing together. With a newly released album titled Esperance, named for their farm in Red Creek, New York, they showcase a few of their favorite genres: distinctive original songs, acoustic jazz standards, and instrumentals, both poignant and driving. Peggy’s talent for moving lyrics and Dan’s knack for unique, tasteful arrangements make this recording a fitting culmination of their composing and performing experience.
Peggy Lynn
Peggy Lynn, singer, songwriter, and educator, brings an infectious enthusiasm to all her endeavors. Peggy ranges from folksy to blues with equal ease, alone or harmonizing with others. With a sultry, yet powerful alto voice, Peggy gives a clear message of the passion underlying her songs. While her style and range give meaning and emotion to all her work, her most powerful message is for the contributions and burdens of women.
Peggy believes there needs to be a female role added to the record of Adirondack history. She co-authored Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women in the Adirondacks with Sandra Weber. Bringing these stories to the public stage in her program, “Mountain Women Can Be Heroes,” Peggy celebrates, through song and story, the comical, amazing and poignant experiences of Adirondack women as the unsung heroes. Peggy’s most recent solo recording is an anthology of her ballads of North Country women titled Adirondack Woman. To inform her understanding of women’s issues and historical context, Peggy returned to college and received a BS in Women’s Studies and a Master’s degree in American and Women’s History.
With an AAS Degree in Forestry, and a keen understanding and deep appreciation of the subject, Peggy has written songs and developed a memorable Arts in Education program using simple catchy melodies and scientific concepts to build the environmental awareness and interest in learning. The recordings Bio Songs ~ Signs of Life and Close to the Sun offer songs to demystify nature as science for children of all ages.
Peggy continues to draw inspiration from nature, teaching, mentoring, performing, listening and collaborating. Becoming a grandmother has been a thrill and pleasure which brings new perspectives and ideas. Peggy likes to say, “Every moment is a potential song idea, so be careful what you say in front of a woman with a microphone!”
Dan Duggan
Dan Duggan, nationally touring performer and teacher, is rapidly being acknowledged as one of the finest dulcimer players and composers in the country. As recipient of the prestigious National Hammered Dulcimer Championship, Dan’s accomplishment, though based on technical merit, is even more considerable as he is the first winner to have performed all original compositions.
Although pioneering innovative compositional work for the dulcimer, Dan’s renditions of traditional Irish and American tunes reflect his study and understanding of their original context. Whether re-creating 18th century harp pieces or vibrant 19th century dance tunes, Dan has engaged audiences nationwide in an excursion of musical styles and moods.
Dan has recorded four albums of original compositions, First Frost, Last of May, Seasons of Change, and Trillium Lane, as well as three albums of traditional holiday music Christmas Morn, Winters Eve, and All Through The Night, and a family album of original songs written with children in schools throughout New York, entitled The Pieces of our Life. Pieces of Our Life received a 1998 Parents Choice award. Selections of Dan’s recordings, highly acclaimed by top critics in the traditional music field, have been aired on National Public Radio during daily broadcasts of Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Dan’s dulcimer work can also be heard on Paul Simon‘s Grammy nominated CD, You’re The One, released in October of 2000.
In addition to maintaining an active touring and teaching schedule, Dan is currently at work on several new projects. He has designed and marketed a hammered dulcimer unique with its extended range of notes , full sound, and lightweight portability. A book of Dan’s original compositions for dulcimer and guitar, as well as book of original children’s songs, is soon to be released.
One of Dan’s main objectives is to bring traditional music and instrumentation to audiences unfamiliar with this genre of music. Through his innovative blending of traditional instrumentation with creative musical format, Dan is indeed accomplishing his goal.
The Cranberry Coffeehouse has been a fixture in the musical life of upstate New York for forty-six years (yes, 46!), and has been a frequent stop for performers of varied acoustic genres. It is one of the longest continuously-running venues for traditional folk and acoustic music in the Binghamton area. The setting is humble, but comfortable, and the energy, exuberance, and beauty of the performances are long remembered. Primarily a venue for traditional folk music, the Cranberry also enjoys other types of acoustically-based music.
We put the “folk” back in Folk music! The Cranberry Coffeehouse encourages musicians, vocalists, story-tellers, and dancers of all ages and skill levels to share their talents during the “Middle Set”. Middle set performances are each limited to five minutes.
The Cranberry Coffeehouse is located at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 183 Riverside Drive, Binghamton, NY 13905. Unless otherwise specified, performances start at 7:30 p.m., with a $10 suggested donation at the door.
For more information, visit www.cranberrycoffeehouse.org.
2019-02-16Binghamton Unitarian Universalist CongregationCranberry CoffeehouseDan DugganPeggy Lynn
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Rail to Reel
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Andru Bemis Folkadelphia Session 5/30/2015 by Andru Bemis
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Japan and S Korea defy China defence zone
Tokyo and Seoul join the US in flouting newly-declared Chinese rules as pressure grows on China to toughen its response.
Japan and South Korea said they have defied China's newly-declared air defence zone with military overflights, showing Beijing a united front after US B-52 bombers did the same.
The new defence zone, announced by China at the weekend, requires foreign aircraft to identify themselves and maintain open communication with Chinese authorities upon entry into the airspace.
We have been operating normal warning and patrol activities in the East China Sea including that area. We have no intention of changing this.
Yoshihide Suga, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary
Japan, South Korea and the US disregarded these requirements and a Japanese official said the country's coast guard and air force will continue to ignore Beijing's regulations.
"We have been operating normal warning and patrol activities in the East China Sea including that area," Yoshihide Suga, Chief Cabinet Secretary, said on Thursday. "We have no intention of changing this."
South Korea's military said it was met with no resistance when its planes flew into the defence zone.
The zone includes disputed islands claimed by China, which knows them as the Diaoyus, but controlled by Japan, which calls them the Senkakus. The move triggered US and Japanese accusations of provocation as global concerns grew.
The zone also includes a South Korea-controlled rock that has long created tension with China.
South Korea's vice defence minister, Baek Seung-Joo, said he was disappointed by China's decision to declare the air defence zone, which he said would only create further problems between the countries.
On Wednesday, two giant US Stratofortress bombers flew into the zone, an unmistakable message from Washington before a pre-planned visit to the region by US Vice President Joe Biden.
The visit will now include discussions over the zone, senior administration officials in Washington said.
The trip will allow Biden to "make the broader point that there's an emerging pattern of behaviour by China that is unsettling to China's own neighbours and raising questions about how China operates in international space," one official said.
'Chicken in the air'
China's defence ministry issued a statement 11 hours after the US flights, saying its military had "monitored the entire process."
But Chinese authorities are under growing pressure from the ruling Communist Party to take action against countries that defy the zone.
The Global Times, a government-run Chinese Daily, published an editorial on Thursday that said Washington's breach risked worsening Japan's disobedience.
It could put China and the US on a collision course "which will prove much more hazardous than sending military aircraft to play chicken in the air," said the daily.
Qin Gang, China's foreign ministry spokesman, also advised both the US and Japan to "immediately correct their mistakes and stop their irresponsible accusations against China."
Terms of the zone stipulate that aircraft that fail to declare their nationality and maintain open communication will face "defensive emergency measures."
So far China has only issued verbal warnings.
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Israel re-imposes Gaza blockade
Rocket fire from Gaza Strip blamed for closure of crossings.
Fuel supplies were allowed into the Gaza
Strip earlier this week [EPA]
Both sides have blamed each other of breaking the five-month ceasefire that led to Israel's imposition of the blockade, which is causing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The borders with Israel had been opened on Monday and about 45 lorries were allowed through the Kerem Shalom crossing, including 10 UN vehicles carrying food and medical supplies.
Another 15 truckloads of supplies were let through the Karni crossing with an unspecified number also passing via the Nahal Ouz opening.
Limited supplies
Humanitarian agencies have said that the supplies are reaching the Gaza Strip are not enough to sustain the population.
A lack of fuel for Gaza's power plants and limited medical supplies have put hospitals at serious risk of being rendered useless.
The UN has said that the blockade is a "direct contravention of international human rights and humanitarian law" and should be ended immediately.
Israel closed all of its crossings with Gaza on November 5 following rocket attacks launched by Palestinian fighters within the Strip and has refused to lift the blockade until the attacks end.
A Palestinian official said the Israelis agreed to temporarily lift the blockade after Egyptian mediators intervened, asking Israel to let in essential humanitarian supplies while calling on Palestinian fighters to simultaneously stop rocket fire.
Several Israelis have been injured by Palestinian rocket fire in the past couple of weeks.
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Colonia region gets a bunch of brand new shipyards
Renowned billionaire Zachary Rackham, owner of Rackham Capital Investments, has made a sizeable charitable donation to build new shipyards in the Colonia region.
Mr Rackham, known in some circles as ‘Calico Zack’, made this statement:
“If there’s one thing I remember from flying around the galaxy in a second-hand Sidewinder with a leaky life-support module and only fifty credits in my pocket, it’s the thrill of exploration. And Colonia is the embodiment of that spirit, the farthest-flung outpost of civilisation.”
“That’s why I want to support it by funding the development of new shipyards. Every planetary port in the region, bar Colonia Hub, will soon be able to offer pilots the support services they need. It’s my way of celebrating a youth filled with poverty and danger, by giving a boost to the next generation of explorers.”
Bryanna Blanco, a financial journalist for The Federal Times, also published a statement:
“Obviously this is tremendous news for Colonia and all those operating within the region. The timing of Rackham’s donation is curious, however, coming as it does shortly before a company-wide audit. Having such a colossal sum placed beyond the reach of tax officials will certainly help that old pirate – and his crew of accountants – sleep better at night.”
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Carriers for squadrons and planetary visual updates will not be part of the Q4 update
The news hit the fanbase really hard – Zac Antonaci posted a large post explaining the status of Elite development and the way Frontier is looking at the future of the game and much awaited premium content for 2018…
Beyond Chapter 3 has been out for only a couple of days and we have fresh news about the final chapter of the current season. Chapter 4 was supposed to be the biggest content update to Elite in a long time featuring various social additions like squadrons, chat updates, player owned fleet carriers, exploration and mining overhauls as well as a major graphical upgrade to ice planets and other rocky worlds. However – it turns out not all of it will make it to the final chapter of the season.
As Zac Antonaci, Frontier’s head of communication, explained – the company had to rethink the way they deliver content and take into consideration many of the backers that payed for a lifetime pass back in kickstarter. Unfortunately – even they won’t receive any “premium” content this year apart from some store goods in form of ship kits and skins (yet to be determined).
There will also be no other content this year apart from the final chapter update to the Beyond season. Antonaci also talks about future content that is, once again, “very exciting” and already marked as a major milestone for the journey of the game, but, as with anything regarding Elite, we still don’t know anything about except it will not come any time soon after the Q4 update.
However, Frontier will push out news about the upcoming content later on this year.
Apparently Frontier considers all of this a big positive for the long term future of the game and its content, yet somehow – it doesn’t feel that way.
You can read Zac's full post below
Greetings Commanders,
First of all, we would like to take a moment to thank you all for the continued support and making Elite Dangerous the incredible, community driven, phenomenon that it is today.
We started our Elite Dangerous journey over 6 years ago and today hundreds of thousands of Commanders log in regularly to continue their epic space journey. From a personal perspective, joining the team shortly after the kickstarter, and being a part of this incredible community has truly been one of the most amazing highlights of my career. From in-person community meet ups, online community groups and jaw-dropping events, you have always inspired us with your passion and enthusiasm.
We wanted to take a moment to talk about a number of topics being discussed in the community and to be as open and transparent as possible. It’s a long read, so make sure you’re safely docked and comfortable before attempting to navigate this post.
The things we’d like to go through include Chapter Four content and a little about a future beyond “Beyond”, as well as touching on the subject of “paid premium content” in 2018 for Lifetime Expansion Pass owners.
Let’s get started with Chapter Four content. As all of you know, our largest update of the year is in final development and will be available for players to get hands-on with in just a number of weeks (Some time in Q4).This will be the final update of 2018 and the Beyond season. The Beyond season was always something that we wanted to do in order to bring even more enhancements to the core experience of Elite and being able to dedicate a full development team (over 100 people!) for a full year of free content was specifically to gear ourselves up to support our long term vision for the game.
On a personal note, Squadrons is something I’m most excited by. Seeing our player groups grow and the stories they’ve created has been incredible and now being able to see them take that to the next level, formalize their groups in-game, TAG up and team up is something I’m really looking forward to.
There’s also a huge group of players who are most excited by the many new additions to exploration. I know from talking to so many of you online and in-person, this is a huge moment and the development team are working really hard to deliver new content and mechanics to give explorers that thrill of venturing out into the black. And then there’s even more with additions with significant mining enhancements, a full game visual upgrade and the Codex which all bring even more richness to the game experience and depth to the way people play. It’s certainly an update we’re all very excited to see the community explore.
We do have one exciting piece of news to share that to date, we have not shared with our community. A while ago, our development went from pre-production into full production on our next major milestone of Elite development.
What that means in the simplest terms is that the team are actively working on the next major landmark which takes us into our next era for Elite. We aren’t going to be ready to talk about or announce any details for quite a while yet, it is early in the development and there is still a long way to go, but I can say that this is something that will be scheduled to release a considerable time after the final update in the Beyond series. We will have more details on exactly what this means and how the era will roll out after the release of Beyond – Chapter Four, but this does mark some exciting next steps and a continued commitment to the long term vision for the game and our community.
Naturally, there will be community questions that might come up from this information. We aren’t going to be ready to talk about what method or model the content will be. What we can say is that it’s expected to be a major milestone in the history of Elite and will be paid content. Lifetime Expansion owners will obviously receive the content as part of their pass.
As part of pre-production, the team investigate all areas of the content and scope them out thoroughly. It’s important to take the time to be clear on what the vision for this is and how we imagine the content working. During this process, we have made a decision to adjust the focus of content that were previously planned for the Chapter Four update, adding some significant new gameplay, but it also means some other aspects will have to change. This means that some elements of content such as Ice Planets (which many of you will have seen some fantastic progress updates from LaveCon earlier this year) and Fleet Carriers for squadrons will not be coming as part of the Beyond – Chapter Four update. Some of the technology from the ice planets specifically will be used within our wider and global visual upgrade, so there will still be general improvements, but not everything we originally envisaged. However, we wanted you to be aware that these two elements specifically would be reprioritised out of the upcoming Beyond - Chapter Four update. What this does mean is that the rest of the content will be able to benefit for the changes in scheduling through deeper and richer gameplay mechanics. The Chapter Four update still has the same, if not bigger scope and continues to promise the largest update of the Beyond season and a truck load of great features for all Horizons Commanders for free. We’re very excited to be sharing the details with you over the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more info.
Another area that we’ve had a number of questions on is the “premium content” coming in 2018.
As many of you will know, we previously mentioned that premium (paid for) content would also be coming within the Beyond season of updates and that Lifetime Expansion Pass holders would be getting this for free. However, as we went through the early stages of what the next era for Elite Dangerous would be, we decided that it would be better to spend that additional time on the future content, rather than bringing new types of purchasable content out this year.
This is a big positive for the long term future of the game and its content. However, we also understand that there are people with Lifetime Expansion Passes who haven’t received paid for content in this season, because Beyond has been free to all owners of Horizons. We truly appreciate the support and commitment that those owners put in us when they purchased the LEP and we will be making sure that there is a form of free store content going out to them by the end of this year.
The most important thing we would like for our community to take from this, is that there are some incredibly exciting things just over the horizon. The Elite Dangerous development team is larger than it has been at any point in the last 6 years. It is thanks to your continued support, dedication, feedback and engagement that has made this possible. We have the Beyond Chapter Four update coming soon, our largest update in the Beyond season, with some awesome headline features and a fantastically promising future of content and ongoing development. We’re looking forward to sharing more details with you in the future. However, if you have any questions feel free to share them with us by posting in this thread and we’ll try and answer as many of them as we can.
Person 07. February, 2019. at 08:50h
“10 things players WISH every game company did” YouTube it and take some notes before you decide to drain you supporting customers wallets, with this random thought about making paid content now out of nowhere after how many years. Taking away the fun for people who love the game but dont have access to this so called paid content.
CMDR A1R 13. October, 2018. at 20:32h
Get you act together Frontier or you will loose you're precious players, we buy the game, play the game, upgrade the game via purchasing in the shop and you bring out patches (often buggy) to fix existing bugs during game development and not what players actually want such as space legs, atmospheric landing, better textured surfaces and for god sake, fix the mission board, make it more user friendly. Come on frontier, 100 staff and you do this, support the players, content, content, content and no more bugs (test first).
RENTZH 08. September, 2018. at 18:51h
Being not (yet?) frustrated with the state of the game due to a 3 year break, and having worked in the gaming industry myself for 10+ years, I can't find this announcement all bad (yet). While FDev leaving out promised things this year ofc sucks hardcore, I tend to believe that the reasoning behind it *might* not be as rightout evil one is lead to assume. Yes, there's that omnipresent lurking theme of money greed today, but there's also the fact that game developing mostly is a true horror on all levels.
Sidey Widey 03. September, 2018. at 08:34h
Unless every single of those 100 developers are monkey mashing random stuff at a keyboard - no one in his right mind (especially if you have anything to do with actual development) can believe that this amount of "content" and this rate of patches are done by ONE HUNDRED people. No Man's Sky has gotten more in a single update from a tiny indie team than Elite has gotten in years of update from a AAA company like Frontier. It's just ridiculous. Shame on you Frontier!
Praxis 01. September, 2018. at 23:41h
And just when we finally thought they can't let us down any more than they have with lacklustre patches and snail-paced development cycles - there's this. We've hit a new low
Nox 01. September, 2018. at 08:34h
What a joke. They can pump out ridiculous ship skins to squeeze more cash out of players on a weekly basis for ships that are not even out yet but they can't get their crap together for a single meaningful patch... The fact that Elite is the only space sim of its kind (EVE is great but it doesn't feature an actual flight model like Elite) kept me playing for a long time but stuff like this doesn't deserve to be supported.
Deox 31. August, 2018. at 18:50h
This is actually a good thing. Now Egosoft can release X4 this winter and get proper pay from all the people that got pissed by Frontier
Timbu 31. August, 2018. at 17:39h
Sigh... well, I guess that's it for me. I was waiting for that last push this year where i sincerely hoped they can pull it off and finally make the core game a better place. But i guess they will just turn to milking the cow to the max and make us pay for already promised content in 2019. No thank you....
CMDR Lex Simmins 31. August, 2018. at 17:08h
Wait... what!? Are they insane?! He claims they have 100 (one hundred) active developers working on Elite and we've been getting bugged patches with crawling speed for years. And now they're chopping out parts of this season to probably sell it as an expansion to other planets later on in 2019, and market it as "free" to all lifetime pass holders. This is incredibly disappointing!
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Sew the City
Out of Stone
Land On Shore
Unruly Heart
Ari & Mia
March 15, 2019 / Ariel Friedman
We’re thrilled to share this new video of our song “Sweet Morning,” filmed by Sean Trischka and featured today in TheBoot.com’s Guest Room Sessions.
Read all about it here.
IT'S HERE!!!
Hooray!! “Sew the City” is out today and you can pick up your copy here or wherever you buy or listen to music.
We are really excited about this album—it was a true labor of love and we had the best time recording it in July at a beautiful old farmhouse in Parsonsfield, Maine. We spent 4 days recording, cooking, watching Blue Planet, and squealing with glee as Ari felt her baby kick in utero for the first time. The album pays tribute to both our grandmothers ("Til I Die" and "Sew the City"); there's a song about a made-up mythological woman ("Nostalgia"); and we even cover a Joni Mitchell song ("The Fiddle and the Drum"). It is an homage to strong, wise women and we hope you love it as much as we loved creating it.
Deep gratitude to everyone who made this possible: Ariel Bernstein, engineer and percussionist extraordinaire; Dan Cardinal for his mastering skills; Stevie Lewis for her incredible artistry; and Kat Waterman for her photography and graphic design.
Tomorrow, tune into WGBH’s Live at the Library with Brian O'Donovan at 4pm to hear us play and talk about songs from the album.
And on Monday we hit the road for a two week tour of the Canadian Maritimes, baby in tow.
Full album premiering now on Billboard
February 23, 2019 / Ariel Friedman
“Sew the City” is out on Friday, March 1, but you can hear the whole thing in the meantime. Enormous thanks to Billboard for the write-up and exclusive premiere! Listen here.
The album is also currently available for preorder on iTunes.
New album drops March 1!
January 21, 2019 / Ariel Friedman
Happy 2019 all!
In November, we welcomed Ari’s sweet baby boy into our lives and soon, onto the road. Check our calendar page for details on our upcoming Home Routes tour in Nova Scotia followed by dates in the northeast and midwest this spring.
See you out there,
Next up: Lizard Lounge FRIDAY 11/16
November 13, 2018 / Ariel Friedman
Still reveling in the magic of a certain gal's wedding, we are here to tell you that our last show before maternity leave hibernation is THIS FRIDAY, 8:30pm at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA! We are so excited to be opening for the stellar band Cold Chocolate. More info can be found here.
Maine show rescheduled
October 25, 2018 / Ariel Friedman
We’ve sadly had to postpone our concert in Denmark, Maine, originally scheduled for November 3. New date (likely spring 2019) will be announced shortly. Stay tuned!
September 17, 2018 / Ariel Friedman
We're delighted to report that we've recorded a new album which will be born into the world early in 2019, just a few months after Ari's baby arrives.
We're really excited about both the album and the baby and, if that wasn't enough, Mia's nuptials coming in October. Needless to say, it's going to be a busy fall. Despite these major life events, we do have FOUR concerts before we disappear for the winter (#maternityleave):
October 4, 6:30pm | Groton, MA | Lawrence Academy | free concert!
October 28, 3pm • Boston, MA • Local Behavior Festival @ City Winery
November 3, 7:30pm | Denmark, ME | Denmark Arts Center
November 16, 8pm | Cambridge, MA | Lizard Lounge opening for Cold Chocolate
Stay tuned to learn when and where you can pick up a copy of the new album! In the meantime we wish you a smooth transition into the new season.
Love, A & M
This is us playing at Falcon Ridge's Emerging Artist Showcase in August. Thanks to Jake Jacobson for the photo.
3 things we are excited about
July 02, 2018 / Ariel Friedman
1) New videos coming soon! This photo was taken yesterday at our video shoot of two new songs, which will also be on our new album. We head into the studio in two weeks.
2) We'll be performing at Summer BCMfest's evening concert on Sunday, July 8 at 7pm. Stay for the amazing Matt & Shannon Heaton who play at 8pm. Get your tickets here!
3) We are also thrilled to be a part of this year's Emerging Artist Showcase at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival on August 3.
June 02, 2018 / Ariel Friedman
Hello from A&M Boston HQ porch paradise! We had the most wonderful time at Folk College last weekend and are excited for summer. Highlights will include performing in the evening Summer BCMfest concert on July 8, teaching together at Berkshire Summer Strings, and....recording a new album! Stay tuned for more info including how to preorder the album and other ways to get involved. Besides that, we'll be teaching, performing, and traveling separately and getting ready for big life events coming this fall.
April: NY and DC
April 02, 2018 / Ariel Friedman
Hello from A&M headquarters in Boston where the crocuses are sneaking their purple bodies out of the ground and also, it's snowing.
We are excited for spring to actually arrive, which we think it will by the time we hit the road during the third week in April. If you live on Long Island or in the DC area, check out our upcoming shows!
4/19 • Huntington, NY • Hard Luck Cafe • with Roger Street Friedman
4/20 • Glen Echo, MD • Friday Night Dance with Owen Morrison, guitar
4/21 • Baltimore, MD • Four Hour Day Lutherie
4/22 • Takoma Park, MD • House Concert • RSVP and location info: program@fsgw.org
Up next: Folk Alliance International
Finally, for the first time ever, we've gotten our act together and are going to FAI. We're honored to be recipients of a First Timers Scholarship and can't wait to hear all sorts of new folk sounds, meet people, and share our music. If you're also gonna be there, let us know! We've got a few private showcases, and they are:
Camp Ned, Singer-Songwriter Heaven (656) 12:30 AM to 1:00 AM
Access Film Music RED (630) 3:20 PM to 3:40 PM
Access Film Music ORANGE (730) 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Access Film Music GREEN (629) 2:30 PM to 2:55 PM
December 19, 2017 / Ariel Friedman
Here is a brand new video of an original song, filmed and recorded live at our recent show in Ashland, Oregon. Despite it being new to our repertoire, Ari wrote it in 2011 after the death of both our maternal grandparents. They lived in the suburbs of Chicago near where Ari went to college. She had dinner with them at least once a week for four years and usually arrived back on campus with a paper bag full of bialys and bananas. This song is for our Nana. (We recommend you listen with headphones—it will be easier to hear the cello).
Huge thanks to Michael at Seven Channel Sound for recording and videoing.
Ari here, reporting from my dining room, cat in lap, wind howling outside. Mia and I had the most wonderful time on the west coast—huge thanks to everyone who came out to shows, hosted us, fed, and housed us. Here we are at the start of tour, freezing in Seattle.
We have two more shows in 2017 and they are both on Saturday, December 9: The first will take place in my living room at 4pm EST...but you can watch from anywhere! We are delighted to join the lineup for Concert Window's Home For the Holidays Festival.
The next concert is at 7pm in Brookline, MA, and is a fundraiser for the Massachusetts Action Climate Network. More info on our calendar page.
Spring tour dates coming soon!
Getting outta town...
...and coming into yours! West coast, mark your calendars.
an autumn from east to west
It's hard to let summer go. And despite this one being particularly peaceful and exciting—Mia got engaged!—we are turning back towards discipline, set schedules, cooler weather, and...concerts.
September through November are brimming with sister songs: we had a wonderful time yesterday at the Joe Davies Folk Festival and up next is Maine, the Catskills, and Rhode Island; then we'll traverse a large swath of the west coast as we tour from Seattle to the Bay Area. Details are here.
We hope to see you out there, somewhere.
August 16, 2017 / Ariel Friedman
We were so close yet so far from each other this summer...and will be reunited this Friday in Maine at the Denmark Arts Center! If you're nearby, join us for an evening of music made that much sweeter by our joyful reunion.
"Old Man" in 360
This is Ari writing from beautiful Lake Dunmore in Vermont where I'm teaching at a chamber music camp for the next two weeks. Mia and I had the best time with Lula Wiles on our #MaineFiddleCampReunionTour last week and are excited to post this video we recorded at Northampton Community Television. To watch Lula Wiles' "Good Ol'American Values" in 360 video, click here!
Tour announcement!
May 19, 2017 / Ariel Friedman
We are overjoyed to be hitting the road in June with Lula Wiles, one of our favorite bands ever. Their dreamy harmonies and earthy grooves are magical and we can't wait to see what sort of collaborations we come up with. Tour dates listed below and more info on our calendar.
We think it's gonna be a sweet springtime
Spring has truly sprung over here in New England. We hope you are enjoying the waning of the daffodils and the promise of more gorgeous blooms to come.
We are gearing up for some shows in May, and could be coming to a town near you! Boston folks, we're especially excited to be playing at a People's Cafe fundraiser for Centro Presente on May 13th, and the very next day we'll be crooning while you eat brunch at Club Passim on the morning of Mother's Day. We hear they have an amazing new brunch menu and that mothers eat for free on this day only! We can't think of a more perfect gift for the mom(s) in your life than a Live Music Brunch followed, perhaps, by a stroll along the Charles.
Tickets are on sale now for our May concerts and June tour with Lula Wiles. Catch us in Boston, New York, New Jersey, Maine, New Hampshire, and western Massachusetts.
Here we are, as usual, brainstorming ideas for new material
Sign up to receive occasional emails about tour dates, projects, new releases, and throwback photos from when we were little! (We promise we will never share your info or send you spam).
©Ari&Mia Music 2018
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Germany in WW2 US in WW2 Japan in WW2 World War 1 Britain in WW2 All Topics
World War 2 / Britain in WW2
Was the 30-06 Springfield used on the British side in World War 2?
No. The standard British infantry rifle was the Lee-Enfield in .303 caliber in both world wars. During WWI several million of these were produced for Britain by US civilian firearms manufacturers, in .303. When the US got into WWI they still had the dies and machinery, and produced millions for the US, after slight adjustments, in the standard us caliber .30 (".30-06") so they took the same ammunition as the 1903 Springfield. More WWI troops had one of these "American Enfields" than had a Springfield. The British never used the 1903 Springfield, other than perhaps a few here and there on an individual basis.
What river is Springfield Illinois located on?
The Spring River runs through the north side of Springfield and the Sugar River runs through the south side of Springfield.
Are the British on the axis side in world war 2?
no the british wwere on the side with USA
How did Buffalo Springfield get their name?
The words Buffalo Springfield were taken from the side of a steamroller, made by the Buffalo-Springfield Roller Company, parked outside record producer Barry Friedman's house.
What side was the US on in the world war 1?
Allies (british, French side)
Who was on the British side during the French and Indian War?
The irquios tribe was on the british side. The british side won the war.
Is George Clinton on the british side or the American side?
George Clinton was on the British side.
Which side won the battle of the colonies and british?
Which side won the battle of the colonies & British
Which side of world war 2 were the australians on?
The Australians fought as part of the British Commonwealth on the side of the Allies.
Were the Tories on the Americans side or the British side in the Revolutionary War?
The Tories were loyal to the British side. The Americans side (Thirteen Colonies) were enemies to the Tories.
What is the value of a Springfield side by side 12 gauge with no model number and serial number 36507?
$150-$250 depending on condition.
How do you found out what year your model 742 was made?
can someone tell me how to find out the year of my Remington 742 3006 the letters on the side or xb3 the 3 looks like it has a line going tho it
What side was Canada on in World War 2?
Canada, then described as being part of the British Empire, was on the side of the Allies.
Where is the serial number on a Springfield Model 67h?
On the left side of the reciever, right above the trigger
Was Deborah Sampson on the British side?
no american side
When was a Springfield 20 gauge side-by-side shotgun that reads Springfield Arms Company Chicopee Falls Massachusetts and also Pat April 20 1915 on the left side of the receiver?
This 'Springfield' was a house brand of Stevens, and should not be confused with Springfield Armory which produced firearms for the US Military, nor the current private company 'Springfield Armory USA' which produces the M1A rifle. Your gun is one of the many variants produced under the Stevens name beween 1915 and 1940. Value of the 20ga is somewhat higher than the more common 12ga, and if in excellent original condition can approach $400-$500. sales@countrygunsmith.net
What side was Australia on in World War I?
Australia was on the same side as the mother country, Britain, and fought under British command.
What side was the British Isles on in World War 2?
Allies. They fought Germany.
What did the British believe when they fought against the French in World War 1?
The British did not fight against the French in World War I. They were on the same side against the Germans.
What side did Canada take in world war 1?
At this time Canada was still a colony of the British Empire, so naturally it had no choice but to support the British and join the war when they did. so Canada was on Britains side
What side were the American colonies on during the French and Indian war?
They were on the British side, The French and Indians were allies against the British.
What side was Napoleon Bonaparte on?
On any side that opposed the British.
Where the Indians on the british or french side in the war?
The French side
Whose side were the hessians on?
They were on the British side; They were loyal to the King.
Which side was the United States on during World War 1?
The United States entered the war in 1917 on the side of the British and French.
Who were the key participants from the American and British side for the Lexington battle?
American side- George Washington, Edward Braddock( was the General) British side- Thomas Gage(the General)
Why did the Indians side with the British in the war of 1812?
They did this because the british were paying them
Was Rachel Revere on the British or American side of the American Revolutionary War?
She was not on the British side because her husband ,Paul Revere was a Patriot.
Was Benedict Arnold on the British or American side in the Revolutionary War?
He was on the American side at first, but later he had joined the British. Hope this helped!:)
What is the model of a 12 gauge Springfield J Stevens Arms Co side by side with 30'' barrels?
Model 225 (usually stamped on the bottom of the reciever)
How can you find the model of a Springfield shotgun?
The model number is stamped on the right side of the receiver on many Stevens products.
How do you remove the bolt on a model 18D springfield 12 gauge shotgun?
take out the scew on the bottom side of the barrel
What countries fought on both sids in world war 1?
Italy who were originally on the side of the germans who then moved to the side o f the british.
What side of the road do British drive on?
They drive on the left side of the road.
What side of the Revolutionary War was Paul Revere on?
i thin british side
Who was on each side of World War 2?
The Allied side was mainly USA, British Empire and Soviet Union. The Axis side was mainly Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan.
Who were on the rebels side in the war?
British.
Why did slaves side with the British during the revolutionary war?
because the British thretond them
Key participants from the American and British side of the Battle of Bunker Hill?
One key participant for the British side is Thomas Gage, who was general.
Why did the first nations side with the British?
The first nations sided with the british because the british promised to give them land
16 gauge side by side Springfield arms company Chicopee Falls Massachusetts shotgun what is the model name of this gun and when was it made?
1929, yr. made is also model
Why did America not join in world wars?
They did join in the world wars, in ww1 the Americans joined the British/french side in 1917. in ww2 they joined the side of Britain again in 1941.
Which side of the coast mountains of british Columbia is the dry side?
its the west side. The east is the dry side on the West Coast.
Was Winston Churchill on the good side?
Yes. Churchill was in the British side the good side and the bad side were the Germans (Nazi's)
Which side was Major Pitcairn on at the Bunker hill?
Major Pitcairn was on the side of the British
Was george rogers clark on the british or patriot side?
george was on the patriots side,
Was the objective met in the Battle of Britain?
From the British side, Yes, From the German side No.
Was minute men on the british or US side?
Minute men was on the U.S. side.
Was John Hancock on the British or Americans side in the revolutionary war?
Americans side
What side was general Cornwallis on war?
General Cornwallis was on the British (loyalists) side. He was the General of the army and he surrendered at the battle of Yorktown which made the British lose.
What year was a springfield trapdoor cadet serial?
if it has the original stock you will find the date on the cartouche left side of grip area.
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Colonial America US Constitution US Civil War American Revolution All Topics
History of the United States / Native American History / History of South America / Mayans
What Indian tribe dominate the national organizations of the Pan-Indian?
Which animal is our Indian national animal?
Indian national animal is Tiger. Indian national bird is Peacock.
Who is the designer of Indian national flag and When did Indian national flag adopted?
Pingali Venkayya designed the Indian national flag. On 22 July,1947 Indian national flag adopted .
How do you save Indian rhinoceros?
Donate to wildlife organizations protecting this species, or to the Indian goverment.
How well do you think Native American organizations like the Bureau of Indian Affairs BIA the National Congress of American Indians NCAI and the National Indian Gaming Association NIGA are helping Nat?
The BIA currently helps me and my school tremendously. They provide funding for my school and help out in many ways that I cannot list.
Why do sensuous form vibrant color a profusion of ornament and rich texture dominate Indian art?
Sensuous form, vibrant color, a profusion of ornamentation, and rich texture dominate Indian art in an attempt to capture the essence of the divine.
Indian National Tourism Organization?
what is the name given to the Indian national tourism organisation? what is the name given to the Indian national tourism organisation?
When The Indian national congress started?
The Indian National Congress Started in 1885.
When was Indian National Congress created?
Indian National Congress was created in 1885.
When did jinnah join Indian national congress?
why jinnah join the indian national congress
Can Indian National anthem be sung under a roof?
Yes, the Indian National anthem be sung under a roof. The Indian National is called "Jana Gana Mana."
When did jinnah joined Indian national congress?
Jinnah joined the Indian National Congress in 1906.
The Indian National Army was founded by?
Sub-has Chandra Bose''founded the ''Indian National Army.''''
How many stanzas are present in Indian national anthem?
there are three stanzas in Indian national anthem
When was Indian National Badminton Championships created?
Indian National Badminton Championships was created in 1934.
When was Indian National Lacrosse Federation created?
Indian National Lacrosse Federation was created in 2009.
When did Indian national flag adopted?
On 22 July,1947 The Indian national flag adopted
When was Indian National Airways Ltd created?
Indian National Airways Ltd was created in 1933.
When was Indian National Science Academy created?
Indian National Science Academy was created in 1935.
When the Indian National Flag was accepted?
The indian national flag was accepted on 22 July,1947.
When was National Museum of the American Indian created?
National Museum of the American Indian was created in 1989.
Indian National Congress was established in?
Indian National Congress was established on 28th Dec 1885 at Bombay.
The Indian National Congress was dominated by members of what religious faith?
It was the Hindus who dominated Indian National congress.
Which State belongs to Indian National Lok Dal?
Indian National Lok Dal belong to Haryana
Who is the only founder of Indian National Army?
The founder of Indian National Army is Subhas Chandra Bose.
How was the Indian national congress formed?
in 1885 thw indian national congress was formed by a number of educaded
Which British was elemental in the formation of the Indian National Congress?
Indian National Congress president in 1931?
Jawaharlal nehru was the president of Indian National Congress in 1931
Who founded Indian national army?
Subhas Chandra Bose founded the Indian National Army in 1942.
What was the goal if the Indian national congress?
The goal of the Indian National Congress was freedom and reform from British rule.
Which party was established by subhash chandra Bose after he came out of Indian national congress?
Indian National Army
What was the symbol of Indian national congress in 1952?
The symbol of the Indian national congress in 1952 was the double bull.
What is Indian National Army's motto?
Indian National Army's motto is 'Itmad Ittehad aur Qurbani'.
Who composed Indian national song and what is its national emblem?
Vande Mataram the Indian national song was composed by Sri. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. National emblem is Coat of arms.
What were the aims of the Indian National Movement?
There are so many causes which lead to the aims of indian national movement but th
Where Indian national congress was formed?
The Indian National Congress was formed in India by a group of middle-class Indians.
Who is the present leader of Indian National Congress?
sonia gandhi is the present leader of the indian national congress party.
The indian national congress was established where?
The Indian national congress was established in Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay.
When was Indian Roller Hockey National Championship created?
Indian Roller Hockey National Championship was created in 1963.
When was Indian National Congress - Socialist - created?
Indian National Congress - Socialist - was created in 1978.
What is the motto of Indian National Academy of Engineering?
The motto of Indian National Academy of Engineering is 'Tamoso Maa Jyotirgamaya'.
What Indian league was formed in 1885?
Indian National Congress
What was the evolution and significance of symbols associated with Indian national movement?
The evolution and significance of symbols associated with Indian national movement is the national emblem and national anthem. The chakra was used to promote the use of national products.
When did the empires of Ghana Mali and Songhai dominate west Africa?
where did the frist American Indian pueblo tribes live
Who is the first president of Indian National congress?
Womesh Chandra Banarjee is the first president of Indian National Congress(INC).
Who was elected president of the Indian National Congress three times?
Dadabhai was the thrice elected president of Indian national congress
Who was the first president of the Indian National Congress?
What does the blue wheel that appears in the Indian national flage stand for?
What does the blue wheel that appears in the indian national flage stand for
What major physical features are located in the Indian Perimeter?
Large plains are found in the Indian Perimeter. There are also three rivers referred to as the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra which dominate the land.
Which male singer won the most Indian national awards?
YESUDAS is the male singer who won the most Indian national awards. He has won 7 national awards..
First Indian woman of Indian national congress?
Pratipa Patel
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