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« Senate Democrats Urge FDA to Regulate E-Cigarette Marketing to Children | Main | U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander Dominates in Tennessee's Primary »
Reading List: Teacher Tenure, Extended Learning Time, and Early Ed.
By Alyson Klein on August 7, 2014 10:23 AM
The middle of August isn't a busy time in Washington. Congress and top administration officials, including U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan, are taking some time off. It's also fairly quiet in many school districts, since the new academic year hasn't started yet. It's a fantastic opportunity, though, to catch up on some good reads. Preferably by the pool, if you can.
Here's a quick list:
It's almost the 50th anniversary of Head Start, the early-childhood program for low-income kids. Catch up on the history and state of the Head Start program in this story from EdWeek's Christina Samuels, and read an interview with its acting director, Ann Linehan. Then head over to Eduwonk, where Bellwether's Sara Mead has a list of five things that can be done to improve Head Start, including making monitoring reports and data more accessible and easier to understand. And for even more on Head Start, check out this report from the New America Foundation on what expanded pre-kindergarten means for the program.
"Is education reform reform inherently anti-conservative?" asks Andy Smarick over at Flypaper. (Pay attention, potential education advisers to Republican candidates.)
Remember the news that zipped through the Council of Chief State School Officers conference faster than anything else? That the department was finally moving on peer review of assessments? Well, Catherine Gewertz has a long and smart explanation of exactly what this will mean for federal and state policy. Read it here.
Extended learning time has been one of the key turnaround requirements in both the Obama administration's No Child Left Behind waivers and the School Improvement Grants. But story after story shows it's been a struggle for many school districts. Hechinger's Sarah Burtrymowicz does a deep dive into how the situation is playing out in Detroit.
The Huffington Post takes a look at a new venture from top former Obama aides Robert Gibbs and Ben LaBolt, who are helping former CNN anchor-turned-parent-advocate-Campbell Brown with her teacher-tenure lawsuit. And over at Teacher Beat, Steve Sawchuck examines the war of public opinion on teacher tenure issue, with lots of celebrity name dropping.
Whatever happened to Christel House, aka the charter school that some would say cost former Indiana state chief Tony Bennett his job? (Bennett resigned from his next gig, as Florida's commissioners, when he was accused of manipulating Indiana's A through F system to help Christel House, whose founder had contributed to his campaign.) Apparently, a year later, the school has seen an uptick in student achievement, according to Chalkbeat Indiana.
Finally, two potentially newsy events to watch as the week winds down. Today is primary day in Tennessee, where Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who could be the next chairman of the Senate education committee, will face off against a host of challengers, including state Rep. Joe Carr. And the Utah state board of education is slated to decide tomorrow whether or not to apply for an extension of its NCLB waiver. Great background from the Salt Lake Tribune here.
Ed Department News
extended learning time
nclb waivers
teacher tenure
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We identify small projects and causes within communities in the UK South America and Africa that need a helping hand to achieve their target and dream. Be it a youth centre in London raising money for a new sports hall or a small village in Tanzania trying to build a fresh water well.
Often these causes may be too small and slip through the large corporate charity’s net and that’s where Cheers for Cheer can step in and use our network to support.
“Cheers for Cheer, an innovative and inspiring charity who are supporting me in the fight to provide clean water – a basic human right” – Sonya Sanghera
“Cheers For Cheer supports the voice of the un-heard”
We’re a charity that can help almost anyone. We celebrate the strength we have when we all get together and fight for the same cause.
It’s important that people feel passionate and inspired by what we do. We want support to come with a sense of pride and ownership, not through a sense of guilt or obligation.
“We get by with a little help from our friends”
Our feature project: WE DID IT! We raised in excess of £50,000 which directly installed four clean water wells in the remote and rural village of Mseko, located in the Singida region of Tanzania.
We supported Sonya’s humanitarian and independent mission to provide a birth right – clean water, to over 4000 people. Mseko community now has access to clean, safe drinking water!
Clean water finally flows through Mseko after a 3 year fight!
Clean safe drinking water in Mseko village!
Cheers for Cheer, Carly and Sonya with Amani (Water expert) District Water Engineer and Head of Mseko village.
Follow us through our Social Profiles.
Easy Donating
Simply text “CFCD99” and your donation amount to 70070
e.g. “CFCD99 £3.50”
Cheers for Cheer is a Restricted Fund under the auspices of Prism the Gift Fund, Registered Charity number 1099682
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Jackie Mai
Breakout: Owning Your Career: Reflect, Research, Reinvent
Originally from China, Jackie came to the US at the age of 18 and later graduated from the University of Michigan. From not knowing anyone when she first arrived, to now leaving her consulting job to start EverWonder, she finds excitement in exploring and challenging the status quo. She started EverWonder to inspire people to explore their career interests and pursuit work they enjoy. By creating opportunities like job shadow and informational interviews, people can gain insights and confidence which lead to better career decisions. Organizations can attract diverse talent who are truly excited to work for them. Before EverWonder, she worked at Deloitte Consulting as a Human Capital consultant.
All Sessions by Jackie Mai
Owning Your Career: Reflect, Research, Reinvent
In this session, we'll talk about the importance of career planning and how to do it effectively. The average person spends more than 90,000 hours in their lifetime at work. Building an enjoyable and fulfilling career is essential to our growth and happiness, however, nearly 87% of the working population feels disengaged at work according to a 2018 Gallup survey. While there is a lot to be done to improve employee engagement for organizations, we as individuals need to own our career by reflecting on our priorities, researching new opportunities, and reinventing ourselves.
Breakout Rooms
Multipurpose B
Career Building Skills
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The voices of Azraq echo across the region
Shaima’a from Homs flies her kite above Azraq refugee camp.©UNICEF/Jordan-2014/Fricker
By Toby Fricker
AZRAQ, Jordan, May 2014 – In the distance neat lines of white shelters appear on the landscape of Jordan’s barren eastern desert. This vast site is Azraq refugee camp that opened at the end of April. Built to house Syrians still fleeing the more than 3-year old conflict in their country, the camp now hosts some 6,000 people.
Abdu*, a father of four from Homs, stands outside his temporary home. He is eager to tell his family’s story and invites us in for Arabic coffee. Hospitality does not seem to stop even if you’re a refugee.
Crossing the border to safety
For three years the family has been on the move within Syria, desperate to find safe places to stay in their homeland. “But the situation was getting worse and worse so we had to leave,” says Abdu, “It was the last resort,” he adds.
Like the majority of the 6,000 Syrians who now live in Azraq their experiences represent the suffering of ordinary Syrians who are carrying the brunt of this war.
Children participate in activities at a ‘Child Friendly Space’ in Azraq refugee camp. ©UNICEF/Jordan-2014/Fricker
The family house was destroyed and Abdu’s brother killed. At 18 years of age his daughter Fatima has already lost a husband and daughter. Her three year old son now refers to granddad as ‘baba’ (Arabic for father).
Back to learning
Abdu’s other daughter Salma (15) has been out of school for more than a year and his 11 year old son, Mohammed, for six months. He’s one of the lucky ones. Walking along the lines of shelters it’s clear that half a year out of school is not much. Many children have lost out on three years of school.
Between the next row of homes humanitarian teams meet with families. UNICEF’s partners from the Norwegian Refugee Council, Relief International and Save the Children are encouraging parents and children to register at school.
There are two UNICEF supported schools in Azraq under the jurisdiction of Jordan’s Ministry of Education. Funding was received from the Government of Italy and the European Union. The first is open and has space for up to 5,000 boys and girls, including primary and secondary education.
But how do you get children who have missed so much school back to learning?
Informal and remedial education can be the answer according to Hind Omer, UNICEF Jordan Education Specialist. “We are working to fill a gap on what children lost to help them get back into the routine of learning,” says Omer. “After that if they feel they are ready the children can be reabsorbed into the formal system,” she adds.
A placement test helps children re-enter school at the relevant grade. Some 200 children are now attending informal classes at the school.
A safe place to play and heal
While education provides some normalcy to young lives, psychosocial support is also critical to help children move on from the horrors they have seen. At a UNICEF supported ‘child friendly center’ run by Mercy Corps, children participate in activities like building blocks, singing and drawing.
There are close to 100 children here. More parents arrive for the first time to take a look. The centre gives them the opportunity to leave their children in a safe and protective environment, while they continue to adjust to their new surroundings.
Families-walk-towards-the-school-to-register-their-children-in-Azraq-refugee-camp. ©UNICEF/Jordan-2014/Fricker
Abdu’s daughter, Fatima*, now volunteers at the centre. “I love children,” she says. Still a child herself despite what she has already lived through, the part-time role at least gives some hope for her future amid a life turned upside down.
Filed under Stories.
Tagged Education, UNICEFthxEU.
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The CAFE Foundation’s 13th annual Electric Aircraft Symposium will take place Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21, at the .Culver Family Welcome Center, close to Wittman Airport (OSH).
Speakers will cover the technology, infrastructure, regulation, and future of electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles and conventional electric aircraft. The speakers have great expertise in both areas – and everything in between.
Register and see the schedule for the event here.
Speakers will include:
Yolanka Wullf, Executive Director of the CAFE Foundation
Gilles Rosenberger, CEO of Faraday Aerospace
George Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace
Lior Zivan, CTO of Eviation
Todd Hodges, Retired Engineer from NASA’s Langley Research Center
Tom Gunnarson, Lead of Regulatory Affairs with Kitty Hawk
Boris Popov, Founder of BRS Aerospace, Inc.
David Ullman, Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Design, Oregon State University
Willi Tacke, Founder and Organizer of the e-flight-expo and CEO of Flying Pages GmbH
Kenneth L. Swartz, Board Member of the Vertical Flight Society and President of Aeromedia Communications
Mike Hirschberg, Executive Director of the Vertical Flight Society
Ryan Naru, Vehicle Standards Lead for Uber Elevate
Bruno Mombrinie, Founder and CEO of Metro Hop
Rob Bulago, President of Trek Aerospace
Keven Noertker, Co-founder and CEO of Ampaire, Inc.
Gregory Bowles, Head of Government Affairs for Joby Aviation
Earl Lawrrence, Executive Director for Aircraft Certification for the FAA
Edgar Mendes Rodrigues, Business Intelligence, Embraer X
Kevin Rustagi, Director of Business Operations for LIFT
Jim Murphy, NASA UAM Grand Challenge Technical Lead
Mark DeAngelo, Aerospace Standards Engineer for SAE International
Taking place in close proximity to AirVenture, this combination of technical, managerial and regulatory experts will provide deep insight into where electric flight is headed.
Registration is $175, including meals, and available until the beginning of the Symposium.
An Open Source Project
Powered paragliders (ppg) have been a relatively inexpensive and fairly reliable method of getting off the ground for several decades. The OpenPPG organization enables one to be part of a group effort to improve a simple, light framework and power systems as part of a group effort.
The group’s web site proclaims, “The OpenPPG project is the solution to easy, convenient, and affordable powered paragliding. With its simple user-friendly, maintenance free, and lightweight design it has never been safer and easier to experience the thrill of flight.”
Here we see the first flight of the rev. 3 model. The body-cam is a bit distracting, but does give a view of the steps required to ready the machine for flight.
A second video shows two paramotors in flight, demonstrating great control (on a probably very calm day), and almost vibration free images because of the craft’s small electric motors.
How well will one of these things climb? A pilot starting at a 4,400 altitude location climbed nearly 3,000 feet within the 50-minute maximum battery endurance for the OpenPPG.
Glydrfreak (Braedin Butler) explained details. “Medium Tequila 4 (canopy) loaded at 242 lb (max end of soaring weight range).
5.6-pound Bonka battery pack. Most OpenPPG flights use four to six of these
“Between two flights on the same 6 Bonka batteries, climbing at 65 amps on each ESC, total height gain was 3400 ft. Launched at 4400ft MSL.”
Assembly and costs
The OpenPPG consists of a frame, pilot harness, motors and power system, and the all-important batteries. The organization sells an array of parts, including the all-important battery packs and parachute canopy. Prices seem reasonable and a builder can configure the machine to suit individual sizes, weights and general preferences.
It’s interesting to see what people are producing with Arduino and Pi circuit boards. These budget items are remarkable for their versatility and seem to be well used in this application. Several “open source” attempts have been made to bring low cost to flying. Success remains elusive for most such projects, but seems to have come to OpenPPG.
Teofilo Leite introduced his Crossover, a touring motorglider powered by two Emrax motors, several years ago. This video from six years ago shows how it was configured then. Crossover has gone through several changes in its mode of propulsion since then and has become the svelte form that expresses a need to fly.
In its original configuration, Crossover’s flaps, landing gear and motors extended and retracted, a neat bit of packaging in the slender fuselage. The airplane went through several changes, including one variant, shown at Aero 2014, that had a Rotax engine driving a long carbon-fiber shaft that drove a series of belts to a tail-mounted propeller. On the other side, a hybrid version with Rotax engine driving a generator charged the electric motor on the tail. It was a stunning display.
Eurosport Crossover showing Rotax-powered shaft drive…
And showing hybrid side with electric motor on tail, at Friedrichshafen Aero 2014
Under its beautiful canopy, which opens via Bluetooth command, the low-slung seating is accessible even from a wheelchair. Carbon molded bucket seats “are shaped for long journeys and comfort with great adjustable cockpit ventilation for both pilot and passenger.” That would be highly desirable for the long distances Crossover is intended to traverse. The 116-centimeter (45.66-inch) wide cockpit matches the overwhelming wide view.
Now the airplane has made a return, with a simpler setup of fixed engines on a center section still features the unique fuselage/wing junction, still similar to Munchen Akaflieg’s MU-31. Apparently, the original plan to provide 12-meter (39.37-feet), 15-meter (49.2-feet), and 18-meter (59.06-feet) prevails. The ability to select wings that match a desired performance or use shows a design versatility underlying the Crossover name.
Currently-configured Crossover on trailer shows motors on fixed center section
Linking the technology and engineering centers of northern Portugal, which supplied materials and fabrication with Brazil, which supplied design and aerodynamics from Professor Paulo Iscold (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Crossover is a Portuguese project.
Sliding the outer wing panels onto the center section. Wing can be 12, 15, or 18 meters
Established in 2009, with first Crossover flights in 2013, Flight Dynamics and Eurosport Aircraft are scanning the horizon for new ways to fly. Teofilo Leite introduced a sleek little two-seat Speedster at the 2014 Aero Expo at Friedrichshafen and this may follow the renewed Crossover. Even more exciting, if that’s possible, “a Crossover-related remotely piloted platform with impressive range, which benefits from fantastic glider capabilities and low consumption of the hybrid mode,” may be in the wings.
Gilles Rosenberger, co-founder of Faraday Aerospace with Michael Friend, former Technology Director for Boeing, commented on a recent entry on H55’s Energic two-seat trainer. He expanded on the idea of total operating costs for electric aircraft, including the battery replacement.
He congratulated the H55 team and added a point about which your editor will attempt greater diligence. “But why keeping talking about operating cost and not total cost of ownership? No pilot, no student is going to pay only few dollars per hours based on the energy cost. Who do you believe is going to pay for other cost including the battery amortization?”
Comparative battery prices over the last decade. Note the suddend drop for GM batteries because of shift to pouch nickle metal cobalt composition. Note also Tesla’s ability to remain less expensive than Chinese BYD cells
Practicing the best public relations and salesmanship gambits, most aircraft sales operations don’t mention the eventual cost of battery replacement. Gilles, who can speak from experience because of his work on the Airbus E-Fan project, says, “Best industry standards seem to be today 1.000 € (or $1,125) per kWh for a 1,000 cycles non-certified battery pack.”
What Do Replacement Batteries Cost, Anyway?
Checking this against both automotive and small aircraft numbers, and assuming that aircraft certification will invariably raise prices, we present a few real-price examples.
A Nissan Leaf battery pack – a bit pricey, depending on its life time
Nissan Leafs have a smaller-than-Tesla pack, with 24 kilowatt-hour capacity for earlier models and 40 kWh for newer cars. BatteryMan.com says new prices for the 24 kWh units now run $6,200 and $7,800 for the 40 kWh units. At $258 and $195 per kWh respectively, these prices undercut Gilles’s numbers considerably. Unfortunately, they only apply to Japanese customers with a core battery for exchange.
Motley Fools, in 2016, said Chevy’s Bolt battery cells would cost $145 per kWh at the cell level, with an estimated $210 per kWh at the pack level. This was better than the Fool’s estimate of $260 per kWh for Tesla’s pack price, although Tesla claimed $190 packs – a controversial number.
Comparing Auto and Airplane Prices
Pipistrel’s January prices for its battery packs, as used on their Taurus electric self-launching sailplane, are 10,200 euros ($11,480) for the 30 kWh unit and 13,600 euros ($15,310) for the 40 kWh size. This works out to $382.70 and $382.75 per kWh, respectively. One wonders why the smaller pack works out to be five cents per kWh cheaper.
Pipistrel’s so-called “plug-and-play” electric propulsion system. Batteries are largest, heaviest and most expensive part of setup
Gilles points out, “With the assumption of 400 flight hours per year, the battery life should be in the 3 years range (not every flight will fully discharge the battery), and 50 kWh battery amortization will [require] about 46 €/$51.79 more per hour (50 kWh x 1.000 €/$1.13 per kWh / 400 hrs x 3 years).” He adds, “Of course these figures will be discussed but nobody can say it will be nothing.”
Regardless of whether Gilles’ higher number or the examples shown above prevail, there is a “balloon payment” that lurks at the end of the battery pack’s life. Your editor watches automobile auctions on TV occasionally, and notes the sometimes extraordinarily low price a gleaming classic fetches. Announcers explain that the BMW or Bentley that rolled off the block is hampered by the fact that buyers know the previous owner got the initial mileage out of the vehicle, while second and third owners will face replacement parts bills and high-priced maintenance. What will these similar considerations mean for the secondary electric aircraft market?
We will endeavor, in this blog, to come up with an average battery replacement cost where a more exact number is not available, to help determine a total operating cost for each aircraft we write about.
1934 patent drawing shows details of Dzuz fastener, or “Dzuz Key” named for its inventor. These held cowling doors and inspection flaps in place. Whether by design or happy accident, a dime could turn the screw, so instructors would advice their students to always being one flying. Note the small pieces comprising the fastener and its nut-plate mount. Vibration cracks these and requires expensive labor to replace.
We might consider several other miscellaneous factors, such as lower vibration levels for electric craft, in formulating total operating costs. Those who’ve flown in small, four-cylinder trainers know that cowlings and fairings often show wear and tear on fasteners, brackets, nut plates and other light-weight components. Electric craft should have lower miscellaneous maintenance costs in this area.
Overall, electric aircraft should have lower total operating costs. The simplicity and promised longevity of electric motors and controllers compared to the 1,000- to 2,000-hour time between overhaul periods for certified fuel-burning engines should bring about substantially lower numbers for future flight.
Thanks to Gilles Rosenberger for this consideration.
Contrails are the trails of condensed water vapor that follow an airplane at a high enough and cold enough altitude. They became a visible presence in World War II and were part of newsreels of allied bombers hitting Germany and dog fights over the English countryside. There was more than just an aesthetic side to the new, high clouds in the sky, though.
WWII saw the introduction of massive waves of high-altitude fighters and bombers, as depicted in this 1965 British postage stamp
Post-9/11
During the attacks on September 11, 2001, FAA controllers, “Did the only thing they could think of to try to control the situation: ordering every aircraft in U.S. airspace, about 4,000 of them, to land somewhere, anywhere, immediately.”
“Canadian officials followed. Airports in Atlantic Canada quickly filled with thousands of bewildered people who had been flying west across the Atlantic from Europe, but found themselves stranded in Goose Bay, Labrador or Stephenville, [Newfoundland].”
Following this mass grounding, an observable cooling took place. Andrew Carleton, a geographer at Pennsylvania State University recalled his observations at the time. “I remember walking to and from my office (in the days after the attacks) and thinking how incredibly clear the skies were.”
About a year after the attacks, Carleton, David Travis, and another colleague argued in a paper that thin clouds created by contrails reduce the range of temperatures. Adding to cloud cover during the day, they reflect solar energy that would otherwise reach the earth’s surface. At night, they trap warmth that would otherwise escape. Not surprisingly, temperatures change most in areas where the most flights take place.
In this video, Carleton explains the effects contrails have on heating and cooling the earth.
In a reversal of 9/11 effects, an air raid involving over 1,400 aircraft over England in May, 1944 measurably lowered daytime temperatures. This was in a time when only a few airliners departed London each day and private aviation was the province of the well-to-do.
In 2004, NASA scientist Patrick Minnis wrote that “increased cirrus coverage, attributable to air traffic, could account for nearly all of the warming observed over the United States for nearly 20 years starting in 1975.” He attributed a one-percent per decade increase in cloud cover came from increased air travel, greater in more populated areas and in winter, “when contrails are bigger.”
A 2005 paper by physicist Robert Noland of Imperial College London suggested, “restricting airliners to 31,000 feet, and 24,000 feet in winter, could reduce the formation of contrails. Though lower-flying planes would be less fuel-efficient.” NASA pursued that line of thought at around the same time.
Flying a lower altitudes prevents contrail formation, but would probably cut into airlines’ profit margins without new designs for aircraft
Minnis found, “The warming effect happened because the high-altitude clouds that contrails created tended to trap warm air. On balance, though contrails can both warm and cool, there is more of a warming effect.”
A 2015 Penn State study expanded the 2001 finding by comparing regions of the United States where contrails tended to form more strongly with areas where they didn’t. The more contrail-heavy the area, the less the variation between daytime highs and nighttime lows tended to be.
Higher Fuel Efficiency, More Flights
Maddie Stone, a science writer for Gizmodo, explains in a recent article that, “The climate impact of flying isn’t just about carbon emissions. The contrails that airplanes create also influence the temperature of our atmosphere—and a new study finds that impact is set to grow in a big way. She explains, “Globally, the atmospheric warming associated with these clouds is estimated to be larger than that caused by aviation’s carbon emissions. That surprising fact has some scientists curious about whether the effect will grow as the skies continue to get more trafficked into the future.
Stone references researchers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and their findings published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, “show that by 2050, contrail-induced warming could be three times higher than it was in 2006. In fact, this type of warming will likely outpace warming from rising carbon dioxide emissions, thanks to concurrent improvements in fuel efficiency.”
Stone adds, “The authors’ models indicate cirrus clouds will contribute some 160 milliwatts of additional ‘radiative forcing’—extra energy flowing back toward the Earth’s surface— by mid-century. Ethan Coffel, an atmospheric scientist at Dartmouth College who wasn’t involved with the paper, noted that for comparison, under the climate change scenario the authors use, heating from greenhouse gas emissions will be around 6,000 milliwatts per square meter by the end of the century.”
As contrails persist at altitude, they shield the earth from the sun’s radiation, but also trap heated air beneath
“’So while the contrail forcing is certainly significant, it’s a relatively small contributor to overall warming,’ Coffel told Earther via email.”
It will be a net cooling effect for jet engines to become more efficient and a net warming effect as flights become more frequent. Some are urging flying less or not at all. That will demand more rail, bus and private car traffic, though, with possibly great effects on warming.
Geoengineering?
Some want us to turn to geoengineering to solve this crisis. Again, the unintended consequences might be worse than the problem. Should we create high, reflective clouds to radiate solar warmth back into space? Should we work to get rid of all clouds? Either route seems to have a disaster-movie scenario attached. Your editor just finished reading Richard Rhodes’ Energy: a Human History. The book relates the many changes in energy production through time, with each promising much, but having sometimes tragic effects on those who accepted the new “technology” with open arms. With so much riding on our newly-forced choices, we must be as informed as we can be while practicing the highest levels of due diligence.
More to Read and Ponder
A final note: This link provides a good overview of post-9/11 research on aircraft contrails and their effect on climate. Obviously, an electric alternative would be a great one – but we’re still short on the necessary battery technology.
The site warns, “If any of the links above do not work, copy the URL and paste it into the form below to check the Wayback Machine for an archived version of that webpage.”
You may have noticed an ongoing divide in electric aircraft philosophies, that of designing from a blank sheet, or that of converting an existing airplane from fossil fuel to electric power. French company VoltAero has chosen the second path with its Cassio. A conversion of a Cessna 337 Skymaster, it shares similarities to Ampaire’s 337 conversion, with significant differences in its power configuration.
What has Five (Three?) Motors and Three Propellers?
Ampaire’s 337 conversion retains the “push-pull” arrangement of the original, with the “pusher” an electric power unit behind the cabin and between the twin tail booms. VoltAero’s replaces the front engine with a faired, engineless nose and one REX 60-kilowatt (80.4 horsepower) electric motor on the nose of each boom.
According to Flyer magazine, Cassio 1 now has a single electric motor coupled to an internal-combustion engine bringing up the rear. “The prototype Cessna-based Cassio has two 60kW motors driving two forward facing propellers on the wing. A hybrid power unit comprising a 170kW piston engine and 150kW electric motor drives a pusher prop at the rear. That’s a total of 440kW, giving the aircraft the ability to fly fuel, batteries and nine people for 1200km, according to [Jean] Botti.” Botti was Chief Technology Officer for Airbus when they developed the e-Fan, which was flown by Didier Esteyne, co-founder of Volt Aero.
Volt Aero’s original rear power system with three REX motors and one Nissan six-cylinder engine
Shifting Strategies
If the “puller” electric motors encounter a problem during a takeoff, for example, the pusher power system will turn on immediately. Other configurations are planned, but since the current first flight article doesn’t seem to match what had been reportedly planned, we will wait until further developments ensue. When the aircraft reaches its final stage with twin puller motors and a hybrid rear power sytem Botti predicts, “This configuration will help us go to EASA (European Aviation Safety Administration) and then we’ll go quickly to the FAA.”
Volt Aero cutaway showing battery locations, initial engine/motor composition
Paul Lemoire, electrical engineer with VoltAero, said the 10-kg battery racks include the BMS (battery management system) with five sub-packs per motor and can be changed out in two hours. The “electrical range” is 30 minutes including takeoff and climb, and 40 minutes if only used for cruise. There are five battery racks on each side of the aircraft, with 15 in the nose, together driving the aircraft’s five electric motors (three in the tail in the original design and one on each wing).
Volt Aero principals with e-Fan when Esteyne (left) and Botti worked for Airbus
Cassio 2 will have a composite airframe and further revisions to the power systems. The 25 battery packs will provide for 30 minutes of pure battery flight. The initial prototype carries 37 liters of fuel for the hybrid’s engine. A projected range of three-plus hours seems a bit speculative in the 4,400 pound, 200 mph airplane. We’ll wait to see how the final version scales out.
Like the Ampaire, the airplane has flown. Orders are piling up for the American and French hybrids, and one wonders whether enough Cessna 337’s exist to satisfy the demand. In any case, once development work is completed for the American airplane’s power system, construction will start on the Ampaire Tailwind, a far sleeker craft.
What Has One Engine, Six Motors and Seven Propellers?
EcoPulse™, a collaboration by Airbus, Daher, and Safran is a fixed-wing distributed hybrid propulsion aircraft whose power system emulates many of the Urban Air Mobility vehicles that use an electric Vertical Take Off and Landing configuration. Safran, notable for its gas turbines, will supply the propulsion system (excluding batteries). The system consists of a turbogenerator (combined turbine and power generator), an electric power management system, and integrated electric thrusters (or e-Propellers) including electric motors and propellers faired neatly into the wings.
EcoPulse partners claim the six small electric motors spread along the leading edge, while providing propulsion thrust, lead to a reduction of wing surface area – much of the wing gaining lift from the blown areas, lowered wingtip marginal vortices from the thrusters on the wing tips, and therefore lowered drag.
Airbus will oversee aerodynamic optimization of the distributed propulsion system, installation of “high-energy density” batteries and their use to power the six electric motors. Daher will oversee component and systems installation, perform flight tests, and assist with regulatory compliance.
The aircraft has received assistance from CORAC (the French Civil Aviation Research Council) and DGAC (the French Civil Aviation Authority) with the goal of improving the environmental efficiency of aircraft.
According to Green Car Congress, the project aims to, “Validate technologies designed to reduce CO2 emissions, noise pollution, and create new uses for air transportation.”
Ecopulse is yet another example of adapting an existing airframe to electric or hybrid power. In this case, the Daher TBM accepts the same basic hybrid system produced by Safran and used in Bell’s Nexus UAM vehicle and Zunum’s regional airliner, among others. Safran tests its system on a large stationary platform
Stéphane Cueille, Head of R&T and Innovation at Safran, explains his firm’s interest in the project: “Safran has developed a technology roadmap for the installation of electric thrusters on aircraft. EcoPulse offers us an excellent opportunity to evaluate and identify the specific features expected by this market, particularly in terms of new hybrid propulsion aircraft projects. Safran intends to position itself as the market leader in this type of propulsion system by 2025.”
(L to R) Nicolas Orance, Stéphane Cueille and Jean-Brice Dumont show off model of Ecopulse at press conference
Nicolas Orance, SVP Aerospace and Defense BU at Daher added: “Reducing the environmental impact of aircraft is a priority for the industry as a whole. So it is with enthusiasm and determination that we welcome the opportunity to be part of this unique partnership alongside Airbus and Safran to succeed in the ambitious challenge set by CORAC. We are determined to make it a distinctive feature of the French aviation industry and are certain that all stakeholders will unite around it.”
Airbus will be involved in the aerodynamic modeling of the demonstrator, both to support configuration choices and to enable the development of flight control laws. All these considerations should make it possible to demonstrate the benefits of distributed propulsion, and provide the baselines for the design of optimized distributed propulsion aircraft in terms of methods, tools and outcomes.
Jean-Brice Dumont, Executive Vice President Engineering at Airbus, sees future possibilities stemming from this initial effort. “This distributed hybrid propulsion demonstrator is a very important step towards preparing the certification standards for a more electric aircraft. It also gives us the opportunity to improve our simulation models and consider their use on larger aircraft.”
Borschberg, H55 Introduce BRM Energic
Leadership is about empowering people to make them owner of their world, and constantly challenging them to make them extend their known territory.”
Andre’ Borschberg
Andre’ Borschberg’s current challenge, shared with Bertrand Piccard, involves their Solar Impulse Foundation, whose goal is to foster 1,000 solutions “that protect the environment in a profitable way.” “Profitable” helps produce results, and with Piccard being a psychiatrist, ensures the self-interest that drives many also drives a certain level of altruism in saving the environment.
Borschberg and two other Solar Impulse leaders, Sébastien Demont and Gregory Blatt, founded H55 and produced a modification of the Silence Twister, a single-seat aircraft with a Siemens motor. Their latest conversion, following their philosophy of, “Building up experience by flying existing airplanes with electric propulsion,” uses what looks like an Emrax motor in a Bristell Energic two-seat training craft.
“Single Engine Dual Battery Pack System”
Energic is an electric variant of a Czech Republic Light Sport Aircraft, with an electric power setup replacing the conventional Rotax engine.
Motor, batteries and cooling system all fit neatly under tight cowling
At the heart of the Energic, a modular 50 kilowatt-hour battery pack drives a 90-kilowatt (120.6 horsepower peak output), 65 kW (87 horsepower) continuous output motor for up to 90 minutes. According to H55, the battery can be recharged in one hour. The battery system embedded in the wings, is controlled by a dual analog/digital battery management system (BMS). Batteries include both 18650 and 21700 (18 millimeter diameter x 65 mm long and 21 mm diameter x 70 mm long) cells. H55, working with authorities, hopes to certify the system CS23, Europe’s equivalent to FAR Part 23. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) oversees CS 23.
Single motor, dual battery system in H55’s Energic
The Energic flies at a maximum weight of 850 kilograms (1,870 pounds) while carrying a payload of up to 200 kilograms (440 pounds) – enough for two substantial passengers and luggage. Energic seems plenty energetic, with a climb rate of 900 feet per minute. Operating costs are low, with a recharge, in Europe, costing a mere $7.00. In the Portland, Oregon area, PGE would charge about $5.50 at normal rates. Being able to do an hour of touch-and-goes for a total operating cost under $10 an hour would do a great deal to entice new students into learning a new skill.
Energic’s batteries nest in each wing, are split between 18650 and 21700 sizes
Building is Relatively Easy, Certification is Harder
H55 explains, “The biggest challenge is not building and flying a prototype, rather certification. The gap between a first and a certified aircraft is considerable and that’s where H55 brings its expertise, experience and solutions.” Again, that’s why the firm chose an established trainer as a test bed and eventual marketable choice for operators.
One of several trainers coming on the market and offering potential operating cost savings for flight schools, the Energic will find completion from Pipistel’s Alpha Electro and Bye Aerospace’s eFlyer 2. Competition will improve the breed quickly and customer acceptance will increase competition.
A Huge Battery with an Airplane Painted On It
Eviation, an Israeli company developing Alice, a high-speed, intermediate-distance commuter airplane, brought its prototype to the Paris Air Show this week. Eviation co-founder and CEO Omer Bar-Yohay gave journalists a 27-minute overview of the aircraft, the philosophy behind it, and projections on its immediate future.
“It’s basically a huge battery with some plane painted on it,” he told reporters.
The 6,350 kilogram (13,970 pound) airplane carries 900 kilowatt-hours of batteries, equivalent to the cells in nine Tesla S P100D automobiles or one Tesla semi-truck. Even that, according to rough figuring by yours truly and polished calculations by a smarter reader, seems to provide for only half the necessary energy to provide the range Eviation claims. Will flight tests prove us misguided?
Fuel Burn vs. kWh
Carrying capacity and performance are similar to the Beechcraft King Air. The King Air burns 100 gallons per hour at a fuel cost around $550. The Alice consumes about 400 kilowatt hours at a cost of $44 (based on the PGE rate of 11 cents per kW-hour). Its sleek shape provides Alice with a better lift-to-drag ratio, but maybe not enough to account for its total efficiency.
Cape Air Airlines Buys Some
The Martha’s Vineyard Times reports that Cape Air Airlines will be the first to purchase at least 10 Alices. “At the Paris Air Show, the chief executive officer for Eviation, Omer Bar-Yohay, announced that Cape Air would be the first customer to implement the new efficient aircraft technology, with ‘double-digit’ order numbers.”
Alice drew a crowd to hear an address by Eviation’s CEO, Omer Bar-Yohay
The Times adds, “Although the plane is still in its developmental stages, two different versions of the Alice are planned. The initial model will be used for air-taxi operations, and will use energy stored in a lithium-ion battery. The following version will be an extended-range executive aircraft with a larger, more powerful aluminum-air battery.” That battery will probably come from Phinergy, which has been developing such a battery for the last several years.
Phinergy claims an energy density of eight kilowatt hours per kilogram of aluminum, an excellent number compared, for example, to the 260 Watt-hours per kilogram in Bye Aerospace’s eFlyer 2 or 4. That’s a demonstrated number by Kokam, an established lithium-ion provider. Note, though, that the Phinergy number is for the aluminum only – not the total battery weight or its control or charging mechanisms as is the Kokam number.
Phinergy CEO Aviv Tzidon shows off the basic battery design of the company’s Alunergy technology
Still, Phinergy has demonstrated 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) range with its batteries in a Renault Zoe (similar to a Nissan Leaf. Only 112.5 kilograms (247.5 pounds) of aluminum would be required to match the energy in Alice’s current cells. We can only speculate at this point on the total weight of the complete energy package.
Cape Air, while pioneering electric power on its routes, will doubtless benefit from the publicity accruing from their forward outlook. We need others to follow suit.
Pipistrel Electrics in America and France
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Pipistrel rolled out its new 801 at the UBER Elevate Summit in Washington, D. C. last week and is flying its Alpha Electro Trainer at the Paris Air Show all this week.
Launching the 801 at UBER Elevate
Dr. Tine Tomažič, Pipistrel’s Director of Research & Development, was a keynote speaker at the conference in Washington, D.C. on June 11, where he presented just enough to whet appetites for more on the coming 801 eVTOL design. His final touch – presenting an ostensibly realistic recording of the 801’s sound, demonstrated how quiet the vehicle will be.
That’s accounted for by the eight fans being tuned to different frequencies, cancelling each other out like the dynamics in noise-cancelling headphones. That’s just one of the design factors in a well-integrated design. Its integrated lift system, embedded in the craft’s wings, help mitigate noise. The specially-shaped fans will operate at relatively low RPMs, another step in reducing noise. Conceptual test vehicles of varying sizes helped refine the noise-control methodology.
Tine calls the new design “an aeroplane” because its fixed wing craft will rely on fairly conventional aerodynamics to cruise at 160 knots or more for its battery-powered 50-mile range – enough to cross Los Angeles in 20 minutes. 801’s flight profile will include a 45-second lift phase, transition to high-speed cruise, and a 45-second descent phase, making the most of its qualities as an aeroplane and shortening the battery-draining lift portions of the flight. The transition between lift and cruise phases is the most difficult part of flight, but this has been factored into the interface between the aeroplane’s wings and lift units.
In his talk, Tine described the baggage, both physical and emotional, we all carry. Nobody should get emotional at having to leave anything behind on the 801
In a move to reach “the next level of battery safety,” those batteries will be divided into four different packs of differing types to avoid the same failure modes in all four packs.
Another safety factor, passenger safety, comes from energy-absorbing cabin frames and seats. The high wing and overhead fans enable easy and safe access to the cabin. A “brain” from Honeywell is certifiable and ready for autonomy. That factor will ensure safe passage even on unpiloted trips
Tine says vehicle technology will be available sooner than regulatory approval, with technology ready to fly in commercial service by 2025 or earlier, and regulations following by 2030. Tine added that the 801 will truly be ready when one’s family and friends want to fly on one.
Meanwhile at the Paris Air Show
Pipistrel shows off their Alpha Electro trainer at the DGAC (the French Civil Aviation Authority) stand every day, and makes demonstration flights every afternoon through the end of this week’s air show.
Ivo Boscarol (right) shows the Pipistrel trainer to Mrs. Violeta Bulc, the European Commisioner for Transport.
On Monday, Pipistrel’s stand was visited by the President of French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) Mr. Patrick Gandil and Mrs. Violeta Bulc, the European Commissioner for Transport. Pipistrel’s General Manager Ivo Boscarol was happy to explain the fine points of the little trainer to such distinguished guests.
On Monday Mr. Jérome Coornaert wrung the little plane out, doing almost everything the Boeing’s and Airbus’s did, but ever so much more quietly. Pipistrel highlights this on their web site: “Alpha Electro is totally quiet, the only sound it makes is the whisper of propeller moving through the air. Electricity makes no noise!
“It’s so quiet that even at full speed, people sometimes don’t even realize it is flying straight over their heads”
Pipistrel’s Alpha Electro was allowed to fly from its home field at Toussus le Noble across the City of Light to Le Bourget Field
French authorities showed une grande sign of trust in the Slovenian company and its electric trainer. They allowed it to fly across the center of Paris on its way from Toulouse to Le Bourget Field.
Dr. Tine Tomažič will present his thoughts on Urban Air Mobility at the Sustainable Aviation Symposium, October 7 and 8 at the University of California at Berkeley. Come and share a first look at a machine that may command urban skies in the next few years.
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Carnegie Center is Currently Closed | Hours
An Art-Infused Evening of Music & Drinks
8:00-10:00 PM
Join us for a pet-themed Night at The Carnegie, featuring:
The Carnegie Center’s newest exhibition, Biophilia Life; or, My Best Friend has Four Legs and a Tail
Music curated by Jecorey “1200” Arthur of Athiri
Featuring DJ Kym Williams and live musical performance by local singer/songwriter Jacqui Blue
Drinks by Naked by Sunday
Puppy pit starring adoptable friends from the New Albany Floyd County Animal Control & Shelter
Fanciful feline film screenings throughout the night
Pet portraits by Kelly Toon to take home to your furry family members (bring pics!)
UK illustrator, anti-socialite, and pug lady Gemma Correll will be making one-of-a-kind drawings of your pets and have signed books available.
Your ticket includes one drink, access to exhibitions, live art experiences, and a 10% discount for dinner the night of the event at Longboard’s Taco & Tiki, Exchange Pub + Kitchen, or Brooklyn and the Butcher. Receive discount when you show this ticket the day of event.
Tickets are $15.00, or free for members. To join, visit carnegiecenter.org/support
In-kind sponsors:
History Makers:
ABOUT ATHIRI
Athiri is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that funds, produces, and supports social justice art. Hire us for your event at athiri.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @athiriorg
DJ KYM WILLIAMS
Born and raised in Lexington, KY, Kym Williams II developed a love for music at an early age playing drums and percussion in his church. His love for music led to him producing his own sounds and soon developed a following performing as Dr.Tekno. After completing an associates degree in audio engineering, he became the sole recording engineer for Hoodstock Records. Kym was also a vital member of The Taste DJ’s, who were nominated for The Best Live Dj’s in the 2017 Louisville Music Awards. In 2018, Kym is now working full time at A.M.P.E.D. (Academy of Music Education and Development) where he leads an after school creative arts program for youth in Louisville. He also instructs a literary arts program at Louisville Metro Youth Detention Services. He is an upcoming mentor for Restorative Justice Louisville, a program aimed towards troubled youth intervention. Kym is also is the DJ of the 1200 ensemble, curated by Jecorey Arthur, who’s goal is to introduce and inspire music education along with mentoring and empowering the next generation.
JACQUI BLUESinger/songwriter/guitarist “Jacqui Blue” is a graduate of the University of Louisville School Of Music with a Bachelors degree in music therapy and emphasis in voice. Having trained as a classical soprano, she won 1st place in the KANM Annual Negro Spiritual Competition in 2013 and has starred in several major opera productions, musical theatre shows, television and film projects. Now, with her focus on writing, recording and performing her original music, Ms. Blue enjoys incorporating drama in her eclectic soul, pop, r&b, and rock inspired sound. She aspires to continue using her talents to make a positive impact through all of her future endeavors, including her 1st album release, practicing music therapy, acting, and community service projects.
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Home » volkswagen e-up!
European sales 2018 EV and PHEV segments
March 21, 2019 by Bart Demandt Leave a Comment
EV and PHEV sales in Europe have set another record in 2018 with a 22% increase to nearly 345.000 sales of plug-in vehicles, of which close to 190.000 full electric cars and almost 155.000 plug-in hybrid cars. Sales of the former surged 44% while PHEV sales were virtually stable at +3,3%. 2018 therefore marks the first year that battery electric cars outsold PHEVs. Plug-in vehicles accounted for 2,2% of the European car market, up from 1,8% in 2017 and 1,4% in 2016. The rate of growth for EVs in Europe still lags that of worldwide EV sales, which grew by 73% in 2018.
Car sales Europe, EV segment 2018, Audi A3 / S3 / RS3 e-tron, Audi Q7 e-Tron, BMW 225xe Active Tourer, BMW 330e, bmw i3, bmw i8, BMW X5 40e, bollore blue car, Citroën C-Zero, Citroen E-Mehari, electric car, europe, EV, Hyundai ix35 FCEV, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes B-Class ED, Mercedes-Benz C350e, Mercedes-Benz GLC350e, Mercedes-Benz GLE500e, mitsubishi i-MiEV, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Nissan e-NV 200 Evalia, Nissan e-NV200, nissan leaf, Peugeot iOn, phev, porsche cayenne S e-hybrid, renault kangoo ZE, Renault twizy, renault zoe, sales, segment, tesla model s, Tesla Model X, volkswagen e-golf, volkswagen e-up!, Volkswagen Golf GTE, Volkswagen Passat GTE, volvo v60 plug-in, Volvo XC90 T80 Twin Engine
February 20, 2018 by Bart Demandt 8 Comments
EV and PHEV sales in Europe have set another record in 2017 with a 33% increase to top 282.000 sales of plug-in vehicles, of which 132.000 full electric cars and 150.000 plug-in hybrid cars. Sales of the former surged 35% while PHEV sales spiked 31%. This means plug-in vehicles accounted for 1,8% of the European car market, up from 1,4% in 2016.
EV and PHEV sales in Europe have set another record in 2016, but the growth curve has significantly slowed, with just a 7% gain for battery electric cars and 17% for Plug-in hybrid cars, compared to an overall market up 6,2%. As a result, combined sales of all plug-in vehicles grew from 1,4% of the market in 2015 to 1,5% in 2016. While we hit the 100.000 annual sales milestone for PHEVs, EVs missed that target by just 2.500 units, as customers were waiting for the “next generation” EVs with longer range which arrived late 2016 (BMW i3) or early 2017 (Renault Zoe, VW e-Golf). Also, a number of governments, most notably Denmark and Sweden, have dialed back on their EV incentives in 2016 while Germany’s new EV and PHEV subsidy hasn’t made a big impact yet. In The Netherlands, an incentive on PHEV’s as company cars was cut in 2017 so that boosted deliveries of these vehicles in the last few months as customers wanted to benefit from the incentives before they ended. As a result, 2017 PHEV sales are expected to crash and burn in The Netherlands while EVs are expected to show healthy growth there because this will be the only type of vehicle to receive government incentives.
European sales 2016 Q1-Q3 EV and PHEV segments
December 6, 2016 by Bart Demandt Leave a Comment
2016 is set to once again break a new record for both EV and PHEV sales in Europe, but mostly thanks to Plug-in hybrid cars. Sales of battery electric cars increased just 7% in the first three quarters of the year to 70.654 units, after improving by almost 50% in both 2015 and 2014. This means we’ll probably have to wait until 2017 to reach 100.000 annual EV sales in Europe, because a number of governments, most notably Denmark and Sweden, have dialed back on their EV incentives in 2016. Sales of Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles are also slowing down their growth curve, but still improved by 45% and look set top 100.000 sales this year already. Total sales of plug-in vehicles are up 24% to 151.912, or 1,3% of the overall market, compared to 1,1% in the first nine months of 2015.
Car sales Europe, EV segment 2016, Audi A3 e-tron, Audi Q7 e-Tron, BMW 225xe Active Tourer, BMW 330e, bmw i3, bmw i8, BMW X5 40e, bollore blue car, Citroën C-Zero, Citroen E-Mehari, electric car, europe, EV, Hyundai ix35 FCEV, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes B-Class ED, Mercedes-Benz C350e, Mercedes-Benz GLC350e, Mercedes-Benz GLE500e, mitsubishi i-MiEV, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Nissan e-NV 200 Evalia, Nissan e-NV200, nissan leaf, Peugeot iOn, phev, porsche cayenne S e-hybrid, q3, renault kangoo ZE, Renault twizy, renault zoe, sales, segment, tesla model s, Tesla Model X, volkswagen e-golf, volkswagen e-up!, Volkswagen Golf GTE, Volkswagen Passat GTE, volvo v60 plug-in, Volvo XC90 T80 Twin Engine
Another year, another record in sales for both the EV segment and the PHEV segment in Europe. Sales of battery electric cars increased 47% in 2015 to 91.326 units, after already improving by 50% in 2014. This means that it is very likely that more than 100.000 EVs will be sold in Europe this year, even though a number of governments, most notably Denmark and Sweden, have dialed back on their EV incentives in 2016. Sales of Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles got an even bigger boost last year, as they surged 177% to 97.985 units as no less than five new entrants were launched and existing models continued to improve. Only three EV models out of 17 showed sales decrease, and only two out of 15 PHEV models, while the majority showed double, triple or even quadruple digit volume gains.
Total 2015 sales of electrified vehicles were a record 189.161, up 94% from a year earlier, and they now comprise 1,3% of the European passenger car market. For 2016, the aim is around 250.000 sales or just above.
Car sales Europe, EV segment 2015, Audi A3 e-tron, bmw i3, bmw i8, BMW X5 40e, bollore blue car, chevrolet volt, Citroën Berlingo EV, Citroën C-Zero, electric car, europe, EV, Ford C-Max Energi, Ford Focus Electric, Goupil G3, Hyundai ix35 FCEV, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes B-Class ED, Mercedes-Benz C350e, Mercedes-Benz S500e, mitsubishi i-MiEV, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Nissan e-NV 200 Evalia, Nissan e-NV200, nissan leaf, opel ampera, Peugeot iOn, Peugeot Partner EV, phev, porsche cayenne S e-hybrid, porsche panamera S e-Hybrid, q3, Renault Fluence ZE, renault kangoo ZE, Renault twizy, renault zoe, sales, segment, smart fortwo ED, tesla model s, toyota Prius Plug-In, vauxhall ampera, volkswagen e-golf, volkswagen e-up!, Volkswagen Golf GTE, Volkswagen Passat GTE, volvo v60 plug-in
Photo credit: Danzei.de
European sales of EV and PHEV continue their explosive growth rate, at +54% for full electric cars and +106% for Plug-in Hybrid electric cars. Both subsegments have already surpassed their 2014 total sales in less than nine months. As ever more brands rush to enter these fast growing segments, even the existing models keep attracting a larger customer base. Of the 18 electric cars in the ranking, only 5 show a decline in sales, and only 3 of the 13 PHEVs face a similar fate.
As we go, we’re on track to sell about 80.000 full electric cars and a similar number of plug-in electric vehicles in Europe this year, which naturally both would be all-time records. This would also mean that the percentage of cars sold with a plug would surpass the 1% mark of total European car sales. Still a trickle, but no less a milestone and an indicator of things to come. [Read more…]
Car sales Europe, EV segment 2015, Audi A3 e-tron, bmw i3, bmw i8, bollore blue car, chevrolet volt, Citroën Berlingo EV, Citroën C-Zero, electric car, europe, EV, Ford C-Max Energi, Ford Focus Electric, Goupil G3, Hyundai ix35 FCEV, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes B-Class ED, Mercedes-Benz C350e, Mercedes-Benz S500e, mitsubishi i-MiEV, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Nissan e-NV 200 Evalia, Nissan e-NV200, nissan leaf, opel ampera, Peugeot iOn, Peugeot Partner EV, phev, porsche cayenne S e-hybrid, porsche panamera S e-Hybrid, q3, Renault Fluence ZE, renault kangoo ZE, Renault twizy, renault zoe, sales, segment, smart fortwo ED, tesla model s, toyota Prius Plug-In, vauxhall ampera, volkswagen e-golf, volkswagen e-up!, Volkswagen Golf GTE, Volkswagen Passat GTE, volvo v60 plug-in
European sales 2015 first half EV and PHEV segments
August 17, 2015 by Bart Demandt Leave a Comment
Sales of EV and PHEV keep booming in Europe, up 56% for electric cars and up 106% for Plug-In Hybrids. This is helped not only by new model introductions, but also continued improvement of existing models, as the awareness of electric mobility grows. The perennial leader of the EV segment Nissan Leaf is now under heavy threat from the Renault Zoe, which outsold the Leaf every month in Q2. If their current streak continues, the Zoe will become the best selling EV in Europe as soon as next month. The Zoe has benefited from Renault’s decision to no longer offer the model with battery lease only, and should also get a boost from an optional longer range electric engine, which increases the subcompact EV’s range from 210km to 240km, similar to that of the Nissan Leaf.
The Tesla Model S keeps improving as well, and is on track to sell more than 10.000 units in Europe this year, an amazing performance of an EV in this price range. However, the Model S may not finish the year on the EV podium, as the Volkswagen e-Golf is winning a lot of popularity as well. Just 2% of all Golfs sold in Europe are equipped with an electric motor, but that still adds up to more than 5.600 sales for the e-Golf. [Read more…]
Car sales Europe, EV segment 2014, Audi A3 e-tron, bmw i3, bmw i8, bollore blue car, chevrolet volt, Citroën Berlingo EV, Citroën C-Zero, electric car, europe, EV, Ford Focus Electric, Goupil G3, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes B-Class ED, mitsubishi i-MiEV, mitsubishi outlander, Nissan e-NV200, nissan leaf, opel ampera, Peugeot iOn, Peugeot Partner EV, phev, porsche cayenne S e-hybrid, porsche panamera S e-Hybrid, Renault Fluence ZE, renault kangoo ZE, Renault twizy, renault zoe, sales, segment, smart fortwo ED, tesla model s, toyota Prius Plug-In, vauxhall ampera, volkswagen e-golf, volkswagen e-up!, Volkswagen Golf GTE, volvo v60 plug-in
June 18, 2015 by Bart Demandt 3 Comments
The EV and PHEV segments are still the fastest growing in Europe, and the growth rate is even accelerating with sales of full electric cars up 64% and of Plug-in Hybrid cars up 150% on the first quarter of last year. Besides improving sales of most existing electrified vehicles, this is mostly a result of the introduction of new vehicles to these segments.
The Nissan Leaf is still the leader of the 100% electric cars, and the first EV ever to sell over 5.000 units in a quarter in Europe. The much more expensive Tesla Model S reclaims the second place it held in Q1 of 2014 before dropping to third in the full year 2014. The Model S had a blockbuster month in March, when it sold a record 2.363 units, and is likely to fall back into fourth place in the next few months, perhaps even as soon as April. The best selling EV newcomer is the Volkswagen e-Golf with over 3.000 sales, or just 2,4% of all Golf sales in Europe. The Golf outsells the Renault Zoe, which continues its strong monthly volume, which has greatly improved since last September for reasons discussed earlier. [Read more…]
February 21, 2015 by Bart Demandt Leave a Comment
Sales of zero emission vehicles keep growing fast in Europe, the EV segment has grown another 50% in 2014, to over 60.000 vehicles, as the top-3 has continued to add sales and a flock of new products hit the market last year.
The traditional leader Nissan Leaf has become the first EV to hit 15.000 annual sales in Europe, adding up to over 33.000 cumulative sales for the model. However, the Renault Zoe has outsold the Leaf in each of the last three months of the year with over 5.000 sales in the last quarter alone. The Zoe has become the second electric car to sell over 10.000 units in Europe in a single year and since demand is no longer limited to customers who don’t mind renting the battery separately, there may be a new best selling EV in 2015. [Read more…]
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Vettel & Number 2s
[ 337 posts ] Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 9 Next
olly-44
Post subject: Vettel & Number 2s
No, I'm not talking about Seb's poops (one way of wording it without getting this msg taken down)
But do you think, after Danny Ric's comments on Vettel: "For sure, Seb is happy with his team-mate. That's clear to everyone."
and Martin Brundle's claims (taken at face value) that Vettel has supposed clauses of "no Alonso" in his contract.
and Lewis stating that Seb wouldn't want to be his teammate at Mercedes.
and with the poor time he had against Danny Ric that 1 season, and scarpering away the next...
Does Seb fear a fast teammate feeling he might be exposed??
Do people believe that everyone in the paddock believes this too? Does anyone know any insider info that people believe this? Does this make Seb look like a x4 paper WDC (paper - as in not fully deserved due to preferential treatment)?
Now this isn't a topic on if Vettel credentials as WDC or if he is a great driver or not (I'm not a big fan but I still think the guy's quality) but it's more focused on his potential fear of having a fast teammate.
F1 Fan: 26 years and counting...
Grand Prixs Attended:
British x3 * Hungary * Italy * USA * Spain * Belgium
Grand Prixs on bucket list...
Canada * Mexico * Japan * Germany *
sandman1347
Post subject: Re: Vettel & Number 2s
With time and wisdom, most top drivers come to desire the situation Vettel is in. A top team and car and a teammate who is firmly behind them in performance.
Siao7
Exposed? As what?
Lojik
I'm sure most of the drivers in F1 would love to have a Palmer as a team mate, not sure it's fair particularly to single out Vettel. From a fans perspective it is a shame that we are unlikely to see Vettel in a real in-team battle any time soon though.
mikeyg123
Vettel is clever enough to realise that having a clearly inferior team mate gives you a massive edge in winning the WDC. He's also probably aware that another whopping would take his stick down from top 3 driver to top 5 driver. Lowering his earning potential and the chance of future competitive drives.
Personally, I don't think Seb was all that bothered by what happened with Ricciardo in 2014. He had just won four WDCs on the bounce and was hoping to become only the second man in history to win five consecutive WDCs. Considering only one man has even had more than one run of consecutive championships (Schumacher, of course) I don't think it would be unfair to suggest that Seb might never get another opportunity to equal/break that particular Schumacher record. I'm sure once it became clear (which it did very quickly) that he wouldn't even be fighting to retain the title, everything else became rather irrelevant for the rest of the year.
As for whether he would fear a more competitive/faster teammate, well of course he would. But it wouldn't be because he fears being exposed. In my opinion, his biggest reason for fearing a competitive/quick teammate is quite simple: it lessens his chances of success. He's in F1 to win titles, and if you've got the machinery to be able to do that - something it is rare for more than one or two teams to have in any given year - you would want to ensure that your teammate is as far behind you as realistically possible to enhance your own chances.
Earlier this season, Hamilton has also stated he'd prefer to keep Bottas in the team instead of Alonso coming in.
The difference is that Vettel doesn't feel the need to comment on what he thinks other drivers prefer or don't prefer, while Hamilton does. People start to believe it and the urban myth is forming.
These drivers, they don't fear each other. They firmly believe they're the best.
Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!
mds wrote:
The difference is how early in their careers they embrace the practical reality of having a strong teammate vs. having one that is clearly weaker. There are two main advantages to have a weaker teammate. The first is that you will maximize your points haul in the WDC standings instead of taking points off of each other. The second is that there is almost always greater harmony in a team with a clear 1-2 status rather than a McLaren 2007, Merc 2014-2016 or Mclaren 1988-89 situation. It's no coincidence that the most intense and poisonous title battles are the ones between teammates.
Anyway, Alonso embraced the advantage of clear #1 status from a very young age. By the time he was teamed with Jarno, he had already begun to seek it and we all know about the meltdown he had when Lewis was given equal status a few races into 2007.
Vettel never seemed to need to worry much about it at Red Bull because he was a better driver than Mark and, after 2010, had much better reliability. Many also theorized that he actually was receiving some form of preference but I never saw any concrete proof of that. I think 2014 might have shaken him a bit and he seems very intent on keeping things the way they are now at Ferrari.
This year is the first year that I've really seen Hamilton seek/embrace #1 status. I guess he's a slow learner in this regard. For years he touted wanting to race strong teammates and he has raced against 3 different WDC teammates over his career but I think 2016 drove the lesson home that things can go against you in those scenarios.
This should end well.
sandman1347 wrote:
Lewis embraced the Heikki situation fully in his 2nd season. He just didn't kick up a fuss when he was replaced, but neither did Alonso when Kimi was brought in or Seb when Dan was.
Everything else is private and behind closed doors and we get drip fed tidbits and BS, choosing to believe the parts that fit for us and dismissing those that don't.
(Bit misleading about the reason Alonso flipped in 07 too, he didn't kick up a fuss post Monaco and the decision to go to alternate weekends until Lewis started messing around on his weekend in Hungary. Then he went nuclear yeah).
I thought at the time he took his bad 2014 season with great stoicism and did not exhibit any bad feelings to Ricciardo as probably other more volatile wdc might have done e.g. witness Alonso's public meltdowns in 2007.
His desire for some say in his driving partner maybe as much as to have someone who he gets on with rather than any overwhelming fear of getting beaten and Alonso has already publicly disparaged his Red Bull achievements so I don't see that as an agreeable harmonious partnership from the off with Alonso already itching to prove a point.
If he was that frightened he could have insisted that Kimi get a 3 year contract like him but instead he will have to face Leclerc and probably Verstappen as well in the last two years of his contract. I don't think Vettel is that complicated and although having a larger vocabulary than Kimi is basically the same as him, he just openly speaks his mind and means what he says with no real hidden agenda. After all the amount of times he has publicly embarrassed himself is not a sign of a great schemer and manipulator rather than of just someone who wears their heart on their sleeve.
Red Bull: "Now we can fight !" https://twitter.com/redbullracing/statu ... 1737202688
Lotus49 wrote:
Sorry bud but that's not accurate at all. Alonso was complaining to the pit wall 2 races into Hamilton's equal status period when he couldn't get past him in Indianapolis. Alonso was rumored to have been a big factor in Trulli's dismissal at Renault in 2004 actually. He saw during that time (before even getting to McLaren) that having Flavio behind him in that way was a critical advantage. He has sought that everywhere he has gone. The lack of a fuss at Ferrari was mostly down to Raikkonen never being anywhere near him either on Saturday or Sunday. That was one of the most lopsided teammate battles I've ever seen.
As for Seb, he left the year after Dan got there...The bottom line is that Hamilton embraced Jenson Button joining the team and even campaigned for him to be re-signed before Mclaren finished the deal. He also actively refuted any suggestion that Mercedes should get rid of Rosberg. I have heard him this season singing a completely different tune though and it's purely down to 2016 IMO. He finally saw in a very irrefutable way how having to fight with a strong teammate can cost you dearly. The truth is that seasons like 2007, 2010 and 2012 should have driven this home already but, as I said, he seems to have been a slow learner in this regard.
Complaining on the radio is pretty standard for team mates stuck behind each other, it was hardly a meltdown was the point. That only came later and not because the preferential treatment was taken away specifically.
I've no idea of the ins and outs of his Renault time, I know Trulli embarrassed Michelin and Renault in France and that's when the relationship started going sour though and he was using Toyota's interest to try and get a big pay bump from Renault at the same time which went down like a lead balloon with Flavio.
That being said Alonso learning the importance of No.1 is probably true enough but it's not something that a driver really needs to learn considering it's known importance through history. It's also not true he sought it everywhere he's gone, he doesn't have it at McLaren and he chose money over options in his Ferrari contract extension in 2011, but that was once he knew he had Massa covered of course.
Seb did leave but I honestly think that was just because the Ferrari seat opened up and he had a clause that allowed it so jumped on it. I don't think he'd have joined McHonda or anything so getting out wasn't the reason for me. I believe Lewis doesn't seek it btw, I was just saying he embraced Heikki fine. He knew it's importance perfectly well as it helped him in his first title.
I think all drivers secretly prefer this situation, I mentioned it in the unpopular thread, much for the reasons you've talked about but it became a dirty word after Schumacher and drivers say all manner of rubbish in public about it these days whereas before it was seen as a reward for being the best and perfectly natural in a non spec series where it's hard enough to get the best car never mind having to deal with your team mate too.
Autobiographies will be interesting in the future for sure.
pokerman
Vettel doesn't need to say those things he just puts it in his contract.
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2019: Currently 21st
Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (8)
Alonso didn't kick up a fuss when Kimi was brought in at Ferrari?
He hated it because he knew Kimi wouldn't be his lap dog, that's kind of strange now given Kimi's situation.
Vettel never thought that Ricciardo would be giving him any problems.
pokerman wrote:
Well, that's the urban myth part. Unless you know more.
Rockie
What is with this '14 talk for Vettel to people who have an axe to grind, the rules didn't change for '15, but the Vettel that turned up at Ferrari was different to the one who was at Redbull in '14.
Other drivers talk about Vettel's situation but what he does not do is talk about them.
For someone like Ricciardo who is having his donkey handed to him and he's out there talking about someone else, asides '14 which is starting to look like a fluke now, he has nothing else.
Not that I'm aware, do you know different?. If so share.
Again, source?.
More mind reading poker.
Paolo_Lasardi
mikeyg123 wrote:
Proof please... or just more baloney
Covalent wrote:
it may, or may not have been the OP's intent, but this thread is destined to be another Vettel bash complete with un-supported rumors and "facts".
The difference is that Vettel doesn't feel the need to comment on what he thinks other drivers prefer or don't prefer, while Hamilton does. People start to believe it and the urban myth is forming
Stating things you have absolutely no proof for in an authoritative tone may be enough to win the White House, but that doesn't make it acceptable for a civilized forum. Nobody has ever proved that Vettel has anything in his contract to make his teammates into subservient #2s - and indeed, 2014 would argue that he does not have that privilege - so why go around stating it as a fact?
The truth of the matter is that Hamilton has had just as many #2 drivers for teammates as Vettel has, but he's the one who talks a lot of tough talk about how he wants equal status. And if anything, he's quicker to get on the radio and ask to be let past. Need I remind you that between Hamilton and Vettel, only one of them has had a teammate ordered out of his way this season?
Exediron wrote:
Yes indeed, some people perhaps need to invent reasons why their favourite driver is behind in the championship whilst driving the equal or even superior car?
Laz_T800
Although true, don't you think that Mercedes have just been transparent in their way of running the team, whereas Ferrari have just screwed Kimi in pit stop timings to ensure Vettel came out on top. So far Mercedes have only made team orders to improve the team result, as demonstrated in Hungary with the swap back when it didn't work. Ferrari's way of doing things has undoubtedly cost Kimi and them some points.
I have no problem with what Ferrari are doing by the way as it makes perfect sense for the WDC, but let's not just ignore the obvious to suit the narrative.
Laz_T800 wrote:
There's been at least one time (China) this year that it would have benefited the team to order Kimi out of the way, and they didn't do it. Ferrari certainly does give Vettel priority, but he doesn't have the sort of status some people ascribe to him, where Kimi isn't allowed to race him at all. Similarly in Monaco, they gave Vettel the chance to get ahead on strategy, but they didn't force Kimi to let him past.
I'm not in any way denying that Vettel has the higher priority - that's clearly true. But Lewis also benefits from team orders and a weaker teammate, while he and his fans would seemingly prefer if people ignored that inconvenient fact.
Seb is a born winner. There's nothing wrong with that. I don't get why people get so heated at the suggestion that he would want to gain every single advantage he can, including keeping a teammate who will maximise his WDC chances.
Hamilton has not benefited from team orders this season at all, at a time where it doesn't also benefit the team. I'm not suggesting he never will, in fact I fully suspect that we go in to the remaining races with Merc knowing they will do all they can to support Hamilton's WDC chances providing its not at the absolute mauling of the team result (ie Bottas 2nd and Hamilton 5th, Bottas drops back to elevate Hamilton to 4th... not gonna happen).
This year is apparently the year where the difference between "team orders that benefit the team" and "team orders that don't" is becoming very important
Has there been an actual team order against Kimi, though? He wasn't ordered aside in China, Monaco was strategy rather than him getting an order, and Hungary was a lack of team order. But actual team orders?
I think China is a red herring here. The race was right at the start of the season and Kimi was being held up by Ricciardo at the time. Would have been a tough sell to have got him to move over.
Ferrari were probably happy to make the change during the pit stop phase but Seb took the matter into his own hands.
Like I say it makes perfect sense to me to do this from Ferrari's point of view. Kimi isn't going to challenge for the WDC. Seb is.
Mercedes have in fact this season shot themselves in the foot trying to be fair to both drivers.
This isn't the two horse intra team battle they had from 2015-2016.
It's not a red herring, it's a factual observation: Vettel was behind Raikkonen who couldn't pass Ricciardo, they had the chance to swap and let Vettel try, they didn't. They could have even made an arrangement of letting Vettel through with the promise of reswapping if Vettel wouldn't succeed, but they didn't.
It's getting a bit tiresome to read how Mercedes' team orders are not really counted because "they benefitted the team" and Ferrari's lack of team orders is not really counted because of some other external factors. Fact is Mercedes have, from the go, used team orders and Ferrari, to this day, haven't.
I don't understand how its never been important. Surely fans can recognise the difference between the team pushing for the best team result, and the team favouring a driver? Hell, if they manage to do both at once good for them.
I do agree with your wider sentiment, but I'd also argue it works both ways. There are a relatively equal amount of people criticising Merc for favouring Hamilton (when they haven't yet), as there are people criticising Ferrari for favouring Vettel (when they haven't yet).
Of course behind closed doors there could be all sorts of favouring going on, but Hamilton's relative dominance over Bottas recently and Vettel's total dominance over Kimi - and even when Kimi looks like he'll have the pace to challenge, something always goes wrong for him - has made team orders a bit of a moot point.
Blake, it really wasn't my intent...
"Now this isn't a topic on if Vettel credentials as WDC or if he is a great driver or not (I'm not a big fan but I still think the guy's quality) but it's more focused on his potential fear of having a fast teammate."
Other posters turned it into bashing but that clearly wasn't my intent. I started the topic by referencing a Danny Ric quote, Martin Brundle commentary and Lewis Hamilton's previous stance.
I wanted to open the floor on this, and ask for any knowledge or inside info.
One should learn to read. I didn't say that Mercedes team orders don't count?
Ferrari haven't used blatant team orders but have quite blatantly manipulated the running order. You may bury your head as far into the sand as you wish but it doesn't mean it hasn't happened.
At no point have Mercedes ordered Bottas aside when he was actively challenging the driver in front. That was the case in China. That's why I believe it doesn't bare any comparison with the instances where Mercedes have swapped their drivers. Not all situations are exactly the same. You need to fully analyse the exact details of a situation before trying to compare Apples to Oranges.
Good timing with this thread when Lauda just came out basically stating how Hamilton is to be a clear No.1 in Mercedes from this race on.
"One" can read fine, thank you. A clear difference is being made between these two "types" of TO's, and it is used to a certain extent in an apologetic way for Mercedes.
If memory serves the only "blatant" way of manipulating is the questionable Monaco strategy, and that is rather suspicion than fact. Read Kimi's comments on it and you'll see that it is not fact at all.
But then as I learned in earlier discussion I don't get to say Kimi is an apolitical person who speaks his mind, so probably this one isn't one that will be taken at face value.
They didn't do anything in Silverstone to hamper Kimi's chances of finishing ahead of Vettel. They didn't get him out of Sebs way in China. The only thing that's in the air is the questionable Monaco strategy.
Not all situations are exactly the same. You need to fully analyse the exact details of a situation before trying to compare Apples to Oranges.
That not all situations are exactly the same is exactly my point - if people want to find a difference between two situations, then they're always going to succeed. And it's tiresome that in case of Mercedes doing it the apologists are in full force to highlight these differences whereas when Ferrari doesn't even speak out a TO and have made one questionable call (a same call RBR did - are they favoring Ricciardo over Verstappen then?) they are apparently THE ones who are influencing races and the ones Mercedes should react to in the future.
I mean, come on.
olly-44 wrote:
The bash part could potentially be seen in this choice of the term "potential fear" that potentially implicitly stands vs. those other two main rivals of his, Alonso and Hamilton, as potentially not having such "potential fear". A choice of other wording such as "potential reasoning/preference" could potentially eliminate such since it would be not so potentially charged then. I mean, it would be but reasonable to any of them not to wish/want to have a fast teammate, no? Hamilton lost the title to his fast teammate Rosberg, and he arguably lost one title more due to his fast teammate Alonso taking points of him.
Rockie wrote:
That's because unlike Vettel he can't choose who is teammate will be.
A source for what?
You never heard Alonso's constant criticism of Kimi or do you need a source for that?
Wow I'm not being civilised whilst you ascertain that Kimi has never helped Vettel this season, you obviously have not heard what some F1 pundits have to say about Kimi, one of them not British but he's from a former British colony so that probably classes him as being biased.
The history of F1 shows that having no competition from your teammate is the best way to go about winning the WDC.
Hungary was the reverse of Monaco and the team ensured that Vettel won both races.
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Cultural beheading: art from Syrian refugees
Written by Amir Darwish
in Visual Arts
Cultural beheading
by Humam Alsalim and Rami Bakhos
Since the start of war in Syria, politics has taken over discussion whenever the country’s name is mentioned. However, the Hikayetna project concentrates on the human side of the issue, focusing on the refugee crisis and victims' experiences and journeys to escape the conflict. This is an apolitical and independent project striving to aid Syrian communities.
I stress “communities” as a collective term due to Syria’s social mosaic richness, and the project has a pluralistic approach. For example, Arab Sunnis, Arab Alawites, Kurd-Sunnis, Orthodox Christians, Armenian Christians, Arab Druze, Arab Ismaeli, Turkmen, Circassian, Jewish and many other minorities are all part of the colourful mosaic of Syrian society.
The project aims to eradicate the stereotypes of Syria and Syrian people which are generated by certain sections of the media. This is challenged by promoting cultural activities, from arts and music to writing and painting. In the process, Hikayetna raises the profile of Syrian underground artists in the UK and creates a platform to connect Syrians from around the world. A Damascene girl who writes a story in Ghana can easily find a photograph taken by a young Syrian boy in Berlin to accompany her story. Suliman Osman, a Syrian journalist who leads the project says,
The aim of the project is to give refugees a chance to participate. I have refugees who can hardly write properly, yet they write their stories and send them to me.
Stories come from Sweden, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and many other areas where Syrians arrive to escape war zones. That way, the young are encouraged to spread and share their stories, with the help of training and editing from Hikayetna’s volunteers.
As a large bulk of Syrian society flees the war, the project searches for artists amongst the displaced. When they are discovered, the intention is to reach out and bring them to light, whether they are painters, musicians, writers or other artists. Artists like Esam Hamzah may find a platform to express, show & connect with other artists by an exhibition set up by Hikayetna.
An advantage that the project members have is their awareness of life in the UK and Syria. Therefore it is easier to understand the process of amalgamation and bring communities together to examine issues of integration for Syrians in the UK.
Lastly, and importantly, is the most powerful feature of the project –the aim to empower Syrian women. Nowadays, Syrian women are viewed by the public as refugees, victims of rape or child brides. Hikayetna makes a serious attempt to foreground another image of them. It does not discriminate, as Syrian women from all ethnic backgrounds are targeted. They are encouraged and empowered to bring change, express their voice and enhance their self-esteem.
Like Culture Matters, the project survives on contributions from volunteers: writers, translators, interpreters and editors work together to keep the project going.
Below is a poem for Culture Matters, and the illustration too. To see more please visit our site: https://hikayetna.com/author/hikayetna/
By Haqi Omar
At first he hated solitude while food became tasteless
Felt no taste for morning coffee
Fairouz songs became a routine.
No longer life is like before
But with time, solitude became beautiful
Solitude of special taste.
Leaves morning time with zeal to come back home, to solitude.
Zeal to drink coffee alone
To watch the news alone.
Does not know how to make friendships, as old friendships are sweeter.
Does not know how to love, as old love is sweeter
Does not want to be in new place, somewhere does not look like him.
Embraces solitude, living between old and new
Cannot go back to the old, nor wants the new
Yes friends, it is a solitude where we find refuge, from which
we cannot depart.
Haqi Omar is a Syrian pharmacist based in Denmark.
Syria refugees
Read 1754 times Last modified on Thursday, 21 July 2016 19:46
Amir Darwish
Amir Darwish is a poet, born in Syria and now living on Teeside. His poetry has been published in the USA, Pakistan, Finland, Morocco and Mexico, and he is a graduate of Teesside University and the University of Durham.
Migrants: a dialogue
Neptune's Staff
Two Poems for Aylan Kurdi
Short Story: Ark of Salvation
The Responsible Bomb
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Punks in Platinum - Celebrities at the MET Costume Institute Gala
Celebrities selected PLATINUM jewelry for the "PUNK: Chaos To Couture" Costume Institute Gala in New York on May 6th:
Katie Holmes in Platinum by Lorraine Schwartz
-Platinum and diamond earrings
Jessica Biel in Platinum by Fred Leighton
-Multiple platinum and diamond bracelets
Gwen Stefani in Platinum by Fred Leighton
-Platinum and diamond necklace from the 1930's
-Platinum ring with red spinel and diamonds
Carey Mulligan in Platinum by Tiffany & Co.
-Platinum and emerald-cut diamond ring ($800,000)
-Platinum and emerald-cut diamond bracelet ($375,000)
-Platinum and emerald-cut diamonds earrings ($165,000)
Claire Danes in Platinum by Van Cleef & Arpels
-2 platinum and diamond bracelets
Olivia Wilde in Platinum by Fred Leighton
-Art Deco platinum ring with onyx and diamonds
Rooney Mara in Platinum by Fred Leighton
-3 Platinum and diamond rings
Elle Fanning in Platinum by Van Cleef & Arpels
-Platinum ring with ruby and diamonds
Platinum is popular on the red carpet since it holds
diamonds and colored gemstones most securely.
http://www.preciousplatinum.com/
Labels: celebs wear platinum, Costume Institute Gala, MET Gala, platinum, platinum and diamond
Circle of Distinction Honorees To Be Recognized at AGS Event in July
The American Gem Society has announced the 2013 Circle of Distinction Honorees, who will be recognized at the Society’s Circle of Distinction Dinner on July 30 at the historic Plaza Hotel in New York City.
The recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award is Beryl Raff, Chairman and CEO of Helzberg Diamonds. The Triple Zero Award recipients are Howard Hauben, CEO of Centurion, and The Bromberg Family: Frank Bromberg, Jr., Ricky Bromberg, Clayton Bromberg of Underwood Jewelers (Florida) and Bromberg Jewelers (Alabama).
“The 2013 recipients are all well-deserving of this honor,” said Ruth Batson, CEO of the American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories. “Each has made a tremendous contribution throughout their career and we are proud to recognize their accomplishments. Beryl is one of the leading industry leaders, Howard has made Centurion a must-attend show, and the Bromberg family are valuable members of not only the Society, but of our industry.”
The Circle of Distinction event will begin at 6:00pm with cocktails, followed by a three-course dinner and the awards presentation at 7:30pm. To order dinner tickets or to learn about advertising opportunities in the Circle of Distinction Tribute Book, contact Christina Davila at 866-805-6500 x1005 or email cdavila@ags.org.
About The American Gem Society
The American Gem Society, founded in 1934 by Robert M. Shipley, is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to proven ethics, knowledge, and consumer protection within the jewelry industry. The American Gem Society is an international professional organization awarding credentials for its members, who are held to the highest ethical and professional standards in the industry and must pass annual recertification examinations to maintain their titles. Less than five percent of jewelers in the country have met the exacting requirements necessary for membership.
Liljenquist & Beckstead's New Digital Storefront Website!
Liljenquist & Beckstead Launch New
Interactive Website Featuring Digital Storefront
Brilliant! I totally LOVE this idea - each Designer shop - introduces the Designer through video while showing the items available in their store ...more info below the photo!
Liljenquist & Beckstead Jewelers, in partnership with ARTYSO creative agency, is pleased to announce the launch of its new luxury website www.liljenquist.com. The interactive site built as a “virtual store”, and it allows customers and jewelry lovers to explore and experience Liljenquist & Beckstead’s elegant collections of high end timepieces and designer jewelry.
"We wanted to excite our customers and share our passion for jewelry and watches, and that’s exactly what ARTYSO's creative team delivered. Our website visitors feel as if they are walking into our virtual store, you can almost touch the beautiful pieces and meet our team of dedicated professionals " shared Sherrie Beckstead & Sheila Liljenquist, Head of Business Development and Operations at Liljenquist & Beckstead.
The new website offers a glimpse into the world of exquisitely crafted fine jewelry and collector’s timepieces created by such prestigious design houses as Rolex, Patek Phillipe, Omega, Cartier, Chopard, Bulgari and many others.
“The newly redesigned website elegantly intertwines feature-rich functionality with luxurious feel. Innovative integration of interactive Google Maps allows visitor to easily explore and interact with Liljenquist and Beckstead’s boutique locations and friendly personnel ” states Andrew Max Link the CEO of ARTYSO.
About Liljenquist & Beckstead:
Since 1978, Liljenquist & Beckstead Jewelers has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, passion for prestige and a pledge to provide extraordinary service at all times. Founded by college friends turned business partners, Tom Liljenquist and Sidney Beckstead have worked side-by-side for 35 years, as their once small Ocean City, Maryland jewelry shop has blossomed into five flourishing boutiques along the Metropolitan Beltway.
For details, visit http://www.liljenquist.com
Labels: aflyonthewall, Digital Storefront, Launch, Liljenquist and Beckstead, New Interactive Website, the daily jewel
CIBJO Releases Special Report on Advertising Standards
CIBJO Releases Ethics Special Report,
looks at advertising standards and prevention of misleading claims
With the opening of the 2013 CIBJO Congress in Tel Aviv on May 7, 2013, the fifth of the CIBJO commissions' Special Reports has been released. Prepared by the CIBJO Ethics Commission, headed by Cecilia Gardner, the report lays out a programme designed to advance the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility in the jewellery and gemstone sectors.
In the report, Ms. Gardner suggests that a Blue Book of general advertising standards may be a useful tool to assess the advertising used to promote the image of the industry and the products it sells. "Clear guidance from a well-known and respected standards-setting organisation will work towards the goal of creating a level playing field for all companies, and promote fair dealing with consumers. Furthermore, clear and general guidance will provide standards against which companies can judge the claims they make about their products," she writes.
Also proposed is a complaint mechanism designed to combat misleading representations of products, and also a failure to comply with Blue Book standards. "A mechanism could be developed within the structure of CIBJO to assess allegations of non-compliance, collect the substantiation that is available, and then take corrective actions by educating the company or individual who has acted in non-compliance," Ms. Gardner writes.
To download a full copy of the report, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
The 2013 CIBJO Congress will take place at the Dan Panorama Convention Centre in Tel Aviv, Israel, from May 7 to May 9, 2013, with pre-congress meetings starting on Today. More information is available on the dedicated 2013 CIBJO Congress website.
Kristall, Russia's Leading Diamond Company Celebrates 50 Years in the Industry!
Kristall Production Corporation to celebrate 50th Anniversary
Kristall Production Corporation, Russia's leading diamond manufacturer, will celebrate its 50th anniversary on May 24, in Smolensk, with an exclusive, by-invitation-only event. Taking part in the celebration will be local diamond industry leaders, government representatives and dignitaries, as well as many foreign guests, predominantly representatives from other diamond manufacturing centers.
Kristall Production Corporation is a pioneering Russian diamond manufacturing company. It is the only diamond manufacturer that continued to operate after the fall of the former Soviet Union. Since that time, Kristall has significantly raised its output of polished diamonds.
Since its establishment in 1963, the company has polished 80.5 million diamonds with a total weight of 9.3 million carats. The government-owned firm specializes in top-quality cutting and polishing, and markets the Triple X Russian Cut. Kristall employs 2,200 people, and operates sales offices in Antwerp, Dubai, Hong Kong and New York. Kristall is on Russia's official list of strategically important corporations and operates under the direct control of the President of Russia. The company is a sightholder of the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) of the De Beers Group.
Kristall's CEO, Maxim Shkadov, who is also president of the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA), said: "Kristall Production Corporation is proof that in spite of the enormous changes Russia has gone through during recent decades - politically, economically and geographically - a solid, well established company like Kristall can overcome these difficulties and even thrive. We are very pleased and extremely proud to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of our company, together with our peers and international colleagues."
Among the Russian dignitaries participating will be Vladimir Zhirinovski, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), Vice-Chairman of the State Duma and a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; Anton Siluanov, Minister of Finance, the Russian Federation; Sergei Ivanov, Chief of Staff, Presidential Administration of Russia; YegorBorisov, president of the Sakha Republic; Alexei Ostrovskiy, Governor of Smolensk; Fedor Andreev, President of Alrosa; and Vladimir Rybkin, Head ofGokhran, the State Precious Metals and Gems Repository of the Russian Federation,
In addition to the celebrations, the invited guests will have the unique opportunity to tour the company's production facilities, and will be offered a sightseeing tour of Smolensk's historical sites and landmarks.
Punks in Platinum - Celebrities at the MET Costume...
Circle of Distinction Honorees To Be Recognized at...
Liljenquist & Beckstead's New Digital Storefront W...
CIBJO Releases Special Report on Advertising Stand...
Kristall, Russia's Leading Diamond Company Celebra...
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Bristol, Campaigns, Health, Parliament, Southmead
Darren nominates local NHS Heroes for national awards
MP for Bristol North West, Darren Jones has submitted a number of nominations to the NHS 70 Parliamentary Awards. In July 2018 the NHS will celebrate its 70th birthday. As a key part of the celebrations to mark this milestone, NHS England and NHS Improvement have established the NHS70 Parliamentary Awards.
The purpose of the awards is to celebrate 70 years of the NHS, identify and highlight innovative and high-quality care across every constituency in England, and thank staff for their dedication, hard work and commitment by recognising and honouring their achievements
Darren said:
“ I am incredibly proud of the work all of our NHS staff do in Bristol North West and across the city, it was difficult to narrow down some of the submissions I received but I’m delighted to have been able to make nominations in a wide range of categories. Whilst the national competition is bound to be a tight race, I’ve got my fingers crossed that at least some of our fantastic NHS services in Bristol make the final stage”.
Darren submitted the following nominations (click the links for more info about each nomination):
The Excellence in Urgent and Emergency Care Award Southmead Hospital’s Emergency Dept
The Excellence in Cancer Care Award North Bristol NHS Trust Colorectal Cancer Team
The Care and Compassion Award Southmead Hospital’s End of Life Care Team
The Person-Centred Care Champion Award North Bristol Trust Hospital@Night Team
The Excellence in Mental Health Care Award InterAct Stroke Support @ Southmead Hospital
21st March 2018 /by Sam
Tags: Local
http://darren-jones.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Health_Icon-e1505833505212.png 500 800 Sam http://darren-jones.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/dj-logo.png Sam2018-03-21 13:55:332018-06-07 10:00:17Darren nominates local NHS Heroes for national awards
Darren visits Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
Darren asks Government to get guarantees on GKN
Darren visits Pieminister in Brentry
MP visits Tesco Usdaw members
Darren sends annual report and invitation to join Powered by You
Policy Pods 1: Introduction
The change from Childcare Vouchers to Tax Free Childcare, and what it means... Data Protection Bill committee, 4th day highlights
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Original co-sponsor deadline Wednesday, May 24: Healthcare Opportunities for Patriots in Exile (HOPE) Act of 2017
/Armed Services /Homeland Security /Immigration /Administrative / T4 / Veterans /Original co-sponsor deadline Wednesday, May 24: Healthcare Opportunities for Patriots in Exile (HOPE) Act of 2017
Armed Services/ Homeland Security/ Immigration/ T4/ Veterans
Sending Office: Honorable Juan Vargas
Eddie.Meyer@mail.house.gov
Healthcare Opportunities for Patriots in Exile (HOPE) Act of 2017
Current co-sponsors (8): Vargas, Susan Davis, Grace F. Napolitano, Luis V. Gutiérrez Sheila Jackson Lee, James McGovern, Gwen Moore, J. Luis Correa
Dear Colleague:
Please join me by co-sponsoring legislation to allow deported veterans the opportunity to temporarily parole back into the United States to seek care from a VA facility. There has been a long tradition of foreign-born soldiers who have served in the U.S.
military since the founding of the republic. Many of these individuals enlist in the military under the false belief that military service will automatically make them U.S. citizens. For these individuals, low-level offenses they commit often result in removal.
This effectively denies these veterans the medical care they require.
Regardless of immigration status, all U.S. military veterans are entitled to treatment from VA medical facilities for service related injuries. Veterans who separated under conditions other than dishonorable are eligible for VA healthcare benefits. Due to
inaction and lack of cooperation between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the State Department, veterans have been unable to receive their VA disability compensation and pensions (if they weren’t already receiving them) after being deported. The
VA’s Foreign Medical Assistance Program is supposed to guarantee veterans abroad access to healthcare services. There has been no evidence of any deported veteran receiving treatment under this program.
The federal government needs to provide veterans removed from the country with the opportunity to access healthcare services. My legislation sponsoring would:
allow deported veterans the opportunity to temporarily parole back into the United States to seek care from a VA facility. The bill amends section 212 (d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act accordingly to give the Secretary of Homeland Security
the discretion to temporarily parole deported veterans into the U.S. on a case by case basis to seek healthcare services then return home.
For more information about the bill or to become a co-sponsor of the legislation, please contact Eddie Meyer at eddie.meyer@mail.house.gov or 5-8045.
Related Legislative Issues
Selected legislative information: Armed Services, Homeland Security, Immigration, Veterans
Related Bill Information
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Bill Number: xxx
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e-Dear Colleague version 2.0
Tagged:Juan Vargas
Letter Urging ICE to Protect Transgender Asylum Seekers
NOTICE! DEAR COLLEAGUE: In light of President Trump’s comments, Chairman Thompson urges the USCPB to reevaluate Member safety.
Stand up for our Servicemembers who have been Victims of Domestic Violence: Support the Violence Against Women’s Veterans Act of 2019
An Explanation of Impeachment in Preparation for Tonight’s Vote
Co-Sponsor Veterans Health Savings Account Act of 2019
Help Protect Communities From Violence
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Our trip to Kuching*
By Tek & Goldie Chong
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. It is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia. Sarawak has more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture and lifestyle. The Sons of the Soil (the tribal peoples) are the Ibans, Bidayuhs, Penans, Kayans and Kelabits. Chinese people first came to Sarawak as traders and explorers in the 6th century. Today, they make up 26% of the population of Sarawak and consist of communities built from the economic migrants of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Sarawak Chinese are predominantly Buddhists and Christians.
Left) Ibans and right) Bidayuhs
Kuching is a very beautiful town. Modern buildings and residential houses are tastefully constructed among clean streets lined by colourful flowering plants. In the morning the food courts are crowded with multi-racial customers who intermingle happily. This reminded Tek of his happy peaceful days in the Melaka town of old when he and his fellow scouts of different races enjoyed ‘happy hours’ in the Hainan coffee shop after an exhausting weekend scout camp.
Dr Florence Kayad
When Florence turned up in our church in Perth many years ago, she was sent by the University of Malaysia Sarawak to pursue her Ph. D. She came with her two young children, Jeremiah and Leticia. We welcomed her into our midst. To our admiration we discovered she is from the Bidayuh Tribe. Later we met her husband Henry an engineer helping the Malaysian government to build the underground rail in Kuala Lumpur.
We discovered Florence is from a committed Christian family and worshipped in a mature God -loving church in Kuching, with a multi-racial congregation. We respected this remarkable young mother working hard on her thesis. On the completion of her course, we fare-welled her with our prayer and expressed a desire to visit her and have fellowship with her church.
Easter family camp
Two years later the invitation came. The Elders in her assembly invited us to speak in their church camp. In our prayer we felt strongly that we should invite the Chengs to join us.
Soomy & Kee How Cheng
We met Cheng Kee How and his wife Soomy when we were speaking in Melaka Gateway Bahasa church in February. We found this couple is quite unique: Kee How has opted to retire at 50 years old. He had worked hard and done well as a resourceful businessman. Soomy has worked in the bank and also took early retirement. They enjoyed a period of ‘blissful’ unemployment with Soomy spending time crafting a beautiful home and Kee How improving his golfing handicap. But coming from a Bible believing Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church in KL, they became restless and were looking for more meaningful venture. This was when Soomy’s former school teacher, Pastor Goh Lee Neo of Melaka Gateway Bahasa Church, challenged them to conduct a Relationship & Communication workshop. By divine appointment we were invited to preach in the church Sunday Service. They gave us a lift after church to the KLIA airport so we got to know them. Later when we asked if they wanted to go to Kuching with us to conduct workshops on Family and Marketplace ministry, they readily agreed although they admitted they felt inadequate and ill-equipped. We told them that all they would be required was to honestly share their personal experience as husband and wife and as parents and to describe how God has led them in times of difficulties.
We arrived in Kuching two days before the camp to speak in a village church Gereja Bethel BRS pastored by Florence’s cousin Ps Samson Sangoh.
Before speaking we met the congregation who prepared a dinner for us, using hollowed bamboo to cook rice over a charcoal fire. We tasted dishes of jungle ferns and leaves. Much to our delight we also met a Sarawak “ring lady”, only one of four such ladies left in Kuching who use rings around their hands and legs for decoration. She graciously posed for us after her cooking.
BEM Lighthouse leaders in Gereja Bethel BRS with ring lady
Famous Sarawak pepper
On the way to the camp we visited Florence’s kampong, several miles out of Kuching. We were welcomed by her parents who gave us a conducted tour of their farm where they grow pepper, bananas, pineapples, etc. It was interesting to see how the world famous Sarawak pepper is grown and processed. The parents enthralled us with the tales of their former tribal life. As we listened to how our tribal kampong Florence eventually became a professor in the university, we joined the family to give thanks to our God for His wonderful blessings.
Florence and her pepper plant
The Church Camp
The BEM Lighthouse Church has a multi-racial congregation. with Chinese and other tribal members worshipping under the leadership of three elders. The lead elder is Dr Lim Khwang Thong, a pediatrician, Elder Benny Inggit Chapi is an Iban and works in a bank, Elder Chris Lee is in marketing with a pharmaceutical firm. Dr Lim & his wife Siew Kim, who had served as the senior medical administrator, provided us with very warm hospitality in their lovely home. When the church grew the Elders decided to invite a pastor to help minister to the growing congregation. Unfortunately this ended with a church division and a portion of the church was painfully torn away. While the members grieved over the departure of their beloved brethren, the remaining members have become more and more united. There was an atmosphere of love as they saw almost the whole church, including the teens, attending the annual camp. We appreciated their keenness and enthusiastic responses to the things of God as well as their sharp sense of humour. They encouraged us by responding eagerly to our sharing and we learnt a lot from them as they opened their hearts to us.
At the start of the camp we felt God said He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. The Chengs took a session with the teens and got them to open up about their relationship with their parents.
When their collective findings was reported back to the adults the parents realized they needed to put some things right. There were tears and reconciliation at the end of the session as each family prayed together apologizing to one another.
youths at camp
The Camp was held in a popular sea side resort away from the hustle & bustle of the city.
We had very meaningful worship led by experienced adult worship leaders backed up by the youthful musicians.
youthful musicians
Unfamiliar with Sarawakian practices we were staggered that on the first night of the camp, after a sumptuous buffet dinner of exotic tasting Sarawak dishes we were treated to a BBQ prepared by the many church chefs.
Asian couples are not in the habit of expressing love openly, either by words or by action. So we encouraged married couples to form a habit of communicating appreciation and love for each other. To set the romantic atmosphere we played the old love song “Have I told you lately that I love you” and showed the clip “Do you love me?” from Fiddler On The Roof. Tek and Goldie, then the Chengs demonstrated, holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes, telling each other our love and appreciation for the other. Then the other couples were ‘volunteered’ to follow suit, resulting in much tears, laughter, hugs and kisses. Hopefully this will revive the spark that may have laid dormant since courtship days. We pray that they would remember to thus ‘top up’ their love for each other.
Left: Douglas & Doreen | Right: Jimmy & Sharon
Releasing past hurts
Knowing marital bonds cannot be strengthened if the couple does not release past hurts, we led them through the process of forgiveness. Also, knowing the church has gone through a tough time we asked them to forgive those who have hurt them. We emphasized that biblical forgiveness is unconditional. We should do our part irrespective of whether the other party does or not. We must determine to obey God and say, “I will, regardless.” Again we felt the anointing of the Holy Spirit when collectively the church released forgiveness to those who had hurt them.
We cited a survey that Christian leaders who were prayed for daily were more effective than those prayed for weekly, monthly or once in a while. Prayer that is regular is more effective than sporadic prayer. So we encouraged couples to commit themselves to pray together everyday for their families & their offspring. We hope this habit will produce the inevitable harmonious tangible results soon.
Another High Light
Enjoying the Samah fish
Queen of fish
Once we were invited to eat the Sarawak Empurau called the king of fish (at RM1000 per kg) in Kuala Lumpur but unfortunately we missed the chance as we left a day earlier.
Now in Sarawak, we were treated to the queen of fish, the Sarawak Samah which cost RM500 a kg.
It was one of the dishes amongst many worth going to Sarawak.
Resurrection power available
The last day of the camp fell on Easter Sunday so our closing message was
“It is difficult to do all that God expects you to do, and you will fail. But the wonderful news is God does not want you to do it with your own ability. He has given you “His incomparably great power ….that power is like the working of His mighty strength which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand….” Eph.1:19,20 The power He gives us is the same power that resurrected Jesus. And He will enable us to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us… Eph.3:20 We need to believe this power is available, accept it and use it.”
Too soon the camp ended. Reluctantly we packed for home. But we pray that in this church, the family building process would go on.
BEM Lighthouse camp
*Kuching (the Malaysian word for cat) is the capitol city of Sarawak, a state of Malaysia.
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The District of Delaware offers a database of opinions for opinions starting in 2000, listed by year and judge. For a more detailed search, enter the keyword or case number in the search box above.
Effective August 1, 2018 all opinions docketed in US Bankruptcy Court - District of Delaware will be extracted and posted on the following Government website: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
They will also continue to be posted on the Court's website.
- Any -Chief Judge Christopher S. SontchiJudge Ashely M. ChanJudge Brendan L. ShannonJudge John T. DorseyJudge Karen B. OwensJudge Kevin GrossJudge Kevin J. CareyJudge Laurie Selber SilversteinJudge Mary F. WalrathJudge Peter Walsh
Case Name
Northwestern Corporation
03-12872 05/05/2005
American Classic Voyages Co., et al. v. KANOA, Inc., et al.
Genesis Health Ventures, Inc. (updated 05/03/2005)
00-2692 04/27/2005
SLI, Inc., et al.
Garden Ridge Corporation, et al.
Cable & Wireless USA, Inc., et al.
IHDG Litigation Trust v. Westaff (USA), Inc.
Chart Industries, Inc., et al.
Oglebay Norton Company v. Michael H. Port
Christine C. Shubert, Trustee v. Lucent Technologies, Inc.
Armstrong World Industries, Inc., et al.
Northwestern Corporation v. Magten Asset Management Corporation and Talton R. Embry
KI-1., et al. f/k/a Kellstrom Industries, Inc., et al.
Cellco Partnership D/B/A Verizon Wirelss v. Federal-Mogul Global, Inc., et al.
Northwestern Corporation v. Ammondson, et al.
American Tissue, Inc. et al.
In re Asbestos Cases, Case No. 00-3837, et seq.
00-3837, 00-4471, 01-1139, 01-2094, 01-2471, 02-10429, 02-12687, 03-10495, 04-11300 Judge Kevin Gross 11/08/2016
In re Smidth & Co.
08-10516 Judge Kevin Gross 03/16/2009
In re City Sports, Inc., et al.
Caribbean Petroleum Corp., et al.,
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The Costs of Becoming a Daoist Immortal
OK, so you've achieved your goal of attaining immortality through the Philosopher's Stone, or maybe some super secret qigong. You're going to live longer, much longer.* * * *So how are you going to support yourself? I don't think that I want to subsist on a diet of Kibbles and Bits.* * * *I saw this article from Smart Money on Yahoo. It discusses how much people spend in each of their older decades and what they spend it on. It makes for some interesting food for though. The whole article may be read here.
Living to 100? That Will Be $3.5M
The average centenarian will spend more than he or she may expect in their later years. Here's where it goes.
By JONNELLE MARTE and LINDA LACINA
Here's to your long life -- and the heaps of cash it will require
The average American who lives to the ripe old age of 100 will spend $3.5 million in his or her lifetime, according to an analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A good chunk of that bill, more than $1.5 million, will have been racked by your 50th birthday. The next 30 or so years -- the average 50-year-old today can expect to live until 81 -- will run another $1.4 million. And the lucky few who make it to 100 will need an additional $630,000. Experts say these high costs of living often come as a shock to retirees, many of whom expect to dramatically cut back on their living expenses as they get older and stick to a fixed budget. "A lot of time people actually end up spending more money in retirement than they may have spent when they were working," says Heidi Schmidt, a wealth manager in Dallas with USAA.
Labels: culture, Daoism, Ordinary Life
Be Like Water
Anderson Silva is the dominating fighter in Mixed Martial Arts. Below is a documentary about Silva entitled "Like Water." Enjoy.
Labels: Martial Arts, Martial Arts Videos, Mixed Martial Arts
Digital Sabbath
The Mrs and I were having dinner at a neighborhood bar not too long ago when we noticed that the pair of young women at the table next to us weren't speaking to each other at all, but were both engrossed in their respective smart phones. It struck us both as very strange.
Maybe it would be healthier to have a little more distance between ourselves and our gadgets.
Below are excerpts from an article at The Atlantic. The full article may be read here.
The Myth of the Disconnected Life
By Jason Farman
A commercial that aired throughout 2011 for the Windows phone resonated with these concerns around when it is or isn't appropriate to use our phones. It shows people ignoring their children by staring at their phones; a woman getting married walks down the aisle while texting; joggers staring at their phones run into each other; people fall down stairs or sit in seats already occupied by someone else. All this mayhem is caused because people cannot look away from their phones. The commercial's tagline is an appeal to these cellphone users: "Be Here Now."
The call to disconnect was found in several best sellers of 2011 from Sherry Turkle's Alone Together to William Powers' Hamlet's Blackberry. Powers has since become emblematic of a movement called the "Digital Sabbath." Each Friday night, he and his family disconnect their computers from the internet for the weekend as a means to curb an ever-growing sense of information overload.
For Powers, who began these Digital Sabbaths while writing his book, the sense of "digital busyness" that comes with information overload typically leads to a lack of depth in the ways that we think and connect with each other.
When his family announced that they would be sacrificing internet connectivity for 48 hours every week, they received some angry responses from colleagues who were upset that they would be unreachable by email. However, for Powers, the cost of disconnecting was rewarded with deeper and more meaningful connections with his family.
Since the publication of Hamlet's Blackberry, many people have followed suit and dedicated time during the week in which they turn off, unplug and walk away from their mobile phones, email and Facebook accounts.
For advocates of the Digital Sabbath, the cellphone is the perfect symbol of the always-on lifestyle that leads to disconnection and distraction. It epitomizes the information overload that accompanies being tethered to digital media. Advocates of Digital Sabbaths note that if you are nose-deep in your smartphone, you are not connecting with the people and places around you in a meaningful way.
Ultimately, the Digital Sabbath is a way to fix lifestyles that have prioritized disconnection and distraction and seeks to replace these skewed priorities with sustained attention on the tangible relationships with those around us.
Yet, these are familiar arguments that have taken one form or another throughout the history of media. Plato argued that writing would disconnect us from the meaningful presence that comes with face-to-face interactions. The spreading of ideas across geographic distances - far beyond the body of the author - limited our ability to engage in meaningful dialogue and produce true knowledge.
Advocates of the Digital Sabbath have the opportunity to put forth an important message about practices that can transform the pace of everyday life, practices that can offer new perspectives on things taken for granted as well as offering people insights on the social norms that are often disrupted by the intrusion of mobile devices. We absolutely need breaks and distance from our routines to gain a new points of view and hopefully understand why it might come as a shock to your partner when you answer a work call at the dinner table. Yet, by conflating mobile media with a lack of meaningful connection and a distracted mind, they do a disservice to the wide range of ways we use our devices, many of which develop deep and meaningful relationships to the spaces we move through and the people we connect with.
Labels: culture, Current Events, Ordinary Life, science and technology
Happy Thanksgiving. I think that this is my favorite holiday because it is so family oriented, and it's just been in recent years that the commercialization (Black Friday) has been creeping in.
The fellow in the picture isn't a turkey, thank God. It's a Cassowary. That we don't have to hunt down Cassowaries with our bare hands for Thansgiving dinners is a blessing. They can get up to nearly 6' tall and weigh over 100 lbs. Just to make it interesting, they have a 5" long spike on each claw that they could impale you with.
All that being said, I bet they taste great with the right gravy.
Labels: culture, Ordinary Life, Thanksgiving
Dao De Jing #45: Quiet
The Dao De Jing is not only one of the main roots of Philosophical Daoism, it is one of the world's great works of literature. A free online version may be found here. In the meantime, below is verse #45, Quiet:
45. Quiet
Great perfection seems incomplete,
But does not decay;
Great abundance seems empty,
But does not fail.
Great truth seems contradictory;
Great cleverness seems stupid;
Great eloquence seems awkward.
As spring overcomes the cold,
And autumn overcomes the heat,
So calm and quiet overcome the world.
Labels: Art, Books, culture, Dao De Jing, Daoism
Hara Kiri: Death of a Samurai
A friend sent me this review of the movie, Hara Kiri: Death of a Samurai. An excerpt is below. The whole review may be read here.
'Hara-Kiri': A Samurai's Bluff Hides A Revenge Plot
by Mark Jenkins
Japanese cinematic extremist Takashi Miike is known for movies that go too far — often because they can't figure out where else to go. So it was revealing when last year's 13 Assassins, a remake of a 1963 samurai adventure, demonstrated a traditionalist streak in Miike's tastes. But that movie is a crystal-meth freakout compared with the director's latest effort, the stately Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai.
This new venture is also a remake of an early-'60s film, and a more esteemed one: Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri. Miike follows the original closely, while changing certain aspects of the story and staging. One of the most significant alterations is that the new version is available in 3-D.
The narrative, constructed via an elaborate series of flashbacks, opens in 1630. It's the Edo period, and the shogun's absolute control of Japan has ended centuries of regional wars. The peace has put many samurai out of work, but their exalted place in the caste system forbids them to accept most other kinds of employment.
Desperate for a job or at least a handout, some of these unemployed warriors attempt the "suicide bluff": They approach the estate of a wealthy clan and request permission to perform hara-kiri (more politely called seppuku) there. Sometimes, clan leaders will avoid a bloody mess by offering a less lethal, more gainful alternative.
When shabby Hanshiro (Ebizo Ichikawa) arrives at the wealthy House of Ii to request a place to kill himself, he's informed that its leaders will not tolerate bluffers. The haughty senior retainer, Kageyu (Koji Yakusho), attempts to warn Hanshiro by telling him about another supplicant.
The movie's first flashback introduces Motome (Eita), a young samurai-caste teacher who hopes to receive a few coins to pay a doctor to care for his sick wife (Hikari Mitsushima) and child. He doesn't even have a proper weapon, having sold his sword to support his family.
Kageyu shows no compassion, demanding that Motome slit his belly with the blunt bamboo sword he carries. As he labors to kill himself — a scene whose horror becomes more explicit and protracted in Miike's telling — Motome is taunted by the swordsman assigned to end his suffering with decapitation.
Hanshiro doesn't say much, but it gradually becomes clear that he already knows Motome's story. And that he has come to the Ii palace seeking vengeance.
Labels: Art, culture, History, Movies
In Pursuit of Mastery
“Cook Ding was cutting up an ox for Lord Wen-hui. At every touch of his hand, every heave of his shoulder, every move of his feet, every thrust of his knee-zip! zoop! He slithered the knife along with a zing, and all was in perfect rhythm, as though he were performing the dance of the Mulberry Grove or keeping time to the Ching-shou music. ...
"Cook Ding laid down his knife and [said], 'What I care about is the Way, which goes beyond all skill. When I first began cutting up oxen, all I could see was the ox itself. After three years I no longer saw the whole ox. And now-now I go at it by spirit and don't look with my eyes. Perception and understanding have come to a stop and spirit moves where it wants. I go along with the natural makeup, strike in the big hollows, guide the knife through the big openings, and follow things as they are. So I never touch the smallest ligament or tendon, much less a main joint.
"A good cook changes his knife once a year-because he cuts. A mediocre cook changes his knife once a month-because he hacks. I've had this knife of mine for nineteen years and I've cut up thousands of oxen with it, and yet the blade is as good as though it had just come from the grindstone. There are spaces between the joints, and the blade of the knife has really no thickness. If you insert what has no thickness into such spaces, then there's plenty of room-more than enough for the blade to play about it. That's why after nineteen years the blade of my knife is still as good as when it first came from the grindstone."
- ZhaungZi
As students of a martial art, it is only natural that to master our art is among our goals. Some years ago in his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell hit upon a trend among top performers in virtually any field: they had accumulated over their lifetimes, at least 10,000 hours of challenging practice.
Every since he published that book, students in search of mastery have been busy at work trying to figure out how to accommodate the maximum number of practice hours in the minimum amount of calendar time.
This is human nature I guess. I shudder to think though at the wreckage caused by the single minded focus on one aspect of life at perhaps the expense of many of the others (which are in the long run probably more important).
We have a new entry in the “How to be a Master” literature.
Robert Greene, the author of The 48 Laws of Power (among others) has published yet another beautifully produced book on the very subject of mastery and how to acquire it. The name of the book is appropriately, Mastery. He includes the "10,000 hour rule," but puts it in context.
Below is a basic outline of his points. This link will take you to a page that expands a little on each of them.
Find your life’s task
Rather than compete in a crowded field, find a niche where you can dominate
Rebel against the wrong path and use that anger to motivate
Love your subject at a very basic level
Find the Ideal Apprenticeship
Engage in deep observation, practice incessantly and experiment
Value learning over money so that you’re not a slave to everyone’s opinion
Revert to a feeling of inferiority to truly learn
Engage in intense practice and tend towards resistance and pain
Rely on trial and error more than anything else
Absorb a Master’s Power
Choose a mentor who will intensely challenge you
Absorb your masters’ knowledge completely and then transform it
Create a back and forth dynamic with all of your relationships
Master Social Intelligence
Accept criticism and adapt to power structures and society
Meticulously craft your persona
Suffer fools and learn to exploit them
Awaken the Dimensional Mind and be Bold
Absorb everything and then let your brain make connections for you
Avoid putting things in familiar categories
Don’t let impatience derail your plans
Value mechanical and abstract intelligence equally
Avoid “technical lock;” or getting wrapped up in technical artistry instead of the real problem
The Final Step: Fuse the Intuitive and the Rational
Shape your world around your strengths
Know that practice is just as important than innate skill
Labels: Art, Books, Budo, culture, Daoism, martial arts theory, Ordinary Life, Shuugyou Renshu, Strategy, The 48 Laws of Power, Zen, Zhuang Zi
The Versatile Whip of Pigua Zhang
By Jonathan Bluestein
The art of Pigua Zhang is a unique martial art, which hails from Northern China. Like most External Northern-Chinese styles, it is characterized by the use of wide and long stances, nimble stepping methods, big movements and an emphasis on timing and speed as means of best delivering one's blows. The Pigua Zhang I am about to describe in this article represents a branch of the art from northern China, as taught by master Zhou Jingxuan, of Tianjin city. The contents of this article are not in any shape or form related to the Taiwanese branch of Pigua, as taught by late master Liu Yunchiao.
Pi Gua Zhang (劈掛拳) literally means 'Chopping-Hanging Palm', or "Hacking-Hanging Palm'. The word "Palm" at the end denotes the art as a style which typically favours techniques with an open palm. Chopping and Hanging are the main attributes of most of the techniques in Pigua, which shall be discussed shortly. The word '掛 Gua' means hanging in the sense of something being hung from a hook.
A recent history of Pigua Zhang
Very little is known of the origins of Pigua Zhang, except that early on it became widespread in the Cang Zhou (沧州) prefecture, Hebei province – an area central to the development of many Northern-Chinese styles. It is unclear how the art developed. One hypothesis is that its large movement were the necessity out of the situation in which people fought in armor, and could not effectively use smaller, more refined movements. This has never been examined or proven. It is far more likely that the movements of this art were inspired partly by Shaolin-derived method and partly from village brawling which had been refined into greater sophistication over the generations.
In the picture: Young Guo Chengsheng (郭长生; 1896 - 1967) – the originator of my Pigua lineage.
The style which I practice has been handed down from master Guo Changsheng – the founding father of the Pigua lineage most commonly practiced and taught in China today. Guo shifu was born in 1896, in the Changzhou prefecture where Pigua likely originated. He had a passion for martial arts since early childhood, and is said to have been intelligent and with natural talent, a robust and strong physique, and “as quick as the wind”. Thus he eventually earned the nickname “Guo the Swallow” (郭燕子). He was skillful with the curved sword (Dao), straight sword (Jian) and all 18 classical weaponry (a way of saying he was proficient in a large array of weapons usage). Guo was recognized as a foremost expert in the martial arts circles of his day and a great martial scholar of his generation.
Master Guo came from a poor family. His father passed away prematurely, but he nonetheless succeeded in making a modest yet upright livelihood rather than relying on (burdening) his mother. He was affected by Sun Yat Sen’s (Sun Zhongshang’s) calling for “planting strong seeds of military skills (martial arts) to save the nation”. With this message in mind, in the year 1916 (age 20) he enlisted to the Baoding 3rd Inspection Patrol Bureau of the local warlord Cao Kun (曹锟). The soldiers in the guard of warlord Cao Kun were studying under great teachers Ren Xiangrong (任向荣; 1852—1930; native of Tianjin) and his younger gongfu brother Liu Yuchun (刘玉春), disciples of Li Dengshan and Xie Jinfeng (Xie Yutang 谢玉堂 ?).
Ren Xiangrong and Liu Yuchun had a very close relationship, beginning early in life when they studied under Li Dengshan. Later they traveled together to further their martial studies and make a living as partners. In 1891 they met and befriended with Xie Yutang and his five sons, and exchanged martial knowledge with them, studying their family miao dao (苗刀) methods which belonged to the Taizu Quan system (太祖拳). Cao Kun hired Ren and Liu because he was fond of their martial arts, and especially their miao dao methods.
At the time when Guo Changsheng became a member of Cao Kun’s army, masters Ren and Liu were teaching the soldiers 24 postures Tong Bi Quan, dao, miao dao, and spear (Yin Shou Qiang) methods. Because Guo was diligent and enthusiastic in his studies, and had a natural disposition as an honest and considerate person who was well-liked, he was valued and loved by Liu Yuchun. Teacher Liu therefore decided to impart unto him the whole body of his martial knowledge without reservations, which aided him in also gaining recognition from warlord Cao Kun. Later, Guo was transferred to a government post, to serve as Cao Kun’s personal servant and bodyguard. Master Liu Yuchun also had his disciple Liu Shikui (刘士奎) teach Guo traditional family Pigua Zhang. Guo could then “see one thing and infer three”, thus his skill grew even greater.
In the year 1923 (when Guo was 27), Cao Kun assumed the position of ‘President of the Republic of China’ (sadly, by bribing a lot of people), and Guo subsequently established himself in Beijing’s (the capital’s) Forbidden City compound. At that time he came to be considered a close associate of Cao Kun, member of his personal staff. Unfortunately for Guo, during armed conflicts between the warlords in the subsequent year (1924), Cao was betrayed and imprisoned by one of his generals, which led Guo away from the initial career path in public service. Resentful of the bureaucracy and angry with the ceaseless fighting, he abandoned his government post and retreated back to his hometown, where he taught martial arts to make ends meet.
In 1927, the Nanjing Central Martial Arts School (中央国术馆在南京) was established, and Guo was sent an invitation to instruct a single ‘course’ on miao dao (苗刀) methods at that institution. Word and popularity of his teachings spread quickly, leading to a great increase in the number of students there. Because of this, his ‘course’ on the miao dao became an integral part of that school’s base curriculum, and Guo had the opportunity to produce many skilled practitioners with this sword. He also began teaching Tong Bi Quan, Pi Gua and free-fighting there. With his renewed recognition, later in 1930, Guo also became a part-time military instructor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nationalist Government.
The following year (1928), the Nanjing Central school arranged its first national meeting and examinations, in which took part some 400 people. Each individual participant was first tested on the use of the spear (qiang), curved sword (dao), straight sword (jian), staff (gun) and empty-handed methods to meet the required standards for taking part in the sparring competitions. The matches were divided into the following categories: Shuai Jiao (Wrestling), San Da (generic name for arena fist-fighting) and weapons (short and long). Following the elimination rounds, only 333 people of the original 400 were qualified for the sparring matches. Eventually, 17 participants of the 333 qualified for the sparring matches were declared superior to the others and ‘equally matched’. Guo Changsheng was among these 17 people, which was one of the reasons for his eventual rise to a permanent position in the school. The competition itself stopped when 17 people remained because the intention of the event sponsors was not to declare a unanimous winner, but to form a select group of people out of which they could choose worthy members for their staff of teachers.
In the picture: A map of Northern China in our time. Note the closeness between Cangzhou (Guo Changsheng’s home town), Baoding (where Cao Kun was originally stationed), Beijing (the capital, where Guo relocated with Cao after the latter became president) and Tianjin (where many students and grand-students of Guo lived and taught). At the time this article was written, the beginning of the 21st century, commuting between each of these cities by car took roughly 2.5 hours. Covering this distance of 130-150km back in Guo’s era would have likely taken a few days, even on horseback.
During the Japanese occupation of China, Guo ceased teaching at the Nanjing Central and stayed home, practicing behind closed doors (meaning, he did not teach publicly at the time). When the Japanese army was stationed in Cangzhou (where Guo lived) they learned about his existence and status. Lead by general Ōta (太田), the Japanese offered Guo huge sums of money to teach them his miao dao methods, but he refused, proclaiming he would not pledge his life and service to the cause which was destroying his nation. These actions are praised by the villagers in Cangzhou to this day.
Throughout his life, Guo instructed numerous people, and had many students and disciples. Perhaps the most well-known of which (yet not the most skilled) was his son, Guo Ruixiang (瑞祥). His older son, Guo Ruilin (瑞林), was also a martial artist. The Guo family later opened a swordsmithing business, which exists to this day and prospers in China. At the end of his life, Guo suffered from esophageal cancer, and passed away in the year 1967, age 71, from mistreatment of the condition.
In the 1920s and 30s, Guo Changsheng and master Ma Yingtu (马英图 ; another teacher at the Nanjing Central) worked together to improve upon the existing Pigua lineages, by combining their extensive knowledge of martial arts – especially materials from earlier lineages of Pigua hang and Tong Bi Quan (similar but not identical to Tong Bei Quan). It appears that although master Guo and Ma worked together on their mutual growth, their authentic gongfu signature remained. This we learn from the fact that Ma family Tongbi Quan, widely practiced today, is different in many respects to the lineages which came down from Guo’s sons and disciples.
In addition to the changes and additions to the empty-handed material, these two teachers added the use of 4 different weapons to the base curriculum, which are nowadays practiced through 4 long forms: Hei Hu Bian (Black Tiger Whip - a short whip-staff), Feng Mo Gun (Crazy Demon Staff), Tian Gang Dao (Pigua broadsword), and Miao Dao (Grain-Leaf longsword). Since the miao dao form was evolved from the earlier, older form taught to Guo by Liu Yuchun, it was now called the ‘Second Road’ (Er Lu), to be distinguished from the original. These weapons were not originally developed with the rest of Pigua, which was created as an empty-handed art. The body-method of Pigua was therefore embedded into these weapons forms and their methods later on to make them one with that art. Other "Pigua weapons" existing nowadays are very modern additions. Interestingly, one can see a lot of commonalities between Pigua weaponry techniques and those seen in Chuo Jiao Fanzi Quan, even though the body methods are inherently quite different.
There is an obvious connection between Pigua and other northern-Chinese arts, by the way of many common stances, and some techniques; but its flavour and character remain very distinct. In the rare art of Shaolin Jingang Bashi, there are quite a few movements that seem to have originated from Pigua. In terms of body-method, the art closest to Pigua is Tongbei Quan. Both arts are based on the notion of molding and shaping the body into a heavy whip. Still, even among these two there are obvious differences, and it can be said that they do not always represent the 'same type of whip'. Tongbei's whip tends to be more elastic and snappy, having the quality of a rubber band perhaps, and Pigua's whip is usually longer and heavier (this is a generalization referring to the more common traits, and one should keep in mind that these two types of body-whipping methods exist in both arts). Pigua and Tongbei emphasize the practice of single-movement or single combinations, and have few forms. Tongbei forms are usually short, while Pigua forms are rather long, and make for good cardiovascular conditioning methods.
My official Pigua lineage, as shown above, is: Mr. Yang (18th century) >>>> Xie Jinfen (Xie Yutang 谢玉堂) and Li Dengshan >>>> Ren Xiangrong (任向荣; 1852—1930) and Liu Yuchun (刘玉春) >>>> Guo Chengsheng (1896-1967) >>>> Guo Fengming >>>> Pang Zhiqi & Wang Lianhe (20th century) >>>> Zhou Jingxuan >>>> Jonathan Bluestein.
The Classic Principles of Pigua
The classical writings of Pi Gua Zhang describe the art with several verses. I found some of these to be slightly ambiguous for students new to the art. I have therefore decided to describe the art using both old and new terminologies, combined.
Heavy Hands – One attempts to let gravity and momentum lead the hands into powerful strikes. The hands and arms are kept as relaxed as possible in the process (though a little bit of tension is sometimes kept in the palms). This makes the opponent feel one's hands are like heavy metal chains, while the Pigua practitioner himself feels light and mobile. Without heavy hands, there is no Pigua. This principle is also the main prerequisite for the art of Tongbei Quan.
“Big opening, big closing, big splitting, big hanging"- The contrary movements of opening (Kai) and closing (He) follow each other, and are performed with a bodily frame as large as possible, often even in fighting. In a close-quarters situation, the hands and body still seek to expand beyond the small, confined space. The big splitting and big hanging are vital to ensure one has and develops the power to carry the opponent with his own momentum. Also, the Pigua player becomes accustomed to feeling comfortable at wide and large body angles, at which other people are completely unbalanced and disoriented. This is opposite to the some of the more common strategies in the Chinese internal arts. In the latter, one's advantage is in controlling movement patterns and skills which are very small and refined. In Pigua, it is one's capacity to open up and stretch, while remaining stable, which gives one the edge in many situations.
"Fierce rising, hard falling" – These too are contrary movements that follow each other, and are done swiftly, using all of the body's mass in whipping motions. This principle in Pigua is the equivalent of Xing Yi's: "Rise, Drill, Overturn, Fall", but the body-method of Pigua makes the movements manifest differently.
In the picture: Master Zhou Jingxuan, demonstrating an application from the Feng Mo Gun form to a student. Xigu park, Tianjin, China.
"Overturning and rolling like a pearl spinning in a jar" – It is said that the power manifestation should be like the continuous flowing motion of a pearl spinning in a jar. This is a very interesting concept, which sets Pigua apart from other arts. In Taiji Quan, it can be said that one uses listening power (Ting Jin) in order to sense a weakness in the opponent's structure. In Xing Yi Quan, the practitioner can use subtle circles, vibrations and explosive powers in order to shock the opponent and penetrate his defenses. In Aikido, one attempts to unite with the momentum of his opponent, blend with it, and then lead it. Pigua is much more violent. It is like a tornado. It generates an immense momentum, passes through the opponent, and sweeps everything it touches with big swinging, coiling attacks. Which in turn brings us to the next traditional principle:
"Searching and tracing" - The hands are constantly striving for contact with the enemy. After momentum is generated, one instantly adopts the mentality of seeking a point of contact. It is not so one can "build a bridge" as in other Chinese arts – it is so one can find a point through which to lean-over all his momentum into the other person. Had such a point of contact not been found, the same momentum would be recycled, and the practitioner will keep "overturning and rolling like a pearl spinning in a jar" until further contact is made. One strives for contact like a monkey skipping among trees and looking for branches. When the opponent is weaker than oneself, than the hands just go through him. In case the opponent is too strong at a given position, the hands will disengage immediately upon touch, and seek to attack from a different angle. Each strike strives to go through. What cannot go through, slides along. What cannot slide along, changes direction.
Below – master Zhou demonstrating Wǔ Lóng Pán Dǎ 五龙盘打( Five Dragons Striking in a Circle), one of the 12 Basic Hands of Pigua. This movement embodies well the concept of ‘pearl rolling in a jar’:
Master Zhou had truly mastered this principle, as also seen in this video, in which he corrects a student’s mistakes in practice:
"Relaxed long reach power" – The momentum cannot be transferred onwards if one is not extremely relaxed, and if the power does not reach all the way to the tips of the fingers. The idea is that as the Pigua practitioner moves his arms about, anything that touches them would immediately bounce-off.
Defense and Offense are not distinguished – Every defense is an offense. Additionally, two consecutive movements are blended into one by guiding the momentum of the first movement directly into the second. Ideally, several movements could be combined into one constant flow, without any stoppage.
"The torso is opening and closing like a bow. The chest and back swallow and spit like a string which sends out the power like an arrow without a shadow”- A description of the characteristic movement of the torso, and the way it helps to issue power. The contraction and expansion of the entire body in Pigua is very sharp, abrupt, springy and quick.
"Its movements are swift and violent, but agile and fierce" – Speed is greatly emphasized, but not at the expense of agility or roundness. The preference is for large half-circles or quarter-circles, so when the art is performed quickly, the round quality of the movement is often only felt by the practitioner and missed by the sideways observers. There is almost always roundness and coiling in the movements of Pigua, even when cutting directly into and through the opponent.
Natural movement and striking - This is an art designed for fighting. All of its techniques have obvious usage, which is rarely complex, and can be used effectively in less than a year of training by most people (and much quicker if one already has a foundation in a traditional Chinese style). Pigua's big swings, chops and hooks mimic the way many people naturally and instinctively fight. The difference is that Pigua adds a lot of sophisticated body-mechanics into the mix, and while it is easy to learn, mastering it can take many years. Training in Pigua has an animalistic feel to it. The art flows with a mentality which is truly primal. People who first see the art performed quickly often think of it as some form of wild dance; in a sense, this is not far from the truth.
The art of coiling from side to side – When storming opponents, one's momentum usually throws him to one side, and often downwards as well. Various drills and methods, especially Dan Pi (Single Splitting), are designed to take advantage of that type of situation, and create the ability to bounce back with the same momentum in the other direction, after the opponent has been unsettled with the first movement/strike. The spine plays a huge role in this, and its coiling and uncoiling are responsible for generating extra momentum, and adapting to existing forces. When moving from side to side, Pigua causes one to feel somewhat like a Drum on a Stick. When twisted quickly with the fingers from side to side, the stick is like the spine of Pigua, and the strings with their little beads are like Pigua's heavy hands.
Dynamic Balance – In the Internal Chinese arts, especially Xing Yi Quan, the emphasis is on having a very balanced and solid structure when coming in contact with the opponent. In Pigua, this is not exactly the same. The ability one seeks, which we may call "dynamic balance", is the ability to regain balance from large movements that had been executed very quickly, with a lot of momentum. The 12 basic hands of Pigua, and their variations, are therefore designed for the development of such ability. They constantly force the practitioner into difficult physical positions, pushing strikes and movements to the physical limit of their reach (effectively assuming one "misses" with each strike). From such a disadvantageous position, one is then expected to be able to move in the exact opposite direction, generating serious power in the process.
Movements, Techniques, and Characteristics
The main strategy in Pigua is to unbalance the opponent, through either striking, locking, grappling, throwing or takedowns. Of these, striking is always preferred. This is done in a very overt fashion – not at all subtle as in the Internal martial arts. The unbalancing would be done in one of two ways:
1. Striking into and through the opponent, like a sharp and heavy sword cutting down a branch, or a very long and heavy whip.
2. Leaning all of one's momentum into the opponent with a very violent movement, as preparation for a strike or throw. The ‘Gua’ 掛 in Pigua refers to the tendency of the palms and arms to stick the momentum unto the opponent, and lead him with it. This is primarily done by applying just the right angle as one strikes, creating a drag on the opponent's entire structure.
Striking in Pigua is very versatile. One can strike with open or closed fists, all sides of the palm and forearm, parts of the arm, with the shoulder, knee, leg, foot, and sides of the body. The preferred striking areas are the palm and forearm, and the least common are the leg and foot. Pigua throws are usually also strikes, in that the opponent gets thrown while being hit at the same time. An unsuccessful strike may continue into a throw, as one follows his own momentum 'to completion'. Finger jabs, groin pokes and strikes to the lower part of the abdomen are also common. The head and its surrounding areas (neck, collarbone) are the targets of most striking techniques in Pigua, even though any part of the body may be targeted, from almost any angle. Pigua is an art built on movement principles (rather than lots of techniques), and as such it provides the practitioner many options for action, and does not limit one by adhering to a strict form when fighting.
Pigua is unusual in liking to strike with the back of the palm, also commonly doing so with a strike coming from below upwards (and with other variations). The back-palm strikes snap like boxing jabs, and are very powerful, able to easily break a nose, or do worse damage when applied by an experienced practitioner. This type of strike is rare because the back of the hand is, to most people, a gentle area. Indeed, this and other areas on the palm and forearm have to be strengthened and conditioned so blows can be effectively delivered. There are several methods in which one can do this. Like in many Chinese arts, the general training regime of Iron Palm can aid in this. Otherwise, the art itself includes quite a few movements which are designed to harden these areas, while training the actual techniques. Still, one does not only rely on the hardening of the palm. Proper striking mechanics are also key. For example – although much of the body is very loose when striking, the palm itself must have a certain amount of tension in it during the moment of impact. Failing to hold the palm in this fashion could cause serious injury to it, even in training.
This art relies on its ability to have a long reach, since the arms and shoulder blades are stretched forward more so than in other styles. With Pigua, it is possible to reach the opponent with one's arms from a distance that others may consider "kicking distance". This is one reason that Pigua is very focused on hand-striking. The other reason being that it is, as mentioned before, an art that uses whipping power in order to deliver force. This type of power benefits most from elongated movements. With a whipping force, the power-potential of the strike grows with each joint it passes through.
Pigua features several types of Hook strikes. One of the big differences between traditional Chinese arts like Xing Yi and Pigua, and an art like Western boxing, is that in many of the Chinese arts, the hooking hand can reverse direction in mid-air. Also, after the initial inward hooking movement, it can go into a head-lock, or if it missed in front of the body, press against the body for a lean-throw setup, or reverse-hook in the other direction for either striking or making a scissor-movement throw. In Pigua, this is achieved with the side-to-side coiling skills which I have discussed earlier.
The size of the hooking movement can vary in both Western Boxing and Pigua. In Boxing, the body's structure is more often kept firm as you hook, while in Pigua it is whipping. The pivoting on the ball of the foot during this strike is very similar in both arts, but the quality of the strike changes because in Pigua the back is kept straight (at least in our traditional lineage), the power goes 'through-the-back' like in Tongbei, and the movement is much more relaxed at all times. Interestingly, Boxing and Pigua use whipping in a very similar way if we compare many of Pigua's movements to the Boxing jab; but in hooking, Western Boxers more often prefers to hold the structure 'unbroken', like in Xing Yi.
Below – master Zhou is seen teaching various hook strikes from our Pigua system:
Leg work in Pigua is extremely tiring and challenging, and the practitioner will have to move quickly through very low stances in training. Most combat situations would not require such low heights. However, this helps build dynamic stability, and provide the practitioner with the option to catch the opponent unprepared, as few people can go as low in a fight, and remain stable.
In our branch of Pigua, there is influence by the Internal arts, because our teacher, master Zhou, has had extensive training in both Xing Yi Quan and Taiji Quan. Zhou's Pigua students were taught various forms of Zhan Zhuang, which greatly enhance Pigua's structure, and make it more stable when striking (more on that later). In Pigua, the Dan Tian and Hip serve as the "handle of whip". At an advanced level, students are taught Dan Tian training exercises, which greatly enhance one's whipping power.
The Structure of our Pigua System
In our lineage, the art is comprised of:
Several Jibengong exercises
These are isolated movements. They are used to train the essential basics of the art. They are not complicated and do not require special mastery, or take too long to get good at. I include six different jibengong methods in my teachings. They primarily address the skills of flexibility, mobility, agility, cardiovascular fitness and learning to use heavy hands.
Below – master Zhou teaching students Itai and Ben how to use Pigua’s heavy hands:
12 Basic Hands
Combinations of 2-3 movements, which form the basis for the rest of the art. More accurately speaking, these hands are the art, and the forms just link them, and a few other movements, to explore further concepts, strategies and tactics. Each 'hand' has several variations, and altogether there are about 40 combinations to be learned. The most crucial and important ‘hand’ is Dan Pi, or 'Single Chop'. The true learning begins with this movement. It develops some of the basic elements and forces that are most essential to the practitioner.
As the one advances in his practice of the 12 hands, and his ability improves, he will have a benchmark for his improvement in the form of the following three stages:
1. Swollenness of the palm.
2. Swollenness of the forearm. Here, traditionally a special drill of strengthening the forearms and palms by hitting a cotton-wrapped tree is introduced to the practitioner. I opt to use other methods instead, and student practice similar conditioning against each other’s limbs or against heavy bags.
3. Swollenness of the whole arm.
Uniquely in Pigua, each of the 12 hands and their variations can flow seamlessly into the other, without stoppage. The 40 variations connect like universal lego pieces. Additionally, the art is completely ambidextrous, and all the variations are practiced equally on the left and right sides. Furthermore, the transition between the left and right sides of each variation is natural, easy, and makes sense from a combative perspective. The entire style is built with this special theme – that a movement is to be considered right for the art only if it maintains constant flow, both within its own method and in transitioning to other movements.
At a more advanced stage of training, I aid the students in creating ‘natural hands’, wherein the borders between the actual 12 hands blur, and the only remaining guide to the spontaneous combinations they create is the momentum itself. To achieve this however, one needs to first established a firm root in the mechanics of all 40 variations, which will take a beginner about 1.5 - 3 years to attain.
Here is a short summary of the 12 basic hands in my Pigua system:
Tànmǎ Zhǎng 探马掌Searching/Scouting Palm
9. With fists.
10. With open palms.
11. Diagonal striking.
Dān Pī Zhǎng 单劈掌
Single Splitting Palm
Stationary Dan Pi (Jiben Gong version)
Advancing Dan Pi – Opening/Closing
Dan Pi with throw
Dan Pi in straight line with uppercut.
Sideways evasion Dan Pi.
Qi Xing Dan Pi – Dan Pi with 7-star stepping.
Dan Pi with forward hand stabbing.
Chang Zhang Dan Pi.
Gǔn Pī Zhǎng 滚劈掌
Rolling Splitting Palm
15. Regular.
16. Advanced, striking the face.
Dào Fā Wū Léi 倒发乌雷
Thunder of the Overturning Crow
12. Regular – vertical striking.
13. Fists – horizontal striking.
14. Combined – diagonal striking.
Jiǎo Dì Lóng 搅地龙
Earth-Stirring Dragon
22. Simplified for Jiben Gong.
23. Standard.
24. With a throw.
25. Dropping to Fu Hu Bu takedown.
26. Reverse Jiao Di Long.
Wǔ Lóng Pán Dǎ 五龙盘打
Five Dragons Striking in a Circle
18. Palm to the floor.
19. Advanced.
20. Throwing the opponent.
21. Eye stabbing version.
Yi-Er-San Guaizi
1-2-3 Smacking
30. Whirls around the opponent.
Gōu Quán 钩拳
Hook Fists
27. Stationary.
28. Advancing.
Tiě Sǎo 铁扫
Violent Sweep / Iron Broom
36. Advanced 1 – moving from side to side.
37. Advanced 2 – reaches below.
Zhāofēng Shǒu 招风手
Wind-Catching Hand
32. Bypassing defenses.
33. Going into Ma Bu.
34. With hook fists, and striking the gonads.
Kāi Mén Pào 开门炮
Gate-Opening Cannon
39. Simplified.
Chā Zhǐ Zhǎng 插指掌Inserting Fingers Palm
There are two hands which I learned have eventually come to omit from the curriculum. These are Yao Zi Chuan Lin (Sparrowhawk penetrating the forest) and Da Ku Bu (Big Kua Step).
Below – myself, demonstrating typical applications from the 12 Hands on a young student:
All 40 variations include the following elements in their teachings:
- Dān liàn 单練 – Solo practice.
- Yòng fǎ 用法 – Martial usage – always several methods for each variation. These cover striking, locking, takedowns, throwing, and even a little bit of ground-fighting.
- Duì liàn 對練 – Partner practice methods.
- Zìrán shǒu 自然手 – learning how to naturally connect the movements to other movements in the system in free flow. Akin to ‘shadow boxing’.
- Bag striking – both small and heavy bags.
My arrangement of the 12 Hands and their 40 variations is very personal. The movements were not taught to be in such an orderly manner. Apart from their names, they were did not have any numbers or groups attached to them. When studying with master Zhou Jingxuan, he would teach me in a more arbitrary fashion. I would be taught a single variation, and then spend 1-3 hours practicing it under shifu’s watchful eye, until the basic coordination would become ingrained in my body, and the entire pattern could be performed without major flaws in motion. Then, another variation would be taught to me. Over time, between the learning and practicing of new variations, I would continue to practice older ones, for which I would then be receiving further corrections and taught applications. I was expected to test the applications myself, and also remember everything by heart. Lengthy and complete answers would be given only if I were to initiate an appropriate question.
When I began teaching, I realized that the vast majority of my native Israeli countrymen could not handle such a foreign training methodology and mindset. This is why I took care to write down nearly everything I ever learned from my teachers, and have much of the information available, in general outlines, for my students. The 40 variations were for this reason segmented into ’12 Groups’, based on the 12 mother-concepts which they represent in terms of movement and fighting tactics. Prior to teaching the art, I did not even know that I practiced a total of 40 such variations – having remembered them all by heart, the number was not that important, so I never bothered counting.
Here are videos of later master Zhou demonstrating and teaching some variations of the 12 Basic Hands:
Qin Na Taulu
Master Zhou used to teach many forms that were not attached to a specific martial art. In China it is common custom since ages past to exchange martial knowledge like currency among friendly veteran teachers. A lot of fellow skilled practitioners sought master Zhou’s knowledge, and since he was very open and happy to share with those worthy, he also earned much from the experience of others. One thing Zhou shifu exchanged over the years was a short partner-form which linked together 6 qin na (joint-locking) techniques. This form, I found very useful for teaching beginners the essence of locking in standing positions. A lot of the movements contained within the 12 Hands flow well into joint-locks, yet this was not traditionally emphasized as Pigua is a primarily striking art. The qin na form aided in opening up new ways for students to think of applications. It also helps that this form uses Pigua stepping methods to execute the techniques. Each lock or counter present in the form is the answer to when the previous technique failed to work for some reason. The form is meant to be executed in a continuous flow between the two partners, who also change roles throughout between attacker and defender. Another way to practice the form, which I often stress, is to change one of the locks into a more deadly finishing technique, in order to learn to end the conflict quickly when necessary. This form is practice on two sides equally. More so than other contents in the Pigua system, this form focuses on pure self-defense scenarios, as opposed to combat between more equal opponents.
Through the years I sought to lengthen and improve upon the original form, and so I made it longer and more elaborate. To it was added another arm lock, two chokes, a neck manipulation (break or takedown), and a whole section dedicated to ground-fighting with a sort of ‘Pigua-flavour’. I teach a basic version of the form to beginners, and the complex version to more advanced practitioners before they study the weapons of the art.
Zhan Zhuang training
In my Pigua system I have included most Zhan Zhuang internal training methods from my Xing Yi Quan, with adaptations to the needs of Pigua practitioners. The teaching of Zhan Zhuang skills begins once the student has finished studying the 12 Hands, knows them quite well, can connect them all at will and understand all of their basic applications. Zhan Zhuang provide more stability and structure to Pigua, which I believe are essential for making the art more complete as a fighting system.
The five Zhan Zhuang shapes I teach are: Hun Yuan Zhuang, Wu Ji Zhuang, San Ti Shi, Si Bu Pan Gen and Ma Bu. Advanced students may also study Jin Ji Dan Dui. Personally, I also utilize other shapes for my Southern Mantis practice, but they are not taught to Xing Yi or Pigua students.
The Zhan Zhuang methods include over 40 different Yi training skills and Dan Tian skills, which make for the Nei Gong within the shapes – the energetic and internal movement work beyond the basic physical alignments. It may take between 4-6 years to learn well all the abovementioned skills contained within the Zhan Zhuang, and a lifetime to master them. This also requires daily training, especially in the first few years. For this reason I have opted to not teach Zhan Zhuang to Pigua beginners, as most people who are interested in learning this art are not serious and dedicated enough to study Zhan Zhuang.
For more information about Zhan Zhuang, please refer to my book, Research of Martial Arts (available on Amazon-affiliated websites). You can also search for my free article ‘ Internal Martial Arts: Explained ‘, which contains a relevant excerpt from that book.
Rou Shou – Rolling Hands
This is the ‘pushing hands’ of Xing Yi Quan, which is taught in the following stages:
1. Four stationary Rou Shou drills.
2. Freestyle Rou Shou while remaining in place. Focus is on reaching the opponent’s center and unbalancing.
3. Freestyle Rou Shou with mobile stepping. Focus is on reaching the opponent’s center and unbalancing.
4. Freestyle Rou Shou, now flowing into martial applications.
5. Freestyle fighting. With caution and moderation, as we do not use protective equipment.
Stage 1 is taught after the 12 Hands are well engrained in the practitioner. Stage 5 is reached within 2.5 - 5 years, depending on the practitioner’s dedication to training. Fighting intensity is first learned and practiced with fixed partner drills long before freeform fighting is allowed. Meaning that the practitioner is ready for actual self-defense and combat within a much shorter time frame. The reason for delaying freeform fighting is to make sure the practitioner has decent enough control to avoid injuring himself and others, given we do not use any protective equipment and often strike with open palms.
Body conditioning
Very simple traditional stuff, consisting of teaching the body to deal with hitting and being hit. The first parts to be systematically conditioned are the fists, palms and forearms. After learning the 12 Hands, the practitioner will move forward to whole-body conditioning. This can be practiced alone, against a tree, or with a partner. Emphasis is on very slow and gradual progression. Hit conditioning needs not be practiced more than twice a week. Like Tongbei Quan, the art of Pigua Zhang includes many self-conditioning methods hidden within the practice of its basic hands.
Five Long Forms
The art, as taught to me by master Zhou Jingxuan, included 5 empty- handed forms.
1. Màn Tào 慢套 (Slow Form) – "Wriggling serpent concentrating his spirit". Main key to practicing this form is "denseness". It is a beginners’ form.
2. Kuài Tào 快套 (Fast Form) – "Rising and falling like a sparrow hawk diving to touch the lake". The main purpose would be to develop agility and achieve greater cardiovascular endurance.
3. Guà Quán 掛拳(Hanging Fist) – A more combative form, with smaller movements and frequent use of fists (which are otherwise rare in the art). This form is very aggressive in spirit. It requires the foundation of an agile body and lively footwork. Speed is highly emphasized in the practice of this form.
4. Pī Guà Quán 劈掛拳 (Pigua Fist) – a very long and arduous form, combining both Pigua and Baji Quan methods. It is the most physically challenging form in the system.
5. Qīng Lóng Quán 青龙拳 (Green Dragon Fist) – A very fast form combining great agility with high kicks. It has a more close-quarters approach compared with the other forms.
After having practiced these forms for a very long time, I gave up on them completely. Instead, I only practice and teach the 12 basic hands and their 40 variations. The reason being that, unlike the weapons forms of the art, in each of the empty-handed forms at least 80% of movements (often more) are found in the basic hands. Thus, except for the great cardiovascular challenge, there is not enough of a justification to practice such forms, when one could casually connect the 12 basic hands and their variations as one sees fit. Unlike some other martial arts, Pigua lends itself well to such spontaneous creativity in practice, and the 40 variations mix together brilliantly with every possible combination imaginable. The strong cardiovascular element is maintained within the weapons forms and can be stressed in freeform practice too.
Do not be tempted to assume, though, that I am opposed to the notion of forms. Pigua is the only art that I practice in which I completely gave up on the empty-handed forms, while the weapons forms were kept. I felt that with this art specifically, much of what was in the forms was more for show, and that the combinations and transitions made between the movements were not as important as in the forms of other arts.
Master Zhou’s performance of the Fast Form. Filmed at a moderate pace so to be used as reference by students:
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Five weapons forms
As indicated earlier – Short Stick, Medium Staff, Dao and Miao Dao. To these is added the spear, for reasons I shall explain later. When practiced at fighting speed, all Pigua forms, weapons and empty handed methods have you sprinting throughout without stopping to rest or catch your breath. Thus, there is no need for special cardiovascular training to be included outside of the system – it is part of what you are supposed to attain through your regular training. All of these forms include both advancing and retreating tactics, feature changes in many directions and angles, begin and end at the same spot but are not linear at all in their stepping, and cover a lot of distance on foot.
Pigua was originally a weaponless art. It was Guo Changsheng who chose to incorporate the weapons into the style. The origin of these skills is unknown. Once embedded into Pigua, they were heavily endowed with the specific mechanics and power of the art, and became an integral part of it. Following several generations of adaptation, it is now impossible to imagine that these weapons were once an external influence, as they seem to fit the art perfectly.
A note on wood types for weapons
All Pigua weapons have wooden designs. The staffs are obviously made of wood, but the swords too often require a wooden version for safe partner practice. Wood is also a more natural and pleasant material to work with, in my opinion, than metal. Here is a short overview based on my experience with various woods as they relate to weapons training in the art.
The most common wood type used for staff and spear weapons in China is the Bai La (White Waxwood; Ligustrum Lucidum). It is soft and quite flexible, with incredible hit endurance, and quite cheap in China, Europe and the USA. With the under-bark on, it is somewhat rugged. With the under-bark peeled (more common), it has a very smooth feel when played with – almost unnaturally smooth. Easily absorbing sweat, which acts as a preserving ‘finish’, some staffs made of this wood can last decades. Several issues though. Firstly, it is an all-time favourite for powder-post beetles (best eradicated with Timbor). Secondly, it warps very easily if not laid flat or standing erect – will take a bend in 24 hours or less, and is later troublesome to straighten. Thirdly, it is too light for advanced practitioners, unless thick and large as used in long spears. Bai La should be purchased from a reputable and responsible seller, and not be too flexible or too light. Only the female trees make for the best lumber for weapons training! They can be recognized by their branch formation on the underbark – rough protrusions marking former branch placements should come in pairs, which exit the bark right next to each other.
Another fine wood is Hickory, in particular Appalachian Hickory, which is also common in the making of wooden swords. It feels very ‘woody’ to the touch, quite natural and relaxing. This wood has fibers which become more dense and compact when taking hits. For this reason it is very popular for drum sticks, which are also known for a relatively great durability for their size and the abuse they can take. This wood too is light in weight, but is still heavier Bai La, more beautiful than Bai La, plentiful, not too expensive, and readily available in North America. Carina Cirrincione of Raven Studios created for me some truly excellent Miao Dao swords made of Hickory.
Oak, both red and white, is perhaps the most common wood used for staffs outside of China. It will eventually break, but will likely last at least a few years with a good finish like Tung Oil. It too can absorb sweat as a preservative instead of Tung Oil, but this requires training in a hot and humid climate on a regular basis, at least for the first year or two. Sweat will change the wood color over time from shaded cream to dark brown. An Oak staff generally has a little bit of flexibility in it. Personally, I find all Oaks plain and generic, but others might disagree. They are nonetheless quite cheap and sold pretty much everywhere. Best Oak staffs I witnessed and used came from Tozando. Many swear that the Japanese oaks are the best on the planet.
Purpleheart is an exotic hardwood which has become rather popular in recent years among many weapons makers in the West. It is quite heavy, but its long-term sustainability against hard strikes is disputed, and probably depends on the quality of lumber used. It has a beautiful deep purple colour, which will unfortunately eventually morph into a dark brown within 3-10 years, due to UV light exposure. Most custom wooden weapon makers offer Purpleheart items nowadays.
I personally own short staffs made of Katalox and a long staff made of Bloodwood. These woods are stiff and moderately expensive. Katalox (Swartzia Cubensis) is by far my favourite wood for weapons – has the nicest feeling in one’s hands and is heavy in moderation. Extremely dense and hard, too. Starts dark purple and sometimes turns nearly fully black over time. Wamara (Swartzia Benthamiana / Swartzia Leiocalycina), a close relative of Katalox, can be a suitable alternative. The Bloodwood (Brosimum rubescens) is more beautiful and slightly less hard, with some claiming it may be fragile at times (so far, no problems for me). Quality Bloodwood begins bright red and turns wine-red or blood-red with age. All of these staffs I have mentioned now (Katalox and Bloodwood) were made by Dan Blizniak of Blizniank Bokken, who did an amazing job crafting them.
I also have one short staff made of African Blackwood. It took me ages to find a piece long enough for such a staff. I created it by having a wood blank turned on a lathe. This resulted in an amazing finish with no need for oils or polishing. This wood is very hard and very heavy. It is over three times as hard as Oak. Quite expensive, too. Not for beginners due to its weight. Arguably not for continuous impact practice, either. Even if it could sustain much continuous abuse, which I am not sure it could, once you have such a pretty staff you would not want to ruin it! That being said, African Blackwood is far more impact-resistant than Ebony, which is not recommended for wooden weapons that hit things (but makes for excellent sword handle and scabbards).
African Padauk is another wood I would recommend for handles and scabbards of swords, but it is not impact resistant enough to be used for staffs in my opinion – will take dents too easily. Cherry, Maple, and Pine though popular in woodworking, are too light and fragile for wooden weapons, but can work well for children. Walnut can perhaps be excellent for children and weak persons as it is both light and beautiful, but it too cannot withstand impact. Other woods which people commonly recommend for weapons are Wenge (very though), Ipe (extremely tough), Lignum Vitae (Genuine and Argentine, both make break easily), Osage Orange (Genuine and Argentine), Cocobolo (trade restrictions), and Jatoba. James Dinh, who makes specialized custom-made bokken (https://www.facebook.com/riverreedcrafts/), has been using Brazilian Panacoco (Swartzia Panacoco) with great success (this is a species related to Katalox and Wamara) as a prime impact-resistant wood.
Zhāofēng Biān 招风鞭 - Wind Catching Whip
The Bian (鞭; ‘Whip’) is an ancient weapon made of a short steel rod with segmented parts (sometimes similar to the joints of bamboo), beginning with a handle and culminating with a narrow tip. Traditionally it was the length between the floor and a fist below one’s belly-button – some 85-110cm, depending on the practitioner’s height. Over the years, given the rarity of the instrument (which is nonetheless still produced and sold in China) and for practical purposes, most practitioners adopted the use of an equivalent length wooden short staff instead of the original steel whip. The steel whip however had two advantages over the wooden staff used today – in that it could easily break swords, and in its joints being able to more easily ‘cling’ to another weapon in motion (the action of ‘gua 掛‘, or ‘hanging’, in Pi Gua Zhang). The major disadvantage of the whip steel was its hefty weight, which made it slower. Steel Bian of the 17th century used to weight as much as 2kg (4.4lbs)! This is considered an unusual weight for a historical single-handed weapon, anywhere in the world. In our lineage, the whip was long ago switched with a wooden short staff. The two designs are still interchangeable for most techniques and purposes.
In the pictures below: First is an image, courtesy of Peter Dekker of Mandarin Mansion, of a Qing dynasty 2kg steel bian, issued to an elite military unit of the time called the Jianruiying. You can read more about it here: http://mandarinmansion.com/jianruiying-special-forces-qing# . The next two images depict modern steel bian. They are shown in pairs because in our time, there are forms of paired bian practice.
Originally, master Zhou taught two forms for this weapon. The first was called ’13 Whip’, and the second ‘Black Tiger Whip’. The number thirteen in ’13 Whip’ referred to the number of movement combinations contained within (it is a short form). The name ‘Black Tiger Whip’ hints at the ferocity of this regal beast, and the fact that the form utilizes dirty fighting tricks (hence ‘black’). Most movements in these two forms are inherently based upon the body mechanics, stepping patterns and overall tactics developed through the practice of the 12 Basic Hands and their 40 combinations.
Master Zhou’s 13 Whip form, demonstrated in a casual and slow manner for Noam (seen in the background), my student, who was a beginner at the time:
Master Zhou’s Black Tiger Whip:
Over the years I felt that these two forms could be improved. I therefore created a third form to replace them, which I called Zhao Feng Bian – Wind Catching Whip. The name was borrowed from one of the 12 Hands, and reflects the rhythm of the form, as if one is a leaf carried by strong winds, abruptly changing directions. This form combined most methods from the two previous forms, without much repetition of techniques. To this I added some stepping and striking methods burrowed from the 12 Hands which the short staff could have benefitted from yet lacked before, such as the seven-star stepping (七星步). I researched deeply various short staff methods of other arts, such as Shaolin Quan derivations, Tongbei Quan whipping staff, Mian Zhang Quan stick and North-Western Chinese staff methods, and incorporated useful ideas from these into the new form. Zhao Feng Bian was created with Pigua’s Long Staff and Miao Dao in mind, so it would more directly complement the skills found in those weapons’ methods, and serve as a foundation to their study as well. Furthermore, I was inspired to include concepts from my knowledge of Shaolin Jingang Bashi’s Jian methods, which I felt at times befitted a short staff. I also added important body mechanics from the Xing Yi Quan which I practice and teach, including more advanced usage of Dan Tian Gong and figure-8 patterns with the kua.
Yet another key change which I made was to the length of the staff. The previous recommended length was, as mentioned earlier, from floor level to a fist below one’s belly-button. This made for a quick staff, but also one which was lacking in range, too light even with the heaviest of woods (originally a length for a steel instrument), too long for an Escrima-like approach, and clumsy & inappropriate to wield with two hands. The last issue stood out the most. Pigua teaches one to use both hands quite well with all other weapons, and being unable to do so sometimes with this one felt limiting. I realized that, given it was now a wooden whip-staff and not a steel whip, the length could be increased without compromising the weapon’s whipping and snappy nature. This is why through long and thorough experimentation, I molded the new form to be suitable for another traditional sizing for a short staff – the height of one’s Solar Plexus. Essentially, for all intents and purposes, with the new size this longer weapon became the Chinese equivalent of the Japanese Jo; which, I should note, is not a new idea – such length is very common in the Chinese arts, especially in the North-Western Chinese staff traditions and Tongbei Whip Staff. This was also, throughout history, a favourite applicable length for a shepherd’s walking staff, used for a variety of purposes, including self-defense against wild animals. At this length, the Zhaofeng Bian could be wielded using the techniques of a shorter staff, jian, dao, miao dao and long staff interchangeably, making it much more useful and versatile than before. Also, in terms of staff methods alone, the added length proved vital in better protecting the body in various defensive positions.
Because the Zhaofeng Bian is lighter than the other weapons in the Pigua system, it captures best the spirit of the art, which is light, agile, snappy, sinking heavily, floating, clinging, hooking, hanging, chopping, quick, flexible, stirring, open, bouncing, dotting, tricky, lively; and most of all – attempts to avoid direct conflict and power struggles. All forms and methods I have seen in the Chinese arts which refer to their practice with the term ‘Whip Staff’ feature these qualities I have listed herein.
A one-end tapered staff is easier for beginners to practice with, but I have eventually come to prefer staffs with an even diameter throughout, since their balance is superior and more predictable. The appropriate thickness for all staff weapons in Pigua should in my opinion be between 2.22cm – 3.3cm (7/8’’ – 1.30’’). The thickness ought to depend on the palm size of the practitioner. It can be thinner for shorter staffs and thicker for longer ones. My short staff is 1’’ thick (2.54cm), and my longer staff is 1.16’’ thick (2.94cm). I have found that, for me personally, at 1.25’’ the thickness becomes slightly uncomfortable, because I have small palms. At the length of 120cm (height of my solar plexus), a thickness of over 1.15’’ would make many woods too heavy for most people to wield with one hand with great speed and agility. It is important, when considering a staff intended for both single-handed and double-handed use, to strike a balance between thickness, length and weight. Maximum recommend length for such a staff is, as explained, about the height of one’s solar plexus, thickness better be 7/8’’ – 1.30’’, and weight will depend on the wood species. Those who find it difficult to wield such a staff single-handedly should begin training with lighter woods.
Fēngmó Gùn 风魔棍 – Crazy Demon Staff
Perhaps the most famous Pigua Zhang form of all, Feng Mo Gun well known throughout China for its beauty and elegance. Because it is a very aesthetic and pleasing to the eye, it had been adapted to suit form competitions, both traditional and those of modern Wushu. The form is called ‘Crazy Demon Staff’ because it is very wild, unruly, unpredictable and unorthodox. It should not be confused with the Shaolin form of the same name.
The length of the staff used is from ground to the level of one’s eyebrows. This is a typical specialized length in the Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to as ‘eyebrow-height staff’ (Qimei Gun). It is very important that one adheres to the recommended length. Too short a staff would hinder the required reach of many techniques. Too long a staff will spoil the mechanics of various moves, such as Liāo 撩 (Lifting Up). The form cannot function well with different lengths, and neither is this length of Qi Mei appropriate for most staff forms in other arts, apart from those meant for it.
Master Zhou teaching a student a segment from Fengmo Gun:
To me, it is evident that Fengmo Gun had its origins in warfare. It is very different to Shaolin-derived staff methods. The techniques more often have the practitioner wielding the staff like a long sword or a spear, with the palms grasping the lower third and facing in opposite directions. In contrast, Shaolin staff methods, and those seen in Okinawan Karate, prefer grabbing the staff with each hand placed at the borders of the middle third, and both hands facing in the same direction. The Fengmo wielding method offers a longer reach than the Shaolin method, but the latter tends of compensate by using longer staffs. The length of the staff in Fengmo Gun can be thought to represent a short spear which had been partially broken in battle, and now begs modifications to its usage as a staff. This suggests that the form assumes the wielder has prior knowledge of spear methods, which indeed would be very useful for learning this form.
In the Chinese martial arts, there are often signs as to the origins of fighting methods – either civilian, monastic or military derived. For instance, in many Southern-Chinese styles such as Bai He Quan (White Crane), Wu Zu Quan (Five Ancestors), Nan Tang Lang Quan (Southern Mantis), Pai Mei (White Eyebrow) and Yong Chun Quan (‘Wing Chun’); we see a liking for close-quarters fighting, footwork covering only short distances, an assumption that the opponent will come close to you, etc. These show that said arts were developed in civilian environments. They were used in closed spaces. Assailants most commonly came right at you when wishing to hurt you. There was often limited room for movement, either in practice or application. These styles suit crowded cities well. It is important to also remember that the major contributing group to the development of these styles was the Hakka minority, which lived in giant ‘family castles’ – building complexes with narrow corridors, limited space and overcrowding. These fortresses provided ample protection for centuries, and also affected the way in which the martial arts of these people and those of their surrounding neighbors evolved.
In sharp contrast, we have the arts of Northern China. The villages and temples there were very expansive and broad. There was usually less crowding. The cities, too, always had huge open yards and streets – true to this very day. For centuries, the armies and centers of power were located up north, for many different reasons, and therefore the military influence on the arts there was greater. The army needed people who could cover distance. Throughout history, soldiers tried their best to avoid close-quarters combat, and attack the enemy from a safer distance. The entire combative mindset was therefore different. The villagers and monks, too, needed to adapt to this type of fighting. Firstly, as they were often raided by people with military training. Secondly, as many villagers themselves had military education, and even among the monks it was common to find soldiers that chose a monastic life to avoid persecution. Therefore, training in the martial arts needed to encompass other things as well. Having a strong cardiovascular conditioning component was essential. Learning to cover a great distance during fighting was key. Longer reach was an advantage.
Pigua and its weapons are of northern origins, and thus Fengmo Gun reflects the combative needs of a true battlefield. The very beginning of the form has the practitioner sprinting some 10 meters forward (!) in a brutal charge that attempts to ram and run over any possible adversary, and then jumping while parrying a strike and landing with a strike of one’s own. Rarely is this seen in oriental martial arts forms. Then, the entire form is meant to be executed at sprinting speed, without a pause or a rest, covering a lot of distance. The practitioner moves around in a very erratic and unpredictable manner, constantly changing directions and varying his stepping methods. Many times in the form the practitioner uses tactics that mirror a fight with multiple opponents. There are for example movements that whirl the staff through the air in circular patterns around the practitioner. This is used to open up a perimeter around you, as anyone standing in close proximity would be hurt by the flailing wooden whip. Such movements and others have the practitioner whipping the staff around with only one hand grabbing the tip, immediately followed by pulling it back to a more orthodox hold. This greatly increases one’s range with the weapon, and does not allow the opponent enough time to step back and away from the attack. The form is also well adapted for a wide variety of threats – from swords, spears and other staffs.
Fengmo Gun demonstration by master Wang Zhihai – a student of Guo Ruixiang, one of Guo Changsheng’s sons. This version of the form is closest to the one I teach:
I should clarify that despite what I had written earlier of the great speed at which Fengmo Gun in particular and Pigua in general are executed, in my teachings I also encourage to practice at moderate and very slow speeds. Rapid motion is for applying the art, but is not the best medium for learning and honing one’s skills. For this reason, what I have referred to as ‘sprinting speed’ should not make for more than 20-30% of one’s training in Pigua Zhang.
Because the staff of Fengmo Gun is similar to a spear and even includes a few spear techniques, I opted to add some more spear flavour to its practice. The very end of the form had the practitioner repeating a set of movements several times, which were already repeated much before. I replaced these movements therefore with more useful additions, which include 4 of the 5 Phases of Xing Yi Spear, a North-Western staff method I was exposed to, and a 7-Star stepping technique I learned from my teacher which was not in the form prior. I felt that these modifications suited the form well, while not taking away from its technical arsenal. Otherwise, I teach the form as it was taught to me. I find this form to be exceptionally brilliant in its construction, a true work of a genius. It took me many years to practice to begin to reveal how sophisticated and deep this form really is, and it was only very recently that I dared putting my own mark on it (year 2016). Fengmo Gun is truly the culmination of the Pigua Zhang system, and includes nearly all the body mechanics found elsewhere in the art. I do however teach it before the Miao Dao, because I feel it is easier to understand the usage of this long sword after one has played with the staff for a while.
Fengmo Gun also includes the principle of a ‘pearl rolling in a jar’, as nicely demonstrated in the following video with the movement called Gài 盖 (to cover; as with a lid):
Tiāngāng dāo 天罡刀
The name Tian Gang refers to the stars at the tail of the Big Dipper constellation. The reason for that name is unknown to me. Interestingly enough, this form also found in lineages of Bai Yuan (White Ape) Tongbei Quan.
The form is characterized by a great diversity of methods for using the Dao. The technical arsenal presented within far exceeds what is seen in most dao forms. All parts of the dao are used for fighting applications – tip, blade, spine of the blade, side of the blade, guard, handle and pommel too. Though essentially a single-handed weapon, the preferred handle would be long enough to allow for a double-handed grip if required. Many of the techniques have the practitioner turning the dao into a two-handed weapon by supporting the spine of the blade with the other hand. When not supporting the sword, the non-wielding hand may be used to help divert an opponent’s weapon. A rarity in Chinese gongfu, the sword in this form is moved from one hand to another several times, encouraging ambidextrous ingenuity. I have already written earlier that Pigua is a very ambidextrous art with its practice in general, but this is considered a less orthodox idea for sword-wielding, which in many cultures and throughout history shows a common preference for developing a dominant side. What else is striking in this form is that it includes quite a few kicks, executed with sword moves or by themselves. Perhaps this was meant to compensate for the lack of an emphasis on kicking in the rest of the art. Tian Gang Dao includes footwork not seen in other Pigua movements, too. These stepping skills add to the mobility of the practitioner in his or her empty-handed practice.
It appears that the teachers who created Tian Gang Dao were intent on cataloguing all possible combative scenarios that one might encounter while wielding a dao. Covered are attacks and defenses at three heights and in all directions, whilst either standing in place, retreating or charging at the enemy, over short, medium and long distances, ducking, leaping, jumping and running. Usually in Pigua, the flow is smooth and continuous, rarely fully stopping. The rhythm of this form though varies with accordance to usage. Sometimes, a single movement will have the dao executing a single technique while advancing in 2-3 steps. Other times, a single step will be accompanied by 2-3 dao movements. The form benefits from a previous experience in the execution of charging steps as trained in arts like Baji Quan or Xing Yi Quan. Appearing several times in the form are also leaps and jumps, covering distance and evading attacks. Having these and other athletic attributes, Tian Gang Dao reveals, like the rest of Pigua’s weapons, its preference for physically fit practitioners who have prior worked on attaining superior mobility. These weapons forms are a far cry from the methods of the internal arts, which can be adjusted for practice at almost any age.
The dao does reveal one of the advantages in Pigua’s liking for big, round open movements. The art’s body methods fit the need to often move the dao in large circles to entrap, deflect, intercept and force oneself into the opponent’s movements. An art such as the Southern Mantis I practice, with all of its fighting prowess and combative genius, could not have acclimated itself to this kind of fighting in my opinion, with this specific type of weapon (though I have seen those who tried). We need to be honest with ourselves concerning this reality – that not all arts fit all weapons. All martial arts have methods which would work in a seamless and impressive manner with some weapons, but would quite frankly look terrible trying to wield another. I write this because all too often, there are those who try to force a weapon upon an art to which it does not fit, simply because traditionally some teacher of their lineage passed on its usage.
As a weapon, the dao is more massive and heavier than the short staff or straight sword. Its shape and weight make it suitable for cutting and chopping in gross motions more so than stabbing and slashing with finesse. You smack away with it – this is not a ‘percussion instrument’. Because the dao is inherently more ‘tip-heavy’ compared with other swords, one’s momentum is chasing that of the weapon, which complements well the general attitude of Pigua. The wide side-profile of the blade allows it to block attacks decently and press the enemy’s weapon down or sideways, often used as a shield. Its curvature lends itself well to sticking to other weapons and hooking them away to a safe distance. The common soldier’s weapon, it was designed to be easy to learn and use. It was the M-16 or AK-47 of its day. A common Chinese proverb said that “the dao could be learned in 10 days”; likely meaning that under the circumstances, an army could train people to use the dao for basic survival in just 10 days’ time – which is an extremely short time-frame for learning to use any weapon. That being said, do remember that in ancient times people were usually more fit, and had the motivation to study well in order to not die in battle. Tian Gang Dao, however, is an advanced form that is meant to take the basics of dao usage to the next level.
The roots of Tian Gang Dao in the soldier’s mind and needs clearly show. The way I understand it, a lot of movements within the form have much use for actions like breaking the ranks of the enemy, pressing an opponent back and away, positioning oneself better in in tight formations, etc. This is so obvious, that the form can be used, as is, for creating decent and convincing ‘ancient battlefield’ film choreography if one is so inclined.
Here is a video of late master Zhou, teaching shifu Nitzan Oren the usage of Tian Gang Dao. Filmed many years ago, early 2000s:
Miáo Dāo 苗刀 - Sprout Sword There seems to be an endless amount of hype surround the Chinese Miao Dao these days. Most of it comes from the direction of shifu Scott Rodell, who has been heavily promoting this weapon in recent years. I have previously written the most lengthy and popular article on the internet concerning the Miao Dao. You can find it by looking for its name: ‘ The Brilliance of the Chinese Longsword ‘, or clicking here. It is a very long and comprehensive article, covering everything related to this sword, and there is no need to repeat its contents here.
The following pictures depict my late teacher, master Zhou Jingxuan, demonstrating the Miao Dao form:
Liù Hé Qiāng 六和槍 – Six Harmony Spear In my Xing Yi Quan system, Liu He Qiang is the first weapons form to be taught. In my Pigua Zhang system, it is the last. The reason is that Liu He Qiang is more closely related to the mechanics of Xing Yi Quan and Baji Quan than it is to Pigua Zhang. It is therefore better to wait until the practitioner had practiced Zhan Zhuang to a sufficient level and had gained a superior understanding of it and related structural attributes before studying this form. The main reason for teaching Liu He Qiang to Pigua practitioners is that they could better understand the essence of spear fighting. This is important because all previous weapons forms contain techniques which are meant to counter the spear, as well as spear methods adapted for short weapons. Without this knowledge, the other weapons and their practice would be deficient.
Unbeknownst to many, there are countless forms in China which are not a part of a specific system. Meaning, they are ‘standalone forms’, which were created under a specific historical context and can be embedded into the practice of many individuals. Liu He Qiang is one of these forms. It was created based on the battlefield combat techniques, tactics and strategies of using a long spear. Some of its methods were originally used when fighting on horseback, and later adapted to bipedal combat. The idea was to train one to be able to use similar concepts with the spear under all battlefield circumstances. The form is therefore quite old, possibly created before the 19th century. Over the decades it became quite widespread in northern China, and now many variations exist. Its greatest popularity was achieved starting somewhere during the 19th century, when it was adopted by the Baji Quan system. This is how the form came to be taught to master Zhou Jingxuan (of Tian Jinzhong’s Baji Quan), who taught it to me in the year 2010.
There are three classes of spears in Chinese martial arts. The short spear is the length of a short staff, anywhere between 80-130cm. The medium spear, better known as ‘flowery spear’ (Hua Qiang 花槍), is the most commonly practiced one, with lengths of 160-200cm, and is matched to the practitioner’s height according to varying standards. The big spear was the battlefield weapon of choice, reaching the impressive lengths of 220-300cm. For strength training purposes, big spear methods are sometimes also practiced with rods reaching 350-500cm, though this is uncommon as most people cannot handle such load. The longest spears were historically usually not wielded by infantry, but cavalrymen, who carried them similarly to how knights carried a lance.
Nonetheless, length is not everything. The weight, width and flexibility of the spears can make a huge difference on one’s practice and performance. For example – if we look at two spears made of White Waxwood which are of the same length, say 350cm. One can be very flexible, weigh about 2kg, and be only 3cm wide in diameter at the base. Another can be far stiffer, weight roughly 4kg, and with a base which is 5cm in diameter. The latter spear would be not twice more difficult to wield than the first, but several times more challenging. This is only understood by experienced practitioners, who can note in competitions which person brought his ‘easy spear’ for making a greater visual impression, and who is truly strong and impressive in his wielding of a more serious training instrument. Sometimes though, lighter construction is beneficial. For example, in the Qing dynasty, some of the 5 meter long spears, used as lances, were made of bamboo strips, which made their wielding weight reasonable relative to their length.
Perhaps the most crucial aspect in the spear’s design affecting its maneuverability, following the length, is the base shaft diameter. While staffs are often seen with base diameters of 0.75’’ – 1.25’’ (1.9cm – 3.17cm), spears in my experience are feel awkward to wield with a diameter less than 1.20’’. The reason is that the weighted point of the spear enables a great deal of power to travel to the tip, requiring a more secure and ‘full’ grip within one’s hand. Small increments can make for a huge difference, though. A person at ease handling a spear with a shaft diameter of 1.5’’ (3.8cm) would find it quite challenging to wield an otherwise nearly identical spear with a 2’’ (5cm) base. In a book complied at the request of the first Qing Dynasty emperor (Huangchao Liqi Tushi 皇朝禮器圖式), dating from the year 1766 and based on a manuscript from 1759, even the longest spears never exceed a 2’’ shaft diameter, and usually demonstrate a shorter one, roughly 1.6’’ wide.
As the form was integrated into various systems, each style made slight modifications to it to match the teacher’s gongfu and understandings. Here are a few examples of this form in recent generations:
My teacher, master Zhou, performing the form casually with a smaller spear for student reference. We once had a video of him making an impressive demonstration of this form with a 3.5 meter spear, but unfortunately it was lost:
Master Zhou explaining proper methods and mechanics with the big spear:
A Northern Mantis (Tang Lang Quan) variation on Liu He Qiang:
While the other Pigua weapons mimic the battlefield frenzy of the infantry soldier, Liu He Qiang moves about with the grace and characteristics of horseback fighting. The preferred stepping patterns, beside charging forward, are moving horizontally from side to side, or surrounding and encircling the enemy with large circles. This seems to be suited well to the original needs of the form’s creators. Though less relevant to our time in that sense, it still offers a unique point of view on the manner in which spear fighting can be carried out.
Further in terms of relevance to the modern practitioner, is the effect that the heavy big spear has on the body. No other weapon teaches whole-body unification as well, which is why the spear is so favoured in Xing Yi and Baji. The modern Guan Dao in comparison is too heavy, and thus borders on being a solely strength-training instrument at times (although not for all players, and there are exceptions). The Bagua Dao is also too heavy for most, and its practice yields results which are specific to the art of Bagua Zhang. A heavy metal staff negates the mechanics of its intended use, and can only be wielded correctly by someone who already acquired great staff skills with wooden instruments. A metal staff also clashes with the lively spirit of such a weapon. Only the spear allows maneuverability with grace under a great load, and allows for issuing strong fa jin through the weapon with means of its length and wood type. Metal weapons, unless flimsy and made of sheet metal, or most wooden weapons for that matter, discourage the use of fa jin, which is a key empty-handed skill in the Chinese arts, because they do not channel the power well. Thus, the spear offers strength training without being overbearing, and carries over many empty-handed mechanics (various fa jin and others) rather than counteracting them. Another advantage is that, as with the other weapons, the stances and steps are also shared with the empty-handed curriculum, and the methods can be applied with the staff as well.
Additional weapons training All weapons training includes the five elements of practice found in empty-handed methods, with appropriate modifications:
- Dān liàn 单練 – Solo practice, as described before.
- Yòng fǎ 用法 – Martial usage. The applications tend to be more specific in weapons practice, and not as open to interpretation, especially with the spear and swords.
- Duì liàn 對練 – Partner practice methods. Chiefly rou shou with weapons.
- Zìrán shǒu 自然手 – learning how to naturally connect the movements to other movements with the same weapon in free flow. Akin to ‘shadow boxing’. This has to be ‘relearned’ for each weapon. When the skill is refined enough, the practitioner is able to spontaneously draw upon techniques from one weapon to be used with another.
- Bag striking – both small and heavy bags. This is only relevant for the staffs. This, together with the weapons rou shou, are used as an introduction for ‘Bagua-like’ circle-walking strategies. Not a mainstay of the style, but a useful concept to learn in general.
Where the art leads
My goal as a teacher of the Chinese martial arts is to help fellow human beings fulfill their potential, while preserving cherished traditions. I use my teachings as a vehicle for delivering holistic instruction on life. Beyond the arts, I make an effort to teach Science, Philosophy, History, Biology, Physiology, Anatomy, Kinesiology, Psychology, and many other fields of research which are key to enhancing one’s understanding of the world. I have even written a special book for my students, hundreds of pages long, in Hebrew, which is free to download (The Analects of Tianjin). That book contains articles on all abovementioned subjects. I demand that my students read that book and other works I have written as perquisites for learning the more advanced materials. I would not accept a reality in which a student of mine is an ignorant person. Such teachings are not specified at length in this article, but they are nonetheless an integral part of the curriculum at my academy.
Pigua has the capacity to open up the body and free a person of worry, shame, guilt and injury. Its expansive movements are a gust of fresh wind in our modern lifestyle, stretching out the crouched and slouched to a form more grand, graceful and humane. Those tight of body and inflexible in thought can evolve their essence with this art. It is a superior way to find flow, and become able to ride along and accept the changes life brings.
The art of Pigua Zhang is to my students a gateway to further learning. Among the many arts I have practiced in my life, I find that Pigua methods are the most natural and enjoyable. They are therefore a great way to create a solid foundation in the arts upon which more advanced studies could be established. I take care to teach my Pigua Zhang in a manner that would aid the practitioner to later acclimate to the study of additional styles, especially the internal arts. Yet this does not take away from the combative elegance and movement brilliance of this style, which stands as a monument to the high excellence of Chinese culture.
Wherein you liked this article, please take a look at shifu Bluestein’s ground-breaking book – Research of Martial Arts:
http://www.researchofmartialarts.com
Shifu Jonathan Bluestein is the head of the Tianjin Martial Arts Academy, and teaches Xing Yi Quan and Pigua Zhang in Israel. He is also a martial arts author and researcher. If you liked this article, please ‘like’ the page of shifu Bluestein’s book on Facebook:
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Shifu Bluestein conducts worldwide seminars, teaching Xing Yi Quan, Pigua Zhang, the weapons of these arts, Nei Gong, Qi Gong and more. You can arrange to study with him by reaching out through facebook or email at: jonathan.bluestein@gmail.com or Facebook.com/Bluestein
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All rights of this article are and the pictures within it are reserved to Jonathan Bluestein ©. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission, in writing, from Jonathan Bluestein. Jonathan may be contacted directly via email: jonathan.bluestein@gmail.com
Labels: culture, Jonathan Bluestein, Martial Arts, martial arts theory
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Tang Shou Tao Xingyiquan as Practiced in Taiwan
Xingyiquan Qiang (Spear)
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In praise of island time
Friday August 15, 2014 Written by Published in Local
Missed anything in the news this week? Stay up to date with this list of stories that sparked the most interest online.
1. All that’s good about ‘island time’
A letter to the editor in praise of a slower pace of life in the Cooks caused quite a stir online. Readers chimed in with their own definitions of ‘island time’, from “making plans to see friends that day, not checking your iPhone for an open spot six weeks from now”, to “waiting for the sun to shine to hang your laundry and not worrying about it until then”. Most agreed enthusiastically with the positive sentiment of the letter, with one member of the public saying: “I love this article! I had a big smile from ear to ear reading this! Soooo true … makes one wonder if it’s really worth being away from home when you have a choice to always have island time, and experience life at a pace that allows you to take in every moment.”
2. Triggerfish take top spot in Tahiti
Online readers were full of praise for Cook Islands musicians Kura Happ and Maurice Newport when they hit the top of the charts in Tahiti. “Congratulations on your achievement!” said Canada-based visitor to Rarotonga, Sandra Bueti. “You are fabulous musicians. I'm sure you will have far to go with all of the powerful talent we witnessed at Sails restaurant when we were vacationing in the Cooks in May.”
3. Police truck hit while attending crash
A report that a woman was arrested after crashing into a police vehicle, which was parked up at the scene of another crash, proved popular with readers. The incidents were among four crashes that occurred over the long weekend.
4. Election: Two petitions pulled
With the public awaiting a final call on the outcome of the July 9 election, a report that two of nine election petitions were discontinued drew a strong following. The petitions were dropped in Murienua and Akaoa.
5. BBC filming starts next month
Excitement is growing about a new drama series to be filmed in the Cook Islands from next month. One member of the public said: “Can’t wait to see it ... hope it brings tourism to a new high for such beautiful people and very picturesque island...good luck with the filming.”
Want to chime in on the conversation? Join our Facebook community or stay up to date on Twitter.
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Designating Places of Coronation
The college hockey world awaited announcements from the NCAA this afternoon. The governing body of varsity college athletics was to award to four lucky communities the opportunity to host college hockey's most important and high-profile weekend. The NCAA championship selection committee had whittled down the list of prospective hosts to ten before the announcements this afternoon. Before 1:00 pm ET today, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City (Brooklyn), St. Paul, Tampa Bay, and Washington, DC in principle had equal hopes of receiving the right to host the deciding three contests of the annual national tournament before the announcement this afternoon.
Now that the selection is final, WAFT takes a look at what each host has to offer from a Cornell-centric perspective.
TD Garden, host of the 2015 Frozen Four
Boston in 2015:
Cornell's legacy in Boston is one of many mixed themes. Cornell won seven ECAC Championships at Boston Garden, the forebear of the current TD Garden. However, Cornell last reached the national title game in Boston. A contest in which the Big Red fell to archrival and hometown favorite the Boston Terriers, 4-0, in 1972. Furthermore, Cornell suffered a late-game implosion against Wisconsin in the national semifinal to fall to Wisconsin in 1973. The thrill of some of Cornell's greatest moments tinged with the pain of some of its most severe defeats are the sentiments of Cornell playing a Frozen Four game in Boston. The Lynah Faithful would appear in droves if Cornell made an appearance. The greater Boston area as well as the New York City area, which is within ready travel distance, are flush with Cornell alumni and devoted hockey fans. The take-over effect that is common of Cornell's appearance in most venues would be heightened by the stakes of the contest and the placement of the Frozen Four in Cornell's backyard.
Tampa Bay Times Forum, host of the 2016 Frozen Four
Tampa Bay in 2016:
The biggest downside to Tamp Bay's selection not occurring in the first year of the new cycle is that Brian Ferlin will not have the opportunity to chase a national title in his home Sunshine State. Cornell has several homes away from home, perhaps more than any other program. Cornell annually hosts a contest at Madison Square Garden. The neutral site for the ECAC Hockey Championships often becomes a common feature on Cornell's schedule. And, Cornell hosts the Florida College Hockey Classic. This winter tournament may put the Big Red more at ease than most would expect because if Cornell makes it to the Frozen Four in Tampa Bay, it already will have played in the peninsular state less than four months before. It is true that Estero is not Tampa Bay and Germain Arena is not the Tampa Bay Times Forum, but the two are separated by only ten minutes more of driving time than that which separates Colgate and Cornell. Florida has a respectable aggregation of Cornell alumni, partly why Cornell hosts its winter tournament there, that would reinforce the diehard Lynah Faithful that make the trip to the land of beaches and sunshine to watch college hockey's national champion be crowned.
United Center, host of the 2017 Frozen Four
Chicago in 2017:
Chicago is the lone newcomer to the group of four. Chicago is not currently the host of a Division I college hockey program. The last such program to call Illinois home was that of the University of Illinois-Chicago. The UIC Flames represented their University, the hockey state of Illinois, and the hockey city of Chicago in intercollegiate competition for three decades including 14 years at the Division I level. The Flames were extinguished in 1996. Cornell never played the Flames. This is not to say that the Big Red does not have a history in the Windy City. Cornell played in Chicago before it ever played in Lynah Rink. Cornell was a perfect 3-0-0 when playing in Chicago. Those three contests occurred against Yale and were during Cornell's first run to a national title, of the pre-NCAA variety. Jeff Kubiak, a native of the Chicago area and one-time product of the Chicago Steel, would be a senior filling a leadership role leading his team into familiar territory. Sadly, Christian Hilbrich, the other player on Cornell's roster who has decided connections to Chicago, would have graduated the prior season. The United Center should be a great draw in a great hockey city. With sufficient Cornellians in the region, there is little doubt that the Madhouse on Madison would rock in time with the cheers and taunts of those clad in carnelian and white.
Xcel Energy Center, host of the 2018 Frozen Four
St. Paul in 2018:
If Cornell appears in the Frozen Four in any of the other three Frozen Fours just awarded, it is likely that the fanbase the Big Red would muster would be equal to or greater than that of any other program in the Frozen Four. That probably cannot be said of a Frozen Four at the Xcel Energy Center. The maroons of Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth, and the green of North Dakota would be the most flush colors. Carnelian and white would do battle with the sea of colors representing historic powers of the West, but the building would be more contested and less controlled than most that the Lynah Faithful invade. That would make it a spectacle to see between dueling fanbases of extreme passion. A combination of travel distance and a smaller contingent of alumni in the region of the Twin Cities would depress Cornell attendance. The Big Red has never played at the Xcel Energy Center. And, while Cornell's success in the national tournament in the West (1969, 1986, 2006, and 2012 for example) is mixed, the game would be in a heated environment where the locals appreciate what Cornell hockey represents.
Significance to Cornell:
Past is not always prologue and correlation rarely equals causation, but can it hurt to look at a few trends? Foremost, with the historic geographic rivalries between Eastern and Western college hockey, how unbalanced is the ratio of national championship weekends held in the East compared to those held in the West? 39 championship weekends have been held in the historic West of college hockey compared to 27 such weekends hosted in the East. This even includes for the East atypical hockey hosts such as Tampa Bay and Washington, DC. The thankfully bygone era of the late 1940s and 1950s when possible hosts like Boston and New York did not want to host the event, resulting in its hosting at the Broadmoor Hotel ten consecutive times, accounts for most of the disparity between the two regions.
The geographic disparity between East and West is nearly equal. Is there any difference in how Cornell fares when the Frozen Four is hosted in the East or West? In other words, has Cornell reached the Frozen Four with greater frequency when the championship weekend was hosted in one region over the other? The answer is a fairly resounding yes. Cornell has made nearly one quarter of the Frozen Fours hosted in the East. Six of Cornell's eight Frozen Four berths or 75% of them have been earned when the Frozen Four was hosted in the East. Compare those numbers to Cornell's reaching the Frozen Four only 5.0% of the time it was held in the West and reaching it only two times in its history when the Frozen Four was hosted in the West. It seems to indicate that some intangible of playing close to home for the national title may motivate Cornell teams.
What happens when the Frozen Four has been hosted much closer to home? Coach Schafer emphasized how grateful he was in 2003 to have the opportunity to play for a national championship in Buffalo, NY in Cornell University's home state. It was described as a special experience. Those statements accompanied Cornell's most recent trip to the Frozen Four. Cornell has made the Frozen Four 30% of the time that college hockey's biggest weekend has been hosted in the Empire State. That number leaps to 37.5% if one considers only seasons after Cornell received its first invitation to the national tournament. Not impressed? These figures correlate to Cornell's probability of making the Frozen Four increasing by 248% to 310% compared to its average rate of reaching the national championship weekend.
Then, there is the number. The big 100% that lingers in the minds of some of the Lynah Faithful. 100% of Cornell's national titles in the NCAA era were won in New York State.
What does this all mean? Generally, it would seem to indicate that Cornell is most likely to make the Frozen Four in 2014 at Philadelphia, 2015 at Boston, and 2016 at Tampa Bay. However, trends are made to be broken. I doubt many of the Faithful would object to Cornell's breaking of these trends with winning a national title on the ice of the Wells Fargo Center, TD Garden, Tampa Bay Times Forum, United Center, or Xcel Energy Center.
Land-grant Institutions Set to Square Off in Manhattan?
Will promotions similar to this mock-up be released in the coming months for the second Frozen Apple?
The biggest news out of Saturday's contest may not have been the result. It may not have happened even when the skaters from Colgate and Cornell were on the ice. It occurred during the second intermission. Jason Weinstein was conducting an interview with sophomore forward Christian Hilbrich. Cornell's play-by-play broadcaster inquired if Hlibrich had left any mementos in the Rangers's locker room to commemorate the goal he scored at Madison Square Garden. The interviewee denied it. Weinstein ended that line of questioning stating "maybe next year as Cornell takes on Penn State next season at Madison Square Garden."
The audio of that exchange can be heard here.
The nonchalance of the comment takes away from the expected build-up of finding out which opponent will meet the Big Red in the second biennial Frozen Apple. Remember the anticipation from two summers ago when Michigan was surmised and finally confirmed as the opponent? There are several storylines that surround this choice. This writer will give a brief analysis of each and as more is revealed greater coverage for each topic will be provided on WAFT.
The success of the second Frozen Apple is of utmost importance to Cornell. Boston University and Cornell have proven that they can sell out The Garden consistently with sellouts in Red Hot Hockey in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013. Cornell proved to itself and the college hockey community that it alone could sell out Madison Square Garden in 2012 when it hosted the inaugural Frozen Apple against Michigan. It places Cornell on a plane that few other college hockey programs occupy.
It is foolish to think that Cornell's position on this level is perpetual. Can it happen into the foreseeable future? Yes. Is it guaranteed to continue into the future indefinitely? Absolutely not.
Red Hot Hockey on odd years will be a sellout into the foreseeable future. Its captured audiences, Boston University and Cornell, are among the two most loyal and devoted fanbases in college hockey. Few other fanbases care more about their histories than do the Terriers and Big Red. Red Hot Hockey is an extension of that devotion and history of storied Boston University-Cornell feuds. The event markets itself.
The Frozen Apple is very unlike Red Hot Hockey in this regard. There are very few established out-of-conference rivalries for Cornell that have the combination of factors that will fill Madison Square Garden alone. The draw of the first Frozen Apple was piqued when Cornell upset Michigan in the 2012 NCAA Tournament months before the match-up in New York City. Additionally, Michigan has a sweeping fanbase and large alumni base in Manhattan. Both were important for the Frozen Apple's success.
The opponents that Coach Schafer mentioned for future editions of the Frozen Apple were Minnesota, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Wisconsin. Minnesota is Minnesota. What programs like Boston University and Cornell are to the East, Minnesota is to the West. Add to that fact Minnesota's refusal to travel to Lynah Rink and the pent up tension between the programs becomes evident. This neglects even Cornell's 2005 match-up or 2003 when the two programs were the best in the nation. Wisconsin needs little elaboration. Cornell and Wisconsin are rivals. Those who did not follow the clashes of the two schools in the 1970, 1973, and 2006 national tournaments undoubtedly have heard their tales. Within both fanbases.
What of Notre Dame and Penn State? Notre Dame has the angle that the Fighting Irish tried to lure away Schafer in 2005. Jeff Jackson is a great coach, but few of the older to middle-aged alumni who populate the Lynah Faithful are brought to a zealous lather with thoughts of playing a program that danced in and out of conferences and divisions of college hockey throughout its history. This writer is heavily in favor of playing Notre Dame and I think it would sell out a venue as large as Madison Square Garden, but it does have decided shortcomings.
Penn State is very similar to Notre Dame is this regard. The Nittany Lions have a great coach with whom many of the Lynah Faithful are familiar. Guy Gadowsky, an alumnus of ECAC Hockey's coaching fraternity, leads the Nittany Lions. He brought Princeton a Whitelaw Cup in 2008. Memorably he led his Tigers against Cornell in an overtime thriller in the 2009 ECAC Championship Semifinals. He may have switched big-cat monikers, but his style remains the same. But, is Penn State a big enough draw?
This is where perception becomes a problem. Penn State is both tremendously old and terribly new. The first group of Nittany Lions to lace up skates for competition did so in 1919. Penn State then became utterly dominant for nearly four decades in club and ACHA hockey. However, the more dominant narrative, to which many in the Cornell fanbase will respond, has a hockey program emerging from the earth of Central Pennsylvania over the last two seasons. Will the Lynah Faithful and other alumni respond to a contest against a program of perceived less history and a mere two seasons at the NCAA level?
Red Hot Hockey and the Frozen Apple have become de facto homecomings for hockey-loving Cornell. One needs only look at articles in our most recent alumni magazine to realize that. This may be enough to ensure a good turnout from the Cornell contingent. This writer finds the prospect of playing Penn State in Manhattan exciting because of the shared facets of old and new. They should intrigue anyone. Cornell and Penn State were among the first college hockey programs, but while the former remained historic and dominant at the highest level of the sport, the latter only recently gained such sure footing.
There may be unanticipated issues in getting the throngs of the Lynah Faithful to Madison Square Garden in November 2014. No such issues have existed when Cornell competed against Boston University and Michigan. Penn State should be no different, but it could be. These annual events in New York City have become more than hockey spectacles to many Cornell alumni and their families, so the opponent should be of little consequence. And, what is not to like about the passion of Penn Staters about all things that concern their athletics programs and University?
Can Penn State do as well or better than Michigan? Why not play off of internal Big-Ten egos to buoy the attendance of Penn Staters? Hockey may never be the dominant sport in Happy Valley, but it does not mean that it will not add to the extant Icers family new and loyal Nittany Lions fans. Alumni will come from reasonable distances to watch Penn State battle Cornell in The Garden. Many will not even need to travel that far. The New York City area represents the second-largest concentration of Penn State alumni in the nation. The Philadelphia area is the one region with a greater concentration of Penn Staters.
The fact that Penn State's two largest alumni bases are within ready distance of Manhattan does not have you convinced that the Nittany Lions may show in greater numbers than did the Wolverines? Consider that Penn State has done this previously. The Nittany Lions have played four games in NHL arenas when their fans were the dominant contingent. These include both games of the Three Rivers Classic in 2012 and two editions of the Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff. The fewest number of people to attend a Penn State game at an NHL arena was 10,797. The largest contingent to attend a Penn State game at an NHL arena numbered 19,529 when the Nittany Lions sold out the Wells Fargo Center.
The sellout of the Wells Fargo Center may have been aided by Flyers fans staying to watch the Penn State-Vermont game after the NHL lockout ended. However, it is undeniable that Penn State can fill NHL venues. The average attendance of a Penn State hockey game at an NHL venue is 14,905. The Nittany Lions are more than a sufficient draw.
Cornell allots its opponents in Red Hot Hockey and the Frozen Apple approximately 25-30% of the seats in Madison Square Garden. The current capacity of the "transformed" Garden is 18,006. Penn State's contingent would need to purchase between 4,501 and 5,402 tickets. These figures are lower than the capacity of Pegula Ice Arena. That is to neglect the fact that said numbers of tickets are nearly one-third of the average draw of the Nittany Lions in an NHL arena. Penn State will be able to sell its allotment of tickets with ease.
Interest on the part of the Nittany Lions may be difficult as well. Paradoxically, for similar and different reason as it may be for Cornellians. Penn State is a new initiand to varsity college hockey. Through interactions I have had with recent and current Penn State students, I have realized that some are learning the culture and legacy of college hockey. Many do not realize the history of Cornell hockey. So, creation of interest among current students at or recent alumni of Penn State may require more skillful marketing on the parts of both Cornell Athletics and Penn State Athletics than have previous installments of Red Hot Hockey and the Frozen Apple. Penn Staters will need to be convinced why they should care about a game against Cornell.
This task may be easier than even this writer implies. Little was done to promote why Penn Staters should care about Vermont in either Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff, but more than 17,000 blue-and-white-clad fans filled the Wells Fargo Center for each edition. Recent administrative changes for the Flyers put in question whether Penn State will be able to host another hockey tilt at the Wells Fargo Center next season. As disappointing as this would be for the region that hosts the greatest concentration of Penn Staters, it would enhance the draw of the Frozen Apple 2014 at Madison Square Garden.
Two other issues remain from the Penn State perspective. They can produce crowds that fill large hockey facilities. That is obvious. What is unproven is how much Penn Staters will pay to see a major spectacle hockey game. A credit to Penn State and Pegula Ice Arena is that they have kept ticket costs generally below the levels charged at most venues, including Lynah Rink. They resemble those charged at Greenberg Ice Pavilion in seasons past. This leaves unproven however how much Penn Staters will pay for a hockey game. Additionally, the Three Rivers Classic ticket prices range from $16.85 to $47.75 while tickets began at $10.00 for the Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff.
The cost of tickets for Red Hot Hockey and the Frozen Apple never dips as low as the above cited prices. Furthermore, most tickets at either Cornell-hosted event go for $50.00 to $75.00 with some tickets as little as approximately $30.00 and others well above $100.00. The ranges of ticket prices that Penn State has filled are disparate from those at Madison Square Garden. Penn Staters will pay a great deal for their sports teams when those programs are grafted on to the great University's sense of identity. A regular-season game against a non-Big Ten opponent at Beaver Stadium can sell fairly readily for $80.00. What is unproven is if the buying impetus for hockey is yet as great. It should be. This writer hopes it is, but it would be amiss not to mention this possible concern.
Football creates another possible concern for the Frozen Apple 2014. Many remember how disappointing it was to file into Madison Square Garden and discover that Michigan had left its band in the Midwest to witness the Wolverines's loss to the Buckeyes on the gridiron instead of watching their demise at the hands of the Big Red in Manhattan. Penn State will host Michigan State in University Park, PA the afternoon before the Frozen Apple 2014. This writer holds out hope that a contingent, albeit likely small, of the Blue Band, or perhaps an alumni band from the New York City area, will appear at the game in the Big Apple.
A positive comparison is that although Penn State and Michigan State play for a trophy when they meet, the passion and vitriol that drained many Michigan fans before the Frozen Apple 2012 is not present in meetings between Penn State and Michigan State. The Penn Staters who flock to The Garden will not be effected disproportionately, no matter the result of the earlier football game. This highlights one similarity between the contests that Penn State would be involved in that Saturday.
Michigan State and Penn State claim to be the first land-grant institutions. This is a product of the fact that Michigan and Pennsylvania, unlike New York, began sale of their state lands to fund public higher education before the Morrill Land-Grant Act. Cornell University became a land-grant institution by acts of New York State in 1865. The two match-ups that Penn Staters will witness on November 29, 2014 will be clashes of proud land-grant institutions.
There are numerous similarities and connections between Cornell and Penn State that add elements to a possible, and seemingly likely, meeting at Madison Square Garden, but those will be saved for a later date when more is confirmed. However, to give a cursory preview of topics that will come, it is worth noting that Cornell and Penn State tried tirelessly to arrange meetings between their hockey programs when both played at the varsity level.
Penn State's lack of a home ice surface and Cornell's reliance on the mercy of the weather to preserve conditions on Beebe Lake resulted in only one meetings between the Nittany Lions and the Big Red. The lone meeting occurred on February 5, 1944. The Penn Staters traveled from Central Pennsylvania to Central New York. Nicky Bawlf and his skaters sent their Pennsylvanian challengers back to the Commonwealth with a loss. Just over 70 years will have passed by the time that the puck is dropped at the 2014 edition of the Frozen Apple. It should be well worth the wait.
With the possibly heightened need for media, athletic departments, and marketing agencies to promote the event, why does neither Cornell nor Penn State make a formal announcement of the future meeting? Contractual matters are why programs keep their schedules confidential. Darian Somers of The Daily Collegian with whom WAFT has had contact provides an explanation in his piece on the possibility of a Cornell-Penn State game at Madison Square Garden. He notes that Penn State is not bound and has not accepted a schedule until the University's faculty senate approves the schedule for each team. Official release may follow that seeming formality.
While the remainder of Penn State's schedule may be largely a mystery, Cornell's schedule for the 2014-15 season has begun to take definite shape. Cornell will have its slate of ECAC Hockey contests. Five of the seven out-of-conference games that Cornell will play next season are known with reasonable certainty. Cornell will play two games against Denver, play two games against Nebraska-Omaha, and host Penn State in the Frozen Apple. The two remaining openings will be in Cornell's winter tournament in Florida.
It is important that the second Frozen Apple is a success. It seems like it cannot help but be one if marketed properly. Two great universities with tremendous amounts of school pride and large alumni bases in the New York State and New York City areas hardly can go wrong. While fans of both programs wait for confirmation, it is worthwhile to think about what will need to be done to make this a success for both programs. It may not be easy, but it is worth it. This event will be unlike its preceding Red Hot Hockeys and Frozen Apple. It will be great nonetheless.
Preview: Colgate
The series that opened Colgate's and Cornell's ECAC Hockey slate last season witnesses its first installment at the close of the first semester this season. Cornell traveled to Starr Rink for its second weekend of play in the 2012-13 season. The Big Red was red hot off of a home sweep of Colorado College. Cornell looked to continue its momentum. The maroon-and-red throngs that filled Starr Rink watched as Colgate played far better than expected with then-unknown commodities like the Spinks and Kyle Baun beginning to shine. Andy Iles stood tall and gave Cornell the chance to win. Dustin Mowrey scored less than one minute into regulation, but Colgate seemed to dominate the contest. Greg Miller gave the Red the go-ahead marker against the maroon. The next evening, Lynah Rink hosted the two Central New York foes. The Colgate team that felt robbed of a victory the evening before was determined to silence the toothpaste box-hurling crowd. Kyle Baun and Spiro Goulakos gave the Raiders a two-goal lead before the first intermission. Colgate continued to dominate the contest, but the margin remained the same. The final ten minutes of regulation saw Cornell come to life. Within a 3:49 span, the game was tied behind goals from Bardreau and D'Agostino. Apparent goals from Madison Dias and John McCarron that would have decided the contest were waived off. Cornell felt robbed of a victory after overtime. Colgate felt it deserved better than one point after two stellar outings. The Cornell camp that views Colgate as one of Cornell's main rivals gained support at the end of the contest as a fight broke out between the two squads during the handshake.
Colgate began its season earlier than is usual. The Raiders began competition the first weekend of the season with a series against Ferris State. The Bulldogs outscored the home-standing Raiders five goals to seven goals, but split the series. Eric Mihalik delivered a tremendous performance to preserve one goal as the deciding tally. A midseason undefeated streak continued with a dominating performance at formidable Ritter Arena, a 4-1 win, and a tie against Bowling Green, behind a one-goal-allowed effort from Mihalik. Colgate earned a 1-2-1 record against two teams from the new WCHA. Those teams have gone for a combined 14-5-3 in their conference. Ferris State has not lost a new WCHA game. Colgate's win against Ferris State seems poised to become a newly minted quality win later in the season.
A lull and losing skid followed the series against Bowling Green. Four losses against Bowling Green, St. Cloud State, and Quinnipiac preceded Colgate's next win. St. Cloud State leads the NCHC and has a lone loss on the season. Quinnipiac's success should be well known to WAFT's readers. The two teams combine for a current record of 23-3-5.
Colgate accumulated fives wins over its next seven contests. The losses came against then-highly ranked RPI and defending national champion Yale. The wins equally impressively included a sweep of the difficult North Country. Furthermore, Colgate's skilled forwards toppled the Dutchmen at Messa Rink in one of the Raiders's most commanding performances to date. Colgate took control in the third period and exploded the game with three unanswered goals. As much as Rick Bennett was annoyed with his team's effort, he was impressed with the determination and skill of Don Vaughan's squad. Darcy Murphy and Tylor Spink contributed two goals in an offensive tidal wave. Three Raiders, Darcy Murphy, Tyson Spink, and Mike Borkowski, tallied three points in the 5-3 contest.
Colgate is one of the most offensively deep teams in ECAC Hockey. The Raiders have five skaters who have notched ten or more points. However, only Kyle Baun and Mike Borkowski average at least one point per game. Kyle Baun, Darcy Murphy, and Tylor Spink each have seven goals. Noteworthy is that behind top-end contributions, Colgate presents threats fairly evenly throughout its line-up. Nearly 35% of Colgate's goal scoring comes from outside of its top-five point producers.
This Colgate team is not as dominant as last season's team at either end of the ice. This is an unpopular and oft-neglected fact, but when comparing the Colgate team that took the ice most of last season to the one that Colgate is currently icing, last season's team was stronger on defense and more prolific on offense. The graduation of defensemen like Jeremy Price and Thomas Larkin took its toll. Colgate is allowing 26% more goals this season than it was last. This correlates to 0.72 more goals allowed per game. The Raiders are surrendering 30.5 shots per game or 1.9 shots per game more than last season.
The attention that Colgate's offense receives is well deserved. However, it was more potent last season. The Raiders have scored 11% fewer goals per game this season than last season. That amounts to approximately one-third of one goal per contest. So, how is the record of this season's Colgate team, 7-7-1, nearly identical to that of last season, 7-7-2, at the midpoint of the season?
Colgate has found ways to win. It is not scientific. It is not statistical. But, by almost all important metrics, Colgate is not performing at the level it was last season. Colgate's special teams are modest this season. Colgate's penalty kill ranks in the bottom half of the country. It kills off 79.7% of opponent's power-play opportunities. The Raiders's power play fares worse. It ranks in the bottom 12 of the nation with a conversion rate of 14.7%.
Don Vaughan has given the nod to three netminders this season. Spencer Finney and Eric Mihalik saw ice time last season. Charlie Finn, a freshman newcomer, has tended Colgate's crease on three occasions. One marked improvement from last season is the play of Eric Mihalik. The junior netminder has elevated his game from a goals-against average of 2.83 and a save percentage of 0.901 last season to a 2.46 and 0.915 this season. This improvement in itself may unravel the mystery of why Colgate seems more potent this season than last.
Passion. Colgate will bring with it the motivation that only a rivalry clash can bring. The Raiders are determined to win this season perhaps more than most because they were deprived of a victory in a series that they dominated last season. Cornell found ways to win in last season's series, but the beginnings of a mid-season lag that began to emerge after the Colgate-Cornell series betrayed the reality that Cornell's winning record was living on borrowed time.
Most commentators agree, including this writer, that Don Vaughan likely will give tested goaltender Eric Mihalik the start in net. That choice gives Colgate the best chance to win rather than chancing that Spencer Finney, a freshman, will be daunted by the crucible that is a game at Lynah Rink. Mihalik has proven that he is among the best netminders in ECAC Hockey and defeating him will require a great effort from Cornell's offensive role players.
Cornell's power play will be looking for redemption after it was shutout for only the third time this season in its last outing. Colgate's just-below-average penalty kill should give Cornell ample opportunity to finds it power-play groove again. The neglected storyline from Red Hot Hockey IV is that it was the first game this season when Cornell scored without scoring a goal on the power play. Those goals were scored against one of the best goaltenders whom Cornell will meet this season. Against stout defenses like that of Clarkson, Cornell scarcely could muster a threatening goal-scoring effort, but at Madison Square Garden, Cornell found its offensive swiftness and creativity. One storyline to follow is if Cornell has relapsed or if it remains as threatening as it was throughout most of Red Hot Hockey. If the latter is the case, it could become quickly a long night for Colgate.
Coach Schafer has emphasized that there will be no preferential treatment of elder players if a younger or less seasoned player can help the team win more, he will play. Some unanticipated openings may have emerged after some acharacteristic and below mean efforts at Madison Square Garden. These may put Schafer's alleged principles to the test. Awaiting the line-up before this Colgate-Cornell contest will be interesting because some players have earned a right to prove themselves.
A team that allowed three goals on a mere 11 shots against Boston University cannot underestimate a team as offensively talented as Colgate. The Spinks, Kyle Baun, Mike Borkowski, Darcy Murphy, and inspirational captain Spiro Goulakos pose challenging threats. None of them can be underestimated. The depth of Colgate's offense goes well beyond even these instantly recognizable names. The Terriers that hung three goals on Cornell ranks 11 places behind the Raiders in terms of offensive production this season. A repeat lackluster performance behind the Red's blue line quickly would produce a shooting gallery that would be difficult for Cornell to win.
Cornell will need to pay Colgate the respect it deserves. It is a fast team with rapidly maturing talent in its sophomore class. The Raiders will want a win at Lynah Rink badly. Mihalik is 1-1-1 at Lynah Rink and has not lost since his freshman season. The transition game will be essential for both teams. Colgate wins off of its speed while Cornell can exploit its swiftness to capitalize on a shaky Raider defense.
Colgate is coming off of a bye week. The Big Red should look early to make a big statement. If the Red cannot make that statement, the maroon will settle in for the slug fests that have become expected of Colgate-Cornell games over the last two seasons. Cornell's power play can help the Red put the game out of reach, but over-reliance on it will prove disastrous against a Colgate squad that Cornell narrowly defeated last season. Expect the lesser-sung heroes of Cornell's line-up to reappear in big ways after so many near misses at Red Hot Hockey IV.
Historical Note:
Colgate hockey should be poised to enjoy a renaissance this season and into the near future. The University announced that the hockey program will relocate to a new rink in the next two seasons. Additionally, it is a program that is becoming more immersed, appropriately so, in its rich and proud history. The highest peak that Colgate reached in the modern college hockey world was the 1990 NCAA Championship Final. The Raiders fell short of national glory but claimed a Whitelaw Cup in a spectacular win over RPI at Boston Garden.
Colgate's reinvestment in its history is in no small part a result of The General. The General is a documentary that tells the story of Terry Slater and the 1989-90 Colgate season. It chronicles one of the greatness moments in ECAC Hockey and Central New York sports history. The film was produced by Grant and Todd Slater, sons of the legendary coach, and created by film maker Kenny MacBain, a native of Hamilton, NY. I made the trek up to Hamilton, NY to watch the film's premier. Any fan of ECAC Hockey should make an effort to see the film when it is more widely available. The film captures Colgate hockey's and that improbable run's importance to the community of Hamilton. A glimpse of the emotional investment of the Hamilton community captured in the film is articulated in the comments of the film's creator about making the documentary.
The General captures an inspirational and moving story about the connection between Hamilton and its hosted hockey program. It captures what this writer wrote earlier in the season makes ECAC Hockey great. So, while this weekend's series may highlight Colgate's and Cornell's difference, at their purest essence, the programs are very similar.
#gotbanners: December 5, 2013
Mike Schafer and his teammates brought Cornell its ninth championship before Colgate rose in an era of Red dormancy.
WAFT begins a new feature this season. Each Thursday, WAFT will direct our readers's attention to the winning traditions of Cornell hockey with a feature piece that focuses on a tournament championship that the Big Red has won. These pieces will focus upon the story of the entire season that resulted in Cornell's ultimate success. WAFT will try to feature a championship season whose tenor resembles the tone of a given week in Cornell hockey.
Click the image above to be directed to this week's highlighted championship season.
Histories of Cornell's tournament championships are available at any time by clicking the "Traditions of Greatness" tab atop this page on the navigation bar as well as by clicking the "Champions" banner in the sidebar of this page.
Disappointing Ned
Ned Harkness never settled for anything less than victory, in that regard, Cornell let his legacy down at Red Hot Hockey IV.
The writing was on the wall. Cornell provided two dominant performances against Brown and Yale. However, the warning signs were there. Cornell could not hit an empty net on four or more tries against Yale late in a 2-1 contest. Additionally, Cornell's back end needed to be shored up more than usual with extraordinary defensive play in the first and second periods of both contests. Andy Iles delivered two great third periods that weekend. Mitch Gillam got the nod against Niagara.
Gillam seemed poised against a Niagara squad that challenged Cornell more than perhaps it should have been able. The two goals that the Purple Eagles converted were off of the Big Red's defensive implosions. Defensive commitment too far down low led to an odd-man rush on Gillam in what was nearly a three-on-one chance for the Purple Eagles that Niagara converted. The second was a result of allowing a Niagara forward to camp out on Gillam's crease unobstructed with live passing lanes from all angles, a fact that Schafer bemoaned later. Then, the goal. Gillam became only the third goaltender since 1947 to score a goal. The question lingered for the Lynah Faithful that departed East Hill if Cornell could compete with the likes of Boston University after surrendering two goals to Niagara and scoring a mere four goals?
The three-game stretch was revelatory for Cornell as a whole. No freshman had scored prior to the contest with Brown. Now, three freshmen have scored. Matt Buckles was the first to convert when knotted the game against Brown after the Bears were allotted a penalty shot that Matt Lorito dutifully converted for them. Eric Freschi became the second freshman to score. He wasted no time in becoming the leading scorer of his graduating class with scoring two goals in a 26:27 span against Brown. Gillam's goal added to the offensive output of Cornell's freshman class.
Scoring began to come from unusual sources. Reece Willcox who nearly has perfected his niche as a responsible stay-at-home defenseman who makes few errors tallied an empty-net goal against Brown. It was his first goal in carnelian and white. Jason Weinstein during the call mentioned that when Willcox told his children about his first collegiate tally that instead of an empty-net marker it would become a breakaway goal in which the sophomore defenseman beat the Brown netminder top shelf. This musing became prophetic. It seemed as though Willcox's scoring could not be stopped. When Cornell seemed moribund against the Purple Eagles, it was Willcox who ignited the Red's fire with a goal on a four-on-four opportunity when he streaked across the ice and challenged the goaltender post to post. It was a memorable goal from a great player.
The heavy lifting of defeating the defending national champion fell to the lofty talents of Brian Ferlin and Joel Lowry. They seemed that they would have had it no other way against the Elis. Brian Ferlin scored a goal off of a face-off during Cornell's first power play. Keith Allain must have known what was coming. Then, Joel Lowry forced past Lyon a gritty goal that would stand as the deciding tally. From expected leaders to newcomers, it was apparent that Cornell's offense was clicking, but the fissures that Cornell's second-most heated foe would exploit were present during most of the three-game streak.
An easily ignored fact is that Cornell's power play had converted on a mere 23.1% of its chances during the lead-up before Red Hot Hockey IV. The Big Red had scored a power-play goal in each contest against Brown, Yale, and Niagara, but over that three-game span it scored only one such goal per game despite enjoying five or more opportunities on two of those occasions. This seems prophetic in retrospect.
Red Hot Hockey IV is the biggest event of the regular season for Cornell every other season. This season, the game ranks among the four most emotionally important games of the season. The game against Yale was one those contests. The other two have yet to be played. This is all just to highlight that there is no excuse for any effort less than the best at this contest. Since its inception, Boston University and Cornell have become increasingly invested in winning this contest. However, only one program has won it.
Most would have assume that Cornell's skaters would be the shortcoming of the Big Red against Boston University. Such would have been a reasonable assumption, although arguably a foolish one, but when one is looking for worst case scenarios about how Cornell could have lost the contest against Boston University before it happened, it seems plausible. Cornell's penalty kill had killed 85.7% of opponent's power plays during the three-game stretch. Additionally, Andy Iles boasted a 0.944 save percentage at Madison Square Garden in Red Hot Hockey III and the inaugural Frozen Apple. Few believed that Cornell's greatest weakness could come from behind the Red's blue line.
When the puck struck the ice for the first time in Red Hot Hockey IV, it was apparent that Cornell wanted this win. It needed this win. The game began 11 years to the day after Cornell began its triumphant sweep of Boston University during the 2002-03 season. The now-legendary player who opened scoring in that series against the Terriers, Sam Paolini, was in attendance at Madison Square Garden to watch his alma mater fall to Boston University for the third time in six years.
Cornell dominated play. Boston University leveled a few challenges, but Andy Iles, after some questionable times in his last two outings against Brown and Yale, seemed to have regained his characteristic form at that point. Cornell squandered a power play in the first period in which Boston University was even to go on the offensive and the Big Red failed to cycle well and seemed too timid to even challenge O'Connor in Boston University's net.
The deadlock was broken with 2:10 remaining in the first period. A lot has been made of Gotovets's fall prior to the first goal. The stumble on the ice was neither the sole nor proximate reason that an otherwise savable puck found itself buried in the back of Cornell's net. Regardless, Cornell attempted to respond in the 130 seconds that remained, but was unable to do so. The Big Red was down 0-1 early in the contest.
Cornell killed off a penalty with relative poise midway through the second period. Then, in quick secession Cornell's power-play unit took to the ice. The Big Red enjoyed 31 seconds of five-on-three hockey. Unlike Cornell's first power play, the Big Red seemed far more comfortable and threatening, but O'Connor was equal to every challenge that the Red leveled at him. At times, it was O'Connor with little defensive help from his Terriers who stood alone against Cornell's onslaught. The two-man advantage was squandered. Then, 1:29 later Boston University killed off the second of the penalties. Cornell still controlled the flow of play even though Boston University had fought its way back into the game far more than it had in the first period.
Boston University broke out on a bad turnover. The Terriers made Cornell pay for one of its few defensive lapses in the contest and blasted a puck into the net. The rush precipitated in Boston University's end and ended with the Terriers up by a two-goal margin. Cornell would be given a chance to get into the contest 20 seconds later, but frustration or angst had overcome Cornell's power-play unit.
The power play was good, but far too conservative. Cornell unleashed few shots on O'Connor. More frustratingly, the few crisp seam passes on which the Big Red connected, the receiver usually waffled and missed a one-timer opportunity allowing O'Connor and Boston University's defensemen to recommit to covering the changed ice positioning. This latter problem plagued Cornell for the remainder of the contest as anxiety took its toll. Cornell was very close to converting at this moment and in the final seconds of the contest, but anxiety undermined the Big Red's commonly calculated and smooth puck handling on the power play. Cornell needed to be better to beat a goaltender as good as O'Connor.
In a play that was similar to the cross-ice pass that bested Iles for Boston University's first goal, the Terriers found the back of the net again on a power play in the first three minutes of the third period. The play was nearly identical in all other elements. Boston University clung to its three goals. Cornell would need to do the unthinkable to win the contest. Cornell had scored four goals against St. Lawrence in one period. It would need to do that to topple the Terriers.
The two goals that Cornell scored are most noteworthy for the assists that led to them. The first goal was from a perfect backhanded pass from Ferlin at the left face-off circle to the crease in front of O'Connor. Ferlin grinded Boston University's MacGregor down behind the net. The junior forward outmaneuvered MacGregor behind the net and out front to create time and space. Christian Hilbrich tipped the puck in, but Ferlin's pass was so beautifully delivered that one cannot help but believe it was predestined to end up in the net. The Big Red took over 12 more minutes to solve the formidable O'Connor again.
The Captain, from a similar position as did Ferlin, saw linemate Cole Bardreau racing in on Matt O'Connor, following McCarron on the rush. The Captain spun and lobbed a pass to the point of the crease that landed on Bardreau's stick. The alternate captain drove the puck home to put Cornell within one goal. Both of Cornell's goals were so perfectly executed that they deserved consideration for top plays of the week. Neither made the final list, but they showcase the upper-end talent that Cornell has at its disposal.
Cornell needed to muster that talent to best Matt O'Connor who was the difference throughout the entire contest. Goaltending made the difference. In the second period and third period, O'Connor saw more shots than Andy Iles faced throughout the entirety of the contest. O'Connor made 23 saves through the first two periods. Cornell surrendered only 11 shots. Boston University's O'Connor faced 39 shots during the game. Most were of a high quality.
The skaters of Boston University played well. They showed that they are a good team. Glimmers of greatness were there, but Cornell's skaters showed that at this point nearing the mid-point of the season, they were the more skilled group. Goaltending is what closed that gap.
In what one could argue was Cornell's best holistic effort of the season to date with how disciplined Cornell played, how responsible it was with imposing its physical game, and how skilled it was when it finally converted, the Big Red endured a loss. Cornell was far from perfect, as good as its power play has been, it needs to improve. Skaters at the point need to pull the trigger when the shot is there and cannot hesitate because of the stakes of a shot or contest. If Cornell resolves that issue, it will win contests like that Cornell played during Red Hot Hockey IV.
The loss stings even more because of other factors. Not only did Cornell deliver its best or one of its best efforts of the season, but lost, it came in a contest that is biennial. The lingering, dull, aching pain of losing to Boston University will nag at Cornell and the Lynah Faithful for possibly as long as two seasons. Even more related to this specific loss, alumni from Boston University and Cornell endowed the creation of a championship trophy to be exchanged between Boston University and Cornell after each meeting of the programs. The alumni agreed that the trophy would bear the name of the historic coach of the program that won the contest first. Accordingly, the trophy became officially the Kelley-Harkness Cup after Cornell lost.
In short, the Cup forever commemorates this near miss at Madison Square Garden. That pain will linger for a while. That is why in many regards Cornell let down the legacy of Ned Harkness. Which brings this piece to one of its final points, how much sense does it make to name the Cup with Jack Kelley's name first? Let's try some empiricism.
Ned Harkness and Jack Kelley were two of the greatest coaches in the history of college hockey. However, the Cup does not commemorate contributions to college hockey in the abstract, what it commemorates is the role of both coaches in the Boston University-Cornell rivalry. Jack Kelley began coaching at Boston University in 1962. This was one year before Ned Harkness took the helm at Cornell. Ned Harkness departed after completing his perfect 1969-70 season. Jack Kelley rode off into the sunset from Boston University after winning consecutive national championships in 1971 and 1972.
The Boston University-Cornell rivalry played out between Harkness and Kelley between 1963 and 1970. Harkness bested Kelley for the ECAC Championship and national championship in 1967. Kelley never beat Harkness for a championship of any variety. Kelley could not win a national title until Harkness resigned. For that matter, Kelley never coached Boston University to victory over Harkness-led Cornell. Never. While the two coaches squared off against one another at Boston University and Cornell, Cornell went 9-0-1 against Boston University.
Dick Bertrand who took over at Cornell the season after he graduated from Cornell University maintained a 0.500 record against Jack Kelley and his Boston University squads. Jack Kelley ended his career at Boston University and his chapter in the Boston University-Cornell rivalry with a 3-12-1 record against the Big Red. A 0.219 winning percentage proved sufficient to list Kelley's name first.
It was a great wager. It yielded a nonsensical result. Harkness comes first alphabetically. Harkness never lost. Harkness won first. Harkness won best. It should be named the Harkness-Kelley Cup. That is what it is.
This just adds another exploitable and contentious wrinkle to a rivalry already rich with such dimensions. Cornell fans refuse to refer to Harvard by its formal name, opting for Sucks instead, as to show the opposition not even a modicum of respect. Also, what's the name of ECAC Hockey's regular-season hardware? I bet you cannot say. Boston University and Cornell may be a more respectful rivalry, but who is to control what Cornell and the Lynah Faithful call a piece of hardware? I am not saying that Cornell should refuse to include Kelley's name, to do so is sophomoric and disrespectful, what I suggest is merely to put it in its proper place: behind that of Harkness.
The crude contours of the accord between Boston University and Cornell stipulate that the trophy is eligible for exchange after any meeting of the teams. It is always in play. This includes necessarily post-season meetings. Members of the Lynah Faithful can hope for a sooner chance at redemption in the national tournament rather than waiting two years. In that case, Cornell could return to East Hill with two sets of hardware from the national tournament including the Harkness-Kelley Cup.
Boston University hoists its Kelley-Harkness Cup as Cornell waits for the day when it can lift its first Harkness-Kelley Cup.
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Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 17:45:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [CPEO-BIF] Former GM property, Anderson, Indiana
Relocation complete
By Jack Molitor
Anderson Herald Bulletin (IN)
ANDERSON - Anchored to the memory of General Motors for so long, Anderson took an important step toward changing its identity on Friday, according to city and business leaders.
Myers and Ford Autoworld, after more than 50 years of operation on the city’s north side, completed a relocation to South Scatterfield Road near 32nd Street. Friday marked the grand opening of the new dealership site occupying about six acres of the former GM Plant 11 site.
Dealership President Mary Jamerson called the move a great milestone for her company and the community, and introduced her sales and service team as the lifeblood of her company.
The $7.5 million, 48,000-square-foot facility is the first significant new development on a brownfield site in the city. Brownfields are designated properties where redevelopment, reuse or expansion is hampered by the nature of the site’s previous purpose, which could have polluted the ground with hazardous substances or contaminants.
http://www.heraldbulletin.com/news/local_news/ article_0b40166e-5667-11e4-95b1-37c7d99f529d.html
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Prev by Thread: [CPEO-BIF] Oshtemo Township, Michigan
Next by Thread: [CPEO-BIF] Perc plume at Hockessin, Delaware
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‘I just stopped going’: A mixed methods investigation into dropout from psychological treatment in adolescents with depression
O'Keeffe, Sally; (2019) ‘I just stopped going’: A mixed methods investigation into dropout from psychological treatment in adolescents with depression. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
SOK.Thesis.edited.version.pdf - ["content_typename_Accepted version" not defined]
Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 1 March 2020.
While the effectiveness of psychological treatment for adolescent depression is well established, there is concern about high dropout rates. Using a mixed-methods design, this thesis sought to understand therapy dropout in the context of adolescent depression, drawing on data from a randomised controlled trial. Study 1 aimed to investigate whether dropout could be predicted from a range of child, family and treatment factors (N = 406). Increase in age and antisocial behaviour, and decrease in verbal intelligence, were found to be significant predictors of dropout. More missed sessions and poorer therapeutic alliance were also significant predictors of dropout. Study 2 aimed to investigate whether those who dropped out of therapy had poorer clinical outcomes compared with those who completed therapy. No strong evidence was found for dropouts having poorer outcomes than completers. Study 3 aimed to explore whether there was a more clinically meaningful way of classifying dropout. Interviews with adolescents (N = 32) and therapists for ‘dropout’ cases were analysed qualitatively using ideal type analysis. Three types of dropout were constructed. ‘Dissatisfied’ dropouts stopped therapy because they did not find therapy helpful; ‘got-what-they-needed’ dropouts stopped therapy because they did not feel a need to continue in therapy; and ‘troubled’ dropouts stopped therapy because they did not have the stability in their life to commit to the therapy. Study 4 aimed to investigate the role of the therapeutic alliance and rupture-repair processes in the lead up to a ‘dissatisfied’ dropout compared to other types of therapy ending. ‘Dissatisfied’ dropouts were found to have more ruptures in the therapeutic alliance, and ruptures were frequently unresolved, compared with completers and ‘got-what-they-needed’ dropouts, indicating a more difficult interaction pattern prior to ‘dissatisfied’ dropout. Together, these studies have implications for how different types of disengagement from treatment should be managed in clinical practice.
UCL (University College London)
Copyright © The Author 2019. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request.
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torchwood_cascade-CDRIP.tor
Posted in Website by Kyle - May 17, 2018
Big Finish is no stranger to experimenting with the constraints and nuances of the audio medium over its storied history, and ‘torchwood_cascade-CDRIP.tor’- or ‘Cascade- does anything but the expected as Scott Handcock brings to life the tale of a sentient computer virus that hunts down online pirates and kills them without any discernible evidence. As chilling as this notion is given the power of media conglomerations and the continued battles involving both the financial harm of illegal downloading and the importance of data privacy in an increasingly insecure world, it’s the presentation that stands out most as the corrupted media file is experienced in a fragmented manner out of sequence and from differing perspectives. With distortion and interference enhancing the overall experience, the direct addressing to the audience that continuing to listen to this file will result in harm, the sequences that glitch and are repeated, and the fragments of other Torchwood tales bleeding through create one of the most unnerving and surreal experiences ever to come out under the Torchwood banner.
The story itself revolves around a fairly traditional tale of unrequited love, but the corrupted nature of this file allowing future moments relative to the plot to be heard enhance the overall emotional impact of this central relationship by referencing the harrowing events of ‘Exit Wounds’ about which the world at large will never know and from which assumptions will have to be made. Called to London by an old Torchwood colleague named Stephen to help look into the disappearances of several people with the exact same birthdate at the exact same time across the globe, Toshiko Sato uses all of her natural skills to try to determine how and why these people came to be targeted and just why Stephen believes that he is next in line. Handcock has proven before to be a master of implementing a macabre and tense tone, and ‘Cascade’ makes the most of his direction of his own script to amplify the inherent danger and unknown quantity of this threat. As the menace continues to amplify and increase its spread around the world, the inclusion and questioning of regular people who suddenly find themselves in mortal danger for what they perceive to be a victimless crime is a fantastic way to ensure that the general threat to the world at large is never forgotten.
‘Cascade’ bravely reveals its hook right at the beginning rather than saving it for a late twist like most stories would, and it confidently tells its creative and disturbing tale that will deliver different nuanced experiences to different listeners and even to repeat listeners at different times. Naoko Mori gives one of her strongest performances as the socially awkward but utterly brilliant Toshiko yet, and Robbie Jarvis as the emotion-laden Steven expertly leads an engaging guest cast that also includes Ashley Kumar and Rachel Handshaw. The format of the story makes it difficult to simply write about the story in any great depth, and ‘Cascade’ absolutely needs to be experienced in real time to enjoy one of the most novel and inventive instalments in Big Finish’s many ranges in quite some time. Although it’s not a story that will necessarily all slot neatly together for every individual listener instantly, it’s certainly engaging and appealing enough to warrant repeat listens regardless.
Directed by: Scott Handcock
Written by: Scott Handcock
Tags: Ashley Kumar, Naoko Mori, Rachel Handshaw, Robbie Jarvis, Toshiko Sato
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The Man Who Escaped
Episode 6 (Parts of Speech Test)
The Man Who Escaped Episode 10
pull the trigger - нажить на курок
in cold blood - хладнокровно
hate - ненавидеть
somehow - тем не менее, но всё же
got a grip on himself - взял себя в руки
prove - доказывать
innocent - невинный
flat, cold voice - ровный холодный голос
had nothing to do with it - не имею ничего общего с этим
demanded - потребовал
government secrets - государственная тайна
stared down at the floor - потупил взор
hesitated - колебался, замешкался
ruin - разрушит, уничтожит
involve - вовлекать
suspected- подозревали
swallowed - проглотил
abroad - за границу
pose as - позиционировать в качестве
foreign collectors - иностранные коллекционеры
Coke drove for about twenty minutes. He felt nervous in the police car but he knew it was his only chance.
"I wonder how that policeman managed to contact police-headquarters so quickly?" he asked himself. Then be remembered a newspaper article about the new pocket radios all policemen had. They were small things which they put in their pockets.
"Of course! That's it!" he thought. Then he wondered if detectives like Halls and Baxter also had them. He knew they probably did not, because they already had radios in their cars. Suddenly, however, something on the road ahead interrupted his thoughts. Two police cars were there, side by side, blocking the road. Nothing could get by them!
The two policemen at the road block were bored. It was a lonely spot between two hills and there was very little traffic.
"Could you give me a light, Tom?" one of them said. It was his tenth cigarette that night. Just then, they both looked up and saw a car coming towards them.
"It's a police car," the other one said. "Perhaps they're bringing us some hot coffee, or something to eat." They both watched the car as it came closer. It was a long, straight road and the car was still a good distance away.
"Isn't it going to stop?"
"It doesn't look like it."
"Shall we stop it? Our orders are to stop every car."
Just then, they heard the two-tone sound of the horn. It was obvious that whoever was in the car was in a great hurry. The two policemen hesitated for a second. Then one of them turned to the other.
"Would you move the car out of the way, Bob, or shall I?"
"But our orders were to ..."
"Look! That's a police car, can't you see? You don't think Coke's going to come through here in a police car, do you?" The other policeman got into the car and moved it back a few inches; the gap was just wide enough for another car to get through now.
"Aren't you going to move back some more?" the other shouted. Before he could do so, Coke shot through the narrow gap and raced down the road, in the direction of London.
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SoccerSoccer
LeaguesLeagues
USMNTUSMNT
USWNTUSWNT
Liga MX Apertura preview: Best- and worst-case scenario for each team
1dTom Marshall
Liga MX storylines: Will Leon compete again? Can Michel inspire Pumas?
11hTom Marshall
British trio join Fowler's Roar rebuild
Ed Jackson
Brisbane Roar will have a distinctly British feel under new coach Robbie Fowler with a trio of United Kingdom-based players joining the A-League club on Tuesday.
The Liverpool legend has raided England's lower leagues to secure Welsh striker Aaron Amadi-Holloway and defender Macaulay Gillesphey while defender Tom Aldred has also signed on following his release from Scottish Premier League club Motherwell.
The trio join Irish striker Roy O'Donovan as new faces at the Roar under Fowler while Australian under-23 international Nick D'Agostino and New Zealand fullback Dane Ingham have both left the club.
D'Agostino and Ingham have moved west to join Perth Glory on two-year deals, taking the tally of players to depart the Roar following their disastrous 2018/19 season to 16.
Aldred is a 28-year-old English-born defender who has represented Scotland at under-19 level.
He said playing under ex-England striker Fowler in his first full-time head coaching role was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.
"I met with Robbie and he put in light what he is trying to do and it was something that really attracted me," Aldred said.
"It's a very competitive league that has featured some quality players and it's one that I'm really looking forward to testing myself in."
Amadi-Holloway, a Welsh under-17 and under-19 international, joins the Roar from English League One side Shrewsbury Town, where the 26-year-old scored three goals in 38 appearances.
Gillesphey, 23, also comes to Queensland from England's third tier, where the centre-back plied his trade for Carlisle United after a youth career at English Premier League club Newcastle United.
Australian pair Aiden O'Neill and Brad Inman are among further signings the club are expected to announce later in the week.
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EMG-Zine Entrance
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November 2011 -- Frogs
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Painting Using Negative Shapes
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News for November
Poem: When Frogs Call
Fiction: Tadpoles
Fiction: The Kiss
Fiction: More than Just a Kiss
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More than Just a Kiss
by Mary Katherine Starnes
He watched the woman rush across the busy street between a couple of slowing cars and make her way to the park. He could see from the smile on her face that the shopping bag from the bookstore was a welcome weight on her arm. He wished she wouldn't walk so fast though. He almost got hit by a car trying to keep track of where she was going.
She walked toward some of the trees near the center of the park as she adjusted the scarf around her shoulders to block the wind from getting to her neck. He saw the look on her face that said she wasn't surprised when she found that all the benches were full of older men reading the newspapers, lovers watching the geese swimming around in the pond, and women gossiping with one another. It
was a beautiful afternoon despite the biting chill in the air.
She found a tree that must have looked cozy and sat down among the roots, nestling herself further down into her jacket. She pulled one of the books out of her bag and admired the gilded cover for a moment, then smiled to herself as she opened up the first page and took in the beautiful illustrations next to the story titles. It wasn't long before she was immersed within the pages, oblivious to the wind, the chatter of people, and the sounds of the traffic as it whizzed by. This annoyed the frog beside her immensely. How was he supposed to get her attention now? He had hopped and croaked, but nothing brought her out of whatever story she was seeing in her mind's eye. Maybe if he tried talking. He hadn't experimented with any voice he might have yet.
"Miss," he tried, but it came out as a funny croak that started with a humming sound. It was a start, at least. He tried again and the woman looked up, but that was no good for him. He needed her to look down. He hopped as high as he could and croaked again, but she went back to her reading. If he could have sighed he would have. In desperation he jumped up onto the page she was reading and tried again. "Miss?"
He expected she would scream or jump up. He wouldn't have blamed a pretty girl like her for trying to squash an ugly frog like him in the pages of her book. What he did not expect is for her to calmly talk.�
"Hi there, Mr. Frog.�I guess you are supposed to be a prince aren't you? I suppose you want a kiss? Well, it isn't going to happen Mr. Frog. You simply don't look kissable," she smirked. "Hop along. Go on...shoo!" She flicked her wrist over his head a few times. He stayed where he was.
"Hi to you," he said slowly, trying to figure out how to work the words through his wide mouth and past his long tongue. He still couldn't believe she wasn't trying to squish him.� He�would try to squish him if he was in her position. Maybe she was an even better candidate than he thought or maybe he wasn't actually talking in a human-ish voice like he thought. She just stared at him unblinking for a long time. He figured he would have to be the one to break the silence with the way things were going.�
"I needs your kiss, me thinks," he said, looking up at her.
"Ugh, what did you say?" she said dumbly.
"Pardon me, where is my manners? Will you gives me kiss please?" Her mouth was moving, but there wasn't anything coming out, so he repeated himself.
"Do what?" she asked. For a moment, he wondered if her eyes would fall out of her head because she had them so wide. He tried to clear his throat, but all he ended up doing was bubbling out his neck. At least he was so green he didn't have to worry about her seeing him blush for it, he thought.
He continued. "The crazy cat lady who live below apartment poof me into frog when I told her apartment smelled like litter box. Then she try to give me as munchies to her mangy kitty kitties. I thinks I needs kiss to break spell, so I wait outside the book place to find lady who buys the fairy tales books and you comes. So I asks you, but it hard to speaks because my brain seem ten size too small than usual. Please, miss miss, say you understand." He felt a little tinge of hope deep in his frog chest when she closed her mouth and cocked an eyebrow.
"If you think I am going to kiss you, you have another thing coming. You are all slimy and..."
"I is not slimy!" he argued, cutting her off.
"Ok, so you aren't slimy, but maybe you have been swimming in the green pond over there."
"No. My brain not so goods, but I don't remember pond."
"So a crazy cat lady lived in the apartment below you, huh?" she asked, eyeing him as though turning into a frog might be contagious. It might be for all he knew, but saying that wouldn't get him the kiss he needed, so he just nodded in response. "And she told you a kiss would break this spell?" He nodded again and felt guilty over the lie. The kiss always worked in the stories and stories are always based in a little truth, right? He wished he could sigh when she started laughing.
"Jeez this book is giving me kooky dreams. I shouldn't be sleeping in the park though. I have wait up. I've probably been mugged already." She was speaking more to herself than him as she pinched her leg through her jeans. He watched with fading patience as her brows furrowed and she pinched herself again.�She leaned back against the tree and looked at him where he sat on the opening page of "The Frog Prince", irony or ironies.
"Miss, please. Just one kiss and I shall be man and you shall go back to book and never kiss frog again," he coaxed. She went a little pale.
"I'm not dreaming," she said. It was not a question, but he shook his small and warty green head as if to answer her. "Well, I guess the logical thing would be for me to oblige you, but none of this is logical, Mr. Frog. I think I should go home and throw out that stale coffee I've been trying to use up and lay off the caffeine for a while."
"Woman!" He croaked as loud as he could as he hopped up and down on her book.
"OK, OK," she said, holding up her hands. "Quit before people stare. I'll kiss you," she conceded. She picked him up, cupping him in her hands. She lifted him up to her face and he leaned forward expectantly, but stumbled at the loss of balance when she faltered. He looked up at her, trying to look more like a cute frog and less like a real frog. Women liked cute things, he reasoned. "You haven't been eating any flies have you?" she asked. He shook his head, trying hard not to glare with what he knew would be amphibian eyes that were already creepy enough. "No? No worms, crickets, anything like that?" he didn't move. "Well, all the same." She sighed and set him back on the book before reaching into her purse for a�sanitizing wipe. It took everything he had not to hop off and find someone else. He about had his fill of her, but he sat still while she soaked him with the lemon scented square of tissue. When she finally kissed him, it was quick and forced. He waited expectantly but nothing happened. He didn't understand it.
"Now what, Mr. Frog?" she asked.
"We go see crazy lady. I needs your helps. Please, Miss," he begged her.
"Alright, alright, no frog tears, please," she chuckled. "I'm out of my mind," she added to herself. She stood and gathered her things, shoving him in her bag beside her phone and lipstick. She responded to his complaints with, "You think I am going to walk around New York with a frog in my hand like some loon?"
She pretended to be looking for something in her purse whenever she asked him if they were going tthe right way. At one point, he had trouble remembering the apartment number, but when they started climbing the steps, his memories came rushing back. His fear did as well. Suddenly, all he could focus on was the memory of twelve thousand cats trying to pounce on him as he hopped his way through the hag's apartment and out the window. It had been suicide or mutilation, so he chose suicide. Luckily, there had been a fire escape for him to land on, and the cats were all too well-fed to fit through the window. Still, he had a small green body now and the memory was causing him so much panic, he thought his tiny heart might explode. He was just about to croak his change of mind to the woman from the pocket of her handbag, but before he could, she was knocking on the door to the crazy lady's apartment. He idly wondered if he felt feint because he was a human in a frog's body or if a frog was capable of feeling like he on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He decided he didn't care when the woman starting talking to the hag. Really, he thought, she should be more polite. The hag was capable of turning people into green things with webbed feet. Respect was due where it was due.
"Yes, hello. You turned my friend into a frog. I would like him back as a human right now," his savior said, sauce in her voice and a hand on her hip. She was either very brave or perhaps she still thought she was somehow dreaming. He started shaking when he heard a tom cat yowling in the background.
"No change backs," the old woman grunted. He felt the little threads of hope that had started to twirl inside him begin to fade. He also started to fear his new-found friend would wind up as a frog too. At least he would have company, he thought glumly. The older woman tried to slam the door, but found a foot blocking it.
"Listen, lady. I have this friend from the other side of town who is going to shake up a little potion if we both don't come back fully human within the hour. What would happen if all your little kitties you have stuffed in here turn against you when you sprout whiskers and a cute little mouse tail?" she taunted, the corner of her mouth deepening into a smirk. He watched through the open zipper as the hag tried to decide whether or not she was bluffing. If he was unsure if he was actually shaking earlier, he was sure of it now that he was in the palm of his friend's hand and eye to eye with the old woman. Her warts and long, crooked nose were a little too close for comfort. He could smell the incense in her matted grey hair. He saw the outlines of cats crowding towards the door in the dark apartment.
He almost jumped out of his skin when the woman sniffed in disdain and turned away, shutting the door behind her. To his surprise, he was jumping out of his skin as well as the gentle hand that held him. He could have screamed for joy, but found he was feeling a little dizzy as he began to spin round and round in midair. When he finally slowed to a stop, he dropped to the floor and found himself on his feet - his human feet. He could have kissed the soles of his old sneakers. He looked up at the woman who had saved him and held out a hand.�
"The name is Brian Connelly. Nice to meet you," he said as he held out his hand. He watched her look at his hand and then back up to his face.
"I thought you were supposed to be a prince," she said, putting her hand back on her hip.
"Are you kidding me? After all we have been through, that is what you have to say?"
"Where is the white horse you were supposed to whisk me away on? It says in the book that we ride off into the sunset. How are we meant to do that with no horse?"
"Will coffee substitute?"
"It might," she smiled, finally reaching for his hand and shaking it. "I'm Maggie Johnson."
"You look a lot shorter now," he said, then quickly added "I'm just teasing," Her glare turned to a smile. "Hey, do you think we can get that coffee in to-go cups? I want to start searching for a new apartment. Remind me to make sure to get one on the bottom floor this time. It was scary hopping down the fire escape while I was still trying to get used to those long legs and webbed feet," he laughed.
"I think we can manage that," she smiled up at him. He held out his hand to her and she took it as he led the way down the steps and out into the chilly afternoon air.
"I have to say that the first kiss was pretty good, but I think we can do better now that I have shed my scales."
"Frogs don't have scales, Brian," she laughed to cover the slight blush he could see creeping up into her cheeks.
"Oh, really? You are going to argue with me about what frogs do and do not have?"
"Hey, why do you think she has never been evicted? All those cats and the smell of that incense is kind of sickening."
"You know, I suddenly feel really bad about those mouse traps I set out in my kitchen. That white mouse I saw in my cabinet did look awfully like my landlord around the ears."
Mary Katherine Starnes
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বাংলা ગુજરાતી मराठी
Aircraft with 189 passengers on board crashes in Indonesi
ANIMESH SRIVASTAVA 29/10/2018 11:14 AM
New Delhi, Oct 29: Lion Air Passenger with 189 passengers on board crashed into the sea on Monday. The flight crashed when it was en route from Jakarta to the city of Pangal Pinang off the island of Sumatra.
The plane lost contact 13 minutes after the takeoff and a tugboat leaving the capital’s port had seen the Boeing 737 MAX 8 falling into the sea. Flight JT610 took off around 6:20 am and was scheduled to land at 7:20 am in the capital of the Bangka-Belitung tin mining hub
Spokesperson of Indonesian disaster agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho confirmed the news of crash by posting photos of the debris on Twitter including a crushed smartphone, books, bags and parts of aircraft which have been collected by the rescue vessels.
Edward Sirait, chief executive of Lion Air Group said, “We cannot give any comment at this moment and we are trying to collect information and data.”
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Fifth House Group > Communication > You’re not listening (you just think you are)
You’re not listening (you just think you are)
The leadership lesson in "Inside Out"
Your strategies are working... against you
June 17, 2015 Ken Ashdown
One of the most frustrating experiences anyone can suffer is not being heard. That’s because we all need to feel valued, validated, and have our voice count. So it’s that much more maddening when we feel we’re being misunderstood as a result of someone else’s inability (or apparent unwillingness) to hear us. It’s is a source of enormous stress, anxiety, and counter-productivity in our work and personal lives, and a consistent cause of conflict. Tragically, surveys show that while most of us consider ourselves good listeners, we’re actually quite poor at it.
In our “always-on” environment the obvious distractions include smart phones, email, and ubiquitous TV screens. But the problem is more insidious than that; even the most disciplined among us who manage to put away the devices long enough to hold an uninterrupted conversation struggle to listen. For one thing, we speak much more slowly than we can think so in the span of time it takes for a speaker to get a sentence out, the “listener” has experienced thoughts containing three to four times as many words.
The moment another’s words enter our auditory canal we’re already busy processing: interpreting, judging, evaluating and decoding them. All this parsing interferes with our ability to truly hear. Our expectations and assumptions fill in any blanks, often inaccurately. (In some workshops I conduct an exercise that illustrates this point starkly; few participants score more than 20%.)
But mostly when we think we’re listening we’re really just waiting politely, if impatiently, for our turn to speak. We pay lip service to listening. Sure, we might remain silent for a while, but we’re more likely to be preparing our rebuttal, commentary or defense than to be truly hearing what the speaker is saying. This shouldn’t surprise us; our culture clearly values speaking much more than it does listening. (You’ve probably had public speaking courses in school, attended Toastmasters or taken a workshop in delivering powerful presentations, but when was the last time you were educated in effective listening?) Small wonder there’s so much burnout: we keep trying to get our point across, to little or no avail. “If only they listened to me…”
The solution is simple and, yes, easy too. It lies in cultivating our ability to hear by listening actively: paraphrasing, summarizing, clarifying, and providing empathic responses that encourage and validate the speaker. (These critical tools are described in detail in our book.) The only difficulty in implementation is that we’re seldom taught how to hear. We assume that just because we’re born with ears that never switch off, we’re experts at listening. Wrong! Practice makes perfect.
In conflict we can’t always reach agreement — our opinions, beliefs and attitudes may be too solidly entrenched — but we can achieve mutual understanding. These are two different things. The latter does, however, go a long way towards the making the former possible. Even if you are unable to see eye-to-eye with your boss, colleagues, employees (etc.), allowing them to feel heard and understood can take the sting out of a disagreement or deadlock. Active listening will also allow you to move forward and find other ways to work together more pleasantly and respectfully.
Ken Ashdown
Categories:Communication, Self management
June 17, 2015 by Ken Ashdown
Three things that trigger conflict escalation – and how to avoid them
June 16, 2016 by Fifth House Group
Small distinctions can make big differences
July 20, 2015 by Ken Ashdown
The one simple skill every creative worker needs – and usually fears
April 20, 2015 by Ken Ashdown
Call us toll free in North America, 1-844-584-4687
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©2019 Fifth House Group, Website by PROSAR Inbound Inc. Photos: Getty Images.
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Deadly Kiss – An Interview with Lips Laced With Cyanide
There are a lot of bands on Figment, but some just plain stand out. Lips Laced With Cyanide (LLWC) is one such band.
From the moment LLWC released their first EP “Haunt” they have slowly but surely developed a devoted and rabid following. Respected by fellow bands, Fait Accompli recently expressed disbelief when told that they had narrowly beaten them out for the coveted “Best Developed Band” Figgie award, LLWC has released a series of EPs and LPs that not only point to a young band on the rise, but one blessed with remarkable maturity. Despite being thrust into the spotlight the band has continued to deliver on their original promise, and with the release of their newest LP due this week the band seems poised for a bright future.
We sat down with Lili, the band’s lead singer, to find out how they’re coping with their sudden popularity and to see what she thinks the future holds for LLWC.
Figment: Let’s get right to it…what’s behind your band’s name?
Lili: There is a quote, um, I think it might be part of a poem, but I’m not sure. But it’s basically where we got the name from.
The quote is:
It was true when they said love is the slowest form of suicide, because his lips are laced with cyanide, and I’m addicted to his kiss.
It just…seemed to fit in so right with every thing. I fall, too hard and too fast for guys, and I can’t get back up. Then, I get so…addicted to these men and can’t get my thoughts away from them. And it hurts me very bad when I know they don’t feel the same way. It kills me. The quote just brings a sort of explanation of my emotions and I felt it was perfect for the band.
I don’t want to make it sound like I’m the owner or most important person, however, in the band. But most of the lyrics are written either by me or about me. The others are perfectly content with it, so long as they get in themselves too sometimes.
Figment: Your band formed in high school and continued to play together in college. Now that you’re no longer a struggling band of students, what’s it like navigating the treacherous waters of the music business?
Lili: Well, the music business is very unruly and dangerous. You can’t really trust anybody, except for those who share a common goal, such as my band mates, who just want to get our music out to the world. Most record companies are greedy and ruthless and they use and destroy many good bands in the process of getting the money. Now, I understand they have kids to feed and lives to maintain, I’m just voicing my thoughts here.
Also, the press is uncaring of personal lives. As soon as we got famous, they were barging in everywhere and we felt like we had nothing personal left. They even dredged up pictures from Corey’s wild party days in Romania. So, we have to learn to protect ourselves and family from that.
Another thing is, competing bands. Some bands just want to be famous and don’t care what it takes to get there. They will fight tooth-and-nail for the most insane things that don’t seem to matter. We have learned to distance ourselves from other bands precisely for this reason but hope to begin making friends now that we are relatively safe in our position.
Figment: You narrowly missed winning two Figgie’s this year for Best Developed Band and Best Band Name. Are awards important to you or are they just a distraction from making music?
Lili: Awards are important to me, but not the only thing that we strive for. Awards are like, icing on a cake. What’s important is definitely the music and the message that we want to give out.
Awards are a way of getting more attention from the world and getting more fans. But sometimes, if the band is too popular, it becomes “uncool” to like them. In our music genre, most fans pride themselves on being different and non-conformist, so liking a huge band with lots of awards is less likely to happen.
We just hope to keep that balance between garage band and mega-famous, to the extent of getting the wrong fans who want superficial songs.
Figment: You’ve released 2 full length LPs and 3 EPs. How do you decide when to release your music? Are the EPs more spur of the moment type recordings or just ideas that don’t fit on your LPs?
Lili: We release music for a few different reasons. Once or twice, releasing EPs has been just spur of the moment. But usually it takes a few months to write the music and lyrics and do the artwork. Then we just release it when it’s done, no special waiting tradition. Only the Our Dark Minds and The Republicans Revolt EPs were spur of the moment. The other EPs are just songs that we wrote after an LP had just come out and we couldn’t fit it onto our next LP.
We don’t like to release records repeatedly either. Then we would just over-use everything and eventually become boring and lame.
Figment: Your first LP “A Kiss in Fate” sold very well for a brand new band. Why do you think that album resonated so much with fans?
Lili: I believe that A Kiss In Fate connected with so many because it turned everyday feelings and thoughts into music that everyone could understand. Take for instance, “I’m A User.” It blatantly speaks about the painful honesty that you know you are a user. Of knowing you are someone who uses others just to get your own selfish wants. No matter how good you are, you have used something in your lifetime. And that song voices it all and has a catchy enough tune to sing along with.
Every song on there is something that hits deep in a person’s heart. From drugs to homicidal suicide to lust, it gives a voice to the person’s innermost thoughts and emotion.
Figment: Your last LP “For Once We’re the Powerful” was an album about self-empowerment. As a band made up of equal parts women and men, what about that subject was appealing? Was the album more of a statement by the women in the band?
Lili: It was definitely more woman-centered. Though we do have men in our band, it is generally the women who write the lyrics and sing the songs. The men help with writing the music and playing it on their instruments. Obviously, I had a meeting about the album idea with the guys before presenting the idea to the record company. They liked the idea and said they would be glad to help.
The album was very important to me, as it was basically an outpouring of my thoughts and feelings about dating and men and general confusion, but getting past it all. I was sick of letting them control me and this was a way to get that out.
Figment: You have a new LP coming out, “Ménage à Trois”, which is a french term that is defined as “a relationship or domestic arrangement in which three people share a sexual relationship.” Kind of a provocative title. Care to elaborate on why you chose this title for your new record?
Lili: We pride ourselves on being different and not afraid to get on more sensitive topics.
The band is pretty much centered on death and romance. A very gothic-style, if you please. And while trying to come up with a name for the newest album and possibly a concept to go with it, I got into sort of a love triangle with my drummer and a very close friend [whose name shall go unreleased.] It just kind of…hit us, that Ménage à Trois was the perfect name for our newest album. It hit, spot on, our feelings about each other and the world. Like I said before, we are very into coming out and basically slapping people in the face about things other, wimpier, bands would hide from.
Figment: Will you be touring on the new record? Any idea who might open for you?
Lili: Lips Laced With Cyanide will be touring in ’09. But as for the other bands touring with us…we aren’t too sure yet. Up to this point we have just been focusing on the music and getting fans and not necessarily paying much attention to other bands.
So, if there are any bands that would wish to tour, it would be happily accepted.
Figment: You’ve been pretty outspoken in your political beliefs and have traded barbs with bands like The Warts and Revolting Republicans in the press. Do you think politics have a place in music?
Lili: Though I think politics should stay out of music, but it can’t and never will. Music is about freeing your creativity and yourself. And one of those things is the way you feel about your country and issues to go along with it. If I have to, I would play a concert outside of an abortion clinic, if I thought it might change their minds a bit.
Figment: What are you favorite bands on Figment?
Lili: Though there are many great bands out there, there are a few that stand out…to us at least,
Amber Romance
bigPEBBLE
Mind’s Eye
The Cityscape Burns
Reign of Sin
Suicide By Papercut
3 Seconds From Hell
A Night With The Past
AcuteChronic
Not For Real
Cosmic Catch
Roxy Valentine
DRAGONIER
Z.O.D.S.
CENTURION ANGEL
CHAOD
DEATH HAVEN
UNDEAD ALLIES
HELLRIGHT
NIGHTWITCH
Organized Kaos
When Chaos Fails
Revolting Republicans
Lvl 4 Death
Darkurine
Anal Leakage
Voodoo Chile
Abusement park
91 Arrests
Judas’ Daughters
The Pessimistic Romance
Pushmower
The Rude Awakening
Figment: What do you foresee in the future of Lips Laced With Cyanide?
Lili: Hmm, that’s a hard question.
When we were in high school, LLWC started as just a little joke, a way to get all the pressures off of us for a little bit and just let go. Certainly, I wanted a future in the music business, but I never imagined I would be where I am today.
So, it’s enough to say that I can’t really say I “foresee” anything. But what I’m hoping for, and working toward, is just excelling in this. Such as gaining more fans, going on a world tour, and having a platinum album. And maybe, next year, Lips Laced With Cyanide will be up behind that podium, happily receiving our first Figgie.
With the way things are going for LLWC, something tell us that’s not out of their reach!
Filed in Band Interviews
One Response to “Deadly Kiss – An Interview with Lips Laced With Cyanide”
blacksunshine1 Says:
March 2nd, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Ahh! So excited to see this! Thanks!
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The Official Gaming Thread
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Post subject: Re: The Official Gaming Thread
The discussion of the SNES mini made me think of the N64 and I had an urge to play Perfect Dark. Downloaded it onto my Xbone. I should have remembered that it didn't age well. I love the N64 and I loved Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark on the N64 but they both aged horrifically. Some games aged well - Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie, Smash Bros, Lylat Wars/Star Fox, Zelda:OoT/MM. Sidenote - I'm not sure how I feel about Mario Kart 64 in this context. Goldeneye and Perfect Dark were great at the time and important games but FPS games of that ilk have had a raft of great improvements in the 20 or so years since that really make obvious that G007/PD were lacking.
Perfect Dark did at least add the permanent on screen aimer to make things easier. Total *inaudible* to aim manually as the game strongly pulls back to neutral. Several times you are given almost no indication of what you are actually supposed to do or what things are essential. On the last regular level, if you use up your grenade launcher ammo before a certain point you fail the mission! Just annoying if you mess up or just use the ammo a few mins in to the game. Now, don't get me wrong I still enjoy the game, but it suffered from advancements to the FPS genre. I also don't do well without regenerating health, though it doesn't bother me as much as I expected. I mean, I guess if this game was very forgiving in the way you play then it'd be over very quickly. None of the levels are especially long so it's not a huge issue. Also, the way Jonathon and Elvis look with their hi-res textures is awful. Elvis is too wrinkly and Jon looks like he's about 85 years old.
It's not a bad game, it's just lacking and certain nice features I've gotten used to are missing. Still a fun game but GE007/PD are the two N64 games that are noticeably less good than how I remember them as being.
medgar
Yeah PD was great fun, particularly the profile stats to go with the variety of weapons + their secondary functions and the addition of bots. Played it a few months back with my brother and his mate (we sunk hundreds of hours on it way back) and it was just ok, still enjoyable but as you say been superceded in a few ways over the years since.
Actually prefer the no regen options for the hardest levels, you have some leeway to get past certain bits but the challenge of being consistent and not making a major balls up through the level is preferable to me over checkpoints and infinite respawns where you just hope not to catch a bullshit moment to progress onwards.
Been playing a lot of PUBG lately, still ropey performance-wise on Xbone but really like the format. I'm sure that game mode will get saturated soon enough but it's right up my street, still get a racing heart those times you get into the final circle or two trying to spot the other players. Also got hold of Elite Dangerous, for a game with no real point it's surprisingly addictive with all the styles of play you can have. Really like that you can play very involved with combat and such or just kind of autopilot some parts of it like exploring/transport missions while catching up on TV/whatever.
Black_Flag_11
medgar wrote:
I'm taking a break from PUBG on Xbox atm, until they improve the performance a little more, was thinking of downloading the new test server for the weekend though to play on the new map.
Unfortunately it's only available it TPP though so I'm not sure if I'll bother. From what I hear the improvements on the test server have made it a lot smoother so I'm looking forward to them bringing them into the live servers soon at least.
My buddy picked up a game called "Human Fall Flat" on steam the other day. We did the single player but as a co-op type game, which works pretty well.
Enjoyable game. It's like 8 levels but the sizing and content of the levels isn't split into 8ths. It's mostly physics based puzzles. Move a box from point A to point B through some obstacles kind of thing with a little platforming added in. Fun game and was decent value as it was about £7 or so. However, I found it a little annoying how the areas were laid out. Areas tend to be open to the point where it can be a little confusing as to where you want to go. Hard to solve a puzzle to get to somewhere when you don't know where you are trying to get to. It's done for asthetics and the game does look cool and nice but I think that openness was a little detrimental to the "not swimming pool off the player" factor. I also think a few bits were just a little too precise and more leeway in the puzzle should have been given once you have clearly worked out the general idea.
Enjoyable game. Not one I think I'll be fondly recalling years from now but was a pleasant enough way to kill an evening or two.
Picked up assassin creed rogue remastered on ps4. On sale in the psn store. I never played this particular one slipped under my radar some how probably when I was playing bf3 nonstop any how. You play as the character Shay whom is a member of the brotherhood but is betrayed and goes rogue becoming a Templar hunting his own brothers.
I’ve played for about an hour so far game play is smooth (parkour, sword fighting, double assassinanations) Graphics are obviously previous gen but not horrible. it’s a remastered (copy & paste) of the same ps3 version.
The game is pretty much identical to black flag as you acquire a ship, become the captain and sail the sea’s. Your not quite labeled a pirate but you are doing pirate related objectives (at least so far, not sure if this is a constant throughout.) but if your looking for some assassin creed action to hold you over until the new game comes out later this year it’s worth the buy.
Mayhem wrote:
The game is basically just Black Flag with different player models. It probably slipped under your radar because it was released the same time as unity.
Unity only released on the 'new' gen of console (Xbox One, PS4) however at the time a lot of people hadn't switched over and still only had a 360/PS3. So they released Rouge on the old gen and unity on the new gen.
Considering it's basically just something thrown together from Black Flag assets to appease those with the old consoles it's really good. But then I loved Black Flag (my username wasn't anything to with the game btw) so more of the same was welcome to me.
Massively excited for the new Fallout, rumours are that it could release this summer but nothing confirmed yet.
Black_Flag_11 wrote:
I had switched over and did get unity so that was how I missed it , So far so good I’m enjoying the game. I loved ac black flag so the similarities don’t bother me. It has a good story interesting to see how it developes.
Scotland has had an unusual amount of sunshine and heat lately. I love sunshine. There's a novelty in sunshine in Scotland which makes you feel obliged to go outside, or at least open the curtains.
Due to this my Witcher 3 time has been terrible. I went through the full game fairly quickly, but have been on the first DLC for about 2 months now and hardly moved. Looking forward for real Scottish weather to return, upon which I can go back to sitting in a dark room playing my PS4.
Going on NOW LIVE if anyone is interested
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed7xKViiK ... e=youtu.be
Hey black flag since you like ac4, have you seen “skull & bones” Ubisoft pirate game coming out
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=you ... 9YYYVG0YQI
Yeah I'll wait to see more but it got my attention. It's basically the exact same combat at AC4 with more in depth cannons etc.
I feel part of the charm of AC4 was the open world and the way you could explore it though and this looks a lot more mission based.
The list of games shown over the last month/at E3 I'm interested in so far is:
1) Fallout 76 - definitely picking up despite being a little disappointed in the 'always online' route.
2) Elder Scrolls 6 - definitely getting
3) Starfield - almost definitely getting
4) Battlefield 5 - definitely getting
5) Forza Horizon 4 - may get
6) The Division 2 - may get
7) Cyberpunk 2077 - may get
8 ) Dying Light 2 - may get
9) Session (skateboarding game) - almost definitely getting
10) Vigor (survival game from Arma/Day Z developers) - probably getting
Luckily most of those come out next year or later!
Skull and bones does seem to have missions along with open world free roam going to different pirate islands with villages. But we shall see. Looks good though.
I’m looking forward to
-SpiderMan (ps4) getting
- The division 2 (ps4) maybe
- Black ops 4 (ps4) maybe (not a cod fan but I can’t do another retro battlefield shooter. Bf hasn’t been deliverying the goods imo and I hope when they come back to more modern day era it re-establishes its
Dominance in FPS)
- skull & bones (ps4) pending content
- Ac odessey (ps4) getting
- Smash bro’s (switch) getting
- Star link (switch) maybe
Yeah I'm half interested in BO4 but I'd have to see some actual gameplay and probably wait for reviews first.
I did think Battlefield should have done a modern one this time and then a WW2 next game instead of stacking two pretty similar games next to each other. Especially as they work on a two year timeline, it will probably be 7 years inbetween modern BF games (2013-2020) and that's if they don't do a Vietnam/Cold War era game first as they were rumoured to be doing.
I was really hoping that, not unlike Fallout 4 a few years ago, the new Elderscrolls game might have ended with a "coming November". Skyrim still absolutely stands up as being of the most playable games of all time. If they add in the stuff like not needing to load cities sepatately (no load door between town and main world) and it'd be nice. Skyrim has mods for that so I assume it's possible. Add in some more customisation and perhaps add in a system not unlike Fallout 4's settlements and y'all might never hear from me again. I probably played 400 hours (I think that might be conservative actually...) of Fallout 4 and probably half of it was trying to build settlements and make them look pretty etc.
Picked up State of Decay 2. It's okay. I'm overall pretty positive about it. The areas are bigger than SoD and there are a lot more options. I think it could do with a little more micromanagement stuff in some ways. It takes a while to load up but very few loading screens once you get in. I played with my buddy and there seemed to be some problems with the off-host player getting brief screen freeze and just being a little more jittery. Looks substantially nicer than SoD, combat seems almost identical, concept is roughly the same except I don't think there is a focus on the escape bit so much in this game. Some of the decisions about enemy spawn is a bit irritating. I feel like sometimes you get 10+ zombies appear from absolutely nowhere. However, all said after probably ~10 hours of playing the game, I've found it enjoyable. Will probably be playing for at least a couple of weeks.
Re: E3
Haven't seen but I heard some interesting things about Walking Dead Season 4, which is going to be the finale for the story that has been arcing over the first 3 seasons. I'm getting this game. No way I'm not. I'm surprisingly attached to Clementine as a character. I was a little gutted S3 wasn't a full on Clem game like S2. Anyway, short of all the reviews saying it's a total glitchfest or the price being stupid, I will be buying.
New AC looks cool. Probably more of a game I'll pick up when it's discounted. Obviously, that may change given I've already finished 4 AC games in the last few months so I'm still a little burned out on it.
CoD/BF don't interest me. Go a little into the online shooter thing about Call of Duty 4 and MW2 time, but I can't face the thought of it these days. They never seem worth it for singleplayer alone, though I did really enjoy MW2, Black Ops and especially, CoD4. Odd how FPS stays popular but we seem to cycle from WW2 to Cold War to Modern Day to Near Future in these games, guess it makes sense in some regard.
I heard about a new pokemon game... Probably a purchase. That said, I bought Battel Revolution for the Wii thinking it was XD/Colosseum style from blind purchase so will look in to.
Division 2 - Not sure. Enjoyed Division for a time but the MMO-style, especially with a slow grind and the idea of PvP being somewhat forced (at least in the early days, once you maxed out there wasn't much to do other than repeat missions or Dark Zone for loot) it's not my jam. Hate to sound like an old fart, but I don't have the time and energy to do that, even if I wanted to. However, was fun for a bit and so I'll keep an eye on it.
The Resi 2 stuff I saw looked cool. The gameplay looks like an ideal mix of Resi and Resi 4 style gameplay. Less actiony but with the improved combat. Probably a day-1 purchase for me if it keeps looking as good for me.
As for State of Decay 2 I have some issues after playing it more. Xbox One Version.
It lacks content. Okay its a £25 release rather than full price but even still. Yes, it has about 3x as much going on map-wise as the first, but the story missions are lacking and everything else is just grinding resources/influence/survivors to move on up, repeat 2-3 times and you are done. Nothing has been especially difficult. I've lost 2 people in 2.5 playthroughs (my buddy bought it so I'm mostly playing to help him along now). One of those was because I went for a pee and the game has no pause and I was in my base feeling safe.
You can't ever build everything and max everything out. That's kinda the point but also I'd feel happier if I could "100%" a run, or feel close to that.
It's basically designed for online coop but off-host is awful with frequent slowdown moments.
The final missions vary a fair bit, at least between the Builder and Sheriff endings and they are cool, I just wish the game had a little more going on.
It's a good fun game for an evening or maybe 10 hours, but overall a bit of a let down. Not enough of a step up from SoD.
Life Is Strange 2 confirmed by DONTNOD,
Loved Life is Strange - probably in my top 10 or 20 games of all time.
The prequel - Before the Storm was pretty sweet too, though not quite as good. I till need to finish the epilogue chapter.
I must say though, I don't care for the episodic release style this kind of game, similar-ish to Telltale's generally excellent games. I'd rather blast through in as short a time as possible, especially when it's the kind of game where little things often have an impact later in the game and I want to remember all the details. So I'll put it off until all 5 chapters are out. Somewhat true with DLC packs. Took me well over a year to do the Fallout 4 DLC (which, stupidly, I paid for when buying the base game) because by the time it was coming out, I had played the game to... well, not death as I went back to it but maybe a coma type situation. But at least those games have a full story within them and the DLCs are normally self contained mini-stories. Anyway, just a bit of a gripe from me.
Some footage of me playing black ops 4 beta this weekend on PS4. Thought it was pretty good. I liked the new game mode “control”. It was much more team focused instead of the usual lone wolf chaos. The weapons felt very consistent. Looking forward to the next beta
Source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riLMz2W766k
More live online multiplayer footage I recorded from the black ops 4 beta.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NIeClYn1gY8
2nd part of the previous in game footage...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tLkfBA8-AtQ
Beta for the “black out” mode aka battle royal will take place sept 10th on PS4. I’ll try to get some game play footage of that as well. So far I like what I’ve seen from the multiplayer. The new self healing makes you pick you engagements and allows to evade then re-engage when needed. All the specialist have their own unique skill set. Only 1 of each specialist can be selected in most game modes. The weapons all have a unique styling to each one, some of the weapons have “operator mods” which give the weapon a different firing mode or extra ammo. You obtain the mods by maxing out the particular weapon. Overall I have enjoyed the changes in the series.
Valiant Hearts: The Great War.
I got this on 360, then my 360 broke. So I got it free with Gold at some point, then my Gold ran out and I couldn't play it. So now finally, I did play it.
Thoroughly underwhelming and very disappointing. The game really lacked much depth relying on the same old crap over and over without any real ingenuity or originality to the subsequent encounters. Masses of quick time events for one character were just irritating. The collectables were horrible to collect due to being hidden behind things constantly. I like a collectable if it's a bit out the way. If your collectable is too well hidden, or simply not visible I just think that's lazy. Too lazy to hide it somewhere interesting so lets pad the game for those who like collectables. Plot was okay but was mostly just the story of WWI.
Also, played AC4: Black Flag. However, unlike last time I played the 360 version. Similar to above, I bought it on 360 then my 360 broke. And the Xbox One bundle I bought was AC4 and AC: Unity with the console. Although I haven't played Xbone version lately, I think if you put this game on without me seeing the "Xbox 360" screen, I'd totally buy it was the Xbox One version. Only thing that seemed graphically shoddy was certain shadows. As for the game, we've all discussed this before. I could do with a little less sailing being forced on the player. I do love just walking around the various areas getting all the collectables. I think it might be because you can see progression easily but I find it very soothing. Anyway, now I have both versions completed.
Next up... not sure. I should probably play Deus Ex: Mankind Divided since I bought it on release day, played it for a few hours and never went back to it. Human Revolution was a great game and this showed no signs that it wouldn't also be great. Don't care for the original or Invisible War, though I didn't get far in either. I should also play Witcher 2 and 3 though I always stuggle to get into 2 and I always think I should play 2 before 3.
Flash2k11
I also participated in the Black Ops Beta the other weekend. First CoD i've played since.... probably the 2nd one. I was utterly terrible at it and got my pickle handed to me non stop. Graphics were good though the hit detection certainly needed a bit of work (on the receiving end too, not just me making excuses for not killing anyone lol), and having not played a CoD in forever, the controls weren't the best explained.
PF1 Pick 10 Competition 2019:
Current positon: 4th | 3 Podiums | 4 Wins
2018 Pick 10 Champion
Flash2k11 wrote:
Yea I’m not a big cod fan myself but battlefield has let me down far too many times recently so I’ve given this a go. I enjoyed the beta and will be picking up Bo4....What controls were you using???? Also what game modes did you try out?
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 7:56 am
https://www.xboxachievements.com/news/n ... sing-Soon-[Update-2--The-Walking-Dead-May-Go-Unfinished].html
Telltale Studio's are not in a healthy position at all. I'm really quite gutted about this. As I've said on here about a bajiliion times, I love Telltale's style of game. I'd been saying how I wasn't sure I wanted Clementine, from Walking Dead, to have her story end. It seems now that it might not get to end due to this issue.
It also raises a question, yet again, about people paying for the "Season Pass" for all 5 episodes in advance of them all coming out. I'm guessing they won't see any money back. I love Telltale's games, the only reason I don't support them in that way is that I'd rather wait and get the whole game and then smash through it while I still recall all the little things and whatnot.
Also, saw the advert on American TV for the new Assassin's Creed game. I must say, advert got me very interested although I would not have guessed it would be an AC game if you took the title out of the advert.
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 10:42 am
mac_d wrote:
https://www.xboxachievements.com/news/news-30998-Telltale-Games-Hit-By-Huge-Layoffs--Studio-Closing-Soon-[Update-2--The-Walking-Dead-May-Go-Unfinished].html
Sounds like Walking Dead could be getting finished off. I'm most gutted about The Wolf Among Us 2 as I think that's probably the only Telltale game I was interested in getting but looks like that's not going to happen.
Thanks for that, I'm not on Twitter or that kind of thing so don't get as many updates.
Glad they are finishing their game. I doubt the developers will really see anything but at least it's good for fans. Perhaps the quality and/or quantity will drop but it's something at least.
Well it's only rumoured at the moment, Teltalle said they'd make an announcement about their games in the next few days.
So, the voice actress for Clementine put out a social media post of some kind.
https://www.xboxachievements.com/news/n ... ation.html
Hutchison stated that "to [her] knowledge" Telltale is planning to release The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode Two, "and then that will be it."
"It hurts me that you, the fans, will not get to see Clem's journey through to the end,"
Obviously this isn't the official line of the company and so could be incorrect due to information she doesn't have. However, I'm guessing that she has enough inside information that it's probably accurate. I wonder even if it'll be hastily tacked together to form an ending or if the story will just end part way through. From the wording, I'm inclined to guess this will just be the second episode as planned. Not having a go, definitely trying circumstances for Telltale for their people and financially.
It's funny, in a maudlin sort of way, that I really felt like I didn't want Clementine's story to end as it was supposed to in S4. I guess now it won't. Be careful what you wish for, I guess.
Bren playing through loads of old games recently and whilst digging out all my old gamecube games, I found Eternal Darkness which I had completely forgotten existed!
Don't know if anyone else here had ever played it, but it was such a good game. Kind of halfway between a survival horror and a horror adventure game. I've never seen any game lime it since. The game play is fairly Simple and it is very linear, but the reason this game is good is the story you play through and the atmosphere the game creates. There's so many good things in this game like the way magic works in learning and casting spells, revisiting locations in different time periods and something I do really like is how they show the characters that don't speak English being dubbed i to English the same way you see in news reports etc. Possibly the best part of this game is the insanity meter (that again I haven't seen anything similar in another game since) where the lower the meter gets, the more insane the character gets which in turn changes the visuals and audio whilst playing. Things like Dutch camera angles, bleeding walls, corridors getting bigger or smaller, doors banging etc and my all time favourite - the game taking to a blue screen with various error codes before putting you back in game again a few seconds later. I loved how it tries to not only confuse the character in game but the player as well!
If you haven't played it, I'd highly recommend giving it a go. It's got a good dark story and lore behind it, is very atmospheric, and although there are lots of survival horror games, this one has always stood out for me as being different to the rest (when I remember it exists). To the best of my knowledge, it's only available on gamecube which would make it a bit awkward for lots of people to play it and also could be why it wasn't overly well known when it came out in 2002, but definitely worth trying if you haven't before.
Eternal Darkness was the first videogame I ever bought with money I earned myself (paper round). I love that game. I can still remember the names of the Old Ones, of most of the characters.
Sanity effects - There was a great one maybe half way through the game where it fades to credits and tells you the game will continue in another game, complete with logo. There one one where Alex finds her own corpse after she's slit her wrists in the bath - excellent jump scare, I just about filled my pants the first time. Max Roivas gets one where you walk into a corridor and it turns into the insane asylum cell when the camera changes. The blue screen one mentioned above was great. I think there was also one that made it seem like your save was deleted when you go into the menu to save. As minchy said, this is really part of the beauty. You expect the game to mess with you but not so much in the menus. Genius.
It's also a great game without them and is one of the few games to do the re-using of old levels multiple times thing to good effect (Halo:CE also springs to mind, though it was less reliant). Great fun plot, some cool hiddens.
I still have my copy of ED in my parents attic somewhere but I played it a couple of years ago on emulator. If I had to list my top 10 Gamecube games, Eternal Darkness absolutely makes the list. Probably top 5. Maybe top 3. Would really depend on Resi 4 and Twilight Princess as the GC versions were good but the Wii versions were more fun but I guess they would merit a mention on both imaginary lists.
For those of you that don't follow videogame lawsuits, the devs of this game also made Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes (also excellent) for GC and then Too Human for the 360. They had legal action against Epic Games who make the Unreal engine and the end result was the Epic won it... a lot. Damage payments and legal costs but also Silicon Knights had to delete their next two games due to it using the copyrighted code and had to recall and destroy all unsold copies of Too Human. Kinda sad overall.
Anywhoozle - I really expected someone would have mentioned the new AC game as it seemed like there were a fair few of us AC fans (obligatory mention of Ezio being the best). I've seen a few bits and bobs and it looks pretty damned badass. Most excited I've been for an AC game since 2/Brotherhood. Anyone got it and got an opinion?
I used to love the AC series, but got bored of the games after Black Flag. Mainly due to the changes they made in game play like combat and movement, but also (and I'm probably in the minority here) in the real world aspect of the game. I miss desmond!!!!!
I may eventually play Odyssey, but I still haven't played through Unity or Syndicate fully and not even looked ones at Origins. I guess time will tell. Like I said in my last post, I've been playing loads of old games, mainly cause I'm bored of modern games! So maybe I'll play through all the old AC games I've not finished yet and get onto Odyssey.
Not massively interested in AC this year, played origins and it's ok but IMO it's so far removed from what AC was that I have to judge it for what it essentially is, an ancient Greece RPG, and I'm not overly bothered about playing it tbh. I may pick it up one day on the cheap.
Rainbow Six Siege is my game of choice at the moment, looking forward to Red Dead, Fallout 76 and Battlefield V.
COD actually interested me for the first time in a while because of the blackout mode. I have no interest in the regular multiplayer though so I certainly won't pay full price for it. I'd probably pay £20-£25 for a blackout standalone so if it comes down to that price I may get it.
According to the Wiki I've missed a fair few AC games actually. Unity and BF were the only two I played outwith the Desmond games. I liked Desmond as a narrative "splitter" in AC/AC2/Brotherhood and if he was in Rev then that too. I didn't like the missions for him in AC3. Have they done away with that entirely? I'm just realising Unity didn't have it that whereas BF had your dude hacking PCs.
Can't beat nostalgia of old games. I play my N64 emulator often (N64 was my first love in gaming), the Gamecube one a little less often. Rarely touch the others. On my PC I play Warhammer 40k Dawn of War: Dark Crusade and Red Alert 2 mostly and I've had them for 10+ and 15+ years respectively. Mario 64 and Super Mario World both still absolutely stand up. And I cannot let a Christmas go past without Banjo Kazooie and the best Christmas/Winter/Snow level of all time in Freezeazy Peak. Only modern game (360/PS3 era onwards) I have that same feeling for is Mass Effect/2/3. Of course, I'm basing old off you mentioning Eternal Darkness previously. I guess old for some would be 360 and for others it'd be Pong and Asteroids.
Different strokes I guess, an ancient Greece action RPG is a significant plus point in my book. Make it a turn based RPG and I'd have bought it already. I will say, when I saw the advert I did not expect the AC name at the end. It didn't look very AC-ish to me.
Re: CoD I was shocked they released it without a single player campaign mode type thing. I know the explosion in CoD popularity around CoD4 and (based off anecdotal evidence, culminating in MW2) was largely driven by multiplayer, but I thought those 2 games told a fantastic and fun story. Then by MW3, we'd seen all their tricks. I suck too much at online shooters to play them these days.
I saw some Rainbow Six Siege and it does look kinda cool. I really dug Vegas and Vegas 2 even though I was awful at them.
Fallout 76 is intriguing but the MMO bit turns me off. Elderscrolls Online never tickled my fancy either. I dunno, I guess I play games so I don't have to interact with scary people so MMO isn't my jam.
Red Dead is a weird one for me. I cannot launch a criticism on it but I cannot stand it. I can fully see why it's popular and I actually want to like it but I can't. I lent my buddy RDR recently and I enjoyed watching him play it but I couldn't play it myself. But I also adore GTA3 but can't stand Vice City or GTA 4.
You can probably tell I'm in Friday afternoon waiting out the clock mode just now so excuse the long post.
f1madman
I can't believe they've canned mass effect macd. Kinda enjoyed andromeda, yeah it wasn't as great but still a solid game.
f1madman wrote:
I was probably overly harsh on the game in my vitriolic posts when it came out. Also, a lot of the little annoyances and issues I had with it were patched out.
I still have issue with it seemingly like you made a couple of big choices (like make your first settlement a scientific or military base) than had no implications later on. While perhaps this is true in ME and ME2, this game was always going to be a standalone and plenty of big decisions did have immediate payoffs.
I don't like them making the movement have the jumping/vertical aspect. It did speed the game up and probably makes it more fun for people who don't play on Insanity like a sadist.
I didn't like the multiplayer characters as much. Perhaps because the characters I played as in ME3 were probably rathe runbalanced making them too good (Geth Trooper especially was silly-good and my main)
The decision to exclude a whole race for making some DLC so we never get them. Annoying, but I ME2 basically had it's true ending to explain the start of ME3 as a DLC which is far worse. I think it hampers the whole thing to just have the deaths of many thousands of souls be a thing your character does off-screen.
I don't think they should have allowed access to all powers for the main character. I liked the 6 classes [+1 bonus skill on a 2nd run] system, even though I mostly just stuck to Soldier class. It's the kind of thing I feel like I'd have thought as a cool idea but it took something away imo.
Personal relationships with teammates - Missed by a long way. Vetra was supercool and the big krogan guy was interesting but the rest I didn't care about so much. ME/2/3 all had at least 1 human character I absolutely did not care about too, so perhaps I'm harsh. And, of course, I believe that there's no Shepard without Vakarian, and loved Garrus voice acting and writing and had a trilogy with that character.
Romances - I feel like several of them went waaaaaay too fast. The male-male romance has you go on about one date then adopt a baby together. Sure, they need people but that stuck out to me.
Open World or Missions or pacing (I forget)- Now, ME had an open world aspect that was closer to this than the on-foot hubs of ME2/3. ME also had a lot of set-piece missions. Many short ones, but also had quite a few longer ones. I felt ME:A lacked having as many of these. Or, it may have been the case that I ended up with a load of these missions right at the end. The thing is, by making so many of the missions and things to do just open world events rather than missions, it means if you are the kind of person who plays for 100%, which is me, you end up just not having proper missions to do for huge chunks of time with only small "proper" missions to break it up. From what I recall, the actual set piece missions were pretty cool. And, in fairness to them, Dragon Age: Inquisition was rather similar in it's layout and I very much enjoyed that game for it.
Wow, I haven't bitched about Mass Effect in a while. It will come back though, I think EA basically said that once the heat had died down. It's not Grand Theft Auto or Uncharted or Halo level of a franchise but it's still a moderately big name. I'm still somewhat surprised we haven't heard of a remastered trilogy being released for PS4 and Xbox One. I'd probably be dumb enough to buy it even though I can play all 3 on my Xbox anyway. But man, if they remade ME (and to a lesser level of need, ME2) with all the features and improvements they put in to ME2/3, they could get another wad of cash from me.
Rather looking forward to the Christmas holidays as I'm thinking I'm gonna do a either a trilogy run, or just ME3 using a save. Been too long since I checked in to that game. I was hoping to pickup Walking Dead S4 to do but, although it seems it will be finished and the Telltale staff should get a gig finishing it, I doubt it will be ready given the commotion. Life is Strange 2 doesn't seem like it will be done, and I'm not sure I'll like the lead characters as much as I loved Chloe and Max and their plot. And it wouldn't be Christmas without playing my favourite ever Christmas/Winter themed level of all time - Freezeazy Peak from Banjo Kazooie. But it's only October...
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 10:42 pm
Jeez I don't even think I can contemplate doing a trilogy run. But good luck man.
I've been busy with pokemon go lately....
I don't know if I will. My heart ran away with the last post a little. I would like to replay it all as it has been a while but it's probably 100+ hours to do what I want to do and that is a long time.
Went round to see my buddy on Friday night, happened to mention that I'd been talking about Eternal Darkness with someone and ended up playing it on Friday night. Gonna be our game for our next few hangouts.
Has anyone played the latest spiderman?
It's a good game but it's getting kinda repetitive. Story is all over the shop and they keep introducing new characters and villains like every 30 minutes.... Probably great for hard core spiderman comic fans.
Played a few mins of it at EGX, reminded me a lot of the Arkham games, City in particular. It was fun to play but can't say it grabbed me enough to go out and pay full whack for it.
Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 3:31 am
Just a quickie for any pc gamers on here who are interested - the full release of Destiny 2 (base game only, not DLC) is currently free of charge to download through battle.net until the 18th.
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Tag: College Football All-Star Games
What NFL Draft Grades are made up of per NFL Scouts
Film (80%) – Your level of competition and how you played against the best level of competition you faced that year. Each NFL team will view around 3 full games of your current season normally against who is the best competition. This also includes if a prospect plays in any of the college football all-star games. Scouts are not watching highlight clips to grade they are watching full game and grading every play. They are looking to see if a player plays hard and hustles on every play they are in.
Athletic Numbers (10%) – Height, Weight, Speed. Teams are looking at the film first and then see if the prospect checks off the box in the athletic numbers per the position. But still the film comes first. True teams have a range of where they athletic numbers need to be, but if you can’t play that goes out the window.
Injury History/Off Field/Football IQ (10%) – Any major injuries, anything major off the field, love of the game, film study. Scouts are check social media, talking to high school coaches, strength coaches, academic advisors, current coaches as they try to find out as much information on the prospect on and off the field. Teams will reject players fully for injury and off the field issues no matter how good a player is on the field.
Author Justin VanFulpenPosted on June 10, 2019 June 10, 2019 Categories NFL DraftTags Business, College Football, College Football All-Star Games, Film, Football IQ, Injuries, Justin VanFulpen, NFL, NFL Combine, NFL Draft, NFL scouts, scouts, Social Media, SportsLeave a comment on What NFL Draft Grades are made up of per NFL Scouts
What College Football All-Star Game Directors look for when inviting NFL Draft prospects to All-Star Games
Justin VanFulpen at the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star game in Allen, Texas
First and for most College Football All-Star games are a business, they need sponsors to help take care of the expenses to bring in the NFL Draft prospects. These sponsors want their brands to be associated with the NFL without having to pay the top dollars to be an official sponsor of the NFL or a competitor of their already has that category locked up with the NFL. So to get true NFL prospects is a must to be able to help keep sponsors coming back year after year. That is a major selling point to sponsors is how many draft pick you had or how many players you have in the NFL that played in your game.
When the spring grades come out from BLETSO and National not only are the agents and financial advisors try to get their hands on them but so are the people that run the all-star games. All-star game directors of player personal want to see if the players NFL spring grade matches up to what they think of the NFL prospect.
When I was in that position in charge of personal we built our boards like we were an NFL team. We wanted to make sure we could get the best prospect in our game as possible. Any game not named the Senior Bowl knows it has to more work on elevation because since the Senior Bowl is far and away the number one College Football All-Star game. If a player is going to play in an all-star game and get an invite from the Senior Bowl he is accepting that invite.
Here are things that Player Personal Directors look for when inviting prospect to College Football All-Star Games:
1. Is he a true NFL prospect: Does he have the ability to play on Sundays and is not just a good college football player? What are scouts saying about him, will they want to see more of him in a college football all-star game setting? What grade do you have on the prospect ? As a director can you defend the selection to NFL scouts if they ask.
2. Does he have NFL measurables: If there is a tie between two or more prospect for a game roster spot, directors will go for the bigger, longer player.
3. Where the player from: Since the game is a business it doesn’t hurt to have a few local or regional prospects to help with media coverage and ticket sales.
4. What agents are recruiting the prospect: What kind of relationship does the agent have with the games personal director? Is the agent truly trying to help the prospect or just help him if he signing the prospect? Is the agent using one all-star game invite to help the prospect get a “better” invite?
5. Is the college coach calling for the prospect: Will his college head coach or position coach pick up the phone or send you an email recommending him to the game? We would always have his happen and it did factor into our decision making process.
At the end of the day the College Football All-Star game process is a big part in which a prospect can raise his draft stock so as a director of player personal you want to make sure you get the best possible prospects into your game.
Author Justin VanFulpenPosted on March 13, 2017 March 13, 2017 Categories NFL DraftTags agents, BLETSO, Coaches, College Football, College Football All-Star Games, East West Shrine, football, Justin VanFulpen, National Scouting, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Network, Player Personal, scouts, Senior Bowl, Texas vs the NationLeave a comment on What College Football All-Star Game Directors look for when inviting NFL Draft prospects to All-Star Games
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Browsing Category Uncategorized
What’s it Like Being Bisexual?
in Uncategorized on March 5, 2019 22:48 March 5, 2019 22:48 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ Email
What’s it like being bisexual? Thoughts from some of the oft forgotten minority group. Man, it really sucks for bisexuals. Always being accused of being halfway towards either straight or gay but rarely being accepted…
God is deaf, blind, dispassionate and cold-hearted. In fact, I’m going to declare that he has no heart. He or she sits there, on those fluffy clouds watching angels throw broken harp strings at each…
in Uncategorized on February 24, 2019 14:50 February 24, 2019 14:51 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ Email
God’s waiting room doesn’t just have accessible – but private beaches with turquoise coloured water where you might see the occasional walker, smiling – content within the moment. It also has a nightlife for those…
A Song for Adele
in Uncategorized on July 21, 2018 09:57 August 7, 2018 13:13 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ Email
A Song for Adele Ever wake up in the middle of the night and have a full song ready to write down even though you’ve never written a song before, have no idea how they’re…
Is the Glass Half Full?
in Uncategorized on June 9, 2018 11:04 June 9, 2018 11:04 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ Email
Is the Glass Half Full? Is the glass half full? Who cares, this post has nothing to do with glasses being full or otherwise. It’s about the global conspiracy that is your health. Think Big…
Who is Madonna
in Blogs Funny Sexual Topics Uncategorized on May 29, 2016 20:04 May 29, 2016 20:24 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ Email
Who is Madonna And why should you care? Being able to continually create a persona and encourage others to believe in that persona, that’s a marketing genius. Creating ballads, riffs, lyrics that all work together…
Are Bisexual Thoughts Normal or are you Gay?
in Blogs Sexual Topics Uncategorized on April 4, 2016 20:47 May 7, 2016 10:22 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ Email
Are Bisexual Thoughts Normal or are you Gay? Are bisexual thoughts normal? Let’s ask Toby, the central character in my new book, due out in June. Toby has an ongoing relationship with Jakob, a handsome…
Why I Fucking Hate Facebook
in Authors Blogs Uncategorized on February 28, 2016 00:24 March 7, 2016 21:48 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ Email
Why I Fucking Hate Facebook Those dipshits at Facebook annoy the crap out of me. In fact, if I didn’t absolutely have to have a Facebook account, I wouldn’t. Can you tell I’m not a…
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Thursday 6/27/2019 Line $ Line OU Line Score
OAKLAND ( ANDERSON )
LA ANGELS ( CANNING )
9.5ov
OAKLAND (43 - 38) at LA ANGELS (41 - 40)
Thursday, 6/27/2019 10:07 PM
TANNER ANDERSON (R) vs. GRIFFIN CANNING (R)
965 OAKLAND +140 Ov 9.5,-115 +150 Ov 9.5,-115
966 LA ANGELS -150 Un 9.5,-105 -160 Un 9.5,-105
OAKLAND - Current Season Performance
Road Games 19-21 -2.2 21-16 5.5 0.253 0.316 0.450 0.766 4.9 0.248 0.315 0.425 0.741
vs Right-handed Starters 29-31 -5.3 28-30 4.8 0.244 0.307 0.438 0.745 4.5 0.242 0.310 0.394 0.704
Division 17-20 -7 20-17 4.9 0.251 0.313 0.444 0.757 5.1 0.250 0.323 0.424 0.748
OAKLAND - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
All Games 5.0 0.247 0.312 81 2799 691 147 8 126 0.440 380 263 628 27 537 72 43 50 56
Road Games 5.5 0.253 0.316 40 1441 365 77 3 67 0.450 213 131 346 12 272 29 21 16 25
Righty Starters 4.8 0.244 0.307 60 2086 508 115 7 92 0.438 273 192 472 21 403 53 33 38 32
OAKLAND - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
All Games 4.19 1.318 302.7 149 141 277 33 122 302 12-15 18 15 54.5%
LA ANGELS - Current Season Performance
All Games 41-40 -0.2 36-38 5.1 0.260 0.332 0.440 0.772 4.9 0.246 0.316 0.449 0.765
vs Right-handed Starters 30-22 +9.1 25-22 5.4 0.266 0.339 0.442 0.781 4.9 0.251 0.320 0.444 0.764
Grass Games 36-37 -2.9 31-36 5.0 0.259 0.332 0.432 0.764 4.9 0.246 0.316 0.448 0.764
Division 14-21 -10.1 17-16 5.0 0.259 0.333 0.442 0.776 5.5 0.253 0.326 0.487 0.813
LA ANGELS - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
LA ANGELS - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
All Games 4.53 1.382 363.3 190 183 346 61 156 389 24-14 20 7 74.1%
Home Games 4.30 1.389 180 90 86 169 32 81 203 15-7 12 5 70.6%
OAKLAND - Schedule
6/14/2019 BASSITT(R) SEATTLE GONZALES(L) 2-9 L -180 9.5 un O 7 9 1 10 8 1
6/15/2019 MONTAS(R) SEATTLE BAUTISTA(R) 11-2 W -205 9 ov O 13 7 0 6 6 4
6/16/2019 ANDERSON(R) SEATTLE LEAKE(R) 3-6 L -155 9.5 ov U 8 6 2 8 5 2
6/17/2019 FIERS(R) BALTIMORE CASHNER(R) 3-2 W -220 8.5 ov U 5 6 1 3 3 1
6/18/2019 ANDERSON(L) BALTIMORE YNOA(R) 16-2 W -210 9 un O 15 4 1 4 3 1
6/19/2019 BASSITT(R) BALTIMORE YACABONIS(R) 8-3 W -275 9.5 ov O 11 7 0 6 8 1
6/20/2019 MONTAS(R) TAMPA BAY MORTON(R) 5-4 W -115 7.5 ev O 7 7 0 6 5 1
6/21/2019 ANDERSON(R) TAMPA BAY KITTREDGE(R) 3-5 L +100 9 un U 10 7 1 10 6 2
6/22/2019 FIERS(R) TAMPA BAY CHIRINOS(R) 4-2 W -105 9 ov U 8 8 1 6 9 0
6/23/2019 ANDERSON(L) TAMPA BAY STANEK(R) 2-8 L -125 9 ov O 6 6 0 15 8 1
6/25/2019 BASSITT(R) @ ST LOUIS FLAHERTY(R) 7-3 W 135 9 un O 10 4 0 10 12 0
6/26/2019 MENGDEN(R) @ ST LOUIS WAINWRIGHT(R) 2-0 W 130 9.5 un U 8 8 0 5 6 0
6/27/2019 ANDERSON(R) @ LA ANGELS CANNING(R)
6/28/2019 ANDERSON(L) @ LA ANGELS PENA(R)
6/29/2019 @ LA ANGELS SKAGGS(L)
6/30/2019 BASSITT(R) @ LA ANGELS HEANEY(L)
7/2/2019 MINNESOTA ODORIZZI(R)
7/3/2019 MINNESOTA
LA ANGELS - Schedule
6/13/2019 SKAGGS(L) @ TAMPA BAY YARBROUGH(L) 5-3 W 135 9 un U 6 5 0 10 8 1
6/14/2019 HEANEY(L) @ TAMPA BAY SNELL(L) 4-9 L 160 7 ov O 8 10 1 13 10 1
6/15/2019 SUAREZ(L) @ TAMPA BAY MORTON(R) 5-3 W 182 8 ev P 7 5 0 6 4 1
6/16/2019 CANNING(R) @ TAMPA BAY STANEK(R) 5-6 L 125 8.5 un O 11 9 0 9 4 1
6/17/2019 GARCIA(R) @ TORONTO LAW(R) 10-5 W -155 11 un O 13 8 1 8 5 0
6/18/2019 SKAGGS(L) @ TORONTO STROMAN(R) 3-1 W -130 9.5 ov U 6 4 1 3 1 0
6/19/2019 HEANEY(L) @ TORONTO SANCHEZ(R) 11-6 W -170 9.5 ov O 16 10 0 6 7 3
6/20/2019 SUAREZ(L) @ TORONTO RICHARD(L) 5-7 L -145 10.5 ev O 12 9 0 12 9 1
6/21/2019 CANNING(R) @ ST LOUIS WACHA(R) 1-5 L -115 9.5 un U 8 6 0 8 9 0
6/22/2019 RAMIREZ(R) @ ST LOUIS HUDSON(R) 2-4 L 120 9.5 ev U 6 6 2 5 4 0
6/23/2019 SKAGGS(L) @ ST LOUIS MIKOLAS(R) 6-4 W 120 9 un O 15 14 0 10 7 0
6/25/2019 HEANEY(L) CINCINNATI MAHLE(R) 5-1 W -140 9 un U 8 6 0 7 6 0
6/26/2019 BARRIA(R) CINCINNATI ROARK(R) 5-1 W -115 9.5 un U 7 6 2 5 6 2
6/27/2019 CANNING(R) OAKLAND ANDERSON(R)
6/28/2019 PENA(R) OAKLAND ANDERSON(L)
6/29/2019 SKAGGS(L) OAKLAND
6/30/2019 HEANEY(L) OAKLAND BASSITT(R)
7/1/2019 @ TEXAS MINOR(L)
7/2/2019 CANNING(R) @ TEXAS JURADO(R)
7/3/2019 @ TEXAS
A's, Angels on rise ahead of series clash
The Oakland A's have reached uncharted waters this season. The Los Angeles Angels aren't far behind.
The A's are five games over .500 for the first time in 2019, and the Angels can climb to a season-best two games clear of the break-even mark with a win against Oakland in the opener of the teams' four-game series on Thursday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Both teams are coming off two-game sweeps against National League Central opponents.
The A's took two against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Tuesday and Wednesday while the Angels won both meetings against the visiting Cincinnati Reds, giving them three wins in a row overall.
The Angels hosted the A's in a three-game series earlier this month, and Oakland won two of three.
Oakland will be missing some key arms from that series, however.
The winning pitcher in the series opener on June 4 was right-hander Frankie Montas, who allowed two runs and four hits in a 4-2 win. He was suspended 80 games on Friday for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug that's banned under baseball's drug policy.
Oakland closer Blake Treinen, who saved the win for Montas, is on the 10-day injured list because of a right shoulder strain.
Before those losses, the A's had reached into their farm system to recall second-year right-hander Tanner Anderson on June 10, and the 26-year-old right-hander is scheduled to make the fourth start since his promotion on Thursday night.
Anderson (0-2, 4.20 ERA) pitched well in his season debut in his home area of Tampa Bay on June 10, but the A's lost 6-2. He ran into the Rays again Friday in Oakland and allowed three runs and seven hits in four innings of a 5-3 loss.
In between, he has a no-decision against the Seattle Mariners. He has yet to oppose the Angels in his career.
The Angels are expected to send rookie right-hander Griffin Canning to the mound in his bid to shake a personal three-game losing streak that began when he matched up against Montas on June 4.
Canning (2-4, 3.88 ERA) will be making his third start against Oakland in less than a month. He hasn't faced any other team more than once.
Canning went six innings in both outings against the A's, giving up one run and three hits in a no-decision on May 29 in Oakland, and four runs and seven hits in the loss in Anaheim earlier this month.
A's center fielder Ramon Laureano is 3-for-4 off Canning with a home run this season.
Justin Bour hit two home runs for the Angels on Wednesday in their 5-1 win against the Reds, giving him four homers in five starts since he was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on June 11.
Bour was batting .163 with four home runs when he was sent down on May 15, but he has since rediscovered his powerful swing.
"I think it's more just that comfort level in the box," Bour told reporters after the game Wednesday. "Home runs are great, but I just feel like myself and comfortable in the box, and I think that's a lot more of an indicator than the home runs, but the home runs are good."
Bour's play could create a logjam at first base and designated hitter, as those spots have been anchored this season by Shohei Ohtani and Albert Pujols. Ohtani had three hits in the Wednesday win.
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❶She became their mentor and advisor. These activities included marches, demonstrations, and boycotts.
Jim Crow Violence
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Do you offer refunds? These Northern black communities, and the politicians that they elected, helped Southern blacks struggling against segregation by using political influence and money. The Great Depression of the s increased black protests against discrimination, especially in Northern cities. Blacks protested the refusal of white-owned businesses in all-black neighborhoods to hire black salespersons.
During the same years, blacks organized school boycotts in Northern cities to protest discriminatory treatment of black children. The black protest activities of the s were encouraged by the expanding role of government in the economy and society. During the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt the federal government created federal programs, such as Social Security, to assure the welfare of individual citizens. Roosevelt himself was not an outspoken supporter of black rights, but his wife Eleanor became an open advocate for fairness to blacks, as did other leaders in the administration.
The Roosevelt Administration opened federal jobs to blacks and turned the federal judiciary away from its preoccupation with protecting the freedom of business corporations and toward the protection of individual rights, especially those of the poor and minority groups. Beginning with his appointment of Hugo Black to the U. Supreme Court in , Roosevelt chose judges who favored black rights. As early as , the courts displayed a new attitude toward black rights; that year the Supreme Court ruled that the state of Missouri was obligated to provide access to a public law school for blacks just as it provided for whites-a new emphasis on the equal part of the Plessy doctrine.
Blacks sensed that the national government might again be their ally, as it had been during the Civil War. Black newspaper editors insisted during and that black support for this war effort would depend on fair treatment. They demanded that black soldiers be trained in all military roles and that black civilians have equal opportunities to work in war industries at home. Philip Randolph, head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, a union whose members were mainly black railroad workers, planned a March on Washington to demand that the federal government require defense contractors to hire blacks on an equal basis with whites.
The FEPC did not prevent discrimination in war industries, but it did provide a lesson to blacks about how the threat of protest could result in new federal commitments to civil rights. Although a disproportionately high number of blacks were put in noncombat, support positions in the military, many did fight. The Army Air Corps trained blacks as pilots in a controversial segregated arrangement in Tuskegee, Alabama.
During the war, all the armed services moved toward equal treatment of blacks, though none flatly rejected segregation. In the early war years, hundreds of thousands of blacks left Southern farms for war jobs in Northern and Western cities. Although there was racial tension and conflict in their new homes, blacks were free of the worst racial oppression, and they enjoyed much larger incomes. After the war blacks in the North and West used their economic and political influence to support civil rights for Southern blacks.
Blacks continued to work against discrimination during the war, challenging voting registrars in Southern courthouses and suing school boards for equal educational provisions. Allwright, which outlawed the white primary. During the war, black newspapers campaigned for a Double V, victories over both fascism in Europe and racism at home. The war experience gave about one million blacks the opportunity to fight racism in Europe and Asia, a fact that black veterans would remember during the struggle against racism at home after the war.
Perhaps just as important, almost ten times that many white Americans witnessed the patriotic service of black Americans. Many of them would object to the continued denial of civil rights to the men and women beside whom they had fought. After World War II the momentum for racial change continued. Black soldiers returned home with determination to have full civil rights.
President Harry Truman ordered the final desegregation of the armed forces in He also committed to a domestic civil rights policy favoring voting rights and equal employment, but the U. Congress rejected his proposals. For example, in Sweat v. Painter , the Supreme Court decided that the University of Texas had to integrate its law school.
Marshall and the Defense Fund worked with Southern plaintiffs to challenge the Plessy doctrine directly, arguing in effect that separate was inherently unequal. Supreme Court heard arguments on five cases that challenged elementary- and secondary-school segregation, and in May issued its landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that stated that racially segregated education was unconstitutional.
White Southerners received the Brown decision first with shock and, in some instances, with expressions of goodwill. By , however, white opposition in the South had grown into massive resistance, a strategy to persuade all whites to resist compliance with the desegregation orders.
It was believed that if enough people refused to cooperate with the federal court order, it could not be enforced. Tactics included firing school employees who showed willingness to seek integration, closing public schools rather than desegregating, and boycotting all public education that was integrated.
The White Citizens Council was formed and led opposition to school desegregation all over the South. The Citizens Council called for economic coercion of blacks who favored integrated schools, such as firing them from jobs, and the creation of private, all-white schools. Virtually no schools in the South were desegregated in the first years after the Brown decision.
In Virginia one county did indeed close its public schools. The event was covered by the national media, and the fate of the Little Rock Nine, the students attempting to integrate the school, dramatized the seriousness of the school desegregation issue to many Americans. Although not all school desegregation was as dramatic as in Little Rock, the desegregation process did proceed-gradually. Frequently schools were desegregated only in theory, because racially segregated neighborhoods led to segregated schools.
To overcome this problem, some school districts in the s tried busing students to schools outside of their neighborhoods. The KKK used violence or threats against anyone who was suspected of favoring desegregation or black civil rights. Klan terror, including intimidation and murder, was widespread in the South in the s and s, though Klan activities were not always reported in the media. One terrorist act that did receive national attention was the murder of Emmett Till, a year-old black boy slain in Mississippi by whites who believed he had flirted with a white woman.
Despite the threats and violence, the struggle quickly moved beyond school desegregation to challenge segregation in other areas. When Parks refused to move, she was arrested. Nixon, recognized that the arrest of Parks might rally local blacks to protest segregated buses. Race and the Image of American Democracy , Barbara Sargent married to the pastor of the American Church in Paris describes a civil rights meeting that took place in a Paris night club called the Living Room with about people attending:.
The pianist…Art Simmons spoke movingly of being forced every night to explain to foreigners something about America which he could not really explain to himself. Americans abroad, as well as foreigners, could see the problems rife within America, thus even jazz musicians began working on plans in an attempt to stop the insistence that people of color were second-class citizens devoid of rights. However, this further complicated and divided things in America. It was also a real danger to speak of any causes that seemed too left, for fear of being harangued and locked away by the McCarthy era goon squad.
The Civil Rights Movement was swallowed up in all the hubbub. Even before this, the inequalities in the U. President Truman often said civil rights were needed to keep smooth relations with foreign nations.
Even Secretary of State, Dean Acheson, remarked:. This is notable because Acheson was not an outspoken advocate for racial equality. A famous example of this is when the Ambassador to Chad was refused service in Maryland on his way to meet President Kennedy because, according to the waitress:.
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The Civil Rights Movement - The civil right movement refers to the reform movement in the United States beginning in the to led primarily by Blacks for outlawing racial discrimination against African-Americans to prove the civil rights .
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The ultimate goal of the civil rights movement was to end racial segregation and discrimination against blacks in the United States. What made this movement so successful were the organization and the participation that it . Free essay on Civil Rights Movement available totally free at freebtcoincoin.tk, the largest free essay community.
Civil Rights Movement in the United States, political, legal, and social struggle by black Americans to gain full citizenship rights and to achieve racial equality. The civil rights movement was first and foremost a challenge to segregation, the system of laws and customs separating blacks and. Civil Rights Movement. Custom Civil Rights Movement Essay Writing Service || Civil Rights Movement Essay samples, help. The civil rights movement was a movement in the United States in the s to the s and mainly led by Blacks in an effort to establish gender and racial equality for all the African Americans.
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Search in The Trinity Continuum only Advanced Search
Our Worlds
The Trinity Continuum
Aliens in the Trinity Continuum
Leliel
Anyway, I'm a newb to Trinity, and I hear that aliens get involved sometime around Trinity, and that psions are intentionally sabotaged by a species to keep them from overwhelming said race in the future.
I know absolutely nothing about any alien race, so do you mind giving me a rundown?
From the wiki (note: discusses what was true in 1st ed. Some things may have changed in 2nd. )
http://whitewolf.wikia.com/wiki/Doyen
Writer. Developer. World of Darkness | Chronicles of Darkness | The Trinity Continuum
Tarion
Okay, there's a few biggies. This is all obviously 1st ed, and a lot of it is fairly late in the line. Far enough in, canon gets fuzzy as there's at least one book that got an ebook only release, and lots of stuff revealed in the Storyteller's Guide, which was never published (But reflects the intentions of the at least some of the writers, IIRC). I'll try to stick to canon, but it's been a while.
Firstly, we've got the Doyen. They're the behind the scenes shady folk. They're basically allergic to Quantum, so they set up the Proxies and gave them the Prometheus Tanks so that they could found the Psi Orders. Each Psion has the potential to be either Aberrant or Psiad and by triggering them with Prometheus Chambers you can prevent them from turning into Aberrants (At the cost of limiting their potential as Psiads, but providing a shortcut to power). They possessed the Chitra Bhanu Proxy, and when the Quantakinetics discovered how to fix Taint, killed them off to prevent humanity from reconciling with the Aberrants.
A faction of them is also behind the Chromatics, IIRC, who I'll get to later.
There's the Qin, who are humanity's allies (Ish?). Honestly, I'm not that familiar with them. Super advanced biotech, some psionics. Largely enigmatic. Wear humanoid shells to endear humanity to them.
The Chromatics are hostile to humanity (Doyen influence?) and have attacked human colonies. They're lizard-like creatures who can manipulate light to do things like cloak themselves, or shoot lasers.
The Coalition are pretty messed up. They appear to be a broad collection of alien races, but they're actually all offshoots from a single race. They incorporate elements of species they encounter to breed hyperspecialised subspecies (Workers, diplomats, etc.). Their encounters with humans are pretty vile, as they abduct them for "breeding material". It's fairly clear from the fiction that this is being done at the... personal level, rather than at a genetic level.
Seeing as how they look like metre-long slugs in their native form, this is entirely understandable.
The Qin are very private, and prefer to divulge as little about themselves as possible, so to humans they come off as enigmatic.
Their society is divided into groups that are part-caste (each group has a function, and you can't really leave the group you're born into) and part political entity.
In fact, their primary method of communication is via the manipulation of light, with sound a distant second.
Basically, the Chromatics are an aboriginal species who were granted spaceflight and biotech by the Doyen faction, and manipulated by them into attacking humanity,
The rape part of the Coalition is fortunately being dropped for TC: Aeon.
Scion 2E: What We Know - A wiki compiling info on second edition Scion.
Originally posted by marin View Post
Thanks for the clarifications. I had a feeling the Qin were slugs, but I couldn't remember if that was actually true or just speculation.
And good riddance to that bit of the Coalition. Have them stealing genetic information and incorporating them into their people and it's still damned disturbing (Albeit very 40k Tyranids)
Originally posted by Tarion View Post
It's canon; it at least comes up in the Alien Races Field Report, and maybe elsewhere.
Comes up in the Alien Encounter: Deception book too if memory serves.
I'd always thought the Coalition as first presented, whilst what they did/do is as written, it was presented as a "This species on greeting others mate, it's their version of a handshake ..." which made it all the more horrific rather than just having them as rapists 40k Genestealers. I always wanted more about them ... but with things changed quite a bit. IIRC weren't the first crew to come across them ultimately killed in the greeting? Some of the Coalition are physically very imposing etc?
Been a while since I've read any Trinity stuff but back in the day I was the Trinity GM for our group before we settled on Fading Suns for our Sci-fi fix.
TheWanderingJewels
Well it was the 90's when everything was Grimdark & Edgy when AEON was written. polishing out a bit of that is probably for the better
Originally posted by TheWanderingJewels View Post
Aeon never struck me as grimdark & edgy (and the 90s certainly wasn't all about that either). At some level antagonists and back story characters had nuanced motivations and failings (Zweidler, Cassel), so you had broadly "good people" doing "bad things" (and vice versa). But grimdark and edgy? Hardly. It wasn't superheroes for sure, and it had some darker components but i found it more plausible as a result.
While true, The Coalition's deep dark secrets were a lot more uncomfortable that most people were/are ready to deal with
I think the original points I was shooting for that a bit of dark here and there did not affect my view of the entire Aeon line.
johntfs
The Chromatics were responsible for one of my favorite moments as a player in an RPG. It was during Ascent Into Light with the big UN hearing on the Huang-Marr conspiracy. Our group had been teleported into the midst of it. Our "spokesperson" was an Orgatek executive who started doing the politeness spiel, dancing up to the point. My character was an ex-Blue Circle Australian car thief who had erupted as a low-Taint Aberrant and got pulled into the adventure. After the Orgo started Heming and Hawing, Kevin finally just shouted. "Invisible alien frog-people are comin' to kill us all!"
Also, some evidence of a species humans called Zepps was mentioned in Stellar Frontiers. We didn't know alot about them - but it felt like species and our first contact with them was going to be an ongoing theme of Aeon Trinity at the time.
Also; see avatar for Qin as interpreted by a long time fan of the setting.
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Large and Strong Typhoon No.26 Approaching Kanto a...
(OT) Saturday's Food Stamp System Outage May Have ...
Nuclear Disaster Drill in Nagaoka City, Niigata Ma...
(UPDATED) #Fukushima I NPP Accident WAS a Nuclear ...
Mainichi: "40% of Japan nuclear tech exported over...
(OT) South African Nuclear Physicist Declares "The...
Large and Strong Typhoon No.26 Approaching Kanto and Tohoku, #Fukushima I NPP Prepares by Releasing Low Contamination Water to Make Room in Tanks
(UPDATE) The amount of water released from the notch tanks (2) is 40 tonnes so far, according to Jiji. Cesium-137 in the water was 21Bq/L, within the provisional standard at Fukushima I NPP of 25Bq/L.
From Japan Meteorological Agency's English Site:
It looks like Fukushima will be in the north-west quadrant of the area with 50 knots or more wind.
As for TEPCO's preparation, the company finally has a standard (after more than two and a half years) for the release of rainwater inside the dam (or low barrier) that surrounds the water storage tanks (both contaminated and treated). The standard has been approved by Nuclear Regulation Authority. According to Jiji Tsushin (10/16/2013):
セシウム１３７の濃度が１リットル当たり２５ベクレル未満なら排水
If the density of cesium-137 is less than 25Bq/L, [the rainwater inside the dam] will be released.
TEPCO Nuclear has just tweeted:
お知らせ■台風接近に伴う降雨の影響により、福島第一のCエリア(東・西)ノッチタンクの水が排出基準を満たしていることから、本日AM5:40に排出を開始しました。今後、タンク群の堰内の水を新たにノッチタンクにくみ上げる予定です。http://twme.jp/tenu/00IO
Due to rainfall as the typhoon approaches, as of 5:40AM this morning we started discharging the water from the notch tanks [short, square tanks] in the East-C and West-C areas, as the water meets the standard for discharge. We plan to pump water from the dams surrounding the tanks into this notch tanks. http://www.tepco.co.jp/cc/press/2013/1231442_5117.html
The link in TEPCO's tweet has more details of this standard:
Cesium-134: 15Bq/L
No additional gamma nuclides
Strontium-90: 10Bq/L
They are 1/3 to 1/4 of legal limits for the discharge from a functioning nuclear power plant.
Posted by arevamirpal::laprimavera at 3:58 PM 20 comments Links to this post
Labels: contaminated water problems, Fukushima, TEPCO, typhoon
(OT) Saturday's Food Stamp System Outage May Have Been a "Dry Run"?
I sensed something was afoot on Saturday when I read the food stamp system (formally "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) was down due to power outage in the backup system (backup system?? causing shutdown of the main system??) and that the system was being administered by, of all companies, an inept company like Xerox.
Well, how this for "conspiracy", that the federal government is notifying the States to shut down the food stamp system as of November 1st and stay shut for the month (or worse, until further notice)?
From Zero Hedge (10/15/2013; links, emphasis original):
Foodstamp Program Shutdown Imminent?
When over the weekend, a Xerox "glitch" shut down the EBT system, better known as foodstamps, for nearly the entire day across 17 states leaving millions without "funding" to pay for food leading to dramatic examples of the basest human behavior possible, some of the more conspiratorial elements saw this merely as a dress rehearsal for what may be coming in the immediate future. While there was no basis to believe that is the case, a USDA (the currently shuttered agency that administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) memo obtained by the Crossroads Urban Center in Utah carries in it a very disturbing warning for the 46+ million Americans currently on foodstamps.
To wit: "understanding the operational issues and constraints that States face, and in the interest of preserving maximum flexibility, we are directing States to hold their November issuance files and delay transmission to State electronic benefit transfer (EBT) vendors until further notice." In other words, as Fox13News summarizes, "States across the country are being told to stop the supplemental nutrition assistance program for the month of November, pending further notice."
(Full article at the link)
If true, the Obama administration seems to be looking for absolute chaos (like the ones that descended on Walmart stores in Louisiana on Saturday) so that President Obama can shove his "absolute surrender to his position on government shutdown and debt limit or else" up the Republicans' collective behinds.
If true, so much for the absolute myth that this president is for struggling working-class people in America, simply because of his skin color.
If true, this is evil itself.
Labels: Food Stamp, OT
Nuclear Disaster Drill in Nagaoka City, Niigata Made Residents Evacuate in the Direction of Wind
Relying on government officials in an emergency may be hazardous to your health and well-being.
Nagaoka City, where the drill was carried out, is located in Niigata Prefecture, close to Kashiwazaki-Kariwa NPP. Good luck residents, because the governor of Niigata has declared he won't allow venting in a severe nuclear accident, even if it's the filtered vent, unless the municipalities and supposedly he himself approve.
NHK World (10/13/2013; emphasis is mine):
Nuclear disaster drill uses wind direction data
The Japanese city of Nagaoka has held a rather unusual evacuation drill for a nuclear disaster. The participants used data on wind direction to avoid exposure to radiation.
About 6,400 residents living close to the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power plant in Nagaoka City took part in Sunday's drill.
Officials of the city's taskforce studied forecasts that said winds would blow to the southeast. They ordered the residents to escape to one of 3 evacuation centers not located on the downwind side.
But winds were observed blowing northward at an observation point in the middle of the city for about 30 minutes while the residents were on their way to the center in a bus.
This means the residents evacuated to a place relatively close to the direction in which radioactive materials were presumed to be spreading from the plant.
A city official in charge of nuclear safety, Yoichi Kojima, says he hopes to find ways to quickly determine escape routes while gauging the wind direction.
Tokyo Electric Power Company applied in September for safety screening of 2 of the idle reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant.
At present, all of Japan's 50 nuclear reactors have been taken offline, mostly for inspections.
(H/T Enformable)
Labels: Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, nuclear disaster drill
(UPDATED) #Fukushima I NPP Accident WAS a Nuclear Disaster Even If No One Died of Acute Radiation Sickness
(UPDATE 2) Further pondering on Dr. Allison's reply, I think Dr. Allison may be confusing the "science" with "natural phenomenon" such as radiation.
Science is a systematic organization of knowledge gained from hypothesizing, speculating, observing, testing. Science is not free of non-scientific intrusion or intervention, and is limited by available technologies to observe and test at any given time in history. The earth going around the sun was a natural phenomenon from the beginning of time, but it was not part of the accepted science, and the proponent was put under house arrest for the rest of his life. That the earth's crust is made up of plates is a fact, but it was not at all part of the accepted Earth science until mid 1960s.
(UPDATED with Dr. Allison's reply, at the bottom. 10/15/2013)
That's in my humble opinion, but yet another nuclear expert tells me I'm mistaken.
Probably after seeing the post about the South African nuclear physicist, Dr. Wade Allison, Emeritus Professor of Physics, University of Oxford, kindly sent me links to support their position, which I thought I might share with you readers:
...not even a significant casualty from radiation. This was expected as soon as figures for the scale of the radiation released became apparent, www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12860842 Much suffering and death would have been avoided if the evacuees had gone home within two weeks. http://www.radiationandreason.com/uploads//enc_RadiationScienceandSocietyOct2013.pdf
No surprise http://www.radiationandreason.com/uploads//enc_FukushimaGoianiaInternal.pdf
an international scientific view http://www.radiationandreason.com/uploads//enc_SPUR-1.pdf with unfiltered public comment overwhelmingly supportive http://www.radiationandreason.com/index.php?SPUR-RnR
See also other links at www.radiationandreason.com
Wade Allison
Wade Allison, MA DPhil
Emeritus Professor of Physics, University of Oxford, UK OX1 3PG
"Radiation and Reason" http://www.radiationandreason.com (Oct 09) ISBN 9780956275615
In Japanese http://goo.gl/9lL5u (July 2011) ISBN 978-4198632182
In Chinese http://www.cptw.com.tw/BookDetail.aspx?BOKNO=11252010
"Fundamental Physics for Probing and Imaging" http://www.oup.co.uk/isbn/0-19-920389-X (Oct 06)
Here's my quick email back to Dr. Allison, though it is highly likely we simply talk past each other:
Dr. Allison, I do not think nuclear technology exists in vacuum. In case of Japan, as in other countries, building nuclear power plants has been the national government's policy. It's been heavily subsidized by the government, with plant builders, operators, and municipalities showered with enormous amount of money and preferential treatment. Regulatory agencies collaborated and colluded with the plant operators to mask technical problems, for decades. Nuclear scientists have been enlisted to "educate" the populace how safe the nuclear power plants are. The populace have been encouraged to use more and more electricity even where cheaper alternatives exist, which in turn has justified more nuclear power plants. Particularly in Japan, nuclear power plants have been made possible only by cheap, subcontracted labor force who operates and maintains the plants, with hardly any medical supervision and with faked cumulative dose. Most people turned the blind eye to that fact, until this accident.
When the shit hit the fan in Fukushima, it was not just the matter of whether anyone died of acute radiation sickness that defined the accident as "nuclear". It was the failure of the national and local government on responding to a rapidly unfolding nuclear accident at Fukushima I NPP. It was the failure of the plant operator TEPCO who couldn't do what it took to contain the accident, as they were more concerned with pleasing the national government and the nuclear regulator. It was the failure of the nuclear regulatory and safety agencies (the latter staffed with nuclear scientists from top universities) to even adequately assess the progress of core melt and the release (intended and unintended) of radioactive materials from the plant that contaminated the wide areas in Tohoku and Kanto and inform the populace intelligently. It was the failure of academia who not only failed to give actionable information to the citizens but ended up exposing the citizens to totally unnecessary, avoidable radiation; Dr. Yamashita gathered Fukushima residents to tell them not to worry, while a fresh batch of dense radioactive plume was descending in Fukushima between March 20 and 23, 2011.
The jury is still out on the long-term effect of low-dose radiation exposure. The plant workers have been exposed to moderate to high dose of radiation over the past two and a half years, and you cannot compare this exposure to a targeted, medically supervised high-radiation treatment.
It was, and is a nuclear disaster politically, socially, academically, psychologically, and for many, personally. To claim Fukushima was not a nuclear disaster just because no one died of acute radiation exposure is nothing but sophistry.
10/15/2013 Dr. Wade Allison's reply, saying I have a nuclear fear from Cold War (I doubt it, but) and the science is impervious to any political, social, and other types of consideration. In other words, we do talk past each other:
As the story of King Canute demonstrated many years ago, the forces of science (physics/biology/medicine) are uninfluenced by man's intrigues which you describe. These are irrelevant when radiation meets living tissue -- about which almost all is now known. Radiation as a danger is irrelevant to the survival of man, but population, food, water, economic and political stability, and climate stability are not. Of course if nobody can trust anybody else, as you suggest, the population that the world can support would be tiny. That would be destructive for no reason and would result in widespread conflict.
You are still in the grip of the nuclear fear that was Cold War propaganda for which there is no scientific basis. I agree that you are not alone, but scientific reality is not settled by a vote. Science is impervious to questions of shit and fan.
Well Dr. Allison, the lesson, if any, from Fukushima nuclear accident is that "the forces of science (physics/biology/medicine)" were and are indeed influenced by man's intrigues. Declaring they are uninfluenced doesn't make it true. So many scientists in nuclear physics, engineering, biology, and medicine have rushed to speak words designed specifically to tell the populace that everything was OK, and their words had nothing to do with hard science. The government scientists conducted the medical survey of the residents in the affected areas in Fukushima, not because they wanted to collect scientific information but because they wanted to calm down the residents.
Instead of scientifically and rationally explain what's been going on, nuclear scientists and their followers on the side of Dr. Allison, label people, like me who raises questions on both sides, as being gripped with irrational nuclear fear. And of course those experts and their followers on the other side label people like me as "nuclear shill". Can't win either way.
Labels: radiation exposure, Wade Allison
Mainichi: "40% of Japan nuclear tech exported over past decade failed to go through safety check"
Well, not really. The manufacturers weren't required to go through safety checks because they didn't use government loans.
Besides, even though the Mainichi English's article below inadvertently (I hope) omits, safety checks for nuclear exports amount to quick checks of the paper documents.
As the Abe administration continues to make nuclear tech exports as the new national policy, all I can say is caveat emptor.
From Mainichi Shinbun English version (10/14/2013; emphasis is mine):
40% of Japan nuclear tech exported over past decade failed to go through safety check
About 40 percent of Japanese nuclear plant equipment exported over the past decade -- worth some 51.1 billion yen -- failed to go through national government safety inspections, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned.
The government conducts safety inspections on nuclear plant equipment that is to be exported only if manufacturers receive loans from the government-affiliated Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), or take out insurance policies from Nippon Export and Investment Insurance, an independent administrative agency. This is in sharp contrast to the requirement that all devices for domestic nuclear power stations be subject to strict government safety inspections.
An expert involved in the Japan Atomic Energy Commission's compilation of a new nuclear power policy outline said the finding highlights insufficiencies in the government's system to examine nuclear plant equipment for export.
"It came as a surprise to me that many exported nuclear plant-related devices failed to undergo safety inspections," said Keio University professor Masaru Kaneko. "Prime Minister Shinzo Abe claimed in a speech overseas that Japan can provide the world's safest atomic power technology, but how can Japan guarantee the safety of nuclear plant equipment Japanese firms export without a proper system to examine it?"
Japanese manufacturers exported some 124.8 billion yen worth of nuclear plant equipment to 23 countries and territories from 2003 to 2012, according to the Finance Ministry's trade statistics.
Of that, some 73.7 billion yen worth sold to five countries -- China, the United States, France, Belgium and Finland -- received prior government safety inspections, according to documents that the Mainichi has obtained from the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy under the freedom of information system. The remainder, worth approximately 51.1 billion yen, failed to go through such checks.
Devices exported without going through safety inspections include those for the installation at Taiwan's fourth atomic power station, and repair works in Sweden and Brazil, according to manufacturer officials and the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association's internal documents.
Three major manufacturers of nuclear plants -- Hitachi, Ltd., Toshiba Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. are among the manufacturers that exported relevant equipment without safety inspections. Among the items exported without inspection are key components such as nuclear reactor pressure vessels, their lids and control rod driving systems.
Since many sections of the documents released by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy had been redacted, it remains unclear whether all the 73.7 billion yen worth of devices underwent full government safety checks.
Japanese manufacturers must pay heavy compensation if nuclear plant devices they have exported fail.
And as often the case with Mainichi Shinbun, the English version omits one important piece of information: that the safety inspection by the Japanese government for the nuclear exports is nothing but on paper only.
From Mainichi Japanese:
書類上の簡単な審査で「元々不十分」
[Government safety inspection for nuclear exports] is only a quick inspection of documents, "insufficient to begin with"
Either the translator and the editor for Mainichi English didn't read the Japanese article carefully, or they decided to cover for the Japanese government when wrote: "it remains unclear whether all the 73.7 billion yen worth of devices underwent full government safety checks".
Well they didn't, as there is no "full" government safety checks for nuclear exports to begin with.
Labels: Mainichi Shinbun, nuclear exports, Shinzo Abe
(OT) South African Nuclear Physicist Declares "There Was No #Fukushima Nuclear Disaster" Because No One Died from Radiation
I remember seeing the similar declaration in the first year of the disaster (which is not a disaster at all according to this physicist), because there was no death from acute radiation sickness. The Guardian's George Monbiot, for example, declared right after the start of the Fukushima nuclear accident that he was now an avid supporter of nuclear energy precisely because of the accident, where "no one has yet received a lethal dose of radiation".
But to read, after more than two and a half years, the same, simplistic and narrowly defined, head-in-the-sand argument that there is no nuclear accident because no one died from radiation sickness is more than I can tolerate in my recovery. Please feel free to read and comment as you like.
The site that carries the article also has an article penned by a Greenpeace founder pushing for GMO rice.
From CFACT (10/12/2013; emphasis is mine):
Physicist: There was no Fukushima nuclear disaster
by Kelvin Kemm
....Let us now ponder the Fukushima nuclear incident which has been in the news again lately.
Firstly let us get something clear. There was no Fukushima nuclear disaster. Total number of people killed by nuclear radiation at Fukushima was zero. Total injured by radiation was zero. Total private property damaged by radiation….zero. There was no nuclear disaster. What there was, was a major media feeding frenzy fuelled by the rather remote possibility that there may have been a major radiation leak.
At the time, there was media frenzy that “reactors at Fukushima may suffer a core meltdown.” Dire warnings were issued. Well the reactors did suffer a core meltdown. What happened? Nothing.
Certainly from the ‘disaster’ perspective there was a financial disaster for the owners of the Fukushima planJapan Tsunami pushes carst. The plant overheated, suffered a core meltdown, and is now out of commission for ever. A financial disaster, but no nuclear disaster.
Amazingly the thousands of people killed by the tsunami in the neighbouring areas who were in shops, offices, schools, at the airport, in the harbour and elsewhere are essentially ignored while there is this strange continuing phobia about warning people of ‘the dangers of Fukushima.’ We need to ask the more general question: did anybody die because of Fukushima? Yes they did. Why? The Japanese governJapan tsunami boatment introduced a forced evacuation of thousands of people living up to a couple of dozen kilometres from the power station. The stress of moving to collection areas induced heart attacks and other medical problems in many people. So people died because of Fukushima hysteria not because of Fukushima radiation.
Fukushima plant workers would be glad to know that all they have been dealing with since the day one of the accident is nothing but nuclear hysteria.
It seems the so-called foreign "experts" featured in the net media fall into two types. One is like this South African nuclear physicist or George Monbiot, who says there was no Fukushima nuclear disaster because no one died of radiation sickness. The other type includes people who continue to assert, without offering any data or evidence, that Reactor 4 is "tilting like Tower of Pisa", or "leaking from the bottom", or "a million people will die from illnesses caused by radiation from Fukushima".
I don't think the truth lies in either of them, but these two extremes continue to get most coverage.
(H/T @Tommi_M_Elo for the article)
Labels: OT, radiation exposure
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Australian Videos CDs
A wonderful collection of CD's and DVD's about Australia and Australian culture. Some of the well known artists include Chris Adnam, David Hudson, Ash Dargan and the Snake Gully band, The type of music covers traditional aboriginal, Australian folk, sounds of the Australian bush and more.
[ Testimonials ]
Australian Songs & Music & Other CD's
Favourite Australian Songs Sung by Lazy Harry
Meet a True Blue Aussie who gave away teaching about Australia to sing about it and has never looked back. He is Beechworth's Lazy Harry (alias Mark Stephens) - a lover of singing Australian songs about this wide brown land. A born entertainer, his blend of music and typical Aussie humour with its attacks on pretension, is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars.
Favourite Australian Songs Sung by Various Australian Artists
A collection CD's by various artists including David Hudson, Chris Adnam, and Ash Dargan who demonstrate the their skill and versatility on the didgeridoo, the oldest wind instruments in the world. These CD's include traditional didgeridoo music and contemporary didgeridoo music accompanied by modern instruments.
Sounds From The Australian Bush
Experience the amazing bush sound as you are taken on a journey around Australia. From the desert to the rainforest, the mallee to the mangroves, the mountain to the sea these CD's capture the timeless ambience of Australia. Hear the wonderful songs of birds, listen to the choruses of frogs and marvel at the incredible call of possums, dingoes and goannas.
Video DVD's
Making & Playing the Didgeridoo by David Hudson (Video DVD)
In this video production, David Hudson takes us to the exotic Cape York in Australia's far north to show us how he selects a tree, strips and paints the didgeridoo. He then presents his virtuso method of playing the didgeridoo, the oldest wind instrument in the world.
These two DVD's by Lazy Harry describe an important part of Australian history and folklore using song and narration combined with a powerpoint slide presentation. The Eureka Stockade had a profound effect on Australian political history and the Ned Kelly gang has become a part of Australian Folklore.
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Berwickshire News Report
The black cloud of bereavment sits heavily on the little fishing village of Cove, just below Cockburnspath Railway Station. Little dreading the terrific storm which was brooding, two large fishing-boats, with six men each, and three small boats, containing each three men, left this place to follow their vocation on Friday morning, and out of the twenty one men only ten have come ashore alive.
The two large boats - the Freedom and the Snowdoune - went to work together, but when the gale came in they had to separate each to do the best they could for their safety. The Freedom, after much difficulty, ran into Skate Raw, and the crew were saved. While a considerable distance out at sea, the storm caught this boat and the crew at once thought of trying to run for Leith, an expedient which has more than once before been successfully resorted to. But sail after sail was torn to ribbons by the force of the gale, and only a small piece was left them. It was therefore hopeless to attempt to reach Leith, and to run for Dunbar was certain death. To utilise this small piece of sail they had left they tied the rope attached to it round a heavy stone, and by manipulating it carefully they were enabled to reach Skate Raw, as already stated.
Of the Snowdoune or her crew, however nothing has been heard, and it is all but certain that they are lost. Their names are David Fairbairn, skipper, who leaves a widow and four young children; Robert Grieve, unmarried; John Fairbairn, unmarried; and Thomas Fairbairn, unmarried, brothers; Thomas Grieve, unmarried, and David Fairbairn, a young lad whose father who was on board the Freedom.
Of the three small boats, one, the Renown, came ashore at Wick, near St. Abb's Head, her crew having been washed overboard. Their names are:- Richard Gordon, who leaves a widow and four young children; John Fairbairn, who also leaves a widow and four young children; and Thomas Fairbairn, unmarried, a brother of the last mentioned. The Peril was driven ashore to the east of the Red Rock, at Peas Sands. To brothers named Gray were rescued just in time, having hung on the side of the boat as it was being driven in. John Fairbairn, the third man, had been washed overboard some time before - the brothers Gray do not know exactly when; but his dead body was picked up on the sands just before the boat came ashore. HIs loss is mourned by a widow and five of a family. The Vollox was the third small boat. It came ashore on the north side of the Red Rock, at Peas Sands. Two of her crew were saved - Thomas Henderson and James Fairbairn - the last mentioned being a brother of the two Fairbairns who were lost on the Renown. Henderson's brother Andrew, who is unmarried, was, however, drowned, and the body has not been recovered.
The scene to be witnessed on Saturday at this village was one not readily to be forgotten, and may be more easily imagined than described. No wild paroxysms of grief were to be seen or heard, but bereaved wives and mothers, fathers and brothers, were filled with a sorrow in many cases too deep for tears; while in others, strong, stalward men, as well as the aged, were moved to tears and bowed with the grief, ready to tell their tale of sorrow to any whom they thought might exchange a word of sympathy.
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green tulondon
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Stay Grounded 13 Steps for a Just Transport System and for Rapidly Reducing Aviation
Stay Grounded
13 Steps for a Just Transport System and for Rapidly Reducing Aviation
Please discuss this position paper with your group or organisation, and sign in support, or also join our network and get involved.
Fill in this form
Déclaration en français | Positionspapier auf Deutsch | Declaración en español | Position paper in het Nederlands | Position paper in Russian | Position paper in Portuguese
Aviation is the most climate damaging form of transport [1] and one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions [2]. In the next two decades, the industry expects a doubling of air passengers [3]. A massive global wave of aviation expansion is underway, with about 1200 airport infrastructure projects planned [4]. Many airport projects are among the biggest, most expensive mega-projects, some being imposed by governments serving corporate interests.
The Dilemma:
While less than 10% of the world population have ever set foot on an aircraft [5], it is mostly non-flyers who bear the brunt of the climate crisis and the negative effects of airport expansion like land grabbing, noise and health issues. Communities in the Global South [6], which have barely contributed to the crisis, are affected most. The problem of aviation is part of a bigger story of injustice: It is contrary to the need to eliminate fossil fuel use; it is tied to the military-industrial complex; it also is connected with the undue influence of big business on public policy, including trade, economic development and climate. Aviation remains fossil fuel dependent, yet the industry promotes false solutions such as new aircraft technologies which do not yet exist. Also offsets (see below) and biofuels fail to reduce emissions whilst endangering food supplies, biodiversity and human rights.
We are people, communities and organisations from around the world, dealing with the multiple impacts of aviation: Some of us are directly affected by airport infrastructure and the negative health impacts of pollution and noise from aircraft. Some of us are climate justice activists and young people who want to live our lives on a healthy planet. Some of us live in communities defending our homes, farmland and ecosystems from land grabbing for new airports, airport expansion, biofuel production or projects for offsetting aviation emissions. Some of us are academics, trade unionists and workers in the transport sector, as well as environmental and transport organisations from around the world, and from initiatives fostering alternative modes of transport such as railways.
Business as usual is not an option. We therefore stand for the following 13 steps to transform transport, society and the economy to be just and environmentally sound.
What it takes:
1. A Just Transition
We must end over-reliance on the most polluting, climate-harming forms of transport driven by a globalised corporate economy. This requires negotiations and collaborative planning for a transition that will not be made at the expense of workers in the relevant sectors – although it does include changes in what we do and how we work. It needs replacement of failed privatisations with climate-friendly local initiatives, good working conditions, public ownership and democratic accountability. To achieve this in the face of a growth-oriented aviation industry also requires overcoming corporate power. We need a transport system that is democratically regulated and planned, promotes and supports the common good and that is integrated and ecological.
2. A shift to other modes of transport
We must shift from harmful modes of transport to more environmentally sound ones. Short-haul and some medium-distance flights can be shifted to trains in regions where relevant railway infrastructure exists, or otherwise onto buses/coaches. Trains don’t necessarily need to be high-speed but daytime and night services should be attractive, affordable and powered by renewable energy [7]. Also ships and ferries can be an alternative, if their energy source is “carbon free” (wind, battery-electric, hydrogen or ammonia).
3. An economy of short distances
Freight transport accounts for a significant share of carbon emissions. Instead of aiming to triple the volume of transport by 2050 [8], we need to reduce the demand for goods from far away and develop localised economies. The aim here is climate protection, not nationalist-style protectionism. This can and needs to happen alongside maintaining multi-cultural and open minded societies.
4. Enable changing habits and modes of living
We must challenge social and workplace norms that encourage excessive air travel. Leisure trips can generally be in-region or slow-travel. Online conferences can replace many working trips. We must question the growing habit of travelling to far-away regions, weekend trips by plane and mass tourism which harms local cultures and ecosystems.
5. Land rights and human rights
In order to stop the ongoing dispossession, pollution, destruction and ecocide caused by the aviation industry and connected activities, the rights of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, peasants [9] and women, regarding the governance and tenure of their lands and territories should be fully recognised and respected. This also helps ensure food sovereignty and to protect the livelihoods, work, culture and customs of peoples. Persistent, health-threatening noise from overflying near airports should be reduced.
6. Climate Justice
Achieving Climate Justice is more than a legal process. It requires societies to prioritise a “good life for all” [10] above profits for the few. This includes justice among all – now and for future generations. It also implies the struggle against all forms of discrimination based on gender, origin, race, class, religion, or sexual orientation [11]. It means that the Global North [12] and the global wealthy are responsible for a larger share of the effort to combat the climate crisis and to mitigate the consequences, including financial payments for liability and redress. Climate Justice also means that people from the Global South have a right to resist neo-colonial climate policies like offsetting emissions, geo-engineering and biofuels (see Steps 11, 12, 13).
7. Strong political commitments
To limit global warming to 1.5 ° C, and to leave fossil fuels in the ground, we cannot rely on voluntary promises. We need binding and enforceable rules as well as clearly defined limits for greenhouse gas emissions. It is necessary that international aviation emissions are part of national emission reduction efforts inside the UNFCCC [13] process and that ongoing corporate capture of public policies be ended. At all levels – locally, nationally, and regionally – we need binding targets, transparency and meaningful democratic participation. While global targets are important, stricter regional and local measures and regulations are also necessary, such as kerosene taxes, VAT [14], ticket taxes, frequent flyer levies, aircraft environmental standards, caps on the number of flights and moratoriums on airport infrastructure.
What must be avoided:
8. New airports and airport expansion
A moratorium on the construction and expansion of airports is necessary. This includes airport-centric commercial and industrial developments serving aviation growth, including aerotropolis [15] (airport cities) and Special Economic Zone projects. Communities that would be isolated without access to air travel must be considered and ecological ways of connecting them should be sought.
9. Privileges for the aviation industry
Aviation should no longer receive special advantage over other transport sectors. Airlines, airports, and aircraft manufacturers get huge subsidies and tax breaks – the main reason why many flights are so cheap. Few countries tax kerosene and there are rarely any VAT or passenger taxes. Some areas of concern include: airline bailouts; subsidies for flights; debt; aircraft manufacturing and purchase; export credits; and state aid on new airport infrastructure, amongst others [16].
10. Air travel industry marketing
Systemic incentives for air travel should end. These include flight-related ads or other marketing by the travel, airline and aircraft manufacturing industries. Frequent Flyer Programs (FFP) should end as they strongly reinforce flying as a status symbol. [17] These strong actions have precedent. Some nations banned cigarette ads decades ago, despite the ubiquity of smoking (and the ads) and the perceived rights of smokers. Some countries have already banned domestic FFP [18].
11. Offsetting
The current mitigation strategy of using offsets is a false solution being pushed by the aviation industry and its captured regulators [19]. Airlines and airports rely predominantly on the misleading premise that instead of reducing emissions, they can offset them by buying carbon credits from others – like reforestation projects or hydro-electric dams that are claimed to lead to emissions savings. Airports also often try to legitimise their destruction of ecosystems by offsetting the biodiversity loss. Carbon offsets do not deliver real emissions reductions [20], and biodiversity losses cannot in reality be compensated [21]. Offset projects often lead to local conflicts or land grabbing. This is especially the case with land- or forest-based projects like REDD+. [22] Offsetting is unjust and distracts from the urgent need to reduce, not shift, destruction.
12. Biofuels
Substituting fossil kerosene with biofuels is a false and highly destructive prospect. Biofuels cannot be supplied at the large scale the industry would require [23]. Substantial use of biofuels in aircraft would (both directly and indirectly) drive a massive increase in deforestation and peat drainage and thereby cause vast carbon emissions. It would also lead to land grabbing and human rights violations, including forced eviction and loss of food sovereignty. [24]
13. The illusion of technological fixes
We must avoid the lure of the aviation industry’s greenwashing. Future technical improvements for aircraft and operations have been identified and should continue to be researched but we must recognise that these are and will be insufficient to overcome aviation’s emissions problems. The forecasted efficiency gains in fuel use are exceeded by historic, current and planned growth rates of air travel and air freight (a phenomenon known as the ‘rebound effect’). Step-changes in aviation technology are uncertain and will not come into effect until decades from now. Given the urgency of emissions reductions, relying on questionable scenarios like a sector-wide introduction of electric planes is too risky and diverts focus away from the immediate emission cuts needed [25]. Even future electrofuel propelled aircraft would be harmful without strong sustainability criteria and a reduction in aviation. [26] For the decades to come, decarbonised air traffic or “carbon neutral growth” will therefore remain an illusion.
Let’s get active
STAY GROUNDED is a growing global network of initiatives, organisations and activists working together worldwide to bring forward a just, environmentally sound transport system and to rapidly reduce air travel. Activities include: supporting affected communities; campaigning; research; policy and industry analysis; demonstrations and direct action. We call for solidarity with people already affected by climate change, with those who struggle against airport projects, with those protecting forests and indigenous peoples’ rights, with those promoting alternatives to aircraft and with those who work for a just transition.
The climate crisis is not simply an environmental issue. It is our societal responsibility and needs to be addressed by joining forces. We invite all stakeholders to join us and commit to the implementation of these 13 necessary steps.
1 Cohen et al. (2016): Finding Effective Pathways to Sustainable Mobility. Bridging the Science-Policy Gap. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09669582.2015.1136637?needAccess=true.
Hall et al. (2013): The Primacy of Climate Change for Sustainable International Tourism. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniel_Scott9/publication/264488262_The_Primacy_of_Climate_Change_for_Sustainable_International_Tourism/
2 Aviation grew over 7% and air freight over 9% in 2017 (doubling rates in 10 and 7 years respectively). See: http://atwonline.com/manufacturers/boeing-projects-another-record-year-aircraft-deliveries-2018
3 http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2016-10-18-02.aspx
4 423 new airports, 121 runways, 205 runway extensions, 262 new terminals and 175 terminal extensions. CAPA – Centre for Aviation (2017): Airport Construction Database
5 Scott et al. (2012): Tourism and Climate Change: Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (p.109), citing Worldwatch Inst. (2008): Vital Signs 2006-2007 (http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4346). “Yet only 5 percent of the world’s population has ever flown.” (p. 68) This estimate is old, but most recent, so we use a conservative “10%”.
6 We use “Global South” for those regions that are often called “developing countries”, which suggests that there was still the need for industrial development and modernisation. The terms Global South and Global North refer to the geopolitical (not necessarily geographical) situation in an unequal world system.
7 Night trains are in particular useful when the day journey time would be more than four hours. They must offer a choice of comfort levels, with fares that are attractive but not too complex and tickets that are easy to book and that are compatible with day trains.
8 International Transport Forum (2017): ITF Transport Outlook 2017 – Summary. https://bit.ly/2JknZWu
9 https://viacampesina.org/en/new-step-forward-process-un-declaration-rights-peasants/
10 This concept stems from the “Buen vivir” in Andean societies of Latin America and is understood as an alternative to the capitalist understandings of development as growth.
11 See: https://350.org/gender-justice-is-climate-justice/
12 See footnote 6
13 UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
14 Value Added Tax
15 Global Anti-Aerotropolis Movement (2015): What is an Aerotropolis, and Why Must These Developments Be Stopped? https://antiaero.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/gaam-whats-an-aerotropolis2.pdf
16 More on different privileges see: Todts, William (2018): Ending Aviation’s Tax Holiday. https://www.transportenvironment.org/newsroom/blog/ending-aviation%E2%80%99s-tax-holiday
17 Gossling & Nilsson (2010). Frequent flyer programmes and the reproduction of aeromobility. https://www.academia.edu/attachments/7559357/download_file?s=work_strip
18 OECD (2014): Airline Competition – Note by Norway. http://www.konkurransetilsynet.no/globalassets/filer/publikasjoner/oecd-bidrag/2014/bidrag-fra-norge–competition-issues-in-airline-services.pdf
For DK: Storm (1999) “”Air Transport Policies and Frequent Flyer Programmes in the European Community – a Scandinavian Perspective”, page 86. http://www.konkurransetilsynet.no/globalassets/filer/publikasjoner/oecd-bidrag/2014/bidrag-fra-norge–competition-issues-in-airline-services.pdf
19 The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is the specialised UN agency that regulates international air transport and that is working closely with the aviation industry. Its climate strategy called CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) relies almost entirely on offsetting emissions. (https://www.icao.int).
20 The Öko-Institut (2016) investigated the effectiveness of existing offsetting projects for the European Commission and concluded that most likely only 2% of United Nations offset projects resulted in an actual additional emissions reduction. See: https://tinyurl.com/ybk7xybl
21 Spash (2015): Bulldozing Biodiversity. The Economics of Offsets and Trading-in Nature. In: Biological Conservation 192, S. 541⁻551;
Counter Balance/ Re:Common (2017): Biodiversity Offsetting. A Threat for Life. http://tinyurl.com/yc2uacen
22 REDD+: Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation. See more on REDD and offsetting in the study “The Illusion of green flying”: http://www.ftwatch.at/flying_green/ ;
Further Information on Offsetting: Film “Carbon Rush”;
Spash (2010): The Brave New World of Carbon Trading. In: New Political Economy, 15/2: 160-195
23 The only proven aviation biofuel technology relies on vegetable oils and the only feedstock that would be economically feasible on a large scale is palm oil, which is one of the main drivers of deforestation worldwide. See: Ernsting, Almuth (2017): Aviation Biofuels: How ICAO and Industry Plans for ‘Sustainable Alternative Aviation Fuels’ Could Lead to Planes Flying on Palm Oil. https://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Aviation-biofuels-report.pdf
24 For a recent (2014) study on the detrimental impact of biofuel consumption in the European Union, see: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/Final%20Report_GLOBIOM_publication.pdf;
See open letter to ICAO signed by 96 civil society organizations: http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/2017/aviation-biofuels-open-letter/
25 Peeters (2017): Tourism’s Impact on Climate Change and its Mitigation Challenges – How Can Tourism Become ‘Climatically Sustainable’. https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:615ac06e-d389-4c6c-810e-7a4ab5818e8d/datastream/OBJ/download
Peeters et al. (2016): Are Technology Myths Stalling Aviation Climate Policy. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Scott_Cohen10/publication/296632724_Are_technology_myths_stalling_aviation_climate_policy
26 Malins (2017): What Role for Electrofuel Technologies in European Transport’s Low Carbon Future: https://www.transportenvironment.org/sites/te/files/publications/2017_11_Cerulogy_study_What_role_electrofuels_final_0.pdf
Posted by DON'T dis US at 11:00 No comments:
Art for All: British Socially Committed Art from the 1930s to the Cold War
GREEN SENIORS · Post Art for All: British Socially Committed Art from the 1930s to the Cold War Posting as DON'T dis US
Socialist History Society
Art for All reveals a forgotten or marginalised area of 20th century British art. Christine Lindey delves into the fascinating treasure trove of British socially committed art from the 1930s through to the Cold War.
With over 100 illustrations, she demonstrates why the artists deserve to beArt for All press release rediscovered. This extensively researched book provides a vivid understanding of the political and aesthetic contexts that turned a wide variety of individuals into socially committed artists.
Book launch at 4pm, Saturday 29th September, at Marx Memorial Library, 37a Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R ODU.
Post settings Labels Published on 23/09/2018 02:42 Pacific Daylight Time Permalink Location Options
Motion to amend London Federation of Green Parties' constitution
Motion to amend London Federation of Green Parties' constitution for London fed for AGM 20/10/ 2018 @ Conway Hall, (25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL).
MOTION:
“Para 5c Delete existing and insert
“At General Meetings voting on a particular decision may be limited to elected representatives, one from each Local Party and Committee Officers parties may appoint substitutes if necessary, substitutes may vote.
Para 6 Delete existing and insert
. OFFICERS, COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS
a. The Officers comprise:
· the Co-ordinator;
· 2 Co-Secretaries;
· Treasurer;
· TU Liaison Officer,
· BME officer,
· LGBTIQ officer
· Disabled Peoples’ Officer,
· Seniors’ Officer
· Young Greens Officers
the GPRC Representatives and
· the Federation’s representative on the GPEW disciplinary committee; - so long as the Federation is entitled to representation thereon, the Federation's Representative on the Green MEP Advisory Body (GMAB).
· Committee may co-opt volunteers for other roles, with or without voting rights in committee decisions as the committee recommends.. Co-options shall be made with the agreement of a general meeting,
f. Any Officer may be removed by a two-thirds majority vote at a General Meeting, provided that notice of the proposal has been given at the preceding General Meeting, on the circulated agenda and to the Officer concerned. If the occupant/s of any of the above roles is absent or does not communicate with the committee for two consecutive months, without reasonable explanation, then a substitute may be co-opted from a general meeting subject to approval by a vote at that meeting. In cases of unavoidable notified absence for two consecutive months or more, a temporary substitute will be co-opted as detailed above.”
Proposed by Pete Murry Brent Green Party
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Why its “utterly irresponsible” not to vote against #cuts to #Bristol’s #budget
Stay Grounded 13 Steps for a Just Transport Syste...
Art for All: British Socially Committed Art from t...
Motion to amend London Federation of Green Parties...
Why aren’t we talking/worrying/ panicking more abo...
TUC Congress 2018 Greener Jobs Alliance Briefing:
TUC: LESE update 7/9/2018
pressure on trade unionists to adopt the IHRA defi...
Peter Progressives from across the continent are c...
German anti-fascists are asking for support and in...
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IndieBio SF Reveals Its Fourth Class of Start-Ups
Enzimas, Uncategorized
On February 9th, IndieBio will be presenting their newest class in a Demo Day at Herbst Theater in San Francisco. Here’s a sneak peek of what the Class of 2016-2017 of the world’s leading accelerator in synthetic biology and biotechnology has in store:
A2A Pharmaceuticals
A2A focuses on novel drugs for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, cancer and tuberculosis. The key? Computationally pre-optimized small molecule therapeutics. “A2A Pharmaceuticals was conceived to dramatically speed up and lower the cost of new drug development for cancer and drug resistant bacterial infections” says CEO Edward Painter. “Our success will pave the way to introduction of safer and more effective treatments for the patients who need them.”
A2A’s computational design platform, SCULPT™ (an acronym for Systematic Combinatorial Unification of fragments into Libraries against a Pharmacological Target) integrates experimentally determined target characteristics into the construction of candidates. For oncology, the platform enables the design of ligands for protein-protein interaction inhibitors, key for a wide range of cancer types. For antibiotics, the platform was modified in order to yield candidates with “antibiotic-like” properties, which were selected based on their broad spectrum applicability to gram-negative bacteria. And the company is already thinking further, even working on an undisclosed Leukemia target. Painter is set on driving pharma forward from all sides: “Application of our proprietary fragment-based computational process to other therapeutic areas like rare diseases could have a very important effect on new drug development across the pharmaceutical industry.”
Catalog Technologies
Biological-based information storage. That is Catalog Technologies’ impressive promise: the company aims to encode full data centers into the palm of your hand, moving from digitized to “biologicalized” information.
The jump from transistor to nucleic acid not only makes information storage smaller, but also longer lasting and even greener. Hyunjun Park, Catalog’s CEO, says this next step of data evolution might just be what saves us from the impending datapocalypse: “DNA is extremely long-lasting. This means that once we encode information into DNA for archival purposes, we do not have to worry about copying it over to fresh hard drives or magnetic tapes every so often to make sure the data is retained. Also, it is incredibly information-dense meaning we won’t need to build huge power-hungry facilities to store immense amounts of data. This translates to a much smaller environmental footprint than conventional methods.”
The bio-punk future this technology envisions has not been the easiest story to tell. Says Park: “When we tell people that we store digital information in DNA molecules, we often get an uneasy, “Whose DNA are you using?” back. I think this illustrates a need for greater public outreach surrounding biotechnology in general, as well as one for efforts to address the underlying fear associated with synthetic biology. For the record, we use synthetic DNA molecules, that are not from any living organism.”
GEA Enzymes
It’s always great to see a fellow countryman flying the Chilean flag in Silicon Valley. Leonardo Álvarez, Gea Enzyme’s CEO, says taking part of IndieBio’s program has been key to accelerating GEA’s development: designer proteins created through the identification and manipulation of specific enzyme activity. “San Francisco is the best place to scale an early stage biotech company because it has a sophisticated ecosystem that allows CEOs to interact with big players in the industry” says Álvarez. “Just in four months our company has been able to place deals with multinational companies in the food and Pharma industry, all this would be impossible without the IndieBio support.”
GEA is currently focused on making enzymes for the food industry that reduce saturated fat levels while maintaining aroma, taste and feel. Their main technology is a proprietary bioinformatics platform that allows the team to design proteins and enzymes. Álvarez points out that the team has “successfully designed a set of enzymes that allow us to turn saturated fats into unsaturated fats, this has a huge potential in the food industry.” The company’s “designer proteins” could also be created to bind with high affinity and specificity to any desired target, from small organic molecules to big protein complexes, broadening the scope of GEA’s technology from food to pharma.
NeuroQore
Over 16 million patients are diagnosed with major depressive disorders every year in the US. More than 4 million remain drug-resistant, that is, they do not get satisfactory results from drugs in the first line of therapy. This is the bleary diagnosis that made Mehran Talebinejad found NeuroQore. Fascinated by brain machine interfaces since he was a teenager, Talebinejad realized the complexity of the brain’s machinery after his first brain surgery. “I also realized non-invasive brain tools and neuromodulation is super important while we don’t have easy access to the brain and skull is blocking us!” The gold standard for drug-resistant depression treatment is Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or electroshock therapy, which requires hospitalization, anesthesia, has severe cognitive effects and a risk of death. No wonder less than 1% of patients are even willing to endure it.
NeuroQuore aims to bring another option to the table. The company is commercializing a new repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) therapy system for treatment of depression and a range of other psychiatric and neurological disorders. This therapy does not require anesthesia or has known cognitive side effects. The company will set up four centers in the US this year and has already forged partnerships to set up hundreds of offices across the US and worldwide in the next few years, aiming to provide treatment for depression to everyone. Says Talebinejad, “Effective treatment for depression helps get more patients into remission faster and improves quality of lives (both for patients and their loved ones) while removing depression stigma. This will ultimately, bring back lost productivity and loss revenue.”
Ravata Solutions
In a society that still gets queasy over transgenics, Ravata’s bold statement stands up on its own: Transforming hundreds of embryos at the push of a button. The company seeks to scale transgenics by improving and automating embryo transformation. Their device, with demos scheduled for mid-year, promises up to 1,000 embryo transformations per hour, over 80% viability and over 80% efficiency. Ravata is currently focused on genetically altering animal embryos for medical research, but founder Arshia Firouzi is already thinking bigger. “Our technology can be used on any cell,” says Firouzi “we are excited to reach our vision of fighting genetic disease by transforming human cells.”
The development behind the dream is moving fast and steady. The company incorporated in late 2016 and entered IndieBio almost right away. Says Firouzi: “The network, encouragement, and community of IndieBio has enabled us to go from an idea on paper to a functioning minimum-viable-product in just 4 months.” With the speed Ravata is moving forward, they might even reach their impressively ambitious goal: Putting their device in the market by late 2017.
Scaled Biolabs
How much time have you spent inside a cell culture hood in your laboratory, in total? Founder Drew Titmarsh says he’s spent probably a full year of his working life (out of 10) inside of it. “This is not where our best trained scientists are meant to be.” Says Titmarsh. “So, we decided to condense thousands of lab experiments onto a credit-card sized system, freeing scientists from the bench and giving them much higher payoff for their experimental efforts, both in terms of amount and quality of data.
Under this premise, Scaled Biolabs was born. The company promises higher throughput, increased efficiency and lower costs. Their system is miniaturized using microfluidics, lowering material requirements to barely 1/10th and optimizing current bottlenecks for cellular and biologics productions from months to hours. This translates into cheaper and faster discoveries.
The technology has already been proven in human tissue for regenerative medicine. “Our academic collaborators used our technology to help discover how to grow human kidney tissue in a dish. Moving forward in 2017, we’re helping customers grow other tissue types for curing serious diseases”.
Remember to check out IndieBio’s Demo Day on Feb 9th to check the incubator’s latest generation.
March 6, 2017 /by gean
http://geaenzymes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Scaled-Biolabs-1.jpg 436 736 gean http://geaenzymes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/gea_enzymes.png gean2017-03-06 20:21:232017-03-28 21:25:46IndieBio SF Reveals Its Fourth Class of Start-Ups
GEA Enzymes is a San Francisco-based biotechnology company focused on improving people’s lives by designing new proteins and enzymes for industrial applications.
440 N Wolfe Rd
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Evolved Materials: biology is changing the way we eat, drink, breathe, &... INNOVATIVE NEW BIOTECHNOLOGIES SHOWCASED. INDIEBIO DEMO DAY REVIEWED
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>> Breadcrumb :Home/Recommended/DAR/ATC announces CD2 CD player, SIA2-100 integrated
ATC announces CD2 CD player, SIA2-100 integrated
New from British ‘loudspeaker’ manufacturer ATC: the CD2 CD player and SIA2-100 integrated amplifier (with DAC).
Inside the CD2, a TEAC 5020A-AT transport mechanism sends digital audio read from a CD’s surface 1) out to an external DAC via its rear-facing coaxial and TOSLINK outputs or 2) to the CD2’s internal AKM DAC that in turn dispatches its analogue output via rear panel single-ended or balanced socketry.
From ATC’s press release: “The DAC is from AKM operating in conjunction with an output filter stage comprising a digital filter and ATC’s own low-noise multiple feedback analogue filter. The CD2’s four gain stages, each comprising 11 discrete components, provide a “true” differential output for the left and right channels. The output stages are configured as unity gain complementary compound (Sziklai) pairs, biased in class A.”
“Enormous care has been invested in reducing distortion and noise throughout. ATC’s preference for distributed ‘local’ power regulation and decoupling means that no fewer than 9 individually calibrated power regulators are deployed in the circuit design. The digital coax output uses a high-performance isolation transformer to prevent possible hum loops if both audio and digital signals are connected to the same equipment.”
The SIA2-100 integrated amplifier is a 100wpc Class A/B (MOSFET) design that, like the CD2, houses an internal AKM DAC but, unlike the CD2, offers hi-res audio support (PCM up to 32bit/384kHz, DSD128) via its USB input. The integrated plays catch on incoming analogue signals via two sets of RCA sockets on the back panel and a high-sensitivity 3.5mm socket on the front for portable players. A 6.4mm socket fronting a Class A-biased all discrete headphone circuit rounds out the feature set.
More from the press release: “Similarly rigorous measures are taken to reduce noise and distortion in the SIA2-100 integrated amplifier/DAC. Its power amplifiers use the circuit topology which has been revised and refined over the past 30 years for all ATC power amplifiers. Lateral Mosfets are deployed in a common source configuration to provide very low distortion together with a wide frequency response. A peak limiter is included to protect the loudspeaker drivers in the event of an overdrive. To reduce intermodulation and cross-talk aberrations there are separate power supplies for the pre-amplifier and power amplifier sections.”
Both units are 2/3 width (hello Kallax-Fi) and are reportedly built with a certain tank-like quality – heavy, rigid and well-damped (against microphonics) – with the front panels 12mm machined aluminium, finished in brushed and anodised ‘titanium’ silver.
The CD2 will sell for £1500 and the SIA2-100 for £2500 when both models begin shipping on 1st April 2019.
Further information: ATC Loudspeakers
By John H. Darko| 2019-02-13T09:03:45+00:00 February 13th, 2019|Categories: DAR|Tags: Amplifiers, atc, CD2, DACs, News, SIA2-100|Comments Off on ATC announces CD2 CD player, SIA2-100 integrated
Hifime’s €80 S2 DAC is for smartphones, PCs, Chromecast Audio
Getting high on dynamic range with Jerry Harrison
Letters to the editor: The KIA, Nova Fidelity, Denon
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George T. Schmidt
BoG (2016-2018); VP Technical Operations (2018-2019); AESS Distinguished Lecturer (2017-2019); IEEE Fellow
MIT Instrumentation Laboratory /Draper Laboratory (Retired)
George T. Schmidt is a consultant in avionics, guidance, navigation, and control systems. He has previously served on the AESS Board of Governors as VP Member Services and is now VP Technical Operations. As an AESS Distinguished Lecture, he has lectured and visited chapters around the globe. He is the founding AESS representative to the annual Saint Petersburg Russia International Conference on Integrated Navigation Systems, now in its 26th year.
He is a Life Fellow of the IEEE and an AIAA Fellow.
In 2007, he retired after 46 years at the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory and the Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, Massachusetts. His final position was as the Draper Director of Education. Prior to that position he was the Leader of the Guidance and Navigation Division and Director of the Draper Guidance Technology Center. He made an original contribution in the first application of Kalman filtering to the prelaunch alignment/calibration of the Apollo GN&C System which was used throughout the program. Now the technique is used in virtually all inertial systems prior to their mission. Later he developed the original motion compensation requirements for the first electronically agile radar operating in a SAR mode on a maneuvering aircraft. He worked on modifying an existing USAF inertial system to integrate with an EAR during successful B-52 flight tests. Virtually all high-resolution radars now have a motion compensated SAR mode for mapping and/or weapon delivery. Then he led a USAF study that defined the cruise missile carrier navigation system requirements for future strategic aircraft. Many of the recommendations were later implemented in the B-2 aircraft and in the stealthy Advanced Cruise Missile of which over 400 were built. He then developed highly successful relative targeting techniques for GPS/INS that were adopted by the military. All these contributions are documented in seminal papers and reports.
He was a member of several important US government study teams, including the influential Defense Science Board Task Force on GPS that helped define GPSIII.
Since 1968, he has participated in the panels of the NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO), formerly AGARD. This included several recent Lecture Series dealing with inertial, GPS, and integrated navigation systems in denied and degraded environments. In 2005 he received the STO’s highest technical award, the von Kármán Medal.
In 2013, he retired after 17 years as Editor-in-Chief of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics. He managed the peer review of more than 6500 papers in a period of unprecedented growth for the journal and its consistent ranking as the number one journal in its specialty area. In 2001, he received the AIAA International Cooperation Award.
For many years he was a Lecturer in Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT teaching estimation, control, navigation and advising thesis students, retiring in 2010.
He is an author or contributing author of more than 100 technical papers, reports, encyclopedia articles, and books. He has been the Program Chair, Technical Chair, Track Chair, and Organizer of numerous IEEE, NATO, AIAA, and ION conferences and NATO Lecture Series. He has been the plenary speaker at several international conferences.
He received his SB and SM degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT and his ScD in Instrumentation, also from MIT.
Technical Areas of Interest:
Guidance and Navigation Systems Design, Practical Kalman Filtering Applications, Applications of Satellite Navigation Systems
gtschmidt@alum.mit.edu
“The field of interest shall be the organization, systems engineering, design, development, integration, and operation of complex systems for space, air, ocean, or ground environments. These systems include but are not limited to navigation, avionics, mobile electric power and electronics, radar, sonar, telemetry, military, law-enforcement, automatic test, simulators, and command and control."
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What makes news humanitarian?
By Martin Scott (@martinscott2010). Originally published on:
elpais.com.
The dilemmas of reporting on suffering On April 4, horrible pictures of the suffering of victims of a chemical gas attack in Syria’s Idlib province seemingly moved US President Donald Trump to dramatically change his policy on Syria. Donald Trump himself claimed that, ‘the attack on children yesterday had a big impact on me – big impact… Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women, and children. It was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack’.
This obviously raises important questions about the relationship between foreign policy and the news media.
But for us, as researchers interested in the relationship between humanitarianism and journalism, it also invites more abstract questions about the reporting of humanitarian affairs – or what it means for news to be humanitarian. Does it need to cover humanitarian issues? Might it also refer to news which is informed by humanitarian values or which promotes humanitarian action? Answering such questions is important for disentangling some of the various dilemmas and tensions journalists face.
Unfortunately, the concept of ‘humanitarian news’, whilst commonly used, is seldom defined. In an attempt to provide some clarity, we offer three distinct definitions of humanitarian news: (1) news about humanitarian crises and actors, (2) news adopting a humanitarian ethic and (3) news as humanitarian practice. These categories concern the nature, ethics and purpose of journalism respectively – or the ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ of news.
News about humanitarian crises and actors
Firstly, and most obviously, humanitarian news may be understood as a specific ‘newsbeat’ – that is, as all forms of news coverage about humanitarian crises, such as ‘natural’ disasters and armed conflicts and those actors who respond to them. Matthew Powers, for example, has defined it in terms of its ‘primary subject matter’, including the reporting of ‘humanitarian organisations’ and ‘humanitarian events’. Similarly, Glenda Cooper and Simon Cottle have described humanitarian news simply as, ‘the reporting of humanitarian disasters’.
Within this definition, news coverage of the chemical gas attack in Syria certainly qualifies as humanitarian because it reported on extreme human suffering. The key tension here, though, is why some instances of human suffering are reported, and other are not. In other words, what shapes the ‘beat’ of humanitarian news? Is it the scale of suffering, its cultural proximity or its geopolitical significance? Or other factors entirely?
News adopting a humanitarian ethic
Secondly, humanitarian journalism may be defined as news which conforms to a broader understanding of humanitarianism: as an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings. Sallyanne Duncan and Jackie Newton, for example, describe humanitarian reporting as that which has, ‘the human connection at the heart of story’.
It is this dimension of the news coverage of the chemical weapons attack in Syria which allegedly prompted Trump’s apparent humanitarian concerns. As Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, said, ‘the world recoiled in horror at babies writhing and struggling to live. And who could avert their gaze — and that includes our very tough, very resolute, very decisive president’.
The key question here, however, is why these particular images of suffering prompted a sudden flare-up of compassion for Trump and coverage of the 2013 chemical weapons attack in eastern Ghouta, did not? Can news images alone be responsible for motivating action, or might they just provide a pretext for implementing pre-determined policy changes?
News as humanitarian practice
A final way of defining humanitarian news is as a form of journalism which seeks to put into practice the principles of humanitarianism. In this definition, the humanitarian focus refers, not to the content of news, but to journalists’ perceptions of the purpose of their work, or their role perceptions.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) defines humanitarianism as, ‘the independent, neutral and impartial provision of relief to victims of armed conflicts and natural disasters’. If emphasis is placed on the first half of this definition and the notions of independence, neutrality and impartiality, then a humanitarian journalist may perceive their role as being to act as an impartial witness to events; providing timely, accurate and objective information, both for victims of crises and for non-affected audiences.
By contrast, if a journalist places greater emphasis on the second half of the ICRC definition, and the idea of providing ‘relief to victims’, they may be more inclined to perceive themselves as having a more active role to play in events. This may include advocating particular solutions, giving ‘voice to the voiceless’ or giving solace to the bereaved and traumatised.
In short, when covering humanitarian events in Syria and elsewhere, journalists face a dilemma. Should they seek to have a direct impact on the events they cover by trying to influence audiences to take action? Or should they seek only to record events and remain entirely impartial? Trump’s claim that his decision to authorize missile strikes against Assad was driven, in part, by the media coverage throws this dilemma into sharp relief – but makes it no easier to resolve.
How do we decide which humanitarian crises are under-reported? How does donor funding influence humanitarian journalism?
Foundation-Funded Journalism: The State of Research
An overview of research into foundation-funded journalism that lists the main publications, their methods and findings.
Humanitarian journalism research in the news
A summary of recent news coverage of our humanitarian journalism research.
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cyril almeida
ANOTHER week, another attempted nudge out the door. Either they won’t learn or he won’t listen. But on it keeps grinding.
Let’s talk about Nawaz.
You can see what the Shahbaz camp is up to. Shahbaz wants Islamabad and Hamza has done the hard work of preparing for party inheritance.
Father has spent a decade running around Punjab delivering the kind of development that wins votes; son has patiently learned the art of party management and constituency politics.
The miserable and shambolic legal defence at this stage can surely only lead to one outcome.
Fun as that may be, it’s not Islamabad and not No 1.
So, try they had to. In any case, political regicide and fratricide are embedded in the politics of Punjab. If it was always a question of when, more interesting is the question of why now.
The reasons, big and small, are not very difficult to assemble.
Nawaz was out of the country and distracted. If you’re going to poke a lion, do it while he’s far away and unable to respond immediately. Imagine Nawaz had been in Lahore.
Elder brother could have just called over younger brother and let the TV cameras show up too. Shahbaz has an unfortunate way of, at least on camera, cowering in his brother’s presence.
Hardly the kind of thing that inspires party insurgents.
The window of opportunity was small. Nawaz is coming back and may escalate his war with what they’re euphemistically calling institutions — the weaker one is just a front for the eternal one, in Nawaz’s mind.
Nawaz and Maryam were indicted — the big one. Indictment was an inevitability — you don’t need to know anything about anything to know they were at least going to be put on trial — but it is still a jolt.
We’re into slightly different terrain now.
Nawaz has learned nothing, at least not when it comes to legal strategy. Through all the Supreme Court hearings, there was an obvious question: what the hell are they doing?
Even as Nawaz was slow-walked to ouster, it wasn’t obvious why the Sharifs’ legal strategy was so miserable and shambolic.
A best guess is a combination of arrogance and a conviction that extra-judicial forces would salvage a favourable outcome. Nawaz should have learned by now.
Except he doesn’t seem to have.
The accountability court is shaping up as a virtual replay of earlier proceedings. The miserable and shambolic legal defence at this stage can surely only lead to one outcome.
Historians will be able to figure out why Nawaz and Maryam are being so careless; for Shahbaz, Hamza and co, it’s enough that the other side is being reckless.
Elections are closer. In 2008, Shahbaz dare not even dream. In 2013, he thought he should be invited to Islamabad. In 2018, it’s a near-right, and possibly now-or-never.
Shahbaz and Hamza have to fight.
This business of south Punjab in an insurrectionist mood also fits in nicely. Ahead of an election, south Punjab always has to agitate. It’s the only time they’re taken seriously and it’s the phase in which to win grand promises.
With party leadership also possibly being contested, south Punjab knows it has to make the maximum racket. Maximal demands at this stage could lead to a greater minimum conceded after the election.
Put all of that together and you can figure out the Shahbaz assault and the Nawaz wobble.
Nawaz is weak, with a weak hand and a weak-ish successor. If you didn’t think this is the time to strike, you’d have no business being in politics.
But there is the other side — Nawaz.
We’ve already seen he can catastrophically miscalculate, so there’s no point ascribing an omniscience or great foresight to him. But if he’s still fighting, we have to assume he still thinks he can win.
One guess, shared by others close to him, is that Nawaz is not actually trying to re-coronate himself. He doesn’t want to be a fourth-term PM.
Instead, the theory is, by threatening to force his way back in Nawaz is hoping to reach a new kind of adjustment: the party will remain his; Maryam will be the successor; and, in return, the boys will back off.
The problem — for Nawaz — is that that assumes the boys see a difference between Nawaz and Maryam. Need, and desperation, may make Nawaz want to believe that, but it’s not necessarily evident that Maryam would be an acceptable replacement.
The other possibility is more vintage Nawaz: the boys daren’t take over and PML-N will get to the election unscathed enough to win a fresh dose of political capital.
That gels with Nawaz’s relatively casual approach before being ousted and his more belligerent tone since.
If you think the boys aren’t willing to go beyond behind-the-scenes games and pull the plug on the system, then why act like you think they will?
There is also a third possibility: the nuclear option. Pushed hard enough and Nawaz could decide to trigger a coup. No one seriously doubts the boys won’t do it if they decide it has become necessary.
The boys both can and — may.
If you’re Nawaz, back to the wall, humiliated, hounded, even the right to make decisions in your own family denied — the ultimate insult — there’s always the final option.
Let them take over.
Because at that point we’re all back to square one. The countdown to the ouster of the next dictator will have begun. And the inevitable resurrection of the PML-N will have started.
That’s the problem with turf wars: none of the players themselves necessarily lose. Only we, the average Pakistanis, do.
SOURCEDawn
Previous articleContours of the endgame
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Monkey Dance
Intense heat to make human survival difficult in many countries by 2100
National Assembly Member Ayesha Gulalai quits PTI amid scathing allegations against Imran Khan
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What I'm reading: Do street protests work?
“In today’s world, an appeal to protest via Twitter, Facebook, or text message is sure to attract a crowd, especially if it is to demonstrate against something – anything, really – that outrages us,” argues Moises Naim in The Atlantic. “The problem is what happens after the march. Sometimes it ends in violent confrontation with the police, and more often than not it simply fizzles out. Behind massive street demonstrations there is rarely a well-oiled and more-permanent organization capable of following up on protesters’ demands and undertaking the complex, face-to-face, and dull political work that produces real change in government. This is the important point made by Zeynep Tufekci, a fellow at the Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton University, who writes that ‘Before the Internet, the tedious work of organizing that was required to circumvent censorship or to organize a protest also helped build infrastructure for decision making and strategies for sustaining momentum. Now movements can rush past that step, often to their own detriment.’”
“As the Ukraine crisis continues it is clear that Mr Putin has made a significant strategic mistake,” writes Nick Butler in the Financial Times. "Russia is a petropower rather than a superpower and in a global market petropower is unusable as a means of pressure. By raising European consciousness about the degree of dependence on Russian gas that had developed, he has done his own country a great disservice.”
“Private enterprises have every incentive to reduce their marginal costs. Doing so means they can increase profits, offer goods and services at a lower price, or both. But now the Internet and other innovations have reduced marginal costs to near zero for some commodities and services, which has left many traditional companies reeling,” writes Jeremy Rifkin in the Los Angeles Times.
“The zero marginal cost phenomenon has sowed a path of destruction across the recording and information industries over the last decade, as millions of consumers began to produce and share music, video, news and knowledge with one another on the Internet at near zero marginal cost. This phenomenon has weakened revenues in the music industry, newspaper and publishing fields, and the book publishing industry.
“Now, as we are seeing with Airbnb, the phenomenon is crossing over from soft goods in virtual space to physical goods in the brick-and-mortar world.”
“The American and Iranian opiate epidemics cannot be divorced from events in Afghanistan. That means they cannot be divorced from what the United States has done there. In 2001, when the United States invaded Afghanistan, that country produced one metric ton of heroin,” writes Stephen Kinzer in the Boston Globe. “Last year it produced 5,500 tons. This came after the Department of Defense spent $2 billion on counter-narcotics efforts. No assessment of the Afghan war is complete without these stark statistics.”
“Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense. One other country in the region would also have good reason to help: Russia, where millions are addicted and overdoses kill nearly 100 people every day, most of them young. This is not only an enormous public health and safety problem, but also a chance for the United States to work with two countries it often considers enemies.”
Next entry »Why refugee influx threatens Lebanon, Jordan stability
« Previous entry'Russia trying to create climate of chaos in Ukraine'
America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty countries since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government Mohammad Mosaddegh and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America, is the only country ever, shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.
Joey Isotta-Fraschini©
America is the root of all terror? Perhaps not quite all of the terror in the history of the world, but it is well known that the heinous crimes of Gilles de Rais were a direct result of unbridled admiration for the United States of America.
Nah @ John Smith. GREED is the root of all evil. GREED is the number one motivator of all wars no matter which country they occur in or which country starts them. Egotrippinmaniacs are motivated by GREED!
✠RZ✠
Our belief and dependence upon money and governments to get things done is slowly bringing about global ruination. The damage is globally evident, on going, and increasingly spreading.
@chrissy. Yes. But what's even more aggravating, is that some folks have the sagacity to refuse to share their pepperoni pizza.
Lol @ fake Joey? Thats called gluttony and that also is an unattractive quality as well.
Ferhat Balkan
Countries like Russia and the US will always get the bigger share of the pie, whether its land, oil or pepperoni pizza. Those simple rules haven't changed since the stone age. The bigger beast always gets the larger share. We can protest all we want, but in the end the strong win and the weak loose.
@ Ferhat Balkan, thank you for reminding us of that good thing, although sometimes a puny virus does very well for itself in a cooperative gang.
Darwin is one of my saints.
"Sebastian saw God that summer in the Encantados," thanks to Tennessee Williams, is a fine mantra to keep handy.
Leave a Reply to Ferhat Balkan
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Overseas experience and Japan’s elite, past and present
At a recent talk I attended on how the founders of the modern Japanese state and business had fearlessly travelled and lived abroad, there was a keen discussion afterwards as to how this spirit of adventure could be revived amongst young Japanese people now.
› Japanese firms in Europe
Why Japanese minimalism does not apply to Japanese management
Following on from her article on why Germans work less hours than Japanese employees, Professor Ulrike Schaede takes a look in a second article at the need for a German “golden middle path” in Japanese management style.
› Japanese firms in Europe | › Japanese management | › Working with Japanese
Is it worth learning Japanese? You might have to rewire your brain to become fluent
Europeans often ask me if it is worth trying to learn Japanese. I usually say yes, but that it is important to have realistic expectations. Adults who have become fluent in Japanese have done so by totally immersing themselves in the Japanese language, thereby rewiring their brain. I wrote an article about this for a Japanese magazine in the UK.
› Learning Japanese
4 differences between Japanese and German approaches to work, communication and customer service
There are well-known similarities between Japan and Germany, but according to Professor Ulrike Schaede, there are also four fundamental differences.
› Teambuilding with Japanese | › Working with Japanese
« < 7 8 9 10 11 12 > »
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Annie Bell’s Baking Bible
In this beautifully illustrated book, Annie Bell explains the techniques that produce perfect results every time, whether baking sponge cakes, biscuits, brownies, muffins, macaroons or meringues.
Annie_Bell___s_B_50892c3b04465.jpg
Decidedly the only baking book you will ever need!
She creates sweet treats for all occasions, from children’s birthdays to Christmas, sharing her fail-proof recipes that will ensure you never again bake a cake that fails to rise or sinks in the middle. With recipes inspired from Britain, France, America and a number of places in between, this is an indispensable guide to becoming a brilliant baker.
It’ll make your mouth water and ensure you impress and delight with really great chocolate brownies, delicious carrot cake, tangy lemon and polenta cake plus the oh-so-easy and yum breads and pancakes.
Annie Bell spent several years as cookery writer for Vogue, then as food writer on The Independent. She has been principal cookery writer on the Mail on Sunday’s YOU magazine for many years, and she was winner of the Guild of Food Writers’ Journalist of the Year in 2003. Her previous books include the Gorgeous series, The Camping Cookbook, Soup Glorious Soup and The Picnic Cookbook. Gorgeous Cakes has sold in excess of 250 000 copies.
Click here to preview pages from the book
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Spark Therapeutics Presents Three Post-hoc Analyses from Phase 3 Clinical Trial of LUXTURNA® (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl) at American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting
Use of different measurement for best-corrected visual acuity of participants in the Phase 3 clinical trial of LUXTURNA achieved statistically significant improvement versus control group
Mutation subtype analysis reveals no correlation between mutation variants and treatment response or adverse events associated with LUXTURNA
Analysis of full-field light sensitivity threshold (FST) testing data suggest LUXTURNA may improve both rod and cone function in patients with biallelic RPE65 mutation-associated inherited retinal disease (IRD)
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spark Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ONCE), a fully integrated, commercial gene therapy company dedicated to challenging the inevitability of genetic disease, today announced findings from three post-hoc analyses of data from the Phase 3 clinical trial of LUXTURNA® (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl) at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting in Chicago. LUXTURNA is a one-time gene therapy for the treatment of patients with vision loss due to inherited retinal dystrophy caused by confirmed biallelic RPE65 mutations and viable retinal cells. One of these analyses will be the subject of the oral presentation, “Visual Acuity Outcomes in the Voretigene Neparvovec Phase 3 Trial” today at 3:51pm CT in room S405 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
In the Phase 3 clinical trial of LUXTURNA, visual acuity was measured using a scale adapted from the Holladay method, which assigns LogMAR values for off-chart vision measurements. Best-corrected (with optimal glasses/contact lens prescription) visual acuity improvement averaged over both eyes for participants in the intervention group was not statistically significant as compared to the control group (p=0.17) at year one. In this post-hoc analysis, visual acuity data were revisited using the Lange method, which is a less conservative off-chart vision scale when quantifying the difference between counting fingers and hand motions. Results at year one using this method showed a statistically significant improvement from baseline versus the control group in best-corrected visual acuity averaged over both eyes (nominal p<0.05).
No adverse events associated with a reduction in visual acuity have been reported across the LUXTURNA clinical development program. In the post-marketing setting, one adverse event of reduced visual acuity has been reported within the immediate post-operative period following administration. It was considered non-serious and is reported to be resolving.
“These data further deepen our understanding of the biology of RPE65 mutation-associated inherited retinal disease and the Phase 3 clinical trial of LUXTURNA,” said Katherine A. High, M.D., president and head of research & development at Spark Therapeutics. “An important component of clinical research is to complete additional analyses on data to gain further insight into the current understanding of the science. This is particularly important in gene therapy, where there is the potential to restore function in the setting of previously untreatable diseases. We look forward to our continued engagement with the ophthalmology clinical and research communities as a leader in gene therapy research.”
Spark Therapeutics also presented two posters at the meeting. One explored potential correlations between mutation subtype and baseline visual function, response to LUXTURNA treatment and adverse events. Among the 29 participants who received LUXTURNA in the Phase 3 clinical trial, 25 unique genotypes were reported. For this post-hoc analysis, the mutations were characterized into subtypes based on both the mutation type and the likeliness of pathogenicity. No correlations were found between RPE65 mutation subtype and baseline visual function, treatment response or adverse events associated with administration.
The second poster reports an analysis suggesting that administration of LUXTURNA resulted in improvements in the function of retinal cone cells, one of the two primary cell types supporting visual function in the retina (in addition to the other primary cell type, rod cells). Cone cells are responsible for sharpness and color vision, while rod cells are responsible for light sensitivity and peripheral vision. RPE65 mutation-associated inherited retinal disease has been understood to be primarily a rod-mediated disease. Without the properly functioning protein encoded by the RPE65 gene, the visual cycle is disrupted with an inability to regenerate visual pigment, which leads to the accumulation of toxic materials and byproducts, particularly compromising light capture in rod cells, which lack another process for regenerating visual pigment.
Mean values averaged over both eyes for white light FST testing that assesses rod function, blue light FST testing that assesses rod and cone function and red light FST testing that assesses cone function all demonstrated statistically significant improvements from baseline versus the control group at year one (p<0.001, nominal p=0.002 and nominal p<0.001, respectively). The improvements in rods were greater than in cones. This analysis provides scientific support for why some patients may experience improvement in cone function including color and sharpness of vision in addition to improvement in light sensitivity and peripheral vision after treatment with LUXTURNA.
Indication and Important Safety Information
LUXTURNA® (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl) is an adeno-associated virus vector-based gene therapy indicated for the treatment of patients with confirmed biallelic RPE65 mutation-associated retinal dystrophy.
Patients must have viable retinal cells as determined by the treating physicians.
Endophthalmitis may occur following any intraocular surgical procedure or injection. Use proper aseptic injection technique when administering LUXTURNA and monitor for and advise patients to report any signs or symptoms of infection or inflammation to permit early treatment of any infection.
Permanent decline in visual acuity may occur following subretinal injection of LUXTURNA. Monitor patients for visual disturbances.
Retinal abnormalities may occur during or following the subretinal injection of LUXTURNA, including macular holes, foveal thinning, loss of foveal function, foveal dehiscence, and retinal hemorrhage. Monitor and manage these retinal abnormalities appropriately. Do not administer LUXTURNA in the immediate vicinity of the fovea. Retinal abnormalities may occur during or following vitrectomy, including retinal tears, epiretinal membrane, or retinal detachment. Monitor patients during and following the injection to permit early treatment of these retinal abnormalities. Advise patients to report any signs or symptoms of retinal tears and/or detachment without delay.
Increased intraocular pressure may occur after subretinal injection of LUXTURNA. Monitor and manage intraocular pressure appropriately.
Expansion of intraocular air bubbles Instruct patients to avoid air travel, travel to high elevations or scuba diving until the air bubble formed following administration of LUXTURNA has completely dissipated from the eye. It may take one week or more following injection for the air bubble to dissipate. A change in altitude while the air bubble is still present can result in irreversible vision loss. Verify the dissipation of the air bubble through ophthalmic examination.
Cataract Subretinal injection of LUXTURNA, especially vitrectomy surgery, is associated with an increased incidence of cataract development and/or progression.
In clinical studies, ocular adverse reactions occurred in 66% of study participants (57% of injected eyes), and may have been related to LUXTURNA, the subretinal injection procedure, the concomitant use of corticosteroids, or a combination of these procedures and products.
The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 5% of study participants) were conjunctival hyperemia (22%), cataract (20%), increased intraocular pressure (15%), retinal tear (10%), dellen (thinning of the corneal stroma) (7%), macular hole (7%), subretinal deposits (7%), eye inflammation (5%), eye irritation (5%), eye pain (5%), and maculopathy (wrinkling on the surface of the macula) (5%).
Immune reactions and extra-ocular exposure to LUXTURNA in clinical studies were mild. No clinically significant cytotoxic T-cell response to either AAV2 or RPE65 has been observed. Study participants received systemic corticosteroids before and after subretinal injection of LUXTURNA to each eye, which may have decreased the potential immune reaction to either AAV2 or RPE65.
Treatment with LUXTURNA is not recommended for patients younger than 12 months of age, because the retinal cells are still undergoing cell proliferation, and LUXTURNA would potentially be diluted or lost during the cell proliferation. The safety and efficacy of LUXTURNA have been established in pediatric patients. There were no significant differences in safety between the different age subgroups.
Please see the full U.S. Prescribing Information for LUXTURNA here.
Clinical Trial Overview of LUXTURNA (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl)
The safety and efficacy of LUXTURNA were assessed in one open-label, dose-exploration Phase 1 safety study (n=12), a second Phase 1 follow-on study to establish the safety of injection of the contralateral eye (n = 11) and one open-label, randomized, controlled Phase 3 efficacy and safety study (n=31) in pediatric and adult participants (range 4 to 44 years) with biallelic RPE65 mutation-associated retinal dystrophy and sufficient viable retinal cells.
Of the 31 participants enrolled in the Phase 3 study, 21 were randomized to receive subretinal injection of LUXTURNA and 10 were randomized to the control group. One participant in the intervention group discontinued from the study prior to treatment and one participant in the control group withdrew consent and was discontinued from the study. All nine participants randomized to the control group elected to crossover and receive LUXTURNA after one year of observation. All participants in these studies continue to be followed for long-term safety and efficacy. LUXTURNA Phase 3 clinical trial data, including data from the intervention group of all randomized participants through the one-year time point has been previously reported in (The Lancet).
The efficacy of LUXTURNA in the Phase 3 study was established based on the multi-luminance mobility test (MLMT) score change from baseline to one year. MLMT was designed to measure changes in functional vision as assessed by the ability of a participant to navigate a course accurately and at a reasonable pace at seven different levels of illumination, ranging from 400 lux (corresponding to a brightly lit office) to one lux (corresponding to a moonless summer night). Each light level was assigned a score ranging from zero to six, with a higher score indicating that a participant could pass MLMT at a lower light level. A score of negative one was assigned to participants who could not pass MLMT at a light level of 400 lux. MLMT score change was defined as the difference between the score at baseline and the score at one year with a positive score change indicating that a participant was able to complete MLMT at a lower light level. Additional clinical outcomes included white light full-field light sensitivity threshold (FST) testing and visual acuity.
LUXTURNA Phase 3 clinical study results showed a statistically significant difference between the intervention group (n=21) and control participants (n=10) at one year in median bilateral MLMT score change (intervention minus control group difference of 2; p=0.001) and median first-treated eye MLMT score change (intervention minus control group difference of 2; p=0.003). After crossing over to receive LUXTURNA, participants in the control group showed a similar response to those in the intervention group. The median bilateral MLMT score change of two was observed for the intervention group at the 30-day timepoint. This change score has been sustained for at least three years for the original intervention group and at least two years in the crossover group in the Phase 3 clinical study. In addition, participants who received LUXTURNA showed a statistically significant improvement from baseline to one year in white light FST in the intervention group compared to the control group. The change in visual acuity from baseline to one year was not significantly different between the intervention and control participants.
The U.S. Prescribing Information for LUXTURNA includes the following Warnings and Precautions: endophthalmitis; permanent decline in visual acuity; retinal abnormalities; increased intraocular pressure; expansion of intraocular air bubbles; and cataract. The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 5%) were conjunctival hyperemia, cataract, increased intraocular pressure, retinal tear, dellen (thinning of the corneal stroma), macular hole, subretinal deposits, eye inflammation, eye irritation, eye pain and maculopathy (wrinkling on the surface of the macula).
At Spark Therapeutics, a fully integrated, commercial company committed to discovering, developing and delivering gene therapies, we challenge the inevitability of genetic diseases, including blindness, hemophilia, lysosomal storage disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. We have successfully applied our technology in the first FDA-approved gene therapy in the U.S. for a genetic disease, and currently have three programs in clinical trials, including product candidates that have shown promising early results in patients with hemophilia. At Spark, we see the path to a world where no life is limited by genetic disease. For more information, visit www.sparktx.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the company's product LUXTURNA™ (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl). The words ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘will,’’ ‘‘would,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘continue’’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that LUXTURNA may not improve both rod and cone function in patients with biallelic RPE65 mutation-associated IRD. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause our actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the "Risk Factors" section, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties and other important factors, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Spark undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.
(215) 239-6424 Media Contact:
communications@sparktx.com
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Promo Post: Brainwalker by Robyn Mundell and Stephan Lacast
Brainwalker
by Robyn Mundell & Stephan Lacast
Genre: YA Scifi/Fantasy
Release Date: October 1st 2016
Dualmind Publishing
Summary from Goodreads:
Fourteen year-old Bernard is full of out of the box ideas—ideas that nobody appreciates. Not his ultra-rational father, not his classmates, and definitely not his teacher, who’s fed up waiting for Bernard’s overdue science project. You’d think with a hotshot quantum physicist for a dad, the assignment would be easy as “pi”, but with his relationship with his father on rocky ground, Bernard is under more pressure than a helium atom.
And Bernard’s impulse control flies out the window when he’s stressed. So instead of turning in his project, he moons the class and gets suspended. Now his dad’s got no choice but to bring him to his work. At the Atom Smasher. It’s the chance of a lifetime for Bernard, who knows smashing atoms at the speed of light can—theoretically—make wormholes. How about that for the most mind-bending science project ever? But when he sneaks into the particle accelerator and someone hits the power button, Bernard ends up in the last place he’d ever want to be.
Inside his father’s brain.
And it’s nothing like the spongy grey mass Bernard studied at school. It’s a galaxy, infinite and alive. Like, people live there. A mysterious civilization on the brink of extinction, as unaware of their host as he is of them. But there’s zero time to process this. Bernard’s about to be caught up in an epic war between the two sides of his dad’s brain over their most precious resource:
Mental Energy.
With his father’s life at stake, Bernard must go up against the tyrannical left side of his father’s brain to save the dying, creative right side. But how the heck is he supposed to do that when he’s just a hopelessly right-brained kid himself?
http://brainwalker.net/
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle | Amazon Paperback
Check out a Q&A with the authors, HERE!
Advance Praise:
"Excellent story with well developed characters and an awesome setting. My students are currently participating in a Growth Mindsets. Can't wait for publication. It would totally coincide with our brainology studies... I couldn't put it down." — Pam B, librarian, Wyola SD, MT
"In the novel Brainwalker, Mundell and Lacast have devised an ingenious plot using the tesseract concept found in 'A Wrinkle in Time' with the setting being the brain of the protagonist's father." — Douglas B. Educator
“This story is full of high-stakes adventure, and it often excels in its imaginative and allegorical exploration of real-world issues” — Kirkus Reviews
“The descriptions of the various locations, creatures, and residents of the Brainiverse are both fun and intelligent. Bernard is an engaging protagonist.” — Kirkus Reviews
“An imaginative adventure, ... one that clearly benefits from the great amount of thought that its authors put into it.” — Kirkus Reviews
“A fun way for kids/preteens to learn about science and the brain. The pictures are also really great and add a lot to the story” — Olivia Farr, Reviewer at Harvard Medical School
"The characters and the setting of this book are truly unique and very diverse, the plot is filled with fiction mixed with real brain concepts and puts everything into perspective from both fiction and reality" — Gabrielle Messier
"Definitely an approach to teenage urban fantasy that I’ve never seen before. I found myself quite enamored with Bernard and all his geeky questions and theories ... Underneath all the neurology, it’s really a story about connection and love and fighting for what’s important." — Kristen Canady
"'Brainwalker' is a great scientific fiction and that offers the readers a fantastic experience of the scientific adventure with the beautifully written words, the well laid out plots, and lifelike characters in the story." — Yichen Tu
"Not unlike experiencing Avatar in a 3D IMAX theater, this exciting and provocative novel includes characters and images of such dimension, the reader cannot help but feel fully invited into this fantastical storyline." — Lolly Howe
"Story starts and ends with the MOON! All will have to take a read to find out what I am talking about. This is a great Teen read revolving around young minds faced with the challenges of life." — Linda Babbs
"The world-building was pretty sublime: it was so cool to contextualize the brain in this way, and learn about it at the same time... The illustrations were all so refreshing to see - it's been too long since I've read a book that isn't afraid to support the plot line with pictures! I'm looking forward to what Mundell and Lacast have to offer in the future!" — TT turner
5 stars - "The authors have found a creative way to introduce the functions of the brain in a creative way that's full of action, adventure, and suspense. This will be a popular book in middle grades and middle school boys will enjoy this one!" — Susan Grigsby, ALA Librarian
“Teachers are always looking for ways to enhance scientific literacy and Brainwalker is the perfect vehicle to bridge the gap between exciting adventure and scientific inquiry.” — Jennifer C., Educator
"This brilliant new novel grapples with the most exciting topic possible, and invites middle school, young adults and also adult readers into the inexhaustible mystery of the universe. Take the walk." — Maureen G., Educator
Robyn Mundell is an award winning playwright. A graduate of New York University, she performed in dozens of plays in New York and was part of David Mamet’s Atlantic Theater Company. She studied with such theater legends as Uta Hagen, Lee Strasberg, and Stella Adler.
Robyn wrote and performed in several of her own plays including Pieces of O and Traveling Bowls of Soup, produced by Pulitzer-prize winner Beth Henley. Traveling Bowls of Soup opened at the Met theater to rave reviews and received several Drama-Logue awards. Robyn has since been selling original screenplays and TV pilots to major film companies and networks. She is the daughter of Canadian Nobel laureate Robert A. Mundell, and is married to actor-playwright Raymond J. Barry. Together, they have four children.
French-Born Stephan Lacast likes to think of himself as a geek, which depending on your dictionary means either “knowledgeable about computers”, or “boring social misfit.” At the age of twelve his idea of fun was building computers and programming, and by fifteen he was a contributor to a computer magazine. A graduate of Paris-Dauphine University, he holds a Bachelor in Economics, a Master in Business Administration, and a Master of Advanced Studies in Information Systems.
After teaching at Dauphine University, Stephan went on to work as a consultant and engineer for one of the top ten Information Technology services companies in Europe, before deciding to leave Paris and move to the United States.
Labels: Brainwalker, Fantasy, Promo post, Robyn Mundell, sci-fi, Stephan Lacast, ya, young adult
Promo Post: Songs of Seraphina by Jude Houghton
Songs of Seraphina
by Jude Houghton
Release Date: June 30th 2015
Tenebris Books, Grimbold Books
Some battles bleed so much, and for so long, that the earth never truly forgets their dead. Some battles are born of oppression, and some of greed, and some simply because it was written in the stars.
Three sisters—Charlemagne, Cairo and Pendragon Agonistes—are sent from America to England to live with their eccentric grandparents after their mother disappears and their father falls to pieces. But before the girls have time to find their feet, Charlemagne is married off to a dead man, Penny takes a nap and wakes up as a boy, and Cairo is swept into a dangerous romance with a man who wants her for more than her considerable charm. With the girls wrapped up in a conflict they barely understand, they don’t notice that their grandmother is transforming, or that the two demigod assassins who took their mother are now coming for them—if one of them can get over his crisis of conscience.
In this richly painted tale, at whose heart is the unbreakable bond of family and blood, the world of Seraphina collides with our own as three unique girls are dragged into twilight lives past, fighting for vengeance, retribution, and the survival of their exiled people.
She ran through the outcrops of forest and brush, through the smallholdings where the trees had been cleared for Calliope farmlands, then on to the border of the wetlands. Here she began to slow. The marshy terrain was treacherous, breaking into pockets of continuous water three or four feet deep. There were well-worn pathways criss-crossing the wetlands. The area was often tapped for irrigation, but in the middle there was a giant causeway of rocks, scrub and caves that created a dry island in the otherwise sodden terrain.
The Stony Marsh almost looked man-made, but it was too vast and had been a feature of the terrain since the Gildas first came to these lands. Song was taught that they were formed by volcanic eruption, but when she actually saw the Marsh, she couldn’t help thinking there was something else at work, a wiser power. The rocks looked sculpted, so smoothly were they hewn, and hidden caves stood like witnesses of some ancient civilization.
As Song trekked along the path, she kept away from the trees. Though this meant occasionally stepping into the water, sometimes up to a foot high, it was safer. The trees of this part of the marsh had snakes in them; the black death serpents hung in tight nests and spiralled down onto their prey. One drop, one bite, one death. They were so sensitive to light and temperature, they existed across just one degree of latitude, but on that latitude they were as plentiful as they were deadly.
The water was at its highest just before the Stony Marsh, and the trails narrowed and became increasingly uneven, limiting her movements. This was where the traps would be. Song wondered what form they would take. Nets triggered by the brush of a tine? Holes harbouring poisonous arachnids? She imagined both would appeal to the Acrapheans.
She looked for silver threads and disturbances in the earth, but saw nothing. Suddenly she became conscious of a strange flapping noise above her head; strange because egrets and other birds tended to be near the ground. Looking up she saw a large piece of parchment tied between two cypress, and next to it another, and then another.
In the still night air they made an eerie susurrus. She stared at them for a moment, trying to see what they were supposed to do or how the trap worked. It made no sense. Craning upwards she moved cautiously forward. Her toe snagged on a mannequin hair, very fine but too strong to snap outright with her weight. In the same instant an arrow, released from a tree to her left, buried deep into her shoulder. She stumbled, looking at it with incredulity. The blood came thick and fast.
How could she have been so stupid?
She felt something spread through her arm—the cloudy progression of poison.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Jude developed a love of fantasy from a relatively early age after realising an innate talent for making stuff up could result in something other than detention. Working across the globe in fields as diverse as journalism, data entry, sales, management consultancy and babysitting, Jude has partially succeeded in putting an English and History degree from Oxford University to good use. A somnambulist, insomniac, lover of letters, Jude writes late into the night, most nights, tumbling down the rabbit hole to dream of other lives. Jude currently lives in Pennsylvania with an over-enthusiastic family and absurdly entitled dog.
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Labels: Excerpt, Fantasy, giveaway, Jude Houghton, Promo post, Songs of Seraphina, ya, young adult
Promo Post: Unlocked by Margo Kelly
by Margo Kelly
Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller
Merit Press
A provocative thriller involving hypnosis, mystery, love, and friendship!
Someone has been moving the stuffed pink elephant in Hannah's room. She thinks. And ants crawl over her hands, across the steering wheel, all the time. Don't they? They're what made her crash the car on the way home from the fair, and she wouldn't have freaked out, wouldn't have caused her friend's death, for no reason. But she doesn't know if a person is messing with her, if the paranormal is messing with her--or if she's just going psychotic like her dad before her.
When her friends bail, Hannah is left floundering. Not even her boyfriend Manny believes her, and new girl Chelsea is practically replacing her at school. Only artsy outsider and self-proclaimed occult expert, Plug, agrees to help Hannah find out the truth about hypnosis and demons, and even he can't help Hannah reclaim her mind from whatever's taking over. She'll have to do that herself if she wants to save her friends, her mom and herself.
Q & A:
Q: If you could live in any book “world” which book would it be?
A: Oh. My. I read a lot of thrillers, horrors, and dystopias … so I don’t know that I’d want to live in any of them. ;) I would want to live in a tranquil place. So I suppose I’d want to live in the world of Anne of Green Gables -- Prince Edward Island.
Q: If you had a time machine where would you go back in time or ahead? And who would you like to visit.
A: I would go back in time about fifteen years to visit more with my maternal grandmother before she passed away from this life.
Q: Do you have any pets?
A: Two dogs. We rescued our big black dog from the local shelter, and they had named him Black Sabbath. The little white dog, which we also rescued, was really tiny when we first brought him home. We wanted to give him a name opposite of Black Sabbath. So we named him Rascal Flatts. We call him Rascal.
Q: Any pet peeves?
A: Dog hair (no pun intended) … and yet, I have two wonderful dogs who shed hair everywhere and on everything, and I love them.
Q: What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you?
A: When I was around seventeen, I took a college entrance exam for a coworker so that she could test-out of a math class she didn’t want to take.
Q: When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?
A: I’m a pretty honest and even blunt person. I don’t usually lie. If you ask me a question I don’t want to answer, I will either say, “Oh, that’s a story for another day.” Or, “Frankly, that’s none of your business.”
Q: Where can readers stalk you online?
A: Website: www.margokelly.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargoKelly.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoWKelly
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/margokelly
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margowkelly/
Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Books a Million│Indiebound
Margo Kelly is a native of the Northwest and currently resides in Idaho. A veteran public speaker, Margo is now actively pursuing her love of writing. Her critically acclaimed debut, Who R U Really?, was published by Merit Press (an imprint of F+W Media) in 2014. Her second novel, Unlocked, will be published by Merit Press in October 2016. Margo welcomes opportunities to speak to youth groups, library groups, and book clubs.
Margo Kelly loves to be scared … when she’s reading a good book, watching a good movie, or suffering from the hiccups. She loves writing thrillers for young adults and hopes her stories give you the goose bumps or the itchies or the desire to rethink everyday things. Margo is represented by the not-so-scary, but totally awesome, Brianne Johnson of Writers House.
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Instagram
Labels: beautiful cover, giveaway, Margo Kelly, mental health, mental illness, mystery, Q and A, thriller, Unlocked, ya, young adult
Book Blitz: Through The Veil by Colleen Halverson
The Aisling Chronicles
Colleen Halverson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Entangled
Date of Publication: February 22, 2016
ASIN: B01B1NC29Q
Word Count: 120K
Cover Artist: Louisa Maggio
Where the fairy tale ends, destiny begins. Elizabeth Tanner is no Tinkerbell, and her life is no fairy tale. Broke and drowning in student loans, the one thing she wants more than anything is a scholarship from the Trinity Foundation. But after the ancient Irish text she's studying turns out to be more than just a book, she becomes their prisoner instead. And when Trinity reveals Elizabeth is half-Fae, she finds herself at the center of a plot to save the magical races of Ireland from a brutal civil war.
As Commander of Trinity's elite warriors, Finn O'Connell isn't used to having his authority challenged. He doesn't know whether to punish or protect the infuriating young woman in his custody. When he discovers the Dark Fae want to use Elizabeth's abilities to control the source of all power in the universe, he'll risk everything to help her. At the mercy of Trinity and enslaved to the Dark Fae, Elizabeth finds herself alone on the wrong side of an Irish myth thousands of years in the making. Refusing to be a pawn in their game, Elizabeth has to fight her way back to the man she loves, but to do so, she must wage her own war against the magic that binds her.
On Sale Now .99
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Wiping the crumbs off his jeans, Finn reached into his backpack and threw an apple at me, which I caught with a deft hand.
“Nice catch,” he said, grinning.
I flung the apple up into the air and caught it in my other hand. “I played third base. Little League.”
“You mean baseball?”
“Never seen a game myself.”
I gaped at Finn. “You mean you live in Chicago, and you’ve never been to a Cubs game?”
He shrugged. “Not interested.” Finn’s eyes lit up, and he shoved me playfully with his shoulder. “Now hurling. That’s a good game.”
“Well, they’re totally different. That’s not even a fair comparison,” I said with a sniff.
“Fair enough,” Finn said, wistful. “Really, nothing can compare with hurling.”
I laughed. “Moiré tried to explain the rules to me once, but she lost me after hurley stick.”
“Oh, it’s simple, really.” Finn jumped down and rummaged around the rubble until he found a large branch. He swung it, the stick cutting through the air, slowly at first, but then with more force. Finn’s chest muscles rippled between the flaps of his leather jacket, and my blood pulsed in my ears at the sight of him, dancing from foot to foot as he practiced his swing.
“Now the point of hurling,” Finn began, “is to use this stick, the hurley stick.” He raised the old branch in the air. “To get a little ball called a sliotar either over or under your opponent’s goalpost.” Finn picked up a handful of small rocks and, using his “hurley,” sent a pebble whizzing over the stone wall, inches from my head.
“Hey, watch it!”
Finn smiled up at me. “You with me so far?”
“Now,” Finn said. “If the ball flies under the goalpost into the net, it’s worth three points.” Finn sent another pebble skittering against the wall, right next to my boot. “But you have to get it past the keeper, and that can be a challenge.” His eyes glittered at me as he swung his stick again. He threw a rock up in the air and with a loud thwack sent it zooming over the wall. I held out my hand and caught the stone, the look on Finn’s face making up for the sting of impact.
“And he’s out!” I cried, jumping off the wall and doing a mock victory dance. “Cubs win! Cubs win! Wooooooooooooo!”
Finn stalked over to me and grabbed my fist. “Will you settle down!” he said, attempting to pry the pebble from my grip. “I’m trying to teach you a three-thousand-year-old art form and you’re nattering on about the fecking Cubs.”
I giggled, snatching his hurley stick from his hands.
“Technical foul!” Finn barked behind me, but I sprinted away, swinging the hurley over my head as I climbed the wall.
“Get back here, you brat!” Finn bolted after me so quickly, he lost his footing on the stone wall and tumbled to the ground. I laughed as he came to his feet, his hair loose, chasing me.
“It’s the bottom of the ninth, bases are loaded!”
Finn made a snatch for the stick, but I feigned to the right.
“Tanner’s up to bat.” I climbed a set of old stairs to nowhere and tossed up the stone. I popped out my hips and, following through on the turn, sent the stone flying over the hill and down the cliffs below. I jumped down, swinging my baseball/hurley bat. “Homerun by Tanner! And the Cubs win the pennant!”
Finn smacked into me, and I collapsed to the ground, his wide body over mine as he grasped for the stick.
“Dammit, O’Connell!” I gasped beneath Finn, his whole weight crushing my chest. “Now I know for a fact hurling is not a contact sport!” I laughed as I squirmed to get away, holding out the stick just beyond his reach.
“Neither is baseball!”
With a devilish grin, Finn tickled my armpit, and I curled up in a fit of giggles. He made a grab for my wrist, pinning me to the ground, and his gray eyes danced as he looked down at me. My laughter faded, and running my other hand through his hair, I pulled his face to mine. He kissed me, a low moan rumbling deep in his throat.
Finn nipped my bottom lip with his teeth, and my back arched as our hips melded together, my better judgment forgotten. He slid his arm beneath my shoulders and pulled me close against him, kissing me long and hard, and I gasped, gulping for air as he lowered his mouth to my neck.
As a child, Colleen Halverson used to play in the woods imagining worlds and telling stories to herself. Growing up on military bases, she found solace in her local library and later decided to make a living sharing the wonders of literature to poor, unsuspecting college freshmen. After backpacking through Ireland and singing in a traditional Irish music band, she earned a PhD in English with a specialization in Irish literature. When she’s not making up stories or teaching, she can be found hiking the rolling hills of the Driftless area of Wisconsin with her husband and two children. THROUGH THE VEIL is her debut novel.
www.colleenhalverson.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbhalverson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbhalverson/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colleen_halverson/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14777224.Colleen_Halverson
Posted by Kat Paton at 10:00:00 2 comments:
Labels: Book blitz, Colleen Halverson, Excerpt, The Aisling Chronicles, Through The Veil, urban fantasy
Promo Post: Brainwalker by Robyn Mundell and Steph...
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‹ Obligations of Editors and Editorial Board Members: A Gentle Reminder up Acute Diarrheal Management in Adults: A Simulated Client Study at Community Pharmacies of Quetta City, Pakistan ›
Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine, 2019; 5(1):3-12
Review Article | doi:10.5530/jppcm.2019.1.2
Shida Hussain1, Zhang Li2, Xiaolan Lu2, Hamad Haider Khan3, Shi bingyin3, Faiz Ullah Khan4,5,6,8* Zakir Khan7, Beenish Ashfaq8, Inayat Ur Rehman9,10
1Registrar Department of Nephrology Northwest General Hospital Hayatabad Peshawar, Pakistan, PAKISTAN.
2Departmet of Gastroenterology Second affiliated hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, School of medicine, Shaanxi 710061, Xi'an, , CHINA.
3Department of Clinical Endocrinology Xi’an Jiaotong University, First Affiliated Hospital, Xi’an, Shanxi, CHINA.
4Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Health Science Centre, Xi’an Jiaotong University, CHINA.
5Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, CHINA.
6The Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China; d Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an, CHINA.
7Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Health Sciences, Cukurova University, Adana,TURKEY.
8Department of Pharmacy Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, PAKISTAN.
9School of Pharmacy Monash University Malaysia Jalan Lagoon Selantan Bandar Sunway, MALAYSIA.
10Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, PAKISTAN..
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), is the most common infectious bacterium of the Human stomach. In early childhood, colonization of H. pylori in stomach releases different pathogenic factors which interfere with functions of human cells. Combination of two main genetic pathogenic factors CagA and VacA play important role in causing severity of H. pylori infection. In H. pylori infected patients, CagA and CagPAI positive strains have positive association in development of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancers.50-70% of H. pylori produces CagA gene that is multifunction toxin. By adapting different mechanisms CagA define its role in oncogenic signaling cascades, in tumor suppressor pathway and in inflammation. CagA gene is strongly associated with VacA cytotoxic function and the strains, ultimately responsible for epithelial destruction of stomach and leading towards cancer. Review provides, CagA has important role in the virulence of H.pylori infection. Different Peptic ulcer diseases and gastric cancers are caused by the presence of CagA gene.
Key words: H. pylori, CagA gene, VacA gene, Gastric cancers, Peptic ulcer disease.
Hussain S, Li Z, Lu X, Khan HH, bingyin S, Khan FU, et al. The Virulence of Helicobacter pylori Through CagA on Gastric Mucosa: A Review. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine. 2019;5(1):3-12. Abstract
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Blog About Young Marists Contact Us
BlogAboutYoung MaristsContact Us
Stories of Community from Marists across New Zealand
Young Marists February 07, 2019 Comment
Pilgrimage to the Marist Places
Each night of our pilgrimage to the Marist places ended in a group reflection and discussion about the experiences of that day. So rather than bore you with an extended travelogue of where we went, whom we met and what we ate (basically just bread, wine and cheese!), these are some reflections on the three aspects of the pilgrimage that had the most significant impact on us individually, and as a group. These are: the places, the people, and the faith.
“By your place in the world, I will know who you are.” In these words, Tina Makereti (2016) captures perfectly the way in which our identity, and the way in which we perceive the identity of others, is informed by our place of origin. Physically experiencing the Marist places not only allowed for a deeper personal understanding of what it means to be Marist, but also provided insights into the people who began the Marist movement over two hundred years ago. When writing about place, it is hard to brush over the shrine of Fourvière and the Cathedral at Le Puy – both significant to the Marists, and magnificent architectural structures in themselves. However, the physical reality of the early Marist missions encourages true reflection on what it means to be hidden and unknown. The architecture (or lack of it) speaks for itself. To stand in a dank cellar where once a faithful French priest hid in fear of religious persecution is to understand commitment to faith in the face of adversity. To stand in the mountains of the Bugey is to understand resilience and belief, despite isolation, harsh weather and rugged terrain. To stand at the humble resting place of Jean Claude Colin is to understand what he meant when he said “Unknown before, unknown after: that is my story.” These places, these humble beginnings, are the physical spaces that influenced the development and expression of Marist spirit through the people that inhabited them.
There is a saying in te reo Māori: “ko te whakaiti te whare o te whakaaro nui” – that humility and service is the home of compassion. The people we met on our pilgrimage were the embodiment of this. The community at General House, Sister Teri, the community at La
Neyliere and the ‘welcoming committee’ in Coutouvre (among many others), were not only blessed with the gift of hospitality, but also the gift of cultivating it further in others. They believe that hospitality is love in action, and that is how they live and interact with others. In spite of the language barrier, the universal language of hospitality, vino and kai reminded us of the power of communion: to bring people together, sit around a table and share in a meal. The people we met breathed life into our journey, responding to our little group with energy, curiosity and passion for our shared religious heritage. Some travelled hours to meet us, open up their homes and museums, and share with us history and knowledge. They reminded us of the importance of not only looking after our history, but also in sharing it and continuing the work that began with the pledge at Fourvière. It is amazing to think that through the actions of those twelve people over two hundred years ago, we are all connected on this faith journey together, today.
Those twelve people could not have foreseen the extent of their influence, but from humble beginnings, they have influenced the lives of everyone reading this. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead’s words rang in our ears one night as we sat and reflected on a long and special time away from normalcy. We reflected that if it weren’t for that small group of courageous and faithful people laying down their lives in imitation of their patrons, Mary, Our Mother, and her son, Jesus, none of us would have known each other… the many experiences that we shared would have never come to pass… and our faith journeys would be on a completely different trajectory. That same night we reflected on how the stories of many of those people were not of sunshine and rainbows, but of calloused hands, tired feet, aching backs and broken hearts; stories that sometimes revealed flaws in their heroines and heroes, but stories that were all interlinked by faith; faith that brought so many disjointed communities together, and faith that survives in people of these places today.
Our trip was a truly special time. It reminded us that we are all custodians of an unflinching faith and that we have a responsibility to be signposts pointing towards Christ, informed by the early Marists and those who carry that name today.
Young Marists
A Reflection on Nationhood
Young Marists March 23, 2019
People of MYL
Young Marists January 15, 2019
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Fortnite's Hand Cannon problem is forcing pros to play Apex Legends
by Joann Nelson
in Sci-tech
— Feb 7, 2019
Following the news of the missed revenue target, EA shares dipped a massive 17 percent, with the company acknowledging that increased competition for the holiday gaming market segment with Fortnite and Activision's "Call of Duty" was responsible for the doldrums. Overall, the company had a total income of $262 million with net bookings reaching $1.609 billion. Looking forward, we're delighted to launch Anthem, our new IP, to grow Apex Legends and related Titanfall experiences, to deliver new Plants vs. Zombies and Need for Speed titles, and to add Star Wars Jedi: "Fallen Order to our sports titles in the fall". "As a result of these decisions, we struggled to gain momentum and we did not meet our sales expectations for the quarter".
"We think cross-play and cross-progress is going to be a very important part of our future, and you should anticipate that we'll be doing more in that space", Wilson said. "FIFA stands out as a robust franchise through a tumultuous year in the video game industry", Jorgensen said.
'And at that point, why have them in the game?
DUP's Foster says Irish backstop is toxic, would back May without it
A second defeat would place huge pressure on May to pursue a softer Brexit and to delay the date that the United Kingdom leaves. However, sources within the cabinet believe the so-called "Malthouse Compromise" plan is unworkable.
To date, Battlefield V has sold a healthy 7.3 million copies across all platforms, but that's a million less than EA had indicated in its guidance. This year, battle royale modes became incredibly popular in shooter games.
HighDistortion is not the only pro player complaining about the Hand Cannon, though, several big names from the competitive community have also seemingly become exhausted of its issues. As a game published by EA, Apex Legends launches strictly from the Origin app on PC, but there is a way for players to link their Steam account to group up with friends from the platform.
Unexpected magnetic north pole changes mean new world magnetic model map
Trump to meet North Korean leader February 27-28 in Vietnam
Putin greenlights creation of hypersonic mid-range missile as USA suspends INF Treaty
Prime Day 2019 Was Amazon's Biggest Event Ever 7/18/2019
Amazon gives Prime Day customers a sneak peek at deals to come 7/15/2019
Amazon Working on Premium Echo Speaker, Rolling Alexa Robot 7/14/2019
Scores of Android Apps Collect Data Without Your Permission 7/13/2019
Pokémon Sword and Shield will have exclusive gyms 7/12/2019
This is the Galaxy Note 10 7/11/2019
Windows 1.11 and Windows Throwback now available to download 7/10/2019
Pixel 4 XL Leak Confirms Big Bezel, No Notch 7/10/2019
Custom cooler Radeon RX 5700 GPUs to arrive mid August 7/10/2019
Apple updates MacBook Air & Pro, kills 12-inch MacBook & "MacBook Escape" 7/10/2019
Harrison Barnes Traded from Mavericks to Sacramento Kings
From a salary cap perspective, Dallas, in effect, traded Barnes' $25 million salary next season for Jackson's $3.3 million. National Basketball Association trade deadline, is Dallas' second major trade in six days.
Rob Gronkowski Will Decide Future 'In A Few Weeks'
Los Angeles would start with the ball in the second half, but five plays later and the Rams would punt to New England. No matter which way you went, so many story lines to follow in this one! That sounds simple.
Patriots' Harmon says he won't visit White House
Only 34 of the 52 Patriots visited President Trump in 2017 after defeating the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51. There is no set date or confirmed plans for a Patriots visit to the White House at this time.
Facebook profits hit record high (despite year of scandals)
Instead, it will disclose total users for a "family of services" that includes Facebook , Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram . Proof positive that Mark Zuckerberg has built something that millions and millions of people are still using every day.
Facebook Messenger Will Now Let You Delete Messages
We've all done it - sending a message or an email to the wrong person that you wish you could jump into your phone to delete . The feature is now available for those of you who aren't a CEO with potentially incriminating messages dating back years.
Jewish takeaways from Donald Trump’s State of the Union address
White House officials have pushed back, insisting the time has come for other nations to step up their contributions to the fight. In his address, Trump said Islamic State controlled more than 20,000 square miles of territory in Iraq and Syria.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi faces fitness race ahead of Copa Clasico
Messi took his tally to 11 in the past nine matches in all competitions, passing 20 league goals for the 11th successive season. Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde admits he could be without his main man for Wednesday's first leg against arch rivals Madrid .
Barca silent on Messi injury, Real all fit for Copa ‘Clasico’
Ousmane Dembele , who also trained after recovering from two weeks out with an ankle sprain, has not been named in the squad. Although it is a cup semi-final, both Valverde and Real Madrid counterpart Santiago Solari may look to make some changes.
United States measles outbreak could be prevented
A vast majority of those who came down with measles - 41 - were not vaccinated against the disease, Clark County officials said. Right now there is an outbreak of measles in Washington, and the governor has declared a public health emergency .
Ex-Manchester United manage avoids jail term
Mourinho parted ways with Manchester United in December 2018 after poor results and was replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer . Mourinho appeared before a judge in a Madrid court to confirm the plea agreement he had reached with prosecutors.
Lakers end Anthony Davis talks over 'outrageous' demands
If Davis isn't dealt before the February 7 deadline, the Pelicans could allow him to return and finish the season with the team. Things have hit a breaking point, for now, as the Lakers have reportedly pulled out of the Davis trade sweepstakes, for now.
Bud Light Isn't Nutritionally Different From Light Beers That Use Corn Syrup
Social media chatter over the ad got a boost when the National Corn Growers Association expressed its disapproval in a tweet . But AB InBev may be living in a glass house - a point its competitors were happy to point out.
Knicks fans give Celtics’ Kyrie Irving ovation
The Knicks' new players weren't available, so they started Dotson and Kadeem Allen as guards. NY has now started February with a loss after losing 24 of 27 games in December and January.
Microsoft to expand Xbox Live cross-platform support on Android, iOS, Switch
Microsoft will reveal more at the Game Developers Conference , which starts on Monday, March 18 and continues until March 22. In any case, this is a big move for Microsoft, and one we may not fully see the fruits of until the next generation.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban: Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis here to stay
If all works out, the combination of Porzingis and rookie phenom Luka Doncic could bring about a new era of contending for the Mavericks .
EA Access Is Coming To PS4 In Late July6/30/2019
Now, auto-delete location history on Google6/28/2019
Oppo showcases a smartphone with the world's first under-screen selfie camera6/27/2019
Raspberry Pi 4 released with upgraded specs, starts at $356/25/2019
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite Healing Potion - How to Brew6/24/2019
Potterheads Delighted with Harry Potter Wizards Unite Releasing Soon6/23/2019
Apple Considering Moving iPhone Production Out of China6/22/2019
Vivo’s 120W Super FlashCharge can power 4,000mAh battery in 13 minutes!6/22/2019
Ahead of Prime Day, Amazon launches back-to-school store7/09/2019
Why France 2019 will go down as Megan Rapinoe's tournament7/08/2019
Samsung Galaxy Note10 Unpacked event scheduled for August 77/05/2019
New Samsung Galaxy A80 Now Available for Pre-Order in the UAE7/03/2019
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Ghostwritten
Scripts involving sets of cleverly intersecting personal narratives − we're talking stuff like Crash and Magnolia here− are amongst the most admired and studied at filmschools. And yet I've always imagined that these kind of stories would actually be easier to write, because they surely save you from having to tackle the hard part of any one of the separate narrative threads. Ghostwritten, David Mitchell's first novel, has served to re-confirm this little prejudice of mine.
There are nine nearly-stories told in ten chapters. There's a theme that doesn't quite over-arch enough, and some of the connections are very arch indeed. And there are loads of good bits.
In the early chapters set in Asia I had to remind myself a couple of times that I wasn't reading translated literature − one of the Japanese characters makes a pun that would only work in English. The first clear sign that the many dazzling passages are going to be offset by clumps of deadening mediocrity occurs in the chapter set around the Hermitage in St Petersburg. I visited the museum in '84 and '85 and was expecting Mitchell to capture something of the mood of this singular space, but the action he describes could be taking place in any major art gallery around the world. The narrator does keep looking out the window in order to describe the weather and visible rooftops outside, but this is generally rather clumsy stuff. (She also produces this cringeworthy metaphor: "The minutes are hauling themselves by like a shot Hollywood gangster crawling down a corridor.")
Nevertheless, I will remember this book mostly for its self-contained gobbets, and have here reproduced a representative selection:
"The most malicious God is the God of the counted chicken."
"Memories are their own descendents masquerading as the ancestors of the present. "
"The world runs on strangers coping."
"Lunatics are writers whose works write them."
"London's middle-aged and male, respectably married but secretly gay."
"Money is another one of those inner places...it's a way to measure yourself."
"If you're in your life, chance. Viewed from the outside , like a book you're reading, it's fate all the way,"
...an important observation, and I will return to it later when I post my comments on John Carey's relativist polemic What good are the arts?
Disharmonies
Yet another gratuitous Tudela fiesta pic. This time of V getting swept along by an unharmonious little Basque orchestra in the narrow streets of the old part of town...streets that were for the most part deserted, but we could hear the band moving around noisily somewhere in the maze for a while before we eventually ran into it.
V recalled chasing around Antigua's more spacious grid looking for slow-moving Lenten processions wrapped in a swirling mist of incense. And similarly, the groups of instrumentalists that follow the andas in Antigua are usually not musicians in the strictest sense of the word. Each has carefully mastered the particular notes they have to play on the day, and in aggregate something like a (rather doleful) tune emerges. England's World Cup band are a comparable phenomenon.
(Which rather bizarrely reminds me of the controversy surrounding Searle's famous Chinese Room thought experiment and the issue of whether syntax can ever explain semantics. )
Labels: Guatemala, Ideas, Spain
I've come to the conclusion that at every World Cup game there's a FIFA agent positioned high up in the stadium holding a device with a big red button marked "Turbo".
When pressed the match ball temporarily goes into anti-grav mode. It seems that Lampard can't get anywhere near it before the button gets pressed...and Bravo's missed penalty for Mexico this afternoon showed all the signs.
Twice daily I walk down Mercer street in Covent Garden. One of the doorways has a permanent resident, whose own front door (pictured) suggests that even the metropolis's least favoured citizens are getting into the spirit of things.
Labels: London, Sport
Today might be the longest day here in London, but tomorrow will surely feel longer: 5452 airmiles await.
I had sworn I'd never take the AA route via Miami again after the engine fire in 2000, but the Iberia return leg on the 8th of June would involve missing the World Cup Final the next day and the Houston route is prohibitively expensive at this time of year.
There's always one thing on the list of things V gives me to take over that proves to be a bit of a challenge. I have now found and purchased a suitable lemon squeezer, but the canine nail-cutter is still eluding me! One final schlep to Selfridges at lunchtime...
It's the wet season right now in Guatemala, and so far it has been very wet. It was reported yesterday that a storm 2000 miles away has been pulsing 15 foot waves towards Central America's Pacific littoral. In Guatemala dozens of homes have been destroyed by these surges and in Sipacate the waves wrecked the 10-room Rancho Carrillo hotel...now the 2-room Rancho Carrillo hotel. "The sea took away eight rooms and part of the restaurant, which was made of wood," manager Brigido de Paz was quoted as saying.
Weather experts have warned that Guatemala could face an on-going battering this year from natural phenomena. The current season has a scheduled line-up of 18 storms. Hugo Hernandez, executive secretary of the National Disaster Reduction Coordination (CONRED), thinks hurricanes could be lo peor....followed by quakes, volcanoes, freezing temperatures and drought. He reckons that 25,000 people reside in high risk areas: 3,000-6,000 in mudslide zones and up to 400,000 in flood-risk areas.
Labels: Guatemala, Travel
Water Pistol
Another image from Tudela's fiesta patronal in 2004 - I didn't really have one to accompany this post.
Stefan told me a great story on the boat this morning. His former colleague Assen has become a very successful businessman back home in Bulgaria, setting up one of Sofia's most prominent insurance companies (persistently rumoured to be linked to Russian Military Intelligence, though of course Assen denies this.)
Recently Assen was in London and decided to pop into Hamleys to get something for his young son. Being London's most prestigious toy store of course they sell rockets, but Assen made the mistake (easily done) of requesting just a bit too much solid rocket fuel to go with his purchase, and staff were concerned enough to call in the police. Marched off and interrogated, Assen asserted his status as one of Eastern Europe's leading entrepreneurs and was eventually released with his rocket. He was not however allowed to take any of the fuel home with him. In compensation Hamleys gave him a free water pistol.
Stefan wonders if the Regent Street store sells mini-Stinger missiles that you can attach to your radio-controlled airplane!
Enger-land?
In fact not.
The balcony of the Plaza de los Fueros in Tudela was decked out this way, not in eager anticipation of an imminent Wayne Rooney unleashing, but instead to mark the Navarran town's annual week-long debauch, la Fiesta de Santa Ana, essentially a smaller-scale version of that more famous fiesta up in Pamplona (and one thankfully free of Americans clutching their copies of Hemingway.)
We drove into town − without any notion of what to expect when we got there − around this time a couple of years ago on our way back from old Castile. It was the morning after the night before, the big first night of excess, and there were not many Tudelanas on the streets, and many of those that were, were often quite literally on the street.
Prone or standing, everyone was wearing the only outfit to be seen in that week: white tunic and trousers, red belt, red scarf and a red Carlist beret. We passed a couple of small fashion boutiques and were left with the impression that this was the only get-up that you were actually able to buy in Tudela that weekend.
This year the fiesta will kick off next Saturday (June 24th) at midday with the chupinazo. Over the course of the following six days there will be music, fireworks, religious processions, gigantes and cabezudos and the usual range of trauma injuries resulting from the encierro of the bulls. They also have an equivalent of Guatemala's torito, the toro de fuego − essentially a sociopath encased in a bull-shaped frame armed with rockets pointing outwards at all angles, whose effect on boozed-up crowds is rather like that of an armoured police truck with water cannon.
Incidentally, when Terry Gilliam was supposedly Lost in La Mancha, he was in fact lost in Navarra, shooting his unfinished Don Quixote in the then storm-sodden Las Bardenas Reales national park, which is just to the north of Tudela.
When Fernando Torres scored the fourth last week against the hapless Ukranians, the Spanish commentator started singing Football's Coming Home....in English. Today we shall see if they can keep up the momentum.
A mixed bag of games over the weekend. The Americans launched an assault on the Italians with their customary unshakeable optimism (coupled with some African-style defending) and their nine remaining men got − at least − the result they deserved. The Italians responded with the sort of play that saw them eliminated in South Korea.
Ronaldo and the Brazilians appear to have forgotten to drink their guaraná before coming out to play. The Aussies were very close to embarrassing them more. I could have used some guaraná myself during the Japan v Croatia game earlier. Contrast the Ghanaian overrunning of the Czechs, one of the best matches of the tournament so far.
On the BBC last night Ian Wright had a fit of the giggles after France conceded to South Korea and fellow panelist Marcel Desailly ne s'etait pas amusé.
Reuters' big screen at Canary Wharf was the scene of an outbreak of class war during England's first match against Paraguay - members of what my Bulgarian chum refers to as the "so-called" local community took exception to some Champagne-swilling bankers watching from a VIP terrace above them and started tossing bottles in their direction. With open-air viewing now halted until the return of more genteel sports, Wharf businesses such as Barclays and HSBC have offered employees a "meal deal" − they can watch the games in the staff canteen as long as they buy some food. Not such a bad idea as the local Waitrose reportedly ran out of beer prior to the fixture in Frankfurt.
Windows Live Session 2
A few weeks ago I went along to the second Windows Live blogger session at Westminster Kingsway College, hidden away in the grottiest part of Soho.
The average age of the group has gone down a bit since the first gathering back in January. This time it looked like the majority of attendees were budding young developers and the show was definitely pitched at their interest and experience level.
Along with Phil Holden came Koji Kato, Group Program Manager for Windows Live. Koji gave a presentation on the latest gadgets and did some 'live' development, which reminded of the heady days when I used to sit beside to Christofer as he coded away in Visual Basic.
Koji wants to take development to the masses. He showed us how easy it will be to set up a 'bot' as a Messenger contact − so for example, you could ask a question of Encarta ("what is up with Ronaldo?!") and get the answer back as part of the Messenger session rather than having to do a more formal Web search. He also quickly coded-up and demonstrated a search tool that could recognise handwritten content and in which the keyword priorities could be managed by dragging text around the screen. Would seem to work best on a tablet PC.
Koji also showed the group how you can use live.com to associate your digital photos with particular geographical locations (using maps), and reflected that it would be great if a future generation of cameras were able to automatically encode the images with GPS data.
These meet-ups have been organised by a French online marketing agency (with a blog-form website) called Heaven.
Yellow shirts everywhere in Soho last night − what Motty once famously described as "a kaleidoscope of colour". The queue outside Salsa! began at 5:30 and tailed back along Charing Cross Road to Borders. Their team won on the night, but look beatable. They play a one man defence (Lucio) and when the others do get back to defend corners and set pieces they look vulnerable. Ronaldo barely had the energy to come back on the pitch for the second half and Adriano didn't make much of an impression. Flashes of individual flair...but none of the symphonic movement that made Brazilian teams of old such a thrilling experience.
From what Kovac has been saying, it seems that marking Ronaldo was rather like standing guard outside Buckingham Palace. An important duty, but not one that requires much running around.
The demeanor of the Croats as their national anthem was played could best be described as un-dead. Compared to this lot Wayne Rooney looks positively metrosexual. The lettering on the back of their shirts hints at an ancient historical pogrom against vowels and, as Surfer pointed out (we hadn't yet eaten), when they hit the ground the opposite side looks like the perfect platform for a few glasses, a candle and a pizza.
The fancied teams continue to win, but the unfancied teams continue to go down fighting. Only the US has been comprehensively thrashed and only the French have been comprehensively unwatchable. No penalties so far − they are saving them up for the knock-out stages.
I was starting to fret this morning that I might have to support the Germans tonight, as a second defeat for Poland would almost guarantee either Ecuador or Costa Rica passage through to the next phase. Yet I know that the heart will win over the head and that I'll still find myself willing on the Poles. Maybe a defeat for the Krouts coupled with a win for the Ticos tomorrow will set the group up nicely for a sudden death finale − all four teams would have three points going into the last game.
Bombón El Perro
Many of the Argie films I've seen have been about city folk and their daily quest to be taken seriously as people of the exterior. This one is very much about the people of the interior.
Perhaps what appealed to me most here was the way that almost every character that Villegas runs into on his road to renewal is immediately engaging. It's as if the tale of this man and his dogo is just one patch in a larger quilt of personal truths populated by appealing Patagonians with their own unique stories: the widow that gives Villegas Bombón/Lechien as a reward for fixing the fan-belt on her Mercedes, the beaming young girl in the service station that hands him a winning promotional ticket, the woman that sings Arabian songs phonetically, the teenage couple at the end heading north for a better life in Buenos Aires - none are incidental. I felt at once that I wanted to know more about each of them.
Juan 'Coco' Villegas is a man who appears to have used up his store of options. Laid off at 52 after two decades of labour as a light mechanic at a service station, he's a barely welcome guest at his daughter's home and is having little luck selling hand-crafted knives. The unexpected acquisition of a new companion, an Argentine dogo sired by a great champion, immediately cures him of his ingrained invisibility. Of course at first it's really the dog that people are noticing, but some of this canine value soon starts to rub off on the owner. An apparently doomed spectator is transformed once more into a player.
The inhabitants of trenchant landscapes like Patagonia are often contrastingly soft at heart. The moment in the movie which most touching captures the truth of these good-natured interior folk comes when Juan drives off from the petrol station wearing his new Men in Black specs; "como en la televisión," he later tells his daughter.
This film will move most sensitive sorts, but not in a heavy-handed Hollywood sort of way. Sorin's neo-realist documentary-style storytelling is based on using non-professional actors, and as I noted above, the effect is attention-grabbing. Juan Villegas is played by a man of the same name, himself a twenty-year veteran of garage attendance − so perhaps the expression on his face when everyone claps him at the dog show reflects a genuine surge of self-esteem. Sorin also insists on shooting his films in chronological order.
Lanier revisited
It has been interesting to track the hurly-burly stirred up by Jaron Lanier's Digital Maoism essay, which I reported on a couple of weeks ago. Time for some deeper reflections on its context and impact.
You might say that Lanier's apparent crowd-anxiety is very much in the American political tradition. James Madison himself outlined his concerns about un-governed collective activity at the Constitional Convention, declaring that the masses − and hence Democracy − need constant checking because a) they are dumb and b) they generally behave more like a mob than rational individuals.
Indeed, in stark contrast to the more optimistic proponents of "smart chaos", Lanier is probably one of those thinkers that believe the "hive mind" might indeed be a good idea, if only it consisted entitrely of people with individual minds like his own. Peer-production in the more elitist sense then. Some people simply don't trust the dumb to become clever in the aggregate.
Of course one huge weakness of Lanier's argument is that not all mobs are Maoist. And in the specific case of Wikipedia, although the effect is collective, the cause is surely individual.
Individualism has been the West's key differentiator for centuries. Until about a hundred years ago it was backed up by a scientific world-view founded on a model of reality conceived as the product of the activity of distinct particles. This mechanistic paradigm has steadily lost its grip since quantum phenomena were first detected, and "web" and "system" had become the dominant metaphors within our scientific thinking long before the Internet became a mainstream communications medium.
It's hardly surprising then that all this has tipped the balance in favour of thinking about "webs" of human creativity. This shift is significant and looks like it is here to stay. Perhaps Lanier is right however to suggest that we ought to be giving some consideration at least to what we are losing along the way.
"The book revolution, which from the Renaissance on taught men and women
to cherish and cultivate their individuality, threatens to end in a sparkling pod
of snippets. So, booksellers...keep your edges dry. Your edges are our edges.
For some of us, books are intrinsic to our human identity." (John Updike)
Now Updike might prefer content with edges, but the edges have been shifting right the way across our culture for some time now. Many would regard his defence of the non-electronic book as Conservative − such things, they would argue, increasingly have legacy cultural value in excess of their use-value. However, it would surely be wrong to dismiss him as a dinosaur. There may be a "new modality" out there, but it is not necessarily a better one. For the time being at least, it would be best to consider it as a useful alternative.
Personally, I'm less concerned about changes to our cultural forms (like books) than changes to the psychological make-up of the individuals that make up our culture. In the end though, I suppose it's up to all of us to decide how mashed-up we'd like our society to become. It's all part of the phenomenon that non-geeks know as Postmodernism...which is not necessarily an improvement on Modernism and everything else before that.
Many Tech-minded thinkers are often far too quick to designate all change as progress. In some of the worst cases they seem to be in the grip of an alternative religious revelation, faith in which entails that it is the destiny of mankind to be relieved of its painful individuality and to fill up the cosmos with a great hive intelligence that will transcend the personal mortality of its components - us. If anything, such ideas are more Buddhist than Maoist.
There are many different ways of looking at the relationship between individual and collective, the centre and the de-centre. Two axes on a graph, two quadrants in a Boston matrix (what would the other two be?!)...a continuum. In his response to Lanier, Clay Shirky characterised the polarity as a "tension". ("Social life involves a tension between individual freedom and group participation.") The human mind is obviously an interesting mix of individual/serial and collective/parallel process, but unlike other aspects of biology where the dynamic is more obviously "tense"and competitive, here perhaps the two exist in a kind of symbiotic balance.
In spite of the increasing "webbiness" of our contemporary ways of thinking and acting, the market and the theories which drive it, remain resolutely individualistic. So I'd agree with those that regard much of the community activity on the Web as part of an on-going collective defence mechanism against its rigours.
Labels: Ideas, Social Media
Somehow manages to out-stupid the Hollywood action franchises (Die Hard etc.) from which it derives.
Whilst you can nearly 100% certain that the all-American action hero will be alive and all the bad guys systematically dead at the conclusion of such bullet-fests, his Asian equivalent is just as likely to have earned himself an honourable grave.
The train-hijacking villain here is an impassive former government assassin with a knack for mowing down entire SWAT teams from a standing, uncovered position; a feat he achieves twice in this nonsensical Korean movie. It is offset by an apparent inability to put a bullet into the hero's girlfriend/stalker on several occasions when he has both motive and opportunity.
The suicides of 3 inmates at Gitmo have revealed the apparent interchangeability of two hitherto unrelated (or so I thought) concepts:
"PR exercise" and "Act of asymmetrical warfare."
Nul Points
In all of 2005 AA Gill only gave one "no stars" rating in the Sunday Times. The first unlucky recipient this year is The Bell in Gloucestershire, in what is an amusing demolition job on rural hospitality:
"It’s pretentious, twee and seemingly run for the convenience of the management. The food we ate was risibly bad, the atmosphere smilingly inhospitable, the décor a sordid cliché of rural nostalgia, puppy porn and green-welly fascism."
"The place was full of whispering old folk, the itinerant retired who traipse the B roads of Britain, eking out the unforgiving days and squatting in places like the Bell, because they have nothing else to do. The food is the sort of careless English fare that owes more to daytime TV and women’s magazines than any particular county, and for which Gary Rhodes has much to answer."
My father's place in Berkshire is literally surrounded by these sort of fine dining establishments. And yes, they all seem to have those stupid cartoons in the gents'. Utterly awful.
For my World Cup balcony barbecue on Saturday I made this Guatemalan ceviche. (Shrimp, juice of three limes, chopped onion, garlic and chillies, fresh coriander, dried oregano and plum tomatoes.) I skipped on the salsa inglesa (Worcestershire sauce) and you can't get chiltepes in the UK. Almost up to the standard of the one pictured here and all these in this Flickr slideshow.
The whole city went eerily quiet at 2pm. There didn't even seem to be any boats on the river when the game in Frankfurt kicked off.
Over in Guatemala V let off a faja of cuetes outside our house when England scored! She was elated with the win, although she did nominate Roque Santa Cruz mangazo of the match.
All of Guatemala's terrestrial channels show the games at the same time − the polite British notion that some people might want to watch something else just hasn't occurred to them. I shall be out there for the knock-out stages and am looking forward to the general silliness of it. There's a bloke with a substantial crib in our neighbourhood in Antigua who flies the flag of St George from a tall flagpole on his roof year-round.
The Argie commentators on the ESPN feed greeted the Paraguayan own-goal with their customary "Goooooooooooooooooooooooooo...ooooooooooooool". On the BBC Motty was rabitting on about some factlet his computer had just served him and was caught out when Beckham's free kick went straight in. (Earlier, he'd referred to the opposition as 'Uruguay' before a ball had been kicked. Even my father asked me whereabout exactly Paraguay can be found...and he used to live in Argentina!)
Mexico − my dark horses − got off to a great start, with two excellent goals in the second half against Iran. Portugal, rather like England, just wanted to break with recent history and actually win their first match, even if it meant grinding out a 1-0. The Argies looked annoyingly competent against the Ivorians, especially in the first half, but the Africans made a game of it late on. Shame about the Ticos on Friday, but they're not out of it yet.
One Hour Photo
Entertaining pyscho-thriller, and actually quite unusual in that Sy the Photo Guy has almost become something of an anti-hero at the end....and is still alive, if castigated.
Normally any sympathy the central wacko builds up at the start is thrown away in a third act esclation of violent weirdness that terminates with his or her own personal termination.
Not here though. An abused-child himself, Sy yearns to be part of an 'ideal' American family, and although there is undoubtedly something creepy about the form this yearning takes, he is allowed to expose the normality he is excluded from as both bogus and unpleasant in its own way. Great performance by Robin Williams and eye-catching scene-setting throughout.
Posted by Inner Diablog at 6:52 am 1 comment:
Invasion and Lost
It's a great shame that ABC decided to cancel Invasion, especially after that cliffhanger conclusion. By showing the two shows consecutively the network had banked that the people that liked Lost would take to its new little brother, but it didn't work out that way.
When Lost first kicked-off in the UK I gave up after part three (actually at the end of the first night's showing on C4/E4). The first hour was paced like a feature film, but then suddenly all the braking-techniques were deployed at once, and I feared an endless rolling out of pointless flashbacks.
Invasion on the other hand seemed to have much more likeable (and attractive) characters in all the lead roles. Perhaps that was the problem - they had to bring on some deranged Brit towards the end of the series to give audiences a clear sense of who the bad guys were. The idea of creating real ambiguity in the ontological issue of human vs alien nature actually required a bit more moral ambiguity from all those nice folks down in the Everglades. (Would these hybrids have voted for Bush or Gore? They mostly behaved like Bush voters towards the end.)
According to the New Scientist this week an IED is not just something in the dead sheep parked next to your Humvee, it's also an "intermittent explosive disorder", to which more that 7% of Americans are prone according to new research by the Harvard Medical School. This explains much about the character interaction on the island in Lost...though it's that Australian girl Claire that you really want to slap into her senses!
The characters in Lost each have a recurring flaw. Sawyer is duplicitous, Sayid tortures people, Ana Lucia has Hispanic anger-management issues, Jack is, as my friend Katy puts it, a wet cabbage. Lock was my personal favourite for a long time but, at the stage I have now reached (Episode 17 of Series 2) has turned into a kind of neurotic Big Brother housemate down in that hatch, squabbling over the washing up rota with the aforementioned sodden vegetable. So Mr Eko has had to assume the mantle of purveyor of esoteric jungle wisdom to the group. However, it does look like episode 18 will finally reveal how Lock got into that wheelchair though.
Importantly, you get the impression with Lost that they sat down at the outset and worked out the overall synopsis of the story and the main character biographies before they started shooting series one. While both series are soapish in conception, Invasion appeared to have a few of the short-term structural aberrations and exasperating dead-ends familiar from the worst sort of telenovela. Lost is far more even in its fits and spurts!
Having participated in three declared mid-air emergencies and at least two undeclared ones, this was always going to be about facing my demons. Yet for most people on this 6/6/06 evening at the West India Quay Cinemania, facing their demons involved seeing The Omen.(The 9:15 performance was a sell-out.)
I reflected that even if the Beast was born today, by time he reaches adulthood we will surely have completed the trashing of our planet without any of His help. Anyway, we already have a date when things took a definite turn for the worse − and it really wasn't long before the full consequences started to be felt.
The tension in the first hour is almost unbearable; suffocating. The nasty smell of burning normality is in the air. It's odd though that this choking tension levels off a bit (enough in any case for me to get my heart rate down) just as the hijackers pounce and the plane itself loses altitude. Perhaps it's because the director has, up to that moment, wanted us to feel like just another one of the passengers, but then changes tack, opening up a bit of distance for us to observe as these desperate un-named individuals make their bid to dodge the bullet they know is coming their way. (Though some have argued that they effectively decided to take it...for the President!)
I have to admit that I always thought they shot this flight down and have just told the story differently to perpetuate a myth of heroic but doomed resistance: another Alamo or an American Thermopylae. But before the credits roll you are told that the whilst the President had indeed authorised the military to shoot down civilian planes that weren't "squawking" to controllers, they were not informed that United 93 had been hijacked until 4 minutes after it had hit the ground in Pennsylvania. We are also told that collectively they had decided not to fire on suspect airliners for fear of false positives. Hmmm, doesn't sound much like the US military to me.
Koran-bashing terrorism is the hidden demon we all fear now, but this film is at its most effective when it's a full-on play on the fear of flying: At Newark the main cabin door to flight 93 clunks shut as ominously as any dungeon door in Hollywood history.
This is also docu-style, context-free "storytelling" at its most affecting. Although I certainly don't subscribe to the various conspiracy theories, there's still enough that we don't know about the events of 9-11 to make me wary of any attempt to fill in the blanks with cinematic narrative. And while the director has taken pains to show us the multinational make-up of the passengers before the hijacking, when the going gets tough...it's only the yanks that get going. Indeed, there's a German character that makes it clear that it would be better to wait and do nothing, which turns the final 'action' sequence into a rather unfortunate metaphor for the American experience in Iraq.
Incidentally, Lewis Alsamari, one of the actors playing a terrorist in United 93 was denied access to the US by their embassy in London, proving that he sure looked the part. He did eventually make it to the premiere.
Having been a regular cinema-goer of late, I now dread my reacquaintance with certain ads on the programme. "Peroni Nastro Azzurro: I...taly." The creative for this one obviously derived from the same sort of brief as the San Miguel Spanish passion series: epitomise the nation. Except in this case, they've managed to epitomise the thing that most repels me about Italy: infantile narcissism. Even the Jack Daniels spots leave me with warmer feelings for those banjo-twanging hayseeds in Tennessee.
Only two more days to 'ere we go...
By way of an advent calendar I have discovered a new blog called Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo. Monday's offering was a great pic of a veggie stall in the main market. A friend from HR asked me yesterday afternoon what the food is like in Guatemala. Well, the local cuisine as such may not be up to Basque standards, but the range of fresh ingredients is phenomenal.
Neopolitan TV chef and former jailbird Gino d'Acampo has just got back from Mexico and was on Saturday Kitchen last week teaching fatboy Worrall-Thompson how to cook albondigas with 'red rice'. (Gino actually says salsa, not "sulsa" like that dreadful Delia woman.) I just had to have a go myself. I didn't have any fresh breadcrumbs so I obliterated some Viktoria toasted rolls from IKEA using a mallet and that seemed to work well enough. Nor could I be bothered to go out and find some explosive chiles habaneros, so I used some pale green Californian chillies in a jar, yet somehow still managed to blow my head off.
V&É
Park in Queensgate and check voicemail: just my mother letting me know that I don't love her any more because I hadn't called since Friday. While I'm appeasing her, a pair of bleeps indicate that Surfer is trying to reach me. I assume he's made it to the front steps of the V&A and is awaiting me there, but no, in fact he has broken down behind the Lycée. Sheepishly, he tells me he might have run out of gas. I wander down and find him wedged diagonally into a corner on Harrington Road. Together we shove the car until it's less of an obstacle and then I set off to get some petrol from the TOTAL garage on Sloane Avenue.
Even after tipping half the tub into the BMW using a refashioned Starbucks paper cup, and the other half onto the tarmac or over ourselves, we appear to be out of luck, but three students from the Lycée wander over and seem quite knowledgeable about the "pompe" and "gazole", and eventually help to give Surfer a push start. Such is the uncommon helpfulness of these Frenchies that we both vow to support them in the World Cup. Well, for the first week at least.
Up the red-carpeted steps and into what turns out to be a surprisngly swanky event. Not just a private view of Che Guevara: Revolutionary and Icon, but also a Miss Selfridge Fashion in the 60s show. Trust the V&A to pander to both the yin and the yang of that era, La Dolce Vita and La Bandera Roja. A quick scan of glittering and chattering crowd in the main lobby under that strange bauble thing (pictured) reveals that most of them have surely come here to celebrate the icon rather than the revolutionary.
The DJ has a hey hey we're the Monkeys hairdo and is spinning a set of sixties hits (of which You Only Live Twice etches itself most successfuly onto my consciousness). I wonder whether el Che is also spinning in his grave at 45 rpm.
As we mingle we fret that a careless fashionista might flick a fag in our direction and we'll all end up looking like the extras in Poseidon. ("Flash fire...lungs burn like rice paper.")
I have in mind to pour some Cava down my shirtfront to head off those eye-watering petrol-head vapours, but soon start to relax, waving my Chocolate Phone around to signal my sense of belonging. It's also the only way I have of recording this moment for (my own) posterity. It has to be said that most of the objectsofdesire on dispay have luscious eyelashes and are serving platters of sushi, though there are a few other delicate morsels posed around the circular bar that tonight is sponsored by Stolichnaya. "The history of Stolichnaya is deeply intertwined with Russian history and the Revolutionary spirit", boasts the drinks menu.
To "awaken my revolutionary spirit" I down a Martini and a 'Raspberry Beret': "As you sip this delicate mix of Stolichnaya Red vodka, Chambord and honey, let your thoughts return to those chants in 1967 Latin America "We won't let him be forgotten." No, but nor are we remembering him quite as he would have wished!
To my untutored eyes the 60s room looks like a bunch of spotty miniskirts − Portobello road behind glass cases − but the Che collection is certainly eye-catching and very well-balanced. The curators have worked out how to be both playful and informative without being blatantly irreverent to the aura of a man many still worship as a modern-day santo. The variety of images on display is fascinating (and all this and much else they achieved without Photoshop.)
A few years ago I came across some prints of the iconically iconic pic of the commandante by Korda in a gallery in Greenwich. They weren't that expensive and I guess I ought to have invested − especially now that there's one in this exhibition! I recall that at the time I pissed off the gallery owner a bit by pointing out that the massive blown-up colour print he was selling as "Havana Cuba" was in fact the Tanque de la Union in Antigua Guatemala.
As I get back to the Island I have a text from Surfer − he's broken down again, a few hundred yards from home, right outside Olympia. A copper helped push him out of the way then left him waiting for the RAC. Looks like we really did pour more petrol over ourselves than into the Beemer.
Full set of pics.
Frode's 38th
Had a great time on Friday night at Frode's birthday barbecue. Ted was on excellent form:
"The Web is a dumbed-down version of something I came up with in 1968."
(Hey, I'm also a dumbed-down version of something someone came up with in 1967! )
He then gave a demo of his latest alternative hypertext environment- Floating World.
Earlier he told me that he knows Jaron Lanier from his Sausalito days and that the dreadlocked demagogue is generally known as "Mr Virtual Reality; though freely admits that the phrase was originally coined by a French film director (not however mentioned in this entry.)
The next morning I learned that news of The Crouch had reached Guatemala!
It might have taken me a while to get used to the impressionistic storytelling style, but once I settled, I was also deeply moved. As with Terrence Malick's earlier film The Thin Red Line, quizzical inner voices decorate the dreamily disconnected action, itself a backdrop to a hauntingly revealed natural world. (Set to Wagner's prelude to Das Rheingold and tweeting birdies.) It's essentially a re-telling of the Pocahontas myth, though as far as I could tell the name itself only appears on the end titles.
"There's something that I know when I'm with you that I forget when I am away" Colin Farrell (as Smith) murmurs to her, perhaps the most touchingly poetic line in the whole film.
Amazingly, Q'Orianka Kilcher, the actress that plays Pocahontas, was just 15 when this movie was made - she was spotted a year earlier playing her guitar in Santa Monica. She is half Quechua-Huachipaeri and she has the striking flat features common to Peruvian indígenas. Pocahontas was only 13 when she 'saved' Smith and is said to have called him "Father" when they met again in London in 1617. Smith himself observed at this awkward re-encounter that "without any words, she turned about, obscured her face, as not seeming well contented".
Smith's ships Discovery, Godspeed and Susan Constant sailed in 1607 to Virginia with 105 people from Blackwall Stairs, quite close to my apartment. I remember being told the fanciful tale once that Pocahontas' ghost still haunts the abandoned galleries of Tobacco Dock, but I can't find a connection to Wapping and she is known to have died at Gravesend. Her earrings were exhibited at the Museum in Docklands at West India Quay.
Surfer also told me last night that there's a village in Cornwall called Indian Queens in reference to the fact that she and Rolfe supposedly made landfall at Sennen Cove before making their way overland to London, but her Wikipedia entry insists that they disembarked at Plymouth.
Thanks to a recommendation by the Professor I have started to collect the Latin American baroque recordings by Ex Cathedra and Jeffrey Skidmore. (Appearing on June 16 at the Stour festival.) The first CD is entitled New World Symphonies and features a rich mix of plainchant and polyphonic choral pieces from sixteenth and early seventeenth century America. My personal favourite is the opener, Hanaq pachap Kusikuynin (1631), an anonymous piece. Also sung in Quechua is Qhapaq eterno Dios (1598), and there's a beguiling lullaby in Nahuatl by Gaspar Fernandes (1570-1629) called Xicochi Conetzintle. (Street kids in Mexico are sometimes called Escuintles, so that word that must also be of Mexica/Aztec origin.) Moon, Sun and all Things should arrive later this week.
Posted by Inner Diablog at 11:06 am 2 comments:
Bigger, noisier and in a way, nastier than the original. Few films can have wallowed quite so much in human destruction. The big set-piece effects will be worth the price of the ticket for most, but I found that the inner environment of the overturned ship gets a bit samey as the various stock situations are ticked-off.
Whereas The Poseidon Adventure built up the characters along the way, Wolfgang das Boot Peterson's re-make shows signs at the outset of wanting to take some time to establish the key players before the "rogue wave" hits. This early promise is entirely squandered however, and amongst the survivors at the end are some entirely pointless characters that have barely said or done anything since disaster struck to merit either our interest or concern. (e.g. Maggie.)
How the heck does Richard Dreyfus get to survive? In the absence of any African Americans to provide obvious clues as to who might not make it, we supposed this gay "divorcee" was there to fly the flag for minority interest. Oddly, he also seems to be the only 'old' person on the cruise ship!
Early on there appeared to be an opportunity to add some edge to his relationship with Elena (played by argie Mía Maestro) as he had just shaken her boyfriend off the end of his leg, but when the subject comes up she doesn't seem even vaguely interested in whether poor old Valentino is still alive. Elena was however the one (female) character it was possible to take an interest in, and both Surfer and I admitted to diminished attention after her sad demise. As for Kevin Dillon's Lucky Larry, he practically had "count me down..." written on his forehead.
The scene that has always stuck with me from Christmas re-runs of The Poseidon Adventure is the one where the group encounters a line of survivors shuffling "the wrong way" along the capsized liner. This updated bunch pass many a charred corpse, but there's not a peep out of any of them!
One of the previews was for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, scheduled for release once all the football finishes. It looks much more Disneyfied than the first film and oddly, Orlando Bloom hardly features in the trailer. Looks like it's going to be the Captain Jack show.
Atomised
Jean Baudrillard worries that the man of the future "will be a corrected, rectified human. He will be from the outset what he should have been ideally. He will never, therefore become what he is." Yet what for Baudrillard is clearly a problem is for Michel Houellebecq nothing less than the solution: "The revolution will not be mental, but genetic." Mental it certainly is!
For the first hundred or so pages I was thinking that Atomised was a better, funnier novel than Platform, but then I started to get the impression that the plot and characters had become totally subservient to the author's delusional masterplan for the human race - a kind of porno Paolo Coelho if you like.
Still, I found much to enjoy here...unlike the New York Times' Michiko Kakutani who wrote:
"The reader of the newly translated English version can only conclude that controversy -- over the book's right-wing politics and willfully pornographic passages -- accounts for the novel's high profile. As a piece of writing, 'The Elementary Particles' feels like a bad, self-conscious pastiche of Camus, Foucault and Bret Easton Ellis. And as a philosophical tract, it evinces a fiercely nihilistic, anti-humanistic vision built upon gross generalizations and ridiculously phony logic. It is a deeply repugnant read."
Many standing outside of continental Europe's intellectual culture just don't get why its glass is permanently (at least) half empty - what Houellebecq describes here as "a general mood of depression bordering on masochism." After Nietzsche there are those that accepted the passing of the Deity, those that didn't, and those that never even heard the news. It is the blessing/curse of the Anglo-Saxon that he is usually blind to the void.
At the very least we British tend to look at tragedy with a sense of irony. Houellebecq scoffs at this: "Irony won't save you from anything...in the end life always breaks your heart...Some people live to be 70, sometimes 80 years old, believing that there is always something new just around the corner, as they say; in the end they practically have to be killed or at least reduced to a state of serious incapacity to get them to see reason."
Houellebecq specifically reminds me of my pal Baksheesh, who has the same knack for packaging cynicism as idealism. In my friend's case the charm of it derives from the fact that its clearly not rooted in either small-mindedness or hatred. You can't be so sure with Houellebecq. All of his pet hates are present here, such as the "sex and shopping society" where "the seasons were all commercial ones" and features "the ideals of the entertainment industry, individual freedom, the supremacy of youth over age and the destruction of Judaeo-Christian values." It marshals our desire so that "people have to want more until it fills their lives completely and finally devours them" and "a world in which the young have no respect eventually devours everyone."
Then there is his parents' generation: "Liberated from the constraints of ordinary morality [we] turn our attentions to the wider pleasures of cruelty. The serial killers of the 1990s were the spiritual children of the hippies of the sixties."
And how he loves to be rude about other countries. You can't even say indirectly, as his characters are such poorly-disguised ciphers for his own personal issues. Norway and Japan are "those sinister countries where middle-aged people commit suicide en mass", while Brazil is "a shitheap full of morons obsessed with football and formula one. It was the ne plus ultra of violence, corruption and misery. If ever a country were loathsome, that country, specifically, was Brazil."
Houellebecq sees the half-empty side of TV Nature documentaries too: "Graceful animals like gazelles and the antelopes spent their days in abject terror while lions and panthers lived out their lives in listless imbecility punctuated by explosive bursts of cruelty...All in all, Nature deserved to be wiped out in a holocaust and Man's mission on Earth was probably to do just that."
The title itself signals the author's willingness, like many Postmodern French thinkers (Baudrillard included), to couch his metaphors in the concepts of contemporary Science: "Now particle, now wave - so Bruno could be seen as an individual or as passively caught up in the sweep of history."
And quantum physics, Houellebecq suggests, has instigated the "suicide of the West" by undermining the materialism that had itself put paid to traditional religious faith in Europe. As Baudrillard puts it, God was the "first barrier", and after that had been breached, Man "no longer needed God, nor even the idea of underlying reality."
Noting the words of St Paul, that "if Christ did not rise from the dead then our faith is vain" Houellebecq insists that the apparent unavailability of an afterlife will thwart all efforts to fashion an upbeat society, at least while we remain in our present biological state: "Contemporary consciousness is no longer equipped to deal with our mortality."
Kakutani summarises: "The remedy for suffering, this book implies, does not lie in anything as old-fashioned as human love, kindness or faith -- emotions Mr. Houellebecq discounts as being purely illusory -- but in the evolution of humanity into a superior, rational species: clones devoid of individuality, a race of ''gods'' carefully engineered by scientists to lack the egotistical and quarrelsome qualities of human beings."
Over the final few pages one of Houellebecq's monads is summarising the state of its own post-human society, and comes up with a line that I found ironic, but perhaps the author himself didn't:
"Without the stimulus of personal vanity, the pursuit of Truth and Beauty has taken on a less urgent aspect."
Labels: Fiction, Houellebecq
Digital Maoism
Jaron Lanier's provocative essay in Edge this week (Digital Maoism: the hazards of the new online collectivism) has reinforced some of my present discomforts with the state of online media. In particular I have voiced concerns on this blog about:
- the results of algorithms being presented as "intelligence", blurring the distinction between qual and quant information
- my sense that the Net as a whole is losing some of its flavour, rather like those supermarket chickens
Lanier is worried about the wikification of content: "When you see the context in which something was written and you know who the author was beyond just a name, you learn so much more than when you find the same text placed in the anonymous, faux-authoritative, anti-contextual brew of the Wikipedia." This problem is exacerbated by the fact that search engines are more likely to point users to wikified versions of pages.
For Lanier this isn't just an issue of accountability and authentication, it's also one of personality. This "gives language it's full meaning. "Reading a Wikipedia entry is like reading the Bible closely. There are faint traces of the voices of various anonymous authors and editors, though it is impossible to be sure."
This resurgent belief in the near-infallible wisdom of the collective has a growing appeal to large organisations because it helps to shield individuals from having to assume personal risks and responsibilities. Yet overall it fosters "a loss of insight and subtlety, a disregard for nuances of considered opinions and an increased tendency to enshrine the official or normative beliefs of an organisation." It's also "safer to be an aggregator of the collective. You get to include all sorts of material without committing to anything. You can be superficially interesting without having to worry about the possibility of being wrong."
Lanier reckons that inappropriate uses of the collective in the corporate world demonstrate that "bad old ideas look confusingly fresh" when packaged as technology. As for blogging..."it's easy to be loved as a blogger - all you have to do is play the crowd. Real writing involves articulating a perspective that is not just reactive to yesterday's moves in a conversation."
There's no doubt that media-collectivisation is everywhere today, affecting the way we interact with the news, and the way that media products are themselves formulated. The winners of reality TV competitions may be (almost by definition) likeable, but "something is lost," Lanier argues, "when American Idol becomes a leader instead of a follower of pop music." Would the likes of Jimmy Hendrix or John Lennon have thrived on this kind of show? I myself have recently noted a rather serious decline in the quality of BBC news-programming (especially Breakfast) as a result of this phenomenon.
Lanier is concerned too that many appear to believe that whatever problems exist will be incrementally corrected as the process unfolds, responding that "sometimes loosely structured collective activities yield continuous improvements and sometimes they don't."
I'd have to admit that I was one of those individuals whose own thinking about technology was influenced in the mid-90s by the concept of organised complexity popularised by the likes of Kevin Kelly and Stuart Kauffman. Yet even then I recoiled from a certain lack of judgement and all-round over-enthusiasm for collective intelligence that was emerging in the wider techy culture at the time.
Lanier perceives a sort of race to be the "most meta" top-level aggregator in the online world, citing Kelly's enthusiasm for consensus Web filters such as popurls: "We now are reading what a collectivity algorithm derives from what other collectivity algorithms derived from what collectives chose from what a population of mostly amateur writers wrote anonymously."
There may be, as Kelly asserts, "no better way to watch the hive mind" but, claims Lanier "the hive mind is for the most part stupid and boring" so why give it our attention? He believes that we are actively making idiots of ourselves by imagining that the Net is itself an entity with something unique of its own to say: "In the last year or two the trend has been to remove the scent of people, so as to come as close as possible to simulating the appearance of content emerging out of the Web as it it were speaking to us as a supernatural oracle."
The essay concludes that calming mechanisms that worked "tolerably-well" in the pre-Internet world could now be applied to restore some order online - such as feedback loops between the individual and the collective. (Markets work this way.) However, "the hive mind is too chaotic to be fed back into itself...History has shown us again and again that a hive mind is a cruel idiot when it runs on autopilot."
"The flesh of your mother sticks between my teeth."
When the Europeans arrived on Easter Island this was the most inflammatory local taunt, reflecting a change in diet forced upon the natives by deforestation. No trees meant no birds and no seagoing canoes to seek out porpoise and tuna. Yet rats, a pest that humans themselves had introduced, persisted. They too had done much to damage the native flora.
In Collapse Jared Diamond identifies 8 factors which made the natural environment on Easter particularly vulnerable to over-exploitation. Yet the hypothetical question of what the islanders were saying to each other as they cut down the last tree remains. Diamond offers some suggestions:
"Jobs not trees"
"Technology will solve our problems...never fear, we'll find a substitute for wood."
"We don't have proof that there aren't palms somewhere else on the Easter...we need more research...your proposed ban on logging is premature and driven by fear-mongering."
The problem must have accelerated towards the end as urgent appeals to ancestors meant that more statues had to be carved and transported, requiring more wood and more food for the labourers. The islanders' practice of cremating the dead was also fuel-intensive.
One of the trees that didn't make it is said to have been even taller relative of the 65ft high, 5ft wide Chilean Wine Palm which oozes a sweet sap which can be drunk as 'wine' or boiled down to make honey or sugar.
In 1862-3 Peruvian ships visited the island and abducted 1500 people to work in their guano mines. International pressure eventually forced them to repatriate some of the survivors, who returned with a smallpox epidemic that killed off many of those that had remained.
A globalised world where all resources are shared is as alone in space as Easter's Polynesians were in the vast Pacific. Diamond ends his chapter on this lonely island's environmental meltdown by asking how worried we ought to be about the parallels.
A Sunday at the pool in Kigali
I'm far less prone to misanthropic flare-ups in Guatemala than in London. Somehow, the more messed-up the environment the easier it is for me to feel the human truth all around me, often quite literally in the gut.
Whilst I have no first-hand experience of 90s Rwanda, the topic has in a sense reached out to me off the printed page, recommending itself as one of the most far-fetchedly messed-up environments the twentieth century had to offer. Here truly was a place and time in history where hardly anyone was prepared to give their fellow man the benefit of the doubt.
My previous second-hand experiences of this murderous moment were two works of non-fiction, one by young American journalist called Philip Gourevitch and the other by Poland's great roving reporter Ryszard Kapuscinski. Then there was Terry George's film Hotel Rwanda. Each offered a slightly different perspective on the origins of the genocide of 1994 which swept away over a million lives in just over a month.
Only a full-time misanthrope could dismiss Gil Courtemanche's first novel. (No doubt a number of critics will have deployed the adjective "urgent" to capture its message.) The pool in the title is the one at the Milles Collines, the Sabena-owned establishment at the heart of Hotel Rwanda, but here shown to be a far more tainted location than the civilised bourgeois sanctuary from the barbarism of Africa managed by Don Cheadle's character in the film. (It reminded me of a similar hotel and pool in Oliver Stone's Salvador.)
Courtemanche, a renowned French-Canadian journalist and award-winning film-maker, decided to fictionalise his experiences in Kigali when he came across this description of the poolside area in his notes: "All around the pool and hotel in lascivious disorder lies the part of the city that matters, that makes the decisions, that steals, kills, and lives very nicely thank you." At the beginning of the story hotel guests and visitors can here the sounds of escalating violence outside the compound, "just far enough from the pool for it to be somewhere else." Soon however, there will be no somewhere else.
The key protagonist is a Canadian TV journalist named Bernard Valcourt, a man waiting in Central Africa "for a scrap of life to excite him and make him unfold his wings." His scrap turns out to be Gentille, a beautiful young waitress in the hotel who will become his wife on the eve of the cataclysm. Touchingly, both appear to sense that their relationship is somehow too good to be true, and frankly they may have been on to something - Courtemanche's Rwanda is such a dark place that the pure light of their love struck me as a tad artificial.
I found myself identifying strongly with one aspect of Valcourt's predicament- his recognition that while this land he has ended up in has a full house of intractable Third World problems and nurtures great evil, of both the malicious and the misguided sort, he can't help but feel that be belongs there. Crucially, he renounces the opportunity to leave when he can, making plans to put down roots just when it seems most unwise to do so. This decision, he insists, "does not imply acceptance of the idiocy and inhumanity that the country nurtures." And yet, he seems to have no ready answer to the Rwandan who bluntly asks him "Don't you get a feeling sometimes that you're living off our death?"
When all the other journalistic accounts have gone out of print or been absorbed into historical theses, this one may well remain freely available in our mainstream bookshops − the lasting public memory of these events outside of Africa. From a literary standpoint there is nothing wrong with this at all − the novel is a stunning achievement in that respect.
Yet to my mind, from an interpretational perspective, Courtemanche has a better overall grip of the build-up − as much about the scourge of AIDS as it is about deadly identity politics − than the climax, where his observations appear to drift from complexity towards inconclusiveness; confusion even. If you come to this book knowing nothing of the background to the bloodshed you will not necessarily come away from it with any lasting insights. Whilst Courtemanche suggests that "primitive nature" can suddenly take the form of a tornado, mass murder requires the intervention of men who "create the conditions that send it over the top." And, as I mentioned in the previous post, he also seems to endorse the view expressed by one character that the Rwandan genocide is just a poor-man's version of the Holocaust: they used machetes because they couldn't afford gas chambers.
Every account of Rwanda '94 that I have read has played down the physical differences between Hutu and Tutsi. For Kapuscinski the idea that real differences of ancestry existed between what he calls two 'castes' in the same tribe, was a nonsense invented by venomous Rwandan academics associated with the Hutu government. In Hotel Rwanda there is a scene where a barman tells Joaquin Phoenix's character that the distinction was made up by the Belgians and we are shown how the two girls sitting at the bar next to him, one Hutu, one Tutsi "could be sisters." Courtemanche however, suggests that the key traits could be read on the faces of most Rwandans. Gentille has a Hutu ID card, but her great great grandfather aspired to marrying his family into the then dominant group and as a result she has the tall, thin frame and the café-au-lait skin that would mark her out as a Tutsi at any of the roadblocks manned by machete waving interhamwe.
I also felt that Valcourt's reactions on his return to Kigali once the storm has abated seem unnaturally phlegmatic. On the last page are told that he has remained in Rwanda and works for the rights of Hutu's accused of genocide. All very noble, but somehow not that plausible. Perhaps when he sat down to write this novel Courtemanche was torn between what his head and his heart were telling him about the events it gives testimony to.
As ever though, the French come out of this very badly. Courtemanche's footnotes reveal how they evacuated only their non-African Embassy staff, leaving the remainder to be massacred.
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Spider Forest / Geomi Sup (2004)
Whoa, there's enough temporal twitchiness and incoherent coherence in this movie to fit into a full six seasons of Lost, and more mysterious otherworldly women than Haruki Murakami probably ever dreamed of cramming into one of his novels.
At one point it did occur to me that in this instance Song Il-gon might have been trying to adapt a complex story from a piece of long fiction without allowing for the fact that cinematic narrative generally doesn't have quite the same space to explore disparate threads. But no, it's very much the director's own work.
Thinking back through the action it's actually hard to reach an adequate conclusion as to which parts were essential and which were complete red herrings. Aren't those spiders just as big a distraction as time travel was in Lost? (They are also responsible for the big fat exposition sequence which takes place on a stalled chair-lift, which is possibly the one really gormless part of the whole movie, which is otherwise fascinating, if confusing.)
I suppose they do furnish us with the metaphor of a wispy cobweb of interconnected ideas...which in this movie is rather like the system of explanatory links underlying the standard model of modern particle physics. They all support each other, but is there anything actually holding the whole thing up itself?
The plot as such revolves around a TV producer called Kang Min who wakes up suddenly in the eponymous forest. He's carrying at least three obtusely-linked strands of back story with him into this set-up, a dead wife, an unfaithful lover and a whole sequence of events from his childhood which he can't even recollect. The very location itself then disgorges a sticky telaraña of Asian mythology over proceedings.
Kang Min encounters a terrible crime scene and is shortly afterwards tossed high in the air by a car in an eerily-lit road tunnel. We are given to understand that much of what we see afterwards may reflect the distortions of a consciousness that has recently experienced a head-on collision with the front end of a Land Rover. This dented mind might be awake, asleep or even dead.
Meanwhile, there's a sort of police procedural going on as well, because Kang Min's cop friend Choi doesn't buy the simple explanation for the double murder: that the jealous producer used a sickle to work off his feelings towards his boss and his girlfriend, who just happened to have picked his childhood home in the forest for their dirty weekend.
I've seen enough Korean films now to appreciate the debt many of that nation's film-makers owe to Hitchcock. However, the thriller master usually liked to keep his charades nice and simple, as well as jolting his audiences with the revelation that things had been a whole lot simpler than they'd been imagining. I'll tell you now that this is NOT what Song Il-gon had in mind here.
Apparently Mark Zuckerberg took his staff out en masse to see David Fincher's film about the founding of Facebook, one of whom subsequently reported back to screenwriter Aoron Sorkin that his CEO had immensely enjoyed the parts of the movie that he agreed with.
One wonders which elements of this portrayal of his early partnerships he really warmed to. The chicken joke perhaps. Did he not also, as we did, find much of this long but highy engaging movie rather depressing?
I suppose Sorkin gave Zuckerberg one significant get out of jail card in that his conceit that the whole $65bn enterprise emerged from an episode of wounded vanity (from which the implacable geek never fully recovered) can easily be dismissed as an instance of dramatic license.
And could any self-regarding scholar who didn't quite fit in at Harvard turn out as anything other than a sociopath? As a two-headed manifestation of the university's presumption Sorkin gives us the Winklevi to chuckle at, but there's no getting around the oppressive pomposity of Harvard as The Social Network presents it to us.
At Cambridge (the original, older one, I might add pompously) we had elitsim galore including exclusive dining societies and the Pickerel pub where all the secretarial college 'talent' congregated in order to snag a date with a Magdalene College toff-pot...but somehow all that didn't really dominate the culture of the institution unless you let it, and the individuals who on reflexion possibly got the most out of it, were those quiet non-partying foreign students who stayed in their rooms studying hard and maintained a generally less grasping attitude to learning, friendship and sex.
Anyway, the film is really excellent and no Facebook account should be required for enjoying it. (Sorkin apparently lacked one before taking on the project.) Jesse Eisenberg, one of Hollywood's dweeb specialists, is a revelation here for the way he handles Zuckerberg's unscripted inner demons as well as his abrasive public persona.
Everyone involved in the lawsuit showdown, especially the Winklevi and Saverin are portrayed as naive, but Zuckerberg clearly has the edge because he appears to have no higher ideals to measure himself against. Sean Parker (played by Justin Timberlake) is the real Iago-figure here and from the moment he invites the two founders out for a high swank meal you kind of know that Eduardo Saverin (played by Red Riding's Andrew Garfiled) will end up with his head beneath a metaphorical pillow.
My own experience of friendship mixed with business partnership in the heady early boom days of the mid-nineties included a cynical, late-arriving and destabilising figure along the lines of Parker, but I'm sure anyone who has ever started a company with their mates will squirm a bit at the recollection of the tensions generated by resentments over comparative contributions, external investments, shareholding dilutions etc.
The Winklevoss twins may have been slow-starters but they appear to want more than the $65m already conceded to them by Zuckerberg. With the movie bringing their horrible plight to wider public attention, they are doing the rounds of the money shows. Maybe they can sue the studio for a cut of the box-office?
I will say however that although The Social Network makes it pretty clear that Mark Zuckerberg had his own idea founded on his own inner needs and inadequacies and, as he points out in the lawyers' office, if the Winklevi had really intended to invent Facebook they would have invented Facebook, there's no denying that a first-to-market Harvard Connection might just have expanded beyond its conceptual boundaries in much the same way that Twitter later did.
That said, were Erica Albight a real-life character (?) she'd deserve at least as much of the Facebook haul as the twins. One can become an 'accidental billionaire' by creating a platform that turns out to be wildly more useful than one ever imagined, but the Winklevi had in mind something that was essentially limited to a privileged elite. They didn't want to get rich, they wanted to get laid. Zuckerberg wished to appear cool, a more open-ended ambition perhaps.
Looking forward to seeing Rooney Mara as The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet - 1
Something strange occured as I read this book; I developed a fairly clearcut love-hate relationship with it, which is more or less what happened when I read David Mitchell's last novel.
My Cloud Atlas review remains buried as a long abandoned draft several pages below the surface in the 'Edit Posts' tab.
It was begining to look like a similar fate would await my impressions of Mitchell's latest novel, for I'd never be able to make up my mind whether to pen a long positive review with an extended set of caveats covering its failings or an essentially negative one where my frustrations with the work came to the forefront and the undeniable pleasure of reading it was handled almost as an afterthought.
So, I've decided to do something a little different: a review in sections, if not exactly in different voices and genre styles, which might of course be the befitting manner postmodern way of critiqueing an author like Mitchell.
And that's it for part one...
The Other Guys (2010)
If you're one of the many who chortled at Anchorman, then you are likely to experience the same sort of spasms here.
Dr K, not exactly a great aficionado of modern American comedy, limits his praise to the 'presence' of Mark Wahlberg, regardless of whether this particular occupation of space involves any actual laughs.
I suppose Will Ferrell is used to being mentioned in the same breath as Adam Sandler, as one of those comedians from across the pond that we Brits just don't get. But I'm actually quite fond of the absurdist, almost surrealist contributions he's made to a number of movies, this one included.
What you might have to query is whether the serious, actually quite Michael Moorish graphics* which overlay the end credits have in fact been pre-undermined by the sheer loopiness of the dialogue and other action sequences, in this tale of two under-regarded NYPD cops from the back-office chasing the tail of some serious financial shenanigans.
Mark Wahlberg is very good though. His presence was a bonus in Date Night too.
* Including one on the dastardliness of ponzi schemes which may interest regular readers here.
Macaronics
Up until 1066 England had effectively been part of Scandinavia, and may well have remained detached from continental affairs had not the Normans — Frenchified vikings with a seemingly irresistible urge to seek out sunnier climes — made one last detour to the north. (Thanks to the Gulf Stream southern England does enjoy generally milder winters than Normandy.)
Almost three centuries after the conquest, Geoffrey Chaucer, taking over as clerk of the King's works, was handed an inventory of stuff left lying around at the Tower of London, from which the following extract is now quoted:
"I ramme cum toto apparatu excepta i drawying corda que frangitur et devastatur, i fryingpanne, i lathe pro officio carpentarii."
(...a battering-ram with a winding-cord too damaged to be usable, a frying-pan, a lathe for a Latinised carpenter.)
This document was compiled by a fourteenth century white-collar worker who (like Chaucer) juggled three languages in his head on a daily basis. First there was Old English, the speech of the masses, by then grammatically-condensed and well on the way to becoming modern English. Then there was the elite dialect, Anglo-Norman French, and lastly Latin, the preferred communications system of the Church, public administration and cultural transmission in general.
Textual intercourse between the English and their new rulers had kicked off almost as soon as the old order had been crushed on the field of Hastings, such that many basic English words quickly picked up romance accretions. (Water...aquatic, aqueous etc.)
But the text above should not be read as an example of some smart-arse peppering his script with French or Latin insertions — as certain modern hacks might do, just in order to show off what a pretentious tosser on est enclin à être. There was a deeper, more reflexive linguistic interpenetration at work here; a process known in the field of poetics as macaronics.
Educated scribblers of Chaucer's day would tend to pick whichever word, phrase or even grammatical construction seemed more familiar or apposite without fear of fostering incomprehensibility, because most of their readers would be similarly blasé about the boundaries between their vocabularies.
Modern scholars debate the extent to which this fusion was reflected in the spoken language of the time; another example of one of those issues around which academic contention loves to coalesce, because there's ultimately no sure way for anyone to know if their strongly-held opinions are right or wrong.
Fast forward another three centuries and we encounter another fascinating example of commingling tongues in the diary of Samuel Pepys. Like many modern bloggers, for whom he was the great precursor, Sam was never quite sure if he was addressing an audience of one, or whether his words might indeed become of interest to a wider group of readers, possibly including posterity. Yet regardless of the tone employed, Pepys encoded all his daily musings in shorthand...just in case his wife Elizabeth should locate the diary and proceed to peruse its franker admissions. In modern geek parlance, the shorthand was his entry-level firewall. Access-levels further down were assigned via linguistics.
As an OP Pepys would have acquired his Latin and Ancient Greek at school and would surely have picked up a smattering of French through contact with Elizabeth's family, refugee Huguenots. Yet surprisingly, when slipping into his most intimate mode of discourse, and when conscious of having done something really naughty, Pepys writes in Spanish.
Guate Logic?
Just when we thought the zombie-blog had finally keeled over, a semi-literate imposter appears to have inhabited the corpse, offering up a fresh example of Chapin irrationality.
Well, while we're at it, I have a couple of my own. I noticed yesterday that shoppers at the Despensa face an interesting conundrum in the booze section: one can either purchase a 1.5L bottle of Venado Especial for Q41.50, or the very same bottle of grog plus a free 2L bottle of Pepsi for Q40. I watched in amazement as one guy, a real Pepsi-hater for sure, went for the lighter but more expensive of the two options.
Meanwhile, just next door at Pollo Frito Pinulito, V was scratching her head as one sappy local punter requested two pieces of chicken and two orders of fries...separately, for Q24. If only he'd signaled an interest in the 'combo' advertised above his head, he'd not only have paid less, he'd have got some salad thrown in as well.
Curtido
Tis the season for...seasonal recipes.
I suspect the reason that traditional Guatemalan dishes like fiambre and curtido are comparatively expensive to purchase is not entirely because the ingredients are pricey (though there are a lot of them), but instead because they take such a long time to prepare properly.
This curtido took us much of an evening to put together. Very much worth it nonetheless.
It's a multi-stage process, commencing with the boiling of the beetroot. This is then removed from the pot and peeled and then potatoes, carrots, French beans and cabbage are each then given their time in the simmering magenta liquid, to which mint and laurel has since been added.
Separately we prepared a dressing with oil, various vinegars, capers and mandarin juice and a rice dish with some of the leftover 'ink'. Before the finished dish is placed in the fridge to curtirse overnight, a boiled egg and some sliced onions are added on top.
The rice comes out looking oddly like raw mince! The colours remind me of another salad I was fond of preparing back in the UK, with cous cous, red cabbage and goat's cheese. Cous cous would be a great alternative, because it too lends itself to the dyeing process and fluffs up rather nicely.
Some of the basic ingredients from our curtido can also be put to good use in the preparation of enchiladas, such as these widely-famed examples from Mamalita's.
Labels: Food, Guatemala
Natural causes
We still try to get all our tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers direct from the finca in San Barcholo, a practice followed, we understand, by the powerful buyers of both Paiz and Pollo Campero.
The other evening we had the misfortune to show up just as the little van from the Casa Santo Domingo was taking off with all the available ripe tomatoes. But at Q1 per pound, compared to Q7 the regatonas were asking for in the market last Thursday, it mattered little if the ones we managed to pick up were a little verdes.
You might have noticed how a bunch of bananas will all go mottled together at roughly the same pace, but if you separate them the process is slowed. Well, a corollary of this process forms the basis of a handy chef's secret: loose bananas are a great way to fast-track the maturing process of almost all fruit, avocados included.
Posted by Inner Diablog at 9:19 am 3 comments:
Más Caro
— I tried staying up late last night to watch the inaugural Korean Grand Prix, but the weather over there was so foul that the early stages involved a parade led by the safety car. So I got a little shut-eye before picking things up again at 3am, just after Vettel's Red Bull had been forced to retire. (Yay!)
The commentary on Fox Sports is so awful (invariably hosted by three smug, opinionated Argies in a garishly-decorated studio) that I've been tempted to download the BBC coverage via iPlayer and watch that, albeit not live. One of the smug Argies surpassed himself last night with a grossly machista remark as the top three drivers passed a group of beautiful Korean models clapping away as the jubilant men made their way to the podium: "They smile, they applaud, but they have no idea what's going on."
There's no denying the chauvinistic ambience in Formula One, but really, even my dog knows what's going on: It's not cricket or American Football, it's a bunch of little cars going round in circles. Viewers were anyway left uncertain whether the ladies in question were clueless primarily because of their gender or because they were Koreans, and therefore not innately knowledgeable about all sport like the citizens of Argentina!
— There was a great debate on BBC Dateline yesterday hosted by Gavin Esler in which leading journalists from the UK, Germany, France and the USA debated the effectiveness of austerity cuts. The LA Times's Henry Chu looked a bit sidelined, even in the parts where Wayne Rooney's massive pay rise wasn't driving the indignation. The best comment came from La Vie's Agnes Poirier, who remarked that : "You 'ave a kind of masochism in this country. You seem to like suffering 'ardship. You did it in 1940...and thank you very much."
— Die-hard followers of GuateLiving have been treated to an experience akin to an extended remake of Night Of the Living Dead this past week. But the zombie-blog may well have shambled its last now because the word is there are no more Cassmans left in Guatemala for us to worry ourselves about. You can certainly see what Don Marco meant about hatemail now: the censors should have stepped in a long while back to curtail the flow of vitriol which has greeted each new automated post. Anyway, I only bring this up because one little incident this week reminded me of Don Marco's persistent animus against the racial profiling that apparently went on in his local tienda. V was telling Doña C how a number of the regatonas in the market have a known tendency to charge me "precios más caros". To Doña C there was nothing heinous about this at all; no, the logic was altogether clear: "Si, porque él es más caro."
Happy in the knowledge that I am reassuringly expensive, I will now get on with my Sunday.
Tricky Dicky
Mother / Madeo (2009)
We're back in the Korean boondocks with Bong Joon-ho, where the cops are corrupt and ineffectual — and when faced with the brutal murder of a young girl, can think of nothing better to do than bring in the village idiot and get him to sign a confession under duress. (Though this involves an apple and rather less brutality than we saw in his similarly located Memories of Murder.)
The idiot in question is the loveably inept Yoon Doo-joon, and he has one of the most single-minded mothers in the country, a widowed flower-shop owner who maintains a constant vigil over her son less something terrible should happen to him. Which of course it does.
After an opening sequence in which he is run over by some rich university executives and gets involved in an abortive revenge mission at a golf club with his slightly nefarious best mate, yet more trouble pursues Yoon when he drunkenly follows a schoolgirl on his route home after falling asleep at a bar. The girl ends up dead, but we've not seen how, and when the police come for her boy, Mother snaps into action, determined to find the real killer.
What follows is part thriller, part procedural (though it's Mother not the cops doing most of the investigating), part Hitchcockian mystery and part dark exposé of teen subculture in Korea. It's also a very gripping tale of obsession.
Director Bong Joon-ho also gave us the cult movie The Host back in 2006, but this is something altogether more substantial, and it's gone straight into our top five movies of the year.
Grade: A(-)
Calavera no llora
This week on October 20 Guatemala once again marked the anniversary of its half-arsed*1944 'Revolution', which heralded in the kind of social reforms more akin to what happened in the UK one year later when Churchill got his marching orders and the Labour government of Clement Atlee came to power in a landslide, than a proper blood and guts displacement of the Ancien Régime.
Demonstrators passed down the newly-uptarted Paseo de la Sexta (which I photographed last month) and, apparently not seeing all those placards advocating responsible citizenship, proceeded tp cover the walls, pavements and those rather random street sculptures in graffiti and other painted symbols manifesting anti-capitalism and anti-americanism at their most moronic.
As you can imagine, this did not go down at all well with Ex-Prez. In fact he and Mrs Ex-Prez were bleating about the damage quite loudly on Facebook the next day.
Back in the UK however, this whole incident would have been regarded as a failure of the local authorities and the police in particular. And guess who's in charge of those in Guate?
The freedom to hold public demonstrations and march around the capital has long been held by my compatriots, but the cops agree the routes in advance and follow alongside the demonstration to prevent this kind of vandalism from occuring. Only occasionally, as we saw in the 1990 Poll Tax riots, do things get out of control, and when they do, the Police Commissioner usually has some explaining to do.
It's also worth adding that before he starts going all David 'we're all in this together' Cameron on us and pontificating about the sense of social responsibility in Guatemala, Ex-Prez would do well to fix those three broken drain covers right outside his house, which on a moonless night are nothing less than cruel mantraps.
* England had a half-arsed revolution too in 1688, which we somewhat mysteriously refer to as the 'Glorious Revolution'; the real revolution having occurred some thirty years previously when we chopped off our king's head. This is more usually described as the 'civil war'.
The Chaser / Chugyeogja (2008)
A pacey, interestingly-structured and disturbing thriller from South Korea; yet more proof that Asian cinema is experimenting successfully with genre formulae in a way that Hollywood seems unable to mimick, except through duplication.
The protagonist doing the chasing is a former bent cop turned pimp, frustrated by the disappearance of several of his girls. Convinced that they have been 'sold' he is at first unable to confront the truth already revealed to the audience, that these women are being sadistically murdered in horror-movie style by one of his regular customers, the sneering yet vaguely polite-looking Jee Young-min.
If the Hollywood remake is to be as effective, it will require a nocturnal location as characterful as Seoul's hilltop district of Mangwon, and it will also need to pull up short of offering the corrupt and unrepentedly violent Eom Joong-ho a full Christian remission of sin.
8 Grados, Terremoto en Guatemala
Did anyone else feel a slight temblor in the night..
(Thanks to Scott for this.)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
Watched this one last night. Managed to stay awake, though I could have done with the occasional adrenalin jab to the neck.
Can't really be bovved to review it, especially as I have no real opinion about the originals. (V has a strong preference for Englund's Kreuger though).
So I think we'll leave this one to the flappy-handed Dr K, the UK's acknowledged expert on the culture of gore:
Grade: B-
Granada Photo Essay
Granada looks a bit like Antigua would if the Consejo didn't exist, or was that much more pelaverguista in its manner of protecting the place.*
Often referred to as Nicaragua's 'colonial gem', much of the significant architecture dates from the immediately post-colonial period when Granada was vying with Leon for supremacy in this land. (Managua, midway between the two, ended up as the compromise option.)
In spite of the volcano looming ominously over one flank of the city, there's a Neo-Classical order to the Parque Central and its environs which will remind some visitors of Xela as much as Antigua.
Meanwhile, the early twentieth-century cathedral had me thinking of Brazil and its neighbour in size and status, the mold-spattered La Merced, has an Italianate feel to it.
Beyond the core things get a little crumblier, many houses topped by tejas that haven't been changed in many a season. Overall the weather is more tropical than we are used to here, and I suspect the more steeply angled rooves and the use of cane in the patio terracing reflects the feverishness of the climate.
It was in La Merced that the American filibuster William Walker had himself inaugurated as President of Nicaragua in July 1856. After a year of 'Americanisation' (via fiscal 'reform', the reintroduction of slavery, and the imposition of English as the official language) Walker was driven from the city by a combined Guatemalan and Salvadoranean force, but not before burning the place to the ground. He was thus the human equivalent of Antigua's great quake, freezing the city's development at a certain moment in time.
Sometimes referred to as 'The Great Sultan', this particular Granada — set just back from the northwestern shore of Lake Nicaragua — was named after the Andalucian hometown of its founder, Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, (Not the failed Conquistador of the Yucatán.) I spotted several attempts around town to echo the mesmirising architecture of the Alhambra and its gardens, specifically the wooden arches within the Hotel Darío (named after Nicaragua's most venerated poet) and the long fountain trough in a gallery opposite.
*Hence the garishly-painted shop fronts and the carefree juxtaposition of native Spanish and later Neo-Classical motifs.
Labels: Central America, Nicaragua
My Blueberry Nights (2007)
Wong Kar-wai's first excursion into Hollywood featured a triumvirate of highly talented women. Two beautiful Jewish actresses and one lovely, talented jazz singer of mixed American and Indian descent, who isn't such a bad actress herself...and Jude Law.
In spite of the fact that the critics* almost unanimously deemed this a largely miscarried crossover attempt, and in spite of Jude Law and his wayward Mancunian accent, I couldn't help but enjoy this noir-for-girls tale of misplaced loves and keys, in which the Shanghai-born director lays it on super thick with the foreigner's-eye view of Americana, much as Nabokov did in Lolita. (Which might also be described as sporting a 'conventional' road movie plot in some respects.)
What a thrill to hear Yumeji's Theme again, rearranged this time for a dinner jazz slot.
This is the second movie in a row (after Sherlock Holmes) that Jude Law has somehow failed to completely ruin for me. Yes I was a little bored in places as a series of individuals upchucked their life stories to the itinerant observer Elizabeth, but there's a mood about Wong's movies which is all his own, and I for one don't mind wallowing in it.
* Phillip French was in a particularly drole mood: "Blueberry pie is a metaphor for what's left when the day is done, but what the film really invites is a raspberry."
Black choppers over Antigua
Little more than a week has passed since 'Don Marco' was taken from us and already the conspiracy theories are starting to take shape.
The first of these was formulated by 'Norm' in a comment on this blog. Mark, it is said, always sat suspiciously in the very same seat at the RumBar, pushing out conversations that seemed "tailored for a wire". 'Norm' "figured him for a skip" from the start, and these figurations soon extended to the goose-bump inducing conclusion that Jeffrey Lyn Cassman had been captured and flipped by the Feds before being sent down here to pen provocative blog posts and generally stir up Antigua's non-indigenous population of losers, drop-outs and fugitive felons.
Then, for want of a better term, there's the 'Jewish' conspiracy theory, outlined by 'George' on GuateLiving. Cassman it seems, sounds a bit like Finkleman, so might we not speculate that far from being the Opus Dei nutjob that he purported to be, 'Don Marco' was in fact a Christ-killing fifth columnist who, knowing that Hebraic tendencies are such an obvious marker for financial irregularities, decided to don the cassock of Catholic acceptability by swotting up on the Universal Church with the aid of such scholarly tomes as Catholicism for Dummies and The Devil's Final Battle and repeated viewings of The Passion of the Christ?
And lastly, and possibly related, comes the theory articulated by Elgordo (amongst others) that 'Don Marco' used his piety as a form of mind control, with particular emphasis on maintaining order, discipline and all-round submission at home, thus freeing him up to concentrate on the outdoor front where he went about his business like a lone wolf.
Have I missed any?
The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009)
If there's been a better, twistier low-budget British thriller made in the past decade, I've yet to see it.
J. Blakeson's debut feature involves a deceptively simple set-up, but one which requires an uncommon amount of balance in the actual handling of it.
There are only three cast members. Eddie Marsan and Martin Compston are Vic and Danny, a pair of kidnappers who met 'inside' where they plotted to snatch a daughter of privilege and hold her to a £2m ransom.
Gemma Arterton plays Alice, the chosen victim, in a role very different from her recent star turns in Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time...if only because there weren't any stunt men around for her to fall in love with!
Part of the pleasure of the movie is the extent to which we are shown and not told some of the crucial details. (Take for instance the moment when Vic wraps a SIMM card in toilet paper before attempting to flush it down the toilet, a professional technique we are thus given to understand that was beyond Danny when he needed to dispose of the shell casing.)
There's little more one can describe without spoiling it, so I won't. What I can say is that Blakeson has contrived a finale in which he is able to make the audience aware of the two or three valid alternative endings that his screenplay has been juggling, before serving up one last subtle twist, made clear by the reappearance of the film's title before the end credits.
This glinting if not golden oldie came up in conversation over lunch the other day with Rudy. He happened to mention that it was largely shot on location in Real de Catorce, a stunning little hilltop town in the Mexican heartlands near San Luis Potosí. Brad Pitt so enjoyed the ambience of its stone houses that he bought one, and Rudy reckons that my explorations of Mexico will not be complete until I've made a trip up there.
Just to be sure I equipped myself with a Blu-Ray version of the movie and watched it last night with V. It was a strange, overlong experience in which the whole was definitely less than the sum of the parts, but some of the parts (especially those where James Gandolfini is present) are very good. Indeed the subplot involving Julia Roberts's relationship with Winston the homosexual hit man might almost have worked as a stand-alone concept, a feeling reinforced by the sense one gets that these scenes were actually overseen by a different director.
But as soon as Pitt and Roberts are together it becomes a very different film, a slightly goofy and hysterical action-comedy of the kind Mel Gibson was once inclined to appear in. Even then, one can look behind the star vehicle shenanigans and appreciate the contributions of a number of supporting thesps who seem to think they're in a better movie, and gawp at the authenticity of the Mexican setting...if not of the Mexicans themselves, whom Gore Verbinski portrays in much the same way as he would later portray pirates.
Other detachable delights involve on-going gags about a cemáforo and a chucho elécrico, plus a series of sepia-toned, Rashômon lite-styled flashbacks to the legend of the beautful pistol made for the nobleman's son.
Grade: B(+)
During the opening credits we see former black ops specialist Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) adjusting to a rather lonely existence in a sparsely-furnished suburban home, tearing up his pension cheques, just so he can extend his low-key phone flirtation with the equally unfulfilled Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker) at the bureau.
Then a freelance team of South African assassins turns up and attempts to take the ED out of RED: "retired and extremely dangerous." Moses's response is lethal, which turns out to be a bit of a decoy from the director, because most of the people chasing him (and Sarah, who comes along for the ride almost reluctantly) thereafter, are assumed to be 'innocent' government employees, and so no matter how much shooting he does, none of them falls over dead.
Adapted from a graphic novel, the movie is yet another example of Hollywood's adjustment to a post-Bourne world. There are echoes of both Salt and even The Expendables from earlier in the year, but Robert Schwentke finds an alternative and mostly successful balance between real thriller and comedy spoof. (And certainly more successful than The A-Team, Killers and Knight and Day.)
The plot revolves around belated fallout from a 1981 massacre in Guatemala. Everyone involved in the clean-up (and a New York Times journalist who'd been about to scoop the story) has been taken out in a series of CIA hits...all except Richard Dreyfuss's Cheyne-esque Alexander Dunning.
Moses decides to take the fight back to source, and has soon teamed up with two members of his old squad, Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman) and Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich), plus Ivan from the Russian Embassy (Brian Cox) and MI6 assassin Victoria (Dame Helen Mirren).
With a cast like that you don't really need the Tom Cruise/Angelina Jolie stunts. Willis is interestingly understated, but the real revelation is John Malkovich, who for once couldn't really be accused of being John Malkovich. His portrayal of the paranoid, gone to ground operative was spot on and seemed oddly familiar — and then I remembered that I live next door to someone just like that!
Cahuita Photo Essay
Cahuita wasn't my first choice destination for an Autumn getaway, but almost all the others I'd investigated to the north of Antigua appeared to be far too waterlogged in late September. (I'm particularly glad I stayed away from Veracruz for example.)
By the time I made it down to Costa Rica there was a tropical cyclone sliding down the Pacific Coast. They have fewer corrupt politicians and senseless killings down there, so the evening news bulletin treated the weather situation to the in-depth treatment.
The Caribbean side has a number of advantages over the more visited Pacific littoral, light-coloured sand and fewer surfers and sex tourists among them. The bus from San José was packed with mochileros and I envisaged having to dash from the stop in Cahuita to secure the cabina I was after, but in the end only me and one other passenger got down in Cahuita — so the others must have been Panama-bound. (The border is only another 30 minutes further down the road.)
The population of Cahuita features a dominant Jamaican heritage and an English-based patois is spoken there as well as Spanish. The first setllers were turtle hunters from Nicaragua and Bocas del Toro who appeared seasonally and lived in provisional camps. The Smith family then created a more permanent fishing camp in 1828 at 'Punta Cahuita' and the site of the present township (which I'd estimate at around half the size of the one on Caye Caulker) was granted in perpetuity to the locals after they assisted President Alfredo González Flores when his ship was wrecked en-route to Sixaola. The town's main street is named after the grateful leader who served Costa Rica from 1913-17.
There are two restaurants in this tiny seaside spot which I would recommend to any visitor to Central America....which I guess is one more than I can think of in Antigua. The first of these is a place called Cha Cha Cha run by a talented Haitian-Canadian chef resident in Cahuita for fifteen years. The other is a more traditional Caribbean eatery run by one of those well-entrenched and well-respected viejitas: Miss Edith's. She specialises in Jamaican dishes, such as jerk chicken and fish.
The other significant reason for bothering to come is the Parque Nacional lying just to the south of the town and incorporating a beautiful beach lined by almendrales. There are pathways through the forest behind the sands , but these end rather abruptly thanks to overspill from the Rio Perezoso during the wet season. As you can see from the pics, the White-Faced Capuchins are far from shy. Entry is free, though donations are encouraged.
The distance isn't actually all that daunting for anyone based in Guatemala. You can catch the early afternoon Ticabus from the terminal on the Calzada Aguilar Batres and be in San Salvabore some five hours later. There's a cheap and comfortable hotel attached to the Ticabus stop in the smart suburb of San Benito in that city, but you could be brave and stay awake, because the journey continues at 4am the next morning arriving around 8pm in San José.
The following day you can catch a ride to Cahuita from the Gran Terminal del Caribe, which will take around three and a half hours and involves a bathroom break in Puerto Limón.
Overall the isthmus south of Guatemala conforms to my expecations of being fundamentally less fascinating than the lands to the north which were more deeply penetrated by ancient Mesoamerican culture. That said, Costa Rica is interestingly different to Guatemala. For example, the vegetation on the hills outside the capital more resembles a botanical garden turned cancerous than the pine-clad hills separating Guatemala City and Antigua.
Labels: "Costa Rica"
Cult of the Warrior
I caught the wave of adultation for Karl Marlantes's Matterhorn when it was published earlier this year and inserted it into the mid-section of my reading list. It was, according to many critics, the definitive novel of the Vietnam war and a "final exorcism for one of the most painful passages in American History" (Sebastian Junger)
So I fascinated to come across Jackson Lears's more lukewarm response in the LRB. Like Marlantes, Lears is a veteran of the conflict in question, but unlike the much decorated author, also went on to serve in the peace movement.
He begins by noting that "since 9-11, a cult of the warrior has settled over America like the morning fog over the Mekong Delta." He takes particular issue against the now familiar (and worryingly empty) ethos of the combat soldier in contemporary film and fiction where war, however absurd on the political level, is somehow redeemed as the portal to a supremely deep and authentic male bonding experience.
"War as authentic experience: this is the nihilist edge of modern militarism, unalloyed by moral pretension. Marlantes sidesteps the nihilism by coupling it with communal redemption."
Marlantes might take pains to depict the unwinnability of this war, but this doesn't deter his lead protagonist Lieutenant Mellas from the conviction that he and his comrades are somehow "better people" as a result of participating in it; specifically better than all those insulated folk back home in civie-land, of whom women are represented as perhaps the most clueless.
Lears also objects to the notion suggested by one of Mellas's NCOs that boot camp "doesn't make us killers it's just a fucking finishing school". No, he concludes:
"Boot camp is less a finishing school than a remaking of the self. And the kinds of killing military men learn to do cannot be sublimated into a universal ‘destructive element’, a phrase Conrad intended to refer to human experience in all its tragic dimensions. War is not simply an expression of the beast within. Nor is it merely an opportunity for intense male experiences unavailable in civilian life – physical testing, the creation of community. It is also a product of policy decisions that can be challenged, changed or reversed. "
The end result of considering this article is that Matterhorn has slipped a little further down my reading list. It has also reminded me of one of the best and ultimately truest books I ever read about the grunt's-eye view of war: Joanna Bourke's An Intimate History of Killing, which goes some way to support Lears's position that not all men are natural born killers.
Labels: Non-fiction
The Wig (2005)
Creepy long hair, possessed objects and jump scares are possibly the essential tropes of the Asian scary movie, and Shin-yeon Won was possibly attempting to take them all to the next level with his directorial debut.
Terminal cancer patient Su-yeon is given the eponymous hairpiece by her sister Min-seo, who lost the power of speech along with the commitment of her boyfriend Ji-seok after a freaky car accident. Whenever the wig is on Su-yeon appears to be heading into near miraculous remission, but without it she experiences painful relapses...whilst her new hair seems to have an agenda of its own.
Meanwhile, Min-seo gradually becomes convinced that the wig is cursed and belatedly discovers its somewhat coincidental relationship to a dark secret in Ji-seok's past.
As with a lot of Korean movies, this one is visually very interesting, but the pacing is often a little off (especially in the last act) and I frequently found my attention being drawn away from plot developments and towards the very beguiling interior decoration and some of those smart little outfits worn by the lovely So-yeon Kim.
Roger Ebert had something to say in his review of Paul Greengrass's thriller which made me sit and ponder a while:
"By limiting the characters and using typecasting, he makes a web of deceit easy to understand."
It's an analysis that caught my attention at a time when I have been giving extra thought to the use of archetypes in fiction and to this intriguing paradox as well: that some of the most strikingly original characters one comes across in 'real life' appear at first glance to have stepped straight out of central casting.
The trouble is that although there's a degree of truth in Ebert's observation, what Greengrass has done here is to make the plot easier to follow, not the "web of deceit" easier to understand. The use of stereotypes actually makes it harder for the general audience to engage at a deeper level with the background story.
And this, the credits inform us, has been lifted from the excellent Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran (which I reviewed back in March 2008), a darkly comic exposé of the folly of American policy in the immediate aftermath of 'victory'. Crucially Chandrasekaran's primary focus is on the immediate consequences of the invasion rather than the facts behind its conception, and this, I would contend, is because these are ultimately more important for us to take on board in the long term.
Arguing over whether the grounds for intervention were kosher or not is ultimately a little pointless: I could tell you the war was ilegal and you could disagree with me and we'd not really make much progress after that. People will continue to contend at dinner parties that "It was all about the oil..." or "we invaded Iraq simply because..." but I can guarantee you that serious academic historians working in a half century from now will be pursuing more multi-layered explanations of the origins of this inherently controversial venture.
So when at the end we see Matt Damon diligently emailing hacks around the world with the big news that the Neocons made up all the stories about Saddam's WMDs, we probably have enough of a sense of how things have since moved on to think, so what? And so Greengrass has missed a chance to get to grips with the deeper absurdities perpetrated by Cheyne, Rumsfeld and their underqualified henchmen. But then he does thrillers not satires.
Jason Isaacs's Frankie-say War tache is also extremely distracting.
"Ex-pat Extraordinaire"
The blogger I once rather crudely referred to as the thermometer up the backside of ex-pat life in Antigua has been apprehended and deported in the last few days, and the town suddenly feels a bit like a room which no longer has an elephant in it.
A Guatemalan friend of mine once had the misfortune to act as a real estate agent for 'Don Marco' at a time when he was looking for a new crib. These were occasions when he tended to use his blog to complain bitterly about Chapin landlords, which smokescreened the fact that his tribe were moving on with unpaid rent and uncompensated damages to the property left behind in their wake.
Anyway, amidst the smalltalk, my friend happened to confide that she only has one child, a teenage daughter, and 'Mark' responded by telling her that she must be a real codo, because he has ten kids and there's nothing that any of them could want for. This has to be one of the smaller ironies left behind in the ruins of this proud southern man's reputation.
As a final few comments dribbled into GuateLiving, I was amazed to see that someone still thought it an appropriate forum to recommence the debate about their dishonest, soap-stealing Guatemalan lackeys. Others have been moping around swapping email addresses and promising to stay in touch, like employees handed their pink slips at Enron.
Amdist sentiments ranging from Who Moved My Cheese? to outright luto, a minority of commenters have been daring the delete key of GuateLiving's new underage administrator by tendering tales from the darker side of its erstwhile author's local notoreity — some of them sneaky enough to link to information offsite — including nights on the office couch after booze-fuelled poker games in which Cassman juggled his "three bitches" on his iPhone, and from which he was eventually ejected. Hearsay has it that one of these "bitches" was a young compatriot of mine with a penchant for drive-by dissings of the indigenous population. Meanwhile the refrigerator at the defunct hotel on the road to Alotenango which was to be the Cassmans' final hideout, was reportedly getting emptier by the day.
But really, gambling, infidelity, alcoholic excess and bad parenting are all very reprehensible, but also quite ordinary misdemeanours. As I writer I find human beings that much more interesting when they are sitting on the edge of the abyss looking down; before the start of the long tumble into infamy.
And so posts like this one — where 'Don Marco' took his waiting spider persona out into the real world, ominously 'channelling his inner liberal' with the help of a puro (Honduran, not Cuban of course) and a snifter of Zacapa Centenario — were a particular creepy pleasure. How he revelled in hiding in plain sight as the black-clad agentes of the PNC hovered ineffectively.
I'd be lying if I said GuateLiving hasn't been just a little fascinating. At times it was hard to tear one's eyes away from (in a car-crashy kind of way, as my mate Scott once observed), and in some ways still is, as, like the proverbial headless chicken, it continues to run around offering free nachos con lomito at El Muro several days after that establishment's most recent champion has been carted off by the FBI. Could we not have one last nostalgic indirect reference to the size of his tackle?
Anyway, readers will recall that for the first six months or so in Guatemala 'Mark' consistently played the victim, the conman forever conned by the locals, the racist forever paying the white man's price* How he entertained us with all those receipts of his. (Doña Chica must be missing him...)
But then a noticeable change occurred. Suddenly he was on the front foot, a man with a plan (at least a man with a business address) with all sorts of local knowledge and contacts up his sleeve. He even boasted of his ability to secure forged documents and extended his arms cybernetically to would-be retirees thinking of relocating to Guatemala, hinting at the ease of becoming an ex-pat entrepreneur for those who'd risk putting their IRA on the table; his table.
This sudden ascendency was fed by a soaring confidence: 'Don Marco' seemed to think he had the whole town eating out of his hand, but as is often the case with those who would openly bend our conscious minds to their will, he left open the barn door to his own raggedy subconscious, and as a creatively-inclined reader of the last few months' worth of the 'Mark Francis' perspective, there's really nothing more tantalising than a maturing hypocrisy.
I do feel sympathy for Cassman's stranded dependents, though not knowing 'the wife' in person, it's hard for me to think of her as anything other than either a sometime willing accomplice or a bit of a mula. Or indeed both of these things.
If they were Brits I'm sure the consulate would have already taken care of them, but then Mark was never a great believer in the helping hand of the state or the "culture of dependence" that it apparently fosters.
* If Cassman really had ever worked in a major bank or anywhere else in the service industry, he would know how it's common practice to charge different clients different fees based on criteria such as propensity to pay.
BBC World Challenge
Amongst the ten finalists in this year's World Challenge is the Guatemala-based NGO Long Way Home founded by former Peace Corpsman Mateo Paneitz. This clip shows how the non-profit has been working with the local community in Comalapa, specifically introducing recycled materials such as car tyres and plastic bottles into local construction practices.
There are many worthy entries and you can visit the site to vote for your personal favourite. Right now ours is the jompy stove invented by Scottish plumber David Osborne, largely because it would so clearly have widespread application across the developing world. Whereas, in the case of tyre-based domestic architecture, we can more readily anticipate several practical and cultural limitations. But check out Long Way Home's site too, because they are involved in a range of interesting projects, including reforestation and wood stoves.
Centurion (2010)
Historians — the killjoys — are now almost unanimous in the view that the Ninth Legion probably didn't simply vanish in its entirety one day after marching north into the Caldeonian fog.
This year however, two film-makers have decided to stick to the myth, and Neil Marshall — he of underground gribblies fame — is first out of the blocks with this highly entertaining tale of imperial overextension.
It features two of my favourite actors of the movement Michael Fassbender, as the eponymous Centurion Quintus Dias and Dominic West as General Titus Flavius Virilius, the leader of the Ninth tasked by Agricola with dealing with those perennially awkward people in the northern part of Britain.
There's a key moment where you are wondering just how the Picts are going to break down a well-held Roman line, and their (and Marshall's) solution to this challenge comes as a wry surprise.
With the legion destroyed a handful of Roman survivors has to escape from behind enemy lines hotly pursued by the mute Pictish terminator by the name of Etain, played by Olga Kurylenko. It's one long chase sequence, it has a half-hearted subtext about Nato and the Taleban, and it's both brutal and exciting.
Grade: B+(+)
Perrier's Bounty (2009)
The critics had led me to believe that the only really below par thing about this movie was its name.
In fact the whole thing is truly awful. The failure to suspend disbelief was so complete at times, that seeing a sound boom and a few crew members standing around eating bacon sandwiches could not have convinced me more that all I was watching was a bunch of thesps on some sort of tedious field trip, in which firearms were occasionally involved.
And some of them are (normally) such good thesps. What were they thinking?
El Buró por delante
My first week back from Costa Rica has been one of positive change, not least in the weather here in Antigua.
Firstly we have acquired a new housekeeper in the person of Doña C. She is in fact the resident wachiwoman at one of the bigger properties in the neighbourhood and we've had dealings with in recent months, such as buying herbs, fruit and other stuff direct from her doorway. (Including the impressively large lime in the pic above.)
A couple of weeks ago she came to V and asked if we needed any help at home because she needed to raise a bit of extra cash. We were happy to agree to an occasional arrangement as we'd already had plenty of evidence that Doña C was intelligent, well-trained and of good character (V quickly disposed of all my empty latas when the chatarra van passed in case the fervently evangelical Doña C were to draw the wrong conclusions), and it has actually been fun to have her cheery presence around the place this week.
I'm fortunate not to have any commercial interests in Antigua which frees me up from the need to 'network' with ex-pats and transients. My wife and I are very private people in fact. We don't get out all that much and we don't much care for prolonged invasions of our space. The half dozen or so houses around us are all owned by members of her family and this provides about as much opportunity for sociability in any given week that we can normally take.
Which is one reason we find it a bit tiresome when we need to have an albañil on site and why we haven't generally employed people to help us with the housework. On the one hand, we argue to ourselves, how much mess can the pair of us make? On the other, there are still entire rooms filled with unopened boxes from our original move and every time we cook, we seem to have to juggle food preparation with clearing up from the last time.
Home life has felt like a bit of a rearguard action this invierno, with leaks springing up in unlikely places and a background level of disorder that I now realise has been disordering our ability to be completely positive and organised on other levels. Anyway, Doña C's intermittent presence this week has been a great help and indeed a pleasure, and she in turn has no doubt been pleased to discover that anyone who assisting V with the chore of those boxes tends to go home with at least some of the contents.
The second important development is that a descendent of famed conquistador Bernal Diaz and a member of a clan sometimes (somewhat erroneously) referred to as one of the 'five families', has offered to lend me her private mechanic. This can be chalked up as a lifestyle improvement because the nearest Chrysler dealer is on the outskirts of Guate. And the individual in question is nothing less than an uncannily adept tracker of car parts. Hand him any chunk of rusty metal from under the bonnet and he'll give it a sniff, vanish off to the hueseras, and promptly return with exactly the replacement required.
Lastly, I suppose I feel obliged to mention that this has also been the week when Antigua lost a notorious blogger to the long arm of the FBI, and the local chattering classes were forced to wake up to the fact that people who commit fraud are quite often fascinatingly fraudulent themselves, with regards to friends, acquaintances and even the principles they profess to live by.
I knew several things about 'Don Marco' almost from the moment he started to take occasional pot shots at my blog*.
These were a) that he had ten children b) that he went out of his way to attend Mass in Latin and c) that his real name was not Mark Francis.
I reached my own conclusions about the purpose of his stay in Guatemala, but didn't pursue my curiosity any further online, which might have been revealing of course.
'Mark' added me to his Shelfari contacts list and after perusing his bookshelf I further concluded that he wasn't really from Phoenix AZ, but more probably hailed from one of the original slave states of the south, such was the apparent depth of his interest in reactionary themes in both politics and religion.
Now that he has been arrested and deported it intrigues me how the Chapin grapevine chose to feed me very specific gobbets of information about him....indeed, very specifically the kind which featured prominently on his wanted poster back in TN. It would be ironic indeed if there were well-placed people in Guatemala who knew the truth about Jeffrey Lyn Cassman at least a year ago.
'Don Marco' always seemed a little rattled by our determination not to throw ourselves at the web he'd been spinning around town. One of the few close physical encounters we had — which turned out to be the last — was when he treated us to a rather childish (and pique-ish) demonstration of his machismo by overtaking us in his grey Merc laboriously, noisily and truly unnecessarily one evening **
I have been oddly saddened by Cassman's denouement. In spite of all of his gripes I felt he'd come to appreciate if not respect this country, and knowing how much we two love our life here, the notion that it could be taken away from us at a moment's notice by agents of a distant state is actually disturbing. Jeffrey and I are very different kinds of libertarian; my anti-authoritarian streak is perhaps less pronounced and ultimately more even, largely because I don't have the monkey of absolute truth on my back.
* It was always clear to both Rudy and me that these digs were a form of search engine marketing on the part of GuateLiving. Links to Rudy's site are especially valuable in terms of sucking up to Google's indexation algorithm! Here goes...
** V was not impressed. She long ago decided that this particular gringo was operating close to an edge of one sort or another, and was most likely properly dangerous.
The unusally — for CA at least — distended belly of Costa Rica's almost comfortable middle class is very apparent in this pleasant capital city. At its upper end, San José is sophisticated without being especially cosmopolitan, which is in a sense, the opposite of the situation here in Antigua.
'Chepe' is in fact roughly Oaxaca-sized and can easily be explored on foot, unlike Guatemala City, where more pressing dangers than blisters take shape the moment one strays a KM or so in any given direction. And the main commercial artery — the Avenida Central — and the two blocks running parallel to it, seemed to bustle until several hours after dark, unlike Arzú's hailmary regeneration of the area around the Paseo de la Sexta in Guate, which tellingly features large plackards admonishing those who would seek to preemptively re-scummify the zone, and which still empties out rapidly every evening as citizens scuttle off at sundown, as if there were a snoozing vampire in every sótano.
The largest, most serious bookshop on the Avenida Central was stocked a full set of Bolaño novels, which predominated over lesser collections from the literary nobelity (e.g. Saramago, Gabo and Vargas Llosa), but alas not Paolo bloody-Coehlo.
This street is as good a place as any to indulge in some Tica-spotting. It struck me that there are three basic types on display:
1) The professionals: from basic presentable to seriously elegant — an appropriately dominant female type in a nation now led by one of their number
2) The lookers, from eye-catchingly fair to jaw-droppingly gorgeous
3) The eaters, from low centre of gravity to roly poly - possibly the largest group in terms of membership as well as urban footprint.
All seem to favour the kind of overtight denim legware that was even more fashionable up here in Guatemala in the 80s. All, but especially the type 2s, are likely to be seen wandering around town carrying a baby like a sack of potatoes. (I've never been a big fan of strollers in shopping centres, but this struck me as odd.)
San José does appear to have an unfortunate appeal for the Clete Purcell-type of tourist, and one couldn't help but notice the bars around town where the walls are covered with photos of bearded men in loud shirts holding large fish. Many are probably after the big catch up here on the high plain too, but should any of the Tica-types categorised above appear unusually available in that sense, they are a) most likely not Costa Rican and b) even more likely not female.
I once heard some young American tourists reviewing Antigua's market as they exited it as "a maze full of Walmart shit". Well, San José's version is an appropriately more urbane environment, with comparatively spacious walkways leading to a central core of cleanish-looking eateries known locally as sodas, with an interesting emphasis on medicinal herbs in some of the outer lanes. Tipico-wise, there's nothing much worth acquiring here.
And the truth is, once you've taken in the Teatro Nacional and a couple of the museums, what's left isn't really that much more interesting than Tapachula, and its central civic life around the Parque Central is considerably seedier. Cross several of the even-numbered avenidas to the south of it, and the pavements start to crumble and the clapboard properties which abound here look a lot more Belize City than Guatemala City.
It's just as pricey as Guate. It's not ridiculously expensive but you often sense that you're not quite getting your money's worth, and that with this kind of underlying backwater ambience, things really ought to be considerably cheaper. (This problem is not as pronounced as it is in say Scotland however.)
As for the grub, more on that later...
Labels: "Costa Rica", Central America
New Nobel
He might have punched Gabriel García Márquez on the nose, he might have written a load of misguided claptrap about Guatemala in his El Pais column, but I can't help feeling glad this morning that Mario Vargas Llosa will no longer have to be known as the next Spanish-speaking winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
That the prize has eluded him until now can probably be out down to the fact that his take on the things that matter most (sex, politics etc) have been more subtle and shifting than those of his peers in the boom movement, and that he has produced a string of near-masterpieces, but perhaps not that one stand-out novel in the public consciousness like Gabo or Saramago.
Still, he's surely Latin America's greatest all round man of letters, persistently active, and now that even Fidel has announced a break with his own principles, it seems that the Swedes have forgiven this Peruvian his privileged upbringing, his occasional moral opportunism and his Thatcherite deviancy.
I suppose I might have to go and read The Green House now. Maybe there's an edition out there where you don't need a magnifying glass to make out the text? I did manage to wade through Conversation in the Cathedral, but by the time I got to the end the first third of the book had become a bit foggy to say the least. For newcomers I'd recommend his cleverly structured Lituma crime series, his early comedies and the raunchy aunty and stepmother novels. And I really warmed to his Niña Mala back in 2007.
Update: I'd forgotten that I'd joined the 'Give the Nobel Prize to Mario Vargas Llosa' Facebook group some time ago until I received their thanks and goodbye email this afternoon:
"And the Nobel came. It is with great joy that I announce the end of our little but passionate group effort. The sole purpose of this FB’s group was to raise awareness about a simple yet relevant fact: Mario Vargas Llosa had never won the Nobel Prize in Literature, until today. Thus, when this Friday December 10th Mario Vargas Llosa finally receives his much deserved prize this FB group will cease to exist. Until then, the group will be open to continue celebrating the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature. I wish to thank you all of you for being part of this group."
Piranha 3D (2010)
There's usually not much of a point to 3D in the modern cinema. Here there did seem to be one, but it's not a particularly deep one. Looming boobies aside, this is a knowing modern remake of a 70s homage to Jaws, and an all-round indirectly amusing pastiche of the genre that movie came to represent.
And it features one no holds barred fish-on-spring breaker action scene that makes the first ten minutes of Saving Private Ryan look like an episode of the Tellytubbies, but any slightly misanthropic oldies like myself, who have ever found themselves tuned into E Uncovered's coverage of these vernal festivities will no doubt be properly mentally prepared for this.
As with the previously-blogged feature, an implicit reference to 70s aesthetics has permitted the director to deliver a fully unreconstructed cinematic experience!
Grade: B (+-)
Machete (2010)
Sharing many of the faults of 2003's Once Upon A Time in Mexico — too many characters, too many people and things running around trying to be archetypes — Machete nevertheless takes itself a little less seriously and is thus that bit more entertaining for it...if you like that kind of thing. We won't be soon forgetting the tripa absailing moment.
Apparently viewers of Grindhouse will have seen an early fake trailer for this movie, and the rest of us will be left with a strange feeling that we ought to be more familiar with these characters than we actually are. For beyond his trademark action stunts and verbal quips ("Machete don't text") RR appears to want to be known as the Hispanic Tarantino, which results in a glowing patina of meta-comedy referring to a class of 70s exploitation movies only the two of them appear to have bothered to rent out.
The other Rodriguez deserving a mention here is Michelle, now fully rehabilitated after her brush with authorities, and looking hotter than Jessica Alba as Luz. For a change the beauty is more obvious than the brawn, though she is packing some serious heat.
Should I one day be sufficiently rich and bored, I might attempt to put together a pictorial guide to the architecture of Central American border posts.
An unlikely set of circumstances...so in the meantime I'll throw this out as a project idea to one of the few clubs or societies I have ever belonged to, voluntarily: the Wogs and Trogs.*
A mate of mine once got funding via that organisation for a trek which would result in a comprehensive guide to the Panamerican Highway from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego. There did seem to be no limit then to the kind of student jaunt that philanthropists would pay for.
That particular expedition, which I believe stalled during the scoping phase, was essentially a road trip with a complicated amphibious challenge in its mid section: the Darién Gap.
On my own recent cross-border(s) expedition I woke up one morning to discover that my blog had been eliminado. Suspicious activity had been detected on my Gmail account, so Google shut it down, and as the rigmarole of reactivation involved automated SMS messages that I wasn't able to receive in time before my browser session timed out, I decided to let it be until I got back.
In fact I was somewhat tempted to make a clean break, but seven years of inner diablog were always going to be a little hard to walk away from.
*The Cambridge University Explorers and Travellers Club
Labels: Central America, Guatemala
No me llamas frijolero...
(Hat tip to Frode for this one.)
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Introductory Information about the Company
Entry in the Commercial Register
Statement of VAT
Information on the Vehicle Washing System
Ordering at the Lodge
Instruction on Entering
What Materials We Clean / Do Not Clean
KOVOPROGRESS, spol. s r. o. was founded in 1994. The main program of the company is MAINLY the specialized cleaning of the internal surfaces of tank truck tanks, i.e. the cleaning of tank semi-trailers, trailers, containers and dry-bulk tanks, further completed with an external surface washing service for these tanks.
The company carries out tank truck cleaning in the cleaning and washing system building which is situated in the engineering facility premises of the fuel distribution depot of Čepro a.s., Distribution Depot – Střelice u Brna (www.cepro.cz ).
In 2006, KOVOPROGRESS was one of the founding members of the Czech Association of Cleaning Stations (www.cacs.cz ). In 2007, the company was audited successfully by MOODY International CZ (www.intertek.com ) according to the SQAS rules. In 2010, the company was recertified according to the SQAS very successfully again and will also continue to undergo regular certifications in future.
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British MPs Push For More Sensible Vaping Policies, But US Continues To Urge Bans
- Nov 26, 2018-
New UK report pushes for vape-friendly workplaces
A report issued by the UK’s parliament on Tuesday represents a major step forward for harm reduction policy, as MPs slam vaping bans for causing false perceptions. The All Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping has put forward five recommendations that, if followed, will encourage smokers to switch to vaping in even larger numbers.
APPG chairman Mark Pawsey stated in the report’s introduction that the insidious spread of vaping bans in workplaces, public places and on public transport is an obstacle to harm reduction and creates the false impression that a risk of “second-hand vaping” exists. The report itself recommends that workplaces should have a separate vaping policy that includes a realistic assessment of the risks, instead of including e-cigarettes in their existing smoking policy. The report’s key recommendations are as follows:
· Employers should have a specific workplace vaping policy that balances the needs of current vapers or smokers looking to switch to vaping with those of non-vapers
· Public places should have specific vaping policies that are separate to smoking regulations
· The Parliamentary Estate must lead the way and act as an example to other workplaces and public places by becoming vape friendly. The current arrangements do not adequately cater for the needs of vapers; the designated vaping areas are outside and unknown to most members of staff
· Public Health England (PHE) should expand its vaping awareness programme to correct some of the public misconceptions around vaping and so-called ‘passive vaping’
· Vapers should vape in a responsible way
EU sticks with snus ban
In a serious blow to public health, the European Union’s highest court has refused to back down on the EU ban on snus. Wednesday’s decision means that over 100 million European smokers continue to be denied access to a proven safer alternative. Sweden, the only EU country where snus is legal, has the lowest rates of both smoking and all smoking-related diseases in the bloc, with no apparent health risks to weigh against that.
Sarah Jakes, chair of the New Nicotine Alliance, called the European Court of Justice’s decision “scandalous,” and blasted both the Court itself and the British government, which supported the ban in defiance of its own policies on tobacco harm reduction. Jakes said, “the EU ban on snus was a mistake based on flimsy evidence in the 1990s and it was shameful that the EU decided to maintain the ban in the Tobacco Products Directive of 2014. Today’s ECJ decision is likewise a miscarriage of justice for EU smokers who could benefit from using a far safer product which has helped so many Swedish and Norwegian smokers to quit.”
CDC claims teen vaping is up – but survey flaws remain
A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims to have found a 78% increase in teen vaping over 2017. According to the US government agency, 11.7 percent of high school students were using vapour products last year; now, they say, that’s risen to 20.8 percent.
The CDC claims are based on data taken from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, the most comprehensive US records of teen tobacco and e-cigarette use. Unfortunately, while the survey is large and nationwide, its data has some significant issues that make it problematic as a source for claims like this. The main one is its definition of current e-cigarette use. CDC have based their claims on the number of teens who, when asked how many times they’d used an e-cigarette in the last 30 days, gave any answer higher than zero.
Many experts have already pointed out that someone who has taken one puff on an e-cigarette in the last month, then never touched one again, can hardly be described as a “current user”. Nevertheless this flawed definition is what CDC is sticking to. Just to make matters worse, it’s likely that the survey is now picking up teens who’ve been exposed to the media hysteria over JUUL and taken a puff to see what all the fuss was about. Meanwhile the real rate of current vaping among US teens is likely to be in the region of 1-2%, as usual.
South Australia bans online vape sales
South Australia became the last state in the country to legislate against tobacco harm reduction last week – and upped the stakes by introducing a ban on online sales of vapour products. While the new law was welcomed by the Cancer Society, the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association slammed it, pointing out that it just makes it harder for smokers to access safer alternatives.
Previous: Will Thailand Rethink Its Harsh Vape Ban?
Next: The “Winston Man”: A Transition From Cigarettes’ Model To Vaping Advocate
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"While our B2B businesses, such as sensors, are very strong, I still believe there is a lot of potential for innovation within the consumer electronics space."
"In our television business, we made a turnaround last year by significantly improving our operational efficiency and strengthening our product offerings."
"Our sales, volume and market share has more than doubled" in Europe
"Our new TVs have been particularly well received because of their refined design"
"The X90C Series is not just a slim TV, it also boasts a novel design and pushes envelope on picture quality."
"The bezel virtually disappears."
"At Sony, picture quality is never compromised, even with such a slim design. X1 processor once again advances the clarity, color accuracy and contrast of 4K viewing expereience."
"It delivers stunning picture quality to any experience"
The maudlin 'we're working to do better' chat is over, it seems. We're finally talking about products, starting with TVs. Sony is a company that's betting big on 4K, rather than OLED for instance, as the Next Big Thing in television.
High dynamic range content, HDR, "changes the way pictures look on TV screen with wider range of contrast."
"Can particularly see a contrast in dark and light areas of picture screen."
We're now seeing side-by-side images of HDR versus regular
It's busy in here
"We at Sony are aggressively working with ensuring streaming video providers like Amazon to bring shows in HDR to our customers."
High dynamic range will be a familiar term to many, as it's primarily used in cameras, including many smartphone cameras. It'll be interesting to see whether HDR makes a real difference in the latest crop of TVs, or whether it's just another gimmick designed to sell sets. Thoughts?
"It's important to understand the superior picture quality made possible by HDR requires specific" capabilties. Superior backlight control etc
(This is pretty technical. Gotta say)
"Sony is leading the HDR industry."
"Digital imaging has always been an area of significant innovation at Sony."
"In Europe leading mirrorless camera market in total sales."
"Alpha 7 Series has become the premier choice of photo enthusiasts by catering to their specific needs."
The Sony A7 is rad
"Sony has also made a top position in the compact camera market in Europe...with the RX1 series."
"In July we launched two powerful additions to our" Cybershot cameras.
Sony has built some very impressive cameras in the past, but I'm getting the impression most people in this room would rather skip to the smartphones...
We're now seeing a demo of super slow motion
"Previously such super slow motion has only been available in a select few professional quality cameras. But now all of you can literally control time."
We're getting some lovely slow-motion shots of water balloons exploding, apples getting shot and birds taking flight. Hey Sony, can we please just watch super slo-mo vids for the rest of the conference? thx.
"Furthermore, the RX100 Mark 4 and RX10 Mark 2 feature a super high-speed shutter with speed of 1/32,000 of a second."
"These cameras also reduce distortion."
Sony's bigging up its cameras slow motion and depth-of-field capabilities -- they're clearly on top of current photography trends! Now we just need an Instagram mode.
"Photographers will no longer have to choose between high resolution and high sensitivity."
We're getting some more technical talk on Sony's CMOS sensor.
"Free you from your tripod when shooting in low light...or when shooting closeups."
John Falcone 9/2/2015 2:31:18 PM
For the record, everything Hirai has mentioned so far is "old news." All covered previously here on CNET.
Sony's not holding back on the jargon when it comes to camera tech -- I'm seeing a few puzzled looks around the room.
"While Sony cameras continue to attract attention and accolades Sony has continued to innovate in advanced image sensors."
"Many popular brands, as you know, have Sony sensors inside their smartphones and also their digital imaging devices."
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blog-turned-book
Do you like stuff? So do we! Stuff for the mind, for passing time, for sharing, for yourself, for fun. Mariva's Guide brings you interesting, innovative, beautiful, entertaining and useful products, web sites, articles and images -- in other words, this, that and the other thing.
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Making ‘Milk,’ the movie about Harvey Milk
Milk: The Harvey Milk Story casting poster
(photo: Steve Rhodes)
Update: Now that the much-awaited film Milk has premiered, many politically astute observers have noted the parallels between the recent marriage equality demonstrations and the Gay Rights movement of the 1970s that Harvey Milk had come to represent. I will be seeing Milk at the Castro Theatre this weekend, but having participated in both the making of the movie and many of the recent anti-Proposition 8 demonstrations, I feel as though I’ve already seen it. What follows is my story of being one of many extras during the riotous crowd scenes.
The Castro District in San Francisco, just down the hill from where I live, is abuzz. It’s the most exciting time for the neighborhood since the annual Halloween street party (before it was recently banned) or LGBT Pride weekend, when tourists from all over the world make a pilgrimage to the famous "Gay Mecca." It’s as if the 1970s — when the Castro emerged as the world’s epicenter of the gay liberation movement — is coming alive again. And, in a sense, it is.
Filmmaker Gus Van Sant is in the middle of realizing his long-time dream of directing a biopic of Harvey Milk, a political activist instrumental in creating the gay community and culture of the Castro, as well as the first openly gay man to serve in a substantial political office as San Francisco city supervisor.
Uncle Donald’s Castro Street: Harvey Milk
Uncle Donald’s Castro Street: Gay Parades of the Seventies
The Times of Harvey Milk, a documentary by Rob Epstein (IMDb info)
TIME 100: Harvey Milk
Images of America: San Francisco’s Castro, by Strange De Jim
White Night Riots (Wikipedia info, original footage)
Dianne Feinstein interview
Posted November 25, 2008 by Mariva in city, community, fashion, movies, social
1 comment | RSS | permalink | twitter
Making ‘Milk’: being an extra in the crowd scenes
Making Milk: crowd of extras in the Castro
photo: Eric Nielson (TroublePup, Observd)
[previous: Making ‘Milk’]
When a big crowd amasses on the street in the Castro District of San Francisco, it’s often to protest something. But last night, instead of actually protesting, a big crowd pretended to protest. And, let me tell you, there’s nothing more fun than pretending, especially when a professional film crew is there to capture the make believe.
Because it’s so difficult to assemble and manage a large crowd of enthusiastic, costumed extras, directors and crew will often reuse the same crowd, albeit with a few position and prop changes, to create and film different scenes. Last night’s crowd was used to film a rally, a march, and a riot for the Harvey Milk biopic, currently in production.
The Castro Theatre, perhaps in gratitude for refurbishing its decrepit sign and marquee, loaned "Milk Productions" (the working name for filmmaker Gus Van Sant’s production company) the use of its space for the day. In the afternoon, the production company hosted a free screening of The Times of Harvey Milk, which was introduced by documentary filmmaker Rob Epstein and attended by local gay politicos and key members of Milk cast and crew.
Posted February 5, 2008 by Mariva in city, community, fashion, movies, social
add a comment | RSS | permalink | twitter
Making ‘Milk’: Sean Penn as Harvey Milk
Sean Penn (as Harvey Milk) addresses the crowd during the making of Milk
[previous: being an extra in the crowd scenes]
Sean Penn — now clean-shaven and dapper compared to his earlier incarnation of Harvey Milk during Milk’s scruffier, hippie years — jumped onto the platform, and we all cheered and hooted. Facing the crowd, Penn/Milk yelled through a vintage bullhorn, "Are you angry?!"
Well, in reality, we weren’t angry at all. We were thrilled and giddy, but what the heck? We furrowed our brows, punched our fists into the air, and yelled, "Yeah!"
"Well, I’m angry!" Penn/Milk responded, drawing another round of punched fists, punctuated by a collective Yeah!.
Penn continued, "Let’s march to City Hall and share that anger with San Francisco!" We cheered and applauded, and the extras with signs shook them. We then chanted, "Gay rights now!"
Webb yelled, "Cut!" We buzzed and congratulated ourselves on a realistic performance.
Making ‘Milk’: Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones
Making Milk: Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones
[previous: Sean Penn as Harvey Milk]
After Sean Penn’s big crowd-rousing scene, principle actor Emile Hirsch, playing a young activist Cleve Jones, took his turn performing on the platform. I couldn’t take my eyes off little Emile, so petite that he could be stashed in a coat pocket, mouthing his lines into the vintage bullhorn before his first take. He angled the bullhorn to his right side and practiced smoothly turning his head as he spoke. For those of us who have trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time, this seemed vaguely impressive.
"Do you want me to be in the frame?" he quietly asked the director. I thought, Why wouldn’t you be in the frame? Why are you up on the platform if you’re not going to be in the frame? But what do I know, I’m not a filmmaker.
Making ‘Milk’: laughing while acting
Making Milk: view of Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro
[previous: Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones]
During one take, I marched past two extras dressed as macho riot cops in vintage police uniforms and white helmets. (Tangentially, as a sign of how times have changed, the actual San Francisco police officers guarding the set were two women with butch hairstyles.) One of the extras was perfect as an obnoxious cop, raising one eyebrow and sneering at us — as if he were thinking, Look at all these queers. What are these criminals planning? We need some law and order to protect decent society from these freaks! (Many of the protestor extras were convinced that these were actual police officers — probably because of their realistic portrayals.) Another cop, however, was smiling and looked as though he was about to burst out laughing.
At the end of the take, on the way back to ‘One,’ I said to the obnoxious cop, "You’re perfect! I’m scared of you!" He smiled at me, demonstrating that he was indeed an actor and not a homophobic cop.
Making ‘Milk’: friends, Anita Bryant, Carrie Fisher
Making Milk: prop flyers on backdrop
photo: Steve Rhodes
[previous: laughing while acting]
Actors and extras took breaks while waiting for cameras and equipment to be repositioned. Production assistants wandered through the crowd, instructing us to put away our cell phones and digital cameras before upcoming scenes. Steve Rhodes remarked that this was a thankless and never-ending task. The extras couldn’t resist capturing the once-in-a-lifetime experience of making a movie in the Castro with Hollywood celebrities — but even just one single digital device spotted in the crowd would have betrayed the period on film. (The citizens of the ’70s might have felt ripped off if they had known that thirty years into the future would only bring handheld gadgets instead of, say, ubiquitous flying cars.)
The community of LGBTs and allies is a small world: during the many breaks, I caught up with old friends and acquaintances who were participating as extras in the crowd scenes. I ran into Joey Cain, former president of the board of San Francisco Pride, as well as a member of the Glide Memorial Church choir carrying a giant Gay Teachers stand up! sign. John Lewis of Marriage Equality USA carried a big white sign with Committee for Homosexual Law Reform in blue letters. His partner Stuart Gaffney recounted the romantic story of their first drinks over two decades ago at the bar formerly known as The Elephant Walk, a block away at 18th and Castro Streets, now appropriately named Harvey’s.
Making ‘Milk’: make-believe riot, talking shop with actors
Making Milk: retro storefronts
[previous: friends, Anita Bryant, Carrie Fisher]
During another shot of the Wichita protest march, I walked past the giant cameras set on a rig in the middle of the street — and tried desperately not to look at it, which is notoriously challenging for non-actors. I walked right past, within inches of, the boom operator — and, again, tried not to look at his microphone overhead.
When the crew had turned around the camera, the assistant director announced that they’d be lighting a flare for the riot scene (to mimic the unique look of raw electricity). "Don’t look at the flare," he instructed. I was getting used the challenge of not looking at something that most humans, under ordinary circumstances, would find themselves staring at.
I accidentally invited bleeding-edge tech journalist Robert Scoble to a private Kyte party. How it unfolded is a little embarrassing, but suffice it to say that the moral of the story is, don’t be Twittering first thing in the morning when you should be busy getting some work done anyway.
After drinks and deep-fried snacks at Johnny Foley’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, the Kyte team, along with Scoble and his Fast Company podcast producer Rocky Barbanica (a disarmingly affable fellow, despite looking like someone who drives a Harley and could be menacing in a dark alley), headed over to the Metreon to see U2 3D in the IMAX movie theatre.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, and, to be honest, I probably would have been more excited at the outset by a presentation of Aliens of the Deep or Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon. With a movie of a U2 concert, I assumed I’d get bored and space out, wishing I could be Twittering from my mobile phone without being rude to my fellow attendees who’d prefer to sit in pitch-darkness. (I was wrong about the movie; read on.)
It’s not that I dislike U2. In fact, in the ’80s I used to listen incessantly to War on vinyl, lifting the needle at the end of "Seconds" and setting it down at the beginning of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" over and over again, sometimes taking a break from this two-set to listen to "Drowning Man" or "40." When I lived in "Oblique House," a small temporary co-op in Oberlin, Ohio during the summer of 1989, a friend who was a studio musician tuned his guitar to The Joshua Tree and played impeccable renditions of "Where the Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For," and "In God’s Country." He emulated The Edge’s signature textural style (although neither of us remembers if he’d used delay taps to mimic the "shimmer" effect). Better even than listening to the album on a top-of-the-line sound system, it sounded like a private U2 concert in our house. Later, when I traveled through the southwest, I couldn’t look at any of the ubiquitous Joshua trees without thinking of the eponymous album. Tangentially, Boo owns an original Negativland’s U2 EP (rereleased under another title), purchased just before U2’s former label Island Records sued Negativland, a controversial lawsuit that the U2 members themselves thought was "very heavy."
But I stopped buying albums after Achtung Baby and years later realized that I’d quit listening to U2’s newer stuff altogether — with the possible exception of "Beautiful Day" from All That You Can’t Leave Behind (simply because it was unavoidable in the media and the public sphere). It wasn’t intentional on my part; perhaps it was because the anger and intensity of War (still my favorite U2 album) appealed to me more than the sweeter, feel-good material of later years. (It’s analogous to — though not as extreme as — my erstwhile enthrallment with Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy in the early ’90s before Michael Franti turned into a hippie peacenik; his sound mellowed out and got boring, at least compared to his previous musical incarnations. If I wanted tepid, unchallenging music, I’d listen to smooth jazz.)
Nevertheless, it’s fairly easy to get in the mood for a U2 concert, virtual or live. U2 is like The Beatles, comprising a solid, talented quartet of British Isles musicians with names memorized by millions around the globe, known for their iconic radio hits as much as for their social activism. At this point, U2 is classic — and one would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t like their music.
Posted January 30, 2008 by Mariva in entertainment, innovations, media, movies, music, technology
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feel-good commercials
I realize that advertising represents (and sometimes causes) many of the ills of our society, but I can’t help it — as something of a pop culture aesthete, I love me a good commercial. I think this is because I appreciate good design, clever concepts and creativity in any form. For better or worse — whether subsidizing theater companies and museums or hiring the best illustrators, writers and cinematographers — corporations have become the new patrons of the arts. I’m often astonished at how compelling the commercials for Volkswagon, Apple and Coca-Cola are.
Posted March 22, 2006 by Mariva in arts, business, entertainment, health, innovations, movies
Peyton Place: 50th anniversary
If you’ve ever read the scandalous classic Peyton Place — now in its fiftieth anniversary — or seen the movie, you’ll no doubt be fascinated by the backstory. The death of author Grace Metalious seemed similar to that of Jack Kerouac. As long as they shared that tragic ending, it’s too bad she didn’t meet up with the Beats while she was alive; perhaps their own penchant for producing salacious works may have made her feel a bit less like an outcast, or at least a total outcast.
One thing that struck me about the movie (other than the horrifying stuff, of course, which is still shocking fifty years later) was the abundance of stock footage of nature scenes inserted abruptly — yet not displeasingly, and often accompanied by voiceover narration — throughout the movie. Did the filmmakers not have a budget back then to pay a guy with a camera to romp around the woods, capturing bucolic scenes of ducks on lakes and snow-blanketed towns? Or was it more a matter of color correction?
Posted March 13, 2006 by Mariva in arts, books, entertainment, movies
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Marylebone Ordinariate Group
Full in the Panting Heart of Rome
In the last few days before we were each received into the Catholic Church, each of us had the feeling that something momentous was about to happen. The nearest parallel we could find was that it was comparable, in some ways, to the feelings in the days leading up to getting married, or to becoming a parent. It was a "life event", as they say. It was a significant occasion with significant meaning. By the same token, people seem to regard us as more serious (or perhaps, these days, more dangerous) Christians than before : there is something about becoming and being a Catholic that conveys serious intent and conviction even to people who have little or no interest in religion or Christianity.
To the wider world, even the most eloquent explanation of Anglo-Catholic branch theories could not stir up that sentiment. It is something that takes a bit of getting used to. Instead of saying “You don’t really believe all that, do you?” as non-believing friends did in our Church of England days (it being the default presumption of English society that nobody in the Church of England really does), they now look in amazement and say “I can’t understand how it is that you believe all that”. That might not sound like progress, but it most definitely is: friends and colleagues are not instantly converted of course, but people suddenly realise that yes, we are serious about this.
We are a constant reminder to people we encounter that there is this thing called Christianity and there is this thing called the Catholic Church. Coming into the full communion of the Catholic Church was not just a selfish process of sorting our own position out, but was also automatically an act of witness. The effect is not on the same level as Blessed John Henry Newman’s conversion, which sent shockwaves around society at the time, but on our own scale, what has happened most definitely registers in some small way with all around us.
Some of our ordinariate group attended the birthday party of a mutual friend at the weekend. There on one of the shelves of his endless bookshelves, placed quite by hazard, was the Order of Service from our Reception Mass. It was just slightly too far away across the furniture for people to read, but even from a distance, one could quite easily see the smiling portrait of the Holy Father that also graces the right hand sidebar of this blog (and which is reproduced below). Quite possibly no-one noticed that photo but us, but perhaps some did, and perhaps in the two seconds that they thought about the picture they had seen of the Pope, they came into closer contact with the Church than they had done in years, or perhaps than they had ever done.
To our now separated brethren, to our friends who remain in the Church of England, we stand as a reminder that there is another way. Another way, one that reaches out to them with welcoming arms. Another way, one that doesn’t see them as an awkward group of trouble-makers that needs to be contained, but cherishes them as brothers and sisters in the Faith, who, if they wish, will be welcomed into the Catholic Church. Another way, one that doesn’t find their beliefs in the Saints, in the Real Presence, in the Sacraments and in the “Faith once delivered to the Apostles” to be an embarrassment, but that rejoices in a shared Patrimony.
Last week, I made a quip about having resisted the “pull” of becoming a Calvinist during my trip to Geneva, and said that for certain types of Anglicans, a trip to Rome might pose a few questions of a rather more compelling kind. The beauty and majesty of Rome, its ancient yet permanent nature, these are a constant reminder too, just as much, and indeed more so than anything that any of us might say or do. This is enthusiastically expressed in the Cardinal Wiseman hymn “Full in the panting heart of Rome”, much loved of course by excited new Catholics (and by Anglo-Papalists in the old days), but no less a fine expression of very sound sentiments for that. Even the title of the hymn seems shocking to the modern ear, expressing enthusiasm, excitement even and religious faith, in the context of support for the Petrine ministry and the universality of the Catholic Church. What a powerful and truly Catholic hymn it is.
Posted by Marylebone Ordinariate Group at 20:11
Labels: Blessed John Henry Newman, Cardinal Wiseman, Catholic hymn, Full in the Panting Heart of Rome, Geneva, God Bless Our Pope, Rome
After our inaugural Mass and Reception into the Catholic Church
St James's Day at St James's
Marylebone Ordinariate Group Members receiving First Blessings from Fr John Hunwicke
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How an Aperture Library Looks after Imported to Capture One
By Derrick Story on October 3, 2016 2:35 PM
Capture One Pro has arguably the best Aperture library import tool available. You can simply open a new Capture One Catalog, go to File > Import Catalog > Aperture Library, and begin the transition from Aperture to Capture One Pro.
After doing so, how do your Aperture images look in C1? Is the library structure retained. How does the RAW processing compare?
In this 6-minute video, I show you how an Aperture library looks in Capture One Pro. And without giving away too much, I'll tell you now that the transition is pretty darn smooth.
If you've been procrastinating making the move from Aperture to Capture One Pro, this movie should provide some motivation. And since we are going into the off-season for photographers, why not make this your end of year project? Then you can start 2017 with a fresh Capture One catalog.
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The Places Album in Photos for macOS Sierra
By Derrick Story on September 30, 2016 7:58 AM
There are quite a few big features in Photos for macOS Sierra, but one of my favorite small adjustments is the return of Places, now debuting as an application album alongside People, Favorite Memories, Last Import, and such.
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Want to fine tune your search to a specific location in Hawaii? Simply zoom in by using the "+" icon in the lower right corner of the map, or by pinching outward on a trackpad, to reveal various spots on the island that you visited. Now click on any of those thumbnails to see that smaller group of pictures.
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"Firmware Fantastic" - Digital Photography Podcast 551
By Derrick Story on September 27, 2016 12:11 AM
This is The Digital Story Podcast #551, Sept 27, 2016. Today's theme is "Firmware Fantastic." I'm Derrick Story.
Opening Monologue
Aside from pure immediacy, my favorite aspects of the digital age are firmware and software updates. I'm thinking about this because I've just reinvigorated my laptop, iPhone, iPad, and the DxO ONE camera. And what a difference! But sometimes we're hesitant or don't have time for these maintenance tasks. And that's the subject of this week's show.
Firmware Fantastic
I know many folks hold off on OS and firmware updates because they feel that their devices may become destabilized as a result. Although there is always such a possibility, my experience has been that brand name software is usually vetted quite well before sharing with the public. Here are some recent examples.
macOS Sierra - I started using Sierra on my mid-2014 MacBook Pro during its public beta phase. There were very few hiccups then, and the only issues I'm having now is that some of the software I use hasn't been updated for the new OS. I love having Siri on my Mac.
iOS 10 - I've installed it on an iPhone 6S, iPhone 5S and iPad mini 2 without issue. The only challenges I've had are getting used to the new features, such as the change for the lock screen. Overall, I feel like my iOS apps are doing a better job at releasing updates for the new OS.
As an aside, one on my little tricks is to buy a new iPhone case when I update the operating system, especially if I'm not going to buy the latest phone, such as the iPhone 7. The new OS and case literally make my 1-year-old device feel brand new.
DxO ONE Firmware Update 2.0.3 - This is a killer feature enhancement adding WiFi capability, mobile smart lighting, better battery management and more. BTW: if you use a DxO ONE, you should update its firmware before moving to iOS 10.
Lightroom Mobile 2.5.1 - Makes it easy to capture in RAW if late model iPhones running iOS 10.
Photos 2.0 - Even though this is part of the Sierra update, I want to talk about it individually. My biggest thrill is the addition of object recognition, which as totally changed search for me.
Should you hold off on any of these? In my opinion, certainly not!
Drobo Dairies
This week I ran a straight Finder copy to test the speed differences between the Drobo 5D and the 5Dt. I used the Thunderbolt cable included with each device and plugged them into my mid-2014 MacBook Pro running macOS Sierra. Here's how the numbers stacked up:
Drobo 5Dt, 98.53 GB copy, 9:49.
Drobo 5D, 98.53 GB copy, 12:45.
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The Fotr App Forces You to Shoot 'Film' with Your iPhone, Prints Every Frame, via Petapixel.
Fotr is as close to film photography as you're likely to get out of your iPhone. The new iOS app acts just like a film camera: you have to buy "digital" film, and every single photo you take with that "roll" is printed... even the crappy ones.
Once you download the app, you will have to buy a "roll" of film--there are both color and black & white film stocks available, and each one mimics a well-known film like Kodak Tri-X or Fujifilm Velvia. Once bought, you've got that many exposures to shoot, each of which will be printed and shipped to your door within 10 days... no do overs.
Like regular film, you'll have to pay to play here. The app itself is free, but each set of prints will cost you. 24 and 36-frame "rolls" of B&W film printed 4×6 will cost $17 and $23, respectively. Those prices include all tax, packaging and shipping.
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Using the DxO ONE Camera via WiFi
By Derrick Story on September 26, 2016 1:02 PM
The DxO ONE camera has evolved quickly since its release. With the latest Version 2.0 Firmware Update, WiFi capability was unlocked, allowing photographers to detach the camera from the iPhone and continue to take pictures.
The firmware update can be applied by connecting the camera to your iPhone, launching the DxO ONE app, and going to the message center where you'll have the opportunity to upgrade. Once the upgrade has been applied, go to the settings menu in picture taking mode. You can do that by tapping on the icon in the upper right corner, then swiping down in the menu to "Wireless remote control," as shown in the above illustration.
The section provides you with two options. The first, Connect through a Wi-Fi network, allows you to tap into an existing network. Once you select that, the iPhone will pass the network credentials to the DxO camera. This takes just a few seconds. Soon, a message appears, "You can now detach your DxO ONE and take pictures." Now have some fun.
DxO also announced a new tripod adapter that looks very nice. Or, you can use a third party solution, such as the MeFOTO SideKick360 shown in the image below.
The DxO ONE in WiFi mode stabilized with a MeFOTO SideKick..
Once you've finished, just connect the camera again. The WiFi connection will be terminated, and you're back in connected shooting mode. It's easy, and it works great.
The second option, Direct Option, is currently grayed out. The message states that there's an incompatibility with the latest iOS Update. Hopefully, this will be ironed out soon so we can shoot wirelessly without an existing network.
WiFi connectivity is just one of the many new features in the Version 2.0 update. But it's just so darn sexy, I had to start there.
How to Change Your Flickr Password
After the news that Yahoo was hacked on a grand scale, it's definitely time to change your Flickr/Yahoo password.
Start by clicking on your avatar/logo in the upper right corner of the Flickr interface. Choose "Settings" from the popup menu. In the next screen, click on the Personal Information tab, then click on "Edit your Yahoo! password."
You'll see some information about account security there, and will have some options such as "securing your account" and creating a Yahoo! key. I leave it up to you if you want to go that route. I chose the "I'll change my password instead" option and updated my account with a fresh, never been used before, password.
Once that has been confirmed, you're in good shape. Yahoo! will throw a couple additional screens at you. Read them, but you've already accomplished what needed to be done. I then test my work by logging out of Flickr, then logging back in with the new password. If everything works, that's it.
More Flickr Tips and Techniques
Sharing Photos with Flickr is a deep dive into this venerable online photography platform, focusing on how to best use its tools with a Mac or Windows computer. I show you how to configure Flickr to automatically backup your images, organize them, and share your favorites with friends, family, and the entire online universe. This training will show you how to best take advantage of Flickr's 1TB of free online storage and its comprehensive set of imaging tools.
And if you prefer using an iOS or Android device for your Flickr experience, you definitely must take a look at Flickr Mobile: Photo Sharing Anywhere. It's fun and informative.
iPhone RAW Photography with Lightroom Mobile
While many mobile photographers await their upgrade to iPhone 7, there's a lot you can do right now with the 6S, including a nifty RAW workflow thanks to iOS 10 and Lightroom Mobile. It's easy, and the quality is outstanding.
Lightroom Mobile on an iPhone 6S running iOS 10. Original image captured as a DNG file using the Lightroom camera app. No editing quite yet...
Start by making sure you have the latest versions of iOS and Lightroom Mobile loaded. Then open LR on the iPhone and tap on the camera icon in the lower right corner. At the top of the interface look for DNG. If you see Jpeg instead, tap on it and choose DNG from the popup option. Take a photograph. You've just captured a RAW file with the iPhone.
At this point, you can edit it with the excellent tools in LR Mobile. I spent a couple minutes with this file adjusting the highlights, shadows, and color temperature. I then added some clarity and a vignette. The image looked pretty good on my mobile display.
Since it automatically syncs with Lightroom on my Mac, via the Creative Cloud account, I launched Lightroom and examined the shot on the 13" MacBook. It was still a RAW file, and all of my adjustments from the iPhone appeared on the sliders in the Develop module. I made a couple more minor changes, and that was it.
The image was automatically synced to Lightroom on my Mac, with all changes included.
Since I like to use Photos for macOS also, I saved an edited version of the picture via Lightroom Mobile to the Camera Roll on my phone. Now I have the finished shot in the Apple ecosystem as well.
The entire process was intuitive, and the finished image, even when magnified on the MacBook's retina display, was sharp, detailed, and had excellent tonality and color.
The final version of the iPhone RAW file. Photos by Derrick Story.
You might not want to capture every iPhone shot as a DNG, but it's great to have this option for situations where you want to milk every ounce of quality out of the device. I can't wait to see how this looks with an iPhone 7 Plus...
Capture One 9.3 Safe for macOS Sierra
Aside from Eizo monitor support and calibration, there aren't a lot of new features in Capture One Pro 9.3. But there are bug fixes, improved metadata handling, and new camera support. You can see the entire list of newly supported optics and bodies here.
I tested C1 9.3 on macOS Sierra, and I'm happy to report that everything ran smoothly. Performance was snappy, and there were no hiccups that I could detect. So I recommend that you update both the macOS and Capture One Pro at your earliest convenience.
"Mirrorless Photokina" - Digital Photography Podcast 550
By Derrick Story on September 19, 2016 11:29 PM
This is The Digital Story Podcast #550, Sept 20, 2016. Today's theme is "Mirrorless Photokina." I'm Derrick Story.
Photokina truly offers everything under the photographic sun. But the most interesting announcements for me were the new mirrorless cameras and lenses. Panasonic, Olympus, Canon and even a newcomer to the market proudly touted their wares. To help you filter through these new items, I'm going to share my favorites on this week's show.
Mirrorless Photokina
Here are my favorite mirrorless lenses and cameras from Photokina 2016.
The Olympus 12-100mm f4.0 IS PRO Zoom Lens - You can truly leave the tripod at home for this one. The just-announced Olympus 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO incorporates in-lens image stabilization that works in concert with Olympus in-body 5-Axis IS on compatible OM-D and PEN cameras to create 5-Axis Sync IS, ultra powerful image stabilization with 6.5 shutter speed steps of compensation. That is some serious stuff. Available in November 2016 for an estimated street price of $1299.99 USD and $1599.99 CAD. You can preorder it now.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 - As DP Review writes: "The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 is an SLR-style mid-range interchangeable lens mirrorless camera. It features 4K video capture, 2nd-generation 5-axis image stabilization and a 16MP Four Thirds sensor with no optical low pass filter. A sister model, the G80 will be available in other markets."
I love the sensor-based IS (and am happy to see Panasonic going this way more often), splash-proof weather sealing, and of course, 4K video. This camera is for those who like the SLR look and want great video capture.
The Panasonic G85 will be available by end of October in the US for $899 body only and $999 with 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 Power O.I.S. kit lens.
YI M1 Mirrorless Camera - The part that I though was really cool about this new offering from China-based Young Innovators, was that the bundle included both a zoom and a prime lens - a 42.5mm F1.8 prime and a 12-40mm F3.5-5.6 zoom, plus a camera strap, a USB charging brick and a micro USB cable.
The camera uses a Sony 20MP Four Thirds sensor offering resolution of 5184 x 3888. There's no built-in flash nor electronic viewfinder. And even though it has a Micro Four Thirds mount, I don't know about Panasonic and Olympus lens compatibility.
All of that being said, it is an intriguing little camera. It looks well-built with an excellent menu system and touchscreen LCD. It captures both RAW and 4K video. And the pricing is going to be very competitive.
The new YI M1 will be released September 23rd in China and will cost $329 USD for the kit with the standard zoom lens (12-40mm F3.5-5.6) and $449 USD for the kit that comes with the 12-40mm F3.5-5.6 zoom and the 42.5mm F1.8 prime.
Fujifilm 51MP GFX 50S Medium Format Mirrorless - According to Petapixel: "The GFX 50S features a new Fujifilm G format sensor, one that measures 43.8×32.9mm and offers 51.4MP in resolution. The sensor can be adapted to various aspect ratios. 4:3 is the default, but you can also choose 3:2, 1:1, 4:5, 6:7, and 6:17 -- aspect ratios that were available in traditional large and medium format cameras."
In the film days, I thought Fuji medium formats were some of the best cameras and lenses available. Looks like they're picking up where they left off with this new digital offering.
Compared to traditional medium format cameras, however, the GFX is more compact and lighter. It also follows in the footsteps in the X Series by offering a wide range of physical buttons and dials while maintaining an ergonomic design.
The GFX should hit the shelves in early 2017. Fuji's goal is to price the camera below $10,000 for the body with the 63mm F2.8 lens. We'll know soon enough.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 II - And finally, the camera that many of us have been waiting for. Olympus says the the Mark II has been four years in the making.
Highlights include a new 20-megapixel Live MOS sensor with TruePic VIII image processor. This is not the same sensor that Panasonic is using. The Olympus offering is optimized for low power consumption, much higher-speed data readout, much better noise performance and dynamic range. Noise performance improved by one stop. 50 megapixel High Res Shot mode can compensate for moving subjects (via Imaging-Resource.com).
New high-speed, high-precision autofocus system. 18 fps in full-res raw with continuous autofocus active. (!) 75% vertical and 80% horizontal coverage, all 121 AF points are cross-types. Uses all focus points in every shooting mode, all of the time. Uprated subject tracking can better handle background and subject with similar texture.
Other goodies include: 30p Cinema 4K footage at 237Mbps straight out of the camera, Dual SD card slots, UHS-II compatibility, 50 percent faster startup time, splash-proof seals, and 120 fps EVF with lag of just six milliseconds. Olympus is suggesting some pros who were shown pre-production units thought it was an optical viewfinder, not an EVF (via imaging-resource.com).
No release date or pricing information yet, but I should have more to report by the end of October.
Comments About My Post on the Canon EOS M5 Mirrorless Camera
Tim Covington: At first I seriously considered it. But, when I found out the image stabilization is a software trick that only works for video, I said nevermind. I'm not happy with the cost of lenses on the Sony mirrorless platform, so I'm considering changing back to Canon (I still have a lot of Canon gear, like flashes). If I switch to another mirrorless system, it will probably be an Olympus camera. Otherwise, it will be an 80D.
Sonny Portacio: Totally agree with you Derrick. They (Canon) took too long for me. After I waited long enough, I ended up biting the bullet and selling all of the Canon gear that I've shot professionally with. Now I'm invested "Mirrorlessly" (hey new term!) and I ain't goin' back. This camera looks good though and might be an option for those who can, less painfully, jump in.
Walter Ikehara: Agree. I used to use Canon and so have a bit of a soft spot for them. I switched entirely to Olympus and have no legacy Canon gear anymore. So, despite the lure of this new M5, I have no reason to change. I love my M43 system. Canon's EOS M ecosystem can't even get close. Why would I change?
Scott Stuart: Works for me. I've got lots of Canon lenses. Love the Canon UI and menu systems easily over the Olympus and Panasonic mirrorless cameras I have. I may keep the Olympus, but the GX7 will go.
Thanks to all of our commenters on this post, and to everyone who participates on our TDS Facebook page.
Nimble Photographer Workshop, Portland, Nov. 5
The Nimble Photographer is on the road again, this time making a stop in Portland, Oregon for a 1-day Nimble Photographer Workshop. We're setting up camp at the Pro Photo Supply Event Center on Saturday, November 5, 2016.
Highlights over the course of the day include my sharing the techniques that I've developed during years of nimble photography, participant "What's in Your Bag" sessions, street shooting and portrait tips, hands-on session, post production discussion, gear review, photo sharing, and more. We're even including lunch. You can register here.
The Drobo Diaries will return next week.
Olympus 12-100mm f4.0 IS PRO - I Want It
You can truly leave the tripod at home for this one. The just-announced Olympus 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO incorporates in-lens image stabilization that works in concert with Olympus in-body 5-Axis IS on compatible OM-D and PEN cameras to create 5-Axis Sync IS, ultra powerful image stabilization with 6.5 shutter speed steps of compensation. That is some serious stuff.
In addition to its broad focal range (24mm-200mm, 35mm equivalent), the zoom has excellent close-up performance with a minimum working distance of 1.5 cm and a maximum shooting magnification of 0.6x (35mm equivalent) at the 12mm wide-angle setting.
This is a go-anywhere optic with weatherproof construction, providing dustproof, splash proof, and freeze proof (down to 14°F/-10°C) performance with hermetic sealing in 12 locations. The 12-100mm is constructed with a high-quality metal exterior and equipped with the Manual Focus Clutch mechanism, which makes switching to manual focus possible by pulling the focusing ring toward you. The lens barrel features an Image Stabilization activation switch and the L-Fn button to pause autofocus or assign other custom settings.
The Olympus 12-100mm f4.0 IS PRO will be available beginning in November 2016 for an estimated street price of $1299.99 USD and $1599.99 CAD. You can pre-order it now here. For a complete list of specifications, visit the Olympus website (Please send mine now...).
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15 More Kickstarter Projects We Love
BY Andréa Fernandes
Last month, I gathered up 15 of the best flossy projects on Kickstarter--projects our readers would love, ones that were educational yet playful. Since that posting, nine of the 15 projects were successfully funded. (Four were unsuccessful in raising the desired funds, and two are still active at the time of this writing.) This month, I have another 15 flossy projects to share with you, arranged according to how much time remains on each project. If any of them strike your fancy, just follow the widgets over to Kickstarter to place a pledge (starting from just $1).
Pinball Arcade: Star Trek the Next Generation
The Goal: Purchase the licensing rights for the original Star Trek: The Next Generation pinball table designed by Steve Ritchie in order to create a digital version of the game
Funds Needed: $45,000
Favorite Reward: Copy of the game for the platform of your choice (iOS, Android, Xbox 360, PS3, computer, etc.) for $10+ pledges
Splurge Reward: Pledge $10,000+, and the FarSight team will travel to the location of your choosing to set up and host a virtual pinball tournament for you & your friends, complete with prizes
"The Characternity": Entire Cartoon Universe
The Goal: Complete a giant drawing of 2,500+ characters from cartoons and pop culture at large and then produce prints
Funds Needed: $4,500
Favorite Reward: For just $1+, your (broadly recognizable) character suggestion will be included in the Characternity, and you'll receive a .PNG image of the character in the piece
Splurge Reward: One big spender can receive the original black & white line drawing of the Characternity for a pledge of $9,500+
Sprout: A Pencil with a Seed
The Goal: To produce a line of high-quality pencils that can be planted when they're too short to use
Favorite Reward: For $10+, receive the 3 Sprout combo pack of 1 Basil, 1 Cherry Tomato, and 1 Marigold pencil
Splurge Reward: For $1,000+, the team will turn any object of your choice into a plantable item, complete with a video of the event; you'll also receive their herb variety pack
Tinkermite Tablet
The Goal: Produce a classic style wooden children's puzzle that teaches kids about technology
Favorite Reward: The Tinkermite Tablet itself is yours for a pledge of $50+
Splurge Reward: $350+ backers will receive 4 Tinkermite Tablets, a set of application magnets, 4 T-shirts, and stickers
Artifact: Interactive Access
The Goal: Develop and build a workflow prototype and acquire equipment to enable the Grand Rapids Public Museum to build a publicly accessible database of high-resolution images of more than 250,000 artifacts
Favorite Reward: A set of 3 limited edition 8"x10" photographic prints of the artifacts for a pledge of $50+
Splurge Reward: For a pledge of $500+, a copy of the book of artifact photos with a signed book plate and patron acknowledgement in the book, as well as an 11"x17" print of an artifact of your choice (from 100), signed by the photographer
SmartThings: Make Your World Smarter
The Goal: Develop a system, apps, and "SmartThings" to make everyday physical objects smarter, so users can monitor, automate, and control the objects in their lives -- for example, using the Weather Watcher SmartApp to delay sprinklers when rain is expected
Funds Needed: $250,000
Favorite Reward: For pledges of $174+, get a SmartThings Hub plus 3 Things (fobs, sensors, outlets, etc.) as well as free service -- forever. (This is the lowest-price package still available; the $99 and $149 packages have sold out.)
Splurge Reward: If you're an "Enthusiast" with a pledge of $500 or more, you'll get a SmartThings Hub, 10 Things (fobs, sensors, outlets, etc.), no monthly fees, and the opportunity to vote on the next things they'll create. (If you really want to splurge, with a pledge of $10k or more, you'll become a "Partner," and the creators will discuss those benefits on a case-by-case basis.)
Steampunk ABC Book
The Goal: Publish a hardcover alphabet book featuring steampunk features, historical aspects, and archetypes of the "future past"
Favorite Reward: For $20+, receive a hard copy of the book, a PDF of the finished book with your name listed as a supporter, and a digital wallpaper featuring the design on the book's end papers
Splurge Reward: At the "Dorian Gray" level of $750+ pledges (limited to 5), receive an 11"x14" watercolor portrait of yourself (and your significant other, if desired) in a steampunk outfit, as well as the end paper design digital wallpaper, a PDF copy of the book listing you as a supporter, a Kickstarter-exclusive book plate, an autographed harcover copy of the book, and a signed 11"x14" archival print of an illustration of your choice from the book
Historical Figures Typographic Poster Series
The Goal: Creating a series of typographic portraits of popular icons from history, using the quotes and musings that shaped their lives
Favorite Reward: If you only have $1 to spare, you'll still get digital wallpapers (for all your devices -- computers, phones, tablets) of all 4 posters
Splurge Reward: For a pledge of $120+, you'll receive all 4 of the 18"x24" posters in the series, signed and numbered by the creator
AnthroCine: Archival Film Digitizing System
The Goal: Develop AnthroCine, an archival film digitizer to expedite high quality digitization of archival film, and a system in which the AnthroCine systems would be temporarily deployed to archives/libraries, instead of having to be purchased by each individual organization
Favorite Reward: A $25+ pledge receives digital access to Advanced Film Capture's scanned public domain (and privately held, when possible) video, along with a personalized certificate of appreciation and a permanent listing on their website as a supporter
Splurge Reward: Up to 25 big spenders who pledge $10,000+ will be made lifetime members of AFC's Board of Advisors, which will meet quarterly; the board will receive updates, guide the organization, be able to recommend specific archives/films, and have other business input. A backer at this level will also have the option of sending an undergraduate/graduate student of their choice to an internship at AFC. (You can also choose to receive any/all of the other rewards being offered.)
BERO: A Bluetooth-Controlled Open Source Robot
The Goal: Produce and distribute BERO, a smartphone companion robot that can be fully controlled via a smartphone interface, as well as function as a Bluetooth speaker, dance to music, read and react to Twitter feeds, and more
Favorite Reward: For $129+ pledges, receive the BERO Basshead, a 4-inch BERO that lights up to music with 5 gearbox motors for movement, and a mention on the webiste
Splurge Reward: For a pledge of $7,850+ (limited to 2 backers only), you will be flown (economy) to Hong Kong from any "normal" international airport, receive accommodation for 3 nights, and tour the factory and watch BERO be made. You'll also receive some "top-secret" development updates and star in a making-of video.
GLYPHiTS: Magnetic Pictures with Linguistic Potential
The Goal: Develop a set of magnets featuring hand-drawn images and letters that can be used to create messages and puzzles
Favorite Reward: $15+ pledges net you a complete set of GLYPHiTS, plus a Kickstarter-exclusive magnet, shipped in time for the holiday season
Splurge Reward: If you pledge $500+, you'll receive a set of 50 personalized GLYPHiTS, as well as one regular 150-piece set of GLYPHiTS and the Kickstarter-exclusive magnet
Borders of the World Jewelry
The Goal: Produce a line of jewelry inspired by and featuring world borders
Favorite Reward: For $50+, receive a sterling silver Cotton Multi-Cord Bracelet, Knotted Double Strand Bracelet, or Knotted Medallion Necklace, presumably featuring the border of your choice
Splurge Reward: With a $1,000+ pledge, you'll receive an American Apparel T-shirt with the Borderline logo, a sterling silver Horseshoe Key Ring (presumably featuring the border of your choice), and a pair of gold Cufflinks or a Braided Leather Wrap bracelet with the gold map of your choice
Public Lab DIY Spectrometry Kit
The Goal: Collect data to build a Wikipedia-style library of open source spectra, as well as to refine and improve sample collection and analysis techniques
Favorite Reward: Backers pledging $35+ receive an assemble-it-yourself desktop USB spectrometry kit, with a 400-900 nanometer range and a 3-10 nm resolution, so you can contribute to the spectra library
Splurge Reward: The $400+ pledge package includes all 4 spectrometers -- countertop, desktop, mobile, and papercraft -- so you can contribute to the spectra library from anywhere
Shakespeare-Themed Oil Paintings
The Goal: Create 10 new oil paintings inspired by Shakespeare's plays, make giclee prints of those paintings, and hold an exhibit of the paintings in the summer of 2013
Favorite Reward: A $15+ pledge nets you two 4"x6" prints -- "Farewell, Farewell! One Kiss: Romeo and Juliet" and "Brides and Bridegrooms All: As You Like It" -- as well as a digital slideshow of all the paintings set to music
Splurge Reward: For a $10,000+ pledge, the artist, Richard Lance Russell, will fly to you (within the USA) and paint your portrait on a canvas up to 20"x30"
Onrust: Replica 17th-Century Dutch Ship
The Goal: Complete the interior design and construction of the museum and classroom space in the Onrust, an authentic replica of the first Dutch ship built in America, which was originally built in 1614
Favorite Reward: For a pledge of $50+, receive a hand-made spinning top made out of 400-year-old White Oak used to build the ship, as well as an 8"x10" color photo of the ship
Splurge Reward: Pledge $1,000+ to take an excursion on the Onrust for you and another person. You'll also receive a framed 11"x17" limited edition etching of the Onrust, your name on a donor plaque on the ship, a hand-made spinning top made from 400-year-old White Oak used to build the ship, and an 8"x10" color photo of the Onrust. (If you're one of the first 10 to pledge $1,000+, you'll also receive a pen made from the 400-year-old White Oak.)
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Be-Mondo Publishing is about telling multimedia stories to impact individual and collective change. How might we tell stories differently so that instead of deepening the grooves of a fragmented society, we shift the way we have conversations?
We navigate our lives through storylines. Our storylines shift all the time, but we can get into a rut that makes us think there is an impenetrable “us” and “other,” and one right answer to complex and messy issues. Being Mondo is about seeing things from new perspectives to help us get unstuck.
I am not a lifestyle coach, but a writer and facilitator of “conscious conversations.” I believe that improving the thought that goes into our communication — genuine (not glib), personalized (not generic), vulnerable (not packaged) — inspires evolution.
“If we proactively start with the notion that our universe is fundamentally connected, then maybe the ways we divide ourselves up politically, economically and socially will begin to seem so small and inconsequential that it no longer makes sense to fixate on them.”
— “On Visibility and Fragmentation,” talk given July 2016
Mikki Morrissette launched Be-Mondo Publishing in 2004, when she self-published Choosing Single Motherhood: The Thinking Woman’s Guide. The book – in which she coined the now-popular term “Choice Moms” – continues to be a top-selling book on Amazon for women pursuing single motherhood by choice. Her ChoiceMoms.org website averages more than 13K visitors per month. Its discussion boards, newsletter, podcast, e-guides and workshops have inspired tens of thousands of women around the world.
executive editor of Time Inc. Custom Publishing;
project manager of a multimedia project for The New York Times about the Vietnam War, and about the history of Presidential campaigns;
co-creator of a documentary about trephination, interviewing people in three countries who drilled a hole in their head for enlightenment;
personally recruited by legendary editor Clay Felker, who met her in his magazine editing symposium at NYU;
long-time sports writer/editor, including stint as reporter for Sports Illustrated for Kids.
Mikki is developing “Attainable We,” a sandbox for a book of essays and talks about how individuals are part of interconnected systems, from micro to macro, whether we choose to recognize it or not.
She has focused attention on projects about sex trafficking, community sustainability and consciousness (ConnectedintheDeep.com). She wrote a monthly column for Southwest Journal (Minneapolis newspaper) called “Sustainable We,” now taking a wider lens about community building as the Attainable We column.
Future goals: Develop a transmedia project (Connected Chronicles), and finish two novels now in full rough draft form about human evolution. She has a particular interest in illuminating history, including the Humanist Pulpit blog project for First Unitarian Society.
Mikki led more than 25 workshops for the Choice Mom community around the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. She delivered a 40-minute talk about sperm to the directors of U.S. sperm banks, and has talked at conferences for mental health professionals and symposiums for law students.
Now she focuses on inspirational talks about community interconnection. Such as:
“What We Think Is Not What Matters,” (September 21, 2017, University retirement community)
“Reducing Man-Made Fragmentation and Human Arrogance” (July 22, 2017, Institute of Noetic Sciences conference, Oakland, CA) — Excerpt: “Our Living Web is not a linear story that begins and dies with one person. But a matrix of what we DO and feel and share and inspire. Our lives are so much more than what we think.”
Speaking to the Frailty of Human Arrogance (July 9, 2017, First Unitarian Society) — How our penchant for thinking we are individual entities in a linear structure is underestimating how the universe works. And why the inability to remember what we KNOW — as affects the speaker’s father with dementia — doesn’t change anything.
“On Visibility and Fragmentation: a discussion of science and social justice” (July 24, 2016, First Unitarian Society) — Excerpt: “If we tell stories in different ways – have new conversations of respect designed not to persuade but to help each other understand – my dream is that Einstein and Bohr will find each other at a cosmic party, ladle out a cocktail of neutrinos, and agree, with a wave of their invisible glasses, that ascertaining the ingredients in the punch bowl doesn’t matter. That we’re not simply physical matter that makes up our bodies and our cars and our plastics and our stars… but energy and vibration and sensation. That at our deeper level, matter is always moving and morphing and merging. And at our deepest level, we might not even be divided into matter at all.”
“Being the Collective Me” (August 16, 2015, Lake Harriet Spiritual Center, 40 min.)
“Evolving Into Non-Truth” (August 23, 2015, First Unitarian Society, 20 min.)
“Revealing the Real You: Like An Onion,” (2015, Lake Harriet Spiritual Center, 40 min.) — aspects of a storytelling career, mixed with epigenetics, Darwin and Spinoza. Here is a snippet from the beginning of that conversation.
A Storytelling Life
This is her 30-minute interview with the owner of Freethinking Forum about her combined interests in consciousness and sustainability.
Owner Bio
Mikki Morrissette became the owner/editor of the 34-year-old Minnesota Women's Press, starting with the January 2018 issue. She has more than 30 years of communications experience — including as editor at The New York Times New Media and Time Inc. Custom Publishing, website developer, long-time freelance writer, author, documentarian, and more.
Single mothers by choice (founder) @ChoiceMoms
Connected in the Deep (consciousness website)
Southwest Journal "Sustainable/Attainable We" columnist
IONS MN, monthly conversation circle moderator, Institute of Noetic Sciences Twin Cities chapter
PAST CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
First Unitarian Society historical Humanist Pulpit blogger
Attainable We: embracing the evolution of science and storytelling (website/book/talks)
Minnesota Academy of Science (communications specialist)
MPLSGreen.com @MPLSGreen (Minneapolis sustainability)
Author Judith Guest
Linden Hills community (sustainability writer)
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Home / Pro / NHL / Know Your…Frenemy? New York Islanders Cal Clutterbuck
Know Your…Frenemy? New York Islanders Cal Clutterbuck
By Amy Gist
Cal Clutterbuck is a Minnesota Wild “frenemy” if ever there was one. During his tenure with the Wild, the forward was a heavily debated player who often left fans wondering if he was a blessing or a curse to the home team. As fans filled the Xcel Energy Center for a Sunday evening tilt, the Clutterbuck sweaters poured in with them.
If the density of number 22 jersey’s filling seats wasn’t proof that he fell more in the beloved category than the hated, the applause that filled the building during a first period tribute to the returning warrior, surely was.
Tonight, “Know Your Enemy” takes on a friend turned foe who remains a supporter of the boys who now oppose him. With that being said, let’s get reacquainted with a former child of the strong and wild, New York Islanders forward, Cal Clutterbuck.
On a hot July morning this past summer, Cal Clutterbuck stood outside of Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario Canada surrounded by Josh Harding, Kyle Brodziak and Tom Gilbert, men, who until recently had not only been trusted friends, but teammates. The men stood quietly chatting, all wearing orange shirts, preparing to golf in the NHLPA’s 21st annual golf classic in the pursuit of raising money for Harding’s Hope.
“Charity events are definitely important,” said Cal before tee off time, “but this one hits a little closer to home, having spent the last year and a half with Josh, it takes on a whole new meaning and it’s the least we can do to be here to support him.”
Cal would go on to lead his foursome of golfers to victory, banking $40,000 for Harding’s Hope and supporting his friend in the process. He also commented on his fresh trade to the Islanders on that hot July morning and while there was no predicting what would come to pass in coming months, he was ready to take on a new challenge in hockey.
“I think it’s a good opportunity for me and a bit of a different scenario. It’s a younger team and kind of growing into maturity,” said Clutterbuck, “I’m looking forward to getting in there with the team at a good stage and growing with them. I think it’ll be a good place for me and for my family as well.”
Unfortunately for Clutterbuck, he suffered a severe leg laceration from a skate during the first exhibition game of the season and found himself sidelined for an extended period of time.
“My injury at the start of the year was pretty tough and it was hard to come back from that.” He continued, “I missed all of training camp but I think things are starting to pick up for me and I’m starting to find my way.”
(MHM Photo/Jeff Wegge)
Injury aside, adjusting to a new city and team can be a challenging all on it’s own, something that Cal commented on, saying, “It’s a lot different even with just coming to the rink every day, coming to a different building, different people. It’s an adjustment period in itself to just get used to your surroundings and the people that are around you every day. Once you get over that I think it’s pretty easy.”
While the adjustment to his new surroundings may have been relatively smooth, Cal says, “It’s not Edina, Minnesota but it’ll do.”
Clutterbuck also felt the video montage welcoming him “home” was nice but unnecessary and when asked about the night he simply stated, “It was nice coming back tonight. Obviously it’s tough playing against some guys who are friends but it was fun. It was a different experience and obviously my first time doing that so I had a blast.”
Whether or not you consider Cal Clutterbuck to be a friend, foe or stuck in that gray relationship area known as a frenemy, there is no denying that at the end of the day he is a player and a man who stands solidly behind his teammates—both past and present—his family and the communities who cheer for him no matter which team colors or number are on his back.
~Quick facts about the NHLPA Charity Golf Classic mentioned in this article courtesy of the NHLPA:
* The tournament has raised over $3.2 Million for various charities throughout the years.
* This year the players competed for a total charity purse of $100,000, with the winning team receiving $40,000 for their designated charity, followed by $25,000 and so on.
* Team captains were: Josh Harding (Harding’s Hope); David Clarkson (Clarky’s Kids); Cory Conacher (JDRF); Marty Biron (Harding’s Hope); Chris Campoli (Look Good Feel Better).
* The following players were playing for Josh’s charity: Dominic Moore, Kyle Brodziak, Cal Clutterbuck, Tom Gilbert; Dwayne Roloson and Marty Biron.
*Make sure you’re following @MNHockeyMag on Twitter for all of our latest articles, game updates and events! You can also follow the author of this article @AmySnow17!*
Cal ClutterbuckHarding's HopehomeJosh HardingKyle BrodziakMinnesota WildNew York IslandersNHLNHLPAXcel Energy Center
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Next Story → A Happy Homecoming
About Amy Gist
Amy is a freelance hockey writer who often finds herself face to face with some of hockey's biggest names, whether she's expecting to or not! She has been writing for Gongshow Gear Hockey for two amazing seasons and often writes for various other outlets. Amy is a credentialed sports writer with many sports but hockey is where her true passion lives! This season Amy is incredibly proud to be a member of the Minnesota Hockey Magazine staff covering Wild, UMD and various levels of hockey throughout the State of Hockey and beyond! She can be followed on twitter at @AmySnow17!
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ASCO.org
Conquer Cancer Foundation
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Types of Cancer >
Penile Cancer >
Penile Cancer: Symptoms and Signs
Approved by the Lineagotica Editorial Board, 08/2017
ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about body changes and other things that can signal a problem that may need medical care. Use the menu to see other pages.
Men with penile cancer may experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, men with penile cancer do not have any of these changes. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a different medical condition that is not cancer.
A growth or sore on the penis, especially on the glans or foreskin, but cancer also occurs on the shaft
Changes in the color of the penis
Thickening of the skin on the penis
Persistent discharge with a foul odor beneath the foreskin
Blood coming from the tip of the penis or from under the foreskin
Unexplained pain in the shaft or tip of the penis
Irregular or growing bluish-brown flat lesions or marks beneath the foreskin or on the penis
Reddish, velvety rash beneath the foreskin
Small, crusty bumps beneath the foreskin
Swollen lymph nodes in the groin
Irregular swelling at the end of the penis
If you are concerned about any changes you experience, please talk with your doctor. Your doctor will ask how long and how often you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s), in addition to other questions. This is to help figure out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis.
If cancer is diagnosed, relieving symptoms remains an important part of cancer care and treatment. This may also be called symptom management, palliative care, or supportive care. Be sure to talk with your health care team about the symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.
The next section in this guide is Diagnosis. It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. You may use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.
‹ Penile Cancer - Risk Factors and Prevention up Penile Cancer - Diagnosis ›
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Penile Cancer Guide
Lineagotica Guide
Risk Factors and Prevention
Stages and Grades
Coping with Treatment
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Home News A wonderful night for awards
A wonderful night for awards
By Jeff Smith
Leslie Larsen, left, and Crystal Wiese, right, both received awards at the 2018 Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet.
The night of Saturday, April 21 was the largest event of the year for the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce, its awards banquet. The event was held at Prairie Berry Winery’s Homestead.
In addition to a business meeting held after a dinner there were seven businesses honored for their hard work and dedication.
The businesses were chosen for their excellence in work, excellence in participation and service in the community.
Dairy Twist was awarded the 2017 Retail Business of the Year. Leslie Larsen accepted the award. She said it was nice to be recognized and they wouldn’t be open without everybody else.
“I’m very thankful and grateful to the community and all my customers,” Larsen said.
For 22 years the place has been the local mom-and-pop ice cream and burger joint.
Crystal Wiese, who spearheaded the efforts of the artificial turf project on the Hill City Elementary playground was given the Community Pride award.
Wiese said that it’s the amazing town that encouraged a crazy idea.
“Kids, businesses, my family all supported it,” Wiese said.
It was also mentioned that the Rustic Ridge Guest Cabins, that Jim and Crystal Wiese own, is impeccable and always clean.
The 1880 Train Black Hills Central Railroad was given the Employer of the Year award. The 1880 train employs over 60 people during the season. Many people come back every year.
Holli Edwards, manager of the 1880 Train Black Hills Central Railroad, said they are appreciative to be acknowledged.
Hill City Dental took home the Service Business of the Year award.
Linda Flounders, of Newton Fork Ranch received the Victor Jepsen award.
Like all of the recipients she was dumbfounded and surprised that she received an award.
“It’s really special because Vic Jepsen was a special friend,” Flounders said. “That especially made it great.”
Sue Anderson was given the Chamber Volunteer of the Year award. She works at the Visitor Information Center but also volunteers through Xi Alpha Chi, Community Lutheran Church and at a lot of community events.
The last award of the night was the Lifetime Achievement award. This award is not given out each year, but rewards individuals for their long-term commitment to Hill City.
Pat Belczak, co-owner of Heart of the Hills Antiques, received this honor.
Before the awards there was a brief presentation from board president Jason Peters and chamber directo Janet Wetovick-Bily about the state of tourism in Hill City.
Wetovick-Bily said the reason the chamber is successful is because of the board.
“We are fiercely dedicated to promoting Hill City at every opportunity,” Wetovick-Bily said.
The theme for the night was partners in excellence.
“We are in partnership with you and our success rests on that partnership,” Wetovick-Bily said.
There are also many partnerships that happen with the chamber of commerce. They partner with tourism associations like the Black Hills and Badlands Tourism Assoc., South Dakota Department of Tourism and many civic partners and a lot of community organizations.
Wetovick-Wily said the chamber membership has held about the same as last year and they are continuing to grow every single day. Recently, five new members were welcomed into the chamber of commerce.
Last year the chamber served around 220 members from the Hill City area. The Hill City chamber is diverse in membership, meaning the businesses not only are around Hill City but they are also from Custer, Keystone and Hermosa.
The first InfoShare meeting, which was held on April 18, had great attendance. Wetovick-Bily said everyone came to hear what everyone was doing.
When everyone is able to cross-promote and cross-refer what the chamber does is greater augmented.
Peters said welcoming everyone to Hill City and outreach to get people here is an important part of what the chamber does.
“We’re competing with some really hot markets,” Peters said.
He said that there has been a great marketing job done with the budget that the chamber has.
Last February, Lawrence & Schiller was hired to spearhead the marketing efforts for Hill City.
“The company provides all the traditional things that an ad agency would do,” Wetovick-Bily said.
This includes design, copywriting and digital strategies. They also make the marketing buys for the chamber. Around $85,000 was dedicated to produce print, digital and social marketing last year.
The gross profit for the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce was $220,840 and expenses were $232, 465. The ending amount was a minus $11,618.
Last year wasn’t a great year for Hill City but it wasn’t too bad, officials said. The sales tax revenue collected was down 3.5 percent from the previous year. Peters expects to see positive growth this year compared to last summer. There are more rooms available and one restaurant that was closed last year will be back in service.
Peters said they are going to push chamber members and also the city.
Secondly, they are not going to push people out of town at the Visitor Information Center because the sales tax revenue is needed.
“Those ladies do an excellent job of keeping those folks around town,” Peters said.
People often go to the Visitor Information Center the first time they visit and Peters said the staff does a great job of welcoming them and directing them to chamber member businesses.
Phone calls have increased by 37 percent last year. The total information requests from both the chamber and visitor website was up 65 percent over 2016. There was 886 requests from the websites.
In addition, they received a lot more requests and leads by advertising in the Yellowstone Journal. The ad promotes a special sweepstakes trip through Hill City. This is done through a partnership with other Hill City businesses. Over 14,500 leads were given through that ad.
The goal for this year is to increase visitation and event attendance as well as increase overnight stays in Hill City.
Last year they turned their attention on inspiring active couples, young families and bucket-listers in the primary markets of Omaha, Neb., Des Moines, Iowa, and the Quad Cities to visit Hill City. The secondary markets were Madison, Wis., Denver, Colo., and Minneapolis, Minn. The measure of the success of those markets include the amount of visitor guide requests sent, website traffic and inquiries from there, as well as digital and social performance. The result is an increase in visitor spending as well as Bed, Board and Booze (BBB) funds and sales tax revenue.
Overall, the campaign generated more than 6.3 million impressions. The best performances and what people were interested in came from information on events, things to do and dining.
Familizaration studies are also huge in bringing visitors to the area. These are people like in travel media, tour operators and travel agents that come to the area to experience it first-hand.
Midwest Living magazine is going to come to the Hill City and the Black Hills in May. The editor of the magazine is going to be going to the 1880 Train, the Mickelson Trail and all around downtown. There will also be stops at the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research and the Prairie Berry Winery for lunch.
Four people have left the board of directors of the chamber of commerce from this year to last. Peters is staying on as the president and John Majchrzak will remain the vice president of the board. At the meeting Dawna Kruse became the secretary and Eric Lind became the treasurer.
Peters noted he is excited about Hill City and thinks everyone is heading in the right direction.
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#2016images: Lioli's royal year
More success in a successful 2016 for Lioli...
2016 images: Lioli captain Shetsane Ramoseeka receives the Independence Cup trophy from King Letsie III after Tse Nala’s 1-0 win over Matlama in the final.
October 23. Setsoto Stadium.
Posted by MolapoSC at 11:00 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Lioli
#2016images: Likatola's Rwanda adventure
2016 was a good year for the Lesotho rugby team...
#2016images: Lesotho national rugby team at the Africa Division 2 Cup in Rwanda in May.
Likatola finished third after beating Burundi 6-3.
Labels: Lesotho, Rugby
Bokamoso Basketball Development Program league ends 2016
Bokamoso: developing future stars...
With the National Basketball League on hiatus until the New Year, the Bokamoso Basketball Development Program is concluding its year by hosting the first-ever edition of the Bokamoso Under-21 Basketball Development Tournament.
The countrywide youth league was launched last weekend. It intends to boost the standard of basketball in the country and give rural youth a platform to compete and showcase their talent.
The Bokamoso Under-21 Basketball Development Tournament has been divided into in five regions. The zones are North 1, North 2, South, Maseru 1 and Maseru 2 and games will played in Maputsoe, Butha-Buthe, Mohale’s Hoek and Maseru.
Bokamoso Basketball Development Program, of course, is the home of National Basketball League (NBL) log leaders Bokamoso South who have also won the Sprite Memorial Independence Tournament and Summer Slam Charity Tournament competitions in recent months.
Bokamoso North, meanwhile, lead the standings in the national women’s league.
According to Bokamoso programme coordinator Bokang Pharela, the Under-21 league is another of the club’s initiatives to produce quality basketball players around Lesotho.
He said they are striving for their development programme to reach every corner of the country, search for talent and revive rural and regional teams.
“Up to date we are working in eight districts of the country and we hope soon we will be all over the country,” Pharela said.
Pharela said Bokamoso want to grow the country’s pool of young players and increase participation in basketball.
“At the moment NBL teams only have one channel for players – high school clubs. This poses a threat to our sport because when the players reach a higher level of education they leave the sport and focus only on their education. So it is wise for us to sensitise them at an early stage that sport goes together with education and creates work at some point,” Pharela said.
Jonase Mokhakala, who is the Thaba-Tseka District Basketball Coordinator and head coach of Highlands Hawks Basketball Development Program, praised the Bokamoso Under-21 league. He said he hoped it would boost his team’s level as it will be their first time taking part in such a tournament.
“It is a good idea which also acts as way of removing the kids from the streets during these December holidays. It will keep them busy with basketball,” Mokhakala said.
Posted by MolapoSC at 6:00 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Bokamoso Basketball, Lesotho Basketball
Lesotho finishes year 141st in the world
Progress... Jane Thaba-Ntšo and Likuena end 2016 43rd in Africa
Lesotho will end the year as 43rd best team in Africa and 141st worldwide after the latest FIFA World Rankings were released on Thursday. Likuena have moved up one place in the rankings
Overall, 2016 has seen Lesotho move from 152nd in January to its current ranking at the end of the year. Likuena, however, are set to be inactive for a few months.
At the moment, Lesotho’s next assignment will only be in April when 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers begin.
In the rest of the rankings, Senegal ended 2016 as Africa’s highest ranked team edging out reigning African champions Ivory Coast to top spot.
Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Ghana and Morocco complete the latest top 10 released by FIFA.
All of the countries in the top 10, except for Nigeria, will be among the 16 challengers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in Gabon between January 14 and February 5.
Meanwhile, Argentina will end the year on top of the world ahead of neighbours Brazil. Argentina, beaten finalists in the Copa America in June, therefore, has taken the ‘Team of the Year’ title from Belgium who they overtook at the summit in April this year. In all, Argentina won ten of their 15 games in 2016, losing three and drawing twice.
The regional shaping of the ranking’s top 50 has taken on a different slant compared to this time last year. Asia has increased its standing with four teams now in the top 50, three more than last year.
Europe has 28 (minus one from last year), Africa has seven (minus one), and CONCACAF has three (minus one). South America retains its standing as the world’s proportional heavyweights with 80 per cent of CONMEBOL teams in the top 50. There are eight South American teams in the top 50, the same number as in December last year.
Happiness... Saido Mane and Senegal end 2016 on top of Africa
Africa Top 20 (world ranking in brackets):
1 Senegal (33)
2 Ivory Coast (34)
3 Tunisia (35)
4 Egypt (36)
5 Algeria (38)
6 Democratic Republic of Congo (48)
7 Burkina Faso (50)
8 Nigeria (51)
9 Ghana (53)
10 Morocco (57)
11 Mali (60)
12 South Africa (60)
13 Cameroon (65)
14 Benin (66)
15 Guinea-Bissau (68)
16 Guinea (69)
17 Congo Brazzaville (70)
18 Uganda (72)
19 Cape Verde (80)
20 Libya (85)
Labels: Africa, FIFA Rankings, Lesotho, Likuena
Three things for Matete to tackle at Matlama
A struggle ahead for Matlama in 2017 to regain top form...
Last week Tuesday Seephephe “Mochini” Matete was confirmed as Matlama’s latest coach. Matete’s first game in charge of Tse Putsoa will be on January 7 when Matlama host Bantu at Setsoto Stadium in the Vodacom Premier League.
The former Lesotho caretaker boss has penned an 18-month contract which will start in January.
Upon signing with the club, Matlama said Matete’s mandate for the rest of the season is to win the LNIG Top 8 title and secure a top four finish. Tse Putsoa added that when the 2017/18 season begins, they expect Matete to lead a challenge for the league title.
Matlama, of course, are without silverware since winning the league in 2010. Nevertheless, Matete said he will not make any radical changes. “I’m not here to teach Matlama players, they already know how to play football but the players have to know that they win as a team and they lose as a team.” Matete said
But, as Matete acknowledged, these are tough times for Lesotho’s most successful club and one-time pride of Maseru. “The city is no longer a happy place for its residents anymore, and I am determined to address the situation,” he said
Addressing the situation will require some work. Here are three things that will be on Matete’s to-do list from the get-go.
Restore confidence
One thing Matete has been known for throughout his coaching career is instilling confidence in players and wanting his teams to play an imposing style of football. After starting this season well Matlama’s confidence is at a low. Their title challenge has fallen apart and they were outplayed against Sky Battalion in their last game of the first round in a 2-1 loss.
Overall, Matlama have just one win from their last five games. Tse Putsoa have slipped to seventh place, seven points off fourth place and 10 points behind league leaders Bantu.
Matlama’s last five results
Sky Battalion 2-1 Matlama (December 3)
Matlama 1-1 Kick4Life (November 26)
Matlama 3-0 Rovers (November 20)
Matlama 1-1 Sundawana (November 17)
Lioli 3-0 Matlama (November 6)
Clearly, then, one of the first things Matete has to do is restore confidence to a squad that still overflows with top talent.
This Matlama squad still has the same players that took the league by storm last season and finished just a point behind Lioli in the title race. The only difference lately is they are low on confidence and playing below their potential.
Last year, Jane Thaba-Ntšo and Motebang Sera were the most dangerous duo in the league. Thaba-Ntšo scored 13 league goals and Sera struck 14 as Matlama led the scoring charts with 46 goals. Behind them Mabuti Potloane, Phafa Tšosane, and Kefuoe Mahula were a well-oil machine that made Tse Putsoa the hottest ticket in town once again. Matete’s challenge is to get his stars and talented squad believing once more.
A talented squad needs a confidence boost
Combine youth with experience
Matete has a good track record of coaching young players. Most famously he was coach when Lesotho made it to the African Youth Under-20 Championship held in Benin in 2005. It is true that Matete was in charge of a golden generation of talent that included the likes of Bokang Mothoana, Dlomo Monapathi and Neo Makama, but he got the best out of the players.
The same side also made the final of the 2005 COSAFA Under-20 Championships which remains the closest Lesotho has come to winning the regional junior crown.
Matlama have one of the youngest teams in the league. But, while their talent is unquestioned, Matlama have shown signs of cracking under pressure this season.
Addressing the situation may mean introducing one or two experienced faces to mesh with Matlama’s youthful talents. Whether Matete will find these players from within his squad or the transfer market remains to be seen. If Tse Putsoa can find the right balance, Matete’s skill with youth players will make them dangerous.
Get the best from his midfield
Last season Matlama’s biggest strength was without doubt their midfield. The emergence of Mahula strengthened what was already an impressive collection of midfield talent.
Mahula, long touted as a future prospect, thrived last season and took his game to greater heights. Deployed in a deeper role, Mahula was the perfect foil for playmakers Tšosane and Potloane to control the tempo of games and create chances with their slick passes.
However, this season there hasn’t been the same fluency and consistency in selection. For example, against Sky Battalion, Potloane was played on the wing and he was not the same force.
If Matlama are to dominate games again they have to get the best out of their highly talented midfield. For Matete that will mean finding formations and tactics that will once again get the best out of their talents.
Posted by MolapoSC at 1:00 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Matlama
Lioli to face Zimbabwe's CAPS United in 2017 CAF Champions League
Lioli's reward for winning the Vodacom Premier League is CAPS United
and possibly TP Mazembe...
Lesotho champions Lioli have been drawn against Zimbabwe’s CAPS United in the preliminary round of the 2017 CAF Champions League. The draw was conducted on Wednesday.
Lioli will host the first leg on the weekend of February 10/11/12 and the return game will be played the following weekend.
CAPS United have faced Lesotho opposition before. In 2005, they beat LDF 8-4 on aggregate at the same stage. CAPS won the first leg 4-1 in Zimbabwe before winning the return at Setsoto Stadium 4-3.
If Lioli manage to navigate their way past the Zimbabwe champions they will face African giants TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first round. The five-time champions most recently won the competition in 2015 and are the current holders of the CAF Confederation Cup which they won in November.
The potential mouth-watering tie against TP Mazembe would be Lioli’s final hurdle to the lucrative group stage because from 2017 the round robin phase will feature 16 teams instead of eight as was the case in previous years.
There is a huge incentive for Lioli and the rest of the clubs that will take part in the 2017 CAF Champions League.
The first prize has been increased by 66.6 percent to US$2.5 million.
The runners-up will receive $1.25 million, the semi-finalists $875,000 and the quarter-finalists $650,000.
Meanwhile, just reaching the group stage will guarantee clubs $550,000, which would roughly be M7.6 million for Lioli. Tse Nala will be looking to be the first Lesotho club to progress past the preliminary stage of the CAF Champions League since 2001 when LDF beat Botswana’s Mogoditshane Fighters 1-0 on aggregate.
Labels: CAF Champions League, Lioli
Matlama considering legal action against points deduction
Matlama considering legal action...
Vodacom Premier League giants Matlama say they are considering further action after the league rejected their appeal to have their points deduction overturned.
Tse Putsoa were docked three points and three goals after Matlama fans caused a league match against Lioli at Setsoto Stadium in November to be abandoned.
Lioli were leading 2-1 with three minutes left when Matlama fans stormed the field and tried to attack the match referee. The violent clashes between the two sets of fans ensued after the game resulting in the tragic death of Matlama fan Realeboha Molise Tsatsi after he was shot. The club was also fined M10 000 and ordered to play one match behind closed doors.
Matlama complained at being docked three points and three goals and three weeks ago they launched an appeal against the punishment. However, after a hearing on December 9, the league only restored three goals to Matlama’s tally.
Matlama secretary general Thabo Nkhahle said Tse Putsoa are consulting with their legal team to see if there are any further steps they can take to have their points deduction reversed.
As things stand, the three goals returned to Matlama do not change their league position.
Tse Putsoa, who last won the title in 2010, remain seventh in the Vodacom Premier League with 17 points. The record ten time champions are ten points adrift of league leaders Bantu and their title challenge already appears to be in tatters.
Labels: Matlama, Vodacom Premier League
All eyes on CAF Champions League draw
Lioli will know their CAF Champions League fate on Wednesday
All eyes this week will be on Wednesday’s 2017 CAF Champions League draw. The draw will reveal Lioli’s path to the group stage of Africa’s premier club competition.
Tse Nala will be hoping for a good draw because this year two wins would be enough to reach the lucrative group stage as a result of changes to the tournament’s format.
From 2017, the Champions League group stage will be contested by 16 teams instead of eight.
The changes, which will apply to both the Champions League and Confederation Cup tournaments, were announced in May by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after a meeting at its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
Until now both competitions have featured eight teams in two groups of four teams.
Instead, “after the preliminary round, 32 teams will qualify for the last 16 round in both competitions. The winners of the last 16 round in the CAF Champions League, will after the drawing of lots, be divided into four groups of four teams each,” CAF said.
Lioli will be making their third appearance in four years in the competition.
In 2014, Tse Nala lost 3-2 on aggregate to Angola’s Primiero de Agosto while this year they succumbed on away goals to Vital’O of Burundi after a 2-2 aggregate score.
Both defeats came in the preliminary round and on both occasions Lioli could count themselves unlucky after being let down by the smallest of margins.
The champions, therefore, will be looking to use the experience gained from those outings to finally win a Champions League tie when the competition kicks off on the weekend of February 10. No Lesotho club has achieved the feat since 2001 when LDF beat Botswana’s Mogoditshane Fighters 1-0 on aggregate in the preliminary round to the reach the first round.
If Lioli were to win their preliminary round tie their final hurdle to the group stage would be the first round which will be played in March.
Lioli would then be able to look forward to potential money-spinning games against African titans Mamelodi Sundowns, TP Mazembe or Al Ahly if Tse Nala were to be drawn in their groups.
2017 CAF Champions League format:
First leg
Second leg
Matchday 1
31 June–2 July 2017
29 September–1 October 2017
13–15 October 2017
Posted by MolapoSC at 10:00 AM No comments: Links to this post
Philip Chiyangwa elected as new COSAFA president
Philip Chiyangwa, left, has replaced Suketu Patel, centre, as COSAFA president
Philip Chiyangwa has been elected as president of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) after he stood unopposed at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting at Sun City, South Africa on Saturday.
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) president takes over from Suketu Patel, who elected not to stand after completing two terms in office.
The other contender for the role of COSAFA president, Danny Jordaan from the South African Football Association, withdrew before the vote.
Chiyangwa expressed his delight at having received the support of the region, who unanimously welcomed his appointment, saying he was “happy and humbled” to lead.
Frans Mbidi of Namibia was voted in as vice-president for the next five years.
A vote was also taken for the five additional individuals to make up the executive committee in their role as ordinary members. The successful candidates were General Pedro Neto (Angola), Andrew Kamanga (Zambia), Sameer Sobha (Mauritius), Alberto Simanga (Mozambique) and Walter Nyamilandu-Manda (Malawi), who has served as an ordinary member on the outgoing executive.
Jordaan, David Fani (Botswana) and Mclean Letshwidi (Botswana) withdrew from the vote for ordinary members.
Departing president Patel said he believed he had completed his mission to help develop football in the COSAFA region and it was now time to pass on the baton.
“When I took over the presidency 10 years ago, development was the objective and we have achieved that,” Patel said. “It is important to know when one has done his job and leave with dignity.
“Back then we had one tournament, our senior challenge, but this year we have hosted five events across the age-groups in men’s and women’s football.
“It has always been our objective that young players’ first exposure to international football is in our region. I hope that legacy will continue.
“We have great sponsors in place and these relationships now need to be nurtured. We have built a credible institution that is accountable to its members. COSAFA is perceived to be the premier region in the CAF family.”
Labels: COSAFA
Zambia crowned 2016 COSAFA Under-20 champions
Under-20 champions of Southern Africa - Zambia
Zambia have been crowned champions of the 2016 COSAFA Under-20 Championships after defeating South Africa 2-1 in the final at the Moruleng Stadium on Friday evening.
The Young Chipolopolo were deserved winners of the tournament and they claimed an 11th regional Undder-20 title thanks to goals either side of halftime from Kenneth Kalunga and Boyd Musonda.
South Africa had levelled the scores through Kabelo Seriba but the hosts were largely outplayed and relinquished the title they won three years ago in Lesotho.
Zambia were the stronger team in the first half and would have been disappointed to go into the break level at 1-1.
They took the lead in the eighth minute after a period of concerted pressure when Kalunga ghosted into the box unmarked to fire the Young Chipolopolo ahead.
Happy times... the Young Chipolopolo
Kalunga almost made it 2-0 shortly afterwards but saw his goal-bound effort blocked by South African captain Tercious Malepe.
An over-run home side made a switch on the half-hour mark bringing on Shane Saralina to replace Nkosingiphile Ngcobo in an attempt to bring more solidity on the pitch. The change worked. Amajita were level on 41 minutes when Luther Singh’s freekick struck the crossbar and, with Zambia goalkeeper Mangani Banda unable to clear adequately, Seriba crashed home the rebound.
South Africa could have taken the lead early 10 minutes into the second half when Singh almost found a way through only to be denied by a fine stop from Banda. Zambia also had their chances with forward Patson Daka having two efforts well saved by Sanele Tshabalala in the hosts’ goals.
Zambia did grab their winner five minutes from time when Musonda turned the ball home and the Young Chipolopolo were able to hold on for a deserved victory.
Earlier in the day in the bronze-medal match, the Democratic Republic of Congo also had something to celebrate as they took home the bronze medal with a penalty shoot-out victory over Angola.
DR Congo took the lead after Angola fullback Pedro Alves put the ball into his own net but they were pegged back as Zinadine Catraio equalised from the penalty spot. DR Congo, however, held their nerve to win the penalty shootout and claim third place.
Labels: COSAFA Under-20
Premier League releases second round fixtures
Mabuti Potloane (right) and Matlama will open the 2017
league action against Bantu on January 7
The Premier League has released the fixture list for the second round of the Vodacom Premier League season. The action will resume on January 7 with a mouth-watering clash between Matlama and Bantu at Setsoto Stadium.
The match, which will be Seephephe Matete’s first in charge of Tse Putsoa, was supposed to be played in September but was postponed because Setsoto was unavailable at the time.
Matlama v Bantu will officially end the first round of the season as it was the only leftover game.
The following week the second round will kick off with all 14 teams in action. Matlama will face another difficult test against fifth-placed LMPS on January 15 while in another interesting tie on the same day, two teams on impressive unbeaten runs will meet when Sundawana host Sky Battalion at the Maputsoe DiFA Stadium.
Sundawana have not lost since October 8, run of eight games. Sky Battalion, on the other hand, are unbeaten since October 15, a run of six games.
All eyes will be on the title race, however.
Bantu currently lead the table by a point ahead of Lioli and Kick4Life in what may turn out to be a three-horse race.
The sides are not scheduled to meet until March when Lioli will play Kick4Life on March 5 before facing Bantu the following weekend. Both matches will be at Setsoto. In an interesting outcome of the schedule, Bantu will meet Kick4Life on May 6 on the final day of the season perhaps with the title on the line.
Other notable dates are Linare against Bantu on February 18, Bantu versus Matlama on February 11 and Matlama against Lioli on April 22.
The fixture has also revealed the schedule for this season’s LNIG Top 8 competition. The tournament, featuring last season’s top eight, will start on the weekend of February 4 and 5 with the first legs of the quarterfinals. The quarterfinal second legs will be played on February 25 and 26.
The semi-finals and finals will then be held on April 8 and 9 at Setsoto Stadium. Lioli are the holders of the LNIG Top 8.
Vodacom Premier League Second Round:
Matlama v Bantu (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
LCS v Linare (15:00, LCS)
Liphakoe v Rovers (15:00, Quthing)
Butha-Buthe Warriors v Kick4Life (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Sundawana v Sky Battalion (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Lioli v LDF (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
LMPS v Matlama (15:00, PTC)
Bantu v Likhopo (15:00, Mafeteng)
Nkoto Masoabi and Kick4Life will meet Lioli again on March 5...
Saturday 21st January
Linare v Lioli (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Kick4Life v Sundawana (15:00, Maseru)
Sky Battalion v LCS (15:00, Maseru)
Butha-Buthe Warriors v Bantu (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Sunday 22nd January
LDF v Rovers (15:00, Ratjomose)
Likhopo v LMPS (15:00, LCS)
Matlama v Liphakoe (15:00, Maseru)
LMPS v Lioli (15:00, PTC)
Rovers v Bantu (15:00, Roma)
Likhopo v Kick4Life (15:00, Maseru)
LCS v Liphakoe (15:00, LCS)
Sundawana v LDF (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Matlama v Butha-Buthe Warriors (15:00, Maseru)
Sky Battalion v Linare (15:00, LCS)
Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th February
L.N.I.G Top 8 quarterfinal first legs
Bantu v Matlama (15:00, Mafeteng)
Liphakoe v Lioli (15:00, Quthing)
Rovers v LMPS (15:00, Roma)
LDF v LCS (15:00, Ratjomose)
Kick4Life v Sky Battalion (15:00, Maseru)
Likhopo v Butha-Buthe Warriors (15:00, LCS)
Linare v Sundawana (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
LDF v LMPS (15:00, Ratjomose)
Matlama v LCS (15:00, LCS)
Sky Battalion v Butha-Buthe Warriors (15:00, Maseru)
Linare v Bantu (15:00 , Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Kick4Life v Liphakoe (15:00, Maseru)
Lioli v Rovers (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
Likhopo v Sundawana (15:00, Maseru)
Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th February
L.N.I.G Top 8 Cup quarterfinal second legs
Saturday 4th March
Sundawana v Matlama (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Bantu v LDF (15:00, Mafeteng)
Rovers v LCS (15:00, Roma)
Lioli v Kick4Life (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
LMPS Liphakoe (15:00, PTC)
Sky Battalion v Likhopo (15:00, Maseru)
Butha-Buthe Warriors v Linare (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Rovers v Butha-Buthe Warriors (15:00, Roma)
Linare v Kick4Life (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Matlama v Likhopo (15:00, Maseru)
LCS v LMPS (15:00, LCS)
Bantu v Lioli (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
Liphakoe v Sundawana (15:00, Quthing)
LDF v Sky Battalion (15:00, Ratjomose)
LMPS v Bantu (15:00, PTC)
Kick4Life v LCS (15:00, LCS)
Butha-Buthe Warriors v Liphakoe (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Likhopo v LDF (15:00, Maseru)
Sky Battalion v Rovers (15:00, Maseru)
Sundawana v Lioli (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Linare v Matlama (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Lioli v LCS (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
Matlama v Sky Battalion (15:00, Maseru)
Linare v Likhopo (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
LMPS v Kick4Life (15:00, PTC)
Bantu v Liphakoe (15:00, Mafeteng)
Sundawana v Rovers (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Butha-Buthe Warriors v LDF (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
LCS v Bantu (15:00, LCS)
LMPS v Sundawana (15:00, PTC)
Liphakoe v Sky Battalion (15:00, Quthing)
Sunday 2nd April
Lioli v Butha-Buthe Warriors (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
Rovers v Likhopo (15:00, Roma)
Kick4Life v Matlama (15:00, Maseru)
LDF v Linare (15:00, Ratjomose)
Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th April
L.N.I.G Top 8 Cup semi-finals and final
Saturday 22nd April
Kick4Life v Rovers (15:00, Maseru)
Liphakoe v LDF (15:00, Quthing)
Matlama v Lioli (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
Sunday 23rd April
LMPS v Linare (15:00, PTC)
LCS v Likhopo (15:00, LCS)
Bantu v Sky Battalion (15:00, Mafeteng)
Sundawana v Butha-Buthe Warriors (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Likhopo v Lioli (15:00, LCS)
Butha-Buthe Warriors v LCS (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
Rovers v Matlama (15:00, Roma)
Sky Battalion v LMPS (15:00, Maseru)
Sundawana v Bantu (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium)
LDF v Kick4Life (15:00, Ratjomose)
Linare v Liphakoe (15:00, Maputsoe DiFA Stadium )
LMPS v Butha-Buthe Warriors (15:00, PTC)
Bantu v Kick4Life (15:00, Mafeteng )
LCS v Sundawana (15:00, LCS)
LDF v Matlama (15:00, Ratjomose)
Liphakoe v Likhopo (15:00, Quthing)
Lioli v Sky Battalion (15:00, Setsoto Stadium)
Rovers v Linare (15:00, Roma)
Labels: Vodacom Premier League
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Mooring Gaps:
Marianne Moore’s Bryn Mawr Poetry
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How to Read this Essay
Monday, June 21st, 2010 by jenrajchel
Mooring the Gaps: Marianne Moore’s Bryn Mawr Poetry
Fear you not my part of the Dialogue.
—Much Ado About Nothing III. i.31
The critical considerations of the poetry reflect the poet’s participation in the diverse modes of presentation such as layout, sound, and allusion. This deep process of textual, poetic creation is particularly apparent in Marianne Moore’s Bryn Mawr poems–early works of a poet whose hand often lingered in the space between allusion and textual representation. Scholarship on Moore has not yet successfully integrated these Bryn Mawr poems into her larger corpus, because it has not sufficiently engaged with the dynamic, unfixed nature of her corpus. This essay explores three early poems, illuminating the different ways they open allusive conversations with other writers, other readers, and other forms as well as resist fixity. Seeking a critical mode and a presentation medium that foregrounds the multiple voices in Moore’s poetry, this essay explores the uses of a website as a platform for interpretation. My reading of Marianne Moore’s work incorporates three different analytic structures (one for each poem), testing the possibilities of new media in Moore’s vision of poetry as an art of multimodal dialogue, allowing elements of the text as well as perspectives of the reader to converse on the page.
The Text as an Environment for Dialogue
“Shhh! I’m reading.” ? If you have spent a good amount of time in a library then you have likely been asked or yourself have asked a fellow reader to keep the noise down. The idea that reading should happen in and through silence permeates our culture. Beginning in junior high, even high school, many students encounter “SSR” Sustained Silent Reading. As students, we are trained to believe that SSR is the proper way to read, and we begin to equate reading with silence and solitude.
Yet reading is also profoundly dialogic and always has been. The OED gloss gives some sense of the scope of conversation with self and others this practice comprises: “to advise, to suggest, to convince, to devise, to guess, to think, to plot” (“Read”). It is a transitive verb, one that requires us to define a subject and an object. Whether it is while reading Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy, exchanging brushes with Milton on the way to helping Lyra save Yorek, or while eating your peach and exploring T.S. Eliot’s “Prufrock” only to be thrust into Dante’s Inferno, we experience texts reaching out to other texts, stretching their sentences in all directions , making allusions, critiques, and multiple labyrinths to explore. With the recognition of intertextuality comes the responsibility to commit to the labor of reading; we must “think, guess, and devise” our own routes through the text. The margins of the page welcome comments, allowing our thoughts to run alongside the text, expanding and extending books beyond the original boundaries set by bindings and cover. The text becomes an environment for dialogue. Though if one further interrogates the codex form, it is not as limited as the bound form suggests. Extroversive elements which move outwards from the text such as the margins and footnotes demonstrate a move towards dialogism. These textual additions are radical modes of interchange which can subvert or emphasize the text itself. As Anthony Grafton corrects the preconceptions in The Footnote: A Curious History: “To the inexpert, footnotes look like deep root systems, solid and fixed; to the connoisseur , however, they reveal themselves as anthills, swarming with constructive and combative activity” (Grafton 9). Grafton’s study of the footnote as an organic textual element proves that stasis within a text is constantly being challenged. As the editor or author uses the footnote, we as readers employ the margins. We annotate, we deconstruct the physical text by underlining, circling, even writing over the printed words. We create layers of reading and on a re-reading, we continue to add, archiving our experience of the text. When we re-read the text, though it may seem like a repetition of action, the time that has passed between readings changes our experiences of the text. We return to the text to find that we may no longer agree with our former selves, or that we have extended our thoughts, percolating new ones as we glance over own notes. The act of re-reading then, especially in conjunction with the reading of our marginalia, allows us to constantly be revising the text and our relation to it.
This notion of reading-as-revision was theorized famously by the reader-response critic Wolfgang Iser. Iser moves beyond the idea that the intent of the author is the primary purpose for analysis. He rejects the notion of a hierarchy in which the reader was positioned as ancillary to the text. Iser challenges any approach to reading in which a singularly correct meaning could be ascribed to a text. By granting each reader and reading experience validity, we are allowed—even encouraged– to linger in potential readings. His theories helped to develop the framing ideas of reader-reception theory:
Focusing primarily on two points of intersection—between text and context and between text and reader—reception theory, as I have tried to formulate it, conceives of literature as a form of interaction. This conception goes against the aura of surrounding autonomous art, as well as against the notion of literature as a representation of life; instead, by intervening in contextual realities, literature refracts life’s multifariousness. (“Do I Write for an Audience?” 312)
Iser delivers the text from isolation. By insisting that readers focus on “contextual realities,” Iser suggests that the text is a site for metamorphosis in which the governing ideas of the text are forth by the author are revised by the reader and the physical text itself. Iser theorizes that even in the most seeming tightly constructed prose, the work’s success depends on gaps for the reader to diverge from the confines of the text. Iser’s theories were radical when they were first introduced in the early 1960s, because he forced gaps into theory where it was intentionally sewn shut.
An Essay in the form of a Website
Yet even as reader-response theory has become more widely accepted, and readers are seen as collaborators of the text, we are only given so much room in codex form. Though margins allow for reader involvement, they also embody intellectual constraints on the reader by placing a spatial limit on the amount of newly generated ideas. The margins guard the text, allotting a fixed amount of dialogue. We can only decrease the size of our writing so much until we have filled the space to fullest with our own thoughts, and it seems as if the page is about to burst with words. Similarly, readers are textually limited; we cannot see the two passages on the same surface. We can only physically reconnect the passages by flipping from page to page each time. This viusal limtation of codex text suggests a more automatic movement through the text, rather than encouraging readers to thoughfully make their own way through the text and notice new connections between ideas.
Virtual interfaces attempt to fulfill the criterion of empowering the capacities of the reader. Though Iser could not have predicted the dynamic new tools of textual interaction such as hyperlinks and virtual comments, he identified the need for a revision of the ways in which we interact with text. The virtual interfaces allow for analysis of both the context and the reader’s reaction in a more physical ways, creating for us the possibility to trace these interactions or immerse ourselves in new conversation. Context becomes redefined not to be masterfully illusive, but apparent and malleable. As readers remark on the text, each comment becomes incorporated into the whole of the text as it appears on the site, allowing for internal regeneration and inexhaustiblity. We acknowledge that if we are to become true readers we must not be silent, but explore loudly. Clamoring, we make our voices visibly “heard” through the boxes designated for comments. We are still bound, or to be more specific, “boxed” –literally. The seemingly restrictive lines of the boxes enclose us and name us. This self-expandable space reminds us that as readers, we are only given as much space to contribute our own writing as we take.
By creating a thread in which comments become visible as a constant presence in the text, the comments create a pastiche of “refract[ions].” The comments create a dialogue happening in a more open environment. This new access to multiple readers pushes Iser’s theory of context beyond the author and beyond the text to apply to the reader. Dialogue, born in the interior of the mind, is given a physical space by the virtual interface of the page—there, it becomes part of the content with which later readers interact. Through participating in this collaborative act of reading, the commenters have created a new context—that of the annotation within the responses to the text. We are allowed to access the paths of fellow readers. Virtual texts invite us to partake in a communal pilgrimage.
Iser’s theories are applicable to the web in so far as they foreground the reader’s more active role, however the virtual interface adds the dimension of the protean virtual layout. If the principles of the text are no longer physically restricted to a uniform layout, what will govern our orientation to the visual layout of the text? Martha Nell Smith, a prominent digital theorist, provides a guide to digital text while maintaining an emphasis on the sanctity of the reader’s individual perspective.
In “Electronic Scholarly Editing,” Smith writes,
Understanding the poetics and principles of electronic scholarly editing means understanding that the primary goal of this activity is not to dictate what can be seen but rather to open up new ways of seeing. (315)
Smith was not talking literally, per se, but the literal visual element does allow us to perceive the journey of both our own reading experience and that of our companions. We can visualize the multiplicity of voices as well as how the voices of readers differ in their approach to the text; Smith points to the virtual interface’s ability to physically manifest the diversity that Iser theorized. Integrating the multiple sources of writing with digital replications serves to remind us as readers that we should not forget to consult the source text. Context surrounding the text create free-standing rooms built around the original so that often times, we manage to linger so long in a single room that wholeness of the text is dispersed into fragments. This shift allows for a transformation of how we read and view ourselves as readers. No longer at the forefront of the reader’s mind is the pressure to ascertain new discoveries in the text, but the reader allowed to be drawn to the elements which have magnetized his or her attention. In creating an electronic archive, the aim is to allow multiple paths. However, Smith does not ask the curator of a website to put aside all acts of critical, scholarly intervention in this process of reaction and commentary.
At the very core of creating an archive is the idea that by selecting the material, the curator acknowledges what is included is worth preserving. Smith’s breaking open of paths does not translate into a breaking down of analytic strategies, rather a more comprehensive consideration in which the primary goal of the text is to highlight possibility.
In response to Iser and Smith, I have chosen a digital platform for my thesis that allows for editorial construction of the layout and readerly annotation. I posit via digital platform that the reader can reread the ways in which Moore interconnects quotations, the relationship between public and private space, tradition, and institutilization, by using space (windows, hyperlinks, comments, tags) to materialize time, publication, and allusion. Digital media highlight that Moore investigated the issue of context, context, and that it resonated at the core. Her poems connect to one another using questions of time, space, and authority as threads, weaving together the elements of poetry. We are asked as readers to assume the position of Arachne, to deconstruct and revise. Each poem provides a pattern refashioning perspective. By using hyperlinks and tags, we as readers can visually fashion a web of words connecting from one to another or connecting extrinsic material to the text itself. We take the authority to “pull apart” the threads of comments to investigate the web, defining the path and adding our comments in revision. Iser creates new ways to understand our relationship to the text, and Moore actively demonstrates the reader’s part of the dialogue through her own writing.
Moore’s Multimodal Dialogue
Marianne Moore entered Bryn Mawr in 1904 with the intention of becoming an English major. The future Modernist poet was told by her Bryn Mawr professors that in her English essays, she over-used quotations and neglected to propose a central idea. In response, Moore did not change her style; instead, she changed her major. Moore’s professors were acknowledging facets of her work that would be defining characteristics throughout her career: her use of quotation and her opacity. These quotations and her lack of transition between them often make her poems seem like a “compilation of anthologies,” as she herself describes, rather than a purposefully constructed poem (“A Burning Desire to Be Explicit” 5-6). Through this structure, Moore invites the reader to dive into her poems and commit to a self-directed dialogue. Her response demonstrates that she was actively thinking about style, presentation and representation while attending Bryn Mawr.
In 1994, the second edition of the Complete Poems of Marianne Moore was published. Moore’s first publications of poetry began at Bryn Mawr in 1907, leaving the 1994 revision of “complete” to be off by 28 years and 18 poems. Yet until Robin Schulze published the facsimile edition of Moore’s poems in 2002, were the Bryn Mawr poems included in a publication of her work as the beginning of Moore’s poetic career. Grace Schulman included the Bryn Mawr poems a year later in the latest edition of Moore’s poetry The Poems of Marianne Moore. Worse yet, as this short of summary of publication demonstrates the Bryn Mawr poems are virtually ignored even where they are taken into account. While Scholar Jeanne Heuving in Omissions are Not Accidents cites some of Moore’s Bryn Mawr poems as early as 1992, but her analysis uses them to find glints of what will manifest in Moore’s later poems rather than recognizing them as a free-standing accomplishments.
Schulze claims in her introduction to Becoming Marianne Moore that she “[has] tried, in particular, to give readers and scholars a better look at the changing of texts of Moore’s early career to fill the gap between the beginning of her life as a published poet in 1907 and the publication of her first American volume of verse, Observations, in 1924″ (11). Though Schulze accomplishes the task of making Moore’s early work available, this is only the first step in being able to “fill the gap” in early Moore scholarship. Moore’ s early work as discussed above has been printed in Grace Shulman’s edition, but criticism on Moore has not focused on these newly introduced poems. The next step for expanding Moore’s oeuvre to truly include these early years, is to demonstrate their room for readerly dialogue. Rather than just reproduce the works, the works must be shown to have dimensionality to draw in readers. Moore’s Bryn Mawr poems, now that they are attainable, must be accessible. Such accessibility, an important goal of this essay, will help transform the perception of Moore’s Bryn Mawr poetry from juvenilia to being worthy of attention and research.
Because Moore’s early poems from Bryn Mawr were not included in any of the editions of her poetry until long after her death, the poems lend themselves more freely to interpetation. The fact that the poems have been neglected demonstrates the dismissal of Bryn Mawr and its institutional connection with Moore. The oversight delegitimizes Moore’s first foray into poetry and creates a disparity in the way we view her work. As shown by her multiple conflicts with publication as a means to an authoritative edition, Moore’s refusal of a final product extends through her entire career. The rejection of Moore’s early work and experiences is a misreading of Moore’s corpus. The magnetic force in Moore’s poetry is the trajectory of revisions. Her ability to create new poems and alternative meaning through emending her poems pulls the reader in. Her Bryn Mawr poems mark the beginning and the inattention to them equates to the negligence of not considering an original draft.
In one of her most famous poems, “Poetry, “Moore writes, “Reading it, however, with a perfect contempt for it, one discovers that there is in/ it after all, a place for the genuine” (lines 2-3). “Poetry” presents a meta-reading in which “reading” equates to “discovery.” The transformation of the text occurs as the reader has actively engaged and found a truth beyond the preconceptions she brings to it or that by engaging with tradition and taking on the genre of poetry, the text brings upon itself. In Moore’s description of reading poetry, the act of reading begins before the reader engages with any of the text. By deciding to read a poem, the reader enters into a set of pre-established expectations and embarks on the poem “with perfect contempt.” However, it is when the poem touches us in a way that feels more real or honest than a contrivance of art, we are surprised and excited, and reading turns into a “discovery” where the line between artifice and experience blurs.
Moore’s reading of “Poetry” conjures the need for desire on the part of the reader. >The subject enters the poem in order to embark on the journey of reading—and, ultimately, to uncover a truth, despite the limiting initial perspective of “perfect contempt.” The desire to unearth from the poetry a truth or “genuine[ness]” prompts the reader to continue reading with a keen eye. Perhaps the space in which this discovery can be realized is in the gap, which provides an opportunity for reflection on oneself, the text and the context. Moore models for us the type of reading one does in exploring the text. By titling a poem “Poetry,” she establishes a context and then maneuvers her way through it. Moore denies that her poems present her “philosophy”; instead she affixes her maze-like web of citations.
Moore displaces herself as author(ity),denying that the text must take the form of a proclamation of authorial intent. By doing so, she gives her blessing for the reader to do so as well. She asks that we do not pin her poem down by inferring authorial intent, not because she is attempting to be elusive but because she re-imagines the role of reader as a non-submissive one. In the Introduction to Becoming Marianne Moore, Schulze makes a case for “broaden[ing] the notion of authorial intention to suit the revisionary habits of poets like Moore who seem to conceive of their texts as processes rather than finished products” (11). Schulze points to something key in Moore’s writing : each time Moore creates a “re -vision,” she grants herself the possibility to return to the poem first as reader, then as poet. She brings to the role of reading as much seriousness as she brings to the role of the composer. If Moore as reader could not find new paths, new visions in her work, if she ceased to re-envision the possibilities within her work then she would be failing as reader and writer. It is through Moore’s approach to art that we as readers can understand how to proceed in taking on her work –loudly and with much dialogue.
Three Dialogic Readings
A poet with a deep commitment to intertextuality and a creative investment in continual revision, rather than fixed product, Moore is an especially demanding subject for a conventional codex edition and scholarship. In a number of respects the form of a website better suits the critical presentation of her work than a codex text. The virtual interface of the website provides a textual manifestation of Moore’s allusive tendencies. By allowing for more in-depth consideration of phrases and words, hyperlinking creates context which both intertwines the poems thematically as well as sends the reader outward beyond the text. The various capacities of layout allowing for facsimiles, hyperlinks, and even sound, visually recreate the many approaches the reader could take throughout Moore’s poems. The interface also allows for a layering of communal and personal reading in so much that comments can be continually added to, and respond to one another. However, these comments cannot be revised or edited. The reader must create a new comment to add to an existing one. Though this is a limitation of the functionality of the comments to the reader, it provides an accurate representation (on a much smaller scale) of Moore’s own struggles with publication. Like us returning to amend a comment, Moore had to publish a new version of each poem to amend it; a challenge to which she regularly adhered. Thus the process of own comments mirrors Moore’s revision as a reader.
On this site, I have endeavored to analyze three of the Bryn Mawr poems: “To My Cup-Bearer,” “Councell to A Bachelor” and “To Come After a Sonnet.” These poems are just a sampling of Moore’s early work. With each poem, I have used capabilities of CommentPress to render three different conceptual readings.
“To My Cup-bearer” exemplifies the connection of Moore and Bryn Mawr by interrogating the inheritance of women as scholars. “To My Cup-bearer” in its essence is rich with questions of public and private space, recreation, and context. In this poem, Moore archives a secret Bryn Mawr ceremony which symbolized a handing down of knowledge from the senior class to the junior class. Moore’s publishing of this poem both illuminates the ceremony and publication itself in thought-provoking ways. In the post “To My Cup-Bearer” I use the hyperlinks to create a layering of windows to demonstrating that Moore layers tradition and meaning within the poem. The affect of this structure is intended to allow the reader to experience the interruptions and connections temporally and visually in the reading process.
“To Come After a Sonnet” is one of the two earliest published poems of Moore’s. I chose to include this poem for the scope it provides. Including one of Moore’s earliest poems demonstrates that even from onset of her poetic career, she was producing complex work. “To Come After a Sonnet” fashions opposed readings to illustrate how multiple criticisms can be in conversation by drawing out the text in different directions. Like “To My Cup-bearer,” “To Come After a Sonnet” critiques tradition and questions the roles within academia. A richness comes from reading the two poems in the same grouping, because they present Moore’s diversity of form, voice, and presentation while achieving a consistent, developing theme. In the post “To Come After a Sonnet,” the comments are headed with one of two subtitles “READING A” or “READING B.” The readings are juxtaposed interpretations of close readings of the poems. The two contrasting readings emphasize the multi-vocal perspectives Moore sets up between/within her own poem and the poetic tradition. These perspectives create a nexus in which they are often opposed, sometimes overlapping, and most importantly engaged in conversation with one another.
“Councell to A Bachelor” illustrates one of Moore’s most intrepid but subtle early forays into textual revision. Her play with space questions authorship, originality, and most interestingly, publication as tool. Moore does little revision the the poem, though publishes it twice–once in the The Lantern and then in Poetry Magazine. These publications are keys to understanding how broadly Moore considered context and her willingness to include a poem’s context as an opportunity for revising and re-infusing it with new meaning. In the post “Councell to A Bachelor,” I have included two separate windows to distinguish to spatially distinguish the publications : “The Lantern Publication” and “Poetry Publication.” i Each hyperlink opens a new window so that the specific analysis for each publication can be read in a different space, which allows for the physical separation of context which I argue is Moore’s main interest and source of revision for the poem. The separate windows provide a mode to recognize the separateness of each text, while still illustrating how they interplay with one another.
As mentioned in the Abstract on the splash page, the research and development of this site was limited to the timeframe of the Bryn Mawr senior thesis. Within the necessarily narrowed scope of this essay, I was able to discuss only three of Moore’s eighteen early poems. The three poems (as described above in “Three Dialogic Readings”) not only lend themselves to inwardly abundant readings, but also when examined as a cluster provide avenues for a cross-analysis of Moore’s early work. These three poems only skim the surface of the potential of Moore’s Bryn Mawr poetry.
Moore’s poems revolve around a re-organization of quotes, images, and data, out of which emerges a new perspective or conclusion. I began to consider the links between and across the years, but the scope of this project was not big enough to incorporate this research. Eventually, I would like this table to be revised to include hyper-linked access to facsimiles as graphical representation of Moore’s poem, in order tacilitate easier access to all 18 of the Bryn Mawr poems. Currently, only “To Come After a Sonnet,” “To My Cup-bearer,” and “Councell to a Bachelor” are presented on this site. However, facsimiles of all of the poems can be found in Robin Schulze’s Becoming Marianne Moore.
Table A (below) illustrates the poems Moore published in Bryn Mawr’s two literary magazines, The Tipyn ‘O Bob and The Lantern. The table is organized by year/season and indicates the publication. My interest in organizing Moore’s Bryn Mawr publishing information graphically is to illustrate how much of Moore’s work has been ignored, and viewing information by year and season, allows for contemplation about the evolution of Moore as poet through her poetry.
Marianne Moore's Work Published in The Tipyn O' Bob and The Lantern
(For a larger view, click here)
It is my hope that I as I continue my research with Moore, I will be able to fill more gaps in her early history. My ideal site (with more technical skills and resources) would analyze each of the poems as well as create different organizational clusters between and across the poems.
I look forward to your comments, interpretations and critiques as you read through the site.
Return to the Table of Contents
This entry is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
To Come After A Sonnet Facsimile
Comments By Section
Comments By User
Cupbearer-Thomas
To My Cup-Bearer Facsimile
cupbearer-slave
cupbearer–choice
cupbearer-lady or tiger-lily?
cupbearer–publication
cupbearer–tiger-lily
cupbearer –eye is dark
cupbearer–vestment
“Councell to a Bachelor” in The Lantern Magazine
“Councell to a Bachelor” in Poetry Magazine
Proposal for Digital Medium
Proposal for Marianne Moore’s Early Poetry
Behind the Archive
Table A: Marianne Moore’s Early Work from Tipyn O’Bob and The Lantern
Reflections and Recommendations
Councell to a Bachelor Facsimile
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L I N K S O U T
------ Jump To ------ Prologue Chapter 1 #76 - Chapter 2: Page 1 - Alone At Last #77 - Chapter 2: Page 2 - Seedlings Anonymous #78 - Chapter 2: Page 3 - Imported Goods #79 - Chapter 2: Page 4 - Celebrity Endorsement #80 - Chapter 2: Page 5 - All Along The Watchtowers #81 - Chapter 2: Page 6 - The Bright Side #82 - Chapter 2: Page 7 - Survivor's Guilt #83 - Chapter 2: Page 8 - Change of Subject #84 - Chapter 2: Page 9 - Fanboy #85 - Chapter 2: Page 10 - Nerd With Taste #86 - Chapter 2: Page 11 - Snooping As Usual #87 - Chapter 2: Page 12 - Death Threats #88 - Chapter 2: Page 13 - Emotional Urging #89 - Chapter 2: Page 14 - Voiceless Words #90 - Chapter 2: Page 15 - Verbal Beating #91 - Chapter 2: Page 16 - Absence of Evidence #92 - Chapter 2: Page 17 - Whatever helps you sleep at night #93 - Chapter 2: Page 18 - She's mentally flicking you off #94 - Chapter 2: Page 19 - >Sweet Dreams #95 - Chapter 2: Page 20 - Rise and Shine #96 - Chapter 2: Page 21 - A Ray of Sunshine #97 - Chapter 2: Page 22 - Open Mouth #98 - Chapter 2: Page 23 - Sweet Greetings #99 - Chapter 2: Page 24 - Take a Seat #100 - Chapter 2: Page 25 - The Grandmaster #101 - Chapter 2: Page 26 - Cherry Sweet Smiles #102 - Chapter 2: Page 27 - Weak Stomachs #103 - Chapter 2: Page 28 - Cypher Dawn #104 - Chapter 2: Page 29 - The Same Names #105 - Chapter 2: Page 30 - Vengeful #106 - Chapter 2: Page 31 - Grabby Hands #107 - Chapter 2: Page 32 - Tantrum #108 - Chapter 2: Page 33 - No News Ain't Good News #109 - Chapter 2: Page 34 - >Pretty Amical's Magic Lecture #110 - Chapter 2: Page 35 - >Smile Beam! :D #111 - Chapter 2: Page 36 - Class Retention #112 - Chapter 2: Page 37 - A Familiar Location #113 - Chapter 2: Page 38 - Welcome to the Top #114 - Chapter 2: Page 39 - He's A Natural #115 - Chapter 2: Page 40 - I Can't Believe He Believes #116 - Chapter 2: Page 41 - Post-Cog #117 - Chapter 2: Page 42: Good Job Dawn Guy #118 - Chapter 2: Page 43 - Experience or Lack Thereof #119 - Chapter 2: Page 44 - Blush #120 - Chapter 2: Page 45 - Warm Fuzzies #121 - Chapter 2: Page 46 - Pre-Med #122 - Chapter 2: Page 47 - Still No Touching! #123 - Chapter 2: Page 48 - Volunteer #124 - Chapter 2: Page 49 - Back Off! #125 - Chapter 2: Page 50 - Analyze Life #126 - Chapter 2: Page 51 - Ugly Magic #127 - Chapter 2: Page 52 - The Drawbacks of being a Wallflower #128 - Chapter 2: Page 53 - Amical Fails an Empathy Check #129 - Chapter 2: Page 54 - Drop Dead #130 - Chapter 2: Page 55 - Squick #131 - Chapter 2: Page 56 - Body Check #132 - Chapter 2: Page 57 - Stop Playing Dead, Already #133 - Chapter 2: Page 58 - Small Talk With Asia Ellis #134 - Chapter 2: Page 59 - A Boring Upbringing #135 - Chapter 2: Page 60 - Another Brick In The Wall #136 - Chapter 2: Page 61 - Quiet Girls #137 - Chapter 2: Page 62 - She Who Can Not Be Thawed #138 - Chapter 2: Page 63 - How Did It Feel? #139 - Chapter 2: Page 64 - Skeptic #140 - Chapter 2: Page 65 - You CAN, Withdrawn! #141 - Chapter 2: Page 66 - Recognizing The Signs #142 - Chapter 2: Page 67 - Icing on the Cake #143 - Chapter 2: Page 68 - Knowing the Objectives #144 - Chapter 2: Page 69 - Flexibility #145 - Chapter 2: Page 70 - An Idea He Can Get Behind #146 - Chapter 2: Page 71 - Back on Topic #147 - Chapter 2: Page 72 - The Very Basics #148 - Chapter 2: Page 73 - Mana Manners #149 - Chapter 2: Page 74 - Focus Point #150 - Chapter 2: Page 75 - Supernal Vision #151 - Chapter 2: Page 76 - Enchanted Items #152 - Chapter 2: Page 77 - Fivesies #153 - Chapter 2: Page 78 - Science Lesson #154 - Chapter 2: Page 79 - Control Light #155 - Chapter 2: Page 80 - Overexertion #156 - Chapter 2: Page 81 - Coping Mechanisms #157 - Chapter 2: Page 82 - Billy's Initiative Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
stkbayfield, August 6th, 2013, 9:28 am Reply
Sometimes titling these comics is just an annoying extra task I have to do. I don't often put a lot of stock in what I type there.
That all said, this one here makes me smile. Clearly the boys are grasping on to straws of hope and clinging them tightly while they lay their heads to rest.
I'd say this is the end of day 1... but aren't there some girls lurking about in the manor too?
Advertisement, July 18th, 2019, 6:20 pm Reply
Arcblade, August 21st, 2013, 10:47 am Reply
The fade out to black was a nice touch.
Don Quixotes, August 22nd, 2013, 12:04 am Reply
So can we expect talkie pages anytime soon?
ChibiSilverWings, August 22nd, 2013, 2:53 am Reply
@Don Quixotes: Talkie? As in lots of dialogue? Lots of explanatory dialogue? Or descriptions? Or like actual talking aloud?
Generally I'm quite curious which types of segments/pacing people enjoy most. When it comes to me, I always feel like I enjoy the scenes where there's more dialogue rather than text boxes (plus I think I do a better job at it so it's generally more fun for me), but I'm actually not sure what other people like most. Care to share? :)
burningtyger, August 22nd, 2013, 9:11 pm Reply
@ChibiSilverWings: If you DO consider audible voices i'd be glad to provide a few.
Shadowednavi, August 23rd, 2013, 6:23 pm Reply
@burningtyger: We're still in the early stages of both the story and our ambition for this project, and the subject of voice work has come up frequently. We have voices in mind for almost all of the characters, but we still haven't decided if we want to incorporate serious voice work yet.
In the end, it depends on how much time we have to devote to a non-profit project like this. The other three work full time jobs in addition to this project, and I'm about to go back to school to get my bachelor's degree, so time is already a precious commodity between each of us. We're doing what we can, when we can, to consistently craft a story for you to read. :)
Guest, September 26th, 2018, 1:14 pm Reply
Arrow at end of consequence doesn't work.
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Review: American Hustle BD + Screen Caps
American Hustle might be a tad overrated and certainly director David O. Russell took influence from Martin Scorsese and maybe a bit of Oliver Stone in terms of tone and style, but the movie’s success lies squarely on an all-star cast who mostly give great performances headlined by Christian Bale and Amy Adams.
REVIEW NAVIGATION
The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall
Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Crime
Sony | R – 138 min. – $40.99 | March 18, 2014
MOVIE INFO:
Directed by: David O. Russell
Writer(s): Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell (written by)
Cast: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence
Theatrical Release Date: December 20, 2013
DISC INFO:
Features: Featurette, Deleted Scenes, DVD Copy, Digital Copy
Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Video: 1080p/Widescreen 2.40
Disc Size: 36.6 GB
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Region(s): A
THE MOVIE – 3.5/5
“The art of survival, is a story that never ends.”
David O. Russell’s crime-drama sports an all-star cast and a script no doubt influenced by any number of Martin Scorsese movies. However, for everything that’s going for American Hustle, it’s a movie that thinks there’s more than what is actually there…
Irving Rosenfeld (CHRISTIAN BALE) is a master conman able to run small operations with ease. His life changes when he meets the lovely Sydney Prosser (AMY ADAMS) who, despite Rosenfeld being 40 lbs overweight and a terrible comb-over/toupee, finds an immediate attraction to Irving and soon enough the pair are in love and he even lets her in on his schemes to which she eagerly offers to participate taking on the persona of a British financier and now the two are able to con people out of thousands of dollars.
But things aren’t all perfect. For one thing, Irving has an unstable wife, Rosalyn (JENNIFER LAWRENCE), at home and a son he adopted as his own whom he cares immensely about. The other problem is, on the professional front, they get caught up in an FBI sting run by Agent Richie DeMaso (BRADLEY COOPER), though because Sydney was the one to take possession of the check, she’s arrested and put under the gun placed in isolation and other questionable tactics.
In order to save her hiney, along with his own, they work with DeMaso to set up undercover stings against corrupt politicians including the charismatic Camden, New Jersey Mayor Carmine Polito (JEREMY RENNER) who has been working, with much success, in revitalizing his city and wants to rebuild Atlantic City. The scheme is that he’s to meet with an Arab sheikh who will commit millions of dollars for the construction and in the process Polito and others will receive a kickback to move things along, cutting red tape.
What happens next are potential double crosses, a meeting with a mean mob boss (cameo by ROBERT DE NIRO) and an unexpected friendship between Irving and Carmine which is tested as the noose tightens and the Feebs want results of an ever expanding, and expensive, sting. We also get some dark comedic moments involving Cooper’s DeMaso and his ever abused boss played to perfection by Louis C.K. but because of the stellar cast, he kind of gets lost in the shuffle unfortunately.
American Hustle is filled to brim with talent and brilliant performances from the usual suspects like Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper with Jennifer Lawrence turning in perhaps the most annoying performance and was vastly overrated receiving an Oscar nomination on the coattails of momentum from the others in conjunction with her win on Silver Linings Playbook.
So the biggest problem with this movie isn’t with the actors but instead a screenplay, by Eric Warren Singer (The International, upcoming Splinter Cell adaption) and David O. Russell, and story that takes its time to get off the ground and by the end, even with a clever twist, one has a hard time caring one way or another. Also, the friendship and eventual betrayal aspect, despite the best efforts from Bale and Renner, felt forced and even flat rather than emotional.
Hardly worthy of all the awards attentions it garnered, probably thanks in part to Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle isn’t a bad film at all just one very flawed and overhyped all things considered. The acting from most of the cast, sans Lawrence, is quite good headlined by yet another transformative job from Christian Bale. It might not hold up well in repeat viewings but as a one-time rental, might be worth a watch.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 2.0/5
This release comes with a slick, title embossed, slip cover. Inside is a standard DVD Copy as well as a code to add the movie to your digital library.
The Making of American Hustle (16:35; HD) is a fairly standard behind-the-scenes featurette with the typical EPK interviews with the cast and crew chatting about the story, characters and such.
Deleted and Extended Scenes (22:28; HD) include 11 scenes that were either chopped or removed completely. Nothing here is exceptional and probably was taken out for good reasons.
Previews – The Monuments Men, Inside Llewyn Davis
VIDEO – 4.75/5
The visual style, from cinematographer Linus Sandgren, takes the movie into an orange color especially early on and remains there in many scenes. However, this 1080p high-def transfer, presented in its original 2.40 widescreen aspect ratio, offers excellent detail levels, natural film grain and a certain pop or flavor that looks amazing even on the smaller screen.
AUDIO – 4.5/5
At first I wasn’t overly impressed with the 5.1 DTS-HD MA track, not so much that it sounded bad, but it was pretty average. However, along with clear dialogue, this lossless track especially kicks in with the well timed 1970s music such as “Live and Let Die” which sounds incredible blaring out each channel with impressive depth.
OVERALL – 3.25/5
Overall, American Hustle might be a tad overrated and certainly director David O. Russell took influence from Martin Scorsese and maybe a bit of Oliver Stone in terms of tone and style, but the movie’s success lies squarely on an all-star cast who mostly give great performances headlined by Christian Bale and Amy Adams with Jennifer Lawrence providing the most grating one that I’ve encountered in quite some time. The Blu-ray released by Sony has solid video/audio transfers but the bonus material has much to be desired.
Brian Oliver, The Movieman
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.
04/09/2014 Blu-ray Reviews, Screen Caps Tagged with: American Hustle, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, David O. Russell, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, Louis CK
Review: No Holds Barred BD + Screen Caps Review: Rita, Sue and Bob Too BD + Screen Caps
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Over £50 (32)
Search Results Summary: Matching titles: 1–10 of 119
Browse trail:
Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education
Sort results by Relevance Published: latest first Title [A-Z] Title [Z-A]
Series Editors:
Michael Byram (University of Durham, UK)
Anthony J. Liddicoat (University of Warwick, UK)
The overall aim of this series is to publish books which ultimately inform learning and teaching, but whose primary focus is on the analysis of intercultural relationships, whether in textual form or in people's experience. There are also books which deal directly with pedagogy, with the relationships between language learning and cultural learning, between processes inside the classroom and beyond. They all have in common a concern with the relationship between language and culture, and the development of intercultural communicative competence.
A key purpose therefore is to encourage the study of languages and cultures in ways which can ultimately enrich practice. In this context, the series editors seek contributions to the series which reflect on the relationship between languages and intercultural communication and its implications for learning and teaching. In order to 'learn to live together' we need studies which analyse language and culture teaching itself: classroom processes, the inter-relationship between learning in the classroom and learning in a 'natural' environment, the effects on identity and self-understanding of language and culture learning. To complement established work on language acquisition, we need studies of 'culture acquisition' in pedagogical and in untutored, 'natural' surroundings. We also need studies from disciplines outside of education: from sociolinguistics, psychology, anthropology, ethnographies of communication, from literary, theatre and media studies where the prime focus is on how different people relate and communicate both within and out with the formal educational context.
All books in this series are externally peer-reviewed.
Proposals for the series are welcome and should be submitted to Anna Roderick. Please read our notes about how to submit a book proposal.
Language and Culture Pedagogy From a National to a Transnational Paradigm
Karen Risager
Ebook(PDF) 288 pages
Hardback 288 pages
Paperback 288 pages
Education for Intercultural Citizenship Concepts and Comparisons
Geof Alred, Michael Byram, Mike Fleming
Living and Studying Abroad Research and Practice
Michael Byram, Anwei Feng
Language and Culture Global Flows and Local Complexity
Language and Culture Pedagogy: From a National to a Transnational Paradigm
Format: Ebook(PDF) - 288 pages
Published: 20070312
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Canadian Review of American Studies
Poet’s Gods: Stevens’ Words, Jeffers’ World-as-God
Robert Ian Scott
University of Toronto Press
Poet'sGods:Stevens' Words, Jeffers'World-as-God ROBERT IAN SCOTT Adalaide Kirby Morris. Wallace Stevens, Imagination and Faith. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1974. 205 pp. Robert J. Brophy. Robinson leffers, Myth, Ritual, and Symbol in His Narrative Poems. Cleveland: Case Western Reserve University Press. 1973. 321 pp. Two white upper-middle-class conservative male poets raised as Presbyterians in the same language, time, and country could hardly produce less similar poetry than did Wallace Stevens and Robinson Jeffers. Adalaide Kirby Morris of Georgetown University sees Stevens as inventing poetic fictions to replace the Christian God he found no longer believable, while Robert Brophy of the California State University at Long Beach shows how five of Jeffers' narratives use Greek tragedy's plot structure, myths, and seasonal metaphors to celebrate the natural world as God. Stevens seems desperate or arch; Jeffers, calmly in earnest. Morris shows that Stevens used biblical forms - parables, prayers, proverbs, hymns, psalms - to replace his old religion with his own new "chapel of breath," his breath uttering poetic fictions, as if he enjoyed such a faith in his imagination-'s godlike power to create a god, and world. But she needs to ask more questions, rather than leaving many of Stevens' reactions and assumptions untested, and unexplained. Why did Stevens find "reality," whatever that means, intolerable without poetry? Why should his world-view and poems matter to us, except as demonstrating the possibilities of that view and style, and what distinguishes them from Mallarme's, or William Carlos Williams'? And has the world really no order without us? Her comment that "Stevens' poetry is full of narcissists who see into reality as into a mirror" may leave us wondering whether to consider his poetry as satirical, or as in itself narcissistic, the poet writing to himself about himself as the creator of fictional worlds no one else inhabits. In the passage Eliot made a part of his footnote to line 413 of The Waste Land, F. H. Bradley describes such an isolation, in which the self imprisons itselfMy external sensations are no less private to myself than are my thoughts or my feelings . In either case experience falls within my own circle, a circle closed on the THE CANADIAN REVIEW OF AMERICAN STUDIES VOL. V, NO, 2 1 FALL 1974 outside ... regarded as an existence which appears in a soul, the whole world for each is peculiar and private to that soul. - as if each of us reflected all the world around us, each in his own distorted way, as ornamental balls on Christmas trees do, while an observer inside the ball cannot see beyond the ball, his own small and possibly wasted world,. which shows him nothing except perhaps reflections of himself. In her second chapter,. Morris explains why Stevens came to think Christianity "deaf-mute,,.; he thought it rejected life, and doubt (without which we cannot think), and self (which creates the fictions on which Stevens thought we or he must rely as the only source of order and delight , sanction and solace). But did he mean fictions as maps or metaphors by which we understand what we experience of the world, and thus choose what we do, or did he mean fictions not as explanations, but as escapes from the world? Stevens' reasons for writing poetry range from "to formulate his ideas and relate himself to the world" to "to find God." He also said "God is in me or else is not at all (does not exist)'" and that II A poet"s words are of things that do not exist without the words," as if God and the poet"s world depend upon what he says of them. Despite the title of her fourth and final chapter, How to Live, What to Do,.borrowed from one of Stevens" poems, Morris does not show how his poems suggest how to live, or what anyone might do about anything. Nor does she link or compare Stevens' poetry-as-religion with the Imagists' mystically important isolated vivid moments,. or with Plato's assumptions about the reality., goodness, beauty,. and truth of ideas and language compared with the changing world in time we inhabit, which...
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Four or More 2018
In: Album Reviews, Four or More 2018, Recommended
This has been a tough decision. It’s always difficult to come up with a handful of top albums. But in writing this, we have to say that, excluding jazz (too complicated to factor in), the Kinks are our favorite band. Ever. Read More →
Gospel Reclaimed by the War and Treaty
The War and Treaty – Healing Tide Thirty Tigers -out now 4.5 / 5 Husband and wife duo Michael and Tanya Trotter wowed us at the Newport Folk Festival earlier this year. We mean, really really wowed us (they were the standout performance of the year, after all). The Albion, MI duo debut a soul/gospel LP here that, for being but a shadow of their live performance, is still beautiful in its earnest, soulful performances. We’re cutting to the chase: pick up this album, but moreover, catch them live while they’re still trying hard to fly under the radar. Why? “Healing Tide,” the single theyRead More →
Shakey Graves’ Can’t Wake Up a Soft Dream
Shakey Graves – Can’t Wake Up Dualtone Music -out May 4 4.5 / 5 We have some misplaced anger at Austin-ite Shakey Graves. You see, his albums (specifically his last one, 2014’s And the War Came) are incredibly difficult to review. We reluctantly gave this one a 3.5 (see the review here) when, really, it’s one of our favorites of the year. Shame on you, Alejandro Rose-Garcia, for flying under the radar! The “problem” with his music is that it’s difficult to categorize, and to compare to other musicians out there. It’s easy to get confused, to work at it to tune your ear to it; inRead More →
Erelli Mixes a Good “Mixtape” For Us
Mark Erelli – Mixtape Self-Released -out Jan. 26 4 / 5 MA-based folkie Mark Erelli first came to our attention with his 2008 album of political discontent Delivered. It is, in short, a brilliant and beautiful album, and we’ve been following Erelli since. Mixtape is his new covers album pulled from thirteen years of performances at Cambridge, MA’s Club Passim spanning songs from The Grateful Dead to Neko Case and Arcade Fire. While we don’t often review covers albums, Mixtape is a welcome reprieve from our usual modus operandi. It’s nice to mix(tape) things up once in a while. Despite going from pop (“The Boys of Summer“) to aRead More →
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Silver Bell Rings a Different Kind of Tune
In: _CD Reviews 2013, _Four or More 2013, Album Reviews, Recommended
Patty Griffin – Silver Bell
Our first listen to the much-delayed Silver Bell was one of relative disappointment. Compared to American Kid, the Maine-born folk singer’s latest release seemed less immediate, less pleasurable than the absolutely fantastic Kid. (Which we reviewed here.) Initially, we were thinking there was a reason it took thirteen years to get this album out there (you know, a negative reason), but again, that was our first listen. The reality of it is this: it’s different. Instead of going country on Kid, Griffin splays a laid-back, down-tempo rock groove throughout. And the fact of the matter is this: it’s good. It’s a grower, but it’s good.
Our favorite track, by and far, is “Sooner or Later;” a crooning, simple track that’s just so groovy, it just blasts us away. Simplicity is beauty. And songs like “One More Girl” are deceptive: they’re bare, they’re dark and smoky, they’re smooth like a good whiskey. These songs are direct, they’re confident in their rocking, and for a third album, it’s surprisingly mature. We still like American Kid and it’s folksy country-ness a bit more, but Silver Bell is still quite good, just a different kind of horse.
It’s got a different feel to it, but we’re giving it our thumbs up. Recommended.
Listen to “Truth #2.”
Previous Post: Static Jacks’ “In Blue” Lacks Even That Color
Next Post: World’s End Press Not Quite Cataclysmic
I've loved this album for over 10 years, and I'm thrilled to see it officially released. I'm not fond of a song or two, but there lots of great tracks here, easily rivaling the best that Patty Griffin's ever done. This release has two new tracks (Fragile & Not So Long) apart from the long bootlegged original Silver Bell.
Hello rogue!
Didn't realize this'd been floating around for so long! My contact didn't mention that, but I should've looked into it considering almost half the songs here were covered really successfully. Thanks for the comment, and hope you're enjoying the blog,
-Mgmt
Matt Keefer
Patty Griffin Relaxes on Self-Titled Tenth - Music Ravings
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Sony shows 55-inch prototype using new "Crystal LED Display" technology
While OLED may have staked a claim as the next generation display technology to beat, Sony has chosen CES 2012 to unveil a new display technology called “Crystal LED.” Instead of an LED or CCFL backlight shining through an LCD layer to produce an image, the Crystal LED display technology is a true LED TV that uses a layer of tiny self-emitting LEDs to directly produce the image – think of it like a high resolution shrunk down JumboTron like those found at sporting stadiums. Read More
Belkin unveils new Thunderbolt Express Dock at CES
Despite being introduced almost a year ago on Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup, the Thunderbolt interface hasn’t really seen as much love from peripheral makers as we would have expected. While there have been a few Thunderbolt-equipped peripherals hitting the market, it’s been more of a trickle than a flood. Belkin is no doubt also hoping the range of Thunderbolt devices will increase in the near future to make it’s upcoming Thunderbolt Express Dock, which was unveiled today at CES, a more compelling purchase. Read More
LG announces new Spectrum LTE smartphone
Among the electronic goodies unveiled today at CES 2012 in Las Vegas was LG’s new 4G LTE Verizon smartphone, the Spectrum. The phone’s big selling feature is its 1280 x 720-pixel high-definition display – it is billed as “the first smartphone for Verizon Wireless to feature a 4.5-inch True HD In-Plane Switching (IPS) display, the same display technology used in premium LG HD televisions.” Read More
Freedom Induction Cooktop heats up pots placed anywhere
While they might still seem rather high-tech, induction cooktops have been on the market since at least the mid-1970s. Instead of warming pots via heat transfer from electrical elements or gas burners, they instead use coils of copper wire located beneath their ceramic glass surface to induce an electrical field within metal pots, which results in the resistive heating of their contents. Typically, the sizes and locations of those coils are marked on the stove’s surface, and users must place their pots on those. Thermador’s new Freedom Induction Cooktop, however, will heat up cookware placed anywhere on its surface. Not only that, but the “active” part of the cooktop will conform to the footprint of whatever size or shape of cookware is used. Read More
The beautifully retro Juicer ebikes with striking EV-Twin battery mount
If you think that you've spotted a strangely old-looking motorized bicycle cruising around the streets of Los Angeles, don't worry, you're not hallucinating. What you're likely seeing is one of two hand-built Juicer e-bike models - both of which harken back to the very early days of motorcycle development, when engines and motors were fixed to bicycle frames. The Juicer 36 is fashioned like a stretch cruiser and the 48 is an homage to the board-track era. Retro styling aside, the stand-out feature for us has got to be the gorgeous battery/motor configuration, that's been arranged like cylinders of a V-twin engine. Read More
Acer outs new Ultrabooks, previews AcerCloud online storage
Ahead of a showing at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Acer has unveiled what is claimed to be the current holder of the world's thinnest Ultrabook title, the next generation of its Timeline Series of notebooks, and its own cloud storage solution. Details are in short supply, but jump over to the main article for what we can tell you. Read More
Scientists trick immune system to treat autoimmune disease in mice
By Frank Leonard
Researchers of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science have achieved a significant new development which may have far reaching implications for the treatment of autoimmune diseases which attack the body's own tissue by mistake. The scientists have managed to convince the immune systems of mice to instead attack an enzyme significant to the body's autoimmune process known as matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9). Read More
Parrot's updated A.R. Drone adds a 720p video camera
Parrot has updated its popular AR Drone, adding a 720p camera to the high-flying gadget. The camera on the device displays video at a 1280x720 resolution on your smartphone or tablet while you fly, and flight video can be recorded and saved onto your mobile device to watch later on. In addition to the camera, the Drone also now has a new AR.FreeFlight 2.0 application which offers a new flight interface and flight options. Read More
Power2U offers USB charging straight from the wall
While it’s certainly convenient that most mobile devices can be charged via one of your computer’s USB ports, what happens if all of the ports are in use? Even if they’re not, you don’t always want your devices and their cables cluttering up your desk. You can buy USB adapters for wall outlets, but then you end up needing to find an available outlet, and subsequently occupying it (in older homes especially, unused AC outlets are often something of a rarity). Now, there’s an alternative to using your computer or an adapter to charge your gizmos – it’s the Newer Technology Power2U AC/USB Wall Outlet. Read More
Atom-tall silicon wires pave way for quantum computers
The world's narrowest silicon wires with a cross section of a mere four atoms by one atom have been created by a team of developers from the University of New South Wales, the University of Melbourne and Purdue University. The wires are fully functioning, with current-carrying capacity equivalent to that of a microprocessor's copper cable, despite being 20 times thinner - and 10,000 times narrower than a human hair. Read More
GM showcases Verizon 4G Volt and third party OnStar apps
GM's OnStar has given the world a sneak peak at the future of in-vehicle technology with a variety of announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show. This year, it will open its ATOMS platform to third-party developers, allowing for drivers and passengers to have access to new vehicle-specific apps. The company is also showing what the next generation of in-vehicle technology may look like with a Verizon 4G LTE-equipped research vehicle. Read More
Ion Audio to expand iCade product line
Ion Audio is to add a new handheld controller for iPhone and iPod Touch to its iCade mini arcade line, along with two scaled-down versions of its original controller cabinet for the iPad, which started life as an April Fool prank. Currently on show at the company's booth at CES 2012, the iCade Mobile, iCade Core and iCade Jr. offer mobile gamers the chance to play it old school using physical buttons and a four-way controller or joystick instead of the touchscreen. Read More
Volkswagen unveils E-Bugster electric Beetle concept in Detroit
Volkswagen will this week unveil its two-seater E-Bugster concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. There are no prizes, I'm afraid, for deducing from the entomological etymology that this is an all-electric variant of the classic VW Beetle. Kudos, though, if you identified that the name betrays the E-Bugster's shared DNA with the Ragster, VW's 2005 concept which itself informed the conventional Beetle of today. But enough on the name, let's take a look at the specs. Read More
Dodge Dart - the Italian connection delivers a 40 mpg Alfa Giulietta rework
Though claims by Dodge that its new Dart is a "revolutionary" car fall somewhere between delusional gibberish and being purposefully misleading, the Dart is almost certain to be a sales success in the American compact sedan marketplace. The replacement for the Dodge Caliber is basically a reworked Alfa Romeo Giulietta and has been created specifically as an American-made Chrysler based on a Fiat platform returning better than 40 mpg. At US$16,000, the Dart is economical, sporty and very price-competitive. Read More
Griffin provides sneak peek of Twenty Audio Amplifier for Airport Express
Griffin Technology has given visitors to CES 2012 a quick preview of a new audio amplifier that uses Apple's Airport Express to offer untethered digital playback from iTunes through existing non-powered speakers. The low profile amp captures streaming audio from any AirPlay-enabled source, decodes it and then sends the lossless, amplified sound through the speakers. Read More
The smart for-us electric pick-up breaks cover in Detroit
Just last month, the designers at smart decided to tease us by releasing some sketches of a concept electric vehicle that they had actually created, known as the for-us. While the front of the vehicle looked quite a bit like the existing fortwo, the Subaru Brat-like mini rear cargo bed definitely gave it a unique car-truck-combo appeal ... or repulsion, depending on the observer. Well, with the start of the North American International Auto Show 2012 this week in Detroit, the curious need no longer wonder what the actual vehicle might look like, as it is proudly out on display. Read More
Wormhole Station connects Windows to Mac to Android to iOS
The PC and Mac advocates have been debating for years over which is superior, with good arguments on both sides; but a third, often overlooked camp exists: people who use both. If you're in that group, then you know how frustrating it can be to have the perks of both machines, but the downside of few easy options for sharing files or peripherals between the two. That's why tech manufacturer j5create has rolled out the Wormhole Switch and the Wormhole Station, which allow file transfers between PC, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as keyboard and mouse sharing. Read More
Lexus unveils LF-LC Hybrid Sports Coupe Concept in Detroit
The annual North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) can usually be counted on the produce at least one über-desirable concept car and the 2012 show currently underway in Detroit looks to have already met that quota thanks to Lexus with its LF-LC Hybrid Sports Coupe Concept. While the concept car itself might not be making it into showrooms anytime soon, Lexus’s Karl Schlicht says the hybrid 2+2 sport coupe created by California’s Calty studio “hints at the design cues that are coming in a wave of new Lexus models over the next two years.” Read More
Honda NSX Hybrid supercar Concept
Honda made its first attempt at a production supercar, the NSX, 21 years ago, and we've been waiting for the follow-up ever since. At Detroit today, we saw the genesis of the next NSX supercar, slated for showrooms within three years. No power or weight figures were mentioned but like the prior NSX, its primary engine will be a mid-mounted V-6. Honda claims the NSX's Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® (Super Handling All Wheel Drive™) hybrid system will deliver handling performance unmatched by previous AWD systems. Read More
LG Blast Chiller means you never have to drink a warm beer again
Few things can ruin a party like warm beer. You can pack ice around it all you want; you're still going to be waiting half an hour for it to get cold and probably still crack it open too soon. Someone over at LG must have attended one too many get-togethers that turned out this way, because the company unveiled a new refrigerator at CES 2012 that comes with the handiest feature since the built-in ice maker: a Blast Chiller that can cool a can of beer or soda to ice cold in just a few minutes. Read More
Sony's first LTE smartphone, the Xperia ion
With the Xperia ion, Sony has joined the throng of phone-makers clamoring to announce LTE handsets at CES 2012. Sony's PlayStation certified Android device features a 4.6-inch 1280 x 720 HD display, with both front and rear cameras capable of shooting HD video, at 720p and 1080p respectively. The rear camera has a 12-megapixel sensor which, budding Cartier-Bressons take note, can take shots within 1.5 seconds of leaving standby mode. Read More
Chrysler's 700C concept may be a glimpse of the next generation minivan
Chrysler showed an interesting concept without much fanfare at Detroit's NAIAS this week. The 700C is being evaluated by Chrysler as the design direction for the next generation minivan. It's a bold effort to give some style to the boxy people mover market and public opinion will now decide if the angled B-pillar and huge wheels will see production. Read More
Huawei claims world's thinnest smartphone title with Ascend P1 S
When it comes to smartphones, people can argue about the relative merits of a bigger display that is easier on the eyes and fingers or a smaller display that results in a more pocket-friendly unit. But whatever the length and width, it seems that the desire for a thinner smartphone is pretty much universal. And - for the time being anyway - they don't come any thinner than the Huawei Ascend P1 S that made its debut at CES this week. Measuring just 6.68 mm (0.26 in) thick, Huawei says although the Ascend PS 1 is the world's slimmest smartphone, it doesn't scrimp on the features. Read More
ATP-detecting nanosensors could help reduce laboratory animal testing
Animal testing is an area that elicits strong feelings on both sides of the argument for and against the practice. Supporters like the British Royal Society argue that virtually every medical breakthrough of the 20th century involved the use of animals in some way, while opponents say that it is not only cruel, but actually impedes medical progress by using misleading animal models. Whatever side of the argument researchers fall on, most would likely use an alternative to animal testing if it existed. And an alternative that reduces the need for animal testing is just what Fraunhofer researchers hope their new sensor nanoparticles will be. Read More
Panasonic demos world's smallest and thinnest 4K2K IPS Alpha panel
At CES this week, Panasonic unveiled what it claims is the world's smallest, thinnest 4K2K-resolution, 20-inch IPS Alpha LCD panel. The prototype ultra-high definition monitor is only 3.5 millimeters thick, yet has about four times the resolution of a standard HDTV, at 3,840 x 2,160 pixels - this translates to approximately 8.29 million pixels in total, with the "world's highest pixel density of 216 pixels per inch." Read More
Samsung unveils 55-inch Super OLED TV to be released later this year
Larger screen OLED TVs have had us salivating at various electronics trade shows over the last couple of years and CES 2012 doesn't look like being any different. LG already announced it's intention to show a 55-inch OLED display in the lead up to the world's biggest consumer electronics show and now rival Samsung has unveiled its offering that has set our salivary glands into overdrive. Featuring the same 55-inch screen size as LG's unit, Samsung's Super OLED TV boasts the same eye-popping picture quality, super fast response times and ultra-thin form factor that is the hallmark of OLED technology. Read More
Vuzix SMART glasses bring Augmented Reality into focus at CES
Vuzix Corporation came to CES 2012 armed with a video eyewear technology that, as they put it in the press release, "breaks the boundaries of conventional optics and display solutions." SMART Glasses Technology is based on integrated HD display engines and waveguide optics, as opposed to refractive and/or reflective optics used so far. What does that actually mean and is this technology really going to make Head Mounted Displays lose their association with bulkiness and strange looks? Read on for a report straight from the CES 2012 floor. Read More
Tata presents $20,000 eMO compact EV concept
You could be forgiven for thinking that an electric car called the eMO would be dark-colored, inspire sulkiness in its drivers, and play nothing but My Chemical Romance on its stereo. In this case, however, eMO stands for "Electric MObility study," which is just what India's Tata Technologies designed the concept car as - a study in practical, cost-effective electric city/urban transportation. The vehicle is currently on display at the North American International Auto Show as part of this year's Michelin Challenge Design exhibit, in which participants were asked to design "a personal, ground-based vehicle that can transport between two and 10 people, meeting the anticipated needs of select cities in 2046." Read More
Fujifilm announces X-Pro1 interchangeable lens camera system
When Fujifilm unveiled its new line-up ahead of CES 2012, there was a feeling among enthusiasts that the company was holding something back. Sure enough, the Japanese photography behemoth has now pulled back the curtain to reveal a new interchangeable lens digital camera system called the X-Pro1. The 16 megapixel camera will be initially joined by three prime lenses when made available next month, with more to follow later on. It features a number of new digital photography developments, including a brand new sensor, a film-like color filter array and the second generation hybrid multi viewfinder first seen in the FinePix X100. Read More
ARIS Sport throws a new curve at skateboard wheels
The ability to carve into turns is something that is valued by surfers, snowboarders and skateboarders alike. While water and snow are relatively easy to carve into, however, concrete and asphalt are most definitely not, putting skateboards at a bit of a disadvantage. Attempts have been made at better-carving skateboards, including the pivoting-truck-equipped BMW StreetCarver, the many-wheeled Freebord, the caster-wheeled T-Board, and the twisting Ripstick and Skatecycle. Now, San Francisco-based ARIS Sport has addressed the issue with a novel solution – a line of skateboards with conical wheels. Read More
Sunflowers inspire more efficient Concentrated Solar Power plant layout
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, such as the Gemsolar and PS10 plants in Spain, use arrays of mirrors (or heliostats) to focus a large area of the Sun's rays onto a small area, where the concentrated light is converted to heat that is used to generate electricity. While CSP has gained popularity in recent years with numerous plants being built around the world, they require a large area to generate the amounts of electricity needed to make them economically viable. Taking inspiration from the sunflower, researchers have devised a more efficient design that would allow such plants to be constructed on a much smaller area. Read More
Unity Home Theater System is a home theater in a TV stand
Thanks to their simplicity, the home theater in a box (HTIB) has become a popular addition to the TV cabinet in many households. Looking to simplify things even further, California-based company in2technologies has unveiled its aptly named Unity Home Theater System at CES 2012 that unifies a HTIB with a TV stand. So instead of a tangle of cables snaking their way from the back of a TV stand to the TV, the Unity cleans things up with a single HDMI 1.4a cable. Read More
"Unusual-looking" SIM-LEI EV has 300-km range, could be available soon
If you were one of the people who were hoping to turn some heads when you drove your Aptera down the street, well ... you may still get your chance to own a truly eye-catching electric car. SIM-Drive, a collaborative of 34 Japanese tech companies and institutions, presented its SIM-LEI prototype EV at the 2011 Electric Vehicle Industrial Exhibition late last year. While you probably either love or hate its looks, there's one thing about it that everyone should like - it can reportedly go about 305 kilometers (189.5 miles) on one charge of its battery, traveling at a constant speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). Read More
New Bentley V-8 debuts in Detroit
Bentley has introduced its long-awaited V-8 engine developed in conjunction with Audi. The V-8 will give Bentley owners a smaller, more economical alternative to the more traditional W-12. Read More
Latest innovations from Blue Microphones impress at CES
We have to admit to being rather thrilled at discovering the Mikey for Flip and the Yeti Pro USB microphones from Blue at last year's CES, and were hoping for something just as good this year. We were not disappointed. The company has just debuted the Apple-centric Mikey Digital, the studio-grade Spark Digital and the cute as a button (but not actually sporting any) Tiki in Las Vegas this week. Read More
MMT's Monitor2Go adds a 15.6-inch display to mobile devices
It’s now possible to use a smartphone or tablet for just about anything that would be traditionally done using a desktop or laptop computer. There is still one disadvantage to doing your computing on a mobile device, however – the small screen. Massachusetts-based Mobile Monitor Technologies (MMT) is attempting to address that shortcoming, with its Monitor2Go. The 15.6-inch HD LCD backlit screen mirrors the displays of all mobile Apple devices, along with those of Macs, PCs and HDMI-compatible smartphones and tablets, plus it can also be used as a lockable protective case for the iPad2. Read More
Panasonic HDC-Z10000 3D camcorder gets pricing and availability
Panasonic has now priced its new twin-lens 2D/3D camcorder - the HDC-Z10000, which is said to achieve the industry's nearest close-up for a twin-lens 3D camcorder of approximately 17.7 inches (45 cm). The CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree features the company's unique Double 3MOS System for color and detail reproduction, has a high resolution electronic viewfinder and an LCD panel which cater for glasses-free 3D viewing, and is Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound-capable. Read More
Jumping droplets could offer more efficient thermal management
When you have wet skin, you no doubt notice a cooling sensation as it dries. This is because the water droplets are carrying heat away from your skin with them, as they evaporate. Phase-change thermal diodes work the same way – through an evaporation and condensation process, they use liquid to transport heat away from things such as microchips. In most of these diodes, liquid placed on a hot surface evaporates, the vapor then rising onto a cooler surface, where it condenses back into liquid. In a closed-loop cycle, gravity subsequently carries that condensate back down to the hot surface, so it can once again be evaporated. Now, scientists from North Carolina's Duke University have discovered a method of getting condensed water droplets to jump back to the hot surface – and they can do so in any direction, including straight up. Read More
Liquid Image announces powerful, pint-sized full HD actioncam at CES
Many readers will perhaps know Liquid Image for its HD Scuba Series dive masks, that feature a built-in video camera for recording hands-free underwater footage. The California-based company also makes ski and ATV goggles, which likewise capture the action from the shooter’s point of view. Recently, however, the designers at LI decided that they should also offer a camera that can be mounted on things like handlebars, roll bars, surfboards, or even a good ol’ tripod – so that “extreme videographers” can get shots of themselves, to add to their adrenaline-pumping masterpieces. The result is a tiny HD video camcorder appropriately enough named the EGO, and it was unveiled this week in Las Vegas at CES. Read More
Razer's tablet concept plays current games like a high-end PC
Tablets may be the hot tech right now, but you wouldn't know it looking at the PC gaming sector. An iPad may be good for playing Angry Birds or any other casual app, but doesn't exactly have the horsepower to run the most recent, graphics-heavy titles. For that reason, Razer, the video game hardware developer, has designed a new concept tablet, unveiled at CES 2012, built expressly to play current PC games like a buffed out gaming rig. Read More
Ion Proton sequencer decodes DNA fast and on the cheap
The mapping of the human genome, announced at the White House back in 2000, had immense impact on biomedical research. It allowed us to gain insights into how biological information is encoded in the genome, helped us understand the biological mechanisms behind cancer and hereditary diseases and enabled us to look much deeper into the history of our own species. These are milestone achievements for humanity as a whole, but they have little or no direct impact on everyday medical treatment. That could be about to change, however, as Life Technologies introduces the Benchtop Ion Proton Sequencer - a machine that may finally deliver the power of genetics into the hands of ordinary doctors. Read More
No assembly required for Cubify 3D printer
Since becoming more widely available to the public, people have found a myriad of uses for 3D printers, whether it's recreating bone, constructing replacement shells for hermit crabs, or simply customizing mini robot figurines. Unfortunately, most 3D printers still have one drawback over other types of printers, in that they typically need to be put together like a hobby kit. Seeing as most electronics are purchased fully intact, the idea of having to build a device piece by piece can be off-putting to consumers. 3D Systems is hoping to rectify the problem with its own 3D printer that actually works right out of the box, along with a new Cubify platform for designing and distributing printed creations. Read More
Innergie PocketCell packs a powerful punch
People who are worried about their mobile devices running out of juice at inopportune moments now have another portable power supply at their disposal – and it’s tiny. The 2.8-ounce (79-gram) Innergie PocketCell is a little larger than a car key, and allows for hours of extra use of Apple and Android devices, MP3 players, and a variety of other mobile gizmos. It was unveiled this week at CES. Read More
Liquid Image to expand goggle-cam offerings
In addition to taking the tiny ego HD action cam along to Las Vegas for this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Liquid Image has also revealed two new additions to its Xtreme Sport Cams product line. Both goggle cams feature built-in video, Wi-Fi and GPS and can be controlled via a smartphone app. The only appreciable difference between the Apex and Torque HD is that the former will undoubtedly find its way onto the piste whereas the latter is aimed directly at off-roaders. Read More
US Navy developing app-summoned robotic helicopters for Marines
We may be closer to the day when United States Marines will, within a matter of minutes, use a handheld app to summon robotic helicopters to deliver battlefield supplies. On Tuesday, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced its five-year, US$98 million Autonomous Aerial Cargo Utility System (AACUS) program, with the specific aim of developing "sensors and control technologies for robotic vertical take-off and landing aircraft." Read More
Lenovo's flipping and folding IdeaPad YOGA
Just as soon as Windows 8 is released, Lenovo will come to the rescue of those who simply can't choose between a notebook and a tablet with a new IdeaPad called the YOGA. Claimed to be the industry's first multi-mode notebook with a 360 degree flip-and-fold design, the new portable computing solution combines the ease-of-use of a 10-point capacitive touch tablet with the functionality and slim profile of an Ultrabook, while also bringing the screen closer to the user with a tent/stand monitor mode. Read More
WikiPad first glasses-free 3D Android tablet with attachable game controller
Ever since the Nintendo 3DS proved that you don't need bulky glasses to watch video in 3D, smartphone and tablet makers have been systematically releasing their own glasses-free 3D devices with varying results. None of these however have incorporated the experience with console-like controls to play casual apps or streamed video games. That's where the WikiPad comes in, with its no-glasses 3D screen and attachable gamepad to give a more immersive gaming experience. Read More
TOOB personal dome screen revamped
The creators of the original TOOB (Think Out Of Box) have spent the last two years researching and developing what they call the “world's first affordable dome screen.” Dubbed "TOOB Earth," the 4 foot diameter mini-IMAX screen is big enough for two people to sit in front of and, while it will obviously grab the attention of gamers and film-fanatics, its makers also see applications for the screen in simulation, medicine and education. Read More
New "smart" polymer opens door for medical use of low-power near-infrared light
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have conducted initial testing of a new “smart” plastic material which may bring about new uses in medicine for near-infrared light (NIR). According to early experiments, the plastic material will break down into non-toxic particles in response to lower-power NIR. This may lead to improved treatment of, for example, tumors, or improvements in the release of tracing compounds and imaging agents for improved medical diagnostics applications. Read More
The Kinect-controlled, Windows 8 tablet-powered “Board of Awesomeness”
When Microsoft asked gamers to get off the couch and get moving with the release of the Kinect motion controller in 2010, it’s doubtful that zooming around the streets at speeds of up to 32 mph (51 km/h) was the kind of movement they had in mind. But as we’ve seen ever since unofficial open source drivers hit the Internet in 2010 and Microsoft came to the party with its official Kinect for Windows SDK last year, the Kinect has proven to be a remarkably flexible device. That flexibility now extends to a motion control interface for a motorized electric skateboard modestly dubbed by its creators, the “Board of Awesomeness.” Read More
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Our Governors are very highly committed to making a difference to the children and families at Newington Green. Find out more about their work.
Please click here to see our Sealed Instrument of Government
Our Governors come from a range of backgrounds, and bring different areas of expertise to the school. Governors contribute to ensuring high standards of achievement for all children in the school by:
setting the school’s vision, ethos and strategic direction;
holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
A Governor’s role is to support and challenge the senior staff to continue to improve the school. It is largely a thinking and questioning role and Governors are not there to manage the school or do the jobs of school staff. Governors fulfill their role by regularly attending Governing Body meetings, providing strategic guidance and by asking probing and challenging questions of leaders within the school. They also undertake visits, serve on relevant committees and oversee the Headteacher’s performance management.
Patricia Ambrose is Chair of Governors and also chairs the Finance and Personnel Committee. She first became a governor when her daughter was a pupil at Newington Green and has stayed on the Governing Body as a Community Governor (now a co-opted governor) for the last few years. Patricia works in higher education policy and research and has particular interests in art education and in improving education opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Sue Hockett joined the Governing Body in the mid – 1990 as a Community Governor (now a Co-opted Governor). Sue has a background in construction and property management and is a member of the senior management team of a housing association based in west London. Sue’s motivation for becoming a governor was a desire to use her experience and skills to assist in providing each child at Newington Green with the best possible start to their journey to adulthood. Sue is also Vice Chair of Governors and in that role aims to support the Chair and the Senior Management Team.
Abi Misselbrook-Lovejoy
Executive Headteacher
Cressida Jupp
LEA Governor
Heather Eggins
Co-opted Governor
Donna Shah
Jenny Kay
Alex Britten
Staff Governor
Andy Grazebrook
Parent Governor
Phil Stevens
Please click here for the terms of reference for the Governing Body and its various committees: Newington Green Terms of Reference October 2016
Please click here for the terms of reference for the Governing Body: Teaching and Learning Committee
Declaration of Interest of our Governors
Governor Type
Term From
Term To
Attendance at meetings during 2017/2018
Patricia Ambrose Co-Opted 15 July 2018 15 July 2021
Governor of university for the creative arts since September 2015. GB: 5/5
Heather Eggins Community 15 July 2018 15 July 2021 8th August 2018 None GB: 2/5
Terry Hayes Associate Member (with voting rights on Premises Committee only) 15 Jul 2015 14 Jul 2018 14th July 2016 None
Sue Hockett Co-Opted 15 July 2018 15 July 2021 17 May 2017 None GB: 4/5
Cressida Jupp Local Authority 12 October 2018 11 Oct 2022 18 May 2017 None GB: 4/5
Jenny Kay Co-Opted 15 July 2018 15 July 2021 13 Oct 2017
Councillor at LBI GB:2/5
Abi Misselbrook-Lovejoy Executive Headteacher 1 Apr 2010 Ongoing
I am Executive Head across this and another LBI school – Rotherfield I am responsible for some joint staff. GB: 5/5
Phil Stevens Parent 29 October 2018 28 October 2022
Andy Grazebrook Parent 29 October 2018 28 October 2022
Donna Shah Co-Opted 15 July 2018 15 July 2021
13 Oct 2017 None
GB: 5/5
Alex Britten Staff 6 Oct 2017 5 Oct 2021
13th Oct 2017 None
GB 5/5
Nick Wakeling Parent 10 Nov 2017 9 Nov 2021
8th Dec 2017 None
Andrew Pakula Co-Opted 13 Dec 2017 12 Dec 2021
27th July 2018 Joint history projects but no financial interest.
Governor person specification for Newington Green Primary School
We expect all governors to be able to demonstrate the following essential qualities and attributes:
commitment to improving education for all pupils;
ability to work in a professional manner as part of a team and to take collective responsibility for decisions;
willingness to learn and to engage in training and development;
commitment to the school’s vision and ethos and to the democratic values of freedom, tolerance and respect for the rule of law;
literacy, numeracy and IT skills, sufficient to deal with governing body papers and school data.
Across the Governing Body as a whole, we are also looking to ensure that a range of specialist skills are covered (but we do not expect any individual governor to have all of these), including: understanding and experience of governance; strategic planning; human resources and performance management; data analysis; financial planning/budgeting; community engagement and volunteering; legal understanding; premises and property management; and experience of working in education/social care/health settings.
The Governing Body may also decide to appoint Associate Governors to serve on a particular committee if they provide a specific skill that the committee requires. Associate Governors can vote at committee meetings. They can also attend full Governing Body meetings in a non-voting capacity.
We expect all governors to uphold the seven principles of public life (the Nolan principles) which form the basis of the ethical standards expected of all public office holders: selflessness, integrity; objectivity; accountability; openness; honesty; and leadership.
Please click here to see our Code of Conduct 2018
A fuller description of our expectations of all Governors is provided on our application form (see link below).
When vacancies arise, these are advertised on the School Governors One Stop Shop website (https://www.sgoss.org.uk/). Anyone interested in being considered for a future vacancy may also complete the attached Newington Green Governor Application Form and return this via email to admin@newingtongreen.co.uk clearly marked for the attention of the Chair of Governors.
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The trouble with Modicare
The push for private healthcare now comes cloaked in the language of social movements, warns campaigner Jo Land.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga at a camp to mark the International Day of Yoga, in New Delhi, India, June 21, 2015. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
On 23 September, India’s populist BJP government introduced the world’s biggest-ever health insurance scheme to much fanfare.
Dubbed ‘Modicare’ after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it promises free cover – ‘Ayushman Bharat’ in Hindi – to between 100 and 500 million people. The state is implementing this alongside ‘Swasth Nagrik Abhiyan – a ‘social movement for health’ that means people stay healthy and rely less on hospital care.
Sounds great – on the face of it. Social media-savvy Modi has even made a cartoon YouTube video 'Yoga with Modi' to explain his vision of ‘a social movement for health’. But Modicare has been widely criticized. One complaint is that the scheme simply repackages existing initiatives, which now have a higher insurance ceiling that will benefit the private sector.
Another is that under Modicare, the government has invited private companies to develop primary-care services, as neglected public health services deteriorate due to a lack of resources. The national insurance scheme appears to me be more geared at creating openings for the private sector than any genuine attempt to establish universal healthcare coverage.
Modicare is just one example of a private healthcare initiative that uses a particular rhetoric espousing supposedly ethical and social values. This new narrative of justice and fairness marks a step change. For many years, privatization has been promoted to the public by emphasizing ‘enterprise and efficiency’.
But in the emotive field of healthcare, these values proved to be a more difficult sell than other sectors. Now, corporations – in collaboration with complicit governments – are reframing their messaging to make private health services more acceptable to the public. This includes – but is not limited to – co-opting the language of social movements.
Take the core aim of Modi’s Swasth Nagrik Abhiyan ‘social movement for health’. It does have some admirable objectives such as the promotion of quitting smoking, a healthy diet, and eliminating open defecation. And of course it’s desirable for people to ‘stay healthy and rely less on hospital care’ – sounds like a no-brainer.
But when you look more closely, it appears to be a strategy to promote more atomized, profit-friendly solutions that make use of de-skilled clinical staff, volunteers and low-cost tech solutions. And a distraction from government failings to invest in the public health system. The truth is, India needs more hospital beds – not less.
The same can be said for Britain – the rhetoric of NHS England bears striking similarities to that of Modicare. NHS England has commissioned a Five Year Forward View (FYFV) plan, which draws from reports co-authored by the World Economic Forum and management consultants McKinsey (who are, incidentally, openly enthused by the business opportunities presented by Modicare).
The plan crafts a story about ‘communities’, ‘care closer to home’ and positions the NHS ‘as a social movement’. Woven into these friendly sounding aims are recommendations that primary-care services work towards fixed per-capita budget insurance models, which restrict patient care and work along the lines of the Accountable Care Organisations used by the national health insurance programme Medicare in the US. Make no mistake: these models – which we are currently challenging in the UK courts – pave the way for further corporate takeover of health services in England.
NHS England has done a good job of window dressing this plan by commissioning the progressive New Economics Foundation (NEF) and the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA) to develop the idea of health as a social movement. Their evaluation report puts an emphasis on ‘community and personal resilience’, and peoples’ abilities to ‘better help themselves and others to stay well, get ill less often and for shorter periods of time’.
Neither the RSA nor NEF advocate for privatization of the NHS. An RSA spokesman said it is concerned with ‘how the NHS can genuinely improve patients’ outcomes through better engagement with patients’ groups and the local community’ while, in a similar vein, NEF say their involvement was motivated by the need for communities ‘to build their power and take action on what matters to them’ to improve health outcomes.
But I believe both groups have fundamentally misunderstood the impact that the Five Year plan will have. A focus on behaviours and individual choices unwittingly supports a shift in responsibility for health and social-care away from the state towards individuals and the voluntary sector that is being advocated by those who would remodel the NHS along neoliberal lines.
In India, a grassroots-led movement for health, such as India’s Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) a coalition of civil-society networks that forms part of the global People’s Health Movement, has different goals from Modi’s government. The JSA questions why Modicare equates health care with insurance and not public health services. It says it would prefer the prioritization of a publicly-run health system, with reach in rural areas, and genuine efforts to address the wider social determinants of health.
In terms of the latter, the JSA’s principal concerns are the health impacts of ‘enduring poverty with all its facets’ and ‘the resurgence of communicable diseases including the HIV/AIDS epidemic’. In a similar vein, in the UK, The Marmot Review, an extensive report analysing health inequalities in the UK, recommended improving prenatal and early years provision, better drug addiction treatment and raising social security payments.
In other words, as the wealth of evidence suggests, the health of society’s poor and vulnerable can only be effectively addressed at a structural level by the state, a solution that is antithetical to the ideology of neoliberalism that permeates the privatization agenda.
The rhetoric and realities of Modicare and NHS England are instructive. In the fight for universal healthcare systems, flashy headline offers and buzzwords must be subject to careful examination, and the implications – how these policies are likely to pan out in practice – explored and disseminated. Policies that sound positive to the public may be a misleading representation of profit-focused models that are not in the best interests of patients.
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Jo Land is a founder member and Chair of 999 Call for the NHS.
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Last Updated: Saturday, 11 February 2006, 15:31 GMT
Bird flu hits new areas in Europe
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A specialist UK laboratory has identified the virus in dead swans found in northern Greece and Bulgaria.
The H5N1 strain of bird flu has killed at least 80 people since early 2003, mostly in South-East Asia.
Seventeen migratory birds which had fallen ill or died were recovered from the Italian regions of Puglia, Calabria and Sicily.
Two of them - swans that were found in the Sicilian town of Messina - tested positive for the H5N1 strain, the Italian health ministry confirmed.
Click here for a map of global bird flu outbreaks
Greek health officials have intensified precautions in areas near Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, where three migratory swans tested positive for the H5N1 strain.
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'Difficult battle'
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The area surrounding the lakes in northern Greece where the dead swans were found has already been sealed off.
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Home Uncategorized Newspaper apologizes for ‘insensitive’ Simone Manuel headline
Newspaper apologizes for ‘insensitive’ Simone Manuel headline
RIO DE JANEIRO – Simone Manuel made history on Thursday night in Rio when she tied Penny Oleksiak in the 100m freestyle to win a gold medal, becoming the first female African-American swimmer to win a gold for the U.S. in an individual event.
USA TODAY Sports Simone Manuel looks on after winning the Women's 100 Meter Freestyle semi-finals in the U.S. Olympic swimming team trials.
The accomplishment by Manuel was incredible and significant, and it led to tons of celebration from American fans. The 20-year-old Stanford student also made headlines throughout the country, though one was not as kind as others.
The San Jose Mercury News insulted Manuel by omitting her name from its headline and simply calling her an "African American":
The Northern California newspaper scrambled to try fixing things after receiving some backlash, but they screwed up the amended headline by forgetting the word "with."
On take three, they finally got it right. The new headline stated "Olympics: Stanford's Simone Manuel and Michael Phelps make history." The Mercury News also apologized for the original headline.
The newspaper elaborated in an editor's note on the article.
"The original headline on this story was insensitive and has been updated to acknowledge the historic gold medal wins by both Simone Manuel and Michael Phelps. We apologize for the original headline. The story has also been updated," the note said.
At least the newspaper apologized for the original headline, though there isn't an excuse for making a mistake like that. Then again, we also couldn't believe something like this could happen, and it did.
There were mistakes all over related to Olympics coverage on Thursday, this being the most glaring of all.
Courtesy: YB
Bronze Medal
International Federations
International Swimming Federation
IOC President
Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games
Ryan Lochte
Simone Manuel
US Swimmers
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The E3 Hype Dynamic
8 mei 2004 NL
As the annual E3 trade show and the Nintendo press conference draw nigh, it’s easy to get caught up in pre-show hype about what will or won’t be shown. Actually I’m sort of annoyed at the way some journalists in the know talk about non-disclosable information. Or maybe I’m just jealous because apparently I’m not quite there yet.
For example, Peer Schneider of ‘IGN’ said on his site’s message boards: “With all the talk about how baffling and strange the DS may seem to all of us, it’s easy to forget that the system’s true measure lies in the game lineup. Having an inkling of what games are being shown at E3 next week, I can now confidently state that I’ll be buying the system the day it comes out.”
His colleague Matt Casamassina makes it even worse. He’s been posting about an unannounced game — apparently he’s looking forward to it as much as he’s anticipating ‘Resident Evil 4’ and ‘Metroid Prime 2′. But of course he can’t say what it is. He’s turned an entire topic into some sort of guessing game where he obviously can’t say who’s right, if anyone.
I don’t see what this does except creating unrealistic hype causing hardcore fans to be disappointed in the end and making Peer and Matt feel interesting. The thing is, they don’t have to do this because they’re nice guys and they work at the world’s biggest entertainment website. They’re already quite interesting.
It’s an interesting dynamic. For years Nintendo’s been using E3 as a milestone to show how their software and hardware line-up is doing. However, I’ve been in this industry for eight years now, and every year I’ve seen how journalists got both better sources and better ways to spread the news. So we know a lot more now, and the fans too.
Eight years ago we wouldn’t have heard about a follow-up to ‘The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker’ until E3. It’d have been a major surprise. This year, if the sequel fails to show, fans will be sorely disappointed. Weeks before last year’s E3 Nintendo announced games like ‘Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes’ — some fans were quite angry that there were no surprises left for the show itself. Well, except for ‘Pac-Man Vs.’, which was a stupid idea of course.
This year, people wonder whether it’s wise that Nintendo has shown screen grabs of ‘Paper Mario 2’ and ‘Metroid Prime 2′ already. Will the company have enough surprises left to make it worthwhile watching a webcast of the press conference? This is why these fans cling to Peer and Matt’s comments. There’s more this year’s E3 press conference, right?
It’s easy to look at this stuff from the hardcore fan’s perspective. But in the end E3 is not for hardcore fans. Nintendo hopes major newspapers that attend the show will write about their games. Nintendo hopes CNN will do an item.
Remember, too, that it’s just a games company. It wants to sell games, and the average player buys only a handful of games each year. Nintendo doesn’t have to announce ten surprise games to capture this audience’s imagination. These average players haven’t heard of E3. E3 is where Toys ‘R’ Us representatives go to start deciding how many copies of ‘Metroid Prime 2’ they should order.
Last year Nintendo had a less than stellar E3, but last fall was a major high point for GameCube sales. In 2002 Nintendo had a brilliant E3 — they showed ‘Metroid Prime’, ‘Super Mario Sunshine’ and ‘The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker’ — but Metroid and Mario sales were below expectations and Zelda did not even get released that year.
My bottom line is E3 doesn’t say much. So if you’re smart, you shouldn’t get hyped too much and enjoy the event and its coverage. I know I will have a hell of a time at the show — and I’ll try to write up a couple of reports while I’m there, too.
Dit is de website van Niels ’t Hooft
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Chaos Ensues
Why Ubuntu 12.04 is the best desktop experience the free software community has to offer.
Unity, love it or hate it, it's here to stay. I recently gave it a try and had to just stick with it and in this following blog post, I'm going to argue why Ubuntu 12.04 is the best desktop experience that the floss community has to offer!
So what's so significant about it? Well it's not just about flashy graphics, this release is a long term support release, this means that 12.04 is supported longer than the usual 18 months and not just any LTS release, this LTS release is supported for 5 years.
Let's let that sink in a little bit, 5 years, that's a lot of faith in a product. One that comes with an interface that, let's face it has had a lot of bad press over this last year and that's something to bear in mind, it's only been a year!
What really makes Ubuntu 12.04 stand out is how very different it feels to the usual Gnome/KDE/XFCE interfaces. Now each interface appeals to a certain user, this is why such choice exists in our community, but Ubuntu is positioning itself as a direct competitor to Windows and Mac in the desktop space, both of which have been revolutionizing their interpretation of the next generation of graphical interfaces.
This is the important thing to take note of, Unity is a next generation interfaces. With the recent exception of Windows 8, the Microsoft operating system has largely had the same basic interface since 1995, seventeen years of the same graphical interface metaphor.
Which is all a graphical interface is, a metaphor for a desktop.
Desks with their files, folders and staplers etc.
Since starting a career in computing most of that "desk work" is done on my digital desktop and while one could agree the metaphor of files and folders is still useful and helps visualise an electronic based task by using familiar real world concepts, the whole thing starts to break down when you need to stitch two PDF files together.
The point is that in the early days a graphical interface imitated the real world. That way new users would have common conceptual reference points, however with computers so ubiquitous in our day to day lives the metaphor doesn't seem quite as useful as it once was.
This is were Canonical have it right, we should start fresh, study how users use their computers these days and develop an interface based around how we interact with the digital. To that end they have done some user testing (here, here and here) and used that as a means to develop and improve their home grown Unity interface.
Here's where I really commend them, they developed a vision and were uncompromising in their realization of that vision. Sometimes you just gotta knuckle down and take a few beatings for sticking with your visions. Apple have been deciding what they think is the right interface for years now and it's worked for them to the point of being viewed as a leader in the Interface world. So if following an unorthodox (at least in the open source world) methodology will ultimately result in a great open source user interface then I certainly have no problem with them adopting a more rigid development method. I also take care to remember that I have not paid a since penny on this OS and that I am not entitled to anything except what I am given.
Anyway lets look at Unity.
If you have not used Unity before it's a bit different, one can see where the various inspirations came from, it has a menubar at the top of the screen (a la mac), a dock/launcher to the left of the screen, which is the go to location for application management and a rather good looking overlay which allows you to search, run and manage your installed applications and documents.
Here's how my desktop currently looks:
Immediately visible along the left of the screen is a dock type application, there's arrows which indicate which applications are open, an arrow on the left of the icon indicates the application is open, an icon on the right indicates that the application is focused.
These are tiny little additions that contribute to a fantastic user interface.
The overlay thing.
You can see several things here, in the top left you have the window controls, in all full screen applications the window controls are always located there. At the bottom there are five icons, these are known as lenses they one to filter results, additionally there's a means to further refine your search results.
Now, you might be forgiven for thinking that it's not vastly different from say, the LaunchPad feature of OSX, but more functional.
Not a lot of difference is there?
Another big feature is the HUD, a means to perform actions that are in the menu but instead of having to click through the menus, it enables one to search the menu by just typing, like so.
As I'm sure you can see this is something of a break in the desktop metaphor, it seems to be driven towards the concept of text input. For years I have been seeing various users using various bits of software for quick launching things based on entering a search string.
Even care has gone into the preference settings, it's a fantastically complete solution, which again allows you to search inside the preferences.
It's not just the graphics though, Ubuntu 12.04 comes with it's own cloud based file sync application (Ubuntu One) that's also available on your phone so you can use Canonical's offering over all your devices.
Finally the variety of free and paid for applications available in the Ubuntu Software Store is fantastic, I was expecting almost no paid for applications, but almost every search produced some premium results, which was encouraging.
This is stuff both Windows and Mac are pushing hard towards and why should we do something different simply because it's what someone else is doing, arguing that one shouldn't do something similar that's popular sounds very much like not invented here to me.
A gret 'feature' is that the interface in all it's advanced graphical glory, can be operated entirely without the mouse, something that a short cut junkie can really appreciate, but by the same token one can still do everything using the mouse, should they choose to.
What it boils down to is the fact that Ubuntu isn't just about the interface (which is frankly stunning) it's a complete end to end solution, with an apps store, cloud integration and excellent preferences management all wrapped in a simple yet powerful next generation graphical interface.
And it's only going to get better.
EDIT: I also forgot to mention that there's also a back up and restore method that allows you to perform incremental backups, this is in the style of Apple TimeMachine and again it's integrated into a central preferences application.
There's also the Ubuntu font face, now, I don't think creating one's own type face was strictly necessary, but it looks very good and does create a unique brand, much like Mac had Monaco for years as the default font. There's merit to it, and the mono space variant is great for programming in Vim!
All these little things add up to create a very polished, functional unique branded desktop experience.
Tom Murphy 16 August 2012 at 05:09
Great, someone who gets it!
I reverted to a gnome 2 desktop on a Debian install on a old system , it was so archaic and clunky to use, its so easy now to hit Super Key and type the first few letters of the app i want to open rather than looking through the nested menus of the old days.
Unity is much better thought out than Gnome 3 (not trying to start a flame war) and much easier to use than KDE (if anything KDE has far to much going on and every KDE app has too much configuration IMO.
Also Unity has some great lenses (youtube for instance and BBC iplayer, allows you to search Iplayer shows from within Unity!)
Baklava 2000 16 August 2012 at 07:10
archaic and clunky? Do you know "Alt+F2" thing?
alt F2 - was to run a program, you needed to know the bin exec to fire anything up or the path on the system, much quicker in unity
Gary Newell 16 August 2012 at 07:51
This is a very positive review of Unity. It is very tempting for me to go and have another look. I have a Ubuntu 12 download prepared and waiting. I just haven't taken the step yet to give it a go.
I think I just might do that now.
Arin Bieghler 16 August 2012 at 09:45
The one thing everyone seems to ignore is the lack of customization. Gnome is virtually unable to be customized unless you have a 3rd party tool. I am not excited for unity as it is just like Mac almost entirely locked down. Once it is as customizable as gnome 2 I will be happy.
Neil Munro 16 August 2012 at 10:45
I didn't ignore it, I addressed it, see my paragraph that begins "Here's where I really commend them".
I think that the reason that Ubuntu is so good is because there's limitations. It's unusual for a free software desktop to be so locked down, but by the same token there's also fewer things to go wrong. One should also note that Windows isn't that customizable either and here's the thing, Unity isn't trying to do what Gnome or KDE does it's trying to compete against Mac and Windows, as such we must ensure we compare it to it's peers.
This article talks at length about Unity but I did cover other aspects of Ubuntu, since it's Ubuntu as a whole I was reviewing, not Unity itself. One can't compare Ubuntu to KDE or Gnome, as they are just desktops, not operating systems. Canonical has built a software ecosystem around Ubuntu, with that in mind, and given the fact Canonical are trying to compete with Windows and Mac, one ought to compare Ubuntu to Win7 or OSX, not Unity against Gnome.
Michael Malott 12 November 2012 at 07:17
Very well thought out. I tried first 12.10 and found it to be so unstable on my PC that I had no choice but to load another OS. Which brought me down to 12.04. Better, but in my opinion, not by much.
Random app crashes was high on my annoyance list. Also for some reason Gwibber and Empathy just didn't want to work right meaning certain clients wouldn't connect. Also the Unity bar had confusing behavior at first. A quick glance over to the left did not let me know if I had certain apps open. Yes I know there's little triangles over apps but it's not intuitive to me. Overall Unity seemed very bogged down and slow. Felt like it wanted to go and do things immediately but just couldn't. I would compare it to a shiny new expensive sports car that was trying to carry the load of a half ton pickup. Last when an app would crash it would only indicate it half the time by darkening the said window. But... it did that also if an was working and just was taking to long. Confusing.
Let me end by saying I've been using Linux since the late 90's all the way from Red Hat to Mandrake (yes Man-DRAKE for those who remember) to Ubuntu. I'm also a network admin (Windows/Linux)by trade and full time PC hobbyist. With that being said I feel I'm definitely not the beginner or average user and don't mind the command line. BUT wile I find a lot to like about Ubuntu and their current vision for the platform, I just feel like Unity falls short and is a turn off.
My impression of Windows 8
Why Ubuntu 12.04 is the best desktop experience th...
Confessions of a Vim geek
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First Solo: Memoir — Richard Farrell
Richard Farrell
There was no indication that day would be the one, no sign that I was ready, no ceremony or ritual to mark the passage, no warning, no karmic winds blowing, nothing to differentiate the routine of that particular flying lesson from any other. We were forty-five minutes into the hour-long flight, shooting touch-and-goes into a small airfield, when Mark—my taciturn three-pack-a-day instructor pilot, who heretofore had betrayed no confidence in my ability to handle an airplane alone—ordered our next landing to be a full-stop. Under Mark’s watchful eye, I lowered flaps, flared the nose, and squeaked the tires more or less on centerline. We taxied off the runway and onto a parking apron. Mark opened his door and a rush of cool air filled the cockpit. He grinned, slid from his seat, and with one foot on the wing strut, leaned his head back inside and asked if I was ready to try one on my own.
I thought he was joking. I’m quite sure I didn’t answer. I worried that I’d misheard his question. But I must have nodded, or blinked my assent, because a heartbeat later, Mark had closed his rickety door, stepped from the wing’s shadow, and walked away. And for the very first time in my life, I was utterly alone inside an operational airplane, sputtering at the end of a taxiway in Marlboro, Massachusetts. It was 1986 and I was a sixteen year-old boy who did not yet drive a car. I was still a virgin, and would soon likely die as one. I had not, in fact, even kissed a girl yet, but I’d just been handed the controls of a sixteen-hundred pound Cessna, and told to take ‘er up. I’d been put in charge of its ailerons, engine valves and avionics. I’d been given permission to haul it aloft and bring it back to the ground, with the tacit understanding that I wouldn’t kill myself or anyone else along the way.
The Cessna-150 cockpit was thirty-five inches wide and less than five feet front to back. Crammed into a space smaller than an average dining-room table were two sets of flight controls, engine throttle, fuel mixture valve, and an array of instruments, fuses, navigation equipment, radios, lights and compasses. Not an inch of space was wasted. Only moments earlier, I’d sat knee to knee with my flight instructor, whose nicotine and stale-coffee breath provided a comforting if somewhat nauseating reminder that I had competent company. With the sudden absence of a man whose thousands of flying hours were meant to counteract my insipid twenty, that cramped space felt downright lonely.
The cockpit air smelled of low-lead gasoline and panic. I held the plane’s brake pedals with rigid feet. My biggest fear was that the plane would careen off into frost-browned fescue grass that bordered the taxiways. Dotting the surrounding hillsides, sugar maples and Dutch elms had already dropped their leaves and stood bare and gray against the late autumn sky. I pressed harder against the brakes.
Earth-bound for some fifty-thousand years, modern man is a recent habitué of the skies. The rapid advancement of flight, from Kitty Hawk to Cape Canaveral, occurred in a flash, though perhaps the real curiosity hides behind how quickly we adapt to such miracles. Hardly anyone notices airplanes zooming overhead, whereas a hundred years ago, such sights would have been a dazzling spectacle. To me, it was still a spectacle. I was a gazer. Countless hours of my youth were spent staring at vapor contrails scratching the sky, or identifying airplane silhouettes, or listening to the bassy whir of a turboprop descending into Logan Airport on a winter’s night. With a lover’s desire, I had dreamed of that moment when I would join the marvelous procession of machines and pilots.
The physics of flight is relatively simple: as an airplane gains speed, pulled or pushed along by an engine, a decrease of pressure builds along the upper surface of curved wings, the famous Bernoulli’s Principle. In a sense, flight is achieved by suction, by a force of low pressure over the wings siphoning the airframe aloft. Given enough wing-surface area and enough speed, a football stadium could fly. The pilot’s job, simplified to its barest bones, is to maintain the right mix of airspeed and attitude. Transitions are the most critical: earth to sky, sky to earth. The greatest danger in flight occurs closest to the ground, during takeoffs and landings.
It is hardly surprising that aviation invented a mythology that evolved alongside its technology. Even the earliest depictions of aviators showed swashbuckling men with scarves, leather jackets and adoring females draped on their shoulders. I admired these mythical heroes growing up, and internalized depictions of pilots in a profound albeit overly romantic way.
In the summer of 1986, when my flying education began in earnest, Top Gun shattered box office records across America. But Tom Cruise’s portrayal of the man I dreamed I might one day become was far from confirmatory. Rather than inspiring me, the movie violated the sanctity of my most private dreams. Flying for me was soul-work. I had wholesale invested my identity and my future in the notion of pilot-hood. Then, overnight, pop culture co-opted my deeply revered ambitions. Thanks to Tom Cruise, everyone wanted to be a pilot, and I felt violated.
I didn’t realize at the time why I resented that movie so much. But looking back, I see that the movie commercialized and distorted many of the spiritual aspects of my dream. Top Gun also amplified the pilot stereotype. Flying looked glamorous, easy. Jets zoomed against brilliant blue skies without effort or strain. While Maverick and Ice Man dueled across silver screens in their sleek F-14 Tomcats, I spent the summer of ‘86 coming face to face with my own ineptitude as a pilot-in-training.
Though I’d been a diligent student, no amount of book learning could make up for what, in aviation lore, is called a seat-of-the-pants feel for the sky. When I started taking flying lessons, I had imagined I’d be a natural from the get go, a student so adept at the skill of flying that I would zoom through the curriculum and immediately be recognized as the heir apparent to Lindbergh, Yeager and Armstrong. Instead, I struggled with even the most rudimentary of skills. I couldn’t keep the plane straight-and-level. My airspeed control was for shit. I landed long, struggled when pulling the plane out of a stall. My steep turns were never steep enough and my lazy-8’s resembled an asymmetrical snowman in the sky. The only thing I felt in the seat of my pants was clenched terror.
My original goal, to solo on my 16th birthday, the earliest legal age, had come and gone six months before. While teenage boys donned flight jackets and Ray Bans and serenaded teenage girls with “You Lost that Lovin’ Feelin,’” and while Tom Cruise buzzed the tower fifty feet off the deck, I came to the clear understanding that I wasn’t much of a pilot.
A previous flight instructor, a grumpy aviator with a fu-manchu mustache, once told my mother that I flew like a doctor. The only thing I gleaned from this strange violation of teacher-student trust was a veiled reference to sloppy handwriting.
Of course I wasn’t supposed to be a good pilot with fewer than twenty hours of flight time. The stumbles, setbacks and mistakes were supposed to teach me. But in the pilot myth, as well as in the movie, difficulties were glossed over. The legend left no room for failure, no room for growth or learning or progress. So every miscue, every clumsy maneuver and failure felt keenly personal. Surely the great pilots didn’t start this way, I told myself, not realizing that they most likely had.
Mark stood on a nearby grassy hillock, smacking a package of Marlboros against his wrist. I waited. I prayed. Climb back into this Cessna and tell me it’s all a big joke. Ha ha, kid, I’ve got the controls. Go back to algebra class. But he didn’t move. In fact, Mark lit up a cigarette, his sandy hair flapping a bit in the breeze. A breeze? Where did a breeze come from? I checked the windsock again, which stretched out into the shape of a Day-Glo ice cream cone, indicating the wind had increased and swung around a bit from the southwest, adding a complicated crosswind to my still-not-so-imminent takeoff. Any attempt to leave the earth just became that much more difficult.
I tried to wrap my head around what was happening while searching for the before takeoff checklist. I pulled the laminated sheets from a door pocket, only to fumble the checklist between the seat cushions. My hands were shaking.
“Jesus,” I said out loud, more curse than prayer. How long had I been sitting there? I needed to act, to do something. The longer I waited, the worse my fear became.
As I fished the checklist from a between the seats, a thought slammed through my brain: I’m going to die. The only question was how, not when. From incompetence? From shame? From failure? With every second passing, the certainty of my untimely end came nearer. I worried I might drop from sheer terror right there, idling on the taxiway. The other possibility seemed to involve a blazing ball of fire at the runway’s end.
Needing to resuscitate my brain, I tried to recall the plane’s takeoff procedures. The checklist was useless now since on top of everything else I’d lost the ability to read. It appeared to tell me that I needed to adjust the trim, set the fuel mixture, and somehow force my hands to push the throttle forward, dumping 80-octane fuel into the plane’s normally-aspirated, direct-drive, air-cooled, horizontally-opposed, four-cylinder engine, thereby accelerating the McCauley fixed-pitch propeller to 2,500 RPMs. If I could manage to free my hands to perform these tasks, if I could follow all the steps, in more or less the correct sequence, and release the breaks and speed down the runway without veering off into the grass, if I could summon the strength from my flaccid arms to pull back on the control column, all while tapping rudders to keep the plane coordinated, and if I could remember to check the airspeed, the wind and the engine oil pressure, then, in theory, the plane would fly. I would fly. I would solo.
The first solo is a consecrated ritual—a baptism and wedding rolled into ten minutes of sheer terror a thousand feet over an airfield. Some thirty years have passed and I still remember the disintegrating sensation somewhere southwest of my heart. The fear hollowed me out, an erasure that scoured the insides of my body, leaving only a shell. My skin became acutely sensitive. My mouth went chalk dry.
I remember the way light fell on indifferent hillsides. I remember spinning propeller blades, whirring gyros, a tremble in the wings, perhaps caused by my shaking hands reverberating back through the flight controls. Face to face with reality, the magnitude of fear surprised me. The heroic architecture, so long associated in my mind with brave pilots laughing at danger, came crumbling around me.
A gray cloud deck scattered above the airfield. The runway, scuffed with rubber skid-marks and brake dust, tumbled off into the somber horizon. Behind the controls of that Cessna, alone and uncertain, I searched desperately for a way out.
Once more, I glanced at Mark, hoping for a reprieve. He took a long drag on his cigarette.
I hated him. I hated his parents for bringing him into this world and hated mine for doing the same. I hated Isaac Newton and Daniel Bernoulli and the Wright brothers and Clyde-fucking-Cessna too. The universe had ripped open a hole into eternal darkness, manifest in an empty seat where my instructor belonged. Like in a falling nightmare, the emptiness of that seat, the haunted, horse-without-a-rider sense of a pilot-less plane—unoccupied rudders, uncontrolled control column, unlatched seat belt—these things most surely represented my imminent demise. Except that airplane had dual controls, and my feet rested on the rudders, and my sweaty hands clutched the control column. I was the one strapped into that saddle, a bucking bronco of wires and avionics assembled in Wichita, Kansas, waiting for me to spur it into the air.
The runway was clear, almost mocking me with its emptiness. Fly or don’t fly, the asphalt seemed to say. Live or die. It makes no difference.
For a moment, I thought I might throw up, not an uncharacteristic response from my body when faced with stressful situations (like asking a girl out for a date). The propeller twirled and the fuselage rattled. Only two choices remained: grow a pair and get going or pull the parking brake, open the door and run screaming for the woods. Gasping for breath at the end of the runway, this couldn’t have been how Yeager got started.
Where once strength and bravery seemed embodied in the very word, pilot, the word and the act suddenly lacked meaning, because I could not remember how to do the very thing the word implied, which was to fly the airplane.
Time elongated. Each propeller revolution re-radiated doubt and fear. It felt like an hour passed while I decided. But Mark’s cigarette had barely burned down. I reflected on the absurdity of the scene, my instructor pilot watching me do nothing, the engine whining, position lights blinking, the whole airport on hold, waiting for me. At the same time, there came an awareness that I was not cut out for this sort of thing. Better to survive a coward than die a fool. But what choice did I really have? The way out certainly was no less complicated than the way through.
The metamorphosis that was about to occur was entirely lost on my teenage brain. I didn’t realize what a privilege I was being granted. On that November day, there was no way to foresee the future, or to comprehend how life decouples, like ill-fated box cars, throwing certainty and meaning off a track that then seemed iron-clad. I had no way of knowing that seven years later, my wings would be clipped for good, and that I’d be diagnosed with epilepsy and told I could never pilot an airplane again. I didn’t realize that deep fear often accompanies life’s most extraordinary moments. I had no way to realize that the minutes that terrify and most rattle us are the ones that will stand out. Like a bas-relief of memory, those moments become enshrined by their height and importance: the first girl I would eventually kiss, the first time I would fall in love, the birth of my children, and the so-many unimaginable losses and joys that would mark the path. How could I have even glimpsed a hint of that on the tarmac?
Finally, something inside flickered. The hollow sensation of fear gave way. My body and brain stirred back to life. Was that sensation what bullfighters call the moment of truth? If so, the feeling was not a triumphal one, more like resignation combined with a pinch of anger. Fear yielded to reluctance which surrendered to inevitability. Hardly a heroic procession.
I lowered a notch of flaps and picked up the mike. I called out the plane’s tail number and announced an intention to fly.
“Marlboro traffic, November-seven-one-four, Charlie Pop, ready for departure.”
The intent was for my voice to sound defiant and serious, but the words came out as a barely-whispered squeak, a child’s final desperate plea for help. Then, after a glance heavenward, and one last check of the wind, I advanced the throttle and released the brakes. The engine whirred louder. With a press of right rudder, the plane twirled around and lined up with the runway centerline. My breathing evened out. On the windscreen, the compass lagged before it confirmed my heading. This next part may not have happened, but my memory registers a shaft of sunlight piecing through cloudy autumn skies.
I pushed the throttle to the firewall and the engine revved. Torque drove the nose wheel into the ground and the plane lurched forward. The nose yawed left, which I counteracted with more rudder as the semi-monocoque fuselage reverberated atop rough asphalt with echoes and thumps.
The plane accelerated and the abyss receded. Where did the fear go? What replaced it? I don’t understand how I climbed inside the moment. I don’t quite comprehend how a timid, frightened teenager managed to fly.
I pulled back on the wheel and the wings began to generate lift. The plane entered its transition to flight, where gravity succumbs, a transition not only of the physical machine but also of the body. I may have even felt that sensation in the seat of my pants.
After that, I continued to climb out, the needle steady at 70 knots. My gut wobbled as I pushed the nose over and gained speed, a thousand feet of altitude, the propeller high against the gray horizon, trees and hills falling away. The world shrank. The runway appeared small and distant, the clouds large and close. The temperature cooled. Downwind, I aligned the port wingtip perfectly with the runway margins, and I recognized calmly, in an almost holy way, with a certainty and confidence that was entirely new, that I was actually flying, alone, no longer terrified, ass-unclenched, hands dry and not choking the wheel, and how in those few minutes of flight, all the fear and confusion receded into the background, and all that remained was flight, the pure dream man had yearned to achieve for millennia.
The transcendental feelings ended quickly. There was work to be done. A moment later, abeam the numbers, I lowered the flaps like a real pilot, and throttled back, slowing, descending. I checked the windsock and announced my intentions again—this time with a voice a sixteen year-old boy borrowed from the gods—that I was coming in to land. l turned to base and then to final, scanning airspeed and altitude, nudging the plane’s nose to line up with dashed white stripes painted down the runway, anticipating wind vectors, adjusting for turbulence, steadying the wings. Just over the numbers, I pulled back gently on the controls and cut the throttle. The nose lifted. The plane floated a second or two, caught in the magical buoyancy of ground-effect, that final transition, just before the main landing gear returned to earth, two shudders beneath me, two chirps of rubber kissing earth. Then I caught the plane’s yaw, holding the nose straight and true, and in that final moment, before the nose wheel touched down, in that final instant when the transition from air to ground remained ever so slightly in jeopardy, I realized that I’d done it, that I’ve soloed, and that nothing would ever be the same again.
Richard Farrell is the Creative Nonfiction Editor at upstreet and a Senior Editor at Numéro Cinq (in fact, he is one of the original group of students who helped found the site). A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he has worked as a high school teacher, a defense contractor, and as a Navy pilot. He is a graduate from the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. His work, including fiction, memoir, essays, interviews and book reviews, has appeared in Hunger Mountain, New Plains Review, upstreet, Descant, and Numéro Cinq. He teaches at Words Alive and the River Pretty Writers Retreat in the Ozarks. He lives in San Diego.
2014, Essays, Memoir, NC Magazine, Vol. V, No. 11, November 2014
2 Responses to “First Solo: Memoir — Richard Farrell”
Thanks for sharing. I felt some anxiety while reading it so I guess that means I felt right there with you. Well done. Laughed at the part where you mention hating your instructor. As you can see from this response I am no writer.
rjfarrell28 says:
Thanks for reading, Tracy! I felt a good deal of anxiety that day too! 🙂
Numéro Cinq at the Movies | What I Make of Movies, and What They Make of Me: Rosebud — Julie Trimingham Days of Hunger: Essay — Rigoberto González
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You are here: Home / Archives for Edward Snowden
China investigating Microsoft in monopoly case
August 2, 2014 By Northwest Asian Weekly
By Joe McDonald AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — China’s anti-monopoly agency announced an investigation Tuesday of Microsoft Corp., stepping up regulatory pressure on foreign technology companies.
Filed Under: World News Tagged With: 2008, 2010, 2014, Apple Inc, Beijing, China, Chinese, Denmark, Edward Snowden, Hong Kong, Last August, National Security Agency, Qualcomm Inc, San Diego, United States, Vol 33 No 32 | August 2 - August 8, technology
Tiananmen protester is denied return to China
December 1, 2013 By Northwest Asian Weekly
HONG KONG (AP) – The second most-wanted student leader from the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests was turned back from Hong Kong on Monday in his latest attempt to surrender to Chinese authorities and return home. It was the fourth such attempt by Wu’er Kaixi, who said his lack of success so far was the […]
Filed Under: World News Tagged With: 2013, Albert Ho, Associated Press, Beijing, China, Chinese, Chinese Embassy, Edward Snowden, Hong Kong, Macau, National Security Agency, Taiwan, Tiananmen Square, Tokyo, United States, Vol 32 No 49 | November 30 - December 6, blog, reunion
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JLR jobs bonanza highlights benefit of getting EU legislation right
Jaguar Land Rover's announcement of 1,700 new jobs for Solihull and a £1500 million investment in aluminium-based production for future cars highlights the importance of getting EU legislation right, says Lib Dem MEP Phil Bennion.
JLR's shift to a hi-tech all-aluminium vehicle architecture follows a long-running campaign by Lib Dem MEPs to amend the EU's Electro-Magnetic Fields Directive.
Welcoming today's announcement, Phil Bennion MEP, a member of the European Parliament's Employment and Transport committees, said: "This is great news for Solihull, the West Midlands and the UK. It shows the importance of groundbreaking new technology in helping our manufacturers expand and create new jobs here.
"It also highlights how we must ensure that legislation, such as the revised Electro-Magnetic Fields Directive adopted by the European Parliament earlier this year, takes account of stakeholders' concerns and is safe, proportional and practical."
Liberal Democrat MEPs, including Phil Bennion and his predecessor as West Midlands MEP Liz Lynne, mounted a long-running campaign to highlight concerns over earlier drafts of the Electro-Magnetic Fields Directive.
Working with experts from industry and healthcare, they worked hard to persuade Ministers and the European Commission to change health and safety procedures and derogations on exposure to electro-magnetic fields, which were so tightly drawn that hand-held electrically powered aluminium spot welding and even hospital MRI scanners would not have been practical.
Phil Bennion said: "I am pleased that our work is helping significant new investment by manufacturers in the UK, such as JLR, who need aluminum spot welding and other techniques that are essential in modern car assembly.
"JLR's exciting new ranges of aluminium-bodied cars will be world-beaters - strong but light and therefore very efficient. WIth the right protective equipment, the production process is perfectly safe and EU rules now reflect this."
The 1,700 new jobs brings the total number of UK manufacturing jobs announced by JLR since 2010 to almost 11,000. 6,000 are in the West Midlands region and the company estimates that a further 24,000 jobs have been created in the supply chain.
Phil added: "JLR is a fantastic advert for the British design and engineering and management. I was optimistic that this work would come to Solihull but it is a relief to hear it confirmed. This announcement is a real boost to the UK economy, let alone the West Midlands."
Photo: Phil Bennion MEP viewed aluminium spot-welding on a visit to the Jaguar production line at Castle Bromwich in December, where he discussed revisions to the EMF directive with senior JLR managers.
Note: The West Midlands region is at the heart of JLR's exciting plans, which include:
· 1,700 new jobs to be created at Solihull to support product range expansion.
· Jaguar to benefit from £1.5 billion product creation investment.
· JLR to extend leadership in aluminium and lightweight technologies with all-new aluminum monocoque architecture at Solihull.
· Jaguar mid-sized premium sports sedan to lead new ranges from 2015 featuring the first engine to be built produced at JLR's new £500m Engine Manufacturing Centre near Wolverhampton
· New technology showcased in C-X17 Jaguar sports crossover concept vehicle.
· Since 2011, JLR has added 6,000 manufacturing jobs in the West Midlands and an estimated additional 24,000 jobs in the supply chain.
· This brings to almost 11,000 the number of new jobs announced by JLR since 2011.
JLR full press release: http://newsroom.jaguarlandrover.com/en-in/jlr-corp/news/2013/09/jlr_commitment_uk_090913/
Phil Bennion Press Release from June 2013 on Electro-Magnetic Fields Directive: http://philbennion.org/news/128-revised-electro-magnetic-fields-directive-safe-but-practical-for-industry-and-hospitals
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Building outbreak investigation capacity in Vanuatu
Written by Christelle Lepers
17 October 2016, Port-Vila
Public health, clinical and laboratory professionals across Vanuatu convened in Port Vila this week to reinforce their outbreak investigation skills with the Pacific Data for Decision-Making (DDM) training programme.
This is the second DDM training module organised this year by the Vanuatu Ministry of Health and the Pacific Community (SPC), in collaboration with Hunter New England (HNE) Local Health District Population Health from Australia.
The first DDM module was held in July and focused on public health surveillance.
Both trainings are part of the recovery activities in response to cyclone Pam to help strengthen the capacity of Vanuatu health staff on public health surveillance as well as detecting and responding to outbreaks.
They come as a follow up to the post-disaster surveillance and response work carried out by Vanuatu Ministry of Health and WHO, with support from SPC and partners after cyclone Pam.
“Public health disease surveillance and response is an area which the Vanuatu Ministry of Health has put a sustained focus on since 2012, with technical and financial support from WHO and SPC,” Director of Public Health in Vanuatu, Len Tarivonda, said.
“Significant advances have been made to date to sustain a simple syndromic surveillance system. This training will further enhance our national capacity to detect and respond to outbreaks and other public health threats in a timely and effective manner,” he added.
The training course outlines all the critical steps necessary to investigate and manage outbreaks, from the detection to the implementation of control measures and communication of findings.
“To be effective, outbreak investigation and response must be coordinated, systematically organised and done at the most opportune time,” SPC Acting Team Leader of Surveillance and Operational Research, Onofre Edwin Merilles Jr., explained.
Participants will also receive a copy of the Pacific Outbreak Manual as a key reference document.
This manual has been developed by health experts from the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN), in particular WHO, SPC and HNE, in consultation with Pacific Island countries and territories.
PPHSN partners have initiated the Pacific DDM training programme, which has been revived in 2013 in response to a call for action from Pacific Ministers of Health.
The training will run from 17 to 21 October.
Christelle Lepers, SPC Surveillance Information and Communication Officer, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or'; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text12409 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it +687 26 01 81
Scaling up public health surveillance in Vanuatu with data training – August 2016
Disease surveillance system helps detect potential outbreaks – June 2015
SPC lends public health surveillance hand to Vanuatu – March 2015
Last Updated ( Thursday, 01 June 2017 )
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47 Meters Down (2017)
Written by: Johannes Roberts, Ernest Riera
Directed by: Johannes Roberts
Starring: Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, and Matthew Modine
Reviewed by: Brett Gallman (@brettgallman)
How do you survive the world's greatest predators?
When The Shallows arrived last year, it was a reprieve for shark movie fanatics (shut up, we are legion) who spent five long years waiting for a quality theatrical effort after Shark Night, forced to sift through layers and layers of The Asylum and SyFy's inanity. A year later, Blake Lively’s memorable encounter with a killer shark feels something like a godsend, as its success inspired a last minute change of plans for 47 Meters Down. Originally titled In the Deep, it was so close to going to DTV that I had solicitations for review copies (some of which did slip out into the wild) right before it was announced the film would be retitled and sent to theaters instead. Granted, the film would have been released anyway, but isn’t it kind of nice to look forward to a second killer shark movie hitting theaters in as many years?
Even better, friends, is that I can report that 47 Meters Down has been worth the wait. We have one more shark effort that can be categorized as “respectable”—and not just “well, it’s better than Sharknado” respectable, either. No backhanded compliments to be found here: 47 Meters Down is solid genre filmmaking that exploits its terrific premise for all its potential.
There’s a hint of awareness in its leanness, too, almost as if the filmmakers know what audiences are here for, so they arrive there with haste. Lisa (Mandy Moore) and Kate (Claire Holt) are two sisters on vacation in Mexico, where the former is drowning her sorrows over a recent break-up with her boyfriend who dumped her because she was boring. Insistent on proving him wrong, she goes and parties all night long with a couple of guys who talk her and Kate into going cage diving. Sure, Lisa has reservations because she’s seen those news stories about tourists going on shady, off-the-radar attractions and never returning, but she’s not going to let that stop her from proving she’s not basic. Of course, she gets more than she bargained for when the cage tears from the ship’s wench, plunging to the titular depths and leaving Kate and Lisa stranded in shark-infested waters.
Obviously, this one has the same general premise as The Shallows, at least in the sense that strands some characters in a harrowing situation involving sharks, leaving audiences to wonder just how in the hell they’ll survive. And even though I know this film was in production around the same time as The Shallows, I like to imagine its filmmakers taking a gander at that premise and asking someone to hold their beer. If Blake Lively’s situation was vexing, then this one feels like an impossible nightmare, one that sees two sisters battling multiple elements to survive. For the most part, Lively’s character didn’t have to worry about simply breathing; for Kate and Lisa, it’s actually their most pressing concern. Forget the sharks for a moment: these two are stuck on the bottom of the ocean with a limited air supply, a conceit that injects the film with a palpable immediacy.
From the moment these two land with a thud, they’re faced with multiple obstacles to surmount and little time to do so. Johannes Roberts and co-writer Ernest Riera script multiple, escalating complications to an already impossible situation: first, the broken wrench has sealed them in the cage, necessitating a resource escape so one of the sisters can swim far enough up to pick up a signal and communicate with the boat that lowered them in. One of the on-board divers is supposed to swim down to attach another wench but meets with trouble along the way. Simply swimming to the surface isn’t possible without suffering from the bends. Plus, you know, they’re surrounded by several 20-foot sharks since the goofs on the boat decided to unload a whole bucket of chum for optimal sightseeing purposes.
Some questionable character decisions aside, 47 Meters Plays it smart. While I’m not about to ensure it would hold up to scientific scrutiny, some care has been taken to ground it and make it believable. Characters aren’t just able to miraculously navigate these murky waters without losing their bearings, nor do you expect these two sisters to suddenly engage in superhuman feats to overcome the depths and the beasts lurking within. Pluckiness and resourcefulness can only get them so far since they’re forced to rely on help from above that may or may not even be coming. Each little incident—be it securing a new oxygen tank or wandering out to meet a diver carrying a flashlight—is loaded with dread and tension, if only because there’s an overwhelming sense of helplessness and entrapment.
It’s here that the move to a theatrical release reveals its most obvious benefits. I’m sure it would play fine at home on TV, but 47 Meters Down really thrives on a huge, engrossing screen that allows you to take in the hopelessness of this environment. Depending on the sequence, the ocean either feels claustrophobic or terrifying in its utter vastness; at a certain point no appealing options present themselves, as they’re forced to either wait out being trapped on the ocean floor or risk swimming right through the sharks’ (which are brought to life with convincing CGI, by the way—praise be) territory. Nothing but the ocean stretches out, and viewers are submerged alongside the sisters without being afforded so much as a glimpse of the surface for most of the film. Granted, no one in their right mind would ever find themselves in such a precarious situation, but watching it play out does coax a sense of horrified awe: “just how in the hell are these two ever going to make it out alive?” you wonder as complications continue to mount, adding to the already potent tension.
Whether or not you’re worried all that much for the two characters is debatable. Calling them paper thin is being charitable and asks you to imagine the absolute thinnest sheet of paper possible. Lisa mostly exists as a bundle of desperation seeking a man’s validation, while Kate is the cool, younger sibling who always got all the guys. They’re not in competition, Kate insists during one of the film’s rare character moments that ostensibly exists to add the slightest bit of dimension to these two. It doesn’t really add even the modicum of depth boasted by their analogue in The Shallows, but there’s the faintest of attempts there. Without resorting to the excuse that nobody is here to invest deeply into characters in a killer shark movie (it certainly helps to up the stakes), I’ll insist that there’s just enough here, if only because you’re being asked to root for America’s Sweetheart Mandy Moore in a battle against nature, a premise that was good enough to leave me wincing and grimacing at every gnarly wound or discouraging turn of events she encounters.
Some late plot shenanigans (that I will totally allow since it allows for more wild splatter) aside, 47 Meters Down isn’t out to thrill in exactly the same manner The Shallows did. Where Jaume Collet-Serra injected that film with a slightly cheeky, pulpy verve, Roberts plays things a bit straighter, opting for a more realistic, minimalist approach. It’s more Open Water than it is Shark Night, and that’s fine—for every rollicking A-Side like The Shallows, we perhaps deserve a more restrained, serious B-side like 47 Meters Down. Certainly, we shark enthusiasts deserve something that passes as decent and presentable for theatrical release. I realize that is a low, low bar to clear, and this one does with ease, hopefully in the pursuit of finding a big enough audience to make this Woman vs. Shark showdown an annual (or at least bi-annual) summer tradition.* I’m not sure who might follow the path formed by Blake Livey and Mandy Moore, but I hope there’s a slew of actresses waiting.
*In a perfect world, The Shallows would just become an anthology pitting different isolated women against various aquatic beasts. Or maybe just Blake Lively every time out. I’m not picky.
Average members rating (out of 10) : Not yet rated
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Read more from Angie
Farewell to the world's biggest Banksy
The rat is gone and it won't be back, says hacked off heritage campaigner
Written by Angie Sammons. Published on June 10th 2013.
IT was covered up as an eyesore, in 2008, when the Capital of Culture people didn't know what it was.
Then someone nicked its "machine gun" and, later, it was bought by a pair of nightclub owners who vowed to emulsion over the dirty rat because they didn’t like modern art.
Now the final indignation: Banksy's rat, on the Whitehouse pub, has been decapitated. And, despite assurances by the building’s newest owners that it will be restored, one hacked off heritage campaigner and art dealer says the world’s biggest Banksy is gone forever.
Costa yarn
Six weeks ago, Ascot Properties, who bought the rotting Grade II-listed building at the start of 2011, announced that if the worst came to the worst and the rat had to come down during renovations, they would arrange for local artists to repaint it on to new rendering.
Their comments were sparked after a bogus internet yarn went around claiming the derelict building was to see new life a Costa Coffee. This, in itself, was enough to send the righteous frothing over their lattes. But it was all a storm in a cafetiere and Costa were bemused.
The case of the disappearing rat
Three weeks later, the rat, which appeared during the 2004 Liverpool Biennial, vanished altogether and now only bare brick can be seen.
Ascot announced that the head had been removed by specialist restorers and put into storage. But what it didn't say is if the artwork, with an estimated value of £1m, would ever be back.
Ascot spokesman Stuart Howard said then: “We want to allay any fears that we have just thrown it out. We have been working closely with the city council and have drafted in a specialist restoration team.
“The artwork was in a fairly bad condition, most of the painting which was on wooden panels covering the buildings windows had fallen off as the wood had rotted.
“But we have been assured that it can be restored to its original condition and the pieces have been numbered and taken away to secure storage.”
Today art dealer and heritage campaigner Wayne Colquhoun said Ascot's explanation didn’t wash with him - while the council said it was in the dark as to where the rat's remains might be.
“First of all, the most important part of it is the head - and that was painted on to stucco. This could never be restored to its original condition. They would need rather a lot of Araldite to glue that back together.
Cat? Rat? Machine gun? Lipstick? Marker pen? All present and correct during the time of the Big Dig
“As for retracing it, this artwork – by its very nature – can never be replicated. You can never sum up the spirit of an original.
“The same effect of an artist waiting to be arrested in the dead of night is what gives graffiti art its spirit.
“Destroying an original Banksy to put in its place a copy is beyond a joke. It would be a repro.”
He added: “The boards below may have been saved but will be badly rotted as they were not marine ply and the glue of plywood disintegrates.
“It is gone and a repro is never going to recapture it.”
Wayne Colquhoun: 'You
can never sum up the
spirit of an original'A Liverpool City Council spokesman told Confidential that the Banksy's fate was down to the premises' owners. The buiding was listed in 2004, shortly before the graffiti appeared.
The council classed it as "an unauthorised addition to a listed building", although the spokesman concurred it was “probably much more valuable than the rest of building”.
"The council's involvement in this is that we provided the owners of the building - Ascot property group - with a £307,000 grant under something called the Townscape Heritage Initiative, which was aimed at bringing historical buildings back into use.”
He added: "It's really up to the owners of the property to decide how they are going to deal with the Banksy."
Planning consent for
retail and flatsAscot have planning permission to turn the pub – which they acquired for an undisclosed sum – into ground floor retail with apartments above.
Colquhoun said: “I smell a rat, aided and abetted by Liverpool City Council who need to approve repairs on a listed building, of which this is one, before they are carried out.
“It seems hard to believe that you would do this without consultation to the masses. What is the point of having a planning process?”
“This was a listed building with a famous artwork. You couldn't make it up.”
The city spokesman said that while it does remains interested in the fate of the Banksy, regulations state that the council only has to be satisfied that the work the developers are doing will protect the building itself, in line with its listing.
Nobody from Ascot was available for comment, either by phone today or last Friday when Liverpool Confidential visited their Waterloo offices. An update will be published if and when that changes.
The council that campaigned to bring its Banksy home
Like him or loathe him, Bristol-born Banksy has created a whirlwind.
Some councils are so proud to own his handiwork that they will go to great lengths to keep it on their walls.
Earlier this year, an auction sale of a 4ft by 2ft slab of concrete with a Banksy on it, was put up for sale in a Miami auction room.
Slave LabourSlave Labour, a spray-painted artwork depicting a child making union flag bunting and seen as a critical social commentary on last year's Damond Jubilee, was expected to sell for about $700,000 (£460,000)
It had disappeared from a wall of a Poundland shop in north London.
The auction was halted after a campaign by Haringey councillors made headlines.
The sale was dramatically halted just moments before it was due to go under the hammer.
The artwork attracted so many visitors from across Haringey, London and the UK that at Turnpike Lane Tube station signposts were displayed to show people the way to the painting.
Tweets by Angie Sammons here and Christian Eriksson here
Duke of StreetJune 10th 2013.
I suppose they will say that the building was in bad condition and what could you do. But to put a repro on it just adds insult to injury. Like what might have been. Recreating it is a terrible idea.
TristanJune 10th 2013.
Its symptomatic of our moral bankruptcy that this work has been treated so badly and then when Banksy became 'famous' promoted as heritage or cash-treasure. Lets encourage the next Banksy in this city instead and celebrate the ephemeral nature of streetart instead of always clamping down on spontaneous creativity.
People will be very sad that it has gone
Anthony SchumacherJune 10th 2013.
It's cat.
Or rather... it was.
In which case it should be recreated another 8 times on derelict buildings until it final expires.
Cat StevensJune 11th 2013.
The pub was called 'The White House' because it was a famous, white-painted landmark for more than a century. It was not called "The Whitehouse" after Mrs. Mary Complainingarse.
For a City Council that bangs on about Culture and which has a whole department carrying the name, it seems to have shown little or no interest in such a valuable piece of art.
RattyJune 11th 2013.
The Cavern Club recreated, Casartelli building recreated, Everyman Theatre recreated and Banksy graffiti recreated. It's like some sort of grim Disneyland this city
To be fair, not everything is recreated. Mann Island...desecrated. Josephine Butler House obliterated Sefton Park Meadows due to be devastated Peel Holdings Dined and Feted Liverpool Waters Hallucinated Jobs it will create wildly estimated Hope Street Feast Terminated Local Democracy Exterminated Mayor's decisions Dictated Elected Councillors Asphyxiated Any dissent told to get copulated
Why all the fuss? it was cr@p to begin with. Like something a child would draw. It lacked proportion and was meaningless. When it first went up I thought that looks awful. Good riddance.
Precisely. Why validate the dawbings of a scamming, lucky con man such as this?
No, you mean it was a c*t to begin with
Great how another dodgy developer removes a the world's biggest Banksy and no-one gives a monkeys. It will end up in an auction somewhere. These people aren't stupid.
AnonymousJanuary 19th 2015.
That's exactly what happened - but it didn't sell
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Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Browsing page 1 of words meaning to insult, complain, criticize (77 words total)
The slang words in this thesaurus category appear below the table of contents.
Where does this category appear in the slang thesaurus?
fights, conflict (non-physical)
To expand these results, click one of the above categories.
to insult, complain, criticize
To narrow these results, click one of the following categories:
an insult
to accept insults
See also insults (list of)
What slang words have this meaning?
The definitions of these slang words appear below the list.
all over – ankle biter – backhanded compliment – bad-mouth – bag – bag on – bake – be all over – bitch – bitch out – blast – blaze – bollock – burn – bust balls – bust on – bust (one's) chops – bust (one's) hump – call on – cap – carry – carry on – chew out – clap back – crack – crack on – crap – debo – dis – diss – dog – flack – flame – FML – fry – grief – hack – hate on – hit back – hit back at – joan on – kill – knock – lay into – neg – on (one's) ass – par – punk – rag – ream – reem – ride – rip – rip a new asshole – rubbish – set straight – shaft – shit – shit talking – slag off – slam – slam book – smack – son – take shit – take the piss – talk back – talk shit – talk smack – talk trash – tear into – throw rocks at – trash – trash talk – wank – zinger – zwa
Full definitions of all the slang words listed above:
See be all over.
Citation from "New Car", Up All Night (TV), Season 1 Episode 4 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Brothers and Sisters", Family Guy (TV), Season 9 Episode 15 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
See more words with the same meaning: kissing, make out.
See more words with the same meaning: to insult, complain, criticize.
See more words with the same meaning: to perform with vigor.
Last edited on Oct 25 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Oct 25 2011.
ankle biter
a young child.
Citation from from ABC Newsradio censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
See more words with the same meaning: young person.
Last edited on Apr 10 2010. Submitted by J. C. from Omaha, NE, USA on Mar 09 2005.
people who criticize a position but offer no constructive alternative.
Citation from "Fenty on WAMU-FM: 'I'm the One Making the Tough Decisions'", WashingtonCityPaper.com - City Desk (blog), Mike DeBonis, Apr. 9 2010 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Last edited on Apr 10 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Sep 28 2009.
a small dog.
Citation from "Big love", M - Milwaukee's Lifestyle Magazine, Amy Siewert, April 5 2010 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
See more words with the same meaning: animals (related to).
Last edited on Apr 09 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Apr 09 2010.
a bureaucrat who creates rules about subjects he knows nothing about with the result of inhibiting progress toward worthwhile objectives.
Citation from "Google in the Crosshairs ", The Wall Street Journal, Holman W. Jenkins, Jr., June 8 2012 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
See more words with the same meaning: politics, government (related to).
Last edited on Aug 19 2012. Submitted by Argyles from Bellevue, WA, USA on Jun 09 2012.
a sexual term for a woman who has a preference for a certain position with her ankles next to her head.
She's an ankle biter.
Last edited on Aug 19 2012. Submitted by Anonymous on Jun 10 2012.
An issue or situation which is very irritating or frustrating, not a catastrophe, but more than a mild annoyance; often hyphenated
Citation from Derivation is (probably) an analogy to a small dog that bites. No citation available, but this term has been used often in Boeing Co staff and management meetings. censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
I was late for my deposition this morning...having a flat tire on the way to court was a nasty little ankle-biter.
Last edited on Dec 12 2014. Submitted by OffGrid9 on Dec 12 2014.
backhanded compliment
a "compliment" with a buried insult.
See more words with the same meaning: an insult.
Last edited on Nov 24 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Sep 21 2009.
bad-mouth
to say bad things about another person.
Citation from "S.O.B.s", Arrested Development (TV, 2006), Season 3 Episode 9 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Last edited on Dec 03 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Aug 11 2009.
To acquire. Also 'sack' invented by David 'Deacon' Jones, DE with LA Rams who had many tackles of the QB on passrushes. CopTalk: 'Bag it' to take into evidence, usually in a baggie. CrookTalk: 'Bag man' Carried the briefcase with the loot.
Last edited on Jul 22 2014. Submitted by Anonymous on Jul 22 2014.
one's taste. That is, an activity that one finds appealing.
Nah, man, smoking is not my bag.
That movie last night was not my bag.
See more words with the same meaning: to like, enjoy.
Last edited on Apr 26 1999. Submitted by Mario C. from Elizabeth, NJ, USA on Apr 26 1999.
a (usually small, plastic) bag containing drugs or drug paraphernalia.
What's in the bag, man?
See more words with the same meaning: drug container.
Last edited on Aug 10 2002. Submitted by Anonymous on Aug 10 2002.
a displeasing woman; "hag".
Laura next door is a real old bag.
Citation from "Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater", Family Guy (TV), Season 2 Episode 1 (1999) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
See more words with the same meaning: uncool person, jerk, asshole (general insults - list of).
See more words with the same meaning: woman, women, female.
Last edited on Nov 02 2011. Submitted by Ash L. from Burlingame, CA, USA on Jun 14 2003.
a condom
See more words with the same meaning: condom.
Last edited on Mar 14 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Mar 14 2010.
to lie to; deceive.
You've got to be baggin' me!
See more words with the same meaning: to lie.
Last edited on Dec 16 2011. Submitted by John S. from Phoenix, AZ, USA on Jun 21 1997.
to acquire.
I bagged the job I interviewed for!
Citation from "Acid Queen", Reaper (TV), Season 1 Episode 13 (2008) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
See more words with the same meaning: to have, take, get.
Last edited on Dec 16 2011. Submitted by Kevin H. from Cedar Rapids, IA, USA on Nov 29 2001.
to be caught doing something wrong, or arrested.
John got bagged for stealing last night.
See more words with the same meaning: to arrest.
Last edited on Jan 18 2003. Submitted by Toma D. from Queens, NY, USA on Jan 18 2003.
to discard.
Person A: This CD player is broken.
Person B: Well then, bag it.
See more words with the same meaning: to discard.
Last edited on Jun 13 2004. Submitted by Robert H. from Kingston, PA, USA on Jun 13 2004.
to make fun of.
Last edited on Jun 05 2013. Submitted by Kelvin A. on Aug 27 2004.
The "one's thing" meaning was re-popularized by the Austin Powers movies.
Last edited on May 23 2003. Submitted by Gillian C. on May 23 2003.
bag on
to insult for fun; "make fun of".
Why'd you let him bag on you like that?
Those jerks were bagging on the chess team.
Last edited on Dec 24 2011. Submitted by Kennneth W. from Redwood City, CA, USA on Nov 30 1999.
to flatulate. Also bake brownies.
Stay away from her, she's been baking all day.
Alright, who's baking?
See more words with the same meaning: to flatulate, fart, pass gas.
to insult or make a joke at someone's expense.
Oh, he baked you!
Last edited on Mar 05 2003. Submitted by Sole from Detroit, MI, USA on Mar 05 2003.
of a software fix or repair, to wait a period of time to ensure the fix works as expected before considering it finalized.
Citation from OpenJDK discussion censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
to smoke marijuana.
I just got some weed, wanna bake?
See more words with the same meaning: to smoke marijuana.
Last edited on Dec 22 2010. Submitted by Lurking Grue from University of South Carolina: General Information, 901 Sumter St # 207, Columbia, SC 29201, USA on Dec 22 2010.
be all over
to do something with vigor.
Last edited on Oct 14 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Sep 02 2009.
to criticize, attempt to prosecute, etc.
to grope, make out with, etc.
You were all over some random dude at the bar last night.
the middle seat in the front or back of a vehicle. The term is used most frequently to refer to the back, likely simply because most modern vehicles (especially cars) don't have a middle seat in the front.
You've got to sit bitch.
See more words with the same meaning: vehicles (related to).
Last edited on Apr 19 2013. Submitted by Emily M. from UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA on Jan 13 1998.
the pillion (passenger seat) of a motorcycle. Also, a term of derision among bikers when one must "ride bitch" with another due to breakdown, unavailability of one's own bike, etc. Origin: according to common practice, men usually drive motorcycles and women sit behind the men.
Babycakes rode bitch with Bugs all the way to L.A.
Last edited on Mar 07 2018. Submitted by J. Rogers from Birmingham, AL, USA on Apr 12 1998.
friend, usually used between females. Often used in the possessive, as in "my bitch," as the example sentences show.
You're my bitch.
What's up, my bitches?
Bitches, get your ass over here and sing karaoke with me!
Hey bitch, what's up?
What's poppin', bitch?
See more words with the same meaning: friend, friends.
Last edited on May 06 2013. Submitted by M.R from Canada on Nov 28 1998.
in courtroom lingo in states where there are habitual offender laws, lawyers have taken to shortening "habitualize" to "bitch". Sometimes a count in the charge which falls into this classification is called a "bitch" count.
This charge is going to bitch you.
See more words with the same meaning: the law (related to).
Last edited on Mar 05 1999. Submitted by Ron O. from Denver, CO, USA on Mar 05 1999.
a hassle, chore, or task one doesn't want to perform.
Doing my homework is such a bitch.
Going to work is such a bitch.
Mondays are such a bitch.
See more words with the same meaning: hard, confusing, difficult, a problem.
Last edited on May 09 2013. Submitted by John C. from CA, USA on Jun 20 1999.
a servant, subordinate. Often used in the possessive, as the example sentences show.
Someone dropped a box of files. Get your bitch over here to pick them up.
Speaker: Go make me a sandwich.
Response: I'm not your bitch!
Citation from "Quid Pro Quo", Terriers (TV, 2010), Season 1 Episode 12 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Trust", Wilfred (TV), Season 1 Episode 2 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Chapter 9", Eastbound & Down (TV), Season 2 Episode 3 (2010) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Person 1: Hey bitch, get your ass over here!
Person 2: I'm not your bitch.
See more words with the same meaning: employee, inferior, servant.
Last edited on Apr 25 2013. Submitted by Anonymous from ND, USA on Nov 15 1999.
an inferior. Often used in the possessive, as the example sentences show.
I made him my bitch on the basketball court.
Citation from "Don't Vote for this Episode", Raising Hope (TV), Season 1 Episode 22 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Pilot", The Tick (TV), Season 1 Episode 1 (2001) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Conscience", Wilfred (US TV), Season 1 Episode 6 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
one's unwilling sexual partner, usually referring to male-on-male rape. Usually used in the possessive, as in the example sentence.
I'm gonna make you my bitch!
See more words with the same meaning: sexuality (related to).
Last edited on Nov 15 1999. Submitted by Anonymous from ND, USA on Nov 15 1999.
a well-meaning greeting, usually between men. Also bitch-face.
What's up, bitch?
What's up, bitch-face?
See more words with the same meaning: hello and other greetings.
Last edited on Feb 06 2000. Submitted by Jen from PA, USA on Feb 06 2000.
a weakling or coward. See also bitch out.
Citation from "Love, Bullets and Blacktop", Reaper (TV, 2007), Season 1 Episode 7 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Subway / Pamela", Louie (TV), Season 2 Episode 6 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Damn, that bitch went down hard.
See more words with the same meaning: a coward, wimp, weakling.
Last edited on Apr 25 2013. Submitted by Omar C. from Amityville, NY, USA on Feb 11 2000.
an unpleasant female.
You a bitch... #realtalk.
That girl over there is such a bitch.
Citation from "Dog and Pony", Terriers (TV, 2010), Season 1 Episode 2 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Happy Halloween", Raising Hope (TV, 2010), Season 1 Episode 5 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Sin-Say-Shun Awards Afterparty", Party Down (TV), Season 1 Episode 5 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Jeu Monegasque", Archer (TV), Season 2 Episode 11 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Baby Monitor", Raising Hope (TV), Season 1 Episode 21 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Anger", Wilfred (US TV), Season 1 Episode 8 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
She's an ugly bitch. Nobody likes her.
Raised by enablers, their annoying little princess grew up to become one bratty bitch!
Last edited on Apr 05 2018. Submitted by Shaan K. from Saratoga Springs, NY, USA on Feb 20 2000.
one's female significant other; "girlfriend".
Is that your bitch?
That's my bitch.
That's not my bitch. My bitch is at home.
See more words with the same meaning: boyfriend, girlfriend, boo, significant other.
Last edited on Apr 25 2013. Submitted by Laura from USA on Jun 19 2002.
a U-turn. One usually "flips" a bitch. See flip a bitch.
Aw, man, you missed the turn - flip a bitch!
See more words with the same meaning: driving and driving maneuvers.
Last edited on Oct 04 2002. Submitted by Jason D. from Costa Mesa, CA, USA on Oct 04 2002.
a person who complains frequently.
Stop being a bitch.
See more words with the same meaning: miscellaneous insults (list of).
a general (if derogatory) term to refer to females. See also b.
Damn, there's some hot bitches at the bar tonight!
Citation from "Smoked", Lie To Me (TV, 2010), Season 3 Episode 8 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Might Have Been", Rookie Blue (TV), Season 2 Episode 2 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "100 A.D.", American Dad (TV), Season 6 Episode 1 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Compassion", Wilfred (US TV), Season 1 Episode 9 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Last edited on Oct 25 2011. Submitted by Anonymous on Aug 06 2007.
a general insult.
Citation from "Purple Haze", Eureka (TV), Season 1 Episode 10 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Party Down Company Picnic", Party Down (TV), Season 2 Episode 7 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Fear", Wilfred (TV), Season 1 Episode 3 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
Citation from "Working Late and Working It", Up All Night (TV), Season 1 Episode 3 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
place. Usually used as "this bitch" and especially "up in this bitch".
We need to get some action up in this bitch!
a thing that one has conquered or mastered.
Citation from "Pimp Daddy", Terriers (TV, 2010), Season 1 Episode 9 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
See more words with the same meaning: unspecified item(s), 'stuff', 'thing(s)'.
Last edited on Nov 11 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Nov 11 2010.
an unspecified object; "thing".
Last edited on Nov 04 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Jul 25 2011.
something unpleasant.
Citation from "Goodbye, Michael", The Office (TV, USA), Season 7 Episode 22 (2011) censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
a male who whines excessively.
Last edited on Jan 12 2012. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Jan 12 2012.
feminine guy.
If I wanted a bitch, I'd be a dyke.
a backronym for "being in total control of herself" and "being in total control of himself".
Last edited on Aug 16 2013. Submitted by Jared82CA from San Francisco, CA 94109, USA on Aug 16 2013.
to complain, whine. Also bitch and moan. Implies that the person who is "bitching" does this constantly or is overreacting.
Oh, he's just bitching about his boss.
She's always bitching about people she hates.
Stop your bitching.
Last edited on Mar 07 2018. Submitted by Anonymous on Apr 06 1998.
An acronym has been invented for the term, but long after the term entered use: "Beautiful Intellectuals That Cause Hard-ons."
See more words with the same meaning: acronyms (list of).
Last edited on May 31 2013. Submitted by Yesha from OH, USA on Dec 24 1997.
When used in most of the noun forms, also spelled:
biatch; biotch; beotch; bizatch; biznatch; bisnitch; biznitch; bisnotch; bizo; bizzo; bia.
These alternate pronunciations / spellings are typically not used for the noun forms that deal with vehicles. For example, one would may "sit bitch" but usually wouldn't "sit biznatch".
See more words with the same meaning: alternative spellings or pronunciations (list of).
Last edited on May 14 2011. Submitted by Anonymous on Aug 06 2007.
bitch out
to not do something out of fear; "chicken out".
I knew Tony would bitch out.
My man bitched out.
See more words with the same meaning: afraid, scared.
Last edited on Jan 05 2013. Submitted by Pimp Master from MN, USA on Dec 09 1999.
to back out of an agreement for any reason.
He promised to go with me to the party but at the last minute he bitched out.
See more words with the same meaning: to abandon, leave a person.
Last edited on Nov 04 2004. Submitted by Lauren from New York, NY, USA on Nov 04 2004.
to complain to; yell at.
She got bitched out by her boss.
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References of "Transactions of the American Mathematical Society"
On the eigenvariety of Hilbert modular forms at classical parallel weight one points with dihedral projective image
Deo, Shaunak
in Transactions of the American Mathematical Society (2018), 370(6), 3885-3912
Detailed reference viewed: 293 (19 UL)
Compatible systems of symplectic Galois representations and the inverse Galois problem I. Images of projective representations
Arias De Reyna Dominguez, Sara ; Dieulefait, Luis; Wiese, Gabor
in Transactions of the American Mathematical Society (2017), 369
This article is the first part of a series of three articles about compatible systems of symplectic Galois representations and applications to the inverse Galois problem. In this first part, we determine ... [more ▼]
This article is the first part of a series of three articles about compatible systems of symplectic Galois representations and applications to the inverse Galois problem. In this first part, we determine the smallest field over which the projectivisation of a given symplectic group representation satisfying some natural conditions can be defined. The answer only depends on inner twists. We apply this to the residual representations of a compatible system of symplectic Galois representations satisfying some mild hypothesis and obtain precise information on their projective images for almost all members of the system, under the assumption of huge residual images, by which we mean that a symplectic group of full dimension over the prime field is contained up to conjugation. Finally, we obtain an application to the inverse Galois problem. [less ▲]
Constant mean curvature foliation of domain of dependence in AdS3
Tamburelli, Andrea
in Transactions of the American Mathematical Society (2016)
We prove that, given an acausal curve in the boundary at infinity of Anti-de Sitter space which is the graph of a quasi-symmetric homeomorphism, there exists a foliation of its domain of dependence by ... [more ▼]
We prove that, given an acausal curve in the boundary at infinity of Anti-de Sitter space which is the graph of a quasi-symmetric homeomorphism, there exists a foliation of its domain of dependence by constant mean curvature surfaces with bounded second fundamental form. Moreover, these surfaces provide a family of quasi-conformal extensions of the quasi-symmetric homeomorphism we started with. [less ▲]
Detailed reference viewed: 93 (11 UL)
Spectral synthesis for flat orbits in the dual space of weighted group algebras of nilpotent Lie groups
Ludwig, Jean; Molitor-Braun, Carine ; Poguntke, Detlev
On modular forms and the inverse Galois problem
Dieulefait, Luis; Wiese, Gabor
in Transactions of the American Mathematical Society (2011), 363(9), 4569--4584
In this article new cases of the Inverse Galois Problem are established. The main result is that for a fixed integer n, there is a positive density set of primes p such that PSL_2(F_{p^n}) occurs as the ... [more ▼]
In this article new cases of the Inverse Galois Problem are established. The main result is that for a fixed integer n, there is a positive density set of primes p such that PSL_2(F_{p^n}) occurs as the Galois group of some finite extension of the rational numbers. These groups are obtained as projective images of residual modular Galois representations. Moreover, families of modular forms are constructed such that the images of all their residual Galois representations are as large as a priori possible. Both results essentially use Khare's and Wintenberger's notion of good-dihedral primes. Particular care is taken in order to exclude nontrivial inner twists. [less ▲]
Differentiable conjugacy for groups of area preserving circle diffeomorphisms
Monclair, Daniel
in Transactions of the American Mathematical Society (n.d.)
We study groups of circle diffeomorphisms whose action on the cylinder C=S1×S1∖Δ preserves a volume form. We first show that such a group is topologically conjugate to a subgroup of PSL(2,R), then discuss ... [more ▼]
We study groups of circle diffeomorphisms whose action on the cylinder C=S1×S1∖Δ preserves a volume form. We first show that such a group is topologically conjugate to a subgroup of PSL(2,R), then discuss the existence of a differentiable conjugacy. [less ▲]
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Michael Wombat Week 169: Fallen
Michael Wombat’s Picture Choice: 1
Title: Fallen
The Gray School bell rang for the very last time, and opened its door to the late summer day the way Stacy had opened her heart to James the previous night. They had sat on the school bench out by the trees, shyly held hands, and he had fallen for her like the blue star that had fallen from the night sky above them. They had kissed; proper grown-up kissing, too. Stacy had tasted of strawberry. She had taken his hand and put it on her small breast, but he hadn’t known what to do next. Oh sure, Richie Chester had told him all about how men and women did it, but it all seemed a mite unlikely to James. Not to mention embarrassing, and not at all romantic.
Four sisters and three brothers had educated Stacy in the ways of the world far more extensively than he, but she had given him a stunningly beautiful smile, and told him not to worry. They were probably too young to do more than kiss, anyway. For now, at least. James was more than content, for kissing Stacy was the finest thing he could imagine in the whole wide universe.
As twilight deepened and fireflies commenced to doodle in light, Stacy had gone home as instructed by her father. Mr. Bennett kept a close eye on his daughter, as was only right, and he had told her to be home by nine. James had offered to walk her home, but she had reassured him that it was only a half mile through the trees, and James’ own father would begin to worry if his son stayed out too long after dark. He had watched her disappear into the trees, admiring the sway of her hips, then jumped on his bike and pedalled hard all the way home.
He had found it impossible to concentrate in class today. James had spent most of his time writing Stacy’s name all over his notebook, and thinking about her beguiling lopsided grin. Each minute had seemed like ten, each hour like a day, but now, finally, he was free. He would head over to Stacy’s house now, to see whether Mr. Bennett would allow him to take her out to Cheryl’s Shakes. His mind still spinning with the memory of Stacy’s hair sapphire-lit by the falling star, James stumbled outside with the rest of the students, squinting in the dazzling late-August sun. The hot air buzzed like a fat bee.
A colossal, gnarled hand grabbed his shoulder, the fingers digging painfully into his flesh through his thin checked shirt, and flung him hard against the old tree stump embedded in the school wall.
“What the hell did you do, boy?” Mr. Bennett thrust his furious face close to James’, flecks of spittle spraying from his twisted lips.
“Sir... sorry, sir, I don’t—”
“Shut the fuck up!” Mr. Bennett growled, thrusting the barrel of a shotgun up against James’ nose. “You’ll come with me. Now!”
“Yes, sir. I... of course. But what—” Mr. Bennett shot James a murderous look that stilled his voice, and pushed him towards the trees and the narrow dirt path that ran through the small wood to the Bennetts’ home. James’ stomach felt tight and flippy. He was baffled and terrified. Mr. Bennett was normally so calm, so in control. James had never heard him curse even mildly before, let alone say f... use that word. What could have happened to make him so angry? And what had it to do with James?
Oh God, Stacy. Maybe something had happened to Stacy. He turned to ask Mr. Bennett if she was OK, but the nearby tree trunks distracted him before he could speak. They were scorched, burned charcoal black, but only in a small section between about one and four feet off the ground. Further away from the path the trees were untouched, but those close by had all been subject to intense heat.
They emerged into sunlight once again by the Bennett house. Stacy was standing there, thank goodness, her back to him, her captivating hair lifting slightly in the breeze. James’ heart lifted. She was OK. Thank God she was OK. She turned as she heard them approach, and James’ mouth fell open as his world fell apart.
Stacy was pregnant – hugely pregnant – her distended belly pushing what was clearly one of her mother’s dresses far out in front of her. Her breasts seemed much larger than James remembered from, well, from last night. He gaped at her idiotically. When she saw him she ran to him and threw herself into his arms. He held her as close as he could, as she sobbed against his chest.
“Now boy,” barked Mr. Bennett, “Explain yourself. How’d you do this?”
“Papa, I’ve told you!” Stacy cried, “It wasn’t James! We’ve never... we’ve never...” She looked up into James’ eyes for help.
“We’ve never made love,” James said, trying to read her expression. All he saw was confusion and fear.
“Don’t give me that crap,” Mr. Bennett snarled. “I know boys like you. You’re only after one thing. You’re slaves to your dicks and your filthy thoughts. Now I don’t know how you managed to make this happen overnight – maybe it’s some modern thing you got out of those damned comic books or those god-awful movies you kids like about giant ants or Martian invasions. I don’t much care, frankly – but you will do right by my girl.”
“Papa, it wasn’t James. I left him last night at nine, like you’d said.”
“You got in at ten thirty,” her father told her. “Ninety minutes to walk half a mile? Then you went straight up without even coming through to apologise for your lateness! What’s this horny bastard been doing to you?”
“Papa, don’t. I told you, something crazy’s happening. I was walking home through the trees and then – Lord knows – then there was a bright blue light. The next thing I know I’m waking up in bed this morning like... like this.”
“Mr. Bennett, sir,” James faced the confused, angry man who was pointing a shotgun at him, and hoped that the honesty of his words would show in his face. “I’m sorry, but I have no idea what’s going on here. I’ve only ever treated Stacy with respect. Sir, please, I... I love her.” He looked Stacy in the eyes, those deep beautiful eyes. “I love you.”
She smiled and tears rimmed her eyes. Encouraged, he continued “and whatever this is – whatever is going on – I will stand with you and protect you and look after you and stuff.”
“Oh, James,” she sniffed. Her smile made his chest swell. His skin tingled where it touched hers, and his feet felt wet. Why were his feet wet?
“Oh James!” Stacy cried, “Lord, I think my waters broke!”
“Your what did what?” James squeaked, wide-eyed in panic.
“The baby’s coming! It’s coming now!”
“Nope! Stop that nonsense, girl. Babies never come that quick,” Mr. Bennett said firmly. “Well, except in bad movies and crap stories.”
“Then maybe this is a crap story, Papa, because I tell you it’s a-coming! It’s coming NOW! Aaaaaah!”
Stacy got down on the lawn on all fours, helped by James. Mr. Bennett flapped his hands, looking lost. He would be no help at all.
“What should I do?” he asked Stacy, though part of him was desperate to run and hide.
“James, you’re going to have to help the baby out,” Stacy gasped, trying to catch her breath.
“How? How does it happen?”
“Remember when your dog had puppies? Like that.”
“I closed my eyes! It was icky!”
“Well you’re going to have to keep them open now!” Stacy pulled up the dress, baring her backside and parted legs. Blue liquid ran down her thighs.
“Stacy Bennett!” roared her father.
“Papa, we ain’t got time for embarrassment. This baby’s a-coming fast. James, if you love me, keep your eyes open and DON’T DROP IT!”
“This can’t be happening,” wailed Mr. Bennett, dropping his shotgun on the ground.
James looked between Stacy’s legs, a thing he had never even dreamed have doing. From between her plump thighs a slippery round thing protruded. He put his hand gently under the head, and with the other prepared to catch the small body as it came out. The baby slid out of Stacy like eggs from a pan, then it was safe in James’ hands, covered in blue gunk, but breathing. He cradled it securely, supporting the ass and the head.
“James, you have to cut the cord,” Stacy panted.
“Um, there ain’t one,” he said. “Look.”
Stacy turned and sat on the grass. James sat beside her and laid her child in her arms. He put his own arm round her shoulders, protectively.
“Oh, look, Papa!” she laughed. “Isn’t it beautiful? Look at its tiny horns!” She stroked her new child’s wriggling tentacles and it gazed up at her with lidless red eyes. “I think we should call it Colin.”
Colin roared in approval, and reached up with his tail to stroke his mother’s hair.
Several Twitter chums all influenced this story. My thanks to @flcro, @rachaelkanute, @ekctafc, @landladycheryl, @captain_doodle, @SBennettwrites, @LEJamez and especially to my eternal muse @KJCollard.
Michael Wombat has published several books - search for him on Amazon, or go talk to him on Twitter where he is @wombat37.
Labels: Michael Wombat
Laura James September 28, 2015 at 11:05 AM
Brilliant, and naming the child 'colin' is just inspired. X
Miranda Kate September 28, 2015 at 12:44 PM
Interesting story, but I seem to be missing the punchline. As always good writing.
SJ Maylee Week 169: Fire & Ice
Denise Callaway Week 168: Archaic Practices
Lizzie Koch Week 168: The Promise
Laura James Week 138: The Fiddler
KendallJaye Collard Week 167: Death of the Small T...
Kimberly Gould Week 167: Turning Leaf
Michael Wombat Week 166: The Road Warrior
Mark Ethridge Week 166: Hunting
Denise Callaway Week 166: Set in Stone
Lizzie Koch Week 166: Ramblings From a Macabre Min...
Laura James Week 166: Parasites of the Death Indus...
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Home » TV »
CBC, Netflix commission Alias Grace
The adaptation of Margaret Atwood's 1996 novel of the same name will be produced by Sarah Polley (pictured) and Halfire Entertainment.
CBC is going into business with Netflix, co-commissioning Alias Grace, a six-part miniseries written and produced by Sarah Polley and Halfire Entertainment.
The series, an adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s 1996 novel of the same name, is an hour-long drama based on the real-life case of two servants convicted of murdering their employer and his housekeeper. It is scheduled to film at Toronto’s Revival Studios from August to November.
Polley has long been interested in adapting Alias Grace for the screen, optioning the novel in January 2012. However, Polley initially intended to turn Atwood’s novel into a feature film – even securing script development funding through the Harold Greenberg Fund in 2013 – before finally deciding on the hour-long, six-part format.
She was also originally attached to the project as a potential director, however as the property migrated from film to TV so too did the director remit, with acclaimed TV and feature director Mary Harron (The Moth Diaries, American Psycho) now tapped for the director’s chair. Executive producers on the project are Harron, Halpern, and Polley, who produces alongside D.J. Carson.
The series will make its world broadcast premiere on CBC, while the Netflix rollout is still to be determined. WME | IMG negotiated the Netflix sale on behalf of Halfire.
The announcement comes one month after CBC greenlit an animated remake of another Atwood-penned property, The Wide World of Wandering Wenda.
Toronto- and L.A.-based Halfire, helmed by president Noreen Halpern, recently went into production on Aftermath, a 13-part drama greenlit by Space and Syfy. The Vancouver-shot series went to camera last month, and is showrun by William Laurin and Glenn Davis.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
Halfire Entertainment, Netflix, Noreen Halpern, Sarah Polley
Gusto sells 190 hours of programming to Z Living Network
Hot Sheet: Top 30 TV programs, July 1 to 7, 2019
Schitt’s Creek shines with four Emmy nominations
Family Feud, Blades get premiere dates as CBC cements fall schedule
Crave original comedy New Eden goes to camera
2019 WIFTV Spotlight Awards Gala - Meeshelle Neal (pictured) and Jax Smith shared this year\'s Matrix Production Image Award.
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Batman: The Court of Owls Saga (DC Essential Edition)
Written by Scott Snyder
Illustrated by Greg Capullo
6.6"W x 10.13"H x 0.51"D (16.8 x 25.7 x 1.3 cm) | 21 oz (608 g) | 22 per carton
On sale Sep 11, 2018 | 320 Pages | 978-1-4012-8433-6
Sales rights: World
Fiction > Graphic Novels & Manga
Hidden for years, a secret organization known as the Court of Owls suddenly surfaces in Gotham City. But why? As Batman begins to unravel the deadly mystery, he discovers a conspiracy going back to his youth and beyond to the origins of the city he's sworn to protect. Could the Court of Owls, once thought to be nothing more than an urban myth, be behind the never-ending crime and corruption in Gotham? Or is Bruce Wayne losing his grip on sanity and falling prey to the pressures of being Batman?
From writer Scott Snyder (Dark Nights: Metal) and artist Greg Capullo comes a brooding tale of shadow societies and long-forgotten family secrets. Collects Batman #1-11 along with a generous amount of bonus material, including a brand new cover illustrated by Greg Capullo!
The DC Essential Edition series highlights the best standalone stories the medium has to offer, featuring comics' greatest characters. Batman: The Court of Owls Saga is a seminal, groundbreaking tale for Batman that transcends the printed page. For new readers and longtime fans, this is a definitive entry point to the DC Universe's vast library. Start with the Essentials.
"Scott Snyder has reinvented Batman… deepening and humanizing the Dark Knight's myth -- in the making since 1939 -- like no one since Frank Miller in the 1980s."--The New York Times
"Greg Capullo's masterful art continues to bring Snyder's words to life."--Craveonline
"One of the best Batman runs in the history of the character."--IGN
"This is a clever and sophisticated Batman--with a dark, edgy, and thought-provoking narrative. Readers will find it hard to put down." --Publisher's Weekly
“A+. The hero's got personality a horde of supervillains, gumption to spare and a whole host of high-tech gadgetry to suitably impress longtime fans and those new to the Dark Knight.” —USA Today
“Writer Scott Snyder pulls from the oldest aspects of the Batman myth, combines it with sinister-comic elements from the series’ best period, and gives the whole thing terrific forward-spin by setting up an honest-to-gosh mystery for Batman to solve.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Snyder knows these characters, sets up an intriguing mystery, and delivers some action that Capullo realizes stunningly.” —The Onion/AV Club
“Hits all the right notes. I enjoyed the living hell out of this.” —io9
Scott Snyder is a #1 New York Times best-selling writer and one of the most critically acclaimed scribes in all of comics. His works include Batman, All-Star Batman, Batman: Eternal, Superman Unchained, American Vampire, and Swamp Thing. He has also been published in Zoetrope, Tin House, One Story, Epoch, Small Spiral Notebook, and other journals, and has a short story collection, Voodoo Heart, which was published by Dial Press. He teaches at Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence University and lives in New York with his wife, Jeanie, and his son, Jack Presley. Learn more about Scott Snyder
Greg Capullo is a self-taught Illustrator and the current artist on the best-selling and highly acclaimed Batman series for DC Comics. Prior to that, he was best known for his 80 issue run on Image Comics' Spawn, created by Todd McFarlane. Other popular comics work includes Marvel Comics’ X-Force and Quasar (as well as a slew of one-shot titles). He is also the creator of The Creech, a Sci-Fi/Horror comic published by Image Comics. Greg has provided art for Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft, contributed lead character designs for the award-winning HBO animated Spawn series, was the cover artist for many popular musical groups including Korn and Disturbed, and worked behind the scenes on many projects ranging from toy design to video games for TME. Learn more about and and Greg Capullo
Greg Capullo is a self-taught Illustrator and the current artist on the best-selling and highly acclaimed Batman series for DC Comics. Prior to that, he was best known for his 80 issue run on Image Comics' Spawn, created by Todd McFarlane. Other popular comics work includes Marvel Comics’ X-Force and Quasar (as well as a slew of one-shot titles). He is also the creator of The Creech, a Sci-Fi/Horror comic published by Image Comics. Greg has provided art for Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft, contributed lead character designs for the award-winning HBO animated Spawn series, was the cover artist for many popular musical groups including Korn and Disturbed, and worked behind the scenes on many projects ranging from toy design to video games for TME. Learn more about and and and Greg Capullo
Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo
6-5/8 x 10-3/16
DC Year of the Villain Omnibus
Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Brian Michael Bendis
$99.99 US $130.99 CAN
7-1/16 x 10-7/8
Justice League by Scott Snyder Book One Deluxe Edition
Scott Snyder, Jim Cheung
Batman by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo Omnibus Vol. 1
$125.00 US $163.00 CAN
Batman: Eternal Omnibus
Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Tim Seeley
Scott Snyder, Jock
Justice League Vol. 3: Hawkworld
Scott Snyder, Jorge Jimenez
6-5/8 x 10-13/16
Absolute Batman: The Black Mirror
Scott Snyder, Jock, Francesco Francavilla
8-1/8 x 12-1/4
Swamp Thing: Protector of the Green
Scott Snyder, Yanick Paquette
Justice League Vol. 2: Graveyard of Gods
Scott Snyder, James IV Tynion, Jorge Jimenez, Jim Cheung
Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth
Dan Abnett, Scott Snyder
Dark Nights: Metal: Dark Knights Rising
Grant Morrison, Peter J. Tomasi, Scott Snyder, Francis Manapul
Scott Snyder, Steve Orlando, Riley Rossmo
Dark Days: The Road to Metal
Scott Snyder, Jim Lee, Andy Kubert, John Romita Jr.
New Challengers (New Age of Heroes)
Scott Snyder, Aaron Gillespie, Andy Kubert
Justice League Vol. 1: The Totality
Scott Snyder, James Tynion, Jorge Jimenez, Jim Cheung
Batman: Gates of Gotham Deluxe Edition
Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins
American Vampire Omnibus Vol. 1
Scott Snyder, Stephen King, Rafael Albuquerque
Action Comics #1000: The Deluxe Edition
Geoff Johns, Scott Snyder, Tom King, Brian Michael Bendis, Olivier Coipel
7-1/16 x 10-7/16
Justice League: No Justice
Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, James Tynion, Francis Manapul, Marcus To
All-Star Batman Vol. 3: The First Ally
Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque
Batman by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo Box Set 3
Batman & the Signal
Scott Snyder, Tony Patrick, Cully Hammer
Dark Nights: Metal: Deluxe Edition
All Star Batman Vol. 3: The First Ally
All Star Batman Vol. 2: Ends of the Earth
Batman Unwrapped: Death of the Family
Batman Noir: The Court of Owls
A Very DC Rebirth Holiday
Paul Dini, Scott Snyder, Tom King, Neal Adams, David Finch
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What Is an Attack on Education?
What International Laws Are Violated?
What Is the Impact?
Goals & Recommendations
Field Programs and Policies
Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use
Protecting Higher Education from Attack
GCPEA Publications
Safe Schools Declaration and Guidelines
Safe Schools Declaration
Safe Schools Declaration Endorsements
Education under Attack
Education under Attack 2018
GCPEA
Protecting Education Newsletter, November 2015
To read the full Newsletter, please click here.
Ahead of the third year anniversary of the Pakistani Taliban’s shooting of schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai in a violent reaction to her commitment to girls’ education, GCPEA convened a workshop in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 5-7, 2015, to examine progress in protecting schools, students, and teachers from such targeted attacks.
The Workshop on Promising Practices in Protecting Education from Attack gathered over 75 education and protection stakeholders working for Ministries of Education, UN agencies, and local and international NGOs in more than 13 countries affected by attacks, to discuss measures for protecting education and to consider how these approaches could be adapted to different contexts.
A local NGO discussed how in the Nuba region of Sudan they have constructed schools under grass roofs to make them less visible to aerial bombers, and have dug out foxholes near schools for students to hide in during these attacks. Pakistani Ministry of Education representatives from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa described an SOS system they have launched where one click of a button sends SMS alerts to up to ten police stations to prevent or respond to attacks. An NGO in South Sudan explained how they led negotiations with armed groups to vacate schools they used as bases by engaging with community leaders, and opening non-confrontational channels of communication.
Teams of country delegations developed action plans on how they would adapt these measures, or others learned at the Workshop, to their own context and GCPEA will seek to support them in this process.
In addition to these national-level measures to safeguard education in conflict, a global movement is underway to take concrete action to prevent and respond to attacks. The Safe Schools Declaration was opened for endorsement at the Oslo Conference on Safe Schools on May 29, 2015. To date, 51 countries have signed on to it, including many affected by attacks on education, such as Afghanistan, Kenya, and Nigeria.
The Declaration commits signatory states to protect education by improving monitoring and reporting of attacks, assisting victims, investigating attacks, prosecuting perpetrators, and introducing conflict sensitive approaches to education, amongst other measures recommended in GCPEA’s report Education under Attack 2014. The Declaration also commits states to endorse and use the Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use During Armed Conflict. Our recent report, Lessons in War 2015, shows that military use of schools occurred in 26 countries between 2005 and 2015: the majority of countries in conflict in the last decade.
As Malala’s father and UN Special Advisor on Global Education, Ziauddin Yousafzai, said at the Oslo Conference in May, attacks on and military use of schools cannot continue:
"We have to have the moral courage to accept that what has been done to our children in the last 10 years - what has been done to our schools - is unacceptable. It must be changed now. And we should have the moral courage to provide national endorsement to the Safe Schools Declaration."
Initiatives at both the global and local levels give us hope that there may now be sufficient moral courage amongst a critical mass of actors to effect change and make a real difference in the lives of students, educators, and entire communities in conflict zones around the world.
Diya Nijhowne
Director, Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack
Strengthening Monitoring and Reporting of Attacks on Education
Global Coalition to Protect
Education from Attack
Secretariat Office
T: +01.212.377.9446
Email: gcpea@protectingeducation.org
© 2019 Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack
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Summer fair main attractions
Having a headline attraction at your summer fair is a great way to pull in the punters. There's an array of weird and wonderful ideas out there, but here are a few of our favourites!
A circus makes a great attraction, whether you have acres of school field or not. Circus providers will come and inspect the space available and tell you what they can make possible. Ensure you sell tickets in advance - this will give you an idea of how much money you can expect to raise, and will cover your costs, even if rain on the day keeps people at home. For a whole host of circus providers, visit our Suppliers' Directory.
Burn off energy and bring out the competitive side of your school cohort by hiring a mobile climbing wall. Climb Vertigo have four mobile rock climbing walls to choose from, plus they provide all safety equipment and a qualified instructor nationwide. A similar company, Vertical Xtreme, have four colour-coded, independent climbs, which allows four people to climb at the same time. Suitable for novices and experts alike, and for children as young as five, so there's something for everyone. They too provide all necessary safety equipment and tuition from trained experts. For a different side to climbing, why not hire highlineadventure.co.uk - who not only provide normal climbing walls, but also mobile ice climbing walls. The climber is geared up in a helmet with a full ice visor for protection and a pair of ice axes which are attached to the climber by wrist loops for safety. The climber ascends the wall using the ice axes in specially designed holes. The children will love to have a go on this, as it is just a little bit different!
NOTE: While climbing walls should be covered by your PTA insurance, it is classed as a hazardous activity, so you will need to complete a risk assessment for cover to apply. Contact your insurance provider for more information.
Inflatable outdoor fun
When hosting your main summer attraction outside, you want it to be bright, bold, beautiful, and most of all... fun! The inflatable items for hire at simplythebestevents.co.uk are certainly that. From human table football, to gladiator duals, to zorbing, there is something for every age. Simply The Best Events also provide package options where you can have a selection of attractions, making your event even bigger and better (and easier to organise and supervise). For example, one of their package deals includes a giant bouncy castle, an inflatable slide, a soft play area with ball pond, a bungee run, a funfair side stall with 50 prizes, three event crew to deliver, install and supervise, all power requirements, public liability insurance and health and safety documents, all for £1864. Bargain!
Vintage carousel
Hiring a traditional horse carousel makes an excellent centrepiece for any school summer event. With the tinkling music resonating through the school grounds, it's the perfect backdrop for a beautiful, summer's day. We think it would fit beautifully into a 'traditional country fayre'; and why not continue the theme with other vintage stalls such as skittles and a coconut shy? Events With A Difference will 'travel miles for smiles'!
A fantastic way to drum up the crowds is through a falconry event. The Falconry Centre brings a selection of hawks, falcons, owls, eagles or vultures to your event. These beautiful displays are not only entertaining but also informative. The cost for a day is £310 +VAT (plus travel expenses if they need to travel further than 50 miles - they are based in the West Midlands). The birds can perform two flying displays during the day. The Falconry Centre holds a current zoo license, which means they have full public liability insurance. All their birds are legally, captively bred and each professional falconer holds a performing animals license and animal transportation licences. If you need to hold your summer fair indoors, then they also do indoor displays, where let you get up close and personal with the birds!
It's a knockout!
Nicki Wisniewski ran a Knockout Challenge as the headline attraction at the school summer fair
'We try to ensure that our families enjoy fundraising in different ways. So when someone on the committee suggested giant inflatables, water and soap bubbles, we couldn't resist! We discovered the Knockout Challenge company (knockout-challenge.co.uk), an established company with trained staff, who offered an inflatable obstacle course for children.
We chose the bronze option at £2,580. This included a series of seven fun challenges, including a 'bubble pit' where children had to jump into a pit filled with bubbles and retrieve their team's coloured balls, and the 'slide of doom' where competitors had to negotiate a two-sided inflatable slide while collecting rubber rings. Our It's a Knockout challenge was born! The competition was open to children aged between five and 13 years.
Children formed teams and chose their name, outfit and mascot. We charged £16 for a family ticket (two adults, two children) and sold extra tickets at £6 (adults) and £4 (children). The children were encouraged to seek sponsorship too. Teams won points for their performance in the challenges, their outfits and for overall sportsmanship. The winning teams (we split the competition by age group) were awarded a trophy and individual medals. On the day we had a burger and sausage BBQ, soft drinks and Pimm's as well as tea, coffee and cake. There was a bouncy castle for younger siblings and craft stalls for parents. The event was popular and well attended. We had 40 teams and made £4,000 profit.
Due to the success of the event, we have now made it a regular fixture. The company provided us with their risk assessments to add to our own. St John's Ambulance and our own welfare officer were in attendance and the staff from the Knockout Challenge company were all first-aid trained. The day was a huge success - it's the kind of event that even the rain cannot spoil although when the sun shines, there is nothing better than hurtling down a huge inflatable slide towards a water canon!'
Nicki Wisniewski, chair, Hazelwood Parents' Association, Surrey (334 pupils)
Find suppliers of inflatables in our directory
NOTE: You must ensure that all third party suppliers have their own public liability insurance - ask for a copy of this prior to your event. Check your PTA insurance to see whether any other stipulations apply.
We're always eager to hear about other PTA successes, so please email your stories to editorial@pta.co.uk
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Mr. Robot Season 1 Episode 1
Turn off light Favorite NextComments () Report
Elliot, a cyber-security engineer by day and vigilante hacker by night, is recruited by a mysterious underground group to destroy the firm he’s paid to protect. Elliot must decide how far he’ll go to expose the forces he believes are running (and ruining) the world.
Serie: Mr. Robot
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Guest Star: Ben Rappaport, Bruce Altman, Frankie Shaw, Gloria Reuben, Michael Gill, Sunita Mani
Episode Title: eps1.0_hellofriend.mov
A gangster family epic set in 1919 Birmingham, England and centered on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their fierce boss Tommy Shelby,…
After landing from a turbulent but routine flight, the crew and passengers of Montego Air Flight 828 discover five years have passed in what seemed like a few hours. As…
44,60 min
Vikings follows the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok, the greatest hero of his age. The series tells the sagas of Ragnar’s band of Viking brothers and his family, as he rises…
Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama
After a teenage girl’s perplexing suicide, a classmate receives a series of tapes that unravel the mystery of her tragic choice.
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Twenty years after graduation, a tight-knit group of college friends reconnects and discovers that love hasn’t gotten easier with age.
Set in present day Washington, D.C., House of Cards is the story of Frank Underwood, a ruthless and cunning politician, and his wife Claire who will stop at nothing to…
After a particle accelerator causes a freak storm, CSI Investigator Barry Allen is struck by lightning and falls into a coma. Months later he awakens with the power of super…
Marvel’s Daredevil
Lawyer-by-day Matt Murdock uses his heightened senses from being blinded as a young boy to fight crime at night on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen as Daredevil.
Twenty-four-year-old Kara Zor-El, who was taken in by the Danvers family when she was 13 after being sent away from Krypton, must learn to embrace her powers after previously hiding…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction
A contemporary and culturally resonant drama about a young programmer, Elliot, who suffers from a debilitating anti-social disorder and decides that he can only connect to people by hacking them….
An American anthology police detective series utilizing multiple timelines in which investigations seem to unearth personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within or outside the law.
A financial adviser drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder $500 million in five years to appease a drug boss.
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Walk Like a Panther
A group of 1980s wrestlers are forced to don the lycra once last time when their beloved local pub is threatened with closure.
Director: Dan Cadan
Actors: Dave Johns, Jason Flemyng, Jill Halfpenny, Julian Sands, Lena Headey, Stephen Graham, Stephen Tompkinson
On the rocky path to sobriety after a life-changing accident, John Callahan discovers the healing power of art, willing his injured hands into drawing hilarious, often controversial cartoons, which bring…
The tables are turned as four teenagers are sucked into Jumanji’s world – pitted against rhinos, black mambas and an endless variety of jungle traps and puzzles. To survive, they’ll…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved ones, three lifelong pals risk it all by embarking on a daring bid to knock off the very bank…
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting race through the Forbidden Forest leading…
The Little Vampire 3D
Based on the characters from the bestselling novels by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg, tells the story of Rudolph, a thirteen year old vampire, whose clan is threatened by a notorious vampire hunter….
Country: Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, UK
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction
Life for a single mom in Los Angeles takes an unexpected turn when she allows three young guys to move in with her.
Rebellious, quick-witted Erica Vandross is a 17-year-old firecracker living with her single mom, Laurie, and her mom’s new boyfriend, Bob, in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley. When Bob’s mentally unbalanced son,…
Teddy Walker is a successful salesman whose life takes an unexpected turn when he accidentally blows up his place of employment. Forced to attend night school to get his GED,…
Genre: Comedy, Featured
When Elliot, a brash 23-year-old living carefree in New York City, meets the sensible Mia and receives a damning diagnosis all in the same week, his world is turned completely…
The Toxic Avenger: The Musical
Based on Lloyd Kaufman’s cult 1984 comedy film, The Toxic Avenger The Musical tells the story of the citizens of Tromaville who are crying out for a hero. Enter nerdy…
Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction
Succede
Glossary of Broken Dreams
Puppets! Pixels! Anime! Live action! Stock footage! Lumpennerd Johannes Grenzfurthner gives an ideotaining cinematic revue about important political concepts. Everyone is talking about freedom! Privacy! Identity! Resistance! The Market! The…
Country: Austria, USA
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Documentary, History
Trailer: Walk Like a Panther
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The 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident caused major radioactive pollution in the area, and Japanese scientists are still gathering the data to fully determine the impact of radioactive contamination on wildlife in the area. There is no doubt that the total impact was huge as the large quantity of radioactivity has been released into the atmosphere, and scientists now also need to come up with the fast solutions to reduce the effects of radioactive pollution in Fukushima area.
There is one latest study by the Japanese scientists from the University of Tsukuba that has gathered plenty of attention. In this study the researchers named seventeen microalgae, aquatic plants and algae species that are able to efficiently remove radioactive cesium, iodine and strontium from the environment.
Adding these species in the equation together with existing bioremedial options could help decrease the effets of radioactive pollution in the Fukushima area.
The researchers have also reported that the amount of water polluted with radioactive elements is increasing at daily level because of the continuous injection of cool water and the incurrent of underground water into the still defective reactor.
The researchers are convinced that using these algae species could help decontaminate highly polluted water stored in Fukushima's nuclear reactor building because these algae species have the ability to accumulate cesium on its cell surface.
Before actually using these algae species the researchers need further studies on the mass cultivation and efficient coagulation though they are convinced that using algae species could be one of the most important solutions to decrease the effects of radioactive pollution in the Fukushima area.
Labels: radioactive pollution
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Over EFG
Deelnemende Archieven
Andere Deelnemers
Aanleveren van Content
Virtuele tentoonstelling
Mijn EFG
Multilingual Ja Nee (only Keywords)
De toegangspoort tot films, afbeeldingen en teksten van geselecteerde collecties van 37 filmarchieven uit heel Europa
Filmarchiv Austria: Saturn Collection
>> View collection Between 1906 and 1910, Saturn, a Vienna-based company, produced a number of erotic films, which were the first fiction films produced in a continuous manner in the Habsburg Empire. Saturn produced films with erotic content only – and that was how it advertised itself in different trade publications, publicizing its films in a printed catalogue, very similar to the French Pathé productions, which Saturn sometimes remade in an adult manner.
Detailed description provided by the archive:
An examination of the media history of erotic films and pornography reveals interesting trends in the world of film. Since the era of silent film, pornographic films have not only produced genuine successful titles, but have also imitated the concepts, logics, and narratives of well-known mainstream films. These kinds of imitations play out as a form of interrelationship which in turn affects so-called “adult remakes”. This effect would also be true for the films of the Austrian production company Saturn Film, which were linked to some extent to similar French productions of that period. Between 1906 and 1910, Saturn, a Vienna-based company, produced a number of erotic films, which were the first fiction films produced in a continuous manner in the Habsburg Empire. Saturn produced films with erotic content only – and that was how it advertised itself in different trade publications, publicizing its films in a printed catalogue, very similar to the French Pathé productions, which Saturn sometimes remade in an adult manner. All the preserved titles of the Saturn film company have recently been restored and released on DVD with an accompanying book by Filmarchiv Austria. The whole collection will also be made availabe through the EFG and EUROPEANA (www.europeana.eu).
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Social Media Mind Changing Business PDF A0a437688
May 10, 2019 September 29, 2018 preamp
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