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Commercial Division Dismisses Antitrust Defenses to Breach of Contract Claim
Categories: Breach of Contract
by Stephen P. Younger on September 23, 2016
Although defenses based on antitrust law are usually disfavored in breach of contract actions, they are permitted when an agreement on its face would require actions violating antitrust law. On September 20, 2016, in Time Warner Cable Enters. LLC v. Universal Communications Network, Inc., 652407/2015, 2016 BL 316191 before Justice Oing the Commercial Division found that cable distribution agreements requiring a company to pay to have its channel carried in additional markets are not invalid on their face.
The lawsuit involves a “Channel Lease Agreement” between Time Warner Cable (“TWC”) and Universal Communications (“Universal”) pursuant to which Universal’s Chinese language channel, New Tang Dynasty, would be carried by TWC in Los Angeles, Hawaii, and New York. Universal paid $35,000 at the start of the agreement in January 2014, but paid nothing after that. As a result, TWC sued Universal for breach of contract or quantum meruit. Universal asserted a defense based upon TWC’s “significant [or] dominant” market share in New York.[i] Universal alleged that TWC would not carry the New Tang Dynasty channel in New York unless Universal paid for Hawaii and Los Angeles as well. According to Universal, this tying arrangement violated the Sherman Act and the agreement was therefore unenforceable.
Universal relied on Big Top Stores, Inc. v. Ardsley Toy Shoppe, Ltd., 64 Misc. 2d 894 (Sup. Ct., Westchester County 1970). The defendant in Big Top was required to purchase 90% of its inventory from the plaintiff. On inventory purchased from elsewhere, the defendant was required to pay the plaintiff 15% of the cost of those purchases. The Big Top court dismissed the plaintiff’s complaint, agreeing with the defendant that the agreement had an unlawful tying arrangement.
The Court rejected the analogy to Big Top, pointing instead to American Broadcasting-Paramount Theaters, Inc. v. American Mfrs. Mutual Insurance Co., 42 Misc. 2d 939 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1963). American Broadcasting held that an agreement requiring the defendant to pay to advertise on 130 stations, including 35 on which it did not want to advertise, did not violate antitrust law on its face.
Accordingly, the affirmative defenses asserting unenforceability based on antitrust law were dismissed. The Court’s decision reinforces that antitrust defenses may be raised in a lawsuit alleging a breach of contract but that they will only stand if a judgment would otherwise make the courts a facilitator of one of the restraints forbidden by antitrust law.
[i] 2016 BL 316191, *1.
Stephen P. Younger
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Playing for Peace: South Sudan
By Gale Julius Dada
Despite a horrific civil war dividing the people of South Sudan, nearly 400 athletes just participated in a week-long peacebuilding event.
Young South Sudanese athletes from around the country participated in a national sports competition from January 27 to February 4 to promote peace. Athletes under the age of 20 competed in the government-run event, playing football, volleyball, and competing in field events.
"Sport can bring peace because in football there's no one – there's no tribe there, people cannot be separate," said athlete Emmanuel Tobi. "In football, people can be together."
Athlete Sarah Adeng agreed. "As we are there, in the compound, we just see ourselves as brothers and sisters,” Ms Adeng said. "We don't see ourselves as coming from different regions – I just see myself, we are just in one country – a peaceful country."
South Sudan’s Minister of Education Deng Deng Hoc Yai stressed the need for unity in his speech at the competition.
"We have seen how happy we can be together – and this is a great thing,” Mr Hoc Yai said. “We can always be happy if we choose to be happy, so unity is very important."
"One day peace can come to South Sudan,” said athlete Melo Ateny, “but peace is going - the way that peace is going to come - we must be together as South Sudanese, we must put our aims together, stick together, talk together, eat together as South Sudanese. We can forget we are [from different tribes] then peace can come."
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General David Shearer also addressed the crowd, emphasizing what the athletes participating represent for the war-torn country. the event. "[It’s] an opportunity for people form right across the country – youth, and future leaders – to play and engage and remind ourselves that we are here for a greater purpose, and that is to seek harmony, peace, and prosperity in South Sudan."
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Pelican Products, Inc. Super Sizes With The Rugged Pelican 150QT and 250QT Elite Coolers
Pelican Products, Inc. has introduced the Pelican 150QT and 250QT Elite Coolers, to compliment the line that includes 35QT, 45QT, 65QT and 95QT models.
“Engineered with the legendary durability that only Pelican can claim, these new larger capacity coolers are perfect for all manner of adventures from extended pleasure cruises, multi-day hunting excursions, or long run commercial fishing trips on rough seas,” said Lyndon Faulkner, President and CEO of Pelican Products, Inc.
Built for maximum capacity and preserving perishables for extended periods of time, the newest Elite Coolers hold up to 150 and 250 U.S. liquid quarts. Marine-friendly features include a sloped internal bottom, tethered drain cap with a garden hose ready fitting and an integrated fish length scale on the lid. Molded-in tie-downs and non-skid, non-marking raised feet are also featured. Both new models also include logistically friendly forklift pockets while the 250QT has additional molded-in grab handles on the front and back for easier team lifting.
All Elite Coolers are built tough to exacting standards and are engineered with rugged polymer exterior walls that feature an industry-leading 2” polyurethane foam core, allowing them to preserve ice for up to 10 days. Additional advanced features include secure press and pull latches, a freezer-grade o-ring seal and multiple handle configurations for easy transport and tie-down. Manufactured in the company’s South Deerfield, Massachusetts facility all Pelican Elite Coolers are backed by an industry leading lifetime guarantee of excellence.
Both the Pelican 150QT and Pelican 250QT Elite Coolers (along with all other cooler models) are available in white and tan for an MSRP of $579.95 (150QT) and $789.95 (250QT). They can be found through Pelican’s Authorized Dealer Network.
Pelican includes rugged, protective consumer products designed to allow users to transport and protect all that they value, regardless of environmental conditions. The line is presented to consumers via, www.Pelican.com.
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Watch the Sunset on Eight Mile Rock
This area still shows signs of hurricane damage which hit it hard in 2004, but the resilient local population are rebuilding, and they are as cheerful and hospitable as ever.
Where: West End, Grand Bahama
When: November combine still favourable weather with smaller crowds, and the Street Festival is unmissable
Happenings: Fresh seafood dishes, tropical nature walks and kayaking, and watching the sunset
Where It’s At
For a real flavour of Bahamian life, head 14 miles west of Freeport to West End. This area still shows signs of hurricane damage which hit it hard in 2004, but the resilient local population are rebuilding, and they are as cheerful and hospitable as ever. Eight Mile Rock in West End is the largest settlement outside of Freeport on the island, and here you can escape the touristy hustle and bustle and chill out.
History of Eight Mile Rock
Eight Mile Rock takes its name from the eight miles of solid rock along its shoreline. The town is a string of settlements with a total population of 14,000; each settlement is named after the family who first arrived and settled in the mid-nineteenth century and these families still make this their home today. The families were originally descended from slaves, probably brought from the neighbouring Turks and Caicos islands, who were freed from the lumbering industry on Pine Ridge.
Grand Bahama island is an all year round destination with clear warm water and gentle sea breezes. The rainy season hits the island between May and November and you’ll be joined by the crowds for the peak tourist season from mid-December to mid-April. Hurricane season actually runs from June to November, but the most active month is September. The cusp months of April and November are best for weather while avoiding the crowds.
Sample delicious conch salad with homemade bread and don’t miss the fried fish sold on Thursday nights by locals who add their own flavours, but don’t expect to get through all the delicious foods in one night.
Take a nature kayak trip deep into the mangroves and stop off to take a nature walk and study some of the island’s flora and fauna. Kayak Nature Tours are a local trek company with very knowledgeable guides who know the best spots to encounter some of the friendliest raccoons you’ll ever meet, as well as varied birdlife and tropical vegetation. The best nature trail walk on the island is the track that was originally the main transport artillery between Freeport in the east and Eight Mile Rock in West End. Since the new highway has been built the track has been re-inhabited by numerous species of birds, butterflies, and plants. Amongst the undergrowth you’ll come across the ruins of the Hermitage – remnants of the oldest building on the island.
Sunset Village was recently set up as an indigenous cultural attraction. Here you can enjoy a meal sitting on the veranda of one of 25 stylish multi-coloured buildings whilst viewing the evening’s entertainment – the famous orange sky sunset of the Bahamas. If you like your entertainment to be a little more lively then make sure you’re in town for the Street Festivalheld in November. You can enjoy gospel groups, rake n’ scrape bands, Junkanoo groups, and there’s fun for all the family with children’s activities local arts, crafts, and cuisine.
Sports Bar, Bayshore Rd, West End
If you want to escape your mega resort and get a taste of real local Bahamian life, why not drop in at this little beach front bar and try a local beer and a conch salad or a plate of conch fritters. You may not see many tourists, especially after the 2004 hurricanes did their worst to this sleepy fishing village, but you will experience the very best in Bahamian hospitality and the freshest seafood. Next door is the battered Star Hotel, the island’s oldest hotel which since 1946 has opened its doors to the likes of everyone from Ernest Hemingway to Martin Luther King, Jr.
Kayak Nature Tours
Telephone: 001 866 440 4542 / 001 (242) 373 2485
Fax: 001 (242) 374-4670
Take a magical kayak tour through the mangrove swamps and experience some of the islands typical flora and fauna. Also available are nature walks with expert guides who can take you to discover secluded beaches far away from the resorts, or days out on mountain bikes that can reveal another side to the island. A small locally run business well worth supporting.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
P.O. Box N-3701
Telephone: 001 242 302 2000
Fax: 001 242 302 2098
By Faye Welborn
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As Norfolk killings rekindle fears of gang war, police chief says strategy to prevent it is working
By Jonathan Edwards
Norfolk Chief Larry Boone answers questions on Jan. 19 during the launch of Five-0 and Fades at Southside STEM Academy at Campostella. The purpose of the initiative is to build and strengthen relationships between young men and officers through honest conversations at barbershops. (Stephen M. Katz)
A gang leader forged a truce between warring neighborhoods after his friend was gunned down last year, but his own death this month is one of three 2017 homicides that could be connected to the conflict.
Anthony Sinclair was almost certainly a gang member, police Chief Larry Boone said two days after the 18-year-old was shot to death on Aug. 8 at a Days Inn on Military Highway.
Sinclair's relatives said they were worried about his friends striking back, and activist Michael Muhammad warned his death would "ignite a small war." Specifically, a war between "Uptown" neighborhoods like Huntersville, Young Terrace and Calvert Park and the "Southside": Berkley, Campostella and Diggs Town.
Police are also worried about violence escalating, but many of the gang members who might have sought vengeance after Sinclair's death have been locked up, Boone said in an interview.
Anthony Sinclair was shot to death at a Days Inn on Military Highway in Norfolk early on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017. (Courtesy of Alexazene Sinclair)
Police had already arrested seven to nine of the people who would have wanted revenge, Boone said, and the remaining gang members are less likely to commit murder.
Those arrests were part of the chief's monthslong push to dismantle Norfolk's youth gangs, which he blames for most of the city's violent crimes – murders, shootings and robberies. Instead of putting officers in high-crime hot spots, he's had detectives home in on "hot bodies" – gang members with arrest warrants police could use to throw them in jail.
"These youth gangs are problematic," he said. "These are serious cats."
But the gang structure in Norfolk is not. It was the same a decade ago when Boone headed the department's gang unit, he said. "They aren't that sophisticated, and the hierarchy isn't there that would cause me concern just yet."
Still, police made a list of 110 self-identified gang members who had arrest warrants out about four months ago. They've been hunting them down ever since, Boone said. They'd arrested roughly 40 when Sinclair was killed, not including the friends who might have thirsted for revenge.
They're still in jail, Boone said, but he wouldn't name them because he didn't want to give them recognition.
Anthony Sinclair, aka VilleBoy Ant, released his own "Panda" remix in retaliation against the Southside. (From YouTube)
Sinclair, who was part of the Uptown gang, seemingly confirmed the arrests less than a week before he was killed, when he posted on Facebook about all his friends being locked up.
His death is one of at least three this year that may be linked to a simmering gang feud that helped make 2016 Norfolk's deadliest year in a decade.
On April 24, Akail Allen and a guy nicknamed "Rambo" shot Deshawn "Turtle" Spencer dead in Campostella after they rode through Diggs Town and couldn't find the usual people they were beefing with, Detective Ian Isdanavage said in court documents. Allen has been charged with second-degree murder.
Two days later, Spencer's friends were at his house, mourning and upset, Detective Victor Powell said in a search warrant affidavit.
They blamed guys from Uptown, Powell said after talking with a witness, and left for a few hours. By the time they got back, 17-year-old Kaison "Kai" Mitchell was dead, shot during a drive-by across the street from P.B. Young Elementary in the heart of Young Terrace. Three suspected gang members were charged with murder, but prosecutors dropped cases against two of them this week when a witness didn't show up to testify.
Candles are held high at a vigil for Kaison “Kai” Mitchell at East Olney Road and Whitaker Lane in Norfolk on the evening of Thursday, April 27, 2017. (Steve Earley)
Boone said last week that he doesn't know whether Sinclair's death is the latest act of violence tied to the feud.
Last year, Sinclair helped inflame the feud by releasing "diss" music videos in a back-and-forth rap battle with Southside gang members. He and others fanned those flames by hurling insults on Facebook and in YouTube comment sections.
The online vitriol spilled into real life. Shootings and slayings seemed to happen daily. Gang members were killed. Innocent bystanders were murdered and maimed. Scared of stray bullets, parents banned their children from playing outside.
At the fever pitch in late June, Sinclair met with rival rappers and gang members to call a truce, one that held for a time. Things settled down. Last month, Boone announced violent crime plummeted in the first six months of this year versus the same span in 2016.
But the threat of gangs and more bloodshed is ever present.
Be it cruising down the street or watching from corners, the Norfolk Police Department maintains a presence in Huntersville as both a deterrent and to provide comfort for those concerned about the recent violence. (Stephen Katz)
There are roughly three gangs in Norfolk whose members regularly commit violent crimes, Boone said, adding that his strategy of going after "hot bodies" has tamped down on one group's activity. He wouldn't name the gang.
Sinclair was a self-identified member of Gotti Gang, which Norfolk police officially recognized as a gang in May.
Last summer, when his close friend Don Brown, known as "Don Gotti" or "VadBlock Gotti," was shot dead, Sinclair posted on Facebook: "U Betta Lay Low Kuz We Shooting."
He added a hashtag: #GottiGang.
Three days after that, Sinclair and other high-profile Gotti members met with rivals from the Southside to forge the truce.
Almost as soon as the cease-fire was in place, Sinclair hopped on Facebook: "At The End Of The Day Imma Man and Men Make Their Own Dexisions To Better Themselves," he posted. "I'm Progressing and Learning."
Nineteen minutes later: "Its Still #GottiGang Tho."
Then, in November, Sinclair posted two YouTube videos, "Gotti Swagg" and "Like Don," a five-minute song about Brown that opens with young men walking toward his grave. It's surrounded by his pictures, a teddy bear and graffiti: "Don Gotti."
They have what a disclaimer calls prop guns, and they pretend to shoot at the camera over and over.
Anthony Sinclair, aka VilleBoy Ant, points to the camera during "Like Don," part tribute to Don Brown and part threat to his enemies. (From YouTube)
Gotti Gang aligns with "OHVG," which boasts ties to the national criminal street gang Nine Trey Gangsters, a "set" or subgroup of the East Coast Bloods, a Norfolk detective said in court documents.
Federal prosecutors have accused the Nine Trey Gangsters – which operate primarily in Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Norfolk – of murdering five people and shooting four others during an 18-day crime spree that swept across Hampton Roads in late 2015.
Bloods gang members don't use "c" when communicating because it's the first letter in the name of their arch enemies, "The Crips," federal prosecutors have said in court documents. Sinclair himself often replaced the letter "c" with "x" in his Facebook posts.
All Bloods are required to "put in work," meaning they must help the gang by shooting or robbing people, selling drugs, extorting drug dealers, disciplining other gang members, pimping, etc., the prosecutors said. They also wear red clothing to distinguish themselves from Crips, who wear blue.
Two days after he was killed, Sinclair was scheduled to go on trial in Portsmouth for having a stolen gun, obstructing justice, resisting arrest and carrying a concealed weapon for the second time, according to court records.
Around 9 p.m. on Feb. 18, he was part of a crowd at the Dale Homes public housing project in an area where people often gamble, drink booze and smoke weed, Portsmouth police Officer James Moore said in a warrant for Sinclair's arrest.
When he and other officers came up on the crowd, people started yelling, "Police!" and scattered in all directions, Moore said.
Sinclair, wearing a red sweatshirt, was one of them, Moore said.
He ran around the back of a building, dropped a black object, got stuck on a clothesline and then kept running.
Moore caught Sinclair, and after he was cuffed, the officer found a loaded .45-caliber Sig Sauer handgun with an extended magazine lying in the grass where Sinclair had ditched the black object. Officers found a second loaded magazine in his back pocket.
Moore discovered the gun had been stolen in Norfolk the month before.
Sinclair was charged and spent nearly three months in jail before he was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to court records.
In October 2015, when Sinclair was 16, he was caught with a handgun for the first time. He was convicted the following February and sentenced to 10 days in the Virginia Beach Juvenile Detention Center.
He got out on March 9 last year, just as the Uptown-Southside feud was heating up.
Boone said he's not only concerned with what these gang members are doing and how to stop them but also why they do it: to put food on the table for their families, to buy clothes, to get respect in the streets. Norfolk police are doing their part to stop gang crime, he said, but the city's residents have to help eliminate the reasons it exists.
By, let's say, mentoring someone, coaching a sports team or volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club.
"There are far too many people who can make an impact who aren't getting involved," Boone said. "What can we do as a city, as the family of Norfolk, to avert this mentality that continues and continues and continues?"
Boone said he met Sinclair roughly seven months ago when an old gang member Boone keeps in touch with introduced the two of them. Sinclair told them why he was out in the streets.
"For money," Boone remembered Sinclair saying. He also told the chief he was looking for a job.
He found three, according to his family. In mid-March, Sinclair started working for a Norfolk shipyard, according to court records. His mother said he was scheduled to start jobs with a demolition company and a collection agency in a couple of weeks.
Then, Alexazene Sinclair added, he was going into the Army, away from Norfolk. She said she didn't know whether he was in a gang because he didn't talk with her about that sort of thing.
What she knows is that he could make her laugh when she was sad, that she's going to miss his hugs and kisses each morning. She knew his rap lyrics irritated some, but she understood that he was telling the story of his life as a young black man growing up poor in the projects.
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She wants people to know he wasn't a monster, even if he was a gang member.
Boone said he's not resting on the laurels of locking up known gang members and a decrease in the crimes they commit. Because, the chief added, he knows action by police will have a reaction in the streets.
"We've arrested so many of them," he said. "We have to recognize there will be someone ready ... to take their place."
Pilot writer Scott Daugherty contributed to this report.
Jonathan Edwards, 757-446-2536, jonathan.edwards@pilotonline.com Follow @VPjedwards on Twitter.
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A Virginia Beach man kept a drug ‘stash’ in a downtown Norfolk apartment. He just got nearly 2 decades in...
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PERMISSIVE DISTANCE: ON THE EPISTOLARY POEM with Kay Gabriel
Event Details: Thursday, February 20, 2020, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
“I write myself a letter / instead of writing you,” the musician Arthur Russell wrote. What kinds of writing does the epistolary—writing a poem using the device of a letter—make possible? How does the epistolary poem capture or communicate the space it traverses between sender and addressee? How do the fictions of distance, elapsed time, or intimacy between the sender and the addressee change what’s possible for a poem to say—or how it’s possible for a poem to refuse to explain itself? We’ll use this Dis/Courses session to explore the curious permissiveness of the letter. We’ll read work in or about the epistolary by Ovid, Catullus, Bernadette Mayer, Sam D’Allesandro, Dodie Bellamy, John Keene and Shiv Kotecha, and we’ll practice writing epistolary poems—to ourselves, to each other, and to recipients dead or imaginary.
Kay Gabriel
Kay Gabriel is a poet and essayist. She’s the author of Elegy Department Spring / Candy Sonnets 1 (BOAAT Press, 2017), the recipient of fellowships from the Poetry Project and Lambda Literary, and recently completed her PhD in Classics. With Andrea Abi-Karam she’s co-editing an anthology of radical trans poetics, forthcoming fall 2020 from Nightboat Books.
STARS <——> ART: ASTRO-TRIPPING INTO POETRY or SEDUCING THE STARS: THE POETRY OF ASTROLOGY with Emmalea Russo
Spring 2020 Dis/Course: Void and Terrain
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Gulls strike in supermarket theft ahead of turf war with birds in Moray
by David Mackay
April 5, 2018, 5:45 am
This seagull was caught on camera stealing a shopper's bacon as she packed her car with groceries.
Gulls have struck the first blow ahead of a turf war for territory in the north-east.
One of the birds has been caught on camera lifting a pack of bacon out of a shopper’s trolley in Elgin.
The crafty creature waited until the woman’s back was turned before swooping in for the steal in the town’s Asda car park.
Footage of the theft had been viewed more than 13,000 times online yesterday within a day of the incident – but it is understood the culprit is still at large.
Last night, it was revealed that business leaders in the area have now approved a laser project in an attempt to push the birds out of Elgin’s town centre with the first sweeps due to take place in the coming weeks.
However, war continues to be waged at the Edgar Road retail parks with the gulls known to mass together on the roofs of shop units and on abandoned ground near the railway line.
It is understood that shoppers at Asda have now been warned to bury appetising snacks at the bottom of trolleys to avoid being surprised.
Last year, Elgin’s business improvement district (Bid) promised action against the birds in order to encourage them to leave the town in favour of a more natural habitat.
Yesterday, Elgin City South councillor John Divers, who is a director of the Bid, revealed laser treatment had now been given the go-ahead.
He said: “It’s due to start very soon. Discussions have taken place with a firm who have used it very successfully in Aberdeenshire so we’re going to see if it can work here too.
“It’s been a worry in Elgin for years. They’ve moved inland in search for food, and now instead of scavenging for it they are resorting to stealing it.”
Moray Council has previously considered deploying drones in the conflict to oil eggs belonging to the feathered foes, which are protected by legislation, to prevent them from hatching.
However, the local authority decided against action due to the expense and it not being legally obliged to act against the birds.
Signs have been posted in town centres and on residential estates across the region to tell people to stop feeding them.
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Edgar road
Elgin Bid
Elgin Town Centre
gull attacks
Herring Gulls
John Divers
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Canon Printhead
The Canon Printhead - The pen of the printer. High-performance print media, Canon's advanced printhead technology.
Guarantee of high quality in printing - the Canon Printhead
The printhead is the moving component in the inkjet printer that causes the ink from the ink cartridges to be applied to the paper. The reliability of the printing process, as well as the quality of the printout, is heavily dependent on the design, the technology and the design of the print head, which, in close cooperation with the ink optimally composed for it, is responsible for the print image.
The components in the inkjet printer - Canon printhead and more
The inkjet printer uses a variety of components, and the printheads play a central role in ensuring that the ink from the ink cartridges is applied accurately, in the prescribed composition of colors, and in the correct drop size without bleeding and smudging.
To accomplish this task, inkjet printing technology brings together several key components in the printer in a perfectly matched mechanism:
Printer controller
Roller for paper transfer
The Printer Controller is the control center that forwards the information from the computer to the two motors in the printer, where they are picked up by the printheads and printed on the paper. The ink cartridges respectively associated with a printer model are usually inserted directly into the print head.
The manufacturers have developed various procedures for the transfer processes in the printheads, with which the ink is applied to the paper. The Canon Printhead is also designed and optimized with respect to a specially selected technical process. The two most important processes used by the leading manufacturers of pressure output devices are the technologies
Bubble jet and
To execute a print job, the data of an image file from the computer is first given to the controller of the printer, where it is converted to pulses to which the printer responds by putting its mechanics into operation. In the execution of a print job, the printheads of the device, which are attached to a pole lined up side by side, move horizontally back and forth in the printer.
At the same time, the paper with the roller for paper transfer is pushed longitudinally through the printer.
During their numerous transversal movements, the printheads press the ink from the ink cartridges onto the paper. Behind these finely tuned workflows of the printing device are many years of developments and improvements in the technology of the Canon print head.
The technology in the Canon printhead
Printers using Bubble Jet technology produce minute drops of ink by heating the liquid or solvent of the ink through a heating element inside the printer. Due to its composition under heat, the ink shows a chemical reaction that results in a small explosion that creates a tiny bubble of vapor.
The bladder exerts pressure on the ink in the tank and forces a drop of ink out of the nozzle. Bubble Jet technology is very similar to Piezo technology, where printers using Piezo technology press the ink out of the ink cartridges with the help of what is known as the piezoelectric effect, controlling the drop size of their inks with ceramic elements and electrical voltage.
The Canon company uses its Bubble Jet technology in its printer models, for which the associated Canon print head is built after years of development work on a mature, high technical level with reliable working components made of high quality materials.
The nozzles in the Canon print head are optimally positioned at right angles to the heating elements. In addition to special printing technology, the company has equipped its Canon printhead with the unique FINE printhead technology. Thanks to the FINE technology, the micro-nozzles in the Canon print head have a diameter that is considerably minimized by up to 0.009 millimeters, which applies extremely small droplets of ink to the paper.
The minimized droplet sizes provide a much more refined print output with a densification of the individual color dots, which provides an extended color gamut and increased precision in the output of fine image details.
Optimally assembled printer accessories - optimum performance in the Canon printhead
The advanced technology in the Canon printhead optimally exploits its potential in conjunction with finely tuned technical components that are interdependent.
Canon manufactures its printing equipment along with its sophisticated printer supplies, such as inks and papers, to assemble a team of high-performance components that guarantee maximum quality in the output of printed documents.
Canon uses both inkjet printers' categories of inks, developed primarily for inkjet printing technology, where they have established themselves as high-quality inkjet technologies, depending on the model, requirement and application:
Dye inks and
Dye inks consist of dye molecules dissolved in an ink liquid, while pigment inks consist of an ink liquid in which the particles of color pigments or black pigments float and are not dissolved.
Both inks have their strengths and weaknesses, which are used in the ink cartridges as required, for example, as pigment inks in text printing or as dye ink in photo printing. For a perfect print output, the respective inks in the Canon ink cartridges are precisely adjusted to the Canon print head, for example, in their fluidity, in their drop size or in their resistance to drying out.
In order to tailor each printer model to the user's requirements, Canon has diversified its printing supplies and developed a wide range of inks for various applications, such as photo printing, high-speed printing, mail merging, and document printing, all of which are provided in Canon's printhead. Canon's advanced inks include highly efficient variants such as:
Maxify inks
Chromalife 100
Cromalife 100+
Lucia EX and more.
The other printer accessories, such as the paper on which the ink is printed, must be optimally adjusted to special individual requirements, such as the duplex printing in black and white or in color as well as the properties of the ink for optimum printing results to deliver.
Cleanliness is half the pressure - cleaning the Canon printhead
The technology inkjet printing works with liquid ink. Both dye inks and pigmented inks are, to a large extent, ink liquid which can dry out when not in use. When printing, the ink is pressed through the fine nozzles of the Canon print head with its ink liquid.
After completion of the print job remain liquid residues in the nozzle, which - if they dry up - can not be removed. The manufacturer Canon prevents the drying out of its inks, which have a special chemical formulation that slows down the drying inside the printer and especially in the Canon printhead, while they dry as soon as they are heated during the print job as quickly as possible on the paper.
The chemistry makes it possible that both requirements are met successfully by the advanced technology of inks. In support of this, the printing device performs mechanical cleaning operations in which ink is blown through the nozzles to rinse them out.
The excess ink is injected into a sponge. Another measure to protect the printheads is the airtight parking of the printhead at a certain point, so that the remaining ink, which is still in the nozzles, can not dry.
Canon has specialized its printing equipment in a variety of applications, including home and small office printers, the best-in-class network printers, and high-volume, high-volume printers, as well as features and functionality in the Canon printhead equipped with the various options for cleaning the print head or nozzles.
Optimum care for the Canon printhead
With the manufacturer's warranty on his equipment, he also demonstrates his confidence in the Canon Printhead. In addition, users can actively support the long runtime of the Canon printhead by using Canon's original Canon printing supplies and only using high-quality, compatible printer cartridges whose ink meets the requirements of FINE printhead technology, such as Prindo's alternative ink cartridges.
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HomeNewsParanormal Study News, June 2019
Paranormal Study News, June 2019
July 9, 2019 Tim Woolworth News 0
Paranormal Study Reference Articles
June 2019 was another month where UFO news dominated the paranormal spectrum. The History Channel aired the six-part show “Unidentified.” New Navy UFO reporting protocols (not currently being released to the public) were put in place. The heads of US government including the President, Senate and Congress were briefed on UFOs by the military. There was what has been called the most important UFO leak of all time, the “Core Stash” documents. It is getting to the point where so much information is flowing into the public realm from government sources that the word “disclosure” is on the tongue on many ufologists, while others see this as a possible government leak using TTSA and the media to keep people off the track of military advancements. Time will hopefully tell.
“I would say remain skeptical. Healthy skepticism is very important; in fact, it’s imperative. In fact, in my job as an intelligence officer, I was paid to be skeptical. I think you should always question all the information that comes before you by anybody who says anything, and I think that’s true not just with people like me, I think it’s true with government, religion, and everything in between.”
– Luis Elizondo, former head of AATIP and member of TTSA
Read more, always.
In addition to UFO news, we have included a bunch of paranormal articles for your learning pleasure. We incorporated various articles into this monthly reference article collection including articles and videos on topics like Near Death Experiences, a ghost that was bottled up and stolen from a haunted location, Loch Ness Monster news, psychotropics and consciousness, Enochian magick, crop circles and supernatural samurais among other many things. Hopefully you find this monthly reference article to be of some use and if you do, please share and tell your friends about our site!
Afterlife Articles
One in 10 People Have ‘Near-Death’ Experiences (Neuroscience News): In a recent study of 289 people who claim to have had NDE’s, the bulk majority of them, 73%, rated the NDE as an unpleasant experience. The article then goes on to infer that the bulk of the NDE experiences were a result of REM sleep intrusion into a waking state.
Near Death at 16 (Monroe Institute): A recollection of a Near Death Experience while undergoing surgery. She recalled the surgeon’s words and even saw dust on the light fixtures when she departed the body before being brought back into her body with a “thunk.”
A new documentary on NDEs, consciousness and spirit communication.
Woman Who Died for 27 Minutes Scrawls Creepy Note After Being Revived on 6th Attempt (Unilad): A woman died six times, four times she was revived by her husband and twice in the hospital. When she awoke the last time in the hospital, she motioned for a pen and paper. She scribbled “It’s real.” When asked what was real, she pointed upwards towards the heavens.
“It’s real” as scribbled by Tina Hines after being revived from death six times in a row.
The Atheist who went to Heaven (The University of Heaven): Nancy Rynes was hit by a car and experienced an NDE during surgery to save her life. She was brought back from death; but while dead, she experienced a wonderful afterlife that she equated to Heaven.
An interview with Dr. Pim van Lommel who as an emergency room cardiologist, conducted studies into NDEs with patients who were revived.
When Mystics and Mediums Convinced Scientists the Paranormal Was Normal (Lit Hub): A look back at some of the formative researchers into the paranormal during the spiritual renaissance of the late 19th century and early 20th century. Respected members of society, many of whom you will recognize in this article, placed value upon spiritual and paranormal research.
“Death is nothing at all,” by Henry Scott-Holland
Apparition Articles
Haunted Pub’s Owner Outraged After ‘possessed toilet ghost’ is ‘stolen and bottled up by artist’ (Mirror): The Ye Olde Man and Scythe is the fourth oldest pub in Britain and the ghost of James Stanley purportedly haunts the establishment. A Chinese artist traveled to the pub, performed an incantation and bottled up the spirit to carry it away from the pub. The bottled spirit is now on display at an art exhibit in Manchester.
Ghosts in the Ancient World (Ancient History Encyclopedia): An article that examines ghosts in several ancient cultures and what it meant when an apparition was seen.
TCI Seattle captured this image by using a two camera (one infrared) video-loop feedback technique on an old tube television
Adelaide Paranormal Investigator Redefines “Ghost Hunting” With New Online Service (Newsmaker): An Australian paranormal team has begun livestreaming their investigations for Patreon clients as their ghost hunting model.
How to Get Rid of Ghosts (Paraholics): A no-nonsense article that points out a major fallacy of the many modern ghost hunters: that they understand the afterlife and more importantly, can control it by removing spirits from a location.
Lily Collins Says Ghosts of Ted Bundy’s Victims Visited Her While Making Extremely Wicked (Vanity Fair): The lead actress from Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, Lily Collins, claims that she would often awake to images of the struggles of Ted Bundy’s victims. She became convinced that these images came from the spirits of his victims.
Cryptid Articles
Loch Ness Monster Filmed by Holiday Couple and She’s ‘definitely black and a fair size’ (Daily Record): For the seventh time this year, Nessie has been spotted. This time it was by a couple on holiday and they managed to film what they claim is Nessie’s head and neck above the water line.
Loch Ness Monster ‘might’ be Real, According to New Scientific Study (Fox News): Scientists have traversed the length of Loch Ness and pulled samples from three different depths for DNA analysis. The data was tested against the main theories of what Nessie may be, and the lead scientist said one these theories might be correct.
Video of ‘Creature’ Caught on Camera in Driveway Leaves Plenty of Room for Doubt (Singular Fortean): A controversial video of an unknown figure walking down a driveway.
Town Abandoned Because of Bigfoot! (Ghost Hunting Theories): The Alaskan fishing village of Port Chatham was abandoned by all of its residents after several encounters with a hairy man. Prior to 1950, the town had witnessed several unexplained murders, eighteen-inch footprints and what indigenous peoples called a nantiinaq which is a half man/half beast hairy creature.
FBI Examined 15 Bigfoot Hairs, Newly Released Documents Reveal (Newsweek): Clumps of hair were sent to the FBI for analysis because they may have been from a bigfoot. The FBI conducted the analysis in 1977 and came to the conclusion that they were from a very common animal and not a sasquatch. But, the interesting thing is that the FBI actually examined hairs from a possible cryptid.
Consciousness Articles
Does Consciousness Exist Outside of the Brain? (Psychology Today): This article examines the work of Dr. Fenwick, a neuropsychiatrist who specialized in consciousness studies for fifty plus years. Through his lifetime of work, he has come to the conclusion that consciousness exists outside of the brain. The author of this particular article disagrees.
Psychedelic Drugs Really Do Lead to a Higher State of Consciousness (Vice): Several volunteers took psychoactive substances in a controlled lab environment and have their brain waves measured. There was more brain electrical activity in those who were tripping versus a normal lucid state.
A DMT Trip ‘feels like dying’ – and Scientists Now Agree (BBC): This article profiles those who have undergone lab tests of DMT. They typically report a deeper conscious awareness and experience ego death. It is this ego death that brings on subjective experiences usually related to Near Death Experiences.
Edgar Cayce reading 2308-4
Magick Articles
‘Jesus, Kill Her!’: Defendant in Witchcraft Trial Thrown out of Courtroom for Badgering Neighbor She Accused of Being a Witch (Newsweek): A woman on trial for accusing neighbors of paralyzing her via witchcraft beckoned Jesus to kill the plaintiff.
Interview with the Witch (Shadow Keepers): Practicing witch and paranormal investigator J. Allen Cross is interviewed on various aspects of witchcraft in this article.
The 4 Elemental Weapons of Western Magick (and How to Use Them) (Ultraculture): A brief overview of the earth pentacle, the fire wand, the air dagger and the water chalice.
Enochian: The Mysterious Lost Language of Angels (Ancient Origins): A very brief primer on John Dee and his assistant Ned Kelley. They were able to communicate with angels and transcribed the language of the angels, Enochian. They were also able to call upon them to manifest which were viewed through scrying.
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UFO Articles
“We are facing a form of intelligence that cannot simply be tracked with radars and cameras. It was already here before science was invented; it will still be here when science becomes superseded by other ways of gaining knowledge. Our soul is the only tool that is of any use in this search. Our soul, alas! What is left of it?”
– Jacques Vallee, Forbidden Science Vol. 1
The UFO Leak of the Century (De Void): This article digs into the “Core Stash” documents that found their way into the light in June despite being online for some time on IMGUR. These documents are from a meeting in 2002 that involved physicist Dr. Eric Davis and Thomas Wilson – Navy Vice Admiral, Director of the DIA and Staff Director of Intelligence for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This meeting discussed the topic of UFOs. The thing to take away from this is that Admiral Wilson was not apprised of the UFO topic because he lacked the proper security clearance!
Article: UFO Leak of the Century: Richard Dolan Analyzes the Admiral Wilson Leak (Richard Dolan): Famed ufologist Richard Dolan tackles the minutia of the greatest UFO leak of the century, the “Core Stash” documents, and explains the various sections in greater detail.
Advisory for Pilots, Aircrews, Air Controllers, and Aviation Professionals: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, UAP, UFOs, and Aviation Safety (NARCAP): A document put forth by the National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena that defines the characteristics of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) and the inherent risks of UAP encounters while in flight.
The government has crashed UFO materials according to Luis Elizondo
UFOs Won’t Go Away (Issues): This is a must-read if you would like to get caught up on all the UFO News. This places the current news cycle of UFOs in context with the history of UFO investigations and the culture of ufology.
If UFO Disclosure is Coming, is the World Prepared? Does it even Care? (The Anomalist): The author puts the UFO news into context with the rest of the world and asks a couple of very pointed question about whether or not the TTSA releases are military hype for the Unidentified television show, and more importantly, why all the high strangeness (alien abductions, cattle mutilations, crop circles, etc.) is being left in the lurch right now.
Tom DeLonge’s Origin Story for To The Stars Academy Describes a Government UFO Info Operation (The Drive): Journalist Tyler Rogoway digs deep into Tom DeLonge and his origins in ufology. He points out glaring contradictions given in different interviews and arrives at the point that “DeLonge is either lying and his company can’t be trusted, or dark areas of the military-industrial complex had a direct hand in its founding.”
Robert Bigelow’s other “UFO” Ranch (UFOs-Scientific Research): The latest book by Jacques Vallee mentions another ranch that was purchased by Bigelow – Mount Wilson Ranch. It is another purported place where UFO activity and other phenomena have been present for decades and Bigelow had hoped to study it like he did with Skinwalker Ranch.
Surrey, England crop circle the morning after solstice
Meet Silicon Valley’s UFO Hunters (Vice): Several leading technologists are interviewed in this piece for their thoughts on the UFO phenomenon. They all believe that reverse engineering UFOs will advance our society.
“As technologists we seek to master science and engineering in such a way that all of humanity benefits from it…In front of our eyes are technologies underlying these UFOs that are far beyond our understanding and capabilities of recreating … if we pay close attention and reverse these technologies to bring to the masses, we will see a world with interstellar travel at our fingertips.”
– Deep Prasad
Grainy footage of a possible UFO. Fantastic strobing.
Not UFOs or Weather Balloons. The Government (sort of) Claims Mystery Orbs in KC Sky (Kansas City Star): The observation of grey orbs on a tweet by the National Weather Service drew the attention of the UFO world in June. DARPA claims that it might be the three experimental weather balloons launched from Cumberland, Maryland.
Docs Show Navy Got ‘UFO’ Patent Granted By Warning Of Similar Chinese Tech Advances (The Drive): An examination of patents filed in the United States for a craft that can be used in the sky or under water – and the mechanisms appear to be quite similar to those demonstrated by military UFO sightings.
An anomalous light was captured by Curiosity on the surface of Mars, 16jun2019
Exclusive Interview and Cmdr. David Fravor (Extraordinary Beliefs): This is the first and only public appearance with Commander David Fravor and his experiences with the Tic Tac UFO event. Fravor has appeared on both television and radio programs and his testimony has helped make the Nimitz encounter one of the most documented UFO sightings in history.
Ministry of Defence Releases Final ‘X Files’ Containing the Truth about Britain’s Secret UFO Investigations (Mirror): The final sixty-thousand documents from the MOD’s investigation into the UFO phenomenon have been releases. There is no “smoking gun” stating UFOs exist, but these documents demonstrate that British Government had a keen interest in examining the UFO topic.
Trump says He was Briefed on Navy Sightings of UFOs (Politico): In speaking with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, Trump said he had been briefed on the topic of Navy UFO sightings. He shot down the idea by saying that although pilots were seeing them, he does not particularly agree that they exist.
Senators Get Classified Briefing on UFO Sightings (Politico): Several members of the Senate and Congress have received classified briefings on the UFO sightings by members of the US Navy.
Samurai Text Tells Secrets of Sword-Fighters’ ‘Supernatural Powers’ (Live Science): A look into the classic 17th century samurai teachings from the One Cut school. Physical magic was used by inscribing sigils on the palms and chanting before battle. Also, using ESP was also common so one could focus on the opponent by not using their eyes.
Stonehenge Summer Solstice: Thousands Gather to Cheer Sunrise (BBC): A few photographs of the estimated ten thousand people who gathered at Stonehenge to greet the sun on the summer solstice.
Mysterious Blue Flash of Light Seen over Dallas, Texas (Singular Fortean): Video that shows weird blue light flashing over Dallas that was accompanied by a large boom.
Did You Learn Something New?
If you found the content in this article to be of any value to your paranormal studies, please let us know in the comments below. Feel free to share this article with your friends as well!
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Paranormal Study News April, 2019
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With two age-specific behavioral health treatment programs, one for adults ages 18 and above, and one for seniors ages 65 and above, Park Royal is able to provide an array of behavioral health rehab services in a manner that is most appropriate according to the strengths, needs, life experiences, and developmental stage of each person who heals with us.
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At Park Royal, inpatient treatment occurs in a hospital setting, which we believe is the optimal environment in which men and women can receive the intensive treatment that will empower them to achieve an improved quality of life. We also offer outpatient care at our Fort Myers hospital, as well as a separate outpatient center in Naples to ensure that the greatest number of individuals in need can access our services.
Types of behavioral health treatment programs at Park Royal in Fort Myers, FL
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Minister in embarrassing U-turn as she rules out extra checks on EU citizens under no-deal Brexit
Bosses will not have to carry out fresh checks on EU nationals working in Britain after a no-deal Brexit, a minister has confirmed - less than a week after saying the opposite.
Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes told MPs: "We will not be asking employers to differentiate, even if there is no deal."
Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes faced a tough grilling from MPs last week after she said new immigration controls on EU citizens could kick in if Britain leaves the bloc without a deal.
Ms Nokes told the Home Affairs Committee that employers would "have to make sure" any employees from EU countries "go through adequately-rigorous checks" to differentiate between longstanding residents entitled to be here and those who had just arrived in the UK.
WATCH: Sajid Javid slaps down junior minister over no-deal Brexit immigration checks blunder
Minister admits it will be 'almost impossible' to check status of EU citizens after Brexit
Britain has promised that EU citizens who have been here for five years or more by June 2021 will be able to apply for “settled status” allowing them to stay in the country.
But Ms Nokes told MPs today: "Employers will need to check passports or ID cards as they do now for EU citizens and indeed for British citizens when making a new job offer.
"We will not be asking employers to differentiate, even if there is no deal."
The clarification came after Ms Nokes was summoned to the Commons chamber to answer an urgent question from Home Affairs Committee Yvette Cooper.
The senior Labour MP urged the minister to "clear up the confusion from last week" and rule out additional checks for employers.
"We’ve got the clock ticking and there is only five months left," she said. "Surely, the Home Office has got a grip of these basic questions?"
Ms Nokes insisted that the UK was still pushing to secure a deal with the EU - and promised to publish more details soon on the UK's plans for EU citizens under a no-deal.
She said: "The Prime Minister has been very clear, as indeed has the Brexit Secretary, that we will honour our commitment to EU citizens and their family members.
"And more information will be set out in due course with a specific statement on citizens from the Brexit Secretary who of course wishes to make slcear that people are incredbily important and should not simply be reliant on a technical notices."
But Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott accused Ms Nokes of causing distress to EU nationals living in the UK.
"Is the minister aware of the very real distress that this confusion over policy, which the Home Office had to correct, has caused to over 3 and a half million EU citizens resident in this country? And not just to them - but to their families, dependents and employers."
Theresa May confirmed last week that she had struck a deal with Norway which will see the rights of British and Norwegian citizens to live and work in each other's countries preserved, even in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Ms Nokes told MPs today that the Government was now "close" to reaching a similar agreement with Switzerland
Join the discussion by logging in or registering for a free account.
12:24 on 6th November 2018
Idiotic, she can't have it both ways, I can understand that there may be concessions for EU citizens that have been working here for over five years. But I am equally quite sure that EU citizens coming to work her, after a no deal brexit, will be checked and vetted the same as prospective employers from other countries, as much, if not more than commonwealth countries. She should get into the ring with Sajid Javid and sort this mess out. Theresa May has no idea about what will be the situation, under a no deal brexit, but that is what she is working for as she obfuscates and procrastinates every day.
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Senior Tory MPs give Theresa May until this afternoon to set out resignation 'road map'
John Johnston
Theresa May has been given until this afternoon to set out a "road map" for her exit from Downing Street, it has been reported.
Theresa May is under renewed calls to quit as Brexit drags on
According to the Daily Telegraph, 1922 committee chairman, Sir Graham Brady, delivered the ultimatum in talks with the Prime Minister on Tuesday.
The committee's executive is due to meet to discuss the matter at 4pm on Wednesday, by which time Mrs May is expected to clarify exactly when she will stand down.
Deputy PM admits UK will take part in European Parliament elections
Theresa May under fresh pressure as Tory activists announce June bid to oust her as leader
Blow for Theresa May as poll shows Tory calls for PM to quit at ‘record high’
Mrs May has already vowed to resign once MPs back the Government's Brexit deal, but has given no indication when she could leave if the ongoing deadlock continues.
Downing Street yesterday said the UK may not leave the EU until August, further pushing back the Prime Minister's potential departure date.
Tory party rules protect the Prime Minister from facing another leadership challege until December - one year on from the last unsuccessful attempt to oust her from office.
But increasing frustration at Mrs May's handling of Brexit, coupled with the Conservatives' disastrous showing at last week's local elections, has led to calls from senior Conservative MPs for a change of the rules so she can be challenged sooner.
Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith branded Mrs May a "caretaker Prime Minister".
"We have to make a change", he said. "The (1922) Committee has to sit again, now, urgently and decide that either the Prime Minister sets the immedate date for her departure or, I'm afraid, they must do it for her."
"EXISTENTIAL THREAT"
Announcing a date for her departure could also stave off a symbolic leadership ballot by senior activists within her party.
The National Conservative Convention is set to hold an extraordinary general meeting on 15 June 15 at which its members will be able to pass judgement on her performance over Brexit.
The meeting of the 800-strong body of activists marks the first time in the party's 185-year history that a Tory leader has faced such action from grassroots members.
The group said almost three years on from the Brexit vote, it was clear Mrs may was no longer the "right person" to lead the negotiations with the EU.
Meanwhile, Tory MP Nigel Evans, who also sits on the 1922 executive committee, said the local election results had hardened the resolve of those seeking to remove Mrs May.
"You can't just kick the can down the road until December - we have seen the damage that was done at the local elections," he told the Daily Telegraph.
"We have got the European elections - that is going to be carnage, you have got the Peterborough by-election.
"The pressure is now coming from all quarters, not just other people on Thursday not just MPs but loyal associations in an unprecedented EGM.
"Even in the dark days of John Major we never got to this stage. We need a resolution because there is an existential threat to the Conservative Party. It needs to be dealt with."
But Charles Walker, vice-chairman of the committee, slammed Tory hardliners who he said were to blame for the delay to the UK's exit from the EU.
“If they voted with the Government we would have had a majority of 10, we would be left if we’d put our foot down on the accelerator by 12 April, and we would have had an entirely different set of local election results," he told BBC Radio 4.
He added: "There are colleagues who have suggested the Prime Minister should go. The Prime Minister has said she wants to leave early in her premiership but she doesn’t want to leave this God almighty mess.
“I think there’s a blame displacement process going on within the Conservative Party at the moment, laying it all on her shoulders.
“We all need to take personal responsibility for the fact that we are still in the EU and we are in government. This idea that a new Prime Minister [will] all be sweetness and light is for the birds."
New appointments this week in UK politics, the civil service and public affairs
Dods People draws together a list of appointments in Westminster politics, the devolved administrations and the public affairs sector in the last...
The Labour Leadership Election: Which topics will dominate discussion?
Dods Monitoring's Aaron Revel considers the key themes likely to play out as Labour seek a replacement for Jeremy Corbyn.
Nominations open for BVA Junior Vice President 2020/2021
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has opened nominations for the 2020/21 Junior Vice President (JVP).
Charity celebrates people appointed to government disability network
This International Day of Persons with Disabilities, national learning disability charity Hft is celebrating their achievements in highlighting...
NASUWT comments on initial teacher training enrolment figures
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT comments on the recruitment and retention crisis following the publication of the Initital Training...
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Posted on March 26, 2016 by Portsmouth Daily Times
Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt was extraordinary
By Portia Williams - portiawilliams@civitasmedia.com
There were eggs galore for children to hunt and keep at the Portsmouth Area Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt in Mound Park on Saturday.
The helicopter making its landing down into Mound Park for the Portsmouth Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt held Saturday.
Local parent and child loading up Easter eggs at the Portsmouth Jaycees event on Saturday in Mound Park.
PORTSMOUTH — It wasn’t a bird, nor a plane, but is was a helicopter. The big, blue helicopter made a safe landing into Mound Park on Saturday bringing a very special guest, none other than the Easter Bunny for the 17th annual Portsmouth Area Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt.
Thousands of eggs were spread across Mound Park and the eggs will be separated by age groups up to age 12. The eggs were filled primarily with candy, with the exception of a number of special eggs which provided a special prize to the child who came to claim the prize.
Prizes consisted of coupons to local restaurants and children-themed Easter baskets.
Kenny Scarberry, president of the Portsmouth Area Jaycees, said the kids were happy, which is what matters most.
“We just did the 17th annual Portsmouth Area Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt here at Mound Park, and had a very good turn out today, with a lot of happy of kids, and that’s good,” Scarberry said. “We teamed up with LifePoint Church, Washington Nile Township came out and they hooked up the generator and they helped land the helicopter. The Bookmobile was here. Medflight was here, and they play a big part in getting everything here. Care Source was here, and they are at almost all of our events.”
Woodforest Bank and Walmart gave a monetary donation to the Jaycees’ event as well.
“A lot of people stepped up this year to help out,” Scarberry said. “It was over $1,000 altogether to host this event, and that is just with the cost of the candy. We had the eggs already, and then LifePoint actually donated a lot of eggs that they had, and we had a lot of eggs. We had the eggs, and just needed the candy, so we have more than $1,000 worth of candy out there for the kids to enjoy.”
Gayla Dickerson of Portsmouth, said her son Graeson really enjoyed the Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt, and that the event was nice and safe for the children who participated.
“This was very nice. My son had a great time, no children were hurt at all, and I am really glad about that,” Dickerson said.
Sandra Dougherty, also of Portsmouth, brought her daughters Vera and Sophia out to Mound Park on Saturday. Dougherty said it was a wonderful experience.
“This was wonderful. I love that they have it every year. There is always such a good turnout, and it is wonderful community involvement for the kids, and is such fun for them,” Dougherty said. “The girls love it. They are eager to see the Easter Bunny. They wanted to see him land, but I don’t know if we caught that.”
Katie Clark, external vice president of the Portsmouth Area Jaycees, said this year’s event saw remarkable attendance, and ran smoothly.
“It has been great teaming up with LifePoint to provide this for the children, I can’t even give you a number of the people that are here today,” Clark said. “We can just say hundreds. It went extremely well, it went very smoothly, everyone was very polite. There were no children fighting, even the older age groups went very well.”
http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2016/03/web1_IMG_2270.jpgThere were eggs galore for children to hunt and keep at the Portsmouth Area Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt in Mound Park on Saturday.
http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2016/03/web1_Helicopter.jpgThe helicopter making its landing down into Mound Park for the Portsmouth Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt held Saturday.
http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2016/03/web1_IMG_55.jpgLocal parent and child loading up Easter eggs at the Portsmouth Jaycees event on Saturday in Mound Park.
By Portia Williams
portiawilliams@civitasmedia.com
Reach Portia Williams at 740-353-3101, ext. 1929, or on Twitter @PortiaWillPDT.
Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt was extraordinary. Here is a link to that story: https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/news/6574/jaycees-easter-egg-hunt-was-extraordinary
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5 Things To Know About Recent Investec Test Series
It was a fine pleasant English summer as usual and the rain too had a part to play in the recent Investec Test Series held recently between England and Sri Lanka. A lot happened during the 3 test matches. Here’s what we know:
Cook enters into Hall of Fame
Before the start of the test series, there were a lot of talks about Alastair Cook who was about to reach 10000 test runs. He became the first Englishmen to do so and the youngest ever batsman surpassing Sachin Tendulkar.
Herath’s Takes 300th
Sri Lanka’s most experienced cap presently, who started his Test journey in 1999 versus Australia completed his 300 test wickets by dismissing Moeen Ali in the Second Test at Chester-le-Street. He now becomes the second oldest man to reach 300 Test wickets.
Jimmy Spots Number 1 in Test Rankings
James Anderson once again showed his masterclass with the bowl which swung beautifully throughout the series and led the Lankans to struggle against him. He took 21 wickets in 3 matches and became the number 1 Test Bowler. Surprisingly, this is the first time ever that he has reached the top spot in his entire Test career.
Bairstow- A solution to England’s Test Worries
After the retirement of Matt Prior, ECB has been struggling to find a permanent replacement for him. Bairstow seems to claim his spot in the Test team for England. He batted beautifully at number 6 with the tail and scored two magnificent centuries. He also looked confident behind the wickets. He was adjudged the Man of the Series as well for his 387 runs in the series.
Alex Hales misses three
Hales answered all his critics with the bat who thought he could only bat in limited overs cricket. He looked patient during his batting and composed his innings beautifully. However, he was always short of a well deserved hundred as he was dismissed in the 80s twice in the first two matches. He again became a victim of nervous 90s when he was dismissed on 94 in the last match at Lords.
Vidur Pathak
Love to Draw, indulge in number crunching, learn new English words, playing TT, Carrom, go for cycling etc. Also, he likes to collect old currency notes & different coins. He is very closed to nature, and find it interesting to capture some of the best weather pics. Very passionate about cricketing world, following records, stats & information related to famous cricketers. Respects knowledgeable people regardless of their age & like to listen & observe more in his life. Loves to write and share his thoughts, Likes to gain Spiritual knowledge and apply it in his life, believe in simple living & high thinking. Believe in karma and hardwork.
27 Funniest India Vs Bangladesh Memes That Will Make You Laugh Hard
5 Best Ever Hat-Tricks in Test Cricket
Top 5 Bowlers in T20I Cricket
India vs West Indies: 5 Things to Know
By Vidur Pathak
Top 5 Opening Pairs of India in ODIs
5 Fast Bowlers of Indian Cricket
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17th International Conference on Plasma Surface Engineering
September 06 - 11, 2020, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Partner Country
In 2016 partner country of the 15th International Conference on plasma surface Engineering PSE 2016 is Switzerland.
Switzerland lies in the center of Europe and is especially popular for their wonderful landscapes in the Alps. In view of economy the industry of Switzerland produces high-end products, like medical devices, pharmaceuticals, precision instruments or luxury clocks [1]. The corporate landscape is mostly characterized by small and intermediate enterprises, as more than 99 % of all companies belong to this group [2]. According to an analysis of the UBS Group AG important fields of the working world of Switzerland are building trade (31,7 %), industries for clocks and precision instruments (10,4 %), metal working (9,6 %) and mechanical and vehicle construction (9,5 %) [3]. Therefore plasma and vacuum technologies are also for Switzerland very important key enabling technologies.
In conjunction with the partner country concept of PSE 2016 the 4th International EJC-PISE Workshop took place on June 29 – 30, 2016 in Dübendorf, near to Zürich, Switzerland. EFDS and Empa co-organized this Workshop with the topic “Surface and Thin Films – Analytics in Practice”.
On two days participants heard 8 talks from international speakers about the most important techniques for surface and thin film characterization. Surfaces and their specifically designed properties are nowadays integral parts of a very wide range of products. Knowing what is at a surface is a prime prerequisite for designing and controlling the functional behavior of such surfaces. Today a broad variety of surface analytical techniques are available, which provide targeted and detailed insights into the chemical and structural properties of surfaces and thin films. They are indispensable tools for the successful development of surface treatments and coatings.
The program was rounded off with a lab tour through the Laboratories of Empa.
A special exhibition area for Swiss companies will be provided in the accompanying exhibition of PSE 2016. All Swiss companies and Institutes are specifically invited to join the exhibition and send their abstracts for the conference. All Swiss Partners have the opportunity to present a short overview of their work on the PSE-Partner Country website. An overview of Swiss partners on PSE 2016 will be presented in the conference booklet.
Exhibitors of Switzerland on PSE 2016
(as at February 01, 2016)
Ionbond, IHI Group, Zürich, Switzerland ◊ GOLD SPONSOR of PSE 2016
Oerlikon Balzers Coating AG, Brügg, Switzerland ◊ GOLD SPONSOR of PSE 2016
Vögtlin Instruments AG, Aesch, Switzerland
Research on Plasma Surface Engineering in Switzerland
ETH Zürich, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering,
Institute of Process Engineering
Plasma research at the Transport Processes and Reactions Laboratory (LTR) of the ETH Zurich focuses on the plasma surface modification of granular materials at both low pressure and atmospheric pressure. Specific plasma reactors have been developed at LTR in order to improve with a homogenous surface treatment the properties of several granular materials of industrial interest, and proper plasma-diagnostic and surface-analysis techniques are utilized in order to study and optimize the processes.
Examples of properties and granular materials which have been or are currently investigated at LTR are:
flow-behavior of lactose micropowder for the pharmaceutical industry
wettability and water-dissolution-rate of organic micropowders for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry
inactivation of microorganisms on wheat grains and sprout seeds for the food industry
electrochemical capacity of lithium-ion-battery graphite micropowders for the energy industry
optoelectronic performance of inorganic fluorescent micropowders for the electronic industry
MDPI AG, Basel, Switzerland
MDPI publishes over 150 gold open access journals across all disciplines and is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Its publishing activities are supported by more than 9,900 active scientists and academic editors that serve on the journal editorial boards. More than 187,000 individual authors have already published with MDPI. Articles published in MDPI are fully open access: they can be downloaded free of charge from the journal website. MDPI.com receives more than 4.2 million page views per month and over 90% of articles are available via web of science.
Thin Films and Coatings at Empa
The Thin Films and Coatings group performs application-oriented research on thin films using plasma-based techniques such as classical magnetron sputtering, HiPIMS and PACVD to deposit a variety of coatings like
nanostructured nitrides, carbides and oxynitrides
DLC-based coatings
metallization of polymers
electrochromic coatings
optical thin films
Thin film characterization facilities XPS, XRD, SEM and nanoindentation the standard characterization techniques, which along with many other methods, provide indispensable information on the coatings' performance. The experimental work is complemented by numerical simulations to enhance understanding the observed behavior of the synthesized films.
Research close to applications as well as materials science questions are tackled in close cooperation with industry companies and with academic partners.
If you are interested in our work then please contact us at joerg.patscheider@empa.ch.
Research Group Plasma & Coating
The Plasma & Coating group of the Laboratory for Advanced Fibers investigates gas phase and surface processes relevant for plasma coating and etching processes. Thorough understanding of energetic processes during plasma processing enables us to tailor functionalized surfaces considering the flexibility and surface of substrates such as fibers, textiles, membranes etc.
Requirements for applications in aqueous environments are met by our high performing and permanent plasma coatings, also regarding the interaction of water with the surface and sub-surface (bioresponse, corrosion, wettability, adhesion, defined degradability etc.).
Our knowledge extends to the successful transfer of plasma processes (etching, cleaning, plasma polymerization, sputtering) to industry supported by pilot-plant reactors both for web and fiber coating including cost models.
Contact: Dr. Dirk Hegemann, dirk.hegemann@empa.ch
Evatec AG
Based out of their headquarters one hour to the east of Zurich, Evatec delivers thin film deposition platforms and processes using evaporation and sputter across selected applications in Power Devices, Wireless Communication, MEMS, Advanced Packaging, Optoelectronics and High Precision Optics. From the sputter processes developed for plasma damage free deposition of TCOs on GaN in HBLEDS manufacture to the ICP Arctic Etch technology developed for efficient removal of metal oxides from metal pads prior to contact deposition in Fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP) applications, Evatec delivers complete solutions for volume production. Sources and process control technologies are all designed for precision, repeatability and reliability and installed on a range of batch, inline or cluster platforms according to customer substrate size and throughput requirements.
CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research)
Technology Department, Geneva, Switzerland
Thin film coatings are developed and produced at CERN for different technological applications: from niobium for superconductive RF structures, to carbon for mitigation of electron multipacting, Non Evaporable Getters for vacuum and mitigation of electron multipacting and many others.
Along with standard planar magnetron coating systems, CERN develops customized coating systems, in order to cope with the geometry of the accelerators components and with the relatively large series often required.
Recent developments are focused in the deployment of in-situ coating in accelerators beam pipes, using 13 meter long hollow cathode sputtering targets for the Super Proton Synchrotron and miniature cylindrical magnetron sources for the Large Hadron Collider. Sputtering in small gap chambers, (down to 5 mm), and superconducting coatings in complex shape RF accelerating cavities for HIE-ISOLDE were also recently developed.
COMELEC SA
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Based in Switzerland since 1979, Comelec SA is a European leader in the general business of packaging using Parylene. Parylene is a polymer conformal coating from a CVD-like vacuum process combining outstanding material properties (barrier properties, chemical stability, biocompatibility, insulating properties, etc…). Comelec offers deposition services in many applications fields where high performance encapsulation of 3D parts is required (PCB electronics, medical devices, sensors, magnets and ferrites, micromechanics…).
Comelec customers benefit from 35+ years of experience including surface engineering (cleaning, adhesion), masking/unmasking and process control for the main commercial Parylene grades.
Comelec also provides standard and customized deposition equipments successfully used in various cutting-edge industries and research centers (possibly clean rooms).
With a strong involvement in R&D projects, Comelec intends to be a key partner for process and product development. Main R&D activities involve plasma processing and chemical grafting leading to multifunctional Parylene based coatings thanks to innovative combination of molecules and materials (particles, thin films). Comelec works closely with research partners from Switzerland and Europe for different fields of application. For instance, the company is presently involved in a major European project called InForMed, focused on medical device manufacturing (www.informed-project.eu).
Contact: Hicham Damsir, Business Manager, h.damsir@comelec.ch
RhySearch
Buchs, Switzerland
RhySearch, the Center of research and innovation in the Alpine Rhine Valley currently establishes the research focus on Optical Coatings. Thin films and coating processes are developed and analyzed using different methods such as Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) and Cavity Ring Down (CRD). The deposition of thin films will be performed by means of Dual Ion Beam Sputtering (DIBS, start in 2017). Our specific aim is the gain of knowledge on optical thin films and coating processes as well as coating systems in order to foster companies working in the field of optical coatings or optical applications (e.g. laser technology).
In general, RhySearch fosters applied research and innovation and acts as a technology cluster with industries as well as research and university institutions. Founded in 2013 RhySearch has launched first activities in its three research topics “optical coatings”, “precision manufacturing” and “packaging technology”. Furthermore, we are interested in exchanging experiences and enhancing our network with interested partners in research and innovation.
The Partner Country Concept is supported by:
[1] Gerhard Schwarz: Industriemacht Schweiz. Der Mythos der De-Industrialisierung. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 28. Juli 2012, S. 35
[2] Hans Stadler: Gewerbepolitik im Historischen Lexikon der Schweiz
[3] Die Schweiz in Zahlen. UBS Group AG, abgerufen am 18. April 2015.
Industrial Program
Accompanying Exhibition
PSE Awards
Job / Technology Placement
PSE 2018
Copyright by EFDS - Europäische Forschungsgesellschaft Dünne Schichten e.V.
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News & Important Information
Other Training Opportunities
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
Directory of Training Organizations
ILETSB Executive Institute
Canine Program
Law for Police (for waivers)
Mobile Team Units (MTUs)
Out-of-State Trained Reciprocity Process
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PTB ID Lookup
Brent Fischer, Director | JB Pritzker, Governor
When employing a law enforcement applicant who has previously been certified as a law enforcement officer in another state, the hiring agency may request a conditional waiver of Illinois basic law enforcement training, if the officer meets the conditions outlined below.
Conditions for Reciprocity:
Candidates must have successfully completed a basic law enforcement training course at a POST certified academy with a curriculum deemed equivalent to the Illinois Law Enforcement Basic Training Course, which is currently 560 hours in length.
Candidates must have successfully completed a probationary period of at least 6 months while employed full-time with a law enforcement agency in the state where they were trained.
Candidates must not have had a substantial break in service prior to the reciprocity waiver submission.
Before a waiver of training may be submitted, candidates must first be hired by a bona fide Illinois law enforcement agency. Therefore, candidates must meet all applicable Illinois pre-employment standards.
Waiver applications & supporting documentation must be submitted to ILETSB by the hiring agency.
Upon approval of the waiver application, candidates will be required to attend either a full or abbreviated Mandatory Firearms Training course and an Illinois Law for Police Officers course. Upon completion of these requirements, candidates will be allowed one attempt to pass the 200-question equivalency exam.
Failure of the equivalency exam would necessitate attendance at an Illinois basic law enforcement training academy.
Summary of Conditions:
Candidates must first be hired by a law enforcement agency.
Applications for waiver and all documentation must come from the hiring agency.
ILETSB assesses whether the training and experience are sufficient for the candidate to be eligible to receive a waiver of basic training.
The candidate must then pass all requirements outlined in the conditional waiver letter, which may include, but is not limited to the following:
Mandatory Firearms Training (full or abbreviated)
Illinois Law for Police Course
200-question Equivalency Exam
Responsibility of the Hiring Agency:
The hiring agency must provide the following to ILETSB when hiring an out-of-state trained officer:
A FORM E and WAIVER submitted through the Board's LEDI System
Authorization to Obtain and Release Information signed by the officer
A copy of the candidate’s FBI criminal history check based upon the 10-print submission
A copy of the candidate’s Basic Training Certificate (if available)
The supplemental documentation, Authorization to Obtain and Release Form, FBI criminal history check and a copy of the Basic Training Certificate (if available) must be submitted via PDF, fax or mailed to the ILETSB office to begin the waiver review process. Please forward those documents to Ms. Jill Weber at Jill.Weber@Illinois.gov.
After the Board has verified the Basic Training from the out-of-state POST, a letter will be sent to the hiring agency indicating the requirements needed to fulfill the conditions of the waiver.
Important Things to Know:
Until ILETSB can confirm the officer’s certification status from their home state, the officer is not authorized to carry a firearm. Rather than waiting for the issuance of the conditional waiver letter, the hiring agency may wish to enroll the officer in a 40-hour Mandatory Firearms Training course through their local MTU. Successful completion of this course would allow the officer to carry a firearm in the interim period, and would supersede the firearms training requirement in the conditional waiver.
The officer must meet the conditions of the waiver, within six months from date of hire, to become certified in Illinois. Failure to meet this deadline will result in the denial of the waiver. At that point, the officer will need either to be separated from the law enforcement agency, or enrolled to attend an Illinois basic law enforcement academy.
Military law enforcement training does not meet the conditions for reciprocity in Illinois.
Reciprocity for a former federal officer differs significantly, due to the specialized training and record checks involved. For guidance related to the hiring of former federal officers, please contact Ms. Laura Baker at Laura.Baker@Illinois.gov or (217) 524-6861.
Before you contact our office, please take note: ILETSB cannot give pre-determinations to either agencies or individual officers on whether or not a reciprocity waiver will be granted. An officer must be hired by an Illinois law enforcement agency, meeting all of that agency's and the state's hiring requirements. ILETSB is not involved in setting or overseeing hiring requirements - only training and certification required after an officer has been hired. Once an officer has been appointed, and a training/reciprocity waiver has been submitted by the employing agency with all required supporting documentation, Board staff will then begin the process of making a determination on eligibility for a reciprocity waiver. Each waiver is decided on a case by case basis, taking all of the information provided into account. Once the determination has been made, the employing agency will be notified, and they will then notify the officer. On waiver and reciprocity matters, Board staff will only communicate with the employing agency, not with the individual officer.
News & Important Info
New CIT Training Resource Available
Drug Detection Canine Program Update
Update on Canine Compliance Program: October 10, 2019
Update on the 560 Hour Part Time Basic Law Enforcement Training
"Use of Force" Brochures
Narcotic Detection Canine Requalification Standards
FY 19 – ILETSB Camera Grant Program
4500 South Sixth Street RoadRoom 173Springfield, IL 62703-6617
TTY/NEXTALK : (866) 740-3933
"A Trained Officer is an Effective Officer"
© Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board
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No matter where you live in Canada, you have the legal right to join a union.
The specific process for joining a union depends on where you live and whether you fall under the provincial or federal labour code.
Regardless of which law applies to your workplace, the basic steps of forming a union are similar.
Step 1: Contact CUPW to work with an organizing expert.
Step 2: Workers sign CUPW membership cards.
Step 3: The cards are submitted to the provincial or federal labour board with the union's application for certification. Membership cards are kept strictly confidential.
Step 4: Depending on the labour board, the union is recognized based on a count of the membership cards or through a secret ballot vote by employees.
Step 5: Workers can begin to negotiate a first contract.
Federal sector workplaces and those in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon are covered by the Canada Labour Code. All other workplaces fall under provincial labour law. If you are not sure which laws apply to your workplace, see below for a list of the types of workplaces covered by Canada Labour Code.
Workplaces covered by Federal Canada Labour Code
banks;
marine shipping, ferry and port services;
air transportation, including airports, aerodromes and airlines;
railway and road transportation that involves crossing provincial or international borders;
canals, pipelines, tunnels and bridges (crossing provincial borders);
telephone, telegraph and cable systems;
radio and television broadcasting;
grain elevators, feed and seed mills;
uranium mining and processing;
businesses dealing with the protection of fisheries as a natural resource;
many First Nation activities;
most federal Crown corporations;
private businesses necessary to the operation of a federal act;
To find out more details on the steps taken to unionize a workplace, click on one of the headings below.
Federal Sector, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon
Step 1: Contact CUPW to speak with an organizing expert
CUPW organizers are ready to support you in organizing a union. Get in touch to find out more.
Step 2: Workers sign CUPW membership cards
With the help of a union organizer, you and your co-workers sign CUPW membership cards or a petition.
Step 3: The cards are submitted to the labour board
When at least 50% of the workers have signed a union card, CUPW can apply to the Canadian Industrial Relations Board for certification of the union. The cards remain strictly confidential.
OR Vote for CUPW
CUPW can apply to the labour board to hold a vote if at least 35% of workers sign membership cards. The Labour Board will then conduct a secret ballot vote in your workplace or by mail and/or ballot box for a regional or national group of workers. If the majority of workers vote in favour of the union, the labour board can certify the union.
CUPW representatives with workers from your bargaining unit meet your employer to negotiate a collective agreement. This agreement sets out your wages, benefits, working conditions, job security and other rights. You have the right to vote on any contract that's negotiated. Contact us to learn more.
With the help of a union organizer, you and your co-workers sign CUPW membership cards or a petition. The signatures on the cards or the petition cannot be older than 90 days.
When at least 40% of the workers have signed a union card or a petition, CUPW can apply to the Alberta Labour Relations Board for certification of the union. The Labour Board will likely hold a hearing within 10 days of the union's application to make sure 40% of the workers have signed either a union card or a petition. The cards or the petition remain strictly confidential
Step 4: Vote for CUPW
Two weeks after CUPW has applied to the Alberta Labour Relations Board for certification, the board can conduct a secret ballot vote of all the workers to see if a majority want to join the union.
When at least 45% of the workers have signed a union card, CUPW can apply to the British Colombia Labour Relations Board for certification of the union. The cards remain strictly confidential.
Ten days after CUPW has applied to the B.C. Labour Relations Board for certification, the board can hold a secret ballot vote of all the workers to see if a majority want to join the union. If less than 55% of the employees participate in the vote, the labour board can order another one.
With the help of a union organizer, you and your co-workers sign CUPW membership cards.
If 65% of the workers sign a CUPW membership card, the Manitoba Labour Board can automatically certify the union.
CUPW can apply to the labour board to hold a vote if at least 40% of workers sign membership cards. The Labour Board will then conduct a secret ballot vote in your workplace one week after the application. If the majority of workers vote in favour of the union, the labour board can certify the union.
When at least 60% of the workers have signed a union card, CUPW can apply to the New Brunswick Labour Relations and Employment Board for certification of the union. The cards remain strictly confidential.
CUPW can apply to the labour board to hold a vote if at least 40% of workers sign membership cards. The Labour Board will then conduct a secret ballot vote in your workplace. If the majority of workers vote in favour of the union, the labour board can certify the union.
When a majority of the workers have signed a union card, CUPW can apply to the Labour Relations Board for a vote. The cards remain strictly confidential.
The labour board holds a secret ballot vote five days after the application. If a majority of workers want to join the union, the board can certify CUPW as your union.
When at least 40% of the workers have signed a union card, CUPW can apply to the Nova Scotia Labour Relations Board for a vote. The membership cards remain strictly confidential.
The Labour Relations Board holds a secret ballot vote in your workplace. This generally occurs five days after the union's application. If a majority of workers want to join the union, the labour board can certify CUPW as your union
When at least 40% of the workers have signed a union card, CUPW can apply to the Ontario Labour Relations Board for a vote. The membership cards remain strictly confidential.
The Labour Relations Board holds a secret ballot vote in your workplace about one week after the application. If a majority of workers want to join the union, the labour board can certify CUPW as your union.
When 55% of the workers have signed a union card, CUPW can apply to the Prince Edward Island Labour Relations and Employment Board for automatic certification of the union. The cards remain strictly confidential.
If at least 50%+1 of the workers sign a union card, the Labour Board will most likely hold a secret ballot vote. If the majority of workers vote in favour of the union, the labour board can certify the union.
Step 4: Workers can begin to negotiate a first contract CUPW representatives with workers from your bargaining unit meet your employer to negotiate a collective agreement. This agreement sets out your wages, benefits, working conditions, job security and other rights. You have the right to vote on any contract that's negotiated. Contact us to learn more.
If over 50% of workers sign a CUPW membership card, the Quebec Labour Relations Commission can automatically certify the union.
CUPW can apply to the labour board to hold a vote if at least 35% of workers sign membership cards. The Labour Commission will then conduct a secret ballot vote in your workplace about a week after the application. If the majority of workers vote in favour of the union, the Labour Commission can certify the union.
When at least 45% of the workers have signed a union card, CUPW can apply to the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board for a vote. The membership cards remain strictly confidential.
The Labour Relations Board holds a secret ballot vote in your workplace. If a majority of workers want to join the union, the labour board can certify CUPW as your union.
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What's happening to Google+ Games?
Games will be retired
As announced on May 15, 2013, games inside plus.google.com will be retired on June 30, 2013. If you would like to continue playing a particular game, contact the game's developer to find out if there's a new destination site for the game. Some of the game pages on plus.google.com/games have a link to an alternative site where you can continue to play the game.
What about payments I've made in the game?
Some games will be migrating data to an alternative destination site where you can continue to use your unused payments. Other games are offering a grace period in which you can use any available credits before the game is shutdown. Contact the game developer for further information.
50Cubes
Digital Chocolate
Glu Mobile
Halfbrick
Happy Elements
JamRT
Playrium
Playtika
Vostu
What is Google Play game services?
Google Play game services is a cross-platform game service and SDK on Android, iOS, and the web, enabling a rich set of in-game user experiences for cross screen gaming. Games that use game services can bring you many great experiences, including:
> Achievements: record and celebrate your greatest gaming accomplishments.
> Social & Public Leaderboards: Google+ powered leaderboards report your in-game scores between friends and across the world.
> Cloud save: games automatically store your game saves, progress and preferences for Android, iOS, and web.
> Real-time multi-player: connect up to 4 players simultaneously for cooperative and competitive game play on Android.
To find great titles using Play game services, visit the Google Play Store.
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Rashi School
Why Rashi?
Events for Preschoolers
Entry Grades
Tuition & Accessibility
High School Placementarrow
School Lifearrow
Multigenerational Program
The Artsarrow
Rashi's Parent Council
The Rashi Culture of Giving
The Mosaic Circle
How To...arrow
Critical Minds, Compassionate Hearts
About Rashi
The Rashi School is distinguished by exceptional academics, strong sense of community, and a deep commitment to Jewish learning and social justice.
“From the moment we entered the school, we knew we wanted our children to grow up here.”
- Neil Wallack, father of Sydney ('15), Perry ('13), and Harris ('10)
A Rashi education emphasizes rigorous learning, active questioning, and an emphasis on creative problem-solving.
Rashi's joyful environment - infused with music, art, drama, sport and spirituality - nurtures the mind, body, and souls of our students.
Rashi is more than a school: it's a warm and caring community. Immediately upon becoming a member of our kehillah (community), you will feel as if you have found a second home.
Support Rashi
When you make a gift to Rashi, you are investing in young lives. Your return? A future bright with Rashi graduates who are tomorrow’s leaders – active, informed, compassionate citizens of the world.
The Annual Dinner
The Limud Celebration
Generations Day
Math Olympiad Team Earns High Award
Rashi's Math Olympiad Team earned the Highest Team Achievement award.
Rashi’s 4th, 5th and 6th graders competed as a team in this year’s Math Olympiad competition. Collectively, they earned the Highest Team Achievement award to honor their being among the top 10% of all teams in the Elementary School division. The Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS) is an international organization that tests nearly 170,000 participants from 6,000 teams worldwide.
“Every Rashi 4th, 5th, and 6th grader is on our Math Olympiad team,” explained Middle School Math teacher Cindy Carter, “and our team victory was a reflection of the energy and focus that every single student contributed to thinking through each question. This was a Rashi team accomplishment.” While this is not the first year that The Rashi School has participated in MOEMS, this is the first year that students in Grades 4 and 5 joined the competition with our Middle Schoolers.
Past honors from the MOEMS have included High Team Achievement awards for being among the second top 10% of scores in the division, as well as many individual awards. This year, one of our Middle School students also received an honorable mention for his creative problem solving when he discovered a better answer to a test question than the one found by the well-respected MOEMS mathematics panel.
Fifth graders proudly hold the MOEMS award.
The 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade Math Olympiad team.
The Rashi School
8000 Great Meadow Road | Dedham MA | 02026
rashi@rashi.org
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Jeff Bogle
https://owtk.com/
Jeff Bogle is a dad of daughters, herder of house cats, award-winning photographer, avid traveler, and English football fanatic who has had the privilege of writing stories for Esquire, PBS, Good Housekeeping, Time Out New York, and Trip Advisor's Family Vacation Critic, among other fine publications.
Kenya Has the Strictest Plastic Bag Ban in the World: Has It Worked?
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Call Us Today To Get Started 909-517-2298
Sensei William Anderson is a 6th degree Black Belt who began training in 1997, and he’s been the Head Instructor of RDK Chino Hills since 2003.
Sensei William has a true passion for the martial arts and enjoys seeing his students succeed. He has helped thousands of kids reach their goals of becoming more confident, more disciplined and becoming Bully Proof.
He also enjoys teaching and training the adults so they can get a better sense of self awareness and fitness that they have never thought possible.
Sensei William also has a degree in engineering and is a writer in his spare time. He is in charge of team building events for Red Dragon and has worked to create a qualified board of tournament referee’s and judges for the American Karate Kung Fu Federation (AKKF) and for the Red Dragon Tournament series.
How We Got Here (our history)
RED DRAGON KARATE IN CHINO HILLS
Red Dragon Karate was founded by Shi-Han Sensei Louis D. Casamassa. He was born on May 3, 1941 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Shi-Han Sensei began studying martial arts in Japan in 1958 and continued his training through 1963. Shi-Han Sensei trained at the Kodokan in Japan. His instructors name was Tochiko Yogami. Resi Kano, the son of the founder of Judo, promoted Shi-Han Sensei to his first level of Black Belt. He was one of the first five Americans to be promoted to Black Belt at the Kodokan in Japan.
Shi-Han Sensei opened his first martial art studio in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1965. Prior to becoming Lou Casamassa’s Red Dragon Karate, we were originally named the Imperial Red Dragon Fighting Society, then the Red Dragon Judo club. The first full time training hall was under the local bowling alley. From those meager beginnings Shi-Han Sensei stayed focused on his goal of creating the best martial arts studio in the country and eventually opened two successful East coast Red Dragon schools. In 1971 he decided to travel towards the West coast and brought two of his eager and motivated east coast students along for the ride, one of those students was Mike Jablonski, who at the time was only an orange belt but is now a 9th degree black belt and one of the chief instructors for the Red Dragon Karate studios.
The first official Red Dragon Karate Studio opened in California in 1972.
Red Dragon Karate is classified as American Karate. American Karate is a combination of the seven major countries of martial arts styles, which include:
• Japanese (Judo, Aikido, Shotokan)
• Chinese (Kung Fu, Wing Chung, Kun Tao)
• Korean (Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido)
• Okinawan (Shorin Ryu)
• Indonesian (Thai Boxing, Penjack Silat)
• Philipino (Kali Escrima,)
• Tibet (The Monks)
Red Dragon Karate’s base martial art styles are Judo & Shotokan.
SECURE YOUR SPOT AND GET STARTED TODAY WITH OUR EXCLUSIVE OFFER
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We value your privacy and will never sell or share your email address. We will email you with information regarding our special offer. The next page will show you our class times, dates, and prices.
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A worker looks out at wind turbines at the Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm in the North Sea. Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
EU-funded group calls for North Sea Treaty for offshore wind
The PROMOTioN consortium demands a close harmonisation of regulatory frameworks around the North Sea to reach a meshed grid
New direct current circuit-breaker breakthrough
25 June 2018 12:45 GMT
TenneT joins utilities to study UK link and North Sea wind hub
13 June 2018 9:16 GMT
6 November 2019 11:10 GMT Updated 6 November 2019 14:08 GMT
By Bernd Radowitz in Munich
An EU-funded public-private consortium to push for a close interconnection of wind at sea has called upon the countries around the North See to harmonise regulatory frameworks and in the long run seal a North Sea Treaty to fully exploit the potential of a meshed offshore grid in the North Sea.
The PROMOTioN (Progress on Meshed HVDC Offshore Transmission Networks) project has brought together 33 companies and organisations from 11 countries, among them Dutch-German transmission system heavy-weight TenneT and energy consultancy DNV GL.
“The development of a cross-border HVDC grid is one of the most promising opportunities for a sustainable energy future in Europe,” said TenneT chief operating officer Tim Meyerjürgens.
“TenneT is cooperating closely with other TSOs to develop the idea of a meshed and efficient offshore grid in the North Sea, which requires the creation of a common regulatory framework. PROMOTioN's research shows the way to make this happen.”
The consortium in its latest report (on regulation and finance) sums up key findings on the design of a legal, regulatory and financing framework for cross-border HVDC (high voltage direct current) offshore connections and provides recommendations for policy makers and other stakeholders to take appropriate measures to enable the first hybrid assets to be built.
“This project delivered a great framework with regulatory and financial guidelines for national governments to speed up collaboration on the joint development of energy infrastructure such as offshore tra(nsmission grids,” DNV GL chief executive Ditlev Engel said.
“And that is really needed to accommodate the rise of renewables and meet our goals in the Paris Agreement.”
Energy islands plan for North Sea ‘feasible’, says consortium
To achieve long-term regulatory stability, PROMOTioN recommends EU members and third countries to adopt a North Sea Treaty, containing the aims and principles of the offshore grid.
Such a treaty would provide a stable governance and decision-making structure, a common interpretation of maritime law, and processes for long-term wind farm and grid planning. It would also fix the terms of cooperation between national regulatory bodies, and streamline the decision-making process for cross-border links.
In the short term, PROMOTioN has issued the following recommendations:
- improve the governance and the regulation of the internal market for (offshore) electricity by including in the Electricity Regulation a definition and substantive provisions on the regulation of a hybrid asset; assets which combine both interconnection and wind farm export functionalities
- provide innovation funding for novel ideas and technologies (e.g. novel energy storage techniques), and fund anticipatory investment which is cost-effective in delivering a meshed offshore grid (e.g. island hubs)
- support early communication between developers, authorities and other key stakeholders about new wind farm projects to enable early identification of meshed offshore grid development needs. Opportunities for wider stakeholder involvement in the decision making process should also be identified
- formalise of the Cross-Border Cost Allocation (CBCA) as a binding contract between the involved parties with a clear specification of non-compliance penalties. CBCA coordination is one of the most important pillars in the economic framework and should be promoted for complementary projects.
An EU-funded public-private consortium to push for a close interconnection of wind at sea has called upon the countries around the North See to harmonise regulatory frameworks and in the long run seal a North Sea Treaty to fully exploit the potential of a meshed offshore grid in the North Sea. The...
https://www.rechargenews.com/wind/eu-funded-group-calls-for-north-sea-treaty-for-offshore-wind/2-1-701680
Unions slam 'appalling' UK green jobs drop after wind and solar subsidy cuts
TUC claims total jobs in clean energy fell despite offshore wind boost, as onshore and solar suffered
New human rights complaint over Europe's largest onshore wind farm
Swiss group claims investor BKW failed to protect rights of reindeer herders affected by 1GW Fosen in Norway
Construction starts on world’s largest offshore wind power project
'First spade in the ground' on onshore civil works for $10bn Dogger Bank project, set to catapult sector into the global energy big league
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WA State Court Process for Reckless Driving / Racing
Burg & Lantz: Reckless Driving Defense
We have helped many people who are in a similar situation to you fight their charges.
Everyone charged with reckless driving or racing charge must go through a legal process in court. At the beginning, all people accused of a crime have a right to be notified of the charges they are facing. The legal process may end with a trial to determine guilt or innocence. However, there are many important steps between these two events.
Below is the general process that most courts use. While some courts give different names to similar hearings – these are the typical court appearances that will occur in a criminal case. It is very important to be present for all hearings unless your lawyer specifically tells you otherwise.
Arraignment (Intake):
This is generally the first court appearance after being arrested or investigated for a Washington State reckless driving or racing case. At arraignment you appear before a judge and are formally notified of the charge(s) filed against you and asked to enter a plea.
You can "waive" the arraignment for reckless driving and racing cases, meaning that you do not need to appear at the
arraignment, if you have hired a private lawyer to represent you. This is something we do for our clients, however, we can only do it if we have enough notice before the arraignment to file the appropriate paperwork. This cannot be done if a public defender is representing you.
You should always enter a plea of not guilty at arraignment unless an experienced attorney has advised you otherwise. This is true even if you feel that you would like to take responsibility for what happened or that the government will have a strong case against you. There will be opportunities to change your plea in the future if that is appropriate in your case. You will not be penalized in any way by the prosecutor or the judge by entering a plea of not guilty at arraignment. Both the judge and the prosecutor understand that pleading not guilty is a legal step and not an attempt to avoid responsibility.
At arraignment, the judge will impose conditions that you must abide by while the case is pending to avoid being taken into custody. The judge may also require that you post bail/bond to remain out of jail while the case is pending. You and your attorney will have an opportunity to object to conditions of release and bail/bond. An experienced attorney can advise you on the expected conditions of release and the likelihood of a court setting bail in your case and help you prepare to post it quickly so that you can avoid spending any time in jail.
You will receive notice of future court hearings at your arraignment. Generally, the next hearing scheduled will be a pre-trial hearing, but in some courts you may also be given notice of additional dates such as a date for trial.
Pre-Trail Hearings (Case Settings, Case Scheduling)
At arraignment, a pre-trial hearing will be scheduled to allow the court to monitor the progress and resolve issues that might arise while your case is pending. It is very common to ask that a case be “continued” at a pre-trial hearing to give the parties sufficient time to fully investigate and negotiate your case. In some courts, the pre-trial hearing is the best opportunity to negotiate with the prosecutor on your case. There may be a designated negotiating prosecutor present (not in the courtroom, often in a room just outside the courtroom) who has authority to make decisions on your case and is prepared to discuss the case with your attorney.
In addition, the following things may occur at a pre-trial hearing:
Entry of a negotiated settlement or disposition and sentencing if appropriate.
Issues involving access to evidence, witness interviews, and the investigation may be settled by the judge.
Conditions of release may be modified and the court may revoke a release if information is presented by the prosecutor that you have violated the conditions imposed at arraignment.
If the case will be proceeding to trial, the court will schedule a trial date and possibly a motion hearing.
Motion Hearings:
The following are examples of some legal motions that we may bring in your Washington case:
Motion to dismiss for an unconstitutional delay in filing charges.
Motion to dismiss for failure of the government to preserve evidence.
Motion to dismiss for violation of your right to a speedy trial.
Motion to dismiss for insufficient evidence of a crime (Knapstad).
Motion to dismiss for lack of probable cause to stop or seize.
No reasonable suspicion a crime has occurred.
Law enforcement officer did not have authority to perform stop.
Motion to dismiss for unlawful detention.
Motion to dismiss for lack of probable cause to arrest.
Motion to dismiss for governmental misconduct.
Motion to suppress evidence for violation of the 4th amendment (invalid search).
Improper entry into home/property by law enforcement.
Improper search of vehicle.
No authority to request identification.
Motion to suppress evidence for violation of access to counsel.
Failure to advise of right to counsel in language easily understood (State v. Prok).
Failure to provide privacy.
Motion to suppress evidence of invocation of right to attorney.
Motion to suppress evidence of invocation of right to remain silent.
Motion to suppress evidence of Corpus Delicti.
Motion to suppress involuntary statements.
Readiness Hearings (Omnibus, Jury Call):
A readiness hearing is generally scheduled anywhere from several days to several weeks prior to trial. At this hearing both parties inform the court of their “readiness” for trial. Your case may be continued at this hearing if for some reason the case is not ready to proceed to trial as scheduled (witnesses unavailable, additional evidence discovered, lack of courtroom availability, etc.). Additionally, your case could be resolved at this hearing with a negotiated disposition and sentencing if appropriate.
Trial:
While most cases are resolved prior to a trial, some cases proceed to a full trial. If it is appropriate for your case to proceed to a trial, you may have the option of choosing between a jury trial and a bench trial. A jury trial consists of six (misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor) or twelve (felony) randomly selected people from the community sitting as the “fact finder” who will decide if you are guilty or not guilty of the crime(s) charged. A bench trial allows the judge to be the sole “fact finder” in your case. In general, we recommend a jury trial for most criminal cases. This is a decision you can make after weighing the pros and cons with your lawyer.
In a trial, the prosecutor must prove every element of the crime(s) charged beyond a reasonable doubt. The fact finder (the judge or jury) will hear the admissible evidence and be instructed in the applicable law. The judge or jury will then make a decision determining if the government successfully proved each element beyond a reasonable doubt (guilty) or failed to (not guilty). If the jury cannot agree on this decision, a hung jury results and a mistrial is declared. A jury must make a unanimous decision for a verdict to result in a criminal case.
Sentencing:
In Washington State criminal cases, sentencing decisions are made by judges. This is true even if you are found guilty at a jury trial - the judge who oversaw the case would impose any sentence without input from the jury.
At sentencing, the prosecutor will make a recommendation to the judge. Unless there is a negotiated resolution on the case that requires an “agreed” sentence recommendation between both parties, you and your lawyer will have an opportunity to make a sentencing recommendation to the judge as well. These are just recommendations, and a judge will always have the authority to impose whatever sentence he or she believes is appropriate in your specific case.
You have a right to speak on your own behalf at sentencing – but not an obligation to. It may also be appropriate to have friends or family provide letters or appear to speak on your behalf at sentencing.
Charged with Reckless Driving or Racing?
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8390 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy
Fill in the blanks and we will contact you within 24 hours, or call us directly during normal business hours for a free consultation.
Designed by Cabana Digital Marketing
It's Texas Independence Day Y'all
On March 2, 1836, 59 Texicans (yes, that was what they were called) adopted the Texas Declaration of Independence in Washington-on-the-Brazos. With this document, settlers in Mexican Texas officially declared independence from Mexico and created the Republic of Texas.
As most Texans know, while we declared our political independence from Mexico in 1836, Spanish and Mexican influence on Texas remains strong to this day. Music, food, architecture, even our language all show our Spanish and Mexican roots.
But did you know that this influence also extends to Texas law?
Many of the bedrocks of Texas law and legal tradition is an extension of Spanish and Mexican law. For example, community property comes from Spanish property law. Special protections for one's home against creditors--our Homestead law--comes from similar protections present under Mexican rule. Texas water law and riparian rights mirrors those in the Spanish tradition. Texas probate law, which features the use of an independent executor, is modeled after similar provisions in Spanish and Mexican law dating back 200 years.
So, while we Texans proudly proclaimed our independence from Mexico, we retained many aspects of Mexican law that not only became part of our shared heritage, but also influenced other portions of the country.
We must also remember that without March 2, 1836, the world may have been deprived of many Texas-oriented cultural icons. No JR Ewing. No Houston. No Tex-Mex or Texas Tornadoes or Freddy Fender. There would probably have been an Alamo, but no one would remember it. No Lyndon Johnson or Barbara Jordan or George W, Bush. No Stanley Marcus. No Dallas Cowboys or Houston Texans (or Oilers, for that matter).
And no Willie Nelson. For goodness sake, we should celebrate Texas Independence Day just for Willie Nelson.
So, have a taco and raise a glass to those 59 in the little log cabin who made Willie Nelson possible.
Viva Texas!
They Kept Moving
The Next Generation of Legal Representation
The Joy of Freedom
Let Us Remember The Fallen
One Ring Scam
Property damage at the airport; what next?
Celebrate the Preservation of our Planet
This Veteran's Day
On A High Spot Across the Potomac
C O U R A G E
Reed Carter Trial Team Scores Victory
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A Model for Recovery from Oppressive and Exclusive Theologies and Religions
Radical Inclusivity is and must be radical.
Inclusivity, with love for all of God’s creation, challenges major fundamental, deep-seated Christian beliefs, doctrines and theologies at the center of society which characterize people who do not fit the definition of the acceptable social norm as enemies of God and routinely mistreats, oppresses and excludes people from the community of faith and its institutions.
Radical Inclusivity, recognizes, values, loves and celebrates people on the margin. Jesus was himself from the edge of society with a ministry to those who were considered least. Jesus’ public ministry and associations were primarily with the poor, weak, outcast, foreigners and prostitutes.
Radical Inclusivity recognizes harm done in the name of God. Many people rejected by the Church got their burns from Bible believing Christian flame-throwers. Contempt for the Church and all things religious often stems from exposure to oppressive theology, self-serving biblical literalism and unyielding tradition. It is neither Christ-like nor spiritual to be oppressive. No human being is born with a destiny to be oppressed or to oppress others.
Radical Inclusivity is intentional and creates ministry on the margin. “On Purpose” because of the radically inclusive love of Jesus Christ. The inclusive community deliberately makes a conscious and unapologetic decision to love and celebrate the Creator’s diversity welcoming all persons regardless to race, color, ancestry, age, gender and sexual or affectional orientation. Radical Inclusivity practices and celebrates the Christian community outside of the dominant culture believing that the Kingdom (Kingdom) of God includes the margin of society and is a perfect place for ministry. Marginalized people, now as in the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, respond to a community of openness and extravagant grace, where other people from the edge gather. Such an atmosphere welcomes people to feel it is safer to be who they are.
The primary goal of Radical Inclusivity is not to imitate or change the mainline church, but rather to be Church. The Church belongs to God and is the Body of Jesus Christ. It is not the sole property of
any denomination, person or group. There are systemic wrongs in organized church due to oppressive theology, bibliolatry and traditional beliefs, which prevent freedom for all people that we can never fully right. Radical inclusivity however, is ministry rooted in restoration believing that God has given the church the work and ministry of reconciliation. It is for freedom that Christ has made us free (Gal. 5:1). Although, radical inclusivity believes and celebrates the kinship and fellowship of all believers of Jesus Christ it is does not seek to change the mainline church but it uses its power of love to model and demonstrate the radically inclusive love of Jesus Christ.
Radical Inclusivity requires a new way of seeing and a new way of being. “…from this day forward, we regard no one from a strictly human point of view, not even Jesus.” (II Cor. 5:16) This scripture passage implies that we can celebrate one another in some new and powerful way in Christian community - some way that both accepts who each of us is in a human sense and transcends our humanity allowing us to see each other as God sees us. Christian community can truly be celebrated when we realize the Church is a spiritual, mystical, faith community and we relate best when we
make the two-foot drop from head to heart.
Radical Inclusivity requires awareness, information and understanding. The creation of Christian community among people marginalized by the Church requires that the community be prepared and maintain a presence of cultural
familiarity through education and training which equips the community to understand, actively fight and overcome oppressive and exclusive theology and practices. Sustaining and eventually celebrating community on the margin requires the Church to re-examine sexual and relational ethics, develop a theology of welcome and de-stigmatize its view of any group
Radical Inclusivity does not hide and works to undo shame and fear. The radically inclusive ministry of Jesus does not encourage people to hide their ‘unacceptable’ realities (based upon the dominant culture’ point of view or faith) in order to be embraced. True community comes when marginalized people take back the right to fully “be.” People must celebrate not in spite of who they are, but because of who their Creator has made them. In order for marginalized people to have community they must
develop community “naked” with their “marginality” in full view while often celebrating the very thing that separates them from the dominant culture.
Radical Inclusivity recognizes diversity on the margin. People live and are located on the various margins of society for many different reasons. Most people live on the margin because the dominant culture and/or faith communities have forced them outside their boundaries to a margin. Not all marginalized people are poor, uneducated or visible. Because many marginalized people are together on the margin does not mean that each affirms the other or that their common marginality will
hold the community together. People on the margins are challenged to find the interconnectedness of their marginalities.
Radical Inclusivity must be linked to preaching and teaching. The creation of Christian community among people marginalized by the Church requires preaching and teaching that defines and strengthens the essence of the community through a theology of radical inclusivity. Preaching and teaching clarifies, reinforces and supports the collective theology of the community and gives voice to its emergence and evolution.
Radical Inclusivity demands hospitality. Marginalized people experience hospitality where they have neither to defend nor to deny their place or their humanness. Henri Nouwen, author of Reaching Out, says, “Hospitality…means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by a dividing line. It is not to lead our neighbor into a corner where there are no alternatives left, but to open a wide spectrum of options for choice and commitment. It is not a method of making our God and our way into the criteria of happiness, but the opening of an opportunity to others to find their God and their way. Hospitality is not a subtle invitation to adopt the life style of the host, but
the gift of chance for the guest to find his/her own.”
Radical Inclusivity is best sustained and celebrated when everyone in the community is responsible and accountable. Sustaining Christian community requires an intentional effort to design a framework that includes everyone in the life of the Church. The dissemination of duties and chores insure that all members share in and contribute to the welfare of the community. It is often difficult for people who have not had continuity in life to understand that freedom without responsibility and accountability is as detrimental as slavery. Freedom cannot be an end unto itself. Freedom from something must flow into freedom to be something else or it is not truly freedom. The object of getting free is being fee: the object of being free is living free.
© 2015 by RIVERS Of LIVING WATER-NY. All rights reserved
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Here's the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor SuperCrew You've Been Yearning For
Take the whole crew dune-jumping with you.
This ain't really a surprise. From the moment Ford unveiled the all-new, all-aluminum, twin-turbo 2017 F-150 Raptor, we knew there would be a SuperCrew version. But this is the first time we're seeing it, and it's just as badass as you imagined it would be. You're welcome, America.
With a 145-inch wheelbase that's a full foot longer than the two-door SuperCab Raptor, the SuperCrew variant should bring some added stability to the high-speed off-road maneuvers the factory monster truck seems to be designed for. That's important, especially since the new 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 actually makes more horsepower than the outgoing naturally-aspirated 411-hp 6.2-liter V8.
When the second-generation Raptor made its surprise debut at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, we discovered that the lightweight new truck (some 500 lbs less weighty than the outgoing version) actually had wheelspin issues with all that power. Ford answered the problem by devising a brilliant drivetrain that's a combination of 4WD and AWD.
With a body that's six inches wider than the standard F-150, six preset driving modes (Normal, Street, Weather, Mud/Sand, Baja, and Rocks), and that twin-turbo engine feeding through a ten-speed gearbox, the all-new 2017 Raptor will definitely bring some dynamite to the off-road party. And with the SuperCrew option, you'll be able to share the incendiaries with a bunch of your friends.
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Home Breaking News Health risks: New initiatives being adopted to enhance mercury-free gold mining in...
Health risks: New initiatives being adopted to enhance mercury-free gold mining in Kenya
Most workers don’t use protective gear when processing gold, which can cause serious health problems when handling mercury. PHOTO/DUNCAN MOORE/UN ENVIRONMENT
About three years ago, Eunice Atieno, an artisanal and small-scale gold miner in Osiri village, Migori County had her hair sample taken for testing. The results showed mercury concentrations of 0.489ppm.
This was just below the recommended 0.58ppm of mercury for women of child-bearing age according to Global Report: Mercury in women of child-bearing age in 25 countries. A joint study by IPEN, Biodiversity Research Institute and the Arnika Association.
Women like Eunice can rarely afford quality healthcare or an alternative source of livelihood, so we can only assume that this level has risen.
Mercury use is the most common extraction method used by artisanal and small-scale gold miners.When mercury is mixed into substances (like soil and sediment) that contain gold; it combines with the tiny gold pieces, separating them from the soil. The gold is then isolated by heating the mercury until it vaporizes.
The miners often use rudimentary equipment to do this such as a blow-torch or cooking stoves, and they often inhale the mercury, which has major consequences for their health according to a report; Inventory and mapping of mercury use in Artisanal small scale gold Mining (ASGM) sites in Migori, South Western, Kenya.
Mercury toxicity adversely affects the nervous, digestive and immune systems. Exposure also impacts lungs, kidneys, skin and the eyes. Common symptoms of mercury poisoning include impaired neurological development, which leads to deterioration of cognitive thinking, memory lapses, reduced attention span and difficulty with speaking and language development.
This happens especially in children- as well as impaired fine motor and visual spatial skills according to a 2017 report of the World Health organisation; Mercury and Health.
Griffins Ochieng, from the Centre for Environmental Justice and Development (CEJAD), acknowledged that the awareness of mercury toxicity among artisanal and small-scale gold miners is low.
This is because there have been little effort to increase public awareness on the dangers of mercury, especially regarding the health of miners and the environment, by relevant stakeholders such as the government and relevant Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
Mercury cannot be legally imported for mining in Kenya; and interviewed miners admitted that the source of their mercury supply is unknown. Some believe it is smuggled into the country, while others believe that it is imported for industrial use and then diverted.
This diversion creates an informal and covert access channel that allows mine owners to access mercury and supply it to the gold miners.
Beyond the adverse health impacts of mercury contamination, mercury also poses a risk to the environment. Milton Oboka, a resident from Migori, identified some of these environmental problems. The hazardous material often finds its way to Lake Victoria, polluting the water and harming the aquatic life.
Moreover, many locals continue to consume the water, oblivious to the contamination. A similar problem occurs from the use of sodium cyanide, another lethal alternative used by artisanal and small-scale gold miners to extract more gold. The sodium cyanide combines with mercury to form new harmful compounds that are dispersed in the water and end up in the human food chain.
Camarines Norte, Philippines: Mercury combines with gold to create an amalgam, which is then heated to evaporate the mercury, leaving only gold. PHOTO/VEEJAY VILLAFRANCA/UN ENVIRONMENT
Admittedly, the trade-off between health, environmental protection and economic gain is often complicated. This is because ASGM is usually poverty driven, thus economic gain usually takes precedence over safety.
Also, few miners use protective gear while mining, increasing their risk of a harmful accident, and Eunice acknowledges that, at times, she comes into contact with mercury throughbroken skin while extracting gold.
Moreover, mine pits are usually left open, jeopardizing the safety of the community, particularly children who could easilyfall into the unprotected pits. There are few procedures in place to safely shut down mines, which also means they are also at risk of collapse.
Nonetheless, more people are becoming aware of the safety and environmental implications of mining. In an effort to curb mercury contamination, the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), in partnership with the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), is conducting research on alternative ways to extract gold.
In Kenya, GEF has set aside over $4 million to support the government in creating policies and marketing incentives that favour mercury-free gold extraction. Additionally, GEF is also spearheading the campaign to stop mercury use by artisanal and small-scale gold miners.
The funds have been channelled to teach best practices in gold extraction and assist miners in financing mercury-free gold mining according to a report in The East African.
Bismarck Onyando, the chairperson of the Micodepro Association of artisanal and small-scale gold miners in Migori has also made efforts to curb mercury contamination.
He formed the Micodepro association to help artisanal and small-scale gold miners to come together and form a welfare association that would look into their needs.
A worker shovels tailings. Despite the health risks, mining is often the most viable livelihood for those involved. PHOTO/DUNCAN MOORE/UN ENVIRONMENT
Through this association, CSOs and NGOs like Solidaridad, Diakonia and Haki Madini Kenya have made efforts to address mercury-free gold mining by educating miners on the health and environmental implications of using mercury and on the need to use protective gear while mining.
Micodepro has also introduced safer gold mining technologies that use less or no mercury: “borax”, a gravity concentration technique, produces more gold than traditional methods and is mercury-free, while “retort technique” captures mercury condensation in safely concealed containers.
Further to this, Micodepro has helped educate miners on licensing requirements (that were introduced by the 2016 Mining Act) for artisanal and small-scale gold mining. Despite intention of the Mining Act to better protect miners, licences are often prohibitively expensive and some of the requirements are challenging for miners to comply with.
Some artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) companies also complain of delays in receiving licenses, believing preference is given to large-scale gold miners.
Clearly there are still challenges that need to be addressed, but associations and community organizations are playing an important role in educating miners and helping them gain access to expensive licenses and technologies.
In essence, a sustainable mine should be safe, efficient, environmentally clean and profitable. Moving forward, it is critical that new technologies are made more affordable and are adaptable to the remote and under-resourced areas where ASGM is commonly practised.
Contributions to this story: Interviews by Akinyi Chemutai and Charity Migwi, written by Charity Migwi and edited Laura Docking. Additional editing, Patrick Mayoyo
This story is part of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s pilot Environmental Governance Programme for the Kenya group of Young Environmental Journalists.
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>> Homes
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Beazer to host grand opening for Tierra Vista in Henderson
Beazer Homes will kick off the new year with the grand opening of Tierra Vista, its newest Las Vegas-area community, Jan. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The grand opening of Tierra Vista by Beazer Homes is set for Jan. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Beazer Homes)
Located in northeast Henderson at the intersection of Lake Mead Parkway and Mohawk Drive, this gated community will feature 54 single-family homes, a 6,000-square-foot park with a tot lot and access to the city of Henderson trail system. Residents will also enjoy other amenities nearby, such as athletic fields, courts, splash pads, skate parks and picnic areas at Hayley Hendricks Park, Morrell Park and Heritage Park. Tierra Vista is close to a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options and offers easy access to Interstate 515 and the I-215 Beltway.
Tierra Vista homebuyers can choose from four single- and two-story floor plans, with living space ranging from 1,786 square feet to 2,543 square feet. All floor plans include popular design elements such as open-concept kitchens, spacious master suites and two-car garages.
Buyers are given the flexibility of Beazer’s Choice Plans, which provide the option to choose room-specific layouts to create their ideal living space, at no additional cost. Two of Tierra Vista’s plans are brand new to the market, like the Everett plan, which features an innovative “pop top” second floor with a loft, a powder room and an optional bedroom with full bath.
Most homesites at Tierra Vista will measure at least 120 feet deep. Additionally, many lots on the west side of the community will have unobstructed views of the Strip.
“Tierra Vista’s exceptionally large backyards and opportunities for amazing Strip views, coupled with affordable prices starting from the $330,000s, will make it one of the most sought-after new-construction communities in Henderson,” said Steve Cervino, Las Vegas division president. “The high caliber of design and construction we’re building into the homes at Tierra Vista will give homebuyers fantastic options that deliver top value.”
As with all Beazer developments, the homes at Tierra Vista are designed to provide more quality, more comfort and more savings from the moment homeowners move in. Beazer calls it Surprising Performance — the result of experienced people, industry-leading processes and high-caliber materials coming together to build high-performing, energy-efficient homes that save homeowners money every month.
In addition, Beazer offers Mortgage Choice with new technology for buyers to easily compare multiple lenders and loan offers. Lenders compete for business, each offering outstanding customer service, diverse home loan programs and competitive rates. Customers save thousands and enjoy great service when lenders compete and customers compare and choose the right mortgage for their needs.
Tierra Vista will feature the new Everett and Dawson plans at its model park. During the grand opening, guests are invited to tour the models and learn about other available floor plans and offerings. The Dawson model’s Surprising Performance room will showcase a deconstructed wall that demonstrates how Beazer’s materials and construction methods give rise to superior energy efficiency in all its homes. Lenders will be on-site to assist homebuyers with the loan pre-qualification process. For more details about Tierra Vista, or to take advantage of pre-model pricing, visit beazer.com/las-vegas-NV/tierra-vista.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Beazer Homes is one of the country’s largest homebuilders. Every Beazer home is designed and built to provide Surprising Performance, giving homeowners more quality, comfort and monthly savings.
With Beazer’s Choice Plans, homebuyers can personalize primary living areas, at no additional cost.
The homebuilder empowers customers to shop and compare loan options. Its Mortgage Choice program gives homebuyers resources to easily compare multiple loan offers and choose the best lender and loan, saving you thousands over the life of the loan.
Beazer builds homes in Nevada, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. For more information, visit beazer.com or check out Beazer on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Posted on: Homes, Provided Content
Tagged: mc-homes
Doctors raise growing family at Juhl in downtown Las Vegas
Drs. Denise LaBelle and Ryan Hudson were a young married couple without children when they bought their 13th-floor, two-bedroom, two-bath condo at Juhl, the iconic 344–residence, loft-style community in downtown Las Vegas. Today, this dynamic health care duo are parents to an active 2-year-old with another baby on the way.
REAL ESTATE BRIEFS: FEB. 19
Nevada State Apartment Association has announced the winners of its 13th annual Jewel Awards.
Del Webb to open age-qualified community in Lake Las Vegas
The nation’s leading builder of active-adult communities for those ages 55 and older, Del Webb has broken ground on its 10,000-square-foot recreation center at Del Webb at Lake Las Vegas. Announced last year as the builder’s first new Las Vegas Valley development in over a decade, the groundbreaking precedes its upcoming grand opening in early February.
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Growth Luxury Homes, the custom luxury home development division of multiindustry pioneer, Growth Holdings, has expanded its ever-growing portfolio with the acquisition of the majority of the land in the Augusta Canyon neighborhood of Southern Highlands Golf Club. This acquisition adds to GLH’s current holdings in what is one of the premier master-planned communities in the nation, joining the Shadow Canyon neighborhood. GLH has brought Augusta Canyon and Shadow Canyon together as “The Canyon Collection.”
Downtown Summerlin to ring in Year of the Rat
Lunar New Year takes center stage at Downtown Summerlin in the heart of the master-planned community of Summerlin on Jan. 25 with the destination’s third annual Lunar New Year Parade. Ushering in 2020 – the Year of the Rat, the parade is a festive and free celebration open to the general public.
Pardee opens Sandalwood in Summerlin
Homebuyers liked what they saw during the grand opening of Sandalwood, Pardee Homes’ newest Summerlin neighborhood in the gated Stonebridge village that features contemporary luxury homes with awe-inspiring views of colorful sweeping vistas.
Cadence celebrates five years
In mid-December, Cadence hosted an event to mark the fifth anniversary since it began welcoming residents and families to the Henderson master-planned community. The event featured a “high-five” selfie wall, a zip line, interactive games, a doggie zone hosted by Cadence Animal Hospital, a beer garden for the adults and a collection of food trucks from across the valley.
Summerlin ranks No. 3 nationwide in new home sales
Following 2019 milestone development headlined by the continuing evolution of Downtown Summerlin, the opening and storied inaugural year of Las Vegas Ballpark, and the addition of seven new neighborhoods, Summerlin, a development of The Howard Hughes Corp., maintained its position as the No. 3 best-selling master-planned community in the country for 2019. The list was ranked by RCLCO, a leading national real estate consultant, which has been ranking master plans since 1994. The ranking is determined by number of new home sales. In 2019, 1,320 new homes were sold in Summerlin.
Growth Luxury Homes to be featured at Builders Show
Growth Luxury Homes (GLH), the custom luxury home development division of multi-industry disruptor, Growth Holdings (GH), will make its debut as a featured green homebuilder at the annual NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Las Vegas on Jan. 21-23 as part of the IBS Green Home Tour on Jan. 22.
Trilogy by Shea Homes to hold Live Well Wellness Fair
Trilogy in Summerlin is in the master-planned community of Summerlin on the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley, adjacent to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The community features single-story town homes with optional casitas and multilevel floor plan options. Homes range from 1,538 square feet to 2,915 square feet and start from $475,990.
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Facebook Expressed Regrets On Breaching New Zealand’s Privacy Act – Everything You Need To Know!
In News July 17, 2018 by Raheel Ansari
In March 2018, Facebook was allegedly accused of breaching New Zealand’s privacy law by refusing to release personal information upon a complainant’s request. John Edward, the NZ privacy commissioner, took the unusual step by naming the social media giant in a critical ruling which concluded that the company had failed to cooperate with the Country’s privacy law.
According to the Facebook official statement, Facebook is not subject to New Zealand’s privacy laws and did not have to comply as Facebook Ireland is the provider of Facebook in New Zealand and is subject to Irish data protection laws. As they state:
“We are disappointed that the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner asked us to provide access to a year’s worth of private data belonging to several people and then criticsed us for protecting their privacy,” the company said. “We scrutinise all requests to disclose personal data, particularly the contents of private messages, and will challenge those that are overly broad.”
Recent Proceedings
Three weeks ago, New Zealand Privacy Commissioner – Mr. John Edwards met with the Vice President and Chief Privacy Officer of Facebook Company in San Francisco during his participation in Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities forum. After the meeting, Mr. Edwards revealed that Facebook had expressed deep regrets about how the situation was handled.
Mr. Edwards also said that Facebook representatives have assured him of full cooperation in future and that Facebook will work constructively with his office if such scenario rises again. He ended his statement by stating the meeting as “useful and productive.”
This is another hit on the giant social network after it was accused of handing over the information of millions of users to consultancy company Cambridge Analytica.
What is Privacy Bill of New Zealand?
New Zealand Privacy Bill was introduced back on March 20, 2018, which repealed the Privacy Act of 1993. According to this bill, the information of people will be kept secure and private. The law also ensures that, if any company or corporation failed to follow the bill will face stringent and punitive measures.
According to the bill, all private and public sector agencies will notify all individuals about the handling of their data, and no individual should be affected by the harmful data breach of any sort.
The bill entitled the Privacy Commissioner as the responsibility for regulating the collection, disclosure, and handling of data of every New Zealand citizen and enhances the speed of data collection in this digital age.
The Privacy Bill also has provisions for accepting two categories of complaints which can be lodged by either an affected individual or his representative. First, if an individual’s complaint alleges that an agency’s action has indeed interfered with his privacy; and secondly, if the complaint is about a cross-section of the public getting affected.
Facebook, the world’s most extensive social network with over 3 billion active users, has been continuously hitting by allegations of misusing the users’ information. The year started with Google Cambridge Analytica, and at the end of first quarter, the company was allegedly accused of following privacy bill of New Zealand. Is it a fact that Facebook is sharing users data to big corporations? Do you still trust Facebook for your social activities? Here you need to take a moment and think for a second that, is Facebook still a private platform to out-loud our emotions and personal information.
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Call us on +44 (0)845 0948045 or follow us on
Legal and Professional
Version 3.0 of Safe4 streamlines secure document delivery platform
29/09/2011 /in News /by Alistair Stubbs
The Safe4service is undergoing constant improvement, and we have now completed some significant changes that are being made available in a specific new release, Safe4 version 3.0. Many of these will give the service provider greater control over how the system is used by their clients, and there are a number of helpful user features that will improve the experience of using Safe4. The latest Safe4 Administration Manual can be accessed by clicking here.
Your clients’ users will receive a separate email directing them to a different Release Blog. For your information, this can be accessed by clicking here.
The key changes to the system are:
The ability to place a time limitation on a client’s vault. This is primarily to support the new Safe4 concept of Instant Document Delivery, but it is applicable to many situations in which a provider may wish to withdraw a vault from client access after a set time period.
Enhanced permission control is available on some of the standard sections of the Safe4 folder structure, including the ability to manage access to the existing My Folder Tree and Common Folders.
A number of field labels for the definition of client vaults are now configurable by the provider.
Additional controls have been added to the way in which permission groups are set up.
Extended controls have been added to the process of sending email notifications when new files are added to a client’s vault. Service providers can now choose to override a user’s preference not to receive emails, if they deem it essential for efficient communications.
The client user interface has been simplified to make it easier for providers to engage with clients.
Client users of the system also see improvements
The upload process for adding new documents to the system has been improved, with changes to the way in which the actions are carried out.
User feedback during file upload has been improved, with a percentage counter and enhanced status bar.
It is now possible for Safe4 vaults to be time-limited under certain circumstances. Your service provider will inform you if this applies to your use of Safe4.
Service providers can now choose to override a user’s preference not to receive emails, if they deem it essential for efficient communications.
https://www.safe-4.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/safe4badge.png 81 81 Alistair Stubbs https://safe-4.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Safe4-Logo1.png Alistair Stubbs2011-09-29 16:53:042014-12-05 08:53:36Version 3.0 of Safe4 streamlines secure document delivery platform
Copyright © 2010 to Date - Safe4 Information Management Limited
Environmental Sustainability Policy
Enhanced user management as Safe4 version 6.03 is released08/10/2019 - 7:58 am
Enhanced 2-Factor Authentication from Safe430/07/2019 - 11:32 pm
Password strength requirements for Safe4 are being increased23/05/2019 - 3:01 pm
Invoice fraud still a major threat26/03/2019 - 11:33 am
Document signing in Safe4 is now available – version 6.0 is released06/03/2019 - 7:14 pm
Telephone UK: 0845 094 8045
Telephone South Africa: 011 234 2563
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About Trent- RotoBaller
Follow Trent
Trent- RotoBaller has written 28 articles so far, you can find them below.
JuJu Smith-Schuster Hopes To Stay Hot
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster exploded in Week 12 for 189 yards on 13 catches, including a 97-yard touchdown. This marked his second consecutive 100-yard game, after failing to reach that mark since Week 6. JuJu gets the added bonus of having defenses keying in on Antonio Brown each week, which should help again... Read More
Trent- RotoBaller 1 year ago
Antonio Brown Ready For Primetime Matchup
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown finally had his touchdown streak broken in Week 12. Prior to the Steelers loss in Denver, Brown had scored a touchdown in eight consecutive games, including two scores twice. This week Brown gets the Chargers, who have been good, not great against wide receivers this season. After a poor... Read More
Antonio Brown Downgraded Slightly
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is exactly who we hoped he'd be. After a slow start to the season, Brown has scored four touchdowns over his last three games and firmly planted himself as a WR1. While the yardage totals are still not there, his touchdowns keep him as a top-3 option most weeks.... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster In WR2 Territory
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has not quite taken the fantasy leap that we hoped he would. Although, he continues to put up usable numbers week to week. This week JuJu gets the Jacksonville Jaguars defense, in Jacksonville. While this sounds pretty daunting, the Jags defense has not been what we expected this year.... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster Ready To Roll
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster got off to a fantastic start in 2018 before cooling over his past three games. Over that stretch he has just one touchdown and one 100 yard game. There isn't much need for concern though as JuJu remains the clear number two target in a strong offense. The Steelers... Read More
Antonio Brown Looks To Stay Hot
Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown went into his bye week on a touchdown tear. Over his last three games, Brown has scored four touchdowns and totaled over 100 yards twice. After a slow start to the year, this was exactly what fantasy owners needed to see. This week the Steelers will look to avenge a... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster Tops 100 Yards, Held Scoreless
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster topped 100 yards for the first time since Week 3 in a nice rebound game this week. He was seemingly Ben Roethlisberger's go-to guy down the stretch, and finished with seven catches for 111 yards. It was nice to see after two down weeks for JuJu, who will be... Read More
Antonio Brown Scores Late Touchdown
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown seemed destined for another boring day before his final reception. Before the Steelers final play of the game, Brown had just four receptions for under 100 yards again. Fortunately for owners, the Bengals fell asleep and allowed Brown to scamper for a 31-yard game winning touchdown with under 20... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster Looks To Rebound
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster has been relatively quiet the last two weeks after a hot start to the season. However, JuJu still boasts a five week total of 35 catches, 450 yards and two scores. This week he'll take on the Cincinnati Bengals in a road matchup. While divisional games tend to be... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster Has Quiet Week 5
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster caught just four balls in the Steelers Week 5 matchup against the Falcons. Smith-Schuster finished the day with just 34 yards receiving, but salvaged his day with an early touchdown grab. After starting the year sizzling hot, Smith-Schuster has now had two down weeks in a row. There shouldn't... Read More
Antonio Brown Has Big Week 5
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown finally had his breakout game in 2018. The day started slow again for Brown, as he entered halftime with just two grabs for 15 yards. But after the break he and Ben finally rekindled some chemistry. Brown caught two second-half touchdowns and finished the game with 6 catches for... Read More
James Washington Still A Sit
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver James Washington has yet to really make an impact in his opening year. For the season he has just 5 catches for 49 yards, with one touchdown. His role will continue to increase as the season goes on, but at this point he can't be trusted. Even in a great... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster A Must-Start
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster disappointed last week after a great start to the year. However, he should rebound in a big way in Week 5. The Falcons defense has been destroyed the past two weeks and should be again in Pittsburgh this week. Over their last two games, the Falcons have given up... Read More
Antonio Brown Set Up For Huge Week 5
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is going to explode this week. And I don't mean on the sideline again in frustration. The Atlanta Falcons defense has been ravaged by injury the first couple weeks of the season. As a result, they have given up 24, 43 and 37 points the last three weeks. In... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster Cools Off In Week 4
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster finally cooled after a hot start to the 2018 season. After three straight games with 100 yards, Smith-Schuster managed only 60 yards on four catches against the Ravens on Sunday night. The Pittsburgh offense seemed to be off entirely, leaving both Brown and Smith-Schuster owners hoping for more. This... Read More
Antonio Brown Has A Quiet Week 4
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown finished Week 4 with just five catches for 62 yards and a score. Once again he and Ben Roethlisberger appeared to be on two different pages as the Steelers offense struggled the entire night, particularly in the second half. This also marks the fourth straight game that Brown has... Read More
Antonio Brown A Top Week 4 Option
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown remains a high-end WR1 this week in a home matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Brown has put up solid, yet unspectacular numbers so far in 2018, totaling 210 yards and two scores on 24 receptions. This puts him well behind his 2017 statistical pace. However, his 42 targets through... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster Tops 100 Yards In Week 3
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster had his third straight game of 100 yards on Monday against the Buccaneers. Smith-Schuster saw 11 targets and managed to grab nine of them to lead the team once again with 116 yards. JuJu failed to reach the endzone, but produced a solid fantasy day nonetheless. His emergence so... Read More
Antonio Brown Scores Touchdown In Win
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has yet to really break out this season. In a golden matchup Monday night against Tampa Bay, Brown managed just six catches on nine targets. In the end he tallied up only 50 yards, but salvaged his fantasy day with a touchdown. With Ben Roethlisberger really spreading the ball... Read More
James Washington Still Not Reliable
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver James Washington remains a stash at this point in the season. After limited playing time in Week 1, Washington's snap count was upped to 66 in Week 2. With Pittsburgh playing from behind the entire game, Washington was able to see plenty of action. However, despite quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's 60 passes, Washington... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster A Strong Play In Week 3
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster has been fantastic thus far in the 2018 season. Through two games, Smith-Schuster ranks inside the top six in both receptions and yards, while matching or outpacing his teammate Antonio Brown in both. Against the Browns and the Chiefs, Smith-Schuster amassed 18 catches for 240 yards and a touchdown.... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster Keeps It Rolling In Week 2
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster lit up the Kansas City Chiefs defense in Week 2. Coming off of a strong performance in Week 1, Smith-Schuster upped the ante in Week 2 with 13 receptions, 167 yards and a touchdown. With the Steelers immediately playing catch-up in this one, Smith-Schuster was able to rack up... Read More
Antonio Brown Frustrated With Slow Start
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown finally let his frustrations boil over this week against the Chiefs. In the fourth quarter, Brown got into a shouting match with what appeared to be the offensive coordinator, Randy Fichtner. Despite that, Brown was still fairly productive in Week 2. The star wideout caught nine balls for 67... Read More
Chris Boswell A Top Option In Week 2
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell is a definite start here in Week 2. Although he missed his only field goal attempt in Week 1, conditions weren't great and he was perfect on three extra-point attempts. In Week 2, Boswell will be in a high-scoring affair against the Kansas City Chiefs. With both teams likely to... Read More
Antonio Brown Set To Light Up Kansas City
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is the ultimate start this week. Brown should have no issue taking advantage of a great matchup against Kansas City. The Chiefs defense struggled in Week 1, and this matchup is even worse. The game has shootout written all over it and Pittsburgh, along with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, should really... Read More
JuJu Smith-Schuster A Strong Week 2 Start
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster should be in all of your lineups this week. In Week 1, Smith-Schuster enjoyed a solid day, hauling in five catches for 119 yards, including a 67-yard grab. He also managed eight targets, a total that could go up this week. The Kansas City Chiefs secondary was shredded by... Read More
James Conner Tears Up Browns In Week 1
Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner has officially arrived. If you were unsure about starting Conner before this game, you surely aren't now. Conner destroyed the Browns to the tune of 192 total yards and two scores. He totaled 36 touches in all and produced in spite of an awful performance by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.... Read More
Fire Up James Conner In Week 1
Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner by now should be owned in all leagues. If he is not, scoop him up and start him with confidence. With the latest updates giving clarity about Le'Veon Bell's Week 1 status, Conner is assured the lead role in the Steelers backfield this week. Though the Cleveland run defense... Read More
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New England Federal Credit Union (St. Albans)
Agave Taco and Tequila Casa
'Suppressed: The Fight to Vote'
October 13, 2010 News + Opinion » Tech
Teljet's High-Fiber Diet
The Biggest Broadband Provider in Vermont You’ve Never Heard Of
By Ken Picard
Burlington Telecom gets all the press — and that’s just fine with Greg Kelly, founder, president and CEO of TelJet. Kelly doesn’t feel the need to advertise that he operates one of the largest fiber-optic networks in Vermont and New Hampshire. Commercial and institutional users in need of premium fiber-optic broadband know where to find him: at the company’s brand new headquarters and data center in Williston.
Although it’s small as tech companies go — just 10 employees — TelJet is serving some of the biggest and most technology-dependent organizations in the state: Middlebury College, the University of Vermont, Champlain College, St. Michael’s College, Fletcher Allen Health Care, Vermont Public Radio and Vermont Public Television.
Its progress is impressive, considering that TelJet didn’t even exist a decade ago. Kelly dropped out of college in 1983 to start his first company, selling phone systems. He stayed in the telecom business for many years and founded several other firms, including one, CatchTV, that developed patented technology that links a TV viewer to the Internet.
In February 2000, after a two-year gig as chief information officer for the nascent Oxygen network, Kelly found himself unemployed and living in Vermont. He realized there was money to be made buying and selling the “high-tech junk” being unloaded by companies that had jumped into the deregulated telecom industry and went broke. Kelly describes the opportunity as “the biggest fire sale this nation has ever seen.”
He quickly started buying up the stuff for “pennies on the dollar,” including warehouses full of electronics, conduits and fiber-optic cables. In 2002, Kelly joined with partners Douglas Hyde and David Storandt to form TelJet. The name, which sounds like a commuter airline, was itself something of an afterthought. It was the only telecom-sounding domain name that wasn’t being used by another company.
TelJet started by buying its own utility rights of way and offering redundant, backup fiber networks to large institutions in the event their primary networks went down. And that’s exactly what happened. Clients began switching their broadband service to the smaller but more reliable company.
TelJet, which also applied for federal stimulus money but was denied, offers only fiber-to-the-premises technology, no wireless or antiquated copper lines, Kelly explains. “What we’re really focused on is efficiency,” he says. “It’s all about how you build it, going that extra mile to build in quality.”
For example, TelJet runs most of its fiber lines underground to reduce maintenance costs and improve reliability. And, because TelJet doesn’t try to offer service to every part of the state and doesn’t serve residential users, it only goes where it’s economically feasible to do so.
Kelly emphasizes that his company is about more than providing basic high-speed broadband.
For example, he’s been working on technology to transmit live performances from Burlington’s Flynn Center for the Performing Arts and the Elley-Long Music Center directly into Fletcher Allen Health Care for patients to watch on unused cable channels. Similarly, he envisions helping VPT offer a live cooking show from the New England Culinary Institute; he says his company has the technological expertise to pull it off.
Vermont’s broadband landscape is still “like the Wild West,” says Kelly. And, while his company continues to invest in an ever-expanding fiber network, he admits it remains to be seen what other new technologies, including 4G LTE wireless, will mean for underserved areas of the state.
“The technology is constantly changing,” Kelly says. “We’re just hanging on for the ride.”
Tags: Tech, tech, internet, vermont tech jam
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Ken Picard
ken@sevendaysvt.com
Ken Picard has been a Seven Days staff writer since 2002. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the Vermont Press Association's 2005 Mavis Doyle award, a general excellence prize for reporters.
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OVR Technology Is Creating Olfactory Virtual Reality for Health Care, Education and Training
by Elizabeth M. Seyler
Hire Anxiety: Layoffs Jolt Burlington-Area Tech Sector
by Kevin McCallum
Deblockracy Now? Vermont Taps Blockchain to Increase Civic Participation
by Paul Heintz
The Oracle: This may be of interest to readers of this article:
https://boingboing.net/2020/01/16/our-olfa…
Re: OVR Technology Is Creating Olfactory Virtual Reality for Health Care, Education and Training
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Anything Goes for Glenalmond College pupils
A West Highland Terrier named Lottie has been offering support to Glenalmond College pupils and joining in with rehearsals for the school’s senior m... Read More
Gordonstoun plans to open a school in China
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School go green for climate change protest in Crieff
Ardvreck School pupils, from nursery to Form 3, joined other local school pupils in the centre of Crieff to demand action in the fight against climate... Read More
Scottish school cadets take third place at event
Strathallan School's Combined Cadet Force Royal Marines Section took third place in UK in Sir Steuart Pringle Trophy. Read More
Glenalmond pupils enter into spirit of squirrel survey
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St Leonards dominates schools golf challenge
Caspar Graf was the overall scratch winner of this year’s Alfred Dunhill Schools Golf Challenge - an event dominated by St Leonards School. Read More
Children tackled 18 challenges in 47 hours
Fifty primary school children have united in Perthshire to take part in the inaugural Glenalmond 1847 challenge, successfully tackling 18 activities i... Read More
Morrison’s Academy pupils helped start Solheim Cup
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Dollar Academy tackles concussion with SportScotland
Dollar Academy has become one of the first schools in Scotland to support SportScotland’s guidelines on the early management of sporting head injury. Read More
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Amgen Inc. v. Sandoz Inc.
Linked with:
Sandoz Inc. v. Amgen Inc.
15-1195 Fed. Cir. Apr 26, 2017
Tr.Aud. Jun 12, 2017 9-0 Thomas OT 2016
Holding: Section 262(l)(2)(A) of the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 is not enforceable by injunction under federal law, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on remand should determine whether a state-law injunction is available; an applicant may provide notice of commercial marketing under Section 262(l)(8)(A) prior to obtaining licensure.
Judgment: Vacated in part, reversed in part, and remanded, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Thomas on June 12, 2017. Justice Breyer filed a concurring opinion.
Opinion analysis: The Supreme Court reverses another Federal Circuit patent case (John Duffy)
Argument analysis: The Supreme Court struggles with the ACA’s patent provisions (John Duffy)
Argument preview: The ACA returns to the Supreme Court (this time disguised as a hugely complex patent case) (John Duffy)
Mar 21 2016 Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due April 22, 2016)
Apr 18 2016 Order extending time to file response to petition to and including May 17, 2016.
May 17 2016 Brief of respondent Sandoz Inc. in opposition filed.
May 27 2016 Reply of petitioners Amgen Inc., et al. filed.
May 31 2016 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 16, 2016.
Jun 20 2016 The Solicitor General is invited to file a brief in this case expressing the views of the United States.
Dec 7 2016 Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. VIDED.
Dec 20 2016 Supplemental brief of petitioners Amgen Inc., et al. filed. VIDED.
Dec 21 2016 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 6, 2017.
Jan 13 2017 Petition GRANTED. The petition for a writ of certiorari in No. 15-1039 is granted. The cases are consolidated and a total of one hour is allotted for oral argument.
Jan 25 2017 The following briefing schedule is adopted: Petitioner in No. 15-1039 will file an opening brief limited to the question presented in its petition, not to exceed 15,000 words, on or before Friday, February 10, 2017. Petitioners in No. 15-1195 will file a consolidated opening brief on the question presented in their petition and response brief, not to exceed 19,000 words, on or before Friday, March 10, 2017. Petitioner in No. 15-1039 will file a consolidated response brief and reply brief, not to exceed 10,000 words, on or before Friday, March 31, 2017. Petitioners in No. 15-1195 will file a reply brief, not to exceed 6,000 words, on or before Friday, April 14, 2017. Any brief of an amicus curiae in support of petitioner in No. 15-1039 or in support of neither party is to be filed on or before Friday, February 17, 2017, and the brief should bear a light green cover. Any brief of an amicus curiae in support of petitioners in No. 15-1195 is to be filed on or before Friday, March 17, 2017, and the brief should bear a dark green cover. An amicus curiae may file only a single brief in these cases. VIDED.
Jan 30 2017 Joint motion of the parties to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed. VIDED.
Feb 17 2017 SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Wednesday, April 26, 2017. VIDED.
Feb 17 2017 Brief amici curiae of Apotex Inc. and Apotex Corp. filed. VIDED.
Feb 17 2017 Brief amicus curiae of Coherus Biosciences, Inc. filed. VIDED.
Feb 17 2017 Brief amicus curiae of America's Insurance Health Plans filed. VIDED.
Feb 17 2017 Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. VIDED.
Feb 17 2017 Brief amicus curiae of Biosimilars Council filed. VIDED.
Feb 17 2017 Brief amicus curiae of Mylan Inc. filed. VIDED.
Feb 21 2017 Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioners GRANTED. VIDED.
Feb 24 2017 Record requested from the U.S.C.A. for the Federal Circuit. VIDED.
Mar 10 2017 Opening and Response Brief for Amgen Inc., et al. filed. VIDED.
Mar 17 2017 Brief amicus curiae of AbbVie Inc. filed. VIDED.
Mar 17 2017 Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. VIDED.
Mar 17 2017 Brief amici curiae of Eleven Professors filed.
Mar 17 2017 Brief amicus curiae of Janssen Biotech, Inc. filed. VIDED.
Mar 17 2017 Brief amicus curiae of Biotechnology Innovation Organization. filed. VIDED.
Mar 17 2017 Brief amicus curiae of Genentech, Inc. filed. VIDED.
Mar 27 2017 Record received from the U.S.C.A. for the Federal Circuit. The record is available on PACER, except for confidential materials transmitted separately. VIDED.
Mar 31 2017 Consolidated Response and Reply Brief of Sandoz Inc. filed. VIDED. (Distributed)
Apr 13 2017 Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amici curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. VIDED. Justice Gorsuch too no part in the consideration or decision of this motion.
Apr 13 2017 Reply of petitioners Amgen Inc., et al. filed. (Distributed)
Apr 26 2017 Argued. For petitioner in No. 15-1039: Deanne E. Maynard, Washington, D. C.; and Anthony A. Yang, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) For petitioners in 15-1195: Seth P. Waxman, Washington, D. C. VIDED.
Jun 12 2017 Adjudged to be VACATED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, and case REMANDED. Thomas, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. Breyer, J., filed a concurring opinion. VIDED.
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By Mark Adams, chief film critic2012-12-12T04:59:00+00:00
Dir/scr: Karzan Kader. Sweden-Finland-Iraq. 2012. 92mins
As a simple tale of attempting to achieve the impossible dream, the beautifully shot Bekas – which means ‘parentless’ – works on various levels and presents an intriguing childlike perspective of Kurdistan, Iraq, in the early 1990s, when Kurds were desperate to escape the country and Saddam.
Bekas has the warmth and passion (and sweetly freewheeling story) to appeal to younger audiences.
Shot with passion and with non-actors (the two young leads offer gritty enthusiasm rather than any great acting skills), the film is also semi-autobiographical, with writer/director Karzan Kader leaving the region in 1991 aged six with his brother, and declaring that Bekas is his story. The film sceeened at the Dubai International Film Festival.
More likely destined to festivals which have sidebars for children’s cinema, Bekas has the warmth and passion (and sweetly freewheeling story) to appeal to younger audiences, though it may be a bit to twee and at times ungainly for adults.
The film opens amusingly, clearly laying out the deep relationship between brothers Dana and Zana (Zamand Taha and Sarwar Fazil), a parentless pair who struggle to get by but who are still innocents at heart. Opening on a dusty soccer pitch in 1990 where they encourage and blame each other, the game is interrupted with the great news that the local cinema is showing Superman.
The kids all rush to try and get into the cinema, though Dana and Zana take the alternate route and climb onto the building’s roof to try and watch through a skylight. They are promptly chased away, but a glimpse of this superhero fuels a childlike fantasy to escape to America where – clearly – Superman lives.
So begins their (at times dangerous) attempt to cross borders and reach America. They have no idea where it is (“just a few miles away” one assumes) and draw their own passports, but despite virtually no help from adults – who are generally abuse towards these two urchins – they head off on their road trip, initially on a donkey, but then in the back of cars or hiding underneath trucks.
There are a few moments of drama and a glimpse of where the film may go if Kader had decided to make it more realistic and darker, but he opts for melodramatic childish enthusiasm to drive the story (though the two young stars do tend to shout most of their lines rather than deliver them with thought) towards a sense that they may well eventually succeed in their drive to escape.
Production company: Sonet Film AB
International sales: TrustNordisk, www.trustnordisk.com
Producer: Sandra Harms
Executive producers: Peter Possne
Cinematography: Johan Holmquist
Main cast: Zamand Taha, Sarwar Fazil
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Reimagined story of Peter Pan to premiere at Sundance.
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Posts tagged with Sumburgh Helicopter Crash
Scott makes renewed call for FAI into 2013 helicopter crash
1 comment, 27/01/2018, by Shetland Times in Headlines, News, ST Online
Shetland MSP Tavish Scott has made a renewed call for a fatal accident inquiry to be held into the helicopter tragedy off Sumburgh four and a half years ago in which four oil workers died. He has lodged a parliamentary motion calling on the investigation to get under way after receiving represent... Read more...
Balpa appeals decision to release black box data
2 comments, 07/07/2015, by Ryan Taylor in Headlines, News
An appeal against a judge's ruling that black box data from the Sumburgh helicopter crash should be released has been lodged by the pilots' union. Balpa says a rethink is needed over Lord Jones' decision that key information from the Super Puma's voice and data recorder should be handed over by t... Read more...
Top legal officer can access crash copter’s black box data, judge rules
A judge has granted a bid by Scotland's senior law officer to get access to black box data from the helicopter which crashed off Sumburgh, claiming the lives of four people. (more…) Read more...
Pilots’ union opposes Lord Advocate’s challenge over black box
19/05/2015, by Shetland Times in Headlines, News
A pilots' union has warned a bid by Scotland's senior law officer to gain access to black box data from the Sumburgh helicopter crash would have "an adverse impact on future investigations into civil aviation accidents, incidents and occurrences in general". (more…) Read more...
Legal challenge over crash helicopter’s black box
Scotland's top law official was expected to set out a legal challenge to air accident investigators today at the beginning of a landmark three day hearing over data surrounding the 2013 Sumburgh helicopter crash. (more…) Read more...
Helicopter crash survivor Tosh wants public inquiry
1 comment, 26/12/2014, by Ryan Taylor in Headlines, News
Pressure is growing on the UK government to hold a full public inquiry into offshore helicopter safety. A petition calling for an open and transparent investigation has been launched by a survivor of last year's tragedy. The Westminster government ruled out a full inquiry in October after it r... Read more...
Service to mark anniversary of helicopter crash
A dedication service will be held at Sumburgh Airport this weekend to mark the first anniversary of last year's fatal helicopter crash. (more…) Read more...
Helicopter safety petition
0 comments, 27/02/2014, by Ryan Taylor in News
A petition calling for MSPs to help to help restore "shattered confidence" in offshore helicopter safety has been passed by union representatives to the Scottish Parliament. Over 3,000 offshore workers have backed the campaign launched after last year's Super Puma crash off Sumburgh, which caused f... Read more...
Public inquiry needed, says RMT
A public inquiry into offshore helicopter safety is still badly needed, despite new measures by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority to curb North Sea fatalities. General secretary of the RMT union, Bob Crow, said the CAA's recommendations failed to go far enough to allay safety fears in the sector. ... Read more...
Helicopter safety measures announced
Offshore helicopter flights will be prohibited if sea conditions are judged to be at their “most severe”. The UK Civil Aviation Authority yesterday announced a series of measures to help improve safety of flights to and from North Sea installations. It is hoped keeping a close eye on sea condi... Read more...
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The Truth Behind The Original Viral Video Nasty ‘Faces Of Death’
The legendary VHS movie birthed the snuff movie genre, but is there any truth to it?
Back before the internet was just a glint in the inventor’s eyes, the original viral video was going around via VHS, and it was known as ‘Faces Of Death’.
The movie was originally released in 1978 at theatres and features a host named Dr. Francis B. Gross showing a bunch of videos of people dying. These included, but weren’t limited to: a ‘bloody’ dog fight, a brutal electric chair execution, American tourists gorging on the brains of a live monkey, a guy getting eaten by an alligator, a Satanic cult cannibal feast and a dumb camper who tries to feed a bear a sandwich and becomes the real lunch. Apparently it managed to make $35 million at those seedy grindhouse cinemas and drive in movie theatres you’ve heard so much about, but when it surfaced on video in 1983 the legend really started to develop.
The movie was released in a big VHS box with a skull on it, happily declaring that it had been banned in 46 countries, which pretty much meant that most people who saw it on the shelf at the video store were going to pick it up. After that, rumours about its existence circulated via word of mouth and it soon became the must watched video of a generation – provided you could find a copy of it of course.
There were doubts about its authenticity naturally, because many of the scenes were pretty suspicious in their reality. Why would a camping couple bring multiple cameras with them to film one of them giving a bear a sandwich – that was a much bigger undertaking in the 1980s remember? Do you really bleed from your eyeballs when you get electrocuted? Many more similar questions were asked, but because it was the 1980s and there was no internet, no answers were ever revealed, which only added to the mythos of ‘Faces Of Death’.
You can watch the whole movie below and decide what you think – it begins with a video of an open heart surgery which is apparently definitely real though and pretty grim, so maybe give it a miss if you don’t want to see something like that today:
What did you think? Still holds up surprisingly well because it’s so low budget and grim eh?
Of course, some of the scenes were made up and ‘Faces Of Death’ finally came clean about it when they released a 30th anniversary edition of the movie. They included a behind the scenes documentary that spilled the beans on some of the more controversial scenes. The monkey brains were just cauliflower and the guy didn’t really get eaten by alligators for example, but if you want to know all the secrets then check it out below. Turns out a lot of it was actually true, and the way they interspersed these scenes with the more shocking fake videos created the illusion that it was all real:
Following its success, there were a whole bunch of ‘Faces Of Death’ snuff movies released in its wake, each one becoming increasingly low budget. I suppose they were onto something though, considering how many websites exist now solely to highlight fucked up ways people have died.
For more snuff movies, check out our oral history of them right here. Prepare yourself for what you’re going to read though – it’s pretty grim.
Related Items:alligator, Banned, bear, Bloody, Brains, cameras, Camper, DEATH, Drive In, dying, Faces Of Death, Francis B. Gross, Grindhouse, INTERNET, lunch, monkey, Open Heart Surgery, reality, revealed, Sandwich, Satanic Cult Cannibal Feast, Seedy, similar, skull, Snuff movie, Suspicious, VHS, Video Store, VIRAL
A Three Part Documentary Series Is Being Made About Jeffrey Epstein’s Death
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Sriracha Just Upped The Cooking Game With These ‘Seasoning Stix’
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Record-breaking kokanee hooked
Becky Regan
bregan@tahoedailytribune.com
Captain Scott Carey and first mate Scott Hoffman of Tahoe Sports Fishing hold up the new California and Nevada kokanee record. The fish weighed in at 5 pounds and 2 ounces, beating the record of 40 years by 5 ounces.
Kurt Molnar / Special to the Tribune |
King Kokanee
The biggest recorded kokanee was caught in Pendleton, Ore., in Wallowa Lake by Ron Campbell in 2010. The behemoth kokanee weighed 9.67 pounds and was more than 27 inches long.
Kokanee normally live for three years, but Hoffman theorized that maybe this one skipped its first spanning cycle. The fish certainly looked like it was 6 years old.
For several excruciating seconds the monster kokanee salmon thrashed about behind the boat.
Captain Scott Carey frantically tried to free the bigger net, normally reserved for mackinaw. He could tell the normal 14-inch kokanee net wasn’t going to cut it this time. He had been waiting to catch a record-breaker for 22 years, and by the looks of it, this one would go down in Tahoe history.
But first he needed to net the beast, and the fish was now dangerously close to crossing another line and freeing itself.
Carey pulled the mackinaw net loose and lurched toward the fish. He thrust the net out as far as possible, nearly falling in the water. His net found fish, however, and he pulled.
“He flipped it onto the deck and our breath was taken away by how huge this kokanee was,” first mate Scott Hoffman said. “Captain Scott Carey has worked half his life for a day like this.”
At 2:10 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, the Tahoe Sports Fishing crew and angler Bill Brush of Nevada City, Calif., hauled in a new California and Nevada kokanee record at 5 pounds and 2 ounces. The catch broke a record that stood for 40 years, almost to the day. On July 31, 1973, Dick Bournique pulled a 4-pound, 13-ounce kokanee out of Lake Tahoe. It was a record that some said would never be broken.
“It was said by a fishing guide, Jack Martin in 2000, who was a guide for 20 years, that the kokanee salmon record would never be broken. Taylor Creek had dried up and all the kokanee ready to spawn had died and washed up on the Kiva Beach and Baldwin Beach shores,” Hoffman said. “They said there would never be a new record-sized kokanee pulled out of Lake Tahoe, but we proved them wrong. This is something we may never see again in our lifetime.”
The kokanee rang in at 5.10 pounds on a digital scale right after it was hauled on deck. About 15 minutes later, another scaled called it 5.8 pounds. The crew knew it would start losing moisture and weight and they needed to find a certified scale quickly.
Hoffman packed the fish in ice and started making phone calls. He called every wildlife department he could think of, but they were all closed for the weekend. He even went so far as to call the police station where it was suggested he could just take a picture of the fish with whoever caught it.
He was about to give up, but decided to make one final call to Overland Meat & Seafood Company. Miraculously, the market had a certified scale and the Tahoe Sports Fishing crew rushed the kokanee in by 3:30 p.m.
The fish officially weighed in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces, beating the 40-year-old record by 5 ounces. The fish measured 24.75 inches. Five pounds hardly sounds like a show-stopper, but the average kokanee weighs less than a pound and is usually 14 inches long.
“Everyone on the boat besides the captain and I thought it was an ordinary fish,” Hoffman said. “Scott Carey has been looking for the record-breaking mackinaw, also known as lake trout, for over 22 years. Little did he know that he was targeting the wrong record-breaker this whole time.”
Carey and Hoffman had the fish certified with the Fish and Game Department on Monday.
“We thought we had something special a couple weeks ago when we got a 19-inch kokanee, until we saw this 24-and-three-quarter-inch kokanee thrash his head out of the water,” Hoffman said. “Absolutely incredible is all I got to say.”
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Government’s response to housing is a complete failure as rents continue to soar - Imelda Munster TD
13 June, 2018 - by Imelda Munster TD
Sinn Féin TD for Louth and East Meath Imelda Munster has lambasted Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy over the continued increase in the cost of rent across the state.
Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, Deputy Munster told the Minister that his approach to date has been a failure, and called on him to build social and affordable housing, and to introduce rent controls.
“It’s time the reality dawned on Minister Murphy that his response isn’t working.
“In constituency offices across the state, every day of the week, people are stressed out at the lack of affordable rental property, the lack of social housing and the lack of affordable housing for those looking to buy.
"Each part of the housing sector compounds the problems in the other.
“It’s as though the Minister has a disconnect when it comes to the reality of the housing emergency.
“After seven and a half years in government we’re still given the same spiel every time, despite the fact that it’s deliberate government policy not to roll out a proper state-funded social and affordable housing building programme.
“Instead of tackling the crisis Minister Murphy is focusing his energy on instructing local authorities to remove people from the official homeless figures. This shows where his priorities lie.
“The lack of a proper social and affordable housing programme is a key issue in this crisis, and as long as this remains the case, rents will continue to soar.”
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Review: Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s The BRD Trilogy on Criterion Blu-ray
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Fassbinder’s trilogy is accorded a series of breathtakingly, resonantly gorgeous transfers by Criterion.
Chuck Bowen
The films of Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s BRD trilogy pull off a difficult magic trick, feeling timeless and viscerally in the moment. With his supernatural ability to crank out productions at a rapid clip, Fassbinder achieved what Kent Jones describes as a “direct correlation between living and fiction-making”—a quality that’s also evident in Jean-Luc Godard’s early films. These directors worked so fast as to annihilate the distance between inspiration and realization that often governs studio filmmaking. As a result, The Marriage of Maria Braun, Veronika Voss, and Lola are works of many astonishing contradictions, symmetries, parallels, and political and personal reverberations. They are expressions of macro concerns that are wrested from a singular soul.
The Marriage of Maria Braun, Veronika Voss, and Lola collectively chart Germany’s economic resurgence in the wake of the damage it suffered from defeat in World War II. In each film, Fassbinder utilizes a melodramatic template and a distinct cinematic style of the past and imbues them with homegrown political texture—a contrast that serves as a microcosm of his governing obsession. The melodrama competes with the history and social critique, suggesting how culture is used to launder evil. Given the beauty of Fassbinder’s actresses, and the exhilaration of the filmmaker’s formal craftsmanship, it’s very tempting to drink the filmic sensuality in and leave the history to the academics. There’s a portion of Fassbinder that resents this distracting power of pop culture, as he’s authentically enraged by how easily his country could move past the atrocities of the Nazi regime, and there’s another portion that’s enthralled with the accumulative spell of sex, cinema, music, sports, business, bars, and brothels. This contradiction is what gives the BRD trilogy its pulse, and keeps it from slipping into the false sense of retrospection that fossilizes so many historical narratives.
Maria (Hanna Schygulla), Veronika (Rosel Zech), and Lola (Barbara Sukowa) are all performers who embody the precarious art of surviving as women in a male world. The men of these women’s lives have the power to scam and legislate, rebuilding Germany on the power of the initiatives of Ludwig Erhard, the Minister of Economic Affairs who’s associated with the country’s economic “miracle,” known as the Wirtschaftswunder. During this time, building regulations were eased and commercialism was emphasized, which Fassbinder despairingly equates to a mass selling of souls. Each woman either figuratively or literally prostitutes themselves, and Fassbinder grooves on the inventiveness and power of his protagonists, respecting their ability to bend a chaotic and patriarchal society to their will, though he also ultimately sees them as pawns in a diseased capitalist game. This divide in sentiments, another contradiction that’s inherent in most people and at the root of the challenge of social reform, is often missing from modern and fashionably leftist narratives.
At their simplest, all three films riff on the notion of martyred women living in an impossibly rigged society, sowing plentiful allusions to the films of Douglas Sirk. Sirk’s notion of suburban America as an prison was radical in the 1950s and is perhaps even more so now, given the amnesia and political naïveté of modern pop cinema, but Fassbinder takes this idea to the next level, offering an origin story as to how Germany developed what he sees as a corresponding form of imprisonment. Such a development involves a complex collaboration between men and women that resists easy victim/dominator roleplays, though Veronika, the least powerful of the trilogy’s protagonists, comes closest to fulfilling such a function. However, Veronika’s victimhood is another form of subversion. Based on actress Sybille Schmitz, Veronika is a Nazi-era actress and drug addict, a rumored ex-lover of Goebbels who’s destroyed in the ‘50s by the German upper class in an implicit effort to obscure shameful history.
There’s a brilliant moment in Lola in which Fassbinder asserts that we’re not quite playing by Sirk’s rules. Von Bohm (Armen Mueller-Stahl), a Prussian refugee in a blossoming West German city as the new building commissioner, buys a television set for his apartment. Audiences complicit with Fassbinder’s Sirk fanaticism may expect a quotation from the classic moment in All That Heaven Allows in which we see a reflection of a woman’s face framed in a TV set, seemingly trapped in her own privilege. Instead, Fassbinder frames the TV as a little monolith in the middle of the room, pointedly refusing to quote the earlier film because von Bohm doesn’t know that he’s gradually entombing himself, as his infatuation with Lola makes him a slave to the elite who’re breaking building codes and remaking the city. One day, however, von Bohm may watch that set and see the reflection of a sad and compromised man. (Lola, also a riff on The Blue Angel, divorces the von Sternberg film of its masculine self-pity, depicting Lola as a realist and von Bohm as a pious fool and hypocrite.)
Veronika Voss and Lola are difficult films—hermetic, compacted, and hopeless from the opening frames. Their styles aren’t entirely pleasurable, as Fassbinder’s formalism is far less free in those two films than it is in The Marriage of Maria Braun. Modeled after German expressionism of the 1920s, Veronika Voss is so funereally bright and prismatic that you feel as if the film can cut you. Lola is the opposite: a bright burst of Technicolor debauchery that’s so lurid it’s apocalyptic. In this context, with piggy characters who’re high on their greed, it’s as if Fassbinder is decrying the very carnal power of this seductive color scheme, yet, again, he’s also intensely in love with the primordial powers of the form.
But Veronika Voss and Lola also have sustained sequences in which Fassbinder grants his characters fits of emotion so intense they feel as if they could break the foundation of the filmmaker’s careful constructions. Most notable is Lola’s astonishing and ambiguous performance of “The Fishermen of Capri” once von Bohm has discovered that she’s a prostitute. It’s difficult to tell if her passion springs from spite at von Bohm or sadness that his worship of her has been tarnished or both, though her rendition of this song is so full and sensual and sad that the distinction eventually seems to hardly matter.
The Marriage of Maria Braun, one of Fassbinder’s greatest works, is so unshakeable because the filmmaker’s judgment of Germany takes a back seat to his spellbinding powers as a storyteller; the critique is very present here, too, but it bobs up and down between text and subtext in surprising fashions. The implications of the opening are unmistakable though, as the film begins with a wall adorned with a portrait of Adolf Hitler exploding, cutting short Maria’s wedding. In a matter of seconds, Fassbinder communicates the terror of a conquered society, a terror that’s understood to lurk in Maria even as she evolves from a prostitute to a mistress to a businesswoman controlling a textile plant.
Fassbinder doesn’t reduce his characters here: Maria is at once warm and cold, and the men she takes up with are poignant lost souls who attempt to rejoin their society via commerce—a longing that’s humanized further by the haunting shots of buildings that have been torn to pieces by warfare. Yet their longing is nevertheless dangerous. A second explosion, a reverse deus ex machina, closes the film, killing characters too distracted to see the menace bubbling up in front of them. Tellingly, this happens while a sporting event plays over the radio, the sort of thing that seeks to divert us, then and now, from systemic catastrophe.
Image/Sound
These pristine restorations are visual and aural marvels that underscore the profound aesthetic difference between each film in the BRD trilogy. The Marriage of Maria Braun has a wonderful scruffiness, with vivid flesh tones and attractive grit. Veronika Voss is shot in black and white, which is rendered here with a shrillness that’s purposefully stifling. The whites are so gleaming they threaten to efface the richer comforts of the blacks—a conceit that was evident in the prior Criterion version but is much more pronounced here. Meanwhile, the deep and garish colors of Lola suggest an unholy fusion of Technicolor musicals with gialli, and they pop off the screen here with unprecedented feverishness. Facial textures are superbly detailed in all three films, and grain has been cleaned up but not unnaturally eradicated. The soundtracks remind us that Fassbinder’s ear was exacting as his eye, as little supporting sounds are frequently heightened to establish setting as well as the emotional climates of the characters—nuances that are expertly supported by these mixes.
These supplements have been ported over from Criterion’s 2003 DVD edition with no updates, though this package is so rich and exhaustive it hardly matters, offering a couple of semesters’ worth of context pertaining to German film history, German social upheavals, and the multifaceted life of Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Firstly, each production features an audio commentary—by filmmaker Wim Wenders and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus (on The Marriage of Maria Braun), film critic and author Tony Rayns (on Veronika Voss), and film scholar Christian Braad Thomsen (on Lola)—that justifies the price of admission alone. This mixture of filmmakers with erudite critics offers a variety of practical and theoretical perspectives that illuminate the creations of these films and their subsequent social impact from all sorts of angles. Complementing these commentaries is a conversation from 2003 between author and curator Laurence Kardish and film editor Juliane Lorenze, and a booklet featuring a great essay by critic Kent Jones, who elaborates on Fassbinder’s idea of his career as a “house,” and production histories by author Michael Töteberg.
Other supplements fill in the personal history of the BRD trilogy’s various artists. There are interviews from 2003 with all three leading ladies, Hanna Schygulla, Rosel Zech, and Barbara Sukowa, in which they testify to Fassbinder’s humanism as well as to his propensity for manipulation and tyranny. Those elements of the filmmaker are illuminated as well in Hans Günther Pflaum’s I Don’t Just Want You to Love Me, a feature-length documentary on the man’s life and career, while “Life Stories: A Conversation with R.W. Fassbinder” allows him to speak for himself. There’s even a program here, “Dance with Death,” that discusses the inspiration for Lola, Ufa studios star Sybille Schmitz, as well as a variety of other conversations. Which is to say that this collection is, in itself, a house.
Fassbinder’s trilogy is accorded a series of breathtakingly, resonantly gorgeous transfers, with the older extras still cutting the mustard as supreme examinations of a rich and difficult epic.
Cast: Hanna Schygulla, Klaus Löwitsch, Ivan Desny, Gisela Uhlen, Elisabeth Trissenaar, Gottfried John, Hark Bohm, George Byrd, Rosel Zech, Hilmar Thate, Cornelia Froboess, Annemarie Düringer, Doris Schade, Erik Schumann, Barbara Sukowa, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Mario Adorf, Matthias Fuchs, Helga Feddersen, Karin Baal, Ivan Desny, Elisabeth Volkmann, Karl-Heinz von Hassel Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder Screenwriter: Rainer Werner Fassbinder Distributor: The Criterion Collection Running Time: 339 min Rating: NR Year: 1979 – 1981 Release Date: July 9, 2019 Buy: Video
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John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China is a relative outlier in the director’s poetically bleak filmography, a martial-arts adventure slash monster-comedy extravaganza that suggests an Indiana Jones movie that’s been mounted on a more intimate scale. Look deeper, though, and Big Trouble in Little China recalls the spirit of the work of Carpenter’s beloved Howard Hawks (who made the similarly uncharacteristic Land of the Pharaohs) in its obsession with a team unity that eclipses the efforts of any singular individual. Indiana Jones may have touches of erudition and the help of friends, but he’s unquestionably the man of action at any given moment, while this film’s Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) is more of a wannabe, a truck driver with a John Wayne bluster who talks tough and has authentic courage, while having no clue what he’s doing.
An early scene in Big Trouble in Little China is perhaps purposefully misleading. Jack is in San Francisco’s Chinatown playing pai gow with a group of Chinese-Americans. Jack wins and takes their money, suggesting that he will be the cocksure American of the movies who’s at ease wherever he goes, besting people at their own rituals. This a warm and funny—read: Hawksian—scene in which we’re allowed to revel in the somewhat contentious energy of these men. One of the Chinese-Americans is something of a friend of Jack’s, Wang (Dennis Dun), who loses big to him in a double-or-nothing gambit. Then, Wang and Jack are swept into a bizarre quest in which the American is nearly rendered the sidekick, forcing him to get by mostly on nerve. The film is both a celebration and parody of macho American ego.
It’s amazing how loose and charming a screen adventure can be when filmmakers are willing to play around and deflate a hero’s pomposity, even if they ultimately enjoy it. Accompanying Wang to the airport, still hoping to get his money, Jack hits on a gorgeous woman, Gracie Law (Kim Cattrall), and is promptly shot down for being drunk. When Chinese gangsters kidnap Wang’s fiancée, Miao Yin (Suzee Pai), at the airport, Jack faces the gangsters and gets his ass kicked (though he is out-armed and outnumbered). Later, a wise and benevolent old sorcerer, Egg Shen (Victor Wong), delivers a bunch of exposition about Chinese black magic and the legacy of a demon named Lo Pan (James Hong), Jack says he feels like an outsider and everyone, especially Gracie, agrees. Eventually, Jack fires a machine gun into the air, finally feeling in his element, and sends a part of the ceiling crashing down on his head. And so on.
W.D. Richter’s screenplay abounds in clever one-liners that Carpenter skillfully under-emphasizes, while Russell, who’s played many un-ironic action heroes, embraces Jack’s foolishness with a lovely and graceful sense of abandon. In other words, Carpenter has it both ways: Jack is never more dashing than when crossing the master threshold of idiocy.
At the time of its release, critics complained that Big Trouble in Little China was neither an adventure, a comedy, nor a horror film, and that its characters were merely types, which is very much the point here. The stakes of the quest to rescue Miao Yin and Gracie from Lo Pan’s clutches are never high, as Carpenter is more interested in mounting a free-floating hang-out comedy that casually borrows from many genres, effectively announcing his ability to do whatever he pleases—a cocky sensibility that would influence future genre mix-masters.
Big Trouble in Little China often suggests a feature-length version of those idle moments in Hawks’s adventures, such as when Ricky Nelson’s character sang a song in Rio Bravo, only with the flippancy turned way up. The monsters and special effects are charmingly jokey—far more charming than those of Ivan Reitman’s similarly spirited Ghostbusters—and Carpenter’s beautiful widescreen compositions often liken the creatures to those of a spooky amusement-park ride, banishing them to nooks and crannies that presumably hide their puppeteers. Meanwhile, the martial-arts battles are funny, poignant, and concise, as Carpenter emphasizes singular gestures, such as an air-born swordfight, allowing them to cumulatively suggest stanzas in a poem. In its sense of controlled chaos, Big Trouble in Little China distinguishes itself from the figurative madness of the films of, say, Tsui Hark.
Despite the half-drunk, what-the-hell atmosphere, the humans in Big Trouble in Little China do register, which prevents this film from being as meaningless as genre pastiche-parodies like Stephen Sommers’s Mummy installments. Russell, with his gloriously cuckoo timing and absurd tank top, is the center of the narrative, but Dun, Cattrall, Pai, Li, and Wong have a poignant agency as well as an intergroup chemistry, and Hong wisely plays his role straight as a counterpoint to Russell. Lo Pan is an authentically elegant and frightening villain, whether mocking the heroes as an old man or hovering malevolently through his subterranean lair as an albino phantom warrior. And his exit, cleverly foreshadowed by an early scene between Jack and Wang, is both jolting and amusing, which is essentially this strange lark in a nutshell.
The image here has a painterly quality that’s in keeping with John Carpenter and cinematographer Dean Cundey’s intentions. Colors have a soft, almost watercolor quality and occasionally explode off the screen, such as the reds and greens of the various tiers of Lo Pan’s subterranean lair. Facial textures are quite detailed, such as the make-up for Kim Cattrall’s character when she’s fashioned as a bride for Lo Pan. There are two soundtracks: a 5.1 and 2.0. The mixes are clear but occasionally sound a little flat in terms of diegetic effects, though the score is robust and nuanced, allowing Carpenter’s fans to savor his synth collaboration with Alan Howarth. Overall, this is an appealing transfer, but it doesn’t quite feel definitive.
The new interviews are the highlight of this loaded supplements package, and they follow two overlapping thematic strands. On one hand, the interviews with virtually every person involved on Big Trouble in Little China offer a relatively full portrait of the film’s making (notably missing are the female actors), detailing how Gary Goldman and David Z. Weinstein’s original period western script was revised by co-screenwriter W.D. Richter to take place in the present day, and how Carpenter eventually took on directing duties, hiring friends and former collaborators such as Kurt Russell, second-unit director Tommy Lee Wallace, and Nick Castle, who played Michael Meyers in Halloween and helped perform with Carpenter and Wallace the theme song for Big Trouble in Little China.
Throughout these interviews, Carpenter is portrayed as a low-key man of many talents who knows how to command a set, and who feels the film’s comedy was misunderstood by the studio and initially the audience alike. The other strand, more poignantly, details the working experiences of the Asian actors in the cast, including Dennis Dun, James Hong, Donald Li, and Peter Kwong, who offer similar stories of combating Hollywood stereotypes and turning to acting as children as a way to fit into a Caucasian society.
There are also three audio commentaries, an archive one with Russell and Carpenter that’s a good informal listen, and two new tracks with producer Larry Franco and special effects artist Steve Johnson, respectively, that offer even more context on the film’s creation. All sorts of other goodies round out a superb set, including photo galleries, stills galleries, and a feature on the film’s various posters and lobby cards. This package is a treasure trove for fans of Big Trouble in Little China, especially for Carpenter acolytes.
The cast and crew interviews are the star of this Shout! Factory disc, elaborating on the making of a misunderstood cult classic.
Cast: Kurt Russell, Dennis Dun, Kim Cattrall, James Hong, Victor Wong, Kate Burton, Donald Li, Carter Wong, Peter Kwong, Suzee Pai, Chao Li Chi, James Pax, Jeff Imada, Craig Ng Director: John Carpenter Screenwriter: Gary Goldman, David Z. Weinstein, W.D. Richter Distributor: Shout! Factory Running Time: 99 min Rating: PG-13 Year: 1986 Release Date: December 3, 2019 Buy: Video
The film remains a hypnotic yet foreboding look at how the proliferation of images and media technology affect the mind.
Wim Wenders’s 287-minute sci-fi adventure Until the End of the World has the peculiar quality of being simultaneously elliptical and meticulously plotted. Though the 1991 film features no shortage of contemplative shots of futuristic vistas, both real and virtual, and exhibits an aversion to easy action-flick thrills, the narrative has all the intricacy one would expect of a cyberpunkian tale about the chase for stolen, mind-altering technology. Despite the story’s novelistic girth, most scenes wind up being indispensable both to the plot and to the film’s portrait of a specific, detailed milieu. Which is to say that the whole is akin to a good novel—a comparison that Wenders would likely appreciate, given that his prescient allegory of the postmodern condition ends up, somewhat paradoxically, propounding the virtues of words over images.
The pronouncement in favor of written language is uttered in Until the End of the World by the narrator character, Eugene (Sam Neill), as a kind of conclusion, after he’s witnessed the abyssal attraction that the digital image holds for his ex-girlfriend, Claire (Solveig Dommartin, who co-authored the film’s story), and the new object of her affection, Sam (William Hurt). Enthralled by a head-mounted camera invented by Sam’s father (Max von Sydow) that can read brainwaves—and, as it turns out, convert dreams into digital imagery—the two become obsessed by the potential of reading their unconscious mind’s nocturnal creations.
The images the device draws, presented in full frame in a few boldly experimental sequences, are multifarious, amorphous, and rapturously beautiful. Digital artifacts and posterizations, as a form of auto-animation, appear to imbue the images themselves with life, even as such imperfections obscure the objects actually depicted. These obscure but teeming visions compel Sam and Claire’s intense engagement, and in what’s perhaps the most clear-sighted prediction of the life in digitized society in a film chock-full of them, Wenders has his two principal characters spend much of the final act staring passively into digital devices, oblivious to the glowing orange-red vistas of the Australian Outback they wander through.
Set in 1999, Until the End of the World predicts with striking accuracy such turn-of-the-millennium devices as digital assistants, search engines, and consumer GPS navigation. The social order in which these objects are embedded also isn’t far off the mark. The film’s first half is a road trip through a globalized world auguring a post-Berlin Wall order that bears more than a passing likeness to our own: East Berlin glows with the neon of renewed capital investment; in the Soviet Union, espionage has been privatized; and San Francisco bears witness to the extreme income disparity wrought by the latter years of the Pax Americana.
The road trip that will end in the dreamland of Australia is kickstarted—though without the urgency the metaphor implies—when Claire turns off a French highway to avoid a traffic jam. This detour eventually brings her into contact with Sam, the trench-coat-clad, fedora-topped fugitive whose air of extralegal mystery and neo-noir cool draws Claire to him well before the film reveals its technological MacGuffin. As Sam, Hurt is a bit stiff, as if, like Claire, he’s unclear exactly who Sam is supposed to be—which works, to a degree, in the film’s first half, as the man has turned himself into a neutral medium, a recording device. It will eventually turn out that Sam has stolen his father’s experimental brain camera to collect images of the world that can now be conveyed directly to the visual cortex of his blind mother (Jeanne Moreau).
Wenders grounds Claire’s sudden and intense attraction to the apparent criminal by having Eugene’s detached voiceover narration describe Claire as flighty and adventurous. Such haphazard characterization is a hallmark of Until the End of the World: Wenders consistently proves less interested in a deep dive into the romantic triangle tying together Claire, Sam, and Eugene than he is in an exploration of the image-saturated milieus of the near future, with their omnipresent screens and glowing neon. He underlines the oneiric artificiality of these millennial environments with an expansive and justly renowned soundtrack—featuring songs by the Talking Heads, R.E.M., Peter Gabriel, and U2—that was more successful than the film itself upon release. That Until the End of the World at times comes off as the world’s longest music video arguably suits its project, as to ‘90s intellectuals there was no aesthetic more symptomatic of the forthcoming descent into visual oblivion as that of MTV.
Like Sam’s project, Until the End of the World is itself a compendium of images, with overt allusions to Jean-Luc Godard, Alfred Hitchcock, Yasujirō Ozu, and, somewhat randomly, Johannes Vermeer. Not to mention Wenders’s own previous films: The director’s use of the road as means of contemplating the gulf between image and experience recalls Alice in the Cities and his American breakout, Paris, Texas. If the meat of the film—the envelopment of the protagonists’ consciousnesses, as well as our own, in the chameleonic digital image, the tempting escape into virtuality—doesn’t come until rather late into the film’s 287-minute running time, it’s because Wenders first sets himself the gargantuan task of summarizing the state of the cinematic image at the moment of its eclipse. His film, well at home with the science fiction of its era, suggests that a shift in our means of apprehending the real is also an alteration of reality—the end, one could somewhat extravagantly claim, of the world itself.
The new transfer of the film reveals cinematographer Robby Müller’s strikingly bright but deeply hued color palette in all its glory, from the saturated reds of the futuristic Kiev train station, to the lush greens of the Japanese countryside, to the dusty gray of bougie-bohemian Parisian apartment buildings. Wim Wenders, who oversaw the film’s restoration, makes best use of the remastered 5.1 soundtrack during the music sequences, using the more robust mix to create a greater sense of envelopment. By comparison, the film’s environmental sounds and dialogue are mixed flatly, but given how frequently songs appear under scenes, the disc assures an aural experience that’s overall on par with its visual one.
With this double-disc Blu-ray, Criterion offers an expansive but well-curated selection of extras organized around a few through lines. First, and lending itself to a certain auteur-worshipping romanticism, is the production history of the full Until the End of the World cut, which came in at the current length of 287 minutes. The film’s producers demanded severe edits, forcing Wim Wenders and editor Peter Przygodda to reduce the running time to 158 minutes. Wenders’s efforts to save his original vision are detailed in Bilge Ebiri’s illuminating booklet essay, a prolix title card that runs before the film, and in the filmmaker’s introduction for this Criterion release, as well as in an interview from German television from around the release of the director’s cut to German DVD in 2001.
Then there’s the film’s experimental use of digital video, so we get 1990 special from Japanese television featuring Wenders working on the pioneering digital footage shot for the film in Sony’s Tokyo-based labs. And finally there’s the hit soundtrack, so we get an additional booklet essay by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, adapted from a longer (and highly recommended) piece from The A.V. Club, that celebrates the unabashed hipness of Wenders’s musical taste, and a documentary about the recording of Nick Cave’s “(I’ll Love You) Till the End of the World” that provides fascinating glimpses of Berlin immediately after the fall of the wall. A bit out of place are a series of “deleted scenes” that are really 20 minutes of extended scenes and B roll.
A film at once hip, quirky, and serious-minded, Until the End of the World remains a hypnotic yet foreboding look at how the proliferation of images and media technology affect the mind.
Cast: William Hurt, Solveig Dommartin, Sam Neill, Max von Sydow, Rüdiger Volger, Ernie Dingo, Jeanne Moreau, Chick Ortega, Elena Smirnova, Eddy Mitchell, Chishu Ryu, Allen Garfield, Lois Chiles, Kuniko Miyake Director: Wim Wenders Screenwriter: Peter Carey, Wim Wenders Distributor: The Criterion Collection Running Time: 287 min Rating: R Year: 1991 Release Date: December 17, 2019 Buy: Video
Criterion’s release stands tall as what one, specific genius of the medium was able to do with a fair-to-middling play.
Jaime N. Christley
George Cukor’s 1938 masterpiece Holiday seems to have emerged from a happy and completely natural accord between talent and circumstances. Peel back a few layers and, like many established classics of Hollywood’s classical period, the truth is strange, and not at all neat.
The basic outline of the story is a wrinkle on the old conflict between restless, proto-hippie, free-spirit types and the maw of American aristocracy that threatens to devour them. Johnny Case (Cary Grant), having emerged from blue-collar stock and engineered an untenable balance between the shrewdly ambitious and the purposefully lackadaisical, has found himself engaged to be married into one of the richest old-money families in the country, the Setons. The family estate gives the film the perfect opportunity to indicate unfathomable American wealth, a yawning fortress tucked into the row of 5th Avenue’s Gilded Age townhouses. Holiday exploits the opportunity for all its tactile pleasures, almost unto itself grounding the fulcrum of its drama: The palace is a mausoleum, sure, but it’s also a very, very nice mausoleum—an architectural and interior design honey trap of the highest order.
These battle lines intersect within Johnny’s very soul, and his outward, competing angels are made manifest in his fiancée, Julia (Doris Nolan), and her sister, Linda (Katharine Hepburn). Julia is a deluxe wife in training, more than prepared for a life of meticulously managed leisure earned by the industry of Johnny’s business acumen. Linda, at the other end of the spectrum, is frequently charged with childishness, but it’s better to say that she dreams of actualizing a child’s pleasure long past the demarcation of adulthood. The prospect of marriage to Julia doesn’t come across as unappealing, but, serendipitously, and with some delayed reaction, Johnny and Linda provoke in each other a latent tendency to peaceful disobedience.
The very nature of the story’s pronounced dichotomy all but expressly circumscribes a path to victory for the free spirits, while the film’s romantic-comedy side implies a dual victory, a rhyming one, wherein the couple the audience was hoping for from the outset unites as the final music rises and Holiday blissfully fades out. A director and cast need not be especially clever or energetic to carry this tidy narrative to term, as Edward H. Griffith’s 1930 film Holiday—the first to bring Philip Barry’s play to the screen—amply demonstrates, but the ways that Cukor distinguishes his adaptation are self-evident.
The simplest way to explain the Cukor effect is by way of infusion, on a single, spectacular, and crucial set: Linda’s playroom. Already a visual and spatial centerpiece of the play, it’s transformed here into a Cukorian dynamo, a zone of thrilling provocation and mystery not to be found anywhere else in pictures. As a concept, it’s merely “important,” a crucial apparatus to put asunder the Setons’ pretty mausoleum and the far more animated life of Linda’s mind.
To be clear, the playroom would be a boon even to the most mediocre talent. In Cukor’s hands, it becomes a living space, a key component to the director’s entire vision. The ostensible “nonconformity versus responsibility” drama, while served dutifully, takes second seat behind a much larger artwork that breathes through its actors, and pushes energy currents through different rooms, and the meaning imbued by the dreams and plans projected therein.
Setting aside for a moment that Cukor was the one director cherished most by prestige-hungry moguls like David O. Selznick and Louis B. Mayer, or that he would sustain what seemed to be an indefatigable commitment to picture-making for five very busy decades, Cukor’s ingenuity had a lot to do with being someone who could apparently do it all. And as he would prove time and again, his polyvalent set of talents were crucial not only during the transition from one project to another (famously, at this point, he was already ramping up pre-production on Gone With the Wind, for Selznick), but in uniting the disparate elements of one project.
This kind of talent wasn’t mislaid when Cukor directed Holiday, as the project wasn’t entirely without potential pitfalls. Barry’s play often goads directors to make sure things resonate all the way to the nosebleed seats, with such bald enticements for audience goodwill as Linda hollering, “Oh, someone please, try and stop me!” A not-insignificant portion of the material depends on champagne-flute-shattering high notes like this, and Cukor is too shrewd a popular entertainer to declare himself an enemy of such gambits.
Other thorny matters include Grant’s performance. Hard as it may be for us to believe, while there could be no doubt that Grant was a lead actor by 1937 and 1938, it remained evident that the studios still weren’t entirely sure who he was or what he could do. That uncertainty somehow both feeds the dilemma that is Johnny and threatens to render it into a flattened absurdity all at the same time. Grant was an icon of impeccable style and poise, as well as the greatest dancer in non-musical cinema after Buster Keaton. His efforts early in Holiday to evince both romantic charm and devil-may-care absent-mindedness, with intimations of some deeper register of antisocial angst, are as strained as that cocktail of character traits sounds. A lock of unruly hair that falls across his forehead is made to work harder than it ought to, in order to sell Johnny as a nincompoop suffering from chronic distraction who nevertheless would bring home a rich fiancée during a casual skiing excursion.
Cukor—and Grant—make it abundantly clear that they don’t see Johnny as a problem that’s meant to be solved. Crucially, these early scenes are funny and evocative and have certain earmarks of Cukorian dexterity—a slight compression of scene choreography so that exposition and stagecraft resemble a strange game of undisclosed rules; a sprinkling of absurd non sequiturs intended only to be half-heard, not unlike the ones in Howard Hawks pictures.
Further, Johnny’s flightiness is sublimated to Linda, and, to a lesser (but still oddly moving) degree, Lew Ayres’s junior Seton man of the house, Ned. Ever after, threats of strained seriousness are either attacked or ignored, not only by Cukor or his highly adept screenwriters, Donald Ogden Stewart and Sidney Buchman, but by a robust esprit de corps that’s the result of a cast and crew brought together under the charge that no job is too small or thorny conceptual wrinkle too big. It’s this unity that lends Holiday its glow, its larger-than-life-ness, which is larger even than a star picture led by Hepburn and Grant That it’s also very funny, highly empathetic even to the losing side of its love arithmetic, and, in its way, an unspeakably sad elegy for the kind of privileged rebellion only possible in Hollywood pictures, it’s just the right kind of explosive ordnance you should aim directly at your heart, and fire.
If the best black-and-white cinema from the 1930s had a reputation for being the silvery shimmer of dreamscapes, part of that was thanks to George Cukor’s impeccable aesthetic sense; you need only flip through a few random shots from Camille, Dinner at Eight, and Romeo and Juliet for evidence. Holiday is a little bit of a different kettle of fish, as oneiric visions of swooning romance just aren’t on the menu here. Rather, the countless images of patrician elegance, needing to suggest the very best that the very fattest stacks of Upper East Side cash could buy, needs to be positioned as the obverse side—but not alien to—the cockeyed snap of Linda’s playroom, a more deeply intimate cut into the flesh of American dreaming.
Under Cukor, Franz Planer’s monochrome cinematography is expertly tuned to every nuance, without undue exuberance, from the Setons’ cavernous antechambers to the cozy bookshelves in the background of the playroom. The new 4K restoration of Holiday honors the sophisticated lighting and compositions of Planer and Cukor’s design, helping to bring under one, smooth draught of Columbia monochrome, one of the deceptively light odes to the bittersweetness of ephemeral love and desire ever to emerge from that studio or any other.
That’s not to say that the soundtrack is relegated to backup. In a scene that’s by all reasonable metrics the heart of Holiday, Johnny and Linda look out over the New Years’ Eve revelers on the Seton lawn, happenstance making the celebration a private one for just these two. The soundtrack keeps the background rumble low, far-off sounding, yet perfectly clear, the better to steal a kiss, even more the better to demur an illicit romantic overture. In a Cukor picture where the quietest asides mean the most, the Blu-ray’s attention to the nuances of each layer of sound are no less significant than the picture, and Criterion’s uncompressed monaural track for the 4K restoration must be acquitted on all charges, by any jury in the world.
There’s a line from Cukor’s 1952 film Pat and Mike that I’ve been looking for an excuse to use in a review for quite a long time: “There’s not much meat on her, but what’s there is ‘cherce’.” Such is what Criterion has given us on the Holiday disc for supplements. Not to discount too steeply the value in the videotaped conversation between critic Michael Sragow and filmmaker Michael Schlesinger, or the vintage audio clips of Cukor discussing Holiday, but the real prize hog on the disc is Edward H. Griffith’s 1930 adaptation of the Philip Barry play.
The 1930 Holiday, which earned Ann Harding her only Oscar nomination, is perfectly dreadful in ways only prestige adaptations of theatrical properties can be, within that volatile period when talking pictures were the newest wonders offered by technology. Griffith’s direction is honor-bound and correct, if you will only evaluate the film as a means to convey the Barry play to cinema audiences who happen to need some coaxing to believe that actors can enunciate their lines, and be heard, in the same instance—the magic of the movies.
Otherwise, the film is as laborious and punishing as one might expect; in particular, Robert Ames’s Johnny Case is totally unconvincing. Ames, who, sadly, would exit this life in 1931 by way of acute alcoholism, makes a totally neutral Johnny—dutifully amplifying dialogue requiring emphasis but never for an instance suggesting an agent of liberation, for himself or anyone else. Elsewhere, Griffith’s direction is strictly without urgency, pushing the actors (leading the charge, as she often would, was the grand Mary Astor) only to hit their taped marks and speak with correct diction into microphones hidden in ornate vases.
Never mind the box sets: Here’s a slender, yet unquestionably crucial, presentation of one of the greatest films to emerge from any decade of American cinema, without qualification.
Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Doris Nolan, Lew Ayres, Edward Everett Horton, Henry Kolker, Binnie Barnes, Jean Dixon, Henry Daniell Director: George Cukor Screenwriter: Donald Ogden Stewart, Sidney Buchman Distributor: The Criterion Collection Running Time: 95 min Rating: NR Year: 1938 Release Date: January 7, 2020 Buy: Video
This transfer of Fleischer’s B-film cheapie boasts a crisp image and strong contrast levels.
Derek Smith
Before going on to direct such disparate genre fare as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Soylent Green, and Tora, Tora, Tora, Richard Fleischer cut his teeth directing B noirs at RKO Pictures, culminating in the 1952 classic The Narrow Margin. With 1949’s Trapped, Fleischer was loaned out as a hired gun for the Poverty Row studio Eagle-Lion Films—known primarily for producing the first four collaborations between Anthony Mann and cinematographer John Alton—where he was left to work his magic on an even more miniscule budget and a shooting schedule so tight, it could turn coal into a diamond.
Lacking any semblance of polished studio sheen, Trapped spins a gritty, no-nonsense yarn about a ruthless counterfeiter, Tris Stewart (Lloyd Bridges), who’s sprung from jail by the Treasury Department and tasked with hunting down his old counterfeiting plates, which are being used, after a three-year hiatus, to print fresh batches of dough. Despite working within the extreme budgetary limitations of the bargain-basement B film, Fleischer flashes some surprisingly adroit camerawork throughout, as well as an acute sense of composition that’s most prominent in the thrilling climactic sequence set in an empty trolley car station.
The characters also accrue a surprising complexity throughout, as high tensions arise from the conflicts between their aspirations and realities. Not only does Tris play both sides of the law once he’s back on the streets, but his girlfriend, Meg (Barbara Payton), is stuck working as a cigarette girl under the alias of Laurie Fredericks as she hides out from the cops. Even the seedy guy, John Downey (John Hoyt), who’s been keeping Laurie company at the club while Tris is behind bars has been working a long con as one of the numerous T-Men on hand to ensure Tris leads the way to the elusive and invaluable plates. Struggling with the challenges of balancing these dual identities, these characters’ frequently dicey attempts to play both sides of the law effectively blur the thin line between good and evil.
Trapped borrows liberally from earlier Poverty Row successes and relies on an intermittent docudrama aesthetic to lend an immediacy and authenticity to its drama. Despite being obviously indebted to T-Men, Trapped sets itself apart from Anthony Mann’s film with a series of elaborately conceived double-crossings and a brutally violent streak that Bridges, already warming up for his equally maniacal performance in Cy Endfield’s The Sound of Fury the following year, carries through the film’s first hour until his abrupt and unceremonious exit.
Tris’s quick temper and savage thirst for trouble enlivens nearly every scene he’s in. And each of the fights he’s involved in—three with T-Men and one with a former partner he roughs up just for the hell of it—play out with an exhilarating rawness as men awkwardly flail about, their every punch and kick carrying conveying a manic sense of desperation. Although the narrative’s seams begin to reveal themselves toward the end (with such details as Tris’s absence from the film’s final 15 minutes seeming less intentional than a byproduct of a script rushed into production), Fleischer and Bridges’s work gives Trapped a terse vitality that propels it through its duller, less inspired passages.
Soon after its release, Trapped was, like most Poverty Row films, thoughtlessly condemned to the murky waters of the public domain, where it could only be seen in extremely poor quality. Following the recent discovery of a 35mm acetate print of Richard Fleischer’s film, the Film Noir Foundation and the UCLA Film & Television Archive went to work on producing the beautiful restoration available here. Flicker Alley’s transfer boasts a crisp image and strong contrast levels, effectively restoring the rich details of the film’s location shooting. Slight signs of dirt and debris still remain, but these minor imperfections do little to hamper just how good the image looks here. The audio is quite impressive as well, with a nicely balanced mix, clean dialogue, and a complete absence of hisses and pops.
Per usual with their Blu-ray releases of new restorations, Flicker Alley has included an informative and engaging commentary track, this time with author Alan K. Rode and film historian Julie Kirgo. The two have a charming repartee, and their affection for Trapped and many of the oft-forgotten noir cheapies churned out on Poverty Row comes through loud and clear. Along with providing ample historical background about Eagle-Lion Films, particularly head producer Bryan Foy’s legendary cutthroat cheapness and efficiency, Rode and Kirgo ably traverse Bridges and Fleischer’s careers, as well as the tragic life of actress Barbara Payton. The package also includes two featurettes—one which touches upon the film’s Los Angeles location shooting and Fleischer’s lean, economical style, and another that explores Fleischer’s rise from B-film obscurity to a dependable major studio director—as well as a 24-page booklet with storyboards and artwork from the film and brief bios of its major cast and crew.
Flicker Alley’s fantastic Blu-ray release gives Richard Fleischer’s B-film cheapie the tender, loving care typically afforded only to major studio fare or canonical classics.
Cast: Lloyd Bridges, Barbara Payton, John Hoyt, James Todd, Russ Conway, Robert Karnes, Robert Carson Director: Richard Fleischer Screenwriter: Earl Felton, George Zuckerman Distributor: Flicker Alley Running Time: 78 min Rating: NR Year: 1949 Release Date: December 31, 2019 Buy: Video
Schrader’s lively and despairing first film as director has never been more relevant.
Audiences familiar with Paul Schrader’s customarily austere aesthetic may be surprised by the jocularity of his 1978 directorial debut, Blue Collar. Following three broke auto workers living in Detroit, the film has long passages of wittily profane, seemingly improvisatory dialogue that reveals the day-to-day tempo of the men’s lives, suggesting the scenes between the various cab drivers in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, which Schrader wrote. One particularly audacious comic sequence sees Schrader expressing his characters’ desperation and poverty in a series of comic twists so evocatively absurd, sad, and politically enraged that they suggest a Buñuel set piece. Zeke (Richard Pryor), the angriest of the men, has been caught lying about the amount of children he has to the I.R.S., and so his wife, Caroline (Chip Fields) runs over to a neighbor’s house to grab more kids while he stalls an agent (Leonard Gaines). Riffing wildly, Zeke tries to tell the agent that his extra children have names such as Jim Brown and Sugar Ray. This sort of scene can scarcely be found in many of Schrader’s most famous films as director, and such playfulness was leeched entirely of his next directorial effort, the solemn, deadening Hardcore.
This liveliness, this tonal variety, is shrewdly utilized by Schrader as a form of misdirection. Blue Collar is driven by a tragic thesis, and it’s as bleak and furious as any film Schrader has made since, but it takes its time and allows you to get your guard down. There’s even a genre hook, which Schrader casually subverts. Zeke and his co-workers and drinking buddies, Jerry (Harvey Keitel) and Smokey (Yaphet Kotto), fed up with being exploited by the auto plant and their union, decide to rob the latter’s office. In a conventional film, even one with political ambitions, such a heist would generate thrills. For Schrader, the robbery is a banal, dryly funny spectacle—a humdrum extension of the trio’s frustrating lives. They come away with nearly nothing and inadvertently benefit the union, which lies about its losses for insurance money. This failure splinters the men, and this dissolution is what truly interests Schrader.
In most heist movies, criminals fall out over the ill-gotten booty. In Blue Collar, Zeke, Jerry, and Smokey are driven apart because they are expertly manipulated by larger social forces. The union turns the men against one another in order to nullify the threat of their potential unrest—a theme that couldn’t be more timely in an age in which we’re conditioned to despise one another for our political affiliations while monopolies are forged and vast quantities of money are controlled by fewer and fewer essential oligarchs. Yet Schrader, with his sense of comedy, with his innate grasp of the working-class textures of his characters’ lives, never renders this theme into a dull sermon. Blue Collar is a surprising and emotionally robust experience.
Pryor, Kotto, and Keitel have a profoundly convincing chemistry, and Schrader modulates their performances with a confidence that would be impressive for anyone, let alone a first-time director. We’re always keyed into each man’s specific energy, and to how those energies coalesce when they’re together. Zeke is a livewire hothead, which allows Pryor to tap the same performative demons he channeled for stand-up, but Pryor’s performance doesn’t represent a mere change of setting, as his acting is a true, volatile expression of Zeke’s bitterness, which is channeled, via the character and the actor’s intelligence, into conversational riffs that suggest the “stand-up” of everyone’s regular lives. Kotto invests Smokey with a simmering, subtler intensity, while Keitel embodies the anxiety of the comparatively straight rational man—the odd man out among eccentrics in an extraordinary series of situations. (Schrader and the cast also understand these various dynamics to be informed by racial tension: Zeke and Smokey are African-American and Jerry is Caucasian, a difference in perspective and station that isn’t outwardly acknowledged until a devastating late scene between Zeke and Jerry.)
Blue Collar also features one of Schrader’s finest and most disturbing set pieces, in which his themes are expressed through a series of piercing physical gestures. Smokey is murdered by the union for his involvement in the theft, and he’s locked into a chamber where cars are spray-painted, with the fumes of the paint gradually suffocating and poisoning him. This is a wrenchingly protracted scene, showing Smokey as the life is gradually snuffed out of him, his struggles coming to nothing and drowned out by the chilling drone of the spray-paint apparatus. Schrader’s awareness of the finest details, especially the sound of the spraying of the paint, give this scene an uncanny, almost supernatural sense of cruelty, as Smokey comes to embody every person that every company has matter-of-factly annihilated.
This transfer offers a clean, detailed, appropriately gritty image. Skin textures are vivid, as one can see the men sweating as they labor in the auto plant, and colors are lively, especially the silver of the chrome in the plant, which gleams with a white heat, testifying to the extremity of the working conditions. The sound mix is well balanced with a few show-pony qualities, such as the exhilaratingly rendered strings of Jack Nitzsche’s Bo Diddley-inspired score.
The archive audio commentary by writer-director Paul Schrader and journalist Maitland McDonagh is a detailed and fascinating listen, especially for Schrader’s descriptions of working with his famously contentious leading men. Richard Pryor, Yaphet Kotto, and Harvey Keitel all worked differently and all resented one another, and Schrader felt that he had no control and was merely trying to “survive” the production. (Given this context, the amount of control that’s evident in the film is all the more remarkable.) Pryor would come into a scene hot from the first take and would soon flame out, while Keitel needed to warm up, so Schrader was often shooting Pryor’s first take and Keitel’s, say, 10th, which was achieved by having Keitel rehearse separately. Pryor had racial resentments, and would provoke his co-stars, possibly to stimulate himself artistically, while every actor suspected the other to be the true star of the production. These conditions informed the formal qualities of Blue Collar as well, as the camera rarely moves, mostly because Schrader had trouble getting coverage. (Austere camera movements would soon become a signature of his aesthetic.) Interestingly enough, Pryor eventually said that he wanted Schrader to make a movie about his life, claiming he was the only director who understood him. This commentary is the only supplement on this disc, but it offers a rich glimpse into a film that deserves more attention.
Paul Schrader’s lively and despairing first film as director has never been more relevant, and this disc should hopefully lift it from undeserved semi-obscurity.
Cast: Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, Ed Begley Jr., Harry Bellaver, George Memmoli, Lucy Saroyan, Lane Smith, Cliff DeYoung, Borah Silver, Chip Fields, Leonard Gaines Director: Paul Schrader Screenwriter: Paul Schrader, Leonard Schrader Distributor: Kino Lorber Running Time: 114 min Rating: R Year: 1978 Release Date: December 10, 2019 Buy: Video
Review: Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s All About Eve on Criterion Blu-ray
Somewhere along the way, this release turned out to be a mere carbon copy.
Eric Henderson
Not all masterpieces grow richer with age as both viewers and the films they revisit grow older, nor are they expected to. But nothing ages quite like sophistication, and there are few Hollywood productions as sophisticated as All About Eve. Nor are there many films whose “quiet qualities,” as Margo Channing (Bette Davis) chides about the obsequious Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), wear better with time as the formal “fire and music” of so many other paragons of early-stage cinephilia inevitably lose their freshness, leaving only memories of excitement behind. Written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz at the height of his powers, All About Eve is truly a film for every era, balanced in such a manner that it miraculously gives receptive audiences exactly what they need when they need it. And I never realized to what extent the truth of that bears out until my very most recent viewing, as I arrived upon the scene and speech that always gave me reservations, a gear-shifting moment that for me had until recently always ground the entire production to a deflating halt: Margo’s contrite “book full of clippings” speech.
For its first 90 minutes or so, All About Eve runs two marathons’ worth of sparkling, bitchy repartee, with Margo thrusting her bon-mot baton many miles in front of the pack as she fends off the requirements of Broadway superstardom, the encroachment of middle age, and the obsequious attentions lavished upon her very being by the seemingly meek stage-door lamprey Eve. Then, due to the machinations of her best friend, Karen Richards (Celeste Holm, striking a pitch-perfect balance between poised and patronizing), Margo winds up stranded in the countryside in a car without gas, very clearly about to miss her first performance in many years, unaware that Karen has arranged things so that Eve, the interloper no one’s yet aware is about to upend all their lives, can step on as her new understudy, and tantrum-prone Margo can learn a lesson in humility. Surprisingly, Margo takes her impending truancy in stride, and sentimentally launches into a long reverie about domesticity:
“The things you drop on your way up the ladder…you forget you’ll need them again when you get back to being a woman.…In the last analysis, nothing is any good unless you can look up just before dinner or turn around and bed, and there he is. Without that, you’re not a woman. You’re something with a French provincial office, or a book full of clippings, but you’re not a woman.”
Say what? Most contemporary audiences coming to All About Eve in the last few decades, or indeed ever since Davis was crowned the queen mother of camp’s golden age, are invariably lured in by the promise of all-time diva fireworks, served with cosmopolitan flair on a cocktail napkin. Closeted teenage me was certainly no exception, lapping up every last one of Davis’s full-throated assaults on whatever poor sap happened to be standing in front of her at the tail end of a violent mood swing. But even from the very first time I watched the film, I was aware that Mankiewicz’s energies never seemed directed toward behavioral antics as ends unto themselves. In Slant’s previous review of All About Eve, a regrettably skeptical Joseph Jon Lanthier noted that the film’s most quotable call-to-arms (“Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night!”) is followed by “inebriated self-pity instead of the anticipated bitch-out,” as though the prime function of the scene, the character, and the film is to supply an endless stream of incisive, proto-Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? tongue-lashings.
Margo’s third act-ushering about-face while seated in that stalled car alongside Karen changes the entire chemistry of the film. Suffice it to say, her unambiguous embrace of domesticity would seem on its surface to be a byproduct of the times, and certainly a tough pill to swallow for equality-minded, doggedly individualistic modern Americans. But All About Eve—talky, stagy All About Eve—isn’t a surface film. Davis delivers the sentiment that, without a man, you’re not a woman with a look in her eyes that belies her real-life, on-set romance with co-star Gary Merrill, who plays Margo’s director and paramour, Bill Sampson, in the film, and who would become Davis’s last and longest-lasting husband thereafter.
Audiences might be surprised by Margo’s sudden and unequivocal semi-retirement from the spotlight, but Davis’s expression clearly telegraphs that she herself isn’t; it’s what she knew she always wanted. I, not being nearly as wise as Margo, never knew that’s also what I wanted as I, like Margo, spent the first 40 years of my life pursuing drama (in my case, only vicariously through films like this one) while avoiding—make that actively self-sabotaging myself out of—healthy relationships. To revisit All About Eve today, with an engagement ring my teenage self never once dreamed I’d get having been placed on my finger not more than 48 hours earlier, is to recognize how masterpieces aren’t aged in wood (to borrow the title of Margo’s starring vehicle on Broadway) so much as they continue to live alongside their viewers’ own lives.
Those aiming to add Criterion’s new edition to their collection on the hope that it represents a significant upgrade from the most-recent transfer before it needn’t push this to the top of their shopping lists. Because 20th Century Fox’s 2011 release looks virtually identical to Criterion’s new 4K restoration, which could very well be the mark of an original print well-preserved. Criterion’s presentation offers rich monochromatic range, and vibrantly active grain. The display is superb enough, in fact, to drive home just how underrated the film is, formally speaking. You catch every glint of Margo’s bottomless martini glass, every fastidious strand of Eve’s wrapped-too-tight coif, every furrow in dyspeptic producer Max Fabian’s brow. Cue this disc up—or, you know, the previous edition—and banish all misconceptions of All About Eve as a “filmed play.” Criterion’s disc does away with a whole boatload of alternate-language soundtracks featured on the 20th Century Fox release, but no one’s going to morosely request the party pianist play “Liebestraum” over that omission.
As with the image and sound bona fides, Criterion’s release largely recycles the most prominent bonus features from previous editions, making this particular Criterion edition vexingly superfluous in a way that very few other of their releases are. Even worse, the cardboard digipak packaging is a flimsy mess, with sticky rubber fasteners holding the discs in until they’re inevitably torn off—fasteners which also unfortunately grab onto the cover of the included booklet (my copy was torn at the staples as a result). Which is all to say that those picking it up just because it’s Criterion and they have a display fetish will already have had their main incentive taken away due to the shoddy package design.
Among the features new to this All About Eve set are the two-hour 1983 documentary All About Mankiewicz, which centers around film historian Michel Ciment’s interviews with the writer-director. It’s probably the meatiest extra in the entire set, and well worth your time. Of the two commentary tracks, I personally got more out of All About All About Eve author Sam Staggs’s slightly dishy track, despite its occasional lapses into silence, but odds are good that the film’s fans will eat up Celeste Holm’s observations on the other track, and might wish she didn’t have to share space with Christopher Mankiewicz and biographer Ken Geist.
As with Criterion’s Now, Voyager release, there’s vintage Dick Cavett footage, not only another episode with Bette Davis, but also a wonderful separate interview with Gary Merrill, from back in an era where a national talk show could feature a Gary Merrill and not be hopelessly anachronistic. Amid the rest of the well-stocked set’s reruns are a few other newly produced items, foremost among them a 20-minute chat with costume historian Larry McQueen, who unpacks the film’s immortal outfits, including the legendary party dress that Davis, at the last minute, pulled off her shoulders to ensure production wouldn’t be delayed.
All About Eve may be an essential film, and Criterion may be an essential cinephile label, but somewhere along the way, this release turned out to be a mere carbon copy.
Cast: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe, Gregory Ratoff, Thelma Ritter, Marilyn Monroe, Barbara Bates, Walter Hampden Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz Screenwriter: Joseph L. Mankiewicz Distributor: The Criterion Collection Running Time: 138 min Rating: NR Year: 1950 Release Date: November 26, 2019 Buy: Video
Review: The Complete Sartana Rides Onto Arrow Video Blu-ray
Grab your magician’s cape and pepperbox pistol, Arrow’s box set just rode into town.
Budd Wilkins
What unites the wildly unpredictable and unabashedly entertaining Sartana films—despite the disparate contributions of two directors, a bevy of screenwriters, and two very different leading men—are the iconographic elements of the eponymous character himself: his red-and-black magician’s cape, the pepperbox pistol and other baroque gadgets that he has at the ready, not to mention his ubiquitous smoke-billowing cigarillo. Their storylines, often structured as a mystery, are ingenious Rube Goldberg contraptions that deliver sudden reversals of fortune, typically emphasizing the perils of deceptive appearances. There’s loads of violence and gunplay throughout, with occasionally astronomical body counts, yet little in the way of graphic blood and guts, which lends the films an aura of old-school charm.
Co-written and directed by Gianfranco Parolini (billed on screen as Frank Kramer), If You Meet Sartana…Pray for Your Death opens with Sartana (Gianni Garko) rescuing an elderly couple in a stagecoach from a gang led by Morgan (Klaus Kinski). Over in another part of the desert, a shipment of gold is hijacked by another gang that’s subsequently mowed down with a Gatling gun by Lasky (William Berger), who, in turn, discovers the strongbox to be full of rocks instead of gold bars. The central mystery in the film will concern what happened to the gold.
In the baroquely convoluted storyline, these factions head into town, where they play out various permutations of alliance and opposition. While the general setup for the film may seem stereotypical, the devil is in the details of the execution. Parolini brings all the style—painterly compositions, sleek camera movement, brisk, cleverly blocked action set pieces—we have come to expect from Italian westerns. But he takes things just a bit further: Indeed, the last reel of the film looks like it could have been shot by Mario Bava.
I Am Sartana, Your Angel of Death finds Sartana (Garko again) framed for a bank robbery he didn’t commit. Director Giuliano Carnimeo, who would helm the rest of the series, brings an even more outrageous eye to the proceedings: The camera tilts and flops over every time someone gets gunned down (which is often). Carnimeo seems to favor distortion, like the bug-eye prismatic effect achieved by shooting through a beveled beer mug. The storyline provides a more amusing (and larger) role for Kinski, playing the bizarrely named Hot Dead, a gun forced to hire himself out due to an unending losing streak at gambling.
With Sartana’s Here…Trade Your Pistol for a Coffin, George Hilton steps into the title role for a single outing. The film also features a larger role for a female lead than earlier entries in the series, which had been populated almost exclusively by men. But the role isn’t terribly novel, as Trixie (Erika Blanc) the saloon owner is your prototypical femme fatale. Where the film does inject some novelty is in the person of Sabbath (Charles Southwood), a poetry-spouting bounty hunter dressed entirely in white to contrast Sartana’s black-based ensemble.
Garko returns for Have a Good Funeral My Friend…Sartana Will Pay, which centers on a murdered prospector whose land is said to contain a motherlode of gold. When the man’s niece, Abigail (Daniela Giordano), turns up in Indian Creek to secure her inheritance, it seems like everyone in town has a plan to wrest the gold away from her. In addition to Giordano’s appealing feminine presence, there’s also genre film stalwart Helga Liné as a saloon girl. Apart from the increased roles for women, the film trades in a good deal of racial stereotyping with regard to the presence of the Fu Manchu-like Lee Tse Tung (George Wang), whose den of iniquity features prominently in the storyline.
Light the Fuse…Sartana Is Coming, the final film in the series, is also arguably the finest. The opening has Sartana gunning down a corrupt sheriff and allowing himself to be sent to a brutal penitentiary for it. (The prison, incidentally, is designed to look like a Vietnam War-era POW camp.) Turns out he’s there to meet up with Granville (Piero Lulli), who has information about two million in gold and counterfeit bills that went missing after a mysterious three-way gunfight. The film keeps upping the ante throughout, replete with double- and triple-crosses and ever-escalating gun battles. The last battle culminates in the series’ most surreal imagery: Sartana playing the organ in middle of Mansfield’s main street, only to have the musical instrument morph into a fantastical instrument of death.
All five films in the Sartana series, each housed on its own Blu-ray disc, are presented in new 2K restorations. If You Meet Sartana…Pray for Your Death was sourced from a 35mm print, and as a result looks the weakest by comparison, with some distracting (and occasionally persistent) vertical scratches and other artefacts evident. The remaining films were sourced from original camera negatives, and the results are uniformly outstanding. Colors are vivid, flesh tones lifelike, grain properly filmic, and black levels largely uncrushed. The transfers exhibit excellent depth and clarity. Each film includes both Italian and English tracks in Master Audio mono mixes. The Italian tracks are the default, but the English may be your better bet, since they tend to be more quirkily idiomatic, and many of the characters appear to be delivering their lines in English in the first place. Regardless of your choice, dialogue comes through clearly, ambient effects have some depth (albeit at times a bit boxy), and the idiosyncratic scores from the likes of Piero Piccioni and Bruno Nicolai sound terrific.
Arrow Video includes a bumper crop of supplements for their Sartana box set. The first, second, and fourth films in the series come with commentary tracks, the first from German documentary filmmaker Mike Siegel, while the others feature film historians C. Courtney Joyner and Henry Parke. After laying out his genre bona fides at some length, Siegel dives into the series as a whole, describing the first appearance of the Sartana character as a black hat in a non-Sartana film, then leaning heavily into the cast and crew members’ connections to many other Italian westerns. Siegel provides an intriguing European appraisal of the films. Joyner and Parke exhibit an amiable tag-team approach, with Joyner more often than not taking point in the discussion, and Parke putting in his take from time to time. Scattered across all five discs are lengthy interviews (some archival, some newly filmed) with various cast and crew members, whose recollections range from a bit fuzzy to crystal clear. The featurette “Light the Fuse: Sartana’s Casting” provides biographical snippets for a number of familiar genre players who turn up throughout the series. Each disc comes with a gallery of colorful and strikingly designed promotional materials from the Mike Siegel Archives.
Grab your magician’s cape and pepperbox pistol, Arrow Video’s Complete Sartana box set just rode into town.
Cast: Gianni Garko, William Berger, Klaus Kinski, Sydney Chaplin, Gianni Rizzo, Fernando Sancho, Andrea Scotti, Franco Pesce, Heidi Fischer, Sabine Sun, Frank Wolff, Gordon Mitchell, Ettore Manni, Sal Borgese, Renato Baldini, Federico Boido, George Hilton, Charles Southwood, Erika Blanc, Piero Lulli, Daniela Giordano, Helga Liné, Rick Boyd, George Wang, Nieves Navarro, Massimo Serato, José Jaspe, Frank Brana Director: Gianfranco Parolini, Giuliano Carnimeo Screenwriter: Gianfranco Parolini, Renato Izzo, Theo Maria Werner, Tito Carpi, Enzo Dell’Aquila, Ernesto Gastaldi, Giovanni Simonelli, Roberto Gianviti, Eduardo Maria Brochero Distributor: Arrow Video Running Time: 480 min Rating: NR Year: 1968 - 1970 Release Date: December 17, 2019 Buy: Video
The 30 Best Home Video Releases of 2019
More than ever, there’s a necessity for the acquisition of physical media.
Photo: The Criterion Collection
Endlessly proliferating streaming platforms deliver more content each year, successfully tapping heretofore unexpected niche markets and serving an astounding variety of target demographics. (And that’s only the companies that Disney doesn’t own.) What subscribers don’t always realize, however, is that they’re at best leasing that content, even when they appear to have purchased a title outright. Films, in other words, are provisionally available merely at the caprice of our corporate overlords.
All of this is to state what might seem—to legions of devoted cinephiles and collectors alike—a glaringly obvious truth: that there’s a continuing necessity for the acquisition of physical media. Fortunately for us, every year there’s a veritable embarrassment of riches to select from, a bounty of art-house and cult titles dropping each and every Tuesday. They’re supplied by home-video stalwarts like the Criterion Collection and Arrow Video, as well as smaller boutique labels like Vinegar Syndrome, Film Movement, Flicker Alley, and Arbelos—all of whom have released titles that appear on our annual best-of list.
It’s the curatorial expertise these companies lavish on their releases that both renders them eminently collectible and sets them apart from the typically barebones and context-free content available on most streaming services. These companies’ discernment and attention to detail extends not only to the aesthetics of their packaging—replete with often reversible cover art, informative booklets, foldout posters, soundtrack CDs, and other booty—but also to well-chosen supplemental features, which provide a historical and formal framework for developing a deeper appreciation of the films and their makers. Our roundup of the best home-video titles of 2019 cherry-picks those releases that best exemplify these tendencies. Budd Wilkins
American Horror Project Vol. 2, Arrow Video
With American Horror Project: Volume Two, Arrow Video and curators Ewan Cant and Stephen Thrower continue the endeavor they started in 2016 with American Horror Project: Volume One, restoring obscure horror films and according them the respect and prominence of a lush box set with all the trimmings. The existence of such sets is aesthetically and historically symbolic, correctly suggesting that certain films relegated to drive-ins and video stores are worthy of the respect and consideration of tonier productions that are preserved by, say, the Criterion Collection. At the forefront of this project’s concerns are complementary notions of preservation and cultivation. These sets reacquaint us with low-budget films that can be made around and about a small rural area and still potentially attract national attention, while also reminding us of an analogue era, when such films, denied the slickness that can now come at the touch of an iPhone button, practically convulsed with the efforts of their strapped and scrappy creators. These films (Dream No Evil, Dark August, and The Child) are urgent testaments to the cliché of necessity being the mother of invention, as their scarce resources and naïveté beget explorations of madness and alienation that are stripped of the implicit assurances of luxurious, self-effacing studio-style production values. Chuck Bowen
An American Werewolf in London, Arrow Video
Arrow’s new 4K restoration improves considerably on Universal’s previous editions of the film, with colors in low-light and nighttime scenes really coming across. And the studio has ported over practically every available bonus feature from all those earlier Universal home-video releases and added some impressive new ones. The best of the older material is far and away Paul Davis’s 2009 making-of documentary Beware the Moon, which runs slightly longer than An American Werewolf in London itself. Davis covers every detail and aspect of the film’s production from its conception in 1969 to its release and reception in 1981. The new audio commentary from filmmaker Paul Davis miraculously contains little in the way of overlap with his making-of documentary, culling new anecdotes that were uncovered during research for his book on the film, including some fascinating information about deleted and extended scenes whose original elements have been lost. Elsewhere, the terrific feature-length documentary Mark of the Beast is a deep-dive into the figure of the wolf man from a well-selected roster of film historians and technicians, beginning with the ubiquity of the lycanthrope or shapeshifter archetype across human cultures, laying out how screenwriter Curt Siodmak singlehandedly concocted the “lore” of the werewolf (pentagrams, silver bullets, wolf’s bane) for The Wolf Man. Wilkins
Apocalypse Now: Final Cut, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Just as Lionsgate’s last Blu-ray edition of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now boasted reference-quality audio and video, so, too, were its extras exhaustive. This six-disc release includes everything from the previous release, including Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, which as become as legendary at this point as the film its documents. There are too many extras to enumerate, with featurettes on every single aspect of the film’s production, from its casting to its sound mixing. There are deleted scenes, including an entire alternate ending where Kurtz’s compound is napalmed, as well as audio from a 1938 Mercury Theatre radio production of Joseph Conrad’s novella. Astonishingly, there are even more extras this time around, with the final disc containing the documentary and a wealth of new, retrospective features that detail Apocalypse Now’s latest audio and visual restoration. There’s also additional behind-the-scenes footage, as well as a Q&A between Coppola and Steven Soderbergh. Jake Cole
The Blob, Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory gives fans and collectors a Blu-ray that will stand as the definitive edition of Chuck Russell’s undervalued gem for many years to come. For starters, the disc comes with three feature-length commentary tracks, two of which are newly recorded. In the first of those, Russell, special effects artist Tony Gardner, and cinematographer Mark Irwin get into The Blob’s botched theatrical release, the influence of Hitchcock’s Psycho on the film’s narrative misdirects, and the challenges of location shooting and working on a tight budget. The second and other new track, with lead actress Shawnee Smith, offers little more than aimless reminiscing and admiration for how well the film holds up. And the third track is a previously recorded one with Russell and producer Ryan Turek, and as such has a bit of crossover with Russell’s newly recorded one. But their rapport is engaging, and Russell’s passion for his work and that of others is unmistakable, especially as he discusses his personal feelings for Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.’s original The Blob and how he tried to strike new ground with his remake, while remaining respectful of its forebearer. The disc also comes with a staggering 11 interviews, covering virtually every aspect of the film’s production and post-production processes. Derek Smith
Blue Velvet, The Criterion Collection
Per the disc’s liner notes, this new transfer was created in 16-bit 4K resolution from the 35mm A/B negative and was supervised by David Lynch. The results are spectacular, with radiant colors and a purposefully soft grittiness that intensifies the film’s luridly dreamy feeling. Most important, though, is the profound weight and materiality of surface textures in this image, which is important to Lynch’s fetishistic aesthetic. All of Lynch’s pet obsessions—lamps, drapes, lipstick, food, smokestacks—practically pop off the screen. The most notable supplement on the release is a 54-minute collection of deleted scenes, which have been assembled by Lynch more or less in chronological order, suggesting an entire omitted opening act of Blue Velvet. The cut footage fleshes out Jeffrey’s reasons for returning to his hometown from college, and offers many more scenes of his aunt and mother (played by Frances Bay and Priscilla Pointer, respectively). Also essential is “Blue Velvet Revisited,” an 89-minute documentary by director Peter Braatz that uses free-associative editing to offer a one-of-kind portrait of the film’s production. Braatz includes stock footage, intimate still photos, such as of Lynch taping the word “Lumberton” onto an ice truck, and uses interviews as a form of narration. Bowen
The BRD Trilogy, The Criterion Collection
The films of Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s BRD trilogy pull off a difficult magic trick, feeling timeless and viscerally in the moment. With his supernatural ability to crank out productions at a rapid clip, Fassbinder achieved what Kent Jones describes as a “direct correlation between living and fiction-making”—a quality that’s also evident in Jean-Luc Godard’s early films. These directors worked so fast as to annihilate the distance between inspiration and realization that often governs studio filmmaking. As a result, The Marriage of Maria Braun, Veronika Voss, and Lola are works of many astonishing contradictions, symmetries, parallels, and political and personal reverberations. They are expressions of macro concerns that are wrested from a singular soul. And the pristine restorations available in this set are visual and aural marvels that underscore the profound aesthetic difference between each film in the trilogy. As for the supplements, they have been ported over from Criterion’s 2003 DVD edition with no updates, though this package is so rich and exhaustive it hardly matters, offering a couple of semesters’ worth of context pertaining to German film history, German social upheavals, and the multifaceted life of Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Bowen
Charley Varrick, Kino Lorber
Kino’s 4K restoration of Charley Varrick is a revelation. Grain looks well-resolved and suitably cinematic, without any distracting artifacts visible, while black levels are deep and uncrushed. The Master Audio mono mix puts the dialogue and few ambient effects front and center, as well as Lalo Schifrin’s relentlessly propulsive score. On the extras front, we get a commentary track from film historian Toby Roan that delves informatively into all the usual suspects, like shooting locations and cast and crew filmographies. Film historian Howard S. Berger’s visual essay “Refracted Personae: Iconography and Abstraction in Don Siegel’s American Purgatory” may possess an imposing title, but it astutely and articulately analyzes Siegel’s formal techniques and thematic concerns in Charley Varrick, with a particular emphasis on those of a spiritual or religious bent. Rounding things out: a feature-length documentary with contributions from Kristoffer Tabori (Don Siegel’s son), actors Andy Robinson and Jacqueline Scott, stunt driver and actor Craig R. Baxley, composer Lalo Schifrin, and Howard A. Rodman (son of screenwriter Howard Rodman); an episode of “Trailers from Hell” for Charley Varrick with comments from screenwriters John Olson and Howard A. Rodman; and a characteristically incisive essay from film critic Nick Pinkerton. Wilkins
Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach, Grasshopper Film
In the first of its many paradoxes, Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach, Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet’s best-known film, is both insistently severe and intensely pleasurable. The nominal subject here is the life of Johann Sebastian Bach as told by his wife, Anna Magdalena, though, and as befits a card-carrying member of the ‘60s modernist movement that encompassed Godard, Rohmer, Warhol, and late Rossellini, the real one is the relationship between sights and sounds, artifice and reality, the medium and the world. Grasshopper’s Blu-ray is sourced from a detail-rich 2K restoration and the extras include Straub’s introduction of the film at a 2013 screening and author Alicia Malone’s intro to Straub-Huillet’s work for Filmstruck. But the highlights of this disc are two short films from Straub-Huillet’s back catalog. The Bridegroom, the Actress, and the Pimp, starring Rainer Werner Fassbinder and several members of his acting coterie, is an experimental work of black-box theater that takes on the political and structural underpinnings of love and incorporates numerous cinematic styles. And The Mother, made by Straub in 2011, tells the story of a murdered hunter whose remorseful reflections suggest the director’s own attempts to cope with Danièle Huillet’s death. Cole
The Complete Sartana, Arrow Video
What unites the wildly unpredictable and unabashedly entertaining Sartana films—despite the disparate contributions of two directors, a bevy of screenwriters, and two very different leading men—are the iconographic elements of the eponymous character himself: There’s the red-and-black magician’s cape, pepperbox pistol, and other baroque gadgets, not to mention the ubiquitous smoke-billowing cigarillo. The storylines, often structured as a mystery, are ingenious Rube Goldberg devices for delivering sudden reversals of fortune, typically emphasizing the perils of deceptive appearances. There’s loads of violence and gunplay throughout, with occasionally astronomical body counts, yet little in the way of graphic blood and guts, which lends the films an aura of old-school charm. Apart from the first transfer, which exhibits some pesky vertical scratching, the 2K restorations look uniformly outstanding, with vivid colors, lifelike flesh tones, properly filmic grain levels, and largely uncrushed blacks. Each film has a dynamic Master Audio mix, which really punch up the idiosyncratic scores from the likes of Piero Piccioni and Bruno Nicolai. There’s a satisfying bumper crop of extras here as well: Three commentary tracks, a visual essay identifying many of the genre stalwarts who turn up in the films, and numerous interviews with cast and crew members. Wilkins
Cruising, Arrow Video
Normally, cruisers would scoff at returning to the same well twice, but since the deluxe edition DVD’s choice extras were so well-done the first time around, it’s not quite a faux pas for Arrow to have licensed the lot of them. On the one hand, a newly recorded commentary track with William Friedkin and Mark Kermode all but renders the old solo commentary track by Friedkin redundant. Friedkin repeats a lot of the same observations and anecdotes in the new track, but Kermode smartly steers the conversation in new directions. Among some of the most eye-opening tidbits, Cruising was at one time earlier in the ‘70s earmarked as a project for Steven Spielberg. Talk about close encounters. Equally delicious is Friedkin referring to Al Pacino as the “least prepared actor” he’s ever worked with. Does Friedkin’s explanation of why he inserted subliminal shots of anal sex among the film’s murder sequences come off as hopelessly clueless? Intensely. But one comes away from these commentary tracks understanding just how the final product ended up so confused and contradictory. Eric Henderson
Review: Jean-Jacques Beineix’s Betty Blue on Criterion Blu-ray
Criterion’s release of Beineix’s epic erotic drama recovers the sumptuousness and precision of its images.
Joseph Jon Lanthier and Pat Brown
Today, the aesthetic divide between Jean-Jacques Beineix’s extroverted noir debut, Diva, and his bloated, lusty third film, Betty Blue, seems much less gaping, particularly for viewers intrepid enough to regard his sophomore effort, the faux-pulp kaleidoscope Moon in the Gutter, as a homely missing link. Diva is genre-obsessed, an unwieldy meditation on dystopian thriller tropes and clichés that distracts us from its overwritten plot with shorn scalps and sexy jump cuts. By contrast, Betty Blue is character-obsessed, an unwieldy meditation on the self-destructing nature of domestic relationships that distracts us from its lack of amorous insight with nipples, dicks, and the occasional fork stabbing. And while the latter film is also likely to be condemned as the most prodigal of Beineix’s progeny due to its lubricious audacity and turgid running time, the three-hour-plus director’s cut ironically reveals a far less indulgent vision than that of the originally imported 120-minute digest—or, for that matter, of Diva.
The emaciated storyline fixates relentlessly on an intensifying partnership between the eponymous Betty (Béatrice Dalle) and her blithely deadbeat lover, Zorg (Jean-Hugues Anglade). They start out as little more than bubbly fuck buddies, and the film opens with its most “viral” footage—a lengthy, unbroken dolly shot toward the couple ravenously humping to orgasm—in order to ham-fistedly introduce their dynamic. But Betty eventually shacks up with her booty call in his oleaginous bungalow and reveals the mercurial irascibility beneath her perpetually hot, bothered, and often nude lady parts. After discovering a mammoth manuscript Zorg penned in his youthful days as a prospective novelist, she proclaims her man a genius and assumes the role of literary bitch-agent.
Wanderlust then ensues, so the two lovers set fire to the chili bean-stained bungalow and motor out to the French countryside. The remainder of the duration is devoted to observing their apoplectic devotion to each others’ least healthy attributes: Betty desperately and violently seeks a publisher for Zorg’s tome while he would much rather mix shots of tequila with seltzer. And in harsh contrast to the semi-graphic fornication, Betty’s dramatic mood swings bristle tetchily against the most rudimentary of social environments (e.g. the workplace, where she cannot suffer difficult customers, and Zorg serves the bullish clients pizza topped with rescued scraps from the trash bin as retribution).
That the film was adapted from a novel is gawkily evident not only in the bare details of the above synopsis (what fiction authors don’t dream up Ariel-like harpies such as Betty, who treats Zorg’s abysmal output like gold and sends snarling death threats to the publishers who reject his work?), but also in the loose, polyrhythmic plot movements that incrementally propel the central duo toward tragedy. Expanded to its intended length, the movie feels not like a failed narrative hastily washed in luridness but a purposefully meandering allegory of artistic frustration, especially in light of Betty’s eventual infatuation with the apparent unlikelihood of pregnancy—which turns out to be her fatal flaw. Contrary to expectations, the additional sequences only further obfuscate Betty’s psychosis, which still seems an irritatingly unnecessary speed bump in the characters’ non-careers, as well as an ostentatious crazy-chick gun introduced in the first act so it can be fired off in the third.
The breathing room provided by the added travels and more robust encounters with supporting cast members, however, marginalizes the woman of the title—or, rather, her “blueness”—to the point of an eerily affecting Macguffin. How much more insane can she be than the sex-starved grocer’s wife (Clèmentine Cèlariè) who demands that Zorg perform cunnilingus on her atop a pile of spilled bananas, or the friend (Gérard Darmon) who tasks Zorg and his clearly batty girl with minding his recently deceased mother’s piano store?
The events that lead up to the denouement are still maddeningly flat: Despite the tight, kinetic editing technique on display, Zorg’s bank heist, pulled off in drag, is a cheesy joke when we least need it. And Betty’s predictable self-mauling and subsequent mercy-killing offer fairly substantial evidence for our uneasy reading of the character as a sexist guignol; before asphyxiating her in her hospital bed with a pillow in the spirit of Ken Kesey, Zorg claws at her misshapen, torpid breasts with misguided virility, as though to say that true devotion is arousal whether your significant other is utterly off her rocker or comatose. The lion’s share of the film, though, remains a vibrantly bipolar tribute to writerly travail, which can, indeed, often seem as hopeless as impregnating a potentially barren, absolutely abusive woman.
Beineix’s camera captures the couple’s symbolic struggles with perpetually effective angles and color schemes, and he adroitly realizes clever cinematic gestures that would melt in the hands of amateurs; a quiet, crepuscular scene where Betty and Zorg diegetically acknowledge Gabriel Yared’s ersatz-blues leitmotif on a pair of unsold pianos may be the film’s most subtle triumph. If only Beineix could have imagined an existence for his star-crossed protagonists beyond the source material (the question of whether successful maternity would have sobered Betty yelps for an impossible sequel), he may have managed a sultry masterpiece.
The restoration presented on this Blu-ray captures the sumptuousness of Jean-François Robin’s cinematography much better than prior home-video editions of the film. Although Criterion’s generalized description of the transfer as “high definition” rather than “2K” or “4K” may imply that the digital master’s resolution is relatively low for a Criterion release, it’s not evident in the disc’s image, which retains much of the warmth of 35mm—an effect vital to the mood of the film. The scenes depicting Zorg and Betty’s halcyon early days at a beach resort practically simmer, with the saturated yellows of the beach and the pink of the houses sharply defined. Accompanying the newly restored visuals is an uncompressed digitization of the original monaural magnetic soundtrack. The track allows for a fuller appreciation of Jean-Jacques Beineix’s playful manipulation of the plot—as when the sound of a saxophone played by Zorg’s neighbor pushes its way out of the confines of the beach fairgrounds and envelopes the entire film sequence, as Betty and Zorg paint houses into the night.
Criterion has assembled a number of valuable extras for this release: a recently produced, hour-long documentary about the film called “Blue Notes and Bungalows,” a short making-of video made during production and featuring Beineix and author Philippe Djian, a French television interview from 1986 with Beineix and Bèatrice Dalle, the actress’s original screen test, a series of trailers, a booklet with an essay by critic Chelsea Phillips-Carr, and a short film by Beineix from 1977 called Le Chien de Monsieur Michel. Beineix’s early short is connected to Betty Blue in one striking way: The piece of calliope music that one overhears from Zorg’s beach bungalow in the feature also serves as the theme of the farcical short, which sees a down-on-his-luck and not entirely un-Zorg-like loner forced into maintaining the illusion that he owns a dog. The short lacks Beineix’s later art-film flair, but it’s a wry, neatly told parable about communal life, with a social critique hovering at its margins.
As an erotic arthouse film that spends no shortage of time focusing on its young starlet’s body, today Betty Blue provokes questions about objectification, representation, and the treatment of women on set. Most of the special features brush by such questions. In “Blue Notes and Bungalows,” Dalle does mention that she wasn’t informed that she could request a minimal crew during nude scenes and later felt betrayed by her friend Beineix for not telling her, but she doesn’t seem to bear a grudge, and the documentary doesn’t follow up on this comment. Phillips-Carr’s insightful essay “The Look of Love,” however, compellingly addresses the film’s sexual politics, ultimately reading it as a “challenging portrait of a woman who cannot crush herself into the boxes provided for her, and a damning view of the male gaze that subsumes her identity.” To what extent the film undermines its own glossy visual appeal, of which Dalle’s body is an undeniable centerpiece, remains up for debate; Criterion certainly find’s Beineix’s flagrantly stylish imagery useful for promotion. But Phillips-Carr’s feminist perspective on the film is a useful reminder to look closely at the details of Beineix’s fraught love story, and not to dismiss out of hand films with such apparent appeal to the (hetero) male gaze.
Criterion’s release of Jean-Jacques Beineix’s Betty Blue recovers the sumptuousness and precision of its images, but this epic-length erotic drama remains part genuine exploration of romantic dedication and partnership, part indulgent male fantasy.
Cast: Jean-Hugues Anglade, Bèatrice Dalle, Gèrard Darmon, Consuelo De Haviland, Clèmentine Cèlariè, Jacques Mathou, Vincent Lindon, Jean-Pierre Bisson, Dominique Pinon, Claude Confortès, Philippe Laudenbach Director: Jean-Jacques Beineix Screenwriter: Jean-Jacques Beineix Distributor: The Criterion Collection Running Time: 185 min Rating: NR Year: 1986 Release Date: November 19, 2019 Buy: Video
Review: Satoshi Kon’s Millennium Actress on Shout! Factory Blu-ray
Kon’s landmark feat of Japanese animation at last receives a home-video release worthy of its beauty.
Ed Gonzalez and Jake Cole
Behold Millennium Actress, Satoshi Kon’s anime answer to Mulholland Drive. This radical work by the director of Perfect Blue mainlines into a cosmic crawlspace between reality and fantasy from which it never leaves. Kon’s love for his animated diva is supreme and he plays her romantic saga for delirious world-weary sorrow. The genius of Millennium Actress is infinite: the practically monochrome palette that slowly saturates color as the film moves forward in time; the meta-cinematic conceits Kon employs in order to have the film’s male documentary filmmaker penetrate what’s supposedly an older Japanese actress’s recollection of her own past; and the countless rhetorical shifts that evoke the woman’s projection of her romantic melodrama onto her art.
When a two-man documentary crew discovers the whereabouts of the reclusive Chiyoko Fujiwara, the legendary actress explains how her career in cinema ran parallel to her search for an elusive love. (The documentary filmmaker’s invasion of Chiyoko’s memory is dubious at first, but Kon soon reveals the man’s own romantic involvement in the actress’s life.) Despite her mother’s conservative wishes, a young Chiyoko is handpicked for stardom by a film studio that now lies in ruin. That fateful day, a mysterious young artist bumps into the girl while fleeing from a police officer with a hideous scar on his face. She falls in love with the boy but he disappears soon after meeting her, leaving behind only a mysterious key. For the rest of her life, she’s left to search for this “human-rights agitator” whose name she doesn’t even know.
Throughout much of her early career, Chiyoko performs with an older actress who doubles for Chiyoko’s two female enemies: the mother who almost denied her a career in cinema and the witch who may or may not have damned her to 1,000 years in the throes of eternal love. While in Manchuria shooting a film, she looks for her lover in order to give him his key. While on the set of a chamber drama, she discovers that her part also has her looking for a missing lover. During time off from production, she journeys through war-ravaged Manchuria in search of the activist. When her train is ravaged by bandits, she steps through one door and reemerges on the set of a lavish samurai epic that finds her trying to negotiate the arrows of Manchurian warlords. And Kon evokes these ravishing passages between Chiyoko’s reality and on-set fantasies often with as little as a superimposition or a mere door opening and closing.
Earthquakes and wars are serendipitously spun into the film’s many dual realities, and rubble is Kon’s metaphor of choice. From the fierce Edo-period samurai epic to the final space odyssey Chiyoko shoots before retiring from the screen, Millennium Actress’s many film-within-a-film set pieces give Chiyoko’s never-ending search for love various historical, political and cultural contextualizations. Hers is very much a tale of perseverance, so maybe this sweeping perspective is Kon’s way of celebrating the defiant Chiyoko’s power over various manmade creations and destructions in the film. Because her ability to project her emotional trauma onto her roles is so strong, it’s that much more difficult to distinguish between Chiyoko’s reality and Kon’s historical recreations.
Like Mulholland Drive, Millenium Actress concerns itself with our love affair with women in movies, many of whom are unceremoniously forgotten when they become too old. Here’s a love story that not only spans a lifetime but thousands of years of political upheavals. Kon offers several hints throughout the film that Chiyoko’s millennium sentence may be hysterically self-imposed, which makes the film’s cosmic to-the-moon sequence that much more powerful. Perhaps Chiyoko knew all along that she was chasing the shadow of a man, and as such the thrill she derives from the chase suggests she’s experiencing love vicariously through her acting. Indeed, Millennium Actress is very much a love poem to cinema itself. And Kon’s love for the medium, like Chiyoko’s eternal search, has no boundaries.
Millennium Actress arrives on Blu-ray with a revelatory restoration, which blows every prior standard-def release of the film out of the water. The film’s thick line animation now boasts razor-sharp textures. Colors pop with intensity, particularly those recurring splashes of bright orange on everything from street signs to movie-prop spacesuits, while the more naturalistic hues are well contrasted. Shout! Factory includes a lossless 5.1 track for both the original Japanese track and an English dub, both of which ably mix the film’s complex sound design, as well as Susumu Hirasawa’s tense and ever-pulsing electronic score, across all channels, truly heightening the film’s paranoiac obsession with the blurring of reality and acting.
This disc comes with a series of interviews, including separate talks with English-language voice actors Abby Trott and Laura Post. No interviews with the Japanese cast are included, and at first blush it’s a bit disappointing to only hear from members of the dub cast, but both actresses prove to be informative and engaging as they discuss their love of the project and what spoke to them about the characters and themes. Post in particular dives deep into her inspirations and her interpretation of Eiko’s complexities. Meatier still is the interview with producer Masao Maruyama, who speaks at length on everything from the production’s beginnings all the way through its re-release. Having worked with Kon across several projects, he offers keen insights into the director’s work and personality, even comparing Kon to the character of Chiyoko. A briefer interview with producer Taro Maki more specifically cover’s Millennium Actress’s 4K restoration while also making note of the then-innovative methods that were used to blend hand-drawn and 3D animation for the film.
Millennium Actress, Satoshi Kon’s landmark feat of Japanese animation, at last receives a home-video release worthy of its beauty with this presentation of a new 4K restoration.
Cast: Miyoko Shôji, Mami Koyama, Fumiko Orikasa, Shouzou Iizuka, Masaya Onosaka, Shouko Tsuda, Masatane Tsukayma, Kôichi Yamadera Director: Satoshi Kon Screenwriter: Satoshi Kon, Sadayuki Murai Distributor: Shout! Factory Running Time: 87 min Rating: PG Year: 2001 Buy: Video
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IWL sounds like a labor union but it stands for "I write like…" found at a web site called IWL.com. I don't recall if this came up in Criminal Brief, but it's fun to tinker with it, sort of a literary horoscope.
Crawling Through the Carpal Tunnel
At the moment, writing anything has become irritating because of pain, possibly carpal tunnel related. Some people's wrists go numb, mine hurt like hell, especially when picking up silly things like a cup or turning a doorknob.
I know, I know…gotta take care of myself. When I'm heads-down writing, I tend to block out my environment– chills, hunger, fatigue, and paying bills. ADD specialists call it 'hyper-focusing'. (Note to self: Been cutting those emergency bathroom dashes a bit close recently.)
I'd been editing math textbooks, grades 5-7, and was 'rewarded' (he says dryly) with an assignment to write for grade 9. A number of equations are involved, so I'm using MS Word 2011's new internal equation editor. It's not bad, not bad at all as long as colleagues don't try to edit in an older version of MS Word.
Anyway, a note in my eMail drew my attention to IWL, so I gave it 'I write like…' a whirl. My first attempt said I write like Arthur Conan Doyle. Yay! My second submission came up Stephen King. Wow. And analysis of my third story claimed I wrote like William Shakespeare. Forsooth!
Biting the Neck that Feeds You
And then I tried a fourth sample—Anne Rice? Hmm? This particular piece might have been a bit dark and sexy but there was nary a vampire to be found.
The IWL web site's for fun– I imagine even the worst writing will be given a positive twist and attributed to a great author. Is it possible someone's writing is so bad it could be linked to that kid in the third grade who picked his nose?
Nah, not me. My editor thinks I write like a 9th-grader.
Posted by Leigh Lundin at 00:00
Labels: carpal tunnel, I write like, iwl, Leigh Lundin
Location: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Amusing, but don't knock the ed writing- in my experience the duller the work the better it pays!
That's true, Janice, and there's a possibility of royalties down the line, so a couple of years from now may pay off!
Louis A. Willis said...
Slow down and safe those wrist for putting more words on paper or in cyberspace, or whatever we call it now days.
I write like surprised me with H. P Lovecraft, whom I read a long time ago, and David Foster Wallace, whom I'd never heard of until I read about him last year.
Robert Louis Stevenson; Stephen King (for a story advertised by AHMM as humorous!); James Joyce; J. D. Salinger. I don't think their database knows what it's talking about. That, or it's schizophrenic...
Louis, I discovered HP Lovecraft about the 5th-6th grade and read everything I could. My 6th grade teacher actually tore a paperback I was reading (my aunt's!) in half and kicked me in butt!
I hadn't heard of David Foster Wallace and just looked him up. Sadly, I deal with depression too and I feel for those who try the drugs, especially when something effective is denied.
Eve, you just about cover the gamut. What a broad range of authors!
Oh, I read the entire Lovecraft canon about the same time, Leigh, and loved it. I passed some of the books along to a friend later on, and he returned them a couple of days later, with a wild-eyed look and said, "I don't even want them in my house!" I guess he didn't know that you're not supposed to read them all in one weekend...
Eve and Louis, when I was a kid I stumbled across rural ponds that a paper mill illegally used as a dump site. It was dead and hideous and reminded me of one of the Lovecraft stories where the trees turn to ash.
I didn't get into the Cthulhu saga, but I did name an undertake McThulhu.
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Home » Welding outside THE BOX
Welding outside THE BOX
Michigan State University's new University Club/Executive Development Center is a modern structure that also blends in with the look of the MSU campus.
The new fa¿e on the Michigan State University Club/Executive Club features extensive use of aluminum.
LANSING, Mich. - When Michigan State University (MSU) built its new University Club/Executive Development Center, plans called for a modern structure that also blended in with the look of the historic structures located throughout the MSU campus.
Dalton Roofing Service was hired to put the finishing touches on the center. The Lansing, Mich.-based roofing firm was faced with a number of challenges. First, university officials said the building's facade had to match an existing older building. In addition, the box-like decorations that adorned the facade could not be made of wood, as was the case with the previous structure.
"The building had to be 100% fire proof, and Michigan State was looking for a material for these particular decorations that would be more durable than wood," said Ron Turkus, Dalton Roofing sales manager. "We had to make adjustments to our process. Steel would have been too heavy so we decided to use aluminum as a wood substitute to create the boxes for the facade."
Ten-foot sheets of .040 in. aluminum were used to make the more than 430 decorations required. The metal was to be manually cut using a Tennsmith saw and sheared to the appropriate size, then bent three times using a Tennsmith brake to form each box. Next, two shorter (1.5. X 6 X 21) boxes would be welded to one longer (2 X 13.5 X 21) rectangular box. One finished ornament would require 30 welds totaling 220 in.
Ten-foot sheets of .040 in. aluminum were used to make more than 430 decorations for the building.
TIG would not cut it
When they began, Dalton selected a TIG unit to handle the welding. However, it quickly became apparent that the TIG machine wasn't the right match for this particular job.
"The TIG unit was giving off high frequency interference, causing our computer to fault," said Dennis Wilcox, Dalton project manager. "Grounding the TIG unit to the specifications recommended in the manufacturer's handbook would have taken too much time and effort for a process that was too slow from the start."
Pulsed MIG welding provided the solution. Dalton chose the Millermatic¿ all-in-one pulsed MIG welding system. It allows operators to pulse weld on aluminum as thin as 19 gauge (.39 in.) or as thick as 3/8 in. with the Miller's Spoolmate¿ 185 spool gun. Dalton officials said this capability, along with a 35 to 210 amp output (160 amps at 60 percent duty cycle) made it perfect to complete the project. Because the welding current pulses between a high peak current and a low background current, the pulsing process lowers the average heat input. This prevents burn through, while pulse of peak amperage still provides good bead wet-out, creating smooth welds.
The scraps from the initial shearing of aluminum were used to form the box's end caps. The caps were bent and notched so they slid into the end of each box. Next, the cap was held in place with clamps and rubber stoppers (to not scratch the aluminum), then welded.
Dalton used a little creativity to ensure there wasn't any warping or burn-through while welding the aluminum. Wilcox said a steel bar was placed through the box opening from end-to-end. As it was welded, the steel dissipates the heat, enabling them to weld without burn-through.
"Finally, an aluminum mounting bracket is welded to the backside," said Wilcox. "There are no screws in the aluminum brackets whatsoever. There's nothing to corrode and no way water will find it's way in. The boxes are 100% watertight when we're finished."
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Young and the Restless Spoilers: Nick Newman Sinks To Adam’s Level – Ready To Play Dirty, Let The Games Begin!
By Sean O'Brien Last updated Aug 6, 2019
The Young and the Restless spoilers tease that Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) continues to take his brother’s thrown bait. Custody of Adam Newman’s (Mark Grossman) biological son, who is Nick’s nephew, isn’t a game. But one of the brothers is behaving like it is.
Adam plays three dimensional chess. Nick is a smart guy. But he hasn’t proven capable of sustaining the type of discipline that is and will be needed to promote his own cause, rather than try and take Adam down.
Tellingly, Nick has been proclaiming his personal turn around. Within days of first doing so he then goes after Adam, who tells Christian Newman that he’s his real father.
Sure, Adam is provoking some situations. But viewers can also see Adam’s point of view, even if they don’t want him to have custody of his own son.
Young and the Restless Spoilers – The Battle Over Christian Heats Up
Nick is not, repeat, Nick is not Christian’s father. He was told otherwise in the past, which could be interpreted as a plus on Adam’s side.
Of course it matters that Nick continued to serve as Christian’s acting father after Morrow’s character learned about the boy’s true paternity in the past. Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) was sitting aside of him when that happened, as hardcore Y&R fans know.
Young and the Restless Spoilers: Nick Vows To Bring Adam Down – Newman Brothers Go To War @celebratesoaps https://t.co/UPHBfFLZLz
The above represents a check under Nick’s name, as a fair solution would be for him to earn no less than shared custody status. But his insistence that Adam doesn’t even deserve access to the child he fathered and then allowed to live with Nick out of compassion for his brother makes no sense. That stance may also influence the custody judge’s decision to a certain degree as well.
The argument that Adam is a threat to Christian is based off Nick and now Chelsea Boudreau’s (Melissa Claire Egan) emotional beliefs. They truly think that their past history with Grossman’s character is all that matters. The reforming Chick also see themselves as the best defenders of Adam’s children, with Chelsea being Connor Newman’s (as most recently played by Gunner and Ryder Gadbois) mother.
Young and the Restless Spoilers – Nick Sinks To Adam’s Level
Doesn’t Connor deserve to know who his dad is? Adam thought so and told him. Nick and Chelsea sternly advised Adam not to do that. Now, they’re both angry that he did.
Sure, Adam wants to goad Nick. But there are an increasing number of instances where Nick is acting on his own accord. Whenever he does so, Nick sinks to the level where he claims Adam lives.
Christian’s custody issue is a serious matter and some type of victory will be achieved by someone in the fall. Nick shouldn’t be playing like it’s a game, but he is.
Soap Opera Spy is a leading source for everything linked to The Young and the Restless. Check back regularly for Y&R spoilers and news! As always, more detailed Spoilers and Breaking news will appear here on Soap Opera Spy
Sean O'Brien
After earning a BA in Communications, Sean began his professional career in the Scranton-Wilkes/Barre Red Barons’ front office (the Philadelphia Phillies former Triple-A affiliate). He later worked as a print sports writer. During this millennium – Sean became a state licensed school teacher, the author of the children’s book Maddie: Teaching Tolerance with a Smile, and a credentialed sports columnist. He’s also been a longtime soap opera loyalist.
Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Eric Martsolf Teases Brady, Kristen and Making Love to Fake Nicole
Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Should Rafe and Hope Reunite After Ted’s Death?
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Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1052/29445
From The Socialist newspaper, 14 August 2019
TV: Young, British and Depressed - "What is wrong with our society that all these people are feeling this way?"
Young, British and Depressed (Click to enlarge)
David Kaplan, North London Socialist Party
In 'Young, British and Depressed' ('Dispatches' on Channel 4, 29 July), Sanah Ahsan focussed on the crisis facing young people in their search to be treated for mental health problems.
Advertising campaigns have called for more openness about mental health, encouraging people to talk about their issues and seek help. But, as one young person in the programme pointed out, the problem is there is just no help available.
Young people want to access talking therapies, but there is a waiting list for these of one year or longer. One in eight people aged five to 19 have a problem with their mental health, and two out of three young people are not getting the treatment they need.
In 2018, there were 700,000 referrals of under-19s to child and adolescent mental health services - a 45% increase in two years.
Demand is at an all-time high; half of children who need the services wait more than four and a half months before being assessed. Often, their level of need is not deemed great enough, so they are not prioritised for early intervention. In the meantime, their crises worsen.
The programme surveyed 1,000 GPs. 86% said that prescribing anti-depressants had increased because of the lack of availability of alternative, talking therapies. 39% said they prescribed anti-depressants to under-18s but only 1% thought it was the best treatment for them.
A head teacher recognised that poverty contributed to the mental health problems of students in her school. And one young person on the programme concluded: "What is wrong with our society that all these people are feeling this way?"
One of the key anxieties facing young people is GCSEs. Two years ago, the Tory government introduced a new grading structure, format and content for these exams. Little attention is drawn to the fact that these exams fail around one-third of those taking them.
Along with the Ofsted inspections, performance tables, and a lack of proper funding, this has placed incredible pressures on secondary schools to maintain their 'standards' and 'performance'. Teachers and students have borne the brunt of the changes.
Abolition of performance tables would relieve the pressure on schools - and on the students who are expected to perform at the end of year eleven. We need to abolish Ofsted and the other inspectorates.
There needs to be a reduced emphasis on the outcomes of GCSEs, and alternative ways of assessing the achievement of students, not just through examination results. School leavers also need fully funded training and apprenticeships, with guaranteed jobs at the end, as an alternative to the academic route.
Education and health unions need to campaign alongside students for more funding for NHS mental health services and a reform of secondary education. Service workers, young people and the local community should control and manage education and health services to ensure they meet the needs of everyone.
A socialist society could ensure that the pressures that face young people today are ended, and instead allow people to flourish in their own way and take control over their own lives.
'Young, British and Depressed' is available on All 4 until 28 August
Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.
In The Socialist 14 August 2019:
General election looms... Capitalists in chaos: fight for socialism
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Far right seen off at Oxford Circus
After the fire: fight for facilities for all
Hereford and Worcester: stop the fire cuts!
Dundee: young workers meet
Leeds estate residents push back private development
Boot out Boris and all the Tory toffs - fight for socialist policies for the 99% not the 0.1%
Tory bribes don't hide destruction of NHS
Northern Ireland, August '69: 'Battle of the Bogside' and British troops on the streets
The Peterloo Massacre 1819: When a fearful ruling class tried to crush working-class political aspirations
Workplace news
Fight back against the retail bosses!
Lincolnshire health workers strike against £2,000 loss of pay
Bradford: All-out action to defeat backdoor NHS privatisation
Hull: Karro Food meat processors strike against poverty pay
Equity: reject UK Theatre's pay cut deal
Summer of airline industry strikes against low pay and worsening conditions
Harland and Wolff occupation continues - renationalise to save the shipyard
International socialist news and analysis
Pro-democracy protests continue to rage in Hong Kong
Home | The Socialist 14 August 2019 | Join the Socialist Party
Subscribe | Donate | Audio | PDF | ebook
Build for strikes to save NHS
Northern Ireland: Thousands of nurses continue to strike for better pay
Children need intensive care? We don't care!
End profiteering from health - nationalise big pharma
Northern Ireland: Health workers take action
Young people:
Young people who voted for Corbyn's manifesto will now ask... How can we win those ideas?
Stand firm for socialist policies to stop Tory attacks
Fight for your future - join the socialists
Green Party offers no alternative for young people and climate change chaos
Mental health:
The Socialist Inbox
West London Socialist Party: The mental health crisis
Midlands mental health workers walk out against privatisation
Climate strikes: Students and trade unionists protest together
UCU strikes: more determined than ever
NHS:
TV Review: Apocalypse Cow
Sustainable food production and the need for socialism
The Great Big Socialist Party Quiz 2019
Plymouth Blairites side with anti-tenant landlords
Minimum wage debate
The private sector will never provide broadband to every home, nationalisation will
Theatre: On Bear Ridge - an examination of loss, set in a post-apocalyptic world
Readers' opinion: Twitter's banning of political ads threatens workers' voice
Minimum wage debate: what should we be demanding?
TV: Crime and Punishment - this brutal watch is a damning indictment of cuts and capitalism
TV: The Accident - Will capitalism be exposed in upsetting, true-to-life drama?
More Reviews and comments articles...
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IN FINE FORM
Kelly Wardle | May 01, 2004
NEW SIZES AND new materials add style, but it's shape that sets the pace in the design of tabletop items today.
“There's more of an appreciation for the importance of tableware to the presentation of food as part of the dining experience,” says Scott Hamberger, vice president of Sterling, Va.-based Fortessa Inc. “People are looking for items that enhance the dining experience and for shapes that are different, interesting and unusual.”
Hamberger says that his company's Accentz line of specialty porcelain, glass and bone china dinnerware addresses the need for playful products that are both “visually appealing, yet functional.” While the line has been available for several years, “We're constantly expanding it and adding eclectic new items,” he says. An example is the recently introduced Tsunami bowl, which features an extra-wide, undulating rim on both ends of the bowl that provides space for sides such as bread or crackers.
Dick Blatchford, sales manager of Newell, W. Va.-based Homer Laughlin China Co., notes, “The catering industry is [becoming] a little more progressive and using different shapes and patterns, different colors.” He points to the company's Geo pasta bowl as an item that meets this demand. While the rim is round, the bowl is available in square, triangle or star shapes that add visual interest to food.
At Denver-based Ten Strawberry Street, it's hip to be square. “Right now, we're outselling square plates to round plates,” says vice president Zachary Zucker. “The square-plate theme is something that we think is going to be around for [a while].” His company's white Whittier Squares remain top sellers, and the new Black Square line is “extremely popular,” Zucker says. “We're finding the simplicity of the black and white, as well as the different shapes, is really where it's at.” He adds that many clients find that “intermingling — doing the dinner-size plate in white and the salad size in black — really puts on a pretty extravagant presentation.”
While guests may be watching their weight, for many tabletop items, bigger is all the rage.
“The trend in china is definitely toward larger plates,” notes Jay Achenbach, director of foodservice marketing for Toledo, Ohio-based Libbey Inc. “The culinary world has become an art medium, and the plate is a canvas that chefs frame the food in, and the larger plates seem to be preferred for that type of presentation.” He says that Libbey's 12-inch Chablis dinner plates continue to be best-sellers because the 3-inch rim provides a border that moves the eye toward the middle of the plate, putting food front and center.
Hamberger notes that his clients are clamoring for 11- and 12-inch plates. “The 10-inch entree plate, which used to be the standard, is out,” he says. However, for trendy nibbles such as tapas and meze, smaller plates in unique shapes are more appropriate.
Size is also an important consideration for flatware, notes Paul Gebhardt, senior vice president of design and advertising for Oneida Ltd. in Oneida, N.Y. “Flatware took a dramatic upsizing in the last few years — it got heavier and bigger, [with] dinner forks topping out at 8 inches or so,” he says. “The increased size and heft makes a quality statement.”
TINE TO SHINE
When it comes to materials, upscale establishments may still lean toward silver-plated flatware, but “more and more, stainless steel is the material of choice because of its intrinsic properties — it's strong and has great luster,” Gebhardt explains. He's also seeing a trend “toward shape that really feels great in the hand,” noting that when designing flatware, “The effect we want is when someone picks [a piece] up, they say, ‘Wow! This is really nice.’” He notes that the smooth, sleek lines of Oneida's new Reflections style exemplify the focus on feel.
Zucker says that when Ten Strawberry Street launched its flatware division last year, the goal was to create something different from the standard styles available. “The funkier patterns for specialty parties have been really popular for us,” he says, pointing to the entwined stainless steel handle of the Rope line and the circle designs on the Como line's handle as fun twists on traditional flatware.
With the explosive demand for specialty beverages over the last few years, it's not surprising that manufacturers are designing fun glassware to serve them.
“Glassware is an easy way to jazz up a dining room or an event,” Achenbach says. “You can bring color to the table, or use [glassware] to address a theme.” Glassware is also a great multi-tasker, serving up more than just drinks: “You can serve appetizers, you can serve desserts, and it's a very inexpensive way to change food presentation,” he notes. “People want interesting ways to serve food, so [our clients] can use the glassware for more than one thing, and they get more bang for their buck.” Achenbach says that his company's curved-stem Bravura martini glass remains popular for this very reason.
Gebhardt says that glassware design today also reflects customers' growing appreciation for fine wines and quality liquors. “People want to differentiate the glass that a particular spirit comes in,” he says. “Each spirit demands its own glass shape to really focus the flavors and get the most out of each experience.” He names Oneida's Top Ten Sommelier line — a collection of 10 crystal glassware styles for red and white wines, barrel-aged and clear spirits, and water — as an example of matching the type of beverage to the proper vessel.
In spite of the innovations in tabletop items, time-tested shapes and patterns continue to hold strong.
Blatchford notes that Homer Laughlin's Diplomat pattern — a classic ivory-bodied china line featuring two gold lines on the rim — remains popular with rental companies and caterers. The company has also launched several lines of all-white china, such as the Pristine collection, that are “influenced by and designed to compete with high-end European china,” he says.
Hamberger notes that more traditional patterns are especially enduring for flatware. “The market in terms of flatware tends to be a bit more conservative than it is with dinnerware,” he says. As an example, he names the new Grand Rialto line, which is reminiscent of the elegance of traditional European designs but features modern touches that update it for today's market. “One could say that if interesting shapes and so forth are in, then something like round plates must be out, but, of course, they're not,” Hamberger explains. “There's always a basic range of dinnerware that is needed.”
Fortessa Inc., 800/296-7508; Homer Laughlin China Co., 800/452-4462; Libbey Inc., 888/794-8469; Oneida Ltd., 315/361-3000; Ten Strawberry Street, 800/428-9397
TAGS: Archive Content
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The buildings we treasure most are often the ones we’ve never seen
Two books on loss and ruins by James Crawford and Robert Harbison make for evocative and poignant reading
Michael Bywater
The Tower of Babel by Lucas van Valckenborch, 1591
Fallen Glory: The Lives and Deaths of Twenty Lost Buildings from the Tower of Babel to the Twin Towers James Crawford
Old Street Publishing, pp.602, £25
Ruins and Fragments: Tales of Loss and Rediscovery Robert Harbison
Reaktion Books, pp.272, £20
Here are two books which have almost nothing in common: form, function, source material, methodology, all utterly different.
The surprise is that I should be surprised. Loss and rediscovery is at the core of what writers mostly deal with. We all experience loss (lovers, spectacles, innocence, our very existences) and that universality allows each of us to shape it as we will.
James Crawford’s approach is structurally simple, but his narrative is beguiling. He considers the life-span of 20 buildings — including the Tower of Babel (5000 BC to 323 BC), the Library of Alexandria (300 BC to AD 650), the Berlin Wall (1961 to 1989) and, provocatively, the web ‘settlement’ of Geocities, born in 1994 and deliberately and utterly obliterated by its owners in 2009.
Crawford tells the intricate biography of each of his buildings with the unspoken assumption that in some way a building (like the city in which it exists) is alive. He rehearses the conception of each building, the world into which it was born, the purpose it served and the people who shaped it.
The result is a cabinet of curiosities, a book of wonders with unexpected excursions and jubilant and haunting marginalia, such as — picked at random — the musician, poet and polymath Ziryab (‘blackbird’) who came to Cordoba to the court of Abd al-Rahman II and brought 10,000 songs, short haircuts, and the perfumes of ambergris, musk and camphor.
Ideas spin off ideas and facts off facts like a marvellous clattering snooker-table, so that a discursive critique of Fallen Glory would be three times as long as the book itself, and quite mad. But Crawford has managed to keep the thing under calm control. He moves happily from Foreign Office telegrams to Allenby to Gibbon’s lie about sitting in the ruined Capitol of Rome and hearing monks chanting in the Temple of Jupiter, where they hadn’t been for ages. He points us at the infelicitous 9/11 Memorial quote from Vergil (‘No day shall erase you from the memory of time’) which is not only a pretty poor translation but also refers to the savagery of Nisus and Euryalus, gay lovers and terrorist butchers who, when captured and butchered themselves went joyfully, as martyrs, to their deaths — ‘a sentiment’, says Crawford, ‘fitting more closely with the hijackers of 11 September than with their victims’.
Here’s a letter from Aristeas, a scholar at the Alexandria library, to his brother Philocrates, setting out the scope of the operation; here’s the aisle of the old St Paul’s turned into a hotbed of news and gossip; here’s Jeremy Bentham getting overexcited about the St Petersburg Panopticon; here, in short, is everything exampled, from wit to greed, violence to tranquillity, savagery to civility.
If there’s a lesson here, it’s that what Frank Lloyd Wright had to say about the skyscraper was true of so many of humanity’s great works:
Millions of tons of brick and stone go high up into thin air. . . Therefore millions of tons of stone and brick will have to come down again. Come down when? Come down how?
In new St Paul’s is Christopher Wren’s epitaph, got up by his son: Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice. But Crawford serves to remind us that one day we may, as exhorted, look about us and see no monument except, perhaps, rubble. As the witless patsies of Islamic State continue with their blood-sodden expunging of Palmyra (which happened after Crawford went to press) we can remind ourselves that, like the Roman damnatio memoriae, obliteration can serve to perpetuate rather than obscure. We see the rubble and ask ‘What was there, once?’ ‘The site of a great civilisation, destroyed by fools long since gone to ignominy and damnation. Here is the tale of how stupid they were…’
Robert Harbison’s Ruins and Fragments is a different kettle of fish entirely. The title is, of course, an echo of The Waste Land: ‘These fragments I have shored against my ruin.’ Harbison has been chipping meticulously away at the intersection between architecture and performance, between style and intention, and potential and ruin, for his entire career. Ruins is not an easy book but it’s a rewarding one. The reader who sees the point of what he’s trying to do will find it a finely turned spur to thought, whether it’s about Parisian galleries, Finnegans Wake, Montaigne, the Iliad, Detroit and the many other fragments we shore, not against our ruin, but as the very foundations of the postmodern world.
The crucial thing is that to read Harbison one needs not only a sympathy with deconstruction as a critical strategy, but also a sense that, whatever Derrida may have said, there is an awful lot beyond the text. A text, of course, needn’t just be words, it can be any artefact made up of signs; and any building is a welter of signs and, in its ruin, of equally eloquent fragments. Sometimes the reader has to do much of the shoring up, and personally I love that sort of thing. But, as they so annoyingly say, your mileage may vary.
'Fallen Glory', £22.50 and 'Ruins and Fragments', £18 are available from the Spectator Bookshop, £14 Tel: 08430 600033
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Home > HIGHER EDUCATION System > Learning Romanian >
Romanian is one of the five European Latin languages along with Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Romanian is the official national language of Romania and Moldova….and it’s fairly easy to learn!
Romanian language classes are organised in different universities within dedicated departments. The preparatory language programme takes a full year for undergraduate students, however for post graduate study, the course takes six months.
If you are interested in the preparatory course for learning Romanian you must apply either for a higher education programme and specify that you want to undergo a preparatory year first or directly for the preparatory year. Make sure you apply in due time – it is advised to start the application process in August, given the fact that the academic year starts the first week of October.
The following universities organise the preparatory year for Romanian language learning (as listed on Ministry of National Education website).
Public Higher Education Institutions:
1. University of Bacău
2. ”Politehnica” University of Bucharest
3. University of Bucharest
4. ”1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia
5. ”Transilvania” University of Braşov
6. ”Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca
7. ”Ovidius” University of Constanţa
8. University of Craiova
9. ”Dunărea de Jos” University of Galaţi
10. ”Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi
11. University of Oradea
12. University of Piteşti
13. Oil and Gas University of Ploieşti
14. ”Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu
15. ”Ştefan cel Mare” University of Suceava
16. West University of Timişoara
17. ”Valahia” University of Târgovişte
18. ”Constantin Brâncuşi” University of Târgu-Jiu
19. Technical University of Cluj – Napoca
20. Bucharest University of Economic Studies
21. Petru Maior University of Tirgu Mures
Private Higher Education Institutions:
22. "Dimitrie Cantemir" University of Bucharest
23. "Spiru Haret" University of Bucharest
24. Romanian-American University of Bucharest
Study Romanian language in your own country
You may choose to study Romanian in your country of origin. Currently, the Romanian Language Institute (ILR) manages 49 functional Romanian language lectures at various universities in Europe, North America, the Caucasus, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. By accessing the interactive map on the ILR website, you will discover details about their whereabouts.
- http://www.ilr.ro
URL: https://studyinromania.gov.ro/Learning_Romanian
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Trial starts in strange death
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – A woman went on trial for murder Wednesday for allegedly hitting a homeless man with her car, driving home with his body stuck in the windshield and leaving him to die in her garage.
If convicted, Chante Mallard, 26, a former nurse’s aide, faces life in prison. She is also charged with evidence tampering.
Jury selection is expected to continue through Friday, with opening statements next week.
The body of Gregory Biggs was found in October 2001 in a Fort Worth park. Authorities had no leads about his death until four months later, when police received a tip that Mallard had talked at a party about hitting the man with her car.
According to a police report, Mallard told detectives she apologized repeatedly to Biggs as he was dying but was too scared to call for help.
Police initially said Biggs may have lived for several days in Mallard’s garage. The medical examiner later said Biggs probably lived only a few hours after he was hit. His left leg had been nearly amputated.
Two of Mallard’s friends pleaded guilty to helping dump Biggs’ body and have been sentenced to prison. both are expected to testify against Mallard.
AP-ES-06-18-03 2054EDT
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Festival brings witches, psychics, holistic healers to Augusta
Presenters share their skills and insights with attendees at the two-day New England Metaphysical and Holistic Festival.
By Keith EdwardsKennebec Journal
Lady Haight-Ashton discusses witchcraft Sunday during the New England Metaphysical Holistic Festival in Augusta. Kennebec Journal photo by Andy Molloy
AUGUSTA — The Rev. Lady Haight-Ashton is proud to be a witch who is, in her own words, out of the broom closet.
She doesn’t fly on a broom, but does use them in her practice of witchcraft, as symbols, and not just to clean up, though they’re useful for that, too, she joked with the dozen or so attendees at her workshop presentation on witchcraft at the New England Metaphysical and Holistic Festival at the Augusta Civic Center Sunday.
Daisy Naumas describes the stone baubles she creates Sunday during the New England Metaphysical Holistic Festival in Augusta. Kennebec Journal photo by Andy Molloy
Haight-Ashton, an author, teacher, psychic medium, dancer, member of the Maine Pagan Clergy Association and high priestess of Sacred Moon Coven, said she used to have concerns about people finding out she was a witch.
When she first joined the West Lebanon Ladies Circle, a group of mostly older Baptist women who raise money to help people in need in the town of Lebanon where she and her husband live, because she, too, wanted to help people in need, she was worried what would happen if the other ladies in the group found out she practiced witchcraft. Then at one gathering of the circle of ladies she pulled out her tarot cards and, she said, they all lined up to have her do readings for them. She explained to them she is a witch, and, despite her fears, they still accepted her. She’s since been elected, and re-elected, as president of the group.
She assured attendees Sunday that while witches do have spells, they use them for good, not evil. She said that’s in part due to their belief in their “rule of three” in which anything they do, whether it is for harm or good, comes back to them threefold.
“We do not do harm, you only want to do good, because it comes back to you threefold,” she said. “We use our magic in harmony with the world. We do not do evil. We believe evil is against universal law. We think in terms of life and positive energy.”
She said she does like to wear black, because it absorbs energy, but also because it makes her look thin.
An example of a spell she has cast, Haight-Ashton said, was a spell to protect pumpkins she put out for Halloween — she was born on Halloween, by the way — after which the pumpkins lasted all the way through winter and into the next summer.
“Think of a spell as a thought, or a projection, or a prayer,” she said.
She noted she also believes in prayer, to gods and goddesses. Though she noted historically some Christian leaders have spoken out against witchcraft, out of fear. She said nearly everyone is familiar with the Salem witch trials, in the late 1600s, though she noted it is believed likely none of the people tried and found guilty of being a witch, and hung to death, actually were witches.
Haight-Ashton was one of several workshop presenters who shared their skills and insights with attendees at the two-day New England Metaphysical and Holistic Festival, which was in Augusta for the second straight year.
Other presenters included psychics and mediums, an animal communicator, a variety of holistic healers, contemplative dancers, experts on chakra and Reiki, herbal medicine practitioners, a hypnotist and a shamanic teacher.
“We’re a spiritual organization for anybody that comes with an open mind and a desire to learn more about themselves and the way we interact with the world,” said Jim Savage of New Gloucester, an organizer of the event. “People come here looking for something they can’t find anywhere else. That can be knowledge, it can be entertainment. Or it can be people looking for insight into themselves, from a reader or a healer.”
Isaiah Doble, 17, of Union performs Reiki healing on Tracy Arietti during Sunday’s New England Metaphysical Holistic Festival in Augusta. Kennebec Journal photo by Andy Molloy
Isaiah Doble, 17, of Union practices Reiki, which he started learning four years ago, though he hadn’t planned on doing so at the festival, where he was just an attendee, not a presenter or vendor.
But when Tracy Ariette offered to conduct a bone reading — in which bones are thrown and the pattern they fall in is believed by some to give insight and answer questions – in exchange for him performing reiki on her, he agreed to the trade.
He described Reiki as channeling energy from the universe through yourself and into another person, so the energy helps heal that person.
“We both enjoyed each others’ services,” Doble said. “She understood my family, by reading about them. She got in contact with my ancestors, who are watching over me.”
Vendor Eva Goulette of Waterville sold children’s books about spirituality and pitched her Dancing Jaguar’s Spirit Camp, which she said is the only camp in the country teaching children holistically about mind, body and spirit.
The camp started in Waterville five years ago and, this summer, has sessions in Windham, Fairfield and Yarmouth in Maine, as well as in Virginia, Oregon, California and Mexico City.
She said the five-day camps teach children about locating their chakras and auras, about the power of stones to open blockages in chakras, about their power animals, inner awareness and their connection to the natural world.
Daisy and James Naumes of Durham, New Hampshire, sold numerous types of stone baubles including dragons, skulls and unicorns they make themselves in their business, Fairy Simple Baubles, with a variety of ground stones, resin and silver they combine in a mold.
Daisy Naumes, who is originally from Gardiner, said it took her about a year to learn the process. She said different stones have different healing properties, and those properties are not lost when the stone is combined with other materials.
Entertainment at the festival included the Celtic gypsy punk band the Droimlins, sitarist David Pontbriand, the Dark Follies performing music, dance, comedy and poetry, and percussion and vocal band Inanna Sisters in Rhythm.
Savage said attendance seemed down a bit this year, likely due to the hot weather, but said vendors and presenters told him those who did attend were very engaged in the festival.
He said the intent of the festival is to celebrate the spiritual, metaphysical, pagan and holistic healing community of New England.
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The first symbol of St Hilda's Hall was the ammonite. This fossil, consisting of whorled chambered shells, was once supposed to be coiled snakes petrified. The early seventeenth-century Lives of Women Saints of our Contrie of England explains their association with St Hilda:
'In that monasterie of Whitbye, there were such aboundance of serpents, what throughe the thicknes of bushes, and the wildernesse of the woods, that the virgins durst not peepe out of their Cells, or goe to draw water: but by her prayers she obtayned of god, that they might be tourned into stones; yet so as the shape of serpents still remayned; which to this day, the stones of that place do declare, as eye-witnesses haue testified.'
The use of the ammonite with the motto “non frustra vixi” or 'I lived not in vain' has continued throughout St Hilda's history.
When the College was incorporated in 1926 it could not afford a coat of arms, but a common seal was designed by Edmund New, with a bookplate, note paper and blazer badge based upon it. This remained the emblem of the College until the coat of arms was granted in 1960. The motto was not included in the grant of arms, although it is occasionally used.
Our coat of arms commemorates Dorothea Beale with its use of estoiles (stars with wavy points) and unicorns. Although no evidence could be found that the family was armigerous, all Beale families seemed to have used arms with estoiles and a unicorn's head for their crest.
The silver coiled snake at the base of the coat of arms represents the name and reputation of St Hilda.
College Pictorial Timeline
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Utah District 5420 Rotary Club has had a love affair with our little slice of paradise by the sea since as early as 2009. That was the year Rotarian leaders met up with leaders of the nonprofit, all volunteer Families Helping Families (FHF) who had been building homes each year in Rocky Point and donating them to deserving needy families there. The Rotarians were intrigued by the goodness of FHF, the number of young people who gave up their holidays to help their parents accomplish this great service, and the terrific opportunity it presented for Rotary youth clubs to participate. They all realized the compatibility of their mutual goals.
By the following June a small group of 20 Rotarian youths had raised the funds to cover their expenses for the entire trip to Puerto Peñasco and contribute to the materials to build their home. That small group not only set a precedent for future growth, but showed the depth of their commitment to humanitarian efforts and proved that the words “Service Above Self” emblazoned on their T-shirts were much, much more than just a slogan of the worldwide Rotary Clubs.
Interest by both Rotarian youth clubs, Interact (Jr. High and High School age) and Rotaract (College age) was extraordinary and the second year the participants had more than doubled to 70 dedicated and committed youngsters. By the third year, the year we learned of the project and began covering this amazing feat, participation by the youth clubs had reached exponential proportions with 180 youngsters, many of whom had been here before, plus group leaders, chaperones and parents totaling 240 people.
Incredible as it sounds, this huge group worked seamlessly for four full days and built three complete homes starting with nothing but the foundation and piles of concrete blocks, 2X4’s, cement mixers and outstanding, experienced supervision by Families Helping Families volunteers.
What is so awe inspiring about this very special group of young people is their commitment to these projects, which are still going , is that their commitment goes far beyond the time and hard work of building three homes in four days. Each of the kids start much earlier each year raising their own money, about $1,000 each to pay all the expenses of their trip as well as the cost of each house they build! They sell oranges, mow lawns, hold garage sales and many other creative efforts to be a part of this annual journey. That is true commitment, dedication and action toward fellow human beings in need. It is also an inspiring attribute that says so much about our younger generation.
This year from June 8-13, for the first time in Utah Rotary District 5420 history, their annual conference was held not only outside Utah, but outside the U.S. Puerto Peñasco was the appreciative beneficiary of a phenomenal amount of Rotary services, donations, and presentations of valuable and needed equipment and funds during the conference that brought over 750 attendees participating in more than 50 separate service projects resulting in major improvements to our community. Organization as well as commitment was key to the astronomical number of projects the Rotarians were able to complete in such a short visit. Of course, as indicated earlier, commitment to serving others is a way of life for Rotarians.
Rotary District 5420 completed $14,000 in renovations to their Rotary sponsored school in town that included remodeling and repairing the plumbing in bathrooms and painting the entire school inside and out. They modernized the entry gate, installed new playground equipment, fourteen air conditioners and built a storage room and a new perimeter fence.
In other parts of the community, Rotary youth groups, in conjunction with Families Helping Families, built three more homes and, by special request, added an expansion and handicapped capable bathroom to the local Piñata factory made up of former graduates of the La Montaña School for children with special needs. The request was made to FHF by Piñata factory volunteer director and retired La Montaña school professor, Melba Moreno Lerma through local charity catalyst and long time resident, Kory Bonini. FHF responded immediately and worked this special project into the youth’s construction schedule. This particular contribution by the two organizations clearly affected the morale, attitude and motivation of the 15 to 20 special needs workers and their parents while also giving the factory needed space to increase production and create an in-house showcase for their Piñatas. Rotary assistance to the Piñata factory didn’t stop with the construction benefits; the Rotarians took a portion of their limited time in town to learn how to make over 200 piñatas, many of which they purchased for gifts to bring back to Utah, donating the proceeds back to the Piñata factory. You can locate a piñata at Su Casa in “Rodeo Drive” who sell them and give all proceeds to the Piñata Factory.
On Friday FHF and Rotary presented four homes that were built during the Rotary youth’s last trip to Rocky Point. The keys to these fully furnished 1,000 square foot homes were handed to the four pre-selected deserving families during a ceremony in front of hundreds of Rotary spectators.
Other projects by the Utah Rotary District 5420 conference attendees included landscaping all around the Hemodialysis Center; donation of 150 laptops to the education sector; distribution of 500 pairs of sunglasses to local workers constantly at risk of sun damage to their eyesight such as fishermen, utilities workers, gardeners and others. Another 100 graduated lens glasses were provided to residents as well.
Pre-conference planning, organization and coordination that took place before and during the Rotary visit resulted in the monumental accomplishments by the humanitarian organization clicking like clockwork at every turn and such smooth running, as praised by District 5420 Governor Mike Wells, could have never happened were it not for the diligent tasking of the local host, Mar de Cortés Rotary Club, which amazingly enough, was organized just last year. Under the guidance of local 2014-2015 Rotary President, Eduardo Vallejo Vázquez, the hosting and on-the-ground coordination duties flowed flawlessly throughout the week from arrival to departure.
Should you be interested in learning more about the local Club Rotario Puerto Peñasco Mar de Cortés, they currently meet on Wednesdays at 8:00AM in Don Julio’s restaurant at the Old Port (Malecón). Email enriquefmi@outlook.com or leonardoemj8@hotmail.com.
This year’s Rotary conference was indeed a landmark event because it emphasized the practicality of having a large meeting such a short distance from the U.S. border in the new, fully accommodating facility with such easy access to our world class beaches and iconic Sea of Cortez in a community full of friendly, courteous, mostly bilingual citizens whose goal is to help you have a great time while here. You will meet new friends among the American residents throughout your visit as well.
The conference also brought to the surface how much the Rotary clubs have meant to the community over the years while assuring the local citizens that the Rotarian youth organizations will continue to bring their “Service Above Self” commitment to Puerto Peñasco far into the future.
The successful new Puerto Peñasco Mar de Cortez Rotary Club will continue to fill the needs of individuals, organizations and society as a whole with charitable deeds and donations.
This blog is powered by www.sonoranresorts.mx, Jim Ringquist, Director of Sales and Marketing.
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2019 Roger Cline and the Peacemakers January Jam XI – Best Yet!
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Jared Parker says:
Thank you Joe! That was very well written. Thank you, for all you do for the community. The article and pictures are excellent!!
Ted Dodge says:
Great article. I have been to Rocky point each month for the last three months. Was proud to be a part of the rotary group that provides service in June. I am bringing 22 people next week to Rocky point to provide service falling in love with your community.
Mark Olszewski: Thank You Joe, Great article about the "SOCK HOP…
Walt Maykulsky: Heard the rumor at Capone's yesterday. Glad you p…
Ted Dodge: Great article. I have been to Rocky point each mon…
band beach charities charity Cholla Bay City of Penasco Condominiums condos contest DIF dinner donations events family fiestas food fun holiday holidays kids lunch malecon memories Mexico musical old port penasco photography photos prizes Puerto Penasco rocky point Sandy Beach Sea Sea of Cortez sonoran resorts Sonoran Sea Sonoran Sky Sonoran Spa Sonoran Sun sponsors Sun tequila tourism travel
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Douglas Murray cuts through the doubt-sowing incoherence of social-justice babble
Thu, 21 Nov 2019 13:26 UTC
British intellectual Douglas Murray, the author of The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity
London-based public intellectual Douglas Murray is in Montreal this week to promote his new book. I was afforded the luxury of a rambling conversation over coffee with him about The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity.
A "clubbable conservative," as one reviewer accurately describes him, Murray hit his intellectual stride early, publishing his first book at 18, which attracted the attention and mentorship of polemical giants Christopher Hitchens and Roger Scruton. Quite different in personality from Jordan Peterson (less intensity, more suavity), he's equally erudite and similarly crowd-pleasing (they've done joint appearances in the U.K., attracting massive audiences).
Murray shot to international celebrity with his powerful, if depressing 2017 book, The Strange Death of Europe, which opens with the words, "Europe is committing suicide. Or at least its leaders have decided to commit suicide." Joining frontline reports from unpleasant way stations in the 2015 migrant crisis to insightful analysis of the West's present malaise, Murray painted a gloomy picture of continental passivity in the face of momentous cultural change.
In The Madness of Crowds, also inspired by the West's loss of a "grand narrative," Murray applies his formidable exegetical skills to the proliferation of identity politics "tripwires" that corrode civic life and wreak havoc with individual lives.
Murray writes: "The interpretation of the world through the lens of 'social justice,' 'identity group politics' and 'intersectionalism' is probably the most audacious and comprehensive effort since the Cold War at creating a new ideology." Christianity has been spurned, but the religious impulse is inherent and abhors a vacuum. The "religion" of social justice, Murray observes, poured itself into the handy campus vessel of Marxism with remarkable speed.
One of the hallmarks of Marxism - not a bug, but a feature - is its ruthlessness. I was particularly struck by Murray's quite poignant chapter, "On Forgiveness." Normal religions offer redemption to sinners. But there is no forgiveness or statute of limitations for thoughtcrimes in the religion of social justice. A mural of Rudyard Kipling's "If" - voted Britain's favourite poem - was painted over at the University of Manchester in retroactive punishment for Kipling's now politically incorrect views on empire. The past, Murray says, is "hostage — like everything else — to any archeologist with a vendetta."
This new religion gives permission to those of "oppressed" status — women, people of colour, indigenous peoples, LGBTQ — to hate their oppressors: heterosexual white men, racists, transphobics. (Gay himself, Murray refuses to play the LGBTQ card as the sole, or even most important marker of his humanity.) For many unlucky people, a silly joke tweeted, an incorrect opinion on Facebook or an inadvertently touched knee can be the kiss of death to career and reputation. Murray provides plenty of examples of good people cut down without mercy — indeed with unseemly relish — by relentlessly vigilant activists.
Toby Young, for example, once divided his time between journalism and the New Schools Network, where he worked to help disadvantaged children get a better education. Long story short, a few naughty references to "boobs" on Twitter, excavated by the usual suspects, lost him a government appointment and all his writing gigs in a fusillade of opprobrium. Too good a mind to waste, Young is now the U.K. editor of Quillette magazine, "a platform for heterodox ideas," ironically one of several excellent magazines that have sprung up in a polemical resistance movement to cancel culture.
In fact, Murray muses during our chat, "It's a good time for someone who's got an appetite for writing. If they think writing is a way to pursue truth — this is a great time. We live in an incredibly target-rich environment."
© Postmedia News
Protesters gather outside the Palmerston Library in Toronto before a talk by controversial feminist Meghan Murphy, on Oct. 29, 2019.
I asked Murray if he followed news of Canada's more egregious cancel-culture incidents. Yes, very much so. And he had some trenchant words of advice for us.
"Canada doesn't look good (internationally) at the moment. It's repeatedly throwing up more hostile battles in this area than your population size would demand. In Canada it looks from outside like there's an adult deficit. A serious lack of adults.
"Who the hell had ever heard of Wilfrid Laurier University before? This is a third-rate university by Canadian, let alone international standards. Now everyone knows of Wilfrid Laurier because of the lack of adults on the campus, and the fact they were bullying (Lindsay Shepherd).
"What does the Meghan Murphy (story) look like to outsiders? It looks like trans activists hate women — hate them — can't bear them — find women disgusting. That's what we see going on. We see people born women being bullied. This doesn't look like social justice. This looks like mob activism against women. Can Canada protect women? Is Canada interested in protecting women? These would be good questions to ask of your own society."
In The Madness of Crowds, Murray cuts through the doubt-sowing incoherence of social-justice babble to say — eloquently — what 95 per cent of us believe, but have been made fearful to say aloud. Read it. And welcome to the Resistance.
Comment: See also,
Douglas Murray in conversation with Jordan Peterson
Stoicism vs. Identity Politics: What is Properly 'I' And 'Mine'?
Social Justice Syndrome: 'Rising tide of personality disorders among millennials'
The difference between justice and social justice, and why the search for social justice continues to erode our freedoms
The Solution to the Hatred of Identity Politics Is Psychological Knowledge
Too Far Left: How Liberals Transformed Into Illiberal Social Justice Warriors
Zionism is the Right's 'identity politics'
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Skywatching Events for April 2011
Astronaut Paolo Nespoli took this image of the moon aboard the International Space Station on March 20, 2011, and wrote, "#Supermoon was spectacular from here!"
(Image: © ESA/NASA)
Here's a look at the most promising skywatching events in April 2011:
Sun., April 3
New Moon, 10:32 a.m. EDT
The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the east as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the west an evening or two after New Moon.
Mon., April 11
First Quarter Moon, 8:05 a.m. EDT
The First Quarter Moon rises around 12:30 p.m., and sets around 3:30 a.m.
Sun., April 17
Full Moon, 10:44 p.m. EDT
The Full Moon of April is usually known as the Egg Moon.
In Algonquian it is called Pink Moon. Other names are Sprouting Grass Moon, Fish Moon, Seed Moon, and Waking Moon. In Hindi it is known as Hanuman Jayanti. Its Sinhala (Buddhist) name is Bak Poya. The Full Moon rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.
Last Quarter Moon, 10:47 a.m. EDT
The Last or Third Quarter Moon rises around 2 a.m. and sets around noon. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.
Observing Highlights
Sun., April 3, 8 p.m. EDT
Saturn at opposition
Saturn, located just above Spica in Virgo, returns to the evening sky, visible all night. Its rings have now opened up so that their Cassini Division should now be visible in small telescopes.
Thu., April 7, early evening
Moon close to the Pleiades
The narrow crescent Moon passes just south of the brightest star cluster in the sky, the Pleiades (Messier 45) in Taurus.
Sat., April 9, early evening
Moon close to Messier 35
The six-day-old Moon passes just south another fine star cluster, Messier 35 in Gemini.
Tue., April 19, morning twilight
Mercury and Mars
The planets Mercury and Mars are less than a degree apart in morning twilight. Best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere.
Fri., April 22, morning twilight
Uranus and Venus
Watch as brilliant Venus rises in the east. Look with binoculars or a telescope a degree above and to the left of Venus to spot tiny Neptune. (In the Australia and New Zealand, the conjunction occurs on Saturday morning, April 23, and Uranus will be below and to the left of Venus.)
Sat. April 30, morning twilight
Six Planets
Just before dawn, six planets and the crescent Moon will gather in the dawn sky. From left to right they are Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Venus, the Moon, Uranus, and Neptune.
Mercury is not well placed for most of April, being too close to the Sun. It reappears in the morning sky late in the month.
Venus is a brilliant “morning star” low in the east all month.
Mars is too close to the Sun to be observed most of April. It reappears in the dawn sky late in the month.
Jupiter is also too close to the Sun to be observed most of April. It reappears in the dawn sky late in the month.
Saturn is visible all night in Virgo, reaching opposition on April 3. Its rings have returned to their usual glory after being on edge for the last two years.
Uranus is in Pisces all month. It is too close to the Sun to be observed most of the month, reappearing at dawn near month’s end.
Neptune is now a morning object in Aquarius, visible in binoculars or a small telescope.
This article was provided to SPACE.com by Starry Night Education, the leader in space science curriculum solutions.
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13 November (Day 1)
Welcome & Opening of Symposium
8:30 – 8:45 Welcome Address, Shigeki Sugii, Simon Cool, Co-Chairs of Organizing Committee
Introduction to the Singapore Cell Therapy Manufacturing Programmes
8:45 – 8:55 Allogeneic Stem Cell Manufacturing (ASTEM)
Simon Cool, Institute of Medical Biology, A*STAR
8:55 – 9:05 Integrated Manufacturing Programme for Autologous Cell Therapy (IMPACT)
John Connolly, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR
9:05 – 9:15 Critical Analytics for Manufacturing of Personalized-Medicine Programme (CAMP)
Krystyn van Vliet, MIT and Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology
9:15 – 10:00 KEYNOTE LECTURE (Chair: Steve Oh, BTI, Singapore)
Genetically engineered immunity for cancer: the development and global regulatory approvals of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and what’s coming next
Bruce Levine, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Session 1. Stem Cell Therapy
Chair: Simon Cool, Institute of Medical Biology, Singapore
10:00-10:20 Long term clinical outcomes of stem cell therapy in cartilage repair: Are we ready for the next step?
Francis KL Wong, Duke-NUS-Medical School, Singapore
10:20 – 10:50 MORNING TEA BREAK
Session 1 cont. Stem Cell Therapy
10:50 – 11:10 Establishing the National Cell Therapy Program for process development and clinical manufacturing of cell & gene therapy products in Singapore
Lip Kun Tan, National University Hospital, Singapore
11:10 – 11:30 Stem cell expansion of cord blood graft” vs “bridging support with 3rd party hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells
Satoshi Takahashi, University of Tokyo, Japan
11:30 – 11:45 Short talk: The Influence of the amniotic fluid stem cell secretome on cardiomyocyte cellular behaviour
Marek Kukumberg, National University of Singapore
11:45 – 12:00 Short talk: Long-term culture of human pancreatic progenitors: an alternative source of insulin-secreting beta cells
Jamie Trott, Institute of Medical Biology, Singapore
12:00 – 12:20 Cardiovascular progenitors for heart regeneration in preclinical models
Lynn Yap, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
12:20 – 12:35 Short talk: Generation of induced motor neurons (iMNs) from human fibroblasts for cell therapy in spinal cord injury model
Hyunah Lee, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Korea
12:35 – 12:55 Softer, faster, better! – Substrate mechanics drives superior somatic cell reprogramming outcomes
Justin Cooper-White, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Australia
12:55 – 14:15 LUNCH BREAK
Session 2. Manufacturing and Quality Control
Co-Chairs:
Anthony Davies, Dark House Consulting, USA
Shin Kawamata, Foundation for Biomedical Research & Innovation, Japan
14:15 – 14:35 Effective & cost-effective, but unaffordable? The future of cell and gene therapy
Anthony Davies, Darkhouse Consulting, US
14:35 – 14:55 Bringing immune cell therapies to patients, innovative solutions for CAR T manufacturing, enabling scalability and cost reduction
Ohad Karnieli, ATVIO, Israel
14:55 – 15:15 Closing the loop: a software hypervisor to direct a structured, data science approach to cell process development
Drew Titmarsh, Scaled Biolabs, USA
15:15 – 15:35 Future of transfusion medicine – Human induced pluripotent stem cells derived blood?
Jaichandran Sivalingam, Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Singapore
15:35 – 15:50 Short talk: Ascorbate is required for the specification of human mesenchymal stem cells from human pluripotent stem cells for cartilage repair via ascorbate/iron-dependent demethylase
Tong Ming Liu, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore
15:50 – 16:10 Nature inspired DMSO-, protein-, serum-free and chemically defined biopreservation solution, new horizon of precision in cell manufacturing and processing
Mark Kline, X-Therma, USA
16:10 – 16:40 AFTERNOON TEA BREAK
16:40 – 17:00 In process monitoring for mass production of pluripotent stem cells
17:00 – 17:20 Automated cell expansion: Trends & outlook of critical technologies
May-Win Naing, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, Singapore
17:20 – 17:40 Regeneus’ novel allogeneic stem cell platform for Osteoarthritis
Charlotte Morgan, Regeneus, Australia
17:40 – 17:55 Short talk: Sub-confluent culture of human mesenchymal stem cells on biodegradable polycaprolactone microcarriers enhances bone healing of rat calvarial defect
Alan Tin-Lun Lam, Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Singapore
17:55 – 18:40 Panel discussion
Panellists: C Morgan, MW Naing, O Karnelli, M Kline, D Titmarsh
Moderators: A. Davies and S. Kawamata
Jointly Organized by:
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Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School
Find out how Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School rates compared to other primary schools in Cheshire East with our school ratings
Overall 36/100
Here Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School, Macclesfield Road, Kettleshulme, SK23 7QU, is put into focus to show its scores in relation to other schools in the area.
Macclesfield Road, Kettleshulme, SK23 7QU
The open date and status above indicate when Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School opened or when it changed to its most recent incarnation, with a number of schools converting to academies in recent years. Where schools have changed type recently, data for previous years covering their previous incarnation is included below as well - so a school may have a status of New due to converting to an academy but have data for previous years prior to conversion.
What type of school is Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School?
Voluntary Aided School
Overall Score 36 47.6 48.8 47.3
Local Rank 110 61 51 61
How Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School scores on each indicator.
Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School has been rated as Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection.
How does Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School perform on each of the areas inspected by Ofsted? As of September 2012, a score of 3 changed from indicating Satisfactory to Requires Improvement.
In 2019, 57% of pupils at Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
How have pupils at Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School done in assessments at the end of Key Stage 2 and how does it compare to local authority and national averages?
While pupils are generally aiming to be working at the expected level in reading, writing and maths, what proportion of children at Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School had a high score in reading and maths and were working at greater depth in writing, and how does this compare to performance at local and national level?
How do children at Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School with different levels of attainment at Key Stage 1 and pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds perform in terms of reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths?
How does the % of boys and girls at Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths compare to the national average?
What is the pupil:teacher ratio at Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School and how does it compare to the national average?
At Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School, pupils had an average progress score in maths in 2019 that was -4.3 compared to the national average of 0.
At Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School, pupils had an average progress score in reading in 2019 that was -2.8 compared to the national average of 0.
At Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School, pupils had an average progress score in writing in 2019 that was -9.4 compared to the national average of 0.
In 2017/18, the most recent full school year, 4.2% of half-day sessions were missed by pupils at Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School. Nationally, primary school pupils missed 4% of half-day sessions.
What is the total school spend per pupil at Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School compared to the local average? (school is in blue)
How much does Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School spend per pupil on teachers and educational support staff and how does this compare to the average spending across Cheshire East?
What percentage of the budget at Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School is spent on supply staff?
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Prince: Sign ‘O’ the Times mini-LP CD
April 26, 2016 by Paul Sinclairtags: 1980s, prince, rip
Prince / Sign ‘O’ the Times / 2009 Japanese mini-LP CD
Remembering Prince again today, by taking another look at this 2009 Japanese mini-LP CD of his 1987 album Sign O’ The Times (cat number WPCR-13538/9). It displays the usual stunning attention to detail that Japanese have become known for, in terms of CD packaging and presentation…
All the elements of the original vinyl are replicated, including the sticker that adorned the front cover. The postcard that you could send off to join the Prince ‘Fan Club’ (cue nostalgia for the simpler times of life pre-internet…) is also included and shrunk down, Mike Teavee-style.
A 28-page booklet provides the lyrics in English and Japanese, or, if you get your magnifying glass out, you can read the original lyrics which appear on one side of both of the supplied inner sleeves (peach-on-black and black-on-peach, respectively).
Despite being a double album, the original vinyl of Sign O’ The Times wasn’t a gatefold, so the card sleeve here doesn’t try to rewrite history and sticks to a nicely reproduced glossy wide-spined sleeve. No trouble getting the two SHM-CDs in and out.
Like all of Prince’s output, Sign O’ The Times has never been reissued as a deluxe edition. The album was on our 2012 reissue ‘wish list’ way back in December 2011, but unfortunately a 25th anniversary reissue never happened. Until then, this edition of the album is by far the best way to own it on CD.
If you scout around, you will find that some of these Prince Japanese mini-LP CDs are still available but they can be pricey, particularly this one and Parade.
25 responses to Prince: Sign ‘O’ the Times mini-LP CD
bertielego says:
From my knowledge, Disk Union didn’t issue any box for this Prince series.
Anthony C says:
Does anyone know if a box is available? I’ve looked but never found anything.
Other series buy the likes of The Police and It Bites all come with very nice boxes to house the CDs.
Friso Pas says:
I have a nice Japanese vinyl pressing, complete with Obi and sticker, which sounds and looks beautiful. Picked it up for $65 last year from a guy in Taiwan.
probablyrustin says:
Would really love a simple mini-LP style box of his key albums like some other recent sets. In advance of any inevitable deluxe offerings. I’m sure there are many out there (myself included) who would jump at the chance to fill in the gaps and have a consistent set.
What a beautiful looking set. I remember seeing the “Around the World in a Day” Japanese re-issue in all its glory somewhere and it is even more beautiful. Japanese reissues like this are far superior to others. I have the complete Kate Bush Japanese re-issues from roughly ten years ago and they are flawless, especially “Lionheart” with it’s embossed cover and fold out sleeve.
JWL says:
You’re right, amazingly some albums can still be had directly from CDJapan.
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/person/700314999?term.submedia=3&page=1
Thanks JWL and Darren. I have just ordered “Parade” through CDJapan for £18.71. If you sign up for the first time you get a 300 yen discount offer. Happy boy! They still have a few titles listed so worth a look and the price is really good compared to other sites.
Darren Batt says:
The Parade mini-Lp is still available on cd Japan and I just ordered it. With the exchange rate, including shipping, it’s about 19 pounds.
I remember waiting outside a record shop on the day of release! I then went into school, rather late, but I didn’t care! This epic event was more important.
This is such an awesome album – it’s so hard to know where to begin… however, Prince has also produced many other awesome albums. Someones I wonder if people revere this from a point of nostalgia.
This is one of those albums that has to be listened to from start to end. The digital revolution allows people to skip too easily. The confinements of an album can give structure and produces a far greater listening experience. I always thought of this album like a concept album – but without being a concept album.
Most of my all time favourite Prince tracks come from this album; If I Was Your Girlfriend, Adore, U Got The Look and I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man.
Above all, this album is extremely important for people to understand the importance of editing. Sometimes less is more and without doubt the flow of tracks can change a listeners perception. Around this time Prince was playing around with the configuration of 40+ songs, but it wasn’t until the fourth album configuration the label settled on the final 16.
Early configurations of Dreams, Dream Factory, Camille and Crystal Ball are great but the final SOTT tracks didn’t sit well. For example, Dreams and Camille are exceptional and should have been released but Crystal Ball doesn’t connect for me. However, with some intelligent song selection, recording of new tracks and brutal editing down, a masterpiece was formed.
One point of note, many of the final SOTT versions are different to the versions on the early configurations. This is because the early versions heavily involved The Revolution and as such Prince went through a re-recording process with his new band. Yet thankfully, Slow Love still features heavily Wendy And Lisa!
For me SOTT is the collective experience of the outtakes, the singles, the bsides, the tour, the film…
Sadly the UK tour was cancelled due to bad weather, but I still have the flyers promoting the UK dates and a massive A0 poster promoting the London dates that never happened. I also still have the life size cardboard cutout of Prince from the SOTT video cover used as a window display item.
On a slightly different note, to understand the musical flow of this period it is important to appreciate the music that didn’t get released. For example, (in my opinion) there should have been another album after Parade but before SOTT, this would have shown the musical progression, similarly, it is exceptionally important to listen to Camille and the Black album as a bridge between SOTT and Lovesexy. So, from Parade to Lovesexy this would give the listener a true representation of Prince’s musical development.
Ultimately, this is a great album, a great artist… great memories!
He is deeply missed already.
It would be cheaper to source them from Japan and have them sent over to be honest, there are plenty of Japanese stores like Beatnet which will find them for you and send them to you for v decent price, they speak good English too.
Otherwise type the cat number into Amazon Japan and very often you can find decent priced copies there too. I got them all a while back though and I imagine they will be somewhat pricier.
I’m kicking myself for dragging my feet over the Bowie ones and they are now way more expensive!
All Amazon copies will need to be purchased through 3rd party sellers, almost all based in Japan:
http://www.amazon.com/You-Prince/dp/B0026A5T9Y
http://www.amazon.com/Prince/dp/B0026A5TA8
http://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Mind-Prince/dp/B0026A5TAS
http://www.amazon.com/Controversy-Prince/dp/B0026A5TB2
http://www.amazon.com/1999-Prince/dp/B0026A5TBC
http://www.amazon.com/Purple-Rain-Prince-Revolution/dp/B0026A5TBM
http://www.amazon.com/Around-World-Day-Prince-Revolution/dp/B0026A5TBW
http://www.amazon.com/Sign-Times-Prince/dp/B0026A5TCG
http://www.amazon.com/Parade-Prince-Revolution/dp/B0026A5TC6
http://www.amazon.com/Lovesexy-Prince/dp/B0026A5TCQ/
While its a beautiful looking item I may start saving up for the possibility of new material surfacing in the future. I know its still too early (Prince hasn’t even been gone a week!) but there are so many possibilities. As said above lets hope that the family or whoever ends up being at the helm treats the back catalogue aswell as the future catalogue with some sensitivity and respect
Juan Alvarez says:
Is there a link for these japanese imports to the american amazon store? I have looked repeatedly for these imports but I can’t really distinguish what is what on the amazon website.
Just type in Prince SHM on amazon and they will all appear though they are expensive as hell. Better trying CDJapan instead.
Simon F says:
I never got a postcard with my original vinyl issue which I bought in the week of it’s release. However I did a plastic flower that HMV were giving away to promote the album, and I still have that! Was the postcard exclusive to the US release maybe?
I was actually looking at this set on Discogs last week before Prince passed away! At the time, there were copies in the $50 range. Now they have jumped to well over $100. :( Rest in peace Prince.
Barry Grayshon says:
There is a mint copy of Parade currently on sale on Discogs from Japan with all accessories for $50. Although mentioned in the article that Parade can be quite costly, if you look at what it’s previously sold for on Discogs, it’s actually a lot less than other titles.
You can still pick up some Prince items at good prices out there, but some items are nigh impossible to find at a reasonable price anymore. Take The Gold Experience CD for example. You will be hard pressed to currently find a copy for under £50, whereas last week you could pick up one for just a few pounds. It’s a sellers market out there for most things at the moment.
US amazon was ridiculous…I saw things between $300-$1200.
2badmofo says:
Luckily I bought all SHM CDs much later on and they were very expensive, but not as much as they are now, love Japan releases…always the best…
PS Paul a few typos “with with” as well as above comment just to let you know. :)
fredpostman says:
I was listening to this album last night and forgot how excellent it is;not a duff track insight,and the demo like quality [which seemed stark at the time of release]really works in it’s favor.None of his 80s work sounds overproduced.
vikerii says:
About that demo quality…There’s an interview with Susan Rogers and she talks about Ballad of Dorothy Parker being accidentally recorded at half power. It was a new console, which may explain the overall vibe as well.
Apparently Prince did not have a will. With 5 living siblings (1 full, 4 half) scattered about, plus catalog rights with WBR, this could get messy in the courts for a while. Hoping they straighten it all out quickly and peacefully, and we can get deluxe reissues someday.
Hopefully they can come to some sort of agreement where the music is handled by a responsible holding company that maintains the physical masters and curates proper reissue campaigns. I’d hate to see it devolve into family members doing awful cash-grab releases for any offer that comes along. As much as I would love to own everything in the vaults, I’d love to see it released in good quality with some thought given to his ongoing legacy, rather than 30 hits compilations a years with two new tracks on each one and a bunch of poor-bootleg-quality crap.
I paid a lot of money for this one but it’s worth it. Beautiful looking and the sound is good, too.
Including the sticker was a nice touch.
Auntie Sabrina says:
These one. This one surely?
Leave a Reply to Carlton Cancel reply
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The Black Cat signs up for Spider man 4
With news earlier this year that Spiderman 4 would continue the franchise with Morbius the genetically modified vampire it probably wont be too surprising that Felicia Hardy aka The Black Cat will also be making an appearance in the next movie.
Initial rumours are that Rachel McAdams has been meeting with producers and will be set to start filming early in the new year.
Originally the main villain was thought to be The Lizard aka Professor Curt Conners played by Dylan Baker as per the other films, Dylan has also signed up to the next comic book movie incarnation of Spiderman.
We also reported on Bruce Campbell being given a major part in the new movie although not much else is known about his part in the new movie.
But yeah, wow 2011 is set to be a huge year for comic book movies with This movie, Thor and the return of Captain America.
Spider-man Homecoming Review
Carnage is the villain in the Tom Hardy Venom Movie
Sony confirmed Venom Release Date
Sam Raimi's Spider-man 4 would have featured Mysterio and The Vulture
Spider-man 2017
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Thor 2 : The Dark World Review
"The Empire Strikes Back of Comic book movies" 5/5 Reviewed by Adi Mursec
When Marvel Studios started laying down the foundations of the new Marvel movie-verse they wanted them to be big, realistic and push the bar of comic book movies higher than before. With Iron Man it was easy, use what worked for Batman and add some cool CGI armor. Thor on the other hand was a lot more difficult with him being god and using magical type powers. Either with the challenges Marvel Studios made an amazing first Thor movie.
The sequel Thor : The Dark World breaks all the rules of a sequel, it’s better than the first and still leaves room for a third or fourth movie. It’s the Empire Strikes back of comic book movies.
The movies starts off fast paced and keeps it running through out with an action packed story and nothing gets overused. They have some epic fights, some twists and some amazing CGI work with a battle on Asgard which Disney could use for inspiration on the next Star Wars movies.
Castin gwise Chris Hemsworth has done an awesome job of taking on the role of Thor, nobody has played him before as long as you ignore the old TV show appearance and to take a new character like that and make him likeable is a difficult task. The same goes with Tom Hiddleston who has done an amazing job of playing Loki. Out of all the Marvel movie characters Loki probably has the biggest appreciation other than Iron Man and for a supporting character that says a lot.
The story clears up a lot of questions fans have had from the other movies, for example what the Asgardians actually are if not real gods. They also bring Loki back as a neutral character so it opens him up to having his own movie if Marvel can come up with a good story.
When the movie started filming in England I wasn’t sure just how much would be filmed here but it looks like most if not all the movie was set in the south of England. A little coincidental that everything happens for no real reason in the space of a mile or two but it works out well. The movie doesn’t rely on a complicated story but more on the delivery of the content.
The movie also has a lot of surprises like a cameo from another Avenger, two great post credits scenes so stay behind for both.
Overall the success of the movie will go down to the awesome actors who have made the parts their own and writers like Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus who are going to be very valuable to Marvel movies in the future for their skills at writing a great comic book movie.
Thor: Ragnarok movie review
Concept art featuring Cate Blanchett As Hela and Hulk
Thor Ragnarok or World War Hulk
Hulk Smashes way into Thor: Ragnarok
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ON DEMAND | The J.T. Show (2nd Hour)
Roger Barrett(Patriot Guard Riders) - The Patriot Guard Riders will be conducting an honor mission for Army Cpl. Joe T. Avant, 20, of Greenwood, Mississippi who was killed during the Korean War. Cpl. Avant and was accounted for Sept. 10, 2019. His remains will arrive at Jackson International Airport Wednesday, 11th of December at 10:27 a.m. The patriot guard will escort his body from Jackson to Greenwood and will also stand as a silent U.S. Flag Line for visitation,
Music City Bowl won't allow Mississippi State fans to bring their cowbells,
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2. The Bully Boys Of Dunkwell and An Invasive Mutant Species
©2020 William A. Lasher
“It’s not like they hold any malice towards us, we just look like an easy meal.” – Major Bartholomew Saxby, Commander of the Mutant Eradication Forces
Henry Winterborne introduced me to Axel J. Knightingale Esq. from outside the offensive smelling jail cell where I had been incarcerated for over a week – I had lost track of time, and could only estimate how long it had been since Molly and I were arrested by the peculiar looking automated police officers … (I was about to refer to the squalid dungeon as my jail cell, but upon second thought I decided against it. I would never claim ownership of such bleak quarters, nor would I think it was my responsibility to apologize for the decidedly unpleasant odor emanating from the primitive latrine in the corner.)
Mr. Knightingale had flown in on an airship from Hainford, the capital of this strange inland territory that had sprung up from the ashes of the America Molly and I had once known; somewhere west of the Rocky Mountains, in a region both higher in altitude and more arid than our home in the bucolic Appalachians of western Virginia. Knightingale was yet another Brit; (both Winterborne and Higginbotham were Englishmen as well.)
The cost of Knightingale’s representation had been paid by Winterborne, and I felt unable to adequately express my appreciation. Henry said, “Don’t fret about it, we’ll find a way you can pay me back once your innocence has been proved.”
I had so many questions to ask as I stood there in my filthy red union suit, my unwashed hands wrapped around the thick iron bars that separated me from my visitors: How was Molly holding up? The sawing and hammering had stopped, apparently the gallows had been completed – was our execution scheduled to take place soon? … And where in the world did those infernal robots come from? The automatons were far beyond anything we had ever contemplated in Leacock Corners.
“Your execution is scheduled for Thursday at high noon. That gives me 48 hours to come up with a stay.”
“What are the chances of our being exonerated?”
“I should be able to get at least one delay, and will argue for dismissal; after that, we can’t presume anything.”
We can’t presume anything … Was this the end? Would I ever get to see Molly again?
“Don’t worry about a thing,” Winterborne with a wily wink and a grin, “One way or another we’ll get you both out of here.”
Knightingale spoke in the haughty tone of the British upper crust: “The police robots are the property of the Pendlebury Gas Company. Pendlebury fled Philadelphia at the beginning of the Hydrogen War. They got out just before the Confederacy destroyed the city with an accelerated hydrogen gas detonation. The post thermal firestorm obliterated half of New Jersey too – it was a lulu.
“When Pendlebury arrived, Dunkwell was a nameless frontier outpost. A stagecoach stop on the riverbank. Nothing but a general store, a saloon with a bawdy house, and a handful of hog farmers and sheep herders. The economic boom that created Dunkwell was brought on by the gas extraction in the two decades since the Hydrogen War.”
The Hydrogen War. It was hard to fathom how western Virginia could be gone. What about my parents and my sister? And how did Molly and I end up out here in the arid mountain west as middle-aged criminals? None of it seemed to make any sense.
The nattily dressed English attorney adjusted one of his his sterling silver skull and crossbones cuff links and carried on: “Pendlebury brought the robots in to keep the workers in line. The purpose of the robot police is to keep Dunkwell proper the quintessential company town you might say. The recorded phrases that come out of their mechanical voice-boxes are limited in scope but the strength with which they’re delivered seem effective in keeping the working class focused on their livelihoods. Dangerous bastards they are – disagree with one and you’re likely to get your head torn off.”
“We haven’t figured out precisely how they work yet,” added Winterbourne, “if there’s some form of intelligence within their metal heads, or if they’re somehow remotely controlled.”
“We do know that Pendlebury brought in the robots on the pretense of maintaining law and order,” said Knightingale, “The automatons are manufactured in China, constructed of intricate clockwork, and are powered by hydrogen gas. The original Dunkwell sheriff and his deputies were ostracized by Pendlebury when two hundred of the new robots arrived from Hong Kong by trans-continental airship. Down along the river, the workers are under constant scrutiny from the metal beasts. Mechanical bully boys is what they are. The working class live in fear of the robot police.”
The mechanical contraptions were seven feet tall, and had a humanoid form – a head, two arms and two legs. Constructed of brass, silver, and copper, they wore blue military uniforms, and carried hydrogen tanks on their backs. Each one looked the same, from their mustard colored suspenders, to their tall Central European style military hats. Regular puffs of exhaust smoke were issued forth from a curious looking stub of copper pipe that protruded from each one’s rear end – apparently a by-product of the hydrogen gas combustion that powered them.
The ghostly robots brought me a plate of buckwheat biscuits and a can of sour tasting water twice a day. Emotionless phrases like “Keep your hands where we can see them,” and “Stand back from the door,” were the only words that emanated forth from their metallic sounding voice boxes. How the metal giants could see me was something I could not fathom. The glass eyes on their metal faces looked vacant; like something a taxidermist would implant on a stuffed animal’s dead face.
Imprisoned by the robot police, I anxiously awaited either my execution or my exoneration, and I hadn’t seen Molly in over a week.
Two more nights passed, and on the morning of the following day, I was placed in shackles and led out of the jailhouse by a squad of the towering robots. It was the first time I had been outdoors in a number of days. I was unable to shield my eyes from the sun as both of my hands were bound and strapped to my torso, and I was only able to take small steps forward as the chain between my ankles was short. As I struggled to keep up with my mechanical captors, one of the automatons pushed me forward – I stumbled, and came close to falling on the ground.
They brought me into an open area, and one of the robots swept his arm in front of me forcing me to stop cold. There in front of me were the freshly built gallows, constructed of hand-hewn raw timbers, a set of stairs rose up before me. A crowd of rowdy townspeople were gathered round, and standing on top of the platform, with the hangman’s noose already around her neck was Molly, her face concealed by a hood. Under my breath, I swore to Jesus Christ our savior – it looked as if Molly would hang first, and I would be forced to watch.
The hangman was a Welshman named Trombley, a silver prospector. The executioner job was a sideline. Something to throw a bit of pepper into his life he said; in truth the man was stark raving mad, a thrill killer. He derived a sexual satisfaction from dropping the condemned through the trap door. You could see it his demeanor.
Trombley checked his pocket watch. The execution was scheduled for high noon. I could see the face of a street clock at the edge of the red brick square, and the minute hand was closing in on twelve. As beads of perspiration welled up and rolled down my strained mug, I became aware of a shouting man’s voice growing closer, “Stop! Stop! Don’t pull that handle!” It was Winterborne, trotting across the pavers with Axel J. Knightingale on his heels.
Trombley made for the lever with his hand … as if he was going to pull the handle anyway …
“Don’t do it my good man,” bristled Knightingale sidestepping Winterborne, running up the stairs, and waving the writ in his hand. “The execution has been canceled. Now be a good chap and remove that noose from the lady’s neck at once please … ”
A stay of execution had been acquired from a district judge. A week’s reprieve that would allow Knightingale time to prepare for a hearing where he would argue for our vindication. Molly and I would remain incarcerated, but we had dodged the executioner’s noose, for the time being anyway …
I was unsurprised to learn the judge was a Scotsman, Duncan S. Brumfield. It seemed most of the residents of Dunkwell Heights were British Islanders. I asked Winterborne about it, and he said it was true, though the ethnic make-up of the working class in Dunkwell proper was much more varied, and included Irish, Germans, West Africans, and Chinese.
The courtroom had no windows, and was illuminated by the eerie orange glow of hydrogen lamps. Molly and I sat with Mr. Knightingale at the defendant’s table. Seated in the front row of the gallery, Winterborne was surrounded by a boisterous crowd of townspeople; the same crew that was in attendance at the aborted hangings – they seemed anxious to get back to the gallows after having their morning entertainment so rudely interrupted by Knightingale’s stay of execution.
The court’s recorder was seated at an undersized desk to one side of the bench. Attractive in her thick framed eyeglasses, Miss Moorehouse had an ample bosom, and a freshly cut black rose pinned to her starchy white blouse.
Two of the Pendlebury robots stood behind Molly and I, and when I tried to whisper a few words to her, one of the robots ordered me to “shut your trap.”
It was apparent that the prosecutor felt it was his duty to object to every statement that our attorney made, and Brumfield spent an inordinate amount of time extrapolating on the content of Mr. Greenblatt’s objections. He over ruled him on almost every one, and then would direct him to sit back down – often times quite forcibly.
Knightingale rose to his feet, “At this time, I would like to present my argument for the dismissal of all criminal charges against my clients.”
Greenblatt sprung up out of his chair, “I object!”
“On what grounds, Mr. Greenblatt?” Brumfield with a sour expression on his face.
“On the grounds that the defendants have already been convicted of their crimes and sentenced to death.” The prosecutor adjusted his tie, glanced at the papers on the table before him, and continued, “Backus and Keagan wantonly murdered two innocent citizens in the commission of their crime, the armed robbery of the First Bank of Shellingford, and the money they stole has never been recovered.”
“Yes, and Mr. Knightingale filed a proper appeal of their convictions, and I subsequently ruled that I would hear his appeal.”
With an expression of alarm, Brumfield paused to observe a sudden flurry of white smoke puffs rising up from his automated bailiff’s posterior exhaust pipe; “You’re out of order, Greenblatt – have a seat.” As suddenly as it had started, the flurry of exhaust smoke abated. Raising his eyebrows and frowning Brumfield continued, “You may proceed, Mr. Knightingale.”
“Thank you, your honor. The fact is, my clients had the misfortune of stumbling into a distortion in time. They have no recollection of any of the events that resulted in their convictions, therefore they are innocent of the charges.”
Greenblatt lept to his feet: “I vigorously object! Counsel’s statement makes no sense. A distortion in time? This is unheard of! And what precedent will my colleague cite to support this malarkey?”
Brumfield paused, and then looked towards Knightingale, “A distortion in time? Have you taken leave of your senses, my good man? What in the name of God are you speaking of?”
“Mr. Backus and Miss Keagan have no recollection of any of the events before the day they were arrested by the Pendlebury robots. Just three weeks ago they were teenagers in western Virginia in the year 1851. They followed a trio of otters into a cave, and after stepping through a waterfall, found themselves to be wanted outlaws here in present day 1881.”
“Teenagers in western Virginia?!” exclaimed the prosecutor with an evil grin now, “Is Mr. Knightingale under the influence of some type of medication? What in the world is he talking about?”
“It’s all here in Mr. Backus’s journal,” said Knightingale holding up my diary for the judge to see, “all of the details of their extraordinary journey through time. I would like to enter Mr. Backus’s journal into evidence.”
“I object! There was no notification of discovery prior to this hearing taking place!”
“The lives of the defendants are at stake. I hereby ask the court to consider this evidence thoroughly before any ruling is made.”
“A delay tactic, your honor. And a pigeon-hearted one at that! Mr. Knightingale’s postulations are absurd and have no basis in fact. Nonsensical rubbish, and a waste of the court’s valuable time.”
“I will call an hour’s recess and consider the presented evidence.”
“I object! The people have not had a chance to consider the alleged evidence. This is a blatant violation of the rules of discovery.”
“Then you may read the journal after I’m through. Would counsel care to join me in my chambers?”
“Yes,” said Greenblatt, “I will gladly join you to have a look at this dreck Mr. Knightingale has dredged up.”
“Not I,” said Knightingale turning slightly in his seat to observe the unruly crowd of townspeople in the gallery, “I think I shall stay here with my clients.”
“As you wish,” Brumfield exited the courtroom through a door behind the bench. Greenblatt tidied up his paperwork, stuffed it into his weathered attache, and then silently followed the judge into his chambers. As Knightingale had feared, the townspeople in the gallery grew more disorderly once the door had closed behind the prosecutor.
“To hell with all this legal mumbo jumbo,” called out the hangman Trombley with his black bowler cocked rakishly askew, “I say we hang the bloody murderers now!”
“Shut your trap!” exclaimed the bailiff from its automated voice-box.
A wave of agreement rose up from the crowd, “Aye! Let’s hang them now!”
The two robot police standing behind us turned and faced the crowd: “Shut your traps!” said both in unison.
The crowd’s raucous shouts changed to muttering and mumbling, and then, “I’m with Trombley!” called out a defiant Rathburn, one of the carpenters who had constructed the gallows, “I say we haul them back to the square and string them up with no delay!”
One of the robot police took a step towards Rathburn, “Shut your trap!” with more vigor than before – that served to silence Rathburn, who quickly regained his seat. A minute later, more of the Pendlebury robots marched in, taking up various positions around the courtroom, and with four more of the mechanical bully boys now in the room, the townspeople grew as quiet as lambs at the slaughter, clamming up completely …
Knightingale sat patiently with his hands folded on the table while Miss Moorehouse read through her work, and then after a half hour or so, she closed her bulky ledger, removed her eyeglasses, and set down her fountain pen. She looked towards Molly and I with a small smile of sympathy; quite a beautiful young lady, more so I thought when she was not wearing her thick black spectacles.
And how I wished I could talk to Molly without the robots telling me to shut my trap. I was quick to notice my feelings towards her had changed in many ways. I certainly did feel more sensual in the body of a mature adult, and in my late night fantasies, my bricky girlfriend did things I had never dreamed of her doing before.
An hour and a half passed, and finally, the door beneath the clock creaked open once again. Greenblatt returned to the oaken table to our right, and Brumfield regained his seat on the bench, “I’ve considered the presented evidence thoroughly, and I must say the defendant’s plea is rather original. The claim of disassociation with the charges by accidental time travel is unique, but hardly believable. There is no corroboration with any tangible evidence whatsoever. All I have to consider are the words in his journal, and there’s no reason for me to believe this is anything more than a work of fiction. A product of the author’s imagination, and therefore I deny Mr. Knightingale’s appeal, and hereby reinstate the defendants’ death sentences.”
An Invasive Mutant Species
I resigned myself to a fate which seemed inevitable. It appeared that Molly and I would be executed for crimes we had no recollection of ever committing. In another day the wretched waiting would be over, I was almost looking forward to the end of it … and then Winterborne appeared outside my jail cell …
“Cheer up, mate, I need to have a chat with you.”
“More legal maneuvering by Knightingale? What’s the use?”
“No, Axel returned to Hainford after the dismissal of the appeal.” Winterborne looked from side to side and then took off his tall top hat and held it before him in both hands, “Come closer to the door.”
I rose from my seat on the uncomfortable metal bench that was my bed and went to the door of the cell. “At least I’m permitted to talk to you without the mechanical bully boys telling me to shut my trap.”
“Yes, we’re all alone. The robots are outside.” He moved in closer, and then suddenly, out of thin air, a clear glass goblet appeared, balanced precariously on the crown of his hat. He held the hat with one hand, and with the other, sprinkled a strange looking powder into the drinking vessel. A tiny plume of purplish green smoke rose up from the liquid it contained. “Quickly, Bertram – take the glass and drink, we don’t have much time.”
“What is it? What’s in the glass?”
“Magic potion. It will help me get you out of here. There’s no time to waste – drink it.”
I took a small sip first. It tasted delightful, like sweet apple cider. I downed the whole glass, and when I lowered it, I was startled to discover Winterborne had suddenly disappeared. I looked about the anteroom grasping the bars of the cell door in both hands. Henry was gone. He had inexplicably vanished.
“Over here, Bertram,” I heard his voice now, “Look over here.”
I turned in my tracks to look back inside the cell and saw the strangest thing. The heavy cobblestones of the back wall had parted to reveal an opening. Winterborne stood outside the opening, “Quickly, Bertram. Step through the hole in the wall and join us.”
I stepped through the wall and found myself in an entirely new location, on a mountainside far above the town. Molly was there, standing next to two horses, and when she saw me, she ran over, threw her arms around me, and kissed me passionately. “I’ve missed you so much, my love.”
“What’s happened? Where are we?”
“Magic, my boy,” said Winterborne grinning, “I used magic to break you out, you’re free now.”
“But won’t the guards connect you to our jailbreak?”
“They never saw me. I conjured up enough magical power to appear inside without ever actually entering.”
“Can you use your magical powers to return us to our home in western Virginia?” asked Molly.
Winterborne lost his smile, “I’m afraid not, my dear. Time travel is beyond my abilities. Moving through dimensions in our current time and place is not so difficult, but traveling backwards in time is something I can’t quite pull off. ”
“What do we do now then?” I said, “Where shall we go?”
“Anywhere but here,” said Henry, “Take your horses and ride. The further away from Dunkwell, the better you will be.”
“We know nothing of this land, how will we get along?” said Molly.
“With courage, my dear. Follow the trail over Ketterly Mountain and leave this place. There’s no time to waste. Farewell and off with you.”
The trail over the top of the mountain led us northward, and we decided to continue on in the same direction. We weren’t sure if it was a good idea or not, just that we should heed Winterborne’s advice – put as much distance between Dunkwell and ourselves as possible, and as quickly as we could ride.
Henry’s magic had outfitted us with a fine pair of horses, and somehow we already knew their names. I rode a painted stallion named Jimbo, and Molly, a Morgan mare. Our saddlebags were loaded with camping gear; cooking and eating utensils, and thankfully warm wool blankets. We built small fires and slept under the stars at night.
Molly chose to dress as herself instead of as the fictitious Elmo Gould. On the wanted posters, she was more notorious as a man. It was such a joy to be back in her company, even though we were both so much older now. Our relationship had indeed grown more mature, and on more than one sunny afternoon we made love as the lustful middle aged adults we had suddenly become.
We rode for days in a northerly direction, using the path of the sun as a guide to stay true to our course. Purposely avoiding contact with anyone, we took the long way around when we saw settlements in the distance. We stuck to the highlands, and before long our supply of jerky and hardtack was beginning to wear thin. Surviving the approaching winter alone in the outback would be impossible. Sooner or later we would need to find some new friends.
The dry Autumn weather held out. A week into our journey, the mountains began to give way to wider basins. The high altitude ranges became more isolated, and we rode out across golden brown grasses in the expansive valleys. Water became harder to find.
We came upon a grassy treeless divide between two of the basins, and looking down the other side we saw a settlement in the distance. I used the Burnwell Quadoptical device to have a closer look. Lowering the extra set of lenses into position, I examined what appeared to be a military outpost of some sort.
“What in the world is that contraption above the buildings on the other side of the basin?” said Molly.
“I’m not sure. Let me have a look.” I scanned the hill Molly had pointed out, and brought the strange apparatus she had noticed into focus. It looked like some type of giant gun that was mounted on a circular turret with an array of gears. There was a pipeline connected to the metal contraption, and flights of stairs on a framework.
“Should we ride down and say hello? We’re extremely low on water.”
“I think so. We seem to be a long ways from anywhere. Hopefully far enough from Dunkwell that we won’t be recognized.”
“Henry said the territory is full of outlaws, and there was nothing to make us stand out from the rest. Let’s come up with assumed names. I shall be Margaret Abbotsford – what about you?”
“That’s a good one. Let’s see. What about Donovan Highgarden?
“I like it. Let’s go find out where we are.”
The outpost was surrounded by a fence built from narrow logs, and the buildings within were constructed of heavier logs painted brown and chinked with grey cement. The gate at the front entrance was open. We rode through, and came to a building that appeared to be a command post. A flag with insignia we had never seen before was flapping in the breeze out front. Smoke rose from a stone chimney, and I smelled the enduring scent of burning coal.
As we dismounted, the front door of the building flew open, and a soldier briskly strode out to greet us, “You must be my reinforcements, and they sent a lady I see. Well, that will be perfectly fine, I have nothing against women in the military. You’re dressed in street clothes – where are your uniforms?”
“We’re not soldiers, we’re travelers,” I said. “We were hoping you might have water to share.”
“Yes, I have plenty of water. Travelers, are you? Are you gainfully employed? Do you have jobs?”
“Not just yet,” said Molly, “as a matter of fact, we’re hoping to find some way to get by.”
“Then I will conscript you into the military service. We need all the help we can get, there’s plenty of work for you here.”
I looked towards Molly, caught her eye, and noticed a small smile at the corner of her mouth, “I’m Donovan Highgarden, and this is my traveling companion, Margaret Abbotsford.”
“Jolly good, quite pleased to meet you,” the soldier grasped my hand in a bone crunching handshake; “I’m Major Bartholomew Saxby of the Mutant Eradication Forces, and this is my command. We suffered a chilling giant bat attack a fortnight ago, and I lost a number of my gunners. Three of them were carried off by the bats, and in the resulting panic, the rest of my men deserted their posts – the cowards ran off into the hills, never to be seen again.”
“Giant bats?” I said.
“Yes. Giant bats. Actually the bats are quite rare, we don’t often see them. The true purpose of my command is to keep the prolific mutant grasshoppers under control.”
“Giant grasshoppers?” said Molly.
“Indeed, and larger than the bats.” Saxby looked us over more carefully, “a fine pair of horses you’ve brought. We have stables behind the barracks and barrels of oats. Do you have firearms to present for inspection?”
I looked towards Molly with apprehension and hesitated to say anything in response.
“Oh come now, I’m not going to confiscate your weapons. I just need to have a look and record your weaponry in my day log.”
We handed our .50 caliber pistols to Saxby, and he looked them over, quickly opening the firing chambers and peering down the barrels on both, “cleaned and oiled. Very good. I prefer a soldier who knows how to handle his personal weaponry.” He looked towards the door, “I hear my tea kettle whistling. Let’s step inside for a spot of tea and continue with our conversation.”
Saxby wore a khaki uniform and he removed his safari helmet as he strode inside the administrative building. A cordial host, he poured us cups of strong black tea, and he opened a bakery tin and set it on the middle of the table where we took seats, “Fresh date cookies – they’re very good, help yourselves.”
“When you say giant bats, how big do you mean?” Cup of tea in one hand, cookie in the other.
“Quite large. Wing spans of twenty yards or more. A normal sized bat feeds on insects, and to the mutants, we as humans appear to be the size of insects.” Saxby fiddled with his waxed handlebar mustache, “It’s not like they hold any malice towards us, we just look like an easy meal.”
“Good God!” exclaimed Molly as she took a sip of tea.
“The bats appear suddenly after dark, and can be hard to hit with the flamethrowers. Nothing to be afraid of really, no reason to abandon your post.” Saxby abruptly left his chair, and walked to an open window. (The windows in the building had no glass, just heavy shutters that were closed at night.) “Now look, here comes one of our mutant grasshoppers now.”
Molly and I joined him at the window. A giant grasshopper, probably 30 yards tall at the shoulder, came hopping across the hills we had just crossed to the south. With a bright green body and yellow underbelly, the distant hopper crossed the horizon and continued hopping towards the west.
“You see, with the flamethrowers unmanned, another one got through. I shall wire Captain Blooey at once so they can track it down with an airship.” Saxby took a bite of his cookie, “I need to get you two trained and on the job right away before more of the vermin try to get through. A whole swarm of the creatures might show up at anytime.”
According to Saxby, just one of the hoppers could eat ten acres of crops a day, and this was why it was important to stop them from crossing into the Western Territory. The Hydrogen War had destroyed everything from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. Nothing grew in the ruined soil of the Forsaken Zone, and the water tables had been poisoned. The mutant hoppers inhabited the untouched forests and prairies to the north, and as they multiplied unchecked, they were expanding their territory towards the west.
As soldiers enlisted in the Mutant Eradication Forces, it was our job to operate the tremendous hydrogen gas flamethrowers placed at strategic locations in the surrounding hills. The outpost was located at a low point in the continental divide, a favored giant hopper migration route; the high peaks of the Rockies were too tall for the mutants to hop over.
Hydrogen gas was piped in from an extraction plant to the west. The flamethrower operator sat on an elevated seat high above the ground. Access was by multi-storied stairway. An array of knobs and levers controlled the weapon’s various functions. The apparatus could be pivoted on its turret by pulling one lever; the elevation and vertical angle controlled by two additional levers. The mechanical functions were powered by a steam plant located at the base. Locally abundant coal was used to produce the steam, and robots operated each emplacement’s individual steam plant. (Robots smaller and more primitive as compared to the Pendlebury bully boys.)
I was assigned the responsibility of operating one of the giant flamethrowers, and Molly another. We were in sight of each other, at opposite sides of a U-shaped basin that was a favored hopper migration route. Saxby made a special point of instructing us to avoid shooting at each other. “You may shoot when they’re approaching and shoot as they’re departing, but hold your fire as they cross between.”
The hydrogen gas ignited at an extremely high temperature, and it was necessary to wear a special flame retardant suit and face mask when on duty. The face masks had narrow tinted view windows so we could still see what we were up to. Turning a knob controlled the volume of hydrogen that reached the nozzle. The more gas you gave it, the longer the flame, up to 200 yards at maximum power. When Molly or I hit an approaching hopper with the flame, it instantly incinerated the entire beast – there was nothing left but a blackened husk.
At night, Molly and I had one of the barracks houses to ourselves. I had never dreamed of sharing a bed with her at home in Leacock Corners, but at our current place in time it seemed natural, and the Major had no complaints in regard to our cohabitation.
New reinforcements were scare, and one morning Saxby called us into his office for a special meeting: “I’ve received word of a change in strategy in our hopper eradication campaign. Easterbrook Robotics in Hong Kong has developed a new automaton specifically designed to shoot the flamethrowers.”
“You’re going to replace us with robots?” said Molly.
“Yes, but have no fear, I’m going to need you two elsewhere. You’re not going to lose your jobs in the military service.”
“What will be our new jobs?” I asked.
“I’m giving you both a raise in pay grade from private to corporal, and I’m enlisting you in a newly formed expeditionary force. You will fly on airships into the Forsaken Zone and search for nests of human zombies.”
“Zombies?” said Molly with a note of alarm.
“That’s correct my dear – zombies. The humans who survived the Hydrogen War became walking dead after ingesting the food and water sources contaminated by the accelerated hydrogen gas detonations. We’re seeing more and more of them attempting to cross into the Western Territory.”
“Sounds like a dangerous assignment,” I said.
“It’s a dangerous assignment alright, and if you two aren’t up to it, just say. We might be able to find you jobs at the extraction plant.”
“What do you say, Molly? It sounds exciting.”
“Who wants to work in a gas plant? Let’s go be real soldiers.”
“We’ll say yes, then Major.”
“Jolly good! I’ll introduce you to Captain Blooey straight away and you two can get started.”
To Be Continued …
The Forsaken Zone
A continuing steampunk serial
1. A Slip-Up In Time
- May 5, 2019
3. Tragedy Over The Ruins Of Philadelphia
4. Legend Of Der Wasserwolfe
5. The Museum Of Abnormal Science
6. A Glimpse Of Intra-Dimensional Consciousness
7. The Fiery Crimson Messenger's Maiden Voyage
8. Winged Reptiles Of Equatorial Africa
9. The Divine Shape Of Omkara
10. The Courbevoie Construct
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Fiction published on this website may not be reprinted without the permission of the author.
©2020 Surreal Science Fiction
Feel free to email us with any questions or comments.
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Survive Law
Search Survive Law
© Updated as of 2019
Law Student Life
7 Useful Resources for Every NZ Law Student
Ruiteng Liu
source // giphy
It’s easy to lose perspective when you’re knee deep in textbooks. Looking beyond the lecture theatre and knowing what’s happening out and about in the legal profession is something every law student should do. It’s never too early or too late to start. Bookmark this article so you’ll always have easy access to these resources in the one place!
1. New Zealand Law Society - Young Lawyers
The most obvious resource for lawyers also proved to be the most elusive for a law student. I came across this as a 3rd Year Law Student by chance – which goes to show how disconnected you can be from the actual practice of law as a law student.
Although the Young Lawyers section is aimed at recently admitted lawyers, it has a really good guide about working as a lawyer which I highly recommend reading: https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/practice-resources/new-zealand-law-society-guide-for-new-lawyers.
My morale booster of the week comes from reading about former law students who have gone on to do great things with their career and the community: https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/news-and-communications/people-in-the-law/lawyer-profiles.
2. NZ Lawyer Magazine
The Stuff News of the NZ legal profession covers just about everything there is to know about recent developments in NZ law. Handy for when you’re trying to develop your business acumen or just to know a bit more about law in practice.
3. The New Zealand Law Students’ Careers Guide
The most comprehensive guide on legal careers I have ever come across in a NZ context. This guide is updated almost every year (so if you’re reading in 2018 or beyond, search for the updated version). Also contains a tonne of excellent cover letter, CV and interviewing tips.
4. First Steps: The Experiences and Retention of New Zealand’s Junior Lawyers
This Law Foundation report by Josh Pemberton presents a very confronting picture of NZ’s legal profession. A must read for any aspiring lawyer.
I found the interviewee comments more useful than looking at the statistical data. The transition from uni to practice is a challenging one and it’s interesting to see how lawyers can be treated at the junior level.
The main takeaway: big commercial law firms are NOT the only employers out there!
5. The New Lawyer
A podcast hosted by the lovely Katie, who interviews a range of NZ legal personalities ranging from the President of the NZ Law Society to Josh Pemberton, who wrote the report mentioned above.
Episodes range from 30 minutes to an hour, but canvas a host of issues pertinent to the legal profession and the personal experiences of the interviewees. You learn a lot about people’s experiences from listening – a good excuse for resting your eyes after that 30-page contract case or when you’re travelling to work or uni.
6. The NZLSA Mental Health and Wellbeing Guide
Before you start thinking “not another one of those mental health guides”, this one actually goes above and beyond the stock standard ‘look after yourself’ advice (but do look after yourself).
Mental health is a biggie in both law school and the legal profession – and this guide has good advice. My fave line is on page 17 – “Stop and appreciate your achievements so far.” Sometimes it’s easy to feel down after you’ve just been rejected for a summer clerkship or not getting an A on that torts test, but taking a step backwards and thinking – ‘I’ve at least made it this far into law school’ is always a positive start.
(By the way the NZLSA – the New Zealand Law Student’s Association – also have their own magazine called Lex dedicated to excellent law student banter).
7. Survive Law NZ
Need we say more? Survive Law NZ is here for you - whether you're looking for career advice, interview tips you're too scared to ask anyone else for or just some light-hearted comic relief, we've got it all. Follow us on our Facebook page and sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date!
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Clerkship (2)
Law Student Life (281)
Procrastination (237)
Well Being (77)
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Organoids in a dish.
Rewriting Life
Brain Organoids
A new method for growing human brain cells could unlock the mysteries of dementia, mental illness, and other neurological disorders.
by Russ Juskalian
As Madeline Lancaster lifts a clear plastic dish into the light, roughly a dozen clumps of tissue the size of small baroque pearls bob in a peach-colored liquid. These are cerebral organoids, which possess certain features of a human brain in the first trimester of development—including lobes of cortex. The bundles of human tissue are not exactly “brains growing in a dish,” as they’re sometimes called. But they do open a new window into how neurons grow and function, and they could change our understanding of everything from basic brain activities to the causes of schizophrenia and autism.
BreakthroughThree-dimensional clusters of living neurons that can be grown in a lab from human stem cells.
Why It MattersResearchers need new ways of understanding brain disorders and testing possible treatments.
Key PlayersMadeline Lancaster and Jürgen Knoblich, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology
Rudolph Tanzi and Doo Yeon Kim, Massachusetts General Hospital
Top: Madeline Lancaster figured out a way to keep neurons growing in a dish until they develop characteristics of living human brains.
Middle: Magdalena Renner, a graduate student in the lab, examines organoids under a microscope.
Bottom: A variety of organoids are kept alive on a shaker plate in an incubator.
This story is part of our March/April 2015 issue
See the rest of the issue
Before it grows in one of Lancaster’s dishes, a brain organoid begins as a single skin cell taken from an adult. With the right biochemical prodding, that cell can be turned into an induced pluripotent stem cell (the kind that can mature into one of several types of cells) and then into a neuron. This makes it possible to do things that were impossible before. Now scientists can directly see how networks of living human brain cells develop and function, and how they’re affected by various drug compounds or genetic modifications. And because these mini-brains can be grown from a specific person’s cells, organoids could serve as unprecedentedly accurate models for a wide range of diseases. What goes wrong, for example, in neurons derived directly from someone with Alzheimer’s disease?
The prospect of finding answers to such questions is leading pharmaceutical companies and academic researchers to seek collaborations with Lancaster and Jürgen Knoblich, whose lab at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) in Vienna, Austria, is where Lancaster developed the organoids as a postdoc. The first of these collaborations was an investigation of microcephaly, a disorder characterized by small brain size, with Andrew Jackson of the University of Edinburgh. Using cells derived from a patient with microcephaly, the team cultured organoids that shared characteristics with the patient’s brain. Then the researchers replaced a defective protein associated with the disorder and were able to culture organoids that appeared partially cured.
This is just the beginning, says Lancaster. Researchers such as Rudolph Jaenisch at MIT and Guo-li Ming at Johns Hopkins are beginning to use brain organoids to investigate autism, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. What makes cerebral organoids particularly useful is that their growth mirrors aspects of human brain development. The cells divide, take on the characteristics of, say, the cerebellum, cluster together in layers, and start to look like the discrete three-dimensional structures of a brain. If something goes wrong along the way—which is observable as the organoids grow—scientists can look for potential causes, mechanisms, and even drug treatments.
The breakthrough in creating these organoids happened as part of a side project. Other researchers had grown neurons in a dish before, and like them, Lancaster started by using a flat plate to “play” with neural stem cells—the kind that form into neurons and other cells in the nervous system. Sometimes, she says, “I’d get neural stem cells that wouldn’t really stay in 2-D, and they would kind of fall off the plate and they’d make 3-D clumps—and rather than ignoring them or throwing them away, I thought, ‘Those are cool—let’s see what happens if I let them keep growing.’” But there was a major challenge: how to keep the tissue at the center of the organoids fed without the benefit of veins. Lancaster’s solution was to encapsulate each organoid in a matrix known to nurture cells, put a dozen of these blobs in a nutritious bath, and shake or spin it all to keep the organoids awash in cellular food.
A stained section of an organoid is seen in close-up.
Since publishing her method, Lancaster has pushed the brain tissue to further levels of complexity with neurons at later stages of development. The number of possible applications grows with each advance. Most tantalizing to Lancaster herself is the prospect that cerebral organoids might solve the deepest of mysteries: what happens in our brains to set us apart from other animals? “I’m mainly interested,” she says, “in figuring out what it is that makes us human.”
—Russ Juskalian
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TELETRADER News
3/12/2019, 8:23 AM (Source: TeleTrader)
Important talks to be held about Libya, Syria - Erdogan
Australia to help tourism with $52M after fires
Maduro: Trump's had terrible advisers on Venezuela
Trump: $200B wall around New York would be foolish
Trump accuses Dems of mistreating 'Crazy Bernie'
more TeleTrader news
News - Class ...-0.20%
News - Class ...0.00%
News Corp, Axel Springer looking to buy Acuris - report
EPA-EFE / NEIL HALL
News Corp. and German publishing company Axel Springer are among a number of companies that are considering acquiring Acuris, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday citing sources familiar with the matter.
The newspaper reported that an auction for the sale of the owner of Mergermarket and the Debtwire news and data service would officially commence this week. It is expected to fetch more than £1 billion and has also drawn in rating agencies such as Fitch and S&P Global and buyout groups such as KKR and Advent International. However, the sources added that it was too early to state which company was in pole position to acquire the business.
BC Partners previously bought Acuris from Pearson for £382 million. Its value subsequently more than doubled after Singapore's GIC purchased a 30% stake in the business for around £1 billion. Acuris has also recorded double-digit growth since its acquisition by BC Partners and has annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of £75 million, according to a source with direct knowledge of its performance.
Breaking the News / DZ
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Ultimate press pass: All the angles on 2015 #Oliviers shortlists
By Terri Paddock|10 March 2015|Terri's Blog, Theatrical|
James McAvoy in the press room at the 2015 Oliviers launch: From Official London Theatre coverage
I offered my own take on yesterday’s 2015 Laurence Olivier nominations yesterday. But my view is only one, of course. The shortlists announcement was live-streamed across myriad platforms and attracted international headlines. So how did other commentators interpret the shortlists?
Well, angles are varied, but they largely break down into the following five main thrusts:
The Young Vic is astonishing (and the National should be mortified) – taken by most of the ‘serious’ UK newspapers’ arts correspondents
It was an almighty year for musicals, particularly Memphis and Beautiful – taken by the rest of the serious UK correspondents (including the BBC news report, in which I was quoted)
Nicole Scherzinger graduates from Pussycat doll and X Factor judge to West End diva (and, according to some, has virtually already won her Olivier) – taken by most of the tabloids and showbiz mags
A few other famous people also got nominated, including Gillian Anderson, Gemma Arterton, whose show is about to close, and James McAvoy, who looked very handsome helping to announce the shortlists – taken by most of the other tabloids and showbiz mags
Broadway musicals are besting Brits on their own turf – taken by Americans
I’ve rounded up some of the most prominent examples of all five Olivier nominations news types below, along with some press room interviews, photos and video, as well as some opinion pieces from three critics who know what they’re talking about.
MUSICALS LEAD THE WAY
Musicals Lead Olivier Nominations – and Terri Paddock Gets Quoted!
BBC News: This one comes first because I’m quoted in it! On musicals, new plays from the subsidised sector and more… Plus, it’s a great round-up by the BBC’s arts correspondent Tim Masters…
Memphis, Beautiful and Young Vic Lead Olivier nominations
Musicals Memphis and Beautiful lead the nominations for this year’s Olivier Awards, with nine and eight nods respectively – the most for individual productions. The Young Vic has also…
thestage.co.uk
Memphis and Beautiful on Song for the 2015 Olivier Awards
Memphis has the most nominations for a single show with nine, including for its star Beverley Knight, while Beautiful, inspired by the life of singer Carole King, secured eight.
standard.co.uk
YOUNG VIC TRUMPS NATIONAL
Young Vic steals the Spotlight in Oliviers Shortlists
The Young Vic emerged as the big winner at the 2015 Olivier awards shortlist announcement with 11 nominations across four productions, including A View From the Bridge and A Streetcar Named Desire.
National Theatre Suffers Olivier Awards Embarrassment
The National Theatre’s sole Olivier Awards nomination was for Here Lies Love The National has been eclipsed by the Young Vic, which received 11 nominations in total.
Young Vic Upstages the National in British Theatre
While the National received just three nominations – all for the same play – the Young Vic swept the board with 11, the most for any single venue.
independent.co.uk
Young Vic and Almeida Dominate in Oliviers Nominations
After years of National Theatre and Royal Court dominance, it’s the Young Vic and the resurgent Almeida that lead the way in the nominations list for this year’s Olivier Awards.
now-here-this.timeout.com
Young Vic lead Olivier Awards race
The Young Vic has received a staggering 11 nominations for the Olivier Awards 2015. Its phenomenal success is followed closely by Memphis The Musical, this year’s most nominated production.
officiallondontheatre.co.uk
BROADWAY BOASTS
Broadway’s Memphis, Beautiful Lead London’s Oliviers
American musicals dominated the 2015 Olivier Award nominations, with Memphis and Beautiful leading the pack with a combined total of 17 nods. The National Theatre, meanwhile, had a bad haul.
Olivier Nominations Honor Broadway’s Memphis and Beautiful
The nominations were announced by actors Lesley Manville (winner of the Best Actress Award last year for Ghosts, which is now BAM-bound) and James McAvoy.
playbill.com
Two Broadway musical imports top London theatre awards
Broadway does it better? Transfers of Memphis and Carole King musical Beautiful lead this year’s Olivier Awards nominations in London.
NNew York Musicals Lead Olivier Nominations
Memphis the Musical and Beautiful – The Carole King Musical will lead the pack at this year’s Olivier Awards. Memphis, starring Beverley Knight, has nine nominations.
nation.com.pk
Beautiful and Memphis Score Big at Olivier Awards
More big business for Broadway product. Two Broadway musicals Memphis The Musical and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical receive the most Olivier nods.
business-standard.com
Memphis, Beautiful Lead Race for 2015 Olivier Awards
Tony Award-winner Memphis: The Musical and Carole King show Beautiful lead the race for British theater’s Olivier Awards, with a clutch of nominations each, including best new musical.
NICOLE SCHERZINGER DOES GOOD
Nicole Scherzinger Gets Olivier Award Nod for Cats
Former X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger could be in line for one of Britain’s top acting accolades, after it was announced she had been nominated for an Olivier Award.
entertainment.stv.tv
Nicole Scherzinger Scores Best Actress Nomination
Nicole Scherzinger has been nominated for an Olivier Award for her West End debut performance in Cats. The singer and former X Factor judge starred as Grizabella.
Former Pop Kitten in line for Top Stage Award for Grown Cat
Nicole Scherzinger, once a Pussycat Dolls, has been shortlisted for her West End debut performance in Cats. The singer and former X Factor judge starred in the role originated by Elaine Paige.
yorkshirepost.co.uk
Scherzinger up for Theatre Prize
Nicole Scherzinger has been nominated for an Olivier Award for her West End debut performance in Cats. She faces competition from Haydn Gwynne and Samantha Bond.
Nicole Nominated for Olivier Award for West End Debut
The singer and former X Factor judge starred as Grizabella – originally played by Elaine Paige – in the Andrew Lloyd Webber production, which is also up for best musical revival.
Nicole Scherzinger Scores Olivier Award Nod for Stage Debut
The former Pussycat Dolls singer is up for the Best Supporting Actress in a Musical prize for her portrayal of Grizabella in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s revived stage show, competing against…
new-magazine.co.uk
SOME OTHER STARS NOMINATED TOO
Olivier Awards: Gillian Anderson, James McAvoy, Fatboy Slim in the Running
Nominees for British theater’s most prestigious prizes, the Olivier Awards, were announced this afternoon in London with several well-known names in the bunch. (And Slim is one of the most famous 3?)
deadline.com
Gillian Anderson, Nicole Scherzinger and James McAvoy Earn Nominations
Anderson attended the Evening Standard Awards in November. Will she show up this time? Will she win over Kristin Scott Thomas, Imelda Staunton and Penelope Wilton for Best Actress?
upi.com
And the Nominees for the Olivier Awards Are…
(Is Mirren nominated again? Did I miss something?) Nominees for this year’s Oliviers have been announced. At the most prestigious prizes in British theater, the notable mentions for this year’s act
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Gemma Arterton Nominated For Olivier Award
Gemma Arterton has been nominated for an Olivier Award for her role in Made In Dagenham which is due to close next month. The actress has received wide plaudits for her first onstage musical.
news.sky.com
BACKSTAGE INTERVIEWS & PICS
James McAvoy: ‘Government Doesn’t Care about Upward Mobility’
James McAvoy has said the government wants “to keep people where they are born” by removing access to arts education. McAvoy was speaking after being nominated for Best Actor at the Oliviers.
Katie Brayben: ‘I don’t read reviews’
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical star Katie Brayben has spoken of her excitement at being nominated for an Olivier Award. The actress portrays the singer-songwriter in the new West End.
digitalspy.co.uk
PHOTOS: Onstage & Press Room
One of the most highly anticipated dates of the London theatre calendar, the Olivier Awards nominations announcement, gathered West End performers and producers.
VIDEO: Olivier Nominees React
James McAvoy promising to turn up hungover and Jon Jon Briones on the brink of tears; just some of the reactions we caught on camera as this year’s Olivier Award nominees reacted to the shortlists.
Natasha Tripney: Oliviers Nominations Solid But Too Timid
It’s really pleasing to see the Young Vic being recognised at this year’s Olivier awards for its bold, smart programming; scoring 11 nominations.
Mark Shenton: Shortlists Underline Importance of Broadway
On Broadway, all talk right now and for the next three months is of the Tony Awards: there are no fewer than 17 Tony-eligible shows opening in March and April alone.
Dominic Cavendish: Oliviers Prove Small Theatres Are Blazing the Way
There’s no avoiding it now, when people look back on 2014, one play in particular is going to stand out head and shoulders as being the play of the year – Mike Bartlett’s King Charles III.
Tags: A Streetcar Named Desire, A View from the Bridge, Beautiful, James McAvoy, King Charles III, Laurence Olivier Awards, Memphis, Olivier Awards, Oliviers
2015 #Oliviers nominations: What's in, what's out? Full lists here
Critics' Circle winners contradict Standard: any bets on Oliviers?
The best of the best of #theatre2014 round-ups
Podcast: AYULTP looks back on #theatre2014 discoveries including the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
More Top 10 #theatre2014 lists: Mine and yours
By Terri Paddock|10 March 2015|Terri's Blog, Theatrical|0 Comments
Ginger Johnson, David Cumming & Mairi Johnson[...]
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Muslim Surgeon Keeps Leadership Post in Tarrant County GOP
By Steve Levine
Update Jan. 10: Southlake trauma surgeon Shahid Shafi, MD, will retain his position as vice chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party after a failed attempt to vote him out of the position because he is Muslim.
Dr. Shafi, who is also a Southlake City Council member, came to the United States in 1990 and became a nationalized citizen in 2009, according to the Texas Tribune. He has been a Texas Medical Association and Tarrant County Medical Society member for 12 years.
After Thursday's vote, Dr. Shafi told the Texas Tribune he holds no ill will toward his critics, who claimed Dr. Shafi's religion prevents him from being a loyal American.
"We need to learn to trust each other so we can create a more perfect union everyday," he said, according to the newspaper.
Original story: Organized medicine this week rose to the defense of a Fort Worth-area surgeon whose civic service is being threatened because of his Muslim faith.
Shahid Shafi, MD, of Southlake, is vice chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party. Republican activists in the county are pushing to oust Dr. Shafi from his post at a Jan. 10 meeting of the Tarrant GOP’s executive committee. His critics claim that Dr. Shafi’s religion prevents him from being a loyal American.
“Just as we reject discrimination of all kinds in our profession and in our practices, we urge you and the party’s executive committee to reject discrimination against Dr. Shafi because of his faith,” leaders of the Texas Medical Association, Tarrant County Medical Society (TCMS), and TEXPAC wrote Monday in a letter to Darl Easton, chairman of the county party. “Prejudice and discrimination are anti-American and anti-Texan, and contrary to the ethical precepts of medicine.”
Dr. Shafi has been a TMA and TCMS member for 12 years. The other six surgeons in the Surgical Group of North Texas are also members.
“Our Code of Medical Ethics directs physicians to both ‘respect the law’ and to seek changes in those laws that ‘are contrary to the best interests of the patients,’” TMA President Doug Curran, MD; TCMS President Linda Siy, MD; and TEXPAC Board Chair Robert Rogers, MD, wrote to Mr. Easton.
“We are proud of Dr. Shafi, a naturalized American citizen, for taking this directive to heart with his service on the Southlake City Council and the Tarrant County Republican Party. He joins eight Texas physicians — all Republicans, by the way — in the Texas Legislature and the U.S. Congress, and countless more in city and county government, on school boards, and volunteer local leaders of both parties,” the letter says.
Since mid-summer, some Tarrant County Republicans have been pushing for Dr. Shafi’s ouster because of his religion.
“Dr. Shafi is a practicing, Mosque-attending Muslim who claims not to follow sharia law or know what it is,” Republican Sara Legvold wrote in a post on the Protect Texas Facebook page. “As a practicing Muslim that is an overt falsehood. Sharia law is anathema to our Constitution because Islam recognizes no other law but sharia.”
Numerous Republican leaders and organizations are supporting Dr. Shafi. They include Mr. Easton, who appointed him party vice chairman, the State Republican Executive Committee, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, and outgoing Texas House Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio.
VP, Communication
steve.levine[at]texmed[dot]org
A former statehouse reporter, political press secretary, and state agency spokesman, Steve Levine has directed the Communication Division at TMA since 1997. He oversees Texas Medicine, Texas Medicine Today, TMA's media and public relations activities, and the TMA Knowledge Center, website, and social media activities.
More stories by Steve Levine
Q&A: Physician Podcaster Jeffrey Jarvis, MD
A love of teaching is what propelled Jeffrey Jarvis, MD, into his latest undertaking: hosting a nationally distributed podcast. Read More
Social Media A Vital Tool for Influencing Policy, Panel Says
Social media has become indispensable for politicians to reach voters, but it's also a crucial way for voters – like physicians – to influence decision-makers and public opinion, a panel of state representatives and social media consultants said at the Texas Medical Association's Advocacy Retreat on Saturday. Read More
Don’t Let it Happen to You: Practice Fined Over Social Media
As more people go online to research products and services, online reputation management has become increasingly relevant for physicians.Because of the HIPAA Privacy Rule, physicians cannot respond to online reviews in any way that reveals PHI. Even if a patient discloses their own personal information in a review, physicians cannot respond with the same level of disclosure. Read More
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& District Table Tennis League
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Rayner and Baldwin are just champion!
It was a case of may the fourths be with you as both Cadet Boys’ and Girls’ Singles titles were won by the fourth seeds on the second day of the PG Mutual Cadet & Junior Nationals.
Thomas Rayner and Mari Baldwin were the champions, seizing the initiative in their finals to bring up the biggest achievements of their careers to date.
To continue the theme, fourth seeds Erin Green & Helena Dicken took the Cadet Girls’ Doubles title – Green completed a triumvirate of national champions in her family as her younger twin siblings Connor and Anna had won titles in previous years.
The only competition won by the top seeds was the Cadet Boys’ Doubles, in which Boonyaprapa & Rhys Davies claimed the trophy.
Click here to read the report from the Junior events
All photos by Trevor Parsons – click here to see more on our Flickr page.
Click here to visit the event homepage and see all the results and draws
Visit our YouTube page to watch the weekend’s action
Thomas Rayner
Fourth seed Thomas Rayner imposed his game on top seed Naphong Boonyaprapa to win the title.
Rayner looked determined from the outset and although Boonyaprapa fought hard, the Ormesby player ultimately closed out a 4-2 (11-9, 12-10, 5-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-7) victory.
The champion’s verdict was: “I’m really happy because all the effort and training I’ve done has paid off – all the stuff I’m doing, all the hours I’m doing, is worth it. I’ll keep working hard.
“I wanted to play my game and not let him play his, to get in first and move him around, and also to keep my head and if I went down, to reset.”
Boonyaprapa overcame National Cup champion and his doubles partner Rhys Davies in four straight in his semi-final (6, 7, 10,13), while Rayner battled past second see Louis Price in six, game five the key one in a 4-2 (11-7, 7-11, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10, 11-5) victory.
All the eight seeded players made it through to the quarter-finals, and only three of them dropped any games.
One of them was yesterday’s Junior singles hero Ben Piggott, who looked to be coasting at 3-0 up against Bertie Kelly, only for his opponent to battle back in the next two. Sixth seed Piggott eventually closed it out 4-2 (11-3, 11-7, 11-6, 4-11, 11-13, 11-6).
Seventh seed Jie Fu Tham also ran into a doughty opponent in the shape of Joshua Bruce, who won two deuce games before going down 4-2 (11-2, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 13-15, 11-8).
Second seed Price needed five against Henry Maric-Murray, who was stubborn in the face of a potential 4-0 defeat, winning the fourth 15-13.
The top four seeds then advanced to the semis, though only Rayner managed it in four straight, against Connor Green (3, 12, 4, 9).
It was six games all round in the other three ties. Top seed Boonyaprapa withstood a Piggott comeback to prevail 11-9, 11-8, 12-10, 13-15, 5-11, 11-7) and Davies shook off Tham 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 15-17, 11-7).
The battle of the left-handers saw Price come through against Felix Thomis 7-11, 11-3, 11-9, 6-11, 11-2, 13-11.
Two top-ranked players came a cropper in the groups, and it was Group 8 which featured the closest collection of matches.
Second-ranked Toby Ellis started by defeating the player below him, Joseph Cooper, in a match which went the distance. The final scoreline was 3-2 (6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 11-3) in Ellis’ favour.
Cooper then defeated top-ranked James Hamblett in an even closer five-setter, sealing it 11-5, 7-11, 13-11, 6-11, 12-10. Ellis’ 3-1 (5-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-6) victory over Hamblett then clinched top spot and a place in the main draw.
The other surprise group winner was in Group 6, won by Henry Maric-Murray, who took out the top-ranked Che Goulbourne 3-1 (11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-1).
Adam Dennison beat Harry Yip in three close games (9, 9, 10) to get above him into second place in Group 7, which was won by Ollie Maric-Murray. There was a similar story in Group 1, where No 3 Barney Mindlin defeated No 2 Nathaniel Saunders (9, 10, 9) – Joshua Bruce won the group as expected.
In Group 4, Jake Grayson finished second behind Oliver Cornish thanks to a 3-2 (17-15, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5) victory over Daniel Watkinson – who also lost 3-2 (13-15, 11-2, 8-11, 11-8, 13-11) to Cornish.
In Group 3, Bertie Kelly was the expected winner but Toby Crawcour beat Nicholas Miller 3-1 (5-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-5) to take second place.
And in Group 5, top-ranked Jakub Piwowar had to hold off Dylan Tynan to confirm top spot, prevailing 3-2 (11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-7). Tynan’s victory over Todd Stanmore saw him climb from third to second in the group.
Jake Grayson
Jake Grayson won gold with a remarkable victory over James Hamblett, who three times clawed back after Grayson pulled ahead.
The fourth time Grayson took the lead was, of course, decisive and the final score shows what a back-and-forth tussle it was – 4-3 (11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7).
14-year-old Grayson said: “It feels good. I didn’t come in with any expectations for the tournament. When I ended up in the consolation event, I still thought it was a good challenge and I’m pleased with myself for winning it.”
Hamblett had some battles on his way to the final too, holding off a Toby Crawcour comeback in the first round to win in seven and then himself coming from 3-1 down to defeat Daniel Watkinson in the quarter-finals. His semi-final was a more routine five-setter against Jarvis Lee.
Grayson’s path to the final was smoother, culminating in a five-game victory over Barney Mindlin
Also noteworthy was Lee’s fightback from 3-0 down to beat Todd Stanmore 11-9 in the decider in the first round.
Mari Baldwin
Fourth seed Mari Baldwin came from behind to defeat second seed Anaya Patel in the final to make up for missing out in the doubles earlier in the day.
Patel would have been favourite after the early exit of top seed Ruby Chan, but Baldwin was having none of that as she triumphed 4-2 (11-9, 7-11, 3-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8).
Baldwin said: “The draw didn’t go to plan – it shows what can happen on the day – and I just really wanted it, I guess. It’s my biggest achievement so far.”
Patel had ended the challenge of third seed Millie Rogove in the semi-finals, twice seeing her opponent level the match before pulling clear and ultimately showing her class in an 11-0 sixth game. The final reckoning was 4-2 (11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-9, 11-0).
Baldwin’s semi was a 4-1 (11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-5) success against sixth seed Amy Marriott, who had blown the competition wide open by sinking top seed Ruby Chan in the quarter-finals – and how! It was four straight as Marriott never allowed Chan to lay a glove on her, winning it 8, 9, 3, 8.
Seeds 2, 3, and 4 went safely through – it was also four straight for Patel against Lauren Loosemore and for Rogove against Samadhi Udamulla, while Baldwin beat Erin Green in five.
Earlier, the girls’ competition had almost mirrored the boys’ in terms of all the seeds going through to the quarter-finals. Almost but not quite as, in the last match to finish, Loosemore knocked out seventh seed Kirsty Maull.
It was a fine comeback too as Loosemore recovered from 3-1 down and took the decider 12-10 on her third match point. The final scoreline was 4-3 (8-11, 11-4, 10-12, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, 12-10).
Sixth seed Marriott looked as if she might head out of the competition as well when she trailed Amy Mold 2-0, but Marriott turned it around to win 4-2 (6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-3, 11-9).
The only other seed to be pushed beyond five games was Baldwin, the fourth-ranked player twice trailing Rebecca Savage but finding her game in time to win it 4-2 (9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7).
Three top seeds made an earlier than expected exit, with Anna Green in Group 2 on the wrong end of two 3-2 scorelines.
Her defeat to third-ranked Amy Mold, who came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 (6-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-4, 11-9) ensured Mold, who had earlier beaten Eve Witterick 3-0 (8, 6, 8) took top spot. Witterick then claimed second spot with a 3-2 (2-11, 11-7, 13-11, 6-11, 11-6) win over Green.
In Group 6, top-ranked Megan Jones was defeated by both third-ranked Isobel McGerty and second-ranked Rebecca Savage – it was 3-2 (6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9) to the former and 3-1 (11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 12-10) to the latter. That meant that Savage’s 3-0 (3, 4, 8) victory over McGerty in the group’s first match turned out to be the key result as Savage went through.
Angharad Beman was an unexpected winner of Group 8 as she defeated higher-ranked Niamh Scarborough 3-0 (14-12, 11-6, 11-5).
Group 3 went to countback before it ended according to ranking order. Top-ranked player Amillia Baker was defeated 3-2 (11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10) by third-ranked Abbie Hurley, who had earlier lost 3-0 (8, 11, 4) to second-ranked Anya Milne. It meant Baker needed to beat Milne in order to win the group, which she did 3-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-4).
As expected, Sophie Rinnhofer won Group 8, but Connie Dumelow climbed above Stefania Popa in runners-up spot thanks to a 3-0 (8, 3, 6) victory.
Lauren Loosemore took Group 1 but had to be alert against the group’s No 2 Isabelle Lacorte, who she beat 3-1 (11-5, 12-10, 12-14, 11-6). It was similar in Group 4, where Scarlett O’Neil rubber-stamped top spot by defeating Lucy Vernon 3-1 (11-3, 12-10, 11-13, 12-10).
Group 5 also finished in the expected order but only after the second-ranked player Ella Barnard overcame third-ranked Saskia Key 3-2 (11-0, 7-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6).
Megan Jones took the consolation gold with a 4-2 (11-13, 12-10, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7) victory over Anna Green.
Jones, 13, said: “I didn’t play very well in the groups but I got better as the day went on. When I ended up in the consolation event I didn’t just want to play for no reason, so I did want to win it.”
Green defeated Lucy Vernon in the semis, finally clinching it 13-11 in the sixth, while Jones’ clash with Connie Dumelow was done in four straight.
Naphong Boonyaprapa & Rhys Davies
Top seeds Naphong Boonyaprapa & Rhys Davies justified their billing as they took the title in a tight final against Thomas Rayner & Ben Piggott.
Twice the Ormesby duo led, but could not convert it into victory as Boonyaprapa & Davies clinched it 3-2 (5-11, 11-2, 9-11, 12-10, 11-9).
Davies said: “I was very happy at the end and I thought we played quite a clever game,” while Boonyaprapa added: “We kept our cool even in the hardest fight.”
Rayner & Piggott beat second seeds Louis Price & Connor Green in the semi-finals, recovering from losing the first game to record a 3-1 (11-13, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6) victory.
The top seeds got through at the expense of Joshua Bruce & Olly Cornish and again it was in four (11-5, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9).
Fourth seeds Jie Fu Tham & Felix Thomis exited in the first round, despite appearing to have staved off a crisis when they fought back from 2-0 down to level the match against Harry Yip & Todd Stanmore. But it was the lower-ranked pair who took the decider to complete a 3-2 (11-8, 12-10, 5-11, 4-11, 11-7) victory.
One comeback which did stick was that by Bertie Kelly & Jakub Piwowar, who defeated Che Goulbourne & Jarvis Lee 3-2 (3-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2, 11-6) to set up a quarter-final against the top seeds.
It was the top seeds who prevailed in three straight, while Yip & Stanmore went out in four to Bruce & Cornish.
The other two quarters saw second seeds Price & Green go through in four against Joseph Hunter & James Hamblett and a three-straight win for Rayner & Piggott over the Maric-Murray brothers, Henry & Ollie.
Erin Green & Helena Dicken
It was third time’s a charm for Erin Green & Helena Dicken, who missed match points in both the third and fourth games before finally clinching the title in the fifth.
After Green & Dicken won the first two games, opponents Mari Baldwin & Scarlett O’Neil fought back from 10-8 down in both the next two games to level the score. When it reached 10-8 in the fifth, it was a case of déjà vu for the scoreline but not the outcome as the fourth seeds finally got over the line 3-2 (14-12, 11-3, 11-13, 13-15, 11-8).
Both semi-finals went to five and saw the lower-ranked pairs get through. Green & Dicken ended the competition for top seeds Ruby Chan & Anaya Patel (9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7), while third seeds Baldwin & O’Neil sunk second seeds Millie Rogove & Samadhi Udamulla (6-11, 12-10, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9).
Green said: “It’s amazing, I’m so happy. At the start of the day we knew we would have a tough match against Ruby and Anaya but after that we knew there was a chance.
“The final was a bit frustrating but we took a timeout in the fifth and I decided to just go for the open-ups or we weren’t going to win.”
Dicken added: “At the start of the competition we knew we could have a chance. The final was tough and hard work but the key was just to believe that you can win. It’s my biggest achievement by far.”
The three first-round ties produced one match which went the distance and saw a comeback nipped in the bud by Rebecca Savage & Eve Witterick, who defeated Anna Green & Isabelle Lacorte 3-2 (12-10, 11-4, 10-12, 8-11, 12-10).
Savage & Witterick went out in the quarters in four games to Baldwin & O’Neil, while it was three straight for top seeds Chan & Patel against Amillia Baker & Kirsty Maull, and for fourth seeds Green & Dicken against Megan Jones & Anya Milne.
Completing the set of the top four pairings getting through to the semi-finals were second seeds Rogove & Udamulla, but it took an impressive comeback against Amy Marriot & Angharad Beman, who led 2-0 before the higher-ranked pair made it through 3-2 (8-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-6).
Author: Paul Stimpson via Table Tennis England
Article Published: Sunday 12th May 2019
[See Original Article]
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Kansas: The baffling disappearance of Randy Leach
This we know. Randy Leach, a teenager from Leavenworth County vanished in the early hours of April 16, 1988. Nearly 3 decades later, not much else is known. There are plenty of clues, theories, and rumors but not enough pieces of the puzzle to answer the question; where’s Randy?
April 15, 1988, Randy left that Friday night in his mother’s car. Spotted at a Linwood convenient store, he seemed fine. An hour later around 10, he arrived at a party where witnesses said he didn’t seem fine. Randy seemed messed-up when he arrived and later investigative records indicate a man admitted he smoked randy up about 2 hours before the party. A lot of stories but little clarity. Various witnesses later claimed Randy couldn’t walk. Last seen around 2 am that Saturday, he vanished into a dark night full of even darker tales. The next morning it dawned on Randy’s parents that their son had not made it home. An early morning dash to the party scene only fueled their angst. No sign of Randy and they believed the Leavenworth County Sherrif’s office treated him as a runaway. The Leaches worried the detectives delayed talking to classmates at the party. The records confirmed that the detectives waited for 5 weeks to search the scene.
And the rumors, possible Randy sightings, satanic worship, and drugs in the area. 6 months after Randy vanished, one man told Edwardsville police “he was abducted and taken into a Leavenworth County cave where he saw a male nude body hanging. He believed it was a satanic sacrifice and thought at the time that it might be Randy Leach. While he admitted to being high, records show he passed the lie-detecting test 3 times. Days later, Edwardsville police with the help of a satanic expert were ready to search that cave but police reports revealed: “Leavenworth County threatened to arrest them if they did.” It was another 2 years before Leavenworth County and KBI investigators searched the cave telling the Leaches “they had found nothing.”
And then there’s the foot, found along the Kansas river almost a year after Randy disappeared coincidentally found by one of the party-goers who last saw him. “A foot in a white low-cut tennis shoe,” the description record reveal of the shoe that Randy wore the night he disappeared. What really happened that night, we may never know the truth.
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Worldwide icon-chevron-right North America icon-chevron-right United States icon-chevron-right New York State icon-chevron-right New York icon-chevron-right Our favorite albums of 2018
Our favorite albums of 2018
Here are the best things we heard this year from heady psych-rock to shimmery country-pop
By Time Out editors and edited by Andrew Frisicano | Posted: Friday December 21 2018
It was a good year for music. Was it a good year for music? Judging by the 16 albums our editors cited as their favorites, we'd say yes. From hip-hop to indie rock to flamenco, there was plenty to immerse yourself in. And this is, of course, just a sampling of 2018's worthwhile releases, but it should be a good start if you've been feeling stuck on repeat. (And make sure to scroll down for the playlist.)
There’s a Riot Going On, Yo La Tengo
No record challenged me to slow down and listen as much as There’s a Riot Going On, which juxtaposes its political title (a Sly & the Family Stone callback) with softly sung indie rock and spare, ambient interludes. The NYC-area trio has been playing together for three decades, and its 14th album is a testament to the simple rewards that come with patience. In a chaotic year—decade, life—this album’s monumentally gentle songs act like medicine.—Andrew Frisicano
Ultraviolet, Kelly Moran
While the New York–based composer painstakingly arranged each note on last year’s excellent Bloodroot, Ultraviolet finds Moran drawing from instinct, with songs that emerged from fluid improvisations. The album augments her prepared-piano explorations with collaborator Oneohtrix Point Never’s electronic flourishes and taps into a sonic flow that is breathtakingly transportive.—Ro S
Care for Me, Saba
Grappling with the sudden death of his cousin and collaborator, Walter Long Jr., Chicago rapper Saba confronts his grief throughout Care for Me, but the record doesn’t get lost in the darkness of despair. Spinning dense remembrances of his time with Long, Saba eulogizes his fallen comrade atop jazz-inflected beats while recognizing his own mortality, too. In a world where it’s easy to be haunted by the digital presence of the departed, Saba creates an intimate document that’s worth revisiting for both the stoic wisdom it imparts and the raw memories it preserves.—Zach Long
Daytona, Pusha T
The veteran rapper hadn’t released an album since 2015, so fans weren’t just hungry—they were damn near starving. Thankfully, Daytona satiated on every single level. The album benefited from Kanye West’s expert production (without Ye’s exhausting tornado of media bullshit), and captured Pusha T at his most lyrically agile in years. There’s no wasted space on the tight, seven-track record, which didn’t declare “I’m back!” so much as “I never really left.”—Ryan Pfeffer
Celeste (Original Soundtrack), Lena Raine
Celeste is a video game about climbing a mountain that reaffirms the sense of progress to be found in failure, but you don’t need to pick up a controller to relate to its anxiety-ridden score. Raine’s synth sequences are full of criss-crossing arpeggios that, like the game’s mirror motif, are persistently reprised and rephrased to highlight the balance of light and dark. Multipart suite “Resurrections” floats through a lucid dream state with a creeping sense of foreboding that spirals into a nervous, baroque squelch, only to crash into a delicate piano coda that ultimately brings—deep breath—hope.—Michael Juliano
Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves
The East Texas singer is a prism of talent: She has the voice of an angel and is one of the sharpest songwriters working today. Her third album, Golden Hour, invokes the light that shines upon her, casting rainbows around you with every listen. It’s a country-pop record (with a dash of twang) that encapsulates those short-but-sweet, life-affirming instances of gratitude for not only the beauty but also the pain that got you through.—Jennifer Picht
El mal querer, Rosalía
Spanish singer Rosalía's vision coheres into razor sharp focus on her latest effort: an elegant fusion of her classical training in flamenco and modern pop sensibilities. Winding as easily between handclaps and nylon-stringed guitar as Justin Timberlake samples and reggaeton beats, she crafts an immensely unique and evocative style here—one both rooted in the local specifics of her Andalusian history and generative of new futures with universal appeal.—Ro S
Ye, Kanye West / K.T.S.E., Teyana Taylor
Admittedly, I love Kanye as much as Kanye loves Kanye—especially when he puts on his producer hat. Few artists can layer samples as flawlessly as Yeezy, so, expectedly, my picks for best albums of 2018 go to two of the five (!!) he produced this year: Ye and Teyana Taylor’s K.T.S.E. Even the lyrically challenged Ye (it lacked his usual sharpness) benefits from hook after hook, particularly on “Ghost Town,” the poignant segue track to his Kid Cudi collab, Kids See Ghost. Yeezy reined it considerably on K.T.S.E. with sexy ballads that transfix in a different way—lest we forget the ballroom anthem “W.T.P.” The man knows how to cut a track.—Virginia Gil
Bottle It In, Kurt Vile
On Bottle It In, Kurt Vile pulls back those wavy locks, peels open his head and lets us inside a rock n' roll philosophy similar to the title of the album’s sixth track: “Rollin With the Flow.” Sprinkled with all the rollicking guitar licks he does so well, Vile rolls around in songs that feel like those first few moments of consciousness when you wake up in the morning, before your eyes can focus on anything in particular. But it’s okay if things are a little blurry, Bottle It In assures its listener. Just tune out the noise and float.—Ryan Pfeffer
Sparkle Hard, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
Sparkle Hard may not pack many surprises, but in a world that’s spinning backwards there’s a comfort to Stephen Malkmus’s consistently excellent and gradually maturing post-Pavement output. Malkmus’s penchant for fuzz is on display in the opening crunch of “Cast Off,” but it’s his sweet melodies that make Sparkle Hard a standout. “Middle America” ruminates on aging, #MeToo and grasping for attention in the social media age, all wrapped in an earnest hook that stands with Pavement's classics.—Michael Juliano
More Blood, More Tracks, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan has always asserted that Blood on the Tracks’ masterfully messy lyrics weren’t autobiographical. But that sounds even more like nonsense after listening to the single-disc version of this exhaustive bootleg compilation, which manages to make the pored-over classic sound new again. These unearthed 1974 early cuts avoid the final pressing’s overly slick studio sound and hurried pace in favor of the intimate coffee house aesthetic of Dylan’s heyday. The stark, mostly acoustic arrangements prove a better match for Dylan’s gut-punch confessions of a crumbling marriage, most dramatically on the wrenching “You’re A Big Girl Now.”—Michael Juliano
Double Negative, Low
Strewn with burst of distortion and digital artifacts, the latest album from indie rock veterans Low seems to channel the sonic chaos of a malfunctioning set of AirPods. The result of two years spent deconstructing songs in the studio, Double Negative surrounds the pristine harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker with warped arrangements that routinely obscure the group’s slow-burning melodies. It may seem like a daring direction to take, but after a quarter century of making music, Low is uniquely equipped to harness the beauty that hides amid mayhem.—Zach Long
All Melody, Nils Frahm
Not quite neoclassical and not quite techno, pianist and composer Nils Frahm’s sprawling brand of instrumental music finds a meditative middle ground between old and new. Blending grand pianos, analog synthesizers and a custom-built pipe organ fed through a vintage reverb chamber (a perk of recording in a ‘50s radio studio), Frahm carefully sculpts the sounds that populate All Melody, finding emotional resonance in painstakingly layered tones. “This is the record I was dreaming of my whole life,” Frahm told us earlier this year, which explains the sense of intention behind every note.—Zach Long
Isolation, Kali Uchis
The Colombian-American singer's debut album changes lanes nearly every song, skipping between Winehouse-ian soul, Lana-like ice balladry, Robynesque disco-pop, au currant reggaeton and slinky retro-funk. But instead of coming off disjointed, the album is held together with her unique magnetism. The songwriting is tight and the melodies are catchy, bolstered by the artist's mix of swagger and vulnerability. With guest spots from Jorja Smith, Reykon, the Internet's Steve Lacy, Tyler the Creator and P-Funk legend Bootsy Collins, Isolation plays like a mixtape made by your most plugged-in friend.—Andrew Frisicano
Masana Temples, Kikagaku Moyo
Japanese five-piece Kikagaku Moyo are one of the most skilled and loyal psychedelic-rock devotees playing at the moment. With Masana Temples, the troupe has crafted a pristine studio nugget of wide-screen guitar grooves. What they lack in wildness, the band makes up for in precision, dynamics and composition; the record's cinematic pans and wah-pedal swooshes are layered with care and love.—Andrew Frisicano
Listen to songs from our favorite albums of 2018
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Lafayette Ballot Question 2C: Initiative and…
Lafayette Ballot Question 2C: Initiative and referendum process amendment
By Colorado Hometown Weekly |
PUBLISHED: October 10, 2019 at 6:00 am | UPDATED: October 12, 2019 at 2:41 pm
What it asks: “Shall the initiative and referendum procedures in Chapter VII of the Lafayette Home Rule Charter be amended to provide that State laws regarding municipal initiative and referendum procedures shall apply to city initiatives and referenda, while retaining existing Charter provisions regarding the minimum number of signatures required to be submitted with an initiative or referendum petition?”
What it means: Lafayette’s rules governing municipal and referendum procedures would be brought into line with state laws, while the number of signatures required to be submitted with an initiative referendum petition would not change. Lafayette’s requirements are that an initiative petition must have signatures from at least 10% of the people who were registered electors at the date the petition was legally noticed. To trigger a referendum, there must be signatures from at least 10% of the number of people who were registered electors as of the date of the final publication of that ordinance.
What supporters say: Because Lafayette coordinates its elections with state elections, it makes sense to update its Home Rule Charter as it applies to elections so the city and state are aligned, so the city’s elections run as smoothly as possible. Also, if the state were to change its minimum requirements for initiative and referendum signatures, the city’s requirements would remain in place.
What opponents say: There is no known opposition.
Boulder County restructures departments to streamline services, focus resources
How they voted: Longmont-area congressional votes for Jan. 10-16
Rep. Joe Neguse to address “State of the District” in Boulder
Cash flows in for CU regent candidates
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Church's anti-porn signs spark questions, concerns from Florida residents
Jesus Church hopes warnings raise awareness
By: Ryan Smith
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A church's public warning against porn addiction is sparking questions and concerns among drivers in Florida.
Tia Yadav did a double take this week driving home from work with her kids on Fishhawk Boulevard in Lithia, Florida.
"It's giving a wrong message to the younger children because it's introducing them to a topic that they, I don't feel they're ready for it," said Yadav. "I hope parents can see where I'm coming from."
A road sign reads "Break Free of Porn.com." A viewer sent a picture of another sign at Brooker Road and Valrico Road.
The website is linked to Jesus Church, located in Riverview, Florida. Lead pastor Karl House says it's an important message as his group offers men a 10-week course in battling porn addiction.
"We thank these parents for their concern for their kids," said House. "We are concerned too. Shockingly, researchers are saying that the average age that kids are being exposed to porn is now 11. I would like to think that our group is a real ally to these concerned parents and their families. We have seen marriages restored, fathers reengaged with their kids and young men walking in integrity. The road signs are meant to be clear. We hope we can continue to display them to clearly get the word out that people can break free of porn."
Yadav and other parents said displaying "porn" on signs in several public areas across the county may cause children to research the word on their own.
"Kids who are getting a little bit older, like 8, 9, and 10 might be very curious and they might just go online and look for it," said Yadav.
WFTS reached out to Hillsborough County officials to find out if the church's signs are approved for display, but have yet to hear back.
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Vietnam’s first ethical elephant tours launch
Yok Don national park has stopped offering elephant rides and now encourages travellers to see elephants in their natural habitat
Antonia Wilson
Tue 23 Oct 2018 10.42 EDT Last modified on Tue 23 Oct 2018 12.21 EDT
Model behaviour … the new scheme will let tourists observe elephants in their natural habitat. Photograph: Alamy
Amid growing global condemnation of elephant riding as a tourist activity, Yok Don national park in southern Vietnam has ended the practice and replaced it with the first ethical elephant experience of its kind in the country.
The formally captive group of four elephants were released from their chains earlier this month and no longer carry tourists on rides through the park. Visitors can instead observe the animals roaming freely in their natural habitat.
Previously, the Yok Don elephants, like many around the country, were chained up for extended periods of time, often without access to water. They were harnessed with heavy riding baskets, sometimes carrying tourists around the park for nine hours a day.
The largest of Vietnam’s nature reserves, Yok Don is in southern Vietnam near the Cambodian border, and is home to other wildlife, including leopards, red wolves, muntjac deer, monkeys and snakes.
The park worked on the initiative with Animals Asia, which campaigns for long-term changes in animal welfare and tourism in China and Vietnam. The official agreement between the charity and the state-run park was signed on 13 July, and runs until April 2023, with the first tours taking place earlier this month. Over the next five years, it is hoped that the new model will provide as much or even more revenue for owners as riding, and encourage mahouts and elephant tourism companies to follow suit.
“This project has entirely changed the lives of the elephants at the park and it is also provides a much better experience for the tourists. Exploitation has been replaced with respect, and if successful it’s a model we could see spread across the country,” said Dionne Slagter, Animals Asia’s animal welfare manager. “They all look so much healthier and are increasingly confident in how far they roam.”
The group of retired elephants includes three females, Bun Kham, Y’Khun and H’Non, and one bull, Thong Ngan. The elephants are also now able to form bonds with one another, and are beginning to the display the naturally complex social and emotional behaviour that herds would in the wild.
Yok Don’s elephants are now healthier and more confident. Photograph: Alamy
To help with the transition, UK charity Olsen Animal Trust provided funding to to cover any initial losses, allowing the park to continue employing mahouts and guides to help ensure safety.
Awareness of the negative effects of elephant riding has increased in recent years, with a growing number of tourists avoiding cruel attractions and supporting welfare centres and genuine sanctuaries instead, alongside an increasing number of tour operators refusing to sell elephant treks that include riding.
Many of the elephants used in riding and other activities, such as painting or performing tricks, will have been caught from the wild as babies, their mothers often killed. Once captured, they often undergo intensive conditioning known as “crushing the spirit”, where they are kept in tiny pens and beaten and starved, sometimes for weeks.
In Vietnam, the number of elephants in the wild is estimated to be as low as 65 to 95, which conservationists say is not viable for survival. Numbers have declined dramatically over the past few decades, from an estimated 2,000 in the 1980s. Vietnam’s elephant riding industry also made headlines in 2015, when several animals died from exhaustion. Campaigners and charities hope to continue to educate the industry around the world, and show how profitable ethical elephant experiences, with retired and rescued animals, can be instead.
Responsible Travel has said it will consider adding the new Yok Don tour to their list of ethical elephant experiences – this would be the first in Vietnam to be included.
Ethical holidays
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Published: 8 Nov 2018
Will giant cruise ships destroy the wonders their passengers claim to love?
Rowan Moore
Published: 5 Aug 2018
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Ghost Stories and Tall Tales of the American South
Home / Audio Short Stories / The Town Without Death
The Town Without Death
Spooky Appalachian ghost story of a mountain traveler, stunned by the death of his wife, who stumbles across a strange mountain town with a horrifying secret. Written by Craig Dominey and told by Lanny Gilbert.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/themoonlitroad/TMRP_44_091513.mp3
They say that death, like love, is careless in its choosing. Everyone will be visited by death eventually, from the most ruthless tyrant to the kindest soul on Earth. And that’s just what Sam Dylan was – a kindhearted and gentle young farmer who everyone agreed deserved nothing but the best in life.
Back in the olden days, Sam lived with his childhood sweetheart Marie on a hillside farm deep in the hollows of eastern Kentucky. Sam had loved no one but Marie since he was a boy, and when they finally got to marrying age, Sam immediately made her his bride. They could barely eke out a living on their rocky farmland, but they rarely complained. After all, the only thing they felt they really needed in life was each other.
But in those times, the coming of winter brought sickness and death to many folks deep in the hills. And the first winter after their marriage, Marie came down with a bad fever, which grew worse by the day. Sam watched with anguish as his longtime love slowly slipped away from him. And one sad morning, Marie never woke up from her sleep.
Sam’s neighbors buried Marie in a small, windswept cemetery high above the town. But Sam knew he could no longer live in that town without Marie. For it was filled with so many memories of their life together. So Sam sold his farm, stuffed the bare essentials into a tattered canvas bag, mounted his horse and rode far away from his home, never to return.
Sam rode over and through the high, treacherous mountains, his overwhelming grief driving him forward into strange lands he’d never seen. The dirt roads gave way to wild, untamed forests. Strange creatures chattered and shrieked from behind the dark trees. Gentle creeks gave way to raging, dangerous rivers. After a few weeks, Sam finally got tired of being alone, and wanted human companionship again.
One day, Sam fought his way through the thick brush and found himself standing on a ledge overlooking a beautiful valley. And nestled in that valley was a pretty mountain village, with its freshly painted houses, lush fields and gardens, and a clean, sparkling stream flowing through the center of town. A hand-painted sign beside the road read: “Town of Burning Creek. Welcome to All!”
Sam rode into the village and looked around. It had everything a mountain town in those times typically had: a church, a mercantile store, a restaurant and a small hotel. But Sam was surprised to find that Burning Creek was missing one key feature. So he rode up to one of the townspeople and asked out of curiosity: “Excuse me sir, can you tell me where the cemetery is?”
The man, who Sam noticed looked extremely tan, healthy and strong, let out a hearty laugh and answered, “There’s no cemetery here. Ain’t no need for one.”
“Why’s that?” Sam asked, surprised at his answer.
“‘Cause there ain’t no death here in Burning Creek, that’s why. We’re all too happy and healthy to die.”
The man then pointed at the stream. “You see that water there? It’s filled with special minerals that come outta old Indian caves.” He then pointed at the thick forest surrounding them. “You see them woods? They’re filled with wild game – the biggest and healthiest critters you’ve ever seen. No one goes hungry here, and no one gets sick. And no one dies.”
The jolly man then looked over Sam’s thin, malnourished frame and said, “Son, it looks like you could use a good meal. Why don’t you come down to the restaurant tonight for supper? They’ll be plenty for you to eat, I promise.”
Well needless to say, Sam had never heard such a crazy story in all his life. But his rumbling stomach convinced him to look over this minor quibble and accept the man’s offer.
Later that evening, Sam cleaned up and went down to the restaurant. Sure enough, it was just as the jolly man told him it would be. The tables were overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses and bread. And the sweet smell of glazed, cooked meat filled the air. Sam dug ravenously into a huge, steaming plate of cooked game, the juicy meat just falling off the bones and melting in his mouth. He had never tasted meat so delicious in his life. Sam ate so much that night he nearly passed out. So he decided to make Burning Creek his new home, at least for the time being.
The next day, he found a job as a farmhand on a large cattle farm at the edge of the forest. Each night after a hard days work, he’d go back to the restaurant and devour giant helpings of that steaming, delicious game. Then he’d stagger back to this employer’s farm, his belly hanging over his pants, and pass out in the barn loft.
And as time passed, Sam started to believe the story he was told – that there really was no death in Burning Creek. Everyone seemed healthy and fit. No one appeared to be old or sick. He thought maybe in his long travels, he had stumbled across Heaven itself.
But on some nights, a strange thing would happen that would awaken Sam from his deep slumber. He would hear strange sounds drifting from the dark woods surrounding the farm. At first, he only heard the sounds of the night crickets as they called out to one another. Sometimes he would hear the howl of a wolf, or the low hoot of a mountain owl. But then he would hear something else, something that sounded like – whispers. Numerous whispering voices drifting from the blackness, in a hushed conversation Sam could not understand. They would then drift away, and Sam would return to his slumber.
And so each day was just like the last. Sam worked hard on the farm, and then would head to the restaurant for another massive dinner. And as the weeks passed, Sam’s thin physique began to grow more and more plump. He simply couldn’t stop himself from eating that delicious food. But when he would return to the barn at night, he’d awaken to that same strange sound. Eerie, unintelligible whispers drifting from the darkness, growling louder as they surrounded him, then vanishing as quickly as they came. Sam figured something in that food was giving him crazy dreams, but it seemed a small price to pay.
Sam followed this same routine day after day until he turned into quite a chubby man. It took all his strength just to do the simple farm chores he had done so many times before. Rivers of sweat would pour down his shirt, and he constantly had to plop down under a shady tree and rest, his chest heaving with each pained breath.
One night, he was awoken again by whispering, but this time the voices weren’t coming from the woods. He looked out the window and saw a light on in the farmhouse kitchen. Through the curtain, he saw the shadows of three men sitting around the table. It was quite unusual for his boss to be up so late at night – and with company, no less. Curious, Sam crept out of the barn and over to the window, eavesdropping on the hushed conversation inside.
“That boy’s getting sicker every day,” he heard his boss say. “We wait much longer, he’ll be too sickly for us to eat.”
“He’s gotten plenty big by now,” said another. “You seen the size of him lately? We’ll get two, maybe three, good meals out of him.”
“Just lookin’ at him work them fields makes me hungry,” answered another.
Sam’s boss then replied, “Alright then, I’ll kill him tomorrow. But you boys gotta help me out this time. I ain’t stayin’ up all night cookin’ him like I did the last one.”
Sam’s stomach turned, his head spinning so hard he had to lean against the house. Now he knew why there wasn’t a graveyard in Burning Creek. He had been eating the bodies of the dead. And what’s worse, he was next!
Sam felt sickness building in his throat, but knew he had no choice but to run away into the night. He left his belongings behind and charged straight into the forest, staggering blindly in the darkness, the tree limbs scratching and clawing at his face. For what seemed like hours, he huffed and puffed through the woods until he could take no more. He collapsed under a tree, his heart pounding in his ears.
As the forest grew still around him, he began to hear the whispering again. The same voices he had heard each night in the barn. The whispers grew louder and louder, seemingly surrounding him. And as he listened close, he could finally make out what they were saying:
“Dig us a grave. Dig us a grave. Dig us a grave.”
It was then that the bright moon shone though the trees, and in that moonlight Sam saw a sight that chilled his blood. The woods were strewn with human bones, hundreds of them – skulls, rib cages, arms, legs, fingers and toes. Maybe they were wayward travelers like Sam, picked clean of their flesh by the human vultures of Burning Creek. And their whispers grew even louder:
Well, like I said, Sam was a kindhearted man. He was terrified, exhausted and sick to his stomach, but he also knew he had a job to do. So he found a large rock and dug a crude grave. For hours he worked, his hands cut and bleeding. He then gingerly lowered every bone he could find into that pit, and shoveled the dirt back on top.
Sure enough, as he kicked the last bit of dirt over that grave, the loud whispering suddenly stopped, and the night was quiet again. Sam then continued running into the woods and vanished into the night.
A few days later, Sam stumbled across a small mining town. He immediately found the sheriff and told him the hideous story. At first the sheriff thought Sam was crazy, but he had heard stories in the past of travelers who had ridden in the direction of Burning Creek, never to return. So he agreed to lead a posse over to Burning Creek to check things out, with Sam leading the way.
When the sheriff’s posse finally arrived in Burning Creek, they found the streets eerily quiet and empty. “Hello!” they called out, but no one answered. They then walked over to the restaurant and opened the door with a loud creak.
What awaited them inside was a ghastly sight. It was a dinner party that had suddenly been frozen in time. The tables were filled with smelly, rotting food, with flies and rodents feasting on the remains. Sitting frozen in the chairs were the dead citizens of Burning Creek, their faces twisted in agonizing pain, the skin on their skeletal corpses marked with hideous purple blotches. The sheriff turned to Sam and said, “Them people got poisoned. Real bad poison.” He then picked up a piece of rotten meat and said, “Maybe it was somethin’ they ate.”
That story was good enough for the sheriff. To stop the spread of disease, they wheeled away the bodies and buried them in a mass grave, giving Burning Creek its first real cemetery.
But Sam knew something else had happened. By giving the poor souls scattered throughout the woods a proper burial, he had freed their spirits from eternal torment. And before those spirits traveled to their final resting place, they got their revenge on the citizens of Burning Creek.
Sam eventually found another town to live in – one with a prominent cemetery on a hillside overlooking the town. A constant reminder for Sam that there really was no escape from death, and that life must be lived to the fullest each day.
– THE END –
Story Credits | Story Background
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Tags: Appalachian, Kentucky
27 Responses to “The Town Without Death”
Michelle:
This is a very good one, the story telling is excellent. I can honestly say that this was the scariest one I’ve read so far ( I just came across this site today).
Melody Christine:
That was a very, very creepy story…creepy and disturbing. A good story though.
Mary:
Wonder what happend to the town afterwords?
Jeannetta:
Craig Dominey has outdone himself! This tale is chilling and creepy. I enjoyed every minute of it.
Heathir:
What a chilling story!
Fantastic site.
Angel:
Wow this is so creepy, but in a good way. Chilling, creepy, and a good scary story.
Joyce:
A great story for a cold and chilly night!
M.G.G:
all i can say is a… WOW! (it’s beyond my words)
ugh i just threw up (im home with a stomach virus) and man ths story so creepy im frightened ill have to again :-O
I find this story very entertaining and well-thought; I was wondering though, had Sam completely forgotten about Marie over those long, hard journeys? After all, if he felt Burning Creek may be heaven, surely he’d think about finding Marie there? Just a thought. It would also be nice if Sam found another lovely woman to remarry after his horrible incident, though.
ronell:
What a really good tory one of the best!
Toby:
I loved it. Let’s have more like it!
Juliana:
I agree; chilling but a very fine read.
Greg:
Great read. I happen to be a paranormal researcher myself. Real interesting stuff.
themoonlitroad:
No I’m not the author of that site.
pics, or it didnt happen.
Cutie Queen:
Omg I love that story read it at my slumber party no one could sleep! Good job keep it up luv ya! Ohh I read other ones at my slumber party too and we have read better ones, but one of mg favorites!
Well, this story was chilling and gruesome enough without the supernatural element (which served to make the ending fulfilling too, because righteous vengeance was done).
Also, despite the horrors poor Sam had to endure at Burning Creek, the ordeal ironically seemed to do him more personal good than harm, teaching him to live life to the fullest. Of course, Sam also appears to be more sensible than many people, who’d choose to cling to unpleasant memories rather than learn from them and move on.
I was very curious about the story’s background/inspiration, and followed those traditional stories from the link of cannibalistic tales. I found those stories were very intriguing, too…it made me wonder if those legends were based on true accounts.
I’ve recall in my ethics class (about relative morality) a passage about two different cultures that treat their dead differently: One culture burns the body of the recently deceased (close to ours), while another eats the body of their deceased (immediate family members included). What’s funny was that both cultures were apparently equally horrified by each others’ practices regarding the dead.
Sorry, just thought I’d share.
Big Fish, anyone? I mean, really?
Big Fish? Um, no. The story was based on several folktales written long before that movie.
jonesee:
Just a typo fix. It says Burning Creek then it says Burning Springs. FYI.
Thanks buddy, fixed!
Wow. The perfect story for a cool October night. Creepy. Loved it.
sidd:
Jose Prado:
soltesz » A Town Without Death:
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Strachan Proud Of Youngsters
Gavin Strachan was full of praise for his young side after they stood up a big test against Hull City.
The opposition were a Premier League side. The weather conditions were horrendous with wind and rain howling around North Ferriby's stadium. Posh stood up to both tests and passed with flying colours.
Goals from Tom Conlon and Regan Carthey earned a 2-1 win, preserved with some excellent defending and top goalkeeping from Luke O'Reilly.
Posh will now face Premier League giants Arsenal at London Road in the next round and manager Strachan was proud of his players for their efforts.
'I am proud of the players. The weather was awful in the first period, but it got much worse in the second half and we were up against it but the lads really stood up to that challenge. I am really pleased because we played some good football, particularly in the first half.
'I say to the players regularly that everything is a test. It was a test to play at Molineux against Wolverhampton Wanderers and it was a different kind of test against Hull because of the surroundings and the conditions.
'We have another massive test against Arsenal, but we look forward to it. What the win over Hull highlighted is the strength in depth we have in the squad because players were missing.
'We had some good performances, I thought Luke O'Reilly was excellent. He made a world class save in the first half and dealt with a lot of high balls and back passes in horrible conditions. I am very proud of the players tonight,' Strachan said.
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HOUSE OF HORRORS
Mum’s hell at being raped weekly by her husband including in the kitchen in front of their children
Holly Christodoulou
A MUM has revealed her torment after being raped weekly by her monster husband in front of their five children.
Jane Hanmore, 35, was repeatedly attacked by Brian Hanmore, 40, in a ten-year campaign of abuse in their house of horrors.
Jane Hanmore has revealed how her husband raped her weekly for ten yearsCredit: HotSpot Media
Brian Hanmore has now been caged for ten yearsCredit: HotSpot Media
The fiend branded his wife "fat" and "lazy" and would put his hands around her throat, verbally abuse her and pull her hair.
Jane has now bravely waived her anonymity to speak out about the horrific abuse after Hanmore was last year caged for ten years in Bournemouth.
She told The Sun Online: "I’m speaking out to show others that you can rebuild your life after abuse.
“It’s never too late to escape and get justice.”
Jane's nightmare ordeal began in 2001 when Hanmore began hurling vile insults at her just months after they first met.
But when their first child was just five months old, the monster raped her for the first time after Jane refused to have sex with him.
Jane was first raped by Hanmore just five months after their first child was bornCredit: HotSpot Media
Jane was left feeling "ashamed and disgusting" but the attack was the first in a ten-year hell that saw Hanmore rape his wife even when their five children walked in the room.
Jane said: "I could never escape. One day the children walked into the kitchen as Brian was raping me while I stood at the sink and when they asked why I was crying, I lied and said I’d cut my finger.
“Then I told them to go back into the living room as he carried on.
“I was too scared to tell anyone, and Brian made me feel that no one would believe me.”
In 2012, Jane finally plucked up the courage to order Hanmore to leave - but even living under a separate roof didn't stop the mental and physical torture.
The thug refused to leave Jane alone- breaking into her house and bombarding her with phonecalls.
Even when the mum got a non-molestation order against her husband, he constantly breached it and carried out savage attacks on Jane.
She said: "One day Brian walked into my house and refused to leave.
“He threw me to the ground, strangled me then dragged me into the living room by my hair.
Jane is now trying to move on her with her lifeCredit: HotSpot Media
“Luckily, two of my sons who were 12 and 14, heard my screams and rushed to my rescue. One called the police.
“They helped me get him out and lock the front door.”
Hanmore was arrested and admitted breaching the order and assault by beating - but he continued to ring Jane dozens of times a day.
After reaching breaking point, Jane bravely called police and told them about the ten years of abuse she had suffered at the hands of her husband.
In 2018, Hanmore was caged for ten years after admitting five counts of rape at Bournemouth Crown Court.
Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Fuller QC said: "This is humiliation of a kind which is exceptional."
Jane is now trying to move on with her life and hopes by speaking out, she can persuade other victims to do the same.
She said: "I’m relieved that I’m safe from Brian’s clutches, but I wish he’d been jailed for longer.
“I am still rebuilding my life.
“Please speak out if you’re being abused– these men need to be exposed to the world for the monsters they truly are.”
Hanmore admitted raping Jane at Bournemouth Crown CourtCredit: HotSpot Media
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Freight as Passenger Rail’s Worst Enemy — Or Something Else?
» The American freight rail system is often cited as a world model that must be protected from the intrusion of passenger rail networks. But comparisons with passenger-heavy Europe are not as meaningful as have been suggested.
Among those who argue against the public funding of improved intercity passenger rail in the United States, the notion that such improvements would reduce the viability of the freight rail system is frequently cited. The argument goes like this: Passenger and freight rail are in competition for the same infrastructure, so encouraging people to ride the trains would make it more difficult to transport their goods. The end result could be a minor improvement in passenger mode share towards the railways and a significant mode shift of freight away from the railways, to the highways.
The American freight rail network, it is argued, is one of the best in the world, able to move more goods over a longer distance than trucking can, partially because in most of the country, rail passenger services are basically nonexistent. The decreasing use of intercity passenger rail in the second half of the 20th Century appeared to correspond with an increase in freight by train.
Similarly, the comparison with Europe, where passenger rail has a far higher mode share, seems particularly informing: There, rail accounts for less than ten percent of freight ton-miles, compared to 38 percent in the U.S., according to a 2005 Harvard study by Jose Manuel Vassallo and Mark Fagan. Since 1995, the rail share for freight in Europe has declined from 20 to 17% while it has increased from 33 to 38% in the U.S. The European emphasis on passenger rail suggests a negative influence on freight rail, which implies that if the U.S. wants to maintain its freight system, further investments in passenger networks could be counterproductive.
Yet a closer read of the available data suggests that this story is specious. Though trucking accounts for a larger percentage of freight shipments in Europe, the U.S. actually moves a larger amount of goods (by ton-mile) by road than its European peers (1.7 million ton-miles versus 1.3 million), despite having a smaller population (310 million vs 380 million). How can this be? In order to consume what we consume, Americans rely on goods that are moved longer distances. And U.S. inhabitants are also larger consumers of material goods that require shipping; indeed, the country’s 6.5 million annual ton-miles of freight dwarf the 3.1 million in Europe.
Most significant perhaps is the American reliance on coal as an energy source; it accounts for almost half of overall power production in this country, compared to about 16% in Europe overall (and even less in some countries like France and Spain). Related is the fact that Europeans simply consume less energy — less than half as much on a per-capita basis and almost as little even in the wealthiest countries like Germany. For historical and logistical reasons, coal can be moved more efficiently by train, which explains a large share of the difference between American and European freight transport patterns. The coal moved by American railroads alone — about 1.5 million ton-miles, representing 23% of American goods movement — is equivalent to about half of all European freight shipments, according to the Harvard study, based on 2000 information.
More recent data suggests that the emphasis of American freight railroads on coal shipments has only become more pronounced, accounting for 47% of tons moved on the railways in 2007. Wyoming, of all states, is the leading state for outbound shipments of freight… because of the coal that originates there.
So the U.S. reliance on an incredibly polluting, inefficient power source has upped the use of trains for freight. But that is no success story in itself, since renewable forms of power production require no forms of material movement to and from production facilities. Less transportation — if not needed — is more efficacy from an economic and environmental perspective.
The Harvard report also indicates that the fact that European rail networks are sometimes not interoperable — Spain and France, for instance, have differing track gauges — structurally reduces the appeal of shipping freight by train, even though trucking is quite expensive (because of relatively high fuel taxes and frequent tolls). The ease of moving goods on the European coast means far more goods there move on the sea than in the U.S.
Thus this data does not demonstrate that Europe’s low freight rail mode share was “caused” by the continent’s excellent passenger services, the argument so frequently cited by campaigners against passenger rail investment. Rather, the evidence suggests that the reasons for Europe’s differences are multifarious in origin, with the effects of access by passenger trains only playing a minor role. In other words, the lack of a really strong freight rail system cannot be easily attributed to the existence of well-performing passenger trains.
On the other hand, the evidence for Europe’s differences do not “prove” anything about the feasibility of an improved passenger rail network in the U.S. nor does it discount the considerable investments the American freight railroads have devoted to improving their infrastructure, much of which occurred with little public aid. Implementing improved passenger rail networks on existing corridors cannot be done easily, nor should it interfere with the ability of existing freight companies to operate (even if they are transporting coal…). And European countries need to do more to guarantee the movement of freight on railways, which are more efficient than their truck-based counterparts.
Nonetheless, when it comes to freight rail, the comparison between the U.S. and Europe is inappropriate.
Image above: Intermodal freight in Indiana, from Flickr user vxla (cc)
By Yonah Freemark on June 29th, 2011 | Listed: Freight, High-Speed Rail, Infrastructure | 165 Comments
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Well worded and comprehensive.
Maybe European railroads carry less freight than in the US also because those railroads have been government-run and are more costly and less efficient than US freight railroads, which almost always have been privately-owned?
Right-wing privatization-madness bullshit, Chris. Absolutely and entirely false. The Russian railways, which were *always* state-owned, carry an enormous amount of freight very efficiently. And were particularly efficient under communism…
Here are some of the reasons Europe-west-of-Russia carries so little freight by train:
(1) Buffers-and-chain couplers. This is the big one. Coupling and uncoupling European freight trains is a tedious process involving a man walking between cars and attaching or detaching a chain by hand.
Both the US and Russia use knuckle couplers. This vast improvement in coupling speeds up the operation of freight services massively, and makes them cost a lot less. This is understood and Europe is trying to switch to knuckle couplers, but is having an “installed base” problem. If they succeed at switching, they will probably have an immediate boost in freight usage.
(2) National borders. Until the Schengen treaty (quite recent), freight trains frequently had to stop at every border for customs, crew, and engine changes — a slow, tedious process which made them little faster than trucks. And there are a *lot* of national borders in Europe. Other consequences of national borders: there are gauge differences going from France to Spain, and going into the former Soviet Union, loading gauge differences going from the Continent to England, and electrification differences across practically every border.
(3) Canals and shipping. For heavy bulk freight, the waterways of Europe are very heavily used. The US lacks comparable waterways along key trade routes so it uses railways instead. (The waterways are preferable for slow, not-time-sensitive freight, as they’re more efficient.)
(4) Clearances. Freight likes nice large clearances, such as the American doublestack clearance or the Russian clearance. Europe-west-of-Russia has relatively small structure gauge for tunnels, bridges, etc., and so — much like the portions of the US with limited clearance, which includes the NEC — is less attractive for freight.
Max Wyss
It is not as bad as it sounds…
to 1: The coupler issues do indeed exist. However, it s not the handling of the link and hook couplers which is the problem (definitely not when we are looking at block trains). It is their limited strength. On flat lines, you may get up to 2000 metric tons which can be handled, for mountainous lines, you end up with about 1400 metric tons as maximum. Such trains are less efficient (if you look at a simple train) than 4000 to 8000 metric tons monsters. Of course the lighter trains are quicker, and can therefore mix with passenger trains.
to 2: The Schengen treaty concerns only the free movement of people. It has nothing to do with goods; goods are handled under other EU-internal treaties. The real borders in railways are the different legacy systems (line voltage is only a minor of them; signalling systems and operation rules are much more a hindrance to cross-border operation.
Things are improving, but that takes time. And there are still too many “egos” involved…
There’s a third mode of transport that gets left out in the trucks vs. trains debate: boats. One reason a lot of stuff goes by train or truck in the USA is because of the geographical barriers to shipping stuff by boat from one side of the country to another.
Also… the rail lines used for coal transport are usually not the ones used for passenger transport. Coal mines and coal power plants tend to be located far from where people live.
True. About 40% of all ton-miles of freight in Europe are moved by boat.
david vartanoff
No, coal moves on many corridors which also host Amtrak and/or various commuter rail services. The real issues are track capacity (most RRs have degraded their mainlines since4 the Staggers Act of 1980) and scheduling/dispatching skills. Rail freight travels at pitifully slow speeds. check here for ## http://www.railroadpm.org/
What is unique about the evolving face of Freight transportation is the embrace of tax dollars by Norfolk Southern and CSX to support new corridor routes in the East that specifically target containter traffic. Think Heartland and Crescent Corridors. Even a more unique quote I recently read but can’t recall where and confirm, UP’s intention of running container trains on its refurbished route between St. Louis and Chicago. The same route that has +1 billion in funds waiting to upgrade passenger service to 110 mph.
I think railroads are starting to see a definite benefit when federal gov invests in rail corridors that not only make them competitive with trucks for short haul container traffic but add capacity. Also thinking of Missouri’s and UP plan for modest improvements between KC and St. Louis as well as replacing spans on an underutilized bridge across the Mississippi. The question is? Will freight railroads start getting vocal about it and articulate some clear benefits of Feds modest involvement in rail to politicians.
That’s what all those TV ads are all about, and CSX’s sponsoring of NPR, and websites devoted to specific projects, and lots of print media coverage of every little step forward with CREATE, and….
haveacupoftea
Indeed, boats too. No idea how much is transported on European waterways, but there’s a good network for heavy goods, mostly from France to the Russian border or the Black Sea, also connecting major sea ports.
> worldcanals.com
dejv
Well, the “arc” of European cannals usable for current freight needs is in fact no better than Mississippi-Illinois-Great Lakes- St. Lawrence River/Hudson River system. If you e.g. count cargo going through much touted Main-Donau Kanal, it’s just a fraction of the load on railways and roads serving the same direction.
:::shaking forehead:::
Your analysis is wonderful example of how static analyses fail.
As nations become richer, their consumption increases (almost a tautology). We are a richer nation, we are going to consume more. As Europe grows richer, they are going to consume more. Do you really think that some day Europe is going to hit some breaking point (maybe 6.5MM ton-miles?) where 30% of their freight will just magically shift to rail?
Here is a clue: freight rail shares are decreasing and have been doing so for 40 years in Europe, despite the fact that they have been getting richer and increasing freight volumes for those 40 years. Those increases go somewhere, and with the exception of the shift from fossil fuels to other fuels (the pipelined kind and the nuclear kind mostly…alternative energy has only made a difference in the last 5-10 years) that “somewhere” is on rubber tires.
The simple fact that our rail freight shares have been so similar for nearly 100 years, and have only diverged after significant rail policy divergences, shows that our freight systems ARE comparable, regardless of how many straw men you can erect.
If you want to deny that passenger rail is the reason for their terrible freight performance, there needs to be better alternative theories.
“The simple fact that our rail freight shares have been so similar for nearly 100 years, and have only diverged after significant rail policy divergences”
Our freight rail shares have been different since the railroad was invented. Passenger and freight receipts in the UK were about even for most of the 19th century, whereas freight receipts in the US during that time typically amounted to 10 times the revenue from passenger service.
Freight modal share refers to the share of all freight transported…not the share of freight relative to passenger service on a rail line.
This nice paper gives more insight and seems more credible than your “analysis” – in spite of being 6 years old.
Believe it or not, I actually like that paper quite a bit, because there is a lot of good information in it regarding the policy differences between the two regions.
But I don’t trust the conclusions from their analysis because it is entirely premised on the idea that demand for a specific form of freight transportation is not affected by relative transportation costs, and is entirely determined by the freight that gets shipped. That assumption alone is almost egregious enough to throw the entire analysis out the window.
The large developed nations with the highest freight rail mode shares (Canada, US, Russia, China) also have the lowest relative freight rates.
But worse so, they don’t explain any methodology for arriving at their conclusions. There is no statistical explanation, estimates of accuracy/inaccuracy, etc.
In fact, they only estimate the effect of policy after they have thrown out heavy freight rail’s only real competitor from the analysis: waterway shipments. A relatively costly rail system will push far more heavy freight (the real mover in ton-miles metrics) to barges and container ships than it will to roads.
I’m sure I would have come to the same conclusion if I had made assumptions that unrealistic, but I refuse to make those assumptions.
As nations become richer, their consumption increases (almost a tautology).
Critiquing a static analysis with a tautological one that begs the question at hand is hilarious.
You thought that that statement was the critique? Wowsers…
I was laughing at the proof by assumption that more $$$ consumption means more tons consumption means more ton miles freight services for consumption, as if trends from a couple of centuries growing material consumption toward resource limits can be blindly projected forward into a century of resource limits. Its like an ecological economist’s caricature of the worst excesses of mainstream economic reasoning about energy policy and transport policy.
Ah, so you are a Malthusian. That explains the delusion.
Ah, so you engage in labeling in lieu of reasoning. That explains the supply-side-only definition of “market prices” below.
We have become more resource efficient in terms of resources needed per unit of production since the beginning of time. We have survived several population explosion resource crises where resource a eventually gets replaced by resource c. We have seen productivity expansions in the last 100 years that are exponential that of the rest of human history combined. And yet, despite the fact that we are becoming more and more efficient with resources, consumption still increases with wealth.
Now you can accuse me of not being creative enough to imagine a perfectly sustainable world, but at least my argument has the entire history of humanity as its empirical evidence. Your argument has nothing but a history of intelligent people predicting things that sound rational but always being proven wrong.
You still don’t know what you’re talking about, Danny.
Consumption measured *how* increases with wealth?
Hint: not measured by weight. Measured by weight, consumption only increases from poverty through to middle-class status. Then consumption stops being in increased weight and starts being in goods of *higher value per kilo*.
The economist doesn’t agree with you Yonah:
Specifically, the current regulatory approach which forces freight railroads to provide a hidden subsidy to Amtrak is an inappropriate means to extend passenger rail. If there is a desire to extend passenger rail onto freight tracks then it should pay the market value of the use of the tracks in a deal free of regulatory coercion. Otherwise we very much to do face the the displacement of economically valuable, congestion relieving, fuel efficient and environmentally sound freight rail for little-used intercity passenger rail.
You make some interesting points about the contrast between Europe and the United States, but I’m not sure they’re fully convincing. Mode share by boat in higher in the U.S. than in France, while a little lower than Germany or Italy. The difference in the use of coal doesn’t fully account for the different mode share of freight rail. Nor do your arguments explain why freight rail has declined in Europe in an era when the cost of trucking should be leading it to increase. A good question for Europe, and even more so for China, is why so much money has been invested in passenger rail while freight, with greater possibilities for economic growth and fuel efficiency has languished.
“The difference in the use of coal doesn’t fully account for the different mode share of freight rail”
Why is a citation needed? Yonah did not claim that the coal mode share fully accounts for the difference, he also pointed to the lower average miles traveled of European freight.
The claim that coal mode share does not fully account for the difference is both quite likely true and quite certainly beside the point.
The Economist’s analysis fails to take into consideration *where* the freight rail traffic is located. A very basic search will show you that freight rail traffic is predominantly based in Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. The only areas where freight rail traffic is great enough to potentially sway rail’s mode share in the freight industry *and* high-speed rail is a consideration are east and west out of Chicago, and east out of LA.
Funny, if WY, NE, IA and MO are such a big deal than why do 2 of the 4 big players in the industry more or less not serve them?
In simplistic terms; First Fact is that BNSF & UP are conglomerate of western & grainger (grain belt) railroads and CSX and NS are a conglomerate of eastern seabpoard railroads. Second fact, WY is origin of a large chunk of the coal traffic combined with the fact that most of that coal is routed through NE, IA and MO to reach powerplants. Third, Add the fact that BNSF & UP send a lot of their transcon container traffic passes through IA & MO fields on its way to Chicago after being sorted and rerouted through Kansas City.
Personally, I think consolidation is due in the US freight industry and bet that Buffet is itching for the opportunitiy. We will see 7 Freight railroads go down to four in quick order, Two transcontinental US roads (combination of BNSF and NS, UP and CSX are vice versa), Two Canadian roads reaching farther into US and Mexico with CP buying KCS which already owns a Mexican Railroad and CN as they consolidate their varied US roads such as Wisconsin Central, etc.
Don’t be so sure about it. Right now, CSX and NS have the flexibility of connecting to the tracks of either UP or BNSF. If there are additional mergers, then they’ll lose this flexibility.
China DOES invest in freight rail–part of the reason it’s building high speed lines is to increase capacity for freight on older lines. China’s freight rail system trumps the US in modal share and total volume, and ties in terms of billion tonne-kilometers. The world leader in freight rail modal share is Russia, which boasts a passenger network stretching from coast to coast despite a larger area and lower population than the US. Japan’s modal share is a little under half of the United States, but its passenger modal share is 90 times higher.
The Economist should stick to praising Latvia’s austerity plan (the one that gave it -17% economic growth in 2009).
I’m not sure whether the bit about China is the Economist’s mistake or yours. But in reality China’s freight and intercity passenger rail networks are both well-used.
Freight rail in China is excellent, but from the very beginning the rights of way were wide enough to split freight onto different tracks. If Europe had that luxury, their passenger traffic wouldn’t be a problem either.
Interesting paper – they claim that water has 79.3% mode share of passenger transport (by passenger * km) in Germany (table 2, p.24), ten times that of rail.
Perhaps the Germans really do walk on water…
Who named the Economist experts on Freight Rail?
Yonah gives 3 compelling reasons why freight rail grabs a larger percentage in Europe than America, and no flavor of the day study can shove them aside:
1. Coal takes over 40% of freight traffic in America, because coal is burned in America as an energy source to a much larger degree than Europe.
2. Differing track guage in so many EU countries that will not be solved for decades, at best
3. Its cheaper & faster to ship high volume payloads by sea in Europe than through the Panama Canal of the Americas.
Lastly, there is no reason to think Europe will increase % coal shipments relative to America because they are much more aggressively developing Renewable Energy.
I find Yonah’s argument not compelling because:
1. Even taking the difference in coal out of the numbers, and looking at the difference in freight by boat, there still appears to be a significant gap, by my back-of-the-hand calculations in freight rail modal share.
2. I have yet to see a single comparison of European with American freight rail which did not characterize most of European freight rail as a mess and seriously deficient in comparison with the United States.
3. Given the tremendous investment in combining the passenger networks of the various countries in Europe it is a valid question as to why similar effort has not been made to combine the freight networks.
What is the relevance of (2) to Yonah’s argument? “Freight rail is a mess” is an observation. “Freight rail is a mass because of X” is an argument. If freight rail is actually a mess because of Y and Z, the observation holds even though the argument does not.
1. The gap is small (20% of the total gap) – read the paper Yonah references.
2. Sure. Why is it obviously a consequence of passenger rail?
3a. The big investments, e.g. ETCS, apply equally to passenger and freight rail.
3b. The major intercity passenger routes are intranational, with a very small number of exceptions such as Paris-Brussels and Paris-London. Organizational interoperability is still atrocious, but it’s less of a problem for passenger rail than for freight rail.
I noted up top the actual reasons freight rail in Europe-west-of-Russia is a mess. Buffers-and-chain is the biggest, to my mind (horrendously inefficient).
In referencing China I was speaking of the criticism of it’s freight rail intermodal links with inland cities discussed in articles such as this one:
http://chovanec.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/closing-the-gap-between-chinas-coast-and-interior/
Such arguments are often made in discussions of traffic jams of coal-filled trucks headed to Beijing or the vast gap between the wealthier and trade-connected coastal cities and the impoverished interior. Perhaps you can refute such arguments, I’m no expert and am just quoting others.
There’s a very big difference between saying that China has a large interregional income inequality and saying that its freight rail links are deficient…
If there is a desire to extend passenger rail onto freight tracks then it should pay the market value of the use of the tracks in a deal free of regulatory coercion.
There’s just one case of your scenario where there free market leads to true market price – if there are more freight railways competing by offering access to their lines in the same corridor for lowest fee. Any other case means some artificial price that is either tax or subsidy to private carrier (the former seems more probable because politicians are easier to corrupt than private company managers).
I appreciate your response to what I think is the core issue in the United States to the question of whether passenger rail expansion threatens freight. I would respond by saying that freight rail lines should be treated as private property that the government should only be able to use for passenger service if it either comes to a mutually beneficial financial arrangement or makes use of eminent domain.
The “mutually beneficial arrangement” is an option that is quite dangerous to the major vested interests of the status quo, best fended off by ensuring that passenger rail is sufficiently underfunded to create artificial zero-sum and negative-sum games, even in situations where win-win outcomes are otherwise feasible.
A lot of these rail lines that these freight lines are used to have far more passanger trains on them in the 1920’s and 1940’s then they do now and these railroads didn’t come crashing to a stop back then. So why would they come crashing to a stop now with a few more passanger trains running on them now that they don’t even come close to the passanger levels in the 1920’s?. Such as say you had a freight line is a 120 years old and it had say six passanger trains running on it a day in the 1900’s though the 1950’s and they start running only two Amtrak trains on it a day one eatch way?.
If passanger trains are really the demons that they are on the freight system they could add extra sets of tracks to some of these railroad beds that had their double and triple tracks and four tracks ripped up in the 1960’s and 1970’s. A example would be the double track railroad bed that runs across New York State that used to be a four track wide railroad in the 1920’s.
It’s an interesting question, I think Europe has more of a political aspect to consider… the old shipping containers don’t vote but commuters do type of issues, whereas America’s railways are predominately privately owned and more specialized.
I don’t see a good technical reason why America can’t have both a good freight and passenger system. Just build more tracks.
If only everyone else saw it so simple. :)
1) “Europe” is always so poorly defined. Does it include just the EU, or also poorer eastern European nations?
2) I’d love to see mode share for Europe and the US excluding coal. Can anyone provide this?
3) Passengers benefit from fast tracks… and so does freight! CN runs container trains at 100 km/hr+ (65mph+) on the Toronto-Montreal corridor, which works out just fine for the passenger trains. The difference is that a lot railfreight is much less time sensitive than passenger traffic, so the benefits of going from 40mph to 60mph are mostly felt in better productivity – your locos can haul 50% more traffic per year at 60mph.
4) Average trip lengths for freight are much higher in the USA than any European country (or teh UE as a whole), because it is bigger. No EU country is more than 650 miles long – less than New York – Chicago! Road always does better than rail at short distances. I’d like to see a mode share break-down by distance for the EU and the USA… can anyone provide that?
Tom – your point #3: You need nearly double HP/ton to run at a steady 60 mph vs. 40 mph! So, locomotive productivity would go down….
No you don’t. You need it to accelerate at the same rate, but the extra horsepower needed to run at higher speeds is incremental. If you can handle not starting and stopping as much it is very easy to run at higher speeds.
Danny, in actual practice, that’s not how it’s done.
If you raised the speed limit from 40 to 60 mph in a typical North American freight route, you’d get very little running time reduction without adding power.
You power freight trains to achieve running times between locations or to just be able to creep over the ruling grade w/o stalling, not for a certain acceleration rate. Generally, reducing HP/ton is the “lever” that gets pulled to improve train fuel economy.
If you have what is generally a 40 mph railroad, you’d probably wind up with schedules that would allow train speed to creep up to 40 on the level stretches. If you upgraded to 60 mph, you’d have to double the power to take reasonable advantage of it. The HP/ton that will allow 60 mph on level tangent track is nearly double that that will allow 40 mph.
Yes, this is why electrification is an integral component of Steel Interstate proposals.
Institutional impediments to long haul electrification can be eliminated by creating the Corridor Development Bank institution that overcomes them.
Paulus Magnus
How, exactly, is electrification supposed to greatly increase the horsepower to weight ratio or otherwise greatly increase the speed of existing freight traffic?
Electric locomotives don’t have have to drag around tons of fuel and tons of diesel engine?
And the dollar cost of the power is lower.
That doesn’t mean that you can achieve great increases in overall HP/ton figures or speed. The AC6000W has an HP/ton ratio of 32.6 tons, the electric IORE is 36.4 (wiki numbers for both). An 11% difference in HP/ton isn’t going to vastly speed up American freight rail.
And the dollar cost of catenary maintenance and capital investment is higher as is the cost of delayed trains when the overhead fails for whatever reason and takes out an entire line. Railroad diesel is about $2.22 per gallon as of 2010, it’s simply not expensive enough to justify electrification unless you can get extremely low electrical rates by owning your own coal/hydro/nuclear plants.
Wikipedia for source also.
ALP46a weighs 92 tonnes ( if I did my arithmetic correctly ) and produces 5600 kW. Most of the Prima diesel electrics weigh 90 tonnes and produce 2200 kW.
Umm…HP/Ton should be calculated for the entire train…not just the locomotive. A light and powerful electric locomotive might make a difference for smaller container trains or passenger trains, but it won’t make a dent in the performance of a 10,000 ton bulk train.
So you are saying it merely useful for the majority of the freight market share, as opposed to a large amount of low value per ton bulk freight.
With a small 50 car train of 40 ton containers on 5 ton flatcars, you are looking at 2250 tons to haul around. Two locomotives will add another 350 tons at least.
Doubling the HP per ton of the locomotives (which is unrealistic according to the locomotive stats that I have seen) would be the equivalent of dropping one of those locomotives weight. Congratulations on your 6% increase in power to weight. Maybe Don can tell us what that means in terms of increase in average speed without changing the number of stops. I can’t imagine it making anything more than a tiny improvement in rail competitiveness with trucks.
Read the link in my earlier comment.
The difference is that a lot railfreight is much less time sensitive than passenger traffic, so the benefits of going from 40mph to 60mph are mostly felt in better productivity – your locos can haul 50% more traffic per year at 60mph.
It doesn’t work so nicely – because productivity gains are outweighed by far bigger energy consumption. In addition, if you count padding needed for reliable scheduling of the pool, the productivity gain isn’t that high. And last but not least, the best way to increase average speed ain’t raising of top speed, but eliminating any slowing of running speeds, let alone pauses. All combined, fast freight makes real sense only for light valuable cargo.
Ad 4) – see the link again.
No EU country is more than 650 miles long – less than New York – Chicago!
This argument doesn’t make any sense in fact. European manufacturing economy is very well integrated, no real border exist for it. Big wage differential over small distance also helps this, it’s pretty economical to make several moves during manufacturing process
but these moves almost universally cross “interoperable realm” borders.
BTW the biggest hurdles for European rail interoperability aren’t popular voltage systems, but it’s signalling systems, different rulesets (and exams), different official languages (imagine engineer who knows 3-4 languages that would be needed for 1000 km train run) and work regulations (once engineer crosses the border for more then few minutes, his wage multiplies).
All combined, fast freight makes real sense only for light valuable cargo.
And the dominance of light valuable cargo in terms of the value of the freight shipping service is why truck freight in the US so totally dominates rail freight in dollar value terms, even though rail freight carries so much ton-miles.
In dollar value terms, doesn’t that “only for light valuable cargo” translate to, “fast freight makes real sense only for the majority of the value of land freight shipping services in the country that freight rail is presently locked out of or relegated to bit player status”?
Potatoes and onion are light and valuable?
http://www.railexusa.com/
Agriculture isn’t very valuable. Potato futures are about $200 per ton right now, onions not much higher. Even a single computer is worth more than that (heck, individual phones are more than that) and you can stack 48 pallets of them in a single truck container. That’s the sort of thing that is meant by light and valuable.
What Paulus said ~ “onoins and potatoes” is looking on an ad hoc basis at bits and pieces, but the market share and the mode share are two very different stories.
Railex right now today is out competing – on delivery time – trucks. For those nice lightweight expensive commodities, onions and potatoes among other things. Or how about Florida orange juice for California breakfast tables?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juice_Train
Railex right now today is out competing – on delivery time – trucks. For those nice lightweight expensive commodities, onions and potatoes among other thing.
Again, agriculture is neither lightweight nor expensive. A single 48′ truck filled with laptops at a thousand dollars each carries more value than 120 refrigerated boxcars full of potatoes (at the aforementioned $200/ton figure).
And the trucking company or railroad don’t charge by the value of the product they charge by the weight of the product.
And transit speed and reliability of dock to dock delivery schedule. If it was nothing but dollars per ton-mile, rail would dominate market share in long haul freight.
Well from this article, coal accounts for 43% of rail freight, 23% of total freight, and rail has a 38% modal share, that calculates out to a modal share of about 20%.
Of course in order to compare adequately, we would need to subtract out coal and peet in Europe, but I wouldn’t know where to begin there. I would estimate that at about 15% of freight rail ton-miles, but that is an estimate at best.
Another point: the USA’s railroad companies primary purpose in life is not to move freight. Their primary purpose is to maximise profits/shareholder returns from the available assets, just liek any other company.
Given that, if hosting a passenger train make more money that not hosting a passenger train (and maybe running a freight train instead), then the railroad company should welcome the passenger train. Anything else would a dereliction of duty to its shareholders.
So, the answer is very simple and capitalist: pay the railroad enough money.
This is the elephant in the room with regards to Amtrak. The real reason why Amtrak gets such poor treatment from the Class I railroads is because Amtrak pays next to nothing for the use of those tracks.
Of course if they paid enough for trackage rights there are two real options for the freight railroads…reduce service or expand capacity.
How much does Amtrak pay? In other words, is Amtrak really underpaying, or are the freight railroads just extracting maximum rent from Amtrak knowing that the mountain state Senators will pay?
http://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/dot/files/AMTRAK%20Access%20Fees%20(Final%20redacted3).pdf
While Amtrak does make track usage payments to owning freight railroads, it does not pay an “access fee” for such use. The Railroad Passenger Service Act of 1970 grants Amtrak priority access to freight railroads’ rights-of-ways and requires that Amtrak compensate owning freight railroads only for the incremental cost (rather than a negotiated market cost) associated with accommodating intercity passenger services over
their tracks.
In other words, they pay enough to cover their hard costs, but not enough to compensate for lost capacity if that capacity were truly to be utilized.
Now I’m sure there is some rent extraction, but if it exists, it is in the form of overstating hard costs, which is something that is auditable.
The ‘real market’ cost would be the one that you pay any time a service is only offered by one company: “You wanna use this line? Pay one billion dollars! Don’t wanna pay? — well though shit, try running your train somewhere else”.
Actually no. Market prices have less calculatory rigor than hard costs, but they are nowhere near what you are talking about.
A market price can be fairly calculated as a price that a) covers all long term and short term costs, and b) is low enough to operate the line at maximum capacity. In the event of a line already being at maximum capacity, the market price is the replacement cost…in other words the price that would offset the earnings from normal operations.
You may not believe that greedy rich people would succumb to calculating market prices in such a methodological way…and they very well could do what you are talking about. There may be some game theory elements that allow for posturing positions, but the rational response will follow those methodologies almost perfectly.
market value would be determined by how much the public would be willing to pay to get access. Given how much the public already pays for an Amtrak train already, and how much the public generally likes to overspend on all sorts of things, it seems that the freight rail roads would squeeze us for all we got.
It’s not reasonable to assume that quasi-monopolies would give you the market value you describe. I also don’t believe there’s any incentive to run at full capacity – if it results in lower margins.
You can keep saying that all you want, but even in quasi-monopoly situations there is going to be a break point where demanding more money will bring you less benefit. Yes, it is absolutely reasonable to assume that. Time Warner has an absolute monopoly on cable services in my area, and yet they don’t demand that I pay a billion dollars a month for cable access.
A market price is a profit maximizing strategy. When they are underutilizing a line, a fair market price brings more profits. When they are utilizing a line at capacity, a fair market price brings more profits.
The only unreasonable assumption here is yours…you are the one assuming that profit-seeking railroads wouldn’t act in a profit-seeking manner.
BTW, running at capacity may or may not reduce your margins, but if your pricing is appropriate, it ALWAYS results in higher total profits.
The price somebody asks is similar to viable alternatives. If there is no viable alternative, then the price goes up to the breaking point, as you say. For your Time Warner cable, that breaking point may only be a small factor bigger than service in a competitive market – yet it’s low because there are viable alternatives (satellite, going to the movies, having no cable).
If you’re really set on a product, that ‘breaking point’ can go up pretty high. Just consider the case of the $10 drug now $1500 after FDA grants monopoly.
It’s not a good idea to put the public in a position where it can only provide a service by buying some product from a private company – but it’s possible to get it only from that company.
The ‘billion dollars’ was just to make a point about leverage. In reality they won’t ask that much, of course, but it may still be significant.
You omitted the elasticity of demand. If the marginal revenue at the price which is low enough to operate the line at maximum capacity is less than the marginal cost, that is not the profit seeking market price. If the price that operates the line at maximum capacity is out beyond the range of elastic demand to the firm, it cannot be the profit seeking market price.
The optimal markup on marginal cost as a multiple of marginal cost is: {|Ep|/(|Ep|-1)} … it cannot be defined independent of demand characteristics, and require setting price somewhere within the elastic range of firm-demand.
You omitted the elasticity of demand. If the marginal revenue at the price which is low enough to operate the line at maximum capacity is less than the marginal cost, that is not the profit seeking market price.
“…a price that a) covers all long term and short term costs, and b) is low enough to operate the line at maximum capacity. In the event of a line already being at maximum capacity, the market price is the replacement cost…in other words the price that would offset the earnings from normal operations.”
This is taking for granted a preceding capacity decision for that state of the market, so its only punting the quantity to offer decision given anticipated demand from the shorter term to the longer term.
And of course is taking for granted no substantial demand side shocks between anticipated demand and realized demand.
Of course if you toss in enough constraints, you can turn a claim that is sometimes true into one that is “always true for the circumstances I had in mind”. That is, in any event, more defensible than making flat-earth assumptions of an unending cornucopia of resources to use as an energy source for the freight transport system.
Wouldn’t capacity be based on physical constraints rather than someone’s decision?
Capacity is based on decisions to rip out perfectly good rail lines, such as tearing out two tracks from the four-track New York Central right-of-way.
I have no problem with Amtrak paying a small track usage fee and no access fee to freight rail companies because Amtrak yields a public good.
From my perspective the freight companies got a great deal from the public with no cost land grants in the 1800s and freight trains take signal priority over autos at railroad crossings. Their productivity advantage is subsidized by the driving public who waits for a train to cross.
You may not have a problem with them paying low fees, and I’m sure most people don’t. Riders do though, even if they don’t know it. They are the ones that suffer when Amtrak pays prices that are too low.
As far as the “great deal” that the freight companies got, you can rest assured that they have paid it back several fold by now with their higher than average property tax rates.
The signal priority issue has nothing to do with policy or favoritism at all…it is a pure property rights decision. In fact, when the ROW is owned, they don’t even have to let autos cross at all. In my hometown, after about the fourth crossing accident in 3 months, UP shut down the crossing and there was nothing that the local government could do about it. Luckily UP was willing to sell air rights so they could build a bridge.
For what its worth Norfolk Southern revenue and carload figures for Q1 2010 indicate that the RR generated an average $1,200 in revenue per carload.
My cocktail napkin calculations suggest that this is about $15 per passenger in a full 80 seat car.
The reason freight does badly in Europe is not because of passenger trains, as a fact of infrastructure, but because freight has suffered many decades of neglect and abuse by state run railroads. Passenger has more political support, both in the US and Europe and so publicly owned railways have focused there. This entire argument could be recast as private ownership favors freight, public ownership favors passenger.
Tom’s right that if passenger trains made more money for US railroads they would get more welcome. An example of this is California’s Capital Corridor between Sacramento and the bay area which, alone in the Amtrak system, pays 3 times more per car mile and in return enjoys far better on-time performance and the benefit of capital improvements with a cooperative railroad. I would suggest that it’s worth paying more to gain better on-time performance.
But you haven’t mentioned the biggest argument for why we can have both good freight and passenger on the same network: because we had it before! The United States had an excellent railway network until the 1950’s when it was unprepared to resist competition from highways, stifled by inflexible regulation and unions. From an infrastructure and service perspective it worked quite well. The trains ran well and on-time. We’ve dismantled most of the lines and the capacity that we had then, but we could (with money) put it back.
The wonderful railroads that foamers pine for were slow. Not much faster than driving on the local streets that passed for US Highways. There are some lines that are faster now than they were in the 50s. The Northeast Corridor. The Empire Corridor between NYC and Albany. There’s probably a few more.
The empire corridor? If they can manage to run the train on schedule (fat chance, considering it is Amtrak), they run at an average speed of 60mph, which is no faster than the 20th Century Limited.
Albany to New York is consistently 2 hours and 30 minutes. An hour faster than it was in the 50s.
Maybe so for the 50’s, after decades of price controls, an attempt at nationalization, and burdensome regulation that almost brought all of the railroads (freight included) to their knees.
But then again, the fast railroads that “foamers” pine for weren’t the slow ones you are talking about, but rather the fast ones. The 20th century limited ran that route, they averaged 60 mph just like today, but they did it with steam engines. I don’t know about you, but I find that to be pretty embarrassing.
And you might want to check the facts about Amtrak’s on time performance. 85.2% with a very liberal 15 minute window definition.
Danny, you know who’s running Amtrak slowly?
*The freight railroads*. It’s actually illegal behavior, but they often do it anyway. Train speed is limited by dispatcher, not by engine.
The early Amtrak schedules, which were the same as the NYC schedules, I think, for a GCT to Alb-Renss trains with stops at Harmon (incl. engine change), Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff and Hudson were 2:50.
They were lengthened to 3:00+ when the late 70s trackwork and cab signalling were underway and then shortened to 2:40- using Turboliners.
Amtrak’s end point measurement tolerance is 10 minutes for routes less than 250 miles.
But on the other hand, Chicago-Minneapolis service was 6-1/4 hours in the 50’s and over 8 now* and the Hiawatha between Chicago and Milwaukee ran at over 100 MPH, about 15 minutes faster than today.
*Twice the time of the Beijing-Shanghai service but half the distance…. Frowny Face
Alan Kandel
Bottom line: Freight railroads are in business to make money. My belief is that intercity passenger trains need to run on their own dedicated lines. Between Chicago and St. Louis, for instance, work is underway to bring passenger train speeds up to 110 mph, but as far as I’m aware, this is on a single track freight rail line. Improvements being made may include siding extensions and perhaps there will be portions of this line that will be double track. As such, meets will occur whereby one train will be directed into a siding so that another may pass or vice versa. Upgrading the line to 110 mph passenger train operation, meanwhile, will no doubt benefit the freight railroad, otherwise why even do it? Which comes back to my original point: Freight railroads are in business to make money.
@Yonah: “So the U.S. reliance on an incredibly polluting, inefficient power source has upped the use of trains for freight. But that is no success story in itself, since renewable forms of power production require no forms of material movement to and from production facilities. Less transportation — if not needed — is more efficacy from an economic and environmental perspective.”
I’m not sure what you are trying to say here.
Have to agree whole heartedly with the comments that US Freight railroads are like any other business in terms of bottomline. It is the very basis why Warren Buffet bought BNSF outright, he saw a undervalued company with pricing power!!
That being said, you can also say that US Railroads are as opportunistic as anybody else when they get capital investment on someone elses dime, even when it comes from the Feds and involves passenger trains. Yes, UP might conside Amtrak’s long distrance trains are a distraction on some of its lines and certainly would agree with the hidden subsidy part as any other owner of real property would declare.
But using federal funds to upgrade the Chicago to ST. Louis line is very much embraced by UP and is very much opportunistic. First, it is an underutilized asset that provides access to Chicago off UP’s heavily traffic line between KC & St. Louis (St Louis also provides Eastern US connectivity to CSX and NS that goes around Chicago). At the same time, this railline runs past the huge new global logistics park outside of Joilet, IL – THINK CONTAINERS. UP will run container trains on this line in the near future, and the lighter freight on a upgraded speedway will have value to the owner even if it shares with 110 mph passenger trains.
Don’t be surprised if any additional HSR grants will go towards replacing RR spans crossing the Mississippi in St. Louis. Currently Amtrak uses UP’s big Muddy’s crossing on their heavily used bridge. However, the last reallocation of HSR funds includes paying for the engineering to replace two track span on a railroad bridge in N. Louis. The bridge is currently speed restricted and limited to one train on it at a time even though it is double tracked. Replacing these spans on behalf of Amtrak with federal funds will open up significant capacity for the freight railroads just as adding a lead traffic into St. Louis Amtrak station kept the Missouri River Runner/Texas Eagle out of yard restricted trackage in downtown St. Louis and will make things easier on UP/BNSF before crossing the Big Muddy.
Can someone clarify that the 110 mph Chicago-St. Louis Emerging HSR project is to upgrade the entire route to 2 tracks + occasional sidings for slower freight?
That’s what it sounds like from the IDOT website;
http://www.idothsr.org/about/overview.aspx
It’s hard to tell exactly if it’s purely upgrades or upgrades and adding a track.
The MRRS model is a new track through heavily used freight areas and 10 miles in new passing track per 50 miles track in lightly used freight areas.
Of course, the entire path has to be suitable class of track, signaling and 110mph rated level crossings.
Yonah is trying to say that getting off coal is a good thing, and that replacing coal with renewables will mean less transportation overall (because you don’t have long trains full of wind and sunlight). And therefore that “We haul lots of coal” is *not* a sign of a better economy.
Louis Rubenstein
In Europe much of the freight is shipped by canals. The river and canal system in the US is not as extensive as in Europe, hence there is a need to ship more freight by rail.
I’ve heard that before, but the Harvard Study quoted above gives barges a 4% freight mode share in Europe, over %12 in the US (see page 12, Table 1). I guess all the Ag products moving down the Mississippi add up…
Coastal shipping in Europe has over 40% of the freight mode though.
Ted King
List of canals in the U.S. (Wikipedia article)
“not as extensive” ??? Would you like to run that past the Army Corp. of Engineers ?
If you define “island” as a sub-continent sized body of land that can be circumnavigated by a boat then the eastern U.S. from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean is an island. Start in Portland, ME, sail up the St. Lawrence River / Seaway, across the Great Lakes, transit the Chicago Sanitary + Ship Canal, sail down the Des Plaines, Illinois, and Mississippi Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico, follow the Intracoastal Waterway on around Florida (bypass NOT available – see “Cross-Florida Barge Canal” in the above list), and back up to Maine.
Part of the reason the Rio Grande / Bravo and Colorado Rivers don’t carry much traffic is that they get sucked dry for irrigation. But most of the rest of the major rivers get enough traffic to justify locks and bridges built to accommodate the barges and ships.
P.S. The St. Lawrence Seaway is a canal system that uses American and Canadian locks to link inland ports on the Great Lakes to the Atlantic. Wikipedia lists it as a Canadian canal.
St. Lawrence Seaway (Wikipedia article)
You’re mistaking river with sea transport. The US has a higher mode share of river transport than the EU, but the EU has a much higher mode share of seaborne transport.
Andre L.
Agreed, but that is a merely function of geography. Within Western Europe countries, you are never more than 450 miles from the nearest coast point.
In US, there is a large scale of West Coast traffic to points east of the Mississippi. There is no way to efficiently move traffic around the Rockies but going through the Panama Canal!
Even Texas – Northeast traffic requires quite a detour via FLorida Keys, through an area that is affected by hurricanes and severe storms for 4 months each year.
It depends on the origin in Asia. Sometimes the shortest route to Chicago lets say, is through the Suez Canal and an East Coast port.
But that’s the *whole point*. Western European geography means they can ship non-time-sensitive freight coastally and by canal, so they don’t need freight railroads for that purpose. Whereas the US does. Hence, the US has more freight railroads.
K. Dontoh
Also affecting the freight transport in the US is the lack of real river and sea-bound freight, thanks to the Jones Act.
Again the 2005 Harvard Study gives > 20% freight mode share to Barge and “Coastwise” shipping in the US, so perhaps the Jones Act isn’t the problem.
FYI – Jones Act (Wikipedia article)
While the above act makes it more expensive to ship via water there is still a lot of U.S.-flag traffic. Most major rivers in the U.S. carry barges loaded with bulk commodities (coal, wheat, stone, etc.) and oversize items that wouldn’t fit on road or rail (e.g. pre-fab housing, rockets, pipe). So while coastal traffic is way down the river barge traffic only stops for floods and extreme storms.
Eric Doherty
Thanks for bringing up this important and timely topic Yonah – I completely agree that the passenger rail vs freight rail is an oversimplification.
I think there is also something that needs to be added here, the oil supply context. Just last week, the US and several European countries dipped into their emergency oil reserves because of a minor supply disruption (Libya). The age of cheap and plentiful conventional oil is over. It is also worth noting that European countries have admitted that they need to do much better on transport to meet GHG reduction targets.
What is possible has also changed. It is now possible to run trains (both freight and passenger) much closer together safely and reliably with modern monitoring and control systems. The Swiss PULS 90 project is probably the state of the art in mixed freight / passenger capacity optimization. e.g. http://e-collection.library.ethz.ch/eserv/eth:30947/eth-30947-01.pdf
Given global warming and the peaking of conventional oil extraction, major improvements to rail service are needed in most countries including Canada and the US the near future. Electricity is the best transportation energy we have, and trains already run on electricity. (I touch on this briefly in Transportation Transformation – http://stopthepave.org/transformation)
The technology exists, it is more a matter of developing the political will to shift to electric rail from trucks and airplanes.
Why isn’t it anything but spot on? Simple physics dictates that it takes a different set of rails to run a light passenger train at 120mph than it does to run a unit coal train at 45 mph.
There are many reasons why you wouldn’t want to run a mile long coal train over tracks used by 120 MPH trains but it’s relatively simple to construct tracks that both could use.
Serious question: is there any railroad, including China Railways, that is happy running 200 km/h passenger trains on the same track used by coal trains with 35 metric tons per axle?
I’ve seen a study which says that slab track can actually handle that just fine. I don’t think anyone has put it into practice however(and you would want to separate for other reasons anyhow).
Seems that in Germany, the max axle load is 25t. Freight cars seem to have 4 axles a lot of the times – i guess this would make rails cheaper, and freight and passenger more compatible, but would also make freight more expensive.
Probably not but it wouldn’t violate Newtonian or even quantum physics.
What rail system builds for 38 short tons per axle?
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and the Virginian Railway both operated 2-6-6-6’s which came out to 39 short tons per axle. The above, ATSF, PRR, and a couple others also operated a number of 38 tons per axle 2-10-4s “Texas” class.
Which of those rail corridors are the ones we are talking about being useful 125mph Regional HSR corridors?
I’d be a bit surprised if none of PRR’s got used on the Keystone Corridor; they always built their track rather heavy anyhow.
If 35 offends you, then let me ask the same question about 33, which is the axle load of a bunch of diesel passenger locomotives used in the US.
Ore railroads. Electrified ore railroads.
The only such one that I am aware of is only built to 30 tons (the one IORE runs on in Sweden).
Although the Aussies built a diesel one a couple years ago at 40 tons per axle to haul iron ore.
No fair asking trick questions.
US Class 1s.
Axle load for 263,000 pound cars is 33 tons. For 268,000 it’s 33.5, for 286,000 it’s 36 and for the 315,000 pound cars it’s 39 tons.
You COULD run typical freight and passenger together on Class 6 track, but you wouldn’t want to pay for the maintenance to keep it at Class 6! There was a very interesting article in Railway Age that showed some results of a track maintenance cost model that had train type and traffic density as inputs.
The way you might want to go about it would be quasi-separate tracks. For example, in upstate NY, you could plop down a third, Class 6 track next to the existing two Class 4 tracks (and meet CSX’s 30′ separation requirement) and install interlockings every 20 miles or so to allow meets between the passenger trains using the high speed tracks. One of the passenger trains would just have to trundle along at 80 mph for the 20 miles between interlockings.
If the arrangement had CSX do the maintenance and operation of all three tracks, they could occasionally decide to use the high speed track for freight to work around track work, etc, but they’d be on the hook for the alignment damage, so you know they’d limit the use to keep their costs down.
Back in the 90s, NY was pushing Conrail to allow higher speeds and Conrail’s response always came in two parts. One was to spend money to eliminate the bottle necks and slow-running portions (such as the 30 mph running through the Dismal Swamp) and the other was to pay for a third track. NY has yet to show up with money for either.
Why should New York show up with the money? South Dakota didn’t show up with the money when I-90 was built. Or show up with the money when the levees were built. Or show up with the money for essential air services, Or show up with the money for rural electrification, rural landline telephone service or rural cell phone service. Or…
Tax money gets sucked out of New York State and distributed to all the places that complain about how much money gets spent in New York. None of them want to examine that flow of cash closely.
This reasoning, taken to its extremes, one could argue that Upper State never showed up money for anything built there, so NYC should not be required to “show up the money” to build 2nd Ave. subway…
Why should NY show up with the money? They were the ones asking Conrail to host the improvements, perhaps? Now, where NY would get the money to fund the improvments – that is a different question!
Anandakos
Sorry, Don, but you’re being a ideological jerk; Adirondacker’s point is spot on. New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and California in ascending order of contribution/reception between them pay for the Federal excess contributions to 25 very petty small Red states.
I should have also said the your idea for the separated third track on the old fourth track roadbed is an excellent one. Just don’t let your Tea Party ideology get in the way of your engineering skills.
That’s completely irrelevant to what he said however.
Where did I EVER say the money shouldn’t come from the Feds?
If it’s NY’s project and they get 90% of the money from the Feds, so be it! It’s STILL a NY project and the conversation was between NY and Conrail!
The biggest reason this bogus “conflict” between passenger and freight is bogus is that there’s plenty of room for parallel freight and passenger tracks.
In fact, there used to be parallel freight and passenger tracks on the Pennsylvania Railroad Mainline and the NY Central Mainline until short-sighted idiots ripped half the tracks out.
Now, UP and CSX are demanding totally unreasonable things in order to restore those tracks, such as “keep it… 1000 feet away from us! And build a concrete wall between those passenger tracks and our freight tracks!”
This sort of behavior demands the government coming down on them hard: ordering them to hand over the empty trackbeds and shut up about their unreasonable “separation” ideas. But we don’t have a functionaing federal government.
CSX is “demanding” 30 feet separation – completely doable in places where there once were 4 tracks.
What CSX does NOT want is having to maintain class 6 standards on the existing double track AND any additional liability for minor derailments/shifted loads, etc. that might impinge on the “high speed” track.
Really, nothing has changed since the 1990s. NY wants higher speeds – has no money to spend. Any “negotiations”, at this point, are strictly academic.
Look up what UP was demanding. :-P
I can’t trust a website whose main mission is social (reverse) engineering like “Stop the Pave”.
Joseph E
When I saw the URL of your website, I thought you wanted to “Stop the Pavé”. What do you have against cobbles? I asked. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris%E2%80%93Roubaix
The decreasing use of intercity passenger rail in the second half of the 20th Century appeared to correspond with an increase in freight by train.
Not true. Freight and passenger modal shares both fell after WWII, and freight only rebounded because of the Staggers Rail Act that (mostly) deregulated the freight market. Freight’s rebound had nothing to do with declining passenger traffic.
Producing power by coal is inefficient? You can call it a lot of things but you’ll seem more sensible claiming the Earth ain’t round than burning coal isn’t effecient.
It’s efficient if you’re trying to produce maximum electricity at minimum cost ex externalities. It’s not efficient if you’re trying to produce maximum electricity with minimum cost to public health and the environment.
And coal is not even the most economically efficient option if you ignore the massive negative externalities. (Obviously if you include the externalities, as you should, coal is dreadful.)
Hydro at Niagara Falls is supremely efficient, due to very long lifetimes of the machines, and zero cost of fuel.
The efficiency of solar is dependent on device lifetime (because like most renewables the fuel is free), which is actually unknown at this time, since panels from the 70s are still operating. But often seems to be conservatively underestimated.
Roughly 33% thermal efficiency for single cycle coal power plants. The average could be expected to rise if coal fired power plants were charged their full cost instead of free riding on uncharged external costs, since some of the least energy efficient plants would be the first ones to shut down given full-cost pricing of coal.
A combined cycle gas power plant can reach 50% thermal efficiency or more, because the exhaust of the first stage turbine is hot enough to power an efficient second stage boiler generator.
The UP’s freight route between St. Louis and Chicago is NOT the old Alton line through Springfield and Bloomington that is being upgraded for Amtrak. Freight moves via the NYC/C&EI route through eastern Illinois.
Yes, the UP owns the Springfield line but for freight the C&EI route is vastly superior. It enters Chicagoland at the extreme eastern edge of the Chicago Switching district, with direct physical connections to CSX, NS, and CN. It has almost no cities through which is passes and the 80 miles east from St. Louis is the super high capacity New York Central line on an embankment for much of its length.
Understand that part, what is unique about the money being plowed into Chicago-St. Louis route even though it is not superior as a freight route from the west is the almost the equal amount of private money at this point poured into the Globabl Logistics Park outside of Joilet. First BNSF and now UP is coming to the plate. Its only a matter of time before a big share of the goods coming into Chicago will be handled through this park. And what is the best place to run trains into this park for UP, it is on the very line that will host 110 passenger trains from my understanding.
That being said, I think the Midwest has a unique opportunity in the fact that their is an abundant number of railroad ROW’s (built for every little grain elevator every built in the midwest) that will not only continue to support an impressive private freight system but allow for consistent, frequent and auto if not air competitive passenger rail. Midwest is already host to its own Amtrak owned line in Michigan, an all around agreement in CREATE to untangle Chicago, heavy commuter presence radiating out of Chicago with pratically all the players, and now a full scale rebuild/expansion of an existing rail line to St. Louis. Midwest with some additinoal funds from the feds and consistent support from State Governors can have an effective and reliable third transportation network in the near future.
Joliet is only fifteen miles west of Chicago Heights, where the joint CSX/UP trackage from the south crosses the EJ&E. If UP wants to serve Global Logistics, they’ll just negotiate rights with CN to get there. That part of the J is mostly cornfield running and used to be double tracked throughout so a big increase in trains wouldn’t cause the conflict that CN’s desire to reroute through trains to and from western Ontario off the line north of Lake Superior to the US route is raising in the western Chicagoland suburbs.
There’s an arrow straight transmission line corridor about five miles long directly from where the J angles north at Manhattan to the UP Alton line about a mile north of the wye for Global Logistics. THAT’s the way for UP to serve the facility. It directly connects with the speedway to Arkansas, Texas, and Mexico, without having to navigate the congestion through East St. Louis and worry about the Amtrak trains on the Alton.
Yes UP may run a few ultra hotshot I/M trains from California via the Golden State route bound for complete off-lift at Global Logistics through Springfield but my money is on the C&EI route. It is a freight manager’s dream.
Christopher Parker,
The reason that the Capitol Corridor has excellent on-time results is that it’s a double track, reverse signaled line with very little freight north of Martinez. Even south of there freight traffic is pretty light. There just isn’t that much industrial activity left in the Bay Area, and most trains serving the Hayward to San Jose belt that does still exist come over Altamont to stay out of downtown Oakland.
There isn’t much industrial activity left in the Bay Area? Have you ever been there? Take the Bay Bridge from San Francisco, and before you see a single highrise building in Oakland, you see miles of port piers, containers, trains, trucks, warehouses, and smokestacks. I was a truck driver in the Bay Area when I was working my way through school…and I can honestly say there is more industrial activity in the a few square miles of the East Bay (even excluding Fremont/Hayward and Martinez) than there is in my current Cleveland.
The real answer to why there is little freight on that corridor is that the freight rail has been diverted to other tracks. Most freight from the area that is routed through the corridor that parallels I80 is actually routed through and consolidated in the Central Valley. When track fees are high enough, rerouting freight becomes a real option.
For the sake of both arguments. I would tend to say that the Bay area has been and will always be in a port town which dispersed people and goods to Northern California and points east. Where as Cleveland was very much a steel town with raw materials coming off lakers and heavy steel leaving by rail.
What has changed dramatically in San Fran is how the port has functioned, form the numerous piers lining San Fran that once hustled goods into the region one boxcar at a time one steamship up the Sacramento River at a time to the container berths in Oakland to autos arriving/leaving in Richmond. Every morning not only do I see the Capital Corridor trains whiz by but also UP container trains stacked and ready to blast up the Seirra Nevada’s or returning back to the Port of Oakland as well as the string of auto carrier cars in BNSF’s Richmond yard. In either case, the new mix of unit trains coming and leaving Oakland and Richmond are much more favorable to the Capital Corridor.
Container ports aren’t industrial activity. The are transportation facilities. Sure, they fill unit container trains, but Oakland/Richmond is the third largest west coast container port (1.7M TEU), enormously behind LA/Long Beach (10M+ TEU) and a bit behind Seattle/Tacoma (2.4M TEU).
As Tim noted above (“ready to blast up the Sierra Nevadas”), for UP there’s a nasty wall of mountains 90 miles away and another east of Salt Lake City that trains from LA and Seattle don’t have to climb.
As a result, even though UP owns the vast majority of trackage in the East Bay, BNSF gets nearly 40% of the outbound hauls. Their trains do not use the Capitol Corridor and are free from passenger trains through the Oakland Hills to just east of Martinez where the San Joaquin’s join.
My basic point is that there are very few “drag” freights left serving the East Bay cities through which the Corridor passes. Not that there’s NO interfering freight service, just relatively less than fifty years ago given the governmentally funded improvements to the rail infrastructure.
And finally, there hasn’t been much freight traffic on the Coast Route since the 1960’s when the “lettuce bowl” trains were replaced by trucks, the decline of manufacturing in the South Bay began and most importantly the Palmdale Cutoff was opened through Cajon. The UP runs two or three trains a day over the Coast Route these days and basically keeps the route open between Salinas and San Luis Obispo as a relief for Tehachapi and to run the Starlight (e.g. keep it off Tehachapi).
http://www.bts.gov/publications/americas_container_ports/2011/pdf/entire.pdf
Oakland isn’t the west coasts 3rd largest, it is the west coasts 2nd largest.
The biggest reason why you don’t see as much freight on the Capital Corridor line as you did before has a lot less to do with there being less freight and a lot more to do with this:
http://www.uprr.com/customers/intermodal/intmap/lathrop.shtml
They have slowly been increasing the importance of the Lathrop intermodal yard because Oakland has been growing in importance and Lathrop is an ideal dispersal/aggregation node between north south and east routes, while still interacting with the central valley routes which is UPs most important intrastate corridor.
When the Capitol corridor started paying up, it was easy to route more traffic through the Central Valley.
If you’re going to split Seattle from Tacoma, be sure to split LA from Long Beach as well. Oakland is still third.
I think this article from Yonah focus on the wrong explanatory factors. As many have discussed above, geography and flows within US and Europe are very different.
However, I want to focus on the fact it is more productive to compare each country with its own limitations for potential use of more freight traffic.
For a starter, most HSR lines are unable to host cargo trains (Italian and German HSR being the exception).
In most European countries, during day time the railways are forbidden territory for freight. The Benelux, Germany and Switzerland operate some mixed corridors, but those are meant for high-speed cargo trains moving around 70-80mph, not that different from regular non-HSR high-speed trains and usually running on electric locos. And those trains must be short, due to block signal restrictions, there are no 100-car long trains in Europe, which means more labor costs. Slow freight must travel by night only.
In case of disruptions or track work, those are preferably done at night, which means further disruption for freight services. However, as moving freight by road is more expensive due to fuel taxes, tolls and more stringent labor laws for truck drivers, it still pays off to cope with those restrictions when a transport company must chose how to shuffle stuff around the continent.
The whole point about use of coal in US or higher consumption in US is moot, in my very humble opinion. Coal cannot travel efficiently by truck. If rail capacity to shift coal wasn’t there, the likely result would be more power plants near coal sources, and the use of transmission lines to carry electricity on wires, not coal on tracks.
In US, as costs for truck freight are lower, pushing measures (shorter, scheduled and faster cargo trains, priority for passenger traffic etc) to increase passenger rail transport would, more than in Europe, promote a shift of cargo to highways. We’d end with a mostly deficit-generating services carrying low-one-digit percentage of total pax*miles traffic, and have a considerable increase of truck traffic on the Interstates.
Some incentives could be created to engage private railroads on sharing the right of way to allow for more tracks to be placed there, including some reduction in liability should a derailed freight train (much more often occurrence in US than in Europe) hit a passenger train.
Finally, there is the price incentive. It Amtrak were willing to pay competitive track fees, I’m sure the freight railways would be willing to collaborate. The gotcha is that, for freight railways operating large networks, the rippled effects of collaborating with Amtrak with – say – a Denver-Omaha 4x daily pax train, could be felt all over its network.
Up to the point where unscheduled, low and long trains remain the norm, the opportunity costs to run a fast passenger train are very high, and I doubt Amtrak would have financial support to pay those track fees.
Finally, we ended with this egg-and-chicken problem: only a program massive enough on part of Amtrak to run many trains a day to a variety of destinations in a freight company network would create enough of a money chunk on access fees to justify, financially, the change of operation philosophy of the freight railroad towards one that is less conflicting with rail passenger. But Amtrak doesn’t have the resources or support to launch, for instance, a € 15bln. program to create a large network of trains operating out of Chicago to MO, IL, WI, OH, IN with 8-12 daily trains on major routes to justify a decent amount of investment on track modernization.
At the same time, many of those European freight corridors see as much as 40 trains per day.
Or one could create open access rules.
Or nationalize some track and forces cooperation between operators.
The statement about “forbidden for freight during the day” may be correct in some very few cases in Europe. But in most of the cases, there is a mix between freight and passenger (intercity and regional).
Because of the limited train weight (the limit is to be found with the couplers), the trains have to be shorter, and as the main network is electrified, even a single “freight” locomotive has enough power to run that train at 80 to 100 km/h. That’s the normal speed of a freight train; there is no “slow freight” (anymore).
For Switzerland, high power rating is needed because even flat lines have grades up to 1.5%, and the most important freight line (Gotthard) has grades up to 2.7%. The maximum train weight (because of the couplers) is around 1300 tonnes, and that is hauled by a pack of two locomotives rated together at around 12000 kW. And that gets those trains over the grades at 80 km/h, not much less than the limit for passenger trains (the reason for this speed limitation are rather tight curves). In other words, a freight train and a passenger train stopping a few times have the same time slots over the route. And at busy times, you have 3 passenger trains plus 5 or so freight trains per direction within the hour.
Again in Switzerland, there are lines where you have 4 passenger trains per hour and direction, and there are still one or two time slots for freight planned in during the day (becuse those freight trains are mainly construction materials, and therefore short distance, and they must be processed during the day).
It all gets less an issue when a line is less loaded. If you have one passenger train per hour, you have a lot of capacity for freight, without issues.
“Because of the limited train weight (the limit is to be found with the couplers), the trains have to be shorter,”
Ka-ching. Confirmation of my belief that the couplers are one main reason there’s less freight in Europe than in the US.
Are we accounting for the difference in “freight” statistics between Europe and the USA? According to this website, Europe counts local construction materials as freight, while the US ignores this, leading to an artificially lower truck mode share and highter rail mode share:
http://zierke.com/web-page/eurostat_numbers
“‘Road’ freight in the US statistics means ‘intercity truck traffic’, excluding all the delivery and construction site traffic. “
Valerie Powell
Taxing rail routes by rail/track miles rather than route miles has decreased the double-track mileage in the US over time. Today’s Amtrak Empire Builder struggles to maintain a schedule on a single track route with sidings. Originally the Milwaukee Road’s Hiawatha exceeded 100 mph when the line was double tracked. This line was known for having “SLOW TO 90” signs at some points. For photographic evidence of the long-gone double tracking, please see “Speed War” of Classic Trains “Fast Trains” issue (Feb. 2009), especially page 24’s Wisconsin Dells photo showing Hiawathas 2 and 3 side by side. Today’s Wisconsin Dells station is served by a single-track line.
People forget that at one time there was once a lot more passenger & freight train service. People also over look that there is less trackage too, for the USA the peak was in 1916. The USA is missing 100,000+ miles of rail line & the UK is missing 10,000+ miles rail. The problem is political, roads are not judged on a profit or loss basis while rail lines are.
Highly appreciated, thank you so much so for your sharing your work.
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Guns for Beginners
Facts About Guns
CDC Study Confirmed Kleck’s 2.5 Million Defensive Gun Use Statistic…So They Hid the Data
by Dan Zimmerman |
courtesy msnbc.com
UPDATE: After we posted this, Gary Kleck was informed that his assumption about the nature of the CDC survey data he’d discovered was incorrect and withdrew his paper re-calculating the number of annual defensive gun uses. Reason.com added the following statement on their article about his original conclusions:
The paper discussed in this post below has been withdrawn by the author Gary Kleck after Reason brought to his attention an important detail first pointed out by Robert VerBruggen of National Review: Kleck in the original paper treats the CDC’s surveys on defensive gun use as if they were national in scope, as Kleck’s original survey was, but they were not. From VerBruggen’s own looks at CDC’s raw data, it seems that over the course of the three years, the following 15 states were surveyed: Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. (Those states, from 2000 census data, contained around 27 percent of the U.S. population.) Kleck says he is working on a new version of the paper that recalculates the degree to which CDC’s survey work indeed matches or corroborates his, and we will publish a discussion of those fresh results when they are complete. But for now Kleck has pulled the original paper from the web pending his rethinking the data and his conclusions.
If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times. The big bad NRA holds so much sway over their puppets in Congress that they got them to prohibit the Centers for Disease Control from even studying “gun violence” and the alleged public health crisis that we have in America due to our malignant relationship with firearms the right to keep and bear them.
There’s only one problem with that anti-NRA talking point. It’s completely and utterly false.
The Dickey Amendment — which was one of probably hundreds of special interest baubles that were hung from the 1996 omnibus spending bill Christmas tree that Congress now uses to fund the government’s operations — prevents the CDC from using its money to advocate for gun control. Research into the whos, whats, whens, wheres and whys of firearms and their use in the commission or prevention of crimes is perfectly legal. No matter what our civilian disarmament advocating friends and their accomplices in the media would have you believe.
Why did Rep. Jay Dickey and his gun rights-supporting colleagues in Congress worry that a federal agency might use taxpayer money to advocate against a right guaranteed in the Constitution? Maybe it had something to do with behavior like this:
(I)n the 1990s, the CDC itself did look into one of the more controversial questions in gun social science: How often do innocent Americans use guns in self-defense, and how does that compare to the harms guns can cause in the hands of violent criminals?
Florida State University criminologist Gary Kleck conducted the most thorough previously known survey data on the question in the 1990s. His study, which has been harshly disputed in pro-gun-control quarters, indicated that there were more than 2.2 million such defensive uses of guns (DGUs) in America a year.
Now Kleck has unearthed some lost CDC survey data on the question. The CDC essentially confirmed Kleck’s results. But Kleck didn’t know about that until now, because the CDC never reported what it found.
Kleck figures if you do the adjustment upward he thinks necessary for those who had DGU incidents without personally owning a gun in the home at the time of the survey, and then the adjustment downward he thinks necessary because CDC didn’t do detailed follow-ups to confirm the nature of the incident, you get 1.24 percent, a close match to his own 1.326 percent figure.
He concludes that the small different between his estimate and the CDC’s “can be attributed to declining rates of violent crime, which accounts for most DGUs. With fewer occasions for self-defense in the form of violent victimizations, one would expect fewer DGUs.”
In other words, the CDC dug into the question of how often Americans defend themselves using firearms. And they did an impressive job of it, in Kleck’s opinion. The only problem with their findings was that they confirmed Kleck’s results.
Why is that a bad thing? Because based on his research, Kleck found that the number of defensive gun uses in the US was somewhere between 2.1 and 2.5 million per year, a huge multiple over the number of crimes involving firearms. Not the lower (though still significant number of 500,000) total that the CDC had claimed.
For those who wonder exactly how purely scientific CDC researchers are likely to be about issues of gun violence that implicate policy, Kleck notes that “CDC never reported the results of those surveys, does not report on their website any estimates of DGU frequency, and does not even acknowledge that they ever asked about the topic in any of their surveys.”
Gee, why would they bury important results like that? It’s almost as if the white coats at the CDC would rather not publicize any findings that would cast a bad light on the argument for more control and restrictions of civilian-owned firearms.
Or, as Reason’s Brad Doherty concludes his piece . . .
However interesting attempts to estimate the inherently uncountable social phenomenon of innocent DGUs (while remembering that defensive gun use generally does not mean defensive gun firing, indeed it likely only means that less than a quarter of the time), when it comes to public policy, no individual’s right to armed self-defense should be up for grabs merely because a social scientist isn’t convinced a satisfyingly large enough number of other Americans have defended themselves with a gun.
Leighton Cavendish says:
And what will they say when they confirm that most gun crimes are done by young black and brown men…and not white NRA members?
The left will cry racism and bigotry …watch and see.
LarryinTX says:
Pretty sure they already have! And don’t forget our last prez (which shall not be named) went on and on, on national TV, about the huge numbers of black and brown young men who were dying each year from violence involving firearms (which they possessed illegally, in order to shoot each other). I happened to be watching, with my mouth gaping open, I ended up CERTAIN that he was just about to demand laws prohibiting blacks or browns from firearm ownership, or at least from illegal possession (an interesting concept). But no, he wanted to take my legally owned guns instead.
The government can’t fight real crime and real criminals – it’s too difficult and too dangerous. They would rather fight safe, law-abiding citizens. Just like cops giving out speeding tickets instead of fighting crime. A much higher return on investment…
Jose Grunt says:
And that’s the elephant in the living room. 50+% of homicides committed by an identifiable 12% of the population. 20% more by another 13-14% identifiable subset.
We never talk about it because it involves BEHAVIOR, and discussing people’s behavior is judgmental.
DaveDetroit says:
While I agree with the demographic of violent criminals being largely non-white (checkout http://www.heyjackass.com for Chicago gun stats), I think you may be discounting the growing minority membership in the NRA including people of color and many women. The media would love it if the NRA was all old white guys- it’s not. But they won’t report it correctly.
I agree with your sensibilities on this. The fact that black males 16-55 are 6% of the population and this cohort commits 50% of murder, more than 50% of illegal gun possession, 40% of all violent crime, about 25% of mass shootings, and elevated rate of shooting OF cops still does NOT mean most of that 6% are doing those things.
I am not worried about the African Americans I employ, are pals with, are standing next to me at the range, or that are local members of the NRA (and our area has a lot).
the problem with the numbers comes up because of the false narratives of the gun ban lobby, BLM and prison reform groups. For example BLM contends this 6% cohort being 23% of people shot by cops proves a bias by cops. It does not. This 6% cohort is EIGHT times four times more likely to have a murder, hyper violent felony or illegal firearm arrest, want/warrant, or to be fleeing one just committed. This is proven to be about 90% of all people shot by cops and obviously the risk factor in getting shot by a cop.
The narrative of the gun control movement says, literally, “Americans shoot more people.” This is the thing with these extension of risk factor within a cohort to falsely characterize the entire cohort. in fact, 99.9% of Americans are NOT more likely to harm or murder anyone than British, Canadians, Australians or French are. The US has a small population of “Super predators” , career multiple repeat criminals who are committing over 90% of violent crime.
Time4Truth says:
DaveDetroit and Chris – Well said. We should have thoughtful, rational discussions like this without being cast as racist (Hardcore Jewish 2A supporter here). Your comments are exactly the way to have this conversation. The issues are real but so is the fact that minority involvement will be key to the longterm effectiveness of the gun rights advocacy efforts. I encourage you to check out a couple of groups. Black Guns Matter started by a Philadelphia area rapper and Operation Blazing Sword which teaches the LBGTQ community how to shoot. They’re pretty cool efforts and good opportunities for all of us to stuff the lefts narrative down a deep dark hole.
Shire-man says:
When they intentionally hide inconvenient data and come back with what-ifs, hyperbole and irrational fears how can they expect to “just have a conversation?”
This is worse than talking to an idiot. It’s talking to a lying idiot who hates you.
The best part about this breaking now is the entire month of March the MSM pumped out “CDC prevented from doing research by evil NRA” stories day after day after day.
Would be a full time job to go back and post a link to this info in their respective comments sections but totally worth it.
Can you imagine the CDC being asked to study the population health effects of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth Amendments?
A block from me a family of four was murdered by a guy with a knife. He tortured them and killed the kid in front of his parents. He had 14 arrests, including for five felonies, the last one thrown out due to a technicality on a warrant (the found stolen goods from a home invasion murder but this evidence was excluded leading to acquittal on the main homicide in commission of a felony and he was out in 18 months to commit more murder instead of getting life)
This, according to Hogg/Evertyown makes me a “survivor” of Fourth and fifth amendment violence since it was a friend on my block who was killed.
I want the CDC to study crimes committed due to this as well as due to the ACLU making it harder to mandatorily treat the insane, and much harder to convict criminals than any developed democracy.
PainesGhost says:
Superb summation of the situation nationwide. If you don’t mind, I am going to copy your post in its entirety and use it elsewhere.
O2HeN2 says:
So how do us mere mortals get access to this information?
frijoli says:
I would like to know this as well.
zachm890 says:
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3124326
Cory C says:
meadowsr says:
“The abstract you requested was not found.
Please check your search criteria and try again.”
Moid62 says:
I got a “not found” on that link as well. I did a search on “Gary Kleck” at the same website and found a number of interesting papers including this one:
Which includes a number of references to CDC data.
Gun Free School Zones are a crime against humanity says:
There is not a single truth in the gun control movement. Not one. The entire rotten house of cards is built on lies. Financed by just a few billionaire criminals at the top.
Eliminate those few and gun control collapses.
Pg2 says:
Sounds similar to a MMR vaccine study where the results showed something like a 400% increase in autism in black kids, not the results the CDC wanted. What do they do? Destroy and change the results. Problem solved.
Evey259 says:
Except that study was rife with poor research methodology and has been pretty thoroughly debunked.
Has the whistle blower that exposed the fraud and cover-up been debunked? Missed that one. Nice try. He has gone silent, one has to wonder what carrots, or sticks, have been used to keep him quiet since initially blowing the whistle.
tsbhoa.p.jr says:
got kids?
What business is that of yours? Are you a hardcore creep, or just borlderline creepy?
In fact the “whistleblower” was exposed as a compete fraud.
You are subscribing to a left wing anti-science nuttery (and nearly twice as many democrats/liberals believe vaccines are harmful as do Republicans/conservatives)
@Chris, Dr. Thompson, the senior researcher-whistleblower who still works for the CDC, was exposed as a complete fraud? Again, missed that one. Have a citation? He went silent after he initially blew the whistle, and again, makes a person wonder what promises, or threats were used to keep him quiet. He has never retracted his statements. Please cite where he was exposed as a fraud. Otherwise I’ll assume you’re intentionally lying here.
M J Johnson says:
Will you please provide links that support this article? I want to show the anti-gunners who argue with me proof that the CDC actually hid the data. It may not change their minds, but it will give me pleasure seeing their brains short-circuit as they read it.
Yeah, I’m a wicked so-and-so. 😀
I would like to see that too! Also the link. LOL
Dan Zimmerman says:
Here’s Kleck’s analysis of the newly found data.
Shallnot BeInfringed says:
No longer there – coincidence? Hmmmmmm…
Many thanks, Dan.
Indiana Tom says:
The government gun control studies are as unbiased as their climate change studies. All government studies always promote more government. If the government cannot figure out what they are trying to legislate without an elaborate study, then the government should not be studying the subject and legislating it.
barnbwt says:
“I can prove global warming is inevitable despite policy decisions”
“Don’t call us, we’ll call you”
“I can prove we can stop global warming if you’re given power & money”
“All right then, let’s talk grant-money!”
Gov. William J Le Petomane says:
The only thing inevitable is that those glaciers that melted 11,700 years ago are coming back and when they do they’re probably going to kill us all.
(Probably won’t happen in our lifetime though.)
Moltar says:
In other news, water is wet, Jeeps do great offroad while being a bit terrible on road, GM interiors suck, 45 is superior to 9mm, 5.56 is inferior to 50 BMG, and taxes suck.
This just in Donald Trump is either the greatest president ever or the antichrist.
IdahoPete says:
“If we can ban just one gun, it is worth having a few million more successful violent crimes each year.”
News Flash: Gummint hides [taxpayer funded] study it didn’t like.
Who would have thought that?
Jim Bullock says:
^That’s brilliant. I’ll be borrowing that.
‘…no individual’s right to armed self-defense should be up for grabs merely because a social scientist isn’t convinced a satisfyingly large enough number of other Americans have defended themselves with a gun.’
Exactly, what difference does it make if there’s 500,000 DGUs or 2.5 million? Or 50,000? If it happens once a decade you still have the right to defend yourself if it’s you that’s under attack.
Fair point. Rights shouldn’t be subject to a cost/benefits analysis. But given that the anti-gunners make the case that they are, it never hurts to have evidence that undermines their theory. Not that I can’t appreciate the idea of just refusing to pay their dirty game.
Still, even by their numbers, 500,000 every year is a lot of DGUs. 500,000 murders, rapes, robberies or assaults prevented is hardly insignificant.
Agreed that cost/benefit is a bad test of rights, it would eliminate fourth, fifth and sixth amendment rights for sure.
That said the CDC had given millions to ‘researchers” directly associated with the gun ban groups to promote cos/benefit that was an inversion of the facts.
for example the claim that owning a firearm puts your household members in more danger. This was never once parsed for the main variable which is illegal vs legal firearm. Informal police studies in every jurisdiction that looked at it found that while illegal gun ownership was a minority of gun ownership, near 90% of intentional and accidental shootings were criminal on criminal or a active criminal whose home was targeted, say because they were selling meth out of it, etc.
When this is controlled for, remaining homes with guns, which is to say the vast majority of homes with guns, are much safer from violence than homes that have no firearm at all, about 35% safer from violence.
Some interesting statements. Again, do you have links to the data where you’re deriving your statements from? Also, what is a legal firearm vs an illegal firearm? The 2nd Amendment makes no distinction, where are you drawing yours?
^Brilliant (also)
I don’t recognize the quoted bit. Were’s that from — you?
End of the article.
That’s what I get for skimming the thing.
OK, Dan Z. Brilliant.
Sam I Am says:
Just sent the link to my brother-in-law. Can’t wait to read his response….most likely, “It doesn’t matter. No shooting at a school is acceptable, regardless of lives otherwise saved”.
Tell him shootings don’t happen at schools because they already made them Gun Free Zones.
We’ve had that conversation/argument. He says, “Tell that to those gun owners who ignore Gun Free Zone signs. It is you people, not criminals who are doing all the killing.”
It’s hard to play poker with a deck filled with nothing but jokers.
Unrepentant Libertarian says:
Tell your brother-in-law that Ted Kennedys car killed more people that your guns have. As for “you people” not criminals that shoot school kids, NO NRA member has killed school children. Of the mass shootings only one was done by a lunatic on the right (trying to start a race war), all the rest were left wing lunatics or followers of the “religion of peace”.
Brother-in-law doesn’t distinguish between NRA and gun owners. He separates people with guns into only two categories: criminals, and about to be criminals. “Legal gun owners” are the problem because “they” are the ones causing all the mass shootings. His concept of “legal gun owner” is anyone who owns a gun that is not a gang member or convicted criminal. That includes the crazies who “steal” guns and then go on a rampage.
When faced with the fact that if it were possible to remove all the guns from legal owners, armed assaults and murders would continue, that people who were alive because they used a gun in defense would be dead, BIL’s response is that without guns, school shootings won’t happen, “…and that is all that matters”.
@Sam, sounds like your brother has a paranoid disorder. Maybe he should be checked in somewhere for menral health evaluation….for the his good and the for the good of those around him…..
Brother-in-law was a “Spock baby”. Raised to suffer no inconvenience. He is where I learned that the anti-gun people believe that if they stay away from “bad” places, they should be safe. It is we gun owners who are the problem, because we look “normal”, and go to places where “good” people go. This means BIL and the like are afraid they will be killed for doing nothing wrong, in “good” places.
John J. McCarthy, Jr. says:
Tell your brother-in-law to shut-up.
Lol, that might cause severe mental anguish and disable him with PTSD. With the pussification/feminization of males, that’s where we’re headed. This is already standard in parts of Europe.
My right to defend my life, and therefore my right to have a gun suitable for self-defense, was created at the moment of my birth. You can argue on about “Who” created this right, I really don’t care.
The U.S. Constitution did not create this right, it recognized its existence and created the prohibition against the government form ever infringing upon it.
If exactly zero people defended themselves with a gun, my right as specified above still exists.
So few people understand this.
I think put more accurately, “So many don’t care.”
That too.
Jormungand says:
Anyone got or found the source numbers from those CDC studies? That would make a bulletproof argument against that group, no-pun intended.
ironicatbest says:
DGU should include snakes and such. I consider shooting that rabid racoon as a defensive gun use, I probably could have clubbed it to death but that would have been a little to much excitement.
Even the highest number of etimaged DGU does not include all cimre premvented by non law enformcnmetn gun owners.
In my town we had a woman pull her gun on a man attempting to assault her with a tire iron. She was able to call 911 and he was arrested. Turns out DNA showed that he had committed a prior nasty sexual and aggravated assault that left a woman permanently injured.
But the point is not only her prevention of a crime against her, but that if she had not had her gun and facilitated his arrest there would have been a future assault on someone else, meaning in one instance shoe prevented other future crimes, perhaps two or three. he is now locked up for 25 years minimum.
A single DGU can prevent several crimes prevented. The numbers of crimes prevented by guns are even higher than DGU numbers
ChewyCz says:
Apologies if I missed but where are the links to actual data in the story?
Can we maybe have a followup story with full data and a break down?
Big Government data that we’ve been right all along is potentially a game changer (at least against the academics).
rogue river says:
10% of the population commits 63% of the crime.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/18/10-percent-of-the-population-commits-63-percent-of-the-homicide/?noredirect=on
Irrespective of race, creed, color, national origin, etc. All human populations have an element prone to criminality. It is not a matter of race, though poverty is a good indicator, and race tags along because of US demographics.
““In all my research, every multiple death act of violence has been perpetrated by one to two male adolescents,” psychology professor Abigail A. Baird told the Huffington Post in 2013. “I’m not comfortable saying that’s a coincidence.””
Men commit murder, and young men are the ones that commit multiple murders. Not exclusively, but any exceptions are notable because of there deviation from the norm, not because they are the norm. So what does society do? Take guns from everyone, so that the strong and ruthless can rule by force? That hardly seems smart.
Craig in IA says:
Stats like this are prime reasons why we should never waste time or energy on the people who already have an illogical bias against individuals taking care of themselves. The ones we need to get our message to is the vast number of Americans who feel they have no stake in the debate, at least not at this time.
So, if you do social media (I don’t), you should tweet and facebook this, or the Reason article, and keep it going around the official news filters. I think we’ve reached a point where about half of America doesn’t believe the MSM, or Yahoo News, at least on things they are interested in. Exactly why Trump keeps tweeting even though he gets hammered for doing it.
Time for some “common sense” media control laws. “News” media caught reporting fake new should lose their “right” to publish and be locked up!
Folks, there has been only a short period in America where “journalists” were trying to put a respectable (objective?) veneer over their true nature. That period probably ended with Nixon. The overall nature of “the press” in this country (and others) has been “The power of the press belongs to he who owns one”.
News outlets in this country have been biased and prejudiced since the beginning. Pushing a political or personal agenda is a hallmark of something called “Yellow Journalism” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism). This type of “journalism” sometimes led to serious improvement in business and politics. (called “muckraking”, sometimes “personal journalism” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muckraker. )
Upshot is that “objective journalism/reporting” has never been the standard for “news”. It was/is always about power and politics. Why do you think the “mainstream media” simultaneously attacks and supports “alternative” presentations of “news”? Because “news” is a business, and competitors cause you to lower prices, or even cease operations. Add an overall resistance to any “news” organization that is not promoting the fascist agenda, and “mainstream media” is in a frenzy to monopolize all outlets for public information.
Taitiruk says:
It would be great if this article actually had footnotes for us who are trying to write papers on gun self defense, but since there aren’t any can’t use this nice article that is full of doubt, even though I am a gun owner. We need facts and proof, not unsupported evidence.
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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESIDENT REJECTS FOSSIL FUEL DIVESTMENT RECOMMENDATION
posted by Sam Harrison
Toronto, ON - University of Toronto President Meric Gertler has rejected his own committee’s recommendation to divest from some fossil fuel companies. This decision comes at the end of three years of advocacy by the University community, including endorsements from the Faculty Association and all major campus student unions. The President instead announced that he is asking the University’s investors to consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors.
Following a year of review, the President’s expert committee stated last December that “fossil fuel firms engaging in activities that blatantly disregard the 1.5-degree threshold are engaging egregiously in socially injurious behaviour [...] The University should, in a targeted and principled manner, divest from its direct holdings in such firms.” The committee singled out unconventional extraction techniques such as oil sands, Arctic drilling, and fracking to be incompatible with the Paris Agreement and the Canadian government’s climate commitments.
Additionally, they stated “to observe the 1.5-degree threshold, we cannot burn all of our fossil fuels reserves." This issue, which is central to preventing catastrophic climate change, is effectively ignored in the administration's decision.
“For more than 30 years, my parents’ generation has failed to make any meaningful progress on this issue. Our inaction is denying future generations and low-income populations around the world their security, dignity, and livelihoods,” said Clement Cheng, a first year student and divestment organizer. “In 2015, we experienced the hottest year since record-keeping began, the lowest winter Arctic sea ice in history, and the fastest rising sea levels in 28 centuries. This underscores the urgency of taking ambitious action.”
The President’s decision announces that he established new working groups following the committee’s recommendation. Amanda Harvey-Sanchez, a second-year student, decried that “he rejected the recommendation from a consultative, interdisciplinary advisory committee. Instead, he chose to accept a decision made by secret working groups of his senior executive not included in U of T’s investment policy. By rejecting divestment as recommended by the committee, the President plans to maintain U of T’s investments in companies which the committee stated are imposing grave social injury. My school should not be trying to profit from the oil sands and fracking companies that are actively thwarting progress on climate change.
The University of Toronto Asset Management Corporation has come under fire recently: CEO William Moriarty received a 57% raise this year, bringing his compensation to $1.48 million.
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Amanda Harvey-Sanchez Cell: 647-267-9838 Email: amandahs@toronto350.org
Clement Cheng Cell: 647-938-3284 Email: ckw.cheng@mail.utoronto.ca
Photo by Milan Ilnyckyj, Creative Commons License. More publicly available photos can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sindark/albums/72157660448780086
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Riding the Entrepreneurial Dynamo
The onslaught of the recent recession has brought about numerous changes in the global economic climate. Many governments have tried to find solutions to alleviate the effects of the economic downturn but many of their efforts have come to naught. The debate on whether governments should increase spending to bolster failing economies has raged on and off over the years but a sustainable and practical solution is yet to be found.
The Perils of Increasing Government Spending
The temptation to increase government spending may be hard to resist. However, stimulus spending, government bailouts and fund injections have proven to cause more problems than solutions. Obama’s attempts to revitalize the American economy a few years ago with his stimulus package have illustrated that increased government spending is not a cure-all that can solve declining GDPs and floundering economies. If there is a lesson that can be learned from the way America handled the recession, it is clearly the fact that governments cannot simply buy their way out of a messy economic maelstrom. Government spending alone cannot create jobs or increase the income of a nation. In the long run, increasing the productivity of the general populace is a more effective and long-term solution to build a stable and sustainable economy that can weather most economic downturns.
In order for an economy to be stable and profitable, it should be able to earn. Economics is a very complicated subject but the bottom line is that a productive populace builds strong economies. In order for a population to be productive, individuals should have access to lucrative jobs. Large-scale companies are very important providers of both income and jobs. Economies of scale and multi-national corporations are very important, however, the government should also pay more attention to small to medium scale entrepreneurs. While generally smaller in scale in terms of operations and scope, entrepreneurial companies are very important sources of jobs as well as income. They are also often at the forefront of development and more often than not, the "next big thing" may be found in an office of a small entrepreneurial company. Even corporate giants such as Google, Apple and Virgin started as entrepreneurial endeavours spearheaded by visionaries like Steve Jobs and UK’s own Richard Branson.
Given the power and dynamism of entrepreneurs, the UK government should also lend its hand in ensuring that a new crop of highly motivated and driven entrepreneurs can come to the forefront. Keep in mind that a government is meant to “govern” a nation, not provide jobs for all its citizens. This task is best left in the hands of entrepreneurs. The government should focus on laying the foundations for the next generation of intrepid UK entrepreneurs. While there are many ways of doing this, education should be the topmost priority. The government should be able to educate entrepreneurs and equip them with everything they need to start being profitable. While this may seem like a time-consuming and roundabout method of stabilizing an economy, it can help bring more permanent long-term results.
Large-scale companies are very good at what they do. They can provide thousands of jobs and earn billions of Pounds at a scale that the average entrepreneur could hardly hope to match. However, even multi-national corporations have limitations when it comes to the speed at which it can achieve progress. True progress can be seen more clearly at the entrepreneurial level. Take the business mogul Duncan Bannatyne or the cool restaurateur Jamie Oliver for instance. These business savvy entrepreneurs have taken their respective fields by storm. From his humble roots maintaining the ships of the Royal Navy as an Engineering Mechanic, Bannatyne now runs a vast organization with stakes in real estate, television, hotels, health clubs and even transportation. Olivier, on the other hand, has come a long way from growing up at a small English pub in Essex. He is now a successful celebrity chef and TV personality. At the same time, he is also one of the most successful restaurateurs in the country. Sweet as Candy, Olivier’s cleverly named Holding Company has raked in enough profit to garner him the title as “One of the Richest Britons Under Thirty” according to The Sunday Times.
Education as the Key to Success
The UK has no shortage of brilliant and highly capable entrepreneurs that are worthy of emulation. Their examples should be used both to motivate and educate up and coming entrepreneurs who are simply raring for a chance to rise to the world’s stage. In order for these individuals to have a fighting chance, they should be educated for self employment. They should have access to entrepreneurial basics such as knowledge in accountancy and bookkeeping, small to medium scale production and import and export knowhow. While UK colleges and Universities are there to carry the brunt of the burden in terms of educating these future tycoons and moguls, the government should also step forward by providing more educational options and programs.
Other European countries already have a head start in terms of entrepreneurial education and support. Italy for instance, has been busy raising and supporting the next generation of Italian entrepreneurs. The Italian government regularly sponsors educational seminars designed with the budding entrepreneur in mind. They have also started spearheading other avenues of entrepreneurial education both in the real world as well as online. The UK would greatly benefit from applying these measures locally as well.
Online Support for Burgeoning Entrepreneurs
While many UK entrepreneurs are waiting for the government to take the necessary steps in the right direction, there are many online resources that new entrepreneurs can take advantage of. From online educational courses to resource sites specializing in providing information related to entrepreneurship and business in general, you will be able to find a wealth of information online. Sites like Servizio Contabile Italiano and its blog about business can help individuals make heads or tails of the sometimes complex world of entrepreneurship. They offer industry leading accounting services as well as resources and articles that any entrepreneur would find useful.
And So It Came To Pass
Aaron Porter's Message to All Students
"I'm stuck between the rock of never having the political career I dream of, and the hard place of actually having opinion..."
The Third Estate
Labels: NUS
YBF 7 - TB's Last Speech
It's that time of year again when the Young Britons' Foundation hold their annual conference, this year it's going international with a delegation from the States coming too.
TB will be speaking, probably for the last time under such pseudonym, and the whole weekend is always a good laugh as well as a brilliant chance to hear and learn from the brightest and biggest names on the right.
Get your tickets and find out who else is speaking etc
Aaron's Warped Reality
Aaron Porter has rambled on once again about the
"tiny minority
" of trouble makers, that included his own NUS committee members. The following were witnessed or photographed at the riot outside Millbank
Mark Bergfeld, NUS NEC
Vicki Baars, NUS LGBT Officer
Sean Rillo Raczka, NUS NEC Mature Students’ Rep
Alan Bailey, NUS LGBT Officer
Kanjay Sesay, NUS Black Students' Officer
Matt Bond, NUS Disabled Ctte
One question Aaron. Does this look like tiny?
The NUS President is clearly delusional if he thinks he is not to blame for what happened. He's clearly been hanging out too much with other delusional "it wasn't me guv" types, like disgraced expenses crook and former Labour MP Shahid Malik who he invited on the march:
Just do the right thing Aaron and man up.
CF Splits on Porter
A pretty pathetic statement from CF concerning yesterday's riot at CCHQ. Ben Howlett who has boasted before of his closeness to Aaron Porter refused to call from him to go despite the pleas of his executive. The official wet line is:
"As representatives of the Conservative Party's student organisation we
welcome the NUS' comdenation of those individuals who hijacked yesterdays
protest and committed serious acts of violence and mindless vandalism
during yesterday's protests. We now look forward to them taking swift
action against those NUS officers who played their part.
"And we call on the leaders of the NUS to recognise the fact that the vast
majority of students, who did not attend yesterdays’ protest, do believe
that those looking to enter university should share in paying for the cost
of their tuition."
Vice Chairman Clare Hilley
has stuck the boot in:
"Hollow sound bites and pathetic excuses from the organisation’s President Aaron Porter speak volumes about just how out of touch the NUS is with it’s members. The only way to draw a line under this tragic state of events is for its current President to do the right thing and step down."
Those officials look set to be named and shamed....
Update: Ben says he want Porter to go, he just didn't seem to have put that bit in the statement.
Pressure Mounts on NUS President Aaron Porter
This letter landed in TB's inbox this morning and he is sure that the ringleader of yesterday's fun and games - the President of the National Union of Students - Aaron Porter a) did not sleep well last night, and b) will face the wrath of those students who wanted to protest peacefully.
Aaron Porter's appalling planning of yesterday's protest has left the already bruised reputation of the NUS in tatters and to suggest that Mr Porter could be allowed to oversee another such demonstration is laughable.
He was in charge, and as soon as it went wrong he did a runner, sending a mere tweet, spinning that it was just a
couple of bad eggs
. The truth is there were thousands of students he could not control.
It was immediately clear that he could not, and had not, properly briefed the police with exactly who he had invited, and in many cases bussed in, to his big day.
President of the National Union of Students
4th Floor 184-192
Drummond Street
London NW1 3HP
████ █, ██ ████████ ██████
████ ███
Dear Mr Porter,
I want to bitterly complain about the behaviour of yourself and your staff. I attended today’s protest as a civil servant and a Birkbeck College student. My efforts to join you were met with abuse and threats of violence. I think the level of violence and intimidation is well known to you so I will not elaborate further.
In my view, you should resign as you failed to properly control your event. I am appalled by the fact that you left the scene and spent time conducting media interviews while you should have been taking responsibility for the violence and hatred you unleashed. It was also sad to see that your cowardice in this matter was followed by your stewards, all of whom had retreated when the risk to the public was greatest.
I think that in this difficult period real leadership is best displayed by having the decency to admit you were wrong and accept the consequences. Can you imagine the NUS limping on with you in charge?
Should you wish to discuss this with me personally my number is 07███ ███ ███.
Yours in sadness,
Birkbeck College Student
Postgraduate Journalism
TB feels it could be a tricky day for Mr President, he spoke to him briefly yesterday in the Sky News studios and Mr Porter was adamant he was not going to blame the police. If that is the case then who else could possibly be responsible for such a spectacular cock-up? The police say they were not warned. Why not Aaron?
Can Aaron Porter be sure that no NUS hacks were involved in the destruction of Millbank Tower and 30 Millbank?
Labels: Aaron Porter NUS
Freedom baby.
Educaton Educaton Educaton II
There are few things more likely to get TB out of his awful blogging lull than a chance to take the piss out of his old student union. Once again Edinburgh University Student Association, or EUSA to their friends, have excelled themselves in their fightback against the machine.
Those evil ConDems are threatening to raise tuition fees. The comrades are being called to arms to fight these evil education cuts. Put perhaps the hacks should spend more time in the library than stabbing each other in the back for their quest up the greasy poll and attempts to find a safe Labour seat or Green Party candidacy:
If ever there was proof the 50% target was too high. Labour would be proud after their similar mare.
Best Campaign Ad Ever No.145
Conference Pride Tonight
A message from Conference Pride which is happening tonight. 21.30 - 03.30 at Nightingales Club, 18 Kent St. Tickets available in the ICC lobby or from anyone clad in a rainbow t-shirt...
TB on the Fringe
TB is looking forward to hitting up Birmingham especially after missing out on Manchester. His accommodation will make you laugh.
FringeList
is a service that lets you track who is going to what Fringe events and whats on etc. You can also sign up for text reminders for events.
tory.fringelist.com
for a full range events or
tory.fringelist.com/torybear
for what TB will going to. Sign in with Twitter to do your own calender...
Drop him a line if you fancy a beer. TB will be speaking at the Freedom Zone one morning (details to follow) and don't forget to book your ticket for the TB/YBF conference kick off party on Saturday night
See you in Brum.
Will Ed Descamisado It?
The Labour Party website
thinks so
. As did his campaign launch:
Will Red Ed go jacketless today? TB reckons its the sort of cheap stunt he'd try...
CF Election Results - Howlett Wins
Shocking that only 200 votes were cast. 18k members. Nice. So with an overwhelming mandate the winners are:
Chairman: Ben Howlett (Howlett 113, Cox 60)
Deputy (membership): Clare Hilley (Hilley 73, Cooper 47)
Deputy (political): Alexandra Swann (Swann 139, Khan 33)
Appointed Officer - James Deighton (Deighton 72, Sullivan 70)
Two women and a gay guy at the top. Without quotas. Without enforcement, without special patronising identity officers. Eat your heart out Labour. Gutted about Patrick Sullivan missing out by two votes. Good luck to the new team.
Though the massive drop in turn out needs investigation - someone has cocked up here.
Labour Conference Responds to IMF News
"The International Monetary Fund has said Britain's economy is "on the mend" as it backed budget tightening measures taken by the coalition Government." Wonder what Labour will have to say about this
for the UK:
Conference Kick Off
It's conference time kids and that means its karaoke time. This year TB has teamed up with YBF to kick the Conference off in style in the VIP lounge of Bar Risa next door to the ICC. Full details are here. You can reserve songs when you
. The list is growing - you've already missed the chance to sing:
“Lets stick together”
“The look of love” Dusty Springfield
“Same old brand new you” A1
“Knowing me, Knowing you” ABBA
“Take a chance on me” ABBA (Iain Dale?)
“Nothing is gonna stop us now” Starship
. Will be a laugh.
The Right People Back Cox
You may have noticed this advert on various political blogs:
Well look out for it if you havent. It's an advert for Craig Cox, a very sound, very ambitious and motivated Conservative. TB is backing Craig to be the next chairman of Conservative Future.
The Tories are in power now, no longer does CF have to be mere leaflet fodder for associations. No longer does it have to be about traipsing up steps and knocking on doors. Now CF has a chance to be a genuine political, ideological and motivational force and it needs a ideologically sound leader.
Ben Howlett is a great guy and TB thinks he will probably win this election. Ben has shown organisational skills that would have been brilliant leading CF in opposition. But now is the time for CF to make some noise, a loyal Cameroon councillor is the last thing the Tory youth wing needs.
They need a leader who is willing to speak out against the government, not a cheerleader. A leader who has learnt the tough lessons of how hard the left will go to smear and lie and distort, a leader who has cut their teeth and isn't afraid to learn from mistakes. For too long CF has been scared of fighting, too scared of breaking party line and too scared to really make a difference. But with the right figurehead all that can change.
Though TB is no longer a member and does not have a vote he would urge you all to take a look at Craig's
and put that cross next to his name. It's time CF had a kick up the ideological backside and Craig is the man to do it.
Coalition Buddies
What was that about no electoral pact at the next election?
It seems the University of Nottingham freshers didn't get the memo...
CF Elects - TB's Endorsements
With just seven days to go, the only contest to be less exciting than the Labour leadership battle will finally draw to a close. Though it turns out TB is no longer a member of the Tories and thus illegible to vote (news to him but hey) he thought he would endorse a couple of candidates in the Conservative Future election. A bit like Sarah Palin without the money or the Jesus lovin'.
Firstly for Appointed Officer
is easily the most qualified candidate. TB has known Patrick for years and he really does have the best interests of the Party at heart. A formidable presence on the CF scene, there are few out there who have given up more time and personal contributions to various by-election and local campaigns. This video also tickled TB:
Secondly CF Wales isn't the most exciting of organisations but it is under threat of being taken over by a Tory Reform Group loon who
an increase in public spending and describes those attempting to save public money as "dicks". The sooner Zahid Raja wakes up and realises he is in the wrong party the better. These quasi-socialist NUS NIMBYs need to be kept as far away from the Tory greasy poll as possible.
Grant Tucker
is your man for Wales. TB met him down at Spring Forum and he's a good guy. Unlike his opponent who has more in common with Ed Balls than any Tory...
Deputy Chairman (Political) is an easy one. Loyal readers will know TB has always had a soft spot for
Alexandra Swann
and who wouldn't want her leading a protest...
As for DC (Membership) TB is somewhat torn. Hampsheir is a top lad,
Oliver Cooper
is a sound man, very sound, but then
Clare Hilley
has been a member of CF for the best part of a decade and proved time and again her ability at organising London based campaigns. TB doesn't understand why the libertarian ideologue Cooper isn't standing for the Political role which would suit him much better and he would easily win. Clare and TB have had their differences over the last year or so, but there is no doubting she is the best candidate for this particular job, and that slogan was always going to come in useful one day... Don't be silly, vote for Hilley.
And as for Chairman.. well you'll have to wait and see about that one.
A full list of candidates standing can be found
Movement for Strange
Undercover at David Miliband’s eve of voting rally.
I never like answering my phone in my sleep and especially not to a shrill and excited voice, unfathomable for the early hour of a bank holiday Monday. Yes I was definitely coming, yes I knew where it was, and no I didn’t need any help getting there.
This was the third time someone from David Miliband’s hyperbolic Movement for Change had been in touch that weekend. Despite answering with my real name, they would ask to speak to “Alex” every time, but I’d long given up putting the phone on the desk for thirty seconds while I went to “find him”.
The event was meant to be a culmination of training “future leaders”, a “wonk school” if you will. Out of mere curiosity at what the enemy were up to, I signed up on the website with my legal name Alexander for more information back in July. I was now being pestered at alarming rate. The sense of desperation at getting as many people as possible to Miliband’s rally was starting to show. The event was meant to be a congregation of all the activists the campaign have trained over the summer - allegedly over a thousand, but I for one had certainly not achieved my level one community organiser’s badge.
Most normal people wouldn’t choose to give up hours of their bank-holiday weekend to go mingle with Milband’s new model army, but with ten days of stubble and a Che Guevara t-shirt to mask me, what was the worst that could happen?
My mind was made up by a final reminder text, to which I replied “do I need to bring anything?” The reply of “just enthusiasm” made me cringe and yet somehow feel hopeful at the same time. “Enthusiasm” and the Labour leadership race have rarely been seen in a sentence together. I printed out my ticket and was asked to write my own unique ticket number, 505, on it, but a frantic follow up email asked me to change that to 1005. What a masterful piece of spin, curiously first used by another movement for change, the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (the German Workers' Party who would soon become the Nazis).
Despite being an obvious right-winger, hanging around Westminster enough, you end up meeting hacks and pole-climbers of all parties, so with a last check of my new side-parting, I put my flatmate’s glasses and entered Westminster’s grand Emmanuel Centre and approached the desk. Of course there was no record of ticket 1005. Given I knew the coordinator at one of the desks further down, having to spell out my surname wasn’t particularly helpful. Eventually I was found and ticked and given a little green sticker. No one would give me an answer to what the orange ones were for, but the micro-managing had begun.
I was quickly sent upstairs, guided past a silent brass band, and as a proud member of Lambeth Constituency Labour Party herded into the South London section of the audience. Strangely my constituency comrades hadn’t seen me around before, but that wasn’t to stop a friendly chit-chat ensuing. I was new to the constituency of course, but my neighbour on the left didn’t seem particularly involved either. He hadn’t had any Community Organiser training either, nor had the person next to him, or his mum, or in fact anyone sitting around me.
Scanning around the room there was undoubtedly an impressive turn out, but as even Miliband supporters noted there was a distinct lack of young people. The room was full of “Future Leaders” most of whom were much older than their hopeful messiah. The surroundings could not be more appropriate. For someone trying to escape the title of being heir to “St Tony”, the home to the Emmanuel Evangelical Church, was a interesting choice of venue. Everywhere the eye looked was a combination of Miliband’s elongated slogans and overt new-age Christianity. Bringing Labour together, Leading Labour to... redemption?
The atmosphere had the feel of a church congregation full of anticipation. Jim Murphy gave a panto style warm up, the audience fully embracing the “Are you ready... I can’t hear you” banter while stylish female spinners and handlers looked on from the corner of the stage with awkward, embarrassed smiles.
As the pre-game warm up continued the brass band played, the rainbow flags were waved and various handpicked Miliband supporters were paraded across the stage to cheers. A dire duet by MPs Willie Bain and Stella Creasy who narrated the story of the Labour Party like teachers at a school play was not enough to dampen spirits. The fervour amongst the audience was growing, with a rapturous response every time the word “ConDem” was mentioned. I was beginning to think this could turn into a Mid-West evangelical roof raiser, with people having visions and speaking in tongues, running up and down the aisles at any moment. And then it did.
One man stood up singing, shouting, screaming and began to run toward the stage, suddenly whole rows of black women were singing and clapping and screaming “we want David”. It was a practiced routine and a whole block of the audience knew the words to their song. Suddenly I realised what the orange stickers meant. It seems the Movement for Change has been working rather closely with London Citizens, a grassroots community group that have come under attack from being left-wing extremists but also have had praise heaped upon them by no less than David Cameron and Steve Hilton.
Suddenly the “grassroots” effect began to tarnish, clearly Miliband was taking a leaf out of the Obama book, this was a “movement” not a rally, this was about ordinary people not him, yet he needed the help of a well-funded and well organised group to flood his “movement” with room-meat. The facade had slipped and given the speed at which a glamorous blonde staffer was running around, the team knew this. She ran so fast to the back of the room to work out what to do, that her DM4Leader badges were peeling off her silk dress.
Order was restored and suddenly there was piano playing a ConDem ballard. Sob stories by Assistant Regional Inclusion Managers for unions were told over what sounded uncannily like the “Lonely Man” theme from the end of The Incredible Hulk. One man actually said the ConDem cuts were going to kill him.
And then suddenly there he was, David, the golden child. He actually kissed a baby as he walked in less than three feet from where I was standing. He had the pointing-at-people-you-pretend-to-know-in-the-audience trick down to a tee and I even got to touch the chosen one’s hand. No religious experience for me, though I did feel a little breathless from the unending standing ovations and cheering and wooing during the speech. When in Rome.
We were treated to Miliband’s vision, a vision of the “Good Society” where people, not politicians were in control. Communities were going to be empowered, localism rules the day, but this was not the Big Society. Don’t you dare even think this could possibly be an overlap with the evil ConDems. No this was different, this was Miliband’s Jerry Maguire “help me help you” moment. It was as if Cameron had talked about the Big Society in 2005 when he was standing for leader rather than deploying it as a last minute election grenade that he forgot to pull the pin on.
It was a competent speech, polished, no notes and even attempted a little self-deprecation about the justified mocking he had received for his “how to organise a drinks party” briefing. The joke was on David though, through his desperation to not be seen as a micro-manager and instead an empowerer, he managed to show just what a micro-manager he is.
Impressive at first, the whole Movement for Change is a fraud, a room full of community organisers who weren’t just there because Miliband had empowered them; they were Community Organisers and charity workers while he was still carrying bags for Tony Blair. Where were these thousands personally trained by the Movement for Change? It was telling that he ended his speech begging the audience to join Labour.
It was clear he wanted it to be an Obama style event, swaths of the audience were waiting for an Obama style event but, cometh the hour, the man was nowhere to be seen. In the end it was nothing more than a tacit endorsement for David Cameron’s Big Society which his speechwriters have clearly had a selective browse. The Good Society, the Big Society, whatever you want to call it, if Miliband wins, there is hope that common ground can be found on the reining in of the state. This all could have been said without the charade though.
A hack I knew, had started to make intrigued eye contact, I began to think my game was up, and besides the show was drawing to a close. I made a dash for the exit. As I stood outside reading the confirmation I had been rumbled on Twitter, a man clocked my Che t-shirt. “You don’t see many of those anymore, we’ve all got them though.” A Chinese man next to him, with a green sticker on, said “the best thing my father ever did was sign me up to the Labour Party and the Chinese Communist Party on my 16th Birthday.”
It was no surprise that these old-timers felt more comfortable outside smoking than with the stage-managed intensity inside and conversation quickly turned to great left-wing leaders. It was a deeply surreal experience for me to hear Chairman Mao praised in such lavish term, Castro had to be expected though. Thankfully there wasn’t much expectation that David Miliband would join these greats, a mere shrug when I asked. He could give the Chinese Communist party a run for their money on the organisational front though.
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16 Drivers Confirmed for 2020 Junior WRC
Martins Motorsports returning to NASCAR in 2020
by Justin Nguyen December 24, 2019
written by Justin Nguyen December 24, 2019
Credit: Sean Gardner/NASCAR via Getty Images
All Tommy Joe Martins wants for Christmas is to share the big news: Martins Motorsports is back. On Tuesday, he announced the family-operated team would return to NASCAR competition, running the #44 Chevrolet Camaro full-time in the Xfinity Series.
“I’m extremely nervous but also very excited about this journey we’re going on with Martins Motorsports,” Martins tweeted. “Wouldn’t be possible without the huge commitments from my father & our new co-owner Rodney Riessen. They’re all in to make this year successful. Also thanks to Diamond Gusset who’s always been behind me through my NASCAR career.
“We’ll be running our old 44 number, operating out of a shop in Mooresville, racing under the Chevrolet banner. As a GM employee & instructor at Ron Fellows school, it’s really neat to be back as a Chevy team & driver.”
The team began racing in what is now the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series in 2009. After sporadic starts in the series that year and in 2011, Martins Motorsports moved up to the Xfinity Series in 2014, running eleven races with a best finish of fourteenth at Talladega Superspeedway.
After a year-long dormancy, the organisation returned to the Trucks in 2016 on a full-time basis, where Martins ran all but two races in the #44. Martins finished the year twenty-third in points with a best run of fifteenth at Michigan International Speedway. The team’s last starts took place in 2017 with three Truck races, with their latest finish being thirty-second at Texas Motor Speedway.
Martins Motorsports closed at the end of the season due to financial difficulties, and Martins eventually joined B.J. McLeod Motorsports and MBM Motorsports during the 2018 and 2019 Xfinity seasons. In fifty-seven career Xfinity starts, Martins has ten top-twenty finishes, including a best placing of eleventh at Iowa Speedway with BJMM in 2017.
Although Martins intends to run as many races as he can, he has clarified he is not a full-time driver for the team.
“I want to be a part time driver for this team,” he explained. “This is an open seat. It’s my job to be a good driver for us through the early part of the season, get this car in the points & prove that we can be a successful Xfinity Series team.
“We’re still in the early stages of this. We’ve already hired a few people full time & received a few sponsor commitments but we need more sponsors, more personnel (spotter, hauler driver, mechanic, car chief, social media manager) & more of your support to make it work.”
Martins Motorsports is the second new full-time team confirmed for the 2020 Xfinity season. In October, Our Motorsports announced it would field the #02 for Andy Seuss in a full campaign.
2020 NASCAR Silly Season2020 NASCAR Xfinity SeriesMartins MotorsportsTommy Joe Martins
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McAnally-Hilgemann Racing formed, to field Gander Truck ride for Derek Kraus
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Xfinity, Trucks to have modified stops at standalone races
Tanabe Pleased with Honda’s Reaction to Challenge of Supplying Two Teams in 2019
Claire Williams ‘Blown Away’ by ‘Exemplary’ George Russell Throughout Rookie Season
IndyCar to introduce hybrid system in 2022
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Ted Shawn’s Dream: Redux
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival By Philip Szporer
Bryan Arias and Philip Szporer at the ARIAS Company post-show talk / Photo by Hayim Heron
Steven Melendez, Zhong-Jing Fang, Diana Byer and Philip Szporer at the New York Theatre Ballet post-show talk / Photo by Hayim Heron
Kajajeyan Pararasasegaram and Hari Krishnan in Tiger by the Tail / Photo by Christopher Duggan
I’ve been invited back as scholar-in-residence at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival for successive years. It’s a place where I work with a lot of latitude, contextualizing performances and finding vocabulary with which to discuss dance through talks, interviews and published essays.
Travelling into the glorious Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts never ceases to amaze. The lush beauty of the place sparks the senses. The festival abuts the fabled Appalachian Trail. Driving along Route 20, named “Jacob’s Ladder Road,” you reach the locale modern dance pioneer Ted Shawn envisaged as a little bit of heaven, a place best to serve his company of male dancers. Now, in its eighty-forth season, the ten-week festival is home to artists performing on the various stages, including an impressive outdoor venue named Inside/Out. The School at Jacob’s Pillow brings faculty and students from the ballet, contemporary and dance theatre streams of dance, and this year there was a new program, Improv Traditions and Innovations, which the festival website describes as enabling “dancers to experience the rhythms, styles, and states of being essential to embodying African American improvisation traditions and innovations.”
Change was in the air this summer. Perhaps most importantly, the festival has a new director, Pamela Tatge, the former director of the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where she organized programming in dance, music, theatre and the visual arts. In a public interview at the Pillow, Tatge expressed her passion for the festival’s future and indicated, among other things, her intention to present international artists while nurturing connections with local and national partners.
Ilter Ibrahimof, artistic director of Toronto’s Fall for Dance North festival, and an agent and producer (his Sunny Artist Management represented, and co-produced Wendy Whelan and Brian Brooks’ new collaboration, Some of a Thousand Words), has over the years worked extensively with Jacob’s Pillow. Ibrahimof notes that “the natural nexus between American and Eastern Canadian dance afforded by the Pillow’s favourable geography and cultural affinity should be much more developed.” He feels that Canadian dance artists “should carve out a place and identity at the Pillow, using it as an organic point of entry to the United States.”
Other Canadians were present both onstage and in spirit. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, in the Ted Shawn Theatre, brought two Crystal Pite works, Solo Echo and A Picture of You Falling. Pite is a Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award winner, and her presence was felt in the ARIAS Company’s premiere of an impressive new work, a rather lovely thing, in the more intimate Doris Duke theatre. Bryan Arias benefited from two on-site Creative Artists Development Residencies (Canadian artists, take note!) while creating the piece. He and dancer Jermaine Spivey are in Pite’s company, and two of the other performers in his work – Ana-Maria Lucaciu (who studied at Canada’s National Ballet School before dancing with The National Ballet of Canada) and Spenser Theberge – have danced Pite’s works for other companies. (Excerpts from my post-performance discussion with the company appear here)
Hari Krishnan played a free performance to a packed and enthusiastic outdoor audience at the Inside/Out stage on July 6. Krishnan wrote in an email subsequent to the show that although he has performed indoors at the Duke Theatre, he “always prefers the magical environment of the outdoor stage and warmth of an open, generous audience where the contact between artist and audience is electric, honest and unhinged.” Krishnan’s company, inDANCE, was invited to be a part of a curated event called Dances for One where the focus was to highlight the power of solo performance and the mastery of a dancer’s relationship to the audience, set to live musical accompaniment. In Tiger by the Tail, Krishnan and company resident percussionist, Kajan Pararasasegaram, took inspiration from the South Indian folk dance-art of puliyattam (the dance of the tiger). Krishnan says, “The dance was a ferocious, metaphoric riff on America’s current election cycle. Stalking Indian rhythmic traditions, the dancer and percussionist captured a perilous urban hunt, exploiting ‘weaponized’ hands, feet and voice.” Krishnan received an enthusiastic standing ovation from the assembled crowd.
Racial tensions, gun violence and the divisive national political season have entered daily discourse stateside. Staff and artists were not immune and seemed beset with doubts about the election’s outcome, alternately half-joking about heading to Canada, while expressing various degrees of discomfort and fear about the situation. At the Pillow, the most noticeable change was the presence of armed local police on duty on high-traffic Saturdays, when the public converges on the festival in greatest numbers. While policing exists at popular arts events, like the nearby Tanglewood Music Festival, at the Pillow it is a new reality. Jacob’s Pillow always seemed nestled in its own bucolic reality. Not anymore. While most people appeared to take the police strolling the grounds in stride, others registered a “sickening feeling” that this is the world in which we live.
As a Canadian looking on, I witnessed the overall malaise, the way in which people’s bodies seem to deflate when talking about the current state of affairs. The dance world cannot sidestep these tensions, and can enact only so much preparedness in the face of today’s mounting ills. What a festival like Jacob’s Pillow does remarkably well is bring people together, in this case, in the chrysalis of a new normal.
Jacob's Pillow
Ilter Ibrahimof
Hari Krishnan
Canada’s Past and Present at Jacob’s Pillow
Dee Kearney writes about her experience interning at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival this summer.
Cedar Lake: Violet Kid
At the Vancouver Playhouse September 28th and 29th, DanceHouse presents the New York-based contemporary ballet company Cedar Lake. From their virtuosic…
Confluence 10th Anniversary Tour
Simcoe Contemporary Dancers
Various ON
November 24, 2019-14 mars 2020
We are excited to share with you the dates for Confluence, our tenth anniversary production with dates in Barrie, Collingwood, Orillia and Alliston.
LISTINGS THIS WEEK
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Juliet and Romeo
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Calgary AB
January 16-26 janvier 2020
Habitat + On the Brink
Bettina Szabo, Alexandre Morin, Jonathan Goulet
ONE KIND FAVOR
George Stamos, Karla Étienne, Radwan Ghazi Moumneh
Montréal QC
PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
Vancouver BC
January 21-9 février 2020
Vim Vigor Intensive
Vim Vigor Dance Company
D'os et d'écorce
Sinha Danse
8 minutes 17 seconds
Blue Ceiling Dance
Toronto ON
Danse Carpe Diem, Emmanuel Jouthe
Québec City QC
SpringboardX: young artists
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January 25 janvier 2020
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Wracked with angst over the fate of our beloved and horribly misgoverned Republic, the DiploMad returns to do battle on the world wide web, swearing death to political correctness, and pulling no punches.
An American Coup D'etat?
This has gotten completely out of control. I never thought I would see our country's politics reduced to the degrading levels of a Banan...
Baluchistan Road Trip, or What's in the Bag?
Good time as any to take another trip down memory lane. Hope nobody is offended.
This is a story about being on the fringes of war, and getting a glimpse of what war is about.
As mentioned before, I served in Pakistan years ago, splitting my time among the Islamabad Embassy, the Peshawar Consulate, and the road. I ran our refugee program, and, consequently, had my own official vehicle, driver, and travel funds, and a great excuse to travel all over the country to do my other job, Reporting and Analysis Program Officer. One day, as I got ready to return to Peshawar from Islamabad, the Ambassador asked me to visit remote Quetta in Baluchistan. He wanted an update on the refugee situation there, but, more important, he wanted me to accompany a couple of fellows coming from Washington who would arrive in Karachi, head to Quetta, and perhaps to Pishin and Chamen. They sought to meet representatives of a mujahedin group who wanted to prove their anti-Soviet credentials, and claimed to have knocked down a MiG-19.
Sounded like fun, so why not?
I sent off a hurried diplomatic note to the Foreign Ministry telling them I would go check on the UNHCR program in Baluchistan. The Pakistanis insisted we request permission to travel outside of Islamabad; we refused to ask, but agreed to inform. This policy lead on occasion to confrontation, but the Pakistanis generally backed down. I loaded the Chevy Suburban, a magnificent beast with a powerful V-8, and took as my driver Iqbal, who claimed to know the area well. The Embassy frowned on us driving official cars: better that a Pakistani run someone over than an American diplomat do so. The trip to Quetta from Islamabad involved a grueling 600 miles over fairly primitive roads cutting through extremely bleak countryside. We decided to push off before the ISI (Pakistani intel) stopped us. Somewhere near the town of Zhob, however, we got a flat tire. Put on the spare, but Iqbal rightly insisted we get the puncture repaired. That involved getting the tire "vulcanized," having somebody in Zhob pour globs of molten rubber into the puncture and let it dry. Now we were very late, and it was getting dark, but since we were "only" about 200 miles from Quetta, Iqbal convinced me to push on.
It got very dark, very fast. The headlights were not much use. The road was bad, and we had to go slowly. Then the wind picked up and threw sand, dirt, and debris at us. The gusts would make the big truck shudder. Iqbal was getting tired; his head would nod every so often. He was having a hard time staying on the road. In fact, it turned out we were not on the road; Iqbal did not know the area quite as well as advertised. I told him to pull over. We would sleep in the truck until daybreak. I crawled into the back bench, leaving the front to Iqbal. Although I wrapped myself in a sleeping bag, it was cold; the wind picking up and dying down only to rage again. Lots of odd sounds coming from the outside, but since Iqbal, under a pile of blankets, kept snoring, I figured we were OK.
At dawn, I was cold, hungry, hurting, and needing "to use the facilities." A weak yellow-brown light filtered in through the dirt encrusted windows. I could see nothing outside. We might as well have been buried. I began to open a door. Something large, brown, furry, angry, and strong shoved that door back at me. My foggy mind raced through the possibilities. A bear! A lion! A wayward Yeti! I fell back and fumbled under the seat for my beloved S&W .357. Coming from the pile of blankets in the front seat, Iqbal's laughter filled the truck.
"What is that?"
"Not danger. Camel. Kuchi camel."
I hate camels; they are big, nasty, smelly, arrogant, and look like Don Knotts. About 300 billion camels had nudged up against our Suburban to use as a windbreak. Well, maybe, not 300 billion, but a dozen or so, certainly. The Kuchi people, nomads of various ethnicities, ply their ancient trade over routes through Afghanistan and Pakistan, pay no heed to borders, and smuggle whatever is in demand. The Soviet war in Afghanistan had been rough on them. A group, according to the all-knowing Iqbal, apparently had camped near us.
I again pushed open the door, the camels began to get up and move a bit. I slid out, and landed among these four-legged Barney Fifes. I walked clear of them, and saw maybe a hundred or so yards away, the Kuchi camp. Then, out of some secret portal to hell, three enormous beasts rose up from the dirt and began to run towards me. The biggest dogs I had ever seen. "Dogs" does not begin to convey the look of these fiends. If Rottweilers were geckos, these guys were velociraptors. I ran like a madman, scattering camels, diving inside the truck, and slamming the door shut, just as these things hit the Chevy. Primitive, violent, snarling beasts--pure essence of dog before man sissified and prettified the race. Panting, heart racing, I could hear Iqbal laughing.
"Kuchi dogs. Very bad. We should make urination some other place?"
"Yeah, yeah, let's go, let's go."
Let me speed this up before you get too bored. We had trouble getting back on the main road as we had wandered off some distance--this would have implications later. We eventually got to Quetta, a pretty neat town; went to the motel; had no water in my room, but as compensation had a large rat for a roomie. Our Karachi contacts had been delayed, so having time to kill, I tried to get some sleep, but with no water, the rat, and the loud knock on the door it was tough to relax. A junior Pakistani G-Man came to my room with a couple of cops holding a non-laughing Iqbal between them. The G-Man accused me of having cleverly, James Bond-like, slipped the patrol sent to monitor us. Our inadvertent turn off the main road meant our "guardians" had lost us.
This crisis in US-Pakistani relations was resolved thanks to Scotland: I donated one of the three Johnny Walker Black bottles I had brought for this sort of emergency. Johnny Walker possessed magical properties in Pakistan; almost any problem could be solved with a bottle put into the right hands. A bottle of Red sold for over a hundred dollars on the black market in "dry" Pakistan, while Black could fetch three or four hundred. A diplomat, back then, could get a bottle of JW Black duty-free for about twelve dollars. Saudi, yes, Saudi, diplomats, in particular, were famous for selling Johnny Walker to their fellow Muslims.
"Mike" and "Jeff" arrived next morning, and said we needed to head to Pishin to meet the muj. Off we went, forty miles or so through some spectacularly rugged scenery. The town, about thirty miles from the Afghan border, was a dusty Wild West sort of place with lots of heavily armed characters walking around or driving stolen Soviet military vehicles. We went to a "restaurant" to await the men from Afghanistan. A small, dark, smoke-filled, and dirty place, with benches made of rope beds, charpoys, the restaurant served greasy goat meat and sweet tea.
I felt queasy, maybe from the smoke, the stench, the lack of sleep, the lack of a bath, the pounding from the road, the goat meat, or all of the above. The three of us sat saying little, sipping tea, and poking at the goat meat.
"Mike" said to me, "You don't look so good. You gonna puke or something?" I assured him that I just needed to rest a bit.
In walked three Afghans, two quite tall, the third, however, the leader, looking like a wizened garden gnome. "Mike" and "Jeff" got up and introduced themselves. I was feeling the room starting to spin, so I smiled weakly, waved, and remained seated. Very unusual for Afghans, they wanted to get right down to business. No sitting for tea and chit-chat. One of the tall Afghans gave "Jeff" a piece of metal with serial numbers; it apparently came from the MiG. The conversation proceeded along with the gnome saying, "We have more proof." He signaled the other tall Afghan to step forward and open the bag he was carrying.
Just as I was gamely standing up to join the conversation, "Mike" looked in the bag, visibly blanched, stepped back, and uttered in English, "Oh my God!"
He turned to me, and said, "If you're feeling sick, don't look in the bag. Just don't!"
"Why? What's in it?"
"Pilot's helmet. His head's still in it."
"Yeah, I don't think I want to see that right now."
I sat down without looking inside that dirty bag.
Suddenly, it wasn't that much fun.
Posted by DiploMad at 3:26 PM
Good Greg October 2, 2012 at 3:37 PM
Thanks for the trip. I am impressed with the Pakistanis ability to provide irrefutable proof. Less enlightened muja would have settled for a name tag, id and bailout bag.
DiploMad October 2, 2012 at 3:43 PM
These were very serious guys.
James October 2, 2012 at 6:42 PM
Well that's one way to make your bona fides. Like Kiplings' Peachy.
Colin October 2, 2012 at 7:00 PM
Great story, thank you for posting it. As a kid I was in Morocco and picked up this strange little ball out of the sand, as I was examining it and it's construction I noticed a nearby camel producing a new "ball" from it's arse, this was my first, but not last introduction to the wrong end of a camel (Is there a right one?)
DiploMad October 2, 2012 at 10:51 PM
You just cured me of wanting to eat supper. . . .
Nope, no 'right' end to a camel.
And here I thought I had a shot at the ad hoc Diplo-Hall o'Fame when I not only ate the goat eyeball the Saudi Ragib Awal swore to Muhammad was considered a delicacy in his country *and* smile after I swallowed (that silly ameriki Ragib Awal Yahyah ibn Alli, he'll eat anything...) but then asked for more 'qawa to wash it down. That liquid-ish crap tasted worse than the eyeball which was actually rather bland, coulda used some salt, mebbe some hot sauce...
paul a'barge October 3, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Charpoy
Dude, Click to buy a Carpoy
$600?
someone is smoking ... something.
Rip off! They were about 5 or 6 dollars when I was there.
Akaky October 3, 2012 at 2:47 PM
You know, you can tell a lot about a society by the number of words it has for things. I've heard that there are more than a hundred words for camels in Arabic, whereas English has just three: dromedary, Bactrian, and unfiltered. That, more or less, tells an English speaker damn near everything he needs to know about camels.
I like that. I am going to steal it and not give you any credit for it . . . .
Whoa...shades of Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King"...a crowned head in a burlap bag...
East is east, and West is West...and Never the Twain Shall Meet.
Kalashnikat
Yes, he knew the Afghans. This was a canvas bag, so I guess there has been some progress.
Site recovery update
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Frederick Forsyth: The "bourgeoisie" appeared to include anyone who did not agree with the college lecturer; those able to disagree more effectively were termed Fascists
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W. Lewis Amselem, long time US Foreign Service Officer; now retired; served all over the world and under all sorts of conditions. Convinced the State Department needs to be drastically slashed and reformed so that it will no longer pose a threat to the national interests of the United States.
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Posts for Arizona Category
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Top 7 Honeymoon-Themed Movies of All Time
Posted by Adam Warner
From romantic comedies to psychological thrillers, Hollywood has produced dozens of memorable honeymoon-themed movies throughout the years. Whether you're looking for a good laugh, a post-work diversion, or a break from the stresses of wedding planning, these seven honeymoon-themed films will provide all of the above.
Many of these honeymoon-themed movies are set in idyllic locations around the world, from Hawaii to Los Cabos, New York City to Venice. So fire up Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video for a night of major honeymoon inspo. Watching one of these flicks will not only get you psyched for your own post-nuptial getaway, but also provide ideas for the kind of experience you're after. But a word to the wise: Not all honeymoons come with Hollywood-manufactured drama, so don't take any film too literally when the time comes to pick your dream destination.
Once Upon a Honeymoon
Starring: Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers.
Plot Summary: In this classic WWII love story, Grant stars as radio reporter Pat O'Toole, sent to Europe to investigate Austrian Baron Van Luber, an engaged man suspected of having Nazi ties. Van Luber marries his betrothed, Katie O'Hara (Rogers), an American burlesque performer masquerading as American socialite "Katherine Butt-Smith." Pat follows Van Luber and Katie around Europe, eventually falling in love with the new bride. Pat convinces Katie to counterspy on Van Luber in order to discover his role in the Nazi scheme. Van Luber's involvement is eventually exposed, and Pat and Katie literally sail off into the sunset aboard a ship bound for America.
Starring: Nicholas Cage, James Caan, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Plot Summary: Longtime couple Betsy (Parker) and Jack (Cage) head to Las Vegas to finally tie the knot. But before they can can say "I do," a wealthy professional gambler, Tommy Korman (Caan), arranges a rigged poker game in which Jack loses $65,000. When the game concludes, Tommy offers to waive the debt in exchange for a weekend with Betsy. Jack and Betsy agree (provided things with Tommy remain G-rated), and so Tommy whisks Betsy off to his vacation home in Hawaii. Jack, unable to leave the two alone, follows along, and, as expected, becomes jealous, pursues Betsy, and encounters numerous roadblocks in the pursuit of his love.
Starring: Ben Stiller, Malin Akerman, and Michelle Monaghan.
Plot Summary: After meeting on the street when Lila's (Akerman) purse is stolen--and unsuccessfully retrieved by sporting goods store owner Eddie (Stiller)--the two fall hard for one another and soon wed. They jet off the Los Cabos for their honeymoon, a few days into which Eddie realizes how poorly matched he and his new wife really are.
At the resort (which was filmed at Esperanza, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico), he meets Miranda (Monaghan), a Mississippi gal who is on vacation with her family. As Lila is stuck indoors with a second-degree sunburn, Eddie spends most of his honeymoon with Miranda. The two quickly fall for one another, except when the women find out about one another, the situation backfires on Eddie. The epic predicament that follows leaves Eddie abandoned and alone in Mexico. After unsuccessfully chasing down Miranda in her Mississippi hometown, Eddie relocates to Mexico but is eventually reunited with true match.
Starring: Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy.
Plot Summary: This romantic comedy tells the story of an infatuated couple, working-class Tom Leezak and upper-class Sarah McNerney. Despite reservations from the bride's family about Tom's background, the couple marries and then head to Venice, Italy for their honeymoon. But the trip quickly spins out of control when the Sarah's parents send her ex-boyfriend to win her back and thereby ruin the young marriage.
Starring: Steve Zahn, Timothy Olyphant, Milla Jovovich, and Chris Hemsworth.
Plot Summary: This adventure thriller revolves around a pair of American newlyweds who decide to spend their honeymoon hiking to a remote beach in Hawaii. Along the way, they are joined by another young couple, leading to disastrous consequences.
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner.
Plot Summary: The penultimate film of the Twilight series picks up just after the nuptials of human-werewolf lovers Bella Swan (Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Pattinson). For their honeymoon, the couple travels to Rio de Janeiro and then a private island, called Isle Esme, off the coast of Brazil. But while there, a chain of events soon impacts their lives forever.
Haunted Honeymoon
Starring: Gilda Radner and Gene Wilder.
Plot Summary: This comedy centers around two "Manhattan Mystery Theater" radio stars, Larry Abbott (Wilder) and Vickie Pearle (Radner), who decide to get married. Soon after his proposal, however, Larry develops a speech impediment, putting his job at risk. Larry's uncle suggests treating him with a form of shock therapy and decides to do so at their wedding, set to take place in the castle-like mansion where Larry grew up in upstate New York. But something more sinister develops at the Abbot Estate, and soon the couple finds themselves in a real-life mystery, just like their radio show.
The Ultimate Honeymoon Playlist
Editor's Note: Updated copy by Katie James Watkinson, April 2019
About traveler's joy
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UACJ identifies business risks and takes measures to avoid or mitigate them.
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When conducting risk management, UACJ has been carefully identifying business-related risks at the divisional level while taking measures for averting and mitigating those risks. In fiscal 2019, the Company established a new risk management working group in its Legal Affairs Department for the purpose of enhancing its risk management overall, including assessing risks uniformly across the Group and implementing a plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle.
Toward those ends, the working group conducted a group-wide risk assessment using a uniform set of indicators. Applying a combined top-down and bottom-up approach, the working group specified 138 risk factors that could potentially interfere with the achievement of business plans, and assessed each one from both operational and functional perspectives. Priority risks for the UACJ Group as a whole were determined based on the results of the assessment, and a PDCA cycle is being implemented on group-wide scale in order to reduce the possibility of those risks materializing.
UACJ is working to develop a business continuity plan (BCP) that would allow it to continue to provide products and services, or enable the rapid restoration of these activities, in the event of a major earthquake, widespread emergence of infectious disease, or other emergency situation.
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In preparation for an earthquake, fire, or other such disaster, UACJ has built a response system that provides for the safety of employees, minimizes damage by preventing secondary disasters, and speeds recovery.
At a more specific level, we have implemented employee safety confirmation systems, established an emergency contact network, and are equipping business locations with emergency radio equipment. Employee safety confirmation systems have now been implemented in all Group companies in Japan, and emergency radio equipment has been introduced in 20 of 49 business locations in Japan, with installations completed for all of the main locations.
In fiscal 2018, we reviewed communications channels, reporting methods, and other aspects of our disaster response system and took steps to strengthen it where necessary.
To help ensure our ability to act swiftly and reliably in times of emergency, we regularly conduct training exercises at individual business locations. In October 2018, training focused on the establishment of a disaster response headquarters was conducted at the Company's headquarters.
Everyone, including the chairman, president, all other executives working at the headquarters, and all 300 or so rank-and-file employees participated in this exercise, in which we tested skills in setting up, operating, and breaking down a disaster-response headquarters; and fighting fires. Training for responding to a power outage was also conducted.
Disaster response initiatives tailored to circumstances at individual business locations are also being taken. The Nagoya Works provides a particularly good example. Lying in an area specifically addressed by the Large-Scale Earthquake Countermeasures Law, this facility has been steadfast in taking steps such as seismically reinforcing the works’ main structure, securing evacuation routes, installing early warning devices, and setting aside disaster supplies. At the same time, it has prepared an earthquake preparedness manual, which serves as the basis for annual comprehensive preparedness training for a possible earthquake and tsunami.
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Training Conducted
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Safety confirmation, radio communications
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Safety confirmation, radio communications, AED training class.
Fukaya Works Comprehensive disaster-response training (Setting up a disaster-response headquarters, evacuation, safety confirmation, firefighting, emergency life-saving, etc.)
Nikko Works Comprehensive disaster-response training, firefighting at individual worksites, AED instruction, safety confirmation, radio communications
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Home / About Us / University structure / Staff Profiles / Dr. Cath Larkins
Dr. Cath Larkins
Reader in Children’s Citizenship
School of Social Work, Care and Community
Harrington Building, HA310
clarkins@uclan.ac.uk
Cath seeks to develop new understandings of children’s aspirations and experiences. She does this by working with marginalised children and with the adults who support them. She supports children in their goals for positive change by: Influencing practice, policy and academic audiences, producing research outputs in a variety of accessible formats, encouraging policy makers and practitioners to adopt participatory and rights based approaches and developing theories of children's citizenship.
Cath is the Co-Director of the Centre for Children and Young People’s Participation.
Cath specialises in theories and practices of participatory research and children’s lived and social citizenship. This focus crosses the boundaries of practice engagement and theory building, supporting children and young people (particularly those in contact with health and social care services). That bring about positive changes in their lives whilst furthering theoretical understanding in the field of childhood studies and linking local experiences to European contexts.
Within all of her research, Cath works alongside children and young people to support them taking on roles as researchers, advisors and co-creators of knowledge. Whilst developing a wide variety of creative techniques for conducting and disseminating engaging research findings to other young people, local decision makers, national government ministers and international academic audiences.
Cath’s career as a researcher, participation consultant, advocate and children's rights activist has spanned 20 years, mostly taking place in Wales. Cath has worked for Save the Children, The Children’s Society, Action for Children, Forest School Wales, Local Authorities and the Welsh government. More recently her research and consultancy activities have expanded to include working for the UK government and with academics, NGOs and young people in France, Finland, Spain, Cyprus and Romania.
Cath has limited teaching responsibilities related to theories of childhood, participation and social pedagogy. She takes a leading role on the following courses:
MA in Contemporary Practice with Children and Young People
PG Certificate: Safeguarding Children
2015-2018 Stories to Connect, AHRC
2015-2017 PEER: Participation and Empowerment for Experiences for Roma (GRT) youth, EU
2014-2015 Evaluation of a Leaving Care Service, Cabinet Office
2013-2015 Evaluation of the Reporters’ Academy Aiming Higher Project, Paul Hamlyn Foundation
2012-2013 The Impact of Poverty on the Rights of Disabled Children, Office of the Children’s Commissioner
2012-2014 Safeguarding Teenage Intimate Relationships research in the UK, Cyprus, Italy, Norway and Bulgaria, EU Daphne
2012-2014 RESPONDS- improving primary health care response to domestic violence and child safeguarding, NIHR
2013-2014 Mapping domestic violence service provision in Wales, Welsh Government
2012-2013 What helps reduce Youth Offending, A North West Local Authority
2011-2012 National Evaluation of Social Work Practices, DfE
Larkins, C., Drinkwater, J., Hester, M., Stanley,N., Szilassy, E. and Feder, G. (2015) General practice clinicians’ perspectives on involving and supporting children and adult perpetrators in families experiencing domestic violence and abuse Family Practice first published online September 10, 2015 doi:10.1093/fampra/cmv070
Larkins,C. Thomas, N. Carter, B. Farrelly, N., Judd, D and Lloyd, J. (2015) ‘Intergenerational support for children’s protagonism: methodological moves towards critical children rights research framed from below’ International Journal of Children’s Rights Spring 2015
Stanley, N., Larkins, C., Austerberry, H., Farrelly, N., Manthorpe, J. and Ridley, J. (2015), Rethinking place and the social work office in the delivery of children's social work services. Health & Social Care in the Community. doi: 10.1111/hsc.12192
European Sociological Association RN04 Sociology of Children and Childhood
Eurochild Reference Group on Participation methods for the Inclusion of All Children
CUIDAR (Cultures of Disaster Resilience Among Children and Young People): Lancaster University led EU funded Participatory Research Consortium
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UEFA Europa League - Valencia lifted by Mehmet's moment of magic - News
Valencia lifted by Mehmet's moment of magic
Friday 17 February 2012 by Simon Hart
"An English goal" was how Valencia CF defender Jérémy Mathieu hailed Mehmet Topal's superb long-range winner which even Stoke City FC's Matthew Etherington had to applaud.
Valencia CF defender Jérémy Mathieu hailed the "English goal" that Mehmet Topal scored to give them a hard-earned UEFA Europa League round of 32 advantage at Stoke City FC. In a first-leg match of few chances, Topal sent the ball flying into Asmir Begovic's net from 30 metres. "A great goal" was the verdict even of Stoke's disappointed winger Matthew Etherington.
Jérémy Mathieu, Valencia defender
There wasn't a big difference between the sides, it was a tough match with a lot of aerial challenges. We struggled to impose our game because Stoke pressed a lot and stopped us playing our game at times. The key thing is we got an away goal – it was an English goal, to put it simply. Topal scored from far out and it helped us relax. But there's still another game to play and it's not finished.
Ángel Dealbert, Valencia defender
It was a difficult game against a good team, a very physical team. We played a good game and deserved to win in the end. It was very important to score first, there weren't too many chances and whoever scored first was going to be the likely winner. It was us and we held out after that. Mehmet Topal scored a great goal, he hit it really well.
Matthew Etherington, Stoke midfielder
They scored a great goal at a time when the game was pretty even. We started off well but their goal was a very good goal. They are a great team, we're not going to say otherwise, but I thought we matched them for large parts of the game and we've got to take credit for that and take heart from it. They defended really well but in the first 20 minutes and the majority of the second half I thought we were pressing and they weren't really causing as many problems.
Dean Whitehead, Stoke midfielder
In the first half they put us under a bit of pressure. We got among them in the second and caused them a few problems but we're just not getting the breaks at the moment. They're resilient, they defended well at times and are a strong side. We will go [to the Mestalla] will plenty of confidence – we'll be underdogs but we don't mind that
© 1998-2020 UEFA. All rights reserved. Last updated: Thursday 25 September 2014
LiveMehmet strike gives Valencia win at Stoke
Stoke City FC 0-1 Valencia CFMehmet Topal's spectacular first-half strike ended Stoke's unbeaten home record in Europe and put the Spanish side in control of this round of 32 tie.
LiveTruck Tour back up and running in Stoke
The Premier League's oldest club played host to the UEFA Europa League Truck Tour in the lead-up to Stoke City FC's round of 32 first leg against 2004 winners Valencia CF.
LiveMilan and Valencia ease into semi-finals
AC Milan came from behind to seal a 3-1 Coppa Italia quarter-final win against S.S. Lazio on a night when Valencia CF rounded off a Copa del Rey aggregate win at Levante UD.
LiveCanales's guide to one-on-ones
The Valencia CF starlet gives you his formula for finishing when running in on goal.
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Search in titles only Search in Year/Decade End Personal Charts only
Year/Decade End Personal Charts
Welcome to UKMIX! We've been online for over 20 years and we continue to welcome new posters to our community! Before you can post, you will have to register (click the register link to proceed). To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Please use the Contact Us facility if you have any queries!
JakeP Top 100 of 2018
JakeP
Join Date: 19 Aug 2013
Thu January 24th, 2019, 23:43
Originally posted by phoenix98
If only Paloma was more hip with the kidz Speaking of her concerts, though, I remember Fan praising her stage presence at one point. In addition to her amazing voice, he mentioned that she does a great job of incorporating fun antics/cute little routines too. (If only more of that charm had shown through during her time on The Voice...)
Haha the irony is that when Paloma features on a Sigma or Sigala track, she's suddenly popular with the Spotify generation. The downside to any tv talent show is that the producers call the shots - Paloma might've done some amazing stuff during the filming of The voice that never got aired.
I'm with you there! "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" remains his biggest hit on my chart by a comfortable margin.
Yes same for me although Youth is definitely his second biggest and that's also by quite some distance.
Amen to that. Trying to wrap my head around why certain acts are SO widely beloved, while others remain irrelevant (or niche at best), can be exhausting.
One of life's little mysteries.
Aw, I'm really enjoying the countdown, of course - I just wanted to emphasize how much I appreciate you calling out some of UKMIX's most annoying clichés (like the over-reliance on "basic"/"generic" as a "critique").
Well when you put it that way...
"Rollin" seems like the clearest choice left: upbeat, catchy, and just a lot of playful/cheeky sing-a-long fun overall. "Never Let Me Go" is a pretty strong candidate too, though.
Ohh thanks for the links. I shall check out those two tracks over the weekend.
• I have you to thank for introducing me to "1,2,3." It's kind of a bummer that Jason couldn't have stood in for one of those shirtless lamp-men ;) but the video's still a ton of colorful fun.
I don't suppose "kind of a bummer" is your way of saying "i wanted to see his naked ass" is it? The colourful video definitely gave off big summer vibes plus that reggaeton beat became so synonymous with many summer hits last year.
• "If You're Over Me" is such a delight, so I'm absolutely on-board with you showing it all this love! I can understand that some fans are frustrated by how it got so much more attention/success than "Sanctify" (and everything else from Palo Santo, for that matter), but I'm way too busy dancing along to hate on it. Well, not dancing quite like that thumbnail, though I feel like this track embodies the fun, fierce, flamboyant side of Olly that really blossomed this era (and listening to it allows us to channel some of that for ourselves). <3
I genuinely think the song appealed to a wider audience which would explain its success whilst other songs weren't being promoted. It's an unashamedly pure pop song so of course i was gonna like it.
• "Sincerely Yours" is a real gem, and easily Golden's biggest missed opportunity singles-wise. I love that it played a role in helping Kylie make JakeP chart history by tying Adele's impressive achievement!
Well it was a record breaking week as all 16 tracks off Golden made my top 20 - again, only the second album after Adele that an entire album has charted for me. That's right, Adele achieved the feat long before Ed Sheeran did the same feat in the UK. I'm such a trendsetter!
• HUGE props to Emily for helping The (infamous) Chainsmokers get as high as No. 41 here!
If you think that's impressive, Coldplay helped The Chainsmokers get as high as #8 in my chart of 2017 with Something just like this.
• "...whose vocals FLOAT over the tender backing music..." I see what you did there ;) Ever so clever, sir! "Animals" was alright, but like you said, I've also preferred Martin's more recent collaborative material ("Scared To Be Lonely," "There For You," "Ocean").
It really does having a strong soothing nature about the track. Scared to be lonely was divine and pure bliss.
• I'm glad these Dua collabos kept her momentum going strong throughout 2018, but I'm definitely ready to hear some new solo stuff now. Hype!
Well Dua's new single Swan song was released today!!!!! Have you heard it yet?
Fri January 25th, 2019, 19:19
Originally posted by Thriller
Just Got Paid, Electricity and One Kiss are all thumbs up from me, especially Hunger which was Florence back at the top of her game.
I do love my pop bops, there's still plenty more to come in my top 30 of 2018. <3 I agree about Hunger such an epic track, really impacted hard when it was released. I'm quite surprised Florence has already released a brand new single. Not had chance to check it out but seeing as UK Mix is going offline for the upgrade i'll most likely be on YouTube in my spare time.
ludichris
Fri February 1st, 2019, 20:14
K-391 featuring Alan Walker, Julie Bergan & Seungri - Ignite
Thanks for this! It went completely under my radar!
Originally posted by ludichris View Post
Aww no worries. I loved Faded by Alan Walker and this caught my attention on YouTube purely because of Alan Walker's involvement on the track.
Sun February 3rd, 2019, 18:25
30. Eleni Foureira - Fuego
So it's about time i completed my top 100 of 2018. Kicking off the top 30 is the highest ranked entry from the Eurovision song contest 2018 courtesy of Cyprus. Eleni Foureira amazed me with her dazzling choreography and owned the stage like a true diva. Fuego may have finished 2nd overall but it was quite comfortably my winner. <3
29. The Weeknd - Call out my name
The Weeknd continued to enjoy more success in 2018 with the first of two entries in my year end chart - both inside the top 30. My Dear Melancholy, was released back in March and the main track Call out my name was an instant hit and peaked at #2 in my chart.
28. Billie Eilish & Khalid - lovely
Billie Eilish emerged as one of the most promising new talents last year with a string of intriguingly quirky singles. lovely was the breakthrough single that made me sit up and pay attention. It was certainly a slow burner and didn't achieve its peak of #2 until a month after first entering my chart. At its peak, i was truly captivated by this song. Both Billie and Khalid's distinct vocals really add to the eerie atmosphere in the song. For a song all about depression, it's still one i find really endearing to listen to.
With Billie Eilish currently #1 in my chart it's safe to say she's going to be enjoying even more success in 2019.
27. Alan Walker & Sophia Somajo - Diamond heart
After topping my chart with Faded in 2016, Alan Walker made a triumphant return in 2018 with the release of his debut album Different world. Diamond heart was the lead single released in October and on first listen i was instantly hooked. With the gorgeous vocals of Sophia Somajo, a haunting melody and a big anthemic chorus Diamond heart was an instant hit smashing into my chart at #1.
26. Marshmello & Anne-Marie - FRIENDS
The highest placed entry for Marshmello comes in at #26 featuring Anne-Marie with their collaborative worldwide smash FRIENDS. The track got off to a fairly steady start before picking up momentum when the track peaked at #2 a month into its chart run. The music video equally played an essential part in its success in my chart. It was certainly one of those videos i kept returning to several times during its peak.
25. The Weeknd & Kendrick Lamar - Pray for me
I don't think my own personal write up of Pray for me could ever hold a candle to that of Akini's from his top 100 songs of 2018 thread. So here it is...
Originally posted by JSparksFan
My beloved Black Panther anthem, "Pray for Me" pairs two gentlemen and utilises their unique talents to a greater extent than any other track has. On hook duty is the Weeknd, whose vocals are adept at beat surfing, and this is about as bouncy and intense a beat as he's ever ridden. And delivering the substantive verse messages? Who better than the archdeacon of hip/hop himself, Mr. Kendrick Lamar? This song feels very Erik Killmonger, who had some harsh and radical views in the film, but whose passion also indirectly brought about positive change (admittedly, the same change for which Nakia more diplomatically advocated). My favourite line is undoubtedly, Clutchin' on deaf ears again, rapture is comin', it's all prophecy, and if I gotta be sacrificed for the greater good, then that's what it gotta be. I love the intense passion of the song, and that martyrdom line is the apex of emotion for me. The tribal La la la sounds at the back end of the chorus are also a brilliant touch, but for me, this song is close to flawless, discussing key societal issues in the world, as well as aligning closely with the film's plot. "Pray for Me" gave me one more reason to be proud of the whole Black Panther experience. #WakandaForever
Admittedly i've still not seen Black panther but that doesn't stop me from loving and appreciating Pray for me. The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar can do no wrong and when they strike gold, the end results are outstanding. <3
24. Mabel & Not3s - Fine line
I first discovered Mabel in 2017 when Finders keepers was making steady progress climbing up the UK charts and after checking out the music video it was instant love. I was also interested in the teaser at the end of that music video for the upcoming single Fine line. For me, it sounded promising and i was already loving the chorus. Finally last January the single was released and it got off to a flying start entering my chart at #2.
23. Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus - Nothing breaks like a heart
A combination of Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus was an exciting prospect - both artists having already scored #1s in my chart prior to 2018. When Nothing breaks like a heart was released in late November, the track couldn't have been more instant for me and as such propelled its way to #1 in my chart just 24 hours after release.
The track, like a modern day Jolene by Dolly Parton, seemed so refreshing to hear a song quite like this. Plus it came with one extraordinary music video, almost like watching a 4 minute movie.
Then of course there's Miley Cyrus whose vocals work such a treat on the track. I genuinely don't think any other singer could've done as tremendous a job on the track. Everything about this song works so superbly.
22. Niall Horan - Finally free
Those of you who have been following my chart over the last two years will know that i have a soft spot for Niall Horan. <3 Back in July Niall announced on Twitter that he was releasing his new single Finally free taken from the new animated movie Smallfoot and naturally i was excited.
Finally free is such a fun, uplifting and upbeat slice of pop/rock that doesn't break away from the trademark sound Niall has created for himself as a solo artist. In truth it could've quite easily have been a One Direction single/album track. I still genuinely believe Niall is releasing the best material out of all the guys from One Direction. The track shot to #1 in my chart just 24 hours after release benefitting from a relatively quiet week during the summer.
21. George Ezra - Shotgun
George Ezra had one of the most remarkable comebacks in 2018 with a reversal of fortune i doubt anybody would've predicted after the lukewarm reception to Don't matter now in 2017.
Sure enough George defied all the odds and went on to enjoy his most successful year to date with second album Staying at Tamara's becoming one of the biggest selling albums of last year whilst also spawning three top 10 singles in the UK.
Shotgun was the single that really catapulted George's success into the stratosphere and finishes at #21 in my top 100 of 2018.
Wed February 6th, 2019, 20:30
20. Freya Ridings - Lost without you
We've already seen Freya Ridings at #52 with Waking up and here at #20 it's her breakthrough smash Lost without you. The rise in popularity for this single has been astronomical imo as it seemed to appear completely out of nowhere. However, i do know it was featured in an episode of Love island (which i never watched) and so when this first starting climbing up iTunes, i thought it was a cover of Delta Goodrem's song.
After checking out the song on YouTube i was instantly transfixed by the beauty and sincerity of the song. To see a heartfelt piano ballad becoming one of the longest running hits in the UK in the latter half of 2018 was wonderful. I'm still hoping Waking up will get its chance to become a bonafide hit too but regardless i predict Freya's success is going to continue in 2019.
19. Troye Sivan - Bloom
What a year 2018 was for Troye Sivan who released some absolute beauties including Bloom which finishes at #19 in my year end chart.
Bloom was released in one of the busiest weeks for new releases back in May but despite all the competition, Troye successfully made the top 3. However, Bloom got a major boost the following month when the rather fabulous music video was released sending the track all the way back up to #2 in my chart.
Having been a fan of Troye's music since Happy little pill in 2014, it really felt like Troye came into his own in 2018 and his music and accompanying music videos definitely did all the talking.
18. Mylène Farmer featuring LP - N'oublie pas
Il est temps d'aller en français...ooh la la At #18 it's Mylène Farmer who scored her biggest hit in my chart to date back in June when N'oublie pas topped my chart. However, it was featured artist LP's involvement that got me the most curious and excited considering Lost on you was my #1 single of 2016.
When i checked out N'oublie pas for the first time it was instant love. Such a catchy pop song where both Mylène and LP shine so strongly and equally their distinctive vocals blend so amazingly well.
17. Sofi Tukker featuring NERVO, The Knocks & Alisa Ueno - Best friend
...and those catchy songs keep on coming! I had been aware of this song for a couple of weeks as it had already appeared in Benjamin's chart. When the song topped the Belgium iTunes chart, i was more curious and decided to check it out. It wasn't an instant hit but more of an earworm that continued to niggle at my brain - i found myself going back for repeated listens.
In its third week on my chart, Best friend climbed to #1 providing Sofi Tukker, NERVO, The Knocks & Alisa Ueno with their first #1 in my chart although NERVO had previously peaked at #2 with the Kylie Minogue & Jake Shears banger The other boys back in 2015.
16. George Ezra - Paradise
Another single that grew over a period of weeks before climbing its way to #1 is George Ezra with the incredibly uplifting Paradise. It's still fascinating to think just how dramatically George Ezra's fortunes changed after this become something of a surprise hit - not that i was complaining!
I was so happy seeing George finally achieving really strong success as i've always liked his music, but 2018 was the year where i loved his music, and it just so happens that the UK felt the same way. <3
Shotgun (#21) might well be his new signature tune (sorry Budapest ) but here its Paradise that just edges out in front and claims George Ezra's highest placing in my chart of 2018.
15. Troye Sivan - My my my!
Just look at those eyes...teasing! Yes, at #15 it's Troye Sivan who successfully achieves two placings inside my top 20 of 2018. What makes My my my! all the more exceptional is the fact this gave Troye his very first #1 in my chart - a sort of justice after TALK ME DOWN was cruelly denied top honours in 2015 after Adele's Hello blew everything out of the water after just 24 hours.
As for My my my! not only is it a bop but i was living seeing Troye totally owning it in the music video. It was a whole new Troye appearing more confident and so much comfortable with his sexuality. It was as if this is the type of blissful pop music Troye was born to deliver, and boy did he deliver. <3
14. Avril Lavigne - Head above water
Each year has its triumphant comebacks and Avril Lavigne's comeback in particular couldn't have been more amazing to see. Showing how much of a fighter she truly is after battling lyme disease, Avril came back strong with powerhouse vocals still intact.
Head above water was the lead single and title track from her upcoming new album which finishes at #14 in my year end chart. The song just clicked on first listen, a powerful piano ballad reminiscent of the Avril i loved when she was starting out in the early 00s. A shame that this track never really caught on with Spotify and minimal iTunes success but then to this day i have never seen the video on any music channel nor heard the song played on the radio. How can any song become a genuine hit in there isn't any airplay? :( Needless to say all i needed was the audio clip on YouTube and Avril bagged herself a #1 in September.
13. Clean Bandit featuring Demi Lovato - Solo
At #13 it's Clean Bandit who teamed up with Demi Lovato and together they gave us the summer anthem that is Solo. Released in May, Clean Bandit went on to break one of my own personal chart records when Solo became their seventh #1 single having previously been joint holders with Coldplay on six chart toppers each.
It also gave Demi Lovato her second #1 in the process following the success of Cool for the summer back in 2015 although there's no doubt that Solo was quite comfortably the more successful track by comparison.
I'm sure i wasn't the only one who heard "quack, quack, quack" on first listen either!!!!
There are so many words i could use to describe Ariana's success in my chart in 2018...i think i'll go with MINDBLOWING!!!
Quite literally when it came to official singles, Ariana really was a force to be reckoned with. Especially when your lead single from a new album is released in the same week as the official music video for the third single from the album thats already out.
That's precisely what happened when thank u, next got released in November. There was no way Ariana was gonna fail after enjoying such a mammoth eight months of success up to this point. Sure enough thank u, next broke streaming records and quite shockingly gave Ariana her first #1 in America. Then along came the music video and even more records were smashed. <3
11. Céline Dion - Ashes
Just missing out on a place in my top 10 of 2018 is the exceptional talent that is Céline Dion with the incredible Ashes taken from Deadpool 2.
Released in early May alongside several other big new releases, it was Céline - with a little help from Deadpool himself - who beat off all the competition when Ashes rocketed to #1 after just 2 days of release. Whilst the song itself is a stunningly beautiful ballad with Céline owning those vocals, it was the release of the music video that boosted the song the most.
Iconic and hilarious, who knew Deadpool was such a fabulous dancer...and that's whilst wearing high heels!!! Then of course is the monologue at the end of the video which is epic.
When Céline says this *thing* only goes to 11, she sure ain't lying. <3
What can I say? One of her greatest pop culture moments IMO.
It's a pretty average song actually IMO, but her vocals & personality, and the crucial link in with Deadpool makes this a fabulous overall project.
Also Jake - one too many "1s" on that ranking...
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Home > Health Library > Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Taking Vitamins
Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Taking Vitamins
There are many studies being done to look at whether certain vitamin and mineral supplements and combinations of supplements may help prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or delay vision loss in people who already have it.
For example, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and AREDS2 were two major research studies done by the U.S. National Eye Institute. AREDS2 found that supplementing your diet with high levels of vitamins C, E, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which are all antioxidants, and the minerals zinc and copper may help slow the progress of advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and delay vision loss if you already have moderate or severe AMD. There is no evidence that the supplements are helpful if you do not have AMD or only have a mild form of the disease.footnote 1
The studies showed the largest benefit for people who had already begun to develop AMD (intermediate AMD) in one or both eyes or who had advanced AMD in one eye. In these groups, the risk for advanced AMD or for AMD in the other eye was reduced by about 25%. The chance of vision loss from advanced AMD was reduced by about 20% in those who took vitamin and mineral supplements.
Although there may be some benefit from taking the vitamins alone or the zinc alone, the greatest benefit was seen in those who took both.
The studies did not find any significant benefit from the supplements in people who had only the early signs of AMD.
The studies found that taking the supplements did not help improve vision already lost from AMD.
In a study of male doctors who didn't have AMD, researchers found that taking vitamins E and C for up to 8 years, either alone or in combination, was not likely to affect whether or not a person got early AMD. This finding is consistent with other studies that looked at preventing AMD by using vitamins.footnote 2
If you're interested in taking a vitamin or mineral supplement, talk with your doctor about the risks. For example:
Some can have harmful side effects or make certain health problems worse, especially in high doses.
People who smoke or who used to smoke should not take beta-carotene. Studies have shown a higher incidence of lung cancer in people who smoke and take beta-carotene.
Vitamins: Their Functions and Sources
American Academy of Ophthalmology Retina/Vitreous Panel (2015). Age-related macular degeneration. Preferred Practice Pattern Guidelines. San Francisco: American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.aao.org/preferred-practice-pattern/age-related-macular-degeneration-ppp-2015. Accessed April 30, 2015.
Christen WG, et al. (2012). Vitamins E and C and medical record-confirmed age-related macular degeneration in a randomized trial of male physicians. Ophthalmology, 119(8): 1642–1649.
Drugs for some common eye disorders (2012). Treatment Guidelines From The Medical Letter, 10(123): 79–86.
Current as of: May 5, 2019
Medical Review: Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Christopher J. Rudnisky MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
Medical Review:Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Christopher J. Rudnisky MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
Christen WG, et al. (2012). Vitamins E and C and medical record-confirmed age-related macular degeneration in a randomized trial of male physicians. Ophthalmology, 119(8): 1642-1649.
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La CEA réitère l’appel pour aborder les écarts d’infrastructure afin de stimuler le commerce intra-africain
http://news.abidjan.net
La Commission économique des Nations Unies pour l'Afrique (CEA) a réitéré la nécessité d'aborder la question de la connectivité limitée en Afrique pour stimuler le commerce intra-africain.
Le gratin de la statistique se donne rendez-vous à Marrakech
http://lavieeco.com
Ahmed Lahlimi Alami, Haut-commissaire au plan, a présenté, le 28 juin à Rabat, le programme du 61e Congrès mondial de statistiques qui se tiendra, du 16 au 21 juillet, à Marrakech. Organisé par le Royaume, en réponse à une demande de l’Institut international de statistique (IIS), le congrès sera l’occasion pour les participants d’échanger expériences et bonnes pratiques, ainsi que de faire valoir...
Burundi: 'Decreased Agricultural Productivity Causes Low Growth in Burundi', UNECA Report Reveals
Growth in Burundi is low, due to the low productivity of the subsistence agriculture on which the majority of the population depends, reveals the analysis presented on 13 July in Bujumbura by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
UN director says boosting intra-African trade crucial
newbusinessethiopia.com
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s (ECA) Capacity Development Division (CDD) Director, Stephen Karingi, emphasizes the need to boost intra-African trade.
ECA reiterates call to address infrastructure gap to boost intra-African trade
http://news.xinhuanet.com
The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has reiterated the need to address limited connectivity within Africa to boost intra-African trade.
Income inequality rising in Uganda - report
www.newvision.co.ug
Although poverty levels have been falling, Uganda is now ranked 17th among the countries with the highest level of income inequality in Africa, in a report published by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
The African Climate Policy Centre Retools to Strengthen the Implementation of the Paris Agreement for Africa's Transformation
(G20 - Hamburg 2017) Africa's development agenda is framedby the UN 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment and the continent's widerdevelopment blueprint - Agenda 2063.Attaining the development objectives captured in these agenda cannot be done without responding appropriately to thechallenges and opportunities posed byclimate change; a new climate economyapproach is required - i.e. one...
Boosting Intra-African Trade Crucial to Africa's Development Says Eca's Stephen Karingi
Geneva — The Aid for Trade Global Review 2017 opened at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) headquarters in Geneva today with the Economic Commission for Africa's Capacity Development Division (CDD) Director, Stephen Karingi, emphasizing the need to boost intra-African trade.
UN Secretary-General Reports on Regional Perspectives on SDG 1, SDG 10, Migration
sdg.iisd.org
July 2017: In preparation for the 2017 High-level Segment (HLS) of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the UN Secretary-General released a report on regional perspectives on efforts to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality as well as on regional perspectives on global migration as a contribution to the intergovernmental process towards a global compact on safe, orderly and regular...
UN agency boss urges more investment in tertiary education
www.newtimes.co.rw
Kigali last week hosted a two-day forum on tertiary education convened by the Sustainable Development Goals Centre for Africa. The summit evaluated the status of higher education on the continent which did not paint a very positive image.
Rwanda: UN Agency Boss Urges More Investment in Tertiary Education
Aid for Trade in Africa: What Are the Strategic Priorities?
www.ictsd.org
Aid for trade (AfT) is explicitly addressed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under Goal 8: “Promotesustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.” For AfT to deliver on the ambitions of this goal in Africa, along with the objectives contained in the African Union’s (AU) long-term development vision and action plan, Agenda...
Experts urge African countries to adopt policies that boost tourism
To better harness the potential of tourism to contribute to inclusive growth, as well as to structural transformation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, African countries had better adopted policies that strengthen intersectoral linkages, boost intraregional tourism and promote peace, experts said yesterday.
The Activism Blog: After 10 years, Paradigm Initiative expands its board with two women
ynaija.com
We know ‘Gbenga Sesan has signalled he will be leaving the leadership of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria after 10 years, and this is the tenth year, so perhaps this is a move in that direction.
Rwanda: Lack of Funding Sticks Out Like a Sore Thumb Among Constraints to Educ Devt, Says Experts
ACADEMICS from Africa and beyond gathered in Kigali, this week, for a two-day high-level forum on quality of higher education on the continent.
Africa: Merkel Will Not Be Sidetracked By U.S. in the Drive for Compact With Africa
http://allafrica.com
Details about the priorities and processes that would frame and drive the compact are yet to be negotiated, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants this to be a hallmark of her 2017 G20 presidency.
A Longing for Better and Brighter Africa
www.waltainfo.com
The 29th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU was officially opened on 30th June, 2017 at the African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has come to close after 9 days. The 29th Ordinary Session of the Summit of the African Union convened under the theme “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in the Youth.”
How can countries improve quality of higher education?
While there education improvements made towards the attainment of universal primary education among African countries, there is a great deal of work to be done to improve the quality of higher Education.
Accra Launch of the Africa Data Revolution Report
The inaugural edition of the Africa Data Revolution Report (ADRR 2016) will be launched on 19 July in Accra, Ghana, as part of activities marking the 2nd Africa Open Data Conference, which will take place from July 17 - 21, 2017.
Gender Minister Cogratulates Prez Akufo-Addo
www.peacefmonline.com
Delivering a speech before Parliament, the Minister expressed the Ministry's commendation over the President's award saying "we at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), who are mandated by law to develop policy and supervise the implementation of gender-equalising programmes, are especially proud of the continental acknowledgment of our President as an...
Rapport économique sur l’Afrique 2017. L’industrialisation et l’urbanisation au service de la transformation de l’Afrique
www.monde-diplomatique.fr
Ce rapport souligne une spécificité de l’Afrique : la croissance urbaine et la croissance industrielle y sont dissociées.
SON aligns objectives with AU’s trade barriers’ reduction, CFTA
https://guardian.ng
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has expressed readiness to align its objectives with the goals of the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to reduce Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) among African nations as well as the realisation of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA).
Nigeria launches 2016 Country Profile, cites Energy as one of the vectors for structural transformation
www.ecofinagency.com
The Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the Sub-Regional Office for West Africa of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) have launched Nigeria’s 2016 Country Profile. Launched in Abuja, the initiative is aimed at providing analysis and recommendations vital to the country’s drive towards economic and social transformation.
Akufo-Addo awarded for championing gender equality by AU Commission
www.myjoyonline.com
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on Monday named the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as the “AU Gender Champion” for 2017.
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Public Matters Lebanon, UNIC Beirut address environmental threat in Lebanon via #Reduce campaign
To ensure long-term solutions to “plastic pollution” -the greatest threat to health in Lebanon- Public Matters Lebanon NGO, in collaboration with the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Beirut, launched on December 1st a local environmental campaign entitled, #Reduce to highlight the importance of developing eco-friendly habits, reduce waste, and avoid single-use plastics.
Public Matters Lebanon works on empowering children to play a leading role in their societies by fostering their sense of belonging and strengthening their capacities to participate in social, environmental, cultural and educational decision-making issues, in order to build a better Lebanon.
Aiming to reach the largest possible number of Lebanese people, the campaign kicked off in a short video that will be screened for over a month in cinemas and on TV stations, electronic advertising screens and social media platforms.
The video shows Lebanon’s marine biosphere polluted as a result of the excessive use of plastic in the absence of needed policies to address the growing waste crisis in the country.
Local and regional media outlets in Lebanon covered the press release the Centre issued on this occasion and are promoting this campaign. The video is being widely promoted on all social media platforms. You can watch it here: http://bit.ly/35UPSyW
#Reduce campaign is the result of combined efforts by Public Matters Lebanon and UNIC Beirut team to promote SDGs 6 and 14 and incite the youth to contribute to the achievement of all 17 Global Goals. It includes three plans of action and implementation.
First, the establishment of an atelier dedicated to the manufacturing of eco-friendly shopping bags to reduce the use of plastic bags in supermarkets and help create job opportunities for women who will work in this atelier.
Second, a cooperation with the Ministry of Environment to support the Eco Children Committee – a committee comprising of children providing constructive solutions and initiatives to address this urgent environmental phenomenon.
Third, a collaboration with the Ministry of Education to promote this campaign among all private and public schools in Lebanon.
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G Adventures’ Adds 12 Tours to its ‘Jane Goodall Collection’ to Support Conservation and Responsible Wildlife Tourism
G Adventures is updating its exclusive Dr. Jane Goodall-endorsed collection of wildlife-focused tours for 2020.
12 new adventures in Indonesia, Botswana, Belize, the Northwest U.S., mainland Ecuador, the Arctic and Antarctic, and other diverse destinations around the globe bring the full program of experiences to 20 trips.
All trips in the collection are endorsed by the renowned U.N. Messenger of Peace, whose Institute protects endangered species through conservation strategies that incorporate the needs of local communities, with the understanding that helping people saves wildlife.
In addition, to date, G Adventures has donated more than $100,000 in funds and travel assistance to support the conservation mission of Dr. Goodall’s nonprofit institute.
Dr. Goodall supports to the G Adventures ANIMAL WELFARE POLICY which governs our more than 750 trips in 120+ countries around the globe, ensuring the protection and freedom of all animals when traveling. That operational commitment, along with Goodall’s endorsement, paved the way for the first-of-its-kind partnership in the tourism industry: the Jane Goodall Collection.
Itineraries added to the Jane Goodall Collection by G Adventures for 2020 span several of G Adventures’ travel styles, and include the following tours:
EXPLORE BELIZE - Visit a community baboon sanctuary and see howler monkeys in the wild, go cave canoeing in an ancient Mayan waterway, go snorkeling above the Belize barrier reef to watch sharks and rays. 9 days, from $1519 USD/ 1,695 CDN.
SOUTHERN TANZANIA SAFARI - Explore less-crowded Ruaha National Park, sometimes described as Tanzania’s best-kept secret, and the Selous Game Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where guests can experience a walking safari. 6 days, from $3654 USD / 4,300 CDN.
BOTSWANA & ZIMBABWE SAFARI - Observe the lions and elephants of Hwange National Park, fly to the panhandle of the Okavango Delta for a wildlife walk with a local guide, and cruise along the banks of the Chobe River to watch the elephants drink along its banks. 10 days, from $5039 USD/ $6,425 CDN.
INDONESIA: FLORES & KOMODO - Gaze with wonder at the multi-colored crater lakes of Kelimutu, admire community-owned rice fields that look like they were spun by a spider, trek through the rainforest, jump into waterfall pools and scan for Komodo’s famed dragons from the safety of a boat. 9 days from $1402 USD / $1,529.
NEPAL: HIMALAYA HIGHLIGHTS - Overnight at a Buddhist monastery, explore Royal Chitwan National Park first by boat down river in search of birds & crocs, then by jeep safari in search of elephants, monkeys, leopards and rhinos. Meet a local tiger technician to learn about tracking and protection. 10 days, from $2,079.
FALKLANDS, SOUTH GEORGIA & ANTARCTICA - Board the G Expedition polar ship and get up close to a place that fascinated famed explorer Ernest Shakleton. Watch for penguins, whales and seals from deck or shore zodiac. 22 days from $12,299 USD / $14,599 CDN.
About G Adventures - Because Our World Deserves More You
Founded in 1990 by social entrepreneur Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures is a socially-responsible travel operator that offers life-changing, small-group tours for people of all ages, interests and budgets in 100+ countries, on all seven continents. Its 700+ award-winning trips support local communities, giving travellers immersive and meaningful experiences with people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, while offering the freedom and flexibility to explore on their own. With a nonprofit foundation partner called Planeterra that helps kickstart local communities’ development, G Adventures’ approach to small-group travel is intimate and sustainable.
“For many years we have been committed to ensuring that no people or animals are harmed either intentionally or unintentionally by our tours. Jane Goodall’s recognition of our work to protect animals spurred us to take our work in this area to the next level. Together with World Animal Protection, the World Cetacean Alliance and the Jane Goodall Institute we have strengthened our protections even further. We strive to be the best we can be in this vital area of our business, and empower our travellers to do the same in their own adventures.”
About the Jane Goodall Institute
Founded in 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute continues Dr. Goodall’s pioneering research on chimpanzee behavior—research that transformed scientific perceptions of the relationship between humans and animals. Today, the Institute is a global leader in the effort to protect Great Apes and their habitats. It also is widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centered conservation and development programs in Africa, and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, the global environmental and humanitarian youth program that has groups in more than 50 countries. For more information, visit: www.janegoodall.global.
Wellness Nepal
India River Cruise – Ganges Encompassed
Ultimate Cambodian Adventure
Philippines Palawan Adventure
East Africa Gorilla & Safari Experience
Australia & New Zealand Encompassed
Southern Divide
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Bangkok’s First Tram Travel
By Naam Sombatanantakorn
Bangkok has embarked on a construction frenzy to extend the MRT and BTS Skytrain networks to the suburbs for commuters’ greater mobility. About a century and a half earlier, Bangkok was criss-crossed with canals, and paddle boats were the predominant mode of transportation. The Siamese made quick jaunts between their homes and temples and markets by boat. The fastest way to get to the city center was by paddling through the city’s vast network of canals and rivers. But waterborne transport was much too slow even in those days.
King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) had foreseen how Bangkok was going to expand quickly as the population grew. The monarch believed that a more efficient and rapid mass transit system was key. So in 1888, the king introduced the first railroad to Siam and granted a concession to two Danish entrepreneurs – Alfred John Loftus and Andre de Plessir de Richelieu – to build and operate Bangkok’s first tram network.
With a tramway track built along Charoenkrung Road, the first trams plied the “Bang Kholaem” line between the City Pillar Shrine and Thanon Tok (at the General Post Office) in Bang Rak district. These wagon-like trams relied on real “horsepower” as they were hauled by two pairs of horses along a tramway track. The beasts worked in shifts and rotated between stations to avoid overwork.
The new rail transport was not so popular at first. With the ride ridden with an endless series of jerks and yanks, the tram journey was far from smooth as silk – you had to contend with the sight and smell of horse dung. High overheads (house rents and horse bills) forced the original operators to sell the business to an English company in 1893. Over time the business fell into the hands of another Danish company.
It was not until 1894 when the tram system began to turn profits as the horse-drawn machines were replaced by electric trams. These 40-horsepower electric trams were powered by electricity from overhead lines. Some areas in Bangkok were newly named after certain power poles along the tramway and are still called that way to this day. In Si Sao Thewet (literally “Thewet’s Four Power Poles”), for instance, there used to be four electric poles that provided electricity to the trams. Unfortunately, these power poles are long gone.
Trams once plied the streets of Bangkok | Photograph: Courtesy of Bangkok Folk Museum
Since the trams ran on a single tramway, every 500 meters there would be a shunt for one tram to give the right of way to another one. This way the trams could share the same track. In order to prevent derailments or accidents, the tracks received daily maintenance to ensure the tram services’ safe operations.
Passengers boarded the tram and alighted at designated stops marked by a colored metal flag. A tram could carry up to 60 people. In its glory days the tram route was extended gradually and at one point was 45 km long. The tram services operated on seven lines: Bang Kholaem Line, Samsen Line, Dusit Line, Bangsue Line, Hua Lampong Line, Silom Line, and Prathumwan Line.
A tram network was soon introduced to other provinces as well, such as Lopburi, Chiangmai, and Songkla. At that time, Siam hosted one of the earliest electric tram systems in the world, even before many countries in Europe and Asia.
Tram services were in business for only 80 years. After World War II, the fast-growing urban sprawl led to more roads being built and more automobiles imported. With the tramway running along the middle of roads, tram services started to cause traffic jams, and made worse by considerable overlap between the bus and tram lines.
Finally, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority that owned and operated Bangkok’s electric tram system during their waning days decided to scrap the old and clunky tram fleet for good in 1968.
The last vestiges of the tramway tracks near the City Pillar Shrine
Photograph: Bangkok Folk Museum
The last surviving colored metal flag in Chinatown from the heyday of tram system
Credit: Naam Sombatanantakorn
Nowadays, there are hardly any traces of the tram system left. But we can learn about Thailand’s tram history from old pictures and at museums, or by asking the elderly who had a tram ride when they were young.
However, those who are interested in looking for remnants of the Bangkok trams could still be able to find the last vestiges of the first tramway track that lies between the City Pillar Shrine and the Ministry of Defense across from the Grand Palace. There’s also the last surviving colored metal flag that marked a tram station, still hanging from a building on Yaowarat Road (Bangkok’s Chinatown) heading toward Mahachai Road, between Charoenkrung Soi 8 and 10.
Naam Sombatanantakorn
Born and based in Bangkok, Naam is one of the co-founders of Viajente, a travel agency that offers various natural and cultural tour programs. She is a lifelong learner and loves to travel.
Royal Regalia – The Symbols of Sovereignty
Saving the Water Buffaloes
The Sweet Scent of Khao Chae
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January 6, 2020 - Camden, NJ
United States Cold Storage Welcomes Larry Alderfer as President & CEO
CAMDEN, NJ – United States Cold Storage (USCS), the premier U.S. provider of public refrigerated warehousing (PRW) and related logistics services, welcomed Larry Alderfer as the company’s new President & Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1st, 2020.
He succeeds David Harlan who retired December 31, 2019, after a 40-year career with the company.
Alderfer’s own refrigerated warehousing industry experience dates to age 16 when he joined Pennsylvania’s former Rosenberger Cold Storage. He worked there 14 years and later joined USCS in 1998 as General Manager for the company’s Union City, CA, warehouse.
November 21, 2019 - Camden, NJ
United States Cold Storage Opens Warehouse For Blue Diamond Growers
CAMDEN, NJ – United States Cold Storage (USCS) held grand opening ceremonies Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, for its second refrigerated warehouse in Turlock, CA.
Completed last month, the 9.3-million-cubic-foot facility, called “USCS Turlock North,” serves as a dedicated location to Blue Diamond Growers, the world's leading almond marketer and processor. The warehouse has two rooms and as many as 40,500 pallet positions. The location meets British Retail Consortium (BRC) certification food safety standards and offers import/export services in addition to California Organic Certification.
As a dedicated facility, USCS Turlock North will receive, store and ship Blue Diamond ingredients designated for its own finished products as well as industrial finished goods. The facility will serve as the primary location for Blue Diamond’s industrial customers—both domestic and international. Blue Diamond’s diverse ingredient line not only includes a wide range of almonds (whole, sliced, diced, etc.) but also ingredients such as almond powders, flours, and oils.
October 3, 2019 - Camden, NJ
United States Cold Storage Announces David Harlan Retirement
CAMDEN, NJ – United States Cold Storage (USCS) USCS Chairman JB Rae-Smith announced David Harlan will retire as President & CEO on December 31, 2019, after completing 40 years of service with the company. Succeeding him will be 21-year USCS veteran Larry Alderfer, who has served as Chief Operating Officer since March 2018.
Harlan joined USCS in 1979 after graduating from Temple University, Philadelphia. He later served in roles as Corporate Controller and Vice President of National Sales and Marketing before being promoted to President in 1999.
Rae-Smith called Harlan’s service record “exemplary” as Harlan has been the guiding force behind USCS' significant growth and expansion during the past decade or so. In 1999, USCS managed a network of 27 warehouses with approximately 100 million cubic feet of temperature-controlled warehouse and distribution space. Today’s operation, in contrast, offers more than 355 million cubic feet of space in 42 facilities located in 13 states.
August 1, 2019 - Camden, NJ
United States Cold Storage Expands Medley, FL, Warehouse
CAMDEN, NJ – Late July saw United States Cold Storage (USCS) complete a Phase II addition to its operation in Medley, FL, serving the Miami and South Florida markets.
The expansion brings another 1.7 million cubic feet of -10F freezer storage, another 12,030 pallet positions and 12 additional refrigerated dock doors. With that, USCS Medley now boasts 6.1 million cubic feet of storage with 35,975 pallet positions and as many as 30 refrigerated dock doors. The operation’s convertible rooms offer storage temperatures ranging from -20F to +55F.
“USCS has had a presence in the Miami marketplace for more than 40 years and we continue to support our customers by expanding our footprint in this very important geographic area,” says George Cruz, USCS Senior Vice President-Southern Region. “Our relationship with our customers in the import/export arena with Latin America continues to grow. The bilingual staff at our Miami operation supports ease of customer relations and service. This incremental space will allow us to better service the growing needs of our existing customer base and help to offer our services to new customers.”
July 15, 2019 - Camden, NJ
United States Cold Storage Opens High-Tech Warehouse in Lebanon, IN
CAMDEN, NJ –United States Cold Storage (USCS) officially opened a 5.1 million-cubic-foot freezer addition at its warehouse in Lebanon, IN. The expansion includes an approximate 3.5 million-cubic-foot section with an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) as well as a 1.7 million-cubic-foot section for conventional storage.
USCS Lebanon is located along US Interstate 65, just 30 minutes northwest of Indianapolis. The new operation primarily supports a customer whose products are housed in both the automated and conventional storage areas for both full-pallet and case-pick load preparation. The finished addition houses 15,724 pallets including 5,898 conventional locations and 9,826 slots within the ASRS warehouse.
April 24, 2019 - Camden, NJ
United States Cold Storage Adding Second Turlock, CA, Location
CAMDEN, NJ –United States Cold Storage (USCS) expects this October 2019 to complete construction of its second public refrigerated warehouse in Turlock, CA.
Upon completion, the new “USCS Turlock North” facility will house 9.4 million cubic feet of space with 42,000 racked pallet positions. Its two multi-temp storage rooms will be capable maintaining temperatures ranging from -20F to +55F. Its fully enclosed, refrigerated shipping and receiving dock will have 16 dock doors.
To better service area customers, officials say Turlock North will offer import/export services and adhere to strict handling and storage certification procedures outlined by both Retail British Consortium (BRC) as well as the California Certified Organic Farmers program.
“Our new facility will be constructed directly opposite of our current “Turlock South” site, which was constructed in 2009,” notes Chris Harrington, USCS Director-California Northern Central Valley. “Two large Stanislaus County food processors were the initial anchor customers for that first Turlock building. Thanks to our customers’ success, Turlock South has expanded twice since then—in 2012 and in 2015. It continues to provide storage and distribution solutions for additional food manufacturers in the Central Valley. Even so, we recognized that was time build a new Turlock North location and add even more capacity.”
April 8, 2019 - Camden, NJ
United States Cold Storage Opens Second Fresno, CA, Site
CAMDEN, NJ –United States Cold Storage (USCS) has opened its second public refrigerated warehouse in Fresno, CA.
Completed late last fall, the 6.4 million-cubic-foot “Fresno West” operation features 28,000 racked pallet positions and rooms capable of storing products from -20F to +55F. Its fully enclosed, refrigerated 60-foot shipping and receiving dock has 20 additional dock doors. The new operation also offers rail service with close proximity to a Union Pacific intermodal yard. The site also is BRC certified and offers services to either the Port of Oakland, or the Port of Los Angeles.
“This is our fourth large-scale expansion in the Fresno market since 2007,” says Rod Noll, USCS Senior Vice President-Western Region. “The driving force behind our activity is the success of the many Central Valley food and beverage companies. These innovative customers are making a splash in the industry with new product lines. Additionally, we have expanded our portfolio of transportation services.”
United States Cold Storage Opens Denton, Texas, Warehouse
CAMDEN, NJ –United States Cold Storage (USCS) has opened a 7.7 million-cubic-foot public refrigerated warehouse in Denton, TX.
USCS already operates 32.6 million cubic feet of space at three other warehouses in the Dallas and Ft. Worth market. The new USCS Denton location is located just north of Fort Worth and strategically located at the intersection of I-35E (Dallas) and I-35W (Fort Worth).
Located on a 40-acre property, the Phase One site houses 25,712 pallet positions with three rooms and storage temperatures ranging from -20F to +60F. Its fully enclosed, refrigerated shipping and receiving dock has 22 dock doors and five rail dock doors. The site also features import/export services and is served by the Kansas City Southern, one of the only rail lines going directly into Mexico.
January 12, 2019 - Voorhees, NJ
United States Cold Storage Opens Second Atlanta-Area Site
CAMDEN, NJ –United States Cold Storage (USCS) has opened its second Atlanta, GA, area location, a newly constructed 6.7-million-cubic-foot public refrigerated warehouse in McDonough, GA, located just south and east from Atlanta and right off the Interstate 75 corridor.
USCS already operates an 8.6-million-cubic-foot facility in McDonough, which it began leasing in 2016. This current operation, known as “McDonough 1,” serves the greater Atlanta metro market and provides regional multi-temp distribution services to the Southeast.
Located just one mile away, the new “McDonough 2” site offers 26,154 pallet positions, handles a wide range of refrigerated and frozen products (from -20F to +40F) and provides distribution services from as many as 25 refrigerated, enclosed dock doors and five railcar doors (served by Norfolk Southern).
United States Cold Storage Plans Third Site in Growing Laredo, TX Market
United States Cold Storage (USCS) has purchased approximately 30 acres of land in Laredo, TX, and plans by early 2019 to build a new public refrigerated warehouse—its third in the market—to serve import and exports involving the United States and Mexico. The site is strategically located between Laredo’s two most important and busiest bridge crossings with Mexico: the World Trade Bridge and the Columbia Bridge. USCS plans an initial Phase One building of 6 million to 8 million cubic feet with refrigerated and frozen storage and handling capabilities.
Just 10 to 15 miles away, USCS has two additional Laredo sites—one designated for meat inspections and another to handle frozen distribution imports. “The refrigerated/fresh import market is developing quickly and we need a new facility that meets the requirements of this fast-paced business,” notes George Cruz, USCS Senior Vice President-Southern Region. “This new facility will feature special cross-dock shipping and receiving areas, a large yard for drop-trailers, and state-of-the-art refrigeration and material handling systems.”
May 3, 2018 - Voorhees, NJ
United States Cold Storage Expands in Denton, TX
United States Cold Storage (USCS) expects by late 2018 to complete a 7.7 millioncubic-foot public refrigerated warehouse in Denton, TX. The company broke ground this February on a 40-acre site in Denton, which is strategically located at the intersection of I-35E (Dallas) and I-35W (Fort Worth). Denton is located just north and in between the two cities at the northern edge of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. USCS already operates 32.6 million cubic feet of space at three other warehouses in the Dallas and Ft. Worth market.
April 21, 2018 - Voorhees, NJ
United States Cold Storage Expands in Lebanon, IN
United States Cold Storage (USCS) broke ground for a Phase 2 addition at the company’s public refrigerated warehouse in Lebanon, IN. The operation opened in 2009 with 6.5 million cubic feet of refrigerated and frozen storage and 24,300 pallet positions. Officials expect by next fall to complete the 5.1 million cubic foot addition with 16,000 more pallet positions and 10 additional shipping dock doors. The facility handles a wide range of refrigerated and frozen products held at temperatures from -20F to +60F. A portion of the addition will be served by an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS). This will be USCS’s second facility integrating both a conventional and automated design.
April 3, 2018 - Voorhees, NJ
United States Cold Storage Expands in Medley, FL
United States Cold Storage (USCS) expects by June 2019 to complete a Phase 2 addition at its public refrigerated warehouse in Medley, FL. The expansion will add 2.6 million cubic feet of refrigerated storage space for 11,806 pallet positions. Upon completion the operation will have totals of 6.8 million cubic feet of storage with 35,906 racked, variable height pallet locations—representing a 50% increase in cubic capacity.
March 1, 2018 - Voorhees, NJ
USCS Names Alderfer Chief Operating Officer
United States Cold Storage promoted Larry Alderfer to the new position of Chief Operating Office. Alderfer previously was Senior Vice President, and he retains responsibilities for Business Development, Corporate Development, Transportation / Logistics and Information Technology. With his new role, Alderfer now assumes responsibilities for regional operations in five regions. “One of his first corporate development successes was to enter and expand our presence in the Pennsylvania market. Soon after that, Larry increased his responsibilities to include Regional Vice President for the Northeast Region,” notes David Harlan, USCS President & CEO. Most recently, Larry earned the recognition and position of Senior Vice President.
United States Cold Storage Expanding in McDonough, GA
United States Cold Storage (USCS) expects by this fall to build a 6.7-million-cubic-foot public refrigerated warehouse in McDonough, GA, located just south and east from Atlanta and right off the Interstate 75 corridor. USCS already operates an 8.6-million-cubic-foot facility in McDonough, which it began leasing in 2016. This operation, known as McDonough 1, serves the greater Atlanta metro market and provides regional multi-temp distribution services to the Southeast. Located just one mile away, the new “McDonough 2” site will offer 26,154 pallet positions, handle a wide range of refrigerated and frozen products (from -20F to +40F) and provide distribution services from as many as 25 refrigerated, enclosed dock doors and five railcar doors (served by Norfolk Southern).
December 10, 2017 - Dallas, TX
United States Cold Storage Growing in Dallas
United States Cold Storage (USCS) recently completed a 5.3 million-cubic-foot, Phase Three addition at its public refrigerated warehouse (PRW) in Dallas, TX. Just built in 2013, USCS Dallas is located at 2225 N. Cockrell Hill Rd. and works with nearby USCS warehouses in Fort Worth and Arlington, TX, to serve the Dallas Metroplex region. For its part, USCS Dallas is a strategic location to efficiently serve key markets throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. The USCS Dallas facility now offers 14.9 million cubic feet (517,566 square feet) of cold storage with room for 56,809 pallets stored at temperatures ranging from -20F to +40F. This high-volume truck and rail distribution center has 67 dock doors and eight rail doors (serviced by Union Pacific). The operation also offers multi-vendor consolidation, blast freezing, and a wide range of local cartage services.
United States Cold Storage, Inc.
United States Cold Storage is the preferred leader in temperature controlled warehousing and logistics. With over 2,400 dedicated employees at 36 world-class facilities, we are proud to offer the Best in Class Warehouse and Transportation Services.
United States Cold Storage, Inc.4 days ago
USCS has a star employee, Tamara Palefsky. She started in Shipping and Receiving and worked her way up the ladder to Continuous Improvement and MARC Manager, Western Region. Click the link below to read all about Tamara's dedication and determination at US Cold.
United States Cold Storage, Inc.2 weeks ago
NEW YEAR, NEW PRESIDENT & CEO OF UNITED STATES COLD STORAGE -
https://www.uscold.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020PR-USCS_LarryAlderferCEO.pdf
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#bestincold
Ugly Sweater Contest Winners at the Camden Office
1st Place - Matt McLaughlin
2nd Place - Brett Hopkins
3rd Place - Jennifer Mignone
#bestincold #bestinpeople #bestinuglysweater
US Cold Storage 4th Quarter Shield - https://mailchi.mp/950f09201e47/us-cold-storage-4th-quarter-shield
unitedstatescoldstorage
Captain Freeze hopes your New Year is off to a great start! Get out there and accomplish those New Year's Resolutions. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #bestincold #captainfreezetravels #NewYearsResolutions #bestinpeople⠀ #bestinfacilities
USCS has a star employee, Tamara Palefsky. She started in Shipping and Receiving and worked her way up the ladder to Continuous Improvement and MARC Manager, Western Region. Thank you, Tamara, for your dedication and determination at US Cold!⠀ #BestinCold #BestinPeople #BestinFacilities #UnitedStatesColdStorage #USCold
Captain Freeze had a great Christmas at our Marshville, NC location. ⠀ #captainfreezeholiday #captainfreezetravels #bestincold #captainfreezeuscs
#bestincold #bestinpeople #bestinfacilities
US Cold Storage 4th Quarter Shield
Ain’t she a beauty? #uscsmcdonough2 #bestincold #bestinpeople
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2019 USL League One All-League Teams Revealed
By USLLeagueOne.com Staff, 10/16/19, 11:30AM EDT
North Texas, Lansing take four selections apiece, Greenville earns three First Team honorees
TAMPA, Fla. – USL League One honored standout performers from its inaugural season on Wednesday as it unveiled the 2019 USL League One All-League Teams. North Texas SC and Lansing Ignite FC led all teams with four selections apiece after finishing 1-2 in the final regular season standings, while Greenville Triumph SC’s league-best defense earned the club three First Team selections.
The 2019 USL League One All-League Teams were voted on by club leadership.
Previously awarded the League One Golden Boot and Assists Champion awards, North Texas forward Ronaldo Damus and midfielder Arturo Rodriguez added All-League First Team honors to their individual accolades this season. Damus recorded 16 goals in 20 appearances for NTSC during the regular season, while Rodriguez had 10 assists and seven goals while appearing in every game of the campaign.
The duo was joined by forward Ricardo Pepi – who last week was selected to the United States U-17 National Team that will compete at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil later this month – and midfielder Alfusainey Jatta, who each earned selection to the All-League Second Team.
Greenville Triumph SC goalkeeper Dallas Jaye added to his prior League One Golden Glove honor as he took All-League First Team honors after recording 13 shutouts in the regular season. He was joined by defenders Tyler Polak and Cole Seiler, who helped Triumph SC concede only 22 goals in 28 regular-season contests.
Lansing Ignite FC midfielder Tumi Moshobane earned the lone First Team honor for his side after scoring 10 goals and four assists in 20 regular-season appearances. He was joined by defenders Nick Moon and Brandon Fricke and midfielder Rafael Mentzingen, who earned berths on the All-League Second Team, with Mentzingen having led Ignite FC with seven assists and also notched six goals during the regular season.
The finalists for the 2019 USL League One Awards will be announced on Thursday, preceding the 2019 USL League One Final, which will air live on ESPN+ on Saturday, October 19 p.m. ET as No. 1 seed North Texas SC hosts No. 3 seed Greenville Triumph SC at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
2019 USL League One All-League First Team
GK – Dallas Jaye, Greenville Triumph SC: Jaye led League One with 13 shutouts and a 0.78 goals-against average as he recorded 47 saves in 27 appearances at a 68.7 save percentage.
D – Conner Antley, South Georgia Tormenta FC: Antley recorded six goals and six assists and had 34 key passes as he posed an attacking threat alongside his defensive solidity, where he led all defenders with 201 recoveries and finished tied for third among defenders with 49 interceptions.
D – Christian Diaz, Forward Madison FC: Diaz won the third-most duels among defenders, taking 191 at a success rate of 64.5 percent, finished second in the league in interceptions with 52 and also ranked in the top five among defenders in recoveries with 165 for the Flamingos.
D – Tyler Polak, Greenville Triumph SC: Polak led the league with 63 interceptions and also ranked in the top ten among defenders in recoveries (160) and duels won (155 at a success rate of 61.3) as part of Greenville’s league-best defense.
D – Cole Seiler, Greenville Triumph SC: Seiler was the lone defender in League One to win more than 100 aerial duels, recording 107 at a 61.8 percent success rate, and also ranked in the top four among defenders in duels won with 176.
M – Joe Gallardo, Richmond Kickers: Gallardo led the Kickers with six goals and notched two assists, completed 48 dribbles and recorded 34 chances created in the regular season.
M – Tumi Moshobane, Lansing Ignite FC: Moshobane finished tied for fourth in the league with 10 goals – including a league-high four from outside the penalty area – and recorded 40 chances created and four assists.
M – Arturo Rodriguez, North Texas SC: Rodriguez led the league with 10 assists and 72 chances created, while also finishing third on NTSC with seven goals, second in the league with 213 duels won and fourth in the league with 60 dribbles completed.
F – Steven Beattie, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Beattie led the Red Wolves with nine goals while also contributing three assists to help keep the Red Wolves in the playoff race until the final weekend of the regular season.
F – Ronaldo Damus, North Texas SC: Damus scored a league-leading 16 goals at a rate of a goal every 87 minutes on a conversion rate of 31.4 percent, posted the most shots on goal of any player in the league with 31 and also notched three assists.
F – Jordan Perruzza, Toronto FC II: Perruzza finished second in the league with 15 goals, averaging a goal every 120.6 minutes as he accounted for more than one-third of the Reds’ goals during the regular season.
2019 USL League One All-League Second Team
GK – Alex Mangels, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Mangels recorded a league-leading 85 saves and 42 catches as he played every minute of the regular season, posting six shutouts and a 69.7 save percentage.
D – Wahab Ackwei, Richmond Kickers: Ackwei tied for fourth in the league in the league with 49 interceptions, ranked third among defenders with 177 recoveries and had two assists on 11 chances created.
D – Patrick Bunk-Andersen, Toronto FC II: Bunk-Andersen scored five goals, ranking him third among defenders and putting him second on TFC II, and made 181 recoveries and 32 interceptions.
D – Brandon Fricke, Lansing Ignite FC: Fricke won 66 of 114 aerial duels – fifth-most among defenders – while also winning 113 of 193 duels and recording two goals, 30 interceptions and 126 recoveries in the regular season.
D – Nick Moon, Lansing Ignite FC: Moon finished tied for the league-lead among defenders with six goals and also notched four assists on 37 chances created while recording 157 recoveries and winning 193 of 354 duels.
M – Alfusainey Jatta, North Texas SC: Jatta served as the lynchpin of North Texas’ midfield, recording 61.7 passes per 90 minutes at an accuracy rate of 82.7 percent and 151 recoveries while ranking second on the team with 144 duels won.
M – Rafael Mentzingen, Lansing Ignite FC: Mentzingen tied for second in the league with seven assists on 21 chances created, and also notched six goals while finishing third in the league with 26 shots on goal.
M – Ualefi, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Ualefi ranked seventh in the league with 45 interceptions and completed more than 1,000 passes at an accuracy rate of 85.4 percent on 44.4 passes per 90 minutes, recording 16 key passes for the Red Wolves.
F – Jordan Jones, FC Tucson: Jones tied for third in the league with 10 goals on a conversion rate of 22.7 percent and notched three assists and 18 chances created for FCT.
F – Ricardo Pepi, North Texas SC: Pepi scored nine goals at an average of a goal every 114.78 minutes – placing him second in the league among players with multiple goals – as he recorded 52 shots and 21 shots on goal in 12 appearances.
F – Paulo Jr., Forward Madison FC: Paulo Jr. had five goals and five assists on 44 chances created while finishing tied for sixth in the league with 57 shots, of which 24 were on target.
Tag(s): News So. Georgia Tormenta FC FC Tucson Greenville Triumph SC Forward Madison FC Toronto FC II North Texas SC Richmond Kickers Lansing Ignite FC Spotlight Chatt Red Wolves SC Steven Beattie Alex Mangels Ualefi Jordan Perruzza Conner Antley Ronaldo Damus Brecc Evans Ricardo Pepi Brandon Fricke Rafael Mentzingen Nick Moon Tumi Moshobane Dallas Jaye Tyler Polak Cole Seiler Paulo Jr. Arturo Rodriguez Wahab Ackwei Joe Gallardo Patrick Bunk-Andersen Christian Díaz Jordan Jones
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Infusion Technology
VERSA-LOK Midwest
Your One-Stop Shop for Landscape Materials, Supplies & More
VERSA-LOK Midwest is a full-service supplier of landscape, erosion control and underground utility products based in Oakdale, MN. VERSA-LOK Midwest serves the Midwest states of Minnesota, western Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, eastern Montana and northern Wyoming. In addition to landscape and underground utilities products, VERSA-LOK Midwest provides a full range of services for your landscaping needs: project budgeting, preliminary engineering, estimating and contractor recommendations for final construction.
We offer the full line of VERSA-LOK segmental retaining wall systems: Standard, Mosaic, Harmony, Cobble, Accent, Square Foot, the plantable VERSA-Green, and our three heavyweights, Brute, Bronco 30H and Bronco 18H. VERSA-LOK is well-known among landscape architects, specifiers and contractors for its ease of installation, appearance and unlimited design flexibility.
We also offer the full line of Willow Creek Paving Stones products. The Select Series includes Slatestone, Slatestone Grande, Eurostone, and Dekrastone, all of which can be installed to create a permeable or impermeable surface. Our Tekstone, Brickstone, Cobblestone, Circlestone pavers and Bullnose units round out the collection. Our pavers complement any landscape styling, from classic to contemporary. Willow Creek Ledgestone landscaping units, Ledgestone Kits, and Capstone units add the finishing touches.
We are also your one-stop shop for sediment and erosion control products. We distribute the Envirolok vegetated retaining wall systems, silt fence and a full line of biodegradable erosion and sediment control blankets and wattles to fit any erosion and sediment control application.
We can provide municipalities and underground utilities contractors with a range of concrete manhole products, including manhole and hydrant block, risers, adjuster rings, horse collars and Portland cement. You’ll also find most accessories ranging from landscape fabric and geogrid to concrete adhesive and concrete saw blades.
Meet our Contractor Sales Yard Team.
Meet our Sales Team:
6348 Hwy 36 Blvd N Suite 1
Alex Boardman
Contractor territory: western Twin Cities
Distributor territory: northeastern Minnesota
A native of Stillwater, Minn., Alex holds a business degree from Bethel College and joined VERSA-LOK Midwest in 2016. He loves to golf, and his hobbies are golf, golf and more golf. He and his wife like like to downhill ski with their two daughters and watch their dance performances when not golfing. Alex says his favorite hardscape features are outdoor kitchens, and he can often be found outdoors in all seasons grilling something delicious.
Jared Kanz
Contractor territory: southern Minnesota & southwestern Wisconsin
Distributor territory: southern Minnesota & South Dakota
Jared joined VERSA-LOK Midwest in 2005. He enjoys outdoor sports and can be found on the bike trails or soccer fields with his kids. An avid trout fisherman who grew up on the southern Minnesota plains, he defied tradition and never kissed his first trout, which pretty much sums up his personality. His favorite hardscape features are accents such as off-the-wall combinations of hardscape features like parapets or inlays using different materials.
Joe Dubois
Contractor territory: southern Twin Cities
Distributor territory: Nebraska
Joe has 15 years' experience in the hardscape industry and joined VERSA-LOK Midwest in 2017. He is a fan of hardscape fire features because he would live outside if he could. While he enjoys spending free time with his family doing outdoor activities, each night they must gently persuade him to go indoors, especially when it's cold out. A native of Burnsville, Minn., Joe attended Mankato State University.
Mike Gatzke
Contractor territory: central & northern Minnesota
Distributor territory: North Dakota
A native of White Bear Lake, Minn., Mike has worked for VERSA-LOK Midwest's associated companies on-and-off since high school. He has a marketing degree from UW-Eau Claire and a master's degree in operations from UW-Stout. His favorite hardscape features are everything from complex engineered walls to outdoor living spaces. A beer geek, Mike spends his free time brewing and experimenting, using his friends as unpaid taste-testers for his strange brews. He also coaches hockey as well as fishes and hunts with his family.
Contractor territory: eastern Twin Cities
Distributor territory: Iowa
A native of Wausau, Wis., Kelly joined VERSA-LOK Midwest in 2001. He's often visiting customers on his Harley Davidson, and rides his bike as late into the season as possible. When he's not on the bike, he's spending time outdoors with family and friends, including going up to the cabin. He has a B.S. degree in golf course management from UW-Madison and his favorite hardscape project is the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, where he can often be seen on his Harley, admiring the retaining walls from above.
Jeremy Laska
Territory: architects, engineers & site planners
Jeremy joined VERSA-LOK Midwest in 2006. A native of Oakdale, Minn., he is a graduate of UW-River Falls. He enjoys spending time fishing and boating with his family and watching his kids at soccer, hockey, lacrosse and ice skating. He secretly wishes that he could have played lacrosse in college, but it was unheard of back then. Jeremy's favorite product is the VERSA-LOK Mosaic system, for its astounding ability to complement a variety of architectural structures.
Meet Jim Freitag, VERSA-LOK Midwest's Manager
Contractor territory: west central and northwestern Wisconsin
Jim has been with VERSA-LOK Midwest since 2002. Jim's father, Dick Freitag, was a long-time sales manager for VERSA-LOK Midwest, and Dick hired Jim as a sales rep, against his better judgement. It all turned out okay, as Jim buckled down to learn the ropes from Dick, who retired from VERSA-LOK in 2016 at age 81. For a time, Jim attended college out west to be near mountain skiing, eventually returning to the University of Minnesota to complete his bachelor's degree. Jim enjoys spending time outdoors with his family and is teaching his young sons to ski (although Jim tore his ACL on what he claims was a triple black diamond a couple of years ago, so his wife will be taking over the ski instructor role as the kids get older). His favorite hardscape feature is the VERSA-LOK Couch, which he installed on his own patio (see video below).
Main Office | 6348 Hwy 36 Blvd N | Oakdale, MN 55128
Contact Us Where to Buy Privacy Policy
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Latest News Posts - Page 7
Epic Store game sales made up 39% of total $680 million yearly revenue
By: Derek Strickland | Gaming | Posted: 4 days, 6 hours ago
The Epic Store has made over $608 million in total revenues to date, but less than half of that is actually from game sales.
Epic just revealed some surprising figures on its new storefront. The Epic Games Store is doing quite well and has amassed $608 million in accumulated spending over the last year or so. But there's one catch: Only 39% of that, or $251 million, was made from third-party game sales. The other $357 million was generated from Fortnite microtransactions on PC (for reference, Fortnite earned $1.8 billion on all platforms in 2019).
Remember the Epic Games Store isn't just a marketplace but also a launcher for the industry's most lucrative battle royale sensation. So all of those numbers--earnings and active users--are mixed together. It's no different than Counter-Strike GO, Team Fortress, or DOTA 2 on Steam. Perhaps the biggest milestone is EGS hitting 108 million PC users. There's no specificity on MAU or DAU counts though.
Continue reading 'Epic Store game sales made up 39% of total $680 million yearly revenue' (full post)
Nemesis gives us massive anxiety in new Resident Evil 3 trailer
In early 2019, I proclaimed Capcom as the masters of horror. This new Resident Evil 3 Remake trailer ups the ante with more action and thrills.
Capcom just dropped a new Resident Evil 3 Remake trailer and it's giving me all kinds of anxiety. The footage conjures up flashback from the PS1 original where Nemesis relentlessly tracks your movements through a ruined hellscape city full of undead. Tyrant was bad and constantly made you feel like prey, but Nemesis is worse...much worse. Capcom says he's more unpredictable and dangerous...and the trailer really highlights this. Nemesis is crashing through roofs when you least expect it, and smacking everything with his wicked tentacle whip.
The latest trailer also confirms the terrifying hybrid hunter monstrosities are back to wreck your day. To supplement the footage, Capcom dropped a ton of screenshots for friendly faces like Carlos Oliveira, Bad Vickers, and a handful of other U.B.C.S operatives, as well as undead terrors like Nemesis and the freakish hunters.
Continue reading 'Nemesis gives us massive anxiety in new Resident Evil 3 trailer' (full post)
id: Doom Eternal is the best game we've ever made
Doom Eternal isn't just the best Doom game id has ever made, but their best game altogether. That's a pretty tall order, but it looks like id can deliver.
id Software is teasing big things for its new brutal demon-slaying shooter. Not only will Doom Eternal deliver insane next-gen FPS carnage with ultra-smooth frame rates, but it'll do with the best-looking graphics id's new revamped engine is capable of. The delay will apparently be well worth the wait.
"DOOM Eternal is the best game we have ever made," id lead engine programmer Billy Khan said on Twitter.
"It is brilliant. I cannot wait for everyone to finally play it. It runs butter-smooth, the combat is fluid as silk. idTech7 is pushing so much geometric detail and the image quality is bonkers. Get excited!"
Continue reading 'id: Doom Eternal is the best game we've ever made' (full post)
Gamestop's Q3 net loss is dramatically lower than last year's
Gamestop is being squeezed further by digital game sales and subscriptions, but their Q3 losses are actually substantially lower than last year's.
Gamestop is having a rough time. Its financial losses have forced closures of stores nationwide, and even overseas EB Games stores. As more stores close, Gamestop's hold on the physical game sales market shrinks. It seems to be a lose-lose for the retailer.
There's a silver lining though. Yes, Gamestop is still losing money, but it's losing less money than last year. In its recent Q3'20 financial report, Gamestop confirmed net losses of $83.4 million, representing a huge 83% reduction in net losses from last year's disastrous $488.6 million net loss. Despite reporting a 25.7% decrease in total global sales during the critical holiday months, Gamestop managed to rake in $1.4 billion in the three-month period.
Continue reading 'Gamestop's Q3 net loss is dramatically lower than last year's' (full post)
Final Fantasy 7 Remake delayed to April
By: Derek Strickland | Gaming | Posted: 4 days, 13 hours ago
Final Fantasy 7 Remake has been delayed again, this time to April 2020, putting it firmly against CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077.
Today Square Enix confirmed Final Fantasy 7 Remake has been pushed back a few weeks past its original March 20 release date. The game will now launch on April 10, 2020 on PlayStation 4. The dev team simply wants more time to optimize the experience for the current PlayStation family of consoles.
"In order to ensure we deliver a game that is in-line with our vision, and the quality that our fans who have been waiting for deserve, we have decided to move the release date to April 10, 2020," FF7 Remake producer Yoshinori Kitase said in a recent update.
Continue reading 'Final Fantasy 7 Remake delayed to April' (full post)
There's been an entirely new Harry Potter game created in Minecraft
By: Jak Connor | Gaming | Posted: 4 days, 20 hours ago
If you are a big Harry Potter fan and also find yourself spending hours in Minecraft enjoying some building, then you are in luck as you can go to Hogwarts if you like.
The Floo Network has posted a new video to their YouTube Channel that reveals what can only be considered as a Harry Potter fan's dream, but playable in Minecraft. Players can attend the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, cast spells, learn new ones, traverse the halls of Hogwarts, complete quests/puzzles, explore a Harry Potter-themed map, trade-in Diagon alley and find new items.
Players will also be able to explore famous locations that were present throughout the Harry Potter series, such as the Quidditch fields, Hagrid's house, the Weasley house, and more. This isn't just a small "map" added to Minecraft. This is more like an entire new Harry Potter game inside of Minecraft. It would have taken the creators of this map hundreds if not thousands of hours to create this map at this level of detail. At the moment, we don't know when it's going to release, but we do know that it will be released for free.
Continue reading 'There's been an entirely new Harry Potter game created in Minecraft' (full post)
Star Wars: Rogue One writer wants to write an animated Star Fox movie
By: Jak Connor | TV, Movies & Home Theatre | Posted: 4 days, 21 hours ago
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was a box office hit, and the screenwriter behind the movie, Gary Whitta, has spoken out about what he wants to do next.
Whitta recently took to Twitter with the above post, which expresses that he would like to write an animated movie based in the Star Fox universe. In the tweet, we can see some incredible artwork done by God of War art director Raf Grassetti, which may have inspired Whitta into wanting to write an animated movie.
If you think Whitta is a bit out of his element for writing a Star Fox animated movie, I can tell you that he has done other work other than Star Wars. Whitta has previously written for other large movies such as The Book of Eli, as well as games, including Prey, Gears of War, and Telltale's adaptation of The Walking Dead. He was also editor-in-chief for PC Gamer, which proves Whitta has a keen interest in gaming.
iPod father: The first iPod was designed and released in the same year
By: Jak Connor | Audio, Sound & Speakers | Posted: 4 days, 21 hours ago
It has been recently discovered that Apple's first iPod was designed and released in just one year. In that one year, the way people listened to music was changed forever.
CEO of Stripe, Patrick Collision, decided to share an insider story regarding Apple's Ex-SVP, Tony Fadell and the creation of the first iPod. Collision describes that Fadell pitched the idea to Steve Jobs in March 2001 regarding the iPod. Jobs greenlighted the project, and in the following weeks and months, the final design was created, and in the first week of November (same year), units were shipped out to customers.
Jon Rubinstein, the head of Apple hardware engineering, found a small form-factor hard-drive that measured in at just 1.8 inches. This drive was from Toshiba and later became the standard hard drive for the first iPod. Apple really did pull off something amazing with the iPod. Music listening was undoubtedly changed forever after its release. To think that the device, which was so innovative at the time, was designed and released in the same year, really shows a high-level of incredibility on Apple's behalf.
Continue reading 'iPod father: The first iPod was designed and released in the same year' (full post)
COD: Modern Warfare devotes DLC pack to Australian bushfire donations
The bushfires that are currently sweeping across Australia have ravaged not only people's homes but many square miles of wildlife. Infinity Ward has recognized this and is going to be donating 100% of the proceeds of a DLC pack to the countries recovery.
In a new Twitter post on the official Infinity Ward Twitter account, the studio announced that as a part of their efforts to support the rebuilding of what the bushfires caused they will be "donating 100% of Activision's net proceeds from each purchase of the "Outback" pack." In the Twitter post, they detail that they have renamed the pack to the "Outback Relief Pack" and that until January 31st, all purchases from all platforms will be donated.
For those who have already purchased the pack, Activision has said that your purchases will be counted as a donation. So how much is the "Outback Relief Pack"? Activision has priced the pack at 1,8000 CoD points, which equates to about $20. The pack includes new skins such as the Bushranger operator skin, a koala charm, and some other cool little cosmetics. Please support the bushfires in Australia. They have caused terrible damage to not only people and their lives but also the land. Every little bit helps.
UK gamer seizures online, US teammate saves him with 5,000 mile call
There's no doubt that online gaming has a big stigma that surrounds it; harassment, flaming online, hacking and bullying. Sometimes that isn't all that happens though, and sometimes online gaming can save lives.
January 2nd could of ended a whole lot worse for 17-year-old Aiden Jackson who lives in the United Kingdom town of Widnes. While he was gaming with his 20-year-old friend Dia Lathora who is located in Texas, they were speaking to each other in a call and then Jackson suddenly stopped talking. In panic, Lathora attempted to ask Jackson if he was ok, and there was no reply, she then proceeded to do something amazing.
Lathora decided to call emergency services in Jackson's area, "When he didn't respond I instantly started to look up the emergency number for the EU." She managed to get into contact with Jackson's local emergency services, which rushed to his house and surprised his confused parents. The police and Jackson's parents found Jackson upstairs having a seizure. Jackson said to Sky News, "Next thing I knew, I was waking up with police and my parents in my room, saying that I'd just had a seizure".
Continue reading 'UK gamer seizures online, US teammate saves him with 5,000 mile call' (full post)
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Mark Bernards
Professor and Chair
Office: BGS 2025E
Phone: (519) 661-2111 x 86477
Email: bernards@uwo.ca
Chair Email: biochair@uwo.ca
Plant Secondary Metabolism
Research Wesbsite
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/bernards/
Research and Teaching
My research program is based on the study of plant secondary metabolites or phytochemicals. I am interested in how plants use phytochemicals to interact with other organisms or defend themselves against environmental factors such as wounding and pathogen attack. We spend a lot of time isolating and analysing phytochemicals using various chromatographic techniques and bioassays. Our research activities can be divided into two categories: 1) Biosynthesis of Suberin and 2) Chemical Ecology of Phytochemicals. Each is briefly described below.
1) Biosynthesis of Suberin
In response to wounding and other environmental stresses, the cells of plants exposed to the stress may be induced to form suberin. Suberin is the name given to a specific cell wall modification deposited in periderm, wound periderm, and endo- and exodermal cells that involves the biosynthesis of a poly(phenolic) domain (SPPD) within the cell wall as well as a poly(aliphatic) domain (SPAD) between the plasma membrane and the cell wall. The structure of suberin has undergone revision as new information about its chemical composition is revealed. We recently proposed a new structural model for potato tuber suberin, based on our studies as well as extensive literature reports. We have also developed a model to help understand the macromolecular assembly of the SPPD and have two current projects testing it. More recently, we have initiated a metabolite profiling project to better understand the changes in both primary and secondary metabolism that occur during suberization.
2) Chemical Ecology of Phytochemicals
Many phytochemicals are biologically active and play a direct role in the interaction between a plant and its environment. In my lab we are investigating the potential of ginsenosides to act as allelochemicals and how different soilborne fungi respond to them in vitro.
Degrees and Institutions
BSc (Agriculture) University of Guelph, 1985
PhD (Biochemistry) University of Guelph, 1991
PDF, Washington State University, Institute for Biological Chemistry, 1991-93
Assistant Professor, Program in Chemistry, University of Northern BC, 1993-1998
At Western since 1998
Biology 2601A - Organismal Physiology
Michelle Belton
Office: NCB 301C
Email: mharris7@uwo.ca
PhD Zoology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Hon. BSc Genetics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Biology 2290 F/G – Scientific Methods in Biology
Simon Bonner
Assistant Professor of Environmetrics
Office: WSC 276
Email: sbonner6@uwo.ca
Ecological statistics and modelling
simon.bonners.ca/bonner-lab/wpblog/
Ecological systems are complicated -- that is an understatement. Dynamics in an ecosystem result from the combined effects of processes at the individual, population, and community levels that are each affected by many factors, both internal and external. Studying these systems is further complicated by the fact that direct observations of individuals are often impossible or impractical, so that sophisticated methods are needed to extract information about the system from the data that is collected.
I am jointly appointed between the Department of Statistical and Actuarial Science and the Department of Biology, and my research focuses on developing novel statistical methods for the analysis of data from ecological studies and on working with biologists and wildlife scientists to implement these methods in their own research. In particular, I am interested in hierarchical models for ecological data that are fit in a Bayesian framework using advanced Markov chain Monte Carlo Sampling techniques. My primary area of application is in the analysis of data from mark-recapture studies of wild animal populations to study the basic biology of these animals and to understand the effects of human impacts including habitat disturbance and climate change. Specific projects I have worked on include:
modelling the effects of mountain-top removal mining on salamanders in Kentucky (Price et al. 2015),
developing methods to account for subsampling of DNA samples collected in hair snare studies of bears (Augustine, 2014), and
accounting for errors that arise from incorrectly identifying captured individuals (Schofield and Bonner 2015, Bonner et al. 2015).
I have also worked recently on complex models to identify factors affecting variability in individual behaviours, like parenting behaviour in songbirds and aggressive behaviours in hermit crabs (Bridger, 2015), and on new methods to study changes in a predators preferences for different prey (Roualdes et al., in preparation).
PDF – Statistics, University of British Columbia
PhD – Statistics, Simon Fraser University, 2009 --2011
MSc – Statistics, Simon Fraser University, 2001 -- 2003
BSc – Mathematics (Hons), McGill University, 1997 -- 2001
SS9055B – Generalized Linear Models
Brian Branfireun
Canada Research Chair in Environment and Sustainability
Cross-appointed with Earth Sciences and Geography
Office: BGS 2064
Lab: Biotron 5
Email: bbranfir@uwo.ca
Ecohydrology, biogeochemistry and wetland ecosystem science
http://publish.uwo.ca/~bbranfir/Site/Home.html
Taking an interdisciplinary environmental science approach, Dr. Branfireun and his research group seek to understand the bidirectional nature of hydrological – ecological interactions at a range of scales. They direct their efforts toward ecosystems that are particularly sensitive to the impacts of natural and human-induced environmental change. Dr. Branfireun is involved in projects studying the hydrology, ecology and biogeochemistry of wetland-dominated environments from the Canadian sub-arctic to the sub-tropics of Mexico. Dr. Branfireun's research program is strongly field oriented, using the latest approaches to the measurement of environmental processes. He also directs a modern laboratory facility in the BIOTRON Institute for Experimental Climate Change Research at Western University for the study of speciated trace metals in the environment such as mercury and arsenic.
PhD, McGill University
Environmental Sciences 3350G: Methods and Techniques in Environmental Science
Lab: BGS 3061
Phone (Office): (519) 661-2111 x 81578
Phone (Lab): (519) 661-2111 x 81579
Email: rcummin5@uwo.ca
Brain Metabolism and Aging
http://www.thecumminglab.com/
Optimizing Brain Metabolism for Successful Aging
The Cumming laboratory studies the changes in brain metabolism and antioxidant defence that occur with age. We are trying to understand how age-dependent alterations in brain metabolism affect memory and contribute to neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease.
We currently are using a variety of biochemical, genetic, microscopic and neuroimaging techniques to examine aerobic glycolysis and antioxidant response in both cell culture and animal models of aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
PhD (Molecular and Medical Genetics), University of Toronto, 2001
Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Neurobiology), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 2001-2007
Biology 2382B – Cell Biology
Biology 4355F – The Biology of Aging
Sashko Damjanovski
Office: BGS 3053b
Email: sdamjano@uwo.ca
Developmental Biology - Extracellular Matrix Remodelling science
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/damjanovski/
Extracellular matrix remodelling in Developing Xenopus laevis
Healthy tissue function requires proper cell adhesion, and this adhesion is in part provided by proteins collectively known as the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM can be cut and remodelled by proteins called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The function of MMPs is in turn regulated by inhibitors named RECK and TIMPs. Many cell types lose their normal functions when cell-ECM interactions are broken, in a process similar to the transformation of healthy cells into uncontrolled cancer cells. We use the frog, Xenopus laevis, as well as a number of cell lines as model systems to examine how specific ECM remodelling events control cell migration, invasion and ultimately cell fate. Several embryological and microinjection, as well as in vitro and in vivo cell culture techniques are used to investigate expression patterns, cell signalling events, and cytoskeletal rearrangements and how they are related to ECM remodelling events, and diverse processes such as cell proliferation, migration and death.
Currently we are focusing on a membrane bound MMP named MT1-MMP. MT1-MMP appears to be a key lynch-pin in several processes as it is believed to not only regulate ECM remodelling, but also to activate other MMPs, transduce signalling cascades, as well as impact cellular viability. Understanding this regulation would be crucial in our understanding of the roles that these molecules play in development and disease.
Bio2882b - Cell Biology
Bio3338a - Developmental Biology
Richard Gardiner
Office: NCB 301J
Email: rgardine@uwo.ca
Fungal Cell and Molecular Biology
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/gardiner/
My research interests centre around fungal cell biology. I have worked on elucidating the structure and function of fungal fimbirae. Analogous to bacterial pili, fimbriae are long flexuous fibrils 7 nm in diameter and up to 20 µm in length. Originally described on the anther smut Microbotryum violaceum, they have been shown to be present on a wide variety of fungi. In addition I have added my expertise to various other projects in the life and material sciences.
PhD Plant Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London Ontario, Canada
Hon BSc Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Biology 1290B: Biology and Microorganisms
Biology 2217B: Plants as a Human Resource
Biology 3218F (Summer Session): Introductory Mycology
Biology 4218A: Microorganisms and Plant Disease
Biology 9912: Biological Electron Microscopy (Graduate Course)
Patricia Gray
Office: NCB 342
Email: tgray5@uwo.ca
BSc Honours Genetics, BEd, MEd (all from UWO)
Biology 2290F/G: Scientific Method in Biology
Miodrag Grbic
Email: mgrbic@uwo.ca
www.spidermite.org/
Arthropod genomics
In the last several years my group has made major strides in the development of Tetranychus urticae (spider mite) as an arthropod herbivore model. T. urticae has a rapid life cycle and feeds on over 1000 plant species. It therefore represents a key pest for greenhouse crops, annual field crops and many horticultural crops. The use of chemical pesticides is the predominant method of controlling spider mites. However, due to their short generation time and high reproduction rate, spider mites have developed resistance to the major pesticide groups, presenting a major challenge to control them. Currently, there are no cultivars resistant to spider mites.
We have led the T. urticae whole genome sequencing project [funded by the USA Department of Energy and Joint Genome Institute (DOE-JGI; https://jgi.doe.gov/why-sequence-the-two-spotted-spider-mite/ )], and established an international collaborative team GAP-M, ( http://www.spidermite.org/?page_id=108), funded by Genome Canada, Ontario Genomics Institute and Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, to assemble, annotate and analyse the T. urticae genome. We developed protocols for spider mite rearing, established a normal table of spider mite development, and developed methods for large-scale embryo collections, assay of gene expression (in situ hybridization and antibody staining) and inactivation of genes using RNA interference (RNAi). We are now moving forward with the goal of developing environmentally sound pest control strategies that reduce environmental pollution and energy consumption in agriculture
Evolution of developmental mechanisms
We are examining the functions and expression patterns of genes analogous to Drosophila segmentation genes in Copidosoma floridanum, an insect with a radically derived mode of early development. We are using in-situ hybridisation, antibody staining and ds RNAi to determine how the role of these genes may have changed over evolutionary time.
We are using fundamental knowledge gathered in the projects described above to develop novel tools for sustainable agriculture as well as in developing novel materials. To date, two applications are under development:
RNAi-based pest control for spider mites
spider mite silk as natural bio nanomaterial
Assistant professor, Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, Canada 1997-2003
Adjunct Professor, Wayne State University (USA) 2003-present
Human Frontier postdoctoral fellow, Wellcome Cancer and Developmental Biology Research Institute, Univ. of Cambridge (UK) 1996-1998
NSF postdoctoral fellow University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA 1995-1996
Ph.D. student University of Wisconsin, Madison (USA) double major in Developmental Biology and Entomology 1989-1995
M.Sc. student University of Novi Sad (Yugoslavia) Entomology 1985-1988
B.Sc. student University of Novi Sad (Yugoslavia) Entomology 1979-1983
Biology 4510G - Selected Topics in Genetics
Biology 4560B - Human Molecular Genetics
Vojislava Grbic
Email: vgrbic@uwo.ca
Arabidopsis Developmental Genetics/ Genomics of plant-pest interaction/ Biotechnology
Genomics of plant-pest interaction
In order to develop alternative pest control strategies for sustainable agriculture, it is important to understand the interaction between plants and their herbivores. We are using Arabidopsis thaliana, tomato and grapevine as plant models, and the newly established chelicerate model Tetranychus urticae (spider mite) to uncover genomic responses of both organisms during plant-herbivore interaction. This work is part of an international collaborative initiative (GAP-M, Genomics in Agricultural Pest Management) that is funded by Genome Canada and Ontario Genomics Institute, and by Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Arabidopsis developmental genetics
The aim of my research is to understand the molecular mechanisms that govern diversity of plant shoot forms. We are using the reference plant Arabidopsis thaliana for which excellent molecular-genetic resources are available and thousands of wild inbred strains have been collected, including some (e.g. Sy-0) with altered shoot morphology. We initially identified changes in the expression of flowering time genes FLC, FRI and HUA2, as required for the establishment of the Sy-0 phenotype and the lab is now focused on understanding the functions of the HUA2 gene, a putative pre-mRNA processing factor. We are also analyzing natural genetic variations in the floral regulator MAF2 that is a member of the tandemly duplicated cluster of MADS-box containing transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana.
The overall goal is to exploit fundamental knowledge to develop novel tools for sustainable agriculture and development of novel materials. To date, two applications are under development:
RNAi-based pest control for the spider mite
PhD (Genetics), University of Wisconsin
MSc (Plant Genetics), University of Novi Sad
BS (Plant Breeding), University of Novi Sad
Biology 3593B – Genetic Engineering
Biology 4950G – Seminar in Genetics
Christopher Guglielmo
Phone (AFAR): (519) 661-2111 x 84648
Email: cguglie2@uwo.ca
Animal ecological and evolutionary physiology
I have wide ranging research interests in physiological ecology, and this is reflected in the diversity of lab and field projects attempted (usually successfully) by me, my students and post-docs. Officially, I try to integrate physiology, biochemistry, behaviour, ecology, evolution and conservation biology. Unofficially, my lab group is in a constant state of identity crisis about what we really do. Our work is inherently multi-disciplinary and provides a means to understand how mechanistic processes operate within the larger context of whole organism performance. Physiology, in concert with morphology and behaviour, influences how animals interact with the environment, and understanding its flexibility will help us to predict how species may respond to natural or man-made perturbations.
My current research focuses on the physiology of endurance flight and stopover refueling in migratory birds and bats. We have a wide variety of laboratory and field studies underway using the wind tunnel and other unique capabilities of the Advanced Facility for Avian Research, my mobile Field Laboratory for Integrative Ecological Research (FLIER), and a digital telemetry array that we are installing in Ontario in collaboration with Bird Studies Canada.
Ph.D. (Biological Sciences) Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC
M.Sc. (Wildlife Ecology) University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
B.A. (Biology) New York University, New York, NY
Biology 2601 – Organismal Physiology
Biology 3625G – Techniques in Physiology and Biochemistry
Biology 4611 – Physiology of Animal Migration
Hugh Henry
Professor; Director, Environmental Sciences Western field station & Associate Chair (Graduate)
Email: hhenry4@uwo.ca
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/henry/
I am a terrestrial plant ecologist with interests in biogeochemistry, community ecology, physiological plant ecology and global change ecology. I use field experimentation, laboratory methods and theoretical modeling to explore questions ranging from resource acquisition by individual plants to species responses at the community level and nutrient cycling at the ecosystem level. I am particularly interested in winter ecology, and exploring how plants and microorganisms interact to regulate nutrient cycling in both natural and managed systems.
PhD (Botany) University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
MSc (Biology) Queen's University, Kingston, ON
BSc Hon (Biology) University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Biology 4944G - Seminar in Ecology and Evolution
Kathleen Hill
Associate Professor; Cross-appointed to Computer Science and Ophthalmology; Associate Scientist at the Lawson Health Research Institute
Lab: WSC 329
Email: khill22@uwo.ca
Genome organization and integrity
To come.
Assistant Research Scientist, Molecular Genetics, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
Postdoctoral Researcher, Molecular Genetics, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
Postdoctoral Researcher, Biochemistry, Mayo Clinic MN, USA
PhD Zoology, The University of Western Ontario, London Ontario, Canada
MSc Biology, The University of Windsor, Windsor Ontario, Canada
Hon BSc Biology, The University of Windsor, Windsor Ontario, CanadaN
Biology 3592A – Principles of Human Genetics
Biology 3594B – DNA: Genome Organization, Mutagenesis and Repair
Keith A. Hobson
Email: khobson6@uwo.ca
Biological conservation, isotope ecology
Within a theme of adaptations to global change, Hobson’s research is at the interface between applied animal ecology/conservation and Biogeochemistry with particular emphasis on the development and use of naturally occurring stable isotopes and other intrinsic markers to answer otherwise intractable questions. This approach has been applied to a broad range of research questions ranging from the ecology of individuals to communities at local to continental scales. Hobson’s most recent emphasis has been on addressing nutrient allocation strategies in birds and full life-cycle conservation of migratory birds and insects through the development and use of isoscapes. This work seeks to examine how anthropogenic changes are influencing migratory organisms throughout their annual cycles and to identify best conservation practices.
Ph.D. University of Saskatchewan (Biology, 1991)
M.Sc. University of Manitoba (Zoology, 1988)
B.Sc. Simon Fraser University (Physics, 1977)
Biology 3446B - Wildlife Ecology and Management
Biology 4611G - Physiology of Animal Migration
Stable Isotope Applications for Biologists (graduate)
Contact Information Office: BGS 3080
Email: jkaragia@uwo.ca
Eukaryotic Cell Division
Eukaryotic cells rely on the dynamic interactions of DNA, RNA, proteins and lipids in order to grow, divide and respond "intelligently" to environmental and/or developmental cues. All of the information necessary to carry out these complex functions must be encoded into the genome in a "self-extracting" form. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms used to extract, express, copy, and protect this information has been, and continues to be, a major goal of biology.
One of the premier organisms used to understand this complexity is the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. This unicellular eukaryote provides tremendous experimental advantages that include the ease of genetic manipulation, the availability of genomics tools, and the capacity to apply advanced biochemistry and fluorescence microscopy. Research in the lab focuses these tools on the regulatory modules governing the successful completion of cytokinesis.
Cytokinesis comprises the stage of the cell cycle in which newly segregated chromosomes are irreversibly separated into independent daughter cells by the mechanical cleavage of the mother cell into two. The successful completion of cytokinesis requires the intricate interplay of gene products that range from signalling molecules to elements of the cytoskeleton. Thus, this experimental system provides an excellent opportunity to increase our understanding of how eukaryotic cells assemble and regulate complex genetic networks. Through the study of cytokinesis in we hope to reveal general themes, or rules of genetic regulation, that are applicable to the control of genetic pathways across all eukaryotes.
PDF (Cell Growth and Division) – Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 2002-2006
PhD (Cell and Molecular Biology) – Queen's University, 2002
BSc (Biology) – The University of Guelph, 1995y
Biology 4561F - Genes and Genomes I
Biology 4260B: Cellular Systems Biology
Greg Kelly
Contact Information Office: WSC 359
Phone (Office): (519) 661-3121
Email: gkelly@uwo.ca
Cell Signaling in Vertebrate Embryos
http://thekellylab.weebly.com (Please acess via WiFi)
The series of events that pattern the vertebrate embryo may be considered a proliferative, almost cancerous-like growth phase goverened by strict developmental guidelines. Many of these events rely on cell-cell communication and the transduction of signals across the plasma membrane of the receiving cell. Thus, disrupting this signaling has dramatic and disastrous effects on many aspects of cell physiology including, but not limited to, cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions, cell polarity, endo- and exocytosis, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. My research specifically deals with the cell-cell signaling events that pattern the developing vertebrate embryo, and particulary how crosstalk generated by Reactive Oxygen Species influence Wnt-beta-catenin, Planar Cell Polarity, and G-Protein Coupled Receptor-linked pathways. The models that I use vary from established tissue culture cells like the mouse F9 embryonal carcinoma line, to the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo. The biological phenomenon that piques my interest is the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, which is involved in normal embryonic development including extraembryonic endoderm formation, gastrulation and heart formation, as well in human disease conditions such as fibrosis and metastatic cancer.
PhD Zoology, University of Manitoba
Biology 3316 - Advanced Cell Biology
Biology 4338 - Advanced Developmental Biology
Nusha Keyghobadi
Email: nkeyghob@uwo.ca
Molecular ecology, landscape genetics and conservation genetics
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/keyghobadi/
I am a molecular ecologist and research in my lab integrates concepts and methods from population genetics, conservation biology and landscape ecology. We use a combination of field and lab techniques to investigate factors that affect the genetic diversity, and spatial genetic structure, of populations. Applied aspects of our research relate to conservation, habitat fragmentation, and the management of invasive and pest species.
PhD University of Alberta (Environmental Biology & Ecology)
BSc University of Toronto (Biology)
Biology 2485B: Environmental Biology
Biology 3444F: Molecular Ecology
Susanne Kohalmi
Email: skohalmi@uwo.ca
Gene Families and Regulation
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/kohalmi/
I have always been fascinated by the complexity of regulatory processes in organisms. It is amazing to see how organisms are able to sense small changes in the environment or in their own metabolism, and to respond by changing the expression of select genes. This can lead to tissue- and/or cell-specific responses such as those involved in protein reallocation and complex formation, or changes in activity spectra of enzymes. The complexity of these events is often increased as many reactions involve multi gene families encoding proteins that have highly similar but not identical sequences that mediate and fine-tune cellular responses.
To study regulatory events in plants we chose as a model system the arogenate dehydratase family (ADTs) in Arabidopsis thaliana. In Arabidopsis there are six members in the ADT family and these enzymes catalyze the last step in the synthesis of phenylalanine. We believe that these enzymes are catalyzing a key step in the production of phenylalanine and thereby co-ordinating the Shikimate pathway and the many branches of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. We are interested to understand and characterizing as many of the molecular aspects which relate to this gene family inArabidopsisthaliana. The questions we are asking can be at times as simple as: why does Arabidopsisneed six versions of this enzyme? How do these enzymes differ? Are there post-translational modifications? Do these different members of the ADT family contribute to different protein complexes? Are the enzymes or the encoding genes regulated differentially in response to different internal and environmental cues? We already have found some answers. All six ADTs code for proteins which have similar but not identical enzymatic functions. All six ADTs are expressed in all tissues and developmental stages analyzed, but not at the same levels. The encoded proteins have unique subcellular localization patterns. And just to make it even more fun, the six ADTs form homo- and hetero dimers. We still need to investigate if these dimers are formed in all parts of the plant, if they result in unique compositions of protein complexes and what functional consequences these dimer and/or complex formations may have.
PhD University of Manitoba - Microbiology, 1991
Diploma J.W. Goethe U. Frankfurt, Germany - Biology, 1985
Biology 3596a: Genomics and Beyond – A Laboratory Course
Biology 4562b: Genes and Genomes II
Biology 4999e: Honors Research Thesis
Irene Krajnyk
Office: NCB 301E
Email: ikrajnyk@uwo.ca
MSc Plant Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
BSc Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Collegial Diploma (Science), Loyola College, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Biology 2290F/G–Scientific Methods in Biology
Marc-André Lachance
Email: lachance@uwo.ca
Yeast Systematics, Ecology, and Evolution
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/lachance/
Lachance studies the evolution, biogeography, biodiversity, and systematics of ascomycetous yeasts. Long-term objectives have been to document yeast biodiversity in natural habitats at the interface of insects and plants, the process of species formation in nature, and the underlying causes of the global distribution of yeasts. The habitats have included floricolous insects, particularly Coleoptera.
One focal point is a group of large-spored Metschnikowia species associated with nitidulid beetles that visit flowers of Convolvulacae and other plants that produce short-lived flowers. The biogeography of these yeasts, their mechanisms of reproductive isolation, and the reconstruction of speciation events have been examined in populations whose distribution ranges across the New World and the Australian-Pacific region. Currently these yeasts are being studied at the level of the whole genome. This has allowed us to construct a robust phylogeny and to study the genetic basis for reproductive isolation and other phenomena.
PhD Microbiology, University of California, Davis (1977)
MSc Microbiology, Macdonald College of McGill University, Montréal (1973)
BSc Biology, spec. Microbiology, Université de Montréal (1972)
BA Liberal Arts, Université de Montréal (1969)
Biology 3466B - Evolutionary Genetics
Biology 4289B - Biosystematics and Phylogenetics
Biology 9214A - Teach the Controversy
Zoë Lindo
Lab: Biotron 20B
Email: zlindo@uwo.ca
Community ecology, Soil ecology
publish.uwo.ca/~zlindo/
Many ecosystems are currently undergoing dramatic changes in biodiversity due to habitat loss and fragmentation associated with land use change, pollution, overexploitation, and climate change. Mitigating these effects requires an understanding of the drivers of biodiversity loss, and the consequences of loss on ecosystem processes and functioning. As there is unequivocal evidence for directly linking the effects of global change, soil biodiversity and nutrient cycling, my research uses a combined aboveground-belowground approach for understanding the regulation and functional significance of biodiversity. My lab uses experiments in the field, greenhouse and laboratory (BIOTRON), and the integration of empirical results with current theoretical perspectives to help identify how to mitigate the impacts of environmental change and maintain ecosystem function in soil systems.
PDF Biodiversity Science, McGill University, Canada (2011)
PhD Community Ecology, University of Victoria, Canada (2008)
MSc Soil Ecology, University of Calgary, Canada (2003)
BSc Ecology, University of Calgary, Canada (2001)
Biology 3445F - Community Ecology
Biology 4412 - Biodiversity Science
Beth MacDougall-Shackleton
Email: emacdoug@uwo.ca
Ecoimmunology and behavioural ecology of migratory birds
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/macdougallshackleton/
Parasites are taxonomically and geographically widespread, and can have catastrophic effects on host survival and reproduction. As a result, parasites are increasingly recognized as critical drivers of host evolution. Research in my lab seeks to understand how evolutionary processes such as parasite-mediated selection interact with ecological processes such as seasonal migration, natal dispersal, mate choice and immune development to shape patterns of genetic variation within and among songbird populations. Specific projects include evolutionary arms races between songbirds and malarial parasites; geographic variation in parasite assemblages and in immune-related loci such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC); effects of infectious disease on the timing, distance and success of seasonal migration; ecological immunology of migration and dispersal; and chemical and acoustic signals by which songbirds advertise their genetic makeup at MHC and assess that of potential mates.
PhD Princeton University, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, (2000) (supervisor Tom Hahn)
MSc Queen's University, Biology, (1994) (supervisor Raleigh Robertson)
BSc Queen's University, Biology, (1992)
Biology 1001A Biology for Science I
Biology 4441F Special Topics in Evolution
Biology 9436B Behavioural Ecology (graduate course)
Sheila Macfie
Email: smacfie@uwo.ca
Mechanisms of Metal Tolerance
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/macfie/
Plants have a remarkable ability to withstand high concentrations of potentially toxic contaminants in their environment. My research aims to better understand the biochemical and physiological mechanisms that permit such tolerance. Much of our work is done at the whole-plant level although individuals projects have ventured into the surrounding soil, including microbes in the rhizosphere; examined tissue-level and sub-cellular compartments in which contaminants accumulate; or into the realm of genes and enzymes. The approaches that we take include: (1) investigate the production and exudation of organic compounds as a mechanism to detoxify metal ions, (2) determine the localization of metal ions and other contaminants at the subcellular level, (3) model the movement of contaminants from the soil into the plant and (4) identify the relationship between phytotoxicity and a number of biochemical pathways that mediate plant stress. Many projects in the lab involve crop plants, but our choice is based on which plant species or cultivar best allows us to test a particular hypothesis, and not on its economic value.
PhD University of Alberta
MSc Queen’s University
BSc Queen’s University
Biology 2483A
Biology 4608G
Denis Maxwell
Lab: NCB 429
Email: dmaxwell@uwo.ca
Mitochondria; Cell Death; Stress Signalling
publish.uwo.ca/~dmaxwell/
The Maxwell lab is investigating the role of the mitochondrion in a time-nested set of responses to environmental change from stress-sensing to adaptation. The research program employs a range of molecular, genetic and physiological approaches and focuses on the model single-cell eukaryote Chlamydomonas. Research on Chlamydomonas is of fundamental interest as it sheds light on the last common ancestor of animals and plants.
Biology 1002B - Biology for Science II
Biology 3603A/B - Ecophysiology of Plants
Jeremy McNeil
Helen I Battle Professor
Email: jmcneil2@uwo.ca
Behavioural and Chemical Ecology of Insects
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/mcneil/
The main thrust of my research programme is to understand the reproductive strategies of insects that migrate in response to either predictable or unpredictable habitat change. The research is multidisciplinary in nature, looking at the behavioural and ecological aspects, as well as using physiological and molecular approaches to understand the mechanisms controlling the reproductive biology in species where mate location and mate choice are modulated by sex pheromones. I am also interested in different aspects of plant-insect and host-parasitoid interactions that involve chemical cues (infochemicals). I have generally chosen to work on pest species, or their natural enemies, as model research systems. This allows us to not only address basic questions in reproductive biology but also to generate data that may be used in the development of more environmentally rational approaches to insect control.
PhD North Carolina State University.(Entomology/Ecology) 1972
BSc University of Western Ontario. (Honours Zoology) 1969
Biology 3475a - Chemical Ecology
Biology 4420b - Insect Biology: From Morphology to Ecology
Paul Mensink
Phone (Office): (519) 661-2111 x87563
Email: paul.mensink@uwo.ca
Marine Ecology and Educational Technology
My work revolves around the interaction between people and the marine environment and aims to promote ocean sustainability by improving management and conservation outcomes. To achieve this goal, I use a diverse array of empirical and observational approaches to study the behavior, movement ecology and population dynamics of marine species, with a strong focus on species that are directly exploited or adversely affected by commercial and recreational fisheries.
I also conduct pedagogical research focused on the use of educational technology to enhance learning outcomes for students. My current work explores the benefits of disseminating assessment feedback through virtual learning environments.
Lecturer, Queen’s University Belfast, 2015-2018
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching, Queen’s University Belfast, 2017
PhD (Marine Biology) Victoria University of Wellington, 2014
MSc (Biology with Environmental Science) Western University, 2009
BSc (Specialization in Ecology and Evolution) Western University, 2007
EnvrSust 1021 F/G – Environmental Science and Sustainability
EnvrSust 9011 – Foundations of Sustainability
EnvrSust 9430/9440 – Interdisciplinary Research Seminar
Natasha Mhatre
Email: nmhatre@uwo.ca
Communicating with sound and vibration
www.natashamhatre.net
I am interested in understanding how different animals, particularly invertebrates, perceive sounds and also vibrations. My research uses different experimental techniques like laser vibrometry and 3D uCT imaging, and couples them with physics and mechanics based modelling to understand how these two types of mechanosensory systems function.
My research aims at understanding the different mechanisms used by these sensory systems to adapt to their ecological needs and achieve high sensitivity. An obvious mechanism is structure, both of the sensor itself and also of the whole body that that sensor is embedded in.
I am also particularly interested in a unique physiological mechanism called 'active amplification' that only some mechanosensory systems possess. In insects this process works through the sensory neurons which expend their own energy to actively amplify incoming sounds and the resulting vibrations. This amplification occurs through the activity of motor proteins within these neurons. This is a unique process for many reasons, and not least because it blends the sensory with the motor. As a result, I spend a lot of time thinking about these categories themselves, about whether and when they are useful to consider as separate.
I also occasionally work in sound and vibration production, since much of the experimental and theoretical apparatus is the same. One area of sound production that I am particularly interested in is the use of acoustic tools and objects. I've shown that simple insects like tree crickets can make optimal tools and that optimization is achievable using a small set of rules. In the future, I want to examine this cognitive system further. I also want to explore the possibility that the size of such 'rule-sets' might be a better way to think about the complexity of animal tools and objects.
PDF (University of Toronto at Scarborough) 2018
Fellow of the College of Life Sciences (Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin) 2014
Marie Curie fellow and PDF (Univeristy of Bristol) 2013v
UKIERI Research associate (Indian Institute of Science & University of Bristol) 2010
PhD (Indian Institute of Science) 2008
Bio 4920G – Seminar in Biology
Amanda Moehring
Phone (Lab): (519) 661-2111 x85597
Email: amoehrin@uwo.ca
Genetics of behaviour and species formation
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/moehring/
The Moehring lab studies the genetics of complex traits. Our research focuses on the genetic basis of variation in behavior, the genetics of hybrid sterility, and species isolation. We use the model system of Drosophila due to the extensive genetic and molecular tools this species offers, as well as the availability of species that can be hybridized in the laboratory. We use a mix of quantitative genetics, molecular genetics, cellular biology, and behavioural assays in order to understand complex traits.
PDF: Duke University (with Dr. Mohamed Noor), 2008
PhD (Genetics): North Carolina State University (with Dr. Trudy Mackay), 2003
BS (Biology): Pacific University, 1997
Biology 3467B - Evolution and Reproduction
Yolanda Morbey
Lab: BGS 2055/2048
Email: ymorbey@uwo.ca
Behavioural Ecology; Seasonal and life history timing
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/morbey/
My research integrates evolutionary theory and empirical studies to study the adaptive timing behaviour of migratory birds and fish. Ongoing projects include sex differences in the stopover behaviour and timing of warblers in southern Ontario, the evolution & ecology of introduced salmon in the Great Lakes, environmental cues of annual migration timing in kokanee salmon, and optimal maturation schedules in lake whitefish. Questions about seasonal timing are critical in this era of climate change, when phenological mismatch with the environment has the potential to impact populations.
PhD (Biology) Simon Fraser University
MSc (Biology) Simon Fraser University
BSc (Biology) University of Victoria
Biology 3435G - Animal Ecology
EnvSci 4970F/G - Independent Study - Course Coordinator
Biology 4999E - Honors Research Thesis - Course Coordinator
EnvSci 4999E - Honors Research Thesis - Course Coordinator
Biology 9440G - Topics in Ecology & Evolution (Movement Behaviour & Analysis)
Bryan Neff
Phone (Aquarium): (519) 661-2111 x x 82876
Email: bneff@uwo.ca
Molecular and Behavioural Ecology
publish.uwo.ca/~bneff/
My lab’s long-term goal is to provide an understanding of phenotypic diversity in natural populations – why do individuals look and act the way they do – from molecules to organisms living in their natural environment. Understanding the forces that shape and affect our world’s biodiversity is a fundamental objective in biology and is important for pure discovery as well as the conservation of our natural resources. This objective requires scientific research that addresses the genetic basis of behavioural, physiological, and morphological variation. My lab uses genetic and molecular tools to examine questions at the interface of evolution, ecology, and genomics. This approach has the potential to provide a comprehensive understanding of phenotypic diversity including the evolution of genes, gene function, and the interaction between genes and the environment.
We predominately work with fish including bluegill, bullhead, guppy, and salmon. Several of these species are socially and economically important in Canada and represent billions of dollars per year to our economy through the recreational and commercial fisheries as well as the aquaculture industry. Thus, the scientific knowledge that my lab produces is also important for the effective management of our natural resources and for ensuring their sustainability. Our research falls into four areas:
Understanding evolution and the genetics of adaptation
Neurobiology and endocrinology of behaviour
Conserving native biodiversity
Improving the efficiency and sustainability of aquaculture.
My lab provides a dynamic and well equipped environment for research in molecular and behavioural ecology. Our research involves field experiments, genetic analyses, and modelling. I am always interested in keen students that wish to pursue graduate studies. For more information about my lab please visit my website listed above.
Post doctorate Fellow, Cornell University, 2001
PhD (Zoology) University of Toronto, 2000
BSc (Zoology) University of Toronto, 1996
Anthony Percival-Smith
Email: aperciva@uwo.ca
Molecular mechanisms of morphogenesis
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/percivalsmith/
For the past two decades, the application of genetic dissection and molecular biology has resulted in an explosion in our knowledge of the mechanisms that control the process of Development. One of the major experimental systems that contributed to this explosion is the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. My laboratory is studying two aspects of the molecular basis of the body plan. The body plan is required for positioning and determining the identity of the various body parts.
The first aspect of the body plan that we study is the role that the protein encoded by the gene fushi tarazu plays in determining the number of segments of Drosophila body plan. Fushi tarazu protein is expressed in every other segment resulting in bands of Fushi tarazu expression across the anterior posterior axis. Without fushi tarazu protein, the embryo develops lacking half of its segments.
The second aspect of the body plan that we study is the role of the proteins encoded by the two genes, proboscipedia and Sex combs reduced, in determining of the identity of four body parts. Both proboscipedia and Sex combs reduced are homeotic genes. Mutant alleles in homeotic genes result in striking phenotypes where one body part is transformed into the likeness of another. Loss-of-Proboscipedia protein results in the transformation of the mouth parts into a pair of first leg tarsi.
PhD University of Toronto 1987
BSc University of British Columbia 1981
Biology 4540b - Developmental Genetics
Jennifer Peter
Email: jwaugh2@uwo.ca
BEd, Science and Mathematics, Queen's University
MSc, Biology, Queen's University
BSc Honours, Environmental Biology, Queen's University
Biology 1001A - Biology for Sciences I (summer term)
Biology/Statistics 2244A/B - Analysis and Interpretation of Biological Data / Statistics for Science
Statistics 1023/2037 - Statistical Concepts / Statistics for Healths
Ben Rubin
Assistant Professor, Departmental Statistical Consultant
Office:BGS 3072
Email: brubin2@uwo.ca
Forest ecology, landscape pathology, forest health monitoring, statistical analysis
Consulting and Teaching
My main scientific questions are: How much tree mortality is normal in a forest? And, how can we identify places and times where that baseline mortality rate is exceeded? My responsibilities in the Biology Department currently include 1) teaching field biology courses (undergraduate), 2) teaching statistics courses (graduate), and 3) statistical consulting.
I currently offer two field biology courses. Biol 3230F is based on campus with day trips to nearby field sites in early fall. The course emphasizes, study design and field measurement techniques. My other field course, Adirondack Forest Ecology, is offered in collaboration with other Ontario universities (oupfb.ca) and takes place in mid-May at the Newcomb Campus research station in the central Adirondack Mountains, NY, USA. The students and I spend two weeks living at the research station, exploring the flora, fauna, and history of the region, and practicing field sampling methods.
Recent graduate courses have included mixed effects modeling, multivariate statistics, and spatial statistics. I typically teach one graduate statistics course in the winter term. Courses emphasize informed application of analytical techniques using R and based on a comprehensive conceptual understanding of the underlying methodology but not based on formal mathematical derivations.
In addition to teaching these courses I offer statistical consulting to researchers in the Biology Department including faculty, post-docs, graduate & undergraduate honours thesis students. If you are interested in any of these or other help with study design, statistics or R, please email me!
PDF Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
PhD State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA – 2003
MSc State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA – 1999
BSc McGill University, Montreal, QC - 1994
Biology 3230F – Field Research in Biology
Biology 3220Z - Adirondack Forest Ecology (OUPFB Field Course)s
Anne Simon
Email: asimon28@uwo.ca
Genetics of Social Behavior
simonlab.wixsite.com/simonlab
In my lab, we are interested in determining the neurogenetic mechanisms by which animals respond to the presence of another similar individual. How does an animal decide what to do with the information that another individual is nearby? What are the neurogenetic circuitries underlying social interactions?
Using a now widespread behaviour paradigm designed in my lab, we assess one aspect of the fruit flies’ (Drosphila melanogaster) social behaviour: their preferred social space (space "bubble"). In an undisturbed group, flies will settle a reproducible distance that will depend on their genotype and their environment (social experience, their age and that their parents, or exposure to toxins, synaptic function...). We also quantify another type of response to social cues: flies strongly avoid the volatile substance Drosophila stressed odorant (dSO) emitted by stressed flies. Those paradigms have the advantage of being straightforward to implement, which allow us to pursue several lines of research, falling under two main umbrellas:
Fundamental Behavioural Genetics questions:
We are pursuing the neurogenetic characterization of social space behaviours in Drosophila, determining the neural circuitry underlying the social distance preference. We address these questions using both genetic mutants and biochemical approaches.
Through collaboration with Agriculture Canada, we also are characterizing dSO: its emission, its reception, and its composition (beyond CO2).
Study of candidate genes:
Taking advantage of the simple behavioural paradigms and use them as diagnostic tools to elucidate conserved pathways underlying candidate genes or environmental conditions affecting human behaviours, in order to identify potential targets for drug discovery. Indeed, inappropriate response to others is a shared deficit in many mental disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders.
Our work contributes to the mapping of the central brain neural substrate underlying basic (non-sexual and non-aggressive) response to another nearby fly. This work will be relevant not only to studies of Drosophila behaviour, but also to genetics of social behaviour in other organisms. Indeed, as for other behaviours initially dissected in Drosophila – learning and memory, circadian rhythm (Nobel Prize 2017 Physiology and Medicine) - the cellular and molecular basis of social behaviour might be conserved through evolution.
Finally, I deeply enjoy sharing my fascination for the complexity of the biological world with students of all levels. I think that teaching happens beyond the classroom, and in parallel to teaching in the classroom, I have been continuously mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in my research projects.
Assistant Professor CUNY/York College, Biology Department, Jamaica, NY, 2008-13
Assistant Research Geneticist UCLA, Brain Research Institute, 2004-08
Research Scientist Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 2003-04
Postdoctoral researcher California Institute of Technology, 1998-2003
PhD Molecular and Cellular Genetics, University of Paris XI, FRANCE, 1998
MS Molecular and Genetic Biology, University of Paris XI, FRANCE, 1994
BS Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of Paris XI, FRANCE, 1993
Teaching currently (and past)
(Biology 3316A: Advanced Cell Biology)
Biology 3596: Genomics and Beyond – 3rd year genetic lab course
(Biology 3597B: Regulation of Gene Expression)
(Biology 3598B: Behavioral Genetics)
Biology 4950: Seminars in Genetics
Biology 4970G/F: Independent Study in Biology
Biology 4999E: Honor Research Thesis
Brent Sinclair
Lab: BGS 2056/GH13
Email: bsincla7@uwo.ca
Insects at Low Temperatures
publish.uwo.ca/~bsincla7/
Insect thermal biology; Insect-yeast interactions; Polar biology; Arctic spiders; Applied thermal biology; Sterile insect releases; Overwinter biology; Functional genomics.
PhD University of Otago 2001
BSc(Hons) University of Otago, New Zealand 1997
On Sabbatical 2019-2020
Email: dsmit242@uwo.ca
Genome evolution and genetic diversity of microbial eukaryotes
www.arrogantgenome.com/
We study genome architecture, genetic diversity, and the evolutionary forces that fashion genes and chromosomes. We’re interested in how nonadaptive processes shape genomes, including their nucleotide composition, compactness, conformation, chromosome number and telomeres. Much of our research employs protists (microbial eukaryotes). Protists have among the most diverse and eccentric genomes in the biological world, yet they are generally an untapped resource for studying genome evolution. We love weird genomes and trying to understand how they got that way.
PhD (Genetics and Evolution) Dalhousie University
BSc (Biology) Acadia University
Biology 3595B – Advanced Genetics
Biology 4563G – Genome Evolution
Jim Staples
Email: jfstaple@uwo.ca
Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/staples/
My research program aims to understand how the metabolic systems of animals adapt to environmental challenges. In particular I am interested in the strategies used by endothermic animals to deal with cold environments. When challenged by the cold, most endotherms increase metabolic rate and heat production. We study enzymatic and mitochondrial “futile cycles” in bumblebees and rats as possible mechanisms of non-shivering thermogenesis.
Some small endotherms use an apparently opposite strategy by entering hibernation or torpor during the coldest parts of the year. These states involve profound reductions of body temperature and metabolic rate, allowing for energetic savings at a time when food supplies are typically at their lowest. We study mitochondrial metabolism in hibernation (using ground squirrels) and daily torpor (using dwarf Siberian hamsters) to better understand the mechanisms of metabolic suppression, and potential interactions with temperature and diet.
PhD (Zoology), University of British Columbia
BSc (Marine Biology), University of Guelph
Biology 3220Z/4257Z/4258Z: Field Studies in Biology (Experimental Studies in Marine Biology)
Biology 3602B: Animal Physiology II
Vera Tai
Email: vtai4@uwo.ca
Microbial Ecology and Bioinformatics
publish.uwo.ca/~vtai4/
In most environments, microbes thrive and billions live together. Although invisible to us, these billions of microbes perform key biogeochemical functions, such as carbon cycling and primary production, that enable other life to exist. In the Tai lab, we investigate who are these billions of microbes, how do they interact with each other and with other members of the community, what are they doing, and how does their activity shape their environment and their ecosystem. Our research involves community ecology, biogeography, evolution, genomics, and bioinformatics. Most recently, my research has centred around the microbes inhabiting marine beaches and the fascinating symbiotic microbial communities in the hindguts of termites.
PhD Marine Biology, University of California, San Diego
MSc Botany, University of British Columbia
BSc Biology, University of New Brunswick
Biology 1201A - General Biology I
Biology 3415G - Aquatic Ecology
Biology 9919B/PATH 97577B - Applied Bioinformatics
Graeme Taylor
Email: gtaylor8@uwo.ca
Evolution, Ecology and the Biomechanics of Animal Design
My research interests focus primarily on the interface between evolution, ecology, and biomechanics. In general, I am curious about constraints in design that might set the upper limits to performance for such activities as jumping, running, flying and biting. In this context, I have used the decapod claw (crabs and lobsters) as a model system. Decapod claws are exceptionally strong ‘biting’ devices used in the subjugation of hard-shelled prey; although simple in design, they are one of the strongest biting devices observed in any animal group. This is not surprising, considering that durophagous crabs and lobsters have been hunting hard-shelled prey, such as snails and clams, for millions of years. Indeed, this system provides one of the best examples of a coevolutionary arms-race between predator and prey. I have documented ecologically significant variation in claw performance and design among six species of Cancer crabs, which live on the Pacific Northwest coast (Bamfield Marine Station). I have also examined variation in claw performance and design at the population level, documenting rapid shifts in performance attributes in an invasive species. This work was conducted on the invasive green crab, Carcinus maenas, which now has a world-wide distribution and a well-documented invasion history in the Gulf of Maine. My research integrates approaches from diverse fields, including morphometrics, physiology, and development within an evolutionary context, to understand how animals are ‘designed’.
PhD (University of Alberta)
MSc (Queen’s University)
BSc (Trent University)
Biology 3220Z - Field Studies in Biology
Biology 3229G - Animal Diversity: Ancestral Vertebrates to Jellyfish
Biology 4223F - Marine Environments
Biology 4920F/G - Seminar in Biology
Email: graham.thompson@uwo.ca
Behavioural Genetics and Sociobiology
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/thompson/
My lab studies the biological basis of insect social behaviour; how it evolves, how it is maintained and why some species are social while others are not. Much like human societies, eusocial ants, bees, wasps and termites show bewildering complexity in how their societies are structured. Yet for insects, this complexity is derived from an economically simple division of labour into reproductive and non-reproductive specialists. Studying reproductive division of labour in insects at the level of the gene can provide key insights into how complex social systems evolved from simpler, ancestral ones. Studies on social insects can also help understand how our own societies might naturally mediate conflict, cooperation, altruism and spite. My lab uses natural history information from insects, the theory of social evolution and state-of-the-art gene technology imported from the medical sciences to discover how molecules influence the evolution and expression of social traits. Conversely, we are interested in how sociality itself influences the transmission and expression of genes. Within this theme, my lab tackles four broad questions:
What is the genetic architecture of social populations?
What are the phylogenetic patterns of social evolution?
What role do pathogens play in shaping social systems?
What genes are important to the expression of social traits?
Visiting Research Fellow, University of Lausanne
Postdoctoral fellow, University of Sydney
Postdoctoral fellow, Simon Fraser University
Postdoctoral fellow, James Cook University
PhD (Genetics and Evolution) LaTrobe University
MSc (Zoology) University of Guelph
BSc (Zoology) University of Guelph
Biology 3436F - Animal Behaviour
Biology 3598B - Behavioural Genetics
Biology 4436G – Behavioral Ecology
Biology 4999E - Honors Research Thesis
Biology 9436 – Graduate Seminar Course in Behavioural Ecology
Greg Thorn
Email: rgthorn@uwo.ca
Fungal Ecology and Systematics
publish.uwo.ca/~rgthorn/
The long-term research goal of the Thorn lab is to explore the relationships between phylogeny and function - evolution and ecology - in the fungi. Fungi are critically important in most terrestrial ecosystems, providing mineral nutrients to vascular plants through mycorrhizal symbioses and decomposing plant remains to recycle both organic and inorganic nutrients through the ecosystem. Fungi form networks of microscopic filamentous cells, and interact with all of the organisms - ranging from bacteria to mammals and plants - that share their physical environment. Although processes, such as nutrient cycling, that are driven by fungi are well recognized, almost nothing is known about which specific organisms are doing the job or how their interactions with other organisms affect the outcome of the process. A hypothesis underlying this work is that species are unique, multiplex organisms which can only be thought of as functionally redundant in terms of their ability to carry out a single biochemical reaction under laboratory conditions. Different species of fungi may indeed share this biochemical capacity, but each has a unique suite of other biochemical capacities and inter-organismal interactions that makes it unique in the natural environment.
Major research areas in Thorn’s lab include phylogeny of fungi inhabiting soil, litter and wood, discovery and description of fungal diversity, and determining the effects of disturbance, including agriculture, climate change and forestry, on fungal diversity and ecosystem function.
PhD (University of Toronto) 1991
MSc (University of Guelph) 1985
Biology 3218G - Biology of the Fungi
Biology 3220Z – Tropical Biodiversity field course in Ecuador (with Dr Nina Zitani)
Biology 3404F – Evolution of Plants
Alexander Timoshenko
Email: atimoshe@uwo.ca
Cell Biology and Glycobiology
www.uwo.ca/biology/faculty/timoshenko/
The main areas of my research interests include the following: Biological Activity and Functions of Animal and Plant Lectins, Glycobiology, Molecular Mechanisms of Cellular Stress Responses, Cellular Signaling, Reactive Oxygen Species, Redox-Regulation of Cellular Functions, Cancer Biology, Lymphangiogenic Factors, Innate Immunity.
Doctor of Science, Biophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk
Candidate of Science (Ph.D.), Biophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk
Diploma, Physics, Belarusian State University, Belarus, Minsk
Biology 3326F/G: Cell Biology Laboratory
Biology 3355A: Molecular Cell Biology of Stress
Biology 4930G: Seminar in Cell Biologys
Danielle Way
Email: dway4@uwo.ca
Global change biology, plant physiology and ecology
daniellewayblog.wordpress.com/
My research focuses on physiological responses to high temperatures, drought stress and changes in CO2 concentration, with the goal of determining the mechanisms underpinning plant responses to global change at molecular and biochemical scales and the implications of these responses for the larger community and ecosystem scales.
PhD University of Toronto, 2008
BSc University of Toronto, 2002
Biology 2601 - Organismal Physiology
Biology 3224 - Global Change Biology
Liana Zanette
Professor & Faculty Scholar
Office: Collip 207
Email: lzanette@uwo.ca
Wildlife Population, Conservation, and Behavioural Ecology
publish.uwo.ca/~lzanette/
We work on fear. Particularly, how the fear of predators alters the brain, behaviour, and physiology of individuals in addition to population dynamics and community structure. We examine how fear applies to conservation, biodiversity and management, and its implications for human mental health including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. We conduct manipulations in the field, in semi-natural conditions, and the lab to better understand how fear functions in nature. We work on a variety of mammalian and avian species in Canada and abroad from apex predators (e.g. African lions, cougars, bears) to meso-carnivores (e.g. raccoons, European badgers), herbivores (e.g. impala, deer), small mammals (e.g deermice), and birds. We have published some of the seminal empirical papers on fear effects in wildlife, including the important role that fear of the human ‘super predator’ plays. We have access to excellent infrastructure for fieldwork of all sorts, including field sites in Canada, the U.S., and South Africa, in addition to unparalleled lab resources at the Advanced Facility for Avian Research and our Large Outdoor Aviaries for semi-natural conditions at Western.
PDF Killam – Zoology, University of British Columbia, 2001
PhD Ecosystem Management & Zoology, University of New England (Australia), 2000
MSc Biology, Queen’s University, 1991
BSc Psychology, University of Toronto, 1988
Biology 3440A - Ecology of Populations
Biology 3442F – Conservation Biology
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© Marcio Madeira/VOGUE.COM
Ruslana Korshunova Remembered
By Leisa Barnett 30 June 2008
THE fashion world today continues to mourn the loss of model Ruslana Korshunova, the Kasakh beauty whom VOGUE.COM tipped for fashion stardom in 2005. She died in New York on Saturday after falling from her ninth-storey balcony.
"We're shocked and our heart goes out to her family," a spokesperson for her agency, IMG, told the press.
The 20-year-old - who had walked some of the world's most prestigious runways and starred in campaigns for the likes of Christian Dior, Paul Smith, Moschino, Vera Wang and DKNY - had apparently been feeling "lost" in recent months. Although friends have insisted she would not have taken her own life, the medical examiner's office has now officially ruled her death as suicide, CNN reports.
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