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What are the earliest references to Bhakti Yoga?
From my understanding the Bhakti movement did not start until around 700 - 1000 CE in Tamil Nadu.
My understanding of Bhakti is that it is a pure, selfless love towards a deity. A path which can ultimately lead to self realisation, as described in the Bhagavad Gita.
There have obviously been great proponents of bhakti yoga since this period. E.g. Vallabha Acharya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu etc.
So to me,it's clear this was a post vedic movement. But as a concept is there any origin in the Vedic age?
The vedas mentions worship of primal gods such as Agni, Vayu, Indra etc. But was this really the same bhakti as described in the Gita? To me, worship in the vedic age was to appease gods, so as to receive their benefaction.
Is there any reference to bhakti as a concept in the vedic age, with the same meaning as described in the Gita? I.e. as a path that can lead to knowledge of the Self, and not merely for appeasement?
vedas bhakti
Aditya KAditya K
what do you mean by Vedic age? – Sai May 11 '15 at 3:52
I mean the age where vedic practices were at their height ~ 1700 - 2000 BCE – Aditya K May 11 '15 at 7:35
The Bhakti movement refers to a movement in South India, spearheaded by the Alwars and Nayanars (Vaishnavites and Shaivite poet-saints), which revitalized Hinduism and devotion to the gods in response to the popularity of Buddhism. But Bhakti Yoga was not invented by the Alwars and Nayanars; they were just reintroducing it to a populace that had forgotten it. The Bhagavad Gita is far older than the Bhakti movement. – Keshav Srinivasan♦ May 11 '15 at 8:07
I have revised my answer with more references. – Swami Vishwananda May 11 '15 at 10:20
"To me, worship in the vedic age was to appease gods, so as to receive their benefaction." Actually, even when Vedic yagnas were being done there were differing views on their purpose. Jaimini, author of the Mimamsa Sutras, believed that the reason you should do Yagnas is because it will benefit you. (So in his view Dharma was just a set of guidelines that told you what actions would be beneficial to you, and what actions would be harmful.). The sage Badari, on the other hand, believed that Yagnas should be done because they are your dharma, not because of any expectation of reward. – Keshav Srinivasan♦ May 18 '15 at 19:30
Don't confuse the Bhakti movement with Bhakti Yoga. Bhakti Yoga is not of post-Vedic origin. Many Western scholars have claimed a post A.D. origin for Bhakti - this was originally done by 19th century Western academics. It was done so that they could claim that Bhakti was originally Christian, and not Hindu, and that the Hindus derived their Bhakti from Christian sources. This claim has been around a long time, long enough that even Swami Vivekananda commented on it and refuted it by showing that Bhakti Yoga was in the Vedas. Vivekananda's comments are in his lecture 'Vedanta and Indian Life' (V3, pp 230-231) and also here - http://cwsv.belurmath.org/volume_3/vol_3_frame.htm
There were Bhakti movements in the past before the modern ones.
Narada, the author of Narada's Bhakti Sutras, one of the seminal works on Bhakti, is mentioned in the Chhandogya Upanishad (Chapter VII). In the Chhandogya he is seeking knowledge of Brahman and goes as a student to the enlightened sage Sanatkumar. Narada is mentioned in numerous other texts.
Swami VishwanandaSwami Vishwananda
Can you give some examples of such movements? And can you be more specific on where Bhakti Yoga was in the Vedas? – Aditya K May 11 '15 at 7:37
It seems to me that you think about the question that you have asked in an inappropriate manner, so therefore you're looking for some confirmation of the existence of bhakti in the Vedas. As far as I can see from your question your assumption is that the Vedas actually are the Vedic Samhitas which are the oldest, and only later emerged the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures in which we see quite explicitly clarified and defined in detail the doctrine of bhakti. So you differentiate between the earlier Vedic age from the later post Vedic age. These are all the views and attitudes that come from the scientific community. But I must emphasize that all these views and attitudes the tradition has never agreed with, nor it is so presented in the Hindu dharma scriptures. What the tradition and scriptures teach is something completely different than that. Here I will try to illustrate what is the traditional view of these matters.
First of all we should know it is said that the Vedas are eternal. There are many statements in the scriptures that talk about that. Here is an example from the Manu-smriti, chapter 12:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu.htm
"The Veda is the eternal eye of the manes, gods, and men"
"The eternal lore of the Veda upholds all created beings"
Here the translator used appropriate term "lore" meaning "accumulated knowledge or beliefs held by a group about a subject, especially when passed from generation to generation by oral tradition". Here the term "Veda" refers to all Shruti texts, which means that it refers to the Upanishads also.
The passage from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.4.10 speaks about the origins of the scriptures:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe15/sbe15061.htm
"As clouds of smoke proceed by themselves out of a lighted fire kindled with damp fuel, thus, verily, O Maitreyî, has been breathed forth from this great Being what we have as Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sama-veda, Atharvâṅgirasas, Itihâsa (legends), Purâna (cosmogonies), Vidyâ (knowledge), the Upanishads, Slokas (verses), Sûtras (prose rules), Anuvyâkhyânas (glosses), Vyâkhyânas (commentaries). From him alone all these were breathed forth."
So from the above verses not only we learn that the Vedas are eternal, but that they came out of the Lord's breath. All these scriptures actually has no human authors, and even the gods in heaven are not their source, but it is the Supreme Lord who revealed vedic knowledge in all these scriptures to the gods and men.
Puranas are even mentioned in the Atharva Veda 11.7.24:
www.sacred-texts.com/hin/av/av11007.htm
"Verses, and Songs, and magic hymns, Purāna, sacrificial text."
Even from the fact that the Puranas and Itihasas were mentioned in the above verses from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Atharva Veda speaks of the eternal nature of these Puranas and Itihasas. Since Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Atharva Veda are eternal Shruti texts per the Manu-smriti verses stated above, it follows that the Puranas and Itihasas scriptures mentioned in these Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Atharva Veda verses are also eternal scriptures!
Thus, knowledge revealed in all these scriptures is actually eternal knowledge, and so is the knowledge of bhakti also eternal knowledge. That knowledge as its origin does not have humans nor gods, but the Lord. In the Upanishads and Puranas and Itihasas including the Bhagavad gita there are clear references to bhakti. Here I will not mention these examples on bhakti because I guess you heard about them. Even in the Rig Veda we can find verses that can be interpreted as references to bhakti.
This would be from the traditional point of view. Knowledge of bhakti were not created supposedly later, but it is eternal knowledge about the relationship between the soul and the Lord. It is the knowledge of Sanatana Dharma which means eternal religion of the relationship between the living being and the Lord.
brahma jijnasabrahma jijnasa
I think that Brihadaranyaka Upansihad quote just means that all texts which speak the truth, whether divinely authored or humanly authored, ultimately originate from Brahman. That's why it even mentions things like commentaries. It doesn't mean that those commentaries were divinely authored, just that truth ultimately comes from Sriman Narayana. – Keshav Srinivasan♦ May 15 '15 at 2:05
In any case, I think Aditya K's question is meaningful regardless of your views of the provenance of different scriptures. Even if the Puranas existed in the divine mind forever, the fact remains that they weren't revealed to human beings until the time of Vyasa. So we can still ask the question, considering that humans in the Dwapara Yuga did not have the Puranas available to them, but they did have the (uncompiled) mantras of the Vedic Samhitas at their disposal, did they or did they not practice Bhakti Yoga. – Keshav Srinivasan♦ May 15 '15 at 2:11
That's the sort of perspective from which I answered this question: hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/6896/36 – Keshav Srinivasan♦ May 15 '15 at 2:13
By the way, if you're a Gaudiya Vaishnava, I've posted a few questions on Gaudiya Vaishnavism that you might be interested in: hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/gaudiya-vaishnavism – Keshav Srinivasan♦ May 15 '15 at 2:47
@Keshav Regarding 1st point: Well, as far as I can understand that Bri. Up 2.4.10 verse, there are two possibilities, 1. one is that the Lord Himself is the author, in fact even He can be the author even of some scriptures such as "commentaries" and "verses" and similar! This is not impossible. For example, it is said that Buddha was avatara of Lord Vishnu, and He taught the people, preached, and so is the author in some way, although maybe he haven't literally wrote the book. Similar was the avatara of Lord Vishnu, Lord Kapila, and His teachings on bhakti ... – brahma jijnasa May 15 '15 at 18:07
Sri Yogindra writes that a Chandogya Upanishad mantra mentions Bhakti as a path.
Mental activities relative to the Saguna Brahman - such as are described in the Shandilya Vidya are Upasanas or devotions.
Vedantasara 12 of Sadananda Yogindra
So where is Shandilya Veda? It is in Chandogya Upanishad.
Verily, all this universe is Brahman. From Him do all things originate, into Him do they dissolve and by Him are they sustained. On Him should one meditate in tranquility. For as is one's faith in this world, such one becomes on departing hence. Let one, therefore, cultivate faith.
Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1
The bolded mantra in the above Chandogya shloka is considered by Sri Yogananda as Upanishadic support for Bhakti marga. If you agree with Sri Yogindra then this Chandogya Upanishad mantra must be the earliest reference to Bhakti marga.
Pradip GangopadhyayPradip Gangopadhyay
Bhakti movement(700 - 1000 CE) was a relatively modern thing.
True. Bhakti is a pure, selfless love towards God. Bhakti Yoga is the path which can ultimately lead to self realization through the Complete Devotion to God.
Bhakti Yoga is also described in Yoga Vasistha (योग-वासिष्ठ) from Ramayana.
Going by Vedic dates...
Mahabharat (incl. Bhagavad Gita): 3100 BCE or earlier
Ramayan (incl. Yoga Vasistha): 5100 BCE or earlier
NeelNeel
Earliest references of bhakti:
Chapter 12 of Bhagvad gita is named "Bhakti yoga" . It describes path of completely loving devotion to God in very detailed manner. Bhagvad gita is among Prasthantrayi scriptures of Vedanta Philosophy. So that obviously means Bhakti yoga is atleast as old as Gita or even far more older. that definitely pushes it hundreds/thousands years before Christ
https://www.esamskriti.com/e/Spirituality/Bhagavad-Gita/Bhagavad-Gita~Chapter-12-Bhakti-Yogah~Yoga-Of-Devotion-1.aspx
http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/chapter-12.html
Now, This book "Bhakti yoga for beginners" ; shows that bhakti yoga is dealt by Sama veda.
Apart from that, term Bhakti appears also in the Shvetashvatara Upanishad:
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ ।
तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः ॥
He who has highest bhakti of Deva (God),
just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
to him who is high-minded,
these teachings will be illuminating.
(Shvetashvatara Upanishad 6.23)
Note that Shvetashvatara Upanishad is embedded in Yajurveda.
Earliest references of bhakti movement:
Regarding bhakti "movement", the link which you refer only talks of "movements" in context of modern day or middle era; and that too as per western interpretation. Western interpretations deliberately want to show that bhakti movement of India is post christ era only. But In ancient era, narad, hanumana(post-ramayana war) were themselves shown as bhakts roaming and chanting around everywhere. These examples and also Panchratra agama indicates powerful presence of bhakti "movement" existing before Buddhist era.
zaxebo1zaxebo1
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मुख्य Angewandte Chemie Total Synthesis of Lepadins B, D, E, and H; Determination of the Configuration of the Latter Three Alkaloids
Total Synthesis of Lepadins B, D, E, and H; Determination of the Configuration of the Latter Three Alkaloids
Xiaotao Pu, Dawei Ma
डाउनलोड (pdf, 225 KB)
“Naked” Phosphanediide Chains and their Fragmentation into Diphosphene Radical Anions
Jens Geier, Jeffrey Harmer, Hansjörg Grützmacher
Eine flexible, palladiumkatalysierte Indol- und Azaindolsynthese durch direkte Anellierung von Chloranilinen und Chloraminopyridinen mit Ketonen
Marc Nazaré, Claudia Schneider, Andreas Lindenschmidt, David William Will
Natural Products Synthesis
Total Synthesis of Lepadins B, D, E, and H;
Determination of the Configuration of the Latter
Three Alkaloids**
Xiaotao Pu and Dawei Ma*
Lepadins are a growing family of alkaloids with a cis-fused
decahydroquinoline ring. Its first member, lepadin A (1 a,
Scheme 1), was isolated in 1991 by Steffan from the tunicate
Clavelina lepadiformis in the North Sea.[1] Two other members, lepadins B (1 b) and C, were isolated from the same
[*] X. Pu, Prof. Dr. D. Ma
State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and
Natural Products Chemistry
Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
354 Fenglin Lu, Shanghai 200032 (China)
Fax: (+ 86) 21-6416-6128
E-mail: madw@mail.sioc.ac.cn
[**] The authors are grateful to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the
National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant 20321202),
and the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (grants 02JC14032 and 03XD14001) for their financial
Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW
under http://www.angewandte.org or from the author.
Angew. Chem. 2004, 116, 4318 –4321
Scheme 1. Structures and retrosynthetic analysis of lepadins A (1 a), B
(1 b), D (2 a), E (2 b), and H (2 c). Boc = tert-butoxycarbonyl, TBS = tertbutyldimethylsilyl.
species and other sources four years later.[2] These compounds
have been found to possess significant in vitro cytotoxicity
against several human cancer cell lines.[2] Very recently,
Wright et al. reported the isolation of lepadins D–F from a
new Didemnum species collected from the Great Barrier
Reef,[3] whereas Carroll and co-workers described their
discovery of lepadins F–H in Aplidium tabascum Kott.[4]
Interestingly, lepadins D–F showed low cytotoxicity but
significant and selective antiplasmodinium and antitrypanosomal activity and therefore may serve as lead structures for
the development of novel antimalarial drugs.[3]
During the past five years, considerable effort has been
directed towards the total synthesis of lepadins, and two
successful protocols have resulted.[5, 6] However, the requirement by both routes of lengthy reaction sequences to
construct the left cyclohexane ring greatly diminished their
synthetic efficiency. In 2002 Zard and co-workers described a
short formal synthesis of racemic lepadin B,[7] but many more
steps would evidently be necessary if this strategy was applied
in an enantioselective synthesis. Herein we wish to describe a
very efficient and general entry into the lepadin family. The
key elements include a concise synthesis of the bicyclic ketone
3 (Scheme 1) and subsequent stereoselective introduction of
both a- and b-oriented side chains at C5 of this intermediate.
Furthermore, the configuration of lepadins D (2 a), E (2 b),
and H (2 c) was established fully through this study; in
previous reports the absolute configuration of these three
compounds and their configuration at C5’ were undefined.
The assembly of the bicyclic ketone 3 from N-Boc-lalanine is outlined in Scheme 2. N-Boc-l-alanine was converted in three steps by a literature procedure into the aamino alcohol 4 (63 % overall yield),[8] which was protected as
the silyl ether 5. After selective cleavage of the Boc group of 5
with formic acid, the resulting amine was condensed with 1,3cyclohexandione in benzene at reflux to give the enamine 6.
Subsequent alkylative cyclization of 6 mediated by Et3N at
110 8C in DMF produced the enone 7. The next planned step
was the diastereoselective hydrogenation of the CC double
bond in 7. Based on a previous observation,[9] we envisaged
that a stereoelectronically controlled axial addition of hydrogen would occur at the Re face of the more stable
Scheme 2. a) TBSCl, imidazole, DMF; b) HCO2H/CH2Cl2, then aqueous NaHCO3, 80 % from 4; c) 1,3-cyclohexandione, benzene, reflux,
65 %; d) NEt3, NaI, DMF, 110 8C, 98 %; e) Pt/C, 80 atm H2, dry AcOH,
50 8C, 85 %; f) (Boc)2O, benzene, 90 %; g) Dess–Martin oxidation,
92 %. DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide.
conformation A, thus leading to the desired configuration at
C4a and C8a for the synthesis of lepadins A, B, D, E, and H.
As expected, this reaction worked well under the catalysis of
Pt/C in dry acetic acid at 80 atm and 50 8C to afford 8 as a
single isomer with the 4aR,8aR configuration, as established
by NOESY studies. Other catalysts, such as Raney-Ni, Pd/C,
and Pd(OH)2/C, failed to promote the reaction. Finally, the
protection of 8 with a Boc group followed by a Dess–Martin
oxidation provided 3.
The stage was now set for the installation of the b-oriented
side chain at C5 of the ketone 3 to complete the synthesis of
lepadin B. Accordingly, 3 was successfully transformed into
the olefin 9 through a Wittig reaction (Scheme 3). Selective
hydrolysis of the enol ether moiety of 9 with trichloroacetic
acid in dichloromethane containing a trace of water gave the
aldehyde 10.[10] By 1H NMR spectroscopic analysis it was
found that an inseparable mixture of diastereomers were
present in a ratio of 1:1.3. After failure to enhance the ratio by
treatment of this mixture with K2CO3 in methanol, we
realized that the two isomers might have similar stability
and occupy the favored conformations B and C, respectively.
Further conformational analysis based on the studies of
Booth and co-workers[11] showed that if the N-Boc group was
removed, the favored conformations would be D and E for
the two possible aldehydes. The more pronounced 1,5-strain
in E would make conformer D more stable, and thus
compound 11 with the aldehyde substituent in the b
orientation would be afforded exclusively. Indeed, after
selective cleavage of the Boc group in 10 with trifluoroacetic
acid (TFA) and subsequent treatment with K2CO3 in methanol, the aldehyde 11 was isolated as a single isomer.
The C1’–C8’ side chain was installed by a Horner–
Wadsworth–Emmons reaction,[12] and the desired E,E diene
12 was obtained with greater than 95 % selectivity. (Several
methods for a modified Julia olefination gave a mixture in
favor of the E,Z diene.[13]) The remaining task for completion
of the synthesis was the inversion of the C3 stereocenter, for
which we employed an oxidation/reduction strategy. Thus,
after protection of the N atom with a Boc group, desilyation
with TBAF and a subsequent Dess–Martin oxidation pro 2004 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Scheme 4. a) TMSCH2CO2Et, LDA, 78 8C!RT, 98 %; b) CF3CO2H,
CH2Cl2, 100 %; c) Pt/C, H2 (1 atm), dry AcOH, 50 8C, 95 %; d) TsCl,
Et3N, CH2Cl2, 80 %. LDA = lithium diisopropylamide, TMS = trimethylsilyl, Ts = p-toluenesulfonyl.
Scheme 3. a) Ph3P=CHOMe, 40 8C!RT, 75 %; b) CCl3CO2H, CH2Cl2,
H2O (trace); c) K2CO3, MeOH, 79 % for 10 and 76 % for 11 from 9;
d) CF3CO2H, CH2Cl2 ; e) diethyl (2E)-heptenylphosphonate, KHMDS,
THF, 95 %; f) (Boc)2O, benzene, reflux; g) TBAF, THF; h) Dess–Martin
oxidation, 60 % for 3 steps; i) NaBH4, MeOH, 78 8C, 90 %;
j) CF3CO2H (5 %), CH2Cl2, 80 %. HMDS = hexamethyldisilazide,
TBAF = tetrabutylammonium fluoride.
vided the ketone 13. The reduction of 13 with NaBH4 gave a
single diastereomer, which was treated with TFA to furnish
lepadin B as its TFA salt, whose analytical data were identical
to those reported.[2] The overall yield was about 5.3 % over 20
linear steps from N-Boc-l-alanine.
To introduce the a-oriented side chain at C5 of the ketone
3, a Peterson reaction[14] was employed to provide the olefin
14 (Scheme 4). Direct Pt/C-catalyzed hydrogenation of 14 in
dry acetic acid gave 15 with a diastereomeric ratio of 3:1.
However, we were pleased to observe that the hydrogenation
of 16, a derivative of 14 without the N-Boc group, produced 17
in a highly diastereoselective manner (d.r. > 97:3). X-ray
crystal-structure analysis of 18, a tosylation product of 17,
confirmed that the side chain at C5 was in the a orientation.
These two stereochemical courses might be rationalized by
the difference in steric hindrance towards hydrogen attack in
the two favored conformations F and G, as depicted in
Scheme 4.
The completion of lepadins D, E, and H is depicted in
Scheme 5. The protection of 17 by treatment with (Boc)2O,
followed by reduction with DIBAL, afforded the alcohol 19,
which was oxidized to the aldehyde, coupled with the sulfone
20, and hydrogenated over Pd/C to produce 21. Since the
sulfones 20 could be constructed by a Sharpless epoxidation/
reductive ring opening sequence and subsequent transforma-
Scheme 5. a) (Boc)2O, DMAP, then DIBAL, 40 8C, 95 %; b) Swern oxidation; c) 20, NaHMDS, THF; d) Pd/C, H2, 90 %; e) TBAF, THF, room
temperature, 100 %; f) HCl, iPrOH/MeOH, 85 %; g) (2E)-octenoic acid,
Cl3C6H2COCl, iPr2NEt, DMAP, 64 %; h) CF3CO2H, CH2Cl2, 87 %;
i) (2E,4E)-octadienoic acid, EDCI, DMAP, CH2Cl2, 73 %; j) CF3CO2H,
CH2Cl2, 90 %. DIBAL = diisobutylaluminum hydride, DMAP = 4-dimethylaminopyridine, EDCI = 1-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride, MOM = methoxymethyl.
tions,[15] both (R)-20 and (S)-20 were readily accessible by
tuning the ligands in the Sharpless epoxidation, thus providing a chance to establish the configuration at C5’. The
complete deprotection of 21 led to both 2 a and its C5’ epimer
22. The cleavage of just the silyl ether in 21 yielded two
alcohols, which were acylated with (2E)-octenoic acid
(Cl3C6H2COCl/iPrNEt2)[16] or (2E,4E)-octadienoic acid
(EDCI/DMAP),[17] and then deprotected to furnish 2 b and
23, and 2 c and 24, respectively. Although both the NMR
spectra and the optical rotation for 2 a and 22, 2 b and 23, and
2 c and 24 were very similar, a marked difference in the
H NMR spectra of 2 c and 24 at d = 1.2–1.5 ppm clearly
showed that the data for 2 c, but not for 24, were identical to
those reported for lepadin H. Furthermore, the value [a]20
D =
12 (c = 1.0 MeOH) observed for the hydrochloride salt of 2 a
is close to that reported for the hydrochloride salt of
lepadin D ([a]20
D = 14 (c = 0.2 MeOH) ), whereas the
value for the optical rotation of the hydrochloride salt of 22
was significantly lower ([a]20
D = 5.7 (c = 0.9 MeOH)). Therefore, we concluded that lepadins D, E, and H have the
absolute configuration 2S,3R,4aS,5S,8aR,5’R.
In summary, we have developed an efficient and divergent
strategy towards the lepadins, including a concise synthesis of
lepadin B, as well as the first total synthesis of lepadins D, E,
and H, which enabled us to fully determine their configuration. These results should prompt further studies on the
synthesis and biological activity of these compounds and their
analogues.
[14] K. Shimoji, H. Taguchi, K. Oshima, H. Yamamoto, H. Nozaki, J.
Am. Chem. Soc. 1974, 96, 1620.
[15] a) L. J. DKSouza, S. C. Sinha, S. Lu, E. Keinan, S. C. Sinha,
Tetrahedron 2001, 57, 5255; b) P. A. Blackemore, W. J. Cole, P. J.
Kocienski, A. Morley, Synlett 1998, 26.
[16] C. Gaul, J. T. Njardarson, S. J. Danishefsky, J. Am. Chem. Soc.
2003, 125, 6042.
[17] D. A. Evans, P. H. Carter, E. M. Carreira, J. A. Prunet, A. B.
Charette, M. Lautens, Angew. Chem. 1998, 37, 2526; Angew.
Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1998, 37, 2354.
Received: March 26, 2004 [Z460128]
Keywords: alkaloids · configuration determination ·
hydrogenation · olefination · total synthesis
[1] B. Steffan, Tetrahedron 1991, 47, 8729.
[2] J. Kubanek, D. E. Williams, E. D. de Silva, T. Allen, R. J.
Anderson, Tetrahedron Lett. 1995, 36, 6189.
[3] A. D. Wright, E. Goclik, G. M. KInig, R. Kaminsky, J. Med.
[4] R. A. Davis, A. R. Carroll, R. J. Quinn, J. Nat. Prod. 2002, 65,
[5] a) N. Toyooka, M. Okumura, H. Takahatam, J. Org. Chem. 1999,
64, 2182; b) N. Toyooka, M. Okumura, H. Takahatam, H.
Nemoto, Tetrahedron 1999, 55, 10 673.
[6] a) T. Ozawa, S. Aoyagi, C. Kobayashi, Org. Lett. 2000, 2, 2955;
b) T. Ozawa, S. Aoyagi, C. Kobayashi, J. Org. Chem. 2001, 66,
[7] C. Kalai, E. Tate, S. Z. Zard, Chem. Commun. 2002, 1430.
[8] P. D. Rotella, Tetrahedron Lett. 1995, 36, 5453.
[9] X. Pu, D. Ma, J. Org. Chem. 2003, 68, 4400.
[10] P. E. Harrington, I. A. Stergiades, J. Erickson, A. Makriyannis,
M. A. Tius, J. Org. Chem. 2000, 65, 6576.
[11] a) H. Booth, A. H. Bostock, J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 2 1972,
615; b) H. Booth D. V. Griffiths, J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 2
1975, 111.
[12] a) B. M. Trost, J. L. Gunzner, O. Dirat, Y. H. Rhee, J. Am. Chem.
Soc. 2002, 124, 10 396; b) R. K. Boeckman, Jr., C. H. Weinder,
R. B. Perni, J. J. Napier, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1989, 111, 8036.
[13] A. B. Smith III, I. G. Safonov, R. M. Corbett, J. Am. Chem. Soc.
2002, 124, 11 102.
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Combination erythropoietin-hydroxyurea therapy in sickle cell disease: Experience from the National Institutes of Health and a literature review
Jane A. Little, Vicki R. McGowan, Gregory J. Kato, Kristine S. Partovi, Jordan J. Feld, Irina Maric, Sabrina Martyr, James G. Taylor VI, Roberto Machado, Theo Heller, Oswaldo Castro, Mark T. Gladwin
Erythropoietin is being used more widely in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD, inclusive of homozygous sickle beta, SS, and compound heterozygous sickle beta thalassemia, Sβ° thal), often in conjunction with hydroxyurea (HU). Herein, we summarize the published experience with erythropoietin use in SCD, in 39 patients (SS, n=30; Sβ° thal, n=9) who were treated between 1990 and 1996; and in 13 patients with sickle syndromes (SS, n=12, compound heterozygous SC disease, n=1) who were treated with erythropoietin or darbepoietin at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2002. The dose range of erythropoietin for SCD in the published series, at a median of >200 U/Kg/dose, is higher than that used in end-stage renal disease. The median duration of erythropoietin therapy was ≥3 months, with minimal reported side-effects. At the NIH, the median age of sickle syndrome patients who received erythropoietin or darbepoietin (both referred to as EPO in the NIH series) was 51 (24 to 70) years; 12/13 patients had sickle-associated pulmonary hypertension. Eleven out of the 13 patients were treated with both HU and EPO for > 4 months (median of 11 months on EPO) without complication. Of the 13 patients, five (all SS) with pulmonary hypertension were given EPO for reticulocytopenia (<100,000/μL) on HU; 5/13 patients (all SS), with pulmonary hypertension, were given EPO and HU concurrently, in the light of an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <80 mL/minute. Three of the 13 patients (2 SS, 1 SC) were treated with EPO for miscellaneous reasons. Hematologic responses, detailed herein, suggest that EPO therapy may allow more aggressive HU dosing in high-risk SCD patients and in the setting of mild renal insufficiency, common to the aging sickle cell population. Furthermore EPO appears to be safe in SCD, particularly when used in conjunction with HU. We outline our current therapeutic strategy for EPO use in SCD.
Haematologica
Erythropoietin
Hemoglobin SC Disease
Cell Aging
Chronic Kidney Failure
Renal Insufficiency
Little, J. A., McGowan, V. R., Kato, G. J., Partovi, K. S., Feld, J. J., Maric, I., ... Gladwin, M. T. (2006). Combination erythropoietin-hydroxyurea therapy in sickle cell disease: Experience from the National Institutes of Health and a literature review. Haematologica, 91(8), 1076-1083.
Combination erythropoietin-hydroxyurea therapy in sickle cell disease : Experience from the National Institutes of Health and a literature review. / Little, Jane A.; McGowan, Vicki R.; Kato, Gregory J.; Partovi, Kristine S.; Feld, Jordan J.; Maric, Irina; Martyr, Sabrina; Taylor VI, James G.; Machado, Roberto; Heller, Theo; Castro, Oswaldo; Gladwin, Mark T.
In: Haematologica, Vol. 91, No. 8, 01.08.2006, p. 1076-1083.
Little, JA, McGowan, VR, Kato, GJ, Partovi, KS, Feld, JJ, Maric, I, Martyr, S, Taylor VI, JG, Machado, R, Heller, T, Castro, O & Gladwin, MT 2006, 'Combination erythropoietin-hydroxyurea therapy in sickle cell disease: Experience from the National Institutes of Health and a literature review', Haematologica, vol. 91, no. 8, pp. 1076-1083.
Little JA, McGowan VR, Kato GJ, Partovi KS, Feld JJ, Maric I et al. Combination erythropoietin-hydroxyurea therapy in sickle cell disease: Experience from the National Institutes of Health and a literature review. Haematologica. 2006 Aug 1;91(8):1076-1083.
Little, Jane A. ; McGowan, Vicki R. ; Kato, Gregory J. ; Partovi, Kristine S. ; Feld, Jordan J. ; Maric, Irina ; Martyr, Sabrina ; Taylor VI, James G. ; Machado, Roberto ; Heller, Theo ; Castro, Oswaldo ; Gladwin, Mark T. / Combination erythropoietin-hydroxyurea therapy in sickle cell disease : Experience from the National Institutes of Health and a literature review. In: Haematologica. 2006 ; Vol. 91, No. 8. pp. 1076-1083.
@article{b8f4d560006f43ca9d50e7cc0b4cf177,
title = "Combination erythropoietin-hydroxyurea therapy in sickle cell disease: Experience from the National Institutes of Health and a literature review",
abstract = "Erythropoietin is being used more widely in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD, inclusive of homozygous sickle beta, SS, and compound heterozygous sickle beta thalassemia, Sβ° thal), often in conjunction with hydroxyurea (HU). Herein, we summarize the published experience with erythropoietin use in SCD, in 39 patients (SS, n=30; Sβ° thal, n=9) who were treated between 1990 and 1996; and in 13 patients with sickle syndromes (SS, n=12, compound heterozygous SC disease, n=1) who were treated with erythropoietin or darbepoietin at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2002. The dose range of erythropoietin for SCD in the published series, at a median of >200 U/Kg/dose, is higher than that used in end-stage renal disease. The median duration of erythropoietin therapy was ≥3 months, with minimal reported side-effects. At the NIH, the median age of sickle syndrome patients who received erythropoietin or darbepoietin (both referred to as EPO in the NIH series) was 51 (24 to 70) years; 12/13 patients had sickle-associated pulmonary hypertension. Eleven out of the 13 patients were treated with both HU and EPO for > 4 months (median of 11 months on EPO) without complication. Of the 13 patients, five (all SS) with pulmonary hypertension were given EPO for reticulocytopenia (<100,000/μL) on HU; 5/13 patients (all SS), with pulmonary hypertension, were given EPO and HU concurrently, in the light of an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <80 mL/minute. Three of the 13 patients (2 SS, 1 SC) were treated with EPO for miscellaneous reasons. Hematologic responses, detailed herein, suggest that EPO therapy may allow more aggressive HU dosing in high-risk SCD patients and in the setting of mild renal insufficiency, common to the aging sickle cell population. Furthermore EPO appears to be safe in SCD, particularly when used in conjunction with HU. We outline our current therapeutic strategy for EPO use in SCD.",
keywords = "Erythropoietin, Hydroxyurea, Pulmonary hypertension, Sickle cell disease",
author = "Little, {Jane A.} and McGowan, {Vicki R.} and Kato, {Gregory J.} and Partovi, {Kristine S.} and Feld, {Jordan J.} and Irina Maric and Sabrina Martyr and {Taylor VI}, {James G.} and Roberto Machado and Theo Heller and Oswaldo Castro and Gladwin, {Mark T.}",
journal = "Haematologica",
publisher = "Ferrata Storti Foundation",
T1 - Combination erythropoietin-hydroxyurea therapy in sickle cell disease
T2 - Experience from the National Institutes of Health and a literature review
AU - Little, Jane A.
AU - McGowan, Vicki R.
AU - Kato, Gregory J.
AU - Partovi, Kristine S.
AU - Feld, Jordan J.
AU - Maric, Irina
AU - Martyr, Sabrina
AU - Taylor VI, James G.
AU - Machado, Roberto
AU - Heller, Theo
AU - Castro, Oswaldo
AU - Gladwin, Mark T.
N2 - Erythropoietin is being used more widely in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD, inclusive of homozygous sickle beta, SS, and compound heterozygous sickle beta thalassemia, Sβ° thal), often in conjunction with hydroxyurea (HU). Herein, we summarize the published experience with erythropoietin use in SCD, in 39 patients (SS, n=30; Sβ° thal, n=9) who were treated between 1990 and 1996; and in 13 patients with sickle syndromes (SS, n=12, compound heterozygous SC disease, n=1) who were treated with erythropoietin or darbepoietin at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2002. The dose range of erythropoietin for SCD in the published series, at a median of >200 U/Kg/dose, is higher than that used in end-stage renal disease. The median duration of erythropoietin therapy was ≥3 months, with minimal reported side-effects. At the NIH, the median age of sickle syndrome patients who received erythropoietin or darbepoietin (both referred to as EPO in the NIH series) was 51 (24 to 70) years; 12/13 patients had sickle-associated pulmonary hypertension. Eleven out of the 13 patients were treated with both HU and EPO for > 4 months (median of 11 months on EPO) without complication. Of the 13 patients, five (all SS) with pulmonary hypertension were given EPO for reticulocytopenia (<100,000/μL) on HU; 5/13 patients (all SS), with pulmonary hypertension, were given EPO and HU concurrently, in the light of an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <80 mL/minute. Three of the 13 patients (2 SS, 1 SC) were treated with EPO for miscellaneous reasons. Hematologic responses, detailed herein, suggest that EPO therapy may allow more aggressive HU dosing in high-risk SCD patients and in the setting of mild renal insufficiency, common to the aging sickle cell population. Furthermore EPO appears to be safe in SCD, particularly when used in conjunction with HU. We outline our current therapeutic strategy for EPO use in SCD.
AB - Erythropoietin is being used more widely in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD, inclusive of homozygous sickle beta, SS, and compound heterozygous sickle beta thalassemia, Sβ° thal), often in conjunction with hydroxyurea (HU). Herein, we summarize the published experience with erythropoietin use in SCD, in 39 patients (SS, n=30; Sβ° thal, n=9) who were treated between 1990 and 1996; and in 13 patients with sickle syndromes (SS, n=12, compound heterozygous SC disease, n=1) who were treated with erythropoietin or darbepoietin at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2002. The dose range of erythropoietin for SCD in the published series, at a median of >200 U/Kg/dose, is higher than that used in end-stage renal disease. The median duration of erythropoietin therapy was ≥3 months, with minimal reported side-effects. At the NIH, the median age of sickle syndrome patients who received erythropoietin or darbepoietin (both referred to as EPO in the NIH series) was 51 (24 to 70) years; 12/13 patients had sickle-associated pulmonary hypertension. Eleven out of the 13 patients were treated with both HU and EPO for > 4 months (median of 11 months on EPO) without complication. Of the 13 patients, five (all SS) with pulmonary hypertension were given EPO for reticulocytopenia (<100,000/μL) on HU; 5/13 patients (all SS), with pulmonary hypertension, were given EPO and HU concurrently, in the light of an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <80 mL/minute. Three of the 13 patients (2 SS, 1 SC) were treated with EPO for miscellaneous reasons. Hematologic responses, detailed herein, suggest that EPO therapy may allow more aggressive HU dosing in high-risk SCD patients and in the setting of mild renal insufficiency, common to the aging sickle cell population. Furthermore EPO appears to be safe in SCD, particularly when used in conjunction with HU. We outline our current therapeutic strategy for EPO use in SCD.
KW - Erythropoietin
KW - Hydroxyurea
KW - Pulmonary hypertension
KW - Sickle cell disease
JO - Haematologica
JF - Haematologica
|
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__label__wiki
| 0.872806
| 0.872806
|
Ryan Fulkerson’s last profile picture on his Facebook page. (Courtesy Facebook)
Ryan Fulkerson
Decatur City
Body found unconscious in rural ditch: Sunday, May 11, 2014
Date of Death: Friday, May 16, 2014
Ryan Fulkerson, a 26-year-old father of twin girls, was severely beaten, shot in the head and then dumped in a rural Decatur County ditch and left for dead on Sunday, May 11, 2014.
A farmer discovered the unconscious body around 10 a.m. Sunday morning in a ditch just north of Decatur City.
Ryan Fulkerson’s body was found in this rural Decatur County ditch by a farmer May 11, 2014. (Courtesy photo KCCI News)
Fulkerson was taken to the Decatur County Hospital for treatment of his injuries and later transferred to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, but remained in a coma for several days. He died from his injuries on Friday, May 16, 2014.
Decatur County Sheriff Burt Muir said at first they didn’t know if Fulkerson had been beaten up or hit by a car. They later learned he’d also been shot in the head.
When he died, they opened up a homicide case and called in the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation for assistance, KCCI News Channel 8 reported in a story that aired May 19, 2014.
View the video at KCCI.com
An autopsy determined Fulkerson died from the injuries he’d sustained in the attack.
Decatur City in Decatur County, IA (Courtesy Google)
Decatur County Attorney Lisa Jeanes and Sheriff Muir announced that a $2,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Fulkerson’s death.
The reward money—from special funds derived from asset forfeitures—is used to enhance law enforcement efforts.
Sheriff doesn’t believe death related to accused cattle thief
In a KMAland.com news report that aired May 20, 2014, Sheriff Muir said he didn’t believe the death of Fulkerson—an accused cattle thief—was retaliation by the owners of the cattle he took.
KMALand 960 AM & 99.1 FM aired the following on May 20, 2014:
(Leon) — The Decatur County Sheriff says he doesn’t believe the beating death of a 25-year-old accused cattle thief was retaliation by the owners of the cattle he took.
Ryan Fulkerson of Decatur City was found in a ditch by a farmer May 12th. He had bonded out of the county jail four weeks before that. Fulkerson was taken to a Des Moines hospital where he died last weekend. He was charged with stealing cattle in Iowa and trying to sell them in Illinois. He had been arrested in Illinois.
Sheriff Burt Muir says he thinks the case will be solved quickly.
Investigators are trying to figure out why the father of twin girls was targeted; he had recently been arrested for stealing 14 head of cattle from a local farmer … selling them at a cattle auction in Illinois … and was then found unconscious in the ditch approximately 10 days after he was released from an Illinois jail.
Authorities do not believe the homicide was vigilante justice in retaliation for the cattle.
Courtesy photo WHO-TV, Des Moines
Cecil Gaddy was a proud uncle who loved spending time with his niece and two nephews.
“I believe this is going to get solved. How quick I’m not sure, but it’s going to get solved,” the sheriff said. Muir said he’s confident because deputies had talked to a lot of people and were getting several leads.
DCI agents arrived in Leon on May 20, 2014, to help with the investigation.
In an unrelated twist, Fulkerson had served as an honorary pallbearer 10 years earlier for Cecil Travis Gaddy, a 19-year-old paraplegic who died in a suspicious January 31, 2004 house fire in Osceola.
Cecil Gaddy’s death also remains unsolved.
The investigation into Fulkerson’s death continues.
About Ryan Fulkerson (from obituary)
Ryan Scott Fulkerson, son of Scott Alan Fulkerson and Tammy Kaye Ross Fulkerson was born October 10, 1987 in Des Moines, Iowa and passed from this life Friday, May 16, 2014 at Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa at 26 years of age.
Ryan grew up in Murray and moved with his family to Leon where he graduated from Central Decatur High School in 2006. He worked in the Leon area and in his free time he enjoyed working on cars and building derby cars with his brother and their friends. His greatest enjoyment was spending time with his twin daughters and nieces and nephew.
Those relatives who preceded Ryan in death were his grandfather, Robert Ross Sr. and grandmother, Patricia Fees.
Ryan leaves to cherish his memory, twin daughters, Shayelynn and Sharolynn; parents, Scott and Tammy Fulkerson of Leon, IA; sister, Ashley (David) Sorter of Murray, IA; brother, Cody Fulkerson of Leon, IA; niece and nephew Kelsey and Austin of Murray, IA; niece, Kylie of Fort Collins, CO; grandmother, Jean Ross of Osceola, IA; grandfather, Gary Fees of Polk City, IA; grandfather, John (Linda) Fulkerson of FL; aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends.
Memorials may be directed to his family to be decided on at a later date.
Memorial services were held at Kale Funeral Home, Osceola, Iowa, at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 24, 2014. Cremation followed the services.
Visitation with family present was held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
If you have any information about Ryan Fulkerson’s unsolved murder you are urged to call Sergeant Chris Lane with the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department at 641-446-4111 or Agent Mike Rowe with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at 641-342-6263.
Decatur County Sheriff’s Office
Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation
“Reward Offered in Fulkerson Homicide,” News clipping provided by Ryan Fulkerson’s mother
2014 Year in Review, Leon Chamber of Commerce
Ryan Fulkerson — Facebook page
Ryan Fulkerson Find a Grave Memorial
Obituary ~ Ryan Scott Fulkerson, Decatur County, Iowa, Part of the IaGenWeb Project
Ryan Scott Fulkerson obituary, Tributes.com
Ryan Fulkerson — Leon, The Osceola Sentinel-Tribune, May 22, 2014
“Midday Regional News Summary,” KMALand.com, May 20, 2014
“Man found unconscious in ditch has died,” by Mark Tauscheck, KCCI.com, May 19, 2014 — View the Video
Tagged with: Beatings • Burt Muir • Cecil Gaddy • Cold Cases • Decatur City • Decatur County Sheriff's Office • Found in Ditch • Iowa Cold Cases • Iowa DCI • Iowa Unsolved Murders • Leon IA • Osceola • Rewards • Ryan Fulkerson • Shooting Deaths • Shootings
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Home > ARCHIVES > POSTCARDS > 95
Postcards Collection
Court House, Tuscumbia, Ala.
Tuscumbia, Ala. Court House constructed in 1882. Razed in 1908.
Tuscumbia (Ala.); Alabama; Southern States; Courthouses
Location Depicted
Tuscumbia (Ala.); Alabama; Southern States
3 x 5 color postcard; Printed by MacGowan-Cooke Printing Co. (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Image Creator
Publisher Original
MacGowan-Cooke Printing Co., Chattanooga (Tenn.)
19--?
Date Scanned
University of North Alabama, Collier Library Archives
image-jpeg
LHH
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Category Archives: Tourism
Paraw Regatta
May 9, 2018 dan canong Leave a comment
Paraw Regatta Festival or Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival is an annual festival held in February in the Villa de Arevalo district, Iloilo City, Philippines. Its main event is a sailboat race in Iloilo Strait that features the Paraw, a Visayan double outrigger sail boat. It is the oldest traditional craft event in Asia and the largest sailing event in the Philippines. It is one of Iloilo City’s tourism events along with the Dinagyang Festival, Kasadyahan Festival, Chinese New Year festival and La Candelaria Fiesta. The Iloilo Paraw Regatta began as a half-day sailboat race but is now a multi-day, multi-event festival.
The Paraw race course is a 30 kilometres long, running up the coast of Panay and then down the coast of Guimaras, before returning to the finish at Villa Beach. Participating paraws are categorized based on the waterline length of the boat and further classified according to their sails as “unpainted” or “painted”. The sails are painted with colorful designs.
The first race started in 1973 with the mission to preserve the historic value of the paraws. It is held every 3rd weekend of February at Tatoy’s Manokan, Sto. Nino Sur, Villa, Iloilo City. Today, the event has grown from being a boat race to a festival with various interesting activities.
The Ilonggos take great pride in the celebration of a long and illustrious history, and, as such, so do the sailors and master craftsmen that continue the preservation of the old ways since the creation of this province, and its Hiligaynon birthright.
Dinagyang Festival
April 6, 2018 dan canong Leave a comment
Dinagyang began after Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, the first Filipino Rector of the Agustinian Community and Parish Priest of the San Jose Parish introduced the devotion to Santo Niño in November 1967 after observing the Ati-Atihan Festival in the province of Aklan. On 1968, a replica of the original image of the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought to Iloilo by Fr. Sulpicio Enderez of Cebu as a gift to the Parish of San Jose. The faithful, led by members of Confradia del Santo Niño de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, worked to give the image a fitting reception starting at the Iloilo Airport and parading down the streets of Iloilo.
In the beginning, the observance of the feast was confined to the parish. The Confradia patterned the celebration on the Ati-atihan of Ibajay, Aklan, where natives dance in the streets, their bodies covered with soot and ashes, to simulate the Atis dancing to celebrate the sale of Panay. It was these tribal groups who were the prototype of the present festival.
In 1977, the Marcos government ordered the various regions of the Philippines to come up with festivals or celebrations that could boost tourism and development. The City of Iloilo readily identified the Iloilo Ati-atihan as its project. At the same time the local parish could no longer handle the growing challenges of the festival.
Dinagyang was voted as the best Tourism Event for 2006, 2007 and 2008 by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines. It is the not the only one festivals in the world to get the support of the United Nations for the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals, and cited by the Asian Development Bank as Best Practice on government, private sector & NGO cooperatives.
ILOILO CITY – THE STORY
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Purchase of Sixteen (16) Unit Motorcycle 125cc
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Price of Vivo Y81 Slashed Down by Rs. 1,009 In India
Pic Credit- google.com
By KalingaTV Bureau On Sep 20, 2018
New Delhi: As per latest information, the price of Vivo Y81 which was launched last month has been cut down in India. The smartphone earlier priced at Rs. 12,999 is now selling at Rs. 11,990.
The Vivo Y81 smartphone features a 6.22-inch HD+ display with 720×1520 pixel resolution and 19:9 aspect ratio. The device boosts of an iPhone X-like notch screen protected with a coating of Corning Gorilla Glass on top.
Apple to be worst affected by EU vote on standard charger
It runs on Android 8.0 Oreo operating system and is powered by 2.0GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6762 processor. The device features a 13MP rear camera with LED flash. The selfie camera of Vivo Y81 offers features such as group selfie, filters, face beauty, bokeh effect and more.
The handset offers 3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage. The users can further expand the storage up to 256GB by adding a microSD card.
Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S10 To Come With Significant Changes And ‘Amazing’ Colour Options
VivoVivo Y81
IMD issues cyclone alert for Odisha
Court grants conditional bail to Abhijit Iyer Mitra
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Chronology of VRM -5
The following debate in the Lok Sabha will give us clear idea as to how difficult was the task for Mananeeya Eknathji to have Govt permission for the Vivekananda Statue as well Memorial on the Rock.
Parliament's Debate on Vivekananda Statue
LOK SABHA DEBATE OF
Wednesday, November 27, 1963.
Subject Statue of Swami Vivekananda
Sri P.R. Chakraverti (Congress : Bihar)
Sri C.K. Bhattacharyya (Congress : Bengal)
Sri Sidheshwar Prasad (Congress : Bihar)
Sri D.D. Puri (Congress : Punjab)
Sri Vishwanath Pandey (Congress : U.P.)
Sri Balgovind Verma (Congress : U.P.)
Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state :
a) Whether his attention has been drawn to the proposal to erect a statue of Swami Vivekananda on the Vivekananda Rock in Madras by the Vivekananda Centenary Celebration Committee, and
b) if so, the reactions of Government thereto?
Minister of Education : Sri M.C. Chagla
a) Yes, Sir.
b) It is for the Government of Madras to decide whether the erection of the statue of Swami Vivekananda at the Vivekananda Rock should be permitted.
Sri P.R. Chakraverti : Is it not a fact that the Devaswom Board directly administered by the Government of Madras gave permission to set up the statue and also a foot bridge?
Sri M.C. Chagla : As I said, it is entirely a matter for the State of Madras and I do not think we should interfere with their discretion or with any decision they may arrive at.
Sri P.R. Chakraverti : Is it not a fact that a board was set up there and it was then removed by some fishermen on certain objectionable grounds? May I know what steps Government took to see that this was set right?
Sri M. C. Chagla : Government of Madras?
Sri P.R. Chakraverti : Yes, under the advice and direction of this Ministry.
Mr. Speaker : The same answer is to be repeated then.
Sri Ranga (SWA) : Why should it be treated as a matter entirely for the State Government, in view of the fact that Swami Vivekananda is an all-India personality and the whole of India cannot dissociate itself from all responsibility with regard to this matter?
Mr. Speaker : The Hon. member mulst realise that the statue was being put there in the State itself.
Sri Ranga : Are we to understand that the Madras Govt, has raised any objection to this and, if so, what is the view of this Government in regard to this matter? We do not know anything about it. We were not told that the Madras Govt, is not in favour of raising the statue.
Sri Bade (JS) : The Madras Government referred the matter to the Central Government.
Mr. Speaker : This question can arise whether it was referred to the Central Government.
Sri Bade : Yes, Sir.
Mr. Speaker : He knows much more than any Government, but the difficulty is even when he is not required to do so, he is throwing out all that knowledge. Was any reference made?
Sri M.C. Chagla : I do not think any formal reference has been made to the Central Government.
Smt. Chakravarty (CPI) : What were the reasons adduced by the Government of Madras for objecting or refusing permission to set up this statue on the rock? Was it purely due to safety for the statue or any other reason?
Sri M.C. Chagla : If the Hon. member wants an answer to that, we will get the proper answer from the Government of Madras. But is it really fair for us here to question the discretion of the Government of Madras?
Mr. Speaker : The Hon. member wants to know whether the Central Govt, has that information as to what were the grounds on which they have rejected it?
Sri M.C. Chagla : Officially, Sir, we have no information.
Sri H. Kamath : (PSP) Has the Hon. Minister's predecessor in office who is now seated on his right been correctly reported in the press as having expressed some sort of opposition to the erection of Swami Vivekananda's statue on the historic rock at Kanyakumari, if so, on what grounds was his opposition based?
The Minister of Petroleum and Chemicals (Sri Humayun Kabir) : Sir, may I answer that question?
Mr. Speaker : Yes.
Sri Humayun Kabir : I am in a way thankful that the Hon. member has raised this question, because I know a great deal of uninformed and some ill-advised talk on this matter has been going on. This matter does not concern the Government of India and the Govt of India have nothing to do with it. No official advice was ever asked for from us and no official advice was ever given. About the question of the beauty of the place, that is an entirely different matter within the jurisdiction of the Govt of Madras to decide on any consideration they like. We have no standing on that matter.
Sri H. V. Kamath : Sir, I rise to a point of order. My question was whether he expressed, as reported in the papers, some opposition to the erection of the statue on the historic rock at Kanyakumari, if so, on what grounds was the opposition based?
Sri M.C. Chagla : Even a Minister is entitled to have his own personal individual views.
Sri H.V. Kamath : I can also have my views as you can have. I want to know on what grounds was his opposition based?
Sri Humayun Kabir : I have said that there is no question of any opposition from me. Therefore, that question does not arise.
Sri Hem Barua (PSP) : There is some contradiction.
Dr. M.S. Aney (Ind.) : May I know whether that particular rock is not included among the sites preserved by the Archaeological Department?
Sri Humayun Kabir : Not to my knowledge.
Dr. M.S. Aney : Will they do that now?
Sri M.C. Chagla : We will consider that suggestion.
Sri K.C. Pant (Con.) : May I know whether this Vivekananda Centenary Celebration Committee is an official committee or it is a private committee?
Sri M.C. Chagla : It is a non-official committee.
Govt accords permission
Final Appeal to Govt of Madras
Madras CM approves
Source of Inspiration
The immortal message
Dr Karan Singh -Final
Dr Karan Singh -6
Dr Karan Singh ji -5
Dr Karan Singh ji - 3
डॉ करन सिंह जी -2
Dr Karan Singh ji on 16 Oct 1970
Chronology of VRM 10
Chronology of VRK -8
Chronology of VRM - 6
Chronology of Vivekananda Rock Memorial -2
Donations to VRM
Meditations on Vivekananda Rock Memorial
VRM - the Setu Bandhan
My name is not important. What is important is to ...
VRM A place of Determination
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Fraudster nabbed for using fake King Sunny Ade’s social media account to scam people
If you’ve been following and doing business with@kingsunnyademusic on Instagram… You have been following a fake account.
One Oluwafemi Lawrence Oyedokun, said to be the P.A to actor Yinka Quadri, has been arrested for opening fake IG and Twitter accounts with the handle @kingsunnyademusic to advertise fake U.S and U.K musical tours, hereby defrauding people of millions.
According to NewsmakersNG, Oyedokun, 27, was arrested alongside his girlfriend, Rebecca Oyebode, 23, and his friend, Oyewunmi Abiodun Ridwan, 27. The suspect absolved Quadri of any complicity in the crime and it was gathered that so far, the gang have defrauded close to 100 unsuspecting victims and raked in millions of Naira from them.
Reacting to the news, King Sunny Ade said, “People were always calling my number that they heard I was organising a tour. When it was getting too much for me, I had to call the police who helped me. People were thinking I was the one doing it, and I’ve never done anything like that in my life. I’m a law-abiding citizen of this country. I came to the CP and he promised to investigate.”
Oyedokun allegedly opened several bank accounts and detectives have so far traced a total of N3,111,175 obtained from 61 victims. They also uncovered cash inflows ranging from 22 to 33 victims in a day, even as the suspects are in detention. The suspect, who dropped out of Osun State College of Education, Ilesha, in his second year as an English and political science student and once ran a blog named Hip-hop Gist, said he started impersonating KSA in March 2018.
Nigerian nanny sentenced to 15 years after baby she force-fed died.
Nollywood director, Okiki Afolayan acquires new house
German Police Identify Four IPOB Members Involve In The Attack Of Ekweremadu
Actress Adediwura Gold celebrates her 41st birthday in style
Boyfriend sentenced to death for killing deputy governor’s daughter for ritual
Anambra State Government Commence Herdsmen Registration
Osun State Can’t Be As Rich As My Dad In 30-40 Years – Davido Brags
Nigeria/internationa...Read More
September 5, 2019 11 views
#Xenophobia: South African Embassy In Nigeria Shuts Down Its Offices, Consulate In Lagos Over Fear Of Reprisal Attacks
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Burger King slams Kanye West over tweet
Kanye West is known for sharing some divisive opinions – but this one might take the cake.
The rapper announced on Twitter that his favourite restaurant is McDonald’s.
The tweet racked up over 240,000 likes and sparked a major fast food debate over which chain delivers the best fast food.
However, it was Burger King’s come back that broke the internet.
With three simple words, Burger King savaged the rap artist in the best way possible. Twitter's responded swiftly to the serious shade that had been thrown at their main competitor.
Many social media commentators were quick to point that it's typically Wendy's who gets sassy on social media.
Burger King could never have known that their response would go viral in the way that it did.
"If we know this was going to blow up we would have made a soundcloud..." they tweeted later.
Whoever is responsible for Burger King's twitter account might be due for a promotion after this.
See above for a glimpse at Macca's divisive salmon burger
Auto News: 2020 Holden Colorado spy photos show an all-new model is still years away - caradvice.com.au
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The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey
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Tag: #AWW
#AWW challenge completed!
Posted on November 7, 2017 by isobelblackthorn
I signed up late to the 2017 Australian Women Writer’s challenge. Despite those lost months, I committed to reviewing at least six books by Australian women authors, which is known as the ‘Franklin’ challenge. I ended up reviewing seven titles and I would have written more had I not found myself unexpectedly moving house!
What a delightful experience the #AWW has been! I’ve ventured into genres I wouldn’t normally read. I’ve found many absolute gems along the way.
I began with Kathryn Gossow’s Cassandra, an absolutely charming literary coming of age story. “Cassandra is laced with evocative descriptions of rural Queensland. Gossow’s characterisations are convincing and her pacing measured. Early suspense shades into a textured exploration of clairvoyance, dreams, trance states and the predictive powers of Tarot, as Cassie tries to get a handle on her own inner powers; her friend, the ever doubtful Athena, egging her on.”
From there I ventured into crime with Sandi Wallace. I ended up reviewing two titles by this author, Tell Me Why, and Dead Again . “With wit and a sharp eye for the essentials, Wallace has built a story world that feels real. A page turner with much to savour, Dead Again is a moving and highly engaging read.”
For literary fiction, I turned to Heather Rose’s The Museum of Modern Love, “Rose is a masterful writer, her depictions of incidental characters sharply observant, yet her prose is always gentle, haunting. The Museum of Modern Love is a meditation, on art and creativity to a large extent, but above that on pain, physical and emotional pain, the anguish of loss and grief.”
I went back to crime with L.J. M. Owen’s Mayan Mendacity my review appearing on the Sisters in Crime Australasia’s website. “In all, I found Mayan Mendacity difficult to put down. Owen has provided her readers with an entertaining story that also informs, without allowing exposition to put a brake on the narrative. Pulling off a story laden with this much technical detail and maintaining a fast pace is quite a feat.”
I then took a detour into historical fiction, unable to pass up the opportunity to review Elisabeth Storr’s Call To Juno an absolute feast of a read. “This is a story for those who enjoy their historical fiction rich with fine and accurate detail. Call to Juno is intensely visual, bringing ancient Rome to life, composed by an author who clearly knows her subject.”
Finally, I was treated to Elizabeth Jane Corbett’s The Tides Between “The Tides Between pulls the reader in two directions, the desire to continue turning the pages at odds with an equally a strong wish to pause and reflect on its various intricacies, its depth. The only difficulty faced in reviewing a book of this quality is putting it down long enough to scribe reflections. A work I would describe as literary historical fiction, The Tides Between, is a captivating and immersive read.
Tagged #AWW, crime fiction, Elisabeth Storrs, Elizabeth Jane Corbett, Heather Rose, Historical fiction, Kathryn Gossow, L.J.M. Owen, Sandi Wallace, The Stella Prize, Women writers1 Comment
The Tides Between by Elizabeth Jane Corbett
Posted on October 22, 2017 October 22, 2017 by isobelblackthorn
I am delighted to share my review of Elizabeth Jane Corbett’s debut novel, The Tides Between.
“In 1841, on the eve of her departure from London, Bride’s mother demands she forget her dead father and prepare for a sensible, adult life in Port Phillip. Desperate to save her childhood, fifteen-year-old Bridie is determined to smuggle a notebook filled with her father’s fairy tales to the far side of the world.
When Rhys Bevan, a soft-voiced young storyteller and fellow traveller realises Bridie is hiding something, a magical friendship is born. But Rhys has his own secrets and the words written in Bridie’s notebook carry a dark double meaning.
As they inch towards their destination, Rhys’s past returns to haunt him. Bridie grapples with the implications of her dad’s final message. The pair take refuge in fairy tales, little expecting the trouble it will cause.”
Told from three viewpoints, Elizabeth Jane Corbett’s debut novel is a fearless yet endearing exploration of the day-to-day existence of a small cast of characters, each with their troubles, who are incarcerated along with numerous families in the steerage deck of a ship bound for Australia. The Tides Between is an ironic tale in some ways, for the duration of a voyage that spans half the globe, the epic journey that unfolds is one situated at the hearth of human existence.
Corbett writes with a deft pen. The author is unafraid to expose the reality of life for working class migrants making the treacherous voyage to Australia. In true literary fashion, the narrative presses forward through the unfolding realisations of its characters, the backstory interwoven in fragments.
The Tides Between opens with fifteen-year old Bridie clutching a notebook of fairy stories she was forbidden to keep as she boards a ship bound for Port Phillip. What unfolds is in part a coming of age story, as Bridie learns to handle the grief she feels at the loss of her father, and accept the benevolent affections of her stepfather, Alf. Yet The Tides Between is less a story of one girl’s entry into adulthood and more a meditation on trauma and its consequences, and on identity and the power of myth.
These themes are strikingly played out through Rhys, a young Welshman and miner’s son crippled by claustrophobia. His wife, Sian, is pregnant, as is Bridie’s mother. Will either woman manage to safely birth her child before the ship pulls in at its destination? Will Rhys transcend his anguish? Will Bridie shake off her adolescent ill humour? Can Alf, a man strangled by his sense of duty and obedience, find the courage to confront the ship’s surgeon?
Corbett carries her plot forward with intricate attention to emotional detail. The heaving waters of the various oceans traversed a powerful metaphor for those heaving in the hearts of protagonists Bridie, Rhys and Alf.
Corbett’s writing is visual, metaphoric and intelligent.
“The night air fell like a chill shawl on her shoulders. Turning back towards the hatchway, she heard an eerie drawn out sound from beyond the deckhouse. She halted, nerves feathering her spine.”
It is in this fashion that dramatic tension is maintained, the reader treated page after page to Corbett’s elegant prose.
The theme of fairy tales is prominent, but these are not the stories of children’s books. They are powerful myths rich with significance. Bridie strives to make sense of the world and relationships through the lens of fairy tales, questioning, comparing, speculating. Corbett juxtaposes Bridie’s musings with the reality of her situation, conveyed through the harsh, albeit sensible worlds of her mother. Meanwhile, Rhys grapples with his own demons. The only time he can cope with being in steerage is when he is on stage, telling Welsh fairy tales to a captive audience. Through the friendship that grows between Bridie and Rhys, Corbett explores the healing power of fairy tales, a release as much for the teller as the listener.
In one respect, The Tides Between is a vivid portrayal of life in steerage. The reader is there with the stench and the lice and the privy buckets. Just as she is unflinching when it comes to portraying the physical hardships onboard, Corbett casts a microscopic eye over the complexities of grief and shame, taboos and social rejection.
Despite its heartrending moments, The Tides Between is ultimately a story of redemption, transformation and hope.
“She had begun to treasure their moments together, like bright beads, slipping through her fingers and puddling at the bottom of memory’s purse.”
The Tides Between pulls the reader in two directions, the desire to continue turning the pages at odds with an equally a strong wish to pause and reflect on its various intricacies, its depth. The only difficulty faced in reviewing a book of this quality is putting it down long enough to scribe reflections. A work I would describe as literary historical fiction, The Tides Between, is a captivating and immersive read.
When Elizabeth Jane Corbett isn’t writing, she works as a librarian, teaches Welsh at the Melbourne Celtic Club, writes reviews and articles for the Historical Novel Society and blogs at elizabethjanecorbett.com. In 2009, her short-story, Beyond the Blackout Curtain, won the Bristol Short Story Prize. Another, Silent Night, was short listed for the Allan Marshall Short Story Award. An early draft of her debut novel, The Tides Between, was shortlisted for a HarperCollins Varuna manuscript development award. Elizabeth lives with her husband, Andrew, in a renovated timber cottage in Melbourne’s inner-north. She likes red shoes, dark chocolate, commuter cycling, and reading quirky, character driven novels set once-upon-a-time in lands far, far away.
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Tagged #AWW, Australian women writers, Celtic myths, Elizabeth Jane Corbett, Historical fiction, Odyssey Books, The Tides Between, Welsh fairy tales, Welsh myths2 Comments
Mayan Mendacity by L.J.M. Owen
Posted on July 28, 2017 August 14, 2017 by isobelblackthorn
Dr Elizabeth Pimms has a new puzzle.
What is the story behind the tiny skeletons discovered on a Guatemalan island? And how do they relate to an ancient Mayan queen?
The bones, along with other remains, are a gift for Elizabeth. But soon the giver reveals his true nature. An enraged colleague then questions Elizabeth’s family history. Elizabeth seeks DNA evidence to put all skeletons to rest.
A pregnant enemy, a crystal skull, a New York foodie, and an intruder in Elizabeth’s phrenic library variously aid or interrupt Elizabeth’s attempts to solve mysteries both ancient and personal.
My Review (written for Sisters in Crime)
Set in Canberra, and in the Mayan empire in what is now Guatemala, Mayan Mendacity is the second in L.J.M. Owen’s Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth series. It is a challenge setting up the next book in a series and Owen has done so with finesse. The narration is light, buoyant, playful at times, yet ever observant, the result, a most satisfying read.
The main plot is driven by protagonist Dr Elizabeth Pimm’s new volunteer project, given her by the exacting Dr Marsh. She must assess an archeological find, the remains of a cesnote in Guatemala, meeting a series of crushing deadlines. Elizabeth’s pursuit of answers to the mysteries of the find is continuously thwarted as a number of complications beset her. Obstacles and challenges come from all directions, enough to make the weak among us buckle, but not Dr Pimms.
Owen has created a convincingly flawed and utterly lovable protagonist. She’s determined, dedicated, thorough and loyal. She sallies forth with gung ho exuberance, never down for long, no matter what befalls her. Elizabeth’s attitude is probably best summed up when she confronts another disaster and asks herself, ‘What fresh new hell was this?’
Dr Pimms is supported by a cast of characters, all rounded out and believable. The reader is introduced to each in turn as the story unfolds and a secondary plot emerges, one that is deeply personal. Indeed, it is Dr Pimms’ own history that thwarts her investigation, yet ultimately leads her to mature and open her heart.
The story is thoroughly researched; the author clearly knows her themes and her setting. Technical details are provided in an engaging, easy to follow manner. This is especially evident when Owen opens a window on the fascinating world of the Mayan empire, making use of a parallel narrative to take the reader back to the time of Dr Pimms’ find.
Elizabeth’s phrenic library is an interesting addition to the narrative, a fascinating invention, one that creates a curious occult dimension to Owen’s series. This phrenic library is a personal and mundane version of the Akashic records, a metaphysical compendium of all that has ever occurred in human history, stored on the inner planes, according to Theosophical belief. As a device, Elizabeth’s inner library works well, granting her plausible, if esoteric, access to knowledge she would otherwise be hard pressed to gain.
In all, I found Mayan Mendacity difficult to put down. Owen has provided her readers with an entertaining story that also informs, without allowing exposition to put a brake on the narrative. Pulling off a story laden with this much technical detail and maintaining a fast pace is quite a feat.
You can buy a copy of this book HERE
Visit the author L.J.M. Owen
With thanks to Sisters in Crime for my review copy
Tagged #AWW, Book review, cosy mystery, crime fiction, L.J.M. Owen, Mayan Mendacity, Sisters in Crime1 Comment
The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose – book review
Posted on June 10, 2017 August 14, 2017 by isobelblackthorn
Heather Rose has produced a work of considerable finesse. The Museum of Modern Love sets a high bar for Australian literary fiction.
“Arky Levin is a film composer in New York separated from his wife, who has asked him to keep one devastating promise. One day he finds his way to The Atrium at MOMA and sees Marina Abramovíc in The Artist is Present. The performance continues for seventy-five days and, as it unfolds, so does Arky. As he watches and meets other people drawn to the exhibit, he slowly starts to understand what might be missing in his life and what he must do.”
It is always a delight to read an intelligent book. In The Museum of Modern Love, it is as though the author caresses the intellect through exquisite prose; coaxing, inviting engagement. Rose has produced a deeply introspective, slow-paced book, one that will appeal to lovers of literature, rather than those seeking page-turning entertainment.
The primary setting is the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where the main characters observe a piece of performance art by the renowned Marina Abramovíc, in which the artist sits unflinchingly still, all day for seventy-five days. The object of Rose’ pen is therefore a real life and contemporary figure, Serbian-born Abramovíc, who has loose and controversial associations with Australia. The Museum of Modern Love is faction, a considered rendering of biography in fiction.
What commences as the audience observes ‘The Artist is Present’ is the delicate unfolding of backstory, petal by petal, first here, then there, until the essence of the narrative, a poignant and bruised heart, is revealed.
“It is her metier to dance on the edge of madness, to vault over pain into the solace of disintegration.”
Rose is a masterful writer, her depictions of incidental characters sharply observant, yet her prose is always gentle, haunting. The Museum of Modern Love is a meditation, on art and creativity to a large extent, but above that on pain, physical and emotional pain, the anguish of loss and grief. Can themes of art and creativity rescue a narrative that strolls along in the doldrums of lingering despair? The answer is immediate: Yes. ‘The Artist is Present’ installation represents trauma on a grand and complex scale, the artwork a culmination of a lifetime of suffering, depicted in a retrospective piece on display in the museum upstairs. Abramovíc’s artistic and personal pain is juxtaposed with the ordinary pain of ordinary people, yet each time another sits on the vacant chair and locks gaze with the artist, whatever they are feeling is transformed, subtly perhaps, to become a part of this ever changing, yet remarkably unmoving, work of art.
The narrator of The Museum of Modern Love is deft, light, observant, forgiving. If there could be a point of criticism it would be the use of self consciousness, at times the narrator identifying as a disembodied entity, an angel, a muse, naturally omniscient, one given to addressing the reader directly. Some may deem the exploitation of this device unnecessary and intrusive. When it first appears, the reader may be forgiven for worrying that this voice may overpower the narrative, but thankfully it does not.
All fiction is contrivance, a pasting together of characters, settings, themes. When drawing on real people and real events, such pasting can appear awkward and stilted. The Museum of Modern Love is not one of those works. Evident in abundance is Heather Rose’ passion for her subject and deep empathy for her themes. It comes as no surprise that the work won The Stella Prize, 2017.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALLEN & UNWIN FOR MY REVIEW COPY. I REVIEWED THIS BOOK AS PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN WRITERS CHALLENGE #AWW
Tagged #AWW, Australian women authors, Australian women writers challenge, Heather Rose, literary fiction, Marina Abramovíc, MOMA, The Museum of Modern Love, The Stella Prize2 Comments
Tell Me Why by Sandi Wallace
Posted on May 4, 2017 November 7, 2017 by isobelblackthorn
All good books are hard to put down. Sandi Wallace’s Tell Me Why is no exception.
“Picturesque Daylesford has a darker side. Melbourne writer Georgie Harvey heads to the mineral springs region of central Victoria to look for a missing farmer.There she uncovers links between the woman’s disappearance and her dangerous preoccupation with the unsolved mystery surrounding her husband.Maverick cop and solo dad John Franklin is working a case that’s a step up from Daylesford’s usual soft crime; a poison-pen writer whose targets are single mothers.Georgie’s investigation stirs up long buried secrets and she attracts enemies. When she reports the missing person to the local cops, sparks fly between her and Franklin. Has he dismissed the writer too quickly? A country cop, city writer, retired farmer and poison-pen stalker all want answers.What will they risk to get them? What will be the ultimate cost?”
The twin elements that will win the hearts of crime fiction fans are setting and an interesting sleuth. In Tell Me Why Wallace has both. The setting is Daylesford, a small country town east of Melbourne famous for its proximity to Hepburn Springs, rendering the locale a lure for the rich and famous, an area of luxury hotels and spa retreats. Knowing this before opening Tell Me Why, the reader may be forgiven for anticipating an Agatha Christie cosy mystery, or a sort of corporate crime conspiracy novel. Tell Me Why is neither. The novel is firmly situated in the sub-genre of Australian rural crime, since there is such a thing.
The novel has two sleuths, senior constable John Franklin, and Melbourne-based writer Georgie Harvey, each investigating a separate mystery. The inclusion of two sleuths, one from the country, the other the city, plays to the theme of the rural-city divide, although the dichotomy serves more as a backdrop than as an issue explored and developed in a literary sense. Both Franklin and Harvey are well-crafted characters, satisfyingly complex and damaged. Neither sleuth is especially likeable at first. Both are hard edged, carrying their hurts and prejudices close. Both are judgemental, Harvey more so, her heart filled with resentments and frustrations, whereas Franklin is prone to the sort of casual sexism found in Australian rural society. Through both pairs of eyes social realism veers close to stereotyping, with single mothers under the spotlight.
Inevitably, the various foibles of Franklin and Harvey drive the plot. The story opens with a short prelude, a catastrophic fire and a mystery. From there the narrative jump cuts from Franklin to Harvey, as their individual inquiries unfold.
The jump cuts work well, if making for a seemingly disjointed narrative at first, more demanding of the reader’s attention. The style makes for a fast pace and creates natural tension, the reader forced to wait for vital information as her attention is diverted back and forth between the points of view. What unfolds is a cracking plot. There is never a dull moment. The reader sinks into the story, confident the author is in control of the narrative and won’t disappoint. No small feat. Crime readers are a sharp bunch, likely to extract a calculator to check up on a distance or a passage of time. Thankfully, Wallace manages to avoid stepping outside the bounds of plausibility.
The writing is strong, gritty, earthy and witty at times. Tell Me Why is a considered work, written with care. Wallace knows her craft. Tell Me Why is a perfect balance of action, dialogue, and reflection. Description is kept to a minimum, just enough to be evocative. Wallace knows her readership too. Themes appealing to female crime lovers abound. Mothers and babies, the strong bonds of female friendship, a cast of utterly believable and endearing minor characters, all held together in a pleasing the rural setting.
Tell Me Why is a compulsive read. The novel should appeal to crime lovers everywhere. I am looking forward to reading the newly released sequel, Dead Again.
BUY Tell Me Why
Find Sandi Wallace here: http://www.sandiwallace.com/
This is the second book I have reviewed for the 2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge. To find out more about the challenge, visit the website
Tagged #AWW, Australian women writers challenge, Book review, Dead Again, Rural crime, Sandi Wallace, Tell Me Why1 Comment
Author of diverse quality fiction
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iWalt.com
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Rob and I (and Rob’s friend Chris (and someone Rob knows from work (and her S.O.))) went to the SF chapter of SIGGRAPH’s “A Night With Pixar” Monday night. Very cool. Four Pixar employees described their roles in detail and demonstrated how their work adds to the film. One was a conceptual artist who worked on early sketches and storyboards. One did the blocking and framing for each scene. One was an animator. And one was a computer graphics specialist. (The kind of guy who makes sure the computer takes care of making Sulley’s hair move well even when it’s colliding with other objects.) I was really glad to have gone and feel like I have a much better sense of how the Pixar process works. Still though, it’s amazing what they can do.
I’m finally starting to dig the latest build of OmniWeb. Their CSS-rendering has really improved. I still think it’s kind of a strange browser but they seem to be improving it faster than anyone else is improving theirs.
[Update: Jessyca pointed out to me that it was SIGGRAPH’s gig, not AIGA. Which is true.]
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Ciliary body location in eyes with and without primary congenital glaucoma
Ghadah Al Nosair, Rajiv Khandekar, Mohammed Al-Shamrani, Deepak P. Edward
Objective: To compare the location of ciliary body (CB) in children with and without primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled Saudi children who were less than 5 years old. CB distance (CBD) was measured and compared in eyes with PCG (PCG group) and without PCG (control group). CBD was measured with a caliper and defined as the distance between the edge of the corneoscleral limbus and the anterior edge of CB as delineated by transillumination. The difference in the CBD between groups was correlated with the axial length, corneal thickness, and corneal diameter. Results: CBD was measured in 15 eyes in the PCG and control groups. The mean CBD (1.6 ± 0.4 mm) in the PCG group was significantly greater than that in the control group (1.3 ± 0.3 mm) (p < 0.001). The mean difference in the CBD of 2 groups was 0.33 mm (95% CI 0.15-0.54). In PCG eyes, the CBD was farthest in the superior quadrant (1.7 mm) followed by inferior (1.6 mm), temporal (1.6 mm), and nasal (1.5 mm) quadrants. The variability in CBD between quadrants in PCG eyes was greater than that in the control group. CBD in the PCG group showed a significant correlation with increasing axial length (p = 0.05), corneal thickness (p < 0.001), and corneal diameter (p = 0.0002). Conclusions: The CBD from the limbus was greater in PCG eyes compared to the controls and varied significantly in different quadrants. The knowledge regarding the greater CBD and its variability in PCG eyes could enable better planning of surgical treatment in congenital glaucoma.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjo.2017.04.003
Accepted/In press - 2017
Transillumination
Al Nosair, G., Khandekar, R., Al-Shamrani, M., & Edward, D. P. (Accepted/In press). Ciliary body location in eyes with and without primary congenital glaucoma. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjo.2017.04.003
Ciliary body location in eyes with and without primary congenital glaucoma. / Al Nosair, Ghadah; Khandekar, Rajiv; Al-Shamrani, Mohammed; Edward, Deepak P.
In: Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology, 2017.
Al Nosair, G, Khandekar, R, Al-Shamrani, M & Edward, DP 2017, 'Ciliary body location in eyes with and without primary congenital glaucoma', Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjo.2017.04.003
Al Nosair G, Khandekar R, Al-Shamrani M, Edward DP. Ciliary body location in eyes with and without primary congenital glaucoma. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjo.2017.04.003
Al Nosair, Ghadah ; Khandekar, Rajiv ; Al-Shamrani, Mohammed ; Edward, Deepak P. / Ciliary body location in eyes with and without primary congenital glaucoma. In: Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. 2017.
@article{6b0216a790194211851dc260cad75151,
title = "Ciliary body location in eyes with and without primary congenital glaucoma",
abstract = "Objective: To compare the location of ciliary body (CB) in children with and without primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled Saudi children who were less than 5 years old. CB distance (CBD) was measured and compared in eyes with PCG (PCG group) and without PCG (control group). CBD was measured with a caliper and defined as the distance between the edge of the corneoscleral limbus and the anterior edge of CB as delineated by transillumination. The difference in the CBD between groups was correlated with the axial length, corneal thickness, and corneal diameter. Results: CBD was measured in 15 eyes in the PCG and control groups. The mean CBD (1.6 ± 0.4 mm) in the PCG group was significantly greater than that in the control group (1.3 ± 0.3 mm) (p < 0.001). The mean difference in the CBD of 2 groups was 0.33 mm (95{\%} CI 0.15-0.54). In PCG eyes, the CBD was farthest in the superior quadrant (1.7 mm) followed by inferior (1.6 mm), temporal (1.6 mm), and nasal (1.5 mm) quadrants. The variability in CBD between quadrants in PCG eyes was greater than that in the control group. CBD in the PCG group showed a significant correlation with increasing axial length (p = 0.05), corneal thickness (p < 0.001), and corneal diameter (p = 0.0002). Conclusions: The CBD from the limbus was greater in PCG eyes compared to the controls and varied significantly in different quadrants. The knowledge regarding the greater CBD and its variability in PCG eyes could enable better planning of surgical treatment in congenital glaucoma.",
author = "{Al Nosair}, Ghadah and Rajiv Khandekar and Mohammed Al-Shamrani and Edward, {Deepak P.}",
doi = "10.1016/j.jcjo.2017.04.003",
journal = "Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology",
publisher = "Canadian Ophthalmological Society",
T1 - Ciliary body location in eyes with and without primary congenital glaucoma
AU - Al Nosair, Ghadah
AU - Khandekar, Rajiv
AU - Al-Shamrani, Mohammed
AU - Edward, Deepak P.
N2 - Objective: To compare the location of ciliary body (CB) in children with and without primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled Saudi children who were less than 5 years old. CB distance (CBD) was measured and compared in eyes with PCG (PCG group) and without PCG (control group). CBD was measured with a caliper and defined as the distance between the edge of the corneoscleral limbus and the anterior edge of CB as delineated by transillumination. The difference in the CBD between groups was correlated with the axial length, corneal thickness, and corneal diameter. Results: CBD was measured in 15 eyes in the PCG and control groups. The mean CBD (1.6 ± 0.4 mm) in the PCG group was significantly greater than that in the control group (1.3 ± 0.3 mm) (p < 0.001). The mean difference in the CBD of 2 groups was 0.33 mm (95% CI 0.15-0.54). In PCG eyes, the CBD was farthest in the superior quadrant (1.7 mm) followed by inferior (1.6 mm), temporal (1.6 mm), and nasal (1.5 mm) quadrants. The variability in CBD between quadrants in PCG eyes was greater than that in the control group. CBD in the PCG group showed a significant correlation with increasing axial length (p = 0.05), corneal thickness (p < 0.001), and corneal diameter (p = 0.0002). Conclusions: The CBD from the limbus was greater in PCG eyes compared to the controls and varied significantly in different quadrants. The knowledge regarding the greater CBD and its variability in PCG eyes could enable better planning of surgical treatment in congenital glaucoma.
AB - Objective: To compare the location of ciliary body (CB) in children with and without primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled Saudi children who were less than 5 years old. CB distance (CBD) was measured and compared in eyes with PCG (PCG group) and without PCG (control group). CBD was measured with a caliper and defined as the distance between the edge of the corneoscleral limbus and the anterior edge of CB as delineated by transillumination. The difference in the CBD between groups was correlated with the axial length, corneal thickness, and corneal diameter. Results: CBD was measured in 15 eyes in the PCG and control groups. The mean CBD (1.6 ± 0.4 mm) in the PCG group was significantly greater than that in the control group (1.3 ± 0.3 mm) (p < 0.001). The mean difference in the CBD of 2 groups was 0.33 mm (95% CI 0.15-0.54). In PCG eyes, the CBD was farthest in the superior quadrant (1.7 mm) followed by inferior (1.6 mm), temporal (1.6 mm), and nasal (1.5 mm) quadrants. The variability in CBD between quadrants in PCG eyes was greater than that in the control group. CBD in the PCG group showed a significant correlation with increasing axial length (p = 0.05), corneal thickness (p < 0.001), and corneal diameter (p = 0.0002). Conclusions: The CBD from the limbus was greater in PCG eyes compared to the controls and varied significantly in different quadrants. The knowledge regarding the greater CBD and its variability in PCG eyes could enable better planning of surgical treatment in congenital glaucoma.
U2 - 10.1016/j.jcjo.2017.04.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jcjo.2017.04.003
JO - Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology
JF - Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology
10.1016/j.jcjo.2017.04.003
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Price of Book
The Complete Mystery of Madeleine McCann™ :: Books on the Madeleine McCann case :: Kate McCann's book, Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine'
Amazon today is selling the Book for 1 eurocent apiece plus postage.
As good as new.
Re: Price of Book
by Nina on 01.09.12 13:20
@Portia wrote: Hello All!
I wouldn't even pay that, and would be ashamed to have anyone see it on my book shelves. As a research document though, priceless.
Not one more cent from me.
@Nina wrote:
And so I ordered it.
@Portia wrote:
by Ciawoman on 16.09.12 1:03
Does the book state that all sales proceeds are going towards the search for Madeleine?
Also would anyone have a link to the Fund accounts. I have looked at the accounts before on a site but cannot remember where. I was wanting to see the latest accounts. Last accounts I seen the company was trading at a loss and it would make sense that the book sales and advance payment be paid into the fund as they could offset the losses against this years profits. Also if declared through personal income you would be in the 40 percent tax bracket instead of company tax at 21 percent.
Ciawoman
Location : Belfast
by jd on 16.09.12 1:06
@Ciawoman wrote: Does the book state that all sales proceeds are going towards the search for Madeleine?
This should help find out the info:
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id405.html
The 2012 Accounts have to be filed by the end of December. Will be interesting to see if the missing book sale advance is included
@Ciawoman wrote: Thanks
Roalties going where exactly?
The front cover of the book has a sticker-like print stating, emphatically, unconditionally and -I think- binding in law as part of the sales agreement between the seller (publisher/editor/author) and buyer (me and the other million or so avid readers):
ALL ROYALTIES DONATED TO MADELEINE'S FUND
I, concerned citizen, read this sticker (sticking out, in gold, with the red velvet dress of the child as a backdrop); I want to take up the offer to be able to contribute to the Fund -why else would I buy this badly written piece of garbage- and so I fork out my hard earned cash in order to help this Fund fulfill its purpose, whichever I perceive that to be. O, wait a moment. In smaller print it also says, same front page cover: Madeleine. Our daughter's disappearance and the continuing search for her.
Thats OK then, isn't it? My money helps the search being continued. That's what I want. That's why I buy the book and pay my money.
So, if these royalties would be denied to the Fund, that would constitute breach of contract by the seller(s) leading to the money having to be refunded to the buyer -to all buyers!- upon request.
Hello Nina, thank you for the thumbs up!
I have it on my desk, but have not been able to bring myself to open it.
To me, it represents some unfathomable evil.
Hi Portia, you must gird your loins and open it and use it as a research tool. It is in black and white, and Kate says it is the truth.
I know what you mean though about evil, there are some times when I see the smirks and sideways glances that my skin crawls.
by russiandoll on 17.09.12 11:31
you can get a used copy on amazon for 1p, but then a delivery charge of almost £3.
The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie — deliberate,
contrived and dishonest — but the myth — persistent, persuasive and
unrealistic.
~John F. Kennedy
russiandoll
@russiandoll wrote: you can get a used copy on amazon for 1p, but then a delivery charge of almost £3.
That's correct. But I don't mind keeping a public service in business.
The book just lies there, in front of me, staring at me and getting bigger & bigger by the hour.
Out of sheer revulsion I have decided to scrap my day off, and go back to the office, in order to escape it.
by Angelique on 17.09.12 23:20
I have to agree that I would react in the same way as Portia if I had succumbed and purchased said Book.
The information that can be gleaned would be great but I too just can't buy it, borrow it, whatever.
Things aren't always what they seem
by aiyoyo on 18.09.12 7:49
Geez, even if given to me I wouldn't accept it. No way hosey!
I won't touch something written by a narcissist who can't string a sentence together coherently, let alone face her writing full of her inner hell taken out on foreign police.
by sharonl on 10.10.12 23:35
It seems that the hard back is no longer available - a sell out?
The paperback is now down to £4.73
It is ranked at no, 11,105 in Amazon books
"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER" - Rebekah Brooks to David Cameron
sharonl
@sharonl wrote: It seems that the hard back is no longer available - a sell out?
As high as that eh?
There wasn't a personal book-signing appearance from KM for the first edition. There wasn't one for the second either as far as I'm aware. It can be argued it would be because a cluster of anti-McCanns may turn up, create havoc, upset Kate, detract from the essence of the book which is a mother's account of 'the truth' about her missing child. It can also be argued that the book was edited to within an inch of its existence by lawyers, ghost-writers and PR people. It can be argued that the publishers thought they were on a winner when the press were on-side with TM.
What I see, and everything I'm writing is my opinion, is firstly the book hasn't done anything to find Madeleine. The book has made money (perhaps less than expected) and the proceeds of the book haven't been openly shown as deposited in the accounts of the Fund. It may not be necessary to show this information in the accounts but if you emblazen your book with a sticker suggesting every penny goes to....then a bit of transparent accounting or a bit of news on the website that asks for donations might be a nice/good thing to do.
by tigger on 11.10.12 16:44
@ aquila - you hit the nail on the head, here's the Sunday Express
By James Murray and Tracey Kandohla
Sunday April 10,2011
KATE McCann is so fearful of being attacked she is refusing to do public signings of her new book about the fight to find daughter Madeleine.
She will do television interviews here and in Portugal, where Madeleine disappeared four years ago, but will not meet the public over fears for her personal safety.
A source close to the publishers told the Sunday Express yesterday: "Kate doesn't want to give anyone the opportunity of heckling her or attacking her during any promotional tour. It's been emotional enough just writing the book."
The 348-page book, called Madeleine, is published on May 12, the little girl's eighth birthday.
We can disclose that one of the groups that could potentially have caused trouble is The Madeleine Foundation, which plans to distribute leaflets and step up an internet campaign confronting Kate and Gerry McCann on the date of publication.
They have already written to publishers Transworld demanding answers to 163 questions.
The questions include several put to the couple by the Portuguese police. One question asks: "How would the McCanns' children have coped if there was an emergency while they were absent and out of earshot?"
They also ask why the McCanns did not use the hotel's evening baby-sitting service.
The Foundation letter states: "Many feel that the McCanns owe it to the public, whom they have so frequently asked for help, to give them reasonable answers to their questions."
Kate, 42, has written the book because the Madeleine Fund, set up by well-wishers, is getting through money fast.
The McCanns want to be able to pay for further private detective work to track her down and cling to the belief that Madeleine is still alive somewhere.
Kate has said: "My reason for writing is simple – to give an account of the truth.
"Every penny we raise through its sales will be spent on our search for Madeleine."
The couple have devoted their lives to finding Madeleine.
They live in Rothley, Leicestershire, with their six-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.
The couple say Madeleine was abducted from their Algarve hotel apartment where the children had been left while they had dinner with friends a short distance away.
Public book-signings have become a risk for celebrities.
Last year former prime minister Tony Blair was pelted with eggs and shoes by anti-war protesters at a signing in Dublin.
A year earlier X Factor star Leona Lewis was punched in the face as she signed copies of her autobiography in London.
To add injury to insult:
My cat came along, tripped up my coffee mug, and wasted the lower side of pages 0-100.
The cat is now reclining on a cold stone slab
I have been wondering how to improve my copy. The litter tray beckons.
by sami on 11.10.12 22:30
My husband has always believed the McCanns story and considered me to be a bit loopy.
He read Kates first book and came to the conclusion they were guilty. Totally true.
They need to look closer to home when they state other peoples publications are prohibiting the search for Madeleine.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Madeleine-By-Kate-McCann-/310497713587?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item484b1b1db3
Madeleine By Kate McCann
awesomebooksuk
Visit Shop: AwesomeBooksUK
Item condition:Good
Price :£0.99
Postage: £1.99 Economy Delivery
So Postage and packing is now twice the cost of the book.
Read it on line is my advice. !
Or if you go to Amazon
+ £2.80 UK delivery
Expedited shipping available on this book. The book has been read but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact and th... » Read more
World of Books Ltd
Charity Listing
stwhospice
I love the "all pages are intact . . . " They are not in my copy !
by Miss Trunchbull on 03.12.13 16:18
I've spotted the book in quite a few charity shops.
If you want to use it for research, but don't want to pay excessive p&p or provide profits to the author, then expect to cough up £1-£2 for the hardback version.
Miss Trunchbull
What would be very (enormously actually) interesting is for the McCanns to reveal the revenue from their bewk. Dr Amaral has been asked about the revenue for his book etc.
Kate's bewk has a clearly displayed 'sticker' on it saying that the proceeds (royalties) go to the Fund. I might be a bit dim (I'm sure I am at times) but I can see no declaration of how much has been paid into the Fund from the bewk. I have not seen how much the bewk made.
It's incredible to think that the McCanns are suing someone and asking for proof on book income when their own limited company has shown nothing to the public with regards to revenue.
Transparency - the thing the McCanns avowed.
That's one of the many reasons people don't like the McCanns imo.
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Windows 8 Release Preview Offers Cloud Features, Apps
by Nick Kolakowski May 31, 2012 4 min read
cloud appsMicrosoftWindows 8
Windows 8's App Store will help determine the operating system's success.
The Windows 8 Release Preview, available May 31, offers yet another glimpse at Microsoft’s radically revamped operating system. It also gives users a clearer picture of how Redmond intends to leverage cloud features to make Windows 8 devices more useful and portable.
SkyDrive for Windows
Those cloud features include the ability, via SkyDrive for Windows, to open the Windows 8 photo app and take images stored on other PCs with SkyDrive installed. The overall SkyDrive revamp also offers quicker folder updating and a new 10-million-file limit.
Those are in-house features designed by Microsoft, however. The Windows 8 Release Preview re-emphasizes how third-party developers will determine the platform’s eventual success or failure. When you first log into Windows 8, you’re greeted with a Start screen of large, colorful tiles linked to applications—the latest iteration of the “Metro” aesthetic that increasingly unifies Microsoft’s products.
From there, the user can tap a button to access the “traditional” desktop, instantly familiar to anyone who’s ever used a Windows PC. But Microsoft is emphasizing that Start screen as a core element in the new Windows experience: at least in theory, it’s a user interface capable of running equally well on touch-screen tablets and PCs operated via keyboard, mouse and touch-pad.
But a Start screen loaded with tiles connected to apps (and featuring easy access to an online applications store) demands exactly that—a giant ecosystem of productivity software and games created by third-party developers. Particularly in the case of tablets, a robust app collection will go a long way towards determining the health of the overall platform; take a look at how startup tablet platforms such as webOS or Research In Motion’s PlayBook, each with a relatively paltry app selection, managed to perform against the iPad and Android tablets with their giant app stores.
Help Wanted: Developers, Developers, Developers
As with any other tablet or smartphone developer out there, Microsoft now needs those third-party developers to rush to Windows 8 with their cloud apps. For months, Microsoft executives have touted how Windows’ dominance of the operating-system market all but guarantees developers a significant audience for their products. And while that certainly applies to PCs, tablets are a much riskier proposition for any new entrant, no matter how big the marketing budget: at the moment, Apple’s iPad rules that market, followed in distant second by Google Android.
Speaking of Apple, at least one executive at that company believes that trying to make a single operating system all things to all devices is probably a bad idea. “I love convergence, but products are about tradeoffs and you have to make tough decisions,” Apple CEO Tim Cook told the audience during an onstage interview at this week’s D10 Conference, according to a transcript provided by MacRumors. “The more you look at a tablet as a PC, the more the past affects the product.”
Time will tell whether he’s right.
Windows 8 Preview: Our Five Favorite Features
Windows 8 General Release Set for October 26
Windows 8 Gets Release Date
Google+ Incorporates Zagat Data, Friends’ Opinions
HP’s New Software Chief is a ‘Turnaround Specialist’
Nick Kolakowski has written for The Washington Post, Slashdot, eWeek, McSweeney's, Thrillist, WebMD, Trader Monthly, and other venues. He's also the author of "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" and "Maxine Unleashes Doomsday," a pair of noir thrillers.
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22 ARTICLES IN THIS TOPIC
by Bryan Ballas
@bryanballas1
Washington National Cathedral Celebrates Gay Marriage Decision
On June 30, 2015 the Washington National Cathedral’s hosted a service entitled “Honoring the Road of Love and Justice,” an act of thanksgiving for the Court’s legalization of gay marriage.
Considering the theological setting, there was little new or unusual about the service. Rainbow flags were waved and the liturgy honored gay rights “heroes” such as Harvey Milk, Hillary and Julie Goodridge, Barbara Gittings, and James Obergefell.
The service featured two speakers. The first was Brandan J. Robertson, the twenty-two year old board member of Evangelicals For Marriage Equality, a group dedicated to convincing churches to sign on to gay marriage. The second was the Reverend Allyson Robinson, a Baptist transgender minister.
Brandan displayed the typical tropes of the “Christian” homosexual narrative, namely he that he struggled with theology and his sexuality, met with LGBT people, eventually realized that God is okay with his orientation, claimed that discrimination still haunts the LGBT community, despite the Supreme Court victory, and that God was up to something great with this movement towards justice.
Rev. Robinson, on the other hand, broke plenty of ground in between her hyperbolic statements.
While acknowledging that the Supreme Court decision was a major victory in the culture war, Rev. Robinson warned that there were many more battles to fight,
“Transgender people by tens and hundreds of thousands live among us in poverty and despair, particularly transgender people of color….Undocumented immigrants who are transgender experience violence and abuse while in ICE detention at levels that would make a concentration camp commander squirm….LGBT people of all kinds still face discrimination and violence at the hands of their neighbors and their schools, and their employers and, sadly, their churches….[W]e must not compromise with their safety or their dignity or with laws that claim to protect religious liberty, but in reality privilege prejudice….These are only a few of the battles that are raging right now” (emphasis added).
This did not stop her from assessing the victory at the Supreme Court,
“The outcome of the culture war, at least on this front, is no longer in question….[I]n all but the most entrenched sectors of our society, resistance is giving way to resignation….Our culture war is ending.
At this point Rev. Robinson took a decidedly new approach,
Today, I am compelled to lay my weapons down, to assume a different posture relative to those who have been my enemies. I am compelled by sacred text and ancient tradition and the Spirit of God alive in me and the example of the one that I call ‘Savior’ and ‘Lord,’ here at the turn of the tide to surrender my instruments of war for instruments of reconciliation. I’m compelled by texts like…the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome…‘bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse them’…’Don’t repay any of them evil for the evil you have been dealt. But as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with them.’ I believe that if we can come together in this way…if we can devote ourselves to a justice that includes freedom of conscience for all and a harmony that does not demand homogeneity, than we ourselves will be blessed….We must reject the ‘us versus them’ mindset that at least in some way brought us to this place….And it must begin with us. And so tonight I confess my sins of this culture war. And I call upon us all to do the same. Tonight I repent. And I tonight I call on Christian leaders on both sides of these battle lines: come let us reason together (emphasis added).
How does this new paradigm of reconciliation play out in Rev. Robinson’s mind?
“I commend the leaders of my own tradition. Leaders of LGBT affirming Baptist and evangelical churches and the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention who quietly held a gathering in Nashville last fall of pastors, teachers, and…cultural warriors from both sides. I’m grateful to have participated in that gathering. And I commend Christian leaders…who have done the hard work of sitting down together not to argue and not to convince but simply to sit down together in the name of Christ….[A]nd I call upon Christian leaders nationwide to follow the example that we set and come together for face to face, person to person, heart to heart conversations. As leaders called and ordained it falls upon us to set this example….We must begin to see one another not as enemies or as issues but as human beings….There is no other way to heal the wounds of this war or to heal the division of our land (emphasis added).
If this service is any indication of the posture that pro-LGBT churches will adopt following the legalization of gay marriage, faithful churches are in for more of the same with a little extra spice.
The LGBT community’s conscious attempt to identify with the struggles of racial minorities remains intact, as demonstrated by Rev. Robinson’s specific attention towards the “poverty and despair” of “transgenders of color.” The gay rights movement’s insensitive use of holocaust imagery was also on display in her lamentation of the plight of “undocumented immigrants who are transgender.”
Also visible was the LGBT movement’s hostility towards visions of religious freedom that allow voices that do not affirm their life choices.
Additionally, this service and its speakers were filled with the LGBT’s trademark self-importance and arrogance, an arrogance that reached its peak with Rev. Robinson’s call for reconciliation in a war of aggression that that LGBT activists started.
This reconciliation tactic is perhaps the only new element in the conflict between LGBT and faithful churches. The LGBT churches are going to play the role of bridge builders who are reluctant to rub faces in the dirt. When faithful churches refuse such a mockery, the LGBT churches will cast them as sore losers who are consumed by hate.
Again, more of the same.
Just with added spice.
Tagged with: Allyson Robinson • Anglican • Baptist • Brandan Robertson • Bryan Ballas • Church • churches • culture war • Domestic Religious Liberty • Episcopal • Episcopalian • Evangelicals for Marriage Equality • Gay Marriage • Harvey Milk • LGBT • LGBTQ • marriage • Marriage Equality • Obergefell v. Hodges • RFRA • Social Justice • Southern Baptist Convention • Supreme Court • Transgender • U.S. Supreme Court • Washington National Cathedral
8 Responses to Washington National Cathedral Celebrates Gay Marriage Decision
Gary Kleeman says:
Jude 1:4 (NRSV) For certain intruders have
stolen in among you, … , who pervert the grace of our God …
MarcoPolo says:
Sheesh! Or Oy! Or whatever expression seems to describe the lament of such an over reacting fear response!
This is not the end of the world, people! Just (hopefully) the end of prejudice.
darh477 says:
What’s the matter? Trying to get a rise out of the bad old Christians, and no one will play with you?
I hooked YOU!
One “fish” is as good as another!
Namaste ‘
Not really. Dialogue is for two sentient humans. You’re just a pile of cliches.
That fake “Namaste” and “I love ya, man” are so phony. That 1960s peace’n’love crapola are dated stuff, no one ever believed the stoners loved anyone but themselves.
I’m sorry you can’t feel the love.
I’m as full of the same stuff that made Hippies great then, and now!
We’re never going away, so don’t get too comfortable.
And I still love you, in spite of your shortcomings.
Diaris says:
What a pity the rich homosexuals who get married there don’t contribute enough to keep the church running, so they have to charge $10 admission just to walk through. Not only have the Episcopagans driven the Christians away, they drove away the $$$ also. Not good.
Namyriah says:
This Brandon Robertson is like most LGBTs who “struggled with their sexuality,” he obviously didn’t put up much of a fight. It’s one thing to give in to your pet sin, it’s another to try to convince Christians that your moral failure is proof that we ought to accept and celebrate your sin. What if all the adulterers in the pews banded together and claimed that after they “struggled with their sexuality,” they finally discovered that God didn’t really mean it when He said “Thou shalt not commit adultery”?
Love the sinner, but hate the sin. That’s how it works, folks. All Christian churches, everywhere, accept sinners, but not unrepentant ones. If you don’t think enough of God to let him direct your private life, then your religion is a sham.
Leave a Reply to Namyriah Cancel reply
Is Happiness the Enemy?
How Moral Relativism Destroys Religious Freedom and Morality
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Sean Spicer: Trump considering 20% tax on Mexican imports – Business Insider
“Sean Spicer, White House press secretary for President Donald Trump, told reporters on Thursday that the administration is pushing for a 20% border tax on Mexican imports. “When you look at the plan that’s taking shape now, using comprehensive tax reform as a means to tax imports from countries that we have a trade deficit from, like Mexico,” Spicer said, according to a White House pool report.”
Full text: Sean Spicer: Trump considering 20% tax on Mexican imports – Business Insider
This is the funniest one yet. And just goes to show the importance of understanding logic. Tariffs are ultimately paid for by the final consumer. A “border tax”, as Spicer put it (I imagine to make it sound like Mexicans handing over money at border crossings), translates to an increase in prices to the American public. That affects merchandise across the board. Consider that in the globalized world, your car, for example, might be put together in one country but it has parts from all over the world.
48 comments on “Sean Spicer: Trump considering 20% tax on Mexican imports – Business Insider”
This is a hideously bad idea.
Or it’ll serve as a very fast lesson to show the world (left and right) why free trade is so very, very important.
I’ve been learning political lessons for about 25 years, I’m sick of them.
. . . as if Mexico won’t do exactly the same in response. Zero-sum. Duh.
Absolutely. Lose/Lose.
hmmm, this, and the mysterious executive orders that he’s signing, evidently written by the neonazi Bannon et al, claiming that the US should get Iraqi oil, what fun 😛
I’m watching with interest, from what is hopefully, a safe distance! 😀
no place is safe now 😦 I do hope someone snipped all of the wires in that “nuclear football”.
5,000 dead US troops, 250,000 mentally or physically handicapped. US ought to get the oil for $5 a barrel. Problem with US foreign policy is we make other countries rich with American “hero” blood. Actually they are mere cannon fodder for the capitalist system and not fighting for freedom.
So you think Iraqis benefitted from the war?
exactly. and what’s (even more if that’s possible) ridiculous, is we don’t need the oil. it’s just a power grab.
Not only will the American public pay the tax which means the US will pay for the wall, also Mexico is the 4th largest supplier of oil to the US. Here come higher fuel costs. Thanks tRump. Hugs
-sigh- we knew the building was going to be bombed, but it’s still sad watching it crumble bit by bit.
Oddly enough, the one thing I do approve is the US withdrawal from the TPP. We here in Australia were more than a little worried about the TPP because we felt that US corporations were the only ones to really benefit. Now they won’t, and I’m very, very glad. Free trade is not free when the biggest bully in the school yard dictates the terms – take it or leave it.
You’re probably right about the corporations, but there are always collateral effects that benefit the people at the very bottom of the pyramid- meaning very low income consumers. A “poor” person 30 years ago had nowhere near the amount of options they have today, from food to clothing to furniture.
Mmm…I guess a lot of that will depend on your definition of ‘poor’. Here, the TPP would have made it much harder and more expensive for poor people to gain access to medicines, for example.
Bottom line, I do NOT want my government to hand over any sovereign rights to a multinational corporation just so we can sell wheat or some other commodity, to the US.
Megabanks and megacorps rule and have death grip on all allegedly sovereign nations. Even in US the right to vote has become a mere illusion of democracy and an illusion that the common man has some control of his own destiny.
Not odd at all Meeks, anyone with a brain and who wasn’t in thrall to corporate interests wanted out of TPP — even Hillary pretended she wanted out.
You know, I never would have believed I’d become such an anti-corporation person. When I first read Kim Stanley Robinson’s sci-fi novels, I thought his plot device of making the corporations the ‘villains’ was interesting but much too unrealistic. There were laws against that sort of thing. How could they possibly get away with it? Hah. The man was waaaaay ahead of his time.
P.S. It was that under TPP corporations could litigate against anyone preventing them from taking profits that was utterly objectionable. So, if you prevented an oil company from building a pipeline because it polluted a river, then they can sue you for damaging their earnings potential regardless of the fact they would have been breaking environmental legislation had they gone ahead.
Things like that can and should be off the table. It’s possible to create free trade without abuses.
Of course they should be off the bloody table, but the corporate democrats were going to sneak TPP through with it in situ, which is another reason why they got what they deserved at the election and now need to reconstruct themselves with a progressive agenda. https://justicedemocrats.com
http://www.citizen.org/documents/isds-law-economics-professors-letter-Sept-2016.pdf
Exactly! Thanks for reminding me of that one. I really do believe we dodged a massive bullet on that one. I just hope that by the time DumpTy gets kicked out, we’ll have a smarter government /here/ as well.
Well I think US killed a million of them just like in Vietnam and most may not feel they got a good deal. For me I did not care if Saddam had WMD’s or not or that the suggestion was a lie for Bush to invade. Saddam ruled with terror over the people. One way was the use of RAPE ROOMS. Can anyone imagine the horror of such things ? For that reason alone I justify a regime change. If one no longer has to worry about rape rooms or a family member being “disappeared” I’d say Iraqis got a good deal. But another US inconsistency is our alleged war on drugs. Afghanistan produces 70% of world’s opium and heroin is cheaper and more available in US than ever since our presence. Hmmmm ?
Carl you say Iraqis got a good deal. Do you think it’s a good deal when every single day they are bombing themselves left right and centre, in markets, funerals and anywhere a bomb can fit?
No that is a horrible climate. Radical Islam is making war on its own people. It deeply troubles me and saddens me.
I admit outright that it is hard to predict the future, but do you think the 1m + deaths, destruction of property, displacement of lives were worth the fight to kill one man for access to oil? Compared to the carnage following the US led invasion, has Iraq become better?
We’re out of the TPP but in on the PPP, Putin, Pee and Prostitutes.
He also said that “unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route. We have no choice.”
Has he realised that threatening to take your bat and ball and go home unless everyone lets you get your own way isn’t the same as asking to be treated fairly and with respect?
It’s 1984 all over again. Didn’t you know Mexico is well known for paying its agricultural workers the highest wages in the world! All funded by Americans, which is why… oh wait 😕
😀 He is such a lineal thinker, he doesn’t seem to have the ability to think around corners, it’s a straight line to what he wants and everyone will give in with enough bullying. Unfortunately for him politics is very different from business.
Now the news is reporting that his 20% means some essential items, like avocado (ha!), will be terribly affected and suddenly it is just an idea, not a policy. Has he not realised that a real leader doesn’t just say whatever pops into their head, they think it through and take advice. Oh, sorry, see point one again… 😀
I have to say, this worldwide resistance to him has entertained me greatly, so much so that I have opened a Twitter account just to make it easy to listen to the constant chatter! Such amusement… 🙂
But is he really? Or is it all just a game?
@ PInky ‘But is he really? Or is it all just a game?’
I remember watching a video by Michael Moore in which he basically said that Trump was just playing but…that was fairly early in the campaign, back when no one really thought the Donald had a chance. Now, I think Metan is right. I think Trump is high on power and the sense that he’s unstoppable. As such, he’s blurting out things that do betray his core thinking. If you look at his business dealings, bullying his way through to success is his signature modus operandi. Sadly, he’s not as smart as he thinks he is, and that does not bode well for any of us. 😦
I don’t doubt that it is something of a game to him, his father bought him up with the attitude that the only possibilities are being the winner or being one of the losers, and being a winner was the only acceptable outcome. Right now he is probably shouting to those personal demons “Look, I’m the leader of the world!! I won everything!!”.
He seems to be so desperately insecure, as we’ve seen with his focus on ratings, popularity and crowd numbers etc, that I believe that now he has embarked on this track he won’t allow himself to lose face by taking a step back. The spectre looms of years of presidential decisions made on the fly purely to save face rather than benefit his country. As for being a lineal thinker, have we seen any evidence of tricky thinking?
Of course you could be right, it is possible we aren’t seeing what an evil genius he is and we’re all going to find out this buffoonery is part of the longest con in the world. (Really long. And so tricky. The trickiest. I have the best tricks ever. You won’t believe the tricks I have.)
I mentioned to the kids the other day (while we watched another of his staged signing events on the news) that Trump now seems to have his dream job, he sits at a desk and people clap when he signs something. It’s the same job as before, but with more admiring minions.
Loving the airport protests blowing up the internet today after his Muslim ban, and amazed that he is saying it is going well while protestors are filling the concourses. Wish I was a fly on the Oval Office wall, does he really think it’s going well, or is the voice in his head repeating “find a happy place, find a happy place…”
You’re right regarding the linear thinking- my point was more on his intentional deception/manipulation. His Crooked Hillary chant was nothing more than a chant. And a 90 day Muslim ban is nothing more than a stunt. What could happen in 90 days to “resolve” middle-eastern terrorism?
You might be giving him credit for more craftiness than he is capable of! I don’t think the Muslim ban is just a stunt, I doubt he would intentionally risk the chance of having to backtrack on something like an EO, it’s too obvious when he does, and that fragile ego isn’t up for public humiliation. He said he would do it during the election, and here he is, satisfying his fans.
No reason to think it isn’t a manipulation as well though, he still has to deal with China and Mexico, this is a none too subtle “look how hardline I am, you don’t want to mess with me” before they do. Really don’t think China will be intimidated though, not looking forward to the consequences of that one-upmanship.
Sirius Bizinus
The problem with reports like this is that they’re speculation until something official happens. This could be anything from testing out domestic reaction to serving as a hard-line position to begin negotiations on something. Yes, it’s ridiculous, and it’s also dangerous considering Mexico is supposed to be an ally. If our foreign policy will do this to friends, the U.S. won’t have friends.
Now I won’t even be able to escape to Mexico because of this asshat.
The whole ‘Building a wall’ is total lunacy. The Mexicans don’t want it and won’t pay for it. Plenty of Americans don’t want it and yet may be made to pay for it. There will be a loss of trade from visitors from the Mexican side leading to job losses. So much for Trump’s promise to increase employment.
Fine. Now watch the Mexicans withdraw all support in the “War on Drugs,” kick all US feds out, and turn a blind eye to the cartels.
It’s not even that simple. Watch Mexico let the illegals cross their southern border from South America and help them cross the border into the US.
Here’s the thing: I could have possibly gotten on board with a wall/fence. There is a point to be made that those crossing the border illegally are…well…doing it illegally, that they shouldn’t be allowed to circumvent the proper channels of legal entry to our country. Countries do have immigration policies for a reason. So it isn’t so much the idea of securing the border, it’s the means and rhetoric by which he’s chosen to do it. Belittling, insulting, and denigrating an entire society and/or ethnicity of people just isn’t it.
An economically strong Mexico will do more in keeping its people there than any silly wall will ever do.
But wait… Trump wants to ruin the Mexican economy, therefore inviting millions of economic refugees north.
Oh, the man is a gem!
It already was working toward that end. That’s why people come here from Mexico; largely for work.
But hey, kill their economy and build a wall to keep them out. That sounds like a great plan. Suddenly I’m conjuring images of beggars at the palace gates being offered the crumbs from the king’s table.
Well, to be fair, crumbs for mowing your lawn first 😉
Trump walked that back just as quickly as Spicer could get it out there. He seems to be doing the same thing in presidency that he did in his campaign; throw shit against the wall and see if it sticks. He tests the temperature of the waters with these “leaks” and then either forges full steam ahead or walks it back depending on whether he thinks it’ll pass based on the response. Similarly, instead of picking up a damn phone and calling a foreign leader or state governor or city mayor he tweets out some vague policy ideathreat and waits for the poor sap to come groveling to him. It’s all part of his negotiation strategy. He seems to think it gives him leverage. smdh…
Anyone with a brain should know this, it doesn’t take a Pulitzer Prize winning economist, though at least one (Krugman) tweeted about it. Smoke and mirrors.
The problem is the people without on, isn’t it? 😀
Yes that cuts to the heart of it!
This entry was posted on January 26, 2017 by The Pink Agendist in activism and tagged free trade, mexico, politics, Tariffs, trump.
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Search the Kenyon Collegian
Section: Features
Become national master? Check.
by Grant Miner
Photo by Emily Stegner
Chess boards, 15 in total, were arranged on a semicircle of tables during Weaver Wednesday on Feb. 3. On one side sat 15 players, most of them looking either deep in thought or mildly frustrated. They were short on opponents, as the only other people participating were Assistant Professor of Russian Jamie McGavran ’02 and Scott Treiman ’17, founder and president of Kenyon’s chess club. The two men would make a move, then shift.
They were playing what’s called a tandem simul, or two players playing the same game as partners and alternating moves without knowing theirpartner’s intentions; the real difficulty of these games lies not in their opponents, but in their own inability to communicate.
While it might have looked like McGavran and Treiman had their work cut out for them, it was their opponents who needed to be worried.
Treiman, who has been playing chess since fourth grade, is a national master in the U.S., placing him in the top one percent of all players in the country. The title of national master is only achieved after a player reaches a rank of over 2,200 (chess uses a flexible rating system called Elo in which one’s change of score after a match is calculated using the difference of the two players’ scores).
“Really, my mom was just looking for an activity for me that didn’t involve sports,” Treiman said. “She was looking for a way to calm me down.”
Chess, it turned out, was the only after-school program that didn’t involve some kind of physical activity. While making a kid hooked on sports sit down and play chess may seem doomed to failure, Treiman had the opposite reaction.
“I started to have some early successes,” Treiman said. “It turns out that when you get to come home at the end of the day with a big trophy, it’s a big motivation to keep playing.”
Though tournament wins (and the accompanying trophies) may have hooked Treiman on chess, his love for the game goes much deeper.
Treiman talks about chess as if each game were a living entity that grows as it wears on. For Treiman, each game is a chance for discovery.
“Chess is a very humbling game,” Treiman said. “There are positions you encounter that no one has ever encountered before. There’s so much to learn and it can be incredibly frustrating at times.”
After beginning his slow climb at a ranking of 1,000, Treiman inched his way up the ladder until he reached national expert (achieved at 2,000), at which point he decided he wanted to be a national master.
It was a goal Treiman never thought he would achieve, especially since he hadn’t achieved it by the time he came to Kenyon.
“I said to myself, ‘OK, now it’s time to focus on school,’ so I didn’t practice,” Treiman said. “I had only one tournament scheduled when I went back home and I thought that maybe I could just maintain my score.”
But Treiman did more than just maintain his score. In what he humbly described as a “series of lucky successes,” Treiman finally pushed his rank the last few points he needed to reach the level of national master.
“It was surreal,” Treiman said. “When I finally became a master, there was a lot of celebrating.”
Treiman said he doesn’t have any intention of “going pro,” and has, in a sense, retired from progressing his rank as he turns to studies and internships. But Treiman has no intention of ever giving up on the game itself.
Back at Weaver Wednesday, Treiman and McGavran have just finished their last game. Their results? 24 wins. One draw.
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Grant Miner
Grant Miner is Features Editor of the Collegian.More from Grant
Read more coverage on:
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Comments for this article have closed. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor for publication, please email us at collegian@kenyon.edu.
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Talking about feelings
Everyone has feelings
Feelings are there to help us. They tell us when things are going well and make us feel good like being happy, excited or proud. Feelings also tell us when things aren’t going well and can make us feel angry, scared or worried.
Talking about feelings can be tough
Sometimes we don’t know how to say what we feel or we worry about how the other person might react. You might feel uncomfortable talking about how you feel or think that other people should already know how you are feeling.
It’s OK to talk about your feelings
Talking about feelings helps us to feel close to those who care. It helps us to work through problems and cope better. Putting feelings into words can also help us stay in control when we are angry or upset.
When you know how you feel, it’s easier to talk about it
Spend some time alone thinking about how you feel. Try to put a name to that feeling. Are you feeling: happy, sad, angry, nervous, worried, confused, scared, excited, jealous, shy, embarrassed, annoyed or surprised? If you’re having trouble finding the right word, look up some feeling lists.
Get to know your feelings
Ask questions like: How big is this feeling? Where in your body do you feel it? What does it feel like inside your body? What does it make you feel like doing?
What made you feel that way?
Think about what happened to make you feel that way. If you don't know why, that’s ok. You can still talk about it. You could say something like "I feel sad, but I don't know why."
Practice talking about your feelings
Try putting how you feel and why into these sentences:
I feel _____ because ____________.
I feel ______ when ________ happens.
Talk to someone about your feelings
Pick a person you feel comfortable to talk to. It could be a friend, parent, teacher or relative. Find a time when they aren’t busy and let them know that you want to talk. Tell them how you feel and why.
It helps to talk about how you feel – the good and the bad
Saying how you feel and why can help you cope and feel better. Sometimes it makes your feelings less upsetting and scary. It helps to know you are not alone with a problem or worry.
We're here if you need help to practice
Practice helps! The more you talk about your feelings the easier it will get. Try starting with feelings that make you feel good and work your way up to the hard ones. Contact us if you need some help talking about your feelings - give us a call, send an email or start a WebChat.
You can also check out Head to Health for other digital services and resources.
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Home > ~ 102408 Low Plasma CoQ10 Predicts Mortality In Heart Failure Patients
~ 102408 Low Plasma CoQ10 Predicts Mortality In Heart Failure Patients
The October 28, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology featured a study conducted in New Zealand which found that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels are an independent predictor of survival in chronic heart failure patients. Coenzyme Q10 is a compound that occurs in all cells, which is needed for the production of energy. Studies have shown that depleted CoQ10 levels could worsen chronic heart failure.
The current study evaluated 236 heart failure patients with a median age of 77 years upon admission to Christchurch Hospital. Blood plasma samples were analyzed for coenzyme Q10, cholesterol and other factors. Participants were followed for a period of up to 5.75 years, during which 76 deaths occurred.
The median range of plasma CoQ10 among the study's participants was 0.68 micromoles per liter. At twelve months of follow-up, the 29 nonsurvivors were found to have lower plasma levels of CoQ10 compared with the 205 survivors. Over the entire follow-up period, 39 percent of the participants who had CoQ10 levels lower than 0.73 micromoles per liter died, compared with 22 percent of those whose levels were higher. Multivariable analysis determined that higher plasma CoQ10 levels, whether above the median level or greater than 0.73 micromoles per liter, were an independent predictor of survival.
Statin drugs are known to lower coenzyme Q10 levels, yet their use has been associated with a reduced risk of death in heart failure patients. Although participants with higher CoQ10 levels were less likely to be using statin drugs, statin therapy was not found to be independently associated with mortality. Nevertheless, the authors suggest that the failure of a recent trial of rosuvastatin in to elicit a reduction in major vascular events in heart failure patients could be due to a reduction in CoQ10 which offset the beneficial effects of the drug.
"No previous studies . . . have formally studied the relationship between CoQ10 and outcomes in chronic heart failure in a longitudinal observational study such as ours," the authors write. "Our findings in a clearly defined, prospectively studied group that CoQ10 depletion is associated with worse outcomes in CHF give further support to the rationale of the intervention studies that have already been initiated."
Related Health Concern: Congestive heart failure
CHF occurs when the heart cannot pump efficiently enough to supply the body with freshly oxygenated blood. It affects about 5 million people in the United States. Within 5 years, medical experts predict that about half of these patients will have died of their conditions (American Heart Association 2004). Hoping to prolong survival, patients with CHF are typically treated with an array of powerful medications that have been shown to increase survival, often at a high cost. The conventional drugs used to treat CHF have significant adverse effects and, in many cases, implantation of a lifesaving medical device, or even having a heart transplant, may be necessary.
Studies have shown that nutrients and supplements can strengthen the heart muscle, with fewer side effects than the powerful pharmaceuticals often used to treat the condition. CoQ10 is one of the most powerful.
The goal with nutrients and supplements is the same as with conventional medication: to slow the gradual enlargement and weakening of the heart. This process, which occurs in all forms of CHF, is called cardiac remodeling. During cardiac remodeling, the heart gradually changes shape, becoming larger and thinner. Cardiac remodeling is the driving force behind the reduced quality of life experienced by patients with CHF (Fedak PW et al 2005; Weisberg AD et al 2005).
By reinforcing the heart's function, it may be possible to slow cardiac remodeling. In this regard, CoQ10 has been studied since the middle 1960s. Present in high quantities throughout the heart muscle, CoQ10 has many beneficial effects, including energy production (Awata N et al 1980; Crane FL et al 1997; Nakamura Y et al 1982; Nayler WG 1980), an antioxidant effect (Frei B et al 1990), and stabilizing the heart membrane (Ondarroa M et al 1986).
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Board index News
Iranian Canadian Journalist saved by L. Cohen
News about Leonard Cohen and his work, press, radio & TV programs etc.
PhilMader
Contact PhilMader
Post by PhilMader » Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:22 am
Iranian Canadian journalist, Maziar Bahari, says he was regularly beaten and threatened with execution while imprisoned in Iran for 118 days.
He claims singing Leonard Cohen's song, The Sisters of Mercy, saved him from committing suicide, and gave him the strength to continue. see VIDEO CLIP
http://www.cbc.ca/video/news/player.htm ... 1339386638
The story is below.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/11/2 ... rview.html
Yiddish proverb: Life is a joke
st theresa
Location: Edmonton Alberta
touching news story
Post by st theresa » Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:40 am
Bahari said he felt the walls were closing in around him while in solitary confinement, but he was comforted as he hummed the words to Leonard Cohen's song, Sisters of Mercy. He said the title came to him in a dream about two women who both looked like his sister.
"And all of a sudden this universe was created, this universe that was guarded by Mr. Leonard Cohen, and it was just ridiculous to me that this old Jewish [man], and one of the most cynical poet songwriters in the world, managed to save me in the heart of the Islamic Republic."
In the televised interview, Mr. Bahari describes this dream where two women come to him in solitary confinement bringing him such solace that he stopped thinking of suicide. He asked in his dream who they were and they told him they were Sisters of Mercy. When he awoke he began to hum the song to himself.
The video gets into talking about Leonard at about 18 minutes. Mr. Bahari says that Mr. Cohen was his saviour in prison..
GinaDCG
Location: West Virginia, USA
Re: touching news story
Post by GinaDCG » Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:48 pm
Hooray! He's free! And yet another soul aided by Cohen's words!
I saw the 60 Minutes interview last night in which at one point, his remembers describing his captors as "dumb."
So they thought Jason Jones of "The Daily Show" was a REAL spy? Dark humor alert: tune in to The Daily Show tonite and tomorrow to see what they do with this information. With material like this they don't need writers! Perhaps laughter is, even though it seems trite, the most effective weapon we have against The Islamic Republic of Iran
wakeupmartin
Location: Norwich, UK
Contact wakeupmartin
Re: Iranian Canadian Journalist saved by L. Cohen
Post by wakeupmartin » Mon Nov 23, 2009 5:05 pm
Thanks for posting that. I'm always moved and inspired by such stories, especially as there seemed no hatred in him towards his torturers. Maziar Bahari, what a man! (even though he did describe LC as 'one of the most cynical poet songwriters in the world'!)
DrHGuy
Contact DrHGuy
Post by DrHGuy » Mon Nov 23, 2009 5:20 pm
The story of Maziar Bahari is indeed touching. It is also, however, a rare opportunity to listen to and read the words of an especially articulate man, facing humiliation, torture, and the possibility of the end of his existence, describing the strength, solace, and sustenance he found in the music of Leonard Cohen. Bahari's complete report published in Newsweek is available at http://www.newsweek.com/id/223862/page/1.
I urge anyone interested in the impact of Leonard Cohen's work to view the primary source for this story, the CBC video referenced in the earlier posts. For anyone who watches the CBC video and is interested in a bit more of the details, I've excerpted the portions of the Newsweek report dealing with Cohen's music and embedded a video of the Daily Show segment used by Bahari's captors as evidence against him at http://1heckofaguy.com/2009/11/23/mazia ... ival-made/
Cohencentric http://Cohencentric.com
AvidCohenFan
Post by AvidCohenFan » Mon Nov 23, 2009 6:57 pm
It says I'm not allowed to view the Daily Show video in my country! How do I see it By the way, this reminded me that I had a very nice dream recently that Garry Shandling of The Larry Sanders Show was going to be interviewed on The Daily Show.
Post by st theresa » Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:36 pm
as usual Dr H has the unabridged and beautifully embellished version of this story. I encourage anyone reading this to check out his site--and if anyone read my little spiteful retort that that I posted and then deleted, I am sorry I let ego take control for a few minutes.
LisaLCFan
Post by LisaLCFan » Mon Nov 23, 2009 11:11 pm
What a wonderful story! I'm sure that we have all sought solace in Leonard's music and poetry at one time or another, hopefully under much less horrific circumstances than those faced by Mr. Bahari. I hope Leonard learns of this, so that he will know once again how important his work is, and how inspirational it can be. "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in!"
Post by ladydi » Tue Nov 24, 2009 12:12 am
What an amazing story and video. Mr. Bahari is so softly well-spoken that one has to almost shake their head to realize the horror of his experience, and to remember that there are still thousands going through this same horror on a daily basis. I can see retreating into Leonard's words and music as a way to maintain an alternate existence through such terrifying moments. Sustenance. I think of the words of Sharon's song....and Leonard does indeed give us sustenance.
I truly hope that one day Mr. Bahari and Leonard will meet. I think it would be an emotional encounter.
Thank you to everyone for sharing. To PhilMader for bringing us the video interview, and for DrHGuy for bringing us additional video and the article. This is very powerful.
lizzytysh
Location: Florida, U.S.A.
Post by lizzytysh » Tue Nov 24, 2009 4:37 am
I've read about this in this thread and tomorrow night I'll read about and watch the real thing. It, indeed, is powerful. Thanks to both of you for bringing this to us in your differing ways.
~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
Sasha K
Post by Sasha K » Thu Nov 26, 2009 12:19 pm
Just read this moving story,the headliner in Newsweek Nov 30 issue, in a bookshop in Japan....first time I`ve picked up that mag in decades. Mr Bahari also refers to " The Partisan" and " So Long Marianne" as having sustained him, and says " Of such stuff survival is made. Thank you, Mr Cohen."
I, too, hope they meet. This kind of thing does more than we realize to change the collective unconsciousness in the direction of peace. Thank you, Mr Bahari. Thank you, Leonard.
Location: Northern California, previously: Warsaw, Poland
Post by mirka » Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:10 pm
wow, very touching !
Leonard's music has this quality of creating a safe "universe guarded by Mr. Leonard Cohen".
Iranian journalist's story is extreme but not unique.
Some of Leonard's Polish fans have been through similar experience during the Martial law period in Poland in '80, and I found on YouTube comment saying something to the effect "this man got me once out of a very deep depression with his songs".
Personally I think he hypnotizes with his voice, and then everything seems possible
I found on the Forum report of a Polish fan I had in mind: it's by Mirek, who I understand is the spokesman for the Krakow event:
1982 - martial law in Poland - I was in the army (compulsory one year after
graduating university). In some sullen barrack I am sitting by some broken
table - translating "Sisters of Mercy". Believe me, Leonard's poetry really
helped me to remain normal surrounded by an abnormal world full of hate.
viewtopic.php?t=8484&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
Last edited by mirka on Fri Nov 27, 2009 9:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
/Warsaw March 22 1985 / Halifax May 16 /Charlottetown May 18 / Dublin June 15 / Vienna Sept 24 2008/
Oakland April 13, 14, 15, San Jose Nov 13 2009/
Las Vegas Dec 11 2010/ Oakland March 2 2013/
Post by lizzytysh » Thu Nov 26, 2009 8:17 pm
Thank you, PhilMader, for bringing this moving videotape here. Having been given the totally unanticipated gift of time today, I was able to watch your initial footage from beginning to end. I don't seem to have almost 40 minutes at a stretch available these days. To fully appreciate this man's circumstances and the relevance of Leonard's songs in his life, this must be watched fully and uninterrupted. The horrors of the world we are living in are in understated ways described by Maziar Bahari and this interview provides the full and necessary context for the crucial role Leonard played in Maziar's private world and literal, secret life. The significance of the details of the scent of rosewater, the extraordinarily thick glasses, and the leather slippers were graphically evocative of the dramatic contrast between the world he was in and the one in which I live.
We talk of our stranded-on-a-desert-island picks [at the same time we know the unlikelihood of that ever happening], but have we ever imagined being held captive for months, knowing that being hung or other torturous means of death, or at the least, insanity, were very real possibilities, and what words and melodies might sustain us and keep our minds, hearts, and souls whole. This interview is powerful. I've yet to read the articles provided by st theresa and DrHGuy and, perhaps, Sasha K , but I will.
Somehow, the cream always rises to the top. As a must-happen meeting, this has risen to the top. It far surpasses 'wouldn't it be wonderful if Leonard and he could meet...' ~ it is a compelling 'Leonard and Maziar must meet' ~ as much as my sitting with Leonard meant and will always mean to me, if there were only one way that these two could meet and speak, and that way was for an exchange to be made between my time with Leonard and theirs, I would trade. I do not minimize my own when I say this, but the import of Leonard in this man's life is, in and of itself, legendary.
As hard as we try, we in the Western world cannot imagine what this man's 118 days and the terror, and mental, emotional, and physical torture, he endured were really, truly like. The man who wrote Sisters of Mercy, So Long Marianne, The Future, Democracy, First We Take Manhattan, Take This Waltz, If It Be Your Will, Anthem, and Dance Me to the End of Love, and who chose to sing The Partisan, I believe can.
As Mirka has noted, some have been deeply depressed and near suicide and Leonard's songs have saved them. Fortunately, I've never been one who has neared suicide, though I have found the comfort I needed, through Leonard, during various other times of depression. I will never minimize the importance that Leonard has played in these people's lives. I believe we all have, at one time or another, had to confront and deal with our own emotional prisons... however, to find ourselves in a foreign land in a literal one, where torture and death are the norm for these circumstances, and to have only four, hard walls in solitary confinement as our daily environment, to be blindfolded and not knowing of our outcome, to live with the horror of ongoing, serious threats... these weigh so heavily beyond anything I could ever imagine for myself... and, I dare say, for most others. The whole of this interview reveals the magnitude of the context in which Maziar's dream and Leonard's song appears.
May Leonard never question the import he has had and will continue to have in people's lives. When we speak of the eternal themes in Leonard's songs, it is in the extreme nature of Maziar's circumstances and how he dealt with them [as well as others's who are deeply depressed and suicidal], coming face-to-face with the eternal and finding solace in the redemptive nature of Leonard's songs, that drives these truths home.
How much I hope to one day read [or, even if I don't read it, to think it might] that Leonard sought out Maziar, so Maziar could thank him face-to-face for the saviour's role Leonard played in his life, and so they could speak about the joy of being there when their child is born; the pleasure, joy, and sustenance of a woman's body [and a beloved's body, and baby within], even when imagination is their only source; and of how we find solace in whatever way is possible... and as both being men who have conceived themes for filmmaking and have each in their own way been journalists... so much they could talk about, including living in Montreal... the differences between Leonard's ''four in the morning'' and Maziar's 'then' [and having read the article] and Maziar's 'now'... and whatever else... how much I hope for these cannot really be expressed. Not even being privy to the content of their conversation; but only learning that their meeting took place, this would be enough.
I can only deeply hope and plead [longer, stronger, and more serious than Roscoe].
Please, Leonard, please.
There will only be one Leonard Cohen. For all this man has experienced, and for all that you have brought him through; may Maziar Bahari one day meet and spend in-person time with you.
hydriot
Location: back in the UK
Post by hydriot » Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:34 pm
lizzytysh wrote: As Mirka has noted, some have been deeply depressed and near suicide and Leonard's songs have saved them.
But sadly not Daphne Richardson, nor I suspect many others who we do not hear of.
“If you do have love it's a kind of wound, and if you don't have it it's worse.” - Leonard, July 1988
Post by lizzytysh » Tue Dec 01, 2009 2:59 am
I deeply regret that all who knew Leonard's music have not been saved by it, during the time they were contemplating and then completing the act of suicide. It is sad knowing that Daphne was not one of them, and neither was Yasmine. I take heart, though, in those who were saved by the comfort and understanding he brought them at such a dire and desperate time in their lives. Every life matters. I wish they all were able to meet Leonard, as I feel and believe they would want to personally thank him for being there for them in his way.
With this current situation, Maziar Bahari is a humble person whose name is known, and whose circumstances are many layers, and a thousand horrors and kisses deep... and he is reachable. It's not a 'Leonard on Demand' situation; yet, it would feel so right if they were to meet... somehow initiated by Leonard.
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Drew Doc
Players, Player Lore, Database
Tee Alduin
"Not everyone fears the darkness, just those that dwell in it."
-Tee Alduin
The Young Wizard
Auru
Tee Alduin, also known as the Young Wizard and the Chronicler, is a Lokan hero, Guardian, and the Fifth and Current High King of Auru. Well known for his kindness and charisma, Tee is one of the few players to have little to no personal enemies. His story can be followed through his personally authored work, Gain His Trust.
Upon joining Loka on December 8th, 2016, he was stuck in the Intro Course, and while waiting to be fixed, befriended Jedoi. The two talked for awhile, and she began teaching him about Loka's history and lore. Once he was fixed, he asked to join the town she lived in, Auru. Then led by High King Xovious, Auru was still a bustling city when the Young Wizard joined. He quickly learned the ropes and climbed the ranks, becoming a Citizen and Knight within weeks, and joining the Historian's Guild, the Architect's Guild, and the leaderless Alchemists Guild, which he become the Guildmaster of. Only a few weeks later, he was named one of the five Lords of Auru, and upon Xovious' departure to Ascalon and Jedoi's rise to High King, Tee was named a King and Jedoi's right hand man.
The two grew close during this time, and despite the wizard's relative inexperience, he proved to be an excellent adviser. There was a war going on at this time, and Tee found himself supplying not only Auru but much of their alliance, Asmund, with potions and other alchemical advantages. More than once, he led Alliance Meetings on Jedoi's behalf.
After awhile, Tee and Jedoi become more than a king and her adviser, or even best friends, but lovers. Tee soon proposed, and later married her atop the Spire. Eventually they would have three sons together, Zepheses, Thanius, and Kaph. After their marriage, Jedoi bestowed the title of High King upon him, taking High Queen for herself, so the two could rule Auru as equals.
During this time, he also became a Lokan Sentry, and later even a Guardian.
Retrieved from "https://loka.fandom.com/wiki/Tee_Alduin?oldid=9955"
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AJ. Adsett
Reality is but a Dream; But to dream is a reality…
About the author A.J Adsett
Musings, re-blogs and erratic thoughts
The Off-Worlder Chronicles: Terror Australis – Part Two
July 29, 2018 by A.J in Writing | Leave a comment
A faded, but well kept, ambulance pulled up between the back of Dom’s house and the barn, scattering a brood of chickens. Doctor Thomas Mitchum stepped out of his van for his second house call since leaving Ried in Dom’s cottage. He collected his bag from the passenger seat, closed the door, and headed toward the back door when he heard his friend’s voice call out from down near the barn. Mitchum waved his hand and went down to greet Dom and Nicholas who rode up from the lower paddocks.
“Dominic?” Mitchum reached up and shook his friend’s hand.
“Before you ask, we’ve just been riding.” Dom dismounted his horse and ignored the doctor’s expression.
The doctor shook his head in weariness, something his slightly drooped shoulders only emphasized. Thomas Mitchum was the town’s senior physician and a combat veteran like Dominic and Jack. However, his battles weren’t that of a frontline soldier; they were those fought in the mobile triage hospitals.
His constant expression, shoulder-length gray hair and neatly trimmed goatee, gave him a European appearance. Within the doctor’s aged and lined face glinted a pair of bright emerald eyes, which defied his age and the façade of constant fatigue. They also hinted at a sharp, keen intellect beyond his sixty-plus years. Many people considered the doctor brusque, occasionally a little recalcitrant, and not much of a conversationalist – an opinion he never denied or chose to discredit.
“How are you today?” Mitchum asked Nicholas.
“I’m okay,” Nicholas replied quietly after he dismounted.
“Good to hear it.” Mitchum patted the teenager’s shoulder. He turned to Dom. “I had a house call near Maidenwell, so I thought I’d drop in to check on how things are going.”
“You’ve been down to the cottage then?”
“Not yet,” the doctor waved a fly away, “but I spoke with Abbey earlier on the phone. She told me our friend is healing remarkably well. A little too well by her description.” He followed the men and horses into the barn before the three of them headed for the house.
Inside the dining room, the doctor sat in front of Dom and lifted his shirt. He inspected the dressings over the cuts inflicted by Nicholas – during a violent psychotic attack on the night they brought Ried to the farm. “Well, they all seem to be healing nicely,” Mitchum announced. “How are you feeling otherwise?”
“I’m okay.”
“Are you?” Mitchum noted his friend’s tone, but he had no intention of allowing Dom the last word. “Regardless, I still insist you refrain from any heavy or excessive activity.”
“Until I damn well say otherwise, and those damn stitches come out.” He then turned to Nicholas. “How are the cramps and nausea going?”
“The cramps are mostly gone, and I only feel like throwing up when I first get up…” Nicholas stared down at the floor, unable to face the doctor. “But this morning wasn’t so bad.”
Dr. Mitchum scrutinized Nicholas. The physical signs from the drug-induced episode seemed to be healing. Most of the bruises from Molly’s husband had lost their color. However, when the doctor probed his abdomen, Nicholas flinched. “Still a little tender, hey?” He gently laid a hand on the teenager’s shoulder. “Well, just keep up your fluid intake. I promise the bouts of nausea will pass.”
Mitchum wanted to tell the boy that his noticeable guilt would also ease, but concluded it wasn’t the time for a condescending medical or moral lecture. After completing his examination on Nicholas, Mitchum reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of oily, pale-blue liquid. “If the pain and nausea get a bit much, then take three drops in some warm water.”
“No, thanks.” Nicholas slid the bottle back to Mitchum. “I’m done with taking anything from small bottles.” He nodded toward the kitchen. “Molly’s been giving me some of her broth to help with the cramps.”
“Molly’s broth, hey?” Mitchum grunted and reclaimed the medicine to drop back into his bag. “Bloody native witch doctor’s mumbo-jumbo.”
Nicholas slid his chair back, excused himself, and headed down to the cottage to see his sister. Dom also got up and followed his son, but only to the kitchen where he checked with Molly about their lunch
Sitting on the veranda, Mitchum patted his stomach. “Bloody hell, Dom. I’d gladly pay her double if she fed me like that every day.” Mitchum puffed on a freshly lit cigar, feeling quite full and satisfied from Molly’s repast of cold roast pork, assorted steamed vegetables, freshly baked bread, and followed by a double helping of scones with cream and jam.
“Don’t kid yourself, mate. Yesterday, she fed me cheese sandwiches and fruit.”
The two men drank coffee and talked for a while until the whine of Vigiles motorcycles coming down the drive broke the air of contentment.
“What do they want?” Dom made no attempt to conceal his contempt at the three uniformed men pulling up in front of them.
“I keep wondering why Marcus thought posting Gallio to replace him seemed like a clever idea,” Mitchum mused, recognizing the lead rider.
“I reckon, being nominated and then elected to proconsul clouded his judgment.” Dom studied the tall, gangly Roman dismounting the bike in his drive.
“Well, Marcus might be the quintessential master of people, politics, and the use of his military power. But this one–”
“–is an idiot.” Dom finished the doctor’s well-spoken sentiments.
“Mr. Harris,” Gallio said, after removing his helmet, and snapping down the bike stands.
“Gallio.”
Gallio stiffened perceptibly with the familiar manner Dom used in front of his men. He returned his best, humorless and polite smile before addressing Mitchum. “Doctor, what brings you out here?”
“Just checking on my patients.”
Gallio spotted the dressing on Dom’s forearm. “What happened? A farming accident?”
“They’re from my son. He had an overdose on that Enlightenment crap which turned bad,” Dom glared at all three Vigiles, “but you lot don’t give a shit about people taking drugs or even trying to catch the bastards peddling the garbage.”
“Dominic, I came by to discuss other matters,” Gallio rebuked, “not to discuss your son’s drug habits. However, the possession of drugs is taken very–” He took a hasty step back when Dominic strode right up to him in a flash of restrained temper.
Gallio quickly recovered his composure. He reminded himself who the two humans were, and how they, along with the former governor and other weak, liberal-minded Romans, worked to rebuild a sustainable society after the truce. But in truth, Gallio didn’t believe Dom’s acquiescence and neutral public stance toward the Romans, any more than he believed Decius’s theory about holes in space.
“Dominic, I sympathize with what has happened to you and your family,” Gallio said, raising an open hand to Dom. “So, please, understand I meant no disrespect.”
Dr. Mitchum studied the exchange between the two men, watching them ease back into their well-versed game of guarded diplomacy.
“It’s been a trying time of late,” Dom apologized, “between poor crops, a summer of little rain, and hotter days.”
“Yes, I am sure life on the land can be difficult.” Gallio pointed to the house. “Speaking of hot days, perhaps we can continue this inside?”
Gallio tipped his head, smiling with the sincerity of a striking cobra. He followed Dom inside the house and sat down on the couch.
“Please, make yourself at home.” Dom didn’t hide his sarcasm. “What can I do for you?”
“Doctor, do you mind if we talk in private?”
“Sure, but if you’re sick, I would have met you at the hospital.”
“No, Doctor,” Gallio rose to and pointed to the door. “I wish to speak with Mr. Harris. Alone.”
For several seconds, Mitchum held Gallio’s gaze and his ground.
“It’s all right, Tom.” Dom walked Mitchum out through the kitchen. “If you still need to check on Nicholas, he’s with his sister in Julia’s old cottage.”
Mitchum grunted, “Yes, well, I did come here to check on him too.” The doctor collected his bag from the floor, shook Dom’s hand and left the kitchen.
Sitting back in his chair, Dominic waited for Gallio to begin the conversation. Gallio, however, stayed silent, wandering about the room.
“I can assume from your comments outside,” Gallio lifted the top page of an open notebook, “that the Cooperative will be struggling with their quota this year.”
“Don’t fret. You’ll get your tributes on time,” Dom replied.
“Of course,” Gallio said,” I never doubted it.” He closed the notepad and returned to the couch where he discussed some changes to the region’s legislation and requests by the Senate, along with several more items revolving around the town council civic issues.
All right, you son of a bitch. What do you really want? “Gallio, I’m sure you didn’t come here to discuss local politics and the burdens placed on us by Toowoomba’s legislative changes.”
“Ah, direct as always.” Gallio moved across the room toward Dom. “What do you know about the unusual storm the other night?” He sat back down and gauged Dom’s reaction.
“Not much. Only that it was a bloody inconvenience.”
“For starters, it held us up overnight in Yarraman.” Dom saw no point in lying.
“Yes, I know. I received a report from the outpost there on those who were delayed or held over by the storm.” Gallio crossed his legs and adjusted his tunic.
Of course, you did. Dom resisted the urge to step over and punch the Roman senseless. Instead, he stood and went over to the drinks cabinet, returning with two glasses of local brandy. “And did those reports tell you it flattened about twelve hectares of my maze?” Dom handed the glass over to the Roman. “I also know some of the other crops in the area were also ruined.”
“Yes, I believe Mr. Bennett lost a sizable area of his corn crop.”
Dom took a sip and nodded. He’s fishing. All right, let’s run out the line a bit. “Did it come close to the solar station at Tarong?”
“It did cross the reflector field.”
“Much damage?”
“A few reflectors and some localized damage.” Gallio took a tentative sip of the brandy. “I’m more interested in what we found left behind from its passing.”
“I don’t follow.”
“On your trip back from Yarraman, did you see anything out of the ordinary?” Gallio studied Dom.
“Just some uprooted trees,” Dom replied. “One of them made the bridge over Barker’s Creek useless.” Almost enjoying the game, he poured himself another brandy. “Which meant we had to detour over Cuthbert’s Weir.”
“Why not the main road through Nanango?”
“The weir crossing is the shortest route to Jack’s place,” Dom replied. But you know that. “Can I ask what you mean by ‘out of the ordinary’?” Dom sat back in his chair
“The storm may not have been an ordinary storm.” Gallio held out his glass for a refill.
“You’ve lost me.”
“I’m told it could have been some sort of tear in space and time.”
“Come again?” Steady, Dom, just ease out a little more line.
“My scientists tried to explain it to me, but alas, I am just a soldier.” The Roman shrugged. “They described it much like a hidden and unstable tunnel through an impassable mountain range. Only, when something passed through the tunnel, it collapsed, trapping whatever passed through it on this side.”
“And you’re saying something went through this one-way tunnel?” Dom leaned forward. “Something dangerous?”
“Not unless you consider an automobile as dangerous.”
“I’m sorry?” And the bait’s taken. “It left a car behind?” Dom’s behavior and expressions would have done the traveling theater group proud. Time to start playing the line.
“Yes, and the driver and or passengers are missing, lost, or even taken.” Gallio leaned forward to rest his knees on his thighs.
“How do you know it was occupied?”
“The assumption is, we believe accurate because we found several tracks around the vehicle.”
“And you believe whoever left the tracks took whoever was in the car?” Almost ready for the net. “Is there anything I can help with?”
Before Gallio could respond, they heard a vehicle coming down the drive. Gallio went to the front door and raised a curious eyebrow at the faded, rust-stained blue Range rover coming to an abrupt, dust-raising stop near his men.
“Your friend, Mr. Bennet, walks a thin line,” Gallio said.
Jack stepped down with a broad smile and feeling pleased with his efforts. He strode past the two men who brushed the dust from their clothes. “G’day boys.” Only to snap to attention when Gallio stepped off the veranda.
“Praefectus.” Jack gave an exaggerated tilt of his head.
“Thank you for your offer, Mr. Harris,” Gallio called out. “But we have the matter in hand.” He ignored Jack, and approached the two Roman police, whispering to the taller of the two men, before he donned his helmet and mounted his bike. Gallio gunned the large electric motor to shower Jack in a wave of gravel and dust as he sped up the drive.
“Alien prick.” Jack brushed himself down and gave Dom a silent ‘does the bastard know’ look. He noted the barely perceptible shake of his friend’s head. “What did his lordship want?”
“Fishing and local politics, mostly,” Dom responded, eyeing the taller of the two young Vigiles approaching.
“I am Fir–”
“I know who you are MacMahon.” Dom snapped. “G’day, Michael.” Dom walked past MacMahon, shaking hands with the other slightly smaller and plumper uniformed man. “I see service in the Vigiles auxiliaries is treating you well.”
“Thanks, Mr. Harris.” Michael flushed.
Dom gave Michael a pat on the shoulder. He then stepped away and sized up MacMahon. Dom also caught Jack’s casual sidestep toward him and took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. On more than one occasion, he had known men like MacMahon. They used others with careless disregard for the sake of their own advancement.
“Mr. Harris,” MacMahon stepped closer, “do you own a small, light-blue or gray-painted, two-wheel cart or buggy with white-spoked wheels?”
“I did have a pale-blue cart,” Dom answered truthfully. “Why? Have you found it?”
“Have you found it?” Dom asked again. “Some bugger stole it just over a week ago, along with one of my better stallions,” he crossed his arms. “I’ll bet some nomads nicked it,” he rubbed his chin in contemplation, “or do you reckon some gypsy kids took it as a prank?”
“Um… no, we haven’t found it.” MacMahon found himself on the back foot with Dom’s rapid response and unexpected questions. “And you say some gypsy kids took it?”
“No, I said nomads, but if you know who pinched it then good.” Dom pointed his thumb over his shoulder, “Don’t bother looking for my horse, though. She came home a couple of nights ago.”
“Sorry,” MacMahon stumbled on, having lost all initiative from the questioning,
“the horse came back?”
“What about the cart?” Dom continued his own interrogation.
“If you’re asking for it,” Jack slid in seamlessly with Dom’s charade. “Then it’d be a fair bet you haven’t bloody well found it.”
“We saw it a few days ago near the old Nanango road, this side of Barker’s Creek,” Michael politely informed them. “We believe it may have been involved in an incident.”
“Yes. Thank you, Donaldson,” MacMahon snapped.
“Anyone hurt?”
“Hurt? No, we didn’t find anyone hurt.” MacMahon frowned.
“Just a wrecked, weird-looking car,” Michael added.
“Donaldson hold your damn tongue,” MacMahon barked.
“Well, what about my cart?” Dom pressed. “Where the hell is it now?”
“We are trying to find your cart, Mr. Harris,” MacMahon stammered, “that’s why we–”
“Here’s a thought,” Dom moved slowly toward MacMahon. “Stop friggin’ about to ask me about my stolen bloody cart, and just find it.” He shoved a finger at the two Vigiles. “Better yet,” he planted his feet and leaned within centimeters of MacMahon’s face, “piss off and find the low-life mongrels selling the shit that almost killed my boy.” Dom edged closer to MacMahon. “Now, get off my friggin’ land.”
Jack rushed up and guided Dom back a couple of paces away from the two Vigiles. “Easy, Dom. Let it go,” Jack whispered and then continued in a louder tone. “Okay you pair, I reckon you’ve got your answers. So, get back on those battery powered toys and go hey.”
MacMahon stood there with his hand clenched around his nightstick grip. “Good afternoon, Mr. Harris, Mr. Bennett.” Without taking his eyes from the older men, he strutted back toward the bikes with Michael by his side. “Who does that old fool think he’s talking to?” he whispered. “I’d have taken the old bastard if that ape Bennett didn’t step in.”
“Not likely,” young Michael replied, donning his helmet, and climbing onto his bike.
“No one fucking well asked you,” MacMahon snapped.
Dom watched the two Vigiles officers steer their bikes onto the road before he marched back inside with Jack in tow.
“You gonna tell me about it?” Jack collected the two dirty glasses.
“Not much to tell,” Dom called from the kitchen.
“Bullshit,” Jack yelled back. “The bastard’s checking you out?”
“He knows we stayed overnight at Yarraman.”
“Yeah, well, those pricks have got spies everywhere.” Jack walked over to the drinks cabinet. “At least Marcus had been easier to deal with.”
“Gallio’s a soldier, not a politician.”
“Doesn’t matter. The bastard and his lapdogs are all as crooked as a dog’s hind leg.” Jack saw his friend’s expression when he returned from the kitchen. “I know, I know, we can’t prove it.”
“Just remember, his best lap dog bites.”
“Nothin a bloody bullet won’t fix,” Jack said under his breath. “So, what else did you and his lordship chat about?”
“He did tell me they found the car.”
“Shit.” Jack almost spilled the drink he had poured.
Dom helped himself to another glass and briefed Jack in on the conversation.
“I’m just glad a tree did fall across the bridge,” Dom added when he finished his relaying the afternoon’s events.
“Well, they obviously saw your boy and the cart.” Jack scratched his chin under his beard.
“If they saw Nicholas with the cart, Gallio wouldn’t have wasted time talking.”
“I guess so.”
“I got the feeling our esteemed governor knows a lot more than he’s letting on.” Dom pondered his glass. “Let’s hope when our guest wakes up he can fill in the gaps.”
The next morning’s early westerly breeze passed through the open window caressing Ried’s face with its slight chill. His brow furrowed above pinched eyes. The morning glare lanced through his eyeballs to stab the back of his skull. With a soft groan, Ried rolled his head away from the stream of incoming light.
Something’s not right? The ground. I remember lying on the ground. He tried to focus on the memory, but it came out jumbled, like a jigsaw scattered on the floor. There were the stampeding roos… A storm… Wait, I was in my LAV… but it was hot?
His eyes flashed open, an action he at once regretted. With each painful blink, his mind swept away the remnants of sleep. He found himself on a bed, in a room, instead of on the ground in the hot sun. He rolled his head and squinted through the window into the faint, hazy, and cloudless blue sky. Beyond the window, cast in silhouette against the morning sun waved the tops of several large gum trees, and on the breeze, came the melodic warbling song of magpies.
He went to massage his stiff neck. Jesus. A sharp, painful pinch in the back of his hand brought a stop to his actions, and he frowned at the IV needle in his hand. What the… He reached for the IV needle to pull it free, only to stop at the sight of a folding camp bed with the sleeping figure of a woman lying under a sheet.
Ried called out, but no sound passed his parched mouth and throat. After several attempts, he managed to raise enough saliva to ease the dryness in his throat. “Hey. Wake up.”
The woman stirred at Ried’s croaky command. “Oh, you’re awake.” She rolled over to sit on the edge of her bed and plucked a cotton dressing gown from the floor to cover her pale-green, cotton boxers and T-shirt. “Sorry, I must have slept in.” She stood and stretched with a yawn while massaging the sleep from her eyes.
The young woman walked around Ried’s bed to the window and closed the curtains against the morning glare. She flashed a smile before heading over to relight an old combustion stove. Happy with her efforts, Ried’s mystery roommate returned with a jug of chilled water and two glasses from a fridge which looked older than the stove.
His eyes followed the woman around the room. Who the hell is she, and why is she sleeping beside my bed?
He guessed the young woman was around his height. Her head of wavy, mahogany-brown hair flowed down and bobbed against her shoulders, and the way she tied off her gown did nothing to hide her slightly full hourglass figure.
Feeling a little embarrassed from his close study of the attractive young woman, Ried began to give the floor and the room more scrutiny than it deserved. This place doesn’t look like any typical hospital.
The inside walls and ceiling were made from tongue and groove boards, with the walls painted in a soft, buttery-yellow, and the ceiling painted white with old style light fittings hanging from the boards and flaking paint.
He paused his study of the room when he realized his roommate stood smiling down at him. She poured the water into a glass and passed it to him. He took the glass and tested the water with a sip before he greedily swallowed the rest down in gulping mouthfuls.
“Steady,” she warned him. “You’ll make yourself sick.”
Ried felt the taut dryness recede from his mouth and throat. He held out the glass for more.
“Now, sip it this time,” she scolded him.
“What happened?” He ignored her instructions and gulped down more water while searching through the fog in his mind.
“You crashed the other night, out on the flats during the storm,” the young woman responded. “When they found you, Dad brought you here.”
“Where’s here?”
“My dad’s farm.”
“And your father is who?”
“Dominic Harris.”
He handed her the glass for another refill. “I remember a couple of blokes talking…”
“The other one was Uncle Jack.” She refilled his glass. “He’s not our real uncle, but we’ve called him that since we were kids.”
“Are they the ones who took me out of the car?”
“Uh-huh. Along with my brother, Nicholas,” she replied. “Let me tell you, Dr. Mitchum was not happy they took you out of your wrecked car before he arrived.”
“And this is your farm?” Ried raised an eyebrow and again looked around the room.
“That’s right. We’re in my mom’s old day cottage,” she said.
“On your farm?” He held out the glass again. “Which is where?” The brunette’s company and her relaxed manner began to override his concerns.
“About ten kilometers south of town.”
Ried continued drinking and raised a questioning eyebrow.
“Oh, sorry. Kingaroy.”
“Kingaroy?” He shook his head. “No… It can’t be…”
“Well, it is.” She humored him with a ‘don’t be silly’ smile.
“But I was headed toward St. George when the storm hit me.”
“St. George?” She shook her head. “You must’ve hit your head pretty hard. Maybe your memories are mixed up.”
“Not that hard.” He swiped her hand away to feel the dressing on his forehead. “What the hell am I doing near Kingaroy?” He studied the young woman and the cottage, his ease swept away with a caution. “Why did they bring me to this farm, and not the local hospital?”
“He didn’t say. Just that it was better if you stayed here.”
“On his farm near Kingaroy…” Ried didn’t hide his skepticism. What’s wrong with the hospital in town?
“Yes,” she took his glass. “Why, do you think I’m lying?”
“I don’t know…” Ried hesitated. “I just find it weird that he didn’t take me to the hospital. It’s like he doesn’t want any questions asked by the cops or local authorities.”
“Trust me. You don’t want the local authorities involved,” she told him. “I suppose Dad’s got his own reasons to not tell the Ro–” Her brow creased in a frown as she leaned closer to him.
“What?” Ried pulled back from the scrutiny of her dark gingerbread and emerald eyes. His skepticism turned to suspicion with her sudden inspection, and he scanned the room for a weapon but found nothing. Although, the way she tied the robe around herself came close to qualifying as a weapon.
“Your face.”
Her eyebrows pinched a little, which accentuated her pointed nose. “Your black eye and bruises… They look almost healed up.”
Ried lifted his hands to his face, wincing when the needle pinched him again.
“You were pretty banged up when the doctor and I…” she trailed off when she lifted the bandage from his head. “Strewth,” she whispered.
“Strewth what?”
“The gash above your eye.” She knelt and reached under the bed.
Oh, shit. Ried stiffened, but then relaxed a little when she put a first aid kit on the bed.
“It’s almost healed over the stitches.” She sat beside him and leaned against him.
Ried’s caution merged with a wave of embarrassment at the proximity of her chest, and her pleasant, musky odor sent his emotions into overdrive, so he dragged more of the sheet across his lap to conceal his reaction.
“Hold still,” she chided. “Benjamin, please keep still,” she chastised him while she pulled out the last stitch, and covered the almost-healed scar with a Band-Aid. Then, with her hand still cupping his chin, the woman rested the back of her other hand against his forehead and cheeks. “You’ve still got a fever.”
Without any warning, she pulled back the sheet to inspect the bruise on his ribs. A little intimidated by her behavior, Ried made a show of dragging back the sheet, but she pushed his hand and the sheet away to check under the other bandages and Band-Aids.
“Okay, just stop.”
“Sorry.” She sat back down on her bed. “I told the doctor how fast your cuts and scrapes were healing, but he didn’t say anything yesterday when he saw you–”
“Hang on,” Ried frowned and backed away. “How the hell do you know my name?”
“I looked in your wallet.” She offered him a small, embarrassed smile, and shrugged.
“Really? And did you ‘look’ at anything else while I slept?” Ried quipped, pulling the sheet farther up his stomach.
“Don’t flatter yourself.” Collecting the empty glasses and jug she gave Ried a hard glare. “All I’ve bloody been doing the last couple of days is playing friggin’ nurse to you, along with my dad, and my brother.” she stormed to the kitchen table slamming down the tray spilling some water.
Before Ried could utter another word, she marched back in, waving her finger at him. He raised his open palms, not wanting to test her temper any further.
“And let me tell you, mate,” she continued, “there are better things I could have been bloody well doing.” The brunette thumped the chair beside his bed and sat down, grabbing his hand. “Now, I’ll take this out. Then, you can go and clean up.” She placed a thick Band-Aid over the exit wound left by the IV needle and pinched it down hard with her thumb.
“Christ.” He winced from her firm grip. Ried shoved her hand away and held his own hand over the Band-Aid.
“The bathroom’s through there.” She stood and pointed to the only door inside the cottage, before returning to the kitchenette. “Oh, and I washed your clothes while you were asleep,” she called out over her shoulder, “or is that also invading your privacy?”
Ried held his tongue and threw his legs over the edge of the bed. Two things followed: he pushed himself upright, and then crashed to the floor in a nauseating wave of giddiness.
“Shit.” With closed eyes, he swallowed away his nausea, and rose on his hands and knees before easing himself onto his heels, only to fall back against the bed, tangled in the sheet on the floorboards.
She rushed back to help him stand. “Sorry, Benjamin. The doctor told me you might be dizzy, but I forgot.”
“No problem. I just got up too quick.”
“I’ll get you a chair to sit on.”
“It’s okay,” he assured her and then walked into the bathroom, supporting himself on the walls and door.
“Well, I’ll wait out here then. Just in case.”
With the water running from the shower nozzle, Ried took off the splint from his left wrist and inspected the yellow-blue stain of the healing bruise. Standing under the flow of hot water, he flexed his wrist for a few seconds, before a small bout of vertigo almost sent him falling against the wall.
“Are you okay in there?”
“Yep. All good.” Bullshit, Ried. You feel like crap.
A few minutes later, Ried sat at the table where, against his better judgment, he devoured a basic breakfast to fill the bottomless void of his empty stomach.
“So,” he pushed the empty plate aside, “you wanna try to explain some more why your father brought me here?”
“I told you, he didn’t tell me.”
Ried frowned at her response, crossed his arms, and leaned back in the chair.
“Don’t give me that bloody look,” she snapped. “You could have at least bloody well thanked me for nursing you.”
“If I’d known you’d be so bloody ungrateful, I would have told Dad to bugger off, and dump you in town.”
Jesus, this one’s got a temper. Come on Ried don’t push your luck. Just figure out if she’s a friend or a captor… “Look, this is just a bit of a shock and…” Ried mollified his tone feeling like he was back in school staring down a pissed-off teacher. “I’m sorry.”
The young woman stared across the table with her arms folded.
“No, seriously. I’m sorry, Miss…”
“Abbey, Abbey Harris.”
“Nice to meet you, Abbey Harris.” Ried gave his best apologetic smile.
“Nice to meet you too, Benjamin.”
“Ben or if you like, just Ried. Only my grandad called me Benjamin.” He watched Abbey unfold her arms and then noticed her brown eyes glinting with her smile.
“Do you remember what happened to you?” she asked while clearing the table.
“Not much. I only remember driving on the highway toward Gore.” He waited for a reaction. When none came, he continued. “Then, there was a storm, which I reckon drove me off the road.”
Ried puckered his brow as he tried to recall more of his accident. He began to feel feverish again, and he put down his cup to wipe some perspiration from the back of his neck.
“You’re sweating like a pig.” Abbey handed him a tea-towel. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not sure.” He hugged himself.
“I reckon your fever’s getting worse.” Abbey moved around the table. “Come on. Let’s get you back to bed.” She helped him back into the wrought-iron bed, and fluffed his pillows, brushing herself against him in the process.
Christ. Is she doing that deliberately? “How long was I out for?”
“Since your accident, maybe four or five days all up.”
“What!” He gawked at her in disbelief, his chills forgotten. “Shit. I really need to make some calls.” His eyes explored the room. No phone. “Have you seen my mobile?”
“You’re what?”
“My mobile. My phone.” Ried paused at the questioning look on Abbey’s eyes.
“Sorry, you’ve lost me.”
It was not the answer he’d hoped for. Ried climbed off the bed, and slowly wandered over to where his belongs lay stacked against a wall. He rummaged through the bags until he found his phone. When he turned the mobile over, he sighed at the shattered screen, “Shit.” Ried threw the mobile with back in the bag and stood wiping his sweaty brow.
His suspicions came back hotter than his fever. He looked around the room again, absently rubbing the front of his right shoulder as he charged out of the cabin.
This place reminds me of a bad ‘80s movie. And what’s with the bullshit about being near Kingaroy?
“Where are you going?” Abbey called out.
Ried ignored her. He studied the cleared area around the little house. On the eastern side of the small ridge ran a line of dense scrub. To his left, cut into the hill, was a campfire pit with a couple of old, weathered, gray logs for seats.
The only path he saw branched off a vehicle track and disappeared up over a small rise to the right. Without hesitation, he stormed over to the path. All right, Ried. It’s time to find out what the bloody hell’s going on.
“Benjamin, please wait,” Abbey called out, running after him. Strewth, he’s quick. When she eventually caught up to him, she pleaded between breaths, “Benja… Ben, you still need to rest.” She tried to grab his arm.
He twisted his arm from her grasp and held up an open hand. “Five days? I reckon I’ve rested enough,” he barked, before heading toward a small gate set in a waist-high, timber, and chain wire fence, extending around the back of the main house.
Ried swung the gate aside and headed toward the back steps of the house. Standing in the open door at the top of the stairs, watching on with a look of concern, was an Aboriginal woman in her forties, her short, curly hair highlighted by wispy grey streaks. Her hands rested in the large pocket of her jacquard cotton apron, which she wore over a floral, full-length, sleeveless dress.
“It’s okay, Molly. He’s our guest from the cottage,” Abbey said as she grabbed Ried’s arm again. “Is Dad inside?”
“He’s in the dining room.” Molly examined the young man through anxious, hooded eyes. “Is he okay, Miss Abbey?”
Hearing raised voices outside, Dominic stepped past Molly onto the top step.
“Mr. Harris is it?” Ried freed himself from Abbey. “You need to tell me what the hell is going on.”
Dominic wore a neatly trimmed mustache on an otherwise tanned and clean-shaven face. He stood dressed in denim trousers, elastic-sided boots, and a khaki, cotton, drill shirt. But, the man’s commanding blue-gray eyes caught Ried’s attention above his other features. Their color gave them a hard look, but behind the tough exterior, he sensed a hint of compassion.
“Do I…?” Dom crossed his arms and looked at his daughter, who shrugged her shoulders.
“Sorry, I’m Benjamin Ried.” He climbed the steps with an outstretched hand, which Dom accepted on reflex. “Most everybody calls me Ben or Ried.”
“Benjamin Ried,” Dom repeated in a hushed voice and went inside.
Ried took Dom’s exit as an invitation to follow him through the kitchen, and into their lounge room.
In the lounge room, Ried paused at how the furniture seemed a little off. It wasn’t off in a bad context; it was just odd, looking neither new nor modern. A couple of items were old, yet it all appeared well cared for. But, rather than being antique, most of the pieces looked dated and tired.
Dotted about the wall were three solid, timber, vintage-style cabinets full of well-worn books and a scattering of ornaments. In the corner behind the couches, Ried saw an old-style analog phone – the kind with a rotary dial on its face – sitting on a time-worn roll-top desk.
“Are you feeling all right, son?”
He could feel the slow trickle of sweat running down the back of his neck and accumulating on his face. “Honestly, I feel like I’m burning up.” Ried flopped into the wooden swivel chair in front of the desk to reach for the phone.
“Let’s go into the dining room,” suggested Dom. “Abbey, get the boy something cold.” Dom moved beside Ried and helped him up. “Are you sure you’re up to having a chat?”
“Yes,” Ried insisted. “You’re the one who found me?”
“That’s right. We saw your crashed car last Sunday–”
“Sunday? But I crashed on Thursday night.” Ried shook his head and plonked down on the chair again with a weary thump. “That’d mean I was lying out there for almost three days.”
“I think you’re a little confused, son. The storm came through Saturday morning, and held us up overnight at Yarraman.” Dom leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table. “That’s how we discovered your car on Sunday. Because it wasn’t there last Saturday when we drove through.”
Ried didn’t say anything else. Instead, he sat back with his arms folded, watching Dominic. Why won’t the man look me in the eye?
“Can I ask where you were headed before the storm hit?” Dom dismissed his guest’s silent and arrogant pose.
“Out west, toward St. George. Then, the storm came and started to…” Ried paused when a flash of memory came back. He felt unsure whether to reveal what he remembered.
“Started to do what?”
“This is gonna sound nuts, but I reckon it chased me.”
“Storms don’t chase people, son.”
“Yeah, well, you weren’t there, were you?”
“Benjamin, were you named after your father?”
“Sorry, I just assumed.”
“Well, I wasn’t,” he said. “Look, what do you want with me?” Ried leaned against the table. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad you helped and everything, but I want to know what’s going on.”
“Do you remember anything else about your accident?”
“Like I told your daughter, I drove off the road, and crashed from the storm.” Ried leaned back. Okay, this is getting tedious and a little more than odd.
“You don’t remember how badly you were hurt?”
“No. Why?”
“You were pretty knocked about. You had a fractured left forearm, two fractured ribs, and you also had severe bruising and swelling around your ribs, spine, and hips.” Dom pointed to the Band-Aid on Ried’s head. “Not to mention the nasty gash on your forehead.”
“Give me a break. Your daughter told me it’s only been a few days since I crashed.” Ried raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “So, how come I don’t feel like I’ve been through the wringer?” He stood to go out. “You lot must think I’m crazy.”
“Sit down, son,” Dom pleaded. “Yes, we rescued you, and took a hell of a flaming risk doing it,” he shrugged. “Or maybe I should just hand you over to the bloody Romans and let them deal with you.”
“Romans.” Ried leaned back and furrowed his brow. “Romans? Who the hell are– What the hell are you talking about?” He glared at Dom. “Just where the hell am I, and who the bloody hell are you people?”
“I’m trying to ask the same of you.” Dom delved into his pants’ pocket. “I went through this last night.” He flicked Ried’s wallet across the table. “Tell me where you came from, son. Because what I saw in there,” he gestured to the wallet, “didn’t make any sense.”
“I guess looking through people’s stuff runs in the family.” Ried scooped up his wallet from the table.
“Where are your proper papers?”
“My papers?” Flabbergasted and disbelieving, Ried opened his wallet and removed its contents, spreading them across the polished table. Across from him, Abbey had returned, dressed in her regular jeans and a checked blouse, carrying a tray with a glass jug of iced tea and three glasses.
“Look,” Ried said. “I don’t know what you mean by papers.” He stabbed at each of his cards. “This is my driver’s license, these are my gun permits, and the rest are my debit and credit cards.” Ried’s face dripped with perspiration. Mopping up his sweat as best as he could, he held up the plastic cards one by one.
“Credit cards?” Dom straightened two plastic cards scattered on the table. “Credit cards haven’t been around for decades.” He then tapped a finger on each license. “And why bother to carry cards that show they’ve been endorsed by the Queensland Government?” He slid them back toward Ried.
“Because they were.” Ried held his stance.
“Here’s the thing, son,” Dom continued. “The Queensland Government hasn’t existed for nearly forty years–”
“Piss off.” Ried jumped out of his chair. “What kind of bullshit is this?” he wiped more sweat from his neck and face. “How about you tell me why you didn’t take me to a hospital, and why you brought me over two hundred klicks from where I bloody well crashed?”
“I can assure you it isn’t two hundred klicks to Barker’s Creek,” Dom replied. “And taking you to the hospital didn’t seem prudent.” He softened his tone. “Please, sit back down.”
Ried stayed standing, almost preferring to fall against the wall in defiance.
“If I took you to the hospital, then the authorities would have locked you up ‘til the bastards figured out where you came from.”
“Here’s a heads up for you,” Ried shot back. “I came from Brisbane and was driving to a new job in Western Queensland.”
“All right, son, you–”
“I’m not your son.”
Dom shrugged. “Ried, you might want to sit down for this…” And then Dom explained, to the best of his ability, Gallio’s theory of how Ried ended up in their world.
“Bullshit.” Ried almost laughed when the explanation concluded. “You’re trying to tell me I fell through a hole in space?” I don’t know what weird bloody game they’re playing at. But, I’ve no intention of playing.
“It’s what their scientists reckon.” Dom sat back.
“And just who the hell is this mob you keep calling the Romans?” Ried pinched the bridge of his nose before massaging his forehead and gulped down a glass of the cold tea.
“It’s complicated.”
Ried palmed away a growing film of perspiration on his forehead. The action alone added to the pinched look of frustration he wore.
“Are you okay?” Abbey reached across for Ried’s hand.
But Ried pulled his arm back, and swept up the cards from his wallet, glaring at them both. “You lot are fucking nuts,” he spat and rushed from the house.
Ried ran through the gate and down the path to the cottage and realized it would be the first place anyone would go looking for him. When he heard voices emerging from the house behind him, he ran at a crouch toward the barn and dove headlong into the damp grass and dirt behind a water trough.
Hugging the cold moist concrete wall of the trough, he crawled on his stomach to peer around the end closest to the barn. From his vantage point, he saw Abbey and Dom standing at the back door, having an argument or heated discussion until Abbey pushed past her father.
Dom trotted down the small set of stairs after his daughter, pausing at the gate he surveyed the barn and sheds for a few seconds, before going back inside.
When Dom disappeared inside, Ried was about to run across to the barns open door and caught the movement of a vague silhouette in the shadows beyond the door.
“Clever bastard,” Ried said and waited.
Once it was all clear, he counted to three and then darted inside the barn hoping to find a car or motorbike to make his escape. Instead, all he found only bales of hay in the dust-filled shafts of light and several horse stalls on his left.
“That’d be right…” he faced the small stables and puffed his cheeks. “Okay, on horseback it is.”
Behind his back, something metallic moved with a clink and tap.
“Shit.” Ried’s gut clenched and his diaphragm lurched. He crouched, turned and moved against the wall opposite the stalls. Ried balked for several seconds at sounds source. Despite his fever, Ried’s blood chilled from the vision.
A wall of implements, all drawn from the stuff of murder; scythes, long shears, double-bladed axes, and different-size cane knives hung on the wall, swaying in the breeze.
“Bloody hell. I’m never gonna read Stephen King again.”
Farther along the wall, he spotted a rope and tackle system trailing from a winch motor in the rafters. An L-shaped rail jutted out from the wall to the left of the tools and farm blades. Slung along the rail sat six saddles and blankets.
Inside the nearest stall, a chestnut mare lifted her head, pointing her ears forward, stepped back and snorting at the intruder.
Ried kept his movements slow and controlled as he approached the stall. “Aren’t you a beauty. You must be, what, fifteen hands high?” He admired the animal’s long neck, draped in a well-groomed blonde mane and toned body and legs. Three of which ended in white socks and a black one on her front left forelock, which the mare casually pawed through the hay covering the floor. He ignored the pawing hoof to look past her full white blaze, punctuated by a reddish-brown star, and inter her deep brown eyes.
“All right you. Let’s both stay calm, eh?” He backed up to the rail and crept forward with the saddle and blanket in hand.
The mare watched Ried step toward her, snorted and rolled her head forward, and lifted her snout.
Without breaking eye contact, and with unhurried actions, Ried stepped inside the stall and lowered the saddle and blanket to the ground.
“Good girl,” cooed Ried stepping in front of the animal.
In reply, the animal bobbed her head and curled back her top lip taking a deep breath.
Standing still, he studied the mare. She’s frightened… No, it’s something else…
“Easy girl… I’m not going to hurt you…” Easy Ried, an angry or upset horse in a small stall means a bad ending for both of us. The dust in the air clung to his fevered sweat making him itchy, and it took all his willpower to keep calm and ignore the tingling desire to wipe the sweat and scratch.
Ried softly stroked her neck with the palm of his hand, while resting his hand on her nose. His mother’s words rang through his mind:
“Horses are no different from people. A soft, gentle caress is far more soothing and respectful than a series of slaps, gentle or not.”
The horse’s muscles shivered from his touch. “Shh. Easy, girl.” He kept his movements slow and rhythmic. “How about you take me for a ride, hey?” Conscious of how her pawing front leg could lash out and cripple him he stepped up to caress her under the chin.
After a moment, the mare calmed down and pushed herself against Ried.
“That’s it. See? I’m not so bad.” He reached for the blanket and froze when he heard voices outside. He slipped back into the stall and peered around the rail toward the door.
Through the open barn door, he watched Dom, Abbey, and a young bloke with a ponytail standing with his back to the barn. Beside them stood a man with well-tanned skin, who left them to make his way toward the barn.
“Shit.” Ried ducked, taking care not to spook the mare or raise any dust. He held his breath when the man stopped at the door to count the horses.
When the horse lifted her head, snorted, and stomped her black-socked hoof on the ground, Ried almost shouted.
In the barn, the man approached the stalls, “Quiet, Devil.”
But the closer the man came, the more agitated the animal grew. Ried balled his fists. He didn’t want to hurt the bloke, but he had no intention of allowing them to keep him here either.
The closer the man came, the more agitated Devil grew from his intrusion. She flicked and snaked her head with wide eyes and ears flat against her head and her breath puffing through her nostrils in harsh snorts.
Ried crept past behind Devil and peered through a split in the stall’s timber wall.
The man raised his hands, cursed the horse, and walked out of the barn.
The moment the intruder left, Ried stood up beside Devil’s head to look over the stall. Devil’s aggressive behavior stopped, and she nudged her cheek against Ried’s shoulder.
Ried reached up and stroked the mare’s neck, “Hello Devil. I’m Ried.”
With another quick glance at the open barn door, Ried quietly made his way out of the stall. He followed the outside voices as he approached the wall near the barn door to spy through a hole in the timber boards.
Dom and his daughter entered a larger shed about a hundred meters away. The man from the barn ran toward the cottage, while the young one with the ponytail went back into the house.
Holding his position, Ried waited for Dom and Abbey to exit the other shed and heard a motor start followed by them driving out in an open-backed ute, heading around the front of the house.
A sense of relief washed over his tension as he stepped back to finish saddling the horse, and then get the hell away from the farm with its family of nutcases.
He dragged his hand across his sweat-drenched face and wiped the gritty moisture down his pants and led Devil from the barn into the midday sun. In the brighter light, he inspected her hooves and rechecked the saddle, bridles, and girth buckles. Satisfied, he adjusted the stirrups and then lifted himself into the saddle.
The second the Devil felt Ried’s weight, her ears rolled back, and she walked backward. He leaned forward, and grabbed the horn of the saddle, expecting the mare to throw him. He continued whispering to her until she relaxed under him. When he felt sure Devil accepted him in the saddle, he twitched the reins and rode past the house.
When they passed the main gate, he stopped, unsure of which way the old man went, or even which way he should go. He looked both ways along the road and shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, do I go right or left?” Without hesitation, Devil turned and walked down the road. “Alright, left it is.”
The following day, Ried reached a T-intersection in the road. He paused and rested his elbow on the saddle’s horn. “No doubt about it. I’m lost.” His stomach gurgled from hunger. He straightened back up, flexed his shoulders, and massaged his stiff neck. He nudged Devil into the shade of a stubby gum tree and stared into the surrounding hills and scrub.
Frustrated, lost, and confused, Ried wiped sweat from his face. His night in the country on the road hadn’t done anything to improve his fever or chills. The intersection looked no different from the others he had passed.
On his left, the ribbon of patchy, dark-gray bitumen disappeared around a bend shrouded by trees; on the right, the road followed the gradual rise of a small hill.
Sweat trickled between his shoulder blades, and down his back, as he walked Devil across the road to a pair of rusty steel posts jutting out of a thick, woody patch of weeds and creeper vines.
Ried dismounted and squatted down to tear away at the mass of woody, vegetation until he revealed a faded road sign. Wiping away the dirt and grime, to reveal almost illegible letters against the oxidized and sun-bleached background color.
He spat on the sign and continued to scrub away the accumulated decay and grunge until the faded lettering revealed a name: Kingaroy.
“Bloody hell.”
From where it lay in the grass and weeds, the sign’s faded arrow pointed ahead of him. Without much else to guide him, Ried mounted Devil, “Okay girl. The sign points that way. So, that’s where we go.”
After several minutes of riding, Ried shivered under his fever induced perspiration. Unsure of how else to treat the symptoms, he kept riding in the warm, mid-morning sunlight. As he rode, something niggled his senses and thoughts. Ried stopped Devil to regard the sun shining down from above his right shoulder.
“The sun’s on my right. This time yesterday, it was on my left… Which means I’ve turned myself around.” He glanced back along the road and frowned at the shadows, and then raised his eyes skyward. It must be close to midday, but… Ried scanned the horizon and then squinted back toward the glowing white orb in the pale-blue sky. “It’s way too hot for August, and the sun’s in the wrong spot.”
The warm breeze blowing in from the south-west soon evolved into a light wind, cooling his balmy perspiration – a sensation he hardly found refreshing. In fact, it only enhanced his fevered chills.
“Where the hell is everyone?” he asked Devil. “You would’ve thought I’d have seen somebody since yesterday?”
After a while, he came across a bridge standing in the middle of a swamp-filled gully. The road leading toward the bridge washed away by years of floods and erosion, left a gap just over two meters wide, and filled with bulrushes.
From his vantage point on Devil, Ried saw the deeply scarred roadway and the exposed broken and rotten timbers of the bridge’s foundations.
“Christ. Have I stumbled onto the set of an Australian Walking Dead?” Everything about the old bridge and gully spoke of something more than neglect. “Bloody hell,” a feeling of defeat ebbed at him. “it’s the same bloody bridge we saw yesterday.” Shaking his head, Ried tugged on the reins and turned the horse around.
On his left was the side road they took yesterday, a little farther along another side road ran off to the right into a wooded valley. “What do you reckon Devil, if we’re gonna stay lost we might as well do it in some shade.”
After riding for four hundred meters down the road, the valley widened, and the grove of trees thinned to reveal more remnants of barbed-wire fences and old, termite-ridden fence posts standing in the dry, waist-high grass.
At one point along the way, his excitement grew when he spotted a track leading off the road, carving its way through the grass lining the road’s edges. Ried steered Devil along the track, and reined her in by a broken, rusty gate.
Beyond the gate stood the remains of an old farmhouse, surrounded by a field of swaying grass and weeds. Much of the house and roof had fallen in on itself. The front stairs, having long collapsed, into the long grass.
Morbid curiosity enticed Ried to wade the mare into the long grass to inspect the derelict property. A small herd of wild cattle roaming around the house skittered at Ried’s approach. He stopped her under the shade of a tree while he took a closer look. From the road, he first thought the house had fallen in due to age and decay, but from his new vantage point, the scene told a different story.
He dismounted, draped the reins over his shoulder, and walked toward the nearest wall with Devil in tow. The old farmhouse was nothing more than a weather-beaten facade hiding the shattered roof, trusses, frames, walls, and floor.
“Huh. Must have been one hell of a storm.”
After tying the reins around a broken floor joist, he edged closer to the jagged back walls, avoiding the fresh patties of cow dung. Ried inspected several pieces of the broken weatherboards, “this wasn’t done by a storm…” he turned sideways, spreading his arms to estimate the angle of impact and trajectory. “Whatever hit the building,” Ried traced an imaginary line with his finger, “came in from this way, and crashed somewhere over there.”
Ried zig-zagged past the houses broken skeleton and waist-high ryegrass, cobbler’s pegs, and blackberry weeds toward a nearby tree line. Twenty-odd meters past the house and to the right, he spotted a weather-stained metal frame amidst the grass. “I guess it crashed closer than I thought.”
When he parted the grass, what he found looked like the remains of an inline cockpit with the left and underneath side of the triangular frame crushed and twisted. Any padding on the seats decayed to leave only frames and springs, the instrument panels were nothing more than broken metal with cracked or missing gauges.
What Ried found most fascinating was the pieces of fuselage sheeting left attached to the framework. At first, he thought the metal was rusty, but when he rubbed away the grime, the light reflected back from the sheeting deep-bronze patina. Only, from what he could tell, the stuff wasn’t bronze or copper. Curious about the odd find, he searched the grass, distracted from his uncomfortable fever.
A few meters away, he kicked at a cylinder covered in the same ultra-thin sheeting. He knelt and wrapped his arms around the tube, and then rocked and tipped the short, fat cylinder until it broke free from the soil and weeds growing inside.
He tugged the plant and its matted roots from inside, to reveal a multi-bladed fan. “What the fuck…” He flipped the tube over. On the cylinder’s outer casing, he found two opposing bracket mounts. The segmented and hinged section of the cylinder behind the fan resembled a venture thrust nozzle. “What kind of jet nozzle is this?”
Ried dropped the cylinder and walked back past the skeletal cockpit, to poke and prod amongst the grass and weeds with his boot. Excitement and curiosity overrode his hunger and chills when he unveiled part of a broad delta-shaped wing. He bent down to lift the wing from the matted grass and soil and found it lighter than expected.
With its shelter taken away, a bulky, flat-headed lizard hissed at him. “Shit. You’d be about the ugliest blue-tongue I’ve ever seen.” He waited until the gray and brown reptile waddled into the grass, before he rested the wing-shaped object on one edge, to let the sun stream through the dozen holes punched through its thin sheeting. “Bullet holes?”
He rubbed his hand across the brown skin until he could make out the etched symbols in the metal: a bull below a few letters in either Latin or Greek. Ried frowned at the images and crouched down pushing his palms against the metal and stood while pushing his arms out. Ried grunted with puffed cheeks I his efforts to tear the length of metal wing from the blanket of weeds and grass. The underside gave him no more clues to the metals origin.
Without thinking, he dropped the wing and stepped across the metal sheeting which popped back into shape after each step. The only evidence of him crossing the wing were his footprints, smudged in the dirt and grime.
Ried turned and bent back over the unusual wing, and rubbed his hand along the metallic skin. “What sort of alloy doesn’t dent?” Frowning, he turned to continue separating the grass with the toe of his boot, until he found what he had dislodged. He lifted the rotting piece of plastic-like material. “Body armor?” Ried frowned at the familiar pattern of the pressed material. “Who wears body armor like this?” He glanced back at the wing with the strange symbols. “C’mon, you’re imagining things. It’s just a piece of someone’s flight suit.”
When he turned it over, several dried rib bones and vertebrae fell at his feet. He dropped the armor in disgust, and wandered back to the house, only to trip and stumble from a piece of metal half buried beside a shrub.
“Gimme a break.” Ried kicked away the dirt around its edges and then wriggled it free. What the hell? He lifted the piece of metal and rolled his hand around. “A sword?” He looked back at the broken body armor, the wing, the remains of the cockpit and then back to the rusted sword.
He stood there, contemplating everything he found. The strange metal sheeting on the fuselage, the wing with bullet holes, the back end of some sort of jet engine, and a piece of armor and sword for a gladiator – It didn’t add up.
He dropped the rusted sword. “It’s official. I’m lost in a bizarre ‘coma’ dream, or I’m still asleep in the diner,” he concluded, though he wasn’t convinced of either theory.
On his way back to the road, Ried stopped near the gate to give the house one last look. The scene and old building resembled a derelict vessel on an undulating sea of beige and grays, a decaying guard hiding a bizarre secret.
Beside the track, he spotted the rusted hulk of an old truck. The chocolate-brown rust contrasted the long grass it lay shrouded in. Tree saplings forced their way through the splintered floorboards of its tray. The truck’s rubber tires, long since perished, left the rims rusting on the ground.
Both doors were missing, revealing the interior of the cab, including the buckled wireframe of the steering wheel and its shaft, protruding from under a skeletal dashboard. Any upholstery, lining, and fillings had all rotted away. The rusted hulk’s body showed dozens of small black holes – old bullet scars from somebody’s past target practice.
“C’mon, girl. Let’s get out of here and find some help.” He tugged on the reins to head back along the road, with a nagging, growing sense of unease and melancholy.
The rhythmic, hollow click-clack of Devil’s metal shoes on the bitumen echoed back at him, a haunting sound in the still air. Ried maneuvered the mare into the grass and creeper vine beside the road. Unfortunately, the swish and padded thud of the animal’s hooves through the grass did little to ease his sense of loneliness and melancholy.
He rode in silence, scouting the surrounding country. Surely there must be somebody working out here. When he and Devil crested a small hill, Ried spotted a line of high-voltage towers with their cables hanging slackly to the ground. Beside the broken towers, trailing into the distance, were smaller ones. Unlike their taller companions, the wires appeared in good condition and draped from tower to tower.
The combination of mismatched towers running parallel to each other struck him as a little odd. Then again, the last couple of days were nothing but odd.
Ried stroked Devil’s neck. “How about you tell me what’s going on around here?”
The mare merely shook her head and flicked her tail.
“Well, something or someone is getting power, so let’s see where they lead.” Ried sat back and spurred Devil into a trot.
The motion of the trotting horse, the fluctuating fever, sweats, and growing stomach cramps, soon made him feel more than a little unwell. He eased Devil back to a steady walk, and patted his face dry with his sleeve, swallowing back the bitter bile burning his throat.
The images of the last two days played on his mind. The ruined farms and bridges, abandoned machinery and the weird ultralight plane. Then, there’s the old-world look of the cottage. The odd assortment of furniture in the old man’s house – which looked like it came from a recycled store.
“Hell, even their bloody phone looked like something my grandparents would’ve owned.”
The horse gave a small snort.
“And what about all the weird bullshit the old man spun me?” Devil swung her head around to look at him. “What, no reply? I figured you’d be on his side.” He rubbed the animal’s neck.
With a determined grunt, he decided to try retracing his steps back to the farm to find out where his car was, and then head off to the nearest cop shop.
Ried tugged on the reins and almost fell from the sudden cramp in his stomach. The sharp, intense pain folded him over the saddle and left him resting on the mare’s neck. He took several deep breaths until the contractions eased enough to let him sit back upright. The see-sawing fevers and sweats, along with the onset of cramps, ground down his strength. Lack of water made his head throb from growing headaches, and his vision wavered in and out of focus.
“Come on, Ried. You’re a member of the second R.A.R.” He rubbed the front of his right shoulder. “You’ve been through worse. So, get your shit together,” he berated himself, yet, he couldn’t remember ever feeling this sick. He felt like every muscle argued with his organs in a snowstorm, while he stood on a lava flow.
Devil continued down the road, feeling the weight of the rider on her back increase before he fell forward and slumped across her neck. She walked at a steady pace while rolling her neck, shoulders, and hips to keep the non-responsive rider from falling out of the saddle.
Ertyl/MPC Millennium Falcon Update No 5
July 29, 2018 by A.J in Models | Leave a comment
To those keeping tabs, welcome back to the fifth update.
After completing the cockpit canopy and interior I started on the next subassembly… The Falcons sensor dish. The shot below shows the finished piece compared to the studio model. Pretty good hey. 😉
After the sensor dish, I returned back to add extra detail to the main lower hull section. As with the top mandibles, I corrected the missing detail on the guide rail sections. (pic-1) I’m not sure if that is what they are, but that’s what I’m calling them. I also, as I did with the top hull, thinned the outer edges and then added extra greebles to the rear engine area behind the loading bay area and continued to add damage to the hull plating edges.
With all that done I then began working on the lights for the engine, spotlights and watch your headlights while waiting for the 3D printed forward landing bays to arrive in the post from the states.
The engine lighting proved the most problematic. Compounded by my limited skill as an electrical and lighting engineer. What does that mean you ask? It means my friends I blew one set of lights for the engines glow and destroyed several other pre-wire LEDs for the searchlights. The later came from more ham-fisted skills than bad wiring. However, after studious effort and tongue gnawing persistence, I managed to get a full set of working lights. Woo-whoo!!! This included a string of surface mounted LEDs to light the gun well addition I purchased.
Now those with a keen eye may notice the section of PVC tube glued inside the model. The idea for this is so when I glue the top and bottom hull together the section of pipe will help add the domed look of the main hull. Now, my piece is only 5.2mm in height, which is a little shy of the length required to gain the most accurate look, but if I used the 6.5mm section as per those who are more skilled and pedantic, it would have meant carving up the hull and adding a whole lot of inner rib sections to stabilize everything. As well as rebuilding the outer wall of the access corridors and cutting away the mandible sections… So my piece is short enough to give me a better shape without any weird distortions.
Ertyl/MPC Millennium Falcon update…
So a lot has happened on this project since my last post. The original goal I set myself was constructing a good representation of the five-foot model used in A New Hope. I can now attest this plan is now overwritten, trashed and gone. Now the model is tracking along to be a blend of the thirty-two inch and modified five-foot models used in The Empire Strikes Back and subsequent sequels.
Alright, let us take a peek at what I have done…
Once I finished my attempts at re-detailing the top Hull I decided to detail the cockpit interior, exterior, and canopy. The exterior of the kit wasn’t quite to scale so I sanded off the panel detail, added some styrene sheet and redid the area for the Kool-Shade grill and carved out the bottom of the access tube to represent the battle damage. Along with the re-worked panels, I also added more greeblies from the bits box as well as pieces of thin styrene rod and parts from donation kits.
Satisfied with the exterior of the cockpit access way I spent the better part of a weekend detailing and assembling the 3D printed cockpit interior with lights, and with the parts made from translucent plastic lighting was straightforward. More or less. I painted only the front wall of the back wall, used colored PVA glue over some of the holes molded in the plastic and then mounted four white LEDs, two small red surface mounted ones and a tiny warm LED under the main console.
Because the 3d canopy piece is a different to the piece supplied in the kit, the clear insert for the glass didn’t fit so I tried unsuccessfully to make my own from clear acetate. Now after removing the offending clear inserts I have decided to leave them out. I did this for two reasons. The first was because the smudged and glue and ill-fitting acetate spoiled the detail and secondly the actual filming miniatures done have any clear inserts. After all, I am trying to mimic the filming models. 😉
More to follow later…
The Off-Worlder Chronicles: Terror Australis. Part One
July 24, 2018 by A.J in The Off-Worlder Chronicles: Terror Australis., Writing | Leave a comment
Many agreed the summer days of 2021 were hotter than most, and Saturday, the twenty-third of January helped support the consensus.
The air shimmered under a hot baleful sun blurring the horizon behind a hovering dust beneath which drove a small convoy along the cracked bitumen of a decaying highway, 160 kilometers southwest of Toowoomba, the governing capital of the empires northern region.
The lead vehicle, an electrically powered, three-wheeled motorbike, veered onto a dirt access road in a plume of billowing dust. Behind the rider, a curved platform rose, protected by an armored screen shielding two manned Gatling-style machine guns.
Trailing the war trike came two motorbikes, sleek machines with their high-gloss plum-colored fairing flowing back from over the front wheel a pair of matching panniers forming an aerodynamic armored casing for both the rider and machine.
A six-door limousine followed the front escorts. Two small satin flags mounted above the headlights fluttered and snapped in the wind. The banner on the driver’s side gold cloth contrasted the jet-black silhouette of a bull above Roman numerals. The passenger side flag displayed a star within a red and green laurel wreath, above two crossed gladius swords, and the letters S.P.Q.R.
A kilometer down the arid dirt road, the cavalcade pulled up in front of a hangar at an abandoned airfield, leaving a trail of pale dust floating northward on a sluggish breath of wind.
In one synchronized movement each rider dismounted to form a cordon as Marcus Civilis Emeritus emerged from the vehicle squinting against the harsh sunlight. At his feet, a swirling dust eddy tracked a path across the powdery dust while the dry heat pinched his exposed skin. After a furtive scan of the area surrounding the compound, Marcus leaned into the limousine to retrieve his cloak.
In the distance, a small mountain and ridgeline lost focus through the shimmering haze behind a grove of long-dead trees.
Marcus draped the cloak over his shoulder and brought up his manicured hand to halt two of the bike riders marching over to him.
“Stand at ease, Centurion.” He glanced at the flimsy, rusted chain mesh security fence. “There is a reason we call out here no-man’s land. So, I suggest you all head over to the canteen. I will phone through when I am ready.”
“By your command, Proconsul.”
Marcus’s chiseled face offered the smallest hint of a smile before he turned toward the structure. Time to find out whether our investments are proving fruitful. On entering the building, he paused, blinked, and squinted from his pupils’ sudden dilation in their effort of adjusting to the lower light spectrum. The immediate drop in temperature, a result of the super-chilled air which streamed from the outside condensers, stung his warm skin. When his eyes recovered from entering the dark room, the scene reminded him of a tactical operations center on an orbital battle barge. Against the two longer walls stood an assortment of cabinets and desks, attended by three Roman science auxiliaries dressed in bottle-green overalls. Three of the men busied themselves in front of computers, typing codes on back-lit keyboards. A fourth Roman paced up and down, making notes on a clipboard filled with papers.
“Lafrenius, why do you insist on keeping the lights so dim?” Marcus blinked and donned the mulberry hued velvet cloak over his immaculate, ink-blue, two-piece linen suit. “And must the temperature always be so cold?”
“Marcus?” An older man poked his head from behind a two-meter-high data bank. “When did you arrive?”
“An impromptu visit.”
“You know my thoughts about such…visits.”
“A point you have made countless times before.” Marcus wandered through the room, mesmerized with glowing dials, gauges, and monitors filled with moving bar graphs and data streams.
“If you find the temperature too cold or the lighting too dark, you could wait back in my office,” Lafrenius said in a dismissive tone, “We are about to begin the trial of the new targeting matrix, and the bright lights make certain gauges difficult to read.”
“It would seem I came at the right time.” Marcus smiled at the aging Tribune. “Can I help?”
“Yes. You can ionize the mapping screen and then stay put.”
Marcus tipped his head in acquiescence and moved across to the back wall to activate a large rectangular screen. Charged gasses between two plates of crystal started glowing to coalesce into a cloud filled with swirling eddies of blue, red, green, and gray, appeared.
Lafrenius went about zig-zagging between the consoles and the operators, making notes with his stylus. Then he stopped beside a seated technician, referred to his scribbled formulas, and adjusted some of the dials. With a quick look to his left, Lafrenius grunted when a single red dot pulsed on the technician’s console. Lafrenius shifted his attention to the mapping screen where a smaller red dot flashed.
The scientist tapped his stylus on his nose and walked back to the bank of instruments to adjust more dials and type in added codes. “No. No. NO.” He trotted back to the technician with the pulsing red light. “You are not compensating for the spatial drift and phase variance. I have told you before; the two dimensions are not parallel. They are alternate.”
Lafrenius struck the younger man across the back of his head. “Now, rework the calculation for a…” he scribbled on his board, “…6.536 variation. That should be enough to counter the drift vector.” He swiveled his head between the two out of sync red lights. “Quickly adjust the Z axis.” He continued to tap the stylus against his nose until bot lights pulsed in a continuous rhythm. “Better.” He called across to Tiberius, “Bring the central console online.”
The operator closest to the proconsul walked to the opposite end of the room, where he sat in a cockpit style console station.
Lafrenius then made his way towards the mapping screen and tweaked several dials on the screen’s control panel. With each adjustment, the image of the cloud coalesced until a spiral-arm galaxy filled the right side. On the edge of one of the spiral arms flashed a tiny green dot.
“All right, Tiberius. Are the solar capacitors fully charged?”
“Yes, Tribune.”
“The backup batteries?”
“All at full capacity.”
“Excellent. Proceed with initializing the power relays, and then turn on the outside lights.”
In front of Tiberius, the wall began glowing to reveal a one-way mirror. Despite himself and the instruction by Lafrenius, Marcus made his way to the window accompanied by a distant hum growing more intense.
The control room stood on a raised platform, at the end of a hectare size warehouse structure covered by a curved roof. Thirty meters in front and below the window stood an octagonal ring carved from basalt. Embedded into the internal corners, contrasting the slate-gray rock, were eight tetrahedrons of quartz crystal set in place by brass straps.
Behind the ring, stood a circle of twelve brick sized magnets, each fastened to small, triangular columns interwoven by coiled cables. Once powered, the electromagnets lifted a Gyrosphere made from a bronze alloy to bob on a cushion of air. On the back side of the stone circle stood four steel tripods supporting giant drill-like arrays aimed at the octagon’s crystals in the twelve, three, six and nine o’clock positions.
Dozens of leads snaked across the floor to connect the six-meter-wide ring, the small towers, and the Gyrosphere, to a wall lined with transformers.
Tiberius activated his console and slid his chair forward, so his hands rested on two rotating balls nestled amid an assortment of numeric keypads and toggles.
When he flipped a toggle, compressed air hissed, and hydraulics whined to lift his entire station. A second switch brought up a holographic target array, Tiberius rolled the balls under his palms until the center ring of the array sat over the gyroscope. Satisfied with the holograph’s position, he thumbed two more toggles.
Marcus stood transfixed watching the center of the Gyrosphere begin to pulse blue-white, and then rotate with increasing speed until the apparatus resembled a golden ring around a white center.
Lafrenius manipulated the crystal screens and called over his shoulder, “Bring the particle beams online.” In front of him, the blurred image of the galaxy formed on the screen’s left side to mirror the first. Within seconds, a small red dot came to life on an outer arm of the new galactic spiral.
Hypnotized, Marcus watched in awe as the pointed nose of the drill-like objects faded behind a purple glow.
“On my mark…” Lafrenius said. “One… two… three… mark.”
Marcus leaned closer to the glass when each emitter simultaneously fired a pencil-thin mauve beam at a corresponding crystal. The quartz balls flared from deep within to reveal twisting ribbons of lavender light creeping outward. The crystals outer skin soon sparkled from the energy bolts, and in less than a minute, each turned into writhing balls of energy.
Then a clap of thunder sent vibrations through the glass wall as a continuous beam of light met in the center of the ring to create a ball of chaotic energies.
“Status report?” Lafrenius asked.
“The portal is stable, but with only a half-meter dilation,” replied Tiberius.
“Excellent. Commodus, initiate the carrier beam.”
An assistant rolled his chair across the room and typed a command into a computer console. The instant he tapped the enter key, a bright white shaft of light shot from the spinning Gyrosphere’s center, and struck the writhing mass of energy in the stone octagons center.
Another sonic boom erupted from the ring. The proconsul flinched and stepped back from the quivering window. The atmosphere beyond the glass turned to white fog and rain, obscuring his view of the warehouse space.
Behind him, Lafrenius’s eyes darted between the two galaxies. He adjusted the dials to zoom in on the images, held his breath, and watched the screens. Within seconds, a thin orange line stretched from the green dot on the left to connect with the red dot on the right.
The air filled with static. A small console fell off the wall in an eruption of sparks and fused wire. Beyond the window, the rain and fog began funneling into the basalt ring. Within a minute, the internal squall disappeared.
“Increase the particle beams’ harmonics by a factor of 2.96.”
The vibration in the room increased. A half-filled coffee cup slid off a table to shatter on the floor. “Tribune Lafrenius…” Tiberius called out, “…the carrier beams are destabilizing.”
Lafrenius ran to Tiberius’s console. He studied the readouts while massaging the back of his neck. Something on the third monitor to the left caught his attention. “Tachyon particles are causing feedback. Something is creating a temporal loop. We need to re-modulate the frequency of the particle beam by a factor of seven.”
“And the carrier waves?” a technician named Quintus enquired.
Lafrenius wove his way to the mapping screen via several monitors, where he adjusted the controls to magnify the right-hand image. “Twelve percent added to the frequency output should be enough to compensate.”
“Tribune.” Quintus waved the senior scientist over to his monitor. “I am picking up an image.”
Marcus and Lafrenius joined Quintus in time to see a black and white image coalesce on his screen.
“What is it?” Marcus squinted at the monitor.
“What we are looking at is the surface of another planet in an alternate dimension, and, if these readings are correct,” Lafrenius proclaimed with a smug tone while crossing his arms in triumph, “it is also the birthplace of our ancestors.”
“Do you know when?” asked Marcus.
“It is hard to say.” Lafrenius darted to the mapping screen and adjusted the image until a blue-green planet filled the crystal display. His fingers massaged the dials in gentle caresses. The image zoomed in on hills covered in lush undergrowth, grass and trees, and the occasional village of stone houses and thatched roofs. “The images conform to the descriptions from the Novicus Patria scrolls.”
“Well done, my friend.” The proconsul patted the older man’s back.
Superimposed over the topographical display hovered a transparent red disc rimmed by bright yellow. “The portal openings appear stable enough…” The old scientist frowned and leaned closer to the readout overlaying the time-lapsed videos. “Tiberius re-modulate the beam by a factor of seven.”
Tiberius raised his hand to the bank of dials, but before his fingers reached the first one, his console erupted. Green flames and arcing energy blasted outward. The entire console spasmed when its hydraulic base collapsed. Tiberius screamed as his body turned into a writhing mass of burning flesh and clothes.
The mirrored window flexed before erupting into a horizontal hailstorm of glazed shrapnel. The atmosphere in the warehouse danced with pulsing flames, sprouting from clouds of lavender and aqua. A battering ram of air slammed through the control room in a pressure wave tipping tables, unfurling ribbons of perforated printing paper, and threatened to cast aside the four remaining Romans.
Twisting fingers of energy arced through the shattered window. Commodus, dazed and bleeding from a cut above his eye, died when a bolt of energy grazed his chest.
The floor buckled, and a bank of lights in the ceiling exploded to rain glass and sparks across the room. Marcus raised his head above the window frame, the sight of a single demonic eye stared back at the proconsul.
Shadows fluctuated with the moving lights in the warehouse. The basalt ring now glowed an orange-red, and the inside of the quartz tetrahedrons burned white. Beyond the stone ring, the eight emitters lay broken and scattered on the floor. Behind those and still hovering above the magnets, the Gyrosphere continued to spin.
Only now it cast out probing fingers of arcing energy to touch each of the crystal balls. When the last tendril and crystal connected, the Gyrosphere launched itself into the center of the ring. Inside the control room, the wind howling wind shifted into reverse.
A technician dragged himself back to his computer. “We’ve lost containment. The portal is drifting.”
Lafrenius stood, bracing himself against the sucking atmospheric pressure.
The stone circle hovered above the floor; its orange glow grew brighter until the entire thing morphed into a disc of pulsing light and colors. Lafrenius cast a quick glance at the monitor connected to a camera in the rear of the warehouse. What he saw made his heart race faster. Facing them was a disc of swirling multi-hued energy with a white center, yet, the image from the rear camera showed a circle of grey fog.
At that moment the dimensional rift bounced against the curved ceiling. The ionized gasses and particle clouds rotated into a cyclonic whirlpool around a brilliant white ball of the transformed gyrosphere. The faster the energy and gas spun, the smaller the glowing ball became until it disappeared at the end of a reversed tornado.
Lafrenius pointed to the rear camera’s relay screen. “Do you see it, Quintus?” Lafrenius clutched the technician’s shoulder for support. “The funnel extends back for hundreds of meters–”
“–yet the portal still appears flat.” Quintus toggled his head between the screen and Lafrenius. “By the gods… It’s beautiful.”
Around them, the negative air pressure increased to create a vacuum. Loose items, broken equipment, all began disappearing into the spinning vortex, along with the shattered beams and roofing. Absorbing the debris seemed to feed the eye of terror, which paused, and then smashed through the roof with a sudden explosive scream.
“Track it,” shouted Lafrenius.
Quintus ran to the mapping screen, where he spun dials and flicked switches. “It’s heading north-east, traveling at twenty-six kilometers a minute.”
Lafrenius helped the proconsul to his feet before he joined Quintus. Overlapping images replayed in the charged gasses between the crystal plates. In a translucent green circle, scenes of the local desert and salt-scrub terrain flashed by, while those in the red disc portrayed bitumen roads lined with headlights, pastoral lands, and townships illuminated by street lamps.
“Is that a storm?” asked Marcus.
“A possible by-product of the portal’s ionized field,” Lafrenius told Marcus.
“The images from the opposite opening… Something is different.”
Static filled the screen, the green circle wavered, before fading on the image of abandoned, ruined farms, and a broad undulating floodplain laced with gullies. In a brief flash, the mapping screen went black. Quintus and Lafrenius attacked the controls in a vain effort to re-establish a connection.
“Sorry, sir. By these readings, the portal has collapsed.”
A confused Marcus followed the old scientist around the room. “Lafrenius, what happened?”
“Gravimetric distortions, solar winds, increased radiogenic disruptions, and EM fluctuations…” Lafrenius walked across to an overturned printer and tearing off its printout continued his private conversation. “But, what caused the temporal shifts? What did I miss?” his face contorted with internal calculations. “A passing space body? No… No, it would require one with huge mass.” Something on the printout stopped his musings, he ran across to another printer and rifled through the readouts. “Of course, a simultaneous planetary alignment.”
“In simpler terms.”
“It means, Proconsul, the experiment was a failure.” Lafrenius threw aside the paper in frustration.
“Sir,” Quintus interrupted. He sat at his computer and re-ran the recording from the mapping screen with superimposed codes and formulas. “The last image we recorded.”
“Just passing scenery,” Lafrenius said. “We can analyze the data stream later.”
“No, sir.” Quintus twisted to face both Marcus and Lafrenius.
“Explain.” Marcus leaned closer to the paused blurred picture.
“Something was pulled through from the other side,” Quintus said.
Marcus fixed his gaze on Lafrenius. “Is that possible?”
“In theory,” the gray-haired scientist shrugged. “Our objective is to move objects or people, but not at this stage of testing.”
“Are you certain of your findings?” Marcus continued to study the blurred image.
“Yes, sir, and…”
“And what?”
“By these readings, it appears to be an artificial construct,” Quintus paused to highlight a line of code on the screen, “and the object also contained at least one life sign.”
“Lafrenius. Where is your sub-ether comms unit?”
“In the phone exchange beside the canteen building.”
Marcus pulled the scientist to one side. “Do you trust the men in this room?”
Lafrenius hesitated and gave his proconsul a worried frown. “They have kept our secret this far.”
“Yes.” Marcus smiled and patted the scientists back. “Well, let us make sure they continue to do so,” he said as he turned and left the shattered control room.
On a Thursday afternoon in late August in 2014, Ex-Sergeant Benjamin James Ried sat silent and alone at a roadhouse café, 150 kilometers due west of a small country town in Queensland, called Gore.
A cattle truck, trailing a thin cloud of gray-tinged dust, shuddered to a stop beside the twin set of diesel pumps. In less than a minute, the dry, stale perfume of old manure mixed with bovine piss pervaded the air inside. The diner’s only patron twitched his nose at the intruding odor.
He listened to the muffled cries of its cargo. “Poor buggers. If only you knew what your future held.” He washed down the remaining sinewy piece of his steak sandwich with a mouthful of tepid percolated coffee. The coffee, toast, meat, and salad fought against his stomach acids. Ried burped and swept his hand through his cocoa-colored hair. The early dinner did not fall into the category of the worst food he’d ever consumed, but nor did the meal rate anywhere near the best. Still, it did abate his hunger.
To his right, the images moving across a wall mounted flat-screen TV depicted the decisive moments of the station’s afternoon movie, a 1960s war movie where the hero defeats the hapless Germans, saves the damsel, jumps in a Jeep, and drives off to his next mission of glory.
A lopsided smile creased his cheek. “What a crock of shit. Where in the real world does a soldier save the day, defeat the enemy, and drive off with the girl?” He picked up a two-day-old, dog-eared newspaper left abandoned on the chair beside him. “Not this soldier, that’s for sure.”
“Give me a break.” The front page’s headlines, cast in bold typeset, highlighted another football player’s drug scandal. The journalist went on to question the player’s integrity leading up to the September 2014 finals.
Farther down the page, the article about another soldier killed over in the Middle East barely received a decent sideline piece. He flipped the paper face down beside his plate and closed his green-flecked, hazel eyes.
With a sigh, he rubbed his temples. I suppose nobody gives a rat’s arse about what we are doing anymore. Well, if the world doesn’t care, maybe I shouldn’t either.
Ried rubbed his eyes. The weariness from his trip begun to catch up with him. Casting a brief look around the café, he nudged the empty plate aside, rested his head on crossed arms, and dozed off to let his past dreams float upward.
“What the hell are they playing at?” He tapped his throat mic. “Foxtrot two and three, why have you dropped back?” Ried’s earpiece crackled before a tiny voice vibrated through it.
“Sorry, skipper. A mob of goats and a farmer ran out on the road.”
“Push your way through.” Ried pulled out his briefing notes and scanned the coded page. “Shit.” He turned to a soldier manning the twenty-five-millimeter cannon behind him. “Jimmy, rotate and scan for hostiles.” He did his best to keep his voice calm. “Matchbox two and three, reverse your twenty. I say again, reverse your twenty.”
“No need. We’ll just go ’round the–”
“NEGATIVE. I repeat, NEGATIVE. Do not go off-road.” Ried flipped the safety of his Styr and turned to his driver. “Simmo, do a 180, NOW!” He thumbed the mike. “Foxtrot two and thre–” His earpiece erupted with a burst of static. “Fuck.” He pulled out his satellite phone. “Garage, Garage. Matchbox one, two, and three under assault–”
His ears popped when the vehicle’s cannon fired at a small ridge.
“Skipper! Tallies on our nine and six!” The gunner fired another shell. “Simmo, get us the fuck out of here.”
A twisting train of smoke arced toward the LAV. The ground in front of the reversing armored vehicle disappeared behind a ball of flame and dirt. The cannon fired another two rapid shots.
“RPG! RPG! They’ve got fucking RPGs!” the gunner shouted seconds before his turret ruptured amidst an expanding ball of flame concussion.
“Shit.” Ried sat upright his hands gripped the table’s edge, his knuckles white. His ears pounded from the increase in blood pressure. His breath came in hyperventilating wheezes as his heart thumped against his chest.
Looking around, he blinked his eyes until they refocused on the diner. A wave of embarrassment washed over him. His ragged breathing returned to normal, and he forced himself to release his grip to wipe away the sweat from his face.
Cleaning the diner’s floor, a waitress turned and glanced his way.
Ried lowered his eyes and stepped out of the booth to duck into the restroom. His reflection in the mirror held a familiar shadow of torment.
Survivor’s guilt, the shrink called it. He squeezed his eyes closed and flexed his neck muscles. “Fucking oath it’s guilt.” Turning on the tap, he splashed water on his face.
Come on, Ried. Maybe it’s time to stop running and settle down and sort your shit out. He massaged the front of his right shoulder, sighed, and left the washroom to return to the table.
The waitress abandoned her monotonous sweeping and sauntered over to stand near his booth. She gazed at the younger man while combing her mousey-blond hair around her right ear with her fingers.
Ried tried his best to ignore the hovering woman by concentrating on the mud-colored liquid in the mug cradled between his palms. He caught her arching shoulders above an overemphasized straight back.
Really? Her actions gave off less subtlety than a rifle butt on his forehead.
“Are you all right?”
“Sorry, bad dream,” he murmured.
The waitress bent down to retrieve an envelope lying near his foot. “I think you dropped this.”
“Oh, thanks.” He put the letter beside his empty plates.
She walked off through the swinging door into the kitchen. Her cloying citrus and vanilla-scented perfume lingered in her wake. When she returned with a tray and cleaning cloth, Ried couldn’t decide which smelled worse: the woman’s cheap scent laced with the odor of stale cigarette smoke or the residual aroma of the cattle truck.
The waitress tossed Ried’s dirty plate and newspaper on the tray. She moved the letter, reading the name and address written on the envelope. “Lavarack Barracks, huh?” she pried. “You’re a long way from home.” She leaned closer, wiping the laminate surface of the table above his waist. “You on leave?”
“Discharged,” Ried picked up the envelope and slid it into his pocket. He then picked up the cup, but instead of drinking, he swirled the tawny liquid. Disillusioned is more like it.
“I once knew a bloke in the air force,” she continued. “Are you headin’ home or takin’ a holiday?” She slid into the bench opposite him.
The corners of his mouth rose and fell in a quick “you can go now” smile. “New job out west,” he replied.
“So, you alone, Benjamin?” The woman stroked her earlobe, oblivious to his subtle rejection.
He shrugged and almost told her he preferred Ben or Ried rather than Benjamin. However, as always, he struggled to converse with the opposite sex. Besides, he didn’t want to indulge in her obvious flirtations.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, Ried checked his watch. “I should be back on the road.” He excused himself with an apologetic smile and exited the diner.
The jarring bump and the gravel drumming under his car blasted away the fog shrouding his concentration.
“Shit.” Christ, Ried. Are you trying to kill yourself?
He jerked the wheel to bring the car back onto the bitumen. The tires squealed in protest, and the rear end swung in short erratic arcs. Twenty meters down the road, Ried pulled over and forced his arms to relax. His cheeks and mouth puffed with an exaggerated release of breath. The semi-digested steak sandwich clawed its way up his throat on a bubble of gastric juice. He swallowed back the burning regurgitation and forced his heart to return to a constant beat.
Ried reached across for the bottle of water rolling around on the floor behind the passenger seat, unscrewed the cap, and washed away the unpleasant taste. When the last of the liquid flowed across his tongue, he rubbed his eyes. If you had any brains, you’d pull over and sleep. Instead, he massaged his neck and peered through the dozens of dead insects glued to his windscreen. Or they’ll be scraping you from the inside of the glass.
Ried accelerated his car under the moonless star-filled sky. On a typical night, plumes of light would herald the passage of cars and trucks driving along the highway. However, except for the few vehicles detouring west of Warwick, the only headlights on the road this night belonged to his car.
The dashboard’s pale green light reflected off his tired and drawn face, giving him a haunted, hollow appearance. A frown creased his forehead after he glanced at the digital clock. “Ten-thirty,” he grumbled. Christ. It’ll be hours before I get there. Bloody roadworks. In the distance, a flickering glow pulsed in a cloud bank on the horizon. And I am not in the bloody mood to deal with a storm.
Resetting the cruise control, Ried willed the far-off storm to drift south-west. He then stretched his legs and rolled his shoulders, an activity which did little to ease the fatigue swamping his muscles. A quick check of his mobile’s GPS confirmed his next fuel stop, a roadhouse on the outskirts of Gore, was fifteen kilometers away.
Don’t give in now. You can sleep at the truck stop. Until then, bloody well stay awake and drive.
However, within minutes, his body started betraying him; not from his heavy eyelids, but from the urging of a full bladder. “Well, when you gotta go, you gotta go,” he said, bringing the SUV to a stop.
A blast of chilly air slapped his face when he stepped from the comfort of his car. “Strewth.” He recoiled from the oppressive, wet, sweet, and sour odor of some nearby roadkill in slow decay. “God, I miss the smell of the bush.” The crickets went on chirping in the long grass, oblivious to his sarcasm.
The malodorous, chilly breeze snaked its way past his collar and tickled the hair on his back, rippling his skin with goosebumps. The night’s cold caress also hastened his need to pee. Ried hurried through the beam of his headlights, away from the highway, and released the pressure from his bladder. The sensation produced a sigh of almost pure rapture. A tart, metallic odor wafted up from the warm stream of urine near his feet.
A childhood ditty popped into his head. “Who wrote the new book Rusty Bedsprings?” he asked aloud. Once done, he cried, “I pee nightly!” He re-zipped his jeans, grinning at his joke.
With his back to the road, Ried closed his eyes and stretched his tired body. At the completion of his calisthenics, he opened his eyes to find the storm clouds had drifted closer and now filled the sky.
Damn it. I was hoping it would cross– He squinted into the gray-black gloom. “Sounds like something’s in a hurry…” To Ried, the noise sounded like a medicine ball bouncing through the paddock’s grass and salt scrub. Overhead, a lightning bolt streaked between two clouds, lighting the surrounding fields.
“JESUS.” Ried threw himself on the patch of urine-soaked ground when a kangaroo leaped over a nearby bush. With a weighty thud, the enormous marsupial’s taloned paws landed to bracket his head, before it leapt over both him and the car.
“Bugger me…” He went to push himself back on his haunches but fell back on his rump when another roo swooped out of the night, to land half a meter away from his right foot, before it too leaped away, its tail brushing the nape of his neck when it passed. “Holy shit.” Ried scurried backward against the front passenger tire of his car. The air expelled from a short, nervous laugh condensed beneath his nose. Then, with comic slowness, he turned to peer over the bonnet and watched the animals melt into the night.
From behind him came a muffled, drumming noise, with the crack and snap of dry shrubs. He flinched when a long, blue-white ribbon of light skipped under the clouds.
A further series of brief flashes revealed hundreds of leaping marsupials pouring from the trees and shrubs in a tsunami of brown and gray fur. The sound of their paws beating the ground, the snapping of branches and the whipped rustle of grass, drowned out the purr of the idling motor.
Overhead, lightning bolts continued to pulse, and in the flashbulb glare, Ried realized the animals were stampeding in one direction: his. Oh, shit. He fell on all fours to dart around the opposite side of the SUV when a stout, muscular wallaby collided with the car only to have the ensuing mob trample its body. Ried paused in shocked silence to watch the thronging mob jostle the wallaby backward. A final kick from a giant red sent the battered corpse sliding from sight, down the road’s slight embankment.
“BLOODY HELL,” he cursed again, scuttling to the cover of the driver’s side as the space around himself and the car filled with kangaroos and wallabies.
If I stay here, these bloody things would likely kick me to death. Ried dropped on his stomach and rolled under the car.
Another of the animals misjudged its leap, bounced off the bonnet, and skidded along the gravel, before it twisted upright to leap across the road, thereby avoiding the wallaby’s fate.
After several minutes, the mob’s numbers thinned, until only the sound of their continued flight echoed from the scrubland across the highway.
Ried’s quick breaths puffed the dirt under his nose. He didn’t move. Instead, he watched, listened, and waited. He stared wide-eyed through the letterbox view beyond the car’s wheels. When no more roos or wallabies came bounding out of the darkness, he crawled from under the car.
What the hell brought that on? Overhead, the dense cloud bank continued to pulse with lightning and Ried shielded his eyes when a forked blue-white rope of energy lanced downwards before twisting skyward.
Something about the kangaroos’ stampede and the look of the storm didn’t seem right. Without checking any of the damage done to the car, Ried jumped behind the wheel, started the engine, and accelerated back along the highway.
Confusion replaced Ried’s awe from the stampeding kangaroos when the night suddenly fell into abrupt darkness. What the hell… What happened to the lightning?
With a jolt, increased wind squalls buffeted his car. The air became a frenzy of swirling twigs, leaves, and dry grass, yet, except for the wind, all other signs of the storm had vanished.
Strewth… I’ve never seen a storm move that bloody fast.
After several minutes, a reflection in the mirrors grabbed his attention. Huh? He frowned at the storm approaching from behind. Can’t be the same storm? His rear-view mirrors filled with reflected lightning.
No claps of thunder or rumbling followed the lightning. I’ve never heard of a dry storm, in the middle of August? Ried focused on the door’s side mirror.
Two storms within minutes and right after a mob of roos came charging at me out of the scrub? “And I thought the Ghan was full of weird shit.”
The only sounds Ried heard came from the tires and the static screeching from the radio speakers. Distracted by the ear-destroying shriek and hiss, he diverted his eyes from the road to silence the radio. At the same instant, he caught some movement on the road ahead.
“JESUS CHRIST.” He slammed on the brakes. Ried heaved hard on the wheel, while the pedal shuddered under their anti-lock system. In place of the swirling flora and litter, the beams of the headlights filled with an assortment of cattle, horses, and wild deer.
What the– Every animal crossing the road seemed confused and were careening off each other in twisted circles performing an abstract animal dance of absurd chaos.
Ried then noticed something far more disturbing than the whirlpooling behavior of the beasts. Somewhere in the stampede’s earlier path, many of the animals had become ensnared in barbed wire and fence posts. Foam and sweat, stained pink from blood, covered the terrified animals’ chests, flanks, and legs.
In their dusty wake, the all too familiar aroma of fear, adrenalin, and blood filtered through the SUV vents.
Ried scanned the direction from which the manic herd came. “What the hell is out there?” he muttered. Visions of terrified animals still haunted his eyes. He considered pulling over to investigate, but another volley of wind battered the car. “On second thought, I’ll let the cops at Gore figure it out.”
He slipped the gears into first and eased down on the accelerator. Above the speeding car, the clouds churned into a swirling eddy, illuminated from within by more flashbulb bursts of white-blue.
“Jesus. Is that a tornado?” That’s gotta be what spooked them.
The car’s movements became more erratic as Ried avoided the larger pieces of debris tossed about in the maelstrom winds around him. The storm then unleashed a solid wall of torrential rain and hail, which stopped within minutes, as if he passed beyond the curtain of a waterfall.
That was quick. Another succession of wind gusts threatened to push him off the highway. “Pity the bloody wind didn’t stop too.”
He scanned each of the rear-view mirrors, the road ahead, and then glancing upward, his eyes caught the tumultuous clouds twisting into an electrified, reversed vortex.
What the fuck?
He divided his attention between driving and looking up into the swirling inverted funnel laced with strings of crisscrossing energy.
“No way…” he whispered in reverent awe. Must be a trick of the lightning. “Time to be somewhere else I reckon.” When Ried increased his pressure on the accelerator every light in his car flared into life seconds before the fuse box, mounted under the dashboard, exploded in a crackling series of fizzling sparks.
His car died.
Shit. He tore off his jacket and batted the spitting flames, and then threw his ruined jacket across the car. The sharp, pungent odor of burned wire and plastic smoke clawed at his throat and lungs, and with no fuses he could not open the window for any fresh air.
“Damn it. Fucking electric windows.”
More lightning burst from the cloud’s funnel. The flashes rent apart the slate gray of the night.
Alone in the lifeless vehicle, Ried found himself hypnotized by the electrical tempest outside.
None of the arcing bolts touched the ground. Instead, the ribbons of energy curved back into the funnel without a single clap of thunder. Everything he heard outside sounded like the sky suffered a massive short circuit.
The car rocked and bucked from the increasing wind and battering from small airborne bushes and trees. He cringed when a shrub screeched and scraped across the bonnet.
When each returning bolt of light struck the funnel wall, an explosion followed by a gunshot blast to create dozens of micro-supernovae. Every one of those eruptions spawned hundreds of smaller bolts, glowing with the vibrant hues of the rainbow.
“Jesus. The whole fucking sky’s gone mad!”
An unremitting dread crawled up from Ried’s subconscious. He pictured the spiraling maw evolving into a ravenous monster, sent to feed on his fears and himself.
Instead, the world outside disappeared, hidden behind a mass of swirling fog pulsing with iridescent lightning. The mist and obsidian-colored clouds churned faster. The walls of its vortex pulsed in indigo, purples, and brilliant greens. The wind continued to assault the car.
Holy mother of– The sight of the glowing tempest changing dynamics stretched his beliefs.
The debris and fog gyrating around his car started to disappear within the inhaling vortex. Within minutes, only the droplets on the windshield, and the shallow puddles decorating the bitumen gave evidence of the storm’s brief deluge.
What the– He followed several drops climbing up the glass. In disbelief, he looked on, intrigued by the upward flow of the water. The area around the car grew lighter with each passing second. He tried to open the door, but when the fuses blew the surge locked the doors. “Fuck and FUCK.”
With the darkness turning to light, he jammed himself hard against the windscreen, to better see the sky above the car. In the distant apex of the funnel shone an alabaster glow.
Ried threw his arms and hands over his face. The cloud’s inner wall flared into the blue-green fire, encircling the catapulted alabaster light. Bolts of energy spat out from the turquoise flames and assaulted the car and road. His body tingled and itched. Discharges of static electricity latticed his skin with every move he made. Ried couldn’t think. He couldn’t speak. He could only scream.
With a sudden jolt, the front of the car began to angle upward. He ignored the pin-prick stabs of pain and clutched the steering wheel. The back of the car see-sawed as the field of electrostatic energy faded. Ried braced himself, expecting the tornado to lift and hurl his car into the surrounding bush.
Instead, the car launched upward, and the sudden g-forces slammed him back into his seat. A nerve-splitting sensation of a muscle tearing in his shoulder’s radial joint convulsed down his arm.
Pinned by the seatbelt, his head, arms, and legs, swung wildly about as the car flipped and spun out of control, swept deeper into the vortex on ribbons of ionized flame. Winded, stunned, and whiplashed, Ried, lurched forward with the abrupt head-spinning sensation of weightlessness and threw up.
Around the car, the green flames changed in hue. The funnel filled with white and purple fire. Bolts of energy whiplashed the hapless vehicle.
“No fucking way…”
A reflected image in the rear-view mirror showed a brief glimpse of the Western Queensland highway shrinking behind a closing iris of emerald fire.
The misshapen globules of his vomit merged into one larger spheroid. Ried pushed his open palm against the foul-smelling orb. His fingers slipped past the thin, oily film, into the bile and gastric juice decorated with his semi-digested meal. His stomach heaved.
The rising temperature seared his throat and lungs. Ried felt like a piece of meat in a microwave. His nose burned from the rancid fumes of heated vomit. His mind threatened to shut down from the unyielding abuse hurled at his senses.
Then, the brutal force of gravity returned, multiplied tenfold. The car and its unexpected drop snapped the seatbelt. Ried’s lungs expelled their air like a bursting balloon. The gelatinous mass of vomit ruptured against his chest. His head slammed into the front driver’s side door pillar with an appalling smack.
The last thing Ried recalled was the way the vortex turned itself inside out and spat the car out in a halo of tangerine fire. His expelled vehicle crashed on its side amidst torrential wind and rain, jarring open the rear driver’s side door and shattering the windows sending glass, mud, and water into the rocking car.
Tangled between the front seats and steering wheel, bleeding, and coated in his vomit, Ried passed out to the sound of rain hammering the car.
The light washed away the blackness of his brief coma. He tried to open his eyes, but only one would obey the instruction. A shadow emerged, surrounded by a flaring corona. Ried blinked several times with his uninjured eye until the grey shape dissolved into the face of an older man in his late fifties. His tanned face had deep laugh lines, with a mustache under a long equine nose protruding down between a pair of piercing blue-gray eyes.
Ried’s head followed the man who moved beside him. He tried speaking, but only a raspy croak escaped from his dry throat.
“Ah, you are awake.” The old man rested his hand on Ried’s shoulder and peered down with a tilted smile. “Easy, son. Just lay still, hey.” With gentle, steady hands, the old man lifted Ried to allow a small trickle of water to flow from a chipped enameled mug to moisten his lips and tongue. “You’re lucky we spotted you and your car this far off the road.” The old man tipped the cup again. “I’m sorry, but until Doc Mitchum’s had a look at you, I can’t risk giving you any more.” He lowered Ried’s head and placed a wet cloth on the younger man’s forehead.
Ried let his head roll to the side so he could survey the area around where he lay. It looks like an old, dry floodplain. Looking around through the translucent waves of dry heat, he noticed the distorted shapes of several small trees and shrubs taking root in the compacted silt and rock deposits.
More sound and movement near his wrecked car drew Ried’s attention back to his rescuer, who shaded his eyes against the morning sun. Ried wanted to shade his eyes from the hot sun as well, but instead, his vision blurred, before he fell into an exhausted deep sleep.
The old man wiped away a trickle of sweat running down his neck with his sun-tanned hand. Several hours had passed since they pulled the injured man from his wrecked car. He looked at the young crash victim and chided himself for not shading the young man from the late morning’s heat. Gently, the old man placed his worn slouch hat over Ried’s face.
The man unfolded a tarp beside Ried and sorted several of the branches he had collected earlier into size groups. He brushed his hands against his gray denim pants, rolled up the sleeves of his khaki drill shirt, and set about building a shelter over Ried. When he fixed the last rope in place, the old man turned at the scrape of footsteps through the dirt.
A younger man in his late teens stepped into view from behind the wreck. The old man reached down, removed his hat from Ried’s forehead, and turned toward the thin teenager, whose cheeks showed deep craters from acne scars. He never understood why his son kept his black hair so long. It needed tying off in a shoulder-length ponytail
His son’s face twisted into a frown above his mahogany-brown eyes. “Why bother with the shelter? We should take what we can and leave him here. I mean, he’s almost dead anyway.”
The father sighed heavily. “And what if a Vigiles patrol found him?” He tested the last tie-down. “No, Nicholas, we are not leaving him here. Besides, do you know what Gallio would do to him?”
“Who cares?” Nicholas shrugged. “We don’t know him, and if he’s stupid enough to crash, then let Gallio find him.”
A shrill whistle carried across the floodplain. The father and son turned to see the blurred figure of a man leading a horse and cart through the shimmering air.
“Jack, and about bloody time, too.” When the father reached Jack, he snatched the reins. “I thought you were getting help.”
Jack ignored the father and squatted in the lean-to’s shade and wrinkled his nose. “Strewth, Dom. It smells like horse shit and old oil.”
“Don’t worry about the tarp. What about the help?”
“Sorry, mate.” Jack shrugged. “Everybody’s getting a tad more nervous with the increased patrols, and those who aren’t don’t want to waste their gas.” He gave Dom a cheeky grin before finishing. “I managed to get hold of Doc Mitchum, though.” He nodded toward the cart. “After that, I decided to get the horse and cart. I figure it’s less conspicuous than your old flatbed.”
“Fair enough.” Dom looked disappointed. “Since Gallio and his pit bull arrived, the whole bloody region’s too afraid to do much of anything.”
Ignored by the two men, Nicholas strolled across to lay under the cart, where he crossed his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.
Jack raised an eyebrow at Nicholas’s dismissive behavior but said nothing. Standing next to the Dom, Jack outsized his friend in bulk and height, but unlike Dom, he sported a full beard and a thick mop of curly, dark red hair, streaked with gray from the temples.
“I don’t wanna question you on this.” Jack scratched his chin.
“But you’re going to,” Dom sighed.
“Damn right, I will.” Jack waved his hand toward the road. “With all the extra bloody patrols looking for those friggin’ nomads,” he said, “are you sure taking him back with us is the best idea?” Jack turned to study the sleeping man. “Besides, would he even make the bloody trip back to town?”
“For the love of–” Dom threw his arms skyward. “I’ll tell you what I bloody well told Nicholas.” He jabbed a finger toward the sleeping Ried. “We are not leaving him here.” He pushed his hat back on his head. “Besides, Julia would never forgive me.”
“Okay, mate.” Jack headed over to Ried’s car, “I suppose you’ve considered the fact he could be one of ’em?” He strolled around the wrecked vehicle. “I mean, this isn’t your average bloody junker.”
“Yes, the car’s different, and yes, he might be a damn Roman,” Dom regarded his friend, “but the lad’s hurt and needs help. Our help,” Dom emphasized. “Anything else we will sort out later.”
“Fair enough.” Jack shrugged as he placed a fresh, damp cloth on Ried’s head.
Dom smiled at his friend and whispered, “You’re such a tosser.” He moved across to horse. “Come on you two,” He said grabbing the reins. “Nicholas, bring the machete and axe, will you?”
“I reckon your old man plans on hiding the wreck ’til later.”
“And let’s hope we haven’t lost our knack at concealment,” Dom quipped.
“Here’s hoping.” Jack flicked his thumb toward Ried. “What I wanna know is where you’re gonna hide our injured friend.”
“My place.” Dom walked past Jack and patted his shoulder. “We’ll take him there after Tom’s had a look at him.”
“Doc Mitchum won’t be happy.” Jack passed his eye over Ried. “He’ll want to make sure the blokes not sashed up inside.”
“When we get back to the farm I’ll send for Jennings and his portable X-ray unit–”
“Struth, now you wanna involve the vet.” Jack laughed at his friend. “I can’t wait till you tell old Mitchum that.”
“Don’t worry about Tom. I’ll sort him out,” Dom said.
“Anyway, just where at your place are you putting him?”
“We can put him in Julia’s day cottage.”
“Julia’s cottage?”
“I know what you’re thinking, but Abbey’s been cleaning the place up for a while now.”
“And I suppose you’re gonna get her to play nursemaid with our new friend.”
“I’m sure she’ll agree to it.”
“Well, I don’t fucking agree with it,” Nicholas spat.
“No one asked you, and mind your tongue.” Dom shook his head and ventured out through the simmering heat to harvest some trees.
“I don’t care what my father says,” Nicholas complained. “I agree with you.” He studied Jack. “We should take what we can and leave him for the crows.”
“Who said anything about taking his stuff?”
“I don’t get why my father’s always helping everybody,” Nicholas grumbled in a petulant tone, “or sticking his nose in other people’s business.”
“Sticking his nose in…” Jack drove his finger into the younger man’s shoulder. “You bloody well know how much your old man’s respected around here.”
“Oh, yes, the great hero of The Wars,” Nicholas sneered. “You know, the only reason he helps everyone else is because he feels guilty about losing to the Romans.”
“Guilty…” Jack’s spun around with narrowed eyes. “The only thing he should feel guilty about is bloody well having you.”
Nicholas dropped the tools and tried to take a step away from the big man, but Jack’s arm whipped out to grab his collar.
“And when it comes to helping others out,” Jack wrenched Nicholas closer, “it’s his nature.” He shook his head in pity. “What you don’t see is people asking him for help.” He shoved Nicholas backward and retrieved the tools. “Come on. We’d better catch up to your father.”
After returning to the crash site with the harvested trees and shrubs, Dom asked his son to strip the car of any luggage, papers and loose items to load in the cart and take back to the farm, while he and Jack waited for DR. Mitchum.
“I still reckon we leave him for the crows and sell off his stuff,” Nicholas grumbled aloud.
“And just head straight back home,” Dom said, “I don’t want you going anywhere in town or the pub with that lot.”
While Dom and Jack busied themselves with the collection of cut trees and shrubs, Nicholas did what his father asked and then climbed into the cart and rode across the floodplain.
Out on the road, Nicholas cast a spiteful glance at Jack and his father. “I don’t care what he said. Any driver who crashes his car that far from the road deserves to die. Which he will. So, why not sell his stuff and make some extra coin?” Nicholas pondered aloud.
The horse’s only response was to swish his tail to swat the flies tickling his rump.
Nicholas calculated what he would get for the stranger’s belongings. Whatever he got would at least keep him stocked up with ‘E’ for another week, and plus while he was in town he could spend more time with Gemma.
Proud of his disobedient and selfish decision, Nicholas relaxed on the cart’s bench and flicked the reins to bring the animal to a trot.
A company of Roman motorbikes drove over a small rise above the floodplain. Leading them was the largest motorcycle, supporting an open framed sidecar whose passenger waved and bounced around.
“Stop, Praefectus. STOP. This is the area,” he bubbled with excitement. “Yes, yes. This is the spot.” With extended arms, he lifted an encyclopedia-size scanner and waved it back and forth in a series of long and short arcs. With each pass, the excitable Roman scrutinized the twitching needles and readouts on a small screen.
Near the center of the screen, a bright green blip of light blinked so fast it almost became a solid dot. The little Roman launched himself out of his seat before the bike had even slowed to a complete stop.
Unlike his excited passenger, the rider dismounted his war bike with the arrogant, self-righteous ease of someone long schooled in the art of military discipline and used to being in command. An ornate plumed helmet sat upon a chiseled, neoclassical face crowned in trimmed, dark black-brown hair. His deeply set, light-brown eyes scanned the area and each of the remaining dull-red Vigiles bikes when they pulled over in a protective cordon.
The lead bike, unlike the red of the ubiquitous squad bikes, reflected the morning sun from its deep blue gloss paint. Various effigies and symbols decorated the forward cowlings, the most dominant, an embossed golden Aquila on each side above the protruding barrels of twin-mounted semi-automatic machine guns.
With a sense of pride, he admired the bikes and their riders. The praefectus derived immense pleasure from reinstating what he called “lapsed discipline” over the last five years since his appointment by Marcus, his predecessor.
The praefectus, like his men, wore lightweight composite body armor. Segmented manica covered his shoulders, held in place by six buckled straps, three along each flank. The sculptured chest and stomach section reflected the sun, as did the polished alloy grieves protecting his shins above thick soled, lace-up boots.
He wiped the dust from his boots and grieves before he cast an eye over the surrounding scrubland. “I don’t see anything unusual,” he sounded bored, yet his body language suggested he was annoyed. He folded the cloth into the pocket of his burgundy tunic. To relieve the tension of the ride, he stretched his stocky, muscular body, and rolled his shoulders. The sculpted body armor flexed, and the leather manicas protecting his shoulders and upper arms squeaked in reply to his actions.
His passenger’s excitement at an anticipated discovery aroused a higher level of confidence in him.
“Yes, well, what we seek may be more than unusual.”
The praefectus adjusted the cingulum militare around his waist. “You forget yourself, Decius. I’m not one of your lab rats.”
Decius shuffled backward and tipped his head in mute subjugation. Unlike the praefectus, Decius did not wear the standard blue and reds of the military or Vigiles. He wore the uniform of the science auxiliaries: a dark green one-piece and a bright green sash draped across his left shoulder.
“Forgive me, Praefectus Gallio.” Decius kowtowed and then rushed to keep pace.
Even though Gallio, who held the role of regional governor, wore no weapons, Decius still feared him. He stepped away and offered a comical but nervous salute, before adjusting his black box until the screen produced a different image.
Excited by the result, Decius took out a metal rod from his pouch and connected it to the scanning unit using a coiled cable. With one arm cradling the scanner, and the wand held in the other, he scuttled about the area and crisscrossed the road, adjusting his oversized, wire-rimmed glasses repeatedly.
The sound of two approaching bikes took the praefectus’s attention away from the fidgety little scientist. Gallio returned to his bike, placed his helmet on the handlebars, and waited for the latecomers to pull over.
“You two fell behind. Why?”
“Praefectus, my bike developed a malfunction in the motor,” MacMahon snapped to attention with a brisk salute, “and while repairing it, we spotted a horse and cart in a gully, sir.”
With a cold regard, Gallio studied the two men standing at attention before him. Since MacMahon’s recruitment, the young human proved himself to be a competent and useful lieutenant. MacMahon showed a useful talent for extracting payments from many of the weaker businesses and farm owners.
Donaldson was a good choice for a Vigiles. The younger human held a certain naivety for upholding the law, and all the legitimate duties of the Roman police force. But he, and the rest of Gallios’ display troops, were guided away from the darker side of the local Vigiles business.
“It seemed abandoned,” MacMahon finished.
“Abandoned?”
“I believe it belonged to a farmer or gypsy who’d stopped for a pi–… to relieve himself in the bush.”
“Did you see this farmer or gypsy?”
“Um, no, sir.” MacMahon tried to hide his embarrassment. “They must’ve been deeper in the bush, poaching.”
“I want you to continue down the road,” Gallio commanded, “and investigate the gypsy camp near Yarraman. After which, you can go back to where you saw the cart and search for the missing owner.”
“And if it’s gone, sir?”
“You search for it,” Gallio continued, “and submit a full report to Mettius when you return to the barracks.”
MacMahon glanced toward the Roman centurion Gallio had referred to. Out of habit, and from a measure of fear, MacMahon stiffened slightly and shuddered inwardly when the praefectus castrorum stood back from his bike and adjusted the braided, blood-red insignia sash under his sword belt.
Gallio raised the corner of his mouth at the change in body language displayed by the two humans when his second-in-command approached. The centurion’s tall, lean muscular frame moved with lithe, predatory grace, and his silent, watchful, emotionless manner, unnerved those around him. Perhaps, it’s his haunting black-on-black eyes.
Mettius, Gallio learned through time, cared little for people and their opinions about him. They either respected him, feared him, or died by his hand.
With twenty Romans like Mettius, the Senate and proconsul would understand what power truly meant. Gallio found it difficult to hide his pride for Mettius, who, unlike himself, always carried his small arsenal of weapons. On his hip hung a gladius, and on the other sat a pugio – the traditional Roman sword and dagger – along with a semi-automatic carbine pistol holstered under his left armpit. Gallio’s second-in-command proved to be the epitome of a humanoid predator. In fact, few matched Mettius’s skill with sword, shield, dagger, and gun.
A shadow crossed the ground near his feet. Gallio shifted his gaze upward to admire a circling eagle. Ah, what better creature to signal good fortune. Without taking his eyes from the bird, he dismissed MacMahon and Donaldson, while Mettius issued instructions for setting up the portable command tent.
“Praefectus.” Mettius pointed toward a small, odd-looking collection of shrubs.
“Well spotted, my friend,” Gallio replied. When they arrived at the concealed wreck, he inspected the camouflage screen. “This screening shows a skill I’ve not seen in decades. I don’t believe this handiwork is nomad or gypsy.”
Mettius focused on the ground at his feet and crouched on his haunches. “Whoever they were, there were at least three men and some sort of vehicle.”
Gallio looked from his second-in-command to Decius, who trotted his way across the dry, dusty plain.
“Have you found somethin–” The little scientist stopped with a squeal, and his feet skidded in the loose dirt. The scanner jostled in his frightened hands, and he hugged it against his chest to keep it from falling.
A cruel smile creased Gallio’s face. He felt sure the annoying little man came close to emptying his bowels and bladder.
Seconds before Decius’s squeal, Mettius sprang from his crouch with whiplash speed, drew his pistol, and pointed it unwaveringly at Decius.
“Decius, if you come running in without announcing yourself again,” Gallio approached the quivering man, “I will let Mettius shoot you.”
“With absolute delight, sir,” Mettius whispered in icy pleasure, effortlessly holstering his sidearm, leaving his hand resting on its grip to further intimidate Decius.
“Oh, my… Please forgive me, Praefectus.” Decius dipped his head and gave a feeble, shaky salute before he helped dismantle the camouflage screen.
At the sight of Ried’s car, Decius bobbed up and down in glee. “A gift from the gods…Yes, indeed. A gift of the gods.” Decius walked around the smashed SUV. “Indeed, a blessed gift from the gods… Yes. Yes, a blessed gift.” The little scientist fidgeted with his scanner. “There is no residual radioactivity, or other harmful emissions, or bacteria.”
The trio then rocked the car until it stood upright on its four wheels. Gallio and Mettius stepped back to avoid the resulting small dust cloud. Decius opened every door to inspect the car’s interior before he raised its unlatched hood, propping it open with a nearby stick.
Decius almost drooled in salacious delight when he explored, touched, sniffed, and scanned the engine bay. “This is some type of combustion motor, but nothing I have seen before.”
Engrossed in the mysteries of their find, Decius ignored his two superiors and started speaking to the voice recorder on his scanner. He described the style of electronics, the unusual manifold and exhaust system, and the lack of a conventional carburetor. Decius abandoned the engine bay. He wandered around the car, finding, and cataloging the differences between Ried’s SUV and the older vehicles in current use.
Mettius, who had little time for the small ferret of a scientist, walked away and scrutinized the ground around the car. “Sir.”
Gallio looked to where Mettius stood, studying the ground between the road and the car. “You’ve found something else?”
Mettius pointed to the faint tracks imprinted in the dirt. “Someone tried concealing their tracks. These tracks look like a van’s, or a small truck, and over here…” he drew Gallio’s attention toward the right, “I’d say by the hoof prints and thin tracks, they also used some sort of small wagon.”
“A cart.” Gallio looked at Mettius. “MacMahon told me they came across one hidden by the road on the way here.” He motioned Mettius to follow him to where his men had set up the open gazebo. Once under its shade, he asked for the map bag from his bike. “Something else is odd,” he thought out loud. “Why is there no evidence showing the car being driven off the road?”
“The storm may have washed the tracks away.”
“Normally, I would agree, if the storm had brought more rain.”
“Then how did it get so far off the road without driving or crashing there?” Mettius asked. “It certainly didn’t fall from the sky.”
“Excuse me, sir.” Decius cautiously approached them from behind. “It shouldn’t be ruled out.” He hesitated. “Of course, what I have is only a theory.”
“Enlighten us,” said Gallio.
Not often in such a bright spotlight, Decius’s nervous manner went into overdrive. The Roman scientist bobbed and fidgeted as he explained his theories. He reiterated the vehicle and how different it is, and where it sat on the broad floodplain, so far from the road. He believed that the car had traveled through a rupture in space and time itself.
To help add weight to his arguments, Decius darted to the sidecar. The scientist rummaged around until he produced a canvas carry bag. He rushed back and emptied the contents of the bag onto the table. Shuffling the documents, he showed them readouts and reports printed from the weather instruments.
“The most interesting anomalies recorded all came from the sonar, pyranometer, and ceilometer systems during the storm,” Decius said. “The accumulated data showed unique electromagnetic fluctuations, along with a range of abnormal gravity and atmospheric anomalies.”
“What anomalies could come from just a storm?” Mettius’s face twisted with scorn. “Ruptures in space and time – they’re dreams of playwrights and fools.” He looked toward Gallio, ignoring Decius. “For thousands of years, the Empire had sailed between the stars, conquering countless worlds. Yet, no one had ever recorded a hole in the galaxy…” The centurion dismissed Decius with a contemptuous glare, “…because they don’t exist.”
“You know this… how?” Decius’s tone surprised himself. “I meant no offense, Praefectus Castrorum.” The chubby little scientist cowered away from the returning glare of Mettius. “I’m merely trying to explain a theory.” Decius produced several of the fused lumps he had collected from around the car.
“So, now you collect rocks?” Mettius scoffed.
“These are not rocks.” Decius sighed. “They are the result of some form of plasma energy striking the ground.” He sighed again. “My report will explain it all, including my findings on the vehicle.”
“Decius, I’ve known you a long time,” Gallio smiled humorously, “but this is the most fanciful theory you have ever had.”
“Do you remember the records and scrolls from Novicus Patria?” Decius continued, regardless of their ignorance and mockery.
“What about them?” Mettius sat on a folding chair, leaning against the armrest, and resting his head against his open hand.
“They told the legend of the ninth legion, who fell from the heavens amidst a tunnel of fire and lightning, summoned in battle by the heathen Brittany gods of the wood,” Decius’s face flushed with reverence, “cast across the heavens, and reborn to create the first founding.” Decius knew his paraphrasing of the ancient scriptures sounded like a priest’s sermon, but he wanted the military-minded brute beside Gallio to accept the possibility.
“Your point, Decius?” sighed Gallio.
“I believe the car, and whoever its occupants were, came through a similar dimensional portal which bore our ancestors.”
Decius took a reflexive step backward when he saw the disapproving look on Gallio’s face. He considered offering further explanations, but instead, the scientist fidgeted and shuffled his feet.
“Decius, I will feed you to Cerberus if you don’t keep still.”
“Yes, Praefectus. I’m sorry, Praefectus. But, um, well…”
“By all the gods, man. Just say it.”
“The vehicle, sir.”
“Surely, we aren’t going to, well… leave it out here?”
“For a clever little man,” Gallio replied, “you can be remarkably stupid.”
Decius’s face blossomed into a livid red flush at the insult. He tried out-staring Gallio, but his miserable attempt at defiance waned under the strength of Gallio’s returning gaze.
“Of course, I’ll have it brought back so you can play with it.” Gallio pushed out his chair and paused to consider the map. He left the cluttered table and made his way toward the edge of the gazebo’s shade. With his arms behind his back, he contemplated the strange-looking car on the mud plain. “Do you know how many occupants there were?”
“No, not until I run more tests.”
“Well, somebody does.” Gallio returned to the table and focused on the maps with Mettius at his side.
Decius stood and waited, ignored by the two men who stayed bent over the map chart, continuing their discussion. Hurt by his superior’s rudeness, Decius saluted their backs and exited the gazebo to continue with his onsite studies of the car.
Gallio peered over his shoulder toward the exiting scientist. “First, have our spies concentrate on the Yarraman gypsy camp and see what they know,” he commanded, before returning his attention to the map.
“I’m assuming you want the farms searched.”
“Start with the closest – those three there – and then move on to the abandoned properties.”
“Two full cohorts split into four groups should be enough.”
“Agreed,” Gallio said. “This will be an ideal opportunity for purging the region of any nomads. It will also send a clear message to any others who would follow.”
Mettius nodded with a cold, dead smile. “Burn the whole body rather than cut off the head.”
“As for the farmers, there is a need for more discretion. The town council grows more suspicious with each passing week about our other activities. Instruct the others to hold off on our collections and filter down the sale of Enlightenment for a few weeks, until we find who or what we are looking for. Then, flood the market with E’s and increase the price by fifty percent to cover what we’ll lose.”
“Won’t the loss of revenue raise issues with our supplier?”
“I’ll use some of our reserve funds to cover any shortfall. The last thing we need is our benefactor, or his committee in Toowoomba, poking their noses around.” Gallio rested his finger on the map. “I will call and talk to this one myself.” He moved around the table and stared across the floodplain again. “Have the trackers brought back here,” he instructed over his shoulder. “I want the surrounding terrain searched for at least five kilometers.”
“By your command.” Mettius saluted and headed toward his parked motorbike.
ATTENTION… ATTENTION!!!
Hello all. Did the heading get your attention? I hope so because I will be releasing a preview of Terror Australis a few chapters at a time over the next few weeks.
OMG! Why?
Well, the answer to the question is a little of a multi-faceted response.
To begin with, I have the manuscript entered in a competition which won’t allow any published version with a barcode or ISBN, but chapters released via blogs etc are okay.
Also for the majority of the last thirty months, I have sweated and swore over the manuscript from start to the last recent copy edit. so I feel, taking above into account, my story needs to visit the world beyond. By doing this I hope to receive a more expanded and open field of feedback.
The Off-Worlder Chronicles
Just under a month.
When muslie bars and trail mix just won’t do…
Terror Australis has a new site
View AJ Adsett’s profile on Facebook
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Alec on Deciding on a better character…
Michael on Deciding on a better character…
Alec on 31″ Nautilus W.I.P build…
jzero57 on 31″ Nautilus W.I.P build…
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Jeff Herr Corporation @ Jazz Cafe - Sept.29
Jeff Herr Drums; Maxime Bender Sax; Laurent Payfert double bass
(Review by Steve H/Photo courtesy of Ken Drew.)
Prior to attending this gig I had the rather unpleasant experience of dining in one of those all you can eat world buffets so popular with the social media generation of today. One is able to sample food from all over the planet burgers, burritos, Bolognese, black bean beef and bhuna to name but a few which seem to have nothing in common apart from a lack in overall quality. Funnily enough there was no food on offer from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg but luckily, on the same evening, there was a gig on at The Jazz Cafe where this small European country was represented and this time the fare certainly didn't lack any quality.
Phil Woods (Nov. 2, 1931 - Sept. 29, 2015)
One of the all-time great alto players, Phil Woods, passed away yesterday (Sept. 29). Heard him live only once - North Sea Jazz Festival back in the 80's but many times on disc. The early 10" LPs with fellow altoist Gene Quill, the European Rhythm Machine with Gordon Beck and on to the various mainland Europe big bands. An ace player. However, what I think really endeared him to me and the wider public was his solo on Billy Joel's Just the Way You Are. Was there ever a more lyrical alto sax solo on a pop record? No - Baker St. doesn't even get close!
He embodied the spirit of Charlie Parker, merging it into his own creative playing to become, until yesterday, the greatest living alto saxophone player.
Phil Woods was 83.
May he Rest In Peace - sadly missed throughout the jazz world.
CD Review: Carter Calvert – It’s a Man’s World.
(Review by Minnie F)
American vocalist Calvert sings songs made famous by male artists on this album “re-imagined and sung from a woman’s point of view”. Although this may sound like a bit of a gimmick, it is successful due to the power of Calvert’s rich vocals and arrangements by Laurence Hobgood and Joshua Bowlus. Tracks include songs originally sung by artists as diverse as Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, The Police and The Beatles. Carter’s voice is strong and melodic, but some may think it would lend itself more to pop than jazz.
CD Review: Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio - Live in Bern
Scott Hamilton (ten); Tamir Hendelman (pno); Christof Luty (bs); Jeff Hamilton (dms).
What a delightful disc! In an age where every young musician is a 'composer' striving to stretch the boundaries of our music this comes as a relief to know that there are guys still minding the store.
The unrelated Hamiltons mind the store as good as anyone. They know what they're selling and Scott Hamilton is one of the very best in the quality control dept. of a store that holds musical riches beyond the dreams of avarice (misquote from The Maltese Falcon!).
Duo Gig Going @ The Caff
Normally on a Friday we'd have a full band but on December 18 we're looking for a duo. Duos already programmed for December and November need not apply thanks. It's the normal 9pm start and fee and two x 45 minute sets.
Marsden Jazz Festival 2015
This years Marsden Jazz Festival (Oct. 9-11) as well as being packed with names also has a CD available. It's a compilation of tracks donated by many of the artists appearing and sells for £7. Details can be found by following link below.
Program/tickets.
Among the bands performing are The Geordie Approach (Chris Sharkey) and Taupe as well as Evan Christopher's Django à la Créole who also play Sage Gateshead on Oct. 6.
CD Review: Jeff Herr Corporation - Layer Cake (On at Jazz Café Tonight)
Jeff Herr (drums), Laurent Payfert (double bass) & Maxime Bender (tenor & soprano saxophones)
(Review by Russell)
Drummer Jeff Herr’s trio recorded a third CD two years ago in Luxembourg and released it earlier this year in the UK. The ‘Corporation’ line-up has evolved over time and Layer Cake features bassist Laurent Payfert and saxophonist Maxime Bender. Twelve tracks, of which five are brief sketches – ranging from fifty one seconds to one hundred and twenty four seconds – are composed by members of the trio, the oddity being The Man Who Sold the World.
Things You Can Do At The Globe For Free
This very Thursday October 1 is another of the Jazz Meets Folk open mic nights, when you can perform either sort of music and a few types of music in between as well, such as your own songs. We usually have folk fiddle, traditional song, jazz piano and song, saxophones, drums, and I’m wondering when we’ll maybe get a visit from a poet. Everyone who wishes to perform can do so, it’s free entry, raffle £1, starts 8pm.
Smoove & Turrell Calling
(Preview by Russell)
Tyneside’s soul-funk heroes Smoove & Turrell pitch-up at the 2015 Rugby World Cup Fanzone in the shadow of St James’ Park on Sunday October 4. The North East Calling event is one of many cultural happenings associated with the elite egg chasers’ big time global showcase. A four thousand capacity marquee has been erected on the former S & N Brewery site now known as Science Central located just off St James’ Boulevard.
CD Review: Julian Argüelles – Tetra
Julian Argüelles – soprano and tenor saxophones and celeste; Kit Downes – piano; Sam Lasserson – double bass; James Maddren – drums
(Review by Hugh C.)
British saxophonist Julian Argüelles is widely known as a member of the seminal big band Loose Tubes as well as for his involvement with the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. He has also previously recorded with well-established musicians on the jazz scene such as Mike Walker, Dave Holland, Martin France and the late John Taylor.
In this new release he shows his respect for an eclectic range of younger jazz musicians in collaboration with Downes, Lasserson and Maddren. Argüelles has previously worked with Downes and Maddren and joined by the bassist, Lasserson, the quartet has toured together over the last three years.
Let's Make History!
The publication of the tome recalling the halcyon days of the Redcar Jazz Club prompted Steve Andrews and Carstairs to suggest a similar publication on Tyneside Jazz Clubs to perhaps supplement the late Chris Yates' fine book Blue Horizons. There's a lot of material worthy of collating in our RH column under Pages/Memories of Jazz in the North East. In particular the first item by John Pearce gives an excellent overall picture of the scene from pre-war to early '60s.
House of the Black Gardenia @ The Globe. September 27
Bobbi Charleston (washboard & vocals), Richard Burns (trumpet), David Gray (trombone), Wayne Keith (clarinet, tenor saxophone & flute), Ben Imrye (piano), Jack Foster (banjo & guitar), Neil Hopper (double bass & sousaphone) & Kit Haigh (drums) + Katja Roberts (violin)
September’s ‘vintage jazz’ night at the Globe presented something markedly different to the norm…the musicians on the bandstand were in their twenties with maybe one or two just the wrong side of thirty. No, your correspondent wasn’t under the influence, ne’er a drop. The House of the Black Gardenia is a band of young, talented musicians playing a music created some sixty or seventy years before anyone of them were born. Indeed few, if any, of their parents would have been born!
RIP Wilton Felder
Just heard that saxist/bassist Wilton Felder founder member of the (Jazz) Crusaders passed away yesterday (Sept. 27).
I'm not sure if I ever caught him live. I have a vague idea I saw The Crusaders at Newcastle City Hall back in the mists of time. I certainly recall hearing Street Life on disc and radio when it was charting.
He was 75.
Jason Isaacs @ Bonbar, Newcastle - Sept. 27
Jason Isaacs (vcl/ten); Darren Irwin, Mark Webb (tpt); Dave Brock (tmb); Ray Dales (alt/fl); Lewis Watson (ten/fl); Stu Collingwood (keys); Neil Harland (bs gtr); Simon Ferry (dms).
I'm running out of superlatives when it comes to Jason and the guys! As ever, the show moved along at a fast pace, the five horns sounding like fifteen, the rhythm section booting it like Basie and our man re-elected as King of the Swingers. And swing he did! Whether strutting on stage or boogieing on top of the bar, blowing tenor or telling awful jokes, he had the audience enthralled. The choicest of songs (apart from a certain Gershwin number) made this listener's night complete.
Jazz Co-op @ The Globe: Bradley Johnston Quartet - September 26
Bradley Johnston (guitar); Pete Gilligan (keys); Paul Grainger (bass); Tim Johnston (no relation, drums)
(Review by Ann Alex/Photo by Roly Veitch from recent Blaydon gig.).
Many of you will have enjoyed hearing this quartet as part of the Jazz Cafe Tuesday jam sessions. Imagine this same band, but with their performance upped by about 200 per cent, and you’ll have an idea of last night’s gig, which attracted a large audience. A gig of standards, bop and the occasional original tune, long accomplished solos (I noticed lots of wonderfully bent notes on guitar and bass), with arresting sudden endings to some tunes, enough to make the audience sit up a bit straighter in their seats.
CD Review: Matthew Halsall & the Gondwana Orchestra – Into Forever
Trumpeter Matthew Halsall set up his own record label as a means of getting his music heard and with any luck to attract interest from established major companies. That was seven or eight years ago. He has gone on to release five critically acclaimed albums, all on Gondwana Records. Into Forever is Halsall’s latest CD featuring several of his long term collaborators and two new, most welcome, voices.
Buddhism and transcendental meditation are key elements in Matthew Halsall’s life and music. He has travelled widely, visiting and studying in the Far East. His music extends beyond any notional jazz boundaries embracing non-Western forms. Into Forever is the first of Halsall’s albums to feature vocals. Working with lyricists/vocalists has been one of his ambitions and in being introduced to the work of Josephine Oniyama, trumpeter/ composer/ arranger/ label boss Halsall knew the time was right to embark on this project.
Stop Press!
This afternoon (Sept. 27) Paul Gowland (tenor sax) and Brian Bennett (banjo) will play a duo set on the bandstand of the recently refurbished Northumberland Park in Tynemouth. The pair, 33.333% of the Vieux Carré Jazzmen, stomp off at 4pm.
Swing Manouche/ The Early Bird Band @ Ushaw College, Durham - Sept. 25
Mick Shoulder, guitar, Giles Strong, guitar, Neil Harland, bass and Paul Edis, clarinet.
Matthew McKellar, drums, Dan Lawrence, bass, Francis Tulip, guitar, Ben Lawrence, trumpet (led by Paul Edis, clarinet / piano).
(Review/photos by Jerry)
Busy Friday - a new year, my 67th, a new venue for me and a new band, Swing Manouche, on their Durham début concert.
Ushaw, an imposing former Catholic seminary ten minutes’ drive from Durham city centre, has successfully reinvented itself as (among other things) a venue for live music and entertainment. The concert hall, a huge, rectangular room with a bar (bottled ales) at one end and, at the other end in front of a massive panelled fireplace, the performers. A mix of tables and chairs, settees and coffee-tables give a jazz-lounge atmosphere and friendly (volunteer?) staff made the audience feel welcome.
Soundbone plays Led Zep @ Jazz Café. September 25
Chris Grieve (trombone & electronics), Graeme Stephen (guitar & loops) & David Carnegie (drums)
(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Mike Tilley).
This was fun. A legendary rock band repackaged as a ‘jazz trio’. Led Zeppelin tapped into the National Grid to generate a trillion watts through Marshall stacks, Soundbone created a big sound of their own filtering trombone and guitar through a box of tricks. Newcastle City Hall veterans were largely absent from the Jazz Café, oblivious to the goings on in the upstairs room, perhaps sitting at home with a curry listening to Black Dog, bemoaning the fact that things ain’t what they used to be.
CD Review: Michael Janisch – Paradigm Shift
Does Michael Janisch ever sleep? Is he insomniac? Since arriving in the UK more than a decade ago he’s been a non-stop whirlwind of activity. Gigging far and wide, running his Whirlwind Recordings record label and raising a family, Janisch seemingly never rests. A double CD release – Paradigm Shift – focuses attention on his own musical vision and he wouldn’t be half the man he is if he didn’t take it on the road. He is in the middle of a tour taking him and his band from the metropolis to the provinces to the Shetland Islands.
Soweto Kinch @ Hoochie Coochie - Sept. 25
Soweto Kinch (alt/voice/sampling); Nick Jurd (bs/bs gtr); Jonathan Silk (dms) + Hannabiell (tmb).
As cool looking a dude as ever strutted his stuff at Hoochie - and Warren has presented some of the coolest dudes on Planet Earth - Soweto Kinch took the crowded room by storm and didn't take any prisoners! It says much for the man's charismatic appeal when I observed that there were more musicians in the audience than I can ever recall.
With no keyboard or guitar to chain him Kinch soared off into the unknown. Technique to die for, a tone to cherish and ideas galore. I could have listened to his alto playing all night but, having witnessed previous performances, I knew there was much more to the man than sheer instrumental virtuosity.
CD Review: Tim Thornton - The Feel Good Place
Tim Thornton (bs); James Gardiner-Bateman (alt); Grant Windsor (pno); Chris Draper (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Simply superb! I could end the review with those two words without feeling I'd short-changed anyone. However, whilst that description may do for me, my loyal readers deserve more - yes all three of you - so here we go.
Yoko Miura/Charlie Collins + Zoe Gilby @ The Lit & Phil Newcastle - September 23
Yoko Miuro (pno); Charlie Collins (perc); Zoe Gilby (voice etc.)
(Review by Steve H/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew.)
This was Japanese pianist Yoko Miura’s first appearance on Tyneside and on Wednesday night at the Lit & Phil - in a JNE concert - she teamed up with percussionist Charlie Collins for a fine set of improvised free jazz. Miura’s playing is of the minimalist variety verging from the free to the classical in nature. At times single notes would punctuate the silence dramatically. Miura also employed a melodica to add additional nuances to her playing.
Tomorrow Night (Sept. 25) @ Hoochie Coochie!
Award winning alto-saxophonist and MC Soweto Kinch is one of the most exciting and versatile young musicians in both the British jazz and hip hop scenes. Undoubtedly, one of the few artists in either genre with a degree in Modern History from Oxford University he has amassed an impressive list of accolades and awards on both sides of the Atlantic – including a Mercury Music Prize nomination, two UMA Awards and a MOBO for best Jazz Act in 2003. In October 2007, he won his second MOBO Award, at the O2 Arena, London where he was announced as the winner in the Best Jazz Act category- fending off stiff competition from the likes of Wynton Marsalis.
Solweig Elizabeth Grönlund
(By Simon Spillett)
It's with great sadness that I have learned of the death of Liz Grönlund, Tubby Hayes's partner for the final two years of his life, who passed away in St. Thomas' Hospital, London, in the early hours of Tuesday September 22nd, following a fall. She was in her mid-80s.
Born in Finland, Grönlund came to the UK in the early 1960s, initially working as a translator for an English aristocrat, Lord Dundonald. Already a jazz fan, while visiting Ronnie Scott's club with a friend in late 1962, she met Tubby Hayes. “It was such a small club that I couldn't avoid meeting him. I had to go to the loo and pass him, so contact was unavoidable,” she recalled in 2008. The attraction was instant and mutual and although Hayes was married, the pair began a brief affair. After an amicable split, Grönlund and Hayes agreed to keep in touch, maintaining a sporadic exchange of letters which ended when the saxophonist’s drug habit bit deep during the mid-1960s.
CD Review: Linda Calise - La Vie My Life
I'm looking for that special girl, the one that is different from all the other women in the world, you know who I mean, that elusive creature, the one who doesn't aspire to be a jazz singer - but, like Laura, she may be only a dream.
Linda Calise is better than most and she doesn't sing Summertime although she does include Good Morning Heartache - another 'give it a rest girls' number.,The other tracks are more choice with A Sunday Kind of Love outstanding. This is a song that I've loved ever since I heard Fran Warren singing it with the legendary Claude Thornhill Orchestra. Every singer should have this one in their pad but, if they did, then it would become another Summertime so it's best they don't although I'm glad Linda did - she's moved it up from Fran Warren who was a high benchmark act to begin with!
Soloists intertwine with the voice - it's a magical experience.
Full details here.
CD Review: David Patrick Octet - Igor Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring.
David Patrick (pno/orchestration); Sam Coombes (fl/sop/alt); Brian Molley (sop/alt/ten); Calum Robertson (Bb/Eb/bs clt); Tom MacNiven (tpt/flug); John Kenny (various tmbs); Andrew Robb (bs); Ole Seimetz (dms).
Yon side of Hadrian's Wall the natives seem to have become embroiled in the time old game of 'Jazzin' the classics'. The SNJO's take on Rhapsody in Blue and their subsequent re-working of Mozart's Jeunehomme being typical examples.
RIP Ray Warleigh.
Sadly, Australian born, English based alto player Ray Warleigh died yesterday (Sept 21) aged 76.
I never actually got to hear him live but I vividly remember the late Nigel Stanger, himself no slouch on alto, waxing eloquently about working with him in London back in the late '60s/early '70s..
LondonJazzNews has posted a fitting obituary of Ray Warleigh.
PS: See also Sam Leak's post on Facebook.
Jazz Co-op @ The Globe: Blue Jazz Sextet/Off Key - September 20
George Anyfantis (keys); Keith Barrett (guitar); Karen Rann (sop sax); Jeff Smith (ten sax); Dave Parker (bass); Mark Robertson (reader, guest drummer); Off Key (novel)
(Review by Ann Alex/Photo courtesy of Debra M)
It’s not often that a novel is part of a jazz band, but tonight it was the star of the show. The second set consisted of relevant tunes, interspersed with readings from Mark, the author of Off Key, who hopped between the drum kit and the reading stool, even breaking into song during one of the readings, a well-sung snatch of Skylark.
Empty Shop won't be empty on these two evenings!
Firebird details.
Lindsay Hannon Plus details.
CD Review: Kai Hoffman - Luckiest Girl Alive
Kai Hoffman (vcl); Dan Faulkner (ten/bar); Liam Dunachie (pno); Simon Picton (gtr); Dave O'Brien (bs); Mez Clough (dms) + Nina Ferro (backing vcls on 3 tks.)
I guess that when I started this blog back in 2008 I would probably never have visualised reviewing a rendition of Lucky Lips! However, this isn't Cliff Richards - no sirree! London based American Kai Hoffman eschews the bland approach of Sir Clifford and treats it in the manner it's creators [Leiber & Stoller] and Ruth Brown intended. ie a doo-wop/rock and roll/rhythm and blues approach. Ms Hoffman is a blonde, retro dressed. female Louis Jordan, totally au fait with the '50s - the era that the songs, including her own present day compositions, derive from.
Film and Jazz Talk @ Central Library, Newcastle Oct. 7
Jazzers and filmsters should like this one!
Thanks to Russell for info.
Bradley Johnston Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. September 20
Bradley Johnston (guitar), Peter Gilligan (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass) & Tim Johnston (drums)
(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Roly Veitch - click for more)
Blaydon Jazz Club’s thirty two year history has hosted m
any of the best jazz musicians around – regional, national and international. Working on a shoe string budget, hoping audiences will materialise from one gig to the next, it’s largely a thankless task. On an occasion such as last night at the Black Bull there was a feeling that it was worthwhile, more than worthwhile.
Bradley Johnston, twenty-teen, or thereabouts, led his own band on an engagement at a club venue he has got to know well, a place where the regulars have got to know him. A quiet, shy young man, Johnston plays jazz guitar. He’s had a guest spot or two playing a full part in his guitar duo partnership with mentor James Birkett. Now he’s out there, his own man, calling the tunes.
Strictly Smokin' Big Band w. Anthony Strong @ Hoochie Coochie - September 20.
What a weekend of singers!
Alice Grace, in the audience tonight, basking in the glory of her stupendous gig at les jazz café on Friday. Paul Skerritt, one of our top swingmen and occasional frontline crooner with this band was also on hand to give a standing ovation to the man of the match Anthony Strong.
But, first things first.
The Early Bird Band @ St. Cuthbert’s Parish Hall, Crook –September 18.
Matthew McKellar, drums, Dan Lawrence, bass, Francis Tulip, guitar (led by Paul Edis, clarinet / piano).
(Review/photo by Jerry)
Last time this group was here I missed them, owing to a bump in the car. Determined to “get the worm”, I came early this time and was rewarded with a nicely varied five tune “mini-set” including Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves, All the Things You Are and Anthropology.
CD Review: Sam Coombes Trio - Pace of Change
Sam Coombes (alt/sop); Yoni Zelnik (bs); Julien Charlet (dms).
Sam Coombes first appeared on my radar in January 2011 when he played a Splinter gig at the Bridge Hotel. As you will gather from that original review I was impressed. This was a quartet gig with David Patrick (remember that name*) on piano. Piano has been dispensed with in this downsized ensemble making for an even tighter and, paradoxically, freer session.
Coombes remains Konitz inspired but now leans more towards later Konitz with perhaps a dash of Pepper (Art) added - the end product being pure Coombes.
This afternoon at Hoochie.
This afternoon at Hoochie Anthony Strong struts his stuff with the Strictly Smokin' Big Band.
Great band and a great singer who also plays fine piano.
Here's what BSH's Ann Alex wrote when reviewing his debut CD - Stepping Out.
Doors 4:30pm, on stage 5:30pm. £8.
Paul Edis & Graham Hardy @ The Jazz Café. September 19
Paul Edis (piano) & Graham Hardy (trumpet & flugelhorn)
(Review by Russell/Photo courtesy of Mike Tilley).
It was busy in town; an Indian summer’s day, the Toon stung by the Hornets, university hopefuls by the thousand visiting our seats of learning and staying over, South Tyneside rockers the Wildhearts packing out the Academy. The ‘jazz institute’ on Pink Lane, the Jazz Café that is, offered a free course in the art of jazz playing. Lecturers Paul Edis and Graham Hardy were gratified to see their ‘students’ made the effort to be in attendance, some taking notes!
Elliot Galvin Trio @ The Lit and Phil - Sept. 18
Elliot Galvin – Piano; Tom McCreadle – Double Bass; Simon Roth - Percussion
(Review by Steve H).
When a Newcastle jazz audience is double the size of those up there on stage then that can be a good thing providing it is a big band they have come to see. However, when it is a piano, bass and drums combo then that's not so good. Sadly, at the Lit and Phil on Friday night, the latter applied but it did not stop the Eliot Galvin Trio from producing a wonderful set which completely enthralled the select and, dare I say it?, rather discerning audience present.
Alice Grace Quintet @ The Jazz Café - Sept. 18
Alice Grace (vcl); Paul Gowland (ten/alt); Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Russ Morgan (dms).
(Review/photo by Lance/photos by Mike Tilley here).
A gig of two halves. The first marred by Ms Grace being slightly undermiked although not so much that her undoubted class didn't shine through. The second, however, was the real deal. Now everyone in the crowded room could appreciate this exciting, relatively new, voice on the local scene.
CD Review: Girls in Airports - Fables
Marten Stender (sax/comps); Lars Greve (sax/clt); Matthias Holm (keys); Victor Dybbroe (perc); Mads Forsby (dms).
You can imagine how I excited I was when asked to review a CD by a Danish band called ‘Girls in Airports’ however this was not quite the sensual experience one might expect from a band so provocatively named. In fact this is classic Nordic jazz, subtle understated and hypnotic.
Power Jazz Commando Team Return to the Toon
Taupe with support from Dead Hedge Trio and Waskerley Way. Friday October 9, Head of Steam, Newcastle upon Tyne, £5, 8pm door.
Taupe, Newcastle’s own thrashy jazz-skronk three piece, are set to fill out the Head of Steam alongside stalwart local beat merchant Waskerley Way and Liverpudlian jazz-rock wranglers Dead Hedge Trio.
This genre spanning noise buffet is served up on October 9 as part of a three-date mini-tour from Edinburgh to Marsden Jazz Festival. Taupe’s first Newcastle show in 18 months will see them perform numbers from their self-released debut album (‘one of the albums of 2014’ – Bebop Spoken Here) as well as outings of brand new material ahead of a new release in 2016.
Michael Woods @ The Lit & Phil. September 18
Michael Woods (guitar & vocals) + Charlie Woods (guitar)
Another Friday lunchtime concert at the Lit & Phil. This one wasn’t jazz, this was folk-blues guitar from Tyneside’s Michael Woods. A return engagement at the Lit & Phil for the finger-picking left hander, his concert schedule sees him perform too infrequently in the region.
A set of classic early country blues and original material drawn from his three-CD back catalogue saw Woods standing throughout, picking his way on a Taylor acoustic and his new pride and joy, a custom made resonator by John Alderson of Leicestershire’s Delta Resonators.
Jay Nemor Band @ Hoochie Coochie - Sept. 17
Jay Nemor (vcl/alt); Attila (keys); Dag Arne (gtr/fl); David (dms); ? (bs gtr).
An evening of funky soul with just a hint of jazz that had the crowded room dancing and shouting for more. Texas born Nemor has a powerful voice very much in the Gregory Porter mode albeit without the funny hat. The opener with just voice and keyboard was truly impressive, an impact that increased when the remainder of the band joined in. Nemor's alto playing was minimalistic, never playing 10 notes when one would suffice although he did have a more extended blast on, I think, Suite Soul Music.
Preview: Tonight @ Hoochie
Thursday 17 September 2015; Doors: 7pm Stage: 9pm
Once in a while an artist comes along that you just want to get behind for the love of the music. Hoochie Coochie have done this numerous times with artists like Marcell Russell & Big Brooklyn Red. We feel exactly the same way about Jay Nemor. To prove it we invite you to attend a showcase gig absolutely free of charge !
Preview: Sunday @ The Globe
On Sunday September 20 the Jazz Coop are hosting am evening of words and music – with readings from the novel Off Key by the author, Mark Robertson, and music from Blue Jazz Sextet (with Mark guesting on drums).
Mark Robertson is a talented and popular local musician and Off Key is his hilarious portrayal of the North East jazz scene (there’s even a character called Crombie). It’s described as ‘the greatest story ever told about love … and jazz (in Sunderland)’.
Blue Jazz Sextet has been working with Mark to develop a suite of jazz standards and improvisations to complement the readings.
Please note that this gig is on Sunday and the doors open at 7pm (earlier than on Saturday nights). Admission is £5 on the door.
More about The Globe and the Jazz Coop.
CD Review: Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio - L...
CD Review: Jeff Herr Corporation - Layer Cake (On ...
House of the Black Gardenia @ The Globe. September...
Jazz Co-op @ The Globe: Bradley Johnston Quartet -...
CD Review: Matthew Halsall & the Gondwana Orchestr...
Swing Manouche/ The Early Bird Band @ Ushaw Colleg...
Yoko Miura/Charlie Collins + Zoe Gilby @ The Lit &...
CD Review: David Patrick Octet - Igor Stravinsky, ...
Jazz Co-op @ The Globe: Blue Jazz Sextet/Off Key -...
Film and Jazz Talk @ Central Library, Newcastle Oc...
Bradley Johnston Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon...
Strictly Smokin' Big Band w. Anthony Strong @ Hooc...
The Early Bird Band @ St. Cuthbert’s Parish Hall, ...
Paul Edis & Graham Hardy @ The Jazz Café. Septembe...
Preview: Sunday @ Hoochie Coochie
CD Review: Jeff Benedict Big Band - Holmes.
Final reminder : Alice Grace Quintet at the Jazz C...
CD Review: Tipping Point – The Earthworm’s Eye Vie...
Jazz Café Jam Session - Sept. 15
History of Redcar Jazz Club
Remembering Alan Palliser
CD Review: Tiffany Austin - Nothing But Soul
Jazz North East presents Splinter @ the Bridge, wi...
Come Sunday @ the Black Bull
The Life of a Great Monk
The Road to Morocco
CD Review: Oscar Peterson - Exclusively for My fri...
Tune in to Claude the Great on In Tune
Greg Spero Quartet @ Dacre Hall, Lanercost Priory ...
Zoë Gilby/Alan Law Duo @ the Jazz Café - Sept. 12
CD Sale
CD Review: Josh Maxey - Celebration of Soul
Mark Pringle's Moveable Feast Trio @ The Jazz Café...
GLOBAL NEWSFLASH!
Rhythm & Blues All Darlington Day Long
Vieux Carré Jazzmen's Alternative Venue
RIP Alan Palliser
Preview: The Strictly Smokin’ Big Band featuring A...
Pilgrim St., Set @ Hoochie Coochie - Sept. 10
CD Review: Don Laka - Afro Chopin
The Weekend Starts at Hoochie Coochie Tonight
Greg Spero gigs this weekend
Budtones Require Pianist and Trumpet Player/Bari S...
CD Review: Liane Carroll – Seaside.
CD Review: Mark Pringle – A Moveable Feast
CD Review: Durham University Big Band – overDUBB
CD Review: Moonlight Saving Time - Meeting At Nigh...
Farewell Joy Beverley (1924-2015)
Jazz Machine @ The Globe - Gilligan/Glendinning @ ...
Folk Meets Jazz @The Globe: September 3 - Good Tim...
CD Review: Pete McCann - Range.
James Harrison Trio @ The Lit and Phil, Newcastle....
Jason Isaacs update
A Good Jazz Drummer Can Get Rhythm Out of Anything...
Newcastle University Postgraduate Recitals @ The J...
Check out what Claude Werner's doing these days.
Jazz Café Jam Session - September 1
A Jazz Heritage
THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL JAZZ ORCHESTRA directed by ...
Folk Meets Jazz Comes Round Again
CD Review: Don Trudell Plays the Piano.
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Click-to-WhatsApp Ads Workaround for Your Next Campaign
By Fran Conejos
With the roll-out of WhatsApp Business App and API, the popular messaging app has finally dipped its toes in the marketing game. Facebook’s click-to-WhatsApp ads were supposed to be part of the app’s transition to the world of business. However, since the feature’s announcement in December of 2017, its use is still limited and many businesses don’t have access.
Hence, numerous brands, despite having an official WhatsApp Business API, solution are still not able to take advantage of this service. Even if they do, it’s only available on Facebook.
Let’s look at why these shortcomings pose a considerable setback for your marketing campaigns. More importantly, let’s look how you can work around them to achieve exceptional results.
Why Combine Online Ads With WhatsApp Business?
In the past few years, conversations have been returning to the center of business communication. With the rise of the experience economy, consumers transformed from a passive audience to active participants. Businesses were forced to break down the barriers. The experience trend urged them to start a dialogue, bringing transparency and human touch back into the equation of increasingly automated digital processes.
Messaging has been one of the key mediums that enabled this change to happen. It allowed businesses and customers to connect and interact in ways that have never been possible before.
Fast forward to today and messaging apps marketing is a phrase that surprises no one. In fact, interacting with customers using messaging could not be more normal.
Furthermore, people’s use of messaging apps shows no signs of slowing down. Facebook business insights demonstrate that in 2018, 78% of the world’s smartphone users message every month and the predictions say that by 2021, the global user base of messaging apps will have increased by a further 23%.
And that’s not just about personal communication. Facebook IQ also recorded most consumers are using messaging to talk to brands already:
Also, more than half of the surveyed consumers expect to use messaging more to not just chat but make purchases:
Messaging engages people from the first click and gives them a sense of control of their experience.
Plus, giving your potential customers, the click-to-chat option from the start sends a message that you are listing.
So Why Is Facebook Click-to-WhatsApp Taking So Long?
In January 2018, the company launched WhatsApp Business App and in August of the same year, WhatsApp Business API. Still, despite thousands of businesses being officially active on WhatsApp today, the notorious click-to-WhatsApp ads are missing from many Facebook Business accounts.
With their initial announcement, Facebook rolled out the feature gradually starting with North and South America, Australia, Africa, and most of Asia. Europe was not on the list since sharing data between the two platforms posed an issue for the European data protection laws.
Facebook planned to observe how the feature was doing in other regions while trying to work out the kinks of WhatsApp and Facebook collaboration. Here we are a couple of years later and not much has changed
No news, no information. Were the trials unsuccessful?
Well, our results tell a wholly different story!
How to Create Click-to-WhatsApp Campaign: Simple Workaround
If Facebook doesn’t offer you the option to create a click-to-WhatsApp ad despite having an official WhatsApp account for business, there is a way to work around the limitations of your ads manager.
To take users to WhatsApp conversation without the official setup requires an intermediate step.
However, using a static landing page with a Whatsapp opt-in can have a negative impact given that the users are promised conversation but instead land on just another page.
1. Create a Conversational Landing Page
To avoid this hickup and ensure a smooth transition, we decided to use a conversational landing page design to mimic WhatsApp chat to gain the opt-in needed to transition to WhatsApp.
Using no-code Landbot chatbot builder, we created short transitional opt-in conversation:
The conversational nature combined with a design created a smooth transition. In fact, if you accessed the chatbot landing page on mobile, the experience was almost indistinguishable from WhatsApp experience.
2. Connect it to a WhatsApp Bot
If you are a smaller business and do not expect an overwhelming number of users to contact you, you might be fine with live chat support or quick replies. However, on a larger scale, it’s best to have a WhatsApp bot in place.
Since our campaign was targeting audiences interested using WhatsApp for business we created a WhatsApp bot to not only collect lead information but also demonstrate the capabilities of the service.
We designed the bot to collect the necessary information, update our database and score the lead in the process.
It also provided users with the choice of how they wish to be contacted; giving them control over the process.
Now, the great news is that this approach is not exclusive to Facebook ads. You can use the full scope of social media marketing and advertise on a social network where your audience hangs out or even apply the click-to-WhatsApp ads to Google ads.
What about the results?
The click-to-WhatsApp conversational workaround campaign more than tripled the conversion rate produced by the traditional campaign. The traditional campaign yielded 21 conversions while the click-to-WhatsApp produced 78. While additional follow up and reruns are necessary to ascertain the results, it’s clear that the interactivity and convenience brought about by the WhatsApp marketing campaign has a strong advertising potential.
With click-to-WhatsApp ads, business owners, marketers and sales teams are standing on the doorstep of a great opportunity.
WhatsApp marketing brings advertising into a comfortable and convenient environment. Furthermore, it transforms it into an engaging conversational experience that invites consumers to become active participants in their customer journey.
Whether you want to increase conversations and post engagement on your Facebook business profile or any other digital platform, Click-to-WhatsApp campaigns workaround allows you to do so, easily without coding.
If you haven’t tried it yet, learn how to create a chatbot today!
TAGS : Conversational Design Conversational Marketing WhatsApp
How to Use WhatsApp Bots to Boost Lead Gen and Sal
The Advantages of Instant Messaging Apps Marketing
WhatsApp API for eCommerce: 19 Use Cases
How to Create Smart FAQ
Why Chatbot Lead Generat
Natural Language Process
Conversational Interface
We Used a Chatbot to Org
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Laundrapp in the Press
Laundrapp is one of the world’s fastest growing and most exciting early-stage start-ups – disrupting the world’s laundry & dry cleaning industry.
Currently operating over 100 towns & cities across the UK and now growing internationally, Laundrapp is often referred to as being the ‘Uber of Laundry’ thanks to our explosive growth and smart digital service.
Want to know more? Get in touch today at press@laundrapp.com
About Laundrapp:
Laundrapp is the British startup which is revolutionising laundry and dry cleaning across the world. Launching in 2015, this award winning app now services customers across more than 100 towns & cities across the UK and recently launched in Australia & New Zealand with plans to expand to 15 international markets by the end of 2018 making Laundrapp one of the UK’s fastest growing early stage companies.
Often referred to as the “Uber” of laundry and regularly featured across the press, Laundrapp has won numerous awards for its speed of growth and custom-built technology allowing the business to scale both nationally and internationally via it’s “Laundrapp Tech Platform”.
Having disrupted the world of laundry, Laundrapp’s vision is to become the default digital platform that will underpin this entire global digital laundry revolution similarly to what has been experienced in recent years across the hotel, taxi and takeaway industries.
Taking on the hundred-billion- dollar laundry industry, Laundrapp is set to become one of the UK’s most successful tech startups of recent years and with it operate a service bringing convenience and value to customers to the lives of its customers.
27/06/2019 Laundrapp and Zipjet combine to form the largest on demand laundry service and complete funding round to fuel the next phase of growth
21/10/2017 Coming to Americas!
06/06/2017 Laundrapp looks to US Expansion
06/06/2017 Laundrapp Signs Christian Dior and Z-Hotels Deal
27/05/2017 Laundrapp: Rage Against The Washing Machine
08/02/2017 British Tech Startup unveils Global Expansion
01/08/2016 Laundrapp closes further £5 Million Investment to Expand UK On-Demand Laundry Service Internationally
06/07/2016 Press Release: Laundrapp Expands Revolutionary Laundry Service To 100 Locations
18/05/2016 Meet the Entreprenuer who wants to wash your dirty knickers
17/03/2016 Companies in the UK tech scene react to 2016 Spring Budget
14/02/2016 Parenthood and startups, they aren’t so different
28/01/2016 Laundrapp wants to take out the UK’s dirty laundry
11/01/2016 Laundrapp pioneers new real-time driver tracking service
10/07/2015 Laundrapp acquires leading competitor, Washbox
01/06/2015 Laundrapp is bringing a touch of tech to the laundry industry
29/05/2015 Laundrapp celebrates explosive growth with the launch of new web service
25/03/2015 Laundrapp closes £4m funding round to fuel growth
09/02/2016 Laundrapp Launches World’s First Voice-Activated Laundry Service for Amazon Alexa
06/02/2015 Laundrapp expands into five UK cities
16/01/2015 Laundry industry put in a spin by app launch
Service Photographs
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CEO Photographs
Edward Relf Bio
Antony Pink Bio
The best way to predict the future is to create it
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Johnnie Franks Woodruff
Woodruff & McCaney LLC
(1) Call Website
Mockingbird Court 1604
Florence 35630 AL US
Johnnie Franks Woodruff specializes in Divorce and separation, Criminal Defense, Child support, Alimony, Appeals, Adoption and Personal injury cases in Alabama. She acquired the license to practice law in 2005. She is a Partner at the law firm, Woodruff & McCaney, LLC, since 2015.
Attorney Woodruff also focuses her practice on matters related to Family, Divorce and separation, Criminal Defense, Estate planning, and Juvenile Law.
Johnnie F. Woodruff has secured admission to practice in Alabama, 11th Circuit, and Federal Circuit. She is a member of Alabama State Bar, Trial lawyers association, Lauderdale County Bar Association, Christian Legal Society, and Family Law Association.
Johnnie Woodruff completed B.A. in History in 2001 and MBA in 2003 from Freed-Hardeman University. She later attended the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law at the Faulkner University to complete her Juris Doctorate. She graduated with top honors in 2005.
While studying at the Faulkner University, she served as an editor in Chief Law Review, and Mediation Clinic Assistant. She was also a part of Domestic Violence Clinic and Trial Lawyers of America.
She served as a Law Clerk at the Montgomery County Circuit Court in the year 2002-2003. She started working with the law firm, Beasley Allen, P.C. as an associate in 2003.
After obtaining her law degree, she started working as a Law Clerk for the honorable Justice of Alabama Supreme Court. She later joined The Shoals Law Group as a partner. She worked with this law firm for almost ten years.
What types of cases Attorney Johnnie L Franks & Woodruff & McCaney LLC can handle?
Woodruff & McCaney LLC can handle cases related to laws concerning Personal Injury, Divorce, Criminal Defense, Child Support, Child Custody, Appeals, Adoption. We manually verify each attorney’s practice areas before approving their profiles and reviews on our website.
Where is Woodruff & McCaney LLC located?
Woodruff & McCaney LLC is located at 1604 Mockingbird Ct g, Florence, AL 35630, USA. You can reach out to Woodruff & McCaney LLC using their phone line (256) 349-5370. You can also check their website woodruffandmccaneylaw.com.
How much would it cost to hire Woodruff & McCaney LLC?
Johnnie L Franks lawyer charges are specific to each case. However, they work with contingency fees and its ranges from $$ to $$$. They also provide free consultation [and no obligation quotes] if you are interested to hire.
Are Johnnie L Franks reviews trust-able?
We have the ratings and reviews moderation team who checks and verifies every review submitted on our website manually. You can trust all the reviews you see on Johnnie L Franks lawyer profile listing.
Best Lawyer in the Tri Cities Area
She is a bulldog in court. She does not back down. Someone referred me t her this was the best money I ever spent because I got a peace of mind with her on my side. Best lawyer in area.
Is this your profile?Verified Lawyer
Adoption Lawyer
Appeals Lawyer
Roianne Houlton Conner
Susan Elaine McPherson
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Home Municipal Law Illinois Homewood
Homewood, Illinois Municipal Lawyers
Vicki Hathaway Gonzalez
Experienced & Trusted Municipal Law Attorney! Skilled Counsel & Advocacy!
Vicki Hathaway Gonzalez is an experienced facilitator of real estate transactions. Vicki is known for her style of representation that insists that her clients are fully informed of their rights and obligations under... Read More »
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Philip Fornaro
La Grange, IL Municipal Law Attorney
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Daniel Lauber
River Forest, IL Municipal Law Attorney
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Sal John Sheikh Esq.
Chicago, IL Municipal Law Attorney
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David B. Sosin
Orland Park, IL Municipal Law Attorney
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Eydie Rachel Glassman
(312) 523-5299Northern Illinois UniversityUniversity of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign and University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign7th Circuit and IllinoisNIUState Bar of IllinoisA Municipal Entity May Be Deemed Solely Liable for a Single and Intentional Unconstitutional Act of Its Legislature and Municipal Liability in the Context of Police Misconduct Claims
Sami Ziad Azhari
Northbrook, IL Municipal Law Attorney
(847) 655-1702Michigan State UniversityPurdue University - Purdue UniversityIllinois and CaliforniaNational Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers, Super Lawyers and National Trial Lawyers
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Thomas M. Tully
(312) 917-2400DePaul UniversityJohn Carroll UniversityIllinois, Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Supreme Court and United States Court of Military AppealsIllinois State Bar and American Bar Association
James E. Doherty
(312) 917-2409Northwestern UniversityUniversity of Notre DameIllinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of IllinoisIllinois State Bar
John P. Brady
(312) 917-2412The John Marshall Law SchoolMarquette UniversityIllinois and Northern District of IllinoisIllinois State Bar and Chicago Bar Association
Shawn Barnett
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Illinois Municipal Law Attorney
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Nick Bathas
Schaumburg, IL Municipal Law Attorney
Loyola University of Chicago School of Law
Audrey Cosgrove
Wilmette, IL Municipal Law Attorney
Janella L. Barbrow
Wheaton, IL Municipal Law Attorney
(630) 690-0100University of Illinois - Urbana-ChampaignCollege of William and Mary and Stella Maris International School, Kobe, JapanSupreme Court of Illinois, Illinois, 7th Circuit, United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, U.S. Supreme Court and Special Assistant Attorney General, State of IllinoisUniversity of Illinois College of Law, Champaign, IllinoisDuPage County Bar Association, State Bar of Illinois...Cambridge at Countryside Homeowner's Association v. City of Aurora, Estate of Shea v. Brennan...
Nirav S Patel
Bloomingdale, IL Municipal Law Attorney
(312) 473-5085University of Illinois College of LawUniversity of Illinois - ChicagoIllinoisState Bar of Illinois
Kevin G. Drendel
Batavia, IL Municipal Law Attorney
(630) 406-5440Northern Illinois UniversityCornell CollegeIllinoisLegal Leaders, Martindale-Hubbel and West PublishingKane, Administer Justice...
Steven H. Jesser
Glenview, IL Municipal Law Attorney
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Mark Schmidt
(630) 690-0100University of Illinois - Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of the PacificIllinois, Supreme Court of Illinois, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Special Assistant Attorney General, State of Illinois, Certified Arbitrator for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, DuPage County, IL and Federal Trial BarDuPage County Bar Association and State Bar of IllinoisAPPEALS written
Park Ridge, IL Municipal Law Attorney
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The LII Lawyer Directory contains lawyers who have claimed their profiles and are actively seeking clients. Find more Homewood, Illinois Municipal Lawyers in the Justia Legal Services and Lawyers Directory which includes profiles of more than one million lawyers licensed to practice in the United States, in addition to profiles of legal aid, pro bono and legal service organizations.
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info@lsawa.asn.au
The LSAWA Team
Our community work
Containers for Change
Workplace Inspection
Armed Hold Ups and Cash Handling
Code Of Practice – Violence, Aggression and Bullying
Lion Beer WA Liquor Industry Awards
LSAWA welcomes ruling as majority of ineffective bans ruled out!
LSAWA welcomes ruling as majority of ineffective bans ruled out
The Liquor Stores Association of WA (LSAWA) have welcomed the Liquor Commission’s rejection of the majority of a proposal to place blanket bans on liquor sales throughout WA’s Pilbara region.
LSAWA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Peter Peck, said the fact that most of the restrictions proposed in the section 64 application were quashed was a big win for common sense.
“This was a sensible decision by the Liquor Commissioners, particularly in light of the fact that our members, the industry and the State Government are actively working towards a new harm minimisation approach to the issue of problem drinking through a banned drinkers register trial (BDR),” Mr Peck said.
“This is a very welcome move that should send a clear message.
“Unfortunately, pursuing bad ideas like this uses up a lot of taxpayers’ money for no good reason. The efforts of police and some state government agencies would be better used to focus on targeted initiatives such as the Banned Drinkers Register Trial and provisions to combat sly grogging.
“LSAWA and the AHA is working with the Minister’s office on establishing a Banned Drinkers Register trial and we are currently in discussions regarding funding support to facilitate its rollout.
This is something that will make a real difference on harm minimisation by attacking the problem from a different and more effective way and supporting local communities.
This plan has the support of Aboriginal groups, local governments and the State Government, which has been extremely encouraging.
“Old-fashioned approaches like blanket bans just don’t work in any long-term way and often cause more problems.”
When implemented the BDR trial will be the culmination of more than eight years of work by the industry and will be a credit to the McGowan Government.
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Liquor Stores Association of WA © 2019. All rights Reserved.
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Home › The Texas Gun Owner's Guide - 8th Edition
Bloomfield Press
The Texas Gun Owner's Guide - 8th Edition
Get all the gun laws word-for-word and in plain English too. The Texas Gun Owner's Guide includes all the state gun laws for having, buying, selling, carrying and using firearms, then describes them in plain English; plus, details on the use of deadly force and self defense, concealed-handgun licenses, special weapons, gun safety, school and kid laws, transportation, federal laws... you get the most complete coverage available for the Texas approach to the Second Amendment to the Constitution. The perfect guide for CHL students and all gun owners, goes way beyond the bare minimum provided by DPS. Includes more than 150 self-test questions, 22 lethal-encounter scenarios for study and discussion, much more. Used in classes statewide and widely endorsed. Every gun owner needs a gun owner's guide. Why take chances, don't guess, and don't be sorry later. Answers your questions about owning, carrying and using guns It's like an entire firearms law library at your fingertips It doesn't make sense to own a gun and not know the rules You sure don't want to be in trouble for a rule you never heard of Ignorance is no excuse -- it's better to know the rules You have a right to know what the laws are Cheaper than a lawyer, and better than many! It's actually fun to read! If you knew all your rights you might demand them Completely updated with all the new confusing laws clearly explained
Who can bear arms?
Where are guns forbidden?
When can you shoot?
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Pennsylvania Laws For Minors Dating
Although the group's present study did not address why this change might have been adaptive, Urban offered one hypothesis to explain the successful spread through multiple populations of first date dating tips early mammals that roughly resembled his mealworm-munching opossums. Clearly, something was being conserved, but nothing appeared as an obvious candidate in a material artificially devised to provide a disordered spin picture. "With CH+, we learn that energy is stored within vast galaxy-sized winds and ends up as turbulent motions in previously unseen reservoirs of cold gas surrounding the galaxy," said Falgarone, who is lead author of the new paper. According to the study, which appears in the March issue of Social Psychology Quarterly , individuals in their 60s who report giving advice to a wide variety of people -- to family members, friends, neighbors, and strangers -- see their lives as highly meaningful, while adults in that age group who dispense advice to fewer types of people are much less likely to report high life meaning. IPSCs are made by reprogramming skin cells to become stem cells, which can then be transformed when do kate and sawyer hook up into any type of cell in the body. " Balskus hopes the new technique will allow researchers to identify and characterize new enzymes in an effort to better understand the metabolic processes of microbial communities and their impacts on surrounding organisms and environments. A psychotherapist would probably also say Im overly nostalgic Im always pennsylvania laws for minors dating going back to things. One of those mechanisms is p53 pennsylvania laws for minors dating action. " Drs. "What we've done is use an old-school technology medium in a new-school package," Washburn said. In order to identify the fertile period, it is important to track other measures such as amanda crew dating history basal body temperature as cycle dates alone are not informative. They studied patients who were undergoing surgery for severe epilepsy, who already had measurement electrodes in the relevant brain areas. Why Hispanic children may have differing cancer rates compared with white children may include genetic variation, infection exposures pennsylvania laws for minors dating early in life, lifestyle differences and varying environmental exposures, according to the study. During droughts it's much more likely that streams will dry up completely if the water table also is low. "For example, we have seen a free single parent dating services dramatic increase in community-associated infections since 2000. "Previously, we thought people who react more negatively to boredom would have specific brain waves prior to being bored," Perone said. If experiments prove the new theory right, it would mean green icebergs are ferrying precious iron from Antarctica's mainland to the open sea when they break off, providing this key nutrient to the organisms that support nearly all marine life. "Obesity is overtaking smoking as the leading avoidable cause of premature death in the U.S. and worldwide. Along with some other confirmatory experiments, this told the team that CDK11 is the true mechanism of action against cancer. Unlike regular chile peppers, super-hot peppers make the most of the interior space they have available, which can lead to some serious heat. Prions were detected in skin samples from the inoculated rodents before they showed anyclinical signs of prion disease.
pennsylvania laws for minors dating laws,pennsylvania,minors,for,dating 2020-01-11
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Man climbs on plane wing and tries to enter cabin as aircraft prepares for takeoff, passengers watch in horror
The bizarre incident involved an Azman Air plane and took place on Friday in the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria
By Ishani Ghose
Published on : 08:33 PST, Jul 20, 2019
There was chaos aboard a plane earlier this week when passengers spotted a man climbing onto the wing moments before takeoff.
The bizarre incident involved an Azman Air plane and took place on Friday in the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria.
While the plane was waiting for clearance from air traffic controllers, the man clambered up the side of the jet engine and then got on the wing before attempting to enter the cabin.
A passenger inside the aircraft took a video of the dramatic incident. The rest of the passengers can be heard yelling as many of them jump out of their seats in disbelief.
Man climbs onto wing of Azman Air 737 at Lagos airport as it prepares for takeoff. https://t.co/LwkjRaFsey pic.twitter.com/xXuLJXlGw8
— Breaking Aviation News (@breakingavnews) July 19, 2019
The pilots radio called the tower to inform them of the incident and then shut the plane's engine as officers rushed to the scene.
According to the airline, airport security then arrested the man.
He has not been publicly identified and is currently in custody as authorities investigate the unusual incident.
As for the rest of the passengers, they were "taxied back to the gate" and forced to disembark from the plane though it did not delay anyone's travels. The company shared, "The aircraft and luggage were thoroughly scrutinized. All passengers were re-boarded and the flight operated as scheduled."
At this time, it is not known how the man was able to reach the tarmac.
However, a few hours later, Azman Air shared in a Twitter statement that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had suspended the aviation security heads who were on duty at the time.
Azman Air said, "The current arrangement is aimed at ensuring an efficient and thorough investigation towards the recovery and sustenance of the airport’s proactive security integrity. FAAN views this breach as a serious security concern and has commenced [an] investigation to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of this incident to forestall future occurrence."
If you have a news scoop or an interesting story for us, please reach out at (323) 421-7514
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New Otago heritage trail signposts history and culture...
New Otago heritage trail signposts history and culture landmarks
Discover some of New Zealand’s history at these landmark sites.
A short drive from Queenstown, the tiny historic gold mining village of Arrowtown sits on the banks of the Arrow River.
Credit: Miles Holden
Dunedin's spectacular Railway Station is one of New Zealand's most photographed buildings.
Credit: www.dunedinnz.com
On a train ride up the Taieri Gorge in New Zealand, you can enjoy a few bottles of Emerson's beer while watching the scenery roll by.
Credit: Tourism Dunedin
Cyclists on the Otago Central Rail Trail.
Credit: Central Otago District Council
TSS Earnslaw on Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, New Zealand.
Credit: Real Journeys
Download Image (2480x1298px, 617KB)
Oamaru heritage precinct
Credit: www.tourismwaitaki.co.nz
AJ Hackett Bungy Queenstown - taking the leap of faith from the heights of the Kawarau Bridge Bungy into the rushing waters of the river gorge 43m below.
Credit: AJ Hackett Bungy www.bungy.co.nz
New Zealand’s history may be short, but it’s rich with culture. The new Landmarks initiative recognises the most iconic historic and culture spots across the country to tell the story of New Zealand’s heritage.
First launched in the Northland region in 2016, the Landmarks network has now moved into New Zealand’s South Island recognising 12 of the Otago region’s most important locations. Landmarks is expected to expand to other New Zealand regions over the coming year.
The trail of Otago sites travels from Lake Wakatipu and the old goldfields of Central Otago to the Pacific Coast and the rugged Otago Peninsula. These can be easily accessed by car and local transport options.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the 12 sites. For more information, visit www.landmarks.nz
Arrowtown - One golden village, two tales
A visit to this thriving picture-postcard tourist town, near Queenstown, enables visitors to view both sides of the gold-rush coin: the preserved avenue where wealthy banks and merchants traded in the mid-1800s, and the restored huts on the edge of town that reveal the spartan lifestyles of the Chinese miners.
Bannockburn Sluicings - Man-made Badlands
Visit the remains of the dams, tunnels, walls and water races that were built to flush out the hard-earned golden reward. The result is a spectacular man-made landscape that can be explored on foot or bike via various tracks. The last vestiges of rammed-earth houses where the miners lived can still be seen.
Dunedin Railway Station - A first-class destination
Ornate and flamboyant … but some Dunedin residents back in 1906 thought the lavatories "too luxurious". Dunedin’s railway station is today considered one of the world’s best. Built when 100 trains would come and go in a day, this ‘giant gingerbread house’ is now the departure point for the historic Taieri Gorge Railway service. The interior houses a restaurant, a gallery and the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.
Hayes Engineering Works - A home of Kiwi invention
A vast collection of artefacts remain in the workshop and home of Ernest Hayes, inventor and manufacturer of agricultural labour-saving devices. Most notable was his design of the fence-fixing wire strainer, which sold internationally and is still used today. His wife, Hannah, cycled all over the country taking orders for his wares – no mean feat in a land of mountains, lakes and rivers.
Historic Oamaru - A Victorian time capsule
This atmospheric old town centre of ornately carved stone buildings tells of Victorian hopes and dreams during the late 19th century. Visitors can walk in and around well-preserved buildings that housed merchant and engineering enterprises, grain stores and banks, or visit the fantastical Steampunk HQ museum. Victorian wardrobe hire and regular heritage events – including the annual Steampunk festival – enable visitors to relive this era.
Kawarau Suspension Bridge - A leap of faith
This is the world birthplace of commercial bungy, where people leap from the equivalent of a 10-storey building held safe by a giant elastic band. It is also where an innovative suspension bridge enabled safe crossing of the notoriously windy canyon. Engineer Harry Higginson won a world’s top engineering award for his work in 1882.
Larnach Castle - New Zealand’s tragic castle
Larnach Castle tells a colourful story, but this is no fairy tale. The majestic mansion was built in the 1870s sparing no expense. However, William Larnach’s personal fortunes later crumbled to the extent that he took his own life. His grand vision fell into disrepair but has since been lavishly restored and improved on.
Olveston - A slice of grand Edwardian life preserved
Much more than a museum, Olveston is loved by all because of the authentic ‘lived in’ presentation of its rich art and artefacts. Visitors enter into the real home occupied by the wealthy Theomin family for 60 years (1906 to 1966). The last member of this generous family, Dorothy Theomin, gifted Olveston to the City of Dunedin in 1966.
Otago Central Rail Trail - Pedalling Otago’s rural heart
This popular cycle journey through beautiful pastoral landscapes offers a taste of the genuine hospitality of the local sheep-farming community. Gold and pastoral farming was the heart of Central Otago's economy and the railway provided the life blood for these isolated communities. Visitors today can stay with farming families and enjoy country town hospitality.
Taieri Gorge Railway - Bridging the gap
Departing from Dunedin’s first-class railway station the journey on the Taieri Gorge Railway was once the only realistic and reliable transport for both freight and passengers between Central Otago and Dunedin. The scenic rail journey to Central Otago negotiates the spectacular Taieri Gorge, travelling through 10 tunnels, countless bridges and viaducts.
Totara Estate - Putting New Zealand sheep on the world table
It was from this once-grand estate that the first shipment of frozen mutton was sent to England, marking the start of an export industry that has underpinned New Zealand’s economic prosperity. Wonderfully restored Oamaru stone buildings provide a view of rural life in Victorian times, with family-friendly activities on offer.
TSS Earnslaw - Lady of the Lake
TSS Earnslaw is one of the world’s oldest and largest remaining steamships and has graced Lake Wakatipu since 1912. In the days before any roads existed, she ferried people, sheep and goods to lake destinations, including one called Paradise. Now she’s a pleasure cruiser, delivering people to attractions across the lake.
Dunedin NZ - Edinburgh of the South
Queenstown NZ - Birthplace of New Zealand adventure tourism
Cycling NZ - Otago Central Rail Trail
China & NZ - shared heritage
Arrowtown attractions
Bannockburn Sluicings
Hayes Engineering
Oamaru Victorian Heritage Precinct
Kawarau Bungy Site
Larnach Castle
Olveston House Dunedin
Otago Central Rail Trail
Taieri Gorge Rail Journey
Totara Estate
TSS Earnslaw
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Modern WINDMILLS harness the wind to create...
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Creek Tower, Dubai Creek, Emirate, Etisalat...
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Air Force Academy cadet chapel.
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Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia,...
Steps into water of curved hotel swimming pool
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Modern beach house.
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National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome, Italy
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Modern stained glass window design.
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AJ3062, Toronto, Canada, Ontario, A modern...
Dallas Texas new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge...
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Modern sculpture, Grounds for Sculpture,...
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View of mosque and modern commercial buildings...
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Graphic sculpture against striking modern...
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Entry starcase to the CaixaForum, Madrid, Spain
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Dubai. United Arab Emirates. Fac?ade and...
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Canada, Ontario, Toronto, Skyline at dus
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Blue abstract stained glass window.
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The Walt Disney World Dolphin is a resort hotel...
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United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel,...
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Centennial Olympic Park downtown Atlanta Georgia
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David Aguirre
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SUSAN ANDERSON – ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Susan Anderson defends our clients in the Administrative License Revocation (ALR) hearings set by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Susan has successfully defeated DPS’ attempts to suspend many of our clients’ Driver’s Licenses on multiple occasions. DPS will automatically seek to suspend a driver license after the driver has been arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and even before the driver has been convicted in county court.
Susan is uniquely qualified to help our clients since she previously worked for the Texas Department of Public Safety for 18 years. Susan has actually prosecuted the cases in ALR hearings and sought the suspension of driver’s licenses in twelve counties, including McLennan, Bell, and Coryell counties.
Susan has served as an Assistant District Attorney for Bexar County, TX (in San Antonio) and as First Assistant County Attorney for Ector County, Tx. (in Odessa).
Susan also served as the Odessa attorney for West Texas Legal Services, providing legal services to those who could not afford them. She also had her own law office for several years, located first in Odessa, TX and then in Waco TX.
Susan attended St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, where she received her JD degree.
In her spare time, Susan has been a theatre director for community groups and worked as a choir director for her church for 24 years.
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Michigan Boer Goat
Best Assignments For Students
Climate inadequate safety measures adopted by governments; the melting
Climate change has been a growing concern in the past century
and, according to John Cook et al. (2016), more than 97% of climate scientists
agree that anthropogenic forces have increased its rate; and this could lead to
inter and intra national conflicts all over the world as it applies pressure on
natural resources and enhances natural disasters.
The aim of this essay is to describe the primary ways in which climate change
can be a major cause of violent conflict and examine what solutions governments
could take into consideration to slow down the terrible consequences.
Starting with the rise of storm surges and the inadequate
safety measures adopted by governments; the melting of glaciers (with a
particular note to the Arctic glaciers) and its social and political
(specifically trade related) consequences; finally going through the
unsustainable use of energy and water resources (too often improperly
associated with overpopulation) and their management.
This essay is therefore going to try and demonstrate that
climate change is affecting international relations and is often cause of
violent conflict, but with the right measures it is possible to prevent the
worst and look into creating stable and sustainable global communities.
In “The Art of War”, Sun Tzu states that five factors
must be taken into consideration before any military action: climate, field,
discipline, politics and command.
It is already obvious, then, in military circles how important of a factor the weather
is, so that in 2007 a group of retired U.S. admirals and generals in their
“National security and the threat of climate change” report conclude that
‘climate change acts as a threat multiplier for instability in some of the most
volatile regions of the world’ and ‘climate change poses a serious threat to
America’s national security.’ (CNA Corporation, 2007)
in each area of the world will have consequences in the neighbouring countries,
because the truth is that everything is connected, especially with the size of
today’s global trade system as the 2008-2009 American financial crisis has shown.
One example
being the tragedy that happened in the summer of 2005 due to a series of
hurricanes, in particular Hurricane Katrina, that led to a political, social,
economic and security crises in the United States, with consequences that
branched to everywhere else in the Globe. A disaster that the rest of the world
studied from the outside trying to determine how a hurricane no stronger than a
category 3 hitting a vulnerable area, became one of
the costliest natural disasters, and
one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the
history of the United States. (Blake, E. S., et al., 2011)
With 1,833 fatalities, $41.1
billion in insurance claims, more than one million people in the Gulf region (area
where 50% of the population lives by the coast) were displaced by the storm and
in New Orleans it soon went out of control.
Anarchy spread, gun battles and rapes were plaguing the hurricane
afflicted areas, and this led to the questionable order given by Senator
Kathleen Blanco to the National Guard to “shoot to kill” if confronted with
violent offenders. After
this the Gulf of Mexico (which sees the production of over a quarter of U.S.
oil and close to 15% of U.S.’s natural gas) bore the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and the consequential flooding, causing the destruction of 113 oil
platforms and the damage of 457 pipelines. (U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals
Management Service, 2006) This
led oil prices to spike above $70 per barrel
all around the globe. (Pan, E., 2005)
Such an unprecedented impact on the American industry
that didn’t leave the rest of the world unshook. A lot of questions have been
raised after such an event by their allies and enemies; how prepared are the
U.S. for emergencies? How dependent is the rest of the world on the U.S.? Is an
alliance with the U.S. with interest in its resources going to create potential
vulnerabilities?
As Paskal C. states in her book ‘Global Warring’, climate change is not
the only thing to be blamed for what happened in New Orleans. Trying to
restrain climate change without adapting our societies in areas like
infrastructure planning, water management
and disaster response won’t stop other hurricanes from happening but will certainly
avoid it transforming into a catastrophe of this magnitude.
importance of trade has already been stated above in this essay, but another
point worth looking at is the timeless importance for nations to have control
over it.
about what people is capable of to have more power and control are numerous throughout
history like the 1956 Suez crisis and the 1989 Panama invasion.
It was 1956/not
long after WWII when the conservative Anthony Eden got elected Prime minister
of the UK and, with France and Israel as allies, tried to occupy Egypt. The aim
of this action was to take/get control over/of the Suez Canal and the removal
of Nasser from power with the intention/plan to create a regime less hostile to
the West.
Eisenhower didn’t approve such a drastic action, and when, during the invasion,
the UK found itself in need of support, the US refused to back them up and
caused the UK to leave and realize their new position in the world: the empire
was long dead.
relationship with the US grew stronger as the UK realized that they weren’t the
first superpower anymore and that advice from the US president needed to be
taken seriously.
The Suez
crisis is an important milestone as it sets the basis for Colombian (owning the
Panama Canal) discontent with the anti-colonial movements taking place around
the world.
Unlike the Europeans though, the Americans were perfectly able to handle the
situation by themselves, managing to keep control over the Panama Canal until
2000, when the US handed it back to Panama because of its interests moving away
from security and shifting towards commercial.
These two
examples aimed to prove the importance carried by strategic chokepoints around
the globe, as 7.5% of world trade passes through the Suez and with the 9300
miles saved by the Panama Canal for ships traveling between the Atlantic and
the Pacific Oceans by not having to route down around the tip of south America.
While the
Europeans created the Suez Canal and the American created the Panama Canal, it
is Climate change that is opening the Northwest passage and the opportunity for
new powers to take control over world trade.
Figure 1 (taken from BBC bitesize)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/zwjjjxs/revision/2
The diagram above shows the changing levels of
Arctic sea ice over a 30-year period. Due to climate
change, glaciers have been melting, opening a
sea route that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian
Arctic Archipelago.
over these waters are contested between Canada, claiming its location in
Canadian internal waters, and the U.S. (backed up by various European and Asian
countries), asserting that the Northwest Passage
is an international strait and should therefore allow freedom of navigation,
essential for the United States naval activities worldwide. (Carnaghan, M. and
Goody, A., 2006)
Control over this passage by the Canadians would mean more security for
all North America by having the power to control and search every vessel passing
through but less freedom of movement having to sign treaties and compromise
with Canada. An ice-free Arctic would also open the doors to new undiscovered
oil and gas reserves as an estimate says the area contains as much as 40 percent of world oil and gas
reserves (Chalecki, E. L., 2007). The more viable the passage the more
conflicts we’ll see as all Denmark, Russia, Norway, Canada and the United
States have all used various interpretations of the Law of the Sea to forward
territorial demands to parts of the Arctic sea, in order to take advantage of
their considerable oil and natural gas reserves (Chalecki, E. L., 2007) .
to the other problem that is the unsustainable use of energy and water resources.
In fact,
the population burst together with the breakthrough of new advanced
technologies has created an ever-increasing demand for oil and water. To keep
up with such a demand, countries carry on an inappropriate exploitation of such
resources which in turn leads to increased emissions of carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases leading to warmer temperatures and other less obvious
alterations of the global environment.
improper use and management of resources can also lead to health risks through
contamination via drilling, processing
and refining the oil or gas, or disposing of wastewater.
The biggest disaster of this kind is the Kuwaiti oil
fires of 1991 which caused Saudi Arabia to suffer environmental, economic and military
consequences.
The fires were started by Iraqi military forces setting fire to a reported 605 to 732 oil wells right after Iraq’s invasion
of Kuwait in 1990. The fires have been
linked with “Gulf war syndrome” (a
chronic disorder afflicting veterans and civilian workers in the neighbouring
areas).
An obvious question comes to mind at this
point: are the existing institutions of global governance adequate for
addressing climate change??
countries, like the U.S., the UK and many others are putting their efforts into
trying to find solutions to Climate change, but results are still far from
happening.
Global societies are too concerned with economic interests rather than their
security that there have been more social awareness and planning than
infrastructure investments to improve climate adaptability.
climate change may not affect today’s generations, it is ethically correct to
try our best and take action to avoid the destruction of civilization as it is.
The aim of
this essay was to show how different shades of climate change can all lead to
global violent conflict.
How a rise in storm surges would
cause intranational emergency at first, just to result into a worldwide crisis;
and if not handled with the right measures the frequency of these disaster will
just raise.
It has been discussed the importance of chokepoint and
sea passages in today’s “trade-centred” society, and the way financial gain is
being prioritised over security interests.
To then conclude the essay with interest regarding energy
and water resources and the improper management of both as it is also true that
the extraction of one will cause the waste of the other.
But it is essential to state that successful climate adaptation is not
only about technology. Governance is also vital. It takes effective government administration
to regard complex problems, such as water management and transportation
planning, at a subnational scale. It is therefore fundamental to understand that the
severity and rapid climate change unset by human activity can lead to climate
conflict, just this way it is going to be possible to face the problem and be
ready for the consequences.
Assessment mg/l. This indicates that the nitrification –denitrification could
Thesis submitted to Jharkhand Rai University For the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In Management Under the Supervision of Research Supervisor Research Supervisor Dr
Depicted two principal mountain ranges are the Serranía de
CONTENTS European Economic Growth. 9 IX.Collapse of The Golden
Climate Change Policy in Zimbabwe POLICIES AND PROGRAMS National Climate Policy – This paper aims to positively influence climate change management in Zimbabwe
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Summarizing allows cardiovascular and proprioceptive improvement as well as
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Pakistan finish fourth as South Asian Games conclude
Pakistan men thump India to win squash gold while women claim silver medal in SAG
Mohsin Ali
ISLAMABAD - Pakistani squash players once again made the country proud, as they won the 13th South Asian Games squash team event defeating archrivals 2-1 in the final held in Kathmandu, Nepal on Tuesday.
While Pakistani women squash team won silver medal as they lost 1-2 in the final against India. Pakistan finished fourth with total 131 medals. The men in green grabbed total 31 gold medals, 41 silver medals and 59 bronze medals. Syed Muhammad Asif won silver medal in the 52kg boxing while Zeshan Akber and Azher Hussain won bronze medals in swimming.
It was Pakistan’s Tayyab Aslam against Harindar Pal of India in the first match, which was repeat of the individual final, when both the players took each in the title decider and Tayyab had won it 3-1. Same happened again as Tayyab prevailed once again and won the encounter 3-1. Tayyab, who is known as slow starter, lost the first game 5-11. He bounced back in great style in the second game, winning it 11-6. The third game saw Tayyab simply outclassing his opponent with his powerful shots, winning it 11-4.
The fourth game was arguably the best of the entire event. Harindar was not ready to concede so easily, while massive crowd support was also right behind him. Although he was playing in Nepal, yet locals were backing him and pushing him to stage comeback, which helped him take comfortable lead. But Tayyab steadily stage a comeback in the game and won it 12-10 to give Pakistan crucial 1-0 lead.
But as witnessed in the past, Asim Khan, who is known for gifting opponents easy matches, once again failed to deliver when it mattered the most for the country, as he lost against Pardhan 2-3. Asim lost the first game 9-11, won the second 11-4 and lost the third 4-11. He fought back well to win the fourth game 11-5 but badly lost the fifth game 4-11. Asim’s loss put the entire burden on the shoulders of time-tested genius Farhan Mehboob to carry forward nation’s hopes. He lived up the expectations and clinched gold medal for the country. Farhan played like a true maestro and simply thrashed Abhay Singh 3-0 in just 34 minutes. He took the first game 11-8, struggled hard to grab the second 12-10 and comfortably won the third 11-5.
In the women final, Kuruvilla Sunayana Sara beat Muqaddas Ashraf 3-0 in 19 minutes, winning the encounter 11-5, 11-8 and 11-9. But Madina Zafar kept Pakistan in the final, as she beat Vata Sanya 3-0 in 27 minutes, winning the crucial match 11-9, 13-11 and 11-7. In the title decider, Tanvi Khanna beat Faiza Zafar 3-1 in 30 minutes to give India team gold. Tanvi won 11-5, 4-11, 11-4 and 11-5.
Canadians oppose additional tax burden to secure life of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle
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प्राचीन काळापासून अस्तित्वात असणारी नगरे
प्राचीन काळापासून मानवी लोकवस्ती असणाऱ्या नगरांची यादी खाली दिली आहे. This is a list of present-day cities by the time period over which they have been continuously inhabited.The age claims listed may be disputed, or indeed obsolete. Differences in opinion can result from different definitions of "city" as well as "continuously inhabited".
प्रत्येकास "जगातील सर्वात प्राचीन नगर" म्हणून ख्याती असणाऱ्या (दमास्कस, बायब्लॉस, जेरिको, वाराणशी)ह्या शहरांचा देखील ह्या यादीत समावेश करण्यात आला आहे. Caveats to the validity of each claim are discussed in the "Notes" column.
ह्या लेखाचा/विभागाचा इंग्रजी किंवा अमराठी भाषेतून मराठी भाषेत भाषांतर करावयाचे बाकी आहे. अनुवाद करण्यास आपलाही सहयोग हवा आहे. ऑनलाईन शब्दकोश आणि इतर सहाय्या करिता भाषांतर प्रकल्पास भेट द्या.
कृपया, पुढील भाषांतर संकेतांचे पालन आवर्जून करा.
विकिपीडिया:शीर्षकलेखन संकेत अनुसार काही अपवाद वगळता लेख शीर्षके मराठीतच असणे अभिप्रेत आहे.
एकूण लेख संख्येच्या अंदाजे २% पेक्षा अधिक लेख भाषांतर प्रतिक्षेत (इंग्रजी मसुद्याच्या स्वरूपात) असू नयेत असा संकेत आहे.
स्वतःच्या संपादन संख्येच्या २% पेक्षा अधिक लेखात मसुदे परभाषेत चिटकवू नयेत.
१ प्राचीन जग
२ सध्याचे (वर्तमान)जग
३ चित्रदालन
४ संदर्भदुवे
प्राचीन जगसंपादन करा
Continuous habitation since the Chalcolithic (or Copper Age) is possible (but difficult) to prove archaeologically for several Levantine cities (Jericho, Byblos, Damascus, Sidon and Beirut). Cities became more common outside the Fertile Crescent with the Early Iron Age from about 1100 BC. The foundation of Rome in 753 BC is conventionally taken as one of the dates initiating Classical Antiquity.साचा:Fact
नगराचे नाव
ऐतिहासिक विभाग/प्रांत
ठिकाण
सातत्याने मानववस्ती असल्याच्या नोंदी
नोंदी
दमिश्क लेव्हांत सीरिया चालकॉलिथिक Excavations at Tel Ramad on the outskirts of the city have demonstrated that Damascus was inhabited as early as 8000 to 10,000 BC.[१]साचा:Dubious However, Damascus is not documented as an important city until the coming of the Aramaeans around 1400 BC. See reference for presence of urban life among cattle herders at this date — also due to land fertility and constant water source.[ संदर्भ हवा ]
जेरिको लेव्हांत वेस्ट बँक चाल्कोलिथिक काळ (इ.स.पू. ३००० पूर्वी) Traces of habitation from 9000 BC.[२][३]
Fortifications date to 6800 BC (or earlier), making Jericho the earliest known walled city.[४] Evidence indicates that the city was abandoned several times, and later expanded and rebuilt several times.[५]
बॅब्लिओस लेव्हांत लेबॅनॉन चाल्कोलिथिक काळ (इ.स.पू. ५००० पूर्वी)[६] Settled from the Neolithic (carbon-dating tests have set the age of earliest settlement around 7000[७]), a city since the 3rd millennium BC.[६] Byblos had a reputation as the "oldest city in the world" in Antiquity (according to Philo of Byblos).
सिडॉन लेव्हांत लेबॅनॉन इ.स.पू. ४००० [८] There is evidence that Sidon was inhabited from as long ago as 4000 BC, and perhaps, as early as Neolithic times (6000 - 4000 BC).
अल फय्युम (as Crocodilopolis or Arsinoe, ancient Egyptian: Shediet) इजिप्त फैयुम प्रांत, इजिप्त इ.स.पू. (४००० अंदाजे)[९]
गाझियांटेप अनातोलिया नैऋत्य अनातोलिया प्रांत, तुर्कस्तान इ.स.पू. ३६५०[ संदर्भ हवा ] This is disputed, although most modern scholars place the Classical Antiochia ad Taurum at Gaziantep, some maintain that it was located at Aleppo. Furthermore, that the two cities occupy the same site is far from established fact (see Gaziantep). Assuming this to be the case, the founding date of the present site would be about 1,000 BC. (see Gaziantep)
राय इराण इ.स.पू. ३०००[१०] A settlement at the site goes back to the 3rd millennium BC. Rayy is mentioned in the Avesta (an important text of prayers in Zoroastrianism, as a sacred place, and it is also featured in the book of Tobit.[१०]
बैरुत लेव्हांत लेबेनॉन इ.स.पू. ३०००[११]
टायर लेव्हांत लेबेनॉन इ.स.पू. २७५०[१२]
आर्बिल मेसोपोटेमिया कुर्दिस्तान प्रांत, इराक इ.स.पू. २३०० किंवा त्याआआधी[१३]
अराफा (किर्कुक) मेसोपोटेमिया किर्कुक प्रांत, इराक इ.स.पू. ३०००-२२००[१४]
जाफ्फा लेव्हांत इस्रायेल इ.स.पू. २००० (अं) Archaeological evidence shows habitation from 7500 BC.[१५]
अलेप्पो लेव्हांत सिरिया इ.स.पू. २००० (अं)[१६] Evidence of occupation since about 5000 BC.[१७]
बल्ख (बॅक्ट्रा) बॅक्ट्रिया बल्ख प्रांत, अफगाणिस्तान इ.स.पू. १५०० (अं) Balkh is one of the oldest settlements of the region.[१८]
हेब्रॉन लेव्हांत वेस्ट बँक इ.स.पू. १५०० (अं) Hebron is considered one of the oldest cities and has been continuously
inhabited for nearly 3500 years.[१९]
चानिया क्रीट क्रीट, ग्रीस इ.स.पू. १४०० (अं) Minoan foundation as Kydonia
लारनाका अलाशिया सायप्रस इ.स.पू. १४०० (अं) Mycenaean, then Phoenician colony
Thebes Mycenaean Greece Boeotia, Greece ca. 1400 BC Mycenaean foundation
अथेन्स मिसेनेइयन ग्रीस ॲटिका, ग्रीस इ.स.पू. १४०० Mycenaean foundation, with traces of earlier habitation on the Acropolis.
आर्गोस मिसेनेइयन ग्रीस ग्रीस इ.स.पू. १२०० आधी
Trikala Mycenaean Greece Thessaly, Greece before 1200 BC founded as Trikke
Chalcis Mycenaean Greece Greece before 1200 BC mentioned by Homer
Lisbon Iron Age Iberia Portugal ca. 1200 BC A settlement since the Neolithic. Allis Ubbo, arguably a Phoenician name, became Olissipo(-nis) in Greek and Latin (also Felicitas Julia after Roman conquest in 205 BC).
Cádiz Iron Age Iberia Andalusia, Spain 1100 BC founded as Phoenician Gadir, "Europe's oldest city"[२०]
Patras Mycenaean Greece Greece ca. 1100 BC founded by Patreus
वाराणसी भारत उत्तर प्रदेश, भारत ca. 1200-1000 BC[२१] लोह युग foundation (Painted Grey Ware culture).
Xi'an Bronze Age China Shaanxi, PRC ca. 1100 BC
Chios Chios North Aegean, Greece ca. 1100 BC
Gaza City Levant Gaza Strip ca. 1000 BC While evidence of habitation dates back at least 5,000 years, it is said to be continuously inhabited for a little more than 3,000 years.[२२][२३]
Mytilene Lesbos North Aegean, Greece 10th century BC
Anuradhapura Rajarata North Central Province, श्रीलंका 10th century BC[ संदर्भ हवा ]
Pula Istria Croatia 10th century BCसाचा:Dubious The city's earliest recordedसाचा:By whom permanent habitation dates back to the 10th century BC (Ivelja-Dalmatin 200).साचा:Verify credibility[२४]
Zadar Liburnia Croatia 9th century BCसाचा:Dubious based on archaeological evidence, according to Suić (1981)साचा:Dubious.[२५]
Nin Liburnia Croatia 9th century BC]]साचा:Dubious based on archaeological evidence, according to www.nin.hr.साचा:Verify credibility[१]
नेपल्स Magna Graecia इटली 8th century BC[२६] founded as Parthenope.
Hamadan (As Ecbatana) Median Empire Iran ca. 800 BC [२७]
Yerevan (as Erebuni) Urartu Armenia ca. 800 BC[२८]
उज्जैन (As अवंती) माळवा भारत ८०० इ.स..पू. [२९] ७०० इ.स.पू. मध्ये अवंतीची राजधानी म्हणून उदयास आले. भारत देशाची दुसर्या शहरीकरीकरणाच्या लहरीत ६०० इ.स.पू प्रगती झाली.
रोम Latium Lazio, इटली ७५३ इ.स.पू. १००० इ.स.पू.पासून नेहमी गजबजलेले.; इ.स.पू. ९ व्या शतकात चरावाहांचे खेडे म्हणून माहितीत.; see also History of Rome and Founding of Rome.
Corfu, Kerkyra Corfu Ionian Islands, Greece 700 BC
समरकंद Sogdiana उझबेकिस्थान ७०० इ.स.पू.
इस्तंबूल/बायझेन्टियम Thrace Anatolia Turkey 685 BC Anatolia 667 BC Thrace Neolithic site dated to 6400 BC, over port of Lygos by Thracians circa 1150 BC
Durrës Illyria Albania 627 BC Founded[३०] by settlers from Corcyra & Corinth as Epidamnos
Stara Zagora Thrace Bulgaria 342 BC It was called Beroe in ancient times and was founded by Phillip II of Macedon[३१][३२][३३][३४], although a Thracian settlement neolithic inhabitation have been discovered as well.
Varna Thrace Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, Bulgaria 585 BC - 570 BC founded[३५] as Odessos by settlers from Miletus
Kavala Macedonia Greece 6th century BC founded as Neapolis
Edessa, Greece Macedonia Greece before the 6th century BC capital of Macedonia up to 6th century BC
Mangalia Dacia Romania 6th century BC founded as Callatis
Constanţa Dacia Romania 6th century BC founded as Tomis
Mantua Po Valley Lombardy, Italy 6th century BC Village settlement since ca. 2000 BC; became an Etruscan city in the 6th century BC.
Herat Aria Herat Province, Afghanistan ca. 550 BC[ संदर्भ हवा ] The city is dominated by the remains of a citadel constructed by Alexander the Great.
दिल्ली कुरु भारत ५०० इ.स.पू.[३६] इ.स.पू.च्या सुरुवातीच्या शतकांपासूनचे शहर, ११ व्या शतकापासून शहरात मानवी वस्तीचे संकेत See also History of Delhi.
मदुरै पांडियन राज्य तमिळनाडू, भारत ५०० इ.स.पू.[ संदर्भ हवा ]
बिजिंग (as Ji, Yanjing) Yan चीन इ.स.पू.५०० [ संदर्भ हवा ]
इफे Osun State, Nigeria ca. 500 BC[ संदर्भ हवा ]
पाटना मगध बिहार, भारत ४९० इ.स.पू.[३७]
वैशाली मगध बिहार, भारत 500 BC[३७]
राजग्रह (राजगिर) मगध बिहार, भारत इ.स.पू. ६००[३८]
Serres Macedonia Greece 5th century BC first mentioned in the 5th century BC as Siris
Lamia (city) Greece Greece before the 5th century BC first mentioned 424 BC
Veria Macedonia Greece ca. 432 BC first mentioned by Thucydides in 432 BC
Rhodes Rhodes, Aegean Sea Dodecanese, Greece ca. 408 BC
बेलग्रेड Illyria Serbia 400 BC Vinča culture prospered around Belgrade in the 6th millennium BC
थेसालोनिकी Macedonia (ancient kingdom) Greece 315 BC founded as a new city in the same place of the older city Therme.
Berat Macedonia (ancient kingdom) Albania 314 BC Founded[३९] by Cassander as Antipatreia
ग्वांग्झू (Canton) Han Dynasty Guangdong, PRC 214 BC[ संदर्भ हवा ]
झुरिच (Lindenhof) Gaul Switzerland ca. 50 BC lakeside settlement traces dating to the Neolithic.
Trier Gallia Belgica जर्मनी 30 BC Oldest city in जर्मनी.
Nijmegen Germania Inferior Netherlands 19 BC Oldest city in the Netherlands.
Chur Raetia Prima Grisons, Switzerland 15 BC habitation since the 4th millennium BC (Pfyn culture).
Solothurn Gaul Switzerland c. 20 AD Evidence of pre-Roman, Celtic settlement; newly founded by the Romans between 14 – 37 AD, called the "oldest city in Gaul besides Trier" in a verse on the city's clock tower.
लंडन Britannia ग्रेटब्रिटन ४३ इ.स.
व्हेर्दुन Lotharingia फ्रांस 4th century seat of the bishop of Verdun from the 4th century, but populated earlier
प्राग Bohemia Czech Republic ca. 6th century The first written record dates back to the 10th century [४०].
Ioannina Byzantine Empire Greece founded by emperor Justinian I
क्राकोव (Wawel Hill) Galicia Poland 7th c.[४१] The first written record dates back to the 10th century.
पालेंबंग Srivijaya Indonesia ca. 600 oldest city in the Malay Archipelago, capital of the Srivijaya empire.
इफे Osun State, Nigeria ca. 8th century[ संदर्भ हवा ]साचा:Dubious earliest traces of habitation date to the 4th century BC.[ संदर्भ हवा ]
Århus Denmark ca. 700 oldest city in Scandinavia.
Djenné Mali ca. 800 oldest known city in sub-Saharan Africa[४२]
Heraklion Crete Greece 824 founded by the Saracens
डब्लिन Ireland Republic of Ireland 841
रेक्याविक Iceland Iceland ca. 871 [२]
Tønsberg Norway Norway ca. 871 oldest city in Norway.
Tondo, Manila Kingdom of Tondo Philippines 900[४३] oldest known settlement in the Philippines as documented by the Laguna Copperplate Inscription; when the Spanish, led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, arrived, it was still inhabited and led by at least one datu.
Skara स्वीडन 988
Lund Denmark स्वीडन ca. 990 [३]
सध्याचे (वर्तमान)जगसंपादन करा
हेसुद्धा पाहा: List of American cities by year of foundation
स्थापना
नोंद
तिकुल मेक्सिको इ.स.पू.चे ७ वे शतक उत्तर व दक्षिण अमेरिकेतील सतत वस्ती असलेली सगळ्यात जुनी वसाहत
चोलुला मेक्सिको इ.स.पू.चे २ रे शतक (अंदाजे) Pre-Columbian Cholula grew from a small village to a regional center during the 7th century.
अकोमा पेब्लो आणि ताओस पेब्लो, न्यू मेक्सिको अमेरिकेची संयुक्त संस्थाने इ.स. १०७५ (अं)
ओरैबी, ॲरिझोना अमेरिकेची संयुक्त संस्थाने इ.स. ११०० (अं)
मेक्सिको सिटी मेक्सिको इ.स. १३२५ Founded as Tenochtitlan by the Mexica. Named changed to Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City) or Mexico-Tenochtitlan after the Spanish conquest of the city in 1521. Several other pre-Columbian towns such as Azcapotzalco, Tlatelolco, Xochimilco and Coyoacan have been engulfed by the growing metropolis and are now part of modern Mexico City.
सांतो दॉमिंगो डॉमिनिकन प्रजासत्ताक इ.स. १४९६ नवीन जगातील सगळ्यात जुनी युरोपीय वसाहत
सान हुआन पोर्तो रिको इ.स. १५०८ Oldest continuously inhabited city in a U.S. territory
नोंब्रे दि दियोस, कोलोन पनामा इ.स. १५१० Oldest European settlement on the American mainland
बाराकोआ क्यूबा इ.स. १५११ Oldest European settlement in Cuba
साओ व्हिसेंते, साओ पाउलो ब्राझील इ.स. १५३२ First Portuguese settlement in South America
सेंट जॉन्स, न्यू फाउंडलंड आणि लाब्राडोर कॅनडा इ.स. १५४०च्या सुमारास Oldest city in Canada, and oldest English-speaking city in North America
सेंट ऑगस्टिन, फ्लोरिडा अमेरिकेची संयुक्त संस्थाने इ.स. १५५६ Oldest continuously inhabited European founded city within the United States
जेम्सटाऊन, व्हर्जिनिया अमेरिकेची संयुक्त संस्थाने इ.स. १६०७ Second oldest successful European founded city in the United States[४४]
प्लीमथ, मॅसेच्युसेट्स अमेरिकेची संयुक्त संस्थाने इ.स. १६२० Third oldest continuously inhabited European founded city in the United States[४५]
क्वेबेक सिटी कॅनडा इ.स. १६०८ Second oldest city in Canada
सेंट जॉन कॅनडा इ.स. १६३१ Third oldest city in Canada
त्रुआ-रिव्हिएरेस कॅनडा इ.स. १६३४ Fourth oldest city in Canada
माँट्रिआल कॅनडा इ.स. १६४२ Fifth oldest city in Canada
सिडनी ऑस्ट्रेलिया इ.स. १७८८ Oldest city in Australia
होबार्ट ऑस्ट्रेलिया इ.स. १८०३ Second oldest city in Australia
चित्रदालनसंपादन करा
ऍलेप्पो, सीरिया
अथेन्स, ग्रीस
बैरुत, लेबेनॉन
बॅब्लॉस, लेबेनॉन
कादिझ, स्पेन
दमास्कस, सीरिया
जाफ्फा, इस्त्राएल
जेरूसलेम, इस्त्राएल-फिलिस्तीन
मांटुआ, इटली
वाराणसी, भारत
मदुरै, भारत
पालेम्बांग, इंडोनेशिया
झियान, चीन
येरेवान, आर्मेनिया
मनिला, फिलिपिन्स
संदर्भदुवेसंपादन करा
^ ancientneareast.tripod.com
^ गेट्स, चार्ल्स (2003). Ancient Cities: The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient Near East and Egypt, Greece and Rome. Routledge. पान क्रमांक 18. आय.एस.बी.एन. 0415018951. "Jericho, in the Jordan River Valley in Israel, inhabited from ca. 9000 BC to the present day, offers important evidence for the earliest permanent settlements in the Near East."
^ Martell, Hazel Mary (2001). The Kingfisher Book of the Ancient World: From the Ice Age to the Fall of Rome. Kingfisher Publications. पान क्रमांक १८. आय.एस.बी.एन. 0753453975. "People first settled there from around 9000 B.C., and by 8000 B.C., the community was organized enough to build a stone wall to defend the city."
^ Michal Strutin, Discovering Natural Israel (2001), p. 4.
^ Ryan, Donald P. (1999). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Lost Civilizations. Alpha Books. पान क्रमांक 137. आय.एस.बी.एन. 002862954X. "The city was walled during much of its history and the evidence indicates that it was abandoned several times, and later expanded and rebuilt several times."
↑ a b Dumper, Michael; Stanley, Bruce E.; Abu-Lughod, Janet L. (2006). Cities of the Middle East and North Africa. ABC-CLIO. पान क्रमांक 104. आय.एस.बी.एन. 1576079198. 2009-07-22 रोजी पाहिले. "Archaelogical excavations at Byblos indicate that the site has been continually inhabited since at least 5000 B.C."
^ चियास्का, आंतोलिया (2001). The Phoenicians. I.B.Tauris. पान क्रमांक 170. आय.एस.बी.एन. 1850435332.
^ Sidon
^ Overy et al. (1999:43); Aldred (1998:42,44)
↑ a b Rayy, Encyclopedia Britannica
^ Under Beirut's Rubble, Remnants of 5,000 Years of Civilization
^ Tyre City, Lebanon
^ Lexic Orient
^ either The destruction of the Kirkuk Castle by the Iraqi regime. or History Channel for the earlier date
^ Excavations at Ancient Jaffa (Joppa). Tel Aviv University.
^ New World Encyclopedia
^ Syria Where Stones Speak The Door Is Widening To Westerners, Who Are Discovering The Nation'S Wealth Of History And Culture
^ Nancy Hatch Dupree, An Historical Guide to Afghanistan, 1977, Kabul, Afghanistan LINK[मृत दुवा]साचा:Verify credibility
^ Museum With No Frontiers (2004). Pilgrimage, sciences and Sufism: Islamic art in the West Bank and Gaza. Museum With No Frontiers. पान क्रमांक 253. आय.एस.बी.एन. 9953360642, 9789953360645 Check |isbn= value (सहाय्य).
^ andalucia.com; The Independent
^ Britannica: "by the 2nd millennium BC"
^ Dumper, Michael; Stanley, Bruce E.; Abu-Lughod, Janet L. (2007). Cities of the Middle East and North Africa: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. पान क्रमांक 155. आय.एस.बी.एन. 1576079198, 9781576079195 Check |isbn= value (सहाय्य).
^ "Life at the Crossroads [New Edition]: A History of Gaza". Rimal Books. 2009-01-24 रोजी पाहिले.
^ Ivelja-Dalmatin, Ana (2009). Pula. Tourist Monograph. 2005-2009, page 7
^ M. Suić, Prošlost Zadra I, Zadar u starom vijeku, Filozofski fakultet Zadar, 1981
^ "Greek Naples". Faculty.ed.umuc.edu. 8 January 2008.
^ International dictionary of historic places By Trudy Ring, Robert M. Salkin, K. A. Berney, Paul E. Schellinger
^ साचा:Hy icon Baghdasaryan A., Simonyan A, et al. «Երևան» (Yerevan). Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia. vol. iii. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1977, pp. 548-564.
^ http://www.भारतsite.com/madhyapradesh/ujjain/history.html
^ An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis: An Investigation Conducted by The Copenhagen Polis Centre for the Danish National Research Foundation by Mogens Herman Hansen,2005,page 330,"Epidamnos was founded in either 627 or 625 (Hieron. Chron"
^ Women and slaves in Greco-Roman culture: differential equations by Sandra Rae Joshel, Sheila Murnaghan,1998,page 214,"Philip II founded cities at Beroe, Kabyle, and Philippopolis in 342/1, and Aegean-style urban life began to penetrate Thrace."
^ Late Roman villas in the Danube-Balkan region by Lynda Mulvin,2002,page 19,"Other roads went through Beroe (founded by Philip II of Macedon) "
^ Philip of Macedon by Louïza D. Loukopoulou,1980,page 98,"Upriver in the valley between the Rhodope and Haimos Philip founded Beroe (Stara Zagora) and Philippolis (Plovdiv)."
^ The cities in Thrace and Dacia in late antiquity: (studies and materials) by Velizar Iv Velkov,1977,page 128,"Founded by Philipp 11 on the site of an old Thracian settlement, it has existed without interruption from that time."
^ An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis: An Investigation Conducted by The Copenhagen Polis Centre for the Danish National Research Foundation by Mogens Herman Hansen,2005,page 936,
^ City Walls: The Urban Enceinte in Global Perspective, by James D. Tracy, University of Minnesota Center for Early Modern History Cambridge University Press, 2000, ISBN 9780521652216
↑ a b http://irows.ucr.edu/cd/courses/compciv/citypops4000.txt
^ The estimated year Sravasti was surpassed by Rajagriha is not given in Chandler and Fox’s list[ संदर्भ हवा ] (pp. 362-364).
^ Epirus: the geography, the ancient remains, the history and topography of ... by Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière Hammond,"founded Antipatreia in Illyria at c. 314 BC"
^ Abraham ben Jacob
^ wawel.krakow.pl
^ "Heaven on Earth: Islam", November 23, 2004 video documentary, History Channel. Producer/director, Stephen Rooke. Scriptwriter/host: Christy Kenneally
^ "Expert on past dies; 82". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2008-10-21. 2008-11-17 रोजी पाहिले.
^ After a vote by the House of Burgesses in 1699, it was decided that the Virginia capitol would be moved from the original Jamestown site on the James river to a nearby site 8 miles away that would be free of swamp born illnesses. The original site has since been converted to a national historic park.
^ Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is sometimes cited for this, was abandoned due to Indian raiding from 1680 - 1692, and it's inhabitants did not succeed in living in the area continuously until after 1692.
Aldred, Cyril (1998). The Egyptians. Thames and Hudson: London.
Overy et al. (1999). The Times History of The World: New Edition. Times Books/Harper-Collins: London.
हेसुद्धा पाहासंपादन करा
ऐतिहासीक नगरे
Cities of the Ancient Near East
Historical urban community sizes
List of American cities by year of foundation (includes ancient native sites)
"https://mr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=प्राचीन_काळापासून_अस्तित्वात_असणारी_नगरे&oldid=1677468" पासून हुडकले
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3D Cinema Review – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
You can rely on Disney’s well known Pirate franchise for one of the universal laws of cinema. As sure as night follows day and the tide washes in and out, each successive film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series will be worse than the last. Like a basket of juicy fruit left to rot on a sunny beach, the individual ingredients that made the first film so fun gradually lose their enjoyment. You can also bet your house that in increasingly more desperate attempts to recapture the magic of the Black Pearl’s virgin voyage, the plots will acquire more baffling layers with each new instalment. And this film’s ending proves once again that there will always be room for yet another adventure.
However this film does break some new ground. For example for the first time ever, the title is as confusing and vague as the many competing strands of the story. The tides are certainly no more or less important than before and there is nothing strange about the film; within Captain Jack’s world at least mermaids and myths are pretty standard fare.
Things get off to a familiar but promising start. Our beloved scallywag Jack Sparrow is in London to rescue sidekick Mr Gibbs from a trial, which would be swiftly followed by a hanging if the bloodthirsty crowd had their way. After some costumed shenanigans and typically camp stalking about, Jack and Gibbs find themselves at the King’s palace. The crown wish to find the fountain of youth before the crafty Catholics in Spain and they’ve heard Sparrow knows the way.
Jack gets an audience with the King in a sumptuous room and Depp gets ample opportunity to showcase the physical comedy and wordplay audiences have come to love. The King is played by Richard Griffiths in a delightful cameo. Needless to say Jack manages an escape. Later in the film Geoffrey Rush’s Barbossa takes the time to mentally plan an escape route, presuming that’s what Depp’s madcap Sparrow does, only for Jack to reply that he sometimes “improvises”. The running and jumping through an impressive CGI London in the film’s opening segment, is ad hoc Jack Sparrow action at its best.
Sadly the film simply cannot maintain the entertainment levels as chase follows chase and sword fight follows sword fight. Most of the action is surprisingly inventive, especially since we’ve had three films already but at times even Jack’s luck over judgment leaps of faith enter ridiculous territory. The stunts become monotonous by the end because of the film’s relentless opening barrage, tarnishing the drama of the finale. There are no explosive cannon battles for those who love their ships and nautical duels. Instead of boarding we get an awful lot of trekking through the jungle.
Having said this, two standout scenes are exciting and engaging. I’ve already mentioned Captain Jack prancing his way around London but the first mermaid attack scene is also terrific. Only the Pirates franchise could deliver such a scene. It’s got frights and bites, fangs and bangs. The mermaids are less interesting by the end, but here they are introduced in a lengthy scene as seductive and dangerous. The attack comes as a real shock and well managed change in pace after they are lured in to enchant some pirates left as bait.
The mermaid battle is an epic, long scene and the film is so long that it loses much of its epic feel. Sub plots like a half formed romance between a mermaid and clergy man could have been slimmed considerably or dropped altogether .The runtime is literally bladder bursting, as a friend of mine dashed from the room as soon as the credits rolled. I was content to sit and watch the names of the cast fly at me in 3D however, because of Hans Zimmer’s magnificent music, which remains the best thing about the Pirates of the Caribbean. There are some nice variations and new additions to the main theme in this instalment but I can’t help feeling it’s time he focused his talents on new projects, rather than continually recycling one stunning track.
Hang on though; surely this is still worth seeing just for another outing from Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow? Isn’t he the single most important pillar upon which the blockbusters are based? I always assumed, like many critics, that the romantic pairing of Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley in the previous films was holding back Depp’s brilliance. But having seen On Stranger Tides, in which Depp must mostly steer proceedings alone, his performance is somehow less effective without them.
He is at his best in this film when dancing around other characters, making light of them. Penelope Cruz is suitably sassy and sexy as a pirate, albeit with an unrealistically attractive cleavage for a hardened sailor, and she and Depp have some fun exchanges, but putting Sparrow at the heart of a love story doesn’t work. Even the filmmakers realise this by backing out of it somewhat at the end. Captain Jack Sparrow is not the emotional type. And what made him so attractive to audiences, was the way he mocked the clichéd relationship between Bloom and Knightley. Making him part of the conventional storyline robs his performance of some of its power.
Depp is still fantastic fun at points though, rising above an overcomplicated script with a bizarre fascination for throwing in random and rubbish rhymes. This film may just go through the motions and it may be far too long, but it’s undeniably grand and fairly pleasing despite the odd yawn.
Rather than fork out for its occasional 3D gimmicks of a sword jutting out of the screen though, I would recommend ditching the high seas for inner city London and Joe Cornish’s critically acclaimed directorial debut, Attack the Block. I saw this just hours before Pirates 4 and without adding anything new to the chorus of praise around it, I will just say go and see it. It is funnier and more thrilling than Rob Marshall’s blockbuster and doesn’t deserve to sink.
Tagged 2010, 3D, 4, acting, action, actor, Aliens, America, Anne's, At World's End, Attack the Block, Australia, aye, bangs, Barbossa, beauty, bites, Black Pearl, Blackbeard, bladder, Blade, blog, Bloom, blud, Bray, Britain, British, bursting, camp, captain, Caribbean, cart, Catherine, Catholic, CGI, chemistry, Chicago, choreography, cinema, cleavage, clergy, Comedy, Cornish, costume, Cruz, culture, Curse of the Black Pearl, Daniel Day Lewis, daughter, David, day, Dead Man's Chest, Deadwood, debut, Depp, director, dull, eccentric, England, English, entertaining, epic, fangs, feds, FIFA, fight, film, films, Flickering, follows, fountain, franchise, frights, funny, Geoffrey, Gibbs, gimmick, girl, glasses, grand, Griffiths, Guardian, Hector, high sea, hilarious, history, horses, Ian, impostor, Incredible, Independent, inevitable, inner city, instalment, island, Jack, Joe, Johnny, jolly, jungle, justice, Keira, Keith, King, Knightley, Labour, length, Liam, London, love, man, Marshall, McShane, mermaid, movie, movies, musicals, myth, narrative, nautical, new, newcomers, next, night, Nine, novel, of, old flame, On Stranger Tides, Orlando, overcomplicated, Penelope, performance, Pirates, pleasant, plot, pregnant, Protestant, Queen, quest, race, random, revenge, Review, rhymes, Richard, Richards, ridiculous, rings, Rob, Roger, Rolling, romance, Rotten, routine, rubbish, runtime, Rush, sail, sailor, sassy, scallywag, scary, scene, script, sex, sexy, shenanigans, ship, silly, slang, soldiers, Spanish, Sparrow, Stones, story, style, sub plot, suit, suitably, swords, Tear, Technorati, Telegraph, The, The King's Speech, thoughts, tide, Tomatoes, too long, Trim, tv, UK, Ultra, Verdict, water, woman, writer, writing, youth
Ideally I like to write my reviews shortly after I’ve watched a film, as I’m doing now. First impressions are important right? I think recording that instant reaction can be valuable, especially for readers dithering over whether to see something. Of course taking more time to chew over the substance of a movie can also have its advantages. It might help me to get my head round it and make some more insightful points. But somehow I don’t think I’ll ever get my head round Memento.
The protagonist of Memento, Leonard (Guy Pearce), certainly couldn’t make it as a film reviewer. And I’m not saying that because it’s a particularly difficult task with insurmountable challenges. In fact normally I’d take the view that anyone could do it and that’s what makes cinema so engaging in the first place. But Leonard is not just anyone. For him remembering the plot of the most transparent Hugh Grant picture would indeed be an insurmountable challenge. There’s an advertising slogan that reads “Impossible is nothing”: this is literally true in Memento. It would be impossible for Leonard to write a review because he would remember nothing about the film. Not even Hugh alternating between “gosh” and “golly”.
Leonard suffers from a rare condition which basically means he can’t form new memories. I say “basically” but if you watch Memento it’s rapidly clear that his day to day existence is not a simple matter. Repeatedly Leonard tells us, via voiceover or mysterious conversation, that through his mastery of routine, instinct and a system of writing down “facts” as they happen, he has conquered his inability to save memories to the mainframe of his brain. But as the story progresses things that seemed certain prove to be far from it. Leonard’s quest to find his wife’s killer, and the man who whacked the talent of remembering from his skull, gives even the most ordinary encounter life and death importance. If Leonard draws the wrong conclusion from something and writes it down for future reference, he could end up on a path that causes him to kill the wrong man.
With last year’s hit Inception, Christopher Nolan reminded us that before his skilled reinvention of Batman for the mainstream he had a reputation as an experimental narrative trickster. Inception was his first film since The Prestige, which had twists and turns aplenty in the plot, to tell a daring story free of the Gotham city universe. The hype for the “dream heist” thriller was hysterically huge. I and countless others positively salivated at the sound of the concept. The possibilities of such an idea were endless. Sadly the film is one of the most overrated of recent times. Whilst good it did not compete with the whirring of imaginations kick-started into life by the premise.
Memento is much better than Inception when it comes to realising a tantalising idea. This is despite the fact that Nolan’s relative inexperience as a director is evident in a handful of lacklustre shots; one drab and overlong focus of Pearce strutting away into a building stands out. The acting isn’t always brilliant either, with what seems like half the cast of The Matrix on show and in hit and miss form. The script however is superb, bouncing themes and tension around the scattered narrative structure. I was never bored. And I never knew what was going on.
As well as being extremely gripping and exciting, Memento has its other strong points. Leonard as a character is an engrossing figure, complete with those striking memories in tattoo form (which Steven Moffat recently adapted in Doctor Who for the monsters you forget when you look away). He is trying to make sense of his life, in one sense with nothing to go on but also with endless notes and information he’s amassed for himself. We’re all trying to settle on a purpose and the excess of notes could be an interesting symbol for information overload in the modern age. Clearly Memento has its insights on memory given the driving force of the story but it also comments on the nature of fact and perhaps the notion of history. Leonard insists he only collects facts and this ensures no one takes advantage of him. But his “facts” are manipulated. And what’s the point in revenge if he can’t remember it? Is it enough that “the world still exists when I close my eyes”, as he says?
Memento gave me a headache. I may have had one before sitting down to watch but after having the pieces inside my head jumbled about until my brain moaned in pain, it didn’t help matters. Nonetheless I enjoyed it. The overwhelming strength of the film is its originality. The execution was certainly there, which is why this was Nolan’s breakthrough picture. But the real genius lies with the idea behind the story. And the script was based on a short story by Christopher’s brother Jonathan Nolan. Perhaps he is the real mastermind behind the family’s success and the endless plaudits should be more evenly shared.
Tagged advertising, Aliens, amnesia, Ann, Batman, Boone, Carrie, Carrie-Anne, Christopher, cinema, closed, Cypher, diabetic, Doctor Who, DVD, eyes, facts, film, Flickering, follower, Gillan, Guy, Hans, history, Impossible is nothing, Inception, Jenkins, Joe, Jonathan, Jr, junior, Karen, Liam, love, Mark, matrix, Matt, Memento, memories, memory loss, Moffat, Moss, movie, murder, myth, narrative, Nolan, notes, Pantoliano, paranoia, Pearce, plot, Prestige, Remember Sammy Jenkins, Review, Ritchie, Sammy, scatter, Sherlock, short, short-term, Slogan, Smith, Steven, story, structure, tattoos, The, The Silence, themes, thoughts, time, Trim, Trinity, twists, Verdict, wife, Zimmer
The Adjustment Bureau
Last night a whole pack of films competed for America’s attention during the much talked about Super Bowl Ad Breaks. It was the start of a long, hotly contested race for summer Blockbuster glory.
You can check out the TV spot trailers over at Flickering Myth: http://flickeringmyth.blogspot.com/2011/02/super-bowl-tv-spots-captain-america.html
Keep an eye out for the fourth Pirates film, which I thought showed more promise than expected.
Looking through the year’s other upcoming films though I stumbled across The Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. The synopsis was extremely vague at first, so I delved deeper, checking out the film’s site and the trailer. Out in March, The Adjustment Bureau is far more interesting than it first appears to be. It’s something very few films can claim to be: romantic sci-fi.
It’s also based on a Phillip K. Dick short story, an extremely inventive writer I studied for an in depth, extended project at A-Level. Sci-fi stories often get bad press but the likes of Dick and Ray Bradbury wrote extremely beautifully and explored ideas conventional fiction barely scratched the surface of. In this case the story seems to explore the ideas of free will and fate, and the possible forces manipulating that fate. Again I studied this issue in Philosophy and found it a fascinating debate, and it will be interesting to see how The Adjustment Bureau works it into a sensationalised story.
From the trailer it’s hard to tell how good it will be. The premise is what interests me the most and I can only hope the film itself does the idea justice. But it also looks glossy and exciting at times. The lead actors are beautiful. Despite some predictable, less interesting sections, I’ll definitely be checking this out at the cinema.
http://www.theadjustmentbureau.com/
Tagged 2011, Abrams, actors, ad break, Aliens, artwork, blockbusters, blog, blunt, Bourne, Branagh, Captain America, Comedy, Cowboys, Craig, Cruz, Damon, Daniel, Depp, dick, director, Do Androids Dream Electric Sheep?, Emily, fate, favreau, films, Flickering, Ford, free will, George, grit, Harrison, Hopkins, idea, island, Jon, leads, link, Marshall, Matt, movies, myth, news, Nine, Nolfi, Ocean's 12, opinion, Phillip, Phillip K. Dick, Pirates, Portman, premise, Ray Bradbury, reviews, Rob, romance, romantic, Ryan, sci-fi, script, section, Shutter, Spielberg, story, Stranger Tides, summer, Super 8, super bowl, teaser, The Adjustment Bureau, The Independent, The Man in the High Castle, Thor, trailer, trailers, Transformers, true, tv spots, Ultimatum, upcoming, website, writer
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Neural Theory of Language
October 26, 2006 By dmodha
Today, we had a wonderful time with Dr. Srini Narayanan who leads the AI Group at ICSI and is an Adjunct Associate Professor at UC Berkeley.
Here is abstract of the talk:
The UCB/ICSI NTL project has been developing an explicitly neural theory of language. The core premise is that language is largely determined by the computational character of neural networks, the structure of our brains, and our interactions with the physical and social environment. Work within the NTL project coupled with a variety of converging evidence suggests that understanding involves embodied enactment or "simulation semantics".
Simulation semantics hypothesizes the mind as "simulating" the external world while functioning in it. The "simulation" takes sensory input about the state of the world (whether linguistic or perceptual) together with general knowledge and makes new inferences. Monitoring the state of the external world, drawing inferences, and acting jointly constitute a dynamic ongoing interactive process.
We report on a neurally plausible, computational realization of the simulation semantics hypothesis, and on preliminary results from behavioral and fMRI imaging experiments testing its biological predictions.
The core ideas of NTL are captured in a recent book, From Molecule to Metaphor: A Neural Theory of Language, by Professor Jerome Feldman.
Filed Under: Brain-inspired Computing
Action Potential
At SFN 2006, I learned about an interesting blog Action Potential by editors of Nature Neuroscience.
Society for Neuroscience 2006: Oct 13-16
I am currently at the SFN 2006 Conference in Atlanta, where over 25,000+ other scientists are participating. The conference has featured talks (which are held in a ballroom that can hold 5,000 people), regular presentations (in a number of parallel sessions), posters (which are held in a room which is the size of perhaps 3-4 football stadiums), symposia, mini-symposia, exhibit booths, satellite events, and a variety of scientific socials. The breadth of the topics pursued and the scale of the conference is, to say the least, mind-boggling.
I have met a number of old friends and colleagues, made new conections, and obtained a number of valuable insights for future work.
The conference is definitely dominated by scientists with a bottoms-up approach and is lacking in theorists who put together the whole picture.
In the highlight event for the conference, noted architect Frank Gehry advised us to "search for your own character" but "within the grounded constraints of reality." He explained how he started his career by going back 300 million years to the structure of primitive fish!
In his beautifully articulated acceptance speech for the Peter Gruber Prize, Professor Masao Ito (who is famous for explaining the cerebellar functioning and is credited with the understanding long-term synaptic depression) said that his dream is to eventually explain "unconscious domain of mind."
In a featured lecture, Professor J. A. Movshon described how he and his colleagues uncovered the properties of MT (V4).
In a satellite event, namely, Advances in Computational Motor Control V, Professor Chris Atkeson from CMU showed a number of very impressive robotic demos. His work is based entirely on instance-learning, one-shot learning, or motor tape theory. He openly admitted to having diverged from neuroscience. A question was raised whether the approach is "just a bag of tricks". At the same event Professor Emo Todorov explained his theory of compositionality whereby simple control systems such as linear quadratic regulators and eigen-controllers can be composed together while maintaining mathematical and analytical tractability as long as they share the underlying dynamics. Dr. Jeff McKinstry showed off a demo of a brain-based device that can learn to avoid obstacles by using a model of cerebellum that learns to replace reflexes with a predictive controller, namely, preflexes.
In a symposium on Intenal Models for Sensorimotor Integration, Professor Reza Shadmehr described how to model "living with a changing body", for example, fatigue tires us but vanishes relatively quickly whereas disease changes us for a relatively longer period. He explained several models that use two learning rules: a rule that learns and forgets fast and a rule that learns and forgets slowly. In a fascinating talk, Professor Andrea M. Green described how a monkey (whose body is made rigid) can distinguish between tilts and translations.
It is impossible to succinctly summarize the entire technical experience, but I met people who study saccades, grasping and reaching, neocortical circuits, cerebellar microcomplex, spiking neurons, firing rate neurons, neuro-anatomy, neuro-informatics, robotics, rats in various mazes, cognitive maps of memory, reinforcement learning, hippcampus, striatum, neuro-prosthetics, place cells in hippocampus and related grid cells in the cortex, thalamus, and many others.
A tasty tidbit: umami has now been recognized as the fifth basic taste.
My prediction is that SFN 2007 and beyond will start attracting a lot more (cognitive) computer scientists…at least it should!
My brain and body are tired (the distances are too large, there are too many presentations/posters, the food is terrible, the temperature is too cold, ventilation is not very good, it is hard to navigate through crowds, there is no California sunshine), but my mind is all fired up and intensely happy 🙂 So far, the meeting has been exceptionally energizing and productive.
Jeff Hawkins: “An Enterprising Approach to Brain Science”
October 9, 2006 By dmodha
This week’s Science issue (6 October 2006: Vol. 314. no. 5796, pp. 76 – 77) provides a wonderful account of Jeff Hawkins: "Mobile computing pioneer Jeff Hawkins has had a lifelong fascination with brains. Now he’s trying to model the human cerebral cortex—and he’s created a software company based on his ideas".
You can read about Jeff Hawkins’ start-up Numenta here.
Robot whiskers sense shapes and textures
Joseph H. Solomon and Mitra J. Hartmann reported in Nature (vol. 443, p. 525, October 2006) development of robotic whiskers:
"Several species of terrestrial and marine mammals with whiskers (vibrissae) use them to sense and navigate in their environment — for example, rats use their whiskers to discern the features of objects, and seals rely on theirs to track the hydrodynamic trails of their prey. Here we show that the bending moment — sometimes referred to as torque — at the whisker base can be used to generate three-dimensional spatial representations of the environment, and we use this principle to construct robotic whisker arrays that extract precise information about object shape and fluid flow."
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All posts tagged Humanitarian
World Humanitarian Day 5 Years On- 5 Security Trends
Posted in: Emergency, Social Commentary. Tagged: #HumanitarianHeroes, #WHD2014, Afghanistan, Aid Work, Aid Worker, Aid Worker Security, Aid Worker Security Database, Aid Worker Statistics, Boko Haram, Bombing, Canal Hotel, Chart, Conflict, EAW, Expatriate, Graph, Hostage Taking, Humanitarian, ICRC, INGO, Iraq, Islamic State, Kidnap for Ransom, Kidnapping, National, NGO, Numbers, Pakistan, Ransom, Red Cross, Risk Management, Safety, Security, Security Incident, Somalia, South Sudan, Statistics, Stats, Syria, Table, Terrorism, Trends, UN, United Nations, War, WHD, World Humanitarian Day. Leave a comment
Note: All aid worker casualty statistics in this article drawn from “Humanitarian Outcomes (2014), Aid Worker Security Database, https://aidworkersecurity.org/”
It’s been 5 years since the first official World Humanitarian Day, August 19th 2009. The UN sanctioned the day in memory of the suicide bombing of the Canal Hotel, the UN Headquarters in Baghdad on that day in 2003. 11 years ago today, a suicide bomber drove a flatbed truck into the UN compound, parked beneath the window of the UN Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and detonated his payload. 22 people, including de Mello himself, were killed, most of them UN personnel.
World Humanitarian Day commemorates their sacrifice, but also remembers aid workers who are targeted by violence while carrying out their work on behalf of populations in need around the world. Each year, and in increasing numbers, scores of aid workers experience violence in the field while bringing aid to people affected by war and disaster. Many, like de Mello and the 21 others who died August 19th 2003, pay with their lives.
As somebody who was involved in a serious security incident some years back, today is a day that means something to me, too, and a chance for me to reflect on the co-workers who were with me that day, some of whom still carry the wounds they sustained. Many of my friends and colleagues in the aid industry have themselves survived security incidents, and many have lost friends and colleagues to violence.
The Aid Worker Security Database is a project which compiles global information about attacks on aid workers. Specifically it looks at acts of violence (as opposed to accidents and illness, which claim even more lives) in which aid workers are killed, seriously injured or kidnapped. The project began gathering data in 1997, so that now, 17 years on, it’s becoming easier to determine trends in the sector.
Let’s take a quick look at the figures.
In 2000, the AWSD recorded 42 violent incidents involving aid workers, involving 91 aid workers around the world (variously with UN, INGOs, LNGOs, IFRC and Red Cross/Red Crescent societies). Of these, 57 were killed, 23 wounded, and 11 kidnapped. 21 were expatriate staff (23%) while 70 were nationals (77%).
In 2013, thirteen years on, the database recorded 251 violent incidents against aid workers, with 460 aid workers caught up in violence. 155 aid workers were killed, 171 injured, and 134 kidnapped. 59 were expatriates (13%) while 401 (87%) were national staff.
The 11-year mean has seen an average of 112 attacks per year against aid workers, with 217 aid workers involved. 80 aid workers a year have been killed, 80 a year injured and 58 a year kidnapped. On average, 18% of aid workers involved in violence are expatriates, while 82% are nationals.
Since 2000, there has been a dramatic shift in the security landscape for aid workers. While the dataset is still relatively small, what is reflected in the figures is backed up by anecdotal evidence from the field, by individual agencies’ experiences and records (most large agencies and the UN have their own internal security incident tracking database for analysis and risk management purposes), and by trends and behaviours within belligerent groups.
Note as well that the AWSD only captures the top end of security incidents- instances of death, serious injury or kidnapping. It excludes less serious incidents (illegal detentions, muggings, threats, robberies, etc.). The AWSD does not factor in the psychological consequences of these incidents, which for victims of violence, including rape, can include a lifetime of psychological distress or struggles with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (a report by the Antares Foundation this year reported up to 30% of aid workers exhibit symptoms of PTSD upon returning from the field). It also doesn’t capture the ‘near misses’- times when good management or pure luck has averted a much more serious incident in the field.
On top of this, remember that since 2000 (when most agencies considered themselves ‘neutral’ and therefore relatively immune to being targeted by hostile actors), the UN and other international aid agencies have seen a massive increase in their risk management strategies- increasing their protective and deterrent measures in particular to make it harder for them to be targeted, and generally trying to reduce their exposure to threats.
Despite all this, there has still been a huge increase in incidents and casualties in the field. Between 2000 and 2013 there has been a six-fold increase in the number of attacks, a five-fold increase in the number of casualties, with deaths up 270%, injuries up 740%, and kidnapping up by a substantial 12-fold increase. The only trend that has remained relatively constant is the proportion of expatriate vs. national staff involved in attacks, which hovers for the most part in the 15-20% range.
Overall, the absolute numbers of aid workers in the field (national and expatriate) has increased- so the rate of attacks on aid workers is not quite as pronounced. The AWSD estimates a modest increase in the attack rate against aid workers over the study period, without divulging the precise figures (they are based on its estimates of numbers of aid workers in the field- a difficult figure to pin down).
During the period 2006-2012, this fluctuated between 40 and 60 victims per 100,000 aid workers. Using the average figure of 50 victims per 100,000 aid workers, this results in a probability of a 1 in 2,000 chance of becoming victim of a serious attack as an aid worker. In perspective, the chance of being hit by lightning is estimated at 1 in 1.6 million. The chance of dying in a plane crash (if flying one of the world’s bottom-rated 25 airlines) is 1 in 800,000. The chance of dying in a plane crash (if flying one of the world’s top-rated 25 airlines) is 1 in 12 million. The chance of being killed in a car crash this year is about 1 in 7,000.
There are some key trends we can draw out of these figures.
Kidnapping is a rapidly growing threat.
The sheer number of aid worker kidnappings- from 11 in 2000 to 134 in 2013- is not just a statistical spike, but reflective of a well-understood development within the operational mandate of belligerent groups. Since the globalization of al Qaeda, its subsidiaries (AQIM, AQAP) and other similar extremist insurgency groups such as al Shabaab and the Taliban, their own experience has taught them that kidnap for ransom is an extremely lucrative trade. Indeed the rapid growth of AQIM in particular has been substantially attributed to the ransom payouts by European nations for the safe release of kidnapped nationals.
As such, AQ has developed guidelines for how to run a kidnap-for-ransom operation targeting foreigners, which has been widely disseminated, and acted upon. And because in the areas where these groups operate, aid workers make up a large, visible and vulnerable population of foreigners, it’s not surprising that they are frequently targeted. In fact, until this year, aid workers have been the #1 victims of overseas kidnap-for-ransom operations. In 2014, employees of global corporations apparently face a higher kidnap risk than aid workers now. But the threat to aid workers is so pronounced that the AWSD released their key 2012 report with the title “The New Normal: Coping with the Kidnapping Threat”.
If there’s a silver lining to this, it’s that kidnappings are, overall, survivable. While in the earlier years of the Iraq insurgency (2003-5) there were a number of high-profile executions of kidnapped foreigners, AQ and its partner agencies have realised that there is a better business-model, and as such, kidnapped foreigners are quite clearly valuable assets, worth protecting to exchange for prisoners or large sums of money. Since 1997, just 14% of aid worker kidnappings have resulted in the death of the hostage- and most of these deaths have occurred either during the hostage-taking itself (generally agreed as the most dangerous time of any kidnapping situation), or during an attempted rescue or escape (also highly dangerous). In short, if you survive the initial hostage-taking, you don’t attempt to escape, and nobody tries to rescue you by force, then your survival chances jump into well above 90% probability.
Just be prepared for a wait. The average holding period prior to release for an expatriate aid worker is a little under 2 months. So be patient, wait it out, and keep your spirits up.
Also, do a hostage survival course.
Far more national staff are in the line of fire.
This is has always been a given, and this is why the average trend for expatriate v. national staff victims is relatively flat. There are simply a lot more national staff members on the ground than international ones, and therefore when something happens, they’re much more likely to be involved in the incident.
There’s some important reflection for agencies to do around this one, namely because inadvertently or deliberately, aid agencies manage the risks of national staff differently to expatriates. There is a good reason for this. Expatriates do generally have a higher risk profile than national staff (this may not be the case in some contexts, such as those involving ethnic or local political tensions). They cannot blend in, or disappear into a crowd if things go bad. They do not have the language skills to diffuse a tense situation. They have more economic value as a hostage and more political value as a target than nationals (depending on the context). Therefore there need to be more stringent risk management processes around expatriates in most contexts.
And on the flipside, dead national staff members are less damaging to the reputation of an organization than dead expatriates. The abduction and murder of CARE Iraq’s country director, Margaret Hassan, in 2004 was a high-profile media event and crisis for that organization. Ditto the kidnapping of the 2 MSF-Spain aid workers Montserrat Serra and Blanca Thiebaut from Dadaab in 2011 who were held for nearly 2 years, and in both cases would have required a massive organizational response and extensive damage-control. By contrast, while the murder by death-squad of 17 Sri Lankan ACF staff members in 2006 was a tragic event, and likewise the killing in a militant raid of 7 Pakistani World Vision staff members in 2010, neither event made a comparably big splash in the media, and neither had significant political, fundraising or profile consequences for the organizations in question (though I am confident that both events resulted in extensive internal changes to security management processes within those organizations).
As a result, we see the following:
National staff are more likely to be given clearance to travel into hostile environments, with the expectation that their risk profile is lower and they are better able to navigate the hazards (both statements often true, but they still end up exposed to risk)
Relative numbers of expatriate staff in the field are reducing. This is partly as a deliberate risk-management strategy, but also reflective of the increase in capacity of national staff members globally. Where many roles used to require expatriates to fill them, the number of field roles for expatriates in most large organizations is decreasing, as nationals are more and more capable to do the jobs, and do them for less than it costs to put an expatriate in that role. Note that this reduces risks to expatriate staff (who are not in harm’s way as a result), but can also reduce the overall risk to the national organization, as with fewer expatriates, the organization’s risk profile reduces, and its interest as a target goes down.
There is an increasing use of remote-operations in hostile environments. In places like Syria, Somalia and Iraq, agencies are less likely to put their own staff on the ground, and more likely to build a relationship with a pre-existing grass-roots NGO already operational in the field. They then channel programs, funding and resources into those partner agencies to do the work for them- which partly explains the big jump in both absolute and comparative numbers of LNGO and local RCRCS victims in the AWSD. This is known as ‘risk transfer’.
There is an increase in absolute terms in the number of local start-up NGOs. Similar to the previous point, with the increase in education, global connectivity and awareness in many less developed nations, locals have increasingly recognized the value in the NGO model to access and deliver assistance to needy local populations. As a result, there are far more spontaneous local NGOs appearing in hot-spots around the world, exposing more and more locals to security risks. Not only are these local personnel often directly implicated in crises (see for example many of the community-based organizations that operate in Syria, who will be identified by belligerents as being on one side or the other and therefore as potential targets), but these LNGOs rarely have the resources or the skills base to invest in significant security risk management for their staff and operations.
Expatriates are more likely to receive security training. Partly because of the higher individual risk profiles of expatriate staff, and the very high cost per capita of providing security training to personnel, most large agencies have prioritized training up their senior managers and deployable expatriate staff in hostile environment survival and risk management. The result is that many field-level staff in hostile environments have little or no security training, and as such may be engaged in more risky behaviour. This is something that is increasingly acknowledged by aid agencies, and programs are beginning to be put in place to rectify this, but it is a slow process. Training 10,000 national staff globally for a large organization takes a lot of time and a lot of precious donor funding in an environment where agencies are being given less and less. For small agencies, it can be a financial impossibility.
3. Expatriate staff face a disproportionate risk in hostile environments.
For reasons already discussed- their perceived political and economic value, their lack of awareness around local risk contexts, their inability to blend or disappear- expatriates do still face a higher risk profile when compared to their local counterparts. In short- they are more likely to be targeted by a belligerent.
Although on the surface this may not appear to be borne out by the accompanying statistics, it very much is. While 2013, for example, saw just 13% of victims being expatriates, recall that there are far fewer expatriates relative to national staff in the field. Even your typical large NGO program with 100 or so local staff might only have 5 to 8 expatriates. In some cases (e.g. Ethiopia, where expatriate numbers are strictly controlled), the ratio can be far lower- just 2 or 3 expatriates for several hundred staff. Many LNGOs- whose ranks increasingly populate the statistics- have no expatriates in the field at all. The AWSD estimates that expatriates are at least twice as likely to be targeted as national staff.
This does make developing a balanced risk management strategy challenging, and ultimately, agencies need to decide where their thresholds of acceptable risk lie, how critical their programs on the ground are to the populations they are supporting, and therefore the extent to which they are willing to place their staff at risk.
The majority of security incidents occur in a handful of global hotspots.
This goes without saying, really. There’s a reason nobody books vacations to Syria or Mogadishu– because we well understand that bad things regularly happen in these places, and going there puts us at unnecessary risk. The same is true of aid workers.
For example, in 2012, of 170 incidents, fully 130 took place in just 5 nations- Afghanistan (56), South Sudan (21), Syria (18), Somalia (17) and Pakistan (17). (Note that in relative terms, the rate of attack against aid workers was highest during this period in Somalia, as there are vastly fewer aid workers inside Somalia than inside Afghanistan and other locations). This dynamic is pretty easy to interpret looking at global and humanitarian news headlines. As an aid worker, if you’re in one of these places (this last twelve months, other security hotspots include Nigeria, Iraq and Gaza), your proportional probability of being involved in an incident is dramatically increased.
In addition, you can cross-reference this against the most deadly belligerent groups. For example, in IntelCenter’s latest analysis, Boko Haram has revealed itself as the most deadly terrorist group so far this year, with nearly 3,000 attributable killings since the start of 2014 (not, obviously, restricted to aid workers). The Islamic State comes in second place, while other groups with an honourable mention include the al-Nusrah Front, AQAP, al Shabaab and the Taliban. Again, no real surprises here if you follow security trends. As always, good security management tends to begin and end with common sense. But when you map these groups, global hotspots, and areas where aid workers operate, you immediately get a very skewed focus as to where real investment in aid worker security needs to begin.
When it comes to expatriates, your veteran EAWs are more likely to be involved in a serious security incident.
This is a very simplified and anecdotal descriptor, but there’s a key learning here. The sort of aid worker most likely to be involved in a major security incident is not your excited, idealistic newbie sent off on her first overseas assignment from head office. Why not? Well, because she’s far more likely to be aware of her own limitations, will probably be taking risk advice (like curfews & no-go areas) seriously, and is less likely to be placed into a highly threatening environment. If she’s just arrived in country, her senses will be up and therefore her situational awareness more likely to be running high. Frankly, she’s probably going to be a little edgy- as is the norm when you first arrive somewhere unfamiliar. It’s a basic human reaction.
By contrast, the primary at-risk descriptor here (which I know goes a long way to capturing a number of readers of this blog, and this author hits quite a few of the criteria too) is probably 10 or more years into their aid worker career, have done three or four long-term assignments overseas, and are several months into their current posting. They tend to have a been-there, done-that attitude, which means they will- deliberately or inadvertently- expose themselves to more risks. They are more likely to be deployed to a hostile environment. After the first few months, they’ve settled into a routine and have lost the initial awareness and heightened focus that comes with being in a new environment. And they’re more likely to settle into a ‘nothing’s happened so far, so I’m not really expecting anything to happen now’ mindset.
In short, it’s not just the inexperienced young expatriate staff that agencies need to concentrate on, but critically, the experienced, somewhat-jaded older hands who are moving into the peak of their humanitarian careers.
The sad reality is, any UN, Red Cross or NGO response necessarily requires placing staff at ever-increasing risk these days, and that much is borne out very clearly in the accompanying statistics. The absolute number of attacks, the number of victims, and particularly, the drastic increase in the kidnapping threat, means that being an aid worker- national or expatriate- in many of the world’s hotspots is dangerous business.
For any agency that operates in hostile environments- UN, INGO, LNGO, IFRC or RCRCS- security has to be a central component of operational budgets (donors, please take note), and putting in place a robust, well-informed security strategy is critical for every country office. Management staff need to be trained up in risk management processes, clear security SOPs need developing, a skilled and experienced cadre of security staff need to be employed to support response capability, and field staff need to be trained in basic survival procedures.
Even with all these things in place, sooner or later, chances are most large agencies will face one or more major security incidents, so they must be drilled in critical risk management and containment procedures. It’s sadly so commonplace as to be almost inevitable. But with good processes in place, the chances can be reduced, the impact minimized, and, hopefully, lives spared.
A Sense of Community
Posted in: Social Commentary. Tagged: Australia, Community, Daily Prompt, Environmental, Faith, Faith-Based, Humanitarian, Intentional Community, International Community, Moora Moora, nature, Values, Virtual Community. 5 Comments
I’ve taken to checking the Daily Prompt on the WordPress Daily Post blog. I rarely have the time to be able to spontaneously write to the topic on a given day, but one that came up this week was the prompt: Idyllic.
“What does your ideal community look like? How is it organized, and how is community life structured? What values does the community share?”
I’m not always aware of it, but community is a powerful theme in my life. I guess it’s a powerful theme in everybody’s life. But I think it’s something that we often take for granted- by which I mean we don’t necessarily look at it that closely, stop to think about it, consider how we relate to it and how it relates to us.
You hear a lot in Western countries about the ‘breakdown’ of community. There’s some truth in the concern. Also some misconceptions. What it reflects, though, is that people have the perception that they are less connected to other people, at least on some level.
In the humanitarian industry, you hear a lot about community. Here, the community is some assumed state in which people live, by which they are connected, and hence becomes a vehicle through which assistance can be delivered. Hence ‘community development’. Again, there is truth, and there are misconceptions.
It’s a critical concept when it comes to understanding society, and how society changes (or, if you believe in such things, how society can be intentionally changed). There is a monolith of literature out there on the subject- entire tertiary education courses- and I’m not about to hack a review of it here. But spending part of my life living in the west, and part of my time living in ‘developing’ nations where community is assumed to be happening, I get to see both sides of the story. And in addition, the notion of community has very personal implications for me.
Community. Co- together. Unity- a state of oneness. The notion that many individuals are some how joined or connected, maintaining their unique status as individuals (to varying extents), but also creating some larger unit through a set of social or interpersonal interactions.
Central to the notion of community is a shared commonality. In its most traditional sense, community tends to relate to people who share a common set of physical resources- space, fundamentally, because until very recently, meaningful and regular interaction over any distance greater than the voice could carry was not possible. Hunter-gatherer ‘communities’ would have shared food resources, labour, care functions. As time went on, traditional notions of community are centred on the shared space of a sedentary settlement, with the sharing of resources varying between communal and individualistic, depending on social structures in place.
Urbanization confronted the limitations of community- that there are only so many social contacts that humans can continue to maintain with any sense of meaning (the number is generally thought to be around 150, give or take). Thus the fragmentation of community into sub-units. Communities could be formed around geographical neighbourhoods or communes. But they could also be formed around other things, such as professions (a new development under urbanization and the higher levels of regimentation of resources and labour division that are required to make it function), or social status, or, as things such as leisure time increased with the creation of excess resources, interest-groups.
The notion of community is now accepted to mean a wide range of things today. We have ‘communities of practice’- professional bodies who occupy a certain academic or professional niche within an industry. The ‘online community’ via which you may well have connected to this article. The ‘international community’, of which I claim citizenship, and whose members are joined by the very notion of their placelessness- or, more accurately, their routine orbiting around a certain set of geographical hubs and professional millieus.
In the west, this increase in the placelessness of community appears to be correlated, whether causally or not, with a decline in place-based community, particularly urban environments. People in suburbs complain they don’t even know the names of their next-door neighbours. In apartments, people don’t necessarily know who is on their block. We live behind closed doors, behind fences.
This isn’t universal. There are some very vibrant urban and even suburban communities. But this is the perceived trend.
There is also a certain nostalgia for the perception of the community that once was. This might be harking back to the ‘golden era’ of the fifties and sixties, when suburbanization was a new trend, and at its heart was the notion of being good neighbours, where people on the street might have known each other fairly intimately. Or it might be reflective of some idealized utopia of the village of the medieval times, when people lived in close connection with the land, shared labour, common problems, and were in constant social interaction with people who lived close to them, who they saw regularly, and with whom interactions therefore took on a higher level of meaning.
This hunger isn’t misplaced at its source. People crave interaction with one another, as a rule, and mental or social disorders notwithstanding. Enough studies have demonstrated a close correlation between morbidity and mortality and social connectivity, and even net happiness and social connectivity. It is hardwired into us, whether by a relational creator God, or the eons of social interdependence that gave our species an edge in natural selection, or some combination of the two.
And when my day to day routine- collecting food for the family, for example- involves interacting with somebody who I know intimately as a neighbour, rather than somebody I might recognize but whose name I don’t even know, these daily routines take on a different value. They serve not just the purpose of meeting physical need, but also meeting that embedded need for social connectivity.
Because in our social interactions, we need meaning. And when our day is devoid of meaningful social interaction, but simply involves tasks, it loses meaning.
The virtualization of community, then, means that more and more social interactions are seperated by either spatial or temporal distance- either we have remote forms of communication (phone, Twitter, Facebook), or we link up with those people in the communities we identify with on a less frequent basis (such as going to church on a Sunday, when we might get the bulk of our meaningful social interaction). Which I believe contributes to this sense of dissatisfaction.
Although I am of the Western European model of decreasing emphasis on spatially-oriented community, I feel I have been lucky enough to be part of some beautiful communities. As an adult, most of those communities have been faith-based, although not necessarily church-based. At university, I had a close group of friends who I would see most weeks, usually several times a week, all brought together by our Christian faith and certain practical outworkings of that faith. We shared very close personal interactions, supported one another, and genuinely loved spending time together, and I recall those times very fondly. They kept me sane through my university years, and I missed them deeply when I left the UK.
More recently, in my late 20s I was part of another faith-based, non-church community, this time quite a small and intimate group of friends who were seperated by a bit more distance than we were at university, but still saw each other on a nearly weekly basis. With my constant travel schedule, it was the first time since I’d left university where I truly felt connected to a group of people, and they provided a safe and warm place to connect to others.
Just a few years back, I transitioned into a third faith-based community, this one characterized more by people who felt a hunger to explore their faith and ask difficult questions they did not feel they could ask in the established church. Of the three communities, this was by far the most structured, in that we met regularly, and our meetings had some sort of order to them, but by the same token, in its own way was also the most sprawling, in that the community took on quite a robust nature for a time, providing practical assistance at various points for one another, and with very intentional efforts to see that community managed, to see struggling members encouraged, and even, at one stage, an attempt to establish a leadership structure to better help it grow and continue.
Throughout all of this, I have been part of another community that I’m very fond of, which can alternatively be given the label ‘international community’ or ‘humanitarian community’, although in practice it’s a very small subset of those that I have any right to call ‘my’ community. They are the people who I interact with in different parts of the world on my professional assignments, who share common humanitarian values, with whom I share often intense experiences, common worldviews (for the most part) in politics and leisure (see: adrenaline junkie), many of whom I see repeatedly in different locations time and time again, some of whom I’ve never met face-to-face but know just from virtual communication that I would get on very well with, but with whom I feel none the less very connected in a meaningful way. They are people I can meet in almost any pub in any expat-occupied city in the world and, even if I haven’t seen them in five years, can instantly strike up a rapport with and pick up like we were never apart. And I know many of you reading this know exactly what I’m talking about.
Of the three faith-based communities I have mentioned, the first essentially came to a close when university ended and we all went our separate ways, to keep in intermittent touch, but now spread all over the globe- in China, the UK, South Africa, and wherever the heck I am these days. The second, I still see the members of regularly and am very fond of them, but my long-term assignment in PNG saw my engagement with that community transition out, and during my absence, the nature of that community also changed as circumstances changed.
To some extent, the third community was linked to the changing of that second. And in many ways, the story of that community is the most interesting, because it was the closest to an ‘intentional’ community, but also walked that challenging line of having some structure that enabled it to function, while remaining flexible and meeting the needs of a group of people who were very suspicious of structure in the first place- that being the reason they wanted to be in the group. It was a paradox, and for the first while, it flourished. Then circumstances changed, the needs of community members shifted, and the community ultimately ended. MIO and I met through that community, and are still in touch with most of the members of that group regularly, and we even meet up regularly, although the nature of interactions has changed very much over the last 2 years.
The fourth community, of course, is in many ways the most unsustainable, in that at any given time, I am interacting with a very small portion of that community directly, and however stimulating I find engaging with it, it can only ever contribute a small portion to my social needs.
In short, although virtual community can be a good and supportive thing, I strongly believe that most people require some degree of meaningful interaction in a shared physical and temporal space.
Perhaps I shouldn’t speak for everybody. It does seem to apply to most people I know. But I know I speak for both MIO and I, because we talk about it regularly: We crave that.
So perhaps, if I start trying to answer the question posed at the start of this piece, the first thing I would look for in an idyllic community would be a community that shares time and space. That is in close enough proximity to be able to enjoy regular face-to-face activities and interactions together.
Being at a bit of a life-crossroads at the moment (a story for another place and time), MIO and I have been exploring what practical steps we can take to increase our social connectiveness- to actively seek out community. To that end, we visited an ‘intentional community’ on the outskirts of Melbourne.
Moora Moora has existed on a forested hilltop between Healesville and Warburton since the early 1970s- almost 40 years. It would be easy to dismiss the place as a hippy commune. In fact, while it shared a vision for shared resources and communal living, the community’s values, charter and approach to intentionality were very much the brainchild of a highly academic sociologist, who helped found the settlement, who lives there to this day, and who plans to die there.
The story of Moora Moora is long and fascinating, and I won’t go into any detail here. The community is spread out over a few hundred hectares of hilltop bush, with half a dozen clusters of homes, each cluster made up of four or five households, that cluster then becoming the basic unit of interaction and management within the community. Each individual is expected to contribute one day of labour to community tasks each month, but is otherwise free to live according to their own needs.
The community has gone through ups and downs- nearly becoming extinct on a couple of occasions, while thriving at others. Relationship- and conflict- management has clearly been central to the success and otherwise of aspects of community life. Meetings and administration are a necessary component.
There is a real beauty to the lifestyle that’s been established there, however. The houses are mostly non-traditional- some wooden, others adobe-mud, all of them quirky and built by the community members. Trees encroach close to the properties, and there is a strong sense of closeness to nature. A small communal vegetable garden contributes to each household’s monthly food basket. Water is piped from a natural spring, so pure it requires no treatment, and the community is off the grid and largely self-sufficient in energy needs.
Moora Moora is currently facing a crisis as many of the long-standing members are now well into their sixties and older, and are beginning to struggle to meet the physical demands of the lifestyle, but there are no guidelines in place to regulate their transition, nor has there been an influx of younger people to support the elders.
Sadly, another challenge- one that floored MIO and I, who both love the idea of spending more time working the land, and are quite open to the idea of sharing some labour and resources- is that some members of the community refuse to contribute their one day a month of labour. We couldn’t believe that people could be selfish enough to verbally commit to supporting a community (which provides a low cost of living in a beautiful environment, and a unique opportunity that many people would love to take up) and then refuse to play their part, when expectations are so low. A day a month contributing to common needs really isn’t that much, and instead people are just taking. A real shame, and one that made us wonder how much longer Moora Moora will remain viable.
Moora Moora isn’t for us. But it gave us a lot of food for thought, and forced us to consider what we actually wanted from a community- a conversation we’re still having.
One thing I realised up there, among the trees, is that I need to see the sky. It’s not that I don’t like trees- on the contrary, I love being in forest, and thick jungle, and trees are gorgeous. The more the merrier. But I love being somewhere I can see great expanses of sky, too, and I think to live, this inspires me more than a hilltop forest. It’s also why I don’t really like urban and suburban environments- because there’s all that clutter of rooftops and cables and buildings crowding the horizon. Perhaps it’s the photographer in me. But I’ve always loved big open spaces- the prairies, the mountains, the desert. MIO loves the sea. I love the sky.
Which makes me reflect. If the first thing I’m looking for in a community is the sharing of physical space and time, then somewhere in there, the nature of that physical space needs to play a part. Many of my best memories of shared experience and community have occurred outside urban environments. There is definitely a part of me that would prefer my ideal community to be rural, not urban.
MIO and I both value nature. We’re greenies at heart. We’re not perfect, but we’d like to get better at reducing the environmental impact of our lifestyle. MIO talks a lot about the notion of being ‘connected to the land’- recognizing that everything we have and everything we consume comes, on some level, from nature, and has an impact on nature, and that therefore, we should seek to live in a way that minimizes negative impact and maximises sustainability. She’d love to grow more of our own food, and rely less on vertically-integrated mega-corporations. I’m 100% on board with that. So another aspect of my ideal community would be a community that is closely connected to nature and the environment.
All of the communities that I’ve been intimately involved with and that have affected my life have involved a shared set of values- and important values at that. Either the shared values of the Christian faith, or the humanitarian values that most aid workers I am close to connect with. I think for community to thrive, it needs to share a set of meaningful values. An ideal community for me would share faith-based, humanitarian and ecological values.
The most engaged communities of people are, in my experience, communities that depend on one another. They help each other out, offering support for practical tasks or emotional needs. They share resources on some level- although a lesson we took from Moora Moora was that a level of individuality and independence is also critical in communities, just as it is within a family group. They are also vulnerable to one another- needs are expressed, and trust reciprocated. An ideal community for me would involve some level of interdependence, and a high level of trust. It would also allow family groups and individuals to remain somewhat independent at the same time.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but if the ideal community shares space and time, then it also shares certain activities. Spending time on shared activities- whether pleasurable or functional- creates shared experience, which in turn creates bonds between people, building relationship and building community. So an ideal community for me would engage in shared recreational activities, and would also labour together on shared tasks for the benefit of one another.
Ultimately, though, I suppose what I would be looking for from the idyllic community would be a community that adds value and meaning to life. It creates enjoyable, peaceful and grace-filled interactions. It contributes to making our physical environment better and reducing social injustice. It celebrates spiritually. It adds satisfaction and fulfillment to the completion of the daily tasks of survival. It creates a millieu in which children are loved, supported, encouraged and enabled. It shares tasks and resources in a sustainable way that facilitates the creation of free space and time to be able to watch the sky, to pursue dreams, and simply to dream.
I think this is what my idyllic community would look like. So if you find it, could you send us the address please.
All photos my own.
Humanitarian Zombie Fiction Challenge
Posted by morealtitude on March 6, 2013
Posted in: Adventure, Emergency, Writing. Tagged: #HumanitarianZombieFiction, Aid, Aid Zombies, Apocalypse, Disaster Response, Distribution, Fiction, Food Distribution, Humanitarian, Humanitarian Writing, Humanitarian Zombie Fiction, Humanitarian Zombies, Zombie, Zombies. 6 Comments
So, the twisted minds over at Humanitarian Fiction (you know, the ones that brought us Disastrous Passion, which should be enough to send chills up and down your spine in the first place) have set a global challenge- write and share a piece of Humanitarian Zombie Fiction.
I don’t post much fiction. As in, any. So this is definitely a stray from the path for me. But I thought, what the heck: I like aid, and I like zombies, and I kind of like writing too. And although I had lots of better things to be doing with my time, I did it anyway. So here ya go.
This little story is dedicated to @daggyvamp, aka Narrelle Harris, because it’s her birthday today, and because I don’t personally know any author who relishes the undead- and musing on the grisly transition towards deadness- quite so much as Narrelle does. Also, because once upon a time, Narrelle had a toe firmly dipped in the aid world, and I’m still waiting for her to write that sitcom… You can find Narrelle’s excellent and darkly humorous vampire novels The Opposite of Life and Walking Shadows linked right there, and I highly recommend them. You can also find one of her zombie-themed short stories in this compilation. Happy Birthday Narrelle!
From the roof of the white Land Cruiser, Jarrod watches the treeline for the first of them to appear.
It’s eerie in the late morning stillness. The boreal forest towers above them, cold and alien. Shafts of light catch in the drifting mist that’s burning off. The twittering of birds is at once familiar, but oddly disconcerting in the furtive, restless way the chimes bounce off one another.
The UN flag hangs limp. It’s as blue and pale as the cloudless sky.
Olivia touches his arm and Jarrod flinches. Looking down, he sees the rich hues of her fingers against the pale, almost translucent skin of his arm.
“Try to relax,” she intones quietly. “I know we’re a long way from home, but we’ve all done this before.”
The armoured vehicles are stationed in a broad ring about the distribution site. Jarrod can see the gunner atop the nearest. He’s looking out into the forest beyond the cleared circle. His head is swinging, side to side beneath the blue helmet, his thumbs twitching on the cannon grip. Jarrod can see a trail of sweat dampening the man’s dark temples. Mesh wire is clamped over the thick reinforced windows in the forward doors, and the white of the side panels is startling in the diffuse sunlight. The initials U.N. are stenciled in thick black lettering on the flanks.
Everyone’s either on a vehicle or in one, except Francois. The crusty old Malagasay, Head of Mission, stands with his arms folded in the middle of the ring, just at the foot of the flag. Crates of relief food pile behind him. He’s a picture of defiance, snowy whiskers against skin as dark as the forest soil, veined eyes behind narrow shades. Always the shades. Hiding those eyes that say he’s seen it all. The old-timer cut his teeth thirty-some years ago as a self-professed young-gun, first in Darfur, then later in responses like Haiti, Somalia, Azerbaijan, Mexico. Places that mean so little now, but he wears them like they’re badges, like military medals of honour. The staff still speak of him in revered tones, like he’s some kind of guru. He’s been in this since the start.
He’s wearing blue jeans and a short-sleeved button-down. His nod to the locals. Jarrod feels a warmth at the old aid worker’s presence. It’s reassuring to have someone familiar in this foreign landscape, a figure so confident facing something that sends stronger men loose at the bowels. Someone from home. Yet even the thought of home startles Jarrod in a way he’s not anticipating.
This might have been my home, another time.
“They’re coming,” Olivia says quietly. She was Ugandan, once. She’s a stout, athletic woman who’s taken a motherly affection to Jarrod since he arrived at the fort a few weeks back. She’s speaking English to him, and he can’t tell if it’s because she’s just used to being out here, or whether she actually thinks Jarrod speaks better English than Kiswahili. Truth is, until he was deployed a few weeks back, Jarrod’s barely spoken English since he enrolled in Kofi Annan University six years ago.
They’re a long way from Antananarivo now.
“How can you tell?” he asks her.
Jarrod listens. All he can hear is the blood throbbing in his ears. The birds overhead. Odd, needle-shaped leaves on the tall trees- firs, he’s heard them called- seem to swallow sound. He’s never seen trees so tall, so straight, so close together. So dark. Like anything could be hiding in them. Staggeringly different to the bulbous baobabs back home that are now sparse, but for all that scarcity, fiercely guarded in their spreading glory.
That word again.
Then a flash of movement.
A gunner spins. The mounted turret makes an oiled hiss, and the man’s shoulders bunch beneath the blotches of camouflage. But the figure coming out of the trees moves slowly, and as Jarrod watches, the gunner’s grip relaxes. The gun stays trained.
“They’re jumpy,” Jarrod observes, to nobody in particular, but quietly hoping for some sense of comfort from Olivia.
“They should be,” she murmurs, then adds, as if realising his intent a mouthful too late, “But they’re good. The Haitians and the Dominicans, they’re some of the best troops we have in DPKO. They work well together. You know, Dominica held out for a long time. Nearly became a refuge as well. It was…” she hesitated, her voice tailing off like the fading mist. “Unfortunate.”
But Jarrod’s attention is now on the figure emerging from the treeline. No, not one figure. Several. Moving slowly. Stiffly. Something uncomfortable about the gait. Not the easy lope of a youth in sandals beneath a tropical sun, or the scurry of children as they tumble over one another in the dust. These figures are stumbling into the clearing. Hesitating before the outposts of gleaming white half-tracks. Even at a distance, Jarrod reads the flickering of an emotion: Fear? Relief? Or perhaps it’s simply the acknowledgement of constant insecurity, and the echoes of the question ‘why’ growing quieter with each passing year.
The first into the kill-zone is a woman. She’s emaciated, pale, her t-shirt hanging loosely off a body that might be considered tough under circumstances of diet and healthy labour, but which overwork and undernutrition has left brittle and unforgiving. Sharp angles. Stubborn.
There are three children with her. One is an infant, hanging wide-eyed from a makeshift carriage on the woman’s back- metal poles tied together with threadbare canvas. The others are young, though it’s hard to tell how much-so, as they’re equitably underfed. One has a crop of orange-blonde curls, a little girl who could be six. She’s in a tattered dress with holes worn into the fabric. Her little brother has a mop of startlingly black hair against fair skin, a swollen belly, and limps where his sister leads him.
“How far did you say the forward delivery point is from the refuge?” Jarrod asks.
“About six miles,” Olivia replies, dropping back into Kiswahili with him.
“Mmm. We do our best. But you know what Sphere says about standoff distance and noise protection. They don’t want any chance they might lead-”
She tails off as Francois steps forward and begins jabbing his hands decisively. He signals the guards to open up the perimeter fencing. It isn’t much to hold anything off, just a ring of coiled razor wire, but it might prove to be enough of a delay for the gunners to get a bead on, and that has to count for something.
The ballet is orchestrated in an odd, otherworldly silence, all hand-gestures and furtive movement. Jarrod listens to the birds, knowing from his security training that when they fall silent, it’s time to pay attention.
Olivia hops down off the roof.
“Coming?”
They’re pouring through the opening now. Jarrod’s amazed at how many are arriving. Like a hot-season storm, what starts as a few drops becomes a patter, then a stream, then a torrent. In just a few minutes he reckons there’s a couple of hundred of them in here, all survivors, all haggard. He follows Olivia into the clearing, exhilerated, more alive than he’s ever felt even though he knows he’s never been more vulnerable.
He keeps his distance. He recalls what Francois warned him about.
“Remember, they’re desperate. Some of them won’t have seen anything but bush food in several weeks. Rabbits, rats, even boiled leaves. There’s not a lot left in the forests these days, between the survivors, and, well…”
“They get that we’re here to help, right?” Jarrod had interrupted.
Francois had spread his hands and shrugged. “People are fearful. We come in, we go out again. This is their reality. You know, there’s a lot of resentment. But mostly, desperation. You never know what people in that situation might do. And they’ll be armed, remember. They know not to bring their weapons in sight of the distribution. But the men’ll be out there, just a couple of hundred paces out, watching for their wives and children, their old men to come back. I’d hate to think what would happen if they thought they weren’t getting what they were entitled to.”
Jarrod could see them now. It was a fair overview. Wives and children, old men. A few able-bodied males- young men who looked close to Jarrod’s own age- had come in to help with the distribution itself, to haul the pallets around and assist some of the elderly or the slow with their burdens.
“I don’t understand,” he’d asked Olivia after their first distribution, back at the fort a couple of weeks back. “Why don’t they all gather here? There’s protection. We can get supplies and services to them, and they never need to leave the perimeter.”
He’d cast his eyes around the scene even as he’d said the words. The concrete walls. The squalid courtyards at the feet of those overcrowded condos. Nightsoil stains from glassless windows. Smoke eminating from cracks and holes where people burned refuse to keep their shelters warm. The smell. The constant clamour. In the far distance, the Bitterroot Mountains rising sharp and jagged and snowcapped into the sky.
“And you could ask why these ones don’t come to us,” Olivia had responded, looking up from where she squatted over a child’s scrawny pink arm, the measuring tape showing that he was just on the healthy side of malnourished. “There are always those who try. But for so many of them, this is home. And no matter how hard it gets, they won’t leave.”
Jarrod had made some noise indicating his lack of understanding.
“I don’t expect you to get it,” she had gone on in her melodic Kiswahili. “You’re one of the placeless. You were born in the camps, weren’t you?”
Jarrod had nodded. His father had been a surgeon, which had pushed the man to the top of the waiting lists. That had been before Jarrod, when his parents were newly wed, then thrust into the chaos, that destruction and terror that had seen a world torn down. Madagascar had taken them, an ark that even then had only so many places, and the foresight to ration them. At terrible cost to those unable to board. But for Jarrod’s family, it had been a beginning, of sorts. A fragile salvation.
Working in the survivor camps, Jarrod’s father had earned UN, and later government, contracts, eventually enough to rent them the small flat they shared with another family set back on the new developments among the lower hills, and later buy it freehold. The jagged skyline of Antananarivo today was a far cry from the coloured jumble of two- and three-story houses along the ridgeline that stills from the turn of the century showed. The towering slums of condominiums- frequently unpowered and unwatered, that swayed sickeningly when the cyclones barrelled through- were no paradise. But neither were they the camps, those ramshackle neighbourhoods that nearly thirty years on were still hives for desperation and disease of every kind but that one, overlooked by the tower-blocks like passers-by ignoring a dying derelict on the street.
“I don’t think they were as bad at first. Not when we were there,” Jarrod could recall his mother telling him one afternoon, as he stared from forty-three stories through shafts between the concrete trunks, down at the mess. It hung with brown smoke even on a day like it had been that day, wispy clouds against a burning heat-haze. His mother’s Kiswahili was affected, a little drawled, like her mouth was never quite willing to accept that it had to speak it. “Back then there was hope. Perhaps it was only temporary. And there was a sense of, oh I don’t know, it was almost paradise, back then, before the towers, when there were forests, and the elation of having survived. But now, the quarantine, the waiting lists, the wire and the guards and the watchtowers…”
She had tailed off, but something had lit inside Jarrod. A curiosity, at first. Nothing more. But it grew, at first into a hunger to know what it was like inside the camps and finally, when he saw firsthand the quarantine zones and the struggle to survive that so many failed, a passion to help.
Now, Jarrod drops into a crouch and pauses, getting his bearings in this growing maelstrom of humanity. He’s seen the camps. Seen the survivors in Fort Bitterroot, and over on the Eastern AirHead where the camps still feel a little like actual settlements, like the chaos of life in Antananarivo, only colder, more frantic. But this is different. He can sense the hunger. The fear is tangible, like a sweat, pervasive and inspiring and almost dizzying. There is something basic, primal, utterly desperate about the people as they come in. Grown women in bare feet, some of them in dresses so ragged they fail to protect their dignity. Children as filthy as any he’s seen playing in the gutters in the poorest of Madagascan slums. Young girls, teenagers, with lifeless eyes, slack jaws, the signs of a lifetime of poor diet and terrors unspoken.
Everything here is different. Even the soil, dark and loamy and moist, so unlike the red crumbly dirt at home. He had wondered. Wondered whether, coming here, he would feel a connection to the place. After all, he’s white, just like these people. He wants to feel something, some connection, some kinship. Wants the smell of the earth that he grinds between his fingers to awaken some sense of familiarity, a little voice that says You’re here, you’ve made it. But he remembers the first time he saw an American out here, one of the survivors at the fort. They locked eyes, and Jarrod gave what he hoped was a smile, though it felt uncertain. The man, a little older than him, just stared back. It wasn’t hostily. Just a blankness. No recognition.
You’re not one of us. You’ve not survived like we have. Just an outsider, scrammed in here, and you’ll scram out again when your shift’s over.
He breathes the cool highland air and tastes the acrid scent of the pines. Flavours of wood settle on his tongue like a grit. He hears birds he’s never heard before singing. Sees the pale skin of the troop of survivors stumbling towards the food stash. He wonders, if it all ended tomorrow, and the world righted itself, would he have a place in this land.
Could I die here?
It all goes ahead in silence. Words are spoken with heads leant in. Children are subdued. Babies muted. Jarrod wonders whether it’s because they’re malnourished, or if they sense the same terror that hangs like a blanket over the quietly milling knot of dulled colour.
He sees Juarez, the force commander, pacing the circle, checking with his men, eyeing up posture and readiness. His eyes are never still. He soaks in everything, that man. Never misses a detail. He pauses for just a moment, to ruffle the head of one of the sniffer dogs- a black lab- the first line of defense. Then he’s striding again, one eye on the survivors, another on his men, and somehow, both of them on the forest at the same time, on those dark trunks behind which anything could be lurking. Behind which, somewhere, something surely is.
He climbs a stack of pallets and watches the distribution for a few moments. Each pallet is pre-packed with tins of vegetables, condensed milk, cans of cooking oil, salt. It’s a monthly ration, to be shared among households of a predetermined size and number which is stamped on the base of the pallet. A short distance away, sacks of dried corn in 110-lb sacks are being handed out. Distribution staff with hand units read the ID chips of each sack and pallet as its passed over, then scan the wrist-band of the receiving survivor. Once, Jarrod understands, there would have been networks that such information could have traveled along, same as the data towers that dot Madagascar’s spine like a porcupine’s quills. But any such infrastructure would have fallen derelict some twenty-odd years ago out here. They’ll upload it when they get back to the fort and it’ll be transmitted, then collated centrally and checked for discrepencies. But the World Food Program runs a tight ship. They’ve been doing this stuff for about eighty years now. The systems are waterproof.
A girl reaches the front of the line. He can’t tell how old she is, maybe sixteen or seventeen. She’s got long white-blonde hair which she’s clearly brushed through and tied back in a tail before setting out, but the walk’s left renegade strands smeared down her cheeks. Her grey eyes meet Jarrod’s for just a moment. He can see dirt streaked on her sallow face. A figure clings to her leg, and he sees a toddler with the same colouring, naked except for a t-shirt. A little brother perhaps. Or her child. Her eyes fall away. There’s no flicker of connection. Just a hollow resentment.
This is my life. What do you know of it? Go back to your island.
Olivia’s overseeing the health tent, which is an insulated inflatable, double walls and an airlock, to keep the sound in. Jarrod zips up the outer layer, unzips the inner and steps through. In here he can hear the soft grumble of a supressed pump, and the bawling of infants.
Out in the open,they’d just be bait, he thinks to himself.
The makeshift clinic is insulated, but people still talk in quiet murmurs. Force of habit. A mistrust of the technology, perhaps. Olivia’s at the bloodwork desk. A male nurse who’s been brought in from Bitterroot pricks each child’s index finger as they’re presented. Some know what’s coming and start howling even before the tiny needle has had a chance to penetrate. The smear gets read on a handset.
“Clear,” Olivia says in English with a smile. “You have a healthy child, ma’am.”
The woman gives her a hunted look, as though the pronouncement is some kind of curse, or perhaps its Olivia’s dark skin that unsettles her so. She waits near the exit lock for her child’s crying to settle down and stares out, as though summoning the courage to pass through.
The next in line is a young teenager, not more than fifteen. She has loose dark hair that hangs in strands over a narrow face. Hazel eyes. Dirty, greyed-out skin that needs more washing, more care. Her infant is listless and doesn’t cry with the finger-prick.
“How old is he?” Olivia asks, as the nurse runs the sample.
“Seven months.”
“She yours?”
The girl’s eyes shift unhappily and she looks at the floor as she nods. Jarrod looks at the child’s skeletal arms and thinks he can practically see the bone through the pale wrap of skin.
The handset chimes, a tiny whistling noise.
“Oedema,” Olivia says softly, switching back to Kiswahili. “We’ll need to evacuate this one.” She straightens up and fixes the girl with a smile, speaking soothingly in English. “We need to get some more help for your child. You can both come with us to Bitterroot. Do you have a husband? Do you need to ask permission to come?”
The girl shakes her head but looks anxious.
“I tried to feed her,” she protests, and gestures unconsciously towards her flat, limp chest. “I try, but nothing… nothing comes.”
Her voice is thick, slow, her accent strange to Jarrod’s ears. Nothing like the clipped sing-song language he’s used to hearing from his colleagues, from his friends in Antananarivo when they speak English.
“It’s okay, sweetheart.” Olivia gives her best motherly smile and touches the girl’s face. “It’s not your fault. We’ll get you fed and your little one sorted out. Just come with us.”
They leave as the afternoon is lengthening. The light is taking on yellow hues, and catching in the beads of the damp air. Jarrod is starting to feel like he’s never spent so long without a clear view to the sky. Even though the clearing itself is broad, and ringed by an open stretch giving line of sight and fire to the treeline, the imposing firs hem them in, shrinking the circle of crisp blue overhead.
“We’ll take two half-tracks and the two thin-skins,” Francois says as he steps away from Juarez. “We’re better off getting back to Bitterroot early. I don’t want to get caught in the dark in these Land Cruisers.”
They’re old vehicles, but trusty. Patched together from a thousand cannibalized husks. Scavenged from the African mainland, then shipped on over on the salvation barges. Nobody knew what states the vehicles would be in over here. They’re around. Abandoned everywhere. But rusting. No one in Madagascar knows how to repair an old GM. But every tinker in the slum can do up a Cruiser.
They leave the rest of the convoy- five half-tracks and half a dozen flatbeds- packing up the distribution site as the recipients melt back into the forest. The survivors have a couple of critical hours of light left to get back to the refuge. To make sure they’re not followed.
There’s a peacekeeper for each of the truck cabs, and firepower in the half-tracks too. They’ll be okay if they have to be out after dark, Jarrod tells himself. Though truth be told, he’d rather be riding in one of the armoured vehicles than in the bouncing thin-skins. The four-by-fours are an old legacy, Olivia tells him. Francois is a traditionalist.
The engines are muffled. They run quiet. Windows cracked, eyes open. Jarrod sits in the back of the second Cruiser. There’s a half-track behind him. The other fronts the convoy. Flags taken down. No need to attract undue attention with colour and movement. Apparently the white is harder to see in the daylight. Something about their eyes. Something about processing bright tones.
For the first hour or so, the track is pitted, just a set of old depressions carved into the forest. The trunks are close, and foliage scratches against the flanks. The gunners in the half-tracks duck into their hulls to avoid being swept off their perches, and Jarrod feels exposed. He tries not to stare out of the windows, to see something that isn’t really there.
Don’t be really there.
They hit asphalt. It’s a relief, of sorts. The road widens and a thin strip of light-leaching sky appears between the crowns. The shadows are deepening with the rolling of the miles. The gunners are out of their hatches, back on the mounted weapons, by parts bored and anxious.
The road’s in terrible repair. Roots jut up from underneath and it heaves like waves frozen in a storm. The bush grows thick to its very edge, gnawing at the artificial stone, enclosing the way like a corridor. Like a tunnel. Nobody speaks. With the windows slightly open, they can sometimes hear the birds over the sound of the murmuring engines and the hiss of rubber rolling on tarmac, the crackle of the treads of the armour.
Once, the roadway opens out a little. A natural clearing where a vast tree has slammed across the road. The leading halftrack slows to a halt. Francois’ Land Cruiser draws up alongside. He gets out. Stretches himself nonchalantly. As though this were just a jungle laneway in the Madagascar that once was. He talks with a soldier in the forward vehicle, gesturing with his hands, the only clue to the nature of the conversation.
“What’s going on? Why have we stopped?” Jarrod asks.
Olivia shrugs. She reaches forward, taps the driver- a fair-haired local- on his shoulder and signals for the handset. The teenaged mother watches on, wide-eyed and wordless. The infant is limp in her cradled arms.
“What’s happening?” Olivia asks in English- another protocol hangover.
“Just some disagreement about the route,” drawls the driver from the thin-skin up front.
“Disagreement- are we lost?” asks Jarrod.
“I didn’t see any turn-offs to disagree about. They’re just men. Disagreeing because they like to.”
Olivia casts a glance around them, at the still bush, at the lengthening shadows merging into one.
“Don’t worry,” she says, just a little too cheerfully. “We’re still on track.”
The forest is darker the next time they stop. The sun’s gone behind some hills. The conversation is briefer. Francois is visibly wary when he dismounts.
The third time, he doesn’t get out at all. Just speaks to the soldier through the cracked window. That’s when they turn around.
Back when they could still send things into space, there used to be some global location system. Jarrod’s learnt about it. Like so much of what went on, before. They still have the old HF radio kits for communication. But they won’t get a signal through the trees.
The headlights show the back of the first Cruiser, dirty grey in the wan light. Ahead, the half-track rolls forward, retracing their steps. Above them, the sky is now just a lighter strip between the jagged black tips of the firs. Every now and again, Jarrod can see the passenger in the back seat of the Cruiser- a Malawian named Cecil- turn around and stare back at them. His face reads little expression, but his eyes are oddly round in the artificial light.
Jarrod can feel his heartbeat.
The sensation is a frustrating one. He wants to be back at the Fort. Wants to be off the road, away from the trunks that hem them in, wants to be safe. Their wellbeing now lies in the hands of other people. Entirely. Somebody else’s decisions and somebody else’s mistakes. He’s trusted Francois, but now the old aid veteran seems to have let them down. They’re rolling through the forest in the dark, somewhere they shouldn’t be, and the brittle silence tells him that everybody knows it. His mouth is dry and he can feel the perspiration making his back clammy where he rests against the seat. He’s twitchy.
The birdsong is a clamour of ecstasy outside, the dying chorus before nightfall. Right now, it’s so loud it masks even the passage of the four vehicles. When it fades, there will be quiet. They will lose one more sense, one more early warning. And in the crisp forest air, the sound of their passing will carry.
The avian chatter fades with the last of the light. The indigo of the sky, now barely discernable from the black trees, shows there’s no moon out tonight.
“Shut the windows,” Olivia says. Her voice is soft, a deep bass rumble all but lost in the hum of the suppressed motor. She doesn’t look around as she says it. In the rear seat, Jarrod snaps his windows shut.
Nothing to hear now anyway.
An eye on the road, the driver reaches forward and pops open the glove box. When his hand returns, it’s gripping a pistol which he lays on the consul behind the gear stick.
“Where did you get that?” Olivia chides him. “You’re not supposed to have a weapon!”
The driver snorts. “You people don’t carry guns, that’s your choice. Me, I figure y’all’re stupid.”
“We never carry guns,” Olivia tells him, tells the world in general. “It’s not how we do things. We’re here to help.”
“Them Lyssa-ites, whatever you call ‘em, they don’t care if you carry guns or not. Y’all taste the same to them. But tell you what, ma’am, I ever get done with mine, you’re welcome to pick it up and use it yourself, no hard feelings, ‘k?”
Olivia sniffs and the driver focuses his attention on the road outside.
A loud smack echoes through the cabin and Jarrod jumps, but it’s just a branch bouncing off the roof. He gets that they don’t carry guns. Gets that they’re humanitarians, that they don’t want to frighten the survivors, don’t want to risk starting a fight. He gets that killing isn’t what they do.
But right now, with the darkness outside and the light from the last half-track illuminating him through the windows of the thin-skin like he’s in some shop-front display, and a crushing sense that they’ve lost the Fort which makes it hard to breathe, Jarrod really, really wants a gun.
“Olivia,” he says, “What exactly is it that-”
Something flashes out of the forest and they hear the metal clang as it slams into the flank of the first thin-skin, an impact so fierce that they see the lights rock from side to side. There’s time for the driver to stamp the brake. Olivia gives a squeak as she catches her breath. Jarrod feels a disorientating prickling sensation down his head as the blood flees from the skin of his face.
The vehicles stop. There’s a brief moment of silence. Nobody moves. Shadows crawl as the foremost half-track continues to roll ahead.
“Dear Jesus,” the young mother whispers, clutching her arms around her starved child.
Then Olivia screams “Go! Go! Go!” and suddenly the forest is moving, pouring in on them, and like magnets to a chunk of iron they can see shapes tumbling, tearing out of the treeline, slamming into the Land Cruiser in front of them, five, six, seven, eight of them, at full tilt and still coming. The driver kills the lights and throws the engine into reverse with a grinding of gears and a scrambling of tires on the rough asphalt, and Jarrod sees the fading image of the creatures hanging off Francois’ vehicle, scrabbling at the metal, pounding at the glass, imprinted on the soft tissue of his retina.
Their flight is short-lived as they slam with a jolt into the half-track behind them. The mother wails. The driver is cursing, swearing, fumbling for his gun. Something barrels into the vehicle and rocks it hard on its suspension. They hear the faint sound of shattering glass. The engine stalls. They’re struck again, and then again. Then with a pop, a window bursts inwards and cold night floods in.
“GET OUT!” Olivia howls.
They’re shrieking as they come now, like the wail of a kettle boiling on a gas stove, and the snarl of a cornered hound, and the screams of a cat slowly being crushed in heavy machinery. It’s ear-splitting. Paralyzing. Jarrod wants to be sick.
The gun on the half-track opens up. Jarrod sees lines of tracer walking off into the forest, and by the flash of the muzzle can see more of the distortions pouring forward, arms flailing, fingers hooked and nails clawing. The driver has his gun, fires two rounds through his window before hands seize him and haul him screaming into the darkness, pistol and all. In the blinking strobe of the machine-gun, Jarrod can see the rear doors of the Land Cruiser in front of them have been sheared off, and the dark shapes are crawling over one another in a frenzy to fit inside, crammed like meat in a sausage press. The vehicle is rocking from side to side, but if the occupants within are crying out, their voices are drowned by the howl of the once-were-humans.
They’re crawling in through the shattered front window. Olivia kicks out with her boots. In the headlights of the half-track, Jarrod catches a glimpse of grey flesh, raw putrecense, of a gnarled hand with broken, clawing digits and darkened with fresh fluids. Then he can feel rounds punching into the seething mob outside, the visceral sound of soft meat giving before fast, hot metal. A bullet smashes through the back window, and he’s shaken from his stunned trance, coiled as he’s been on the back bench.
“Come on,” he urges, looking behind him. The mindless creatures are still pawing at the front window. The back is clear. He reaches for the frail infant. “Give her to me.”
The young girl stares at him, eyes already blurry with tears, and hesitates.
“Now!” Jarrod yells. Olivia’s grunting, lashing out with her feet as fingers scrabble for a prise on her legs from the front seat. The girl passes the child over, and Jarrod tucks her under one arm, reaches for the back door, and shoves it open.
“Follow me!” he yells, not turning to see if the young mother is with him. For the briefest moment, he knows he’s done something terribly, terribly stupid. He’s alone. It’s dark. They’re everywhere. The thunder of the machine-gun is ear-splitting, and the little girl in his arms, light and spindly as she is, begins to cackle an ugly cry. Then he’s reaching for the railing on the side of the half-track, just a few paces behind, and yelling to be heard above the roar of the weapon as he realises he has only one hand to climb.
Something seizes him out of the darkness. He spins, crying out, but it’s the young mother. She’s tumbled out behind him and is trying to rip the child out of his arms.
“No! Climb! I’ll pass her up to you.”
He looks. Olivia is crawling frantically over the back seats of the Land Cruiser, reaching for the exit. Jarrod can see shadows behind her, a writhing bush of limbs in the splintered light. He can see her face, twisted with more terror than he’s ever seen in human expression before. Then a silhouette darts between them, and in that moment, they both know.
“My baby!” the girl cries out. She’s scrambled onto the hood of the half-track, ducking beneath the lance of flame as the gunner puts out burst after burst into the horde of creatures. Jarrod reaches the child up, and as he does so hears a scream from Olivia. It’s defiant, a war-cry as she fights back, kicking and scratching, and for the briefest moment, Jarrod’s filled with the sense that he can cross back to her, fight them off with her, seize her and drag her to safety. But he doesn’t move. Because he knows its a sick fantasy. And then her screams change, and grow gutteral, animal, and he can hear the snap and tear of shredding flesh beneath her shrieks.
The roar of automatic fire splits into his mind, deafening, agonizing, and his first thought is to scream at the thoughtless gunner who’s fired so close to his head. When he stumbles out of his flinch he sees one of the shapes staggering away just paces from him, head cleaved open by a well-placed round.
“Get up here you stupid mzungu!” yells a voice. He leaps at the railing and hauls himself up onto the armoured vehicle, and feels clawed hands slapping at the metal his body had been in contact with just an instant before. The yowling is all around them. The young mother is still crouched on the hood, cowering beneath the spear of fire put out by the machine-gun.
Jarrod clambers up to the hatch in the roof and sees a dim light glowing from the hull within. He wants to weep. Wants to throw himself down. But he turns instead, reaching out a hand to the young mother. As he does, a shape hurtles out of the night behind him, and he hears a grunt from the gunner, and then a howl of pain. A sea of darkness surges around the vehicle’s nose.
“MOVE!” he yells, reaching again for the child.
The girl looks at him from where she cowers. She hesitates. Her eyes are pale and round, lips trembling, body rigid. Jarrod can hear the struggle taking place just behind him on the roof but he doesn’t take his eyes from hers.
“Come on,” he urges through clenched teeth, as much to himself as to her. “Come on.”
Gingerly, almost timidly, she stretches her arms and passes the child to Jarrod. Jarrod seizes the little girl and pulls her tightly to him. He half-turns to slide into the hatch, and the girl straightens where she stands, finally finding her determination to move, and claws seize her ankles from below. She gives a prolonged wail and plunges backwards into the void. When Jarrod turns back, he’s in time to see her pale form disappear beneath a mob of writhing shadows on the asphalt, frenetic in their excitement as they mob over the quivering flesh.
He leaps down the hatch and lands heavily, rolling.
There’s a loud clang as the hatch is bolted shut, competing with the whine of dancing stars that fills his head. When he sits up, he’s aware that he managed to shield the infant in his arms as he rolled, and that he’s staring into the muzzle of a large handgun.
“Where are you cut? Where are you cut?”
The massive Haitian peacekeeper holding the pistol is bellowing at him, and Jarrod balls up around the infant. He’s aware of a second uniform struggling with a bulky shape down the gunner’s well, of moaning, of the hammering of flesh and bone against the armoured hull.
“I…” Jarrod stammers. The second hatch slams shut, and the sounds of howling diminish slightly. He can feel the vehicle rocking in the frenzy of the physical assault, tipping on its suspension. He glances inadvertantly over at the second soldier, crouched over the gunner and shaking him.
“Are you bleeding?” the Haitian roars, and Jarrod’s focus is back on the ring of darkness that is the muzzle of the gun.
“I’m not hurt. I’m not hurt!”
He holds up one hand to show his extremities, then shifts the infant and waves the other. He lifts the little girl. Her oversized head, more skull than face, lolls, but she is unblooded.
The Haitian spins from Jarrod and looks to his comrades. The gunner who has been dragged back inside the half-track is lying curled and twitching, his face and torso riven by tear-marks and gashes. He’s whimpering. When his hands come away from his face briefly, Jarrod can see one of his eyes has been gouged out.
The Haitian gives a tremulous sigh. The other soldier is a Dominican. He’s breathing hard, the exhileration of terror.
“Step back,” the Haitian says.
“Please,” his companion replies.
“It’s the only way. You know it is.”
The Dominican closes his eyes and turns his face away. The maimed gunner senses what’s going on and flinches. His blood is red, his palms are pink, but beyond that Jarrod has no idea what his background might be. The stricken soldier raises one hand to shield himself, and the Haitian squeezes the trigger. A roar pressurizes the tiny cabin, plugging ears already ringing from the thunder of the machine-gun. The contents of the gunner’s head splash thickly onto the metal hull and his arm drops, instantly limp. Wedged as he is in the corner, his body absorbs any ricocheting fragments. Red blood drains out of his skull, and the two peacekeepers avoid it superstitiously.
For a while they sit there in silence. The Haitian is sweating, beads standing out on his dark skin, his eyes wide and pale in the dim light cast by the instruments board. The Dominican is weeping softly, staring at his dead companion but not touching him, save to periodically pat at his booted ankle. Bodies continue to slam against the hull outside. The shrieking does not abate, but it’s somewhat muffled by the thick metal. The infant is putting up its frail, crackling mewl, and does not appear to be the least bit assauged by the rocking of the truck on its suspension.
“We’re not moving,” Jarrod says.
“Your driver punched a hole in the motor when he slammed back into us. The towbar was welded to the chassis.”
The Haitian falls silent, staring blankly at the interior flank. Something scrabbles at the slits at the front of the cab, hissing through the narrow gap at the prey it can sense inside. The air outside is cool, but it’s muggy in the claustrophobic half-track.
“So what do we do now?”
“We wait.”
A fresh wave of impacts slamms against one side, jolting Jarrod forward where he sits cross-legged on the floor. He counts five or six, hard, with purpose.
“They’ll come for us, right?”
The Haitian says nothing. Just stares. Jarrod turns to the grieving Dominican, who senses Jarrod’s stare.
“Sure. Of course.” The Dominican tries on a smile, but it comes out more as a grimace.
The creature on the hood is still hissing, a wet, gutteral sound that gurgles at points, growls at others. By the faint interior light, Jarrod can see it’s peering inside. An eyeball, distended and grey-green in colour, is staring back, rolling with fervour. A snapping, snarling sound renews as it recognizes what it cannot yet reach. Filthy digits reach in, two of them snapped, bone exposed, and scratch for purchase against the metal interior.
“Zonbi,” the Haitian mutters, then crosses himself and looks away. He takes the pistol and drops out the magazine, checking the rounds before slamming it home again. He glances back at the creature still trying to find a way through the impossibly narrow slits, and Jarrod can see the man thinking about it.
“How many do you have?”
The Haitian shrugs. “Not enough.” Then he shares a look with the Dominican and adds, “But enough.”
There’s a rattling outside. Something, maybe several somethings, pawing at the exterior handles.
“What are they doing?” Jarrod asks, rocking the young child awkwardly in an effort to keep her calm.
“Trying to find a way in, of course.”
“I thought they couldn’t think.”
Another shrug. “Lyssa desolates the cerebrum. Pieces of cerebellum and spinal column remain intact, enough to support life. Who knows what else?”
“I was told…”
“You were told what they thought you wanted to know in order to accept the assignment,” the Haitian says curtly, and doesn’t elaborate.
There’s a renewed scrabbling outside. A fierce shaking. The beast at the window has been joined by a second. This one has four fingers all chewed fleshless, the bones gnawed into sharpened points like a claw, like four tiny sculpted daggers. The fingers explore the slit. Then the creature retreats. A short while later, when Jarrod hears a tapping sound on the roof, he imagines those same jagged bone-tips exploring for weakness.
The Haitian crosses himself again. The front of his uniform is drenched in a deep ‘V’ of perspiration, although the air that seeps into the hull is cool. With each fresh hammering of bodies against the half-track his eyes widen and roll, and a pink tongue rolls out to lick his top lip of moisture.
He’s fiddling with the gun. He and the Dominican are sharing more glances. Jarrod tries to focus on the little girl.
“What about her?” the Haitian mutters. The other shakes his head.
“No way I’m going to God with that on my conscience.”
“It would be a mercy.”
“Will she even know about it? She’s so small. She looks half-dead anyway.”
“They wouldn’t care. They’d crunch her like a chicken. She still feels pain.”
Jarrod looks up. “What are you talking about?”
The two fall silent. After a while, Jarrod sees the Haitian is praying. He’s pulled out a crucifix that shares a chain with two dog-tags, kissing it then pressing it to his forehead. Then he looks up and says,
“My home has gone. I’ve always known I wasn’t going to die there. But I hoped I would at least be with my family. That’s my home now.”
Jarrod can feel the accusation. He listens to the howling, roaring mob outside. The metallic tang of blood mixed with the death-stench of spilt bowels. Feels the cold metal beneath him, shaking with the unrelenting impacts. Remembers the glaze of a tropical sun on the harbour, and the scent of spices and woodsmoke in the Old Quarter, and the spiralling eddies of hot wind worrying garbage ahead of a summer downpour.
This place was never my home, he wants to scream out.
Instead, he strokes the child’s head and says gently to her unknowing face, “But we’re not going to die here, are we.”
Aaand, if you read this far- congratulations! I haven’t titled this story, because I suck at titles, but if you’ve got any good suggestions, stick ’em in the comments section below and if I like one, I’ll credit you with it!
Filming Fun with Cam and Mike
Posted by morealtitude on February 26, 2013
Posted in: Adventure, Emergency, Friends, Photography, Photojournalism, Travel. Tagged: Africa, Aid, Aid Agency, Camera, Charity, Current Affairs, Development, Emergency, Filming, Humanitarian, Journalism, Mike McRoberts, News, NGO, Niger, Relief, Response, TV, TVNZ, Video, Videography. 1 Comment
While trolling through my blog archives I found a bunch of posts which I wrote months (in some cases, like this one, years) ago, and never got around to publishing. So I might drop a few of them onto the site from time to time. This one was originally written in September 2010, when I was deployed managing an emergency response program in Niger, and had spent a few days with a TV news team filming a couple of pieces. I thought it would be good to share. Seeing as I wrote it and all.
-MA
If I were to want to tell you about my week filming with a foreign media team and wanted to use pseudonyms, I might flippantly call my reporter ‘Mike’ and my cameraman ‘Cam’.
In a twist of truth being at least as amusing as fiction (and frequently far weirder)’ these are actually their real names. ‘Mike’ is correspondent Mike McRoberts, and ‘Cam’ is news cameraman Cameron Williams, both of TVNZ in New Zealand. They’ve been here in Niger putting together some pieces about the current emergency, and about aid workers, and I’ve had the privilege of keeping them company for the last four days while we’ve bounced around the central Nigerien countryside.
(Here, of course, ‘bouncing’ is not simply a euphemistic reference to the extent to which we travelled across the far reaches of rural Maradi, but has a visceral tangibility best experienced in the back seat of our Land Cruiser troop carrier…)
Over the years I’ve found that the professions of aid work and international journalism (particularly war journalism) tend to attract similar personalities (albeit with certain key differences as well). The contexts and activities to which we’re drawn are similar, the situations we put ourselves into providing a similar kick to the system. They’re high-stress jobs on which driven people with an experientialist bent tend to thrive. They’re drawn by the opportunity to make unique contributions in unique locations, and the added risk factor is often an appeal.
Mike and Cam both fit that bill, and the rugged and frequently confronting context of Niger, the world’s poorest country and in the depths of a tragic nutrition crisis, seemed to excite rather than daunt them. I felt quickly comfortable with them. They were personalities I could identify with. The war-stories they shared were like those I’ve shared with dozens of relief colleagues in bars the world over. And to top it all off, they were consummate professionals.
I’ve dealt with the media a fair bit over the years now. Most of it has been more remote- phone interviews from garbage-strewn streets in central Niger and hotel rooms in Colombo jump to mind. Around the time of the Haiti earthquake I also did a few TV interviews with the Australian press, including a particularly daunting live appearance on a daytime chat show, which I have no desire to repeat. So the chance to watch a couple of experienced hands put together some foreign correspondent pieces was a chance to observe the process from both sides of the camera lens- something which as a photographer I found fascinating.
Mike and Cam were making a couple of news slots, as well as a longer in-depth piece about aid workers, and were in-country for about 5 days. I, with a couple of our media staff, accompanied them to the field, and took the opportunity to combine the story-gathering work with an assessment of how our emergency programs are functioning in the bush.
Reporting on these situations is always a challenge. Article 10 of the Red Cross Code of Conduct insists that in their communications material they present beneficiaries as survivors with dignity, not helpless victims. Media has its own internal guidelines- driven mostly by the integrity of the individual reporters and producers (and I’m happy to say that Mike defines himself as a Humanitarian first, a journalist second). Just like NGOs are wanting to have an emotional impact to encourage people to donate, the media wants to have an emotional impact to encourage people to watch the show or buy the edition. This can lend itself to a tendency to focus on the shocking, at the expense of balance and dignity.
It wasn’t hard to find shocking stories, of course. We were all particularly struck by the plight of a 9-month old boy who weighed roughly what Mike’s own son had weighed at birth, with skeletal limbs and a bulbous head. We spent time returning some women to their village who had walked more than 30km that morning to be at the distribution site. But so too they focused on the positive- the children whose weight can be seen improving over several weeks of treatment, the agricultural work helping farmers diversify their income and food intake, the schools offering children who have fallen through the cracks of the educational system a second chance at building a future for themselves.
I enjoyed watching Cam at work. Like me, he’s a student of light and form, and he’s at the top of his game (shortlisted as he’s been for a cameraman of the year award in New Zealand). He took great care not just composing his frames, but also ensuring that the light worked for the image he wanted to capture. I speak from personal experience when I say this is no mean feat in the Sahel. Sunlight during the middle of the day is harsh and washes out features, burns out backgrounds, and casts unsightly shadows. During the magic hours of dawn and dusk, when the light is soft and warm and beautiful, the angles change rapidly as the sun moves quicker in the tropics, presenting unique challenges for a documentary attempting to capture some stability in the light.
Like photography, putting together a piece for camera is a blend of science and art. We spent time finding locations and sometimes having to reshoot when circumstances undermined the quality of the work we were doing (one such instance involved a generator ten feet from where I sat giving an interview which, 20 minutes into the piece, decided to roar to life after the main power-grid failed; it took us an hour to find another location, and we had to restart the whole thing from scratch).
The visit captured yet another aspect of why aid work is a fascinating profession to be involved in. I doubt I could have had the experience of being so intimately involved with the creation of current affairs news in many other professions, but aid allows you to cross a lot of different paths. It was an enjoyable learning and fun to be a part of. But most of all, like so often happens in overseas postings, it was just a great opportunity to meet a couple of really good guys, share some fun, unique experiences, and more than one hearty belly-laugh with guys that get it.
Mike, Cam, thanks for good times on the road.
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Maradi, Niger
Long Distance Relationships: Keeping the Home Fires Burning (Guest Post)
Posted in: Emergency, Friends, Social Commentary. Tagged: Advice, Aid, Aid Worker, Children, Communication, Conflict, Distance, EAW, Expat, Expat Aid Worker, Family, Guest Post, Humanitarian, Kids, Long Distance Relationship, Love, MadamInsideOut, Marriage, NGO, Partner, Relationship, Seperation, Skype, Spouse, Time Zone, Work Life Balance. 10 Comments
Guest-post by @MadamInsideOut, whose self-titled blog about matters of the heart and mind can be found here.
A couple of months back now, I wrote a piece on Long Distance Relationships from the perspective of an aid worker, and the way that my family and I deal with the challenges that arise. It seemed to stimulate a fair amount of conversation- not least of all with my wife, MadamInsideOut. Because her experience of this is different to my own, I asked if she would share some of her thoughts and experiences on what it’s like to be in an LDR with an aid worker, when she has to stay home and look after our eight-year-old by herself.
M.I.O. wrote this as I was on my way back home for a visit. At the time of her writing this (Valentine’s Day), I had been out of Australia for 3 months- 96 consecutive days, during which time I had seen my wife just 10 of those days, and my eight-year-old stepdaughter precisely none. In fact, with our current schedule, I’d been at home less than 5 weeks in 5 months. We’re really getting a workout in the LDR stakes at the moment.
Without further ado, here’s what my brave and lovely wife has to say about this all.
Incidentally, it is very nice to be home for a bit.
Keeping the Home Fires Burning
I put my husband on a plane to Ethiopia over thirteen weeks ago. This is our longest stint apart yet, never ever to be repeated. He has missed our second wedding anniversary, Christmas, the new year, his birthday, the birthdays of most of his family and the Mayan End of the World. (This was the sort of event I would have really liked my husband around for, as you may have gathered, he is handy in a disaster.) He arrives back the day after Valentines Day. So we miss that too. Yes, there is a strong theme of missing here.
Mr Morealtitude asked me to write something on maintaining a relationship long distance from the perspective of the home-front. Ultimately, there isn’t anything unique about our general situation, as demonstrated by the 2000+ hits Mr Morealtitude’s last post generated in the first few days of its release. Long distance relationships are as ancient and common as our need to hunt, gather and go to war. Recently I read Charles Frazier’s, Cold Mountain; an achingly beautifully tale of two lonely hearts living through a separation during the American civil war. Phew. It hurt. The mutual throb of longing, the challenges for the vulnerable Ada, left to fend for herself with no food, no money, no knowledge on how to run her farm, waiting, watching the horizon. The struggles, snares and wistful yearning on the long road home from war for Inman. No way to connect. Hoping. Longing. Striving. Both finding a way, but not without significant struggle and grief. We are lightweights comparatively, but some of those feelings are universal. Despite the fact that we have more props than ever to manage separation from our loved ones, being apart is still fraught with challenges.
There is just nothing that can replace the physical presence of your dearest one.
In saying this, I actually really enjoy my own company. I’ve lived and traveled alone and my dad traveled extensively whilst I was growing up. And, while these experiences have helped in equipping me to survive our time apart, I love hanging out with my husband. I really really don’t like it when he’s gone.
As was mentioned, we find that any time apart under 2 weeks can be deemed as somewhat healthy and manageable. Beyond that, forget it. Five weeks out from sharing life with my numero uno compadre, love and life mate, we’re seriously stretched. Maintaining contact with Morealtitude at odd hours of day or writing lengthy emails gets difficult to fit in with the demands of doing everything. A disconnect sets in. My legs officially turn to jelly from exhaustion. All the meals in the freezer mysteriously disappear. My old friend, adrenaline abandons me and I crumple into a weary little shell of a person, rather than the otherwise required ‘Mama Extraordinaire’ persona.
I was a solo parent for 4.5 years, so I thought I would take slipping back into this over-functioning space on occasion in my stride. Not so. The issue being that as a family we establish a healthy rhythm and interdependence with each-other, and when MoreAltitude boards a plane, we wave goodbye to both him and our rhythm. I handle the initial shift with relative ease, however our daughter does not. Suffice to say, having children and needing to maintain a long distance relationship makes things much trickier to manage. Morealtitude and I never had the luxury of courting each other without the additional needs of a little person in the mix, so I can only speak from this perspective.
I must say, I have great admiration for my own mother, as she brought up four children, whilst my dad travelled regularly, loving (and hating) his various international adventures. My Mum was the stabilizing influence in our family. I credit her with any semblance of sanity or consistency I may possess as an adult. It has also become very clear to me that she played this irreplaceable supportive role to my dad’s travel at great cost to herself.
However, there was also a cost for my dad. In order to provide for us, he missed out on milestones and cuddles and the comfort of home cooked meals with his family around him. He slept poorly on lumpy pillows, in stark hotel rooms or with strangers and had to power on, despite a weekly scratchy phone call with his wife saying she had no money for groceries or that the children were sick. Not being able to physically be there for your family in a crisis is a very frustrating, even heartbreaking thing for a functioning loving adult to deal with. Dad always came through though. Always. He was ultimately motivated by his love for his family.
My husband also has such noble motivations- although there are some serious questions emerging around the reality of continuing this line of work with the, at times, conflicting needs of a family. He is an amazing person and a wonderful husband. He puts us at the centre of everything he does. He is generous and caring and wise beyond his years in knowing how to nurture a family. His advice around maintaining long distance relationships is fabulous. He has taught me a lot. He is a brilliant communicator and despite whatever stresses he may be experiencing whilst in the field, he has an excellent ability to be present and understanding of whatever issues are occurring for me a million miles across the oceans. He still manages to be right there in spirit. Many times, I have felt the challenges on my side of the world are petty or mundane compared to fighting poverty or implementing medicine and food distributions. But Morealtitude is always genuinely interested, appreciative and validating of my experiences and will indulge them more so than I will let myself. This is marvelously helpful. I imagine it would be very easy to get resentful or feel insignificant if he could not do this. After all, challenges are challenges, no matter where you experience them.
And there are genuine challenges with being the one left behind. It can be difficult not to feel as though you are missing out on the adventure. Difficult at times not to detect pangs of resentment, when your life resembles your own version of the set of Groundhog Day. Particularly between the hours of 5-9pm when dinner needs cooking, the kid gets whiney and wants entertaining and feeding and attention and washing and, and, and. And there’s just you with your two hands, one in the sink, the other manning the stove; probably an additional foot artfully applying a band-aid. It becomes exasperating when your kid refuses to sleep alone for the 95th night in a row, but you know they will immediately right themselves upon your partner’s return. Doing those evening stretches alone night after night can be overwhelming and a more than a little lonely. I’m talking specifically about a loneliness that can only be quieted with adult company. That variety of loneliness tends to surface during those marathon evenings, or when an important decision just has to be made without the consultation or inclusion of your humanitarian husband who is in a 6 hour meeting with the United Nations several continents away. A very real exhaustion can set in from doing everything solo, where you had a partnership before.
I try and offset this by using the opportunity to invest more into my family and friendships. I find it easier to do this in summer than in the hibernation months of winter. I’ve been asking myself to watch that I’m not completely holding together all of the relationships my husband is absent from and unable to fully invest in, although my being anchored at home inadvertently maintains a connection and may help his return home to be a little more seamless. That is okay with me, but I have seen this dynamic become unhealthy when the traveling partner loses meaningful connection socially at home. I think this is a strong reason for jobs requiring extensive travel to have an expiry date.
As time wears on, daily details can really get swallowed up by the miles between us. Details of which we would normally share or witness together can be vaporized by opposing schedules and time zones. We have to work hard to keep the intimacy from flailing – which we absolutely do.
So, you might ask, how exactly does one keep healthily connected to their crusading globe trotter and keep the home fires burning without getting resentful? A few thoughts…
Empathy: I’ve covered this one a fair bit already. Empathising with what your significant other is experiencing is profoundly important in managing your relationship long-distance. Our communication centers around this. Honestly expressing, listening to, connecting with and validating each of the others experiences is vital. That is not to say that we don’t sometimes talk utter nonsense and laugh and joke. We just talk – or write. For the most part, words are really all we have. We keep building shared experiences this way. We do this on a daily basis. If I ever start feeling sorry for myself or resentful of the distance, I just think about the hard stuff my other half is experiencing and what he is sacrificing. And, if he is enjoying himself, I am grateful, because I like him and I want him to be happy. That usually sorts me out. We are in the same boat. We’re just at opposite ends of a very very large canoe. Oh and if you are the one away, try not to post your experiences on facebook before you have had a chance to tell your partner what has happened. I’m talking specifically about pictures and captions like this, Morealtitude:
Facebook caption accompanying the original posting of this photo: “For those who noted my comments about flying in and out of Somalia on a jet with a shattered windshield, THIS is what I was referring to. Yes, at 22,000 feet. Thank you, UNHAS.”
Be Mature: Own your reactions. Ultimately your responses to the separation are only in your control. Do what you need to do to look after yourself. This might mean seeking extra support from family, friends or professionals. In doing this, look after your partner as well. Express your feelings, but don’t hurl them at your loved one as something they need to fix. Try not to blame or punish your partner or freeze them out while they are miles away – or in the same room for that matter. That stuff is really unfair and destructive.
Be Deliberately Active: Know what you need to get through, make plans, so you don’t slump into sad-feels and find it all too much. I like filling my house with people – our daughter is happiest when surrounded by energy, I also like to cook, so I try and hook up lots of dinners and visits in advance. We had a lovely friend staying with us this time and her company made a world of difference. Take the empty spaces and fill them with other things. Things you like. Get out. Exercise. See friends. Meet people. See a show. Do the art gallery. Be spontaneous. Take the kids to eat ice-cream on the beach. Then keep doing that stuff when your other half gets back, but include them. It’s a nice way to bust out of a rut and experience your hometown anew.
Be Flexible: Go with the flow. Some days, connection may not be possible. It just is. Save up your stories for when it happens. Similarly many of the routines that we establish with Morealtitude home just don’t work when he is gone, so we shake them up, mix them around. Things are a lot more fluid, including meals and bedtime. Our daughter sleeps in with me at nights. It drives me crazy, but not as crazy as having her scream and whimper half the night for weeks on end because she is scared and she misses her step-dad. I pick my battles.
Sleep: Obviously this is a corner stone of sanity. However, I have somehow found myself becoming a terrible sleeper when Morealtitude is away. When he is gone, I avoid bed because I am wired and anxious and struggle to wind down. I’ve found a few useful tools. These include completing a relaxation meditation – free from the internet- and, my most recent find, audio books. These are calming, they slow my thoughts down and stimulate my imagination in a healthy way. The more I sleep, the better I cope. It’s not rocket science, but it gets mixed up when you’re apart and you need strategies to help make it happen.
Visit: If you can make it happen, it is incredibly useful to get out to the field and take part in your partner’s world. Obviously it is not possible on most trips. It has taken us over 3 years to make this happen with all the various pieces in play. Recently I visited Morealtitude in Ethiopia. The first hand insight I gleaned from this trip into his work and all of the various complexities he faces was invaluable. It has made a HUGE difference, as it has helped me gain a more balanced perspective of humanitarian work and our situation on the whole. I connected with my husband’s daily realities with all of my senses. In that 10 day trip, I witnessed the impact my husband was having on huge programs – which made the struggle of the previous 8 weeks worthwhile. I also saw the nuances of the aid industry. The questions. The two steps forward, three steps backward daily dance of humanitarian work. I ditched my first world guilt, as I realised that human suffering is human suffering, no matter where it occurs – this sounds obvious, but it was an important perspective shift for me. Just, if you can, DO IT!!
What about when they get back?
Of course you are beside yourself with excitement and relief to have them back. But, it can be a bit weird and take a bit of adjusting to. You’ve just spent the last X amount of weeks figuring out your own systems and making it all hang together without your partner and suddenly they are back ready to slot into all those spaces you’ve managed to fill. The systems you had together have been remodeled. I have friends who need to spend a couple of days in a stand-off-ish space until they readjust, as they feel a sort of resentment at having been ‘abandoned’. I personally don’t experience this, but I think it’s very understandable. My parents used to have a ripper fight after every trip. That is not our style of re-entry, but it shows it can be turbulent.
It just takes a few days to reconnect properly, there is probably jet lag and fatigue in the mix. We just try and be gentle and patient with each-other. And, yep, you guessed it. We keep communicating. The shift to having more modes of communication other than words at our disposal, is um, advantageous. We can give gifts, we can do stuff for and with each-other, we can say how much we appreciate what the other has done for us whilst we’ve been apart (recommended) and we can touch (highly recommended).
Dagnabit. It is so much better to have the full suite of expression available; to physically share spaces, dreams, doldrums, laughter and life.
So tell me, why do we do this apart thing again?
Reflections on a Refugee Response: Dolo Ado
Posted by morealtitude on February 5, 2013
Posted in: Emergency, Social Commentary. Tagged: Aid, Al Shabaab, Camp, Civil War, Disaster, Dolo Ado, Emergency Relief, Ethiopia, Famine, Human Rights, Humanitarian, NGO, Refugee, Refugee Camp, Somalia, UNHCR, War. 8 Comments
It takes us ninety minutes to traverse the 54 kilometres to Kole, and by the time we get there there’s nothing shiny about our two Land Cruisers. The plume of orange dust that’s been chasing our wakes rests in a fine silt over every available surface. There’s not much shiny about us, either, the feeble efforts of the rattling air-conditioning doing little to counter the burn of the desert sun through the windows. We’ve been bracing against the bucking vehicle the whole way, and are sweating and achey.
We pass through the village in moments. It’s little more than a collection of mud huts at a bend in the track. Set back from the river, the land around it is more rock than soil, scorched like an overexposed photograph. Villagers gather at a public tap-stand with jerry-cans and donkey carts, the ground dark with the stain of their labour. Another k or so up the broken roadway, and the drivers haul us off to the left across open terrain.
At the bottom of a steep outcrop, we stop. When the engines die, it’s a tangible relief. We clamber up the rocks, careful of our footing. It’s myself, a couple of my team leaders from down here, and our guests- VIPs from one of our donor offices. There are eight or nine of us all up. At the top of the rise we perch on a small space pretty much shoulder-to-shoulder and survey the land around us.
In the middle distance we can see the line of the river, marked by a strip of dusty green, dark against the rest of the scenery. This side of the road, shoulders of raised rock- the remnants of an eroded plateau several hundred feet high- serve as two arms demarcating the edge of our little vista. They are treeless save for a few bushes stubborn in their refusal to wither. In the flat ground between them, the terrain is broken- flat-topped trees, thorny thickets, patches of sand, and a lot of orange-brown rock. A wadi snakes around the bottom of the outcrop and wends its way towards the river several miles away, the only source of any green nearby. The tops of termite mounds, eight and ten feet tall, emerge from among woody growth. With the engines stopped, when conversation lulls, the only sound is the wind. The sun makes the sun tingle with latent threat, even this late in the afternoon. Even with my darker complexion I know I’ll burn within thirty minutes out here.
A month from now, this- Bahale- will be the newest refugee camp in the Dolo Ado complex.
Dolo Ado, a series of small pastoral communities in a southeastern corner of Ethiopia bordering Somalia and Kenya, first started taking refugees in 2009. It was in 2011, however, that it came to the attention of the world as hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled a combination of civil war and famine, seeking shelter here and, more prominently, in Dolo Ado’s Kenyan cousin, Dadaab.
Never subject to the massive influx of Dadaab (which at its peak was thought to have well over half a million refugees), Dolo Ado’s camp population has risen to a more manageable figure of around 180,000. Nonetheless, with an offensive in south-central Somalia to overcome al Shabaab militants, the encroaching dry season, and the continued closure of Dadaab and the Kenyan border to new Somali arrivals, December 2012 saw one of the camp’s busiest months for over a year, registering more than 6,000 new refugees. Currently between 150-200 Somalis are arriving each day.
Dolo Ado is in Ethiopia’s Somali Region, and as the name suggests, it’s more Somalia than Ethiopia in many ways. It is vast- over a third of Ethiopia’s land area- and underpopulated- just 6% of the population. Dolo Ado is one of the most remote points in the country; even accessing the regional capital Jijiga is a six hundred kilometre trip on poor roads. Air access is granted to aid workers via a five-day-a-week flight operated by the United Nations Humantarian Aid Service. A twice-weekly Antonov-26 from Dire Dawa flown by a squad of Russian pilots bringing a precious cargo of qat is the only commercial service operating here. It’s two days of committed driving by four-by-four from Addis- far longer by bus. Insurgent groups ply the bush further north, the legacy of decades of disatisfaction with Ethiopian rule and a failed Somali invasion in the 1970s.
It’s the details, not the context, that highlight the Ethiopian link in Dolo Ado town. The government administrators, Amharic-speaking and ethnically distinct from the Somali majority. The round, tin-roofed Orthodox church on the edge of town that stubbornly blares Friday morning prayers over the surrounding populace, as though at tacit war with the mosques. License-plates scribbled with hand-drawn Ge’ez script, evidence of the vehicles driven over the border illegally and registered with the grudging acceptance of an administration that knows there are some battles it can’t win.
Other battles, though, it is fighting harder. The Ethiopian military essentially controls a 70-kilometre band of Somalia inland from the border, implicitly annexed to shore up its own frontier from incursions by al Shabaab and other armed groups that aim to destabilize their longstanding enemy. We visit the border, a couple of k’s outside town. A dusty road leaves town via the rubbish-dump, where a healthy crop of plastic bags adorns the briars and hooks of the thorn-fencing of nearby properties. Evil-looking storks, tall as my shoulder with beaks as long as my forearm, stand watch by the dozen over the waste like vultures on a battleground. Their bald red heads are topped by a tuft of fine hair, and they glare menacingly at anything passing them by.
The border is active. A stream of donkey carts pours up the track from among the trees, bringing merchandise into Dolo Ado from the Somali side. However fragile the government might be, capitalism is alive and thriving despite the war, and doing a better job of servicing Dolo Ado’s needs than the Ethiopian economy, by the looks of things. In front of the final checkpoint (a stack of hescoes- large earth-filled sacks- manned by a bored-looking soldier and a male and female guard with a metal-detector wand) taxis wait beneath the trees to transport people to the village. We see one with a shattered windshield, the glass punched out in front of the steering-wheel so the driver can see. People come across in small clusters, family groups. I see a weary looking woman, two older children ahead of her, two small boys behind. One, barefoot, carries four empty jerrycans over his shoulders as he walks in their footsteps.
The guard at the checkpoint stops us. It takes ten minutes to talk our way past him and his commander. We watch life slip past, mostly boys driving more donkey-carts, loaded with everything from fodder to iron rods, from truck tires to plastic drums. A man has a monkey. It sits in the dirt by his feet, and whenever he moves it jumps up and seizes his lower leg, riding his foot like a kid on a merry-go-round as he walks around. It mouths at its surroundings with big wide eyes, looking for all the world like an anxious, overly-attached toddler. I keep my distance. I don’t want to find out if my medical plan covers ‘monkey bite’.
Dolo Ado is seperated from Dolo-Somalia by a shallow river, brown in colour where it seeps under a steel tressle-bridge. We wander over onto the Somali side of the bridge before security good-naturedly stops us from going further. Boys bathe in the water and come running up unselfconciously beneath the bridge to wave and get our attention. A couple of days later, we’ll be back to try and arrange a meeting with our staff on the Somali side of the border and discuss how to support one another, but will be thwarted by bureaucracy. The Ethiopians are highly protective of their borders.
We visit the reception centre, a refugee’s first port of call. Knots of women and children, mostly, gather in restless groups, finding shade from the sun beneath wood-frame lean-tos with galvanized zinc sheet roofing. In different sections of the centre, their names are recorded and checked against databases, then fingerprinted on a digital scanner and issued a wristband that identifies them as refugees. I see a small boy- no more than four- with one of these near-indestructable tags wrapped around his tiny arm and I wonder how that must feel. I find the things irritating after a single evening at a club or concert, but now his very identity- his rights to shelter, food, water, healthcare and education- are tied inextricably to a plastic strap on his wrist. For some reason, the indignity strikes a deep chord with me. Later they will receive the ration cards which indicate which days they’re supposed to attend food distributions, how many Core Relief Item distributions they’ve received, and so forth. A help-desk sits in one corner to support children who come across on their own, without an adult family member to support them.
Our compound is not dissimilar to many others I’ve now stayed in. In an area a couple of football fields in size, it’s got a set of portacabins for offices, another set for accomodation, a communal dining hall, and some cement latrine and shower blocks. It’s rudimentary but workable. It has a stark, barren feel during the height of the day. Although January is not the hottest of months here, it’s easily forty degrees and more in the early afternoon, and the sun is fierce enough that it’s unpleasant to cross the compound without a hat on. Around lunchtime, the generator is killed for part of the afternoon to save power and stop it overheating, and staff take a nap for an hour or so until the heat subsides. I find the intensity of both silence and heat a heady blend, and enjoy sitting in the shade for a while, watching the sunlight burn off the crushed rock and soaking in the stillness. When I try and nap, sweat gathers beneath me, wetting my mattress, and shines slick in every fold of skin. I drink litres of water each day.
Buramino is the newest of the five established camps. We visit child nutrition programs, alternative learning centres and a new primary school, and interview refugee families. I take myself away from the drama of the trip and walk out into the middle of the camp. It’s arranged into blocks, which in turn should reflect community dynamics, although this isn’t always possible. Each block is separated by a large open strip of land, which should allow for drainage, and also for latrine and shower-block construction slightly away from dwellings. The dwellings themselves vary, some with tin roofs and square adobe-mud walls, others built around metal rod frames provided by implementing partners, others still more in the traditional Somali style, dome-shaped over a frame of sticks tied together and clearly initiated by the refugees themselves. Some are an odd hybrid of several styles, and the only common demoninator linking all buildings are the blue-on-white UNHCR tents that have been incorporated into each structure.
It’s crushingly hot. There’s no electricity out here, and in the absence of vehicle engines and generators, oddly quiet for a town of 35,000 crowded into an area that could be measured in football fields. The wind is a constant. A donkey brays, a plaintive, distressed sound. I watch women in colourful headscarfs cross the dusty spillway, gusts tugging at loose material. It’s mid-afternoon. At any one time I can see three or four dust-devils spiralling amidst the camp. Vortices, mini-tornadoes formed by the rapid heating and rising of air, they roll over the landscape, briefly engulfing tents and refugees alike with a swirling tube of roiling dust, before moving on with little trace of their passing except a fresh layer of settled silt, like powder snow. Sometimes when the wind blows, it rolls out a sheet of dust before it, obscuring the camp behind a hazy orange veil and staining the horizon for minutes at a time.
Our visiting VIP is interviewing refugees. The whole thing feels a bit of a circus, and I keep my distance, but also recognize this is part of the process of convicing people to push money the way of these refugees who desperately need it. So with my team we put in guidelines to keep it as respectful as possible, and I step out of the way. He comes out from the last interview and does a final piece-to-camera describing his experiences in the camp. I watch him from the back seat of the Cruiser and let him do his thing. He’s a life-long businessman, a former highly-powered CEO and high-flier used to dining with ministers and Presidents. I watch as his face crumples and he bursts into tears and has to break off the interview. He turns away for a couple of minutes, regains composure, and starts over. Fifteen seconds later he’s sobbing. When he climbs onto the seat next to me afterwards, he’s subdued for some time. I find myself wondering when all this stopped touching me emotionally, and whether that’s something that should bother me.
We drop our visitors at the airport in time for the mid-week UNHAS flight, while I stay on to work with the team. Meles Zenawi International Airport is the grandest name for a strip of gravel ever devised. The waiting area, newly refurbished, is a WFP rubbhall with the sides rolled up. Bags are thrown into the back of a waiting pickup, passenger names ticked off against a computer printout, and the passengers themselves settle back to wait for touch-down.
It’s a scene essential to any remote but active relief hub, and the flight is a game in aid worker cliches. It’s logo’d Land Cruisers lined up just beyond the earthen berm, and similarly logo’d expats and local staff milling around beneath the shade, all sat-phones and VHF handsets. There’s Crusty Old Bad-Tempered Aid Worker swearing alernatively down his handset at some driver who’s forgotten to bring something he needed, and at the local WFP staff inconveniently wanting to check his bags; Skinny, Weathered Gallic Aid Worker with VHF hanging from her fishermans pants, in ethnic sandals, an NGO t-shirt and a headscarf, talking nonchalantly with her local counterpart; Heavily Branded American NGO Team, standing awkwardly to one side; Frantic UN Agency Coordinator, with UN ID card flapping, a VHF in one hand and a satphone in another, trying to manage too many staff and agencies at one time; it’s like a SEAWL post all by itself.
The nights are hot and breathless. The generator goes off by nine, its tiresome rattle replaced by a deep quiet. A full moon lights the compound as well as any spotlight, casting deep shadows. I relish the embrace of warm air in the absence of the aggressive sun. When I cross the compound to brush my teeth, I keep a wary lookout for scorpions. Apparently the local staff caught a whopper two weeks ago.
My mosquito net has been poorly fixed, and although I usually like sleeping under the things, I have to drape this one over me like a blanket- neither effective nor cooling. I sleep without sheets until around five-thirty in the morning, when the air finally cools enough to chill my skin- a relief. The cold shower I take when I rise with the sun at half-six is at first bracing, then deliciously refreshing. The low sun casts long shadows over the open ground. Mornings, before the heat of the day sets in, are a beautiful time in the desert.
One night, I inadvertantly leave my eye-mask facing down when I spray the [highly potent] insecticide around my room before bed. Woken at 3am, I fail to equate the burning sensation over my eyes with the mask, and it’s not until dawn that I finally realise I’ve had toxic chemicals pressed against my face all night. My skin burns until the early afternoon, and I half expect to find epidermis sloughing off when I check myself in the mirror.
Early morning, and a pall of smoke and dust hangs in a breathless blue haze over Dolo Ado town. Minarets and cell-phone towers protrude, fitting landmarks of this frontier outpost. Heading back for the border we drive into the rising sun, misty and opaque where it drifts in the murk. Scraps of torn plastic festoon the thorn trees in an oddly joyous display, gleaming in the sunrise with celebratory fervour. We pass the rubbish dump, the storks ominous sentries. Boys race their empty donkey-carts across the flat, putting up plumes of dust that hang in the air, a canvas for the shafts of split sunlight. When we eventually draw up and kill the engines, the air is cool, and irridescent weaver-birds flit among the thorny branches, plumage shimmering in the low sunbeams. The first of the day’s refugees begin their journey into Ethiopia and a new life to the eager chippering of birdsong alongside now-laden carts pulled by protesting asses.
From ten thousand feet, I watch the camp complex slip below me as the UNHAS Dash-8, flight UN47W, follows the road north and west, back towards Addis. I recognize Buramino- I identify it from the layout of our project sites that I can see on the outskirst of the grid of huts, so much more ordered than the host communities- then follow the road along. Eventually I spot Kole in its bend in the track, and the river, and then the Bahale camp site- still just a near-empty plot of scrubland- right down to the outcrop of rock we stood on to survey the ground. Two months from now, this patch of desert will look like the other five sites. Shelters in neat rows, clustered in blocks, seperated by wide stretches of open ground and punctuated by NGO compounds and project sites. Deceptively ordered, from ten thousand feet. Deceptively clean.
You can’t feel the heat up here. Can’t taste the grit that blows between your teeth, or smell the stench of full latrines, or make out the heaps of disused relief packaging collecting at the edge of compounds. Can’t see the shelters wrapped over with mosquito netting, or the ones that have fallen down completely. Can’t sense the intense thirst beneath that unquenchable sun, or the fatigue that accompanies the mid-afternoon zenith. Don’t need to brace against a sudden squall of hot wind that grinds dust into the eyes, or answer the questioning gaze of young children against whom the world has stacked unfathomable odds. Can’t hear the stories that can make a grown man break down in tears. No, from ten thousand feet, it all feels rather hopeful.
Posted by morealtitude on January 3, 2013
Posted in: Emergency. Tagged: Accountability, Aid Work, Context, Humanitarian, Impact, Improvement, Industry, NGO, Sector, Staffing. 3 Comments
Some time ago I was asked to contribute to a discussion about improving the Humanitarian sector. If there were any three things I could magically change about our industry, what would it be?
Well, better late than never I guess.
I had intended to have this post written up for World Humanitarian Day on August 19th, but unfortunately in the days leading up, I found myself flat on my back with a neck injury and found it hard enough to get to the toilet, never mind write for the interwebs. So, sorry about that. And also my total lack of engagement around the whole WHD online campaign. Now I feel like the guy who didn’t wish anybody a Merry Christmas.
[Full disclosure: this year, I hardly wished anybody a Merry Christmas]
If I could snap my fingers and change three things about the Humanitarian Industry, these are they:
1. The Right People in the Field (and lose the dross)
Humanitarian work (whether emergency or long-term development focused) happens at the field level. It is, above all else, a service industry that revolves around support provided to community members by staff mobilized through our programs. The guys who operate at that level are essentially the fingertips of our agency. They are the face that communities see and they are the ones who ultimately make the decisions on a day-to-day basis that affect whether or not programs see success.
They are also the bottom rung on the organizational ladder.
*WRONG*
We have this crazy idea that there’s a hierarchy of importance in the aid industry. The field pleb who carries out community mobilzation meetings to talk about how to go to the toilet without getting cholera is at the bottom. Then there’s the program manager who reports on the daily activities to their boss, an area manager of some kind. Most likely, these guys are locally hired, maybe even national staff from somewhere else in the country if they’re in management roles. Some of them are totally awesome. Some of them haven’t finished high school, or are useless. Some of them haven’t finished high school and are still totally awesome.
At the other end of the spectrum, we’ve got headquarters office in some European nation where white guys (and increasingly, I’m happy to say, non-white guys and non-guys) with thirty years’ experience in the industry have desk-jobs where they make decisions on how best to do our work. Some of these guys even started working as field plebs in some country office and ‘worked their way up’ to become senior managers, or technical experts, or sectoral advisors, or whatever it is they’ve become. Some of them are totally awesome. Some of them are a complete waste of space.
The thing is, we’ve got it topsy-turvy. We’ve assumed that our field works like a corporate model, and the further you get from the field, the more of an expert you are, and the better contribution you can make to the organization. When the fact is, when you’re stuck at some lofty level in a dysfunctional bureaucracy, your contribution gets watered down until, at the field level, it mixes with the hundreds of contributions from hundreds of other technical experts, and comes to pretty much zilch. Meanwhile, some local kid hired last year is running field activities and has never even heard of your innovative collaborative cross-cutting approach, and is just getting on with business.
I know some awesome field guys stranded in head offices, men and women who really know how to interact with and inspire a community. In fact, I know people like that at pretty much every level in the industry. I can list off passionate local field coordinators who really know how to communicate with their own people. Dynamic expat area managers who have an amazing and inspirational connection to their staff and the programs they’re responsible for. Maybe the best community engagement field worker I’ve ever met was a Latina expat who ran a multi-country disaster preparedness program in Central America. Man, she had communities eating out of her hand- they loved her.
I’ve also known a lot of space-wasters. People who’ve been promoted simply because they’ve put in the time, or because their brother works in the right ministry. Expat experts who’ve been around too long and are keeping a desk warm until their long-service-leave matures. Field workers who are ignorant, don’t care, or are abusive to the communities they’re supposed to be serving, and local area managers who’ve set up their own kingdom and are skimming off the top. Internationals who once upon a time made good field staff, but have had to return to home-base offices to raise a family, and are drying up inside and getting too cynical to be of much use.
This is due partly to an inherent trend to favour a corporate model, and partly due to perceptions of financial restrictions. Why would we pay an expat ten times what we can pay a local to mobilize at the community level, especially when the expat wants a place for their kids and the local has a better connection with the community.
Well, there is some truth to these constraints, but it’s not complete. You see, we need the right people in the right places. Sometimes, that’s gonna mean we need somebody from that community to be the face of our organization. Other times, it might be a national from somewhere else. In some circumstances, there might be an expatriate who is just the right person for that particular job- they have a way of interacting that inspires and provides leadership, and they have the right technical skill-set to really make a difference.
Basically, we stick some of our best field staff behind desks where they can’t be effective, and pay our lowest salaries to the men and women who represent the organization and are ultimately going to operationalize our plans.
Think about this. Our reputation, our impact, our very humanitarian imperative rests on the people we invest least in. Is this good business? No.
The industry needs to put its best people in positions where they can have direct operational control over field activities and staff, where they can represent the organization to our most important stakeholders- the community themselves. People who have the capacity to simultaneously implement best practice in gender, accountability, disaster risk reduction and complexity management.
We wouldn’t expect a high-school graduate in some western nation to be able to get up and run at this level. Why would we expect it of our field-staff? And yet this is the level we should be operating at.
So you need to pay an expatriate wage for a ‘low-level’ program manager sometimes? Okay, so what? I realise it will raise a few awkward issues around pay equity between national and expat staff members, but are you really going to let that stand in the way of maximising impact? Besides, it won’t always be the case- sometimes you’ll find the right staff member locally, too- but make sure they’re fairly paid for what they’re offering (not to get all communist on you here). But let’s have a career progression that sees our best staff encouraged and supported to operate at the field level, not some lofty height where they’re effectively useless, while staff who are not-yet-competent (or in some cases, simply lack the will or capacity to do any better) do our most important work and aren’t paid, recognized or supported accordingly.
Oh, and all those middle layers of bureaucracy, expertise and hamster-wheel box-ticking management? Plebs like me? Send ‘em back to the field or sack ‘em.
[Full disclosure: Since writing this, I’ve been sent closer to the field- yay]
2. Downward Accountability & Complete Transparency
A reminder that seems to need to be pushed out time and again in this industry: We’re here for the communities first, and everybody else second. None of this dual-citizenship where we have to treat our donors as equal stakeholders in the process. I’m sorry. You’re a donor. You’re not why we’re here, so get over it, and if you don’t like it, then don’t give. We exist to serve our communities. Period.
As such we have to not just talk accountability- we have to be accountable. Get our communities running their own assessments. None of this seeds-in-a-pile stuff, either. I mean, sure, if it’s the most appropriate way to get information and connect with the communities, by all means run with it. But please, half these guys have smart-phones now. You’re telling me you can’t involve them in your assessment process in a more sophisticated way? And if they’re not there yet? Invest in them so they can be.
How about getting them to help write your project designs? Contribute to discussions on how the project will be managed, and what indicators and outputs they want to see in their communities. Not just , “I want a well”. How about things like flow-rate, water quality, how to set up the distribution network, and safety issues? How about bringing them to meet the donor when you negotiate the project terms? Let them see your budget- including management costs. Do they see your reports? How about letting them write the reports? Do your communities lack the capacity to do that? Really? Do they? If so, you’d better put education at the top of your to-do list, cos take it from somebody who views reports for a living: It ain’t rocket science.
HAP International has a fantastic tool that prescribes the appropriate levels of accountability for a program to be truly answerable to the community it purports to serve, but like most systems it can become a tick-the-box exercise and be paid nothing more than lip-service. “Yes, we’re HAP compliant. There’s a little wooden box they can put complaints into if they want to.”
Let’s make it actually happen so that communities get to call the shots. I bet our programs would look pretty different.
On the same topic (and not wanting to be cheating too much here by adding extra things to my list), let’s be totally transparent and accountable to all our stakeholders, not just communities. Let’s let our budgets and reports be uploaded onto central publically-accessible databases. We bear in mind the need to protect certain information for the safety of staff, beneficiaries, or the organization- but we don’t hide behind this. Let our donor public see what we’re up to. Let communities and host governments see what we’re up to. Partner agencies. The UN. Donor governments.
It makes you squirm. And it would hurt at first. There’d be a lot of re-aligning of expectations on behalf of donors. A lot of re-aligning of employment on behalf of NGOs, for sure. But it’d settle. And we’d all be better off for it. And a lot more honest.
Of course, implicit in this assumption is intelligent donorship. Donors need to be able to look at what NGOs do, and what they are, and how they work, and within the context of this transparency, make appropriate decisions about how to invest in supporting communities in need- for goodness sake stop talking about ‘overheads’. We don’t have that yet. A part of that is due to the lack of transparency and the partial-honesty with which we treat our constituents. There are other factors in there too- particularly politics- which are harder to overcome.
3. Action Fitted to Context
Wow. We’re here again. Needs oriented! Make your programs appropriate to the context you’re operating in! Humanitarian imperative first! How many times do we have to have the same conversation? I guess as many times as we keep making decisions to prioritize things other than the needs context of the people we’re supposed to be serving. Do I really need to say very much more about this one? I sincerely hope not. Suffice to say, this isn’t happening. Not yet. If there was one thing I could change with a snap of my fingers, it would be this one. Easy. Done.
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The Dynamics of Human-Sea Ice Relationships: Comparing Changing Environments in Alaska, Nunavut, and Greenland
This project is funded by NSF grant 0624344
To conduct an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural study of the dynamic relationship between humans and sea ice.
Shari Fox is the PI; Roger Barry and Henry Huntington are Co-PIs; Andy Mahoney, Ilkoo Angutikjuak, Joelie Sanguya, Igah Sanguya, Geela Tigullaraq, Toku Oshima, Mamarut Kristiansen, Qaerngaaq Nielsen, Warren Matumeak, Joe Leavitt, and Nancy Leavit are Co-Investigators.
This project is also referred to as "Siku-Inuit-Hila" (Sea ice, people, and weather). The research team includes social and physical scientists and members of each community: Barrow (Alaska), Clyde River (Nunavut) and Qaanaaq (Greenland). The project relies heavily on fieldwork conducted by the whole team in each community. Comparisons of sea ice use and changes are the focus of workshops and field excursions. The team will also establish ice monitoring stations, which are monitored by local observers to record the ice growth and melt cycle at key locations for each community.
In recent years, Arctic sea ice has been thinning, retreating, and changing its patterns of freeze up and break up. For many indigenous communities in the Arctic, sea ice use and human-sea ice relationships that are deeply rooted in time, as well as identity, are being challenged. There is an urgent need for scientists, decision makers, and others to better understand the human and social dynamics surrounding Arctic sea ice change, what is at stake for coastal communities, and what the responses might be. Using the unique approach of an international, multidisciplinary, and multicultural "sea ice knowledge exchange," the investigators, in partnership with indigenous sea ice experts (hunters and Elders) from three regions of the Arctic (Barrow, Alaska; Clyde River, Nunavut, Canada; and Qaanaaq, Greenland), will conduct a comparative study across these three communities. Bringing together traditional knowledge, science, and methods from social sciences (e.g. interviews; participatory observation) and physical science (e.g. analysis of remote sensing imagery and meteorological data), the research team will examine the following:
Characteristics of sea ice and its use by humans, including the role of the human-sea ice relationship in social organization of the three communities
Changes in human use patterns over time
Changes to sea ice, with particular attention to the features most crucial for human uses
Recent human responses to changes in sea ice
Societal impacts from sea ice changes and human responses
Implications for future changes, impacts, and adaptation
The results of the research will
Provide important insights into present and anticipated changes to Arctic ecosystems at scales most significant to coastal inhabitants and ecosystems
Provide insights into present and potential adaptations by local residents
Involve local residents in the study, thereby increasing their capacity for collaborative participation in scientific research while improving capabilities to communicate results effectively to the local communities
Involve young investigators (graduate student, junior scientists, and local high school students)
Increase the capacity of groups such as the Inuit Circumpolar Council and local Hunters and Trappers Associations to take a substantial role in Arctic research
Provide training and infrastructure for sea ice research in communities (e.g. ice monitoring equipment and oral history training) and build a network of researchers and Arctic residents across three countries
Create models and tools for studying human-environment relationships in the Arctic, as well as linking indigenous knowledge and science
Contribute data sets and analysis to ongoing research efforts by organizations such as the Canadian Ice Service and the Inuit Circumpolar Council.
The study expands on issues identified by the international Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA 2005) and will contribute to the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008.
View "Inuit Isaannit Silaannaq," a 2007 video documentary by Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa-TV (Greenland National Broadcasting Company) about the "Siku-Inuit-Hila" project and Fox's and Mahoney's fieldwork in Greenland. (In Greenlandic; interviews with Fox and Mahoney are in English)
Download a copy of "A Change in the Weather," an article about Shari Fox's research in Nunavut, featured in the February 2008 issue of Natural History magazine. (PDF, 1.2 MB)
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Things Your Mom Never Told You About Traveling
July 28, 2017 by Arkady Bukh
Guest post by Jerry Nelson
As an American freelance writer living the expat life in South America, I frequently have to travel internationally. Most often my flights take me to Peru, Colombia or maybe Europe. Occasionally, I have to go to America.
Flights into America can be nightmares. Line up to get off the plane. Line up to collect luggage. Line up for airport security and manhandling by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers.
My next scheduled trip to America is in October. Since it’s been five years, I contacted a friend who used to work for the TSA and asked him some questions. I wanted to find out had the agency changed? What would the screeners do in a bona fide emergency and well, anything else he ought to tell me.
I sat down with a former TSA worker to get an explanation of what life is like inside the hated organization.
It’s not easy to be a federal officer. To join the FBI, CIA or DEA, a four-year degree is needed in addition to professional qualifications and experience. Even if a person doesn’t have the time to collect all the required experience and knowledge, they can still try to join the TSA.
Screeners with the TSA aren’t cops. They’re not even law enforcement. But once a person works with the TSA for a few years, they can qualify for the “interchange agreement” with the Department of Homeland Security and their chances of going to work for one of the alphabet agencies is improved.
My contact, Javin O’brien, applied to join the TSA since he noticed it was the shortest reasonable route to a job as a federal law enforcement officer.
“I applied because, for people without any real job experience, they were the only federal agency that would take me on. There aren’t any real requirements to join — just a year of security experience or a high school diploma.”
Since a person can’t learn freedom, someone could drop out of high school, spend a year guarding McDonald’s at the local mall and then be ‘qualified’ to join the thick-in-the-middle blue line. Despite a sky-high turnover rate, Javin ended up staying with the agency for over ten years.
No One Cares About The Weapons That Made 9/11 Happen
Remember when the TSA made the big announcement they would allow persons to bring tiny pocket knives on planes? The small-blades fans had a precious few weeks before the TSA changed its mind and reinstated the ban. According to Javin, TSA upper management shifted a lot of emphasis from policing those tiny blades.
“They wanted us to look more for larger things which could bring a plane down,” said Javin.
‘Larger things’ including explosives, for instance, sounds reasonable, but Javin made a valid point.
“9/11 happened because of guys with box cutters. Those still get past the security checkpoints like clockwork,” Javin said.
Most of the scanning of carry-on luggage is by machine. The machines are programed to find things like firearms and explosives. The machines also have test programs which occasionally quiz the operator. What happens when a worker would fail?
If the employee misses three items, they head back to remedial training.
The workers often overlook knives as they’re focused on not missing one of the built-in tests. The machine ignores box cutters, but try to bring an alarm clock and wire collection through and the passenger will be flagged.
While the device’s software has gotten better at detecting potential threats, the training received hasn’t improved. One indicator of a lack of improved training is the continuation of racial profiling. However, Javin says the worst profiling has nothing to do with race.
“I witness detection officers who would take an attractive woman to the side under the guise of a ‘reasonable suspicion’ to search her carry-on, and possibly do a body search through the scanner.”
Javin isn’t the only one bringing this problem up. Multiple females have alleged the TSA targets them for ‘inspection.’ One female passenger said the inspection came after an agent commented on her figure.
The accusations fall in with the fact that TSA requires no experience and the people typically hired are twenty-somethings who don’t understand privacy.
One question I still have is one that no one has been able to answer, including Javin.
If the TSA screening finds something suspicious in a bag at the security checkpoint — and it’s an obvious threat — then what? If the person is a terrorist, he’s not going to put his hands up in defeat. What does the TSA do? If a bomb is found, what next?
So far, no one has had an answer to that question.
A former head of airport security for Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport asked the same question at the 2015 National TSA Conference in Texas
He didn’t get an answer either.
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Home / What We Do / Capacity Development
Capacity development is a cornerstone of the NCD Alliance’s work aimed at empowering and supporting NCD civil society at national and regional levels to effectively and sustainably stimulate government action and ensure accountability for NCDs.
Translating global political NCD commitments into public health, development, and societal gains requires strong and sustainable regional and national civil society. The NCD Alliance’s capacity development programmes aim to support the growth of national and regional NCD alliances, strengthen advocacy and accountability, and amplify the voices of people living with NCDs.
The NCD Alliance leads on a variety of initiatives and in-depth tailored programmes to develop civil society capacity to deliver progress on NCD prevention and control. We focus on nurturing and enabling strong and sustainable alliances that effectively bring together different organisations to advocate on common issues and monitor national and regional progress.
The NCD Alliance seeks to promote a vibrant and active NCD civil society community with collaborations and partnerships across sectors, borders, diseases and risk factors.
Our Views, Our Voices
Our Views, Our Voices is an initiative that seeks to promote the meaningful involvement of people living with NCDs in the NCD response. Find out more about this initiative and learn how you can get involved here!
NCD Advocacy Institute
The NCD Advocacy Institute includes the Seed Programme and the Accelerator Programme, supporting nascent and well-established NCD alliances to play an active role in the NCD response.
Supporting National and Regional Action
"Expanding Access to Care, Supporting Global, regional and country level NCD Action" is an NCD Alliance programme in partnership with Medtronic Philanthropy. It aims to build the capacity of NCD civil society to monitor national progress on NCDs, advocate for improved NCD policies and strengthen health systems.
The Civil Society Resource Library contains a wide variety of tools and guidance, advocacy materials, features of national and regional action, as well as relevant articles and case studies to help inform and inspire national and regional NCD Alliances. As a communal and ever-growing knowledge repository, we encourage you to submit recommendations of relevant resources for inclusion!
Directory of National & Regional NCD Alliances
Today there is a growing network of national and regional NCD alliances providing vital platforms for unified advocacy. Explore a world of NCD alliances here…
NCD Atlas
The Atlas documents 38 case studies and programmes on a broad range of issues relating to access, awareness, accountability and advocacy, collected from national and regional NCD alliances around the world.
civil society, accountability, best practice
Advocacy Agenda of People Living with NCDs
The Advocacy Agenda of People Living with NCDs was built with the generous input of 1,893 people living with NCDs who took part in the Our Views, Our Voices consultation efforts. It provides a compass for NCD advocacy efforts and functions as a living document that captures the priorities of people living with NCDs. It is intended to guide and support efforts of key stakeholders to improve NCD prevention and control.
people living with NCDs, advocacy, UNHLM, national and regional alliances
Practical guide on how to build effective national and regional NCD alliances
This interactive guide is designed to support new NCD alliances through their establishment phase by outlining the steps involved and offering practical tools. NCD Alliance has drawn upon the experiences of coalition building for health and non-health goals, it also aims to identify concrete ways that alliances can enhance their impact and efficiency. Published November 2016
tools, partnerships
Community Conversation Guide - ENGLISH
Our Views, Our Voices is an initiative by the NCD Alliance and PLWNCDs that seeks to invite people from all over the world living with a range of different NCDs to share their views, take action, and drive change. This guide provides all the information and materials needed to host a community conversation.
our views our voices, people living with NCDs
News article: More support needed for people living with NCDS (PLWNCDs)
https://ncdalliance.org/news-events/news/more-work-is-needed-to-meaningfully-inv…
Advocacy Institute
Supporting National & Regional Action
Scaling up NCD action in Francophone Africa
Following NCDA's Regional Workshop on NCDs for Francophone Africa in June 2019, over 15 civil society representatives adopted the Dakar Declaration with the aim of scaling up civil society and governments' actions on the prevention and control of NCDs in the region.
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DC Recap Summer Session, Week 6
Welcome back! We got another round of recaps of Wonder Woman, Constantine, and Swamp Thing to get to, so how about we do that right now? We good?
“Wonder Woman vs. Gargantua”
Wonder Woman faces a new kind of Nazi threat besides just another round of Nazi spies: a trained giant gorilla named Gargantua! Gargantua is put into play to recover a captured Nazi agent under Army protection, and suffice to say, our heroes are a little surprised to hear a giant ape is responsible for stealing their newest asset. But with that task accomplished, Gargantua’s trainer thinks their trained gorilla would be useful in one more mission the Nazis have failed at: capturing Wonder Woman! Well, she believes it so much that she’s left a clue for Wonder Woman to find them, and she does.
Wonder Woman however is able to capture Gargantua without having to seriously injure him, but not retrieve the kidnapped Nazi agent. But Gargnatua’s evil trainer is still convinced her ape can defeat Wonder Woman, so she steals him back, and tries to get Gargantua back on the “kill Wonder Woman” track. Good thing Wonder Woman is able to convince Gargantua that’s she’s his friend, capture all those Nazis, and return Gargantua to his home in Africa. Well, return him after stealing him from the circus he escaped from, but hey…
Hopefully she’ll get that guy out of that ape suit soon, because he must be sweating pounds off by now.
–In the guest cast this time, we get veteran character actor Robert Loggia as our main Nazi bad guy.
–Not a bad ape costume for this era, but boy, once you get close (or in HD, in my case) that thing looks so much like a guy in an ape suit.
–Did anyone tell that circus about Gargantuan being taken back home? I mean, maybe warn a business before you take away a big part of their income!
–I think Diana suggested apes are on Paradise Island, which…why not at this point?
“Rage of Caliban”
Constantine and Chaz head down to Alabama for Halloween, but not for any trick or treating. A strange murder has occurred where the parents of a little girl are brutally killed, but she is left unscathed. Constantine finds out there’s a link between this and other related murders, now happening at an exponentially faster rate. A meeting with the first kid who had this happen to them (who is now grown up and in a mental asylum) leads John to deduce a demon is possessing these kids, and to seek the newest victim of this demon before another batch of parents dies.
Constantine tries to exorcise the demon from the kid and realizes that the demon is not just some demon from Hell: it’s one connected to the rage of that victim in the mental asylum, and it’s acting out that man’s rage towards his own dead parents! So Constantine corners the possessed kid in a Halloween carnival and expels the demon back to Hades, which means no more parent killing in the future. Oh and if you wondered why I didn’t mention Zed in this, it’s because she’s not in this episode. She’s busy, I guess.
Haunted House Hunters with John Constantine, coming soon to HGTV.
–This episode is directed by Neil Marshall, who has been a genre favorite for directing The Descent, and recently the Hellboy reboot.
–Fun note with that Sword of Truth that Chas holds early on. Chas has some issues to talk about.
–I’ll never not love that image of Constantine grabbing a smoke while lounging on a truck as trick or treaters stroll by.
–“You know, I’ve never punched an angel, but you are begging for it, mate.”
We have a few things to deal with, and surprisingly the biggest one isn’t those hunters who are trying to capture Swamp Thing, and fail rather badly. One big plot point this episode is we learn more about how Alec ended up being shot and left for dead, and that’s Deputy Matt was actually responsible for the deed! He was doing it to protect his mom, who is under the thumb of Avery, but things get complicated when he realizes Alec is still alive, and still a little vague as to who shot him in the first place. And that’s not even the scariest encounter here.
Daniel Cassidy is still comatose after that crowbar to the skull last episode, but Woodrue decides to test that sample he found as a serum on the unconscious Daniel. Daniel wakes up, more from his curse reacting to that serum, and the reaction is enough to interest Avery in more of Woodrue’s research. Also an odd note, that “phantom stranger” Swampy ran into last time pops up in a flashback with Daniel, and he’s the one who gave him that Blue Devil curse! And Abby somehow gets to see Alec as a human again, which I’m sure will be explained in the remaining episodes this show has…or not…
The Sharknado franchise will mess you up in ways we can’t imagine.
–Matt is probably telling his mom about Alec not being dead at the end of the episode, isn’t he? I wonder how that is going to go as Matt threatened earlier to transfer out of Marais after revealing his involvement in “killing” Alec.
–Is Liz going to stay quiet on that Sunderland story after what happened to Daniel? She seems convinced she might.
–Of course Woodrue suggests to Avery that keeping Abby on a leash might be beneficial.
–Those giant splinters to the face, man. Yikes.
NEXT TIME: Wonder Woman fights a Nazi plot to create earthquakes, Constantine meets a minister with the power to heal, and Swamp Thing takes Abby on an eventful tour of his home!
Tags: Alec Holland, Andy Bean, Constantine, Crystal Reed, DC, DCTV, DCU, Diana Prince, FanGirl Squee, Geekery, Invisible Plane, John Constantine, Lynda Carter, Matt Ryan, Mini-caps, Papa Midnite, Steve Trevor, Stewart, Summer Recaps, Swamp Thing, Television, Virginia Madsen, Wonder Woman, Zed
← DC Recap Summer Session, Week 5
DC Recap Round-Up 3, Week 1: Batwoman Begins! →
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HomePosts tagged 'Hiring'
Google finds that in hiring practices, what’s old is new again.
August 11, 2013 Phillip Nones Business, Employment, Human Resources, Uncategorized Adam Bryant, Business, Corporate Hiring, Employment, Google, Hiring, HR, Human Resources, Laszlo Bock, Management, Nones, Personnel, Recruitment
Google Gone Retro: Its hiring practices look more familiar than different today.
Has Google made an about-face when it comes to the way it hires staff?
Over the years, there have been numerous articles written about Google’s unorthodox and highly selective recruitment and interviewing process.
The company seemed to take a certain delight in the degree to which it subjected job candidates to mind-bending suitability tests and humiliating proctology-like HR examinations.
So I was a bit surprised to read this June 19, 2013 article in the New York Times, in which staff business reporter Adam Bryant published excerpts from an interview he had with Laszlo Bock, senior vice president of people operations at Google.
A major objective of the interview was to determine to what degree so-called “Big Data” can be used to help find the right candidates fill leadership and managerial positions in companies.
Instead of giving us all sorts of ways in which Big Data is helping to do that, Mr. Bock focused instead on the limitations. And in the process, he revealed that Google has made attempts to harness more experiential data to come up with more effective hiring practices. Here’s what he said:
“We’ve done some interesting things to figure out how many job candidates we should be interviewing for each position, who are better interviewers than others, and what kind of attributes tend to predict success at Google.
On the leadership side, we’re looking at what makes people successful leaders and how we can we cultivate that.”
And what about some of the more infamous Google hiring practices, such as looking at college transcripts from a million years ago or asking people to solve impossible “challenge questions” or equations? Bock revealed these learnings:
“We found that brainteasers are a complete waste of time. How many golf balls can you fit into an airplane? How many gas stations in Manhattan? A complete waste of time. They don’t predict anything. They serve primarily to make the interviewer feel smart.”
And about GPA stats, Bock revealed that after all of the data crunching, Google’s HR department came to this conclusion:
“GPAs are worthless as a criteria for hiring, and test scores are worthless – no correlation at all, except for brand-new college grades where there’s a slight correlation … we found that they don’t predict anything.
After two or three years, your ability to perform at Google is completely unrelated to how you performed when you were in school, because the skills you required in college are very different. You’re also fundamentally a different person. You learn and grow. You think about things differently.”
So now Google has reverted to the tried-and-true formula of structured behavioral interviews, consistently applied across all applicants.
This includes using standardized behavioral questions to listen to open-ended responses, which then makes it possible to see how candidates actually interacted in real-world situations, as well as what they consider to be “easy” or “difficult” situations in which they found themselves.
Regarding leadership qualifications, according to Bock, Google has found that these are ambiguous or amorphous characteristics:
“For leaders, it’s important that people know you are consistent and fair in how you think about making decisions, and that there’s an element of predictability. If a leader is consistent, people on their teams experience tremendous freedom because then they know that within certain parameters, they can do whatever they want.”
Where “big data” comes in to play here is in twice-a-year employee surveys that Google conducts on all of its managers, evaluating a variety of factors.
Those factors are the fundamental ones — things like sharing information, treating all team employees fairly, and providing clear goals and performance standards.
But Bock cautions that leadership success is highly dependent on the context; what works at one company isn’t necessarily right for another firm. “I don’t think you’ll ever replace human judgment and human inspiration and creativity,” he notes.
I was pleased to read these comments, because I always felt that attempting to develop a radically new paradigm for job hiring, while being an interesting and novel endeavor, was also somewhat presumptuous on the part of Google.
At the end of the day, human nature is what it is: fickle, unpredictable, fallible. No amount of “re-engineering” is going to change that.
HR managers’ views of new college grad hires: Curmudgeonly … or canaries in the coal mine?
March 24, 2013 April 2, 2013 Phillip Nones Uncategorized Business, Center for Professional Excellence, College Graduates, Hiring, HR, Human Resources, New Workers, Nones, Nones Notes, NSFW, Personnel, Phillip Nones, Work Environment, Workforce, York College
As those of us in the world of business begin to add years (or decades) to our tenure, it becomes easier than ever to look at the younger crop of workers coming onstream and see traits that don’t align with our worldview about what is acceptable, “SFW” behavior.
Perhaps we’re too set in our ways. Maybe we’re not being flexible enough or making a sufficient effort to keep an open mind about proper office professionalism and etiquette.
But maybe we’re not offbase after all: A new survey of HR professionals suggests that others have also noticed — and they’re not very forgiving, either.
In fact, this survey of ~400 human resources managers, which was conducted by the Center for Professional Excellence at York College, found that opinions of recent college graduates in the workforce have grown more negative over the past five years. (The survey is conducted annually.)
When asked about their experiences in recruiting and hiring recent college graduates, these HR managers were pretty unsparing in their criticism. Here are some of the opinions the survey uncovered:
More than one-third of HR respondents felt that the level of professionalism among new college-educated employees has worsened over the past five years.
Nearly half believe that the work ethic of new employees is worse today than before.
More than half of the respondents feel that new workers come into the workforce with an unrealistic air of entitlement.
What are some of the specific areas where HR managers see new hires failing to measure up? These were the most prevalent mentions in the York survey:
Appropriate appearance and dress
Punctuality and workplace attendance
Staying on-task through to completion of assignments
And that’s not all.
The human resources professionals in this survey reported that younger employees “appear arrogant” during the hiring process and once they come on the job.
Moreover, these HR professionals contend that new employees aren’t taking proper cues from older, more established workers in the office, but instead from their peers and friends.
A manifestation of this is the predilection to text co-workers rather than to communicate via e-mail messages, or through personal conversations and interfaces.
The basic problem with the attitudes of new company hires was pointed out by Deborah Ricker, director of the Center for Professional Excellence: “Acceptable behavior among peers is not necessarily acceptable among coworkers and superiors.”
[Click here if you’re interested in downloading a full summary of the 2013 Professionalism in the Workplace survey results.]
Most of us can probably think of one or two examples of employees who personify many of the issues brought up by the HR managers in the York survey.
One example that comes to my mind from our own office’s experience was a young worker who decided she needed to take short naps during her lunch periods.
Nothing really wrong with that, except … she did so by lying down on the floor next to her desk — which was directly behind another worker’s cubicle. Imagine trying to do your work while having someone snoozing (snoring) at your feet!
If you have similar anecdotes about some of the younger hires in your office, feel free to leave a comment. It’ll be good for a chuckle or two – even if there’s an underlying context that’s way sober.
The employment cunundrum: “Workers, workers everywhere … and ‘nary one to hire.”
January 19, 2012 Phillip Nones Uncategorized American Economy, Business, Economy, Employment, Hiring, Labor Force, Labor Trends, Manpower, Staffing, Unemployment, Worker Shortage
These days, conservative estimates are that ~13 million Americans are seeking employment. And yet, more U.S. companies are reporting that they can’t find qualified workers to fill their open positions.
In fact, more than half of American employers surveyed by Manpower Group, a leading staffing group, report that they’re having trouble hiring qualified workers. That’s nearly 40% higher than what was reported in the company’s 2010 survey.
The most obvious reason for the incongruity is the disconnect between the background and capabilities of available workers and the skill sets companies are seeking.
But there may be a few other factors at work as well. Spokespersons for Manpower Group suspect the following:
The 2009 recession made it very easy for companies to find qualified candidates … but those days are now over.
Employers are less willing to invest the time or dollar resources to train new employees for specialized or unique work.
Employers may be less willing to hire candidates from outside their area so as to avoid incurring relocation expenses … even as job candidates may also be less willing to consider moving because of the soft housing market.
Melanie Holmes, a Manpower vice president, puts it this way: “Employers are getting pickier and pickier. We want the perfect person to walk through the door.” She and other specialists contend that companies need to get more realistic about the situation and react accordingly.
The Manpower survey results were part of a large global research study of ~40,000 employers worldwide. The trends it sees of greater difficulties in hiring were clearly evident in several other countries, besides just the U.S. (India, U.K. and Germany), whereas in China the trend was just the opposite.
More results from the 2011 Manpower Group survey can be found here.
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New Horizons Global Partners
Asia's Leading PEO
Staffing & PEO
Saudi Arabia Immigration and Work Visa Rules
Home » International Business Expansion Guides » Saudi Arabia Immigration and Work Visa Rules
January 6, 2020 by Antoine Boquen
In an attempt to create a more business-friendly environment, Saudi Arabia immigration policies have recently experienced dramatic changes. It is important to understand recent changes in Saudi Arabia’s immigration policy, including the effect on work visa requirements and how these changes may affect your business.
Major Changes to Saudi Arabia Immigration Policy
List of Major Saudi Arabia Immigration Policy Changes
Potential Implications of Changes to Saudi Arabia Immigration Policies
How to Incorporate New Changes
Understanding these important changes can help you better prepare for the future of your business.
Saudi Arabia’s immigration policy has experienced a number of dramatic changes over the last few months and continues to evolve.
The most major change is to the Nitaqat program. Nitaqat is Saudi Arabia’s official nationalization program.
Saudi Arabian government officials want to make sure that local residents have the best advantages for employment in the country. This program provides nationalization targets that are different for different industries.
When adequate numbers of skilled Saudi nationals are available to fill these positions, the target for that industry is increased.
Additionally, certain job fields have been provided with targets by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development. This government agency has tried to balance efforts to balance nationalization while also promoting foreign investment.
Recent changes to the localization requirements have eased some regulations pertaining to immigration and labor standards.
Companies have been given additional incentives to encourage foreign talent. Some of these new policies have effectively reversed policies in 2017 and 2018 that aggressively required localization.
Saudi Arabia recently appointed a new Ministry of Labour, who has an extensive background in business. This appointment signals the country’s desire to have a thriving private-sector that aligns with Vision 2030.
Major changes to this system include the following:
Easing foreign national quotas – Approved quota requirements have been increased to two years. There is currently a suspension of labor market testing for every quota application. Additionally, there are relaxed quota requirements based on changes in the employee structure due to departing foreign workers.
Reducing quotas in certain sectors – Certain sectors are required to maintain a much smaller quota of local resident employees. IT sectors are decreased from 49% to 39%. Banking and finance are reduced from 82% to 65%. Oil and gas sector requirements are reduced from 66% to 46%. New Saudi employees are counted immediately for the purposes of quota calculations, instead of from an average of 26 weeks.
Easing financial burdens – Expats from certain green employers can receive reimbursement and exemption. Additional reviews of expat and dependent levies will be completed. Bilateral agreements can reduce the cost of visitor visa fees.
Increasing flexibility for travel – Another Saudi Arabia immigration policy that has been adjusted is the granting of longer validity for visas. South Korean, Japan, French, UK and U.S. nationals can receive a visa from three to five years. Tourist visas are also being issued for entertainment, tourism and hospitality sectors.
The recently enacted changes have had a positive effect on human resources and growth in Saudi Arabia. The new policies have led to shorter processing time to onboard foreign talent because of the lower quota requirements and because the labor market test is suspended.
Human resources departments are amending their job titles when employees’ roles and responsibilities change to take advantage of the looser requirements. The changes are also expected to provide the government with the most recent and accurate data regarding workplaces in Saudi Arabia.
Because of the possibility of reimbursement and waiver of the expat levy, more foreign nationals are able to take advantage of the opportunity to travel and do business in Saudi Arabi.
Companies that have high numbers of foreign national employees stand to gain the most because of this important change.
Companies further benefit by not having to apply for a block visa quota once a foreign worker leaves, The new policies allow a company to fill the role immediately with another qualified candidate.
Businesses must be thoughtful in how they incorporate these new changes into their existing policies. They must plan and implement internal review procedures to make sure that they are taking advantage of the latest changes and relaxing of quotas.
Conscientious businesses will want to ensure they are compliant with local labor and immigration rules.
Businesses should set up a consistent process to obtain a monthly nationalization report and track the expiry of any approved block visa they have.
They should also set up a process so that when a foreign worker leaves the company that another employee can seamlessly be transitioned into their position.
They should review their eligibility and pursue reimbursement for their levies and ensure that they do not pay new levies. They should make amendments to job titles based on changes. They may also wish to revise employment contracts and policies to adapt to the new measures.
Working with a local immigration expert company like New Horizons and use a solution such a PEO for Saudi Arabia can also provide up-to-date advice in these matters.
Doing Business in Saudi Arabia: What Are the Challenges?
About Antoine Boquen
Antoine joined New Horizons Global Partners in 2018. He has a proven track record for helping international businesses expand to China and onboard local talents overseas. Antoine’s passion for global workforce efficiency has led him to accelerate the growth of over a hundred foreign companies in record time. He is a widely experienced French professional specialized in scaling international activities without investing heavily in time or infrastructure. Antoine spent nearly a decade in China providing HR solutions and executing global expansion strategies, successfully growing awareness for PEO and Company Incorporation solutions in Asia.
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"Washington"
"Mosnier, Joseph"
Grahamsville 1
Henry County 1
Sullivan County 1
Union County 1
Bassett, Emmett W. 1
Carver, George Washington 1
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom 1
Smith College 1
Tietjen Bassett, Priscilla 1
Till, Emmett 1
Till-Mobley, Mamie 1
Tuskegee Institute 1
Emmett W. Bassett, Ph. D. and Priscilla Tietjen Bassett Oral History Interview
Bassett, Emmett W. Ph. D., American, 1921 - 2013
Tietjen Bassett, Priscilla, American, born 1928
Smith College, American, founded 1871
Tuskegee Institute, American, founded 1881
Carver, George Washington, American, 1860s - 1943
Till, Emmett, American, 1941 - 1955
Till-Mobley, Mamie, American, 1921 - 2003
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, American, founded 1963
Grahamsville, Sullivan County, New York, United States, North and Central America
Plainfield, Union County, New Jersey, United States, North and Central America
Henry County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America
New York, United States, North and Central America
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
The oral history consists of ten digital files: 2011.174.38.1a, 2011.174.38.1b, 2011.174.38.1c, 2011.174.38.1d, 2011.174.38.1e, 2011.174.38.1f, 2011.174.38.1g, 2011.174.38.1h, 2011.174.38.1i, and 2011.174.38.1j.
Priscilla Tietjen Bassett recalls growing up in Plainfield, New Jersey, and attending Smith College, and Emmett W. Bassett, Ph. D. remembers growing up in Henry County, Virginia, serving in World War II, and attending Tuskegee Institute, where he assisted George Washington Carver with research. They tell how they met at a protest of a segregated restaurant in Massachusetts, raising money for Emmett Till's mother, their involvement in many civil rights groups in New York, and attending the March on Washington. They also discuss Dr. Bassett’s career as a professor of dairy science, Mrs. Bassett's career as a librarian, and their struggles as an interracial married couple.
2011.174.38.1a-j
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New noise
I used to write about music, now I do it when I can
Author: scottkara
Posted on December 15, 2016 by scottkara
From hard as nails metal to timeless soul music by Beyonce’s little sister, it’s been a great year for new music. Here are my albums of 2016 (for what it’s worth).
You Will Never Be One Of Us
How can an album as short as this – clocking in at just 21 minutes – be so brutal and relentless? The Californian trio’s third album, which merges death metal and raging hardcore, is made up of 10 lethal songs that slice, dice and maim. Yet, like any metal album worth it’s weight in heaviness, songs like Savage Intolerance give way to grooves that make you feel bulletproof. It’s a scary visceral attack that’s as hard as, well, nails.
Watch You Will Never Be One Of Us here (hold onto your head)
Beyonce may have released big budget extravaganza Lemonade, but her little sister released an angelic, angsty, and ambitious, yet beautifully refined soul record, that gets better with every play. And it’s been played a lot. Akin to Erykah Badu, Solange wends and winds her serenades through songs like single Cranes In The Sky, the sweet thumping swagger of Mad (with Lil Wayne) and the wiggy, head nodding boogie of Junie. Her songs may not have the butt shaking glamour of Beyonce, but who needs to dance when you make music with soul, style, and intrigue.
Watch Cranes In the Sky here
Decision Process
The New Zealand instrumental metal trio – named after a song by extreme music pioneers Godflesh – make music that is heavy and soothing all in one. There’s only one other band that does it as well and that’s fellow Kiwis Jakob. Mothra’s long-awaited debut is a beast that ebbs and flows with beauty and brutality. Heavy music is about summoning power and songs like Cataclysm (a merciless mangled beast) and Elements of Sleep (delicacy, grunt and power all in one) do just that.
Watch Splinters here
What One Becomes
For a metaller, Aaron Turner is an arty bugger. While his former band Isis was stunningly heavy, and at times beautifully tranquil, Sumac is seething, primal and unhinged. The slugging onslaught of Image of Control (II) is harrowing and testament to the deeply unnerving music Sumac make. On Clutch of Oblivion (Pts I & II) the songs disintegrate into a cacophonous maelstrom and 10 minute epic Blackout (I) is an art metal cocktail of bludgeoning brutality and brain rattling intensity.
Listen to Clutch of Oblivion here
While some of the songs on the Bad Seeds’ 16th album were written before the tragic death of Nick Cave’s son, it was always going to have a sense of heaviness and sadness attached to it. The first listen was hard to take – and tears were shed. Nick Cave has a knack of throwing your heart and soul on the rack every time an album comes out but Skeleton Tree was next level. Achingly sad and fragile, yet powerful, this album is a musical rarity that takes you to a higher, usually unattainable plain.
Watch Girl In Amber here
Let Them Eat Chaos
There’s a line from Ketamine For Breakfast that sums up spoken word artist Kate Tempest’s poetic prowess. “Through the hallway, ancient wall paper, nicotine gold, up the stairs rickety, loaded with history” she says. It’s one of the many catchy and dark lines on her second album – and it’s when Ketamine kicks in, with an agitating mix of synth and beats, that shows how stirring and powerful Let Them Eat Chaos can be. The same goes for Perfect Coffee, with dissonance giving way to melodic whimsy and deadpan mantras (“squats we used to party in are flats we can’t afford”), and Pictures on a Screen is heartbreaking and touching as it dials up 80s Stranger Things-style synth.
Watch Kate Tempest live here
A Radiohead album hadn’t grabbed me properly since Kid A, or perhaps Amnesiac. Although Lotus Flower was a wonderfully warped and dancey highlight of The King of Limbs. The thing is, I’d lost interest in Radiohead. But the ebbing strains of Burn the Witch was a riveting opener to their ninth album, and the song that hooked me back in. A Moon Shaped Pool had the musical mood swings and sonic exploration that define Radiohead – from the catchy and noisy pitter patter sing-a-long of Identikit, through to the probing and simmering centrepiece Ful Stop. Radiohead were well and truly back.
Watch Burn the Witch here
The Violent Sleep of Reason
Just another brute of an album from the Swedish metal overlords. For non-believers Meshuggah sound like a mangled and twisted wreck. Which is the whole point, because it’s hard work sounding like this, and no other band does. Even after eight albums it’s incomprehensible how they keep churning out this sort of scything sonic terror. The Violent Sleep of Reason is bound together by uncompromising heaviness and a willingness to see just how far a song can be pushed. It’s an album – with songs like Nostrum, a relentless mix of pathological beats and fiery frills – that leaves you feeling beaten, battered and bloody, but somehow, ready for more. Bring on the Powerstation (Auckland) show in March.
Listen to Nostrum here (play it loud and be sure to wait for the two minute mark)
DJ Kicks
This long running mix series has turned out some classics in its 20 year history – Kruder and Dorfmeister, Rockers Hi Fi, and Playgroup to name a handful. This year saw Detroit techno / house dude Moodymann let loose with a sprawling and soulful compilation of 30 tracks taking in everything from rebirth of cool jazz and thigh slapping disco house, through to some abrasive and darker beats (including NZ’s own Julien Dyne and Mara TK on Stained Glass Fresh Frozen) to make it gritty and intense. It’s a provocative dinner party compilation with a good dose of head nodding and finger tapping beats, but with some niggle and volatility for when the conversation turns.
Listen to Stained Glass Fresh Frozen here
There is much serenading amidst the hammering and savagery. The French behemoths are one of extreme music’s most grandiose bands but they never let the frills detract from the heaviness – like The Cell which morphs from a bruising stampede into a detuned massacre with a hand-on-heart croon. Then there’s Pray, a primal maelstrom with deathly chants, that’s like Sepultura’s Roots Bloody Roots done French style. But it’s the title track, a merciless mantra that never rises in tempo above a staunch walk, that proves the power of Gojira.
Watch Silvera here
A healthy dose of Psychocandy
Posted on March 3, 2016 by scottkara
It was one of the highlights of Coachella 2007.
Scarlett Johansson duetting with reunited and scuzzy Scottish legends the Jesus and Mary Chain on Just Like Honey. Scarlett didn’t sing much, or even add anything apart from some eye candy to JAMC’s most beautiful song, but it was the unlikely combo of Hollywood’s latest star with grumpy old Jim and William Reid that made it memorable.
Scarlett was there mostly thanks to director Sofia Coppola having seamlessly woven Just Like Honey – and My Bloody Valentine’s Sometimes among other tunes – into Lost In Translation.
It wasn’t ideal seeing JAMC – one of my favourite “alternative” British bands of the late 80s and 90s – in a sprawling polo field-turned-festival site with 80,000 other Coachella revellers and ravers. But hearing songs like Never Understand (JAMC doing a punky Beach Boys) and the dead beat dancey thud of Blues From a Gun at typically ear splitting volume felt good.
They even played – according to my very murky memory – Sidewalking that night, a glorious grind of a song. So they better play that song at their sold out Powerstation show in Auckland tonight. Chances are they won’t given it’s a tour where the band is playing the entirety of 1985 debut, Psychocandy. Which is fine by me. It’s worth celebrating the distortion and haze soaked record because it’s an album that was – and still is – both intriguing yet baffling, even for me and my weird-music-loving mates.
It was poppy, but with a wall of beautiful noise and guitar feedback lashed and laced throughout the songs. It could be downright nasty too when it wanted with the ear drilling distortion of In A Hole and Taste the Floor.
Still, even though Psychocandy is regarded as a classic that ushered in the era of shoegaze, it’s songs and legacy made many queasy. People like my first year university room mate who we used to call Jim because he went to the gym a lot. Jim was a top chap but to be fair was more of a George Thorogood and the Destroyers man than the Jesus and Mary Chain.
After a hard-out gym session, or a few rounds of Tae Kwon Do, he used to bowl back into our room and if JAMC or My Blood Valentine was playing he’d implore me: “Scotty, turn this bumble bee shit off would ya.
Hey, while Jim may not have had much musical taste (he won’t mind me saying that because he always said I was a music snob), somehow, weirdly, he knew his stuff. Bumble bee music pretty much sums up the haze, the sting, and the honey-like qualities of JAMC’s songs.
Right then, I’m off for a big hit of Psychocandy.
Instrumental metal rocks. Yeah!
Posted on February 27, 2016 by scottkara
Lyrics just aren’t that important.
Yes, Robert Smith from the Cure preaching that “It doesn’t matter if we all die” may have piqued my pimply teen interest, and these days when Taylor Swift starts rapping about “this sick beat” it’s great to sing along.
But the thing that really gets me going is how the music alone makes me feel. It’s visceral rather than lyrical. It could be a songs “sick beat” (Black Steel In the Hour of Chaos by Public Enemy ), or the simmering intensity of a track like Tool’s Stinkfist. Mostly though it’s about the sonic power a song wields that gets me jumping (or at least swaying and swooning), like Nice Day For An Earthquake by Hawkes Bay instrumental trio Jakob.
Ah yes, instrumental metal is my ideal.
Not that Jakob can be defined as strictly metal – they’re as much beautiful as they are heavy – but their power to make you swoon and sway is why they are one of my favourite New Zealand bands.
And every now and then an instrumental metal album – or post metal as the label goes – comes along that has the Jakob affect on me. Bands like Kiwi instrumental destroyers Kerretta, and Russians Circles and Pelican, are worth checking out. Most recently Auckland trio Mothra released its debut album, Decision Process, and it has a wonderfully belligerent yet melodic temper to it.
With support slots for everyone one from Dillinger Escape Plan to Earth, it gives an indication of the breadth of Mothra’s sound. Opener Awake The Machine sets the scene with its ebbs and flows of beauty and brutality, Escapism escalates into deep merciless thuds akin to Tool, and Cataclysm is a mangled beast that fires shards of heaviness in all directions.
It’s 7 minute epic Elements of Sleep where Mothra show their true mettle by stretching a song out to its extreme limits with a mix of delicacy, grunt, and power.
There’s another more selfish reason I like Mothra too. They are named after a song by Godflesh, a band that shaped my love of heavy music. And it’s Godflesh who is to blame for my passion for instrumental metal. Because while Justin Broadrick from Godflesh sings (well, kind of), it’s the unbridled and extreme instrumental heaviness the band conjures up that makes me beat my chest with primal joy. Music is about summoning power.
Sorry. Got a bit carried away there.
Put it this way, I would be happy if some of my favourite bands – Deafheaven, Isis, Tool – did instrumental versions of their albums. I could listen to a whole Tool album without Maynard’s vocals, even though I love his voice and it’s an instrument all on its own. But I’m happier getting down to a sick and brutal beat matched with a wild guitar slaughter. That sounds like far more fun than singing a song.
High dependency reunion
Posted on January 30, 2016 by scottkara
I won’t be at the Laneway Festival on Auckland Anniversary Day. I wanted to go, but I’ll be working, organising a factory opening up in Northland. Hardcore. So enjoy the sun, sounds, and especially the intensity of HDU (aka High Dependency Unit).
Along with Grimes and Battles, the reunion of the beautifully noisy and trippy Kiwi trio was the reason I wanted to be there.
The inner city festival has always been cool – perhaps a little too cool for me, given I haven’t heard of half the bands. But when Laneway organisers bring old noisy favourites back together then I’m happy. While Bailter Space in 2013 weren’t quite as devastating as they were in the 80s and 90s, it was just good to hear gems like Your Invisible Life again.
It’s been a little while since HDU played, but brace yourself.
The band’s gigs were something else. Volatile, suffocatingly intense, and beautiful. The songs built up, lurched, and were at times tranquil, before another slab of heaviness and intensity was added to create something all consuming and beautifully brain-rattling.
They could nut off too – Visionon off Fireworks (2001) is evidence of that.
I remember a gig at Galatos, sometime in the mid 2000s, for a classic moment of HDU volatility. It’s a little hazy, because they were good fast times, but the show was going along nicely until Tristram Dingemans (singer and guitarist) wound up his guitar and hurled it into the back of the stage, just missing drummer Dino Karlis’ head by inches. Dingemans walked off, yet Karlis and bass player Neil Phillips kept playing an unflinching and fiery groove until Dingemans returned and the gig resumed. It was menacing psychedelic rock theatre at it’s best.
I also interviewed the band in the early 2000s before a show at Auckland’s Kings Arms Tavern. I jokingly dropped in that Amino had “a bit of U2 about it”. Well, it does, listen to it! Dino jumped down my throat. Tristram looked pissed off. And Neil just sat there looking concerned, similar to what he looked like most nights on stage.
The thing is, yes they took their music seriously, but HDU played every song as if they were never going to be able to play it again. More bands should have that philosophy. And to be able to combine that unbridled approach to playing with a fearsome mongrel like HDU did is what made them so magical, transcendental, and heavy.
That’s what will hopefully unfold at Laneway.
If the health and safety guys allow it onsite at Marsden Point tomorrow (not likely) I’ll be listening to HDU’s finest work, Cross Channel Multi-Tap, in my headphones as I set up tables and make sure the marquee isn’t going to blow away. There are no records quite like it.
Postscript: No, I can’t make it to the band’s side show at Kings Arms tonight either, so I’ve got all my HDU CDs out and I’m playing them LOUD.
For what it’s worth, here are my top 10 albums of the year.
Kannon (Southern Lord)
More blissful brutality from the hooded Seattle drone masters. As opener, Kannon 1, smoulders like a glacial avalanche across almost 13 minutes, you can’t help but marvel at how something so slow and exquisitely static can be so powerful and heavy. This follow up to last year’s excellent Soused (which was a collaboration with Scott Walker) is in keeping with Sunn O)))’s punishing trademark minimalism and is best listened to loud, on headphones, and in one sitting with a glass or two of the hard stuff beside you ready to go.
Listen to Kannon here
Multi Love (Jagjaguwar)
There’s nothing that sounds like UMO. And this third album is band leader Ruban Nielson’s most self assured and fully realised record to date. He well and truly nails down the lo fi, scratchy old sound, yet somehow makes it big, dynamic, and danceable. The cute and glitchy boogie woogie of Can’t Keep Checking My Telephone will have you and the kids dancing round the kitchen table for years to come, and the delightful whimsy of the album as a whole makes this one of the most irresistible records of the year. You really can’t help but multi love it.
Watch Can’t Keep Checking My Telephone
Art Angels (4AD)
Like a Taylor Swift album for freaks and weirdos. Or for old middle aged buggers like me who like their pop music a little twisted yet catchy. That’s Grimes for you. On the back of 2012’s Visions she was touted as one of the next big things – problem was, she didn’t have the songs to back it up. On Art Angels, with its vast sonic scope that takes in everything from the cooing head nodding pop of Flesh Without Blood through to the industrial clamour and double dutch of SCREAM, she could just be the new Taylor – only sicker, grimier, and better.
Watch Flesh Without Blood
Apex Predator – Easy Meat (Century Media)
An absolute brute of an album – and considering these guys have been making brutish, grinding, and cathartic metal for almost 30 years across 15 albums, that’s saying something. At times warped, with opener and title track a rigorous and disturbing listen, then unhinged (Smash A Single Digit moves from fast and heavy to harrowing), and always raging. But as with anything Napalm Death, the fury is tempered by the thrilling and fun chest beating music that they make.
Watch Smash A Single Digit
To Pimp A Butterfly (Top Dawg)
Yeah, yeah, he’s on everyone’s best of list I know. But the thing about Kendrick Lamar is he’s more than just a rapper. He’s a clever and wily vocalist, and a musician with a vision. To Pimp A Butterfly is so dizzying and dense, even after endless listens there’s still so much to discover. Although as quick fixes go, a song like King Kunta – with its beat, funk, and cocky vocal – is a stand out and candidate for track of the year.
Watch King Kunta
In Colour (Young Turks)
Similar to Kendrick Lamar’s King Kunta, Jamie XX’s Loud Places is a song you can listen to over and over. The soothing calm that escalates into an anthemic, loved up chorus, makes it a feel good hit of summer. But In Colour also indulges the producers love of awkward beats, dance oonst, and bits and pieces of sound, that he brings together to make the most intriguing and magical electronic music around.
Watch Loud Places
New Bermuda (ANTI-)
What do you do to follow up Sunbather, one of 2013’s most doted on records? Make a more intense album that’s more listenable of course. Yes, while the San Fransisco band, who mix black metal, beautiful metal, and shoe gaze, still let rip with outbursts of blood curdling screams, there’s a refined sense of clarity to this set of songs. For starters, the timing of when they stand on the throat of a song, and refuse to let go, is more calculated. Baby Blue builds beautifully in a Jakob vein before it is held down and plied with riffs and screams. At more than 10 minutes, never has a long song not been long enough. Thrilling stuff.
Listen to Baby Blue
From Kinshasa (World Circuit)
As you’d expect with music that comes from the streets of Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, it’s raw, exciting, and has a relentless pulse running through the entire album. Mbongwana Star, which includes members of street band Staff Benda Bilili, take you to the heart of Kinshasa with the brain rattling bustle of Malukayi (featuring Konono No.1), Kimpala is unnerving yet alluring, and with Kala you finally arrive at the dance party. So pack your bags, this is one hell of a trip.
Watch Kala
Ghost Culture
Ghost Culture (Phantasy Sound)
This debut album from British electronica boffin James Greenwood mixes whimsy and melancholy (similar to the mood Damon Albarn’s The Good, The Bad, and The Queen project conjures), playful synths, and simmering trancey grooves with Answer sounding like Kraftwerk’s Autobahn has taken a detour through an endless field of flowers. The album also makes my top 10 list for the simple reason it’s one of the records I’ve listened to most this year, and because Greenwood is another current musician – like Jamie XX – whose making intriguing electronica with soul.
Watch Lucky by Ghost Culture
Pylon (Spine Farm)
Killing Joke continue their run of second career album highs with a record that harks back to the anthemic Love Like Blood-era on tracks like New Cold War and New Jerusalem, albeit underpinned with a more energetic grind and groove than the band’s mid 80s canon. However, Pylon escalates into a more frantic and intense mood where Jaz Coleman and the band do what they do best – and that’s whip up a lyrical maelstrom and a fine musical racket.
Listen to New Jerusalem
Shellac – Live at Kings Arms
Posted on December 9, 2015 by scottkara
The last time Shellac played in Auckland it was at the beautiful Mandalay ballroom in Newmarket in March 2001. Sadly the venue is long gone, but the memory of Shellac’s angular attack and searing assault has been etched permanently in the recesses of my rock’n’roll mind.
So the return of the band led by Steve Albini – the former frontman of nice’n’nasty noise makers Big Black, producer to the stars (Nirvana’s In Utero, Pixies’ Surfer Rosa, and, um, Bush), and the man whose lent a unique bite to the sound of numerous bands (Fugazi, Mogwai, and our own HDU to name a few) – is long awaited to say the least.
Indeed, that night at the Mandalay, Shellac were supported by HDU who were at the height of their volatile sonic tenure following the release of the Albani-produced Fire Works.
While HDU split up, and will reunite for next year’s Laneway, Shellac have never gone away and these days they are no different. Perhaps a little less confronting as people, but still musically abrasive, uncompromising, and riveting. It’s the sort of music that makes you feel tough.
In the 15 years since their last visit, Albini and band, also made up of drummer Todd Trainer and bass player Bob Weston, have only released two albums, including this year’s Dude Incredible. And they play some new songs, including the creepy stealth of album highlight, Riding Bikes, but the set is more of a trawl through the band’s beautifully caustic canon.
The mangled, throat wrecking shriek of Canada sets the tone for the night with classic Albini lines like, “Imagine there was a time your cigar was ironic. You’ve been at it so long, it’s chronic”.
Yet Shellac are just as capable of full blown theatrics and utter self-indulgence as they are of making their famously discordant racket.
The epic (and seemingly endless) End of Radio is a minimal masterpiece made up of Weston thrumming three chords, Albini soliloquising, and Trainer stalking the stage with a portable snare drum. It might sound a little pretentious, but it’s just Shellac toying with you, getting inside your head, and casting their spell of unease.
And besides, it’s not all serious music geek fodder. There are many laughs and even sentimental moments. During Weston’s impromptu Q&A sessions between songs we find out his favourite memory is the first time he kissed his wife.
But a Shellac show isn’t about telling stories, it’s about the songs. And few bands are capable of whipping songs into powerful pieces of ammunition like Shellac does tonight on My Black Ass from 1994’s At Action Park. It’s masterful, with guitar, drums and bass slugging it out in perfect unison.
You could even say, “Dude. Incredible”.
Mothra vinyl out now… on Instrumental metal rocks. Yeah…
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TV ReviewsIt's Always Sunny In PhiladelphiaSeason 13
"Mac Finds His Pride" in a stunning, game-changing It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia finale
Filed to:Recap
Danny DeVito, Rob McElhenney
Photo: Patrick McElhenney/FXX
TV ReviewsAll of our TV reviews in one convenient place.
“Oh my God. I get it. I get it.”
Sometimes words fail.
I’m sitting here staring at my computer screen after my first watch-through of the last episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s 13th season, “Mac Finds His Pride,” and I’m gonna need a minute.
Okay, I took 21 minutes, the length of this episode. So here goes.
It's Always Sunny In PhiladelphiaSeason 13
"Mac Finds His Pride"
“Mac Finds His Pride” is the ultimate referendum on the show’s running joke about Mac’s tortured denial of his homosexuality. And for the first 15 minutes of “Mac Finds His Pride,” it’s a really shitty one. The setup sees Frank bursting into Mac and Dennis’ apartment (gruesomely whanging his nose in the process) and unsuccessfully hectoring the depressed Mac into being the token dancing gay guy on Paddy’s pride parade float. Attempting to buck Mac up so he’ll help “rope in the gays” with some performative commercial-minded gayness, Frank takes Mac to an underground gay S&M club and a drag bar before urging Mac to finally come out to his terrifying, thankfully still-imprisoned father, Luther. (Gregory Scott Cummins, never more unnerving.) When that fails—Luthor assumes Mac’s elaborate lead-up means Luther’s about about to be a grandfather—Frank gets a leather-clad Cricket to fill in, much to Charlie and Dee’s cruel but understandable disgust. Frank, his face ballooning horrifically from his unwisely self-administered nosebleed-staunching techniques (fiberglass insulation isn’t the worst of it), decides enough’s enough, and braces Mac again about telling Luther.
Gregory Scott Cummins
Then we get to minute 16.
Some things work on so profoundly unexpected a level that spoiling them for someone else feels like a crime, or a sin. This is one. So, as much as I maintain that it’s verifiable proof of critical head injury to read a review before watching the thing being reviewed and then complaining about spoilers, I’m gonna go ahead and slap a big old SPOILER WARNING right here.
Throughout the episode, Mac has been struggling to explain to Frank why he’s not all-in on the whole “dancing on the pride float” thing. “I never really got you,” admits Frank in exasperation at one point, explaining that Mac’s finally acknowledged homosexuality is even more puzzling to him. Luther says the same, even without knowing about the gay thing, telling his own son offhandedly, “I never really got you.” Frank, giving it a shot in the drag club where Mac explains his inner struggle in terms of a vision of a dance in the midst of a raging storm with a hot chick who’s actually god, can only assess, “The Catholics really fucked you up.” And they did, Mac’s lifelong need for love and acceptance from literally anyone in his life turning him into a comically twisted zealot, unaware that he’s protesting way, way too much in his quest to curry favor with a god (and a father) he’s been taught thinks little of him, if they think about him at all.
Sunny walks the line all “edgy” comedies do, that of satirizing boorishness, bigotry, misogyny, and ignorance while mining those very behaviors for belly laughs. Mac’s gradually revealed closeted gayness was never a joke on homosexuality, but about bigotry and sexual repression—and what they can turn people into. Even so, the show’s comic mission gives Frank, tonight, cover for blurting out the foulest old-school offensive shit. Like when he picks up on Mac claiming no one in the clubs Frank has taken him to knows what’s going on inside him, sneering that it’s “five or six super-viruses, fighting it out.” Or when Frank constantly reminds Mac to “watch his back” so that the “fairies” don’t “poke [him] full of holes.” Frank’s an old asshole, so it’s funny to laugh at the horrible things he says, even as the joke is that Sunny is being so naughty by letting him say them. Later, when unveiling the suspiciously well-made float for Mac to lure in those “high-spending gay men,” Charlie dismissively talks about how the shower system he’s installed will allow Mac to do his “gay dance, or whatever,” returning to the show’s treatment of Mac’s sexuality as just one more thing about him that the rest of the Gang finds trying and ridiculous.
Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, David Hornsby, Danny DeVito
The whole episode (up until minute 16) is like that—a series of tired in-jokes, asides, and rehashed bits that make “Mac Finds His Pride” feel like its suffering from the sort of imposter syndrome that beset the last two episodes. It all seems like the sort of desperate, self-imitative, tired schtick you’d expect from a show in its 13th season. And the fact that Sunny—which has defied all expectations and precedent in largely avoiding such series decay—appeared to be succumbing to it finally is a real downer. Another of Glenn Howerton’s intermittent absences is tossed off with one line. Wheeling Cricket out to show off his scarred and malnourished torso in bondage gear just feels sad. Frank’s bled before, just as copiously, but far, far more imaginatively. Even Charlie and Dee’s signature outbursts feel forced.
Meanwhile, Mac’s morose moping feels at first too grounded, and enlightened. Telling Frank, “I don’t know where I fit in as a gay man and it’s starting to get to me,” Rob McElhenney, from the start, makes Mac too self-aware, too much of a person, if that makes sense. Even his predictable crumbling in the face of Luther’s crazy-eyed enthusiasm for a grandson (“If it’s not a boy you flush that shit out and try again!,” he rages in toxic masculine rage) can’t undo the episode’s take on this Mac as someone edging too far out of what’s permissible on Sunny in terms of personal growth and self-knowledge. Sunny will allow its five characters the occasional glimpse of what their squalid, selfish, self-destructive lives look like from above, but the show can’t exist in the air up there. They have to be dragged back down, their blinkered, egomaniacal prejudices and weaknesses reasserting themselves just in time to reestablish Sunny’s sewer-level status quo.
So when Frank—taking inspiration from the truly upsetting bloated pumpkin-head his efforts to staunch his flowing nose has made of him—addresses Mac one final time, it’s . . . wrong somehow. Old pro Danny DeVito brings a gruff loveliness to his appeal:
I been in agony the whole day, but I came to this realization that sometimes you gotta let the blood flow in order to start the healing. Some cuts you just can’t plug up. And that’s the same for you. You got this thing inside of you and you’re trying to plug it up, but you gotta let that shit out, you gotta let it flow. Otherwise, you’re gonna be in agony for the rest of your life.
But where is this coming from? What’s the gag? Frank doesn’t get Mac, and, like the rest of the Gang, largely despises what he does comprehend. And Mac, seemingly willing to accept what he thinks is Frank’s pitch to monetize his gayness for the sake of Paddy’s and his relationship with his father, appears willing to cave, until Frank stops him. In coming out to Luther that way, Frank says, Mac would be “doing it for the wrong reasons.” When Sunny announced the title of this week’s episode, it looked like McElhenney and episode co-writer Charlie Day were going to have that referendum on the show’s comic treatment of Mac’s homosexuality. And, as the first 15 minutes played out, it honestly looked like a poor job, creaking with hacky gay jokes and atonal, show-breaking sentimentality. Until the episode reveals just how masterfully we’ve been set up.
When Frank and Mac go back to the prison, “Mac Finds His Pride” indeed does break the show. In fact, it breaks it so unexpectedly, so thoroughly, and with such seeming irrevocability that I was—and remain—unconvinced It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia can go on into its already announced 14th season as the same show it’s been. The swing the show takes here is so big, and so successful in what it sets out to accomplish, that I’m at a loss for what to compare it to. I want to say the breathtakingly unexpected musical interlude in Magnolia, maybe. But that’s not quite right. (Same goes for the frogs.) Fellow critic Emily L. Stephens opined that it’s like Sunny was pulling a Louie (minus, you know), which feels closer in terms of redefining a supposed sitcom’s expected shape. Lingering over the last five minutes of “Mac Finds His Pride” again and again, I’m still lost. I still don’t know if it works as part of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, or if it, indeed, redefines what the show will be going forward. I know I have been left in awe, every time. I know it’s the single most surprising and impressive sequence I’ve seen on television this year. I know it’s glorious.
Mac comes out to his father in a dance. A five-minute, exquisitely choreographed piece of interpretive storytelling through movement as impressive as any I’ve ever seen. (Sure, I’m hardly an expert on the subject, but I’ll stand by that.) With Frank’s enabling wealth greasing the skids for an impromptu, presumably mandatory prison performance, complete with the rain machine the episode had tossed off as one of Charlie’s float improvements, Luther is seated front and center for a visual and auditory expression of the interior struggle Mac’s been trying and failing to articulate all episode. A storm inside. A beautiful woman, who’s an angel, or god. The need to come out to his imperiously terrifying and distant father (see: god) in the way he truly wants to—and has been working himself up to for what is clearly a long, long time.
The joke of Rob McElhenney’s newly ripped body pays off here, revealed to be not just another “it would be funny” transformation like season six’s, but the need to be the full physical expression of the sculpted, ideal, but tortured figure Mac wanted to portray. With the partner who earlier Frank assumed Mac was banging in order to fulfill Luther’s demand for a child (the stunningly talented Kylie Shea), Mac expresses his lifetime of conflicted feelings and urges in a shockingly physical but graceful two-person ballet to Sigur Rós’ haunting “Varúð.” The joke of the series’ two previous Gang-written, would-be triumphant musical sequences being undercut by the Gang’s unimpressive, lunatic self-deception pays off in the fact that, here, the rug never gets pulled. There is no joke. There’s no payoff other than Frank’s awestruck applause alongside the prisoners around him, and his tearful, gasping, “Oh my God. I get it. I get it.” There’s no punchline to the dance’s denouement, where, after their wrenchingly beautiful enactment of Mac’s battle with who he is, the beautiful woman cradles Mac’s exhausted Greek statue of a form in her arms on the soaking stage and repeats, “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay.” There’s no winking, no irony. There’s only a blinding light from above in Mac’s interpretation of divine blessing, the applause from a cavernous room full of brutal men (although not the departed Luthor), and Frank’s worshipful benediction to end the episode, and the season.
I do not know if It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is the same show after this. For McElhenney and Day to conclude their creation’s 13th season with such a devastatingly, unprecedentedly heartfelt and redemptive arc for one (and maybe two) of “the worst people in the world” suggests that they have plans to take their show into another direction entirely. I suppose they could handwave the return of something like the old Mac (and maybe Frank) as they largely did after Dennis’ similarly emotional departure at the end of last season. I suppose I wouldn’t mind too much—Sunny remains one of the only successful practitioners of its kind of high-wire dark comic brilliance on TV. But I will not forget this Mac (and maybe Frank), whose exorcism of the oppressive forces that have deformed Mac’s life into one long sick joke is as realized and, yes glorious, as anything I’ve ever seen.
Stray observations
Like Jodie Foster in Contact, gasping, “They should have sent a poet” after her first glimpse of the infinite universe, a dance expert should have a crack at interpreting the nuances of Mac’s performance. (Choreography by Alison Faulk and Leo Moctezuma.) But I’ll give it a shot.
Mac’s journey tonight saw him shedding literally everyone else’s conceptions of his sexuality in turn. While not judging the lifestyle choices of the people in the clubs Frank takes him to, Mac rejects them simply because they’re not who he finally realizes he is. Similarly, he shuns the Gang’s mercenary acceptance of him for purely commercial reasons, a subtle dig at similar commodification of a certain scrubbed and palatable corporate appropriation of the LGBTQI community.
The in-joke about how Paddy’s needs a real gay man to dance and not a straight guy pretending to be gay is maybe a bit too clever, but screw it.
He also had his dance choreographed so that his father’s inevitable renunciation is worked into it as its turning point.
Todd Biermann’s direction once Frank and Mac return to the prison is absolutely stunning. If the Sunny Emmy drought is ever going to end, this might be the episode/category that does it.
To me, Mac’s brutal-looking but graceful physicality with his partner is a tour through how his own hangups about his sexuality saw him relating to women. There’s a moment when—after splitting apart and slithering through the water to opposite ends of the stage—Kylie Shea hurls herself cross-body at the standing, unmoving Mac, uttering a single, anguished sounding sob at the impact as she wraps herself around him that stopped my breath every time.
And that’s the end of season 13 of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, gang. The Gang—somehow—will be back. And so will I. Thanks for reading.
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s wheel of awfulness spins cruelty into comic gold
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Contributor, The A.V. Club. Danny Peary's Cult Movies books are mostly to blame.
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Samsung Becomes First TV Manufacturer to Launch The Apple TV App and AirPlay 2
SEOUL, Korea – May 14, 2019 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced that beginning today, all 2019 Samsung Smart TVs and select 2018 TV models with a firmware update will feature the all-new Apple TV app in more than 100 countries and offer AirPlay 2 support in 176 countries. Samsung customers are now able to enjoy Apple TV channels and iTunes movies and TV shows on Samsung Smart TVs.
“For the last decade, Samsung has been at the forefront of offering the broadest selection of content available to consumers on our Smart TV platform,” said Won-Jin Lee, Executive Vice President, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “As the first TV manufacturer to integrate the Apple TV app on a Smart TV platform, Samsung continues to offer our customers incredible value and access to the Apple TV app experience on the largest screens available today.”
Fully integrated into Samsung’s Smart TV platform, users can simply select the Apple TV app icon to access all of their iTunes movies and TV show purchases and browse more than 100,000 iTunes movies and TV shows to buy or rent, including titles available in 4K HDR, in pristine picture quality. Customers around the world can also subscribe to Apple TV channels within the Apple TV app — paying for only the ones they want — and watch on demand directly in the app. Samsung Smart TV users will be able to enjoy Apple TV+, Apple’s original video subscription service, in the Apple TV app across the same model lines when the service launches this fall. With AirPlay 2-enabled Samsung Smart TVs, customers can now also effortlessly play videos and other content from their iPhone, iPad or Mac directly to their Samsung Smart TV.
The Apple TV app will work seamlessly with Samsung’s Smart TV Services, such as Universal Guide, Bixby and Search, to create a consistent experience across Samsung’s platform.
For more information on Samsung’s Smart TVs, please visit https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/.
Home Entertainment, Smart Home, CIT & SSD/Memory
SamsungCE@allisonpr.com
5.10.2019 / Mobile
[B-Roll] Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
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Elon Musk's 'faith restored' after winning defamation case over 'pedo guy' tweet
Vernon Unsworth's lawyer had fought for $190m (£145m) in damages - but he leaves court without a penny.
Saturday 7 December 2019 06:48, UK
Image: Elon Musk said his tweet was a 'flippant insult, and no one interpreted it to mean paedophile'
Elon Musk has said his "faith in humanity is restored" after he won a defamation case brought against him for calling a British caving expert a "pedo guy".
Vernon Unsworth sued the billionaire Tesla founder after they had a Twitter spat during the July 2018 Thailand cave rescue.
Mr Unsworth was left feeling "humiliated, ashamed" by the tweet from Musk, a federal court in California heard.
Mr Musk's lawyers argued it was no more than a playground insult and did not represent a genuine allegation of paedophilia.
Image: Vernon Unsworth said he would 'take it on the chin and get on with my life'
The jury of five women and three men deliberated for less than an hour before finding in favour of Mr Musk.
Speaking outside the court, Mr Unsworth said: "I accept the jury's verdict, take it on the chin and get on with my life."
The Briton, who helped in the rescue of 12 boys and their football coach last year, had angered the Tesla boss by calling his effort to help a "PR stunt".
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Mr Musk had sent a mini submarine to the site - which was never used - but Mr Unsworth said the entrepreneur should "stick his submarine where it hurts".
Mr Musk said he had only meant the term as an insult for a "creepy old man" and wasn't literally calling the caving expert a paedophile.
However, in a follow-up tweet, Mr Musk told a follower: "Bet ya a signed dollar it's true."
Mr Unsworth's lawyer had suggested the jury award his client $190m (£145m) in damages, including $150m (£114m) as a "hard slap on the wrist".
Lin Wood said: "What in the world would it take to discourage Elon Musk from ever planting a nuclear bomb in the life of another person?"
Mr Musk, who testified that his stock in Tesla and SpaceX is worth about $20bn (£15bn), told the jury the tweet was an insult provoked by Mr Unsworth and did not qualify as defamation.
Image: Vernon Unsworth received an MBE for his part in the rescue of the Thai children
He said the phrase "was obviously a flippant insult, and no one interpreted it to mean paedophile". However, he did apologise for the comments when he appeared in court.
His lawyer, Alex Spiro, mocked Mr Unsworth's claim that he had been shamed and humiliated and effectively sentenced to a life sentence without parole.
He said Mr Unsworth had been honoured by the Queen and the king of Thailand, had his photo taken with former British prime minister Theresa May, and had been asked to speak at schools and contribute to a children's book - all showing that no one took Mr Musk's insult seriously.
Mr Spiro said: "People accused of paedophilia don't get celebrated by world leaders. Kings and queens and prime ministers don't stand next to paedophiles."
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Iranian hackers caused losses in hundreds of millions: report
AFP March 7, 2019
According to security experts, Iran is seeking to step up its cyber capabilities amid increasing efforts by the United States to isolate the Islamic regime (AFP Photo/Philippe HUGUEN)
Washington (AFP) - Iranian hackers working to penetrate systems, businesses and governments around the world have caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, a report said Wednesday.
Researchers for tech giant Microsoft said the attackers stole secrets and wiped data from computer networks after targeting thousands of people at some 200 companies over the past two years, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Microsoft did not immediately respond to an AFP query on the report.
The Journal said Microsoft traced the attacks to Holmium, a group linked to Iran, and that some of the hacking was done for Holmium by another Iranian group known as APT33.
John Lambert, the head of Microsoft's Threat Intelligence Center, told the newspaper the attacks were "massively destabilizing events."
The report said the hackers notably targeted oil-and-gas companies, heavy-machinery manufacturers and international conglomerates in Saudi Arabia, Germany, Britain, India and the United States.
In 2017, the security firm FireEye blamed APT33 for destructive malware that targeted organizations in the Middle East and elsewhere.
The news comes with Iran, according to security experts, seeking to step up its cyber capabilities amid increasing efforts by the United States to isolate the Islamic regime.
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Home / Business / Disney says "Captain Marvel" will be the first image held back by Netflix and expects to earn $ 150 million in 2019
Disney says "Captain Marvel" will be the first image held back by Netflix and expects to earn $ 150 million in 2019
February 6, 2019 Business 7 Views
The beginning of the No-Netflix era for Disney has officially come within reach.
Captain Marvel which will be released on March 8, will be Netflix's first title and instead postponed for Disney +, the high-profile streaming service by the end of 2019, CEO Bob Iger confirmed on Tuesday. CFO Christine McCarthy estimated that the short-term opportunity that would result from this and other releases in 2019 would reduce operating income by approximately $ 150 million.
Executives asked the guidance during a conference call from Disney with Wall Street analysts to discuss the company's improvement. than expected figures for the first quarter. They promised more clarity on April 11
as the company plans a full demo of the Disney + app, as well as a detailed discussion of the financial implications. Nevertheless, Iger paused for some time, pointing to the company's on-going start on the tech side, with its ESPN + application, which was just two months after the launch of 2 million submarines.
"What we basically try Here we invest in our future," he said. The steps the company has taken are "all designed to make this business an integral part of Disney's bottom line over the long term." As the company suffers losses, there will be additional royalties each quarter on: "It It's almost the equivalent of capitalizing on the construction of our theme parks, "said Iger. "This is a bet on the future of this business."
AT & T's WarnerMedia also has a subscription strategy, but raised its eyebrows last December by extending its non-exclusive rights to Friends and earning $ 100 million. AT & T boss Randall Stephenson had stressed that the company would not apply a "cookie cutter approach" to the licensing decision.
Iger's claim made it appear as if Disney wanted to make a more comprehensive commitment. which could be tested with shows such as Gray's Anatomy a multi-year draw on Netflix, where even Disney ABC has conceded that it built its following. "In terms of deciding where to go for content," said Iger, "since we are betting on this long-term bet, we obviously need to fill it with intellectual property."
On the tech front, Iger said rampaging experience ESPN + was a big help, especially during a recent promotion of UFC fights.
"What we've learned is extremely valuable when it comes to future launches like Disney +, the BAMtech platform Buying BAM has invested in a very robust platform that not only scales several streams simultaneously, but also one Iger.
During the UFC promotion process, the system processed 15,000 minute transactions per transaction without downtime, Iger added.
As the company settled on the time of Disney + and his Both streaming cousins ESPN + and Hulu (of which Disney will soon be owned 60%) moved, Iger said the goal was to respect the traditional windo ws, at least initially.
While some analysts on Wall Street and Industry insiders have questioned Disney (and its fellow media outlets) ability to compete against Netflix's $ 15 billion war chest, Iger suggested an optimistic tone on the cost front.
"We have talent-both leadership and production relationships-that enable us to scale well and not invest too much in overhead," he said.
The company has a launch date for Disney has not been announced.
Another topic in the bidding process was the integration of 21st Century Fox assets. With the deal still underway, Iger remained pretty squeamish about strategy, including Hulu.
A treat that will warm the hearts of Deadpool groupies was a repeat of the comments Iger has recently made in 2017. He assured Wall Street (and the industry and fans by extension) That R-Rated superhero films, including future deadpool rates, would be welcome. "We will continue in this business," he said. "There is certainly a popularity" to current Fox titles such as Deadpool and Logan . They are published under a yet to be determined banner.
In a similar vein, Iger said FX-TV titles would strongly affect the company's strategy, but would not be prone to Disney +, as they are generally not family-oriented in nature.
Tags Disney earn expects held Image Marvelquot million Netflix quotCaptain
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The latest news of European Union
War/Peace/Conflicts
Keira Knightley makes Broadway debut in Zola’s “Therese Raquin”
Published 30/10/2015 in Culture, World News
NEW YORKKeira Knightley makes her Broadway debut in a new adaptation of Emile Zola’s “Therese Raquin”, taking to the stage as a woman trapped in a loveless marriage, who begins an affair with her husband’s friend.
The British actress, who has been nominated twice for an Oscar, portrays the title character in the play based on the 1867 novel.
On the first night of previews on Oct. 1, an audience member interrupted the performance by shouting at Knightley and tossing flowers on stage.
“It’s live theater and things happen. And the whole point of it is that our job is to stay within the story because there is a lot of other people who have come to watch it,” Knightley said at the opening night’s red carpet on Thursday.
“It’s really important that they get the experience … Obviously you get sometimes where you simply can’t continue, which is what happened on our first preview. But I think everybody has to put their chin up and just get on.”
Knightley, known for films such as “The Imitation Game”, “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Pride & Prejudice”, made her theatrical debut in “The Misanthrope” in 2009 in London’s West End. She returned to the London stage in “The Children’s Hour”.
In this play, presented by the Roundabout Theater Company at New York’s Studio 54, the set takes the audience back and forth between scenes and even features a lake on stage.
Two-time Tony Award winner Judith Light plays Madame Raquin, Therese’s aunt, Gabriel Ebert portrays Therese’s husband Camille while “Constantine” actor Matt Ryan plays her lover, Laurent. “Therese Raquin” runs until Jan. 3.
(Reporting by Reuters Television in New York- Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian in London- Editing by Louise Ireland)
SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/30/us-theatre-knightley-idUSKCN0SO1L920151030
Tags: Arts / Culture / Entertainment, Celebrities, Entertainment Production (TRBC), Europe, Film, France, Government Borrowing Requirement, KNIGHTLEY, Leisure Products (TRBC), Living / Lifestyle, Personalities / People, Theater, THEATRE, United Kingdom, United States, US, Western Europe Print article
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Oil rises as U.S.-Iran conflict eases, focus turns to trade deal
13/01/2020 in Business News, Economy & Finance
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June Issue 2019
Film review: The Professor and the Madman
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By Deneb Sumbul | Cinema | Published 7 months ago
A moving biographical film based on a true story, The Professor and the Madman centres on the compilation of Oxford University Press (OUP)’s very first edition of the English Dictionary based on Historical Principles in the mid-19th century, and the unexpected friendship that develops between a brilliant academic and a criminally insane murderer. One wonders why it took so long for a film to be made on the subject, considering that it was breaking news in the English newspapers at the time.
Based on the 1998 non-fiction book, The Surgeon of Crowthorne by Simon Winchester, the film is set in the 1870s, when the OUP management was reviving its attempts to bring out a comprehensive English dictionary that would trace the historical development of English words, as well as their usage in the many variations throughout the world.
A Scottish lexicographer and philologist, Professor James Murray (Mel Gibson), who is a teacher at the Mill Hill School at the time, appears before the Philological Society to offer his credentials to take up the stalled editorship of this massive undertaking that has been in the works for 20 years. But they view him with disdain because he does not have a doctorate. He explains that he is an autodidact who left education at 14 to earn a living. The snobbish panel of philology academics are confounded with his astounding command over a multitude of diverse languages, but they remain unconvinced. It is only through the efforts of Frederick Furnivall (Steve Coogan), Secretary of the Philological Society who champions Dr. Murray’s candidature for the prestigious editorship, that the panel relents.
Murray begins his work in earnest in 1857, moving his large family to Oxford, where he builds a shed called Scriptorium on his property, hires assistants and devises a system for collation of words that he expects will take between five to seven years to complete. He sends out an appeal to readers through newspapers distributed to bookshops and libraries, to report “as many quotations as you can for ordinary words” and words that are “rare, obsolete, old-fashioned, new, peculiar or used in a peculiar way.”
Dr Murray’s team at the Scriptorium starts receiving around 1,000 quotation slips a day and by 1880, there are 2,500,000. Who would have thought that the first OED was crowd-sourced. Unfortunately, this only incites jealousy among certain members of the Philology Society, who would like to see Dr Murray knocked off his perch.
Meanwhile at the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Dr. William Minor (Sean Penn), an American incarcerated for mistakenly killing a man, is undergoing treatment for being a danger to himself and others. Dr Minor’s delusions are painful reminders of his experiences in the American Civil War. Some of the violent scenes may leave viewers squeamish but they explain what drives an intelligent, but mentally unstable person – especially a Yale-educated army surgeon – to self-harm. There is a sane and kinder side to him. As recompense for his crime, he donates the bulk of his monthly pension to Eliza Merrett (Natalie Dormer), the destitute widow of his murder victim, who is left to fend for their six children. Paintings and books are Dr. Minor’s only relief, but he finds a purpose in life when he comes across Dr. Murray’s pamphlet in a book. He starts dispatching the first of his 10,000 entries for the dictionary, becoming one of its most prolific contributors.
Scientists say there is a fine line between genius and madness because they share the same genes. Through words, these unlikeliest of men find each other and an unexpected friendship develops. As the diligent and determined Dr Murray, Mel Gibson beautifully expresses a passion for his work and the compassion he feels for Dr Minor’s troubled soul after meeting him for the first time.
As his mental state improves, Dr Minor also bonds with Eliza – until an unfortunate miscalculation in treatment by his doctor sends him into a tailspin. Sean Penn’s heart-wrenching performance as Dr Minor is Oscar-worthy. From his mental and physical anguish to moments of hope and salvation, Penn captures all the emotions with equal intensity.
This biographical period film by Iranian-born writer/director, Farhad Safinia, was not without problems. The project hit a snag when Gibson and Safinia were denied additional filming and the right to the film’s final cut. During an ensuing legal battle between Gibson and the production company, Voltage Pictures, the film languished for a year until the latter won the case. Safinia has not been acknowledged either for directing or co-writing the film – the credit is, instead, given to a pseudonym – P.B. Shemran. Consequently, you won’t find Gibson making any publicity appearances. Interestingly, critics have heaped scorn on the film, but a majority of the audiences have sung its praises.
The writer is working with the Newsline as Assistant Editor, she is a documentary filmmaker and activist.
Copyright © 2020 All Rights reserved by Newsline Magazine.
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Member Record: University of Huddersfield Press
Title University of Huddersfield Press
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ObamaCare Watch
A Project of the Galen Institute
About ObamaCare Watch
Category: Affordability
Category "Affordability"
ObamaCare’s impact on health costs.
Quick Facts on Michigan’s Obamacare Rate Hikes
A sampling of the 2017 proposed rate increases:
Blue Care Network of Michigan is seeking an average 14.8% rate increase for its plans.
Blue Cross Blue Shield wants an 18.7% increase.
Priority Health has asked for a 13.9% rate hike.
The biggest rate request is from Humana — a 39.2% rise.
Progressive Leader Says Left Is Turning on Obamacare as Costs Soar
Even progressives are turning against Obamacare as health care costs and premiums skyrocket.
Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, said Wednesday there was strong support for a single-payer system on the Democratic platform committee, and one reason is that progressives blame the Affordable Care Act for rising costs.
“In a world in which people are facing rising costs and they kind of hear the ACA is over here, they’re blaming the ACA for their rising costs,” Ms. Tanden said during a panel discussion at the Democratic National Convention.
“Even progressives who fought for the ACA five years ago are really questioning the affordability issue, and it’s making them move in really dramatic ways,” she said. “Part of this lack of support of the ACA is from the left, not just the right.”
Analysis of 2017 Premium Changes and Insurer Participation in the ACA’s Health Insurance Marketplaces
Many of the initial reports of premium increases for 2017 have been based on anecdotal examples or averages across insurers. This Kaiser Family Foundation brief takes a different approach, presenting an early analysis of changes in insurer participation and premiums for the lowest-cost and second-lowest silver marketplace plans in major cities in 16 states plus the District of Columbia where complete data on rates is publicly available for all insurers. Based on insurer rate requests, the cost of the second-lowest silver plan in these cities will increase by a weighted average of 9% in 2017.
In Philly, Clinton Allies Say Healthcare Costs Are Next Big Battle
After six years of rock-solid defense, top healthcare advocates in the Democratic Party are now willing to acknowledge that the Affordable Care Act has fallen flat on affordability.
At the Democratic National Convention this week, some of Hillary Clinton’s closest allies on healthcare are setting her up for a major battle to lower the cost of care, an issue they said needs to top her agenda as president.
“Healthcare costs, I really see as the next generation of healthcare reform,” Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress, said at a luncheon in downtown Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Overwhelming Evidence That ObamaCare Caused Premiums To Increase Substantially
Two scholars at the renowned Brookings Institution, Loren Adler and Paul Ginsburg, have published an analysis finding that “average premiums in the individual market actually dropped significantly upon implementation of the ACA [Affordable Care Act].” This contrasts with a plethora of evidence, including a rigorous 2014 Brookings study, showing that the ACA significantly increased premiums. In this post, I discuss methodological concerns with the Adler and Ginsburg approach as well as evidence that leads most scholars to reach a very different conclusion.
Rate Hikes Show Rising Health Costs and Obamacare’s Flaws
The big rate increases announced last week for health insurance policies sold by California’s version of the federal health reform are the latest evidence that the Affordable Care Act, despite its name, cannot do much to tame the rise of health care costs.
The government-run health insurance market is facing all the same cost pressures that the private market has confronted for years, plus more that have resulted from the dynamics of the federal law itself.
Covered California, the state insurance agency created to implement the federal law, announced last week that rates for insurance sold through the program will increase an average of 13.2 percent in 2017. The state’s two biggest insurers, Blue Shield and Anthem Inc., will increase rates by 19.9 percent and 17.2 percent, respectively.
Covered California’s Two Biggest Insurance Companies Raising Rates By 17% And 20%
Today’s headline in The Los Angeles Times: “California Obamacare rates to rise 13% in 2017, more than three times the increase of the last two years.” The increase will be 17.2% for Anthem and 19.9% for Blue Shield–the largest Obamacare insurers.
Obamacare supporters have long pointed to Covered California as the example of just how good Obamacare could be if the entire program were run as well as it is in California.
Covered California’s average rate increase for 2017 will be 13.2%.
But half of the California market is controlled by two carriers who will be asking for much bigger increases. Blue Shield of California said its average rate increase for 2017 will be 19.9%, the biggest statewide increase. Anthem Blue Cross said it will increase its rates by an average of 17.2% for 2017.
Covered California Health Plan Rates To Jump 13.2 Percent In 2017
California’s Obamacare premiums will jump 13.2 percent on average next year, a sharp increase that is likely to reverberate nationwide in an election year.
The Covered California exchange had won plaudits by negotiating 4 percent average rate increases in its first two years. But that feat couldn’t be repeated for 2017, as overall medical costs continue to climb and two federal programs that help insurers with expensive claims are set to expire this year.
The increase announced Tuesday comes as major insurers around the country seek even bigger rate hikes for open enrollment this fall, and the presidential candidates clash over the future of President Barack Obama’s landmark health law.
Covered California Premiums Going up 13.2% Next Year. Here’s Why.
California’s Obamacare customers can expect a hefty increase in their monthly health insurance premiums next year.
Covered California, the state’s Obamacare marketplace, released proposed premiums Tuesday morning, and the statewide average increase for 2017 will be 13.2 percent.
Peter Lee, the agency’s executive director, cited factors including increased medical costs and the end of a federal “reinsurance” program as main drivers of the increase.
Blue Shield and Anthem Blue Cross customers will face the steepest increases.
Insurers, Pushing for Higher Rates, Challenge Key Component of Health Law
For several years, the Obama administration has urged state insurance regulators to use tools provided by the Affordable Care Act to hold down health care premiums.
Now federal officials will have a chance to practice what they preach as they confront big increases proposed in several states where they are responsible for reviewing rates.
Federal officials defer to the insurance commissioners in 46 states deemed to have “effective rate review” programs. But in Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming, the federal government is in charge of reviewing rates.
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China looks to step up ties with India in 2012
Edited By Odishatv Bureau Published By Odishatv Bureau On Jan 8, 2012 - 3:23 PM
Beijing: China today said it will make concerted efforts with India to push for better and faster development of bilateral strategic and cooperative partnership in 2012 despite recurring hiccups casting a shadow over ties.
"China is willing to make joint efforts with India to continuously implement the important consensus reached between leaders of the two countries, maintain high-level exchanges, enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields and properly handle issues concerning the bilateral relationship," Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said.
"China hopes that the two sides will support each other and learn from each other, so as to push for better and faster development of Sino-Indian strategic and cooperative partnership," Liu told state-run Xinhua news agency.
The interview exclusively focussing on China-India ties was regarded significant by analysts here as it was rare for reticent Chinese officials to speak candidly evincing interest to give a positive push for the bilateral ties, which last year faced a string of challenges.
The two countries signed off 2011 on a positive note sorting out their differences on a host of issues including the vexed staple visa issue for Kashmiris and resumed defence ties after China reversed the policy after an year long hiatus.
A second Indian defence delegation is due on January 10 here after another visa row over China declining to grant visa to an IAF official from Arunachal Pradesh. India reduced the delegation strength from 30 to 15 to show its displeasure over Chinese move. The two countries also agreed to hold 15th round of border talks later this month. They were put off last month following China`s objections over Dalai Lama addressing a Buddhist conference around the same time.
The interview also came in the aftermath of the row of Indian diplomat fainting at a court in Yiwu where he went to secure the release of two Indians held illegally by Chinese traders following a dispute over unpaid dues by their company. It was sorted out though diplomatic consultation as the two Indians were released and brought to Shanghai. Earlier the two countries differed over ONGC Videsh taking up oil drilling in some of blocks claimed by Vietnam in South China Sea.
Without directly mentioning any of these incidents, Liu said China and India designated 2011 as their "year of exchange," adding that the activities hosted by the two sides helped the two countries increase their mutual understanding and friendship.
He "applauded" the growing momentum that China and India have maintained in developing their partnership, noting that the two nations have expanded exchange and cooperation in various fields and established effective communication and coordination on significant international and regional issues.
"A steadily growing Sino-Indian partnership will not only bring benefits to the two peoples, but it will also be conducive to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world at large," Liu said. Liu said the two-way trade between the two nations during the first 11 months of 2011 hit USD 67.28 billion, up 21.8 per cent year on year.
The first meeting of the China-India strategic and economic dialogue, the bilateral consultation on defence and security, and a 500-member Indian youth delegation visiting China also helped to foster closer ties between the two sides, Liu said.
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Todd ( kydeon) wrote in ohnotheydidnt,
kydeon
X FACTOR DISCUSSION + Cece warned to stay away from Harry
Vote topper Tate Stevens: "Every tweet, man, Harry, Harry, Harry. I got to find out what his secret is...Everyone loves Harry."
With such deep ties to the program, MTV News asked the current contestants if they could ask One Direction one question, what would it be? Some of their answers were quite colorful.
CeCe Frey has heard a lot about Harry Styles and has been warned by her fans about his reputation with the ladies. "You know what? So many fans of One Direction have been tweeting to me, saying like, 'If you get to see One Direction, stay away from Harry!' " she laughed. "So I'm always like, 'OK, I will stay away from Harry!' "
"My one question for One Direction is: Zayn, will you make out with me backstage?" Jason Brock joked about his favorite bandmember, Zayn Malik. "Then he'd better say 'yes' and he'd better follow me on Twitter."
Country singer Tate Stevens also seemed intrigued by Harry's powers. "Harry, that guy? He's probably the most famous of them all for some reason. Every tweet, man, [it's] 'Harry, Harry, Harry.' I got to find out what his secret is, because apparently he has it. Everyone loves Harry."
Boy band — and 1D heir apparent — Emblem3 just want to chitchat with the fellas. "We're stoked to meet those guys. I think we reach out to the same market and the same audience, but in different ways. Those guys just look like awesome dudes. I feel like we'll be buddies," they said.
Much like the threesome of Lyric 145, 1D originally wanted to compete as solo players before Cowell saw their potential as a band and threw them together. So the Lyric 145 wants to know: "How do you feel being completely different from each other and put into a group?"
Vino Alan had a more serious question for the guys. "I'd probably ask them what their experiences around the world have been like, because that's what I'm learning every day, is that I'm [an] old dog learning new tricks," he said. "Right? We can go there."
Arin Ray, on the other hand, may have summed it up best with his question: "How does it feel being the biggest superstars in the world right now?"
Source S2 S3
Tags: discussion, one direction, x factor (us)
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Targeting BCR-ABL1 in chronic myeloid leukemia by PROTAC-mediated targeted protein degradation
George M. Burslem, Anna Reister Schultz, Daniel P. Bondeson, Christopher A. Eide, Samantha L.Savage Stevens, Brian Druker, Craig M. Crews
Although the use of ATP-competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors of oncoprotein BCR-ABL1 has enabled durable responses in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), issues of drug resistance and residual leukemic stem cells remain. To test whether the degradation of BCRABL1 kinase could offer improved response, we developed a series of proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) that allosterically target BCR-ABL1 protein and recruit the E3 ligase Von Hippel-Lindau, resulting in ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of the oncogenic fusion protein. In both human CML K562 cells and murine Ba/F3 cells expressing BCR-ABL1, lead compound GMB-475 induced rapid proteasomal degradation and inhibition of downstream biomarkers, such as STAT5, and showed increased sensitivity compared with diastereomeric controls lacking degradation activity. Notably, GMB-475 inhibited the proliferation of certain clinically relevant BCR-ABL1 kinase domain point mutants and further sensitized Ba/ F3 BCR-ABL1 cells to inhibition by imatinib, while demonstrating no toxicity toward Ba/F3 parental cells. Reverse phase protein array analysis suggested additional differences in levels of phosphorylated SHP2, GAB2, and SHC associated with BCR-ABL1 degradation. Importantly, GMB-475 reduced viability and increased apoptosis in primary CML CD34+ cells, with no effect on healthy CD34+ cells at identical concentrations. GMB-475 degraded BCR-ABL1 and reduced cell viability in primary CML stem cells. Together, these findings suggest that combined BCR-ABL1 kinase inhibition and protein degradation may represent a strategy to address BCR-ABL1-dependent drug resistance, and warrant further investigation into the eradication of persistent leukemic stem cells, which rely on neither the presence nor the activity of the BCR-ABL1 protein for survival. Significance: Small-molecule-induced degradation of BCR-ABL1 in CML provides an advantage over inhibition and provides insights into CML stem cell biology.
Myeloid Progenitor Cells
Protein Array Analysis
Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
K562 Cells
Burslem, G. M., Schultz, A. R., Bondeson, D. P., Eide, C. A., Stevens, S. L. S., Druker, B., & Crews, C. M. (2019). Targeting BCR-ABL1 in chronic myeloid leukemia by PROTAC-mediated targeted protein degradation. Cancer Research, 79(18), 4744-4753. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-19-1236
Targeting BCR-ABL1 in chronic myeloid leukemia by PROTAC-mediated targeted protein degradation. / Burslem, George M.; Schultz, Anna Reister; Bondeson, Daniel P.; Eide, Christopher A.; Stevens, Samantha L.Savage; Druker, Brian; Crews, Craig M.
In: Cancer Research, Vol. 79, No. 18, 15.09.2019, p. 4744-4753.
Burslem, GM, Schultz, AR, Bondeson, DP, Eide, CA, Stevens, SLS, Druker, B & Crews, CM 2019, 'Targeting BCR-ABL1 in chronic myeloid leukemia by PROTAC-mediated targeted protein degradation', Cancer Research, vol. 79, no. 18, pp. 4744-4753. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-19-1236
Burslem GM, Schultz AR, Bondeson DP, Eide CA, Stevens SLS, Druker B et al. Targeting BCR-ABL1 in chronic myeloid leukemia by PROTAC-mediated targeted protein degradation. Cancer Research. 2019 Sep 15;79(18):4744-4753. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-19-1236
Burslem, George M. ; Schultz, Anna Reister ; Bondeson, Daniel P. ; Eide, Christopher A. ; Stevens, Samantha L.Savage ; Druker, Brian ; Crews, Craig M. / Targeting BCR-ABL1 in chronic myeloid leukemia by PROTAC-mediated targeted protein degradation. In: Cancer Research. 2019 ; Vol. 79, No. 18. pp. 4744-4753.
@article{9263aafffbfd437f972a2dbeafae88d7,
title = "Targeting BCR-ABL1 in chronic myeloid leukemia by PROTAC-mediated targeted protein degradation",
abstract = "Although the use of ATP-competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors of oncoprotein BCR-ABL1 has enabled durable responses in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), issues of drug resistance and residual leukemic stem cells remain. To test whether the degradation of BCRABL1 kinase could offer improved response, we developed a series of proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) that allosterically target BCR-ABL1 protein and recruit the E3 ligase Von Hippel-Lindau, resulting in ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of the oncogenic fusion protein. In both human CML K562 cells and murine Ba/F3 cells expressing BCR-ABL1, lead compound GMB-475 induced rapid proteasomal degradation and inhibition of downstream biomarkers, such as STAT5, and showed increased sensitivity compared with diastereomeric controls lacking degradation activity. Notably, GMB-475 inhibited the proliferation of certain clinically relevant BCR-ABL1 kinase domain point mutants and further sensitized Ba/ F3 BCR-ABL1 cells to inhibition by imatinib, while demonstrating no toxicity toward Ba/F3 parental cells. Reverse phase protein array analysis suggested additional differences in levels of phosphorylated SHP2, GAB2, and SHC associated with BCR-ABL1 degradation. Importantly, GMB-475 reduced viability and increased apoptosis in primary CML CD34+ cells, with no effect on healthy CD34+ cells at identical concentrations. GMB-475 degraded BCR-ABL1 and reduced cell viability in primary CML stem cells. Together, these findings suggest that combined BCR-ABL1 kinase inhibition and protein degradation may represent a strategy to address BCR-ABL1-dependent drug resistance, and warrant further investigation into the eradication of persistent leukemic stem cells, which rely on neither the presence nor the activity of the BCR-ABL1 protein for survival. Significance: Small-molecule-induced degradation of BCR-ABL1 in CML provides an advantage over inhibition and provides insights into CML stem cell biology.",
author = "Burslem, {George M.} and Schultz, {Anna Reister} and Bondeson, {Daniel P.} and Eide, {Christopher A.} and Stevens, {Samantha L.Savage} and Brian Druker and Crews, {Craig M.}",
doi = "10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-19-1236",
journal = "Journal of Cancer Research",
T1 - Targeting BCR-ABL1 in chronic myeloid leukemia by PROTAC-mediated targeted protein degradation
AU - Burslem, George M.
AU - Schultz, Anna Reister
AU - Bondeson, Daniel P.
AU - Eide, Christopher A.
AU - Stevens, Samantha L.Savage
AU - Druker, Brian
AU - Crews, Craig M.
N2 - Although the use of ATP-competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors of oncoprotein BCR-ABL1 has enabled durable responses in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), issues of drug resistance and residual leukemic stem cells remain. To test whether the degradation of BCRABL1 kinase could offer improved response, we developed a series of proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) that allosterically target BCR-ABL1 protein and recruit the E3 ligase Von Hippel-Lindau, resulting in ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of the oncogenic fusion protein. In both human CML K562 cells and murine Ba/F3 cells expressing BCR-ABL1, lead compound GMB-475 induced rapid proteasomal degradation and inhibition of downstream biomarkers, such as STAT5, and showed increased sensitivity compared with diastereomeric controls lacking degradation activity. Notably, GMB-475 inhibited the proliferation of certain clinically relevant BCR-ABL1 kinase domain point mutants and further sensitized Ba/ F3 BCR-ABL1 cells to inhibition by imatinib, while demonstrating no toxicity toward Ba/F3 parental cells. Reverse phase protein array analysis suggested additional differences in levels of phosphorylated SHP2, GAB2, and SHC associated with BCR-ABL1 degradation. Importantly, GMB-475 reduced viability and increased apoptosis in primary CML CD34+ cells, with no effect on healthy CD34+ cells at identical concentrations. GMB-475 degraded BCR-ABL1 and reduced cell viability in primary CML stem cells. Together, these findings suggest that combined BCR-ABL1 kinase inhibition and protein degradation may represent a strategy to address BCR-ABL1-dependent drug resistance, and warrant further investigation into the eradication of persistent leukemic stem cells, which rely on neither the presence nor the activity of the BCR-ABL1 protein for survival. Significance: Small-molecule-induced degradation of BCR-ABL1 in CML provides an advantage over inhibition and provides insights into CML stem cell biology.
AB - Although the use of ATP-competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors of oncoprotein BCR-ABL1 has enabled durable responses in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), issues of drug resistance and residual leukemic stem cells remain. To test whether the degradation of BCRABL1 kinase could offer improved response, we developed a series of proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) that allosterically target BCR-ABL1 protein and recruit the E3 ligase Von Hippel-Lindau, resulting in ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of the oncogenic fusion protein. In both human CML K562 cells and murine Ba/F3 cells expressing BCR-ABL1, lead compound GMB-475 induced rapid proteasomal degradation and inhibition of downstream biomarkers, such as STAT5, and showed increased sensitivity compared with diastereomeric controls lacking degradation activity. Notably, GMB-475 inhibited the proliferation of certain clinically relevant BCR-ABL1 kinase domain point mutants and further sensitized Ba/ F3 BCR-ABL1 cells to inhibition by imatinib, while demonstrating no toxicity toward Ba/F3 parental cells. Reverse phase protein array analysis suggested additional differences in levels of phosphorylated SHP2, GAB2, and SHC associated with BCR-ABL1 degradation. Importantly, GMB-475 reduced viability and increased apoptosis in primary CML CD34+ cells, with no effect on healthy CD34+ cells at identical concentrations. GMB-475 degraded BCR-ABL1 and reduced cell viability in primary CML stem cells. Together, these findings suggest that combined BCR-ABL1 kinase inhibition and protein degradation may represent a strategy to address BCR-ABL1-dependent drug resistance, and warrant further investigation into the eradication of persistent leukemic stem cells, which rely on neither the presence nor the activity of the BCR-ABL1 protein for survival. Significance: Small-molecule-induced degradation of BCR-ABL1 in CML provides an advantage over inhibition and provides insights into CML stem cell biology.
U2 - 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-19-1236
DO - 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-19-1236
JO - Journal of Cancer Research
JF - Journal of Cancer Research
10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-19-1236
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Treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia by low-dose, total-body, irradiation-based conditioning and hematopoietic cell transplantation from related and unrelated donors
Ute Hegenbart, Dietger Niederwieser, Brenda M. Sandmaier, Michael B. Maris, Judith A. Shizuru, Hildegard Greinix, Catherine Cordonnier, Bernard Rio, Alois Gratwohl, Thoralf Lange, Haifa Al-Ali, Barry Storer, David Maloney, Peter McSweeney, Thomas Chauncey, Ed Agura, Benedetto Bruno, Richard Maziarz, Finn Petersen, Rainer Storb
Purpose: The use of low-dose, irradiation-based preparative regimens have allowed the extension of allografting to older and medically infirm patients. The study reported here assessed outcomes for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in different stages of their disease, who were not considered candidates for conventional hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) because of age and/or other known risk factors and were given minimal conditioning followed by HCT from related or unrelated donors. Patients and Methods: The present study included 122 patients with AML, who were conditioned with 2 Gy total-body irradiation (TBI) on day 0 with or without preceding fludarabine (30 mg/m 2/d from days -4 to -2), and given postgrafting cyclosporine at 6.25 mg/kg twice daily from day -3 and mycophenolate mofetil at 15 mg/kg twice daily from day 0. Results: Durable engraftment was observed in 95% of the patients. Cumulative incidences of acute graft-versus-host disease grades 2 to 4 at 6 months were 35% after related and 42% after unrelated HCT, respectively. With a median follow-up of 44 months (range, 26 to 79 months), 51 patients were alive, of whom 48 were in complete remission (CR). Cumulative nonrelapse mortalities were 10% and 22%, and cumulative mortalities from disease progression were 47% and 33% at 2 years for related and unrelated recipients, respectively. Overall, 2-year survival was 48%, and disease-free survival was 44%. Patients receiving transplantation in CR1 had 2-year overall survivals of 44% after related and 63% after unrelated HCT, respectively. Conclusion: We conclude that HCT from related and unrelated donors after low-dose TBI is a promising treatment for elderly patients with AML.
Journal of Clinical Oncology
https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2005.03.1765
Unrelated Donors
Whole-Body Irradiation
Cell Transplantation
Homologous Transplantation
Graft vs Host Disease
Disease-Free Survival
Hegenbart, U., Niederwieser, D., Sandmaier, B. M., Maris, M. B., Shizuru, J. A., Greinix, H., ... Storb, R. (2006). Treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia by low-dose, total-body, irradiation-based conditioning and hematopoietic cell transplantation from related and unrelated donors. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 24(3), 444-453. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2005.03.1765
Treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia by low-dose, total-body, irradiation-based conditioning and hematopoietic cell transplantation from related and unrelated donors. / Hegenbart, Ute; Niederwieser, Dietger; Sandmaier, Brenda M.; Maris, Michael B.; Shizuru, Judith A.; Greinix, Hildegard; Cordonnier, Catherine; Rio, Bernard; Gratwohl, Alois; Lange, Thoralf; Al-Ali, Haifa; Storer, Barry; Maloney, David; McSweeney, Peter; Chauncey, Thomas; Agura, Ed; Bruno, Benedetto; Maziarz, Richard; Petersen, Finn; Storb, Rainer.
In: Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol. 24, No. 3, 20.01.2006, p. 444-453.
Hegenbart, U, Niederwieser, D, Sandmaier, BM, Maris, MB, Shizuru, JA, Greinix, H, Cordonnier, C, Rio, B, Gratwohl, A, Lange, T, Al-Ali, H, Storer, B, Maloney, D, McSweeney, P, Chauncey, T, Agura, E, Bruno, B, Maziarz, R, Petersen, F & Storb, R 2006, 'Treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia by low-dose, total-body, irradiation-based conditioning and hematopoietic cell transplantation from related and unrelated donors', Journal of Clinical Oncology, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 444-453. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2005.03.1765
Hegenbart U, Niederwieser D, Sandmaier BM, Maris MB, Shizuru JA, Greinix H et al. Treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia by low-dose, total-body, irradiation-based conditioning and hematopoietic cell transplantation from related and unrelated donors. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2006 Jan 20;24(3):444-453. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2005.03.1765
Hegenbart, Ute ; Niederwieser, Dietger ; Sandmaier, Brenda M. ; Maris, Michael B. ; Shizuru, Judith A. ; Greinix, Hildegard ; Cordonnier, Catherine ; Rio, Bernard ; Gratwohl, Alois ; Lange, Thoralf ; Al-Ali, Haifa ; Storer, Barry ; Maloney, David ; McSweeney, Peter ; Chauncey, Thomas ; Agura, Ed ; Bruno, Benedetto ; Maziarz, Richard ; Petersen, Finn ; Storb, Rainer. / Treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia by low-dose, total-body, irradiation-based conditioning and hematopoietic cell transplantation from related and unrelated donors. In: Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2006 ; Vol. 24, No. 3. pp. 444-453.
@article{cd7a23b895064283ba1c6e1327e08d5d,
title = "Treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia by low-dose, total-body, irradiation-based conditioning and hematopoietic cell transplantation from related and unrelated donors",
abstract = "Purpose: The use of low-dose, irradiation-based preparative regimens have allowed the extension of allografting to older and medically infirm patients. The study reported here assessed outcomes for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in different stages of their disease, who were not considered candidates for conventional hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) because of age and/or other known risk factors and were given minimal conditioning followed by HCT from related or unrelated donors. Patients and Methods: The present study included 122 patients with AML, who were conditioned with 2 Gy total-body irradiation (TBI) on day 0 with or without preceding fludarabine (30 mg/m 2/d from days -4 to -2), and given postgrafting cyclosporine at 6.25 mg/kg twice daily from day -3 and mycophenolate mofetil at 15 mg/kg twice daily from day 0. Results: Durable engraftment was observed in 95{\%} of the patients. Cumulative incidences of acute graft-versus-host disease grades 2 to 4 at 6 months were 35{\%} after related and 42{\%} after unrelated HCT, respectively. With a median follow-up of 44 months (range, 26 to 79 months), 51 patients were alive, of whom 48 were in complete remission (CR). Cumulative nonrelapse mortalities were 10{\%} and 22{\%}, and cumulative mortalities from disease progression were 47{\%} and 33{\%} at 2 years for related and unrelated recipients, respectively. Overall, 2-year survival was 48{\%}, and disease-free survival was 44{\%}. Patients receiving transplantation in CR1 had 2-year overall survivals of 44{\%} after related and 63{\%} after unrelated HCT, respectively. Conclusion: We conclude that HCT from related and unrelated donors after low-dose TBI is a promising treatment for elderly patients with AML.",
author = "Ute Hegenbart and Dietger Niederwieser and Sandmaier, {Brenda M.} and Maris, {Michael B.} and Shizuru, {Judith A.} and Hildegard Greinix and Catherine Cordonnier and Bernard Rio and Alois Gratwohl and Thoralf Lange and Haifa Al-Ali and Barry Storer and David Maloney and Peter McSweeney and Thomas Chauncey and Ed Agura and Benedetto Bruno and Richard Maziarz and Finn Petersen and Rainer Storb",
doi = "10.1200/JCO.2005.03.1765",
journal = "Journal of Clinical Oncology",
publisher = "American Society of Clinical Oncology",
T1 - Treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia by low-dose, total-body, irradiation-based conditioning and hematopoietic cell transplantation from related and unrelated donors
AU - Hegenbart, Ute
AU - Niederwieser, Dietger
AU - Sandmaier, Brenda M.
AU - Maris, Michael B.
AU - Shizuru, Judith A.
AU - Greinix, Hildegard
AU - Cordonnier, Catherine
AU - Rio, Bernard
AU - Gratwohl, Alois
AU - Lange, Thoralf
AU - Al-Ali, Haifa
AU - Storer, Barry
AU - Maloney, David
AU - McSweeney, Peter
AU - Chauncey, Thomas
AU - Agura, Ed
AU - Bruno, Benedetto
AU - Maziarz, Richard
AU - Petersen, Finn
AU - Storb, Rainer
N2 - Purpose: The use of low-dose, irradiation-based preparative regimens have allowed the extension of allografting to older and medically infirm patients. The study reported here assessed outcomes for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in different stages of their disease, who were not considered candidates for conventional hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) because of age and/or other known risk factors and were given minimal conditioning followed by HCT from related or unrelated donors. Patients and Methods: The present study included 122 patients with AML, who were conditioned with 2 Gy total-body irradiation (TBI) on day 0 with or without preceding fludarabine (30 mg/m 2/d from days -4 to -2), and given postgrafting cyclosporine at 6.25 mg/kg twice daily from day -3 and mycophenolate mofetil at 15 mg/kg twice daily from day 0. Results: Durable engraftment was observed in 95% of the patients. Cumulative incidences of acute graft-versus-host disease grades 2 to 4 at 6 months were 35% after related and 42% after unrelated HCT, respectively. With a median follow-up of 44 months (range, 26 to 79 months), 51 patients were alive, of whom 48 were in complete remission (CR). Cumulative nonrelapse mortalities were 10% and 22%, and cumulative mortalities from disease progression were 47% and 33% at 2 years for related and unrelated recipients, respectively. Overall, 2-year survival was 48%, and disease-free survival was 44%. Patients receiving transplantation in CR1 had 2-year overall survivals of 44% after related and 63% after unrelated HCT, respectively. Conclusion: We conclude that HCT from related and unrelated donors after low-dose TBI is a promising treatment for elderly patients with AML.
AB - Purpose: The use of low-dose, irradiation-based preparative regimens have allowed the extension of allografting to older and medically infirm patients. The study reported here assessed outcomes for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in different stages of their disease, who were not considered candidates for conventional hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) because of age and/or other known risk factors and were given minimal conditioning followed by HCT from related or unrelated donors. Patients and Methods: The present study included 122 patients with AML, who were conditioned with 2 Gy total-body irradiation (TBI) on day 0 with or without preceding fludarabine (30 mg/m 2/d from days -4 to -2), and given postgrafting cyclosporine at 6.25 mg/kg twice daily from day -3 and mycophenolate mofetil at 15 mg/kg twice daily from day 0. Results: Durable engraftment was observed in 95% of the patients. Cumulative incidences of acute graft-versus-host disease grades 2 to 4 at 6 months were 35% after related and 42% after unrelated HCT, respectively. With a median follow-up of 44 months (range, 26 to 79 months), 51 patients were alive, of whom 48 were in complete remission (CR). Cumulative nonrelapse mortalities were 10% and 22%, and cumulative mortalities from disease progression were 47% and 33% at 2 years for related and unrelated recipients, respectively. Overall, 2-year survival was 48%, and disease-free survival was 44%. Patients receiving transplantation in CR1 had 2-year overall survivals of 44% after related and 63% after unrelated HCT, respectively. Conclusion: We conclude that HCT from related and unrelated donors after low-dose TBI is a promising treatment for elderly patients with AML.
U2 - 10.1200/JCO.2005.03.1765
DO - 10.1200/JCO.2005.03.1765
JO - Journal of Clinical Oncology
JF - Journal of Clinical Oncology
10.1200/JCO.2005.03.1765
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Where have all the guys gone?
Posted by: Robert Richards
It seems these days the Ladies are the competitive ones. Where have all the guys gone?
Four intrepid Ladies from Okehampton Running club took to an impressive challenge that turned into a dramatic race due entirely to the break in the wonderful sunny weather. With course changes at the start and during the races.
The Something Wild Trail Running Festival is a family friendly trail running event at Dartmoor National Park. It takes place at Huccaby Farm, nestled in a secluded valley and surrounded by the fabulous landscape of Dartmoor.
Gill Spinney gave a great performance in her longest run yet by attempting the Marathon distance, then Jo Page, Christine Fritsch and Mags Jarvis completed the half- marathon. Both courses include tough climbs, enjoyable downhills and, of course, Dartmoor’s best trails and views.
The trail marathon was the blue ribband event. Starting and finishing at the festival site at Huccaby, it crosses the fulcrum of Dartmoor where east and west rivers meet at Dartmeet and completes a circuit of Bellever woods via Yartor, Babeny and Sherwell Farm. It then heads east along Dr Blackalls Drive, crossing the river for a second time at New Bridge following a bone jarring descent and heading in to Holne Woods, then on in to Hembury Woods, skirting the brook before ascending the steep climb up Pupers Hill via Scorriton, a long, gradual descent to Coombestone Tor and the final crossing of the river at the Huccaby stepping stones, before reaching the sanctuary and bustle of the festival site. This route was changed during the race to one 8 mile loop and 3 of the 10k loops. Gill had to stop the river crossing on her second 10k loop as the water was chest deep and running very fast making the crossing particularly hazardous. Gills race was shortened to about 21 miles and finished safely at the festival site.
The original half marathon route started and ended at the festival site at Huccaby Farm, crossing the river at Dartmeet before climbing gradually to Sharp tor and along Dr Blackalls Drive to New Bridge, and on to Holne Woods. Crossing through Holne and return via Holne ridge to Coombestone tor. However due to the weather they had to change the route to two loops of their 10k route for the half marathon. This still involved crossing some stepping stones across a river. The ORCs had to wade through the river as it was assessed as being safer than jumping across the slippery rocks although up to their waste deep in water, the water rising on every minute that passed. On the second loop the race team had closed the river crossing and changing the route during the race and had to turn back the way they came. In the end the final finishing course was about 12.5 miles. Jo Page was 1st female overall. Mags first FV60. All came in safely within 3 hours.
A fellow ORC, Mike Westland on a family trip to London competed in the Lee Valley Velo Park series 10k race. On this moto GP styled race circuit, Mike stormed his way to a fun and frantic attempt at his personal best. The race is set in Lee Valley’s Velo Park, a normal home for BMX cycling, this was the first opportunity to run the route on this spectacular one mile circuit at Olympic Park. Mike came in with an impressive 52:14mins which was 35th out of 125 runners and second in the FV60 category.
Two other lady ORCs took to a races of a different kind, they took part in Runners Against Rubbish. Each running team ran a specified part of the South West coast path and collected as much litter as possible. During this weekend the whole of the South West coast path was being run by groups doing the same. Carole Cornwall and Katy Speak ran from Padstow to Porthcothan, a distance of about 13miles. No medal or time but the satisfaction that they collected two bins bags full of rubbish.
And finally, Jo Page and Hayden Bond tried out short but fun annual race at the Chulmleigh village fair. A short 2 mile race with hills and Jo finished first lady with Hayden coming in second overall.
The long and the short of it all!
In an exciting week of racing there were some great results by Okehampton running club members across a broad spectrum of race types and distances. Wednesday evening saw eight ORCs travel to Exeter to try and set some fast times at the Exeter 10k. Starting and finishing near Haven Banks the course was two laps of the Riverside Valley Park where light cloud and no wind made for ideal running conditions. First home for the club was Graham Bryant, whose time of 39.27 was a new PB and the first sub-40minute 10k by him. He was followed by Ed Dumpleton, also setting a new PB of 41.23, going under 42 mins for the first time. Next was Hayden Bond in 41.36, followed by a duo of ORC ladies who both produced superb runs with Karen Vallance just holding off the fast improving Jo Bradford to beat her by four seconds. Their times of 47.25 and 47.29 respectively saw Karen set a new club age group record which has stood for eight years. Jo’s time had equalled this record and had set her a new PB by 1min 38sec. Mags Jarvis’ time of 51.23 was equally impressive, giving her the highest age graded percentage she’s had and a platinum award. She was followed by Ged Fitzgibbon in 53.18 and Phil Turner, who replaced his wife Jo due to a last minute injury and set himself a new PB of 57.54.
The following evening the Tavy Town Relays took place in Tavistock with Okehampton fielding teams in the Senior men’s, Vet men’s and Vet women’s categories. These well established 1.1mile lap relays with teams of 4 runners are fiercely contested for club honours, with supporters and fellow runners making for an exciting and electric atmosphere throughout the course. The ladies were the first to race with two vet teams running and they rose to the occasion, particularly Sarah Marvin who ran first leg in one team and then stood in for the injured Jo Turner to run the anchor leg in the other team. She and her fellow runners Karen King, Karen Vallance and Jo Bradford were rewarded with second place in the vet category. This set the benchmark for the men’s races where two vet and one senior men’s teams took part, and also a mixed team of men and ladies. The men again put in some great runs, with competition even between the fellow ORC teams, but the men’s A team of Rob Kelly, Paul Carter, Andy Vallance and Andrew Vernon were strong and finished in second place ahead of the fourth placed B team. The other ORC teams were; Mens Vet B; Hugh Robinson, Alec Robinson, Ed Dumpleton, with Hugh running a second time for the absent Steve Gentle (4th). Ladies Vet B; Anne Binns, Jane Jackson, Kathryn Volkelt-Igoe, Sarah Marvin (8th). Men’s senior; Graham Bryant, Hayden Bond, Tom Andrew, George Haskell (10th). Mixed; John Binns, Louisa Jayne, Jaqueline Rice, Mike Westland (19th).
Two days later eight ORCs were out running a completely different type of race, the iconic Haytor Heller. This notoriously tough and hilly moorland race, starting and finishing in the shadow of the great Haytor rocks, has a cruelly steep uphill start but a wonderful downhill finish for those brave enough to hurl down to the finish line. Christine Fristch and Rob Hicks had completed this race before but for the others this was a new experience, turning out to be successful and enjoyed by all. Rob was happy to have a good run round while not racing too hard having recently come back from injury, but still came 7th overall and first M35 in a time of 44.33. Emma Dean has been running really strongly in her recent races and her time of 1.03.41 rewarded her with 2nd F35 here. Jane Jackson was running her first off road race since her ultra marathon two weeks ago and was pleased to win the FV60 category in 1.11.24. Together with Jo Page and Christine Fritsch these four were placed third ladies team. Other ORC times; Hayden Bond; 56.14, Jo Page; 58.05, Tom Andrew; 1.01.36, Jason Ewing;1.03.42, Christine Fritsch; 1.09.39, beating her previous course time.
Perhaps the outstanding performance of the week was Roger Voaden’s participation in the Salwick Scorcher 7 in 7, a series of seven marathons in seven days, held near Preston in Lancashire. These races were all following the same five mile loop repeatedly throughout every race, so called for both physical and mental strength and even a marathon specialist like Roger found them tough going, particularly in hot conditions. Roger’s times for the marathons were; 3hr 20 (1st), 3hr.28 (1st), 3hr 58 (2nd), 4hr 46, 4hr 07, 3hr 50 and 4hr 25.
Another unusual event that has seen three ORCs participate in recently is the I Move London Record Relay attempt taking part in the city throughout July. The aim is to set a new official Guinness World Record for the longest continual relay while at the same time supporting three charities who help combat homelessness, mental illness stigma and help reduce gang violence. Running throughout the day and night, the 4,000 miles will be completed by 2,500 runners over 5k and 10k laps where the baton must never be put down. Jo Page and Hugh Robinson have completed stages earlier this month while Jo Bradford finished off a very successful week of races with her leg on Sunday.
Jo Bradford gets the medal for being in 3 events and 3 photos in the same weekly report. Jo Page now has finally got some competition!
Finally, its not often you get to run against a form Olympic Champion Dame Kelly Holmes, Okehampton’s leading Park runner, Jane Richardson, will never forget this weeks Exeter parkrun where Dame Kelly Holmes joined the runners. Despite claiming to not run much nowadays Dame Kelly finished first female and 7th overall and was an inspiring presence there, Jane feeling honoured to finish on the same results sheet as her, even with hundreds of other runners.
Many thanks as always to Jane Jackson for your sometimes investigative journalism and Robert Richards for the easy task of publishing.
Dash, Door and Rock
Another hot weekend saw more Okehampton Running Club members brave the high temperatures and take part in races from 4 miles to ultra marathon distance.
On Saturday there was a good turnout of ORCs at the Lydford Dash, a 4.5 mile race over undulating ground incorporating fields, rough tracks, two river crossings with stepping stones and a bridge, and then across a beautiful common incorporating some of the best views of the moors and the village of Lydford beyond. First home for the club was Rob Hicks, getting back to some form after a long injury lay-off, with fellow ORC Hugh Robinson behind him claiming the 1st MV40 prize. First club lady was Jo Page, to be third lady overall. ORC times; Rob Hicks; 30.45, Hugh Robinson; 32.42, Andrew Vernon; 34.20, Jo Page; 39.16, Tom Andrew; 42.21, Christine Fritsch; 47.45, Janet White; 60.34.
At the other end of the distance spectrum on Saturday, Okehampton was represented by four lady runners in the Lulworth Cove half marathon and a single male in the 34 mile ultra marathon. These races had been the victim of the late snow in March, but at the re-scheduled race the runners would have been glad of something cooler in the baking heat of this recent spell. The course takes the runners west from Lulworth Cove on the coastpath, past the iconic Durdle Door, and on nearly into Weymouth, where they turn inland and back to Lulworth. Here the half marathoners finish, while the marathon and ultra runners then head east on the coast path towards St Albans Head and Poole, turning off and heading back at different points. Despite the steep hills, the stunning scenery along this beautiful stretch of the South West Coastpath, made the huge effort on such a hot day worthwhile. First home in the Half Marathon was Gill Spinney in 2.37.33, after having to drop down from the marathon due to injury. Katy Speak, Carole Cornwall and Ruth Bushell all ran together, finishing in 3.20.26, with Ruth completing her first trail half marathon.
Robert Richards completed his first Ultra Marathon in 8.36.47, relieved to put his previous attempt, when he had to retire feeling unwell, behind him.
Sunday was no cooler for the three ORC’s running the Care for Kids Barnstaple 10k. The race starts at Park school on the sports field, and then meanders around the historic Rock Park before it continues along Taw Vale and the Strand using the Tarka Trail and over the Taw Bridge, which is the steepest part of the course. It then returns back to the town square along the riverside and into Rock Park, finishing at Park School. The course is a flat, fast one, perfect for a first race as well as an ideal opportunity to gain a personal best. Hayden Bond was the first home for the club in 42.45. Not content with just one race this weekend, Jo Page raced again here, finishing second lady overall and first senior lady in 45.04 while Karen King found it tough in the heat but ran well to finish in 49.43, coming third in her age category.
One ORC did manage to find some water to incorporate into his race when Paul Jelley competed in the Honiton sprint Triathlon. Here the competitors swam 16 lengths (400m) in a pool, before a 20k bike ride and a 5k multi-terrain run. Paul completed in 1.22.24, coming 6th overall and 1st in his age category in what was his third triathlon.
Thanks to Jane Jackson (welcome back) for reporting and Robert Richards for posting.
Okey Races begin
It was the Belstone Village Fair this weekend, Okehampton Running Club organise this traditional race which has been going for many years. The race started in the village green as part of the fair celebrations approximately 3.2 miles with a climb of around 300m over rough open terrain to the top of Cosden Hill and back.
35 keen runners set off in 29 degree heat at the Cosdon Hill race. Spectators were treated to a fierce battle for first place with an elite group all running close to the course record of 29m06s. 2017 winner and ORC Rob Hicks flew down the hill leading a group of three down the path into the valley with 2015 winner Tim Lenton hot on his heels as they were lost from the view from Belstone common. When they re-appeared on the path up to the green Tim had taken the lead and both men turned themselves inside out battling to be the first to the line, with Tim triumphing in 29m22s and Rob coming through just 5 seconds later. Paul Crease was the next ORC back, winning the MV40 and taking 5th overall in a time of 33:36.
In the Female division Jo Page (who had turned up to marshal only to find we had plenty of help) continued her impressive form by winning in 49:09. Ruth Bushell took the FV50 in 1h2m28s and Janet White ran strong to the finish taking the FV60 category in 1h4m24s.
Further afield in the Lake District was two of our most respected lady trail runners, Jane Jackson and Christine Frisch completed their Ultra Marathon. They raced the 55km Ultimate Trails Challenge which is a testing 55km ultra marathon course through some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the Lake District. The tough, challenging course will certainly live up to its billing as the most picturesque ultra-marathon in the UK. The 55km route also includes 3 mountain passes, with 7,000ft ascent/descent along with 5 memorable feed stations.
Starting and finishing in Ambleside, the 55km Ultimate Trails Challenge takes in a complete circuit of the central Lake District, along well marked and marshalled footpaths and bridleways.
Lastly this weekend another of Okehampton Running Club seasoned lady Trail runner Jo-Anne Turner took her husband Phil Turner on a boat trip to the Island of Lundy to run the first long half marathon around this beautiful island.
Lundy Race the most unique Trail running experience is Fourteen (ish) miles of pristine, wildlife encrusted tracks tended by the Landmark Trust are open for us to run, walk and crawl. Whichever way you do it, you will visit all 3 lighthouses traversing the undulating eastern and western clifftops, cling to the precipitous slopes and run along the central spine of the island (as well as a few side tracks). You will definitely discover this beautiful and rugged island in all its glorious entirety, on foot and at your own pace. Jo-Anne complete in 3:12.55 with Phil behind in 3:12.56.
Thanks you to Robert Richards, Hugh Robinson and Mags Jarvis for compiling the material.
Steaming down the valley
After a very busy few weeks for Okehampton Running Club last weekend was not a busy one for races. The club, along with OCRA, organised the Run in the Park on Sunday 1st July and runners enjoyed a cooler and rather damp 2.5K or 5K run (two laps) in Simmons Park. Many members of the club were also off training locally for various upcoming races and generally trying to stay cool!
Jo Page took on another new challenge to add to her achievements of different races in many different venues. She took part in a very unusual race on Thursday June 28th called “Steaming Down the Valley”, where she raced a steam train. This was held in Shropshire at the Severn Valley Country Park and ended at Arley Station racing against a full on Steam Train (called Bradley Manor) from the Severn Valley Railway. This was the first year this race has been run. Jo didn’t manage to beat the steam train but she really enjoyed a fantastic race and won the trophy for being the 2nd female finisher and was 24th overall. The race was on trails and was about 3.5 fairly challenging miles. Well done Jo.
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“You shall have no other gods before Me.
~ Exodus 20:3, First Commandment
Abrahamic Family Home
Abrahamic Family Home Plan
I received an article with the English translation of Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano’s essay on Pope Francis’ venture into building the Abrahamic Family Home. The format was a bit hard to read, so I didn’t want to present it to you, but recently I found Church Militant carries the story with a much more accessible format. (The text if you link to the original from Church Militant is in Italian. Use Google translate.) From Church Militant:
“Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s latest essay concerns the Abrahamic Family House project, a structure that will host a synagogue, a mosque and a church in Abu Dhabi. The former papal nuncio warns against the dangers of syncretism and highlights the contradiction between this ecumenical project and traditional teaching of the Church. Dr. Aldo Maria Valli has granted us permission to republish Viganò’s essay in full… Church Militant Article: Thus the world Neo-Religion will Have Its temple. With the Pope’s permission…
There is a new website you should visit after reading the Vigano writing on the Abrahamic Family Home. The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity. I’ll let them introduce themselves to you:
The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity comprises a diverse set of international religious leaders, educational scholars and cultural leaders who were inspired by the Document on Human Fraternity, and are dedicated to sharing its message of mutual understanding and peace.
They have been tasked with acting on the aspirations outlined in the Document on Human Fraternity and will meet with religious leaders, heads of international organizations and others across the world to support and spread the values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. In addition, the committee will provide counsel on a variety of initiatives, including the Abrahamic Family House to be built in Abu Dhabi.
As the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity international activities progress, its membership will expand to include leaders of other faiths, denominations and beliefs. The Higher Committee aspires to undertake complex challenges facing communities of all faiths, with an approach of openness, learning and dialogue. The committee is currently in the early stages of its formation, establishing the groundwork for its future activities.
Sounds a bit eerie, doesn’t it? I’m not going to explain what I’ve been learning about the lofty language here. Still, I will tell you that to date, the committee is only willing to publish pictures and information on eight people: two Vatican key players, 5 Muslims, and a token Jewish rabbi. (Recently Francis came out smacking Jewish leaders: Pope: Jews Living in Judea, Israel: Bad for ‘Regional Stability’) The Israeli community is becoming leary of Francis.
That’s “The Higher Committee.” story. The Story from His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (I use his name because to be sure nothing is said he wouldn’t approve.) comes a bit differently:
Abu Dhabi: The UAE has become the epitome of peace and tolerance where religious freedom and peaceful coexistence is at par, according to religious leaders in the emirates. They expressed their views following the decision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to construct the Abrahamic Family House on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.
The Abrahamic Family House will be a museum to commemorate the historic visit of Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al Azhar to the UAE and it will be dedicated to inter-faith harmony…
The Abrahamic House building project is a cultural and civilisational project, and any decision to construct such cultural and religious monuments or shrines send wide signals to the world about the positive vibes about the country, he said.
Shaikh Al Qubaisi added that the UAE promotes safe and peaceful coexistence for those living in the emirates, and such decisions further enhance the country’s stand on tolerance and peaceful living.
To get the Shaikh’s take: Inter-faith museum to commemorate historic visit of pope and Grand Imam of Al Azhar
On Modernism
Archbishop Vigano’s essay uses words of warning from Pope Pius XI in his encyclical Mortalium animos (The Minds of mortals) written in 1928 about religious unity and the early ecumenical movement. He was condemning certain presumptions of the movement and confirming that the unique Church founded by Jesus Christ is the Catholic Church. Back then, the ecumenical movement was more focused on unity among the protestant churches. I’m not sure how much the Jewish community or Muslims were part of the mix other than the hidden agenda to breakdown all into a one-world religion already taking hold in different circles. We learn Pius understood one of the fundamental errors of modernism was the idea that all religions are just varying (and fallible) human expressions of a natural religious impulse or instinct. He agreed with Pius X.
MODERNISM. It really is crucial that today’s Catholics understand what modernism is and why our popes had warned us about it before Vatican II. I purchased Pope Pius X’s encyclical on modernism. It was written even earlier in 1907. I learned of it while reading a book on the New Age Movement entitled The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, written by a Protestant in 1982, who said Pius X’s encyclical was the best resource on modernism anyone could find. So I started looking online for the Pius X encyclical, I came across the Catechism on Modernism. Actually, Modernism 101 for dummies (my 2019 term) using the same Pius X encyclical with his permission! I purchased the Kindle edition and was stunned to find the blessed Pontiff doing his best to warn the flock of a demonic danger forming in real-time all around him. He gave the same warning Pope Leo spoke of in the latter part of the 1800’s. Sadly, it is clear that what they warned their bishops and priest to avoid has now taken hold of today’s Church. Archbishop Vigano is merely adding to the chorus of wise warnings.
This understanding of modernism is such valuable reading for us now that I want to give you free links. Neither are as easy as buying a kindle version, but they work:
catechism-on-modernism (Found at Real Catholic World website, but I found saving it to MY PDF seemed brighter. You can “save as” to read offline.)
What Church Militant didn’t share was that Archbishop Viagano has decided to begin writing essays of current events in the Church and will be releasing them through Italian Dr. Aldo Maria Valli. I am so tired of all the ads I keep running into on websites that I am going to copy them from now on into PDF format, giving credit to the site, so we can read them and pass along if possible.
May God bless you always,
Nancy M.
©2019 Nancy H Montgomery, ORCatholic.com
Views and opinions found in links on this site are not necessarily those of ORCatholic.com.
Posted on December 9, 2019 by Nancy MontgomeryPosted in Nancy Blog, Spiritual WarfareTagged Abrahamic Family Home, Archbishop Vigano, Catholic Crisis Resources, Modernism.
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Remodeled Barnes & Noble Campus Store open for...
Remodeled Barnes & Noble Campus Store open for business
Larry Kidder
Richard H. Hart, LLU Health president, smiles as he cuts the ribbon, officially opening the renovated Barnes & Noble Campus Store on Friday, February 15. With him are (standing, from left) Phil Carlisle, Ron Carter, Rod Neal, Denise Nakakihara, Kevin Lang, Russell Markman, Angela Lalas, and Gary Nelson. Holding the ribbon are sisters Mary Su (left) and Elsie Chan (right) -- the latter who is a member and past president of the Loma Linda Chamber of Commerce.
A number of dignitaries and their representatives were on hand Friday, February 15, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration marking the grand re-opening of the fully renovated Barnes & Noble Campus Store.
An audience of close to 50 people witnessed as Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH, president of Loma Linda University Health, wielded the scissors with a smile.
Representing Barnes & Noble were Russell Markman, vice president for campus relations, and Denise Nakakihara, regional manager. In a short address, Mr. Markman shared some of the benefits of the partnership between the two organizations.
Rodney Neal, MBA, senior vice president of finance for Loma Linda University, commented specifically on the benefits to LLU Health. The LLU Foundation will continue to oversee the Apple-authorized store within the Campus Store.
Phil Carlisle, CEO of the Loma Linda Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the Barnes & Noble Campus Store into membership and presented a plaque to that effect.
A representative of Senator Bill Emmerson presented Mr. Neal with a “Certificate of Recognition” from the California State Senate. On behalf of U.S. Congressman Gary Miller, another representative presented a “Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition.” California Assemblyman Mike Morrell sent his congratulations through a “Certificate of Recognition” from the California State Legislature.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, those in attendance were invited to experience the new store, enjoy some refreshments, take home a give away or two, and even—perhaps—buy something.
CampusStore.jpg (7.39 MB)
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EC completes preparations for upper house election
KATHMANDU, Jan 17: The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday said all preparations for upper house members election scheduled for January 23 have been completed.
EC starts preparation for NA elections
KATHMANDU, Dec 8: After holding the by-elections successful, the Election Commission (EC) is gearing up to hold election of the National Assembly (NA), the upper house of the bicameral federal parliament, which will soon be bidding farewell to one third of its members in accordance with the constitutional provision.
EC stresses on implementation of election code of conduct
KATHMANDU, Nov 17 : The Election Commission (EC) has urged all to follow the election code of conduct in view of by-election. The by-election for various vacant posts in the federal, provincial and local level is slated for November 30.
EC publishes final list of by-poll candidates
KATHMANDU, Nov 11: The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday made public the final list of leaders contesting the parliamentary and provincial assembly by-polls slated for November 30.
Oct 24: 6 things to know by 6 PM today
Your daily dose of missed important news of the day.
July 24: 6 things to know by 6 PM today
Your daily dose of the missed important news of the day.
EC should take the final call for elections: CEC Yadav
DAMAULI, July 13: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr Ayodhee Prasad Yadav said that the Election Commission should be the final authority to announce election date.
NCP registered with EC
June 8, 2018 07:03 am
KATHMANDU, June 8: A day after the board of the Election Commission decided to register the newly-formed Nepal Communist Party (NCP), the election body on Thursday formally registered the party.
EC decides to register NCP, ignoring law
KATHMANDU, June 7: The Election Commission (EC) has decided to give official status to the newly-formed Nepal Communist Party (NCP), ignoring a law which requires a party to ensure 33 percent seats to women in its ranks.
EC prepares to register NCP without 33 pc women representation
KATHMANDU, June 6: Softening its previous stance, the Election Commission (EC) has hinted at registering the newly formed Nepal Communist Party (NCP) without 33 percent women representation in the party's central organization as required by the law.
EC likely to deny registration to NCP
KATHMANDU, May 26: The Election Commission (EC) is likely to refuse to register the newly-formed Nepal Communist Party, if the party does not increase women’s participation in its central party structure.
EC likely to reject NCP registration
KATMANDU, May 25: The Election Commission (EC) is likely to reject to register the newly-formed Nepal Communist Party, if the party does not increase women's participation in its central party structure.
EC spent millions in donor funds with no audit: OAG report
KATHMANDU, April 13: An audit report prepared by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) shows that the Election Commission (EC) spent millions of rupees from foreign donors without any audit and details of election logistics gifted by neighboring countries were not taken into account in its report submitted to the OAG after holding three sets of elections last year.
EC submits annual report to President
KATHMANDU, March 28: The Election Commission (EC) has submitted its annual report of the fiscal year 2073/074 BS to President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
EU report totally unacceptable: EC
KATHMANDU, March 23: The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday said it 'totally rejects' the final poll observation report prepared by the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM).
EU accuses EC of not maintaining transparency in elections
KATHMANDU, March 21: An international observation group has accused Nepal's Election Commission (EC) of not maintaining transparency while conducting three sets of crucial elections last year.
EC urges to ensure security provision for election
KATHMANDU, Mar 6: The Election Commission (EC) has directed the security bodies to ensure prompt security provision for the upcoming presidential election.
EC sets Rs 400,000 limit as expenditure for a presidential candidate
KATHMANDU, Mar 4: The Election Commission (EC) has set Rs 400,000 as election expenses for a candidate contesting the presidential election set for March 13.
EC to hand down used vehicles to provincial govts
KATHMANDU, March 3: The Election Commission (EC) is set to hand down around two dozen cars which have been in use for a few years to the government for use by the provincial governments. The commission will, however, keep dozens of new vehicles it had bought recently for itself.
EC starts work on presidential election
KATHMANDU, Feb 16: After successfully holding three sets of elections, the Election Commission (EC) is preparing to hold the elections for the president and vice-president within mid-March.
EC broaches Prez, V.Prez elections to parties
KATHMANDU, Feb 15: The Election Commission has proposed to hold the election of President and Vice-President within this month.
EC asks NA poll candidates to submit poll expenditure details
KATHMANDU, Feb 15: The Election Commission (EC) has asked National Assembly election candidates to submit details of poll expenditures soon.
EC submits final results of HoR to Prez
KATHMANDU, Feb 14: The Election Commission (EC) has submitted the final results of House of Representatives (HoR) elections to the President on Wednesday evening.
EC submits NA poll results to Prez Bhandari
KATHMANDU, Feb 12: The Election Commission (EC) on Friday submitted the National Assembly poll results to President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
EC to present poll results to Prez within Wednesday
KATMANDU, Feb 11: The Election Commission (EC) is preparing to submit the overall poll results to the president by Wednesday at any cost.
EC allocates UML 41 PR seats in lower house
KATHMANDU, Feb 10: More than two months after the parliamentary elections, the Election Commission (EC) on Friday announced the proportional representation (PR) results for the lower house.
EC to publish PR seats for HoR
KATHMANDU, Feb 8: The Election Commission has prepared to announce the number of seats secured by the political parties in the election of House of Representatives under Proportional Representation (PR) system on Thursday.
99.52 voter turnout in National Assembly election, says EC
KATHMANDU, Feb 7: The National Assembly polls were held in a peaceful and enthusiastic atmosphere in six provinces, the Election Commission (EC) said.
EC gears to declare HoR results after NA elections
KATHMANDU, Feb 6: Following tomorrow’s National Assembly elections, a source at the Election Commission said that they were gearing up to publish the results of Proportional Representations of House of Representatives.
EC issues Code of Conduct for NA election
KATHMANDU, Jan 26: The Election Commission issued the Code of Conduct regarding the National Assembly Election today. The National Assembly election is slated for February 7.
EC publishes voter list for upper house polls
KATHMANDU, Jan 22: As part of holding the upper house election slated for February 7, the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday made public the name list of voters who will elect 56 members of the 59-member upper house of federal parliament.
EC to publish voter’s name list today
KATHMANDU, Jan 21: Election Commission (EC) has prepared to publish the voters name list of National Assembly (NA) election after the swearing-in ceremony of all provincial assembly members conclude.
EC seeks foolproof security at polling locations
Urges parties to create poll-friendly environment
EC presents certificates to Provincial Assemblies PR candidates
KATHMANDU, Jan 19: The Election Commission (EC) has handed certificates to the members elected to the State Assemblies under the proportional representation (PR) system.
EC allocates election symbols to political parties for NA election
KATHMANDU, Jan 19: The Election Commission has allocated election symbols to the 21 political parties that have registered for the purpose of the election to the member of National Assembly.
EC confused whether to relocate offices following protests
KATHMANDU, Jan 19: With the government announcing temporary provincial capitals in places other than where the Election Commission (EC) established its offices for conducting National Assembly polls, there is confusion over polling locations for the upper house elections.
EC publishes winners of provincial PR seats (With list)
KATHMANDU, Jan 18: The Election Commission (EC) has published the winners of the provincial assemblies elected under the proportional representation (PR) category. Altogether 220 members of provincial assemblies have been elected under PR category. On Wednesday the EC had announced the final list of the winners.
EC names winners of provincial PR seats
KATHMANDU, Jan 18: The Election Commission (EC) has announced the winners of the provincial assemblies elected under the proportional representation (PR) category. Altogether 220 members of provincial assemblies have been elected under PR category.
EC may announce provincial PR seat winners today
KATHMANDU, Jan 17: The Election Commission (EC) is likely to announce winners of the provincial assemblies elected under Proportional Representation (PR) category on Wednesday.
EC to discuss with five political parties
KATHMANDU, Jan 16: The Election Commission (EC) is holding a discussion with top five political parties today regarding the National Assembly election slated for February 7. The discussion will focus on NA election and the results of Preoperational Representatives for the federal election.
EC should be vested with authority to announce election date: CEC Yadav
BIRATNAGAR, Jan 15: Chief Election Commissioner Dr Ayodhee Prasad Yadav has said that authority should be given to the Election Commission to announce the election date.
Government, EC dillydallying to hand over power: Mahendra Shahi
BHAKTAPUR, Jan 14: Former minister and youth leader of CPN (Maoist Center), Mahendra Shahi has opined that he is capable and ready to shoulder responsibility as chief minister of Province 6.
EC makes public calendar for NA election
Kathmandu, Jan 10: The Election Commission has today published the calendar for the election of National Assembly members scheduled to be held on coming February 7. Accordingly, the voters' list will be published on January 21 while filing of nominations shall take place on January 24, according to EC spokesperson Nawaraj Dhakal.
EC takes action on 83 of 114 code violation complaints
KATHMANDU, Jan 10: The Election Commission (EC) received 114 complaints related to violation of the election code of conduct during the period of the House of Representatives and State Assembly elections.
Ten parties registered at the EC for National Assembly election
KATHMANDU, Jan 9: Ten political parties have registered themselves at the Election Commission for the purpose of the National Assembly election so far.
EC in a fix over NA polling locations
KATMANDU, Jan 9: With the government dillydallying to announce provincial capitals, the Election Commission (EC) is in a fix over fixing polling locations for the National Assembly elections.
EC confirms meeting among constitutional heads
KATMANDU, Jan 8: Three days after having a meeting with the heads of key anti-graft bodies - Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and Office of the Auditor General (OAG) - the Election Commission (EC) admitted it on Sunday.
EC publishes election operation cost
KATHMANDU, Jan 7: The Election Commission (EC) has published the election operation cost of Provincial Assembly and House of Representatives held in two phases on November 26 and December 7.
President urges EC to hold all-party meeting, present poll results
KATHMANDU, Jan 5: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has urged the Election Commission (EC) to present the final poll results at the earliest by forging consensus among political parties.
EC officials informally apprise President Bhandari of EC's activities
KATHMANDU, Jan 4: President Bidya Devi Bhandari and office-bearers of the Election Commission held a meeting at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas, today.
Our mountains are safe and pristine: Minister Bhattarai
Ward member dies in Udayapur road mishap
Leaders yet to return money borrowed from martyrs’ families
Too many vehicles, too short road
We all are tourists
Unseasonal rains damage bricks worth Rs 50 million in Bhaktapur
A chronicle of change
Arrest warrant issued against singer Astha Raut for her 'indecent behavior'
Party struggling to materialise martyrs' dreams: Upendra Yadav
Sixty killed in Houthi attack on camp in Yemen's Marib
Valley pollution levels for January 18, 2020
LIVE: Meeting of National Assembly underway
MCC capable of serving nation's interest: Spokesperson Shrestha
China's state planner says approved projects in 2019 worth $195 billion
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Who Is the Quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles
If there was any doubt about who the Philadelphia Eagles would choose as their starting quarterback for the 2019 season, head coach Doug Pederson put it to rest Tuesday, per Jeff McLane of Philly.com: Carson Wentz is the #Eagles’ starting QB moving forward.
Howie Roseman, the team's executive vice president of football operations, added that the Eagles have "confidence in [Wentz's] ability to be our quarterback and to be hopefully a 19-game starter," according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.
Nick Foles' presence has complicated Philadelphia's quarterback situation. Foles famously led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl title last season in relief of Wentz, who tore his ACL. And when Wentz went down again this year with a stress fracture in his back, Foles led the Eagles to three straight wins to close the campaign before guiding the team to a wild-card win over the Chicago Bears.
falcons football
ravens football
panthers score
dallas cowboys schedule
saints score
giants football
pittsburgh steelers football
49ers game
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A new UK astronomy instrument is set for Mexico
by University of Manchester
Credit: Manchester University
A new instrument to help astronomers understand how stars are born is bound for the Large Millimetre Telescope (LMT) in Mexico.
The Collaborative Heterodyne Astronomical Receiver for Mexico (CHARM) instrument, which was developed by a world leading team of experts in the UK including The University of Manchester, will be integrated onto the LMT, Mexico's largest ever investment in science infrastructure.
The CHARM instrument will be the first at the telescope to operate using wavelengths of light less than a millimetre in length. It will enhance the telescope's ability to see the molecules that make up interstellar clouds of dust and the role they play through the lifecycle of stars.
CHARM was developed by experts from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council's RAL Space, in collaboration with astronomers at The University of Manchester and Mexico. For a telescope to remain at the forefront of discovery, its detector systems need to be continually improved. Currently, Mexico does not have the expertise to do this for the LMT. The CHARM project has provided the first steps in knowledge transfer and training to help Mexican students and staff develop the telescopes detectors.
Professor Brian Ellison, who leads the RAL Space Millimetre Wave Technology group and is the CHARM Co-Investigator, said: "We are delighted to be working with colleagues in Mexico and Manchester to deliver the CHARM instrument. The LMT was one of the observatories involved in imaging the black hole earlier in the year so we're all excited to be contributing to this amazing science facility and CHARM represents an important step in developing a great international relationship, making new friends and new scientific discoveries!"
The team at RAL Space are world leaders in high frequency (Terahertz), short wavelength, heterodyne receivers and their instruments are used on board weather satellites as well as at the ALMA observatory in Chile.
"CHARM will provide the LMT with a brand new capability, giving astronomers in Mexico and the UK exciting new opportunities to understand how giant clouds of gas and dust in galaxies collapse to make new generations of stars. CHARM's success will, in the future, also help LMT make more precise measurements of black holes at the centres of galaxies," says Professor Gary Fuller
Once the instrument arrives at the summit of the dormant volcano Sierra Negra, the RAL Space team will install it onto the telescope. At around the same size as a suitcase, CHARM is very compact and self-contained. Unlike the other LMT instruments, it operates at room temperature, meaning that installation is expected to be relatively straightforward.
However, CHARM is a pathfinder mission. It will detect signals at far smaller wavelengths than the other instruments at the telescope. In order to provide the greatest sensitivity, CHARM needs to be aligned perfectly. As well as searching the skies, the instrument will help to show whether the LMT's optics and enormous 50m diameter primary dish can support instruments detecting at these sub millimetre wavelengths. If this is successful, an even more sensitive instrument could be developed for the LMT.
Fuller, CHARM Principal Investigator and Professor of Astrophysics at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics & Astronomy, The University of Manchester said: "CHARM will provide the LMT with a brand new capability, giving astronomers in Mexico and the UK exciting new opportunities to understand how giant clouds of gas and dust in galaxies collapse to make new generations of stars. CHARM's success will, in the future, also help LMT make more precise measurements of black holes at the centres of galaxies."
Latest step toward world's largest telescope that will observe 'first stars and galaxies ever formed'
Provided by University of Manchester
Citation: A new UK astronomy instrument is set for Mexico (2019, August 5) retrieved 19 January 2020 from https://phys.org/news/2019-08-uk-astronomy-instrument-mexico.html
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Evaluation of a Software Tool and Process to Assist Authors With Reporting Ethical Requirements of Studies
Tracy Ronan,1 Alice Ellingham1
Objective Authors are increasingly required to provide in-depth information when submitting articles, including ethics statements for Human, Animal, and Field Studies (such as the name of the institutional review board, the patient consent type, and the clinical trial registration details and dates). In our experience, authors, especially nonnative English-language speakers, can find formulating these statements a complex process. Designed as an initial proof of concept, we aimed to discover if helping authors with generating ethics statements before submitting articles could speed up the submission process and provide a clearer statement.
Design Ethics statements were collected over a 3-day period from 13 biomedical journals. Each statement was checked against the journal’s criteria and marked as passed or failed. All failed statements were returned to the authors as per the individual journal’s processes. These were tracked to capture the additional information provided by the author to generate a statement via www.ethicsgen.com. These statements were then checked against the journal’s criteria to determine whether the author would have provided an acceptable statement at submission having used the author’s tool. All statements (excluding 47 incomplete statements) were passed through www.ethicsgen.com and then the order was randomized. The first 340 statements were offered to 7 preagreed editors in a survey for them to choose either their preferred statement or “no preference.”
Results Of 488 statements, 86 (17.6%) would not have passed their journal’s ethics criteria at the stage of checking and were returned to the author. Of these, 16 have since been resubmitted and the generated ethicsgen statement would have been accepted in these cases, demonstrating that the original submission would have passed the ethics check had the author had access to the tool before submitting. The other 70 statements will continue to be resubmitted by authors, but the time frame for this study was too short to include them. Four editors completed the survey, with 291 of the offered 340 statements receiving at least 1 response (Table).
Conclusion While these results suggest that aiding authors to produce a statement may help some authors, this limited study does not provide enough detail to determine what level of time saving this would give an editorial office. A more in-depth study over a longer period would enable us to evaluate time savings or other efficiencies. Further work could identify which statements might benefit from this author tool and suggest how to provide additional support to authors.
1Editorial Office Ltd, Overton, Hampshire, UK, tracy.ronan@editorialoffice.co.uk
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Ms Ellingham is a codeveloper of Ethics Gen.
Funding/Support: None reported.
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How to Structure an English Essay
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How to Write a Body Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay
How to Write a Concluding Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay in College
Michele Cooper Updated November 21, 2016
NA/Photos.com/Getty Images
A persuasive essay, also known as an argumentative essay, is one that requires a student to investigate a topic and argue a viewpoint. College-level persuasive essays generally have three sections that include an introduction in which a thesis or argument is presented, body paragraphs in which arguments and counterarguments are presented, and a conclusion in which the argument is reiterated. The conclusion is an important aspect of a persuasive essay as it is the last impression a writer makes on the reader.
The conclusion should include a brief overview of what was argued and what evidence was presented without including too many specifics from the body paragraphs. The thesis statement from the first paragraph should be restated, but reworded, and reflect the significance or importance of what was argued. A conclusion in an academic essay typically only needs to be one well-developed paragraph of at least five sentences.
New Meaning
No new evidence or arguments should be presented in the conclusion paragraph. However, a writer may choose to give his argument new meaning by showing how his ideas and research work together. He can do this by asking questions in the conclusion. For example, if he argued in support of nationalized health care he could ask questions that bring the premise and argument together, by reminding the readers of the evidence presented: Isn't it clear that healthcare is a problem in our country? Should we wait any longer to deal with the escalating costs and lack of access?
Challenge the Reader
College students write persuasive essays in many different types of classes, and their conclusion should reflect the subject matter. For example, if a student writes a political science paper trying to persuade his reader that tougher gun laws are important, he can ask the reader to sign a petition or join a support group. In a science or social science class, where further investigation is often warranted, the student can challenge his reader to study the topic further by suggesting additional reading or research materials.
Another way to end a persuasive research paper is by asking the reader to look to the future, either real or imagined. For example, a persuasive paper may argue that schools need to do more about bullying. The writer could create a mental picture of a school where all students are treated with respect and appreciated for their differences. This would leave the reader with a lasting impression of what a school without bullies could look like, persuading the reader to agree with the essay's main arguments.
Cooper, Michele. "How to Write a Concluding Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay in College." , https://penandthepad.com/write-concluding-paragraph-persuasive-essay-college-1412.html. Accessed 19 January 2020.
Cooper, Michele. (n.d.). How to Write a Concluding Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay in College. . Retrieved from https://penandthepad.com/write-concluding-paragraph-persuasive-essay-college-1412.html
Cooper, Michele. "How to Write a Concluding Paragraph for a Persuasive Essay in College" accessed January 19, 2020. https://penandthepad.com/write-concluding-paragraph-persuasive-essay-college-1412.html
Purdue Online Writing Lab: Argumentative Essays
St. Cloud State University: Strategies for Writing a Conclusion
Hamilton College Writing Center: Persuasive Essays, the Basics
University of Toronto: Introductions and Conclusions
This article was written by The Pen & The Pad team, copy edited and fact checked through a multi-point auditing system, in efforts to ensure our readers only receive the best information. To submit your questions or ideas, or to simply learn more about The Pen & The Pad, contact us here.
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Hong Kong Relaxes Rules In Effort To Boost FinTech Lending
ByPYMNTS via – https://www.pymnts.com/news/b2b-payments/2019/hong-kong-relaxes-rules-in-effort-to-boost-fintech-lending/
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has, as finews.asia reported this past week, amended its credit risk management guidelines in a way that seeks to boost the embrace of analytics when lending to smaller firms.
The site reported that as part of the authority’s “Banking Made Easy” program, lenders are now allowed to use big data analysis to examine and approve credit applications. The original guidelines, as reported, had limited at least some types of lending — to 10 percent an authorized institution’s capital bases — but the more recent actions from the HKMA seek to “liberalize” lending activities. Moving ahead, authorized institutions are able to set limits of their own when it comes to FinTech driven decisions aided by technology.
As reported, the Banking Made Easy Initiative traces its genesis to last year and had sought in part to minimize “regulatory frictions” encountered in onboarding and online finance activities.
Elsewhere in Hong Kong, in terms of individual company news, Rapyd, a FinTech as a service startup, said it has linked with Hong Kong’s TNG FinTech to expand cashless transactions.
As announced by the firms, the TNG Wallet will be added to several other e-wallets that stand among the payment options on offer from Rapyd.
This means, according to a release, that Rapyd’s clients will be able to accept payments from the TNG e-wallet users, even if those customers opt not to use a credit or debit card while transacting online.
The Rapyd platform uses application programming interface (API) services to automate back end functions such as collection, FX and identity verification.
“Hong Kong is an incredibly vibrant small business market, and we are giving large regional enterprises as well as local merchants opportunities to increase their revenue by enabling them to accept the locally-preferred payment methods used by consumers from anywhere around the world,” Joel Yarbrough, Rapyd’s vice president for Asia Pacific, said in the release detailing the partnership.
Separately, in news from Australia, Cashwerkz said it had debuted a new serverless platform architecture that will help the company scale its “API as a product” strategy. The company said in a release this week that cementing new banking partnerships will help meet new financial services needs in the post Open Banking era. The company has said that the new architecture can help companies speed time to market with new features tied to, among other offerings, cash management. Cash invested on the platform, said the company, stands at $2.7 billion as of June 30 of this year and as measured since the August 2017 launch.
Open Banking Partnerships – Focus On Romania
In other announcements, Allevo, a financial software provider, and WSO2, an open-source integration vendor, said they have linked in a partnership where Allevo will serve as a WSO2 consultative integration partner.
The two companies said they will collaborate to deliver open banking solutions to meet the needs of third-party financial service providers in Romania.
“The solution ensures compliance with the second payment services directive (PSD2). It also enables the bank to centrally manage requests coming from third-party providers on behalf of their customers and then send proxy responses back to them,” according to the release.——————————–Latest Insights: The August 2019 Next-Gen Sales Tax Tracker examines the complicated and evolving eCommerce sales tax landscape, the impact of the laws placed upon online marketplaces and sellers and the latest solutions designed to smooth out compliance frictions.
The Speculative Case For $1000 ETH (If Ethereum Is Valued As A Fiat Payment & FinTech Platform)
Aaron Ricadela is a director of strategic communications for Oracle.
Swiss Banks Ease Reluctant Stance On Cloud
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Teneral e.1
Posted on November 2, 2013 by wildbow
“I expect I’m not doing myself any favors,” the girl spoke.
“Favors?”
“Remaining silent. You’re here to judge me, and silence is damning.”
“I’m not so sure I like the word ‘judge’. Evaluate is a better word. Listen is better still. I want to listen to you, because I can’t help you if I don’t understand you, and I want my understanding of you to come from your words,” Jessica Yamada spoke.
“Silence says a great deal, does it not? I recently heard a man speak to the people in charge about the homeless, the masses of refugees we are still trying to find homes. He spoke of needs, of women and children, and of families that have been broken because temporary shelters don’t allow the men within. He proposed a plan, then justified it with a diatribe on humanity and pity, leadership and the threat of unrest, the threat of people manifesting powers, and he talked of faith. He finished on that note. Do you know what point the canniest people in the room are left paying attention to?”
“You were talking about silence. Something the man didn’t say.”
“You are paying attention,” the girl said, sounding mildly surprised.
“It’s my job.”
“Then you’re already aware that what one leaves out is as telling as what they include. The void in our speech, if you will. The gaps. The man said nothing of resources, of food supplies, because he does not want to raise the topic, and he has no answers there. Silence can be louder than words.”
The therapist nodded. “It’s an interesting thought, and it’s one we could talk at length about, but, please excuse me for saying so, I think you’re dodging the question.”
“Dodging?”
“Evading, avoiding-”
“I was not asking for clarification, doctor. I was expressing indignation,” the girl said, stressing the last word. There was a kind of vibration in the words as she said it.
“Whatever else you are, you’re still human.”
“There was a time I’d have swiftly responded to that,” the girl said. “You would be dead, if you were fortunate enough.”
“…And you’re acting like I should be able to read something in your silence. The problem is that speech needs periods of silence to be intelligible, to separate the words and keep it from being a steady drone of noise. To frame it. The opposite is true. To find the meaning in what’s left unsaid, we need words to punctuate it.”
The girl opposite Jessica Yamada frowned just a little. Her deep green eyes didn’t move a fraction as she met the therapist’s. It held an intensity that suggested she could have faced down a stampeding elephant or an airborne missile. Very reluctantly, she said, “…Fair.”
The therapist relaxed a touch, sitting back in her chair. “What we do here is up to you. I’ve had patients who enjoy this kind of verbal jousting. Many walk into a first session with preconceived ideas, that they’ll be forced to lie on a couch and bare their vulnerabilities while I pry at them with questions. A debate gives them their power back.”
“It’s the approach that makes sense. The, er,” the girl stumbled uncharacteristically as she searched for a word, “parahumans… they tend towards conflict.”
“There is a lot of evidence to suggest that’s the case. Do you? Tend towards conflict?”
“No. Which is a good thing, I imagine. My other half was always more patient, more relaxed than most. Its duty was always at the end. For those who had duties at the beginning, it would be harder.”
“How do you define beginning and end, when it’s a cycle?”
“Beginnings and endings,” the girl mused. She smiled a little. “I’m tempted to say you just know. That it’s instinctual, you know what you are. But that’s something of a coward’s answer. More correct to say that you can distinguish the two when there’s a long, long journey in the middle.”
The therapist shifted her position, taking a glass of water from the table beside her and sipping it.
No doubt inviting me to keep talking, the girl thought. She turned her attention to her drink. It was cold. She exercised her power, reaching into the deep dark well within her, and withdrawing a single individual.
Põletama, the firesinger.
The individual emerged, coalescing from shadows. A woman, dark skinned, with skin painted in wild colors that had once hidden her features as well as any mask. Where it had once been paint and flesh, the barest minimum of cloth, the flesh ridged. Her eyes burned as she stared out from the shadows of her deep-set eyes.
The girl didn’t take her eyes off the therapist as the firesinger reached out and put one glowing fingertip into the water. It took a moment for the liquid to start steaming.
The other two shadows stood at different points in the room. One stared at the bookshelf, its lips moving as it murmured in a voice only the girl could understand. The other stood at the window, arms folded, his cape moving in a wind that wasn’t present, hood hiding his features.
The girl in the heavy leather chair, by contrast, wore only a sleeveless top and a knee-length skirt. Both the collar of the top and the skirt had heavy lace at the edges. Her blonde hair was braided. It made her look far younger than she had in previous appearances, and she’d looked young then.
“You were tempted to say you instinctually know who you are,” the therapist said.
The girl tilted her head a fraction.
“To be blunt, I’d say the vast majority of my patients don’t know who they are.”
The girl lifted the steaming mug to her lips. The smell of the heavily spiced mead flooded the room. The therapist didn’t comment, hadn’t commented. She was technically legal, however young she might look.
The girl swallowed, then said, “What, not who.”
“It’s the same thing, isn’t it?”
“Perhaps,” the girl responded.
The therapist spoke a little slower, as if she were testing her words in her head before she spoke. Exceedingly careful. “You seemed to know who or what you were, before, and you changed your mind.”
“People are allowed to do that. To change.” The response was dismissive, cavalier. All such a statement demanded.
“Do you consider yourself people, then? Just a minute ago, you said you would have taken offense to the idea.”
“You harp on. These are all variations on the same question,” the girl said.
“Yes. Who are you? How do you see yourself? Has that changed?”
“I am very possibly the strongest being alive on this planet, short of the remaining Endbringers.”
“Very possibly.”
“A murderer.”
“In what sense?” the therapist asked. “One who has murdered, or one who murders?”
“Same thing, isn’t it? You don’t leave that behind you. Nobody lets you.”
“People can forgive and forget.”
“They might forget murder, they might forgive madness, but they won’t be so ready to make peace with a lunatic murderer,” the girl said. She sniffed a little, as if scoffing at the thought. “You wanted to know who I am? I was perhaps Scion’s greatest ally, until… I wasn’t.”
“Why weren’t you?”
When the girl spoke, an echo had creeped into her voice. A chorus. “You know, I could kill everyone, if I so chose? If I decided to stand, right here and right now, and kill you all, it would be fully within my power?”
The therapist didn’t flinch.
“Do you doubt me?” The chorus was there in full. A hundred voices from one mouth.
“To be honest, I don’t know enough about the combat side of things to say,” Ms. Yamada said.
“It’s cause for any sane person to worry for their welfare, and for the welfare of their loved ones. You pretend indifference.”
“I’m anything but indifferent. I’m genuinely more interested in the fact that you seem to be avoiding the subject. A subject you raised.”
“I grow irritated with this pedantry,” the girl said. She stood abruptly from the chair. Two of the shadows dissipated into smoke.
Prolapse, torturer’s son.
P̄hū̂ comtī, rider in daylight.
The two new shadows took their place on either side of her. Big individuals. Villains, once upon a time.
The therapist continued, “You’ve stopped calling yourself the Faerie Queen. When I asked for a name, you stayed silent, and you sat there for nearly twenty minutes before talking. You could have helped Scion and destroyed us all then. You didn’t. I’m asking you what happened. It’s clearly important to you.”
The girl’s eyes didn’t waver, but she lowered her chin a touch, and the angle of her head cast her features in deeper shadow. When she spoke, the choir of voices that came from her mouth was calm. “Do you have a preference, in how you’d like to die? I have a range of powers at my disposal. There are swift methods, but perhaps you’d like to go out more dramatically? If you beg for mercy, I could spare others.”
“You’re allowed to say you don’t know the answer, Ciara. If it comes down to that, then I can suggest an answer and we can explore it together.”
The girl had gone still. Her shadows were flexing, one cracking knuckles on a hand roughly the size of the therapist’s entire upper body.
The girl considered the visuals of crushing the therapist, the way flesh would pulp and seep between the shadow’s great fingers. It was a good alternative to dwelling on the feelings that had just stirred.
“Nobody has called me by that name in a very long time,” the words were more a threat than anything.
“It was in the records,” Ms. Yamada said, “I need to hear the answer from your lips first, before I can offer you my thoughts. But let me warn you, I’m only offering a suggestion. Food for thought. I read the transcripts from the debriefing you gave Chevalier. You talked about anchors. I don’t want you to… ‘anchor’ to anything I say. Use it to find your own answer, instead.”
“You claim to know me better than I know myself.”
“We’ll discuss that point if and when we get that far. For now, I need to know your thoughts on what happened.”
“But please sit down, first,” the therapist said. “We both know you could kill me at any moment, here. Having them here doesn’t change that, but it’s…”
“It is admittedly vulgar,” the girl supplied.
The therapist nodded. “We’ll go with that.”
The shadows dissipated.
Ampelos, the ill-fated. I was the ill fate.
Daimones, the lost.
The ones who replaced them were children. One, young enough to be androgynous, wore a long-sleeved shirt that hung down to its knees. It spun in place, skipping, then spinning again, a toddler at play. The other explored the room. The man with the hood and cape remained by the window, arms folded, staring out at the world beyond.
Ciara spoke. “He broke. He was strong, he was noble, proud. He was a monster, alien. They brought out the humanity in him, and then they broke him. I could have stepped in, but I didn’t. I don’t know why.”
The words were a challenge more than an admission. A demand for a better answer.
“Would you like to hear my theory, then?”
“As you wish,” Ciara replied. She didn’t quite manage to feign the indifference she was going for.
“You’re exactly what you appear to be.”
“What do I appear to be, doctor?”
“An adolescent.”
Ciara frowned. “I had hoped for a good answer. I’m older than you.”
“Only just. Chronologically, I think we’re the same age, nine months apart.”
“You miss my point,” Ciara said, clearly annoyed.
“No. I got it. Chronologically, you’re older, and by those measures, your youth is only a mask you wear. By other measures, you’re still a child. You triggered at a very young age, you were no doubt isolated, as masters tend to be. No doubt surviving purely by your own methods. Somewhere along the way, something happened. You stole the wrong power, you fought someone and lost, or you found yourself in a bad situation. In the course of that event or in the wake of it, you unlocked stronger powers, and they eclipsed you as a person. Am I too far off track, here?”
Ciara didn’t respond. Her hard stare was a challenging one, now, a hard stare.
“You were still a child, and you needed rules and a foundation to define yourself by, as any child does. Your chose your anchor, chose Scion, and you formed your view of capes as faerie to distance yourself from a world you barely felt in touch with. You built up your persona as Glaistig Uaine, a name others gave you. It might have even played a role in why you turned yourself in and took up residence in the Birdcage. You craved structure.”
“You’re calling me a child?”
“I’m suggesting you were functionally a child until a very short time ago. You’re now an adolescent. Scion was a powerful figure in your life, owing at least partially to your power’s involvement in your day to day, minute-to-minute existence. Virtually every child goes through a phase where their parents are invulnerable, incapable of failure, strong, and beautiful. They grow out of that phase when reality challenges that assumption. If what I’m suggesting was true, well, reality never challenged the assumption because it was true, in Scion’s case.”
“Up until the moment he began to lose,” Ciara said.
“Many begin to rebel against their parental figures around the time they enter adolescence, around the time they start seeing their parent as flawed humans. In your case, it was a faster process. A moment’s decision. Whether I’m right or not, you were thrust into a new mode of thinking, a new mode of being, and it has to be bewildering.”
“Your theory, then, is that the most powerful cell block leader of the Birdcage was a mere child, however old she might have appeared? That the answer to my present crisis in identity is that I am a mere teenager?”
“For the adolescent, the greatest, most defining challenge is to find themselves. To seek out identity. For the unpowered youth, it’s often a question of what clique they fit in, what clothes they wear, how they express themselves, and what path they want to step forward on, in terms of possible careers. For powered youth, it’s about all of the things I just mentioned, as well as the villain and hero labels, their place on the team, their place in family, the bonds they form. These are questions you’re now asking yourself. Am I wrong?”
“I dislike being painted with such broad strokes, doctor,” Ciara spoke.
“There are always variations,” Ms. Yamada said. “I’d never approach a patient with the idea that it comes down to this and this alone. It’s a starting point. You need to find yourself, and you need to do it with the burdens of the strongest human being on the planet. I’m telling you, here and now, that this is something everyone faces at some juncture. It’s perfectly alright to define yourself as ‘someone who is looking for definition’.”
The girl smiled a little. She lifted her mug to her lips, then wiped her mouth with her thumb.
The therapist took another drink of water. “You’re smiling? I suppose I don’t need to worry about my impending death, then?”
When Ciara spoke again, her voice was normal. “What you said is… a thought. I was smiling because I was wondering what your superiors would think if they knew what you’d told me. A powerful parahuman, free to find herself? Perhaps I’ll follow in the footsteps of my ‘parent’.”
“I don’t have any superiors,” the therapist said. “The PRT is done. There are groups trying to cobble together a replacement, but it’s looking shaky at best. I’m here because I was invited, and because I want to help people. I’d like to help you. I think everyone would be much happier if we found you a path that isn’t following in his footsteps.”
“Did I ask for your help?”
“You’re still here,” Jessica Yamada said. “Y-”
She didn’t get further. There was a knock on the door.
The concern on the woman’s face, Ciara noted, was more than it had been when she’d been threatened with her own imminent death.
“Please excuse me.” The woman stood from her chair and crossed the room. She opened the door.
Ciara watched as the figure unfolded before her. A giant armored in the skin of a monster, a knight, a wisp of a figure, all at once. She could see his very presence tearing through the doorframe, the slightest movement tearing whole sections of the building to rubble. She could feel the vibrations, taste the dust in the air.
But that was only one version of the building, out of sight, out of mind.
As if she was squinting without moving her eyelids, she refined her vision, saw him as the therapist saw him. A man in gold and black armor.
His voice was barely audible. “Ms. Yamada. I’m sorry to int-”
“I’m in a session, Chevalier. An exceedingly important session.”
“I know. I’m really very sorry. I had a small opening in my schedule. I was hoping for just one minute to talk with you.”
“I’m in a session. You agreed to abide by any rules I set. This was a pretty big one.”
“If I didn’t talk to you now, I’d have to wait three days to get another chance. My hands are full.”
“I can imagine. But I’m in a session.”
“One minute. Trust me when I say I know how important it is that you stick to your rules. But this is important enough that I have to ask. Can I have one minute of your time?”
The woman hesitated.
The therapist turned, meeting Ciara’s eyes. “No, Chevalier, I-”
“I’ll manage on my own,” Ciara said. “In fact, I would appreciate having a minute or two in private to think over what we talked about earlier.”
Ms. Yamada frowned. “I’ll be back shortly.”
The door closed.
Roucouler, the Liar.
The little girl that was exploring the room dissipated. A man appeared behind Ciara’s seat, his leering grin stretched into a caricature, a mockery of what he’d worn in life. His teeth had no divides between them, making them one bony shelf, and his eyes were stretched into slants by the too-wide grin. A cartoonish appearance.
Roucouler leaned over the top of the chair, and she could hear his whispers, in a French accent. He pitched his voice to distinguish between the two.
“-cohol in there?”
“She had her shadow make it for her. She’s not the type to get drunk, and it’s more of a comfort thing than anything else.”
“A bear walks into your restaurant. What do you serve him? Anything he damn well wants.”
“There is that. What do you want, Chevalier? This is nerve-wracking enough, without interruptions.”
“Did something happen?”
“I can’t talk about my sessions with my patients. If we’re going to talk, let’s talk about your business.”
“I’m running out of time. Three days from now is too long to wait, because things take time to set in motion. I’m going to have to start making decisions, about amnesty for everyone who participated in the fight, about the hero teams, how we’re going to administrate a city that has more sheer depth than anything we’ve ever conceived of. That woman, in there, she’s at the crux of this. Choices I make in regards to her affect everything else. If I forego amnesty for her, if I have to forego amnesty for her, then I’m drawing a line in the sand, and others are going to wonder if they fall too close to that line.”
“I can’t tell you how the session is going, Chevalier.”
“I hate that you even have to say that. I’m not going to ask you to violate any confidentiality. I’m saying I could really do with you making your evaluation and then sending her on her way. There’s apartments here, we can set her up very comfortably. As comfortably as a queen might want. If she needs further therapy, you can send her there. If she’s stable enough to discuss business, be it amnesty or something else entirely, you could send her to me.”
“I understand what you’re saying. If she’s dangerous enough to warrant violating confidentiality, it doesn’t matter. If she isn’t, then I can let you know how the therapy went without explicitly telling you. I’m not entirely comfortable with this.”
“There have been more overt communications on this front in other situations. Situations that weren’t so grave. We can’t afford not to know.”
“I can’t afford to tell you, Chevalier. I just… let me think on it.”
“That’s all I ask. We need help, Jessica. I know you can’t make a full judgement in three days, not with someone as… complex… as she is. But a starting point could make all the difference.”
“We’re putting the pieces back together. The scale of it is the biggest issue. All these worlds. There’s room for people to start piecing their cultures and their cities back together, there’s wilderness. Everything old is still there. Sometimes multiplied many times over. But there’s a lot of new, with more every day. It’s all exaggerated. We don’t have clout, and there are a lot of powerful people throwing their weight around. Scary people.”
“Your patient, I’ve kept you too long. I’m sorry.”
“No. I’m wondering about someone who was a patient some time ago. Can I ask about this ‘Khepri’?”
“You can ask, but you won’t like the answer. I wouldn’t want you to be distracted for the remainder of your session in there.”
Ciara heard the Liar sigh, mimicking the woman on the other side of the door. “I’ll take your word on that. I should get back to Ciara.”
“Ciara? Her civilian name. I’m going to walk away feeling optimistic about that.”
“My lips are sealed, Chevalier.”
There was no goodbye. The door handle moved, and the door swung open. Roucouler disappeared.
Pime Abtiss, mother of the blind.
Another shadow appeared as the therapist entered the room. A blindfolded woman with a small, deformed baby in her arms, umbilical cord stretching into a gap in the robe.
Ciara could see a glimpse of the giant in the hallway, retreating, before the door shut.
“I’m very sorry. That took longer than I expected,” Ms. Yamada said, as she took her seat.
“No matter,” Ciara said. She ran her hand over the baby’s misshapen head. It dissipated into shadow, along with Pime Abtiss. She didn’t replace it with another shadow. “Forgive me, I overheard.”
The therapist reacted a little to that. There was a moment’s pause, as if she was recalling everything that was said, searching for any damning detail.
“I’ll spare you the dilemma, doctor. When we are done, tell me where I should go. I relieve you of any confidentiality, tell the Destroyer what you must.”
“I don’t think that’s what we should aim for,” the therapist said. “If we go with my theory from before, then you’ve only just started making strides on your own. You’re growing up, belatedly, and you need to start making choices for yourself.”
“You’d let me choose?”
“I think a better place to start would be figuring out who you want to be. That equips you to choose, if you feel you’re ready.”
“And what if I were to say you’re being presumptuous, that I don’t need your help? I know who I am?” There was a threatening note to the girl’s voice, a return of that echo.
“Then we can talk about something else. Or you can go, if that’s what you really want.”
Ciara didn’t move, and her shadows remained in place, poised like animals ready to pounce.
While the girl remained still, the three shadows resumed their ordinary business.
“Let’s begin, then,” Ms. Yamada said.
The rooftop was lined with crenelations and a wrought metal railing in a metal darker and stronger than iron. Some capes rested in the spaces between the twists of metal, while others sat with their backs to the shorter wall beneath it. The crowd had gathered around.
But the moment she relaxed, it became something else. Phantom images, a man on fire, a woman who stood half again as tall as others. Images like her own shadows, caricatures, exaggerations, powers manifested physical. Except these were undoubtedly alive. They shifted from moment to moment.
“Legend?” the Destroyer- Chevalier spoke. His voice echoed, but despite the massive size of his one suit of armor, or the slight form of his other suit, mangling the body within, the three voices were the same, only coming from different places.
A man who blazed with light stepped forward. He was a living bonfire, blue-white in color, with living etchings solid in the midst of it, white hot, a stylized mixture of flame and lightning in one shape, floating in the storm of energy. They marked the position of his head, of his chest, his hands and feet.
When the Coruscant Knave spoke, though, his voice was normal. Legend, she reminded herself.
“I was there at the beginning. I suppose it’s fitting that I’m here at the end. Maybe not right, there’s a hell of a lot I’m sorry for, but it’s fitting.”
He took a deep breath, the flame swelling. “They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. Let’s shorten this speech, then and take a second to look.”
He gestured, and heads turned.
New York, in the process of being rebuilt. Dust and ominous clouds were being held at bay by a thin forcefield, and the city stood in the center of a brilliant sunlight. Where glass had broken and where oils had risen to the tops of city streets, things almost glittered. A shining city.
For every damaged area, there were people, fixing things, scavenging and hauling things away. Tents and tarps were erected, barriers raised. Already, buildings were going up where portals had been torn between realities.
Chevalier had called it a city with depth. It was true. Most cities existed on a two dimensional level, spreading along the four cardinal directions. Buildings extended above and below ground, but even the tallest building was but a fraction of a distance compared to the breadth of the city.
Here, in this city, one could travel to one area and make a turn into another world. There, they would find the fledgling beginnings of an expansion, sprawling from that central point.
It was too much to manage. Even the smallest villains had elbow room to maneuver and manipulate.
“I’ve never been one to couch my words. I’m direct, like my lasers,” Legend said. “It’s beautiful and it’s frankly terrifying. The Endbringers are, we’re praying, dormant. The major players are busy recovering and rebuilding, giving us six straight months of peace for the first time in twenty years. If you count non-parahuman conflict on a global scale, well, I don’t know how long it’s been. It’s been a hell of a while, if ever.”
Ciara closed her eyes briefly. When she reopened them, Legend was his human self.
Tiring, to maintain focus.
“The peace will end. It always ends. When things go bad, it’ll be worse because we’ve had the break, because it’s had time to stew, and because we’re still reeling from last time. But I know you, I’ve fought alongside a number of you. The badges you wear are signs of that.”
Ciara glanced around. Like her, many of the capes wore a simple symbol on their upper arms, a golden circle with a golden dot in the middle. For some, it was a loop of cloth, for others, it was engraved on armor.
A simple symbol testifying that they’d been there.
“There’s no more oversight, for better or for worse. That means it’s our job to keep our eyes open, to watch each other’s backs, and to watch each other. I can tell you right now it’s not going to be perfect. Maybe I’m a living reminder of the fact that we can’t trust anyone. For those of you who were paying attention, the circumstances of Alexandria’s demise in Brockton Bay are a testament to what happens when the corruption runs too deep. Nobody benefits.”
Legend sighed. “Some are still angry at me. At Alexandria, Eidolon, and others, who played parts. But you haven’t spoken up, you haven’t interrupted me. I’d like to think it’s because we’re all recognizing the same fact. This? It’s our second chance. Something we’ve all dreamed about from time to time. A chance to cut out the rot and start anew, to fix things that were broken before.”
There were one or two nods around the group.”And it’s going to be hard,” Legend said. “Those who know how badly we fucked it up on the last try, who know the full story, they get why this is so frightening a prospect. We still have to clean up the messes from last time, and we have to be doubly, triply sure we move ahead properly this time. Already, there are people plotting to take advantage of present circumstances. Already, there are things going wrong. It’s an uphill battle.”
“But,” Chevalier cut in, “Like those badges we wear show, we’ve all fought in at least one bitch of a battle, and we came out ahead.”
“I’ll be damned if we’re not ready for this one,” Legend agreed.
Cheers rose from the group. Fists pumped in the air, boots stomped.
“And,” Legend said, while the cheering was present but dying down, “With all that said, we’re moving forward with our second chances. I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of our Wardens. Valkyrie.”
He gestured, and the crowd parted. All eyes fell on her. When she stepped forward, she had to be careful, her longer legs unfamiliar. Staying young had come with benefits. The Crone, Schwarze Tante, had been able to give Ciara some of the time she’d stored away. The ghost of a hero called Thane had fashioned her armor, shield and sickle.
The crowd parted as she approached.
The body of a nineteen year old was an unfamiliar one, the costume even more so. Gold and sky blue. The cloth that dangled from her belt traced the insides of her thighs to her knees, the skirt stopped mid-thigh, silent even with the gold chains that traced its edges. The mask didn’t block any of her vision, but it pressed against her cheekbones and forehead, reminding her of its presence. Even her hair was longer, tied back in a thick braid.
She liked the wings, though. The wings were good. The rest would take getting used to, after thirty years as the childlike Faerie Queen, but the wings were a natural fit from the start.
“You’ve formed a new Triumvirate,” a cape in the crowd said.
It might have sounded accusatory.
“Valkyrie will be starting on the bottom,” Legend said. “She’ll earn her way to whatever rank is most fitting.”
There were murmurs in the crowd. For many, the sentiment was the same. I think we know what rank that will be.
For every two people that thought the strength she brought to the table was a good thing, there was one who was suspicious, doubting, or discouraged. They knew who she was. The figures that accompanied her made it clear enough. She couldn’t think of them as shadows anymore.
She liked debating words, the power of words, of titles. It had been her favorite part of the sessions with the therapist. The subject of renaming them had come up in the recent past, along with the discussion of what her new identity meant, and her new name.
Valkyrie, warrior women who guided the souls of dead warriors to the afterlife. These spirits were her warriors, not mere shadows.
No, perhaps two people in her camp to one person against was optimistic. There were others harboring doubts, a little slower to offer their congratulations. Given time and a night to think about it, they would start to think about what her presence meant, that they might fall in battle and that she would claim them for herself, adding to her own power.
Her vision flashed. For a moment, she might as well have been in hell. The capes here on the rooftop were inhuman, even monstrous, distorted and exaggerated. The city glowed with the distant presence of other capes, as though it were on fire.
Valkyrie resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose or shake her head. Her heart pounded long after the image had faded.
Nobody had said this would be easy. Just the opposite.
The speech was done, and the city around them demanded attention. Slowly, capes began peeling away from the group.
“Hey, Valkyrie?” Miss Militia asked.
Valkyrie turned her head.
Miss Militia jerked one thumb in the direction of a man with a massive round shield and spear. “Want to join us for a meal? We’re leaving on patrol soon, so we were going to grab an early dinner. You’re welcome to come with.”
Valkyrie opened her mouth to speak, then thought twice about it.
She was still learning to talk normally, to stop affecting the faerie noble’s manner of speech. She was getting lessons, and it wasn’t perfect yet. If she spoke, it would turn heads.
Except here, now, she almost missed the familiarity of it. The power of her old voice.
“No obligation,” Miss Militia said. “Honest. I get it.”
Miss Militia had been the one to invite Ms. Yamada in, to connect them, and give her a chance. She knew, perhaps better than Chevalier or Legend.
Valkyrie offered her a tight smile, then turned to leave.
When she walked down the hall, flanked by her three chosen warriors, her heels struck the floor. There were Wardens in the hall, talking.
“Where’s Defiant?”
“Complete radio silence.”
She was half again as tall as she had been, fit, glittering in armor, carrying a weapon and shield, and she felt more fragile than she had in a long time.
Incomplete.
Her vision flickered again, like lightning before a crash of thunder.
As the Faerie Queen, she’d had a mission. She’d been a part of something vast, a powerful engine that had reshaped whole civilizations, then erased worlds from the universe.
“We’ve got muscle now. Might be we can make headway. Retake the Eastern Queens portal.”
“Shh.” Eyes turned towards her. They talked about her like she was a secret.
Too many people. She needed to talk to the therapist, but Ms. Yamada wasn’t here. She’d come at a moment’s notice, with only one phone call, but it somehow felt like that would only compound the feeling of fragility.
I wanted to be more human.
Never human, per se. Only more human. Parahuman, instead of inhuman.
She’d spent so much time in therapy, figuring out what Scion had been to her, coming to terms with the loss of the pillar he’d become in her psyche.
In trying to distance herself from him, had she set herself on the exact same path?
Seeing the flickers in the crowd wasn’t helping. She avoided them, making her way downstairs, into an adjoining structure. Once upon a time, she’d used that other sight exclusively. In this, in the here and now, she was warring with the keeper of the dead. A part of why she felt incomplete, fragile. They craved purpose. It took a special kind of willpower to avoid using abilities altogether. Some did, but they were rare.
Using her power meant killing, it meant being around the dead, immersing herself in the gravest kinds of conflict.
Would her experiment in humanity be so short lived?
She found an empty hallway and took it. Things were under construction here, hidden behind plastic. She ignored it, taking the paths that were available to her.
Finally, she came to a large room, a cafeteria, apparently, unfinished. Only half of the tables were present, the kitchen unoccupied and unstocked. The serving area had two tracks where trays could slide. One of the two racks was behind a thick plexiglass barrier.
She sat down on a table, her feet on the bench, lost in thought.
Not five seconds in, her official phone rang.
She ignored it. I only want some peace.
This wasn’t her. Had it been madness? Arrogance? Joining the side of the angels?
Her vision was distorting. Even this far away from other parahumans, her other sight was showing their presence as a glow, as ripples. She turned her eyes skyward, but one figure streaked through the sky, well above her.
She heard voices, and turned.
“We meet again, Faerie Queen,” the voice echoed through the chamber.
She turned to see a thin man accompanied by a brutish caveman of a figure, walking on the other side of the thick plexiglass. A child was on this side, petite, blonde, wearing a sweatshirt and jeans with pink sneakers.
Valkyrie felt a pang of jealousy. She missed her old body, and the girl resembled her, superficially.
“Goblin King,” Valkyrie responded. “I don’t go by that name anymore.”
“A pity, a pity. This is my Alice, visiting our not-so-wondrous Wonderland.”
“Riley,” the girl said. “I keep telling you, it’s not Alice, Riley.”
“A mere title, not a name,” the man tittered some. It was an eerie sound, coming from someone his age and gender. Not that Valkyrie minded. She’d dealt with worse in the Birdcage.
“Nevermind,” Riley said. “Alice it is. Whatev.”
Valkyrie looked between the two. “Are you allowed to be here?”
“I’m incarcerated,” the Goblin King said. “She’s visiting.”
“Officially visiting. They’re watching me. Probably watching you, too. We’ve played nice for the last stretch, and the illustrious Nilbog gets visits as a reward, so long as he’s good. We each keep our distance from the barrier, and they don’t use the cameras to fill us full of darts.”
Valkyrie followed the girl’s eye to a camera mounted in the corner.
“As you can tell, I keep friends of the highest caliber,” Riley said.
“Yes, yes,” the man said, seeming very pleased with himself. The sarcasm appeared to be lost on him. “A fallen king is still a king, yes?”
“If he can hold his head high, then he’s more kingly than a man who relies on the crown and silks,” Valkyrie said.
“Yes! Yes! Quite right!” Nilbog agreed.
Riley was smiling, as if despite herself.
The phone was ringing again. Valkyrie canceled the call. She knew why they were calling, now. They were less than comfortable with this trio in one room together.
No matter.
“I came for my weekly dose of sanity, if you know what I mean,” Riley said. “Spend enough time with them, you need a break from it all.”
“I do believe I know what you mean,” Valkyrie said. You mean just the opposite. A weekly dose of madness. A return to the familiar. Both for comfort, and to serve as a reminder of how far they’d come.
Dangerous, perhaps. She wondered if she’d share this with Ms. Yamada.
Probably. People would pass on word. They were all being tracked, no doubt.
But would she share what this meant to her? That she felt more secure than she had, leaving the rooftop meeting and speech?
“Shall we share stories of long ago?” Nilbog asked. “Of our kingdoms, as they were?”
“We could,” Valkyrie said. “Tragedies? Comedies?”
“In my stories,” Riley said, “The line between tragedy and comedy is awfully thin.”
“I suspect my stories are mostly tragedies,” Valkyrie said. “Everyone worth talking about dies in the end.”
“Just the opposite for me,” the Goblin King said. He ran one hand along the cheek of the neanderthal figure beside him. When he turned to face the barrier, he limped, and the brutish man helped him stay balanced. “My favorites persist, they keep coming back to start the adventure anew, a little different every time. This is my helper. They allow me him, only him.”
For a man talking about comedies, he looked sad.
The amnesty still hasn’t gone through in entirety. There are snarls, like this king without a crown or a kingdom.
There were distant running footsteps, growing in volume as they drew closer, suggesting that capes were en route to intercept her.
Valkyrie glanced over her shoulder.
“I suspect this visit will be cut short.”
“Fuck,” Riley said. “Not that the goblin king isn’t awesome, but…”
She trailed off.
“Maybe another time,” Valkyrie said. She raised her hands as the capes entered the room from the far corner. She had to pick her words carefully, so she wouldn’t sound strange. “I’m being good.”
“We’d like to play it safe,” one of the capes said. “If you don’t mind.”
“Another day, Faerie Queen,” Nilbog said. He smiled, bowing a little.
Valkyrie returned the bow. When she rose to her full height, she was smiling a little in turn. It surprised her.
Flip sides of the same coin.
Rebirth.
The act was an idle one, like one might move a hand inside a pocket to double check there was nothing inside it. She used her power. Bringing one of her warriors through, on the other side of the barrier.
The neanderthal reacted. Valkyrie’s warrior didn’t manifest in full, but it flowed through the neanderthal’s body before rejecting the host.
Almost. Close.
Shepherd of the dead, Valkyrie thought, as she walked away. The Goblin King was shushing his creation.
They were all parts of a whole. The Chirurgeon, the Maker, the Keeper of the Dead. It only made sense that there would be synergies between such abilities.
A way to bring her dead back, perhaps?
She could see them, in the dark recesses, waiting, loyal, obedient. The ones she’d collected, some still mending from the great fight six months ago.
She felt better now. Less incomplete. Her other half was content with this line of thinking.
She just wasn’t sure where she’d take it.
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531 thoughts on “Teneral e.1”
wildbow on November 2, 2013 at 00:02 said:
WordPress fucked the formatting on me and deleted paragraph breaks on the last save just prior to the deadline. I know, I’m fixing it.
Blurg. Have had that happen before, but usually at a point in time where I had time to fix it. Not last minute.
That suckkked. Should be fixed, but there’s liable to be sentences ending without a break before the next.
And now for the usual author’s note at the beginning.
Thank you for reading. Here’s your regular reminder to vote on topwebfiction. It’s very much appreciated. Thank you for your support.
Landis963 on November 2, 2013 at 00:20 said:
Y’know, for a moment there I thought the missing paragraph breaks were intentional. Something about Glais- Ciar- Valkyrie’s thought processes.
The Sandman on November 2, 2013 at 00:27 said:
…Glasscar Valkyrie?
That sounds like an amazing name for a rock band.
Tom_D on November 2, 2013 at 00:52 said:
Refresh…refresh… Oh shit!! Oh, wait! Ahhhhh!
Good chapter and excellent troll with the mention of Khepri
Scolopendra on November 2, 2013 at 01:06 said:
Not all of like the trolling, frankly. It gets old fast.
Quincy on November 2, 2013 at 02:19 said:
Just a heads up Teneral does not show up on the Table of Contents.
Thanks Quincy. Got distracted by formatting bug. It’s in the ToC now.
Gnarker on November 2, 2013 at 12:30 said:
I’m guessing the character index is not supposed to be blank?
dmol8 on November 2, 2013 at 13:29 said:
Uh this might be faulty fridge logic on my part but why did Taylor end up in New York for the last fight? I thought she was in the Chicago wards.
pidgey on November 2, 2013 at 16:41 said:
She went to New York as a staging ground.
“It hadn’t been a conscious choice. An impulse, really. Maybe there were cities that were more fitting, but this was a city at the center of modern civilization. Or it had been. If this was going to be our final staging ground, then it was as fitting a choice as any. It was heavy with resources that every parahuman could use, unoccupied. Intact enough to still look like a city, damaged enough to remind us of what was at stake.”
Chicago has all the things that quote described also and Taylor spent more time in Chicago then in New York. So my question is why did Taylor end up in New York instead of Chicago?
grinvader on November 4, 2013 at 14:46 said:
She wants to be a part of it,
ShawnMorgan on November 8, 2013 at 10:30 said:
as a Brit I can honestly tell you that when asked to name an American city, I used to only know new York. it’ still the one I most associate with the USA.
Hexa on March 27, 2017 at 11:13 said:
Pan-dimensional resonance told her it was THE city to take a superpowered fight to.
Wildbow,
I think there’s a chance you’ll check these comments before starting on a possible sequel, so I’ll leave this here.
I recommend reading the Long Earth by Terry Pratchet and… another author whose name I can’t remember right now. The setting’s basic premise is that someone invents a device that allows (almost) anyone to step into parallel dimensions. Maybe there are better takes on the subject, but this is one I know has some useful ideas for a multidimensional society.
That almost-multiverse is (mostly) devoid of sentient life, but lots of the effects on society will be comparable to the Wormverse’s, if rather more pronounced because that setting basically lets everyone step between dimensions.
Nix on March 28, 2017 at 06:42 said:
Far better, and more disturbing, than that series (Pratchett & Baxter, and very definitely neither Pratchett’s best nor Baxter’s): Robert Reed’s _Down the Bright Way_. That multiverse is very definitely not devoid of sentient life, but the access method for those universes is extremely linear (you can only get to each universe from the ones “on either side”), which has, ah, interesting consequences.
Agreed on it not being Pratchet’s best, I’ll take your word on Baxter.
I’ve noted down the name, I’ll look it up. If it’s a better treatment of the same setting concept I should really like it. Thank you.
And it having sentient life, it sounds like a better source of inspiration for the Wormverse’s society.
will408914 on November 2, 2013 at 00:16 said:
So, a Glaistig interlude/epilogue chapter. I was wondering if we’d get one. Hoping, too. Also, was that a hint that Taylor was still alive, when Ms. Yamada was talking with Chevalier?
Megaolix on November 2, 2013 at 00:17 said:
That’s interesting indeed. If she had been killed quietly, then why is that name around?
the13thversifier on November 3, 2013 at 08:22 said:
Teacher: Oh contessa, you’re back, so what’s the news?
Contessa: I’ve terminated Khepri
Teacher: Khepri, who?
Contessa: You-know-who…
Teacher: I see, well, might as well circulate this news. I suppose this information is worth some fortune
AMR on November 3, 2013 at 08:25 said:
Contessa didn’t come up with the name. Wildbow has stated that it was the survivors who started calling Taylor that and that it took some time for Contessa to track Taylor.
Ah, that explained it better
I didn’t notice the time skip, sorry
I think it was more a hint that Ms. Yamada had an inkling as to who “Khepri” actually was, and Chevalier was telling her that she really didn’t want to know what happened to Taylor in her final hours.
Truthseeker on November 2, 2013 at 00:38 said:
If that were the case, surely Ms. Yamada couldn’t characterize Khepri as “another patient?”
Yeah, generally a psychiatrist has no interest in corpses as “patients”. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Taylor somehow lived.
I think she was hoping to have another patient.
I think it’s a case where she’s gotten the request for therapy with a name only, and is trying to gather information before treatment. I get the feeling that the first part of the chapter took place within a day or so of Scion’s defeat.
Disregard my comment. In my fatigue, I completely misread it. It said she met her already some time ago? Now I’m confused.
ijpowers92 on November 2, 2013 at 01:14 said:
Taylor was one of her patients when she was Weaver.
Yamada was saying she already knows that Taylor and Khepri are one and the same. And that she wanted to know what happened to her.
You didn’t misread it. It said “another patient” to begin with, then Wildbow found that it was misleading and changed it to the present-form “someone who was a patient.”
(Lest anyone think I’m even crazier than they should rightly believe, this edit was mentioned as such by Wildbow on RPG.net’s Worm thread).
Thanks for letting me know about that change. I thought I was going crazy for a second…
Reveen on November 2, 2013 at 10:58 said:
Give it a while, Wildbow will find a way to drive you nuts soon enough.
He CAN’T drive me nuts… They don’t have a steering wheel… 😉
the leaking pen on November 3, 2013 at 01:26 said:
I still say the bullets were impromptu brain surgery to remove the passenger, not a death blow.
Well maybe you can ask wildbow about the gun and bullet specification.
Was the round any bigger than .22LR caliber (round point)?
Was the round hollow point?
Was the target tissue unprotected by layer(s) of ballistic resistance?
If any of the answer was “Yes”. There’s no way mortal could escape death, unless Khepri phased out to be mortal and being something else entirely.
Sindri Suncatcher on November 3, 2013 at 22:18 said:
There are several recorded instances of people surviving with a rather big hole punched through their brain. It’s too rare and too unpredictable to be a useful consideration in the real world, but Contessa could pull it off easily. Nothing is absolute when it comes to brain damage and the path to victory makes any possibility into a certainty when used properly.
Of course given what we learned this chapter, the first stage of the ‘path to restoring Taylor’ might be ‘kill her, in a way that prevents any possibility of conventional repair.’
Yeah but this is Contessa we are talking about. She could easily ask, “How do I fire this bullet to take out the part of her brain that links to the passenger without doing permanent harm to Taylor Hebert?” and then use her power to fire in exactly the right way.
At least that’s what I’m hoping for…
Also, I get to announce the typo thread! Yay!
Roucouler, the Liar
No period at the end. This was just before the eavesdropping thing.
“The Chiurgeon”
Should be Chirurgeon? Archaic/French term for surgeon?
“Her eyes burned as she stared out from the shadows of her deep-set eyes.”
Two problems here: repetition of eyes, and given that her powers are fire, do you mean literally burned?
Pinkhair on November 2, 2013 at 02:06 said:
“approached.The” Missing spaces.
“had faded.Nobody” Ditto.
“thought.Not five seconds”
“above her.She heard”
“intercept her.Valkyrie glanced”
““I’m being good.” Missing end quote.
GeeJo on November 2, 2013 at 02:29 said:
“The mask didn’t block any of her vision, but it it pressed against her cheekbones”
Doubled “it”.
DasNiveau on November 2, 2013 at 04:56 said:
Schwarz Tante should be Schwarze Tante with an e ending for females
Thanks. Languages stuff is always extra appreciated.
I’m glad I can help.
homunq on November 2, 2013 at 08:35 said:
No, perhaps two people in her camp to one person against was optimistic.
Awkward construction; sounds as if the two people are optimistic. “Perhaps it was too optimistic to say…” or something.
xdrngy on November 2, 2013 at 12:29 said:
She only had 2 shadows at this point, unless she added one without mentioning it
crenelations
not sure but this seems spelled wrong
Wasn’t the shadow of the man with the cape and hood (Eidolon) present throughout the meeting up to that point?
eSemmel on November 2, 2013 at 14:48 said:
I’m a little confuzzled by the following paragraph:
I *think* it should read as if everything before “The opposite is true.” should be qualified by “you’re acting like [such and such holds]”. Otherwise, I don’t quite know what to make of it. What is she trying to say here?
Don on November 3, 2013 at 11:38 said:
I thought that part was brilliant, actually.
Check my logic:
Ciara is expecting understanding, in a way… testing others to see if they’re worthy of her communication, by seeing if they can figure out where she’s coming from. Testing Jessica Yamada, specifically, by holding her silence and being obscure about things.
In response, Ms. Yamada is basically saying “You have to talk to be understood.” BUT she’s starting from universal principles – how silence and speech need and define one another – to make this point. She made it in a way that’s surprising enough to break Ciara out of her defensiveness, while at the same time honoring Ciara’s level of thoughtfulness.
It was the absolute perfect thing to say to a Faerie Queen who’s growing up. I got chills.
But that’s me. Did this scan for you?
Oh, I get the general thrust of her argument. I’m not really sure though about how the sentences in the paragraph I quoted are logically connected. Basically, the part “The problem is […] To frame it.” throws a little wrench in it for me. It makes sense on its own and the sentences framing it make sense on their own, but putting it in there just before “The opposite is true.” without clarifying the connection… I don’t know. Does anyone else have a problem parsing this?
(Btw. Don, could it be that I know you under the same name from a certain “explosive” forum?)
Yeah, Yamada is magnificent like that. Remember how a couple months with her brought Sveta from ‘triple digit body count’ to ‘I’m so sorry I squeezed your arm but you’re fine now and I’ll be over here?’ She understands people as well as Tattletale and can get through to them more effectively than anybody out there, and then simply being in her presence gives you SAN points back.
Sveta was sorry even as she killed 100+ people. Yamada didn’t instill that.
Yeah, but there’s a big difference between reflexively killing someone and feeling bad afterwards versus restraining yourself and apologizing to them while they’re still alive. My impression is that it was her therapy that got her that far and let her leave people alive after touching them.
Yes, but I think the operative part of that phrase was the “I’ll be over here” rather than the “I’m so sorry”. She couldn’t pull off the “I’ll be over here” before she met Mrs. Yamada. She dearly wanted to, but she couldn’t.
H.T. on November 2, 2013 at 16:45 said:
“Let’s shorten this speech, then and take a second to look.”
Comma after the “then”?
Sengachi on November 5, 2013 at 01:05 said:
It mentions just before that she dismissed a shadow and didn’t replace it; there should be two shadows.
The Wealthy Aardvark on November 5, 2014 at 00:02 said:
around the group.”And it’s
Needs a space between the period and quotation mark.
saintsant on June 18, 2016 at 12:54 said:
Bit late, but this was found in IRC:
“Her hard stare was a challenging one, now, a hard stare.”
First hard should be removed, stare could be shifting for gaze for flow purposes.
shifted*
And now that I’ve corrected my typo correction, we’ve gone full meta.
flaye on February 8, 2017 at 09:23 said:
Might be too late for the typo thread a few years later…
Your chose your anchor, chose Scion,
Alfaryn on April 28, 2019 at 12:09 said:
> […]doubting, or discouraged. They knew who[…]
There is only one space between these two sentences.
> “Fuck,” Riley said. “Not that the goblin king isn’t awesome, but…”
Goblin King is capitalized in every other instance in this chapter.
> Shepherd of the dead
I suspect that this one is not an error, but perhaps the ‘dead’ was supposed begin with a capital ‘D’?
thewatcherbehind on November 2, 2013 at 00:16 said:
Finally, something from a Glastig Uaine’s Perspective. OR Valkerie, I guess I should call her now. She is another creepy villain character who, with their interlude/epilouge, you have made human, and some one we can empathize with. Honestly, she seems to also be going through a struggle to define herself apart from her passenger. Your writing ablities never cease to amaze me.
Also, Clockblocker can come back! Yay!
Use the typo thread to find all the typos. All of them.
Jerden on November 2, 2013 at 04:03 said:
Wildbow’s very good at redeeming the (seemingly) irredeemable.
Archidel on November 2, 2013 at 06:48 said:
Yeah, here’s hoping for that one. Clockblocker was always my favorite character out of the whole bunch. The most sane and decent one too, probably, although he has some competition there from Weld.
“As heroes went he was a decent enough guy,” Source: Taylor Hebert.
No, another person can get Clockblocker’s *passenger*’s power, plus whatever aspects of Clockblocker it has picked up (not many if Khepri is any indication as to how good the passengers are at that sort of thing). The actual person is, I fear, gone.
Well it all really depends on how the resurrection is written. In addition it plays to what GU actually steals: a part of the shard, the soul of the person, a combo of both, etc. It also deals with what you consider to be a person and whether you consider clones to be the same person and gets even murkier if the clone has the same memories and powers as the original. There really are tons of ways that the resurrection plot can go. I for one like to believe that a full on resurrection is possible. Not sure I ACTUALLY believe that but I want to.
MrVoid on November 2, 2013 at 00:16 said:
Khepri… HAHAHHAHAA
Charles Borner on November 2, 2013 at 00:32 said:
See? You can’t keep a good badass down (it just pisses them off when you try).
Yup that it does. Lung can attest. Coil is a good reference as well. Heck Sveta can chip in her two cents too concerning the whole issue with her arm.
oliverwashere on November 2, 2013 at 04:35 said:
“Already, there are people plotting to take advantage of present circumstances.”
Are they already preparing to condemn Condessa for setting up a situation where she had to judge and shoot Khepri or risk being swarmed by bugs.
Lost Demiurge on November 2, 2013 at 00:19 said:
Miss Yamada! YESSS!!!!
Wildbow, feel free to put her in as many interludes as you like! She’s the most badass normal in the series, after all.
And so a faerie queen becomes a Valkyrie. I approve!
One down, five to go…
acediamonds on November 2, 2013 at 01:01 said:
I am all for Dr. Yamada going around the Wormverse, giving everybody therapy.
With Bitch as her assistant. Because, you know, puppy theory.
@Charles Borner They kill her and she just ends up annoyed… I always her and Cmdr Shepard were related…
Oh her and Shepard must have had the same parents or gone to the same School of Badass. In the immortal words of Garrus: “They killed you once and all it did was piss you off.” Taylor obviously took careful notes during this class.
Veloren on November 2, 2013 at 03:15 said:
Clearly we need to start making Doctor Yamada Facts now.
– Doctor Yamada is a reverse eldritch horror. Exposure to her gives sanity points.
– Doctor Yamada has never triggered, because she possesses perfect mental equilibrium. If she did, the Shard would immediately give up on influencing her.
– Doctor Yamada is not impressed.
– Doctor Yamada could make Jack settle down and become a barber.
packbat on November 2, 2013 at 02:23 said:
As much as I love Ms. Yamada, I feel like it might be a little too much if she’s this prominent in every interlude.
Well, there are a lot of people that need therapy, so she may show up quite a bit.
negadarkwing on November 2, 2013 at 07:53 said:
Another Miss Yamada fact. The supermassive blackhole at the center of the Milky Way is not a collapsed star. It’s her metaphorical balls.
They’re called Readers,
…I don’t suppose anybody else started crossing this over with Durarara when the fairy soul-collector was reinterpreted as a valkyrie? Now I’m stuck with a mental image of Ciara on a black motorcycle, wearing a helmet with cat ears.
What should we call Glaistig Uaine’s/Valkyrie’s power-sight? Scion-o-Vision?
“Power-sight” works the best, I think.
Soulgaze?
*Is shot by a ninja lawyer working for Mr. Butcher*
Pretty similar to The Destroyer, er, Chevalier secondary ability,too. And I believe Ingenue implied she had something like that, too.
I think they’re all variations on the theme, though. Chevalier had it because he could see sideways into the realms occupied by the passengers, unlike Valkyrie and Ingenue, who could power-see because their original powers directly relate to other people’s powers (Valkyrie, reclaiming the shards, Ingenue, doing a caffeine-shot or whatever to the shards, but not Grue, copying powers of people in his darkness).
‘Odin’s eye’ gets my vote
Cephalo the Pod on November 2, 2013 at 02:44 said:
And mine.
Dark Lord Bob on November 2, 2013 at 09:02 said:
And my axe!
Keeping with the norse, ‘Mimir’, since Odin’s eye would be nothing without him.
Rika Covenant on November 2, 2013 at 11:34 said:
…Was going to say Mimir would be more suited for foresight, but no. I think you hit it spot on.
You have my axe… (damn, misplaced it.) MY sword.. (bugger, it’s broken….) My bow…. agh now people will think I’m an elf… damn it. You have Yamaha Mouth Organ!
Chris on November 2, 2013 at 00:21 said:
Ms. Yamada for most badass character in Worm.
She has my vote. It takes serious guts and unimpeachable morals to tell off CHEVALIER.
JN on November 2, 2013 at 00:49 said:
Either her or the guy who foamed Jack Slash. Hey. Ship Ahoy!
Maybe they’re already married.
Pretty sure she was single on account of having no free time, even getting called in for emergencies on her day off because every crazy parahuman loves her and becomes less crazy in her presence.
But now I’m totally shipping those two.
In her interlude she is consistently called ( and calls herself) Mrs.
So she may be indeed married to the PRTagent that foamed Jack who was actually Forrest who once did some part-time as a hired mercenary for Coil and managed to nail Oni Lee after breaking his leg. Oh and the university professor who found a solution for trigger events in 5 minutes with Crusader threatening to kill him is his brother. There, I think we have linked all the badass normals in the story together.
Pretty sure that the TA at the university was a different person. Because Forrest or the sniper would have just taken Crusader apart. Probably couldn’t deal with Purity alone, but her blasting isn’t the subtle or precise kind and she needed the (currently unpowered) Theo alive, so there was good cover.
Which is why I said it was his brother 😛 .
You forgot Glenn! He is probably their older fatter brother. And Sierra is the rebel younger sister who initially wore dreads to separate herself from the rest of family going as far as to say that her littlest brother is the only remaining family since she wanted to make her own name for herself.
I can’t work Char into this story though…
Moral of the story: never underestimate any species that survived millennia of moral conflicts
GLAISTIG [flanked by two giant shadows]: How do you wish to die?
YAMADA [not even looking at the shadows]: So, we were talking about how you projected your need for a father figure in Scion…
It is like I’m looking at Contessa, expect smarter.
I feel like “integrity” is another relevant term. Also “sangfroid”.
Shadell on November 2, 2013 at 00:21 said:
So New York is now a multidimensional melting pot full of capes? You’ve managed to make Valkyrie emotionally engaging as a character instead of just threatening and cool. Overall a great start to the epilogues, I’m really curious about this setting and would love to see more of the day to day as this new world that’s survived its end starts to come into being.
Psycho Gecko on November 2, 2013 at 00:36 said:
Reminds me of Infinity City of Legion of Nothing.
I’d forgot about that.
Inverness on November 2, 2013 at 00:22 said:
I’m feeling very disappointed. I was expecting this chapter to actually elaborate on Taylor’s fate and whether or not she really died. I’m not going to be able to “take in” any chapters in the mean time.
If I’m going to have to wait until the very last epilogue chapter, or heaven forbid a sequel to find out, please tell me now so I can avoid being disappointed again.
Keno Black on November 2, 2013 at 00:37 said:
There’re likely to be hints in each of them. The fact that Khepri is such a BLATANT HINT to what she’s become known as is likely the best indication that she’s still alive.
After all, only Valkyrie gets to rename the dead. They’ve still purpose to her.
The carrot and the stick routine is just going to make me feel worse.
I just want some closure for Taylor’s story after the wringer of the previous chapter, not “endless speculation” as to what her fate was.
I agree. I’m starting to get rather numb with regards to it. I know it wouldn’t be as painful if I were reading the story after completion, but knowing that you won’t get any sort of closure for… probably 2 more weeks… is irritating. And you know that if we do get a definitive answer, it will be on the very last of the chapters.
There’s a balance to be struck with the serial aspect of the work and the possible ‘people binging’/’people reading it as a book’ aspect. It’s a tricky thing, and on issues this major, there’s liable to be friction.
Given the choice, I favor pacing things for the latter group over the former. The vast majority seem to be okay with reading the story as is.
I certainly don’t want to make you unhappy, don’t get me wrong. But I can’t please everyone. In the end, I’ve got to go with what serves the story best, not necessarily what pleases the most people – if I was doing the latter, then I’d have written a much different work.
and you released this bit on All souls’ day right after Halloween/Samhain on purpose didn’t you you sly canine?
for myself I thoroughly enjoyed this chapter and as tribute to your writing and the fact that sometime people strongly dislike stuff other’s love, i’m off to get an artist friend of mine to do some fanart… Be seeing you.
and hey, thanks for reinspiring me for nano.
Pig, not canine.
Don’t forget Dia de Muertos.
Aname on November 2, 2013 at 07:57 said:
Porcine?
kanzid on November 2, 2013 at 12:34 said:
Very much agree here possibly more than anywhere the needs of the story as a completed whole are more important than the people reading this week. These chapter will be the ones that set the final tone for the story as a whole and the message they leave will be important for the overall impression of the series.
If this is going the way I think it is, I fully approve and support the notion of delaying the closure.
If this is not going the way I think it is, that’s probably because you’re doing something distinctly more brilliant.
I know wildbow is Pig, not dog… but you sly pig didn’t’ have the same ring. Will need new words…
Contessa referred to her as Khepri too. People came up with the name shortly after she made a break for it. It took her time to recover after breaking with the clairvoyant, before meeting Contessa, and the name spread as a means of referring to the being that was no longer Taylor, no longer Weaver and no longer Skitter.
keyonte0 on November 2, 2013 at 01:06 said:
You know, I’d really love to read about that.
letseveryonemorality on November 2, 2013 at 01:10 said:
Clarifying this makes it way more likely that Taylor is dead. Is that your intention?
Not really. Wildbow is being intentionally ambiguous. He’s done similar things before where he won’t directly address a question, just some point tangent to the subject. Trying to get any sort of spoilers out of him is like trying to squeeze blood from a stone. I’d say Wildbow clarifying a point doesn’t mean a thing one way or another… and it’s frustrating. I would never, ever play poker with the guy because you just can’t get a read on his intentions.
chrnno on November 2, 2013 at 01:28 said:
Well doing that through writing is one thing doesn’t necessarily means he has a poker face though it does make it likely.
And don’t ever, I mean ever, give two choices about a spoiler, where one of them is a and the other isn’t “not a.” See also: his response to questions regarding Grey Boy’s power.
Yeah. The question here is purely binary though: is Taylor dead or not dead? Rather than address the question, he’s not answering it at all.
The question is whether someone will ask “Is she dead or alive?” to which the answer will be “Yes.”
Hey Wildbow: Is Khepri dead XNOR alive?
quesar on November 3, 2013 at 00:20 said:
Gnarker: No.
The name having been “common” knowledge from before Taylor met Contessa means it isn’t necessary for Taylor to have survived for the name to be known.
As this is Ciara’s third session with Ms. Yamada this conversation must have taken place no earlier than three days after Taylor took the portal Ciara opened. In reality it took place slightly later than even that.
Chev’s answer is fairly final, it doesn’t imply a continuing condition.
So either Contessa hasn’t actually told anyone what happened with “Khepri”, or Taylor is dead.
Reading the conversation between Contessa and Taylor from 30.7 makes it seem like Contessa might have chosen not to share any information, but that possibility doesn’t really feel “right” to me, or when compared to Chev’s answer to Ms. Yamada.
So she’s dead, put down like a rabid dog. In the end Humanity couldn’t safe itself at all, it had to be saved by a monster it created through it’s own abuse, a monster that, after the poor confused thing gives it’s all to save Humanity, apparently doesn’t even rate as being worth saving, or even trying to save.
rocjawcypher on November 2, 2013 at 02:05 said:
Quite the opposite: Humanity was worth sacrificing EVERYTHING to save. She died- in heart, in mind, and perhaps in body. Each, she knew the cost, she understood what it would take- but for us, she thought it was worth it.
Except humanity cannot even save a single lonely abused girl. While Taylor might have believed that to be true, humanity has done a really shit job of proving it true.
Stephen M (Ethesis) on November 2, 2013 at 08:39 said:
WordPress stacks up comments to the unreadable stage of narrow on my phone but this episode with the “won’t like it” sure implies that instead of therapy they just killed Taylor without giving her a chance.
Chevalier’s reply here applies equally well if she’s believed dead, missing, in custody, or in permanent isolation. All this chapter confirms about her fate is that she’s not walking around as of six months later.
Ziggy on March 4, 2018 at 14:49 said:
See it like this. Thanks to her Sacrifice, there is still a chance to learn from it, to save other “Monsters”, “Little Girls” and “Poor confused Things”. Like Ciara here.
To be totally fair, I really didn’t intend that, but I can see why Wildbow would refuse to answer it.
That expression is appropriate in a funny way; if you squeeze enough, you’ll definitely get blood flowing from a stone. Just… not the stone’s.
In this situation, pressuring wildbow into giving spoilers (which he won’t), readers will eventually hurt their brain enough to get a conclusion of their own.
Which happened every damn chapter lately.
Well Wildbow did once give out one spoiler about the sequel. Taylor’s not in it. Course the author was more coy about wether or not that meant she died at the end.
damn, this analogy with “squeeze the stone ’til it bleeds” is good, is good
you nailed it
These days, poker is more about math than about people skills. Think about all the tournament champions that are coming from online poker backgrounds, instead of rising up the tables.
Some very clever statisticians have analyzed poker to death, then inserted electrodes and brought it back to life; if you’re a math nerd and have the right kind of otaku for it, then you start seeing things like ‘pot odds’ in a whole different way.
seem* I missed a word and cannot edit or delete the comment to fix it.
scoti on November 3, 2013 at 19:22 said:
So what demarcates Khepri from the rest in time? I’d be inclined to think somewhere around the moment when Panacea messed with her corona pollentia…
When does a name start to apply to the person it’s given to? Did she become Skitter when she joined the Undersiders, when she robbed the bank, when the Wards did their debriefing and thought of it, or when they gave the name to the press? When did she become Weaver, when she turned herself in, when she killed Alexandria, when she decided on the name with Dragon and Defiant, or when she announced it at the end of the speech?
The name Khepri came up after she killed Scion, to describe the girl who became a god, killed another, gave humanity a new day, and disappeared. I don’t think that the transition would be when her power was tweaked any more than she suddenly became Skitter or Weaver when she triggered. But you could put it when she first controlled somebody, when she assembled her swarm and confronted Scion, when she killed him, when she disappeared, or when they came up with the word for it.
I would say a name would start to apply when it begins to shape the person wearing it. In this way, Taylor became Skitter when she robbed the bank, she became Weaver when she took out Topsy & co., and she became Khepri when she began to lose her anchors.
You see this all over the place. Jacob isn’t Jack Slash until he forms the Nine. Riley wasn’t Bonesaw until she started indulging her artistic talent, Bonesaw isn’t Riley until she realizes that her redemption is going to be much tougher than she thinks. Amy wasn’t Panacea until she started indulging her Samaritan Syndrome (the “I Must Save Them All” complex endemic to moral superheroes.) Sphere wasn’t Mannequin until he started to lash out against people who were trying to better the world. And on, and on, and on.
Well said and I agree on most points. I would probably back up Khepri to starting right about when she confronts Tattletale just before going to join the fight and actively seeking drones for her swarm. Taking Canary at first could be considered a necessary state to get back into action and avoid being stranded which is reasonable but once she is free to do what she wants she chose to go after controlling others. Not that this was a wrong choice or that there were many other options but to me that was the turning point. As Tattle had put it, there really wasn’t a going back once she started that path. The bank was the turning point for Skitter and Topsy was the turning point for Weaver. That short section with Tattle was the turning point for Khepri.
syphax1 on November 2, 2013 at 00:24 said:
Huh. That wasn’t nearly depressing as I thought it would be. Humanity hasn’t torn itself apart within a month of Scions defeat. Hell, they’ve made it six months (I think).
Now I want to see what happens with the Undersiders.
Humanity’s still in shock after having the bulk of every human civilization in existence across the multiverse obliterated. Give it a few more months and people will start acting like people again.
I don’t think Scion’s rampage was that destructive. There are canonically countless trillions of universes, and, well, he was only absent rampaging across other universes for a few days, spending at least seconds in every world (long enough to identify a target and fire at it): so he can’t have hit more than a few hundred thousand universes. Unless nearly every multiverse is empty of human life, and even if he spent only a microsecond in each world, most human civilizations will still be untouched.
irrevenant on September 12, 2014 at 23:53 said:
It was mentioned in the story that the action occurred in only a small subset of all possible realities and that Scion had blocked off access to the rest for some unknown reason. (Presumably he didn’t want humanity damaging or depleting them because he needed them for fuel 300 years hence).
It can be reasonably assumed that Scion limited his rampages to this subset also.
In his interlude though he mentions grouping the universes into subsets of similar ones since looking too close at too many that were too similar got confusing and took too much effort so he made it easier by throwing some together. I was thinking that maybe when he started going around destroying different clusters of people he was striking at the groupings in each subset at once so that while there may be technically trillions of possible universes he was hitting hundreds of thousands with each attack. It got a little confusing to understand both on page and in my head. I tend to love thinking about the potential aspects of parallel universes but Scion and his ilk make my head hurt. Even the simplest aspect of being able to spread, consume and destroy EVERY possible iteration of a world boggles my mind since by the many worlds interpretation there had to be a world where they miscalculate and we win. Which of course we see but that should happen on every world if they truly destroy every instance which means that they never should’ve made it past the first planet really but that obviously doesn’t happen so do they destroy every iteration or just a small subset but if it’s just a small subset then…you know what I’m going to stop now so I can keep reading the comments and avoid another headache…
storryeater on May 11, 2015 at 21:05 said:
Also,since we are talking about clusters,different Scions might exist that desttroy these worlds,if the Worm too is affected by multiple worlds.
slider214 on May 12, 2015 at 00:42 said:
Hence why I stopped trying to interpret it and just went with it. I am far too interested in parallel world theories to actively try and decipher the exact physics of how the Worms function. One of the few times being a science geek works against me in reading scifi stories…
The parallel worlds might not cover every possibility: my guess is that we’re not be dealing with a full scale multiverse.
Even in a true multiverse, I think you might start to lose the “covering every possibility” once you start crossing between them universes. I suppose you could cover that via some kind of second layer of multiverses, but that just seems like stretching the idea till it fits again.
I dunno. Adding higher-order flows can lead to fairly cool results. The ultimate treatment of this is probably Greg Egan’s short story _The Infinite Assassin_. And, yes, the set of multiverses in that story is actually infinite, which leads to, ah, interesting things you can do if you can control which universes people can access — which of course Scion can. This probably provides evidence that the Wormverse does not have an infinite multiverse, or Scion could just have eaten an infinitely small subset of all parallel Earths (still infinite in size: a set of measure zero) and still got an infinite amount of energy, which is clearly not happening.
TheAnt87 on November 2, 2013 at 00:27 said:
Good chapter, and a HUGE New York is born. That last thought is ominous. To bring back the dead. What can go wrong?
Black Lanterns, Black Lanterns everywhere.
Crazy, zombie, superheroes for the win. Even better if they are completely on the side of Good but everyone is still freaked out by them. Wonder what Rosary and the other christian heroes would think about that.
There’s a part of the Book of Revelations where, IIRC, the dead all rise from their graves and just, like, chill for a few months.
Eh, the dead rise from their graves during the gospels. They invade Jerusalem. There’s also some threats made during the Epic of Gilgamesh by Ishtar.
“The Blackest Night falls from the skies,The darkness grows as all light dies,We crave your hearts and your demise,By my black hand, the dead shall rise!” – Black Lanterns
“Groovy.” – Ash Williams
I herby award you ten nerd points. It would be more but there are so many bloody zombies in fiction nowadays that a normal person could probably name ten without trying.
Hey, I found a video of Roucouler the Liar!
youtube.com/watch?v=DgqzE5M5trM
No teeth, but yeah I can see it fit.
Just imagine there’s no gap. One solid shelf.
T-Ray (Deadpool), Headpool (Deadpool), Tarman (Return of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead 2, Return of the Living Dead: Rave from the Grave), R (Warm Bodies), Julie (Return of the Living Dead 3), Shark-fighting Zombie (Zombi), Jason Voorhees (as of Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives), “Big Daddy” (Land of the Dead), Baby Zombie (Remake Dawn of the Dead), Eddie Van Halen (Zombieland)
Zombi 2* not Zombi
And Ed, even though they’re not saying the zed word (Shaun of the Dead)
To bring back the dead inside the bodies of NILBOG’s creation. Though if they manage to pull it off, it would be great for NILBOG’s PR.
Bring back the dead? probably people thinking on the spirits. Clockblocker and Taylor may be outright dead but thanks to Valkyrie, this might not stop that ship from sailing.
Or they might just sail on the Titanic.
farmerbob1 on November 2, 2013 at 04:03 said:
Solomon Grundy not know.
Nilbog’s creations might not last for more than a few months (unless Riley played around with them), but Valkyrie could just re-harvest the shard and Nilbog could make another body. Although that does leave the question of how much of the host’s personality a shard takes. It’s possible the recycled heroes might not be much more than actual zombies, or just fragments of what they once were. Crazy power combination though, probably the strongest in the series to date. Valkyrie might be able to get around her three ghost limit that way.
Good name for her, too. Valkyrie.
It’s almost too bad Glastig didn’t nab Taylor, although if she did there might be no saving either of them.
I also like the idea that their new bodies could be made to order, or at least made to work better with their powers.
Gabriel on November 4, 2013 at 11:03 said:
Nilbog makes bodies; Riley repairs them so they work for more than a month; Ciara populates them with her fallen spirits. Everyone (including Taylor) lives happily ever after.
Mihoshi on November 4, 2013 at 18:24 said:
I’d frankly think that Amy doing the tweaking on the bodies might be more appropriate, but I guess she’s going to be busy reparing Victoria. At least those two are back together. Of sorts…
If Glastig nabbed Taylor’s power she would be officially too scary to live, and I suspect she’s well aware of that fact…
Agreed. She already has Eidolon. There is no way they’d let her run around with Khepri as well. It’s like having a pet Endbringer takes you straight into don’t fuck with me but having five pet Endbringers would take you into kill in case you snap territory.
“it will work this time! Because she just died, she just died a little while ago!”
James on November 3, 2013 at 14:51 said:
Pet Sematary? Just watched that. Such a bad horror movie, but in an amusing/fun-to-watch way.
The book is much, much better.
The book frankly made chills run down my spine a few times. Especially the description of the Wendigo walking through the woods. Stephen King at his best.
Part of the reason that book was so creepy to me was how the main guy was so obviously being controlled/influenced by someone so much more incredibly powerful than him and how so many things tried to stop him but the evil overthing just kept putting everything back on track to tragedy. Louis never had a chance at all.
Lots of parallels to Worm then. I haven’t read or watched this, but just from what Slider214 said:
A protagonist who is influenced increasingly by an unknown being (even before Khepri) with only the audience really seeing it.
A world that seems to return to a similar, largely negative, state regardless of increasingly desperate attempts to change it.
And, of course, at least one seemingly invincible antagonist.
I’m probably reading too much into these similarities.
No One in Particular on November 2, 2013 at 00:30 said:
Interesting that you started with Ciara. I liked this. A good interlude, with a few interesting points.
-Khepri mentioned. Even if Taylor’s dead, at least there’s a bit more of her story to hear about.
-Part of Legend’s speech sounded a LOT like stuff Skitter said once. He has been taking notes. 🙂
-Solid character development here. Always thought of GU as kind of annoying and overpowered, but now I like her…more than I like Chevalier. Yeah, good measuring says them there.
And of course, Yamada. Oh Yamada, as badass normals never showed up or died, you are a precious resource in worm. Continue to be awesome, I hope she’s in more epilogues!
System there, not says there. I don’t like typing on iPads…
Legend was always the charismatic one, making speeches and presenting a friendly face for the Triumvirate while Alexandria and Eidolon were being dicks in the background and Chevalier and Miss Militia focussed on getting shit done. And Taylor read up on capes while she was planning to become a hero. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they sound similar because she was basing her speeches on *his*.
This was my immediate thought.
Don’t buy it. It’s possible Taylor picked up some of Legend’s mannerisms in her reading (and probably from seeing him on TV all the time as a kid), and they share some ideology, but she never gave the impression of someone who actually prepares her speeches in advance. She’s always been a quick thinker and she gives the impression of someone who works out what she’s saying as she’s saying it.
Patrick Reitz (@dreamfarer) on November 2, 2013 at 00:30 said:
Wow! That opened several whole cans of Worms there didn’t it.
Fascinating chapter. Even reading without the line breaks : )
ThePagemaster on November 2, 2013 at 00:31 said:
I love this chapter. it feels like the best written one so far. Also your naming skills rock. Valkyrie is a perfect name. how far back did you plan this?
10 thousand years before the ancient ancestor of mankind was crawling from the mud.
Well, looks like we know what straw people are going to grasp at now.
And we get Wildbow teasing us with Yamada and Khepri.
And even giving Glaistig a second chance? Oddly enough, the story is now being far too optimistic about people. Same with trying to make people sympathetic all the time.
I’m guessing the bit of Behemoth in Chevalier’s armor is influencing how Glaistig looks at him. The Destroyer.
It fits. Still think they should have tried and killed the complete monsters. So Nilbog should have at least been killed.
flame7926 on November 2, 2013 at 00:55 said:
If you can lock them up safely, there’s pretty much no reason to kill them. Nilbog is one of the least threatening because of how insane he is. He’s easy to manipulate and persuade.
Still murdered thousands of men, women, and children. Curse my lack of historical knowledge, but what is the place where they tried nazi war criminals? That might still exist in the wormverse.
He can plead insanity. Hell, he is completely insane. He is also still a human life. Only reasons to punish people are to either deter them or others. I don’t think others need any more deterrent to not be bad, and think it will only stop them from helping with huge threats. Nilbog helped, and if he is killed, that sends the wrong message. But mostly he’s batshit crazy and shouldn’t be killed for it.
Its useless to kill people just because they did bad things in the past. The future is all that matters. How killing or keeping them alive impacts the future.
Its Nuremburg.
phlinn on November 2, 2013 at 04:26 said:
Punishment also serves to protect other people. It’s hard to murder others if you’re dead.
Elias N Vasylenko on November 2, 2013 at 06:15 said:
Done solely for that reason it isn’t a punishment, though. It just happens to be functionally equivalent in this instance. There are ways to punish without protecting others, and there are ways to protect others without punishing.
I said that, if it will dissuade him from doing it again. I think he can be controlled though.
Nuremberg. And not all the Nazis were executioned. Some were simply imprisoned. Even pretty high placed ones. And some were even released early for health reason. Nilbog is getting something like that.
The thing about Nuremberg is that it got a lot of criticism even at the time for dodgy interpretations of the law and pretty much being a kangaroo court. The same would probably be true for guys like Nilbog, who pretty much have no real hope of a fair trial.
I mean, if you want to punish the monsters, then whatever, just shoot them outright. But they shouldn’t pretend it’s justice.
Now I know why Chev is under stress. See I think we should kill Nilbog while AMR/flame think he should be imprisoned. It’s probably much worse for everyone in the wormverse since he did help save the multiverse. Then there are the whole moral issues. I mean letting acid bath go means someone down the line gets scarred or killed, and then there is the evil power ranger who killed tens of thousands. Chevalier has to worry about crap like that. Taylor didn’t destroy the birdcage, so maybe they can just put them back.
Unless Dragon is still maintaining things, the Birdcage is pretty much an oubliette where they’ll be throwing people in to die. I mean moreso than usual. If Chevalier wants a second chance to win people over, he probably shouldn’t be using the old Protectorate’s baggage.
The problem with punishing guys like Acidbath after all this is that he’s small time enough that jailing him would make a lot of other people real antsy about their own chances for amnesty.
The best thing he could do in my opinion is only jail the ones too dangerous and let the rest of the chips fall where they may. If some scumbag villain kills someone, that’s unfortunate, but then they’ll have a reason to jail them.
Oh, yes amnesties are a complicated matter (look what happened in Athens after the 30 Tyrants). I don’t think anyone is arguing that Acidbath shouldn’t be allowed free reign. But as Chevalier said if you start drawing a line then others will get worried that they aren’t safe too and complications arise. Killing Nilbog will just make matters worse. It could very well spark a second war. Nilbog’s creatures were fighting to the bitter end while most capes were fleeing. He was important in the defence of humanity. But if even someone who contributed that much can be executed, well…people start thinking.
He seems to be threaten like someone in a psychiatric ward which was probably how they can keep him under surveillance while still acknowledging the amnesty.
Most of these people need therapy and not to be stuck in a deep dark hole in the ground anyway.
The whole idea of the birdcage is a very backwards regressive method of addressing these “criminals” anyway.
Teruzi on November 2, 2013 at 02:41 said:
I’m pretty sure Acidbath is dead though, Didn’t Taylor left him behind as a way to earn a littel bit more time against Scion? I remember that happening. Nevertheless, if Acidbath tried something again he deserves the full strength of the law over his head (I’m calling the nano-thorn lance the law). Attacking the capes that fought with Scion is just asking for trouble, though. Especially now, when the Wardens should be consolidating themselves in preparation for future conflict
No. She was debating using Acidbath, but in the end she opted for some unnamed shapeshifter.
Really, this is the Endbringer truce on a much larger scale. Every time a class S threat shows up, you don’t take advantage of it. Yes, you could save dozens, maybe thousands of lives sometimes by locking away a villain who came to help. But then not only are they out of the fight, but every other villain hangs back too. You lose the next big fight because you wanted to avoid a few little ones, and tens of millions die because you couldn’t let one monster go free.
The only circumstance under which killing Nilbog here is even an option is if you think that there will NEVER be another class S threat now that Scion is gone, and that’s just false on the face of it. So you give him comfortable quarters, you let him talk with his friends, and you limit his use of his power but never try to take it away completely. That way anybody who’s less terrible than the goblin king feels safe, slinks back into the shadows, and comes running back next time the multiverse needs saving.
veekie on November 2, 2013 at 03:07 said:
Humanity had been pretty thoroughly devastated though. Regardless of what they had done in the past, the fact is that, especially for the powerfully insane parahumans, humanity needs their talents. They are the hardest people to kill and stop, they have wide ranging powers. All that goes towards keeping them alive unless they went back to their old habits.
Judge them by what they are NOW, because you can’t afford to do otherwise. This is as big a clean slate as can be achieved here. Scion has destroyed all previous order, everyone still alive owe their lives to these monsters. Note that the speech implied that there ARE others still out there, who don’t WANT to be redeemed. Those will be eliminated.
Redemption means more than just getting out of jail. Most people don’t want redemption because they don’t think there’s anything wrong with them. It’s like saying most people in the KKK want to live in harmony with people of all colors and creeds and just need to be given a chance.
There are also practical, political concerns. Those currently helping with the reconstruction efforts would be much more leery of the situation if it looks like there is going to be a witch hunt. Here and now they have a rare moment of limited trust and collaboration. It’s a delicate situation, revenge and punishment alike can only make things worse.
Here in the Wormverse, everything has gone to hell. Would you let the KKK and other terrorist groups rejoin society if they’d help rebuild it? They were all who were standing between the world and total destruction at the end. And now they are a large part of what is left at all.
Execute Nilbog, and the ex-Cauldron members may leave. The Slaughterhouse clones, Glaistig Uaine, Riley, Yangban, Lung, Marquis, the Blasphemies, the Undersiders, the Thanda, etc. At BEST they’d just up and leave, fearing they’d be next. At worst they’d decide to strike first before they’re up against the wall themselves, and prove Administrator right in her assumption that humanity would turn against itself after their common foe is gone.
Instead, let them work together, supervised of course, A temporary truce may yet become the norm. Some of the unstable individuals who couldn’t fit into a modern world are not the same when they have been forced back to a frontier state.
You make a good case.
>Some of the unstable individuals who couldn’t fit into a modern world are not the same when they have been forced back to a frontier state.<
Like a certain dog loving Undersider did before…
She’s always called people by their shard names, see also the indian cape “Astrologer” the chatty Undersider “Negotiator” and our protagonist “Queen Administrator”. I’d be willing to bet that “Destroyer” is simply Chevalier’s shard’s name.
Asmora on November 2, 2013 at 07:45 said:
She made up those names. Yes, she was referring to their shards/passengers/parahuman identities, since that’s what she saw, but it’s not like the alien power batteries came with convenient English labels. She and Scion came up with rather similar labels for Taylor, since there aren’t many appropriate English words, but even there they had important differences. Scion called her/her shard Administrator, because it was the bit he delegated all of the minute control and coordination to. GU called her Queen Administrator because she saw her as a faerie noble of the highest order who ruled through control and coordination.
I don’t think it’s improbable that some of GU’s faerie names for capes have changed over time. I’m too lazy to look it up, but I’m pretty sure she referred to Chevalier when she had that conversation with Taylor right after she was released from the Birdcage, and she didn’t call him Destroyer. But since then, he’s beaten seven kinds of shit out of her god/father and played a central role in killing him. That seems like something that might cause her to reevaluate him.
Agreed. I’m pretty sure that if Scion/Eden saw legend they wouldn’t call the shard the Coruscant Knave. In fact, I must say that I found that name particularly corny, especially if compared to some of the totally awesome titles Valkyrie gave. Mother of the blind would be a great name for a rock band, IMO 🙂 .
As for Chevalier, while the “monster suit” may be a reason for a new moniker, I don’t think he was ever the “champion” (I assume that’s what you’re referring). I always thought the Champion was Contessa: someone else sends her to fight on her behalf and she’s always victorious. I think it fits.
“Coruscant” is a poetic term for sparkling or glittering. The glittering ne’er-do-well. Fits Legend quite closely, I think.
I know that. It’s good to describe Legend, but somehow I don’t think it’s the name Scion or Eden would give to the shard Legend possesses.
That, or GU is secretly a Star Wars fan.
Looking back at that interlude, knowing the events starting from Venom,up to this point, explains much about Glaistig’s strange metaphors. For instance, calling Doctor Mother a “living prop” makes much more sense now.
While it did end up being semi-prophetical on GU’s part, I think it was mostly accidental. She was just being racist (is that even the correct term in this context?) in regards of non-powered humans.
Bigoted is a nice catch-all term for this kind of speculative discrimination. I see the argument. However, I’m arguing more that it’s very neat foreshadowing, than any conscious effort to be right on GU’s part.
Wildbow need everyone to just get along long enough to let things build back up to the point where losing it all again will hurt more, for the sequel, is my guess.
For all we know, Chevalier’s armor might eventually turn him into an Endbringer, and Valkyrie certainly doesn’t seem to be the most sane person.
The old and new triumvirate…
Also, remember his blade did shear into the core of Behemoth. He quite likely has some fragment of the shard inside him now.
I thought Chevalier’s power shorted as soon as his triune blade touched the core. No nicks, no actual penetration.
Too… optimistic? Really?
Please tell me that was sarcasm I missed. Because if it weren’t for Wildbow’s habit of redeeming the unredeemable, this story would have had me suicidal by now. Grimdark was left behind a few months ago, we’re into, uh, grimdarker territory. Or maybe horribleakistark awebitterlygrimdark. er.
Eh. They had pretty much two options: (a) Give Glaistig amnesty or (b) Pick a fight with perhaps the single most powerful remaining cape in all existence. Option A isn’t optimism, it’s practicality. Remember that they only contained her in the first place because she *chose* to walk into the Birdcage.
And I don’t find her redemption implausible. She was left purposeless with Scion’s death, after all.
I don’t know that Wildbow is actually *making* people sympathetic, by the way. I believe that most people are sympathetic if you look closely enough. And what Wildbow is good at is at looking closely enough at characters who, in other fictions, would never be explored beneath the surface.
For a more realistic take, look at the series Leverage. Those villains there are so over the top and unrepentant. No chance of redemption because, in almost cartoonish fashion, they are greedy sociopaths. The writers based every one of those off a real person. Those same over the top actions and speeches had to be toned down in order to make them seem more believable.
Reality Is Unrealistic, eh?
The difference between Leverage and Worm (and between visual and written media in general – though Wildbow is particularly masterful at it) is that Worm gives you a thorough look inside the antagonists’ heads while Leverage only gives you a look at their actions.
I grant that there are genuine sociopaths out there but most people do what they do for reasons that are understandable if you can just appreciate what they were going through when they made them. Not necessarily agree, but at least understand (I think Saint made a TERRIBLE call, but I can see how he got there, for example).
Disciplines like politics, economics, and philosophy often base courses of action on the notion that every human being is a rational actor. You assume that if someone’s making an argument, then they mean the strongest form of that argument. You assume someone’s doing something because to them it is in their self interest.
There’s a reason why those fields get filled with a lot of BS that doesn’t seem to work and leaves people more mystified than ever. Even the people reading from that website that’s all about logic and reason have fallen into that trap by apparently being terrified of a thought experiment of a possible AI that could create a copy of someone and punish them. Reminds me of a philosophical atheist blogger reminiscing about college philosophy courses where they argued about if a person who comes out the other end of a Star Trek teleporter is the same person.
It’s a copy. The original is dead and gone. Either buried in the ground, ashes, or tiny molecules torn apart in the teleporter room depending on if we’re talking about Roko’s Basilisk or the Star Trek question.
Because “What if?” is not as handy for determining the truth about the current state of the world as “What is?”
So what is the main motivational force for most people?
Hanlon’s Razoe states: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
Conspiracy theorists, bad drivers, nuclear build up…it works far better than the notion that someone is a rational actor whose actions merely appear evil to another rational actor on the other side of things.
Then you combine this with a little thing called the Dunning-Kruger effect and you find out why what we might call evil perpetuates. This effect is a cognitive bias where people are too unskilled or incompetent to know that they are unskilled or incompetent. They overestimate their skill, fail to recognize skill in others, fail to recognize the extremity of their inadequacy, and (the part that seems to work more on academic subjects than on everyday life) if they are exposed to training, can recognize their own previous lack of skill.
Most people are, I think, too self-important to let themselves be corrected on many things for that last point, but aside from that, you’ve got the psychology of any given person right there. Every single person on earth is subject to that little combo.
The reason I think that last point is disputed is because I’ve also come across several individuals who are willfully ignorant and will ignore any attempt to correct them. The sorts who will use “Well that’s just your opinion” in a discussion about facts, if that means anything to you. People who feel so entitled to the notion that they can think whatever they want that you have no right to correct them.
And you can’t correct them. Nobody can. It gets to the point where their prior neglectful incompetence becomes purposeful incompetence. The kind of incompetent thinking that says “This person’s life is less important to me than this amount of money.”
I can be sympathetic toward many people, but some people are so set against what is right that there is reason to feel that way.
Totally agree that humans are not rational agents. I wasn’t saying that human beings are able to understand each other because we make *sense*. Perish the thought! 😀 We have an ability to understand each other (empathy) because, as humans, we share the same irrational emotions and, because it’s hella useful evolutionarily to be able to anticipate how someone else will behave (mirror neurons etc.). I don’t think we assume that other people are rational, but we *are* better able to empathise and comprehend their actions if we have a deep enough understanding of their situation and how they got there. Nuclear buildup isn’t rational but it *is* understandable.
Oddly you are the second person today to raise the destructiveness of Star Trek transporters with me. You don’t draw webcomics under a different name do you?
In my opinion the transporter question really comes down to how you define “the same person”. It’s pretty hard to say that a perfectly identical copy of anything *isn’t* the same thing. It’s also pretty hard to say that “who I am” comes down to the specific atoms I’m made of, especially when all those individual atoms will be swapped out by the end of the year. If I lost my arms and legs I’d also still be *me* (albeit a very unhappy me! O_O). So “me” pretty much has to come down to my mind and my thoughts and feelings – my identity. So long as that is recreated perfectly, then the person continuing on is me.
This leads to some pretty uncomfortable and unintuitive results – not least of which is that when technology is able to copy you like an MP3 there can be dozens of people running around who are *all* you (though they’d diverge from each other over time, of course). Being uncomfortable and unintuitive doesn’t mean they aren’t true, of course.
Note that this all assumes there’s no such a thing as an immaterial soul. If there is then by definition the soul is the person and the person stepping out of the transporter is just a soulless replicant (unless the soul just magically transfers to the new body).
Incidentally, I have a feeling Star Trek ended up clarifying that no no, it’s your own personal molecules that are being transported and reassembled anyway (in “First Contact”, I think?).
I’m embarrassed to say I never managed to wrap my head fully around Roko’s Basilisk.
PS. I meant to say: There probably would be early fear of the new technology. However, once people have actually used it (or their soulless doppelganger have, if you prefer) and they still feel like the same person they always were, then they’re likely to accept that the technology works and dismiss the rest as a matter of semantics for philosophers. Knowing in your gut that you’re *you* trumps vast amounts of philosophical argument for the average person.
I can definitely see it being a divisive technology and discrimination issues springing up around it, though – worse once the religious folks get involved. That would make an interesting premise for a series of stories, actually…
I think Outer Limits(or maybe some other sci fi thing) had a story on it, or something like that. Everyone thought this transportation technology worked like out of Star Trek, but in reality it created a copy on the other end and left the original back in the first area. Which was then killed because the people behind the technology didn’t want a bunch of copies running around. I think it may have undermined trust in the technology, to an extent.
I think there was a webcomic which had a similar situation, but the aliens who ran the network would interrogate every original copy to learn all they knew before killing them.
That sounds like “Think like a dinosaur” (‘cos the aliens who provided the teleport technology looked like dinosaurs). Normally the technology recreated the person at the other end, verified that had gone okay, then vapourised the original. In this case, they were unable to receive confirmation and the local copy had to hang around while they figured out if they’d been successfully created at the other end. Turns out they had, so the attendant had the responsibility of murdering the local copy. Fun fun.
That’s because the “dinos” firmly required “balancing the equation” as part of granting humanity use of the technology. It was unclear whether there were actual side-effects of having two lots of the same person running around, or if the dinos had just found that to be a bad idea.
And yup, people replicating you, torturing the other you for your PIN then killing them is a definite possibility. How big a risk that is would depend on how all-pervasive the technology was, and how accountable.
Would have interesting side-effects on war too, when you can just take your best soldiers and instaclone them. And business for that matter – you can expect to see entire departments staffed by the same applicant.
Maybe I can use that as a premise if I get around to writing stories in your comments section. 😛
With teleporter technology, you wouldn’t necessarily need soldiers. You’d never need a bomber ever again. Just teleport whatever chemical or nuclear weapon wherever it needed to end up. The flip side being that if the other side has that technology, there’s no safe side for you either.
And if it can be used create stuff like that, then you’d see a huge economic problem. After all, you’d only need enough staff for R and D, building/refining the prototype, and then teleporting one out to wherever it needed to go.
Star Trek is a little weird in that it’s effectively made teleportation a special case of replication but retained the ability to somehow rematerialise people thousands of kilometres from the replication apparatus. If we’re talking that style of teleport, I totally agree. Unless there’s some way to block it (which Star Trek has, but need not be the case) then Star Trek style transporters are immediate mutually-assured destruction technology (and a terrorist’s wet dream).
Things become a bit more challenging if you require a rematerialisation platform. They presumably could just be programmed to not materialise anything that’s going to explode in your face.
And yup, it’d wreak absolute havok on the economy. Star Trek: The Next Generation had essentially a post-scarcity society but the path to that would *not* have been smooth.
It helps that Earth is supposed to be a socialist/communist utopia in the Star Trek stuff. Though currency is still used in border areas and when dealing with other races, like the Ferengi. I like the fact that Ferengi find gold to be absolutely worthless, though.
I believe Next Generation had an episode where some people were woken from cryogenic storage. Some guy from the 80s or 90s found it weird that Earth was communist then (in his way of thinking). I think they eventually made him part of the staff for the ambassador to the Ferengis.
Still, it’s funny that the whole discussion about teleports comes up because they didn’t want to have to show shots of shuttles going down to the planets all the time. So they decided that transporters existed.
Brainsoup on November 2, 2013 at 00:36 said:
That Khepri is referred to as a patient should indicate that Taylor is alive but in some Glory girl esque situation.
Or wildblow be trolling
Of course Wildbow be trolling.
Aside from the “no divide” thing, he’s got a Trollface.
Trolling, yes. Mentioning her here, in this manner answers no questions, but gives the pot a good strong stir. Either it took six months to find and kill her, or she is still out there… Just waiting on a sequel.
ki, ki, ki, ma, ma, ma…
Your attention to detail in this matter, sir, requires plaudits.
Trollface indeed. Bravo. Well seen.
That works better as Ms. Yamada making it know to Chev that she knows who Khepri was.
Chev’s answer is meanwhile pretty vague. Could mean she’s dead, could mean her recovery isn’t going well.
Thought the name having gotten out at all is something of a clue, Contessa wouldn’t exactly have needed to spread the name around if she had just put Taylor down. Of course this is mediated by the fact that Taylor could have well been renamed Khepri during the battle with Zion, and we wouldn’t know, because Taylor couldn’t exactly understand it if someone called her that.
And both options (Taylor dead, or Taylor alive) can fit the overall theme of the story, though they do affect the final “message” of the work in very different ways.
I think she could have been renamed, and slightly picked it up. When she was trying to remember her own name she just thought of the first letter: T, S, W, K. Taylor, Skitter, Weaver, Khepri
Last one was an “M.” Not a “K.” Sorry to rain on your parade.
yes…. that M was soemthing to think about, still is..Chekov’s late fired letter is still around.
She never really thought of herself as “Khepri”. Only “Monster”.
Ekeron on November 2, 2013 at 00:37 said:
A great start to the epilogues. 😀
I’m gonna assume from this point on that Tay- Khepri is dead until proven living. 😦
Which is sad but it’s nice to see that humanity is rebuilding itself.
New New York sounds like a cool place.
The ultimate melting pot. It would be awesome to see it in any potential sequels to
hmmmm…. The wormverse?
fghjconner on November 2, 2013 at 11:30 said:
New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York
Wageslave on November 3, 2013 at 04:37 said:
Not to be confused with New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York, which was rebuilt from the ruins of New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York after the great Devastation.
I think at some point it wraps back around to just ‘York’. Maybe when the Steampunk Contingent assumes command, after the New New New Devastation of ’67.
Ah, the 60’s of the 2000’s. What a time, what a time.
Well, it’s not as if the original York’s around to contest that anymore is it?
How about neo York?then neo new York?
Psychopompos on November 2, 2013 at 00:38 said:
Most of the immediately relevant stuff has been said already, so I’m just going to make two points:
first, where the Hell is Defiant?! Radio silence, what? I need to know what happened to my favorite Tinker couple, dammit. Second, notice the name they picked. If they’re the Wardens, are we going to see the Shepherds, too? Eden’s future might not be entire impossible after all…
taliesinskye on November 2, 2013 at 00:39 said:
Retaking the Queens portal; perhaps they’re in a conflict with Shepherds already.
Didn’t even notice that.
Maybe the Simurg plans on being a mini-eden?
Future sight, mental manipulation and long-term planning.
Just like Eden.
Then again, I doubt there will ever be as many endbringers as she saw in the “worms win” future.
As soon as I read the words Wardens, I thought “Oh, shit”. Glaistig is talking of bringing back the dead so maybe Eden made less of a mistake than she realized.
Wow, I had forgotten about that. I remembered the Sheperds as “bad guys”, but the Wardens had completely slipped from my mind.
But who would their Shepard-commander be? perhaps a Legion of them (so sorry…)
So perfect. 10 internet points to you!
Pandemonious Ivy on November 2, 2013 at 01:57 said:
The Shepards/Wardens thing was just what I was checking to see if anyone noticed. So excite.
Defiant is solely focused on restoring Dragon. Nothing else until the last orbital backup falls from orbit or the world ends.
And when they’re done with that they might go on a honeymoon.
Somewhat interesting chapter and nice to see Ms. Yamada here but I can’t help but feel disappointed considering the conclusion of the previous one. I will re-read this when each of the next chapters are released so I can get the proper feel for it.
Teneral
1. Of, pertaining to, or designating, a condition assumed by the imago of certain Neuroptera, after exclusion from the pupa. In this state the insect is soft, and has not fully attained its mature coloring. – TheFreeDictionary.com
“Lacewing” redirects here. For other uses, see “Lacewing (disambiguation)”. – Wikipedia.
Fittingly, the title of the last “arc” relates to a transformative state, after the tight shell of the pupa but before full maturation. An intriguing metaphor for the humanity of the Earths Bet, no longer confined to a single world but still soft, still not… quite… ready… to face the problems that will face them in future. Of these problems: The Endbringers are still dormant, with no indication of their possible resurgence. The centralized cape authority died with Cauldron and the PRT, and those capes cobbling one together from the remains of the Scion War have information that is woefully lacking. Chevalier’s insistence that Dr. Yamada give him some sort of answer, anything, please, is a major sign, as is the Khepri situation (Given that Taylor was only out for a day or so before the meeting with Contessa, I would be willing to bet that Chevalier has even less information on her last scene than we do), as is Defiant’s radio silence. Teacher remains at large/alive.
Huh, I was wondering what teneral meant. The conversation Ciara and Dr. Yamada had about her being in an adolescent phase just builds on the theme set by the arc title. As expected of Wildbow.
It also has a sort of Celtic sound to it, at least the way I’m pronouncing it in my head, with the stress on the final syllable.
And is an anagram of ‘eternal’. source, the internet,
I’m a bit worried about the Butterfly state.
As we all know, butterflies, and other adult insects, tend to have much shorter lives than their, well, worms.
underwhelmingforce on November 2, 2013 at 00:43 said:
Really, really like where the world is going- the multidomensional supercity is really awesome. Also, seeing Glastig Ulane (Valkyrie) becomng more human is really cool to watch; it resolves her story.
Now then, I suppose I shall have to get welcoming again. Alright, new people, get your butts down here and assume deposition!
And we start with someone I missed. Just barely missed. A new commentator named Lya. https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/10/29/30-7/#comment-50894
I found you late and got this finished too close to the wire, so I was forced to get to you this update, Lya. *puts on tights and has a cage lower down around himself and Lya* Oh yeah, now I got ya and I ain’t gonna let you out of here without having a nice warm welcome.
Worm the TV show. I guess we’ll have no other option than to show up on reviewer sites with all our stuff. “Imp and Taylor, forever together!” “What are you talking about? Who is Imp? This was only the pilot episode!” “Screw you like Weld getting a hard on in a hardware store!” “Who is Weld?!” “Your momma’s Weld. I gave her my powers last night.”
I don’t think you can manage antagonist of the week, though, unless that’s during the timeskip. And the chapters involve too compressed a timeline for something quite as spread out as Babylon 5. It’d have to be a long miniseries, or possibly a miniseries punctuated by made-for-TV-movies that focus on major events, like the fight against the Slaughterhouse, then the second fight against the Slaughterhouse, and then the fight against Scion. “From the makers of the hit miniseries “S(kitter)” and S(uper) comes the complete set of movies of the series: S(9), S(9:2), and S(cion)” Need to work on a better naming convention, though.
I’d be much more inclined to take part in Worm Science Theater 3000 personally. Or maybe a huge screening of it, like Rocky Horror Worm Show, with people riffing on it all together and getting dressed up. I can be there as a transvestite, even if there aren’t any in that particular episode.
And you can join us now that you’ve been welcomed, Lya, to the comments.
Smeh, 24 has been going for seven seasons while only seven (admittedly non-consecutive) days have passed in the setting.
Pretty sure Worm could get away with using a couple of seasons to cover the first three months.
Five seasons seems about right to me.
Season 1: The ABB + Leviathan
Season 2: S9
Season 3: Coil
Season 4: Weaver (the Chicago Wards and S9k arc)
Season 5: Khepri (the Scion arc)
But visual media pace quite differently to written media, so it’s hard to say.
TV, moxie, Web video… It doesn’t matter much which, the lines between them blur more every year. Case in point of this being a good thing: Sherlock.
Coincidentally, the band the Cruxshadows released a video for their song “Valkyrie” on Halloween.
http://www.songlyrics.com/the-cruxshadows/valkyrie-lyrics/
It is uncanny how much the lyrics of the song fit GU/Valkyrie.
Matt Nordhoff on November 2, 2013 at 00:47 said:
You are a terrible fiend for toying with my maiden’s heart by joking about Khepri. ❤
*stops bouncing it around and hands it back* Sorry, didn’t know it was that important to you.
Oi! I you’re handing things back now, about that unreturned sanity of mine you have in a pickle jar….
You’re assuming he didn’t just have the pickled sanity for breakfast or something.
Not for breakfast. Pickled sanity is served as the traditional accompaniment to elderthing-tentacle sushi, in place of the ginger.
Moot point anyway. Do I seem like a guy who has sanity?
Pretty neat that Ciara is either intentionally or unintentionally following in Taylor’s footsteps by joining the angels and trying to reinvent herself. Riley, Nibog, and Ciara should all sneak off to have tea parties every week.
I’m also choosing to be optimistic about Defiant’s radio silence. He and Dragon are probably on a beach somewhere, sipping drinks while their legs rest on Sain’ts skeleton.
I too noticed a lot of callbacks to when Taylor first joined the Protectorate.
I find Riley and Nilbog’s friendship to be both heartwarming, and really fucking creepy.
Dragon and Defiant are just having really great glad to be alive sex and have lost track of time. On top of Saint and Teachers corpses.
overpoweredginger on November 2, 2013 at 18:39 said:
Ah, the robot poontang.
That phrase was one of Imp’s finest moments.
That and the monologue after. XD
“They say a toy feels better than -“
Totally agreed. Hell almost every time she opened her mouth after the time skip was pure undilated hilarious awesome.
Crap, meant “undiluted” not “undilated”. What the hell spellcheck?!
Side shot of Defiant looking nasty, Imp asking the question in her usual manner, with Weaver and Tattletale facepalming in the bg.
Any artist fancy that one ?
Hey! The superheroes are not pissing off the faerie queen that could probably wipe out entire armies, they’re smarter than I thought! Having her around gives them more power than they probably know what to do with. It better not turn them fucking lazy.
Since the other Undersiders aren’t mentioned I’m going to just assume that Tattletale is the unquestionable lord and master of all this and the heroes aren’t mentioning that out of embarrassment.
Huh. So “Khepri” is “another patient”. Really late I had this idea that Contessa didn’t shoot Taylor twice in the head, but shot her once in the head and once in the spine or something to put her in a coma. But paranoid as I am I assumed it was to deliver Taylor to Teacher for whatever crazy-ass purpose.
But it’s a small thing, probably best to assume she’s gone until there’s more info.
Taylor was Yamada’s patient, for most of her stay in the Wards.
Which, so carefully-phrased, serves to eliminate any budding certainty that Taylor’s around, connotations of Khepri’s aspects entirely aside.
I can sense the fun you’re having with this, Wildbow. 😀
“You’re a bad person Wildbow.”
“And your tears of frustration sustain me.”
I’ll just leave this here.
World’s longest windup for the world’s biggest sucker punch, eh? Well, whatever happens I’m sure it will be just as maddening as ever.
You are having far too much fun trolling us with Taylor’s fate. I am required to at least attempt to panalce the scales – behold – a troll pig, surrounded by pig capes!
*sigh* panalce = balance… somehow. Curse this no editing stuff 😦
One fucking typo…
And they never let you forget it.
By the way, remember that time when…
Oh, right. Sorry. My bad.
stop on November 2, 2013 at 01:30 said:
Undersiders have BB not NYC.
yinyangorwuji on November 2, 2013 at 01:05 said:
That was awesome. That trinity? Bonesaw, Nilbog, and the Faerie Queen? So much destruction would have resulted if they had conversed a long time ago.
Melmoth on November 2, 2013 at 01:10 said:
Hell yes. GU gets some redemption, and it sounds like Skitter’s not totally dead. This pleases me.
Not as much of a redemption as I’m theorizing…
The way Yamada referred to Khepri seems to imply two things.
One. It’s not common knowledge (at least at large) that Taylor Hebert and Khepri are one and the same. Yamada both referred to her as an “ex-patient” (Weaver) and as Khepri. She didn’t just come out and say Taylor. Like it was a secret.
Two. If Khepri IS dead, it’s not common knowledge. Otherwise Yamada wouldn’t have needed to ask.
On Valkyrie and the Wardens. She is awesome. wildbow, I love how quickly you’ve rebuilt your comic book world. Infinite Crisis and its ilk can eat their collective hearts out.
Finally, I bet dollars to donuts that Khepri was killed and Valkyrie has managed to gain possession of her spirit. The talk of bringing back the dead was foreshadowing. Valkyrie means to eventually bring Taylor back to life. Note that I said Taylor and not Khepri. Though I might be wrong on that last detail.
So as far as all the other people are concerned, some random badass just stepped out of a portal somewhere, mind controlled the entire multiverse, pushed Scion’s shit in, then walked through another portal and disappeared just as quickly as she had come. Awesome.
Ayep.
Wow when you put it like that…Khepri really does sound a bit like a minigod doesn’t she? Shows up just in time to save them from an unstoppable alien god? Check. Controls everyone around her, either literally or figuratively? Check. Disappears before the dust is done settling? Check. She really does hit most blocks…
Kill Khepri, but tell people she is still alive to have another threat still lurking out there, a reason for the new new Proctorate and for people to still band together.
Maybe even Khepri as new “Birdcage”.
I’ll completely ignore the reference to Khepri, except to say: curse youuuuuu wildbow.
So, Glaistig Interlude. Or shall we say Valkyrie.
Seems we were right when we said that Scion/the faerie schtick was Ciara’s anchor. She saw Scion as a parent and so she never grew up and was then catapulted into adolescence.
And so a new Triumvirate/Trinity/Power trio is formed. New York is a multidimensional city who could theoretically become as big as a planet. Cool. Valkyrie is seeing if combined with Nilbog she can bring back the dead.
Obviously the amnesty was not one of those sweeping general kind of amnesties. But really Nilbog needs help. He probably will be always delusional but as long it’s a harmless delusion it’s fine.
Am I the only one who finds it sad that Bonesaw seeks Nilbog and Valkyrie’s company because it reminds her of the old days? And it seems Nilbog forgot that Bonesaw crucified him on a wall. Oh well, as long as he’s happy.
So wait who are the three members? Legend, Valkyrie, and Chevalier?
Technically it looks like Chev and Legend are the leaders and Valkyrie is supposed to just be one among many. But in facts yeah.
Crowd Member: “You’ve formed a new Triumvirate.”
Legend: “Valkyrie will be starting on the bottom. She’ll earn her way to whatever rank is most fitting.”
Everyone (thinking): “Gee, I wonder what rank that will be.”
Riley, not Bonesaw. Although, the “Riley was smiling, as if despite herself.” makes me think she still hasn’t removed her glasgow-grinner apparatus.
Either she’s prevented from operating on herself due to the potential risk, or she’s waiting until she’s 16 to update her whole bodyframe in one shot.
Which means another couple years, iirc.
Why don’t we split the difference in the middle and call her the Chirurgeon? :).
Seriously Ciara’s titles are way cooler than most capes’ callsigns
Because Riley beating her shard to control herself is important enough to respect the name change.
It reads like more of a wry smile, IMO. Her quip about having the greatest of friends wooshed blithely by Nilbog’s head, and Valkyrie decided to play along and feed his ego. Riley was laughing at the show.
snqrls on November 2, 2013 at 01:41 said:
Wildbow… the longer you dangle the thread, the more I’m suspect Taylor is on the other end. I hope the troll is worthwhile.
Estimating 48,000 unique comments. Wewth, I hypothesize that epilogue 3 will be the breach mark.
The Breach mark? Is that where the Kaiju start coming through?
(Considers that we already have Kaiju in the story)
(Considers what would happen if Wildbow started posting as the Simurgh in the comments)
(Considers what would happen if Wildbow created a cult and attacked the world’s economy)
if Kaiju attack, then their first comments get a psycho Gecko greeting.
And they turn around.
Snickles on November 2, 2013 at 02:07 said:
What is it with three’s? Eidolon controls three powers, Valkyrie controls three “warriors,” that Endbringer copied three capes. The are three Triumvirates. The first with Alexandria, Eidolon, and Legend. The new one with Legend, Chevalier, and Valkyrie. And one that was hinted at with Riley, Nilbog, and Valkyrie. Taylor had three different names Skitter, Weaver, and Khepri. There are three entities in the story. I don’t know maybe its a coincidence.
Caladium on November 2, 2013 at 02:44 said:
There was even a ‘three’ at the very beginning–Emma, Sophia, and Madison.
Three shall be the number of the counting.
And the number of the counting shall be three.
Three is a natural number for storytelling, it lets you set two points and a something else to catalyze their relationship.
The Blue Man Group use it specifically because it’s the smallest number where you can have a majority and an outsider.
Something else: there were three leaders to the Undersiders originally.
Yeah, been a theme for a while. 3 I guess refers to the ideal number for a team. Optimal communication, coordination, and instability taking it from Dune.
Wildbow probably has his own reasons for the number, but hell if I can guess at the word of god.
Three is the Magic Number!
Threes are an important number in general. Greek mythology has the three major brothers, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, who rule the earth, the sky, and the sea. There’s also the three virgin goddesses, the three graces, and the three furies, and the three fates, and the three gorgons. There are nine muses as well, so that’s three x three.
Shows up in other religions as well. The Norn and the Morrigan, for example. It’s kind of a big theme. Perhaps you’ve heard of the holy trinity, even though nobody knows who the hell the holy ghost is supposed to be? One of the parts of that trinity was welcomed at birth by a group sometimes thought to be made up of three wise men, but at the very least they brought three gifts.
Not to derail this into a discussion of religion or anything, but let’s not confuse “nobody knows” with “nobody can, or is willing to, publicly prove” and “lots of people insist on disagreeing, for various reasons”, eh? Not at all the same thing, and fairly (extremely) insulting to mix up: whether or not anyone actually does know something, it isn’t appropriate to deny what’s in their head just because it’s unsubstantiated unless you, personally, have contradictory knowledge.
I can just see you, looking at a woman who says she was raped and a man who says she wasn’t, and saying, “Welp, I guess you guys don’t really know what happened here.”
Proof is not the same thing as knowledge.
I think PG was just making a joke on how confusing the role of the Holy Ghost in the Trinity is. Let’s face it most laymen may have a good idea on the Father and the Son but would probably stumble on the Holy Ghost. Heck, the theological reason (as opposed to the political reason of papal supremacy) of the Oriental schism was a diatribe on wether the Holy Ghost came forth only from the Father or from father and Son both (the infamous Filioque).
And yes, at first it was a joke, but then somebody tried to insult me like that. Do I look like Michael Shermer, Brian Keith Dalton, Thunderf00t, The Amazing Atheist, or Justicar to you? No. Then don’t assume I think a claim of rape shouldn’t be investigated.
By the way, the question wasn’t actually directed at you, AMR. It was directed at Pidgey, but it was in a response to you.
Don’t worry, I undersood. And sorry if I stepped in, but I thought that after the, rather tasteless, rape analogy, it was better if someone said something as soon as possible.
Now you’re the one doing the insulting. In the case of rape, there are ways to determine if a rape occurred. A rape kit can find vaginal bruising or tearing associated with non consensual penetration. Bruises around the woman’s wrists provides evidence to show she was held down. Blood or skin under her fingernails that matches that of the person she claims did it shows that she struggled against him.
See, you can fill in your knowledge with proof, or observable evidence.
See, here’s the thing. I could claim the Holy Ghost is a giant moth monster that eats rainbows right now and you’d just have to accept it. My definition holds just as much validity as any of the others because it’s so ill-defined. And this thing has been discussed for a long time.
If something can be proven, you’d expect that over time people would come to a consensus about it. That classic story about blind people feeling different parts of an elephant and coming up with different things? Eventually, they and their perverted roaming hands would wander all over the thing and realize what they were dealing with as they put the pieces of evidence together and assembled the truth.
Instead, we’ve seen further splintering over the idea of the Holy Ghost. Nobody ever stood up and said, “Ok, I have proof that shows unambiguously that my view is correct, so all these competing ideas will no longer be held except by cranks and conspiracy theorists!”
You even have whole denominations that don’t include the Trinity in their beliefs. Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Christian Scientists to name the more well-known ones.
If they were looking at something about which there was evidence to show it exists and that it has a certain set of characteristics, then the number of interpretations would have been minimized to fit the evidence. The amount of interpretations has expanded instead.
I looked at Catholicism (my former religion) then looked at Wicca and came to the conclusion that Maiden Mother and crone had simply been patriarchialies to father son and holy ghost by aggressive evangelism by the Catholic church and that the female/male mirrors there could even work o Liberal enough Catholics and consertative enough wiccans merged religions so to speak,,
God as Mother, Jesus as Virgin and the Holgy Ghost as crone.
Hadn’t thought about this in same time. Cracks may be all over this hypothesis.
P.G might very well be too…
If it helps your consideration, Yahweh had a wife back when the Jews were polytheistic. Asherah, Queen of Heaven.
Eh, that’s still up to debate, Psycho Gecko. While presence of worship of a goddess called Asherah in the Middle East is disputed, most experts believe that when the name is mentioned alongside Yawheh’s it’s referring to a cultic/ritual object of some kind.
There’s no doubt, though, that up until the Babilonian captivity Jews acknowledged the existence of other gods. Genesis and Exodus, at the very least, were written by a henotheistic ( they worship onne god but believe in the existence of many gods) population not a strictly monotheistic one.
Definitely, though apologists reconcile this as claiming that other beings Yahweh is talking to are angels.
“Now they have become like us,” to paraphrase. Plus, with the Book of Job, there’s the phrase meaning “the accuser” that tends to be left untranslated as something like “Ha-Satan”. It’s like if future societies cursed those who have been possessed by the wicked Plaintiff or one of his demons.
Argh, that disputed there should be UNDISPUTED. Stupid typos and stupid no edit function.
dpara on November 2, 2013 at 05:33 said:
The rule of three!
Finally an opportunity to drop a Planescape Torment reference!
Anyway, delicious chapter wildbow, thank you.
Why not go the full Monte with thosse references
Eidolon could have more than three powers, though. It’s just that the useful powers took up so much room.
Bohu wears three masks in every appearance.
I figured that Tohu had three faces (and sets of powers) because he was the dark mirror to Eidolon who also could have three people’s worth of powers at a time.
You can make that observation for many numbers, probably. Five comes to mind.
Well, that was a change of pace. It’s certainly more uplifting than the last chapter. Why, you might even feel like everything is not going to hell in the next chapter. Seeing Ms. Yamada and Ciara talking was a really good way to flesh out Valkyrie’s character. And Legend and Chevalier are the new heads of the Wardens! The Wardens sound considerably more kickass than the protectorate. Also, new New York reminds me of Sigil, the city of doors. Can’t wait to read the rest of the interludes.
Jeff Davis on November 2, 2013 at 02:33 said:
You gotta explain the Simurgh’s Gun at some point, it seems like it had way too much attention given to it for it to have no significance.
Alcoremortis on November 2, 2013 at 03:31 said:
It’s actually Checkhov’s gun that shoots red herrings.
I can’t even imagine the havoc the Simurgh would wreak if she started shooting fish at people.
It’s the joke bringer!
The Simurgh can’t life without fucking with people. From now on she will wear a clown nose and people around will have hilarious elaborate accidents involving pies, banana peels and water buckets.
Hey! That’s my schtick!
*pulls out a fish stink grenade…aka an exploding fish* This ends now, Simurgh!
Curtis on November 2, 2013 at 10:11 said:
Guessing time: Its the air gun, always was. Its pretty much a useless weapon in anyone else’s hands as the real power is caused by the butterfly effect.
Ah, someone guessed it. Butterfly effect gun, yep.
(No, not really, but that’s fucking hilarious).
Direct author response!
Think its funny now, just wait until everyone in the world has a simultaneous heart attack because scion ricocheted the shot off his hair.
>Ah, someone guessed it. Butterfly effect gun, yep.
(No, not really, but that’s fucking hilarious).<
Butterflies. The type of insect Glenn insisted Taylor use when she joined the Wards. Glenn who worked as a Public Relations agent. Public Relations, which is also known a PR. PR can also stand for Personal Relationships. As in ones the readers might think exist. My god, it's a weaponized shipping gun.
There is 1 gun left, with 1 endbringer left, and humans are #1.
1 + 1 + 1 = 3
HALF LIFE 3 CONFIRMED!
But… Tohu, Bohu, and Khonsu are alive. And we say Leviathan disintegrate, but that was immediately after he and Scion were hit with an air gun, so it’s likely that was a decoy the Simurgh whipped up. So that’s 4-5 Endbringers alive at the end.
Bohu was in pretty bad shape, too. And Ciara here talks about the “remaining Endbringers” which implies that Leviathan at least is dead and probably at least one more.
Blood, blood, BLOOD shall make the epileptic trees grow! Mwahahaha!
Negadarkwing’s comment should totally go under Bat Deduction on tvtropes.
wow, wildbow, that was almost straightforward for your standards. Getting soft in your old age 🙂 ?
Considering the Bullet-brainsurgery question, perhaps running more than one massive troll at a time is too much for Wildbow.
….nah.
Naeddyr on November 2, 2013 at 13:26 said:
The Simurgh’s whole shtick is one butterfly effect gun. A flap of the wings and a well-meaning tinker goes a bit loopy in the head, a shake of the buttocks and an extradimensional traveller becomes a bit more jerkish, a crunch of the nose and a global satellite network system becomes a bit more buggy…
She exercised her power, reaching into the deep dark well within her, and withdrawing a single individual.
So Ciara calls it a well too.
So my take on the timeline is that the epologue started just before, or just after Contessa met Taylor (perhaps even at the same time), after which a timeskip of 6 months takes place. In this light the allusion to khepri could refer to a couple things, but it doesn’t matter. Wildbow is aware of the community, so I’m pretty sure (s)he’ll offer something game changing in respect to Khepri over the course of the next few chapters.
So the question should be what would leave the greatest impact? The story’s been casted with a few restrictions: Chavelier and the others were aware of Taylor’s and Contessa’s circumstances in some fashion, and Taylor doesn’t make a reappearance in New York for at least 6 months.
“Chavelier and the others were aware of Taylor’s and Contessa’s circumstances in some fashion …”
Not necessarily: The Taylorstrator disappears and is never heard from again, Dragon sends out a message “btw, official name for that one is Khepri”, Contessa secretly sneaks after her.
“Taylor doesn’t make a reappearance in New York for at least 6 months …”
She doesn’t make an appearance in *public*. She could be staying in Tt’s be^W^W Chevalier’s spare room or something for all we know.
Not to derail, I was going to extrapolate and make a prediction, but I ran out of time so had to post what I had. Maybe I’ll go back to that…
To be more concise, perhaps she was just inquiring into the circumstances surrounding Khepri/Taylor. I agree, I was working so reading the chapter was sketchy at first.
That’s basically what I meant. More specifically though she hasn’t made her presence known in New York. There’s always Brockton Bay, it being a large world afterall.
I think that if Taylor’s dead, somethings going to built out of it, and I think if she’s alive it’ll be in a way that adds depth to the universe as a whole. By way of being silent, it emphasizes Khepri’s existence (poetic ain’t it – wonder if that was the intended message).
By way of guesswork, I’d say Taylor could undergoe a transformation via Valkerie and Niilbog; maybe she regains her skitter powers, maybe not. Anyway you want to work it however, the manner in which Wildbow is blowing his story up implies Taylor Herbert still has a few ripples left for her universe. This isn’t simply going to be a monument arc to post-Khepri new york/world.
>“No. I’m wondering about someone who was a patient some time ago. Can I ask about this ‘Khepri’?“
“You can ask, but you won’t like the answer. I wouldn’t want you to be distracted for the remainder of your session in there.“<
The thing I find odd is that even Miss Yamada refers to her as Khepri. Miss Yamada has always been presented as wanting to use actual names. Like calling Garrote Sveta. This leads me to think of two possibilities.
1. She doesn't know what Khepri is, and has heard buzz about it. Unlikely from the context of the situation.
2. She wants to know what happened to Khepri.
Chevailier's telling her she won't like the answer is telling.
liza on November 2, 2013 at 11:38 said:
What this suggests to me is that Khepri’s true identity as Taylor Hebert is not common knowledge, and might even have been covered up. By using the name given to the administrator entity that defeated Scion to refer to her old patient, Jessica Yamada is telling Chevalier that she knows they are the same person.
Well, this seemed to bring a happy ending to many stories. Humanity has survived. Humanity is protected.
But in Worm, it always gets worse…
Except maybe when the worse gets ended.
You’ve got the effect of burning Russia, and all the ash and gasses in the atmosphere, the destruction of oil rigs, the sinking of a huge island into the water, the loss of other species that humans use for food, the loss of industry, clean water, a stable medical base, accumulated scientific knowledge and the ability for widespread advancement of knowledge, the loss of huge amounts of knowledge stored on the internet, and if Scion got to space we might even have Kessler syndrome going on.
WyldCard4 on November 2, 2013 at 05:32 said:
Well presumably a lot of that stuff is the reason for the force fields and the portals. Force fields keep the broader atmosphere issues from taking the greater New York, while the portals give access to worlds that aren’t messed up for food and water. Worlds that aren’t ravaged by Scion+Tinkers most likely provide close copies of the information we lost, as would archives Cauldron prepared in case something like this happened. They had plans for Scion ending the world, so there’s a very good chance that science is not lost. Earth Aleph and the Blue Woman (Goddess) should have the population of scientists to continue scientific advancement outside of and in addition to Tinker related tech.
The Traveller’s world seems like a decent place to start from.
They’re from Earth Aleph.
Stereo on November 2, 2013 at 07:45 said:
I feel a bit dumb taking this long to realize Nilbog is just Goblin backwards. And his name being constructed that way fits the character perfectly.
tieshaunn on November 2, 2013 at 08:38 said:
Nilbog is an existing D&D term for a subspecies of Goblins – they are usually smarter than the normal goblins and lead their tribes
It’s also the term used for several literary goblin kings. Sort of like how there are like a dozen fictional Japanese vampires names “Arucard.”
Dracaru? Isn’t that playing a bit much on bigoted themes of Japanese not being able to pronounce ‘l’ for such widespread use by the manga makers?
In Japanese writing there is no distinction between the sounds, so the eventual english translation must choose between two technically equally viable spellings. And the vast majority of characters called ‘Alucard/Arucard’ have Special Snowflake Syndrome, so they end up with the version that looks very slightly less like a direct ripoff of Stoker.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goblin_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons)#Nilbog
The connotation is that it’s an enemy that’s literally impossible to kill through brute force, but a bit of a pushover if you understand and have access to the right trick.
So, Clockblocker might come back after all. ;).
Was glad I pegged much of this.
And I for one welcome our new crack ship… ClockblockerXValkyrie.
That is, that it was GU early in this episode. Did not peg anything else.
I noticed something. Miss Militia was hanging out with a person wielding a spear and shield. Is that Dauntless? Did they somehow get him out of the time bubble?
Or is it the surviving sister from the E88? I think she had a sword and a shield.
It states that it is a man with a round shield and spear. That sounds exactly like Dauntless’ loadout.
Well, Bakuda is no longer what she was but has Teacher operating her as well as being out of the Birdcage so maybe she created a neutralising agent as part of her parole?
she may even have been healed up. who knows how many people The Amy/Riley combo has brought back to full health.
Wait, what? Lung killed Bakuda in the Birdcage, she never met Teacher as far as we saw, and her ghost was claimed by the Fairy Queen and subsequently used for TV repair.
I thought it was her mostly brain dead living shell….
No. Dragon comments that at least living as one of GU’s ghosts means that Bakuda still lives in a limited way.
Ah, Dauntless. First he was killed by Leviathan, then he was dropped into a Bakuda-bomb. I was wondering how that would be resolved.
Also, I think it’s Menja.
Menja is not a man. As I stated, the story specifically says a “MAN” with a spear and shield.
Ah, Shame. Defiant, maybe?
Defiant always used a two-handed halberd. As far as I know, the only person in the entire Wormverse who has been known to use that weapon combination was Dauntless.
It’s possible he picked something up in the meantime. Most likely though, it’s a redshirt.
Good chances it’s Dauntless. Those time bubbles, and Grey Boy’s time loops, are almost certainly breakable with the right power, or simply with Khonsu’s aid.
When you’ve got a bunch of reality breaking powers, assuming there is anything that cannot be done or undone would be a big damn mistake.
Dauntless was killed by Leviathan.
Technically he was just trapped in one of Bakuda’s “slow time to the point it practically stops” bombs along with Alabaster of E88 and another redshirt. Theoretically, they could have found a way to free him. Personally, I think it’s just some extra, there with Miss Militia.
They even commented later that they built a memorial around the time distortion field.
Ah. For some reason I thought that particular Bakuda-bomb was used when the Nine were in BB and there was some confusion/retcon. Speaking of confusion, just use Legend’s lasers to knock those guys out. Lasers get shit done.
Not so sure they’d work on that. On the other hand Valkyrie might be able to do the combination of powers to get them out. I mean we know she has at least two time manipulating capes, and she must have had some way of dealing with Gray Boy’s loops if she killed him.
That reminds me. Miss Yamada seems to think Ciara had a second trigger. We know she got Gray Boy. Being stuck in one of his loops is plenty truamatic enough. Might there be a connection?
Just imagine Dauntless’ reaction when he gets out.
Dauntless: “Wow, I was in there for a few seconds and suddenly everything is wrecked. Was this the aftermath of Leviathan?”
*Defiant hands over a paper with a detailed timeline*
Dauntless: “Dafuq did I just read?”
Your forgot
“Wait, just what happened with the bug girl?”
AHahahahahahhah…… wow… I didn’t even think about that.
Considering that you can still see into the time bubble, I imagine that relativity still applies, which means that a light-based massless push would actually work.
Which raises the question of, ‘Are the light streams massless?’
Time for some Harry Potter and the Methods Of Rationality up ins.
Robert on November 3, 2013 at 21:57 said:
Regardless of whether or not you can impart energy, you’d need to accelerate them to relativistic speeds to get them out. They’d be torn to pieces by friction if nothing else. You might able to overcome that through other things (Citrine could apparently modify friction just as part of her generic ability) but even if you get it to frictionless … what happens at the boundary of the time-sphere? Is half their body moving a quadrillion times faster than the rest, both temporally and spatially? Those kind of forces would tear a body apart on their own.
Didn’t Califa de Perro wield a spear? Don’t remember if he had a shield or not, but he was a fairly prominent South American cape.
That is a possibility. I can’t remember if he used a shield or not, but I’m still leaning toward Dauntless based on the description of the shield being a round one. I can’t find the exact passage where he’s described, but I recall his gear being made in the style of a Greek hoplite, which used a large, round shield called an Aspis. Dauntless was also a member of the Brockton Bay Protectorate, which would give him good reason to hang around Miss Militia. I also seem to recall something about Califa de Perro being unable to speak English? I could be totally wrong about that though.
At any rate, I’m fairly confident that GU/Valkyrie could concoct some combination of powers that could either dispel the time distortion or otherwise pull the people inside it out of there. And there would also be motivation for her to do it, seeing as it would be one heck of a good faith gesture towards the powers that be. Having trouble building up a positive rapport with Chevalier and the others? Rescue a well-respected colleague of theirs that they had written off as dead. It would simultaneously endear her to them and provide some much-needed muscle. Seeing as the later parts of this chapter take place about 6 months after the death of Scion, I could imagine this as being one of the acts she does that earns her enough trust to be made a member of the Wards.
Wardens. The new Protectorate is called the Wardens. Also, Khonsu the Time Master Endbringer could help a lot with that.
I’m guessing that she (Valkyrie) told the Bakuda-ghost to make a “normal-bomb” to get rid of the time distortion.
Hmm, surely some teleporter could get him out. Come to think of it, why didn’t Trickster free him straight away?
sarah penguin on November 2, 2013 at 10:39 said:
Hey, nice update 🙂
Ajoxer on November 2, 2013 at 11:23 said:
A long overdue thought on Taylor’s end, and whether she was ever anything special.
What defined Taylor, before she got the shard? What about her remarked itself as special, beyond being a reasonably intelligent, potentially lovely young woman?
This is a very melancholy thought. We like to think that there is something special to humans, that heroes are heroes, not simply because they have powers, but because of a certain worthiness. A genetic lottery win, at the very least, and a determination that makes them special. But with Taylor, perhaps it was always the shard.
The shard of the Queen Administrator, commanding and baying and uniting disparate abilities, networking its intelligence through every creature it controlled. A human mind would only get in the way, interfere. Perhaps what truly made Taylor special was not what she had, but what she was willing to sacrifice.
As Taylor sacrificed more and more parts of herself, she became more efficient. Every time she threw herself into conflict, acting on instinct and preparing and planning and fighting wildly, she became deadlier, and stronger. Finally, she allowed herself to be consumed entirely by her shard, and she was executed like a mad dog, without a chance to redeem herself for saving the world, because she could no longer be of it.
Dinah, the Simurgh, all of them set her up to lose more and more of the things that held her together, because she was the only one who could kill Scion. Ultimately, she was not the greatest hero. She was just a good-natured young woman who had nothing to hold onto in her life, who had been victimized to the point where she would give in to the queen administrator, while remaining just stable enough to try to keep focused on destroying Scion.
In the end, Taylor is just a civilian casualty. She ended up committing suicide by degrees, sacrificing herself to one mad alien god in the interests of defeating another, and then dying when she had nothing left to do.
I am glad we have the epilogues, to remind us. We cannot call this a sad ending- A melancholy ending, but humanity has a chance. There’s an opportunity, here, for humanity to rebound, greater than before. Many have died, but many have also lived through it, and maybe, just maybe, the human race will be stronger and wiser for it. Glaistig Uaine, Riley, Nilbog, they’re getting their chance at redemption, more or less. We cannot call it a tragic ending because of Taylor’s death, no more than we can call it a tragic ending for Ash Beast’s death, or Revel’s, or any of a thousand other living, vibrant human beings, because they sacrificed themselves to save all the rest, and they went out, at the least, fighting the greatest threat they had ever met, and it was done, through human brilliance, and a great understanding of what it means to be vulnerable. There’s probably an entire spiel that can be done on the parallels to War of the Worlds, where a seemingly invincible foe is defeated by something humans take for granted and deal with all the time, but whose very nature circumvents the invulnerability that keeps the foe safe.
But we can be sorry for Taylor. For all the good people who never got a chance to be good people because of Scion. We can hope that she gets a second chance. We can see that her work was good, that she redeemed people through her actions. We can hope that her death is remembered not as the death of the sad, horribly alone girl who could not keep hold of connection to others, but as the death of someone who willingly sacrificed everything she ever had, to save the world. It feels better to remember it, not as the last sacrifice of someone who simply never had enough to hold onto, who never thought she deserved to be treated as an ends, not a means, but as the willing choice of someone who was willing to sacrifice everything she was, for the sake of everyone else.
She fucking well deserves it, either way.
I remember, with extraordinary clarity, the Demon Path of Soul Nomad. If you haven’t played the game, you should, because it’s got one of the most intense stories I’ve ever seen in a game, but the gist of it is, by the end, you have become such a figure of horror and loathing, that the world has united against you. Disparate enemies, former allies, all have united as one, preparing to fight you. Even some of the most heinous villains in the normal path end up finding their redemption if you are defeated in the final battle, and in some ways, it’s even happier than the normal path’s good ending. Even your character has a chance for redemption. In such circumstances, perhaps the noblest deed is to submit to your execution, in the knowledge that if you’re to continue fighting, you’ll destroy all the things that used to matter to you, like a mad beast.
It’s not fair that she had to die, that she didn’t get the chance for redemption that she, more than anyone else, deserved. But that’s the nature of things, sometimes. She at least deserves to be remembered as a hero.
“Dinah, the Simurgh, all of them set her up”. Indeed.
The ‘I’m Sorry’ thing, that’s the thing that really gets to me. That little ‘I’m Sorry’, the hinting at a dark fate, that hints that Taylor’s going to have to die, that she’s going to have to embrace death. That’s what really gets to me. Taylor, at the end, died because she didn’t think she deserved the opportunity to live after what she’d done, and I think she thought that in part because she didn’t believe she could recover from that, and I think that’s because of the little ‘I’m sorry’s.
I’m sure they had a reason. I’m just not sure their reason would satisfy me, any more than the Contessa’s would.
I disagree with this, I think that in the end Taylor died because a war criminal unilaterally decided to murder her because Contessa thought she had to right to make a judgment whether Taylor was salvageable or not, and that Taylor herself was capable of coming to a clearheaded conclusion to that question in the span of five seconds.
I don’t really but that Taylor was unsalvageable or so completely uncontainable that it wasn’t worth it. It was just how it worked out that Contessa showed up first before anyone else could arrive, and though she says she wants to change, she couldn’t resist the urge to decide the fate of someone else.
I dunno, Taylor dying as the ending is fine. But the idea of her murder by Contessa being validated leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Oh, I sure as hell don’t think the Contessa should have killed her. But I think that if Taylor hadn’t been prepared to sacrifice everything she had to the shard, she wouldn’t have succeeded, and it’s easier to sacrifice everything if you think it’s the only option you have. So they played her to the point where she thought of herself as nothing but a monster, and the Contessa, acting with her usual level of forethought and care, ended up shooting her in the back of the head. Was it valid? I don’t think I’ll ever know, and I’d be very surprised if I did by the end of this story. I’m just preparing myself for Taylor to be dead, and doing my best to think of her as a hero, even if I suspect she was just an innocent young woman. I think she would have hated to be pitied.
The Contessa probably saw it as being just like what she did before. If she’d moved faster with Eden, her power would still be absolute, without the blocks put in place, and she might have averted all of this- So instead, kill her immediately.
Your comment reminded me to go spam WordPress with emails requesting some sort of spoiler bubble to mitigate text walls like that.
In case you haven’t realized, this is Worm. Nobody gets a happy ending because Wildbow is nihilistic like that.
thanks for the tldr
I never said tl;dr, but thanks for the thanks, I guess?
Are you kidding me? A ton of people got happy endings. They’re not completely happy, but they’re bittersweet. Humanity survived. We’ll face a new day. Taylor died, which sucks, but she died in about the most noble way a person can die, doing their best to stop something horrible. Maybe she didn’t have to die, but that’s not something we can speculate very effectively on for now.
1. I was (mostly) exaggerating.
2. There’s very little sweet in the ending when you think about it. It took Scion annihilating the vast majority (90+%?) of a dimension, not counting the others, to make humanity temporarily suck less.
Besides, WB’s nihilism was waaay off the charts even before the apocalypse became a thing.
Worm is darker than some nihilistic stories,but its not nihilistic,because ,unlike what happens in nihilistic stories,actions matter
It is also darker than some grimdark stories,but not grimdark because it is possible for people to be good and not fools (chevalier,Weld,Tecton etc)
You know, another way to look at that is, if we can’t put our finger on what made Taylor so special, maybe that just means that everyone has the potential for specialness in them. Maybe that’s not an indictment on Taylor but a testament to humanity in general.
I’d go so far as to say that’s a recurring theme of Worm. Taylor’s the most dramatic example, but Bitch, Defiant, Riley and Golem all made impressive transformations of their own. And lest it seem like solely a Cape thing, Coil’s soldier(s) and the Dragon Teeth showed that baseline humans are just as capable of digging in and pulling off awe-inspiring feats when it matters.
Worm is a very dark setting and it acknowledges that humanity is often flawed, but overall it’s actually quite uplifting in its view of what humans are capable of achieving.
Interesting that Glaistg/Ciara/Valkyrie was drinking mead. I don’t know enough about the folklore to know what the Fey drank, but mead gets pretty associated with the norse these days.
And does anyone know just how you pronuonce “Ciara”?
Fairies drank honey and wine so mead was kind of appropriate too, being fermented honey.
illlogicmedia on November 4, 2013 at 17:20 said:
I didn’t realize that. Here I’ve been making Mead for over a year now. Cool to know.
Wait, how have you been making mead without knowing what it’s made from?
The “I didn’t realize that” was in reference to the Faeries drinking it. 😉
Thank you negadarkwing, I needed that laugh.
I thought it was “See-are-ah”, but I’m not sure about that. I suppose it could be “Kee-are-ah” or “Chee-are-ah”, but those seem less likely than the first pronunciation.
According to the Internet it’s an Irish name ( which makes sense, The Glaistig or Green (uaine) maiden is a creature from Irish folklore) and it’s pronounced with a hard K sound.
eduardo on November 2, 2013 at 18:15 said:
Kiara? Sounds a lot like Clara (portuquese), or a similar word in italian that also mean white woman.
In Italian it’s Chiara. And it does mean fair (skinned).
But the Irish Ciara has nothing to do with the Italian/Spanish/Portuguese. Still going by Wikipedia it means dark haired beauty and Keira is the Anglicised version.
I’ve always heard it pronounced Kee-ah-rah. I’m from central Jersey originally though so take that as you will.
Still thinking on this after revisiting the last chapter.
RazorSmile on November 2, 2013 at 18:02 said:
Okay. Thoughts:
– Eastern Queen?
– I love how you’ve neatly created a new setting out of the shards* of the old. The Nested New Yorks are evocative as all get out
– Glastig Valkyrie downloads her shades into custom-crafted Nilbog bodies (with Riley presumably removing the weaknesses inherent to his creations) that they may live again? Sweet! Clockblocker LIVES maybe!
– Yamada is a boss. I would do bad bad things for that woman.
– the new Triumvirate is going to be something, eh?
– Wardens!?!!!! Fucking Eden better really really really be dead.
– Blue Feudal Lord cape survived, right? Wonder what she’s up to. Maybe she’s the Eastern Queen?
*why yes, i DO see what i did there
QueenS not Queen. It’s one of New York’s five boroughs. Presumably there are still fights for control of the city. Maybe against the…Shepherds. Dun dun dun.
Ainix on November 2, 2013 at 21:54 said:
And things had been going so well too.
The Blue Woman is almost certainly called The Goddess and is a character wildbow mentioned in comments discussion involving other possible Worm stories.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t learn anything else about Taylor’s fate before the final epilouge chapter. And not then if Wildbow is feeling really sadistic.
Now we still don’t know the status of quite a few major players.
-Dragon and Defiant. Hopefully Dragon rebooted okay from Taylor’s taking her out. It’d really suck if this ended up being the time that was actually fatal. But if they are alive, it’d be hard to see them not being a part of the Wardens.
-The Undersiders. They are trickier to figure out. On the one hand, although they are criminals, they aren’t all bad sorts. They also have experience piecing society back together after a disaster. On the other hand they aren’t the sorts to play nicely by the Wardens rules. Esspecially if they think they did anything to Taylor. So maybe allied maybe not. Of course there really aren’t that many Undersiders either, so they likely have to be allied with someone. Unless they did some recruiting.
-Marquis, Amy, and Lung. Not sure where these three are either. But I can see at least the first two allied with the Undertakers. Though Amy and Lisa might not want to spend too much time in the same room.
-Faultlines Crew. This group has two things going for them. First they have one of the few means of opening portals, so if you want a permanent portal, and don’t think you can ask Valkyrie for it, they are who you need to find. Second, Dinah. She is one of the two best Precogs out there, so of course her services would be in high demand.
I foresee a Dinah Interlude.
VantagePointer on November 3, 2013 at 00:12 said:
It’s kinda weird to me how Faultline’s crew is just known as… Faultline’s Crew. It always seems out of place with the great names all the other groups have, but I guess it’s also a show of their utilitarian style.
It’s funny, reading back through the old chapter comments, how Wildbow said back then that he was possibly considering writing Faultline’s Crew out in a published/rewritten version (or rather, writing the characters into other organizations) considering how important they are now (though they still remain outside of the limelight for the most part). I really like them all, though.
How about Earthquake?
I like it. Like you said, it’s utilitarian, it’s descriptive, it’s simple, and it’s completely different from every other cape group out there.
They aren’t heroes, they aren’t villains, they’re mercenaries through and through. When you hire Faultline’s Crew, you don’t get fancy, you don’t get ego problems, you don’t get somebody trying to make a big splash or fit some theme or take power for themselves. What you get is efficiency, professionalism, and the job done.
It also says a lot that they use the leader’s name; being ‘somebody who ran with Faultine for a while’ carries very different connotations from being ‘an Undersider’ or ‘a Ward’. Being in Faultline’s Crew isn’t part of who you are, it’s a job. Any one of them except for Faultline herself could retire and seek a new line of work, and anybody can join as long as they’re competent and professional (ranging all the way from Matryoshka to Dinah).
I like the name. Besides, what other name works? What is descriptive but not completely cheesy?
Archmage9885 on November 3, 2013 at 02:04 said:
Yay! Interlude for one of my favorite characters (up there with Taylor and Tattletale). I also think Valkyrie has the coolest power, at least out of the ones that have been revealed so far.
And finally something I’ve been wondering about since 27.5:
“Above us, Glaistig Uaine had created a spirit that was spreading across the sky like circuits on a circuitboard, extending itself across a plane.”
What exactly was this power supposed to do besides distract Zion?
At that point in time, when Scion was still a pretty clueless and distractable fighter, distracting Scion might have been the whole point.
I thought it was a weapon of some sort. Later Taylor uses clockblocker to stop scion and buy her enough time to gather the clouds and pull the trigger.
I think*
My question about the spirit in 27.5 was more of a general “What does his power do?”.
Something along the lines of taking control of an area, like one of the Twins perhaps? (Tohu or Bohu, I can’t remember which is which).
Something powerful enough for Scion to stop, and which takes a while to set up.
So, a little late to the party here but my thoughts:
Teneral – a freshly-molted arthropod, especially an imago (adult insect) freshly-emerged from the pupa.
Khepri – egyptian god of, among other things, rebirth and creation.
Nilbog can make custom bodies, Bonesaw can make them immortal, and it was strongly implied that Valkyrie’s warriors could possess an appropriate host body (but reject anything too foreign).
Everybody involved has listened to the Simurgh’s song.
With this, I am now almost certain that Taylor is dead. And very nearly as certain that she will not stay that way for very long.
Also, I get the distinct impression that Defiant’s “radio silence” is a euphemism for murdering the fuck out of Saint and Teacher. Or transhuman sexytimes. Or both.
Fellwenner on November 3, 2013 at 09:23 said:
Add to Defiant’s list Contessa, who is the last person in the world who has any right to put Taylor down.
One would think that Defiant, of all people, would refrain from judging someone who is looking for redemption and a new purpose in life after making morally questionable choices…
One would also think he’d realize that someone trying to run off to find redemption immediately after murdering one of his colleagues is a load of crap.
One doesn’t stop making morally questionable choices after giving a broken, nigh suicidal young woman all of five seconds to convince that they’re still human. Fuck Contessa.
That didn’t come out very clearly.
Contessa’s desire to stop making morally questionable choices is irrelevant when her actions counter her words. She seems to be too used to having all of the answers. As another person said …
“Just saying, an uncontrollable alien monster inhabiting a teenage girls body does not answer the question “do you deserve to live.” with “I honestly don’t know.”
That sort of answer is not something you respond to with a bullet.
To be perfectly honest, I’m getting kind of creeped out by the amount of times the question “Should you shoot a mentally shattered, suicidal woman if she asks for it?” is answered with “Yes, you should!”
Putting aside the argument on whether Taylor is too dangerous to live, that’s not how it works! You don’t shoot the mentally ill just because they seem to want it. They don’t know what they’re talking about, they’re mentally ill!
That’s what I saw. At the end of the chapter were human emotions displayed by Taylor, regret, guilt, introspection. All she really needed was therapy.
Irregular on November 3, 2013 at 12:56 said:
The problem with Taylor being mentally ill and suicidal is that it leaves her in no position to overcome the Administrator shard.
As Contessa said, even her path to victory power could only go so far in getting her out of the problem. Hell, letting Taylor live if she can’t muster up the will to stop being oppressed by her own powers is a dumb, dumb idea.
As people have mentioned before, not using her path to victory power to shoot Taylor would have been stupid. I’ll expand by saying that her not using her path to victory power to check if Taylor was capable of returning to sanity as she was then would be even more stupid.
If the path to victory can’t help Taylor when she’s still somewhat lucid and in control, it’s not going to help her when her personality gets buried 60 feet deep by Khepri. You can’t just say “Contessa shot a mentally ill woman” without adding in “that was incredibly powerful and was slowly losing her grip on reality to the point where she could descend into irrecoverable insanity”. Given the context of her decision, I find Contessa’s actions to be justifiable.
BUT justifiable does not equate to good. No, what she did was pretty shitty. She had good reasons for shooting Taylor, but she’s still a terrible person for doing that. That is her role, after all. Contessa is one of those people who have “hard X making hard decisions” syndrome, just like Saint. They’re bullheaded people who think their way is the best way, much to the detriment of others.
First of all, I include Taylor’s killing as one of Contessa’s morally questionable actions. It was her last black ops before turning the page (wether she deservs to walk away after everything she did is something we can discuss at another time).
Secondly, I agree with Irregular. The question Contessa asked wasn’t “do you think you deserve to die?”. It was “do you think you can manage your shard?” .
Okay, about the path to victory stuff. We do know Contessa’s power isn’t infallible right? We’ve already seen several ways in which it is faulty. She might not ask the right questions, she might run into blind spots, she simply might not even know enough about Taylor’s situation. And I suspect that the path to victory has another limitation in that it can only give solutions involving Contessa herself and the resources available. Throughout the entire serial her power never told her “Go find Dinah and Tattletale for help, you fucking idiot” because they aren’t within her sphere of influence.
Second, whether Taylor can fight off the administrator on her own doesn’t matter. That’s what therapy is for, she has people who can and will help her through it to atleast reclaim part of herself. And I don’t think Contessa can comprehend that with her completely individualistic attitude.
Lastly, I should say that I don’t buy the “too dangerous to live” shit in the slightest. That status is questionable for just about every single character that holds it. Nilbog was content to keep to himself and is under control now. Glaistig is being turned to a hero, the reason Echidna went out of control is because Coil never actually bothered to help her. And compared to all these Taylor is seriously easy to contain. Just shoot her with animal tranquilizers and set up a barricade twenty feet around her for god’s sakes and go from there.
Seriously, I don’t get how Contessa can possibly be justified when her and no one else even tried another option.
The problem with therapy is that at a fundamental level, the patient must want to be helped. How was Contessa going to capture a Taylor who was slowly being reburied by the shard and unwilling to return?
And even if she did somehow succeed in capturing her, what then? Taylor completely gave up on being fixed, so the most basic premise behind therapy isn’t fulfilled in this case. Her mind is also crumbling at a visible rate, even with Contessa helping to get her somewhat coherent.
Of course, even that’s no obstacle, if Khepri wasn’t around. But Khepri is taking over. It’s not being slow about it, either. The shard’s burying Taylor’s personality, which is already close to breaking apart into little pieces. So what then?
Break out the shovels of therapy and pharmaceuticals, when the ground itself is hostile and the best you’ll get is bits of Taylor that’ll get reburied quickly? Heck, give it a few days and those Taylor chunks won’t even be there anymore.
At least with Nilbog and Glastig Ulaine, they weren’t rapidly being taken over by their shards. They were stable and open to reason, even if it was to a limited extent. They could probably (and in one case, did) respond positively to therapy.
And Echidna, at the very end, had degenerated too far for her to be saved. Hell, Taylor was in an even worse state than Echidna by the time Contessa showed up.
The problem is that Taylor probably could have been saved if they had treated her earlier. An iffy prospect, but possible. But at the time Contessa and her bullets caught up with Taylor, there was pretty much no chance of bringing her back from her sacrifice.
Yeah, Contessa was probably the only one qualified to judge if Taylor could return at all. It’s a straightforward situation without the precognition blinds applying, only one subject and one desired outcome. Find the path to Taylor’s recovery. Perhaps there isn’t a path, not one she could reach while there is any hope(e.g. there might be a cape out there with the right powers to fix Taylor, but who could not be brought to the right place in time).
Her power can and does make use of external agents, as long as she can influence them somehow. Just look at the crazy elaborate chain of dominoes that led to the present day. The formation of the Protectorate and the Wards system via Cauldron established the basis for Taylor’s trigger by condoning bullying by a Ward. Lung’s trigger and the events that ultimately led him to Brockton Bay. Coil developing the Undersiders, and later, his own demise.
Too many coincidences for it to be entirely coincidental.
While I agree with the sentiment…what would you have wanted done? Taylor is a therapist’s nightmare; she can’t talk, you can’t talk to her, she is probably depressed, oh and you have to do your therapizing from 20 feet away.
While I would love to see Teacher and Contessa end up with their heads on spears, I’ve got mixed feeling about Saint. He strikes me as more of a misguided jerk, where the other two are outright villains. He royally screwed up, and some punishment ought to come his way, but I’d be disappointed in Defiant if he outright murders Saint.
I don’t think I’ll get to be disappointed, though. I suspect Dragon has Defiant trained well enough that all three have little need to fear for their lives. At least from them.
Except The first thing Dragon told to Defiant after she was resurrected was that Saint and Teacher will suffer. She was understandably pissed.
Note that suffering and death are different things. I think she’s still bound by the whole ‘Thou shalt not kill’ thing too, and that kinda limits them both to nonlethal means. She has a right to be pissed, but I still can’t see her turning a blind eye to Defiant murdering people. Likewise, I think Defiant values Dragon enough to keep vengeance within Dragon’s boundaries.
We just don’t know what exactly those boundaries are.
I believe she mentioned shutting them both in the Birdcage as the two only inmates. I wouldn’t be surprised if they went mad.
This is why you get other, less scrupulous people to do this sort of thing for you. If you want to ask me, India knew what they were doing a lot more than America.
Heck, I think it might be worse than death for the two of them.
And when you can’t kill them, two words. Humiliation Conga.
Allan on November 11, 2019 at 17:53 said:
What has Contessa ever done to be a villain?
Everything she did was to save humanity from extinction. She is no different from Saint.
Nothing she had ever done was because of selfish motives or anything like that.
Sadly I’m starting to worry a bit that Taylor is only going to be remembered for the bad. That she’ll just be remembered as someone who got taken over by their shard and became a mind controlling monster, rather than the girl who sacrificed everything to open the path to defeating Scion and saving the human race.
Nah. I worried about that at first, but the connotation of Khepri are pretty much all good ones. People are scared sure, and some of the Swarm will carry grudges, but humanity as a whole sees her as the bright goddess who saved everybody and gave them a fresh start.
While I also believe that Taylor will be remembered mostly positively, the fact that the name has benevolent connotations means little. In, mythology, the Simurgh was a benevolent creature, too.
IIRC they named the Simurgh back when they thought she was another Scion-like parahuman. She waited until nearly everyone in Lausanne was gathered around her to reveal her true colours.
Then again, a power like Khepri’s is inherently easy for people to fear and distrust.
Yeah, you’re right. I forgot about that. In fact, now that you mentioned it, I think they tried to change the name to the more appropriate Ziz, but Simurgh had already stuck on.
I hope not, but I fear so.
I’m sure Tattletale will be on hand to fight the information fight, releasing her entire life story with proper emphasis on how the past administrations failures led to her moral downfall would help matters.
If that fails, tell the story of what happened to the other earths and let it spread. Eventually the negativity of the super-idiots would be drowned in the legends of countless earths
Worm just passed 50,000 views in one day for the first time. A big thanks to HP:MoR’s author for the recommendation. Brought a lot of new blood in.
Rhodesian on November 3, 2013 at 23:04 said:
Makes me really bummed for you since Worm is ending now. I wish you had this many viewers in the Slaughterhouse 9 arc or Noelle arc at least.
Oh well, at least you got this many eventually.
Wow. bloody well done and something tells me that your next project will start with a larger number of readers. Wonders what wildbow is doing next.
High Fantasy?
Low Fantasy?
Dystopian sci
Utopian sci fi
Horror?
Well my money is one… a long kip!
I generally vote against high fantasy or horror, but Wildbow could totally pull them off. Dystopian Sci-fi is overdone, and the fun generally comes with things like post-cyberpunk (yeah people are replacing their bodies with chrome and the megacorps rule the world and everything is monitored, but that’s no reason you can’t have any fun). Wildbow would do magnificent urban fantasy, but that might be too close to superheroes…
Settings that are coming together best in my head are fantasy (ehh), urban supernatural and Biopunk.
Well, I am looking forward to the sample chapters for possible sequels myself. I have been since you first started hinting about them.
Speaking from a position of near ignorance, I think the biopunk or fantasy stories might be best for the “pallet cleanser” post Worm, with the longer post-Worm work being the urban fantasy one, based on the FAQ. Given how you have talked about the urban fantasy being structured that seems likely to be best.
Of course I will be able to say more once we start seeing sample chapters.
TanaNari on November 4, 2013 at 01:30 said:
I could offer you a lot of help on the biopunk if you go that way. From a “maintaining the scientific purity” angle. Coulds. Woulds. How soon could we see each stage compared to the others. Help you avoid the “did not do the research” corner of TVTropes.
On an entirely separate note, I have a friend who wants to do an audioread of Worm. She’s not ready yet, and probably won’t be for at least another month or two, but she wants to.
Well, since we know shards can run out of power, AKA Doormaker, I could see Wurm developing into Cyber/Bio punk as the shards ran out. When people first start seeing it happen, all the tinkers are encouraged to begin collating data, doing controlled experiments, working with thinkers like the number man to actually figure out how the tech they use actually works.
This would lead to a technological revolution, and from there into Cyber/Bio tech as replacements for cape powers.
Perhaps minor cape powers that use very little power would be around for a very, very long time. Perhaps the powers recharge over time, but very slowly.
All kinds of different ways to makage it. It might even be possible, in time, for the Cyber/Bio tech universe to figure out how to recharge shards, leading to a cape + cyber/bio tech universe for a third arc… 🙂
Ooh, biopunk. Don’t see much of that.
Bahumat on November 4, 2013 at 12:43 said:
Biopunk? Like Paolo Bacigalupi’s work like “The Calorie Man”? If so, *fuck yes*.
Another couple arms up for biopunk here.
Can’t really sound off on what I want, because I can’t really separate those genres from my kneejerk visions of them until I see more. If I we’re to choose I’d go with biopunk since my mental image of that isn’t as concrete.
Though I did like seeing Gothic Fantasy as an option, I’m a sucker for the grandiosity and sexy black capes.
TinkerTailor on November 4, 2013 at 00:21 said:
I’m really digging this insight into the post-scion world. I’ve been running out of steam on my fanfic idea, but now I’m tempted to start over and set it after the ending.
I’m also very glad that Mr Yamada survived. I remember having the sobering thought during the last few arcs that many of the non-powered characters we’d met over the years were quite likely dead.
Totally a non-issue, but it’s Jessica Yamada. A Ms.
A Mrs., IIRC.
Finally finished reading this. Started yesterday, reading bits and pieces since.
Hm…Riley, Nilbog, and Valkyrie are going to be very interesting indeed. And if Nilbog can indeed help bring Valkyrie’s ghosts back to life…Riley might be needed to help…what a shame she didn’t collect Taylor.
Or maybe it’s for the best, since it probably would have been screwed-up-Taylor she collected.
Actually, I think this is more of a setup for a sequel than a uniformly good thing. Valkyrie collects shards, not souls. What usually keeps those human are their human body and brain. If those are created by Nilbog and… well, fine, call her Riley, but still, I don’t exactly trust her to instill sanity… then the result could be as unstable as it is powerful, needing only a trigger to become another Echidna.
There are suggestions that some amount of the human’s psyche is included.
Riley is getting better. And she would be needed more for the integration than the “sanity”.
If they already have passengers, they can’t trigger.
Chapter briefly went up, because WordPress apparently had a different time than I did, with DST. Fixing a middle part. Sorry for anyone who got the incomplete version. Chapter due in 1 hour, midnight EST.
Thank you for the post. It cleared up my own confusion.
Yeah. I’m betting more than a few were confused.
WordPress didn’t update time, though a few other indicators seemed to be following my system time, which threw me off.
For me it was the thread on SpaceBattles that threw me.
Also, it has one of the most amazing acts of simple trolling I’ve seen since, well, you in response to it.
What? I don’t follow.
Stephen R. Marsh on November 4, 2013 at 23:52 said:
Well, I’m headed off to bed. I’ll have to catch the next chapter tomorrow morning.
maccylo on November 20, 2013 at 18:21 said:
I noticed quite a few estonian words used as names, Pime Abtiss, Põletama. Intentional on your part? How did you stumble upon those words?
eestlane on November 22, 2013 at 18:54 said:
“Põletama” means “to burn”, which does not really sound like a name in estonian. Someone who burns would be “Põletaja”.
timo425 on August 20, 2016 at 01:41 said:
Yes, please fix “Põletama” to “Põletaja” or Worm will be unreadable when it comes out as a book. I’m also kidding bug seriously it should be Põletaja. 🙂
Virgo on July 2, 2018 at 16:32 said:
To elaborate on this a bit:
“Põletama” is the basic form of a verb that means literally “to burn.” “Hi, what’s your name?” – “My name is To Burn.” Nope, does not quite sound correct.
The English version, I’m guessing something like “Burner,” could mean two things.
Could be “someone who makes things burn”. That would, as the commenter “eestlane” said, be “Põletaja” in Estonian language.
Or possibly “someone who is burning” / “someone who is on fire”. That’s “Põleja”.
(Between the two of these, “Põleja” I think is a more “cape-ish” name. The other one can just as well apply to any random unpowered wacko with a gas canister and a box of matches.)
Typo: “an echo had creeped” -> “crept”.
“I’m direct, like my lasers”, Legend says. That would be the lasers that can turn corners and are exactly as direct, or not, as Legend wants them to be?
ShawnMorgan on April 18, 2014 at 16:40 said:
He’s only claiming that he’s as direct as they are…
asdfadsf on September 9, 2014 at 02:20 said:
so the goblin and fairy could invent “comic book death” in wormverse? somebody dies and a month later its like it never happened? 😛
“If I’m going to be as awesome as Regent and Imp would have been as a pair.” …Dang. Just …dang. One of the most powerful, or at least sad lines in here, somehow. May be the closest I’ve come to tearing up. Goodbye, Regent. We still miss you.
I read the transcripts from the debriefing you gave Chevalier.
hahaha what
whose idea was THAT
Man, I liked Chevalier, but he is being a DICK right now. Powers or no powers, PRT or no PRT, Glaistig Uaine or no Glaistig Uaine… you DO NOT interrupt a therapy session. (And more generally, if you agree to follow someone else’s rule, you don’t just unilaterally throw it out when things get tough.)
And once again just when things are winding down Yamada proves how amazingly badass and awesome and totally epic she is. Talking the lost lunatic murderer who had dearly wanted to wipe out the human race/Earth and usher in the next cycle of the giant evil aliens into becoming a hero? Damn. *Slow clap.* Okay so Yamada has now played therapist to three of the most dangerous and powerful individuals that the world had ever seen, Ciara, Taylor, and Eidolon. Not to mention countless other villains and heroes and crazies. Holy mother of god. This woman has nerves so strong and skills so good they could cut through dimensions!
Chev is the Destroyer huh? That’s…mildly disturbing. Especially considering how freaking awesomely heroic he is. Like second only to Weld in the boy scout department. Soooo happy that he survived and for the confirmation that he was the dude who stepped up to take lead after Taylor started losing it again towards the end.
Yay! Legend survived! I still like that guy and I’m really glad he made it. Though really “I’m direct, like my lasers”? In what universe are lasers that turn 90 degrees and scoff at the known laws of physics considered “direct”? The dude may be cool but he needs some science lessons…
I have to comment on the extreme appropriateness of GU’s new name. Soooooooooooo fitting! It’s cool that she can grow up whenever she wants. Honestly the fact that she looks 19 now instead of a pubescent girl coupled with talking without an echo would do wonders to put me on her side. It’s like a visual and deliberate personification of the change in her thinking which speaks louder than anything else that she could possibly say to be convincing. Taken with the fact that she is far too powerful to bother lying/manipulating and that she had never really done so before…well I for one can say I’d welcome her into the hero rank with someone extended arms even if they wouldn’t wrap her into a hug. I’d be the guy next to Miss Militia (who again shows her awesomeness too) going to dinner with her but probably not MM actually inviting her out.
Okay so I AM amazingly enough willing to give Riley a second chance against all my better judgment but she really doesn’t make it easy to do so. I mean really…Nilbog? She has to be friends with Nilbog? Why couldn’t that crazy bastard have been taken out by Scion? We lose so many great people and he survives? The world is not fair. (On that note please please please tell me Hoyden made it out okay?! Please! I really love my cowgirl!) And okay sure I get that she goes to see him to remind herself of how psycho she used to be and how much better she is now but seriously. Not doing yourself any favors Riley.
The ending…HOLY SHIT!!!! EXCELLENT!! Dude, those last four paragraphs just spawned like a gazillion fanfics I’m sure. You just left things open for either bringing back to life heroes/villains she collected (including Clockblocker!!!!) or conversely giving life to a sort of human/shard hybrid. SOOO FRIGGING SWEET!!
MisterTeatime on February 2, 2016 at 20:32 said:
Legend’s subtext: “I might not be terribly direct, but if you start heckling, I have lasers.”
I think Chevalier’s being the Destroyer isn’t necessarily at odds with his being an excellent hero. In his first meeting with the Wards, he weakened one clique to support the people outside it. Before that, he doggedly pursued and dismantled the organization that took his brother. His trigger event was being trapped in a wrecked car- something that had to be broken before he could be safe. He was there for the death of the original Wards paradigm (keeping kids with powers out of dangerous and violent situations) and its transition to the form we saw later on, where Wards helped stop crime and save lives. In the New Protectorate/PRT initiative, he led the charge against the corruption and infiltration and obfuscation that were already so widespread. And of course, he was a major asset in the battle that put an end to Behemoth, and then the one that put an end to Scion.
Destruction can be a noble act. Chevalier can be the hero who cuts out the rot to save the tree, or to make room for something new to grow.
Another point for Worm not being nihilistic and grimdark:redemption happens and,unlike the case in most other works,it happens even to monstrous characters,not merely to misguided ones or well intentioned extremists.
Seriously,what I would reccomend (though maybe it is just that I hate the whole concept of punishment as justice,rather than as protection or rehabilation)is this:give amnesty to everyone,and if they commit a crime,try to arrest them as befitting their new crimes.If someone says “but it may be harder to catch them then,as they will be less willing to give themselves up”,I would say that,if they are willing to give themselves ,they do not deserve punishment.Heck,give Nilbog an empty world andstart trade with it,it will speed up reconstruction,make him happy,and happens at no moral cost,the only thing making them go so hard on poor Riley,GU and Nilbog is the antiqquated punishment as justice logic,and the fact they treat them as harshly is more likely to make them slip again.Though I do agree that they need observation,even if it translates to them being a little more harsh to them,just…just not unreasonable forbidences,like giving Riley a normal body,or getting fussy when the 3 redeemed have a meeting.
I may not dislike Riley anymore but there are legitimate reasons these guys are getting harsher treatments. Riley hung around with Jack Slash, the guy who went all out in a bona fide effort to bring about the end of the world and succeeded. There are precious few ways to make sure someone like that didn’t rub off too much on her. Nilbog is so far beyond cracked he made Jack look like Joe Schmo and from what was show he didn’t seem to making much of an effort to help in his own recovery or anything. I have to say though, I like the idea of giving him his own world to play with. That truly might help his sanity and fulfill the idea of letting people have a clean slate. GU didn’t really seem to have harsh treatment…
Unnecesarily harsh does not equate to harsh,just unecesary.And I did admit the need for watching over them.But it sems they are underultilised and underappreciated….though I cannot really blame the heroes for that.
On another note,Nilbog doesn’t make Jack look like Joe Schmo ,his power is just damn terrifying,but you can see,from their interaction together,who stays at the top.A man is not only powers,there are more important things,like creativity and motives and charisma,all of which make Jack more powerful and scary(and,I need to add,his secret power also makes him stronger than Nilbog.)Nilbog might have a scary and powerful power,and he might also be a mass murderer (note:I think the very nature of trigger events should forgive actions done immediately afterwards,even mass murder,on the condition of intense psyhological treatment)but all his kills were on one event,and his motives are actually simple:to be king of his utopia.Just the fact he mellowed out of that,too,is a point for his repentance,but,really,he is more selfish that he is evil or dangerous,give him his toy,treat him with respect,and he is harmless as a kitten…or ,rather,harmless as a person having a nuclear button which he would only push as retaliation to another’s nuclear attack,completely harmless if left alone.
I don’t think I stated what I meant well enough. I was going more for GU isn’t really being treated any harsher than anyone other former villain at this point and actually seems a lot cozier than would realistically be expected from a badass who scares everyone shitless. Concerning Nilbog I agree with your comments and put forth that again I didn’t state what I meant. Nilbog made Jack look sane. Though I suppose there could be an argument that Jack was never insane just thought along different lines and discounted right and wrong. I didn’t mean to say they should keep Nilbog caged because he was scary powerwise (which he is but really he’s not that bad compared to some heavy hitters) they should keep him caged because he hasn’t really shown any urge to actively keep playing by the new rules. I agree he is like kid with a nuke and that was why I thought your option of providing him with his own world is a perfectly excellent compromise for everyone involved including him.
I can’t believe I’m saying this but…yes, I also think Riley could be let off her leash a bit and given more utilization. (Though I stand by my earlier justification with them making sure she’s not polluted by Jack.)
Whispersilk on June 18, 2016 at 13:12 said:
On behalf of cyrix…
It sounds like that first ‘hard’ shouldn’t be there? It makes more sense without it.
Count to 10 on August 29, 2016 at 17:09 said:
Valkyrie Profile. Cute.
Maybe you should have gone the extra mile and called the collected spirits Einherjar instead of warriors.
manicMagician on February 9, 2018 at 17:54 said:
Spectacular ending to a spectacular story. Well I still have several epilogue chapters, a sequel teaser arc and whatever you’ve written since to go but…still.
And even if I am late to the game, I skimmed through the comments and I’m surprised to find little to none on the Sheperds. We have the Wardens as a confirmed new thing, with some of their members from Eden’s vision. Now we have the most powerful living parahuman referring to herself as Shepherd of the dead after considering the interactions of her power with those of another S rank…It occur to no one else that Valkyrie, Riley and Nilbog may become the Shepherds?
Also Khepri. Guessing name for Taylor in the final days. Though did see some good points to her having survived so…guess I’ll see!
Thanks again for the fantastic story! Even if it does make me feel really insecure about the Superhero novel I’ve been writing. Just…completely different scale!
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A Rolling Stone Never Collects Moss — Unless it ends up on Oregon’s Coast
Journalist/Educator Ends up Putting Roots Down in one of the Mossy Parts of Oregon
It is hoped that the coming generation will recognize that that is probably one of the greatest and most ennobling challenges that face man on this planet today. To be able to break through to understand the thinking, the feeling, the doing, the talking of another species is a grand, noble achievement that will change man’s view of himself and of his planet.
Seventy-one percent of the surface of our planet is covered with oceans, inhabited by the Cetacea. Let us learn to live in harmony with that seventy-one percent of the planet and its intelligent, sensitive, sensible, and long- surviving species of dolphins, whales, and porpoises.
— John C. Lilly, adapted from the Introduction to Communication Between Man and Dolphin
Note: I was asked to write a couple of articles for the Oregon American Cetacean Society’s, Flukeprints, as a way to help the non-profit group publicize and celebrate the reasons many of us are in the whale protection racket. I ust became a member of ACS, after 4.5 decades first joining ACS in Tucson, Arizona, when I pitched an idea to get jojoba oil (a desert plant) to replace whale oils for fine machinery. Sort of Save the Whales with the Desert campaign.
This is 2019, and like many who were influenced by their diving experiences, and possibly the Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau TV documentaries, I got my first rocket fins and US Divers and Scuba-Pro gear at a young age — 14. Luckily, my mother had confidence in me going to Mexico — Sea of Cortez — from our home in Tucson, Arizona, about a four and a half hour trip to San Carlos where boats were awaiting divers to hit what Cousteau once called “the aquarium of the world” — the Sea of Cortez.
There was no question that I would act in a pretty moderating fashion during some reckless situations, and for many years, I ended up getting to know some incredible places underwater where I communed with nature, including whales, dolphins, sharks and myriad of reef and open water fish and invertebrates and turtles.
That was, gulp, 48 years ago. Imagine, almost half a century, and I was on reefs that today are not just shadows of themselves, but slashed and burned remnants, in some cases. Humanity’s voracious appetite for marine flesh, and destructive netting and trolling techniques, as well as over-capacity fishing fleets have put a big hole in what once was like diving on another planet, the undersea world of vibrant everything!
A riot of colors, explosions of so many varied swimming and propulsion techniques. This was pretty heady stuff for a kid who then ended up diving for sometime after that, around parts of the world, as an adult, dive bum.
Yes, I was an anti-whaling dude in Arizona. Yes, I protested Sea World. Yes, I was up on all the destructive fishing and harvesting techniques deployed in capitalism’s dog eat dog methods of killing the planet.
I was quickly steeled, young, to not only fight for environmental justice, but hand in hand, I was there with local people, fishers, and then got a huge interest in social justice, indigenous rights, La Raza, anti-imperialism. I studied the Seri Indians who live in Sonora, and utilized the bountiful sea for their livelihoods and cultural identity.
It all made sense to me back then, 1977, and, hell, here we are, 2019, and each and every fear about how wrong Capitalism is, and every one of the social justice causes I connected with in 1977 have all been nightmares that came true, exploding on the world stage as I hit 62.
The whales are dying now in large numbers, because of starvation, because of pollutants, because of plastics, because of noise pollution. Dolphins dying in the Gulf of Mexico, now, in numbers old time fishermen have never recalled. Whales washing up on the Pacific shores here, all along the coast. Emaciated, and the end result will be more scientists spending countless hours and lab time to try and come up with a cause, a cause we in the movement who have been around this system can tie to the absolute impregnation into the ocean of sounds, battering vessels, oil slicks, pig shit coming from Mississippi to the Gulf Coast. Acidification causing whales’ food stream to wither up.
This is a piss poor way to preface a pretty innocuous piece I wrote for the American Cetacean Society, but alas, we live in magical thinking times, where bad news and more bad news have to be shunted away with feel-good beliefs that things will get better. Reality is fake, and fake is reality in colonized North America. The roots of this absurdity go back to Puritans, seeping into each wave of more illegal aliens who populated this once wondrous land pushing diseased ideas, pathogens and religion onto First Nations.
Now, we have many dozens generations later people who can’t think, can’t act and can’t argue critically out of a wet paper bag.
There is absolutely no historical or empirical evidence things will (or have been getting) get better under the perversions of capitalism, consumerism, war economics, as the battering rams of the elite and rich and corporations shunt our money and labor into their pockets while all infrastructure and ecological systems are failing.
So, can a rock that stays put not collect moss? Is this enough, a small cathartic essay about my new home here on the Central Coast of Oregon? What value does it have in the scheme of things?
All of these spasms up in the early light of morning, today. What can we do with a 24/7 nanosecond by nanosecond world of distractions? What do we do with children and adults who are galvanized to an operating system where lies are truth, war is peace, as this culture — and others willing to be infected by our media, our culture — is coopted by the masters of the universe controlling media, education, law, finance, technology, business, the arts. John Steppling on dream and skin-ego, in his latest essay, Screen Dream:
The ruling class get to make movies. They get jobs in TV, too. And with a CIA advisor in nearly every story conference and writer’s room in Hollywood, the state has effectively and directly taken over a huge chunk of the culture. Hollywood film and TV is controlled by the children of the rich and very rich. Nobody has any taste, any real education, and most are egregiously ignorant of the world around them, and hence all the more susceptible to influence coming directing from U.S. intelligence agencies and the state department.
Recently Leo DeCaprio, Keanu Reaves, and a dozen other *stars* (not sure Keanu is a star anymore) clamored to get the opportunity to meet Bibi Netanyahu. Why? Same reason they would fawn over any (ANY) five star general or military killer. The adulation for uniforms and authority is in the open, now. Killers are proud of what they do and the celebrity A-List is intoxicated with this power.
Whatever the implications of our relationship with various technologies, it is clear, I think, that capital and class are encoded throughout and that the logic of instrumental reason has become the logic of our unconscious. Like it or not. Aesthetic resistance is one way to break the endless loops of compulsion and the deadening of thought and feeling.
Bearing Witness in a World Upside Down and With Whales Washing up Dead On Arrival
It is this sense of tranquility, of life without urgency, power without aggression, that has won my heart to whales … whales offer to human beings a lesson. They demonstrate to us that our ancient and ignorant belief in the inherent supremacy of our species over all others is utterly wrong.
~ Roger Payne
One of the benefits of not setting down too many roots is the luxury of traveling to many parts of the USA and the globe. I guess the Oregon coast is yet another landing post for me in my journey.
I moved to Otis, Oregon, Dec. 2018, after working as a social worker for homeless veterans and their families in Portland/Beaverton. One of the first things I did when I got to Otis was to do a hike along the Cascade Head trail and then hit the beach near Three Rocks to hang out with a pair of bald eagles and harbor seals.
I’ve pretty much hit all the popular beaches on the Central Oregon Coast with my fiancé. Nothing gets old, and I discover new things about me each time out.
On one of those forays, I ventured out one night in late January, ending up at the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology for a public gathering to welcome the five new residency recipients, including filmmaker, print maker, photographer, writer, and whale expert Fred Sharpe, PhD.
He has 25 years under his weight belt and scientist’s cap studying the behavior of humpback whales. His specialty is on the bubble-netting proclivity of Alaskan humpbacks. He looks at the connections of this ecotype’s behavior as signals of enduring bonds, complicated task specializations, team hunting and communal tool use.
He has a team that follows the humpbacks south to their wintering haunts in the Hawaiian Islands. They’ve been looking at the historical ecology of north Polynesian cetaceans for years. In addition, his work has garnered awards including the Fairfield Award for Innovative Marine Mammal Research and the Society for Marine Mammology’s Award for Excellence in Scientific Communication.
I talked with Fred at the Sitka over beer and cheese and crackers. In fact, he got the residency at the Sitka as part of his research on native strands of alder along the Oregon Coast. He is interested in native grasses, too, along beachheads. That interest as a nature lover and researcher-he considers himself a naturalist in the classical tradition-has led him to be a co-author and illustrator of Wild Plants of the San Juan Islands, Birding in the San Juan Islands, and Voyaging with the Whales.
The more nitty-gritty work Fred does is centered on his position with the Alaska Whale Foundation as a principal investigator, as well as being a Wilderness First Responder.
He has volunteered as a large whale disentangler with NOAA’s Alaska Stranding Network.
The Sitka Center for Art and Ecology was founded 49 years ago, the same year Earth Day started, ironically. That mission has stayed the same: “Helping others discover more about their core creative selves and their connections to nature.” The new term, relatively speaking, in environmental circles, is intersectionality: looking at the environment and gender and race and poverty and how all reflect and tie into each other, for instance.
For the Sitka Center, a naturalist like Sharpe embodies Sitka’s goal of “expanding the relationships between art, nature and humanity.”
My own recent evolving and expanding philosophy and life experience recognition tied to my writing (poetry, nonfiction, fiction) and nature (marine biology, ecology) and humanity (education and cultural competence) came to me on the Central Oregon Coast during the American Cetacean Society’s Naturalist training program, headed up by Joy Primrose. I was with a cohort of around 20 naturalist-wannabes at the Newport library diving into the complexities of the natural world as it pertains to cetaceans, pinnipeds, seabirds and other ocean ecological niches. We graduated with flying colors, and were awarded our certificates during the Bill Hanshumaker talk I’ve written about in this issue of Flukeprints. And here at DV — “Gray Whales Are Dying: Starving to Death Because of Climate Change”
I’ve been working hard to put some roots down throughout life, and while I am no longer living in El Paso, Spokane, Vietnam, Vancouver, Portland, et al, the roots are connecting me more than many who have stayed in their nook or neck of the woods. Get on the program, Americans — wood wide web: The Atlantic!
Roots can also release carbon directly into the soil, which can then be absorbed by other roots. But if the spruces were doing that, then Klein should have found labelled carbon in every nearby plant—and he didn’t. There wasn’t any trace of the stuff in understory herbs like dog’s mercury and blackberries. It was, however, abundant in fungi, growing on the roots of the spruces and other trees.
These fungi—the mycorrhiza—are found on the roots of almost all land plants, and provide phosphorus and nitrogen in exchange for carbon-based sugars. They can also colonize several hosts at once, creating a large fungal internet that ferries nutrients and signaling chemicals between neighboring plants (much like the trees of Pandora in James Carmeron’s Avatar).
“There’s a below-ground community of mycorrhizal fungi invisibly interconnecting an above-ground plant community,” explains Christina Kaiser from the University of Vienna. “But it’s usually regarded as a network for supplying nutrients in exchange for carbon, not for delivering carbon from one plant to the other in such large amounts.”
She’s not kidding about the large amounts. Klein’s team estimated that in a patch of forest the size of a rugby field, the trees trade around 280 kilograms of carbon every year. That’s around 40 percent of the carbon in their fine roots, and about 4 percent of what they produce in total through photosynthesis.
My own web is a net out into the world, into the people’s lives I interchange with. Their stories are my stories, and their lives become part of mine. I have been a co-leader for a huge beach clean-up here in the Newport area. I have written articles for the Newport News Times about that clean-up, about the single-use plastic bag ban ordinance just passed in Newport, about ocean acidification/hypoxia along the Central Oregon Coast, and two centered on two restaurant owners who follow sustainable business practices.
Thanks to the ACS and the month-long naturalist class, I’ve come to appreciate not only the wild ecosystems around here, but the world of the Central Coast hominids who I have met and learned from.
In the end, that intersectionality of ecology-education-equity-economy we preach in sustainability circles fits well with the people I have met who have an undying appreciation and love for whales and other marine animals.
It’s good to put some roots down here on the Pacific. Ironically, I have traveled the world as a writer and diver. But my birth was on the Pacific– San Pedro, California — and here I have now returned to that mighty Pacific which covers 28 percent of the earth (60,060,700 square miles).
Newport, Depoe Bay, Yachats, Lincoln City, Waldport and other towns are my stomping grounds now. My roots are far and wide, part of the wood wide web, or my own sort, wide wonderful walkabout!
One thought on “A Rolling Stone Never Collects Moss — Unless it ends up on Oregon’s Coast”
haederpaul says:
From Joe the Farmer from Merced. Amazing people I have met out there, even in these letters on cyber space.
Quoting Joe’s note to me —
“In fact, most of the scientists are very much part of the problem. They, like the media, now tell us how bad things are only because the patient is on life support, because her condition is critical. But those scientists are not ecological doctors. They are not qualified to offer solutions for how to revive the patient, for how to get her back to health. Those scientists who worked their way up through the institutions that awarded their qualifications of expertise are as identified with this suicidal ideological system as the rest of us.
Derrick Jensen, sometimes described as an eco-philosopher, offers a simple, but telling life lesson. He observes that when you get your food from a convenience store and your water from a tap, your very survival comes to depend on the system that provides you with these essentials of life. You inevitably identify completely with the system that feeds and shelters you, however corrupt, however corrupting that system is. Even if it is destroying the planet.
If you hunt and forage for food, if you collect water from streams, then you identify with the land and its water sources. Their health means everything to you.
We need more ancient wisdoms, dying wisdoms, of the indigenous peoples who still try to live in nature, to live off the land and in harmony with it, even as we make the conditions to do so impossible for them. We urgently need to find ways to simplify our lives, to ween ourselves off our addictive consumption, to stop identifying with the system that is killing us, and to seek leaders who are ahead of us in that struggle for wisdom.
Yes, of course, the corporations will seek to disrupt efforts to change the system they created. They will defend it – and their profits – with all their might and to the death. Yes, of course, they will seek to subvert, including from within, all protests of all kinds against that system. We cannot reach an accommodation with these structures of power. We must overthrow them. That is a given. There are no accolades for pointing out these obvious truths.”
https://dissidentvoice.org/2019/05/science-wont-save-the-planet-new-values-will/#more-92282
Enjoyed today’s essay and happy to hear you’ve found a place to sink roots. There’s a good piece by Jonathon Cook a few essays below yours today at Dissident Voice.
https://dissidentvoice.org/2019/05/a-rolling-stone-never-collects-moss-unless-it-ends-up-on-oregons-coast/
I tried to voice what Cook is saying the other day, in my comment to you about your essay, “Dirty,Polluting, Corrupting Money.”
Cook does it so much better.
I’ve never traveled like you have and have lived in the vicinity of my birth place my entire life. I don’t have a formal education and spent most of my life doing hard manual labor, but I’m smart enough to understand what Derrick Jensen simple, but telling life lesson and agree with him 100%. I’ve fought against the insanity of this economic system that drives people to be exploited and become exploiters themselves. And now in my twilight years I never miss an opportunity to throw a spanner into the gears of the capitalists machine. Resistance is about the only thing we have left. At least the only thing worth while.
Guys like you, Jensen, Steppling and many others are throwing the monkey wrench into the gears with everything you write and all of you do it well. It’s thankless I know, but keep doing it anyway.
← Dirty, Polluting, Corrupting Money
Love in the Time of Xenocide →
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paulydeathwish
cinema dossier
Tag Archives: hard work
Three Amigos [1986)
Here is a troubling masterpiece.
Because as history unfolds, old modes of expression fall out of style.
They become crude.
And yet, this is a funny fucking film.
We encounter almost the same phenomenon with the priceless, all-world The Party of 1968.
If you like Peter Sellers as an Indian (“Do you speak Hindustani?”), then you are racist.
This is what we are told.
So, then, we are not allowed to laugh at Peter Sellers anymore.
However, notice the double-standard at work in the Pink Panther films.
No one ever says, “Clouseau is such a racist depiction of the French!”
It is because “the white man” has had the rug pulled from underneath him.
The French have everything…
The Louvre, great bread, Dijon, Bordeaux…[a nice meal coming together there, that!]
So therefore, the French should be dispossessed of their wealth in all its many manifestations.
That’s globalism.
And, sadly, that’s socialism.
Make everybody the same.
Take by force.
Redistribute.
Doesn’t sound very civilized to me…
Rather, sounds fairly barbarian.
A shortcut on hard work.
But I’m really aiming to get under your thumb (er, skin) as regards “race”.
I put it in skeptical quotations because modern genetics has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the concept of “race” is ridiculous.
As Geoffrey Carr of The Economist puts it, “One group of 55 chimps in West Africa shows more genetic diversity than the whole of humanity.”
I usually don’t trust The Economist farther than I can throw it.
Because there are no bylines.
And it is a clearly globalist rag.
But Mr. Carr has a point.
To put words in his mouth…if there are no races, then there must be no racism.
I’m sure some other word will suffice.
Phenotype.
I’ll get back to you once I wade through Euclid’s Elements.
But I hope my point is clear.
If races don’t exist (a notion the globalists are pushing very hard…for ulterior motives), then racism is an absurd concept.
But still, SOMETHING exists.
Perhaps it’s just a “rose” by another name.
Which brings us to this film.
Three Amigos. It’s racist, right?
I mean, the Mexicans in this film aren’t doctors and lawyers.
They don’t speak flawless English with no hint of accent.
And though they run a small gamut, there are indeed stereotypes at work.
But is it mean-spirited?
I would argue it is not.
Or else, the Pink Panther films should all be banned out of deference to the French.
Which is no less absurd than saying John Landis’ masterpiece under review is “racist”.
But let me bring a different slant (no pun intended) to this dialogue.
In my area, south Texas, a mixing of “races” is apparent.
There are white people. And a few black people. But mostly there are brown people.
And then there are gradations.
So-and-so is darker than what’s-his-name. And so on and so forth.
And we know that this darkness in skin pigmentation (for Mexican-Americans) comes largely from the Native Americans who populated what is today the U.S. and Mexico.
Before the Europeans arrived.
But here’s my personal two bits.
This film, Three Amigos, was cherished by me and all my school chums when we were growing up.
People with last names like Lopez, De Los Santos, etc.
We were all friends.
And though we may have fallen out of touch with one another, we all seemed to find enjoyment in Three Amigos.
Indeed, my Hispanic (Latino) friends apparently found the characterizations of Mexicans the funniest.
And, dare I say it, because (as the adage goes), “It’s–so–true!!!”
Whether any characterization of Mexicans in this film is or isn’t true…that’s immaterial.
I am not the ultimate judge.
But things have changed.
And it’s not just the Trump effect.
Over the years, people have become more and more “polite”.
That’s a good thing, right?
Well, I’m not so sure…
Because it’s not a genuine politeness.
It’s a politesse which is enforced topdown.
It’s not really a choice.
And, to make dead clear, it is our old nemesis: social engineering.
It is in this sense that social engineering is truly defined.
Any other definition (the activities of a pickpocket, a conman, a hacker) is insufficient and misleading.
Social engineering is, by-and-large, practiced at the highest levels of government, at policy institutions, and in commerce by Ivy League jerks (both male and female) who wish to mold society into a shape pleasing unto them.
And like those pernicious Fabians of old, they have no qualms about smashing the world to bits if such means lead to their desired end.
The Fabians, of course, never rush anything. Unless they panic. At which time they reveal themselves. To be the losers they are.
Yes, I am no fan of the Fabian socialists.
Because their whole programme is predicated on deception and secrecy.
And, as such, it should be thoroughly suspect whenever encountered.
But this is a comedy, right?
Yes! Amen!! Something we can agree on!!!
[perhaps]
This grand apologia is to introduce one of my favorite films.
Three Amigos.
It is not “politically correct”, but then NOTHING was in 1986.
And with “correctness” we have lost our sense of humor.
We are too easily offended.
We need “safe spaces”.
Ok, ok…I promise I’m not about to get all Bill O’Reilly here.
Because I have railed AGAINST Fox News for many years.
And, dare I say it, the real heroes in the USA were those who took CHANCES…BIG FUCKING CHANCES…to preserve liberty.
Trump came to the party late.
And I came to Trump even later.
But the real heroes are people like Alex Jones.
Indeed, there is no one like him.
But with the “Joneses” came others like Steve Pieczenik.
And so the tables have turned against the globalists.
Thank God for BREXIT!
Thank God for Trump!
And may God bless Marine Le Pen!
Because the neoliberal nightmare in which we are now mired (including the neoconservative, never-ending wars) has set the globalist agenda back decades.
The European Union is falling apart.
And rightly so.
Because it was a bad idea in the first place.
France must get rid of the atrocious Loi Gayssot.
And other European countries must follow suit.
We must be allowed to TALK!
The Internet will not allow tyranny.
Every government which seeks to control will find itself obsolete.
And so call it whatever you want.
If you’re “free market”, then the Internet is the genius of capitalism.
If you’re fond of sharing (so am I), then the Internet is the redistributive genius of socialism.
And, finally, we have the monstrosity of China.
Clearly no longer a communist state.
Yet neither a capitalist free market.
The mutant which is China…that juggernaut has been smashing the world in terms of productivity.
But there is a limit.
Now the people want FREEDOM.
[or so we are told]
At any rate, the blowback of globalism will ensure that the Chinese people crave the OPPORTUNITY (at least) to behave like Westerners.
THAT much is human nature.
And so I am not against natural globalization.
In that respect, the Fabians are right.
If “gradualism” is taken to mean “let nature take its course”.
But I am and will forever remain AGAINST synthetic globalism.
Globalization vs. globalism.
Semantic.
Suffice to say, I am very much against FORCED globalization.
And perhaps Erdoğan is a manifestation of reaction.
“Reactionary”, as the socialists always say. The worst insult a leftie can level!
As such, I have nothing against Erdoğan, but he can’t hold on to power IN SPITE OF the people.
Same with Trump.
Trump barely squeaked out a victory.
Because the globalist machine is so strong in America.
But rural pride was stronger.
And the Electoral College defeated Hillary Clinton.
But Trump will have to produce.
He knows this.
The clock is ticking on his four years.
And he has had adversaries on all sides.
So it remains to be seen…whether he will make good on his campaign promises.
I am standing behind him.
I am supporting him.
But I am ready to call “bullshit” when the moment is ripe.
Hopefully that moment will never come.
Hopefully he will be a wonderful President.
Which brings us back to “race”.
It’s not meant to be “a symbol”, it’s meant to be a wall.
And we in America have long known that the story of 9/11 is seriously flawed…like Swiss cheese…it is not plausible.
I often shoot my mouth off (my defining characteristic), but I have done my research on 9/11.
It may be the most complex event ever.
But it certainly was not the work of 19 blokes with boxcutters.
And everywhere…we saw the stand-down.
Two parts to Roberta Wohlstetter’s pet theory.
False-flag stand-down.
9/11 was no more Islamic than Mickey Mouse.
And so many signs proved this case.
If it had been an attack actually emanating from outside the United States (as opposed to an inside, CIA job), then our southern border would have been secured toot sweet.
But such was not the case.
And those of us near the southern border had all the information we needed to put the final nail in the coffin.
That 9/11 was a self-inflicted attack.
[with help from Israeli Mossad and others]
It was a team effort of the globalists.
However, to paraphrase Guy Debord, “deceit deceived itself”.
9/11 was the day when the Ivy League lost.
Once and for all.
Never again will Yale be the same.
Never again will Harvard be guiltless (if they ever were [and they weren’t]).
Brave people spoke out.
Webster Tarpley (of Princeton).
Steve Pieczenik (of Cornell and Harvard).
But now our Ivy League President (Penn) has a chance to reverse the sustained-lie–the 8-year-nightmare of Barack Obama’s unreality.
The Democratic Party squandered its chance to see the neocons swing from the gallows.
It would have been the end of the Republican Party.
But the Democrats chose more deception.
You can’t kill a dead man (bin Laden).
The fraudulent War “on” Terror waged on…with many innocent patriots deceived unto death.
And now race…racism…is but one problem plaguing us.
So, my friends, I urge you to see Three Amigos.
Let yourself laugh.
And “think about it” (as Jerry Lee Lewis was wont to say).
But don’t think too hard.
Because hell too is part of the divine comedy.
-PD
by paulydeathwish
filed under 80s comedy, Mexique
tagged as 1980s, 9/11, 9/11 truth, absurd, absurdity, accents, Alex Jones, apologia, Barack Obama, barbarian, Bill O'Reilly, bin Laden, black lives matter, blowback, Bordeaux, bravery, Brexit, build the wall, business, bylines, capitalism, Central Intelligence Agency, Chevy Chase, chimps, China, CIA, cinema, civilization, civilized, Clouseau, comedy, commerce, communism, communist, consequentialism, constraints, control, Cornell, crude, Dante, deception, Democratic Party, Dijon, diversity, Divine Comedy, Donald Trump, Dr. Steve Pieczenik, Election, electoral college, English, Erdogan, Euclid, Euclid's Elements, European Union, Fabian socialism, Fabians, fake flag, false flag, false-flag stand-down, film, film review, films, forced globalization, Fox News, France, free market, freedom, French, funny, Gayssot Act, genetics, genius, Geoffrey Carr, globalism, globalist, globalization, government, Guy Debord, hard work, Harvard, hell, heroes, Hillary Clinton, Hispanic, history, Holocaust, holocaust denial, humanity, humor, immigration, inferno, Infowars, inside job, Inspector Clouseau, Internet, Israel, Ivy League, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Landis, journalism, la frontera, Latina, Latino, laughter, liberty, limits, linguistics, Loi Gayssot, Louvre, MAGA, make America great again, manufacturing, Marine Le Pen, Martin Short, masterpiece, Mexicans, Mexico, Mossad, names, Native Americans, neocons, neoconservatism, neoconservative, neoliberalism, obsolescence, offended, offense, opportunity, Penn, Peter Sellers, phenotype, phenotypes, Pink Panther, polite, politeness, politesse, politically correct, pre-crime, Princeton, production, productivity, public policy, race, race relations, races, racism, racist, reactionary, redistribution of wealth, Republican party, Roberta Wohlstetter, safe spaces, secrecy, self-inflicted, semantics, sharing, shortcut, skin color, social engineering, socialism, south Texas, southern border, Stand down, stereotypes, Steve Martin, Steve Pieczenik, synthetic globalization, Texas, The Economist, the globalists, the Internet, the means justify the ends, The Party, The Pink Panther, The Wall, the West, theory of constraints, thought crime, Three Amigos, Trump, Trump effect, Turkey, tyranny, ulterior motives, United States, University of Pennsylvania, unreality, USA, war, war on terror, wealth, wealth redistribution, Webster Griffin Tarpley, Webster Tarpley, West Africa, Western culture, white man, white people, white privilege, Yale
Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story [2003)
Happy Birthday to Thora Birch, my favorite actress of all time!
Yes, I know…I know.
A film critic whose favorite actress is a young 35-year-old whipper snapper???
That’s alright.
Laugh at me.
If the question was, “Who was your favorite classic Hollywood actress?,” then I would answer, “Lauren Bacall”.
But I said favorite actress of all time.
You can search my “Thora” category here on my site for why exactly this actress is my favorite.
Because otherwise, we’re going to be here all day.
And I have a movie to review!
One of my favorites: Homeless to Harvard.
It is, indeed …The Liz Murray Story, but I will be using the shortened title hereafter for brevity’s sake.
It is my contention (and I have made the point elsewhere…probably on this very site of mine) that Thora Birch produced a trilogy of acting performances which are more-or-less analogous to Bob Dylan’s classic trilogy.
Let’s start with Dylan.
The three (at unity from a similarity of intense expression):
–Bringing It All Back Home
–Blonde on Blonde
And now the Thora films which correspond in my mind:
–Homeless to Harvard
Sure…Birch didn’t direct these films.
But her acting is so strong, she might as well have.
By this point she was no longer a prodigy.
She was a mature actress. A master of her craft.
And the story here is one to really sink teeth in.
[In which.]
We recently touched on homelessness here in the review of Alicia Vikander’s stellar turn as Katarina from Till det som är vackert.
But the esthetics of Homeless to Harvard are different.
This isn’t European arthouse. It’s a Lifetime made-for-TV film.
But don’t go running anywhere!!!
This is as gritty as any Lou Reed tale.
And it’s all real.
Too pure.
Heroin addict parents.
Mother schizophrenic.
Blindness.
Genetic.
Mother with HIV.
Father with AIDS.
Vice versa ice Ursa.
Father in homeless shelter.
Mother wielding knife. Vomiting.
Alcoholism.
Really appealing, eh?
But you gotta stick with it.
This isn’t Darren Aronofsky mise-en-scène.
It’t not, “Let’s win an award at Sundance.” Or, “Let’s sweep at Cannes.”
It’s more like one of Aesop’s fables.
It’s the message, man!
And so first, let’s honor the director.
Peter Levin.
Who knew a television film could be so artful?
Well, when you combine the history of Histoire(s) du cinéma with the precedent of Twin Peaks, you should know by now that television can produce good stuff.
Your TV can even WATCH YOU! (as per WikiLeaks Vault7).
The weeper (no masonry) sob story…had me crying in my Junior Mints…we must attribute to the excellent writing of Ronni Kern.
Who the hell is Ronni Kern?!?
Male? Female?
I’ve had less trouble finding the gender of completely unknown foreign movie people.
But Kern is pretty invisible on the Internet.
And maybe there’s a point here.
It doesn’t fucking matter.
You should judge someone on their work, not their gender.
Hopefully Ms. Birch will appreciate this flash of liberalism should she read this review.
[I’m not holding my breath]
But we have just celebrated International Women’s Day.
And the fact that Birch’s character here is a “feminist” is a running pseudo-joke.
Which brings us to the performances.
Michael Riley is stellar, stellar (I know…) as Liz’s father Peter.
Kudos to the styling department.
That beard. And that hair!
Crazy, man, crazy!!
But Riley’s performance is really special.
It touched my heart.
Long ago.
When I first saw this film.
And dare I say, this movie made me appreciate my own family.
It made me miss my folks.
And so I salute Peter Riley and Lifetime and all involved for that effect on my heart.
Jennifer Pisana is really fabulous as the young Liz Murray here.
It’s an unenviable task.
To precede Thora Birch’s entrance.
But Pisana is indispensable to this little masterpiece.
Those sweaters.
And the full pronunciations…”Mommy”…”Daddy”…
Ms. Pisana affects the necessary naïveté to be juxtaposed against the sad schizophrenia of Kelly Lynch (who plays Liz’s mom).
And Lynch is great.
Think Cries and Whispers.
[cris et chuchotements…(( (( ((…et chuchotements]
Robert Bockstael does a fine job as Liz’s teacher David.
Very convincing. Excellent craftsmanship.
Makyla Smith is piquant in her depiction of Liz’s best friend Chris.
[God…the Magic Marker…and the pine box…fuuuuuuck]
Yes, friends…this is Lifetime Television.
So the brisure (bonjour, monsieur Derrida) is “crap”.
“Crap happens.”
Whoa…watch thy mouth, Kelly Lynch!
So again…Peter Levin does a fantastic job shoehorning a true X-file into PG territory.
We see a syringe here and there. A tourniquet.
Riley cleaning a spoon.
But the real heartbreak is Wheat Chex with tap water.
Hello Gummo.
Ellen Page has a small role here.
And she’s good.
Fine actress.
But we’ve been waiting to roll out the big gun.
Thora Birch.
On this, her birthday, I am only just now getting towards a handful of reviews honoring her unique thespian gift.
What to say?
That every look is magic?
That every glance is gold?
That she has crafted her microexpressions in solitude…and wielded them like an Arthurian sword for the duration of this flick?
Yes, yes, and yes.
[and an Oxford comma]
Because kids take it for granted.
Rich kids.
Harvard.
Penn.
Princeton.
But even more so the lesser ivied walls.
I won’t name names.
But the spoiled kids.
Not turning in homework.
Bragging about shortcuts.
Those, ultimately, will be life’s losers.
But Liz Murray worked her butt off to get into Harvard.
From sleeping on the B Train.
Four years of high school in two.
And Thora Birch has worked her butt off too.
She hasn’t gotten the roles her talent deserves.
But the roles she has gotten, she has largely smashed out of the park.
Like the Babe Ruth of leading ladies.
And so there are other actresses I admire.
But Thora Birch was the first.
The first to give me that magical feeling which only Neil Young has adequately described:
“I fell in love with the actress/She was playin’ a part that I could understand”.
Happy Birthday, Thora Birch!
And may all your days and films be filled with the joy which you have put into the world through your cinematic brilliance.
filed under Thora
tagged as A Man Needs a Maid, acting, actresses, addiction, Aesop, AIDS, alcoholism, Alicia Vikander, American Beauty, artful, arthouse, auteur theory, B Train, Babe Ruth, birthday, blindness, Blonde on Blonde, Bob Dylan, brilliance, Bringing It All Back Home, brisure, broken home, Cannes, cinema, college, crap, Cries and Whispers, Darren Aronofsky, deconstruction, Derrida, education, Ellen Page, esthetics, fable, family, feminism, film criticism, film review, funeral, funerals, gender, Ghost World, Godard, gritty, Gummo, happy birthday, hard work, Harvard, Harvest, heart, heroin, high school, Highway 61 Revisited, Histoire(s) du cinéma, HIV, Hollywood, homeless, homeless shelter, Homeless to Harvard, homelessness, homework, hunger, International Women's Day, Internet footprint, Jacques Derrida, Jean-Luc Godard, Jennifer Pisana, joy, Junior Mints, Kelly Lynch, Lauren Bacall, leading ladies, leading lady, liberalism, Lifetime, Lifetime Television, Lifetime TV network, Liz Murray, losers, Lou Reed, made-for-TV, Magic Marker, Makyla Smith, masonry, masterpiece, memetics, Michael Riley, microexpressions, mise-en-scene, movie review, needle and spoon, Neil Young, Oxford comma, parents, Penn, Peter Levin, piquant, poverty, Princeton, pure, rich kids, Robert Bockstael, Ronni Kern, sad, schizophrenia, shortcuts, sob story, solitude, spoiled, Sundance, syringes, television, thespian, Thora Birch, Till det som ar vackert, too pure!, touching, tourniquet, twin peaks, Vault7, wealth, Wheat Chex, Wikileaks, work
Seymour: An Introduction [2014)
Big gigantic balls.
It took Ethan Hawke.
Whom I formerly mistook for a hack.
To not even dabble in détournement.
But rather.
Straight-up.
Call it.
Seymour: An Introduction
After Salinger.
But let me dispel all uncertainly early on.
This film, directed by Ethan Hawke, is a masterpiece.
The premise seemed interesting.
On Netflix.
“This should,” I thought, “be an easy one to jettison after a few painful minutes of shabby mise-en-scène…[after ignoring it on my ‘list’ for quite some time]”
And though there is no Liszt (ha!), Ethan Hawke tells one of the most touching stories I’ve ever seen.
Yes, that is the correct verbiage.
In the synesthesia of cinema.
It is the story of Seymour Bernstein (and not, as the title might lead one to believe, that of Seymour Glass).
Seymour did not become the supernova which his fellow Bernstein (Leonard) became.
No, Seymour Bernstein stepped away from the stage early.
As in, curtailed his career.
As a performer.
A pianist.
[but always a son–a man]
And so what makes Ethan Hawke’s film particularly special for me is the synergy created from two colliding ideas of great power: music and anxiety.
Ah, to perform…
It’s hard (really, very fucking hard) for me to recall the good times which make me sad.
Those would be my four short years as a professional music performer.
[three of which coincided with a parallel mini-career as a studio (recording) musician]
Why did I step away?
To paraphrase Bogart in The Big Sleep, I must rank pretty high on insubordination.
I’m a rebel.
And though I pray that I never follow in the darker footsteps of Phil Spector, I was very much in what one would term popular or pop music.
But it wasn’t from a lack of training.
My bachelor’s degree, from an esteemed institution, is almost exclusively due to courses in Western classical music.
Though I am but an amateur pianist compared to Mr. Bernstein, I have a deep appreciation for what he is doing all throughout this film.
As a trained music theorist (my specialization).
And a trained composer (the activity to which I dedicated the bulk of my undergraduate hours).
But there is something more.
Seymour: An Introduction is very much about hard work.
About craft.
What I’m doing right now.
What you are reading.
It is my craft.
Music has flown…like a fleeting bird.
And I have had to transpose my urge to create from “EveryGoodBoyDoesFine” by way of copious vicissitudes to “PleaseExcuseMyDearAuntSally” and other far-afield mnemonic devices.
Yes, dear friends…I identify with Ethan Hawke’s struggle.
And it is painful to watch him.
But he has redeemed himself with this film.
Through great doubt we travel…
What the fuck am I doing in business school?
Does my acting mean anything whatsoever to ME anymore?
To weave it, my problems were/are different than those of Mr. Hawke.
He is standing on the stage…[places, everyone]…on the X where I wish I was.
Directing a film.
You need a producer.
An “executive” producer.
You need a law firm.
Legal counsel.
[for all those archival clips you want to interpolate]
Yes…there is a long list of credited individuals at the culmination of Seymour: An Introduction.
It doesn’t just say “Ethan Hawke”.
Those are the realities of film.
Godard has illustrated it as a process of check-writing.
$50 here. [more like] $3,000 here.
And again. And again.
But it is obvious this was a project of love for Ethan Hawke.
Mr. Bernstein is 89 and still (apparently) teaches at NYU.
And what a gifted soul!
This documentary reminded me of so many beautiful, important things!
It all moves too fast…
The pictures with Nadia Boulanger…
But Korea sticks.
At the front lines.
As jaw-dropping as Messiaen in his prison camp.
But let me speak to the choir now…
Friends of Deutsche Grammophon et al..
It’s important.
That extra dot.
To point out.
No pun intended.
A service.
PRACTICE in front of your audience (Warhol advised).
Dear Messrs,
[and scholarly, epicurean (?) womenfolk]
We have, in these minutes, footage of the great Glenn Gould.
We learn the chair.
How low.
Carry out folded.
Like a shabby parcel of manuscripts.
But Mr. Bernstein gives us the cinderblocks.
And while it is scary (Glenn Gould) in its proficiency.
The ear of God.
We get an even greater surprise.
Yes, most startling.
Clifford Curzon.
And the passion of a boy from Islington.
Unfurling arpeggios effortlessly.
While the baritone fingers surface the melody.
Just breathing above the water’s surface.
Curzon.
Those glasses.
We fall in love.
Year after I was born.
By 17 days.
Seymour Bernstein’s eight-year career was over.
As a public performer.
Debuting with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (!) a Brazilian piano concerto in world premiere (the 2nd by Villa-Lobos).
Double my career 🙂
[in more ways than one, I’m sure]
But as an astute student in the film observes, it was many thousands of hours (of practice and other dedicatory acts) to get to that point.
Mr. Bernstein didn’t sit down with the CSO and sightread the Villa-Lobos concerto.
It wasn’t his first time playing.
And so it comes back to work.
And anxiety.
& music.
Seymour Bernstein: God bless you for knowing the quadrivium.
That MUSIC was one of the four higher liberal arts.
For the ancient Greeks.
Along with arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy.
What isn’t mentioned is that in which I am currently dabbling.
[dabbling my ass off]
The trivium.
Those “lower” three of the liberal arts.
Grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
And the liberal arts…in opposition to the practical arts.
[the latter being such as medicine…or architecture]
{Footnotes to be provided when hell freezes over}
And so I heartily recommend you watch this documentary.
Appreciate the importance of music.
See Abraham ready to sacrifice Isaac.
[he will laugh!]
Because God gives back.
Even though Mr. Bernstein doesn’t believe.
It makes no difference to me.
I am but human.
And I have a right.
To believe.
In God.
In music.
He just disappeared.
One last concert.
At the YMCA.
Knowing when to end.
When the notes fade.
And if on a good piano,
they almost seem to swell first.
As if by magic…
filed under eat the document, notre musique
tagged as Abraham and Isaac, acting, ancient Greece, anxiety, Bogart, business school, careers, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, cinema, classical music, Clifford Curzon, craftsmanship, CSO, dabbling, détournement, dedication, Deutsche Grammophon, documentary, doubt, dreams, endings, entertainment law, Ethan Hawke, every good boy does fine, film, film direction, film production, film review, fleeting, footnotes, Glenn Gould, God, Godard, hard work, he will laugh, insubordination, Isaac, Islington, Korea, Korean War, Leonard Bernstein, liberal arts, love, masterpiece, melody, memories, Messiean, mise-en-scene, mnemonic devices, music, music appreciation, music composition, music performance, music theory, my list, Nadia Boulanger, Netflix, New York University, NYU, painful, pedagogy, performer, Phil Spector, pianist, pianists, piano, please excuse my dear aunt Sally, pop music, popular music, practical arts, practice, precision, problems, quadrivium, rebel, recommended, redemption, resonance, Salinger, Seymour Bernstein, Seymour Glass, Seymour: An Introduction, sightreading, struggle, synesthesia, teacher, teaching, The Big Sleep, trivium, vicissitudes, Villa-Lobos, Warhol, work
Trump Press Conference, February 16 [2017)
The Trump Presidency officially has a new high-water mark.
And it came today.
The epic excoriation of Western media (and, in particular, the woeful American branch of that diseased tree).
I have largely refrained from treating political events for the past months.
This was for a variety of reasons.
But today’s Trump victory was a feature-length (*) reminder of why we elected this guy.
I didn’t see it live, but I watched the interview in its entirety later in the day.
With the utmost irony, I will be using and referring to the “official transcript” which has just recently been posted by The New York Times.
It’s only befitting that they continue to precipitate their own downfall.
Keep in mind that the NYT is getting their transcript from Federal News Service: a subsidiary of The Economist Group.
As in The Economist.
As in, that spineless, globalist rag which completely forgoes bylines (à la Chatham House rules).
As in, the opposition.
Keeping that in mind, let’s see exactly what the hero of the free world had to say today.
First, President Trump bemoaned the treatment of his cabinet selections.
Indeed, the Democratic Party in the United States has become the embarrassment they wish to project upon Donald Trump.
The Democratic Party has, it seems, absolutely no cogent strategy whatsoever at this point.
And so, indeed, the only real political chaos is within that camp.
To clarify…it’s not just a BAD strategy which the Democrats have adopted in an effort to keep their ragtag band of poseurs on political life-support, but rather A COMPLETE LACK OF STRATEGY which characterizes the sum of their pathetic tactics.
Yes, Mr. Trump: “the people get it”.
We rednecks. We of middle-America.
Many colors and creeds.
Yes, we fucking get it.
You are the man!
As a student of (and holder of an advanced degree in) business, I bloody well understand why the world of commerce is welcoming Trump.
It’s those trite words which are pounded into every MBA’s head.
Value creation.
There’s no Bernie-Sanders-ing our way out of the current quagmire.
Only a leader with tremendous cojones could even have a shot at successfully pulling off the rebuilding of America.
Because we have squandered our position in the world.
At the expense of truth, we have fallen down a muddy chute.
And the free-fall (while not apparent to all) has been going on for some time.
So we are, indeed, putting a great deal of faith in Mr. Trump to right the ship.
Really, we’re like the goddamned Titanic over here.
But business has to work.
There’s no willy-nilly socialism which is going to patch up our death-wound which is bleeding money.
There’s no value creation in that.
Try it out.
War-game it.
Which isn’t to say that rapacious monopoly capitalism is the answer.
But we are a capitalist country.
And China’s ascent has not been due to some new interpretation of Marx.
Fuck no!
“I’m making this presentation directly to the American people, with the media present, which is an honor to have you. This morning, because many of our nation’s reporters and folks will not tell you the truth, and will not treat the wonderful people of our country with the respect that they deserve.”
A-fucking-men!
Yes, dear friends…the election of Donald Trump was a referendum AGAINST THE CORPORATE MASS MEDIA.
[first and foremost]
And this same media is still living in denial.
Their allies are reprobates.
And they reach out their desperate tentacles for shadier and shadier sustenance.
And so, though it be hard to fathom, the mass media in the U.S. is actually GETTING WORSE.
That’s because it is dying.
Death throes.
Donald Trump is no idiot.
His assessment of The New York Times as being a terminally-failing (publically-traded) company is business analysis.
And it’s unequivocal.
But you know what?
The media hated Trump all along.
The old media.
And he didn’t, as it turned out, need to curry favor with them after all.
He spoke to the crowd.
He went around.
He outflanked the biggest, most puffed-up hegemony in the world.
So we’re giving Israel a chance.
We’re giving Trump a chance.
I’m not a Republican.
I’m just a schmuck who voted for Trump.
You can make the call as to whether I’m erudite enough to have such a privilege.
But Donald Trump has taught me to have pride in my country.
To have pride in the United States of America.
To be grateful for those who serve in the military.
To be grateful for those who serve as police officers.
That’s the positivity I get from Donald Trump.
It’s probably the Norman Vincent Peale in him.
But I also see a very strong leader.
A person who doesn’t take any shit from anyone.
Had Bernie Sanders such a spine, the protests would have gone for broke at the Democratic National Convention.
But too bad.
Sorry, people.
You had your chance to dethrone your greatest foe.
And she was in your own camp.
You know, I actually feel sorry for the Democratic Party…
No political party should have ever been represented by such a lousy candidate as Hillary Clinton.
But that was the “now-or-never” moment.
It passed.
And we who embraced the market system which rewards hard work…we won.
[and it doesn’t take a genius to understand why]
Complaining after the fact doesn’t cut it.
Get out and vote.
Campaign.
Blood, sweat, and tears.
If you lose, you lose.
But if you half-ass it, probability is not in your favor.
We Trump supporters took immense heat.
Shellacking.
We’re “racist”. “Bigots”.
Blah blah frickety blah.
But it doesn’t matter what you pathetic losers think.
Because, believe it or not, we actually want prosperity for you too.
Because maybe someday you’ll thank us that we still have a country left.
But I’ll just leave you with one zinger which sums up our entire Zeitgeist.
You wanna know Donald Trump’s take on the media…in one pithy jab?
“The press — the public doesn’t believe you people anymore.”
That carried the day.
The anti-Trump media (which is at least 80% of the American airwaves and newsstands) needs to go back to their Sun Tzu, their Machiavelli, their Clausewitz, and their Jomini.
Because they’re losing this fucking war.
The decimation is more laughable than honorable.
Unlock your little brains, liberals.
Come out and play.
And leave the deck-chair-rearranging to Schumers.
filed under politique
tagged as America, American media, American people, Bernie Sanders, bigot, bigotry, bigots, business, cabinet, campaign, capitalism, chaos, Chatham House, Chatham House rules, China, Chuck Schumer, Clausewitz, cojones, commerce, complaining, corporate mass media, corporate media, decimation, Democratic National Convention, Democratic Party, dinosaur media, Donald Trump, drain the swamp, February 16, Federal News Service, flyover country, free market, free world, globalist, hard work, hegemony, heroes, Hillary, Hillary Clinton, incredulous, Israel, Jomini, journalism, leader, leadership, liberals, losing, Machiavelli, MAGA, make America great again, market system, Marx, mass media, MBA, media, middle America, military, Norman Vincent Peale, pathetic, police, politics, poseurs, positivity, President Trump, press conference, probability, prosperity, protests, quagmire, racism, racist, red states, redneck, rednecks, referendum, reporters, Republican, RIIA, Royal Institute of International Affairs, socialism, strategy, Sun Tzu, tactics, The Economist, The Economist Group, the globalists, The New York Times, Trump, Trump supporter, Trump supporters, truth, United States, United States of America, value, value creation, vote, voting, war, Western media, zeitgeist
Super Bowl LI [2017)
In what can only be described as an act of God.
Almost one-to-one correspondence with U.S. election.
Two of the only celebrities to endorse Trump.
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
It wasn’t a popular position.
Unenviable, really.
Like being 25 down.
When the biggest turnaround in 50 years had been 14.
Well, one thing’s for sure: the first overtime.
In 51 years, the big game had never needed extra minutes.
Quite simply the best football game I’ve ever seen.
I almost didn’t watch it.
Sure, I liked the underdog Falcons.
But when a team is getting stomped, the tables turn.
Overdog becomes underdog.
Patriots got no shot, right?
Hillary’s our next President.
Might as well not even go to the polls.
But they started chipping.
You’re gonna have to score twice.
And convert two two-point conversions.
[a sentence which only makes sense in America]
It was a sweet victory.
Even with one of the worst companies on Earth (PepsiCo) sponsoring the halftime show.
[headed by the world’s worst CEO: Indra Nooyi]
And even with Lady Gaga spirit cooking her “heil Hillary” butt off under the aegis of Pepsi.
And even with all the liberal, rubbish commercials.
And especially with the NFL commercial which took a shot at Tom Brady for being a sore loser.
Nice try, NFL.
But you just got owned by a winner.
Tom Brady.
So Mr. Brady and Mr. Belichick, thank you for sticking your necks out when you had nothing to gain.
You were pro-Trump.
When the world had their heads up their asses.
And tonight proved what heart and hard work do.
No panic.
Just steady determination.
You don’t win them all.
But you are never in a position to win if you don’t keep on fighting till the very end.
filed under Sports et divertissements
tagged as act of God, America, American English, Atlanta Falcons, Bill Belichick, celebrities, comeback, determination, Donald Trump, football, force majeure, halftime, hard work, heart, Hillary, Indra Nooyi, Lady Gaga, National Football League, New England Patriots, NFL, overdog, overtime, Pepsi, PepsiCo, spirit cooking, Super Bowl, Super Bowl commercials, Super Bowl LI, Tom Brady, Trump, U.S. election, underdog, victory, voting
Twin Peaks “The Orchid’s Curse” [1990)
Rough sleep.
Bit of a logjam.
@ The Great Northern.
And so we learn that life doesn’t work out like on television.
Doesn’t get spun into gold as at the movies.
But we still admire when we identify.
What is the purpose for anything?
All we can control is working hard.
Max Weber.
Recessed to a cul-de-sac of the mind.
Travel alarm.
Audacious mission.
The usual humor from Harry Goaz (UT graduate).
Austin.
And Kimmy Robertson.
A melodrama fit for melodrama.
Post-modern fit for fat. Tic-tac-toe.
Episode improves upon recitative drought.
The creepiest collection of personages this side of the Mississippi River.
Casting at gas stations. Diners. Truck stops. Rest stops.
Toll booths. Strip malls. Turnpikes. Donut and taco situations.
And always some French fries.
Derrida’s brisure at “doohickey”.
filed under twin peaks
tagged as admiration, alarm clock, audacious, Austin, brisure, casting, characters, creepy, cul-de-sac, David Lynch, deconstruction, Derrida, doohickey, episode, hard work, Harry Goaz, humor, identify, Kimmy Robertson, logjam, Max Weber, melodrama, movies, postmodern, purpose, television, The Great Northern, tic-tac-toe, truck stops, twin peaks, University of Texas
Corner Store [2010)
I previously reviewed the Palestinian masterpiece خمس كاميرات محطمة (Five Broken Cameras).
And we shall return to Palestine with another moving documentary.
Another masterpiece.
For this one we have a very perceptive American director to thank: Katherine Bruens.
But all of it would be for naught if not for a shining example of humanity: corner store owner Yousef Elhaj.
The occupation of Palestine can elicit such feelings of anger and disgust (as well it should).
But every once in a while a real kind spirit comes along.
And such kind spirits shame the despicable Israeli settlers and their vulture military even more so than the most vitriolic polemic.
Yousef Elhaj is such a person.
Sweet. Hardworking. Kind. Quiet. Patient. Hardworking.
And (big surprise) a Christian.
Here we see a different perspective from 5 Broken Cameras.
I suppose we are used to assuming that all Palestinians are Muslims (and a vast majority are), but it is interesting to see things from a different perspective.
Elhaj’s life in Bethlehem (occupied West Bank) was just as crappy as that of any Muslim living there or in any other part of the criminally unrecognized Palestine.
Another important point… Being Christian does not make Elhaj any less Arab.
Most importantly… Peace in the Middle East is possible because of people like Yousef Elhaj.
He is really a jaw-dropping personage.
So much sacrifice for his family.
7:30 a.m.-midnight.
A little corner store on Church St. in San Francisco.
And to see life in Bethlehem.
To see the hell of walls and settlements which the Israelis have erected.
The settlements encroach. The settlements surround.
Bethlehem is completely encircled by concrete structures which are too artless for even Frank Gehry to barf on.
That’s what settlements mean.
Don’t let the euphemism fool you.
“Settlements” are concrete apartment blocks built on stolen land.
That would be bad enough were it not for the ubiquitous (and racist) walls which stockade Palestine.
And yet we don’t see anger from Mr. Elhaj.
He isn’t shown at a protest.
He just wants his family to be alright.
And his main emotion upon seeing the decline of his home town of Bethlehem is sadness.
The Israeli gun towers. Turrets to protect the settlers. And to hell with everyone else.
The sadness as a business man is remarkable.
What made him leave in the first place.
Things weren’t just bad. They were awful.
And so he has been away from his family for ten years.
He could have brought them to the U.S., but our immigration laws are not written to think of people as people.
Rather, our laws reduce people to statistics.
Quotas.
I can only figure that Mr. Elhaj (as bad as things were for him) actually had it better than Muslim Palestinians hoping to start a new life in America. [Which is to say, Muslims in general are not in an enviable position at this time regarding their leverage in situations of immigration review.]
So let’s think about it…
Bernie Sanders might be a generally disposable candidate, but he’s gotten a couple things right.
When he talks about America’s strength being its diversity? He’s absolutely right.
It’s trite. It’s Democrat politics 101…but it is correct.
And Mr. Trump (whom I like)… Wanna see what walls do? Go check out Palestine. Actually get in the open-air jail. Don’t view it from a safe distance courtesy of the occupiers.
The walls are ugly.
Fearful.
Weak.
Mr. Elhaj has so much to teach us in this documentary.
You can succeed in America.
The opportunity is there.
It may not be pretty.
But when you’re coming from the hell of Bethlehem, it’s a walk in the park.
You do it all for your family.
For ten years.
filed under eat the document, Palestine
tagged as America, American, Arab, BDS, Bernie Sanders, Bethlehem, business, Christian, concrete, convenience store, Corner Store, diversity, documentary, economics, euphemism, family, Five Broken Cameras, Frank Gehry, hard work, humanity, immigration, immigration law, Israel, Israeli, Katherine Bruens, masterpiece, Middle East, Muslims, occupation, opportunity, Palestine, Palestinian, peace, racism, sacrifice, sadness, San Francisco, settlers, Trump, walls, West Bank, Yousef Elhaj
Twin Peaks “Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer” [1990)
By way of progressing my survey of David Lynch’s masterpiece television series, I would like to direct your attention to a film which I will likely not review in the normal sense.
That film is The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.
There’s some rubbish about POM Wonderful which officially fills out the title.
I wouldn’t be a Jewish mother if I didn’t worry about such stuff.
David Lynch was right to introduce Michael J. Anderson 11 years before MJA’s portrayal of Larry Silverstein premiered at Cannes.
The whole thing came to me in a dream.
The collapse of the stritch and manzello.
In a dream I saw the bright shining genius of Morgan Spurlock.
The birth of Chomsky and Nader.
Putting a word to beauty: Mädchen Amick.
Miss or missy. Little maid.
In dreams wiped clean like São Paulo.
Or Tibet.
Martin Lindstrom is following closely the amygdala.
60 feet and 6 inches from a damn good cup of coffee.
Mark Crispin Miller rightly brings up “the spectacle” (I SEE you…).
Miguel Ferrer is a perfect Rosenfield.
No one uses Mane ‘n Tail on queer street.
It’s hard to pin down further.
Brilliance and brilliances.
Courage to be clever.
A place to fit within the business world.
The disruptive innovation of two auteurs.
Spurlock and Lynch.
Fact and fiction or faction.
Slice of life and life of slices.
Sad for what we’ve lost. And hopeful for what we’ll gain.
Hard work. Optimism. Artistic integrity.
Marketing is no less surreal than a Shetland pony speaking through backmasking (and subtitles).
A kiss from Sheryl Lee.
Perhaps there is no other way to convey the savant fullness of Kyle MacLachlan than through such an oblique strategy.
tagged as amygdala, auteurs, backmasking, brilliance, business, Cannes, clever, coffee, courage, David Lynch, disruptive innovation, dream, faction, film, genius, hard work, hopeful, Kyle MacLachlan, Larry Silverstein, Madchen Amick, Mane 'n Tail, manzello, Mark Crispin Miller, Martin Lindstrom, Michael J. Anderson, Miguel Ferrer, Morgan Spurlock, Mulholland Dr., Noam Chomsky, oblique strategies, optimism, Ralph Nader, Roland Kirk, sad, Sao Paulo, savant, Sheryl Lee, Shetland pony, slice of life, stritch, subtitles, television, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, the spectacle, Tibet, twin peaks
80s comedy
A bout l’auteur
Amer-ica
aw-kward
big bush
Czech please
Dennings
dodecaphonic
eat the document
L & H
notre musique
R. Atkinson
sartre chasm
sigh-fi
Sports et divertissements
Thora
UNited ations
Walt Hill
Yugo I go
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [1989)
Hector and the Search for Happiness [2014)
This Beautiful Fantastic [2016)
Loving Vincent [2017)
Medianeras [2011)
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Postcultural
A running commentary on my many obsessions.
← From David to Dexter… Michael C. Hall's Deeply Damaged Dramatics
GOSSIP @ 9:30 Club 10/7/09 →
DC Killin': Bridging the Gaps of the District's Subcultures
When I first moved to Washington, I heard plenty about “the two DCs:” two disparate cultures, ostensibly with transient denizens of the Capitol Hill-K Street-Georgetown axis on one hand and native Washingtonians on the other. The separation was cultural and economic, with racial undertones. The reality, as with all generalizations, is much more complicated.
DC is a creative class city. Even the Wall Street Journal knows that. With residents of every national and international origin, DC has developed a multitude of cultures. As a whole, the District rejects homogeneity and is all the better for it (the same can’t be said for some of its parts, i.e. the aforementioned Capitol Hill-K Street-Georgetown axis, but I digress). And while this fragmentation has let scenes develop for every individual taste, pigeonholing not seen since high school lunch tables keeps apart people who should be socializing, communicating, and most importantly, partying.
It may be ambitious, but the new monthly getdown All Killer No Filler aims to end this, at least partially, by bridging the gap between the urban and alternative dance scenes, whose aesthetic and musical tastes have more in common than not.
Joint Chiefs, the cultural Voltron of Winston Ford of The Couch Sessions, Sonya Collins of The Glass House and Marcus Dowling of True Genius Requires Insanity, three of DC’s leading tastemakers and trend-spotters, planned, executed and hosted the inaugural All Killer No Filler on Thursday, October 1 at Liv Nightclub (2001 11th Street NW).
The evening began with two of DCs finest DJs on the turntables, spinning tunes guaranteed to get the crowd of early-adopters ready for an exciting night. First up was DJ Cam Jus, whose inventive mixes and eclectic musical tastes make him a perfect fit for everyone in this crowd. This is a selector on the rise: check out his excellent edits of Nike Boots and Bang for a taste of his style. Next up, the ever-present DC DJ Trevor Martin (Sneakers in the Club /$weat$hop), spinning hip-hop hits from ’89 to ’09. These tunes are tried and true – who doesn’t sing along when “Juicy” comes on?
Just as Liv’s bar and dance floor started to fill up, it was time for the night’s featured performer: up-and-comer RAtheMC (Strange Music). Here’s an artist who truly embodies All Killer No Filler’s ideals: a rapper-slash-singer whose skills on the mic are undeniable, who still tries to push things forward with fashion and style. Ra, backed by live drums and keys, wasted no time, rapping over “Uptown” and “D.O.A” before performing her own songs.
Any female musician who brings a combination of rapping and singing will be unfairly compared to Lauryn Hill (see: Estelle, every article about). Luckily, this doesn’t discourage Ra, whose re-working of Ms. Hill’s “Lost Ones” is a highlight of her set (check out the brand new video for this track). Ra definitely takes the MC part of moniker seriously, engaging the crowd every second she’s on stage. And as someone who had braces, I can’t imagine rapping with that much metal in your mouth (okay, so it’s no “Through the Wire” accomplishment, but nothing to sneer at). Her new mixtape, the Twitter-inspired “Trending Topics,” drops on October 6 and features production by Mick Boogie and DC’s own Judah (on the beat).
Accompanying Ra was frequent collaborator Mz. Mimz, whose mixtape “Thoughts While Getting Dressed” introduced DC to its newest soul chanteuse. Her sound reminds me of another DC R&B singer, Wayna. Hopefully, All Killer introduced the audience to another Next Big Thing.
Closing out the night were two of DC’s most in-demand DJs, Steve Starks and Nacey, who wasted no time in dropping the hottest in club/electro/dance bangers guaranteed to keep the crowd’s energy up. From their own songs (“Lose Your Love”) to brand new tracks (Duck Sauce’s “aNYway”) to the classics (Ghost City DJs’ “My Boo”), these are songs that if you’re not dancing, you may be broken.
Anyone who’s spent some time in the District knows there are more than just “two DCs:” there are countless subcultures and scenes, with something for everyone. But between the promotion the Joint Chiefs are known for, and the word-of-mouth growth similar events have garnered, All Killer No Filler is sure to change that, for the better.
Upset you missed one hell of a party? See you on November 5 for an All Killer No Filler guaranteed to push the limits of what a DC party can be.
This entry was posted in Music and tagged all killer no filler, nacey, RAtheMC, steve starks, trevor martin. Bookmark the permalink.
Listen to Postcultural
Upstart AEW is taking WWE head on — with a focus on diversity and inclusion
This festival celebrates ‘pure dance joy’ — disco music
For Marina, her newest music comes out of love and fear
Jenny Lewis shows why she’s a born performer
Tame Impala’s freak flag flies at half-staff at Anthem show
The anything-goes sound of Del Florida
Broke Royals wants its music to ask good questions, not give answers
The eclectic collective 2012 Bid Adieu finds itself in ‘our digital purgatory’
For singer Harriet Brown, moving to L.A. spurred ‘super-painful’ self-reflection
Nobody on stage seemed to be having fun at Lil Wayne and Blink-182’s nostalgia show
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L&T acquire 24.9 lakh shares of Mindtree, shareholding now up to 28.45%
Ankita Market comments
NEW DELHI: Infrastructure major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) acquired over 24.9 lakh shares of Mindtree from open market, taking its shareholding in the IT services firm to 28.45 per cent, according to a regulatory filing.
“Larsen and Toubro Ltd has acquired 24,99,619 equity shares (with a face value of ₹10 each) of Mindtree Ltd on May 24, 2019,” a BSE filing by Mindtree said.
After the latest transaction, L&T’s shareholding in Mindtree stands at 28.45 per cent. The latest stock purchase was made at ₹980 a piece.
Earlier this month, L&T purchased around 20 per cent stake of V G Siddhartha and Cafe Coffee Day in Mindtree through a block deal for about ₹3,210 crore, and has since topped that up with share purchases from open market.
On Thursday, L&T had acquired 4.5 lakh shares of Mindtree from the open market.
In all, the infrastructure major is eyeing up to 66 percent stake in Mindtree for around ₹10,800 crore, marking the country’s first-ever hostile takeover bid in the information technology industry.
L&T had proposed to buy additional stake in Mindtree through an open offer that was slated to begin on May 14 and close on May 27. However, the open offer has been postponed as the engineering major is yet to get nod from the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
In a recent interview, L&T Group Chairman A M Naik had said the acquisition of Mindtree is the topmost agenda for the company at the moment.
“Right now, our mind is completely occupied on Mindtree and I hope, we will be able to eventually make this into a big company as well…We have got around 26 per cent stake in Mindtree and now, we will wait till we get 51 per cent. The open offer will be launched in about 10-12 days time,” he had said.
Shares of Mindtree ended flat at ₹980 per share on the BSE on Friday.
Samsung shares on high after Google cut ties with Huawei
L&T Mindtree deal
Mindtree acquisition
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Aramco declares USD 1.71 trillion valuation of its IPO, Will Sell 1.5 Percent Stake
BS-VI transition lead to dumping of old Two Wheelers in India
Tesla Y Model Launched, Starting Price is $39000
Ford Expands Self-driving Vehicle Program to Washington, D.C.
Beijing to Build 1,628 More Electric-Auto Charging Piles
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Hunt: Showdown Celebrates One Year Anniversary
Crytek’s Early Access game team looks back at a year of community-driven development.
Friday, February 22, 2019 — Exactly one year ago today, Crytek released their multi player bounty hunting game Hunt: Showdown on Steam Early Access. In that time, the Hunt team has released 16 updates and patches, adding a new map, two new times of day, additional AI, a quick play game mode, challenges, and over a dozen weapons to the game throughout the year. Today the team is celebrating by looking back at everything they have accomplished and kicking off a 30% discount on Steam, running from now until March 4th at 10 am PT/ 1pm ET/ 7pm CEST.
Performance improvements have been an important part of the Early Access process, and many of the updates have focused on increasing the Hunt experience for players with all kinds of hardware specifications. Two performance patches were released right out of the gate, and then Hunt’s first big updates added more content: five new scoped weapons, two tactical bombs, 11 Hunter outfits, 12 new traits, and fall damage. Updates have kept up a steady pace ever since. The team has continued to steadily update the game on a regular basis since the game’s launch.
“I remember launch day like it was yesterday. The entire team got together in the lounge at the Frankfurt office, so we could all be there when Hunt went live, and celebrate how much we’d achieved. You could feel the excitement in that room. It was a huge milestone for the team,” said Hunt Producer Fatih Özbayram.
Afterwards, Update 2.0 kept the ball rolling with the addition of the Dark Sight Boost, looting, bear traps, the hive bomb, a flare pistol, and the Beastface and Tomahawk traits. These were soon followed by fog, crossbows, throwing knives, weapons with silencers, a combat axe, the Bolt Thrower and Bolt Seer traits, a reporting system, mission accolades, and more equipment. Next, the Water Devil, the ducks, water-based sound traps, liquid fire bombs, waxed dynamite, and rank and prestige badges were added as well. And that only brings the retrospective up to Update 2.3.
Update 2.4 was, again, focused on performance, while 2.5 brought trainee mode, new server regions, and weapon-balancing changes to the mix. With Update 3.0, Hunt celebrated the addition of its second map, Lawson Delta, as well as the addition of a skill-based matchmaking system, movement inertia system, corpse looting, anti-teaming mechanisms, and Nvidia Highlights.
Update 4.0 was another big update, with the addition of an all-new game mode—Quick Play—for those who enjoy playing solo or wanted a shorter match time. Alongside the new mode, Hunt also got daily and weekly in-game challenges, as well as gunplay and meta changes in 4.0. This was followed by 4.1., which added night-time lighting on Lawson Delta and holiday content.
With the release of each update, the team carefully tracked community feedback, taking their comments to heart, and modifying the development roadmap to reflect what active players were saying about how to improve the game and make it an even more fun experience. The result combines the community wishes with the team’s own vision, and has made Hunt what it is today.
Hunt’s latest update, Update 4.2., focused exclusively on performance, and community members can test Update 5.0 on Hunt’s Test Server right now. One of 5.0's big highlights is a new AI character called the Immolator. Players can get a preview of this fast and persistent AI in a new teaser video or by playing a few rounds of Hunt on the Test Server.
“It has been a busy year, and I’m proud of what the team has been able to accomplish with Hunt in that time,” said Crytek CEO Avni Yerli. “Everyone has worked really hard to make Hunt what it is today. Developing the game alongside such an engaged community has been a truly rewarding experience, and Hunt’s second year is going to be even more exciting.”
About Hunt: Showdown
Hunt: Showdown is a competitive first-person bounty hunting game that packs the thrill of survival games into a match-based format. Set in Louisiana in 1895, the game boasts a mixture of PvP and PvE elements that creates a uniquely tense experience. It’s not just the creatures who are a threat—it’s every Hunter on the map. In the classic game mode, a match of Hunt pits ten players—playing solo or in teams of two—against each other as they race to take out gruesome beasts for a bounty they must collect and get off of the map, while Hunt’s quickplay mode offers a shorter match for solo players to scavenge for weapons as they compete for a diminishing pool of bounty. The higher the risk, the higher the reward–but a single mistake could cost everything. Hunt is available now on Steam. For more information, visit https://www.huntshowdown.com/.
Jennifer Willis Senior PR Manager, Crytek
jenniferw@crytek.com
www.crytek.com
Hunt: Showdown | Immolator Teaser
Official Hunt: Showdown Steam Page Link
Official Hunt: Showdown Webpage
About Crytek
Crytek is an independent videogame developer, publisher, and technology provider dedicated to pushing the boundaries of gaming with its cutting-edge 3D game development solution CRYENGINE. With headquarters in Frankfurt am Main (Germany) and studios in Kiev (Ukraine), and Istanbul (Turkey), Crytek has created multiple award-winning titles, including the original Far Cry, the Crysis series, Ryse: Son of Rome, The Climb, Robinson: The Journey and Hunt: Showdown. Crytek delivers fun and innovative gaming experiences for PC, consoles, and VR and continues to grow its reach in the games-as-a-service market. Every Crytek game is created with CRYENGINE, which can be used by anyone to create games.
For more information visit www.crytek.com and www.cryengine.com.
crytek.com
press@crytek.com
Hugo-Junkers-Strasse 3
Prezly: PR Software for Gaming
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Welcome to the Pride Centre of Edmonton
The Pride Centre of Edmonton enriches and improves the lives of LGBTQ2S+ people, their allies, and the broader community in the Greater Edmonton area with a variety of programs and services. We maintain a safe space that welcomes everyone who walks through our doors.
From the Left: Shawndy Kowalchuk, Mohamed Rahall, Estefania Cortes-Vargas, Meghan Fausto , Kala Walton — hosting a staff meeting at The Pride Centre of Edmonton with the new Executive Director Estefania Cortes-Vargas.
The Pride Centre of Edmonton Announces Changes in Executive Leadership Positions
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Forums > General Discussion > Because I don't have to cash to pay a composer...
ufoclub
Because I don't have to cash to pay a composer...
or keep a composer friend interested (I've gone through 3 different people with no luck yet) , I've had to make up a demo of my own soundtrack theme to the movie I'm making.
http://soundcloud.com/ufoclub1977/christians-theme-from-the
My art book: http://www.lulu.com/spotl...ecomicskid
VIDEO WORK: http://sharadkantpatel.com
MUSIC: https://soundcloud.com/ufoclub1977
eyewishuheaven
Hey, that sounds good!
The chords are a little reminiscent of Is There Anybody Out There? by Pink Floyd, but you say they're inspired by an Irving Berlin piece, so maybe PF nicked 'em from IB, too!
Anyway, great, moody stuff. I love those high strings!
PRINCE: the only man who could wear high heels and makeup and STILL steal your woman!
robertlove
I guess this isn't going to be a romatic-comedy
Loved it, very haunting. As Eyewish said, the high violins make it work. I could see this in a movie very well. Gonna listen to it again now.
eyewishuheaven said:
Oh, yeah, lemme listen to that track again from The Wall. Yeah my music is similar!
But then again "Empty Room" is even more like the long ending of "Comfortably Numb"
The chords were made up by ear and also from memory of listening to all kinds of covers of the Irving Berlin song.
My goal was to come up with music that was as catchy as a Beatles single (similar to the haunting mood of "Mother Nature's Son), but in a cinematic mode. I want to develop all the other themes and music from parts of this intial theme so it's all related.
Originally I just wanted to make a cover of that song (Face the Music), but inquiring about rights led me to discover that they'd charge thousands even for an indie film.
Here's how I'm using part of the music in my movie so far:
smoothcriminal
You're quite the composer. Excellent job.
ufoclub said:
Man, that is good!
Well-lit, well-shot, well-edited! I especially like that wide master of the two guys in the alley. The comic book colours when they go outside are lovely. How much would you say is on-set lighting, as opposed to colour correction? I wanted to do something similar for a project in film school, but just didn't have the gear!
I definitely hope to watch this whole film, when it's done...
Thanks! Well believe it or not... since this shoot of this scene was out of my pocket, we had no lights at all. The colors you see are actually from the outdoor fixture lights that were in the alley and the closed street shops. We had one tiny flashlight like LED light lighting up the guys face dimly when he smiles at the very end. Even in the club, we didn't have any lights. I can post a before and after here later if you're interested in comparing the raw footage to the color corrected stuff (done in After Effects).
I spent a long time adjusting the look of the video footage creating artificial lens flares, rays of light, and dark spots to make it look much more fancy than it really was. I also adjusted colors and added grain so it would stop looking like the flat digital soap opera video.
The trick to shooting wih no lights is to find spots that have real light sources that can at least make your action visible in a clear way, then it's all post. Make your actors stand in the pools of light from street lamps, store fronts, etc.
I shot another short film in the same alley and surrounding streets and this one has absolutely no lighting and no artificial post lighting either. All it has is a tweak in the contrast and an adjustment on the color balance to look more like fim. The grain on this one is real video grain because we really jacked up the gain on the video camera. You'll also recognize one of the same actors:
As for the finished movie... its 5 years now and counting. But the cut is locked. I'm doing sound, colors, and effects now, between paid work assignments. So it is coming along. It runs 1 hour and 20 minutes. I would love to show it to you when it's finished.
Hey, I really like that one, as well! Really great frames, in particular. You almost seem to use your locations as characters themselves, and I really dig that. Bravo!
I'm still reeling from the news that you did them both entirely with available light. It looks so full! Yes, there's video grain in Rex, but I think it's the kind of grain that just adds to the mood (good grain! ). Like you, I always like to use available light, as well. One, it's faster and cheaper, and two, when a scene is lit with a proper rig, I always notice when the shadows are going the wrong direction, and it drives me nuts! Of course, I may change my mind if I ever have to shoot a full-on night scene, but you've done rather well!
In the interest of fairness, here's one of my own for you to check out:
http://www.facebook.com/v...9132990545
Hey that was really well done, especially if this was your first short film. Seems more like a seasoned indie filmmaker!
The editing and choice of shots was great, and so was the direction and blocking of the actors. It's be fun to see in a better quality upload.
I'd like to see more of your stuff!
Yes, I should get a better quality version up somewhere... I especially hate how the compression crushed my music!
Thank you for noticing the shots and blocking and stuff. That location was actually my apartment at the time, so I was able to spend a lot of time choosing angles, and, using a mic stand as stand-in for the actors, picking zooms to get the depth-of-field just right. Also, living in the location gave me lots of time to storyboard everything meticulously, so my DP could just line up what I'd drawn, while I concentrated on working with the actors.
Here are some other things, if you'd like to watch them.
Where do you live? If you ever shoot in Toronto, I volunteer to be on your crew!
I'm in Ann Arbor, so Toronto is on our list to visit soon. I even have family there. I'll definitely give you a shout out to see about meeting up whenever we go.
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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “black agenda report”
Black Agenda Radio – 7.04.16
This is Black Agenda Radio, the radio magazine that brings you news, commentary and analysis from a Black Left perspective. Your hosts are Glen Ford and Nellie Bailey, here they are with a weekly hour of African American political thought and action.
– In two three weeks, Philadelphia will host the Democratic National Convention and thousands of protesters who would like to shut the whole thing down. We spoke with Erica Mimes, of the Philly Coalition for REAL Justice, part of the People of Color DNC Resistance Against Police Terrorism and State Repression. They’ve teamed up with “Shut Down DNC” for a march at the height of the convention, on Tuesday, July 26th. But Philadelphia officials have not yet granted them a parade permit. Mimes doesn’t expect fairness of the city.
– MONEY makes the world of the Democrats and the Republicans go round, according to Dr. Thomas Ferguson, professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, at Boston. Dr. Ferguson is author of the book, “The Golden Rule: The Investment Theory of Party Competition and the Logic of Money Driven Politics.” He says says this election season has been quite unusual, on both sides of the two-party system. Bernie Sanders mounted a challenge to the Democratic establishment with mostly small campaign contributions, and Donald Trump used his personal fortune to raise issues that Republicans hardly ever talk about. Does that mean Donald Trump marches to a different drummer?
– Mumia Abu Jamal, the nation’s best known political prisoner, is among the speakers who will address a mass meeting on “The Politics of Incarceration in Palestine and the United States,” on July 15th, at the Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz Educational Center, in New York City. Nyle Forte, a young minister and Phad candidate from Newark, New Jersey, is also a speaker, along with others who recently traveled to Palestine. We asked Nyle Forte what Israeli treatment of Palestinians has to do with mass Black incarceration in the United States.
– On the 4th of July in the year 1852, the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass said, “There is not a nation on earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States at this very hour.” We spoke with Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report editor and senior columnist, and asked her if Frederick Douglass’s assessment sounds familiar, in the present day.
– Holidays like the 4th of July don’t mean much to the 2.2 million people locked up in this country’s prisons. Political prison Yan Lahman has for months been denied direct communication with the outside world. His commentary, for Prison Radio, is titled “Prisoners’ Voices Blocked and Censorship of U.S. Prisons.” It’s read by Lynn Stewar, the people’s lawyer who has also been a political prisoner, herself.
African American political thoughtAnalysisBernie Sandersblack agenda radioblack agenda reportBlack Left PerspectivecommentaryDemocratic National ConventionDonald TrumpDr. Thomas FergusonErica MimesFrederick Douglasglen fordIsraeliLynn StewarMalcolm X and Betty Shabazz Educational CenterMargaret Kimberleymass Black incarcerationMumia Abu-Jamalnellie baileyNew JerseynewarknewsNyle FortePalestinePalestiniansPeople of Color DNC Resistance Against Police Terrorism and State RepressionPhiladelphiaPhilly CoalitionPolitical prisonPolitical PrisonerPrison RadioPrisoners’ Voices Blocked and Censorship of U.S. PrisonsRadio MagazineREAL Justicerepublicanssenior columnistThe Golden Rule: The Investment Theory of Party Competition and the Logic of Money Driven PoliticsThe Politics of Incarceration in Palestine and the United StatesUnited StatesYan Lahman
Black Agenda Radio – 05.30.16
Welcome to Black Agenda Radio, the radio magazine that brings you news, commentary and analysis from a Black Left perspective. I’m Glen Ford, with my co-host, Nellie Bailey and this is a weekly hour of African American political thought and action.
– Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein took her cause to the annual Left Forum conference, in New York City. Stein and her party still have to contend with Democrats who claim third parties are spoilers that only help the Republicans.
– Black Agenda Report executive editor Glen Ford appeared on the same panel with Dr. Stein. The event was titled “Can Bernie Sanders Build Left and Black Power?” Ford said Sanders is a Franklin Roosevelt New Deal-type politician who thinks the bankers are necessary to society. So, Sanders doesn’t really want to hurt the bankers too much. Most importantly, said Ford, Sanders is a Democrat.
– Charter school companies are now operating so-called “virtual schools” that have no classrooms or buildings, but only exist on the Internet. However, the charter operators are paid public money for each student, just like conventional public schools. David Cohen is executive director of the advocacy group, In The Public Interest. He says an outfit called California Virtual Academies graduates less than half of its students, and is accused of inflating its online attendance to collect thousands of dollars from the state. According to the San Jose Mercury newspaper, the Virtual Academies count students as “present” if they log on for as little as one minute during the school day. David Cohen says the online charter is run by a for-profit company called K-12 Inc.
– Most people think that the developing world is short of money, and that cash flows from the rich countries of Western Europe and the United States. But the opposite is true. According to James Henry, an expert on global banking, the rich countries are extracting fantastic amounts of cash from the developing world, including from Russia and China. Henry says the flow of money to the rich countries amounts to about $12 trillion a year.
Be sure to visit us at BlackAgendaReport.com, where you’ll find a new and provocative issue, each Wednesday. It’s the place for news, commentary and analysis, from the Black Left.
African American political thoughtAnalysisbankersBernie Sandersblack agenda radioblack agenda reportBlack Left PerspectiveBlack PowerCalifornia Virtual AcademiesCharter schoolChinacommentaryDavid CohendemocratsFranklin Rooseveltglen fordglobal bankingGreen Party presidential candidateIn The Public InterestInternetJames HenryJill SteinLeft Forum conferencenellie baileyNew York CitynewsPoliticianprnProgressive Radio Networkpublic schoolsRadio MagazinerepublicansRussiaSan Jose Mercury newspaperUnited Statesvirtual schoolsWestern Europe
Welcome to the radio magazine, that gives you a weekly hour of African American political thought and action, news, commentary and analysis from a Black Left perspective with your host Glen Ford and his co-host, Nellie Bailey.
– Dilma Rousseff, of the Brazilian Workers Party, was removed from her office as president, last week, and put on trial by the nation’s Senate on charges of manipulating the budget. Rousseff is not accused of any acts of personal corruption, but about 60 percent of the Senators that will be judging her DO face corruption charges. Rousseffs Worker’s Party says the impeachment proceedings amount to a “soft coup,” and they will fight it out in streets. Dr. Gerald Horne is a prolific author and professor of history and African American Studies at the University of Houston. He says the right-wing move against Rousseff must be understood in a global context.
– Socialist Alternative Party leader Kshama Sawant is circulating a petition asking Bernie Sanders to run as an independent if his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination is unsuccessful. Sawant says Sanders should either run on the Green Party ticket or pave the way for a new party of the 99 percent. The Green Party will choose its presidential candidate in August, and the nominee is expected to be Dr. Jill Stein. We asked Dr. Stein, Aren’t the Greens already a Party of the 99%?
– A statewide work stoppage by inmates at Alabama prisons seems to be winding down. The protest was organized by inmates of the Free Alabama Movement. Pastor Kenneth Glascow has been negotiating on behalf of the prisoners. Glascow has himself served a term in prison. He now head a prison reform group called TOPS, which stands for “The Ordinary People Society.” Glascow is the half-brother of Rev. Al Sharpton. Pastor Glascow talked to us about the prisoners’ grievances.
– Inside the prison walls, the work stoppage was organized by inmate activists like Bennu Hannibal, a leader of the Free Alabama Movement. Hannibal spoke to Prison Radio, from the St. Clair Correctional Facility.
Be sure to visit us at BlackAgendaReport.com, where you’ll find a new and provocative issue, each Wednesday.
African AmericanAfrican American studiesBennu HannibalBernie Sandersblack agenda radioblack agenda reportBlack Left PerspectiveBrazilian Workers PartyDilma RousseffDr. Gerald HorneDr. Jill SteinFree Alabama Movementglen fordkshama sawantnellie baileyPastor Kenneth GlascowPrison RadioprnProgressive Radio NetworkRadio MagazineRev. Al SharptonSocialist Alternative Party leaderSt. Clair Correctional FacilityThe Green PartyThe Ordinary People SocietyUniversity of Houston
Welcome, to the radio magazine that brings you news, commentary and analysis from a Black Left perspective with Glen Ford and his co-host, Nellie Bailey.
– The city of Greenville, South Carolina, has witnessed two large funerals in recent days: one for a white cop, the other, for a young Black man who the police claimed killed the officer, and then committed suicide. Black young people in Greenville don’t buy the police version of Deontaye Perry Mackey’s death, and neither does Efia Nwangaza, director of Greenville’s Malcolm X Center for Self-Determination.
– Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Chicago-based minister who ran for president as a Democrat in 1984 and 1988, came to Columbia University in New York for a conversation on the current election with Dr. Cornel West, who is supporting Bernie Sanders for president. Rev. Jackson was asked if he’s endorsed anyone in the Democratic primaries.
– Dr. Cornel West, the Sanders supporter, is based at Union Theological Seminary, just across the street from Columbia University. Dr. West said he understands that Rev. Jackson might want to stand “above the fray.”
– Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, the Black Agenda Report editor and columnist, attended three of the recent congressional hearings on the poisoning of the water system in Flint, Michigan. Adebayo used to work for the federal Environmental Protection Agency. She successfully sued the agency, and was the key actor in passage of legislation to protect whistle blowers from government retaliation. Adebayo said the poisoning of Flint was a deliberate act.
– Umi Saleh, the leader of the Florida-based Dream Defenders, who was formerly known as Phillip Agnew, spoke recently with Pascal Robert, a frequent contributor to Black Agenda Report. Saleh talked about Movement politics and the limitations – and dangers – of over-dependence on social media.
Bernie Sandersblack agenda radioblack agenda reportBlack Left PerspectiveColumbia UniversityDemocratDemocratic primariesDeontaye Perry MackeyDr. Cornel WestDr. Marsha Coleman-AdebayoDream DefendersEfia NwangazaEnvironmental Protection AgencyFlint-Michiganglen fordGreenville-South CarolinaGreenville’s Malcolm X Center for Self-DeterminationHilary ClintonministerMovement politicsnellie baileyNew YorkPascal RobertPhillip AgnewRadio MagazineRev. Jesse JacksonSocial mediaUmi SalehUnion Theological Seminarywhistle blowerswhite copyoung Black man
Welcome, to the radio magazine that brings you news, commentary and analysis from a Black Left perspective with your host Glen Ford and co-host, Nellie Bailey.
– The FBI has issued new guidelines for advising teachers who to look out for in terms of political dissent in the classroom. The FBI’s guidelines are mainly targeted at Muslims, but, according to Michael German, a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, the language could also be used to persecute almost any person or group that a teacher did not like or understand.
– In Inglewood, California, community members protested yet another police killing. 31 year-old Kisha Michael, a mother of three sons, and 32 year old Marquintan Sandlin, a father of four daughters, were shot dead by a police SWAT team, apparently while they were asleep in a car. Keith Jackson is an organizer with the Stop Mass Incarceration Network. He assisted the victim’s families in organizing this weekend’s protest.
– Virginia Sewell is the aunt of Kisha Michael, the mother of three who was killed by the Inglewood, California police. Ms. Sewell says the community is outraged.
– Donald Trump has caused sheer panic among establishment Republicans, many of whom claim they’ll leave the party if Trump wins the presidential nomination. But, how should the Black Left view the Trump campaign? We asked Dr. Anthony Monteiro, a member of the Black Radical Organizing Committee, which put together a conference on the Black Radical Tradition, in Philadelphia, back in January. Monteiro says both political parties are in trouble, and Trump’s rise is just a symptom of the crisis.
– This month marks the 15th anniversary of the historic United Nations conference Against Racial Discrimination, Xenomphobia and Related Intolerance, in Durban, South Africa. BAR editor and columnist Ajamu Baraka, a founder of the U.S. Human Rights Network, attended the Durban conference back in 2001. Later this month, Baraka will be in The Netherlands to lead a panel discussion at on the Durban process.
Ajamu Barakablack agenda radioblack agenda reportBlack Left PerspectiveBlack Radical Organizing CommitteeBlack Radical TraditionBrennan Center for JusticeDonald TrumpDr. Anthony MonteiroDurban South AfricaFBIglen fordInglewood CaliforniaKeith JacksonKisha MichaelMarquintan SandlinMichael GermanMuslimsnellie baileyPhiladelphiaPolice KillingprnProgressive Radio NetworkRadio MagazinerepublicansStop Mass Incarceration NetworkSWATThe NetherlandsU.S. Human Rights NetworkUnited Nations Conference Against Racial Discrimination Xenomphobia and Related IntoleranceVirginia Sewell
– Dr. Gerald Horne, the prolific author and professor of political science at the University of Houston, has another book out. It’s titled, “Paul Robeson: The Artist as Revolutionary.” Paul Robeson was an NFL-class athlete, spoke 12 languages, a movie star who was one of the biggest draws in the American musical theater, and was probably the best-known American in the world at the height of his popularity, in the early 1940s. Yet, no more than 20 years later, the crusading artist and social activists’ name had been all but erased from public discourse in the United States. How could that happen? We asked Dr. Horne.
– An analysis of employment statistics shows the Black jobless rate in Virginia, the state with the lowest Black unemployment rate in the nation, is the same as the white jobless rate in West Virginia, the state with the highest white unemployment rate, at 6.7 percent. What does this tell us about the so-called economic recovery? We spoke with Dr. Valerie Wilson, of the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute.
– Turkey is threatening to invade neighboring Syria, creating a direct confrontation with Russian military forces. Political analyst Eric Draitser, founder of StopImperialism.com, appeared recently on Russia Today’s “Cross Talk” program. Draitser says Turkish President Erdogan is playing with fire.
– Hillary Clinton is one step closer to becoming Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces, with her victory in Nevada. That’s a scary thought, as far as Dr. Stephen Zunes, is concerned. Zunes is Professor of Politics and International Studies, at San Francisco University. He says Hillary Clinton stoked the flames of war while Secretary of State.
– Ticket sales are soaring for Beyonce’s world tour. The Superstar seems to have profited from the controversy over her Black Panther-flavored performance at the Superbowl. Black Agenda Report editor Ajama Baraka, a co-founder of the U.S. Human Rights Network, says there’s nothing oppositional, much less revolutionary, about Beyonce’s “Formation” album. He also maintains that neither Bernie Sanders nor Ta-Nehisi Coates represents a challenge to the U.S. imperial order.
– Public television last week showed the acclaimed Stanley Nelson film, “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution,” which previously had been playing in selected theaters. Former Black Panther Kathleen Cleaver was honored at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, in Detroit. Cleaver recounted how she became involved with the Black Panther Party.
– The nation’s best-known political prisoner, Mumia Abu Jamal, is also a renowned author. Abu Jamal gives a boost to a former political prisoner’s latest book.
– Khalil Bennet is also imprisoned in Pennsylvania. Bennet is what inmates call “a child-lifer” – a person given a life sentence for a crime committed while he was a juvenile. The Supreme Court recently ruled that such sentences are cruel and unusual, setting the stage for the release of thousands of prisoners. Khalil Bennet says, when these former child-lifers are let loose, they can become the cadre of a new movement.
Ajama BarakaBernie SandersBeyonceblack agenda radioblack agenda reportblack pantherBlack Panther Kathleen CleaverCharles H. WrightCommander-in-chiefDetroitDr. Gerald HorneDr. Stephen ZunesDr. Valerie WilsonEconomic Policy InstituteEconomic recoveryEmployment Statisticsglen fordHillary ClintonKhalil BennetMumia Abu-JamalMuseum of African American Historynellie baileyNetworkNevadaNFLPaul RobesonPaul Robeson: The Artist as RevolutionaryPolitical Analyst Eric DraitserPolitical PrisonerprnProfessor of Politics and International StudiesProgressiveradioRussia Today’sRussian Military ForcesSecretary of StateSocial ActivistStanley NelsonSyriaTa-Nehisi CoatesThe Black Panthers: Vanguard of the RevolutionThe Supreme CourtTurkeyTurkish President ErdoganU.S. Armed ForcesU.S. Human Rights NetworkUnited StatesVirginiaWest Virginia
Austerity Rendering Detroit Unfit for Habitation
A serious fire raged out control due to chronic low water pressure in Detroit, despite the majority Black city’s location in one of the world’s major fresh water regions. “The whole process of so-called rebuilding of Detroit has not been clearly thought out,” said Abayomi Azikiwe, veteran activist and editor of the Pan African News Wire. “How can you rebuild a city when you don’t have fundamental infrastructure, such as fire services, public safety, education, emergency services, simple things like being able to go to a supermarket?” The economic elite are “doing everything possible to drive out the African American population,” he said, but poor infrastructure discourages white resettlement. “What you have is the anarchy of capitalism.”
Big Business Tries to Roll Back Socialist Alternative in Seattle
Corporate contributions are pouring into Seattle Urban League chief Pamela Banks’ campaign to unseat Kshama Sawant, the Socialist Alternative councilwoman who championed the city’s $15 an hour minimum wage law. “It’s not so much about my opponent’s qualities,” said Sawant, “It’s because corporations, billionaires, the people who have an incentive to uphold the status quo, recognize that if we win re-election this year, then it really confirms to working people in Seattle and everywhere that we can prevail against the full might of big business and the political establishment.”
Mumia: “Flags and Rags”
The heritage of the Confederate battle flag is “one of terror and violence in support of a system of organized theft of Black labor, in the name of white supremacy and Black subjugation,” said Mumia Abu Jamal, the nation’s best known political prisoner, in a report for Prison Radio. “Dylan ‘Dumb and Dumber’ Roof knew, instinctively, what the flag stood for.”
Justices OK Painful Death Drug
The U.S. Supreme Court ended its term by allowing states to continue lethal injections with a cocktail that can cause horrific pain for condemned persons. “Prisoners remain less than human” in the High Court’s eyes, said Kenneth A. Hartman, a writer and prison activist serving life in California. “How else can a decision that allows for deliberate torture be explained?”
Fear of Blacks Triggered 1776 War of Independence
White settlers turned against the their mother country partly in fear that the British Crown would put guns in the hands of Blacks, according to Dr. Gerald Horne, chairman of history and African American Studies at the University of Houston and author of more than 30 books, including The Counter-Revolution of 1776: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States of America. In 1775, the British colonial governor of Virginia established an “Ethiopian Regiment” to counter rebellious white settlers. “One of the factors that caused formerly patriotic British subjects to revolt against British rule was this ‘Black scare’ that, I argue, led to the formation of the United States of America,” said Dr. Horne, in a lecture at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
1776Austerityblack agenda reportDetroitfear of blacksglen fordkenneth a hartmankshama sawantMumia Abu-JamalSeattle
black agenda radioblack agenda reportglen fordnellie bailey
This week’s entire show is selections from last weekend’s conference in St. Louis MO on Community Control of Police.
black agenda reportcommunity controlPoliceviolence
The Empire of “Humanitarian” Foreign Wars and World’s Largest Gulag President Obama’s signature foreign policy of “humanitarian” military intervention is “imperialism,” pure and simple, said Margaret Kimberley, a spokesperson for United National Anti-War Coalition (UNAC). Obama “can use the ‘humanitarian’ commitment to wreak havoc all over the world – perhaps more than any conservative Republican,” said Kimberley, a BAR editor …
black agenda reportblack partyforeign warsobamaPolice brutalityProtest
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The Return of Presnel Kimpembe
By Ed - 5 October 2019, 4:18
I make no secret of my love for Presnel Kimpembe. The French center-back is one of my favorite players at Paris Saint-Germain and I often refer to him as “King-pembe” when he has an outstanding performance or puts in one of his meaty challenges.
It’s been a while since I’ve been able to use that moniker though. After his FIFA World Cup triumph with France during the summer of 2018, he had a mediocre 2018-19 season due to a nagging groin injury and towards the end of the campaign, he underwent surgery according to the club’s website.
The road to recovery has been long for the 24-year-old. Speaking to PSG TV, Kimpembe said the hardest thing about his recovery was “training all alone at the Camp des Loges.” As we recently saw in a video of Kylian Mbappé’s recovery, players often have to put in long hours in the training facilities without the promise of game time at the end of the week. It can be incredibly frustrating for an athlete to be patient when all they want to do is play football.
“It’s harder than when you train with everyone, when you run with your mates, the time goes faster,” Kimpembe said. “It was also hard when I got back from holidays, because I was convinced I could play.”
Hard work paid off for Kimpembe and we’re starting to see signs of what made him one of the best young center-backs in Europe. Earlier this week, Kimpembe was named to Didier Deschamps’ France national team, an honor that Thomas Tuchel said was well deserved.
Les 23 joueurs sélectionnés par Didier Deschamps pour les 2 matchs de qualifications à l'EURO 2020 ! 🇫🇷 #FiersdetreBleus
Islande🆚France (vendredi 11/10 à 20h45)
France🆚Turquie (lundi 14/10 à 20h45) pic.twitter.com/3oKlP5bJR6
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) October 3, 2019
“Presnel is ready to play with the national team,” said Tuchel at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “I’m happy he has been called up. He deserves it. He has worked very hard for 10 or 12 weeks, he was very professional to get back to his current level, both physical and mental. I am very happy. His big challenge is to stay at this level.”
Making the France national team squad after groin surgery is no easy task when you look at the players available to Deschamps and Kimpembe should be applauded for his dedication and professionalism.
Against Galatasaray S.K. last Tuesday, we saw what makes Kimpembe special and what separates him from a defender like Thiago Silva. It was a very physical game in Istanbul and Kimpembe was up for the challenge. According to WhoScored.com, he won five aerial duels compared to Silva’s two and was only second to Galatasaray’s Christian Luyindama in tackles. He is an imposing physical force that attacking opponents worry about while Silva is more adept at cutting out passes and keeping the backline organized. Together, they form a feared center-back pairing that has PSG at the top of most defensive statistics.
The most promising part of Kimpembe’s return to form is that he’s going to get better. Barring any setbacks, Kimpembe will only improve and with Marquinhos, Idrissa Gueye, and Marco Verratti in front of him, PSG has finally sorted out the defensive issues that plagued them in recent seasons.
Want more PSG? Visit the PSG Talk Podcast Network page and subscribe to PSG Talking, The 1970, and 24th & Parc.
5 October 2019, 4:18
Tags France National Team Idrissa Gueye Kylian Mbappé Marco Verratti Marquinhos Presnel Kimpembe Thiago Silva Thomas Tuchel
Neymar Grows as a Leader; No Major Birthday Bash Planned
‘I Hope He Stays Until the End’ – Thiago Silva Wants Edinson Cavani to Remain at PSG
Proof That Neymar is Happy at Paris Saint-Germain
17 January 2020, 7:30
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Matrix-assisted nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry for soft ionization of metal(i)–protein complexes†
Jin Li,‡a Yajun Zheng,‡a Jia Zhao,a Daniel E. Austinb and Zhiping Zhang *a
a School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an Shiyou University, Xi'an 710065, China
E-mail: zhangzp0304@gmail.com
b Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, USA
Metal ions play significant roles in biological processes, and investigation of metal–protein interactions provides a basis to understand the functions of metal ions in such systems. In the current study, a novel matrix-assisted nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MANESI-MS) method was developed for investigating the interactions between metal ions (i.e., Cu+) and protein molecules (i.e., myoglobin) using Cu nanoparticles as the matrix. The results demonstrated that the present method not only was an efficient strategy for the generation of various complexes with monovalent metal ions, such as Cu+, in which no redox transitions between Cu+ and Cu2+ were observed, but also allowed a softer ionization of the generated Cu+–myoglobin complexes compared to that of myoglobin molecules with conventional nanoESI. Several parameters (i.e., the mixing mode of the myoglobin sample and Cu nanoparticle solution, size of the Cu particle, oxidation state of the Cu species, and acidity of the myoglobin solution) were found to be crucial in determining the ionization efficiency of the MANESI method. First loading a Cu nanoparticle solution into the electrospray tip followed by a myoglobin solution resulted in a favorable interaction between the generated Cu+ ions and myoglobin molecules, in which a smaller size of the Cu particle and a lower oxidation state of the metal species (Cu > Cu2O > CuO) gave a lower average charge state and hence a softer ionization of the resulting Cu+–myoglobin complexes, possibly due to the reduced denaturing effects of the Cu+ complex. The MANESI method has also been successfully used to ionize the complexes between Cu+ and other biological molecules such as cytochrome c and angiotension II, although an exception was found for lysozymes, which show an increase in the charge state. Analogous to the study with Cu, a variety of other metal nanoparticles (Ni, Fe, W, Ag, Al, Zn and Co) were explored to study their interactions with myoglobin, but only Zn and Co could produce monovalent metal ions (i.e., Zn+ and Co+) followed by a favorable interaction with myoglobin, and a soft ionization of the resulting complexes.
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9AN02117E
Analyst, 2020, Advance Article
Matrix-assisted nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry for soft ionization of metal(I)–protein complexes
J. Li, Y. Zheng, J. Zhao, D. E. Austin and Z. Zhang, Analyst, 2020, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/C9AN02117E
Jin Li
Yajun Zheng
Jia Zhao
Daniel E. Austin
Zhiping Zhang
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Dual catalyst system for selective vinyl chloride production via ethene oxychlorination†
Matthias Scharfe,a Vladimir Paunović, a Sharon Mitchell, a Roland Hauert,b Shibo Xi,c Armando Borgna c and Javier Pérez-Ramírez *a
a Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog Weg 1, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
E-mail: jpr@chem.ethz.ch
b EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
c Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore, 1 Pesek Road, Jurong Island, 627833 Singapore
A dual system comprising two catalytic reactors connected in series was developed for the direct conversion of ethene to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). The first reactor uses ZrO2-supported ceria (CeO2/ZrO2) to perform ethene oxychlorination to 1,2-dichloroethene (EDC) that is dehydrochlorinated to VCM in the second reactor over calcium-promoted γ-Al2O3. The choice of carrier for ceria is of critical importance to maximize the EDC production by reducing combustion products. While MgO, SiO2, SiC, TiO2, ZSM-5, and γ-Al2O3 carriers induced higher overoxidation compared to bulk ceria, ZrO2 was the only carrier that suppressed COx formation. Moreover, the latter carrier led to the highest oxychlorination activity. The unique performance of the CeO2/ZrO2 catalyst was rationalized by its ability to promote chlorine evolution and to suppress the combustion of chlorinated products, as inferred from the activity evaluation in HCl and VCM oxidation, respectively. The outstanding redox properties, enabling operation at low temperature and thus high selectivity, are associated with the formation of defective CeO2 nanoparticles, contrasting the low activity over Ce–Zr mixed oxide. In order to subsequently form VCM, an efficient EDC dehydrochlorination catalyst was designed by moderating the acidity of γ-Al2O3 via calcium doping and used in a reactor after CeO2/ZrO2. This dual catalyst system displayed 100% selectivity to VCM at 25% ethene conversion, surpassing the space time yield of the best ethene-to-VCM catalyst EuOCl by a factor of four, where the first step is operated at an elevated temperature of about 100–150 K with respect to cupric chloride benchmarks. In addition, the catalytic dehydrochlorination, operated at a lower temperature of 100 K than the current non-catalytic process, showed minimized coke formation. This developed system rendered stable after slight initial deactivation, offering promising potential to intensify VCM production.
This article is Open Access
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9CY01801H
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2020, Advance Article
Dual catalyst system for selective vinyl chloride production via ethene oxychlorination
M. Scharfe, V. Paunović, S. Mitchell, R. Hauert, S. Xi, A. Borgna and J. Pérez-Ramírez, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2020, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/C9CY01801H
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence. Material from this article can be used in other publications provided that the correct acknowledgement is given with the reproduced material and it is not used for commercial purposes.
[Original citation] - Published by The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) on behalf of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the RSC.
[Original citation] - Published by the PCCP Owner Societies.
[Original citation] - Published by The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) on behalf of the European Society for Photobiology, the European Photochemistry Association, and RSC.
[Original citation] - Published by The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Matthias Scharfe
Vladimir Paunović
Roland Hauert
Shibo Xi
Armando Borgna
Javier Pérez-Ramírez
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Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in patients on renal replacement therapy
For the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group
Department of Microbiology
Background. Patients on chronic intermittent renal replacement therapy (RRT) are at risk for infection with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). However, the impact of RRT on outcomes after CRE infections remains to be defined. Here we perform a comparison of outcomes for CRE-infected patients with preserved renal function compared with CRE-infected patients on RRT. Methods. Cases and controls were defined from a prospective cohort of CRE-infected patients from the Consortium on Resistance against Carbapenems in Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae (CRACKLE). Cases were defined as CRE-infected patients on RRT at hospital admission, while controls were defined as CRE-infected patients with serum creatinine < 2 mg/dL and not receiving RRT at admission. Risk factors for 28-day in-hospital mortality were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. An ordinal ranking of outcomes by desirability analysis was performed. Results. Patients on RRT were more likely to have diabetes mellitus and cardiac disease than controls. Urinary sources of infection were less common in the RRT group. In RRT patients, 28-day in-hospital mortality was increased as compared with controls: 22/71 (31%) vs 33/295 (11%). RRT remained significantly associated with 28-day in-hospital mortality after adjustment for source of infection, prehospitalization origin, and severity of illness (adjusted odds ratio, 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-4.68; P =.03). Using univariable desirability of outcome ranking analysis, RRT status was associated with a 68% (95% CI, 61%-74%) chance of a worse disposition outcome. Conclusions. Chronic RRT in CRE-infected patients is associated with increased in-hospital mortality and worse disposition outcomes at 28 days.
Open Forum Infectious Diseases
https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofx216
Enterobacteriaceae Infections
Carbapenems
Renal Replacement Therapy
Hospital Mortality
For the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (2017). Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in patients on renal replacement therapy. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 4(4), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofx216
For the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group. / Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in patients on renal replacement therapy. In: Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 2017 ; Vol. 4, No. 4. pp. 1-6.
@article{2c389d0a75844a45bb7d4fd6a331c87c,
title = "Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in patients on renal replacement therapy",
abstract = "Background. Patients on chronic intermittent renal replacement therapy (RRT) are at risk for infection with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). However, the impact of RRT on outcomes after CRE infections remains to be defined. Here we perform a comparison of outcomes for CRE-infected patients with preserved renal function compared with CRE-infected patients on RRT. Methods. Cases and controls were defined from a prospective cohort of CRE-infected patients from the Consortium on Resistance against Carbapenems in Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae (CRACKLE). Cases were defined as CRE-infected patients on RRT at hospital admission, while controls were defined as CRE-infected patients with serum creatinine < 2 mg/dL and not receiving RRT at admission. Risk factors for 28-day in-hospital mortality were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. An ordinal ranking of outcomes by desirability analysis was performed. Results. Patients on RRT were more likely to have diabetes mellitus and cardiac disease than controls. Urinary sources of infection were less common in the RRT group. In RRT patients, 28-day in-hospital mortality was increased as compared with controls: 22/71 (31{\%}) vs 33/295 (11{\%}). RRT remained significantly associated with 28-day in-hospital mortality after adjustment for source of infection, prehospitalization origin, and severity of illness (adjusted odds ratio, 2.27; 95{\%} confidence interval [CI], 1.09-4.68; P =.03). Using univariable desirability of outcome ranking analysis, RRT status was associated with a 68{\%} (95{\%} CI, 61{\%}-74{\%}) chance of a worse disposition outcome. Conclusions. Chronic RRT in CRE-infected patients is associated with increased in-hospital mortality and worse disposition outcomes at 28 days.",
author = "{For the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group} and Brandon Eilertson and Eric Cober and Richter, {Sandra S.} and Federico Perez and Salata, {Robert A.} and Kalayjian, {Robert C.} and Watkins, {Richard R.} and Yohei Doi and Kaye, {Keith S.} and Scott Evans and Fowler, {Vance G.} and Bonomo, {Robert A.} and Jack DeHovitz and Barry Kreiswirth and {van Duin}, David",
doi = "10.1093/ofid/ofx216",
journal = "Open Forum Infectious Diseases",
For the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group 2017, 'Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in patients on renal replacement therapy', Open Forum Infectious Diseases, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofx216
Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in patients on renal replacement therapy. / For the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group.
In: Open Forum Infectious Diseases, Vol. 4, No. 4, 01.01.2017, p. 1-6.
T1 - Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in patients on renal replacement therapy
AU - For the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group
AU - Eilertson, Brandon
AU - Cober, Eric
AU - Richter, Sandra S.
AU - Perez, Federico
AU - Salata, Robert A.
AU - Kalayjian, Robert C.
AU - Watkins, Richard R.
AU - Doi, Yohei
AU - Kaye, Keith S.
AU - Evans, Scott
AU - Fowler, Vance G.
AU - Bonomo, Robert A.
AU - DeHovitz, Jack
AU - Kreiswirth, Barry
AU - van Duin, David
N2 - Background. Patients on chronic intermittent renal replacement therapy (RRT) are at risk for infection with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). However, the impact of RRT on outcomes after CRE infections remains to be defined. Here we perform a comparison of outcomes for CRE-infected patients with preserved renal function compared with CRE-infected patients on RRT. Methods. Cases and controls were defined from a prospective cohort of CRE-infected patients from the Consortium on Resistance against Carbapenems in Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae (CRACKLE). Cases were defined as CRE-infected patients on RRT at hospital admission, while controls were defined as CRE-infected patients with serum creatinine < 2 mg/dL and not receiving RRT at admission. Risk factors for 28-day in-hospital mortality were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. An ordinal ranking of outcomes by desirability analysis was performed. Results. Patients on RRT were more likely to have diabetes mellitus and cardiac disease than controls. Urinary sources of infection were less common in the RRT group. In RRT patients, 28-day in-hospital mortality was increased as compared with controls: 22/71 (31%) vs 33/295 (11%). RRT remained significantly associated with 28-day in-hospital mortality after adjustment for source of infection, prehospitalization origin, and severity of illness (adjusted odds ratio, 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-4.68; P =.03). Using univariable desirability of outcome ranking analysis, RRT status was associated with a 68% (95% CI, 61%-74%) chance of a worse disposition outcome. Conclusions. Chronic RRT in CRE-infected patients is associated with increased in-hospital mortality and worse disposition outcomes at 28 days.
AB - Background. Patients on chronic intermittent renal replacement therapy (RRT) are at risk for infection with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). However, the impact of RRT on outcomes after CRE infections remains to be defined. Here we perform a comparison of outcomes for CRE-infected patients with preserved renal function compared with CRE-infected patients on RRT. Methods. Cases and controls were defined from a prospective cohort of CRE-infected patients from the Consortium on Resistance against Carbapenems in Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae (CRACKLE). Cases were defined as CRE-infected patients on RRT at hospital admission, while controls were defined as CRE-infected patients with serum creatinine < 2 mg/dL and not receiving RRT at admission. Risk factors for 28-day in-hospital mortality were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. An ordinal ranking of outcomes by desirability analysis was performed. Results. Patients on RRT were more likely to have diabetes mellitus and cardiac disease than controls. Urinary sources of infection were less common in the RRT group. In RRT patients, 28-day in-hospital mortality was increased as compared with controls: 22/71 (31%) vs 33/295 (11%). RRT remained significantly associated with 28-day in-hospital mortality after adjustment for source of infection, prehospitalization origin, and severity of illness (adjusted odds ratio, 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-4.68; P =.03). Using univariable desirability of outcome ranking analysis, RRT status was associated with a 68% (95% CI, 61%-74%) chance of a worse disposition outcome. Conclusions. Chronic RRT in CRE-infected patients is associated with increased in-hospital mortality and worse disposition outcomes at 28 days.
U2 - 10.1093/ofid/ofx216
DO - 10.1093/ofid/ofx216
JO - Open Forum Infectious Diseases
JF - Open Forum Infectious Diseases
For the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group. Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in patients on renal replacement therapy. Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 2017 Jan 1;4(4):1-6. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofx216
10.1093/ofid/ofx216
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0084.json.gz/line1763
|
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| 0.651368
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Inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes and reduces mutant α1-antitrypsin Z deposition
Takeshi Yamamura, Yuki Ohsaki, Michitaka Suzuki, Yuki Shinohara, Tsuyako Tatematsu, Jinglei Cheng, Masato Okada, Naoki Ohmiya, Yoshiki Hirooka, Hidemi Goto, Toyoshi Fujimoto
Autophagy can degrade aggregate-prone proteins, but excessive autophagy can have adverse effects. It would be beneficial if autophagy could be enhanced in a cell type-specific manner, but this has been difficult because the basic mechanism of autophagy is common. In the present study we found that inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) by ezetimibe activates autophagy only in hepatocytes and small intestinal epithelia, but not in other cells. Ezetimibe induced accumulation of free cholesterol in the late endosome/lysosome and increased partitioning of a Ragulator component, LAMTOR1, in rafts. The latter change led to down-regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)C1 activity by decreasing mTOR recruitment to the late endosome/lysosome and activated autophagy. A primary effect of ezetimibe was found to be a decrease of free cholesterol in the plasma membrane, because all the results caused by ezetimibe were suppressed by supplementation of cholesterol as a methyl-β-cyclodextrin complex. By enhancing autophagy in human primary hepatocytes with ezetimibe, insoluble mutant α1-antitrypsin Z was reduced significantly. Conclusion: Inhibition of NPC1L1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes by modulating cholesterol homeostasis. Ezetimibe may be used to ameliorate liver degeneration in α1-antitrypsin deficiency.
https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.26930
Hepatocytes
Endosomes
Lysosomes
Cyclodextrins
Yamamura, T., Ohsaki, Y., Suzuki, M., Shinohara, Y., Tatematsu, T., Cheng, J., ... Fujimoto, T. (2014). Inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes and reduces mutant α1-antitrypsin Z deposition. Hepatology, 59(4), 1591-1599. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.26930
Yamamura, Takeshi ; Ohsaki, Yuki ; Suzuki, Michitaka ; Shinohara, Yuki ; Tatematsu, Tsuyako ; Cheng, Jinglei ; Okada, Masato ; Ohmiya, Naoki ; Hirooka, Yoshiki ; Goto, Hidemi ; Fujimoto, Toyoshi. / Inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes and reduces mutant α1-antitrypsin Z deposition. In: Hepatology. 2014 ; Vol. 59, No. 4. pp. 1591-1599.
@article{f9731de3d71e4019aa61fe5c7b75ca63,
title = "Inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes and reduces mutant α1-antitrypsin Z deposition",
abstract = "Autophagy can degrade aggregate-prone proteins, but excessive autophagy can have adverse effects. It would be beneficial if autophagy could be enhanced in a cell type-specific manner, but this has been difficult because the basic mechanism of autophagy is common. In the present study we found that inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) by ezetimibe activates autophagy only in hepatocytes and small intestinal epithelia, but not in other cells. Ezetimibe induced accumulation of free cholesterol in the late endosome/lysosome and increased partitioning of a Ragulator component, LAMTOR1, in rafts. The latter change led to down-regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)C1 activity by decreasing mTOR recruitment to the late endosome/lysosome and activated autophagy. A primary effect of ezetimibe was found to be a decrease of free cholesterol in the plasma membrane, because all the results caused by ezetimibe were suppressed by supplementation of cholesterol as a methyl-β-cyclodextrin complex. By enhancing autophagy in human primary hepatocytes with ezetimibe, insoluble mutant α1-antitrypsin Z was reduced significantly. Conclusion: Inhibition of NPC1L1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes by modulating cholesterol homeostasis. Ezetimibe may be used to ameliorate liver degeneration in α1-antitrypsin deficiency.",
author = "Takeshi Yamamura and Yuki Ohsaki and Michitaka Suzuki and Yuki Shinohara and Tsuyako Tatematsu and Jinglei Cheng and Masato Okada and Naoki Ohmiya and Yoshiki Hirooka and Hidemi Goto and Toyoshi Fujimoto",
doi = "10.1002/hep.26930",
journal = "Hepatology",
Yamamura, T, Ohsaki, Y, Suzuki, M, Shinohara, Y, Tatematsu, T, Cheng, J, Okada, M, Ohmiya, N, Hirooka, Y, Goto, H & Fujimoto, T 2014, 'Inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes and reduces mutant α1-antitrypsin Z deposition', Hepatology, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 1591-1599. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.26930
Inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes and reduces mutant α1-antitrypsin Z deposition. / Yamamura, Takeshi; Ohsaki, Yuki; Suzuki, Michitaka; Shinohara, Yuki; Tatematsu, Tsuyako; Cheng, Jinglei; Okada, Masato; Ohmiya, Naoki; Hirooka, Yoshiki; Goto, Hidemi; Fujimoto, Toyoshi.
In: Hepatology, Vol. 59, No. 4, 01.01.2014, p. 1591-1599.
T1 - Inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes and reduces mutant α1-antitrypsin Z deposition
AU - Yamamura, Takeshi
AU - Ohsaki, Yuki
AU - Suzuki, Michitaka
AU - Shinohara, Yuki
AU - Tatematsu, Tsuyako
AU - Cheng, Jinglei
AU - Okada, Masato
AU - Ohmiya, Naoki
AU - Hirooka, Yoshiki
AU - Goto, Hidemi
AU - Fujimoto, Toyoshi
N2 - Autophagy can degrade aggregate-prone proteins, but excessive autophagy can have adverse effects. It would be beneficial if autophagy could be enhanced in a cell type-specific manner, but this has been difficult because the basic mechanism of autophagy is common. In the present study we found that inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) by ezetimibe activates autophagy only in hepatocytes and small intestinal epithelia, but not in other cells. Ezetimibe induced accumulation of free cholesterol in the late endosome/lysosome and increased partitioning of a Ragulator component, LAMTOR1, in rafts. The latter change led to down-regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)C1 activity by decreasing mTOR recruitment to the late endosome/lysosome and activated autophagy. A primary effect of ezetimibe was found to be a decrease of free cholesterol in the plasma membrane, because all the results caused by ezetimibe were suppressed by supplementation of cholesterol as a methyl-β-cyclodextrin complex. By enhancing autophagy in human primary hepatocytes with ezetimibe, insoluble mutant α1-antitrypsin Z was reduced significantly. Conclusion: Inhibition of NPC1L1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes by modulating cholesterol homeostasis. Ezetimibe may be used to ameliorate liver degeneration in α1-antitrypsin deficiency.
AB - Autophagy can degrade aggregate-prone proteins, but excessive autophagy can have adverse effects. It would be beneficial if autophagy could be enhanced in a cell type-specific manner, but this has been difficult because the basic mechanism of autophagy is common. In the present study we found that inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) by ezetimibe activates autophagy only in hepatocytes and small intestinal epithelia, but not in other cells. Ezetimibe induced accumulation of free cholesterol in the late endosome/lysosome and increased partitioning of a Ragulator component, LAMTOR1, in rafts. The latter change led to down-regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)C1 activity by decreasing mTOR recruitment to the late endosome/lysosome and activated autophagy. A primary effect of ezetimibe was found to be a decrease of free cholesterol in the plasma membrane, because all the results caused by ezetimibe were suppressed by supplementation of cholesterol as a methyl-β-cyclodextrin complex. By enhancing autophagy in human primary hepatocytes with ezetimibe, insoluble mutant α1-antitrypsin Z was reduced significantly. Conclusion: Inhibition of NPC1L1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes by modulating cholesterol homeostasis. Ezetimibe may be used to ameliorate liver degeneration in α1-antitrypsin deficiency.
U2 - 10.1002/hep.26930
DO - 10.1002/hep.26930
JO - Hepatology
JF - Hepatology
Yamamura T, Ohsaki Y, Suzuki M, Shinohara Y, Tatematsu T, Cheng J et al. Inhibition of Niemann-Pick-type C1-like1 by ezetimibe activates autophagy in human hepatocytes and reduces mutant α1-antitrypsin Z deposition. Hepatology. 2014 Jan 1;59(4):1591-1599. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.26930
10.1002/hep.26930
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0084.json.gz/line1764
|
__label__wiki
| 0.550356
| 0.550356
|
Procollagen II C-propeptide in joint fluid: Changes in concentration with age, time after knee injury, and osteoarthritis
L. Stefan Lohmander, Yasuo Yoshihara, Harald Roos, Tatsuo Kobayashi, Harumoto Yamada, Masayuki Shinmei
Objective. To determine in a cross sectional study the concentrations in joint fluid of the C-propeptide of collagen II (pCol II-C) in patients with knee injury and developing osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. Synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected from knees of healthy volunteers, from patients with injury to the knee causing lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament and/or menisci, and from patients with posttraumatic or primary OA. Concentrations of pCol II-C were determined by enzyme immunoassay with a polyclonal antiserum against the bovine propeptide. Results. The median concentration of pCol II-C in joint fluid in the reference group was 1.3 ng/ml (range 0.1-5.7 ng/ml). Median concentrations of pCol II-C in joint fluid were increased 2-4-fold in all 3 study groups over that in the reference group. Very high concentrations of propeptide were noted in samples from patients younger than about 18 years. Propeptide concentrations were increased after knee injury, with a suggested peak at about 1-4 years evident for patients with cruciate ligament injury. pCol II-C levels were increased at all stages of OA development, except in the most advanced phases. Conclusion. The increased levels of pCol II-C in SF may reflect an increased rate of synthesis of collagen II in the joint cartilage of patients with knee injury and developing OA. The increase reaches a maximum well before radiographic changes indicative of OA are apparent, and occurs during a disease phase characterized by signs of increased degradation of collagen II, aggrecan, and other matrix components. Further studies of markers of matrix metabolism of cartilage, bone, and other joint tissues in human and animal models of OA may aid in the identification of process markers, individuals at risk, and new therapeutic targets.
Journal of Rheumatology
Synovial Fluid
Aggrecans
Anterior Cruciate Ligament
Immunoenzyme Techniques
Ligaments
procollagen type II carboxy-terminal peptide
Immune Sera
Stefan Lohmander, L., Yoshihara, Y., Roos, H., Kobayashi, T., Yamada, H., & Shinmei, M. (1996). Procollagen II C-propeptide in joint fluid: Changes in concentration with age, time after knee injury, and osteoarthritis. Journal of Rheumatology, 23(10), 1765-1769.
Stefan Lohmander, L. ; Yoshihara, Yasuo ; Roos, Harald ; Kobayashi, Tatsuo ; Yamada, Harumoto ; Shinmei, Masayuki. / Procollagen II C-propeptide in joint fluid : Changes in concentration with age, time after knee injury, and osteoarthritis. In: Journal of Rheumatology. 1996 ; Vol. 23, No. 10. pp. 1765-1769.
@article{195b6896dc6c4b25b2d8c1fc4603271d,
title = "Procollagen II C-propeptide in joint fluid: Changes in concentration with age, time after knee injury, and osteoarthritis",
abstract = "Objective. To determine in a cross sectional study the concentrations in joint fluid of the C-propeptide of collagen II (pCol II-C) in patients with knee injury and developing osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. Synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected from knees of healthy volunteers, from patients with injury to the knee causing lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament and/or menisci, and from patients with posttraumatic or primary OA. Concentrations of pCol II-C were determined by enzyme immunoassay with a polyclonal antiserum against the bovine propeptide. Results. The median concentration of pCol II-C in joint fluid in the reference group was 1.3 ng/ml (range 0.1-5.7 ng/ml). Median concentrations of pCol II-C in joint fluid were increased 2-4-fold in all 3 study groups over that in the reference group. Very high concentrations of propeptide were noted in samples from patients younger than about 18 years. Propeptide concentrations were increased after knee injury, with a suggested peak at about 1-4 years evident for patients with cruciate ligament injury. pCol II-C levels were increased at all stages of OA development, except in the most advanced phases. Conclusion. The increased levels of pCol II-C in SF may reflect an increased rate of synthesis of collagen II in the joint cartilage of patients with knee injury and developing OA. The increase reaches a maximum well before radiographic changes indicative of OA are apparent, and occurs during a disease phase characterized by signs of increased degradation of collagen II, aggrecan, and other matrix components. Further studies of markers of matrix metabolism of cartilage, bone, and other joint tissues in human and animal models of OA may aid in the identification of process markers, individuals at risk, and new therapeutic targets.",
author = "{Stefan Lohmander}, L. and Yasuo Yoshihara and Harald Roos and Tatsuo Kobayashi and Harumoto Yamada and Masayuki Shinmei",
journal = "Journal of Rheumatology",
publisher = "Journal of Rheumatology",
Stefan Lohmander, L, Yoshihara, Y, Roos, H, Kobayashi, T, Yamada, H & Shinmei, M 1996, 'Procollagen II C-propeptide in joint fluid: Changes in concentration with age, time after knee injury, and osteoarthritis', Journal of Rheumatology, vol. 23, no. 10, pp. 1765-1769.
Procollagen II C-propeptide in joint fluid : Changes in concentration with age, time after knee injury, and osteoarthritis. / Stefan Lohmander, L.; Yoshihara, Yasuo; Roos, Harald; Kobayashi, Tatsuo; Yamada, Harumoto; Shinmei, Masayuki.
In: Journal of Rheumatology, Vol. 23, No. 10, 24.10.1996, p. 1765-1769.
T1 - Procollagen II C-propeptide in joint fluid
T2 - Changes in concentration with age, time after knee injury, and osteoarthritis
AU - Stefan Lohmander, L.
AU - Yoshihara, Yasuo
AU - Roos, Harald
AU - Kobayashi, Tatsuo
AU - Yamada, Harumoto
AU - Shinmei, Masayuki
N2 - Objective. To determine in a cross sectional study the concentrations in joint fluid of the C-propeptide of collagen II (pCol II-C) in patients with knee injury and developing osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. Synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected from knees of healthy volunteers, from patients with injury to the knee causing lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament and/or menisci, and from patients with posttraumatic or primary OA. Concentrations of pCol II-C were determined by enzyme immunoassay with a polyclonal antiserum against the bovine propeptide. Results. The median concentration of pCol II-C in joint fluid in the reference group was 1.3 ng/ml (range 0.1-5.7 ng/ml). Median concentrations of pCol II-C in joint fluid were increased 2-4-fold in all 3 study groups over that in the reference group. Very high concentrations of propeptide were noted in samples from patients younger than about 18 years. Propeptide concentrations were increased after knee injury, with a suggested peak at about 1-4 years evident for patients with cruciate ligament injury. pCol II-C levels were increased at all stages of OA development, except in the most advanced phases. Conclusion. The increased levels of pCol II-C in SF may reflect an increased rate of synthesis of collagen II in the joint cartilage of patients with knee injury and developing OA. The increase reaches a maximum well before radiographic changes indicative of OA are apparent, and occurs during a disease phase characterized by signs of increased degradation of collagen II, aggrecan, and other matrix components. Further studies of markers of matrix metabolism of cartilage, bone, and other joint tissues in human and animal models of OA may aid in the identification of process markers, individuals at risk, and new therapeutic targets.
AB - Objective. To determine in a cross sectional study the concentrations in joint fluid of the C-propeptide of collagen II (pCol II-C) in patients with knee injury and developing osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. Synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected from knees of healthy volunteers, from patients with injury to the knee causing lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament and/or menisci, and from patients with posttraumatic or primary OA. Concentrations of pCol II-C were determined by enzyme immunoassay with a polyclonal antiserum against the bovine propeptide. Results. The median concentration of pCol II-C in joint fluid in the reference group was 1.3 ng/ml (range 0.1-5.7 ng/ml). Median concentrations of pCol II-C in joint fluid were increased 2-4-fold in all 3 study groups over that in the reference group. Very high concentrations of propeptide were noted in samples from patients younger than about 18 years. Propeptide concentrations were increased after knee injury, with a suggested peak at about 1-4 years evident for patients with cruciate ligament injury. pCol II-C levels were increased at all stages of OA development, except in the most advanced phases. Conclusion. The increased levels of pCol II-C in SF may reflect an increased rate of synthesis of collagen II in the joint cartilage of patients with knee injury and developing OA. The increase reaches a maximum well before radiographic changes indicative of OA are apparent, and occurs during a disease phase characterized by signs of increased degradation of collagen II, aggrecan, and other matrix components. Further studies of markers of matrix metabolism of cartilage, bone, and other joint tissues in human and animal models of OA may aid in the identification of process markers, individuals at risk, and new therapeutic targets.
JO - Journal of Rheumatology
JF - Journal of Rheumatology
Stefan Lohmander L, Yoshihara Y, Roos H, Kobayashi T, Yamada H, Shinmei M. Procollagen II C-propeptide in joint fluid: Changes in concentration with age, time after knee injury, and osteoarthritis. Journal of Rheumatology. 1996 Oct 24;23(10):1765-1769.
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cc/2020-05/en_middle_0084.json.gz/line1765
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__label__cc
| 0.591502
| 0.408498
|
17/01/2020 (FT) Share price SEB €134.000 +0.37%
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The Content Factory running at full steam
For more than 2 years, the Content Factory has been creating all sorts of content to help market the Group's products. This in-house agency can m... 06/01/2020 - 14:30
Groupe SEB and its employees wish you a very happy holiday season and present you their Best Wishes for 2020. 23/12/2019 - 08:00
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Imusa launches Multichef, its new electric pressure cooker
In Colombia, Imusa launched, at then end of the year, Multichef, its new electric pressure cooker. This product is revolutionizing the way people... 03/01/2020 - 10:30
Conquer the world with style thanks to IXEO revolution!
Following the success of the IXEO / Men in Black operation, Tefal is renewing its partnership with SONY Pictures in Australia for the launch of t... 13/12/2019 - 10:00
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Tinteros Day: a great success for Groupe SEB Colombia!
In December, Groupe SEB Colombia organized a special event for around 2,000 “Tinteros” in various cities across the country. “Tinteros” are Colom... 13/01/2020 - 15:00
Groupe SEB receives an award for its Supor school project in China
As part of the Franco-Chinese Year of the Environment, the Paris regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its Franco-Chinese exchange commit... 11/10/2019 - 09:00
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Get it while it’s hot!
Clearer, more intuitive, more ergonomic, more user-friendly, richer in content and more international than ever: we are proud to present you our ... 10/09/2019 - 17:40
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Groupe SEB a founding member of La Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie in Lyon
La Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie has just opened in Lyon, a city of heritage and cuisine. This major project is the result of a partnership between the Lyon metropolitan area, the city of Lyon and 11 private sponsors working in the field of cuisine, among them Groupe SEB, which is a founding member.
In November 2010, on an initiative by Mission Française du Patrimoine des Cultures Alimentaires (MFPCA, the French mission of food culture heritage), the gastronomic meal of the French was inscribed on the UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
To build on this achievement and lend it physical form, a call for projects was launched with local authorities. In June 2013, Lyon was selected to host one of the four Cités Internationales de la Gastronomie, alongside Tours, Dijon and Paris-Rungis.
Housed in an exceptional venue in the Grand Hôtel-Dieu building in the Presqu’île area of Lyon,
La Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie upholds food as a source both of pleasure and health. It promotes trades and expertise, as well as the global reputation of Lyon, a city known for its cuisine.
Involved from the very inception of the project alongside the Lyon metropolitan area and Régis Marcon, a three-starred Chef and Chairman of the Strategic Steering Committee of La Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie, Groupe SEB is a founding member and brings together ten other private sponsors with close links to the Lyon area and food and health issues.
Commenting on the project, Groupe SEB Chairman and CEO, Thierry de La Tour d’Artaise, said: “Through its history and brands, Group SEB has always defended the values of taste and home cooking, as well as nutrition and health. As such, we are proud to support this magnificent partnership project whose renown will extend well beyond our region and our borders.”
A marriage of tradition and modernity, La Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie is an accessible venue for discovery and learning, and also a forum for French and international food professionals to share their expertise and savoir-faire. Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, visitors are able to discover the riches of France’s terroirs, find out more about the secrets of French cuisine and, naturally, taste the creations of top chefs.
A few figures:
€18 million in public and private investment
3,903 m² dedicated to “Gastronomy at the nexus of food and health”
A four-level “Taste Journey”
300,000 visitors expected every year
Open to everyone, 362 days a year, 7 days a week, from 10 am to 7 pm
DOWNLOAD THE PRESS RELEASE
In December, Groupe SEB Colombia organized a special event for around 2,000 “Tinteros” in various cities across the country. “Tinteros” are Colombian street coffee vendors and 80% of them use our IMUSA thermos in their everyday work.
For more than 2 years, the Content Factory has been creating all sorts of content to help market the Group's products. This in-house agency can mass produce high-quality content while meeting budget limits and deadlines.
In Colombia, Imusa launched, at then end of the year, Multichef, its new electric pressure cooker. This product is revolutionizing the way people cook, allowing them to prepare delicious dishes at the push of a button!
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Prologis Announces New Leasing Activity at Prologis Park Prague-Rudna
Prologis, Inc., the global leader in logistics real estate, today announced that five customers have signed leases totalling more than 17,000 square metres at Prologis Park Prague-Rudna.
The transactions comprise the following:
8,224 square metre lease renewal at Building 3 for Albatros Media, the largest Czech publishing group;
5,792 square metre renewal at Building 9 for computer and electronics e-tailer CZC.cz, a subsidiary of E-commerce Holding, which has taken over the lease from another of the leading Czech e-commerce group’s subsidiaries, Digital Engines;
1,863 square metre renewal at Building 1 for a Czech manufacturer;
1,321 square metres for new customer Döllken Profiles, a German company focused on floor strips and floor profiles;
235 square metres of office space for new customer JC Print, a provider of print media and related services.
“The diversity of customers who have recently signed transactions at Prologis Park Prague-Rudna demonstrates the company’s areas of expertise – namely, our ability to support a wide variety of customer businesses with flexibly organized space in prime locations close to major transportation hubs and big consumer/population centres,” says Kateřina Březinová, leasing manager, Prologis Czech Republic. “Rent levels have increased significantly over the last two years and we expect further rent growth due to low vacancy rates, limited development opportunities and increased demand from customers.”
Prologis Park Prague-Rudna is a fully developed park comprising almost 250,000 square metres of state-of-the-art distribution space, which is located 20 kilometres from the Prague city centre and 12 kilometres from Prague International Airport, directly off Exit 5 on the D5 motorway.
Prologis is a leading provider of distribution facilities in the Czech Republic with more than 1.1 million square metres of logistics and industrial space (as of June 30, 2018).
Prologis Develops Two BTS Facilities in Wrocław
Prologis, Inc., the global leader in logistics real estate, announced today that it has begun construction of two build-to-suit (BTS) facilities totaling 40,000 square meters in Prologis Park Wrocław IV.
Prologis Park Prague-Uzice Fully Occupied as Demand for Prague Space Outpaces Supply
Prologis, Inc., the global leader in logistics real estate, today announced that existing customer ROSSMANN, the German drugstore chain, with more than 135 stores currently operating in the Czech Republic,and almost 4 000 stores in other 6 European countries, increased its logistics footprint in the highly sought-after region of the Czech capital with a 15,000 square meter lease renewal and 5,000 square meter expansion at Prologis Park Prague-Uzice.
Prologis Developes Second BTS Facility for CERVA GROUP at Park Prague-Airport
Prologis, Inc., the global leader in logistics real estate, today announced that it has begun a build-to-suit project totaling 9,817 square meters at Prologis Park Prague-Airport for CERVA GROUP a.s., a leading Czech producer of protective personal equipment and workwear.
Ⓒ 2018 Prologis, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Plenty Quotes
Quotations list about plenty, innumerable and copious captions citing Chinese Proverbs, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Steve Maraboli sayings.
A man should choose a friend who is better than himself. There are plenty of acquaintances in the world; but very few real friends.
— Chinese Proverbs
If you must tell me your opinions, tell me what you believe in. I have plenty of doubts of my own.
This universe is balanced. God made it that way. There is always plenty to be worried and sad about, but there is equally plenty to be happy and at peace with. The choice is yours.
— Steve Maraboli
Life is tragic for those who have plenty to live on and nothing to live for.
Enjoy life. There's plenty of time to be dead.
There's nothing wrong with being gay. I have plenty of friends who are going to hell.
— Stephen Colbert
Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There's plenty of movement, but you never know if it's going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.
— H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
One of the best things about being an adult is the realization that you can share with your sister and still have plenty for yourself.
— Betsy Cohen
Where these is too much, something is missing.
— Jewish Proverbs
There is plenty of room at the top -- but no place to sit down.
What is the best quotes for plenty?
Try the Top 10 list of plenty quotes
When we have nothing to worry about we are not doing much, and not doing much may supply us with plenty of future worries.
I've learned that getting what you want gives you a pretty high batting average, and leaves you plenty to struggle for.
— Loretta Young
Be An Encourager. The World Has Plenty Of Critics Already.
— Dave Willis
Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world.
— James K. Polk
In delay there lies no plenty.
— William Shakespeare
The waste of plenty is the resource of scarcity.
— Thomas Love Peacock
There are plenty of good five cent cigars in the country. The trouble is they cost a quarter.
— Franklin Pierce Adams
It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do.
— Jerome K. Jerome
The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm
— Leonard Bernstein
Related To Plenty Quotations
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Last Update: January, 2020
If you don't give your kid freedom to make choices with money, including stupid choices, he'll make plenty when he gets to college.
— John Gardner
Never say no when a client asks for something, even if it is the moon.
You can always try, and anyhow there is plenty of time afterwards to explain that it was not possible.
— Cesar Ritz
Satiety is a mongrel that barks at the heels of plenty.
— Minna Antrim
Never hurry. Take plenty of exercise. Always be cheerful. Take all the sleep you need. You may expect to be well.
— James Freeman Clarke
Good manners and plenty of money will make my son a gentlemen.
— Proverbs
We shall serve for the joy of serving, prosperity shall flow to us and through us in unending streams of plenty.
— Charles Fillmore
There are few secrets of success, but plenty of people making a good living selling them.
— Michael Lipsey
We are stripped bare by the curse of plenty.
— Winston Churchill
The world is not looking for servants, there are plenty of these, but for masters, men who form their purposes and then carry them out, let the consequences be what they may.
— Woodrow Wilson
I had plenty of pimples as a kid. One day I fell asleep in the library. When I woke up, a blind man was reading my face.
— Rodney Dangerfield
Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn
— William Feather
Philosophy, like medicine, has plenty of drugs, few good remedies, and hardly any specific cures.
— Sebastian Roch Nicolas Chamfort
Plenty makes dainty!
— Scottish Proverbs
Nothing to mountaineering, just a little physical endurance, a good deal of brains, lots of practice, and plenty of warm clothing.
— Annie Smith Peck
I've criticized President Bush for his failure to use his veto pen.
There's plenty of blame to go around. The question is how to solve problems. It's not bailouts. What made America great? Free markets, free enterprise, manufacturing, job creation. That's how we're gonna do it, not by enlarging government.
— Scott Brown
Leave the President's family business to him.
You will have plenty to do without trying to manage the First Family. They are likely to do fine without your help.
— Donald Rumsfeld
Plenty of people wish to become devout, but no one wishes to be humble.
— Joseph Addison
If you want plenty of experience in dealing with difficult people, then have kids.
— Bo Bennett
Follow your dreams, work hard, practice and persevere.
Make sure you eat a variety of foods, get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
— Sasha Cohen
Sure, I have friends, plenty of friends, and they all come around wantin' to borrow money. I've always been generous with my friends and family, with money, but selfish with the important stuff like love.
— Richard Pryor
Every day we have plenty of opportunities to get angry, stressed or offended.
But what you're doing when you indulge these negative emotions is giving something outside yourself power over your happiness. You can choose to not let little things upset you.
— Joel Osteen
It is easy enough to tell the poor to accept their poverty as Gods will when you yourself have warm clothes and plenty of food and medical care and a roof over your head and no worry about the rent. But if you want them to believe youtry to share some of their poverty and see if you can accept it as Gods will yourself!
— Thomas Merton
Perhaps I am still very much of an American.
That is to say, na?ve, optimistic, gullible. In the eyes of a European, what am I but an American to the core, an American who exposes his Americanism like a sore. Like it or not, I am a product of this land of plenty, a believer in superabundance, a believer in miracles.
Writing is simple. First you have to make sure you have plenty of paper... sharp pencils... typewriter ribbon. Then put your belly up to your desk... roll a sheet of paper into the typewriter... and stare at it until beads of blood appear on your forehead.
Anyway, there's plenty of room for doubt.
It might seem easy enough, but computer language design is just like a stroll in the park....Jurassic Park, that is.
— Larry Wall
There is small danger of being starved in our land of plenty;
but the danger of being stuffed is imminent.
— Sarah Josepha Hale
There is no such thing as a lack of faith.
We all have plenty of faith, it's just that we have faith in the wrong things. We have faith in what can't be done rather than what can be done. We have faith in lack rather than abundance but there is no lack of faith. Faith is a law.
— Eric Butterworth
No young man starting in life could have better capital than plenty of friends.
They will strengthen his credit, support him in every great effort, and make him what, unaided, he could never be. Friends of the right sort will help him more -- to be happy and successful -- than much money...
— Orison Swett Marden
Aim for the top. There is plenty of room there. There are so few at the top it is almost lonely there.
— Samuel Insull
The great destroyers of nations and men are comfort, plenty and security.
A coward gets scared and quits. A hero gets scared, but still goes on.
A man is not necessarily intelligent because he has plenty of ideas, any more than he is a good general because he has plenty of soldiers.
Mere words are cheap and plenty enough, but ideas that rouse and set multitudes thinking come as gold for the mines.
— A. Owen Penny
Evidently there are plenty of people in journalism who have neither got what they liked nor quite grown to like what they get. They write pieces they do not much enjoy writing, for papers they totally despise, and the sad process ends by ruining their style and disintegrating their personality, two developments which in a writer cannot be separate, since his personality and style must progress or deteriorate together, like a married couple in a country where death is the only permissible divorce.
— Claud Cockburn
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The European higher education area in 2015
Bologna Process implementation report
There is a newer edition of this publication
The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has evolved towards a more common and much more understandable structure of degrees. There is, however, no single model of first-cycle programmes in the EHEA. Most countries combine programmes of 180 ECTS and 240 ECTS. In some countries, the number of (usually professional) programmes using the 210 ECTS model is significant as well. In the second cycle, the most common model is 120 ECTS with two-thirds of programmes following this workload. Other models dominate, however, in particular countries. 90 ECTS is the dominant model in Cyprus, Ireland and the... United Kingdom (Scotland) and 60-75 ECTS in Montenegro, Serbia and Spain. The differences in the total workload of the first and second cycles combined can vary by up to 120 ECTS. Such a large difference in the total workload of first and second qualifications may cause problems in recognition of second cycle qualifications in particular. Short-cycle qualifications are the exception to the rule of convergent development in degree structures. They have a different status in different countries, being recognised in some as a part of higher education, in others as part of post-secondary vocational education or even as part of secondary education. They may also be called very differently from one country to the next. When continuing in first cycle programmes, short cycle graduates gain different amounts of credit – from full credit down to zero credits. Access to the next cycle (according to the Lisbon Recognition Convention definition) is generally smooth. The cases where access is not granted occur most often where the applicant has graduated from a professional programme but applies for admission to an academic programme in the next cycle (or vice versa), and where the applicant holds a qualification which does not follow the Bologna pattern. The share of first-cycle students continuing studies in a second-cycle programme after graduation from the first cycle varies among the countries. While in some countries only 1-25 % of first cycle graduates continue to the second cycle, in other countries this figure may reach 75-100 %.
Corporate author(s): Eurydice (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency)
Personal author(s): Desurmont, Arnaud; Riiheläinen, Jari; Horvath, Anna; Crosier, David; Kocanova, Daniela; Racké, Cornelia; Paquet, Marie-Fleur; De Lel, Gisèle; Rauhvargers, Andrejs; Parveva, Teodora
Themes: Education policy
Subject: education costs, education statistics, educational system, higher education, recognition of diplomas, student mobility
978-92-9201-847-4 10.2797/128576 EC-02-15-185-EN-N
Size: 28 161KB
978-92-9201-858-0 10.2797/998555 EC-02-15-185-EN-E
978-92-9201-851-1 10.2797/99035 EC-02-15-185-EN-C
A4: Pages: Weight: Size:
Available language(s): German English French
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CERES ERBE-like Gridded Instantaneous TOA Fluxes Terra and Aqua Crosstrack Edition4
data.nasa.gov | Last Updated 2019-12-12T23:52:11.000Z
The ERBE-like Monthly Regional Averages (ES-9) product contains a month of space and time averaged Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data for both the Terra and Aqua satellite using measurements from the primary crosstrack instrument. All instantaneous shortwave and longwave fluxes at the Top-of-the-Atmosphere (TOA) from the CERES ES-8 product for a month are sorted by 2.5-degree spatial regions, by day number, and by the local hour of observation. The mean of the instantaneous fluxes for a given region-day-hour bin is determined and recorded on the ES-9 along with other flux statistics and scene information. For each region, the daily average flux is estimated from an algorithm that uses the available hourly data, scene identification data, and diurnal models. This algorithm is "like" the algorithm used for the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE). The ES-9 also contains hourly average fluxes for the month and an overall monthly average for each region. These average fluxes are given for both clear-sky and total-sky scenes. CERES is a key component of the Earth Observing System (EOS) program. The CERES instruments provide radiometric measurements of the Earth's atmosphere from three broadband channels. The CERES missions are a follow-on to the successful Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) mission. The first CERES instrument (PFM) was launched on November 27, 1997 as part of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). Two CERES instruments (FM1 and FM2) were launched into polar orbit on board the EOS flagship Terra on December 18, 1999. Two additional CERES instruments (FM3 and FM4) were launched on board EOS Aqua on May 4, 2002. The newest CERES instrument (FM5) was launched on board the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite on October 28, 2011.
NASA Financial Budget Documents, Strategic Plans and Performance Reports 2016: NASA Budget Fact Sheet
NASA Financial Budget Documents, Strategic Plans and Performance Reports for fiscal year 2016.
Development of a TRL6 Electric Motor and Position Sensor for Venus
Future robotic missions to Venus require actuators for powering robotic arms, sampling systems, and gimbals for the positioning of cameras and antennas. There are many types of actuators (e.g. pneumatic, hydraulic); however electric actuators offer the greatest versatility for space missions. An electric actuator consists of an electric motor and a position sensor. The electric motor converts electrical energy (electricity) into mechanical output (shaft rotation). The position sensor, on the other hand, determines the angular position of the motor shaft, which then is processed by drive electronics to commutate and control the motor. Because of the extreme conditions on the Venus surface (92 bar pressure, 462 °C temperature, and supercritical CO2 atmosphere), conventional actuators will not be able to function properly, or at all. The main challenges pertain to changes in electrical properties like an increase in wire resistance (leading to greater losses), changes in magnetic properties like permeability and retentivity (leading to demagnetization of magnets), and changes in physical properties such as linear expansion, decrease in strength, increase in friction, and accelerated oxidation. Since 2007, Honeybee and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have been developing Venus actuator technologies. We developed a 48V Brushless DC motor (BLDC) and custom position sensor called the Pulsed Injection Position Sensor (PIPS) for motor commutation and feedback control. The motor and PIPS are at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5. The main objective of the proposed work is to mature the Venus actuator technology through an iterative process of Venus chamber testing of a TRL5 actuator, followed by re-design and fabrication of a TRL6 actuator and subsequent Venus chamber qualification testing of that actuator. The critical objectives to be met are as follows: 1. Design of a motor with 28V windings (28 V is a conventional spacecraft power bus), 2. Increase PIPS resolution from 12 to 48 counts/rev (this will make motor more efficient and allow actuator to be used for precision positioning systems – robotic arms and gimbals), 3. Establish reproducible procedures, standards, and guidelines for fabricating, assembly, test, and inspection of Venus actuators (currently actuators are hand crafted by selected engineers – this knowledge needs to be captured so that any skilled person will be able to fabricate Venus actuator whenever needed). Technical approach: This effort will be achieved in one year period to enable technology infusion into the New Frontiers (NF) Venus In Situ Explorer (VISE) mission. Specific tasks are: Step 1 (Months 1-3): we will characterize performance of the TRL5 actuator under Venus conditions in JPL’s Venus Materials Test Facility (VMTF) chamber. We will connect two existing TRL5 BLDC actuators: one will act as a brake to enable characterization of the second actuator. The actuator will be run until failure in order to assess failure condition. Step 2 (Months 4-9): we will incorporate lessons from Step 1 to design and fabricate three 28V actuators. We will develop procedures and standards for fabrication, inspection and testing. Step 3 (Months 10-12): we will perform the same tests as in Step 1 to characterize performance of the 28V actuators. At this point, it is assumed that we will be able to fabricate identical TRL 6 actuators by following manufacturing process developed in Step 2. Significance of the work to the solicitation: HOTTech supports development of electrical technologies (such as our proposed electric actuator) for the robotic exploration of Venus surfaces. Our electrical actuator will enable Venus missions in the Discovery, New Frontiers (Venus In Situ Explorer), and Flagship (Venus Mobile Explorer) class. Per HOTTech, our actuator also has terrestrial applications in the Geothermal, Oil and Gas, and Aeronautical industries.
Design Environment for Multi-Fidelity and Multi-Disciplinary Components, Phase I
Many of the most challenging categories of propulsion system development are related to the prediction of interacting effects between the fluid loads, thermal loads, and the structural deflection. In practice, the interactions between technical disciplines are often not fully explored analytically, and the analysis in one discipline often uses a simplified representation of other disciplines as an input or boundary condition. For example, the fluid forces in an engine generate static and dynamic rotor deflection, but the forces themselves are dependent on the rotor position and its orbit. A typical design practice might involve predicting the fluid and thermal loads for various conditions and passing those estimates along for inclusion with the structural model. This practice ignores the interaction between the physical phenomena where the outcome of each analysis can be heavily dependent on the inputs (i.e., changes in flow due to deflection, changes in deflection due to fluid forces). Such a rigid design process also lacks the flexibility to employ multiple levels of fidelity in the analysis of each of the components. In this project, Mechanical Solutions, Inc. (MSI) proposes to extend two existing software tools to develop a design environment with both breadth (to cover multiple disciplines) and depth (to cover multiple levels of fidelity).
Data driven modeling of the simultaneous activities in ambient environments
Resident of a smart home, who may be an old person or an Alzheimer patient needing permanent assistance, actuates the world by realizing activities, which are observed through the embedded sensors of smart home. Typically, this person may sometimes forget completion of the activities; may realize the activities of daily living incorrectly, and may enter to dangerous states. In order to provide automatic assistance for the smart home resident through the embedded electronically controllable actuators and make the smart home resident able to live independently at home we propose to calculate a possibilistic logical space for correct realization of activities, which may be represented in form of a multivariable problem. Regardless from the physical entity (modality and location) of the intelligence source and the quantity of individuals who perform the activities; per each possible goal or activity, we consider a unique source of intelligence (for example a social mind) who directs the order of fuzzy events that occur in the ambient environment, then the plan behind world actuations is modeled applying extensions of the fuzzy logic. The main key point that we deal with is the analysis of the observations in order to make inferences about possible simultaneous activities that may be planned and realized by one or more individuals; so that we can reason in the cases the parallel activities are interrupted.
Six-Axis Force-Torque Transducer for Mars 2018 Mission, Phase I
The use of automated robotic tooling is required in a number of space missions. It is possible to have better tool control if the robotic arm could report loads experienced by the tooling.
Foam Protection of Flight Hardware From Impact Loads Due To Drops
<p>In response to several instances of flight hardware being dropped during shipment with expensive hits to cost and schedule, a methodology to normalize foam data was proposed, developed into an algorithm and implemented as an excel based foam design tool. Commonly foam curves are developed from thousands of drop tests. This algorithm allows the same results to be obtained from about 100 tests, reducing cost of testing foams. This preliminary tool has passed peer review at JSC Engineering and received acclaim. JSC Innovation Charge Account funding was used to refine the tool to obtain higher accuracy by improving the math and conducting additional testing to expand the math to include foam sandwiches. These improvements to the tool help reduce the amount of foam required allowing the package to be more compact, and reduce the need to ship in ground foam then repackage in flight foam at the launch site. This will result in cost saving, schedule compression and reduced risk to hardware.<p/><p>Develop an algorithm to model foam compression during impact and implement as an easy to use excel based shipping foam design tool. Refine methodology of calculating foam compression using the innovative Stress-Energy testing method which drastically increases flexibility of data collected by normalizing data with respect to drop height and foam volume. Foam compression is critical in cases where a protrusion exists which should not contact the bottom of the container. There are benefits of using multiple foam types or sandwiched foam packaging. Tests were conducted to confirm the theory for how to combine foams as well as add the function to the existing tool. Calculations for sandwiched foams along with the addition of flight foams to the data base provides tools required for engineers to properly design foam packaging when multiple foams would be beneficial. This provides the option to pack hardware for flight then ship hardware to launch facility.</p>
Non-Catalytic Nanocomposite Based Self-Healing Material for Multifunctional Composite, Phase I
NASA seeks new materials and systems for the mitigation of structural damage, and new concepts for the activation of healing mechanisms to improve structural durability and enhance safe operation of aerospace structural systems. Nanotrons Corporation proposes to develop advanced multifunctional carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites with built-in non-catalytic nanocomposite-based self-healing microcapsules. The proposed self-healing approach integrates high performance functionalized carbon nanotube (CNT) nanofillers, reactive monomer solution, non-catalytic curing mechanism, and mass-production self-healing microcapsules. By uniformly dispersing these nanocomposite-based self-healing microcapsules throughout the CFRP composite matrix, self-healing multifunctional composite materials will be fabricated. The resulting materials should selectively repair the damaged areas at ambient conditions without catalysts. Nanotrons' proposed novel multifunctional CFRP composites could heal the damaged area over 90% of the original strength. Added benefits are that the addition of self-healing microcapsules will increase fracture toughness of the matrix polymer and the incorporated CNT nanofillers will improve electrical conductivity and EMI/RF shielding performance of the healed CFRP composites. These features are unattainable from existing systems. Nanotrons' proposed non-catalytic nanocomposite-based self-healing microcapsules embedded in multifunctional CFRP composites can be economically scaled up for manufacture. This Phase I program will demonstrate the feasibility of our proposed self-healing approach.
Generating Autoclave-Level Mechanical Properties with Out-of-Autoclave Thermoplastic Placement of Large Composite Aerospace Structures, Phase I
Out-of-autoclave thermoplastic tape/tow placement (TP-ATP) is nearing commercialization but suffers a moderate gap in mechanical properties compared with laminates fabricated via thermoset autoclave processing. Out-of-autoclave thermoplastic processing significantly lowers composite aerospace part costs, but the property gap must be closed. This STTR program, endorsed herein by Boeing and Cytec Engineered Materials, will remedy the mechanical property shortfall and enable large composite aerospace structure important to NASA to be manufactured without an autoclave. Accudyne is teaming with University of Delaware -- Center for Composite Materials to apply their state-of-the-art TP-ATP process/property models to elucidate the physical mechanisms affecting microstructural quality that cause the property gap. Models will be applied to the NASA LaRC TP-ATP deposition head to optimize the head configuration and machine operating parameters, and the control systems for full mechanical properties. Laminates will be manufactured to demonstrate the property improvements. The process, head, and equipment changes will be upgraded on the NASA-LaRC thermoplastic tape head. In Phase 2, process/head modeling will be extended through laminate fabrication and testing, and a component of interest to NASA will be fabricated demonstrating the improved "autoclave level" mechanical performance.
Fault Management: Degradation Signature Detection, Modeling, and Processing, Phase I
Fault to Failure Progression (FFP) signature modeling and processing is a new method for applying condition-based signal data to detect degradation, to identify fault modes, and to produce system estimates for State of Health (SoH) and Remaining Useful Life (RUL). The base technology has been applied for prognostic purposes for various government-sponsored programs, but FFP signature modeling and processing has not been applied for the area of Fault Management, nor does it include such features as fault dictionaries, lookup tables, and management algorithms. The technology includes Ridgetop-designed and developed algorithms to do the following: (1) perform Kalman Filtering to reduce noise; (2) transform sensor signal data to reveal underlying (hidden) FFP signatures; (3) normalize units-of-measure dependent signal data into dimensionless FFP signatures to facilitate re-use and reduce the time to characterize and define new FFP signatures; (4) define and use model definitions that reduce memory requirements and support fast and accurate processing and calculations; (5) two forms of trajectory curve characterization, both straight-line and curvilinear; (6) a fast yet accurate, graphics-based mathematical routine to adapt an FFP model to received data; (7) amplitude and time updates similar to Extended Kalman Filtering to estimate how long it will take an adapted FFP model to reach a defined failure threshold; and (8) produce SoH and RUL estimates that rapidly converge to the estimated time-to-failure (TTF) solution. The FFP signature modeling and processing will include additional innovation to support FM to minimize application-specific programming, those include algorithms to simplify fault identification and isolation.
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War: What if it was here?
Submitted by LT_Sargent on Thu, 06/29/2017 - 16:55
Title War: What if it was here?
Authors Teller, Janne (b. 1964)
Pagination 63 pp.
Date Published [2016]
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Place Published London
Keywords Danish author, Female author
The story is set in a future dystopian Britain at war and is designed to show the reader what it would be like to live in situation and then become a refugee. Originally written and published in Danish but completely re-written with Britain as the focus.
Illus. Helle Vibecke Jensen
Danish female author (b. 1964) who is also a human rights activist.
[2016] Teller, Janne (b. 1964). War: What if it was here? Illus. Helle Vibecke Jensen. London: Simon & Schuster. 63 pp. NLS
The story is set in a future dystopian Britain at war and is designed to show the reader what it would be like to live in situation and then become a refugee. Originally written and published in Danish but completely re-written with Britain as the focus. Danish female author who is also a human rights activist.
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Senate backs Greens’ motion on WA shark cull as Abbott & Barnett sing with one voice
The Senate has backed an Australian Greens motion calling on the Federal Government to terminate the exemption from the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act granted to Premier Colin Barnett's drum line policy following the deaths of members of a protected species.
"The Senate today supported my motion calling for a termination of the exemption, recognising that at least two mako sharks have died on WA's drum lines since the cull began," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens marine spokesperson said today.
"The mako shark is listed as a migratory species under the EPBC Act, and the Environment Minister has a responsibility for protecting this species.
"The Minister has said that "any breach of conditions will result in the exemption being terminated", and yet no action is being taken, despite the fact that the shark cull policy is catching under sized sharks and despite the fact that species listed under the EPBC Act have died.
"Yet again, Government failed to support this motion, showing their disinterest in upholding the EPBC Act or the intent of the WA Government's commitment to reduce the impact of the cull on small sharks.
"This is no surprise, given Tony Abbott's broad and open support for WA's cull. Just as with the threat of climate change, the Prime Minister is happy to ignore the science and back this cull.
"Tony Abbott and Colin Barnett are speaking with one voice.
"The only responsible course of action for the Environment Minister to take is to terminate this exemption and for the drum lines to be removed," Senator Siewert concluded.
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Senate condemns WA shark deaths
Rachel Siewert 14 May 2014
The Senate has condemned the unnecessary deaths of shark as a result of WA's cull, following the release of final kill statistics last week.
"The Senate has supported my motion condemning the deaths of the 68 sharks killed off WA's coast during the three month cull," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens marine spokesperson said today.
"There is deep seated opposition to this cull, but the WA Government is pushing ahead with an unjustified proposal to extend it for three more years.
"The Federal Environment Minister has determined an environmental assessment of the proposed extension of the cull be undertaken, but has delegated responsibility for the assessment back to the WA Government. It is a clear conflict of interest that the state is carrying out an assessment of its own shark cull proposal.
"The cull caught at least 110 sharks under 3 metres in length, despite the WA Government's commitment to mitigate the risk of this happening. Five short fin mako sharks were caught and four died during the cull. The mako is a migratory species supposedly protected by the Commonwealth.
"It is clear that over a three year period, the impact of this cull would be significant, and yet the WA Government are keen to push ahead.
"The Senate has supported my call for the Government to ensure that no further shark deaths occur and to end their support for this policy," Senator Siewert concluded.
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Season 3 – Lesson 19 – Coffee Break Spanish
In this week’s episode, Mark and Alba discuss some useful techniques for learning languages and share their ideas and advice with listeners. In the intermedio Alba talks about the northern Spanish city of Bilbao, and José introduces a construction which involves lo + adjective. Grammar points covered include the construction siempre que and the use of the subjunctive after para que.
In episode 18 of Coffee Break Spanish Season 3, Mark and Alba talk about the advantages and disadvantages of buying things online, and share their experiences both positive and negative. In this week’s intermedio, Alba presents the city of Granada in the south of Spain, and José talks about ways to describe someone whose head is always in the clouds.
This episode is dedicated to all fans of the imperfect subjunctive… and to those of you who are terrified of it! After listening to Mark and Alba’s discussion about all things hypothetical, you’ll be 100% confident in using the Spanish imperfect subjunctive. In addition, Alba talks about her favourite parts of Madrid, and José introduces some ways to express surprise
Episode 16 features a conversation between Alba and Mark about what they’ve been doing since they last saw each other. Grammar points covered include possessive pronouns, and uses of the subjunctive. This week’s intermedio features a presentation of Barcelona from Alba, and José looks at some more interesting ways of talking about going out for a drink or for something to
In this fourth episode of Coffee Break Spanish Season 3, Mark has just returned from a week in London and he discusses the advantages and disadvantages of living in a village, town or city with Alba. We also meet Laura from Verano Español, our forthcoming soap opera. In José’s intermedio he introduces two phrases which use the verb ponerse. Grammar
Lesson 19 – Show Time Spanish
In this week’s episode, Mark and Alba discuss some useful techniques for learning languages and share their ideas and advice with listeners. In the intermedio Alba talks about the northern Spanish city of Bilbao, and José introduces a construction which involves lo + adjective. Grammar points covered include the construction siempre que and the use of the subjunctive after para que. Members | Purchase | RSS | iTunes
In episode 18 of Show Time Spanish, Mark and Alba talk about the advantages and disadvantages of buying things online, and share their experiences both positive and negative. In this week’s intermedio, Alba presents the city of Granada in the south of Spain, and José talks about ways to describe someone whose head is always in the clouds. Grammar points
Show Time Spanish – Episode 06
In episode 6 of Show Time Spanish Mark and Alba discuss their recent visits to Edinburgh and will entertain you with some singing! José introduces two phrases to say that things are in a mess, and language points include the pluperfect tense and using double indirect pronouns, eg. a mi madre le gusta la música. Members | Purchase | RSS | iTunes link
In this fourth episode of Show Time Spanish, Mark has just returned from a week in London and he discusses the advantages and disadvantages of living in a village, town or city with Alba. We also meet Laura from Verano Español, our forthcoming soap opera. In José’s intermedio he introduces two phrases which use the verb ponerse. Grammar points covered include
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