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Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 33 No 4 - December 2009 /
Annual report: surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia, 2008
The adverse events following immunisation surveillance aims to monitor vaccine and immunisation program safety and to detect population-specific, rare, late-onset or unexpected adverse events that may not be detected in pre-licensure vaccine trials. This page contains the annual report for 2008.
Introduction | Methods | Results | Discussion | Acknowledgements | References
Rob Menzies, Deepika Mahajan, Michael S Gold, Ilnaz Roomiani, Peter McIntyre, Glenda Lawrence
This report summarises Australian passive surveillance data for adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for 2008, and describes reporting trends over the 9-year period 2000 to 2008. There were 1,542 AEFI records for vaccines administered in 2008. This was an annual AEFI reporting rate of 7.2 per 100,000 population, a 5% decrease compared with 2007. The majority of AEFI reports described non-serious events while 10% (n = 152) were classified as serious. Two deaths temporally associated with immunisation were reported; there was no evidence to suggest a causal association. The most commonly reported reactions were injection site reaction, allergic reaction, fever and headache. AEFI reporting rates in 2008 were 2.7 events per 100,000 administered doses of influenza vaccine for adults aged ≥18 years, 18.9 per 100,000 administered doses of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine for those aged ≥65 years, and 17.2 per 100,000 administered doses of scheduled vaccines for children aged <7 years. Reports for infants increased in 2008, mainly related to gastrointestinal system events temporally associated with receipt of rotavirus vaccine in the 1st full year of the rotavirus immunisation program, while there was a substantial decrease in AEFI reports for human papillomavirus vaccine in adolescents compared with 2007 when the program commenced. Increases in reports in children and adults were also partly attributed to the implementation of enhanced passive surveillance in Victoria. The consistently low reporting rate of serious AEFI highlights the safety of vaccines in Australia and illustrates the value of the national TGA database as a surveillance tool for monitoring AEFIs nationally. Commun Dis Intell 2009;33(4):365–381.
The aim of passive post-licensure surveillance of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) is to monitor the vaccine and immunisation program safety. An ‘adverse event following immunisation’ is defined as any serious or unexpected adverse event that occurs after a vaccine has been given, which may be related to the vaccine itself or to its handling or administration. An AEFI can be coincidentally associated with the timing of immunisation without necessarily being caused by the vaccine or the immunisation process. Analysing trends in passive reports can identify signals or assist in generating hypotheses that can then be tested by more rigorous methods. This can lead to the detection of population-specific, rare, late-onset or unexpected adverse events that have not been identified in pre-licensure vaccine trials.1,2
Several important changes to vaccine funding and availability occurred in 2007 and 2008 that impact on the AEFI surveillance data presented in this report. These are:
In March 2008, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria changed from using 2 combination vaccines (i.e. quadrivalent DTPa-IPV and Hib-HepB) to the single hexavalent DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib vaccine for children at 2, 4 and 6 months of age,3-6 due to an international shortage of some Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines (PedvaxHib® [monovalent] and Comvax® [Hib-HepB]).7 The hexavalent vaccine has been used in all other jurisdictions since November 2005, except for all infants in the Northern Territory and Indigenous infants in Western Australia, who continue to receive pentavalent DTPa-IPV-HepB and monovalent Hib vaccines.
The national rotavirus immunisation program commenced in July 2007, when rotavirus (RotaTeq® and Rotarix®) vaccines were added to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for all infants in Australia.8 This followed the earlier introduction in the Northern Territory in October 2006. Infants receive either a 2-dose schedule (Rotarix®) at 2 and 4 months of age, or a 3-dose schedule (RotaTeq®) at 2, 4 and 6 months of age.
The national human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation program commenced in April 2007 for all girls aged 12–18 years, and was extended to the 19–26 year age group in July 2007.8 Two vaccines are funded—the quadrivalent vaccine (Gardasil®) and the bivalent vaccine (Cervarix®). Both vaccines are given as a 3-dose course.
Previous changes to the NIP schedule8-10 also impact on the interpretation of trend data, and have been described in detail in previous reports published regularly since 2003.11-21 These are: (i) in 2003, the commencement of the meningococcal C conjugate vaccine (MenCCV) immunisation program and the removal of the 18-month dose of DTPa vaccine; (ii) from 2004, the progressive introduction of a dose of dTpa for adolescents;9 (iii) in January 2005, the commencement of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV) program for infants and the 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine (23vPPV) for adults aged ≥65 years;7,8 and (iv) in November 2005, varicella for infants and at 12–13 years of age for those with no evidence of previous vaccination or varicella infection, and the replacement of oral poliovirus vaccine with inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) for children. All IPV-containing vaccines include diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTPa) antigens (i.e. quadrivalent vaccines) and some also include hepatitis B (HepB) and/or Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) antigens (i.e. pentavalent and hexavalent vaccines). The specific combination vaccines administered at 2, 4, and 6 months of age vary between states and territories but all jurisdictions provide DTPa-IPV quadrivalent vaccine at 4 years of age.10
AEFI are notified to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) by state and territory health departments, health professionals, vaccine manufacturers and members of the public.9,10 All reports are assessed using internationally consistent criteria22 and entered into the Australian Adverse Drug Reactions System (ADRS) database. All reports for vaccines and complementary medicines, plus all serious reports for drugs, are forwarded to the Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee (ADRAC) for review at regular meetings. This is an expert committee of the TGA composed of independent medical experts who have expertise in areas of importance to the evaluation of medicine safety.
Adverse events following immunisation data
De-identified information on AEFI reports from the ADRS database for vaccine adverse event notifications received to 28 February 2009, were released to the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS). Readers are referred to previous AEFI surveillance reports for a description of the surveillance system and methods used to evaluate reports to the TGA.12,13 This report focuses on AEFI reported for vaccines administered during 2008 and trends in AEFI reporting for the 9-year period 2000 to 2008.
AEFI records contained in the ADRS database were eligible for inclusion in the analysis if a vaccine was recorded as ‘suspected’† of involvement in the reported adverse event and either
a. the vaccination occurred between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2008 or
b. for records where the vaccination date was not recorded, the date of onset of symptoms or signs occurred between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2008.
Study definitions of adverse events following immunisation outcomes and reactions
AEFI were defined as ‘serious’ or ‘non-serious’ based on information recorded in the ADRS database and criteria similar to those used by the World Health Organization22 and the US Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS).23 In this report, an AEFI is defined as ‘serious’ if the record indicated that the person had recovered with sequelae, been admitted to a hospital, experienced a life-threatening event, or died.
The causality ratings of ‘certain’, ‘probable’ and ‘possible’ are assigned to individual AEFI records by the TGA and reviewed by ADRAC. They describe the likelihood that a suspected vaccine or vaccines was/were associated with the reported reaction at the level of the individual vaccine recipient. Factors that are considered in assigning causality ratings include the timing (minutes, hours etc) and the spatial correlation (for injection site reactions) of symptoms and signs in relation to vaccination, and whether one or more vaccines were administered, and are outlined in more detail elsewhere.12 Because children in particular receive several vaccines at the same time, all administered vaccines are usually listed as ‘suspected’ of involvement in a systemic adverse event as it is usually not possible to attribute the AEFI to a single vaccine.
Typically, each AEFI record listed several symptoms, signs and diagnoses that had been re-coded by TGA staff from the reporter’s description into standardised terms using the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA®).24 AEFI reports of suspected anaphylaxis and hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes (HHE) were reviewed by ADRAC and classified using the Brighton Collaboration case definitions.25,26 If an AEFI report met any level of the Brighton Collaboration case definition it was coded accordingly.
To analyse reported AEFI, we grouped MedDRA® coding terms to create a set of reaction categories. Firstly, reaction categories were created that were analogous to the AEFI listed and defined in The Australian Immunisation Handbook (9th edition). Additional categories were created for MedDRA® coding terms that were listed in more than 1% of AEFI records (e.g. headache, dizziness, change in heart or respiratory rate or rhythm). Reaction terms listed in less than 1% of records were grouped into broader categories based on the organ system where the reaction was manifested (e.g. gastrointestinal, neurological).
All data analyses were performed using SAS software version 9.1.3.27 The distribution of AEFI records was analysed by age, sex and jurisdiction. Average annual population-based reporting rates were calculated for each state and territory and by age group using population estimates obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The frequency and age distribution of reported AEFI outcomes, reaction categories and vaccines were assessed. For each vaccine, the age distribution of vaccinees was calculated, as well as the proportion of records where (i) the vaccine was the only suspected vaccine or drug; (ii) the AEFI record was assigned a ‘certain’ or ‘probable’ causality rating; and (iii) the AEFI was defined as ‘serious’.
AEFI reporting rates per 100,000 administered doses were estimated for influenza vaccine for adults aged ≥18 years; for 23vPPV for adults aged ≥65 years; and for 10 vaccines funded through the NIP for children aged <7 years. The 2008 AEFI reporting rates were compared with those for 2007 and 2006.
Denominator data to estimate influenza and 23vPPV AEFI reporting rates were obtained from the national adult coverage survey conducted in 2006 (unpublished) for adults aged ≥65 years and 18–64 years (influenza only). The number of administered doses of each of the 10 childhood vaccines was calculated from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR), a national population-based register of approximately 99% of children aged <7 years.28
Dose-based AEFI reporting rates could not be calculated for other vaccines and age groups as reliable denominator data for the number of vaccine doses distributed or administered were not available.
Notes on interpretation
Caution is required when interpreting the AEFI data presented in this report. Due to reporting delays and late onset of some AEFI, the data are considered preliminary, particularly for the 4th quarter of 2008. Data published in previous reports for 2000–200711-21 differ to that presented in this report for the same period because the data have been updated to include AEFI notified to the TGA after original publication.
The information collated in the ADRS database is intended primarily for signal detection and hypothesis generation. While AEFI reporting rates can be estimated using appropriate denominators, such as the number of vaccine doses administered, they cannot be interpreted as incidence rates due to under-reporting and biased reporting of suspected AEFI, and the variable quality and completeness of information provided in individual AEFI notifications.11–21,29
It is important to note that this report is based on vaccine and reaction term information collated in the ADRS database and not on comprehensive clinical notes. Individual database records list symptoms, signs and diagnoses that were used to define a set of reaction categories based on the case definitions provided in the 9th edition of The Australian Immunisation Handbook.10 These reaction categories are similar, but not identical, to the AEFI case definitions.
The reported symptoms, signs and diagnoses in each AEFI record in the ADRS database are temporally associated with vaccination but are not necessarily causally associated with a vaccine or vaccines. The causality ratings assigned to individual AEFI records describe the likelihood that a suspected vaccine or vaccines was/were associated with the reported reaction in an individual vaccine recipient.
Summary of data
There was a total of 1,542 AEFI records in the ADRS database where the date of vaccination (or onset of an adverse event, if vaccination date was not reported) occurred between 1 January and 31 December 2008. This was 5% lower than in 2007. In 2008, approximately 2% of AEFI notifications resulted in more than 1 AEFI record in the database, usually an injection site reaction (ISR) and a systemic reaction.
Of the 1,542 AEFI records, 152 (10%) were defined as ‘serious’ (i.e. recovery with sequelae, requiring hospitalisation, experiencing a life-threatening event or death). A total of 440 (29%) AEFI records were assigned causality ratings of ‘certain’ (n = 380, 25%) or ‘probable’ (n = 60, 4%).
Reporting trends
The AEFI reporting rate for 2008 was 7.2 per 100,000 population, compared with 7.7 per 100,000 population in 2007 (Figure 1). This is the third highest reporting rate for the period 2000 to 2008, and is similar to the peaks in 2003 and 2007 that coincided with the national MenCCV and HPV programs, respectively. The trends in AEFI notifications shown in Figure 1 are reflected in the trends in vaccines frequently suspected of involvement in reported AEFI (Figure 2), and in the types of reactions frequently reported (Figure 3).
Figure 1: Adverse events following immunisation, ADRS database, 2000 to 2008, by quarter of vaccination
For reports where the date of vaccination was not recorded, the date of onset was used as a proxy for vaccination date.
Figure 2: Frequently suspected vaccines, adverse events following immunisation, ADRS database, 2000 to 2008, by quarter of vaccination
See appendix for abbreviations of vaccine names. DTPa-containing vaccines include DTPa, and the combination vaccines DTPa-HepB, DTPa-IPV, DTPa-IPV-HepB and DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib.
Figure 3: Selected frequently reported adverse events following immunisation, ADRS database, 2000 to 2008, by quarter of vaccination
Many of these changes correspond in time with changes in the funded NIP schedule. Most recently, the previously mentioned addition of HPV and rotavirus vaccines in 2007 and the change over for Queensland, South Australia and Victoria to the hexavalent DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib vaccine for infants in March 2008. Previously, reporting rates increased then stabilised at lower rates following the introductions of 7vPCV in 2005 and MenCCV in 2003 (Figure 2). Following this trend, reports for HPV vaccine peaked in the year of that vaccine’s introduction in 2007 and declined substantially in 2008 (Figure 2).
The usual seasonal pattern of AEFI reporting, with peaks in the first half of the year, was also apparent in 2008 (Figure 1). The seasonal peaks generally correspond to the months when more vaccinations are administered in Australia, particularly among 4– and 5-year-old children receiving MMR and DTPa-containing vaccines prior to commencing school in February and older Australians receiving 23vPPV and influenza vaccine during the autumn months (March to June) (Figure 2).
In 2008, the highest population-based AEFI reporting rate occurred in infants <1 year of age, the age group that received the highest number of vaccines (Figure 4). Compared with 2007, AEFI reporting rates increased among the <1 year age group (24% increase from 79.6 to 98.5 per 100,000 population), the 1 to <2 year age group (25%, 24.7 to 30.8 per 100,000) and the 2 to <7 year age group (34%, 18.4 to 24.6 per 100,000). Rates declined for older children and adolescents (30%, 14.8 to 10.4 per 100,000) and remained stable for adults (2.89 to 2.82 per 100,000).
Figure 4: Reporting rates of adverse events following immunisation per 100,000 population, ADRS database, 2000 to 2008, by age group and year of vaccination
As reported previously,12,13,16,18-20 AEFI reporting patterns varied between states and territories for vaccines received during 2008 (Table 1). The Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia had the highest reporting rates (19.1, 17.1 and 15.3 per 100,000 population, respectively) while Western Australia and New South Wales had the lowest rates (4.7 per 100,000 population). AEFI reporting rates decreased in all jurisdictions in 2008 except Victoria and Tasmania. The increase in Victoria (from 3.7 per 100,000 in 2006 to 6.7 in 2007 and 8.9 in 2008) followed the implementation of a new AEFI reporting and evaluation system in that state in April 2007.30
Table 1: Adverse events following immunisation (AEFI), ADRS database, 1 January to 31 December 2008, by state or territory
AEFI records
Annual reporting rate per 100,000 population*
'Certain' or 'probable' causality rating†
'Serious' outcome‡
Other§
* Average annual rates per 100,000 population calculated using mid-2008 population estimates (Australian Bureau of Statistics).
† See previous report12 for criteria used to assign causality ratings.
‡ AEFI records defined as 'serious' (i.e. recovery with sequelae, hospitalisation, life-threatening or death – see Table 2).
§ Records where the jurisdiction in which the AEFI occurred was not reported or was unclear. AEFI records in this category were notified by pharmaceutical companies (n = 27), members of the public (11), and general practitioners (4).
Sixty per cent of reported AEFI in 2008 were defined as ‘non-serious’ while 10% were defined as ‘serious’ (Table 2), similar to the proportions observed in previous years. Fewer ‘serious’ AEFI were assigned certain or probable causality ratings compared with ‘non-serious’ AEFI (12% versus 29%) (Table 2). Numbers of reported AEFI and AEFI with outcomes defined as ‘serious’ are shown in Table 3.
Table 2: Outcomes of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI), ADRS database, 2008
'Certain' or 'probable' causality rating*
Age group†
< 7 years
≥ 7 years
%‡
%§
Non-serious
Not recovered at time of report
Not known (missing data)
recovered with sequelae
hospital treatment – admission
life-threatening event
death (maybe drug)
* Causality ratings were assigned to AEFI records using criteria described previously.12
† AEFI records where both age and date of birth were not recorded are not shown (14 missing).
‡ Percentages relate to the total number of AEFI records (n = 1,542).
§ Percentages relate to the number of AEFI records with the specific outcome, e.g. of 919 AEFI records with a 'non-serious' outcome, 29% had causality ratings of 'certain' or 'probable' and 44% were for children aged <7 years.
Two deaths were recorded as temporally associated with receipt of vaccines. One was a 22-month-old child who had received varicella vaccine 18 days prior to death. The cause of death was reported to be intracranial haemorrhage secondary to idiopathic thrombocytopenia (ITP), which was diagnosed 10 days after receipt of the vaccine. While temporally related to vaccine administration, no causal relationship has been established. The second reported death was a 1-year-old child who had received Hib, meningococcal C and MMR vaccines. The cause of death was reported to be cerebral oedema due to encephalitis 12 days after receipt of the vaccine, with onset of illness 10 days after vaccination. According to the treating neurologist and paediatrician it was unlikely to be vaccine related.
The 1,542 AEFI records for 2008 listed 31 different vaccines as suspected of involvement in the reported AEFI (Table 3). The percentage of records where only 1 vaccine was reported differed by vaccine, as did the percentage assigned causality ratings of ‘certain’ or ‘probable’, and with outcomes defined as ‘serious’. This is to be expected because vaccines are routinely co-administered at specific ages in the immunisation schedule.
Table 3: Vaccine types listed as ‘suspected’ in records of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI), ADRS database, 2008
Suspected vaccine type*
One suspected vaccine or drug only†
'Certain' or 'probable' causality rating‡
'Serious' outcome§
Age group||
%¶
HPV** 497 440 89 110 22 35 7 1 0.2 493 99
DTPa-IPV 320 149 47 137 43 18 6 314 98 2 1
MMR 215 32 14 22 10 15 7 205 95 8 4
Rotavirus†† 212 48 23 17 8 50 24 211 99 0 –
7vPCV 210 6 3 5 2 39 19 209 99 0 –
DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib 169 12 7 9 5 29 17 169 100 0 –
Influenza 160 119 74 30 19 12 8 22 14 135 84
23vPPV 137 94 69 64 47 11 8 14 10 121 88
Hepatitis B 74 25 34 7 9 7 9 3 4 71 96
Hib-Hepatitis B 63 3 5 1 2 10 16 63 100 0 –
Varicella 57 37 65 11 19 11 19 37 65 20 35
MenCCV 50 2 4 3 6 6 12 49 98 1 2
dTpa 44 26 59 14 32 1 2 0 – 43 98
Hib 33 0 – 2 6 5 15 32 97 1 3
dT 15 11 73 6 40 0 – 0 – 15 100
Hepatitis A 15 2 13 1 7 3 20 10 67 5 33
DTPa 11 6 55 2 18 4 36 11 100 0 –
Hepatitis A + B 8 5 63 3 38 2 25 0 – 8 100
Hepatitis A-Typhoid 6 1 17 0 – 0 – 1 17 5 83
IPV 6 1 17 0 – 0 – 3 50 3 50
Yellow fever 6 3 50 0 – 0 – 0 – 6 100
BCG 4 4 100 4 100 0 – 3 75 1 25
DTPa-IPV-HepB 3 0 – 0 – 1 33 3 100 0 –
Typhoid 3 0 – 0 – 2 67 1 33 2 67
Cholera 2 2 100 0 – 1 50 0 – 2 100
Rabies 2 2 100 0 – 0 – 0 – 2 100
Q fever 2 1 50 1 50 0 – 0 – 2 100
Japanese encephalitis 1 1 100 0 – 0 – 0 – 1 100
Tetanus 1 1 100 0 – 1 100 0 – 1 100
dTpa-IPV 0 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 –
Men4PV 0 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 –
Total‡‡ 1,542 419 27 440 29 152 10 699 45 829 54
* See appendix for abbreviations of vaccine names.
† AEFI records where only one vaccine was suspected of involvement in a reported adverse event.
‡ Causality ratings were assigned to AEFI records using criteria described previously.12
§ 'Serious' outcomes are defined in the Methods section (see also Table 2).
|| AEFI records are not shown if both age and date of birth were not reported.
¶ Percentages are calculated for the number of AEFI records where the vaccine was suspected of involvement in the AEFI, e.g. HPV was 'suspected' in 497 AEFI records; this was the only suspected vaccine in 89% of the 497 AEFI records, 22% had 'certain' or 'probable' causality ratings, 7% were defined as 'serious' and 99% were for those aged ≥7 years.
** Human papillomavirus vaccine was added to the National Immunisation Program schedule on 1 April 2007.8
†† Rotavirus vaccine was added to the National Immunisation Program schedule on 1 July 2007.8
‡‡ Total number of AEFI records analysed, not the total in each column as categories are not mutually exclusive and an AEFI record may list more than one vaccine.
The most frequently reported individual vaccine was HPV with 497 records (32%) (Table 3). Vaccines containing diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis antigens (including combination vaccines and dTpa) were suspected in 547 (35%) records (Table 3), with DTPa-IPV (320 records; 21%) and hexavalent DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib (169 records; 11%) the most frequently reported vaccines in this group. In the <1 year age group, reports that included DTPa-IPV decreased and reports of DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib increased, in line with the changes in usage of those vaccines as outlined in the Introduction (Figure 5). The other frequently reported vaccines were MMR (215 records; 14%), rotavirus (212 records; 14%) and 7vPCV (210 records; 14%).
Figure 5: Reports of adverse events following immunisation, ADRS database, 2002 to 2008, for vaccines recently introduced into the funded National Immunisation Program,* by quarter of vaccination
* Meningococcal C conjugate vaccine (MenCCV) was introduced into the NIP on 1 January 2003, 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV) on 1 January 2005, both DTPa-IPV and hexavalent vaccines on 1 November 2005, and rotavirus vaccine on 1 July 2007.
AEFI reporting trends differed by vaccine. In 2008, compared with 2007, reports were substantially reduced for HPV (497 in 2008 vs 705 in 2007) and Hib-HepB (63 vs 118) vaccines, while reports increased for DTPa-IPV (320 vs 28), MMR (215 vs 131), 23vPPV (137 vs 118), DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib (169 vs 139), 7vPCV (210 vs 159) and rotavirus (212 vs 90) (Figure 2). As previously reported there were peaks in AEFI reporting for individual vaccines soon after their introduction into the routine childhood immunisation schedule, followed by a reduction and stabilisation in reporting over time (Figure 2). This pattern was particularly evident for MenCCV in 2003, 7vPCV and DTPa-IPV containing vaccines in 2005, and HPV vaccine in 2007 (Figures 2 and 5), while a decrease in reports for rotavirus vaccine, which commenced later in 2007, was not evident.
Reports for rotavirus vaccines increased in total number as well as rate (41.0 per 100,000 doses in 2008 compared with 33.2 per 100,000 in 2007; Table 4). The majority of the cases (45.3%) were reported from Victoria. Thirty-six per cent of the total 212 rotavirus vaccine AEFI reports list rotavirus as the only vaccine suspected of involvement in the reported adverse event while the majority (64%) listed other vaccines as well, which is to be expected as most infants now receive rotavirus vaccine at the same time as other scheduled vaccines at 2, 4 and 6 months of age.
Table 4: Reporting rates of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) per 100,000 vaccine doses,* children aged less than 7 years, ADRS database, 2008
AEFI records‡
Vaccine doses*
Reporting rate per 100,000 doses§
Vaccine†
DTPa-containing vaccines 486 1,079,244 45.0 33.1 32.3
DTPa-IPV 314 342,757 91.6 45.3 43.0
Pentavalent (DTPa-IPV-HepB) 3 17,347 17.3 44.1 37.4
Hexavalent (DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib) 169 719,140 23.5 10.7 12.9
Haemophilus influenzae type b 32 165,897 19.3 17.7 22.1
Haemophilus influenzae type b-hepatitis B 63 162,439 38.8 30.7 24.8
Measles-mumps-rubella 205 540,872 37.9 23.2 24.4
Meningococcal C conjugate 49 292,738 16.7 11.6 18.4
Pneumococcal conjugate 209 825,447 25.3 20.6 15.8
Rotavirus vaccine 211 514,659 41.0 45.0 -
Varicella 37 264,891 14.0 10.6 18.5
<1 year 279 2,250,276 12.4 9.7 8.6
1 to <2 years 79 1,022,447 7.7 6.2 9.3
2 to <7 years 304 573,464 53.0 38.6 39.5
AEFI category†
Total 662 3,846,187 17.2 13.3 13.9
'Certain' or 'probable' causality rating 191 3,846,187 5.0 4.2 5.4
'Serious' outcome 89 3,846,187 2.3 1.6 1.4
* Number of vaccine doses recorded on the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) and administered between 1 January and 31 December 2008.
† Records where at least one of the vaccines shown in the table was suspected of involvement in the reported adverse event. AEFI category includes all records (i.e. total), those assigned 'certain' or 'probable' causality ratings, and those with outcomes defined as 'serious'. Causality ratings were assigned using the criteria described previously.12 A 'serious' outcome is defined as recovery with sequelae, hospitalisation, life-threatening event or death.12
‡ Number of AEFI records in which the vaccine was coded as 'suspected' of involvement in the reported adverse event and the vaccination was administered between 1 January and 31 December 2008. More than one vaccine may be coded as 'suspected' if several were administered at the same time.
§ The estimated AEFI reporting rate per 100,000 vaccine doses recorded on the ACIR.
The distribution and frequency of reactions listed in AEFI records for 2008 are shown in Tables 5 and 6. In Table 5, only the reaction categories analogous to those listed in The Australian Immunisation Handbook10 are shown. In Table 5, other reaction categories are listed in descending order of frequency.
Table 5: Reaction categories of interest* mentioned in records of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI), ADRS database, 2008
Reaction category*
Only reaction reported†
'Certain'/'probable' causality rating‡
Age group§
%||
Injection site reaction
Allergic reaction¶
Rash**
Abnormal crying
HHE††
Lymphadenopathy/itis‡‡
Anaphylactic reaction
Parotitis
Brachial neuritis
Acute flaccid paralysis
SSPE§§
Toxic shock syndrome
Total||||
* Reaction categories were created for the AEFI of interest listed and defined in The Australian Immunisation Handbook, (9th edition, p 58–65 and 360–3)10 as described in Methods section.
† AEFI records where only one reaction was reported.
§ Not shown if neither age nor date of birth were recorded.
|| Percentages relate to the number of AEFI records in which the specific reaction term was listed, e.g. of 632 AEFI records listing injection site reaction, 27% listed only one type of reaction while 51% had a causality rating of 'certain' or 'probable' and 51% were for children aged <7 years.
¶ Allergic reaction includes skin reactions including pruritus, urticaria, periorbital oedema, facial oedema, erythema multiforme etc. and/or gastrointestinal (e.g. diarrhoea, vomiting) symptoms and signs but does not include other abdominal symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, flatulence, abnormal faeces, hematochezia etc.10
** includes general terms of rash but does not include rash pruritic.
†† Hypotonic-hyporesponsive episode.
‡‡ Includes lymphadenitis following BCG vaccination and the more general term of 'lymphadenopathy'.
§§ Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.
|||| Total number of AEFI records analysed, not the total in each column as categories are not mutually exclusive and an AEFI record may list more than one reaction term.
Table 6: ‘Other’* reaction terms listed in records of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI), ADRS database, 2008
Gastrointestinal – RVV¶
Respiratory rate/rhythm change
Reduced sensation
Somnolence
Heart rate/rhythm change
eye or ear
Gastrointestinal**
general non-specific
Skin††
metabolic/endocrine
renal/urogenital
pregnancy/congenital
* Reaction terms not listed in The Australian Immunisation Handbook10 but included in AEFI records in the ADRAC database. The top part of the table shows reaction terms included in 1% or more of AEFI records; the bottom part of the table shows reaction terms, grouped by organ system, that were included in less than 1% of AEFI records.
¶ Gastrointestinal – RVV includes all the GI reactions following Rotavirus vaccination.
** Other, gastrointestinal does not include GI reactions and Gastrointestinal – RVV signs and symptoms.
†† Other, skin includes purpura, petechie, blister, burning, dermatitis, dry skin etc. but does not include skin reactions.
The most frequently reported adverse events were injection site reaction (ISR; 41% of 1,542 AEFI records) followed by allergic reaction (23%), fever (16%), headache (11%), malaise (10%) rash (9%) and nausea (9%) (Tables 5 and 6). ISR was the most commonly reported individual adverse event following receipt of DTPa-IPV (81%; 259/320), 23vPPV (89%; 122/137), MMR (63%; 135/215), all DTPa-containing vaccines (55%; 301/547), and influenza vaccine (39%; 63/160), administered alone or in combination with other vaccines. Twenty-three per cent (113/497) of HPV vaccine-related AEFI records listed ISR.
More severe AEFI included reports of convulsion (n = 43), HHE (n = 39), anaphylactic reaction (n = 5), Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS; n = 4), thrombocytopenia (n = 4), death (n = 2; described previously in this report) and encephalitis (n = 2).
There was a total of 43 reports of convulsion, including syncopal and febrile convulsions. Twenty-three were for children aged <7 years and 40% of reports were from Victoria. The most commonly suspected vaccines were HPV (n = 13), 7vPCV (n = 8), rotavirus (n = 6) and MMR (n = 6). The majority (30/39) of HHE were notified by Victoria (22) and South Australia (8). DTPa-containing vaccines were listed as suspected in 38 reports, with hexavalent DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib suspected in 23 reports and DTPa-IPV in 13 reports. 7vPCV (n = 33), rotavirus (n = 32) and Hib-HepB (n = 10) were also commonly suspected vaccines in HHE reports. Two of the 5 reports of anaphylaxis in 2008 occurred in adolescent girls following receipt of HPV vaccine,31 while the other reports occurred following receipt of DTPa-IPV/MMR in a child, HepB in an adult, and DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib /7vPCV in an infant. The 4 records coded as GBS included 3 reports in adults aged ≥60 years following influenza vaccine and 1 report following DTPa-IPV and MMR vaccine in a child.
Reactions shown in Table 6 include headache, malaise, nausea and dizziness. Many of the reaction terms shown in this table were reported for HPV and rotavirus vaccines.
Reactions mentioned in less than 1% of AEFI records in 2008 are shown in the lower portion of Table 6, grouped by organ system categories. The most commonly reported categories were coded as ‘gastrointestinal and ‘neurological’.
The trends in the most frequently reported types of reactions have changed over time (Figure 3). Reports of headache and allergic reactions peaked in 2003 and again in 2007, coinciding with the national school-based MenCCV immunisation program in 2003 and the HPV program in 2007. Much of the variation in reporting of ISR relates to specific changes in the immunisation schedules for vaccines that are known to have higher rates of ISR, including DTPa-containing vaccines, MenCCV, 23vPCV and HPV vaccine.11-21,32,33 Increases in reports of fever in 2007 and 2008 are associated with both new vaccines added to the NIP in that period – rotavirus and HPV.
Dose-based adverse events following immunisation reporting rates
Influenza vaccine and adults aged ≥ 18 years
In 2008, influenza vaccine was suspected in 127 AEFI records for people aged ≥18 years. Using the 2006 estimate of the number of doses of vaccine administered to people aged ≥ 65 years, the AEFI reporting rate was 2.7 per 100,000 administered doses, slightly higher than the rate in 2006 and 2007 (Table 7). As seen in previous years, the overall AEFI reporting rates were higher for vaccinees aged 18–64 years than among older vaccinees. However, there was a drop in the serious AEFI reporting rate in the 18–64 year age group during 2008 (Table 7). The most frequently reported adverse events were ISR, allergic reaction, fever, malaise and nausea (1.2, 0.7, 0.5, 0.3 and 0.3 per 100,000 doses, respectively). Reporting rates for each of these reactions were higher in the 18–64 year age group. There were 4 reports of GBS following influenza vaccination in 2008 giving a reporting rate of 0.1 per 100,000 doses. This is higher than in recent years, when only 1 or 2 reports were received annually,16,18 but well within the expected reporting rates.
Table 7: Reporting rate of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) per 100,000 doses of influenza vaccine,* 18 years and over, ADRS database, 2008
Rate per 100,000 doses§
≥18 years
* Number of administered doses of influenza vaccine estimated from the 2006 national survey (unpublished).
† AEFI category includes all records, and those defined as 'serious' where influenza vaccine was suspected of involvement in the reported adverse event. The definition of a 'serious' outcome is given in the Methods section.
‡ Number of AEFI records in which influenza vaccine was 'suspected' and the vaccination was administered in 2008.
§ The estimated reporting rate of adverse events per 100,000 administered doses of influenza vaccine.
Pneumococcal vaccine and adults aged ≥ 65 years
There were 81 AEFI reports for older adults that included 23vPPV, with 5 reports coded as serious and 75 reports of ISR. Using the 2006 estimate of the number of doses of 23vPPV administered to people aged ≥ 65 years (n = 429,500), the AEFI reporting rate was 18.9 per 100,000 doses, with 1.2 serious and 17.5 ISR reports per 100,000 doses. This is similar to the rate reported for 2007 (18.6 per 100,000 doses with 1.4 serious).20
Scheduled vaccines for children aged <7 years
There was a total of 699 AEFI records for children aged <7 years for vaccines administered in 2008. This was a 33% increase on the 526 AEFI records during 2007, which was the highest since 2003 when there were 485 AEFI records.
Of the total AEFI records in 2008, 662 records included one of the 10 vaccines for which ACIR data could be used to estimate AEFI reporting rates per 100,000 administered doses (Table 4). Vaccines for which reliable denominator data were not available included bacille Calmette-Guérin (n = 3), influenza (n = 22), 23vPPV (n = 14), hepatitis A (n = 10) and hepatitis B (n = 3) (Table 3). The overall reporting rate for the 10 NIP vaccines was 17.2 per 100,000 administered doses, while the reporting rate for serious AEFI was 2.3 per 100,000 doses (Table 4). AEFI reporting rates were higher than for the same period in 2007 for most age groups, reaction categories and vaccines (Table 4), while the rates of AEFI with certain or probable causality ratings remained stable.
The largest changes were for DTPa-IPV, hexavalent (DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib), Hib-HepB and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines. There was a substantial increase (42%) in the reporting in children aged <7 years in Victoria, which predominantly included reports of non-serious events (60.2%). The main suspected vaccines included DTPa-IPV (n = 168), DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib (n = 75), MMR (n = 102), 7vPCV (n = 20) and rotavirus (n = 96).
Reporting rates for the different DTPa-IPV combination vaccines varied by vaccine type and age group. The reporting rate for pentavalent DTPa-IPV-HepB vaccine is likely to be inaccurate due to the small number of reports and some under-reporting to the ACIR of doses administered.
The very high reporting rate for DTPa-IPV vaccine (91.6 per 100,000 doses) include both children aged <1 year who were scheduled to receive the vaccine at 2, 4, and 6 months of age (53.1 per 100,000 doses) and the 2 to <7 year age group (106 per 100,000 doses) (Table 4). The majority of the AEFI reports for the older age group following DTPa-IPV listed ISR (97 per 100,000 doses compared with 63 per 100,000 doses in 2007), and the increase from Victoria accounted for 83% of the national increase. This is the highest reporting rate for ISR following DTPa-containing vaccines since 2002.
The overall AEFI reporting rate for children aged <1 year was higher for quadrivalent DTPa-IPV compared with the hexavalent DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib vaccine (53.1 vs 23.1 reports per 100,000 administered doses) (Table 4). The majority (73%) of the AEFI reports for quadrivalent DTPa-IPV for children aged <1 year came from Victoria (reporting rate 79.6 per 100,000 doses), but within Victoria the reporting rate for DTPa_IPV was greater than for hexavalent DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib vaccine (reporting rate 48.3 per 100,000 doses). Reporting rates among infants for most reaction categories were approximately 2 to 3 times higher for DTPa-IPV, except for HHE, which was 5-fold higher for DTPa-IPV (15.3 per 100,000 doses) compared with DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib (3.3 per 100,000 doses).
The most commonly reported AEFIs following rotavirus vaccine were diarrhoea and vomiting (31%; n = 66) followed by abnormal crying (17.9%; n = 38), fever (17%; n = 35) and HHE (15%; n = 32). There were 14 (6.6%) reports of intussusception in 2008 (2.7 per 100,000 administered doses) compared with eight in 2007 (3.6 per 100,000 doses) (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Most frequently reported adverse events following rotavirus immunisation,* ADRS database, 2008, by number of vaccines suspected of involvement in the reported adverse event
* Percentage of 212 AEFI records where rotavirus vaccine was listed as suspected of involvement in the reported AEFI
The AEFI reporting rate in 2008 was the third highest in the period covered by this analysis (since 2000) and slightly lower than in 2007. The majority of AEFI reported to the TGA in 2008 were mild, transient and well-recognised vaccine side effects. The percentage of serious AEFI remained stable at 9%–10%. The main features of AEFI reporting in 2008, compared with previous years, were an overall increase in reports from Victoria, an increase in children by 30%–40% and in adults by 10%–20%, and a reduction in AEFI reporting for HPV among adolescents.
The increases appear to be at least partly due to reporting from the first full year of enhanced passive surveillance in Victoria, as well as reports associated with rotavirus vaccine in the first full calendar year since its inclusion in the NIP. Nearly one in 3 AEFI reports (31%) during 2008 were received from a single jurisdiction, Victoria (n = 472), and the reporting rate in that jurisdiction increased 30% since 2007 and 140% since 2006. The jurisdiction with the next highest number of reports in 2008 was New South Wales (n = 325), followed by South Australia (n = 246) and Queensland (n = 222). This increase in reporting rate demonstrates the effectiveness of the methods used to enhance passive surveillance in Victoria, which could also be applied in jurisdictions with less sensitive reporting systems. At present, comparisons between jurisdictions to detect program errors or effects of different vaccines are complicated by the differences in the reporting methods. Developing and maintaining high rates of AEFI reporting from all states and territories is important for the integrity of a national database.
In children <1 year of age the most commonly reported vaccines were rotavirus, hexavalent DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib vaccine, 7vPCV and Hib-HepB and the reaction categories included diarrhoea and vomiting, abnormal crying, HHE and rash. The increase is likely to relate to the implementation of the rotavirus immunisation program in July 2007 as well as improvements in the sensitivity of surveillance in Victoria. Rotavirus vaccine is co-administered with 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and combination vaccines containing DTPa, IPV, Hib and HepB antigens, and therefore increases in reports for one of these vaccines will be reflected in reports for the others as well.
The most commonly reported AEFI following rotavirus vaccine were gastrointestinal symptoms, predominantly diarrhoea and vomiting (31%) followed by fever (17%) and HHE (15%) and there were 14 reports of intussusception. The majority (10/14) of intussusception reports were infants after dose 1 (2–3 months age group) and 4 cases after dose 2 (4–5 months age group). No deaths occurred among reported intussusception cases. Of the 14 intussusception reports, 10 cases (71%) occurred in infants within 1–30 days after vaccination, including 7 cases (50%) that occurred within 1–7 days after vaccination. This is substantially lower than the 53 cases detected in a study by the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit (APSU) over a 10-month period and an estimated 256 cases of intussusception expected in Australian infants per year.34 The cases reported to ADRAC equate to a rate of 2.7 per 100,000 doses of rotavirus vaccine, similar to the passive reporting rate of intussusception in the US VAERS of 2.3 per 100,000 administered doses, and the active reporting rate of intussusception in the US Vaccine Safety Datalink system of 2.7 per 100,000 doses.35
The rotavirus vaccines used in Australia (RotaTeq® and Rotarix®) underwent extensive pre-licensure clinical trials. RotaTeq® was tested in a large phase III trial in 11 countries and included more than 70,000 children. The risk of intussusception was evaluated for 42 days after each vaccine dose and the data didn’t suggest any increased risk of intussusception in vaccine recipients relative to that for placebo.36 Rotarix® was also tested in a large-scale trial of more than 63,000 infants enrolled in 11 Latin American countries and confirmed that during a 31-day period after each dose, there was no increase in intussusception among recipients of vaccine compared with placebo.37 The major reason for these larger than usual clinical trials related to an association between intussusception within 21 days of receipt of a previously licensed rotavirus vaccine, RotaShield, which was licensed in the USA in 1998 and withdrawn soon afterwards.38,39 In Australia, ongoing studies on rotavirus vaccine and intussusception are being conducted through the APSU and Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance project.
The increase in the AEFI reporting rate for quadrivalent DTPa-IPV for children aged <1 year was conjointly related to the implementation of the rotavirus vaccine in July 2007 and the changed surveillance practices in Victoria as both the vaccines are co-administered at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. The increase in children aged 2 to <7 years was mainly due to reporting of ISR and allergic reactions. ISR were predominantly higher among children aged 2 to <7 years following the 4th dose of DTPa-IPV and 2nd dose of MMR. This increase was almost entirely due to an increase from Victoria. This AEFI, including extensive limb swelling, is known to be very common among children receiving a 4th and 5th dose of acellular pertussis-containing vaccine,15,17,19,21 while the concomitantly administered MMR is likely to be included in these reports. It has been reported that 10% of children experience erythema >5 cm with any pertussis containing vaccine including DTPa_IPV.34 The reporting rate of ISR in this age group appeared to decline in recent years, as was expected following the removal of the dose due at 18 months of age from the NIP in September 2003. Children entering school in 2008 would have received their 4th dose of an acellular pertussis-containing vaccine at 4–5 years of age, whereas children in earlier birth cohorts would have received their 5th dose prior to school entry. It is likely that there is less under-reporting of ISR in Victoria and more in other jurisdictions, and that the incidence of this adverse event is higher than previously documented. There was a substantial decrease (497 records in 2008 compared with 705 records in 2007) in reports for HPV vaccine during 2008 and most were mild events that had been identified in pre-licensure clinical trials.32,33 These included mainly milder allergic reactions and injection site reactions. A range of mild non-specific symptoms including headache, nausea, dizziness, malaise and weakness were also commonly reported (Table 6).40,41
AEFI reports in 2008 showed a decrease in reports in adolescents during the second year of the national HPV program, an increase in reports in children associated with a continued high rate of reports associated with rotavirus vaccines, and increases in children and adults associated with improved sensitivity of surveillance in Victoria. The majority of AEFI reports were of mild, transient and well-recognised vaccine side-effects. When compared with the illness prevented by these vaccines, this report demonstrates again that the benefits of immunisation outweigh the risks.
While under-reporting is a known disadvantage of passive surveillance systems, the Australian national AEFI passive surveillance system is sufficiently sensitive to detect expected changes in AEFI reporting associated with changes in immunisation programs. Processes are in place to investigate signals and monitor trends in AEFI reporting.31,40 The regular analysis and publication of national AEFI surveillance data collated in the ADRAC database remains an important aspect of Australia’s immunisation program.
We thank the following people for assisting in the preparation of this report: Brynley Hull and Donna Armstrong, National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases.
The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases is supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, the NSW Department of Health and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Australia.
Rob Menzies1
Deepika Mahajan1
Michael S Gold2
Ilnaz Roomiani3
Peter McIntyre1
Glenda Lawrence1,4
1. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, University of Sydney and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales
2. Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee and the University of Adelaide, Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
3. Medicine Safety Monitoring Unit, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
4. School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
Corresponding author: Dr Deepika Mahajan, National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Locked Bag 4001, WESTMEAD NSW 2145. Telephone: +61 2 9845 1433. Facsimile: +61 2 9845 1418. Email: DeepikM2@chw.edu.au
1. Chen RT, DeStefano F, Pless R, Mootrey G, Kramarz P, Hibbs B. Challenges and controversies in immunization safety. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2001;15:21–39.
2. Duclos P. A global perspective on vaccine safety. Vaccine 2004;22:2059–2063.
3. Government of Western Australia. March 2008. Department of Health – Communicable Disease Control Directorate. 2009. Accessed on 2009. Available from: http://www.canningdivision.com.au/cdgp_docs/immunisation/CHANGE%20IN%20WA%20VACCINATION%20SCHEDULE%20DUE%20TO%20PEDVAX%20SHORTAGE.pdf
4. Immunisation Newsletter J2. 2009. Accessed on 2009. Available from: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/data/assets/pdffile/0015/130083/immunisation-newsletter-issue-32.pdf
5. National Immunisation Program Schedule change for Queensland March 2008. 2009. Accessed on June 2009. Available from: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/Documents/cdb/imm sched gp.pdf
6. Quarterly newsletter produced by the Immunisation section CM2. 2008. Accessed on 2009. Available from: http://www.dh.sa.gov.au/pehs/Immunisation/0803-sharp-point-news.pdf
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continued shortage of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccines and potential implications for Hib surveillance—United States, 2008. MMWR Morbid Mortal Wkly Rep 2008;1252–1255.
8. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Immunisation programs and initiatives. 2007. Accessed on 1 August 2007. Available from: http://immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/programs
9. National Health and Medical Research Council. The Australian Immunisation Handbook. 8th ed. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2003.
10. National Health and Medical Research Council. The Australian Immunisation Handbook. 9th ed. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2008.
11. Lawrence GL, Mahajan D, Roomiani I. Supplementary report: surveillance of adverse events following immunisation among children aged less than 7 years in Australia,1 January to 30 June 2008. Commun Dis Intell 2009 2009;27–31.
12. Lawrence G, Menzies R, Burgess M, McIntyre P, Wood N, Boyd I, et al. Surveillance of adverse events following immunisation: Australia, 2000–2002. Commun Dis Intell 2003;27:307–323.
13. Lawrence G, Boyd I, McIntyre P, Isaacs D. Surveillance of adverse events following immunisation: Australia 2002 to 2003. Commun Dis Intell 2004;28:324–338.
14. Lawrence G, Boyd I. Surveillance of adverse events following immunisation for children aged less than 7 years, 1 January to 30 June 2004. Commun Dis Intell 2004;28:490–492.
15. Lawrence G, Boyd I. Supplementary report: surveillance of adverse events following immunisation among children aged less than 7 years in Australia, 1 January to 30 June 2005. Commun Dis Intell 2005;29:413–416.
16. Lawrence G, Boyd I, McIntyre P, Isaacs D. Annual report: surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia, 2005. Commun Dis Intell 2006;30:319–333.
17. Lawrence G, Boyd I. Supplementary report: surveillance of adverse events following immunisation among children aged <7 years in Australia, 1 January to 30 June 2006. Commun Dis Intell 2006;30:438–442.
18. Lawrence G, Gold MS, Hill R, Deeks S, Glasswell A, McIntyre PB. Annual report: surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia, 2007. Commun Dis Intell 2008;32:371–387.
19. Lawrence GL, Boyd I, McIntyre PB, Isaacs D. Annual report: surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia, 2004. [erratum appears in Commun Dis Intell 2005;29(4):416]. Commun Dis Intell 2005;29:248–262.
20. Lawrence GL, Aratchige PE, Boyd I, McIntyre PB, Gold MS. Annual report on surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia, 2006. Commun Dis Intell 2007;31:269–282.
21. Lawrence GL, Aratchige PE, Hill R. Supplementary report: surveillance of adverse events following immunisation among children aged less than 7 years in Australia, 1 January to 30 June 2007. Commun Dis Intell 2007;31:379–382.
22. Uppsala Monitoring Centre. WHO Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring. WHO, 2009. Accessed on 9 February 2009. Available from: http://www.who-umc.org/
23. Zhou W, Pool V, Iskander JK, English-Bullard R, Ball R, Wise RP, et al. Surveillance for safety after immunization: Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)—United States, 1991–2001. [erratum appears in MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2003 Feb 14;52(06):113]. MMWR Surveill Summ 2003;52(SS–1):1–24.
24. Brown EG, Wood L, Wood S. The medical dictionary for regulatory activities (MedDRA). Drug Saf 1999;20:109–117.
25. Bonhoeffer J, Gold MS, Heijbel H, Vermeer P, Blumberg D, Braun M, et al. Hypotonic-hyporesponsive Episode (HHE) as an adverse event following immunization: case definition and guidelines for data collection, analysis, and presentation. Vaccine 2004;22:563–568.
26. Ruggeberg JU, Gold MS, Bayas JM, Blum MD, Bonhoeffer J, Friedlander S, et al. Anaphylaxis: case definition and guidelines for data collection, analysis, and presentation of immunization safety data. Vaccine 2007;25:5675–5684.
27. The SAS system for Windows [computer program]. Version 9.1.3. Cary, N.C: SAS Institute Inc, 2005.
28. Additional reports — Childhood immunisation coverage. Commun Dis Intell 2008;32:288–289.
29. Varricchio F, Iskander J, DeStefano F, Ball R, Pless R, Braun MM, et al. Understanding vaccine safety information from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2004;23:287–294.
30. State Government of Victoria, Department of Human Services. SAEFVIC: Surveillance of adverse events following vaccination in the community. State Government of Victoria, 2008. Accessed on 9 September 2009. Available from: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/general/saefvic
31. Brotherton JM, Gold MS, Kemp AS, McIntyre PB, Burgess MA, Campbell-Lloyd S, et al. Anaphylaxis following quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccination. CMAJ 2008;179:525–533.
32. Joura EA, Leodolter S, Hernandez-Avila M, Wheeler CM, Perez G, Koutsky LA, et al. Efficacy of a quadrivalent prophylactic human papillomavirus (types 6, 11, 16, and 18) L1 virus-like-particle vaccine against high-grade vulval and vaginal lesions: a combined analysis of three randomised clinical trials. Lancet 2007;369:1693–1702.
33. Reisinger KS, Block SL, Lazcano-Ponce E, Samakoses R, Esser MT, Erick J, et al. Safety and persistent immunogenicity of a quadrivalent human papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16, 18 L1 virus-like particle vaccine in preadolescents and adolescents: a randomized controlled trial. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2007;26:201–209.
34. Rennels MB, Deloria MA, Pichichero ME, Losonsky GA, Englund JA, Meade BD, et al. Extensive swelling after booster doses of acellular pertussis-tetanus-diphtheria vaccines. Pediatrics 2000;105:e12.
Abbreviations of vaccine types
7vPCV 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
23vPPV 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine
BCG Bacille Calmette-Guérin (i.e. tuberculosis)
dT diphtheria-tetanus – adolescent and adult formulation
DTPa diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (acellular) – paediatric formulation
dTpa diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (acellular) – adolescent and adult formulation
dTpa-IPV combined dTpa and inactivated poliovirus
DTPa-HepB combined diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (acellular) and hepatitis B
DTPa-IPV combined diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (acellular) and inactivated poliovirus (quadrivalent)
DTPa-IPV-HepB combined diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (acellular), inactivated poliovirus and hepatitis B (pentavalent)
DTPa-IPV-HepB-Hib combined diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (acellular), inactivated poliovirus, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (hexavalent)
HepB hepatitis B
Hib Haemophilus influenzae type b
Hib-HepB combined Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B
HPV human papillomavirus
IPV inactivated poliovirus vaccine
Men4PV meningococcal polysaccharide tetravalent vaccine
MenCCV meningococcal C conjugate vaccine
MMR measles-mumps-rubella
Adverse events annual reports
Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 33 No 4 - December 2009
Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 33 No 1 - March 2009
Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 33 No 2 - June 2009
Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 33 No 3 - September 2009
This issue - Vol 33 No 4, December 2009
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Volume 22, Number 3—March 2016
Generalized Cowpox Virus Infection in a Patient with HIV, Germany, 2012
To the Editor: In October 2012, a 35-year-old man with clinical category C HIV infection was admitted to the intensive care unit at the University of Duisburg–Essen, Essen, Germany. The man had severe respiratory distress syndrome with septic shock, and he was infected with hepatitis B and C viruses and Epstein-Barr virus. Standard infection-control procedures were followed: the patient was placed in a single room; healthcare providers wore personal protective equipment (gown, face shield, mask, and gloves); and a closed system was used for endotracheal suctioning.
Physical examination of the patient revealed multiple skin lesions on his right forearm and right leg. In the following days, more skin lesions appeared on his abdomen and head. The skin lesions were inflamed macules with central livid, hemorrhagic ulceration (1–2 cm in diameter) and raised edges. Kaposi sarcoma was suspected initially, but on hospital day 5, a skin biopsy showed large intracellular eosinophilic inclusion bodies pathognomonic for infection with cowpox virus (family Poxviridae, genus Orthopoxvirus). To confirm the diagnosis of cowpox virus infection, we conducted biopsies of 3 skin lesions on hospital day 7. Despite antimicrobial drug and supportive therapy, the patient died that day from septic shock.
The 3 biopsy samples obtained on hospital day 7 were cultured on African green monkey kidney (MA104) cells, and within 2 days, many plaques were observed. DNA extracted from homogenates and virus isolated from the biopsy material were tested by orthopoxvirus real-time PCR (1); results were positive for all 6 samples. We confirmed the presence of cowpox virus DNA in all samples by sequencing the hemagglutinin gene.
Serum obtained from the patient on day 2 after admission, when the first lesions were noted, was also positive for orthopoxvirus DNA by real-time PCR (1); approximately 50 genome copies were detected, corresponding to a cycle threshold of 29.7. No orthopoxvirus-specific IgG was detected by immunofluorescence assay; this lack of detection is in agreement with observations that orthopoxvirus antibodies can first be detected in the pustular stage of disease but not as early as the macular stage (http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/smallpox-biological-weapon-abstract.asp). The patient was born after the cessation of mandatory smallpox vaccination, so vaccine-induced IgG is unlikely.
Figure. Evolutionary relationships of cowpox virus isolated from a 35-year-old man with HIV infection treated in the intensive care unit at the University of Duisburg–Essen, Essen, Germany (KT182068_HumEss12, asterisk), other human isolates...
Generalized cowpox virus infection in humans is atypical; the disease usually manifests as a single painful, ulcerated vesiculopustular lesion, which subsequently forms a scar, accompanied by malaise, fever, and long-lasting, painful local lymphadenopathy. However, in immunocompromised persons and persons with eczema, a generalized (and lethal, in at least 1 case) smallpox-like infection can develop (2–7). Phylogenetic analysis, based on the hemagglutinin gene, of the cowpox isolate from this study (GenBank accession no. KT182068) (Figure) revealed a close relationship with cowpox viruses isolated from humans in Germany during 1990 and 2009 (8). This group of viruses forms a distinct clade that is closer to taterapox, camelpox, and variola (smallpox) viruses than to another clade that contains other strains of cowpox virus and vaccinia and monkeypox viruses. Previous reports have postulated the existence of at least 2 species of cowpox virus (8).
Cattle were initially incorrectly presumed to be cowpox virus reservoirs; today, wild rodents are considered to be the true reservoirs. Cowpox virus is transmitted to humans by direct contact with infected animals, mainly cats, which become infected when hunting small rodents. The incubation period is typically 7–12 days. The source of infection for the patient in our study remains unclear; interviews with his family revealed no previous contact with pet animals.
Vaccinia virus, another orthopoxvirus, is known to have induced a generalized infection in a 19-year-old military recruit after smallpox vaccination; the recruit had HIV infection, but this was not known before vaccination (9). Satellite ulcers at the site of inoculation and a widespread, disseminated pustular rash resulted in disseminated vaccinia and AIDS-associated complications that culminated in death of the recruit 18 months after vaccination.
In patients without underlying disease, cowpox infections manifest as self-healing diseases. However, in the absence of vaccination and among a population with increased numbers of immunocompromised persons, the risk for human poxvirus infections is increasing. Early diagnosis is essential for differentiating cowpox from illnesses and skin reactions with similar signs and symptoms, such as smallpox, monkeypox, generalized vaccinia virus infection, disseminated herpes zoster and herpes simplex virus infections, drug-associated eruptions, erythema multiforme, enterovirus infections, secondary syphilis, scabies, insect bites, impetigo, and molluscum contagiosum. The oral drug tecovirimat (previously known as ST-246), as well as cidofovir, CMX–001 (an antiviral substance), and vaccinia immune globulin, should be considered for use as postexposure therapeutic treatment for orthopoxvirus disease (10).
Philipp Fassbender, Sabine Zange, Sofi Ibrahim, Gudrun Zoeller, Frank Herbstreit, and Hermann Meyer
Author affiliations: Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (P. Fassbender, F. Herbstreit); Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany (S. Zange, S. Ibrahim, G. Zoeller, H. Meyer); Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, USA (S. Ibrahim)
Olson VA, Laue T, Laker MT, Babkin IV, Drosten C, Shchelkunov SN, Real-time PCR system for detection of orthopoxviruses and simultaneous identification of smallpox virus. J Clin Microbiol. 2004;42:1940–6 . DOIPubMed
Lawn R. Risk of cowpox to small animal practitioners. Vet Rec. 2010;166:631. DOIPubMed
Pelkonen PM, Tarvainen K, Hynninen A, Kallio ER, Henttonen K, Palva A, Cowpox with severe generalized eruption, Finland. Emerg Infect Dis. 2003;9:1458–61. DOIPubMed
Czerny CP, Eis-Hübinger AM, Mayr A, Schneweis KE, Pfeiff B. Animal poxviruses transmitted from cat to man: current event with lethal end. Zentralbl Veterinarmed B. 1991;38:421–31 .PubMed
Blackford S, Roberts DL, Thomas PD. Cowpox infection causing a generalized eruption in a patient with atopic dermatitis. Br J Dermatol. 1993;129:628–9. DOIPubMed
Hönlinger B, Huemer HP, Romani N, Czerny CP, Eisendle K, Höpfl R. Generalized cowpox infection probably transmitted from a rat. Br J Dermatol. 2005;153:451–3. DOIPubMed
Haase O, Moser A, Rose C, Kurth A, Zillikens D, Schmidt E. Generalized cowpox infection in a patient with Darier disease. Br J Dermatol. 2011;164:1116–8. DOIPubMed
Dabrowski PW, Radonic A, Kurth A, Nitsche A. Genome-wide comparison of cowpox viruses reveals a new clade related to variola virus. PLoS ONE. 2013;8:e79953. DOIPubMed
Redfield RR, Wright DC, James WD, Jones TS, Brown C, Burke DS. Disseminated vaccinia in a military recruit with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. N Engl J Med. 1987;316:673–6. DOIPubMed
Duraffour S, Andrei G, Snoeck R. Tecovirimat, a p37 envelope protein inhibitor for the treatment of smallpox infection. IDrugs. 2010;13:181–91 .PubMed
Figure. Evolutionary relationships of cowpox virus isolated from a 35-year-old man with HIV infection treated in the intensive care unit at the University of Duisburg–Essen, Essen, Germany (KT182068_HumEss12, asterisk), other human...
Table of Contents – Volume 22, Number 3—March 2016
Hermann Meyer, Neuherbergstrasse 11, 80937 Munich, Germany
Page created: February 18, 2016
Page updated: February 18, 2016
Page reviewed: February 18, 2016
March 2016expand
Generalized Cowpox Virus Infection in a Patient with HIV, Germany, 2012expand
Fassbender P, Zange S, Ibrahim S, Zoeller G, Herbstreit F, Meyer H. Generalized Cowpox Virus Infection in a Patient with HIV, Germany, 2012. Emerg Infect Dis. 2016;22(3):553-555. https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2203.151158
Fassbender P, Zange S, Ibrahim S, et al. Generalized Cowpox Virus Infection in a Patient with HIV, Germany, 2012. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2016;22(3):553-555. doi:10.3201/eid2203.151158.
Fassbender, P., Zange, S., Ibrahim, S., Zoeller, G., Herbstreit, F., & Meyer, H. (2016). Generalized Cowpox Virus Infection in a Patient with HIV, Germany, 2012. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 22(3), 553-555. https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2203.151158.
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Godfather Director Francis Ford Coppola Calls MCU Movies "Despicable"
Scorsese was kind, according to Coppola.
byMatt Fowler
Posted Oct. 20, 2019, 7:21 p.m.
Adding another auteur the list of those who are anti-MCU, Francis Ford Coppola, director of classics like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, recently called Marvel movies "despicable" while speaking to the press in France.
Earlier this month, Martin Scorsese stated his opinion that MCU movies were theme parks and "not cinema." Following this comment, MCU writer/director James Gunn came to the franchise's defense while star Robert Downey Jr. played things more diplomatically.
Samuel L. Jackson even said "Films are films. Everybody doesn’t like his stuff either."
According to Yahoo, Coppola sided with Scorsese, but took things even further - and harsher.
"When Martin Scorsese says that the Marvel pictures are not cinema, he's right," Coppola said in Lyon, where he was being awarded the Prix Lumiere for his achievements in film, "Because we expect to learn something from cinema, we expect to gain something, some enlightenment, some knowledge, some inspiration. I don't know that anyone gets anything out of seeing the same movie over and over again."
"Martin was kind when he said it's not cinema," the director added. "He didn't say it's despicable, which I just say it is."
For more Marvel news, there's a debate currently happening over whether Thor should be fat in Love and Thunder and a list of all the Marvel movies that will be available to stream on Disney+ at launch.
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
Why the success of Guardians of the Galaxy depends on a talking raccoon
Fargo: “The Heap” review
Sleepaway Camp Blu-ray review
Hannibal: Season 2 review
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This article is about the character from Majora's Mask and The Minish Cap. For the character with the same design in Ocarina of Time, see Cucco Lady.
ArtworkModelSprite
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
MMMM3DTMC
Hylian
Female[1]
Majora's Mask (Himekawa)
The Minish Cap (Himekawa)
Force Era
Granny (grandmother)[2]
Gampy (deceased grandfather)[3]
Mother[4]
Tortus (deceased father)[2]
Kafei (fiancé)[5]
Counterpart(s)
Cucco Lady
Anju is a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda series.[6]
1.1 Majora's Mask
1.1.1 Reuniting Kafei and Anju
1.1.2 Schedule
1.2 The Minish Cap
2.1 Majora's Mask (Himekawa)
2.2 The Minish Cap (Himekawa)
In Majora's Mask, Anju is the inn keeper at the Stock Pot Inn and the best friend of Cremia, the owner of Romani Ranch.[7] She is engaged to Kafei, Mayor Dotour's son, and they plan to have their wedding on the day of the Carnival of Time. However, certain circumstances have caused Anju to start doubting her fiancé.[8] Although her father, Tortus, has passed away, her mother and grandmother live with her in the inn.[2] She is one of the characters in the game with an entry in the Bombers' Notebook.
Anju is portrayed as apologizing quite often and appears somewhat nervous. She is not very good at cooking and, according to Kafei's Diary, tends to leave things until the last minute.[9][1] She also seems to have trouble remembering customers' faces, which can cause her to deliver reservations to the wrong person.[10]
Reuniting Kafei and Anju
Main article: Reuniting Kafei and Anju
Anju on her wedding day
The Anju and Kafei sidequest is the only sidequest in the Bombers' Notebook that takes an entire 3-day cycle. When they were children, Anju and Kafei promised to marry each other on the day of the Carnival of Time, exchanging the Sun's and Moon's Masks during the event.[11] However, Kafei disappeared with his wedding ceremony mask one month before the wedding. After he was turned into a child by the Skull Kid,[12] his Sun Mask was stolen by Sakon as he was on his way to see the Great Fairy about his desperate situation.[13] Despite Kafei's terrible fate, Anju does not know what has become of him or why he disappeared. She is afraid to meet his fiance and hear the reason as to why he escaped, for she fears his disappearance might have been because of her.[14]
Anju's Mother puts ideas into Anju's head that her fiancé might have run off with her best friend Cremia, who actually has a crush on Kafei.[15] Since Cremia needs strength from a partner and business support from Kafei's mother Madame Aroma to run Romani Ranch, Kafei running off with the ranch owner would allow her to have the stability she needs.[16]
When Link intervenes to help reunite Kafei and Anju, the young hero meets with the inn keeper in the kitchen at her request.[17] She then asks him to deliver a letter to the Mailbox in her stead, hoping to get a description of her fiancé if Link is to meet with him.[18] Anju is too afraid to do this on her own, so she tells Link to pass on the message that Anju is waiting for him.[19]
Link meets Kafei, who explains his situation and hands over his pendant to him.[20] Once Link delivers the pendant to Anju, she will once again believe in Kafei and decides to wait for his return despite her mother's wishes and the fact that everyone else will be taking refuge in Romani Ranch.[21]
On the night of the Final Day, with just a few hours left until the Moon falls, Anju is desperately waiting for Kafei in her room. The two lovers at last reunite and exchange their masks and oaths when Kafei returns from having retrieved the Sun Mask that was stolen from him.[22] In return for witnessing this event, they grant Link the Couple's Mask.[23] Even though the Moon is just hours from destroying Termina, they urge Link to take refuge, for they will stay and greet the morning together.[24]
During the ending credits, Anju can be seen outside Clock Town having her wedding ceremony.
First DaySecond DayFinal Day
Dawn of the First Day
6:00 AM Stock Pot Inn Stands at front desk. —
8:00 AM Stock Pot Inn Unlocks the front door. —
10:55 AM Stock Pot Inn Leaves the desk to prepare lunch. —
11:30 AM Stock Pot Inn Leaves the kitchen to deliver Granny's lunch. —
12:00 PM Stock Pot Inn Argues with Granny over her refusal to eat. —
12:15 PM Stock Pot Inn Leaves Granny after being unable to convince her to eat. —
12:50 PM Employees Only Room Takes food to the Employees Only room. —
1:15 PM Stock Pot Inn Leaves the Employees Only room to return to the front desk. —
2:10 PM Stock Pot Inn Receives Kafei's Letter from the Postman. —
2:20 PM Stock Pot Inn Arranges to meet with Link at 11:30 PM that evening. If Link speaks to her while wearing Kafei's Mask.
Night of the First Day
7:50 PM Stock Pot Inn Walks to the front door. —
8:30 PM Stock Pot Inn Locks the front door. —
9:00 PM Stock Pot Inn Returns to the Employees Only room. —
11:30 PM Stock Pot Inn Leaves Employees Only room to speak with Link in the Kitchen. If Link agrees to meet with her.
12:00 AM Stock Pot Inn Asks Link to deliver her Letter to Kafei. If Link agrees to meet with her.
Dawn of the Second Day
6:00 AM Stock Pot Inn Stands at receptionist desk, asks if Link has found Kafei. If Link agrees to deliver her Letter to Kafei.
11:00 AM Stock Pot Inn Leaves the Employees Only room. If Link has not agreed to deliver her Letter to Kafei.
11:30 AM East Clock Town Leaves the Stock Pot Inn to go to the Laundry Pool. If Link has not agreed to deliver her Letter to Kafei.
1:45 PM Laundry Pool Sits on bench and asks passersby about Kafei. If Link has not agreed to deliver her Letter to Kafei.
3:20 PM Laundry Pool Leaves the Laundry Pool. If Link has not agreed to deliver her Letter to Kafei.
5:25 PM Stock Pot Inn Returns to the Stock Pot Inn. If Link has not agreed to deliver her Letter to Kafei.
5:55 PM Stock Pot Inn Returns to the Employees Only room. If Link has not agreed to deliver her Letter to Kafei.
Night of the Second Day
6:00 PM Stock Pot Inn Returns to the front desk. If Link has not agreed to deliver her Letter to Kafei.
9:30 PM Employees Only Room Speaks with her mother about fleeing to Romani Ranch. —
Dawn of the Final Day
6:00 AM Stock Pot Inn Sweeps the bunk room. —
Night of the Final Day
6:00 PM Employees Only Room Waits for Kafei to return. If Link has given her the Pendant of Memories.
6:00 PM Romani Ranch Flees from Clock Town. If Link has not given her the Pendant of Memories.
4:30 AM Employees Only Room Reunites with Kafei and decides to greet the morning with him. If Link has given her the Pendant of Memories and helped Kafei retrieve the Sun Mask.
Anju (Figurine from The Minish Cap)
Anju This young woman tends to her cuccos in Hyrule Town. If you help her gather her loose cuccos, she’ll give you a reward.
Link must collect Anju's Cuccos within a certain time limit in Hyrule Town in The Minish Cap. If he does so, Anju will reward him with Rupees and either Mysterious Shells or Kinstone Pieces. The next time Link talks to her, Anju will make the challenge more difficult by changing the number of Cuccos needed, their distance from the pen and the time available to catch them. Once Link completes the challenge nine times, she will give him a Piece of Heart.
Cuccos Needed
Rupees
1 3 25 30 10 Mysterious Shells
6 6 50 100 Red Kinstone Piece
8 2 55 20 Red Kinstone Piece
9 3 55 110 Piece of Heart
Anju atop the Clock Tower
In the Majora's Mask manga by Akira Himekawa, Anju plays a different role than she does in the game. Link first meets her after he is transformed into Deku Link by Skull Kid. She finds him and brings him home to care for him. She also informs Link that he is no longer in Hyrule. Soon, Skull Kid attacks her and chases Link throughout Clock Town. She is also called by Tatl while Link is fighting Skull Kid with Kafei atop the Clock Tower on the Final Day.[25]
In the The Minish Cap manga by Akira Himekawa, Link first meets Anju when he is transformed into a Minish and accidentally traps himself in her chicken coop. The chicks attempt to eat Link while he is Minish-sized, as they mistake him for a bug.[26] Anju then comes in time to save him by distracting the baby chicks by feeding them.[27] Link tries to look up her skirt as a Minish, but instead nearly gets stepped on.
EnglishUK Anju (MM | TMC)
Ange (TMC)
Japanese アンジュ (Anju)
FrenchEU Anju
German Anju
Italian Anju
SpanishEU Anju
Anju with an umbrella from Majora's Mask
Anju sweeping from Majora's Mask
Anju working at the Stock Pot Inn from Majora's Mask
Kafei and Anju reunited from Majora's Mask
Anju in her wedding dress from Majora's Mask 3D
Anju from The Minish Cap manga
↑ 1.0 1.1 "It might be early, but I finished my wedding mask. I wonder if Anju has made hers? She tends to do things at the last minute, so probably not." — Kafei (Majora's Mask)
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Grandmother...I am Anju! Tortus was my dad... And you haven't had lunch yet!" — Anju (Breath of the Wild)
↑ "I think I'll take several of Gampy's favorite books." — Granny's Diary (Majora's Mask)
↑ "If Kafei is there, your mother will give him a smack." — Anju's Mother (Majora's Mask)
↑ "Isn't her bridal dress lovely? We promised each other when we were children that we'd marry on the day of the Carnival of Time. ...But my promise... I couldn't keep it." — Kafei (Majora's Mask)
↑ Encyclopedia (Dark Horse Books) pg. 245 (MM) & 270 (TMC)
↑ "Cremia will take us in. She is your best friend, right?" — Anju's Mother (Majora's Mask)
↑ "I wonder if Kafei is really at Cremia's place..." — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "What is Anju, the innkeeper, bad at doing? Cooking" — Keaton (Majora's Mask)
↑ "My mother is always telling me to remember our customer's faces, but I tend to forget them..." — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "We promised each other when we were children that we'd marry on the day of the Carnival of Time." — Kafei (Majora's Mask)
↑ "I was turned into this by a strange imp wearing a mask..." — Kafei (Majora's Mask)
↑ "When I was turned into this, I went to see the Great Fairy in the shrine near the North Gate... But on the way, my precious mask--a wedding ceremony mask--was stolen from me by some prancing man with a grinning face!" — Kafei (Majora's Mask)
↑ "I'm...actually...afraid to meet him...and to hear the reason why he wanted to disappear... It might be because of... me..." — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "Romani knows... My sister, Cremia, has someone in town she likes... But that person is supposed to get married the day of the carnival. It's hard for my sister... Going into town..." — Romani (Majora's Mask)
↑ "Besides, think about Cremia. She needs strength from a partner and business support from Madame Aroma. If Kafei really has run off with Cremia, she'll get both." — Anju's Mother (Majora's Mask)
↑ "Tonight at 11:30, please come to our kitchen. We'll talk then..." — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "Here is my letter. Please put this in a postbox. When this is delivered...When he receives my letter... You should be able to meet him!" — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "Please tell him that Anju is waiting for him. And please, after you've seen him... Tell me how he looked. I'm scared...I...I can't go." — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "This pendant... Give it to Anju." — Kafei (Majora's Mask)
↑ "I have decided to wait for him. I've made my promise... I'm fine with this. I believe him." — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "Let us exchange the promised masks. We have exchanged our oaths and have become a couple." — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "You are our witnesses. Please accept this mask." — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "Please take refuge. We are fine here. We shall greet the morning... together." — Anju (Majora's Mask)
↑ "That fairy told me to come." (Majora's Mask manga (VIZ Media) pg. )
↑ "Wha-? A bug? I love bugs! And I'm hungry!" (The Minish Cap manga (VIZ Media) pg. )
↑ "Here, cucco chicks! It's dinner time!" (The Minish Cap manga (VIZ Media) pg. )
Retrieved from "https://zelda.gamepedia.com/index.php?title=Anju&oldid=745967"
Hylians
Hyruleans
Characters in Majora's Mask 3D
Characters in The Minish Cap
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Archive for the ‘terrorism’ Category
A SITREP in four DoubleQuotes, holding the fifth for now
[ by Charles Cameron — our substitute fifth today being a fine quote from a review of two books about analyzing humor, coming to us from down under ]
The purpose of this post it to present four facets of the present moment so as to leave a fifth perspective uncluttered for a later post..:
DQ #1: Complexity squared:
Presenting two papers which sum up the huge diversity of definitions which complexity and terrorism respectively are prone to:
It’s hard to say, exactly what terrorism is, but it’s no easier to define complexity- and when you think of the pair of them intersecting, the result is along the lines of complexity squared..
Seth Lloyd, Measures of Complexity: a non–exhaustive list
Alex Schmid, The Revised Academic Consensus Definition of Terrorism
Further, here’s a striking quote here from Alex Schmid:
A description how [the Academic Consensus Definition] was arrived at can be found on pp. 39 – 98 of Alex P. Schmid (Ed.). The Routledge Handbook of Terrorism Research. London and New York: Routledge, 2011. The same volume also contains 260 other definitions compiled by Joseph J. Easson and Alex P. Schmid on pp. 99 – 200.
and a complexity analogy with electromagnetism from Seth Lloyd:
An historical analog to the problem of measuring complexity is the problem of describing electromagnetism before Maxwell’s equations. In the case of electromagnetism, quantities such as electric and magnetic forces that arose in different experimental contexts were originally regarded as fundamentally different. Eventually it became clear that electricity and magnetism were in fact closely related aspects of the same fundamental quantity, the electromagnetic field. Similarly, contemporary researchers in architecture, biology, computer science, dynamical systems, engineering, finance, game theory, etc., have defined different measures of complexity for each field. Because these researchers were asking the same questions about the complexity of their different subjects of research, however, the answers that they came up with for how to measure complexity bear a considerable similarity to each other.
Complexity, illustrated:
Nothing in that image of waves lapping and overlapping on a shoreline could not in theory be explained in terms of von Kármán‘s equation for the “shedding” of vortices in a vortex street — but the breaking of waves across the coast of California –mathematicians can name the laws involved, but accurately describe the details over the last four decades from an Diego to Eureka? Waves bouncing off a fractal coastline?
Ahem, it’s complex. Though I suppose Ali Minai might inform me it’s not so much complex as complicated.
Consider, then, the complexity, complicated nature, or wickedness of the problem of definition in our two cases..
DQ #2: Yet another Uncertainty Principle:
I’d been thinking about the timeline of black swan takeoffs, thinking we might know roughly what the next five years could bring, but far out, farther out.. who knows? With this President, however, I’m forced to say Peter Baker is closer to the mark here than I’ve been thus far.
Time to adjust to the flappings of black wings…
Sources & quotes..
Both are quotes I overheard on MSNBC a couple of days ago, but didn’t have anything to hand with which to note program or time.
Dq #3: Cap’n’caps:
To cap it off, you have to admit the feeling is clear..
Here we see two kinds of explosive — the cap represents an explosive attitude, the caps the explosive power of 9mm rounds.
Let me put it this way: the sense of the two ads is twofold — security and threat, and the threat may make some of us insecure.
And to end on a lighter note, laughing at the way one bureaucracy can disagree with another..
DQ #4: Nature rejects, Nobel awards:
It is with intense satisfaction that observers note the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine this year was awarded to Sir Peter Ratcliffe, for work that Nature, arguably the world’s top science journal, had earlier rejected.
Note also that HM the Queen was ahead of the Nobrl committee, having given Peter Ratcliffe a knighthood in the 2014 New Year’s Honours List.
But then Nobel Prizes are belated recognitions of what has long been obvious..
Okay, I’m holding the fifth DQ for its own post — but here to compensate is another entry in our budding encyclopedia of ouroboroi, this one from Ben Juers at the Sydney Review of Books, Stepping on Rakes:Terry Eagleton’s Humourand Peter Timms’ Silliness:
‘If you want to raise a laugh it is unwise to joke and dissect your joke at the same time’, Eagleton writes in the introduction, ‘but there are not many comedians who come up with a theoretical inquiry into their wisecracks at the very moment they are delivering them.’ No sooner had I scrawled ‘um, Stewart Lee?!’ unreadably in the margins than Eagleton butted in: ‘There are, to be sure, exceptions, such as the brilliantly original comedian Stewart Lee, who deconstructs his own comedy as he goes along and analyses the audience’s response to it.’
Talk about self-referential! Let me count the ways..
Clearly I need to watch me some Stewart Lee.
Posted in analogical, analogy, Australia, black swans, Charles Cameron, complex systems, complexity, Doublequotes, gun, humor, Humour, medicine, monarchy, nobel, POTUS, science, terrorism, Uncategorized | Comments Off on A SITREP in four DoubleQuotes, holding the fifth for now
Potent possible parallelisms?
[ by Charles Cameron — you know I’m fascinated by parallelisms and analogies — here are some I’ve noticed recently — enough for three fine posts, and you get three in one ! ]
Parallelisms of interest that have surfaced in my reading recently include:
between Trump speeches and the Crusius El Paso manifesto
between Trump’s and Hitler’s uses of language
between AQ’s Sami al-Uraydi and French revolutionary Saint-Just
between ISIS strategy and use of social media and western Neo-Nazi terrorism
between Christchurch and El Paso
between the Gildead of Margaret Atwood and the Family of Jeff Sharlet
between the Family of Jeff Sharlet and the Muslim Brotherhood
between 11 Sept 2001, NYT, and 11 Sept 1683, Vienna
oh, and on a different note altogether, there’s:
between the arts of architecture and cartooning
El Paso Shooting Suspect’s Manifesto Echoes Trump’s Language:
NY Times, El Paso Shooting Suspect’s Manifesto Echoes Trump’s Language<
Intercept, After El Paso, We Can No Longer Ignore Trump’s Role
A professor of German history explains the true horror of Trump’s response to Charlottesville
We haven’t had a Reichstag blaze, nor a Kristallnacht — not even close!!! — still, if we consider rhetoric alone, there’s food for thought:
“You look at what is marching up, that is an invasion!” he declared at one rally. “That is an invasion!”
RawStory, A professor .. explains the true horror of Trump’s response to Charlottesville
Here’s a nice one observed by jihad-scholar Cole Bunzel:
“Those who make revolution halfway only dig their own graves,” says AQ leader Sami al-Uraydi (of Hurras al-Din) in video message decrying idea of concessions in jihadi revolution. Does he know he’s quoting the French revolutionary Louis Antoine de Saint-Just? pic.twitter.com/sABdapOllp
— Cole Bunzel (@colebunzel) August 12, 2019
Looks good, though one wonders whether the parallelism comes from the translator’s memory-store rather than al-Uraydi‘s?
Wikipedia quotes St-Just thus:
Those who make revolutions by halves do nothing but dig their own tombs.
and gives the date as January 1793 and the source as Oeuvres Complètes de Saint-Just, vol. 1 (2 vols., Paris, 1908), p. 414.
Here’s the Stratfor analysis:
Stratfor, What White Supremacism and Jihadism Have in Common
Like jihadism, the various ideologies driving white supremacism are not going away any time soon, and comparing the two can provide valuable lessons for understanding the ongoing threat. [ more.. ]
I’ll have a separate post on whether white supremacists as well as jihadists should be classified as terrorists — a matter on which opinions are divided..
The other piece referenced in the DoubleQuote above:
Rantt, White Supremacist Terrorists Operate Like ISIS, Trump Shrugs
And here’s an impressive, alternative contrast by Tim Furnish:
Stream, White Terrorists vs. the Sultans of Slaughter
There’s something akin to a waterfall of manifestos on the supremacist, arguably starting with Breivik, and thence to Christchurch and El Paso:
WaPo, Christchurch endures as extremist touchstone
In the days after a gunman killed 51 people in March at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, analysts warned the attack could become a rallying point for extremists.
It was a high-casualty attack, intended to be imitated by others, live-streamed on social media, accompanied by the release of a white supremacist manifesto decrying immigration and immigrants.
On Saturday, a similar manifesto appeared online, with similar grievances. The author opened by expressing “support” for “the Christchurch shooter.” Within minutes, a gunman opened fire at a shopping center in El Paso, killing 20..
The second quote in this above DoubleQuote says what it needs to say in the subtitle: “the more oxygen these manifestos get…”.
Onwards. Here’s a rather more disturbing aspect of the El Paso > Christchurch parallelism:
WaPo. Two mass killings a world apart share a common theme: ‘ecofascism’
Before the slaughter of dozens of people in Christchurch, New Zealand, and El Paso this year, the accused gunmen took pains to explain their fury, including their hatred of immigrants. The statements that authorities think the men posted online share another obsession: overpopulation and environmental degradation.
The alleged Christchurch shooter, who is charged with targeting Muslims and killing 51 people in March, declared himself an “eco-fascist” and railed about immigrants’ birthrates. The statement linked to the El Paso shooter, who is charged with killing 22 people in a shopping area this month, bemoans water pollution, plastic waste and an American consumer culture that is “creating a massive burden for future generations.”
The two mass shootings appear to be extreme examples of ecofascism — what Hampshire College professor emerita Betsy Hartmann calls “the greening of hate.”
On the existence of “so much similarities between the family and Muslim Brotherhood: praying groups“<:
OK dear friend I have done a full thread to that in Arabic. I’ll try to make it in English:
First major similarity is the refusal to be organised with official presence. The founder and up tell now calling it “Al-gama’a”… And they call each other “Brother”..
[ thread ]
The Family: More Gilead than Godly:
In both Gilead and Virginia, men in inner circles have been anointed by God to lead. Conversely, those women chosen to be of service remain in the background where they respond to these godly guys’ commands with a heavenly “blessed be.”
A stunner:
#September11 1683 was far more important than the same date in 2001.https://t.co/9iZ784EB6x
— The Occidental Jihadist (@Occidentaljihad) September 12, 2019
Here’s from the London Review of Books review of Lawrence Wright‘s The Looming Tower:
Wright offers the sense among the jihadis that America was the centre of Christianity, and that the Christian world had been winning the battle of faiths since the Islamic host began to be beaten back from the gates of Vienna on 11 September 1683.
I’d be interested if anyone has evidence connecting 2001 to 1683 in the mind of UBL —
— Timothy McVeigh, after all, timed the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City to coincide with the date set for the execution of Richard Snell, who had earlier plotted to blow up the same building, also the date of the final holocaust of the Branch Davidians in Waco two years earlier, the 220th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord — the “shot heard ’round the world” –and the start of the FBI’s siege of the Covenant, Sword and Arm of the Lord compound in 1985. Quite an impressive concatenation of anniversaries!
Anniversary dating, indeed, is not solely a white nationalist phenomenon. According to Hussain S. Zaidi‘s Black Friday: The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blasts, the principal suspect in the 1993 bombings, Tiger Memon says:
Friday, 12 March, is the seventeenth day of Ramazan. It will be the day when the Holy Prophet fought the first battle of Junge-Badr against the heathens of Mecca and forced them to retreat. The auspicious date will help us achieve success.
Or as Anuraga Kashyap‘s film Black Friday has it:
Tiger‘s memory reaches back to 624 CE.
And for a sunnier thought..
Here’s a parallelism between architecture and cartooning, courtesy of Bill Benzon:
Scaffolding in making a drawing. When the outline is inked-in, the scaffolding is erased.
Witch Hunt https://t.co/tywDweL3vs via @YouTube
— Bill Benzon (@bbenzon) August 18, 2019
Posted in 1683, 9/11, al qaida, anniversary, calendar, Charles Cameron, donald trump, Doublequotes, Dr Timothy Furnish, family, france, hitler, IS, ISIS, jeff sharlet, literature, movies, muslim brotherhood, parallel, social media, terrorism, Uncategorized, white supremacist | Comments Off on Potent possible parallelisms?
An observation for David Ronfeldt
[ by Charles Cameron — suggesting that the “how do we know when a radicalized thinker shifts into violent action mode?” question is frankly a koan ]
stern task-master image borrowed from The Zen Priest’s Koan
We’d been discussing on FB The Right Way to Understand White Nationalist Terrorism, and in particular this observation:
This movement is often called white nationalist, but too many people misunderstand that moniker as simply overzealous patriotism, or as promoting whiteness within the nation. But the nation at the heart of white nationalism is not the United States. It is the Aryan nation, imagined as a transnational white polity with interests fundamentally opposed to the United States and, for many activists, bent on the overthrow of the federal government.
and an idea occurred to me that seemed interesting enough for me to re-post it here on Zenpundit and Brownpundits:
We’re seeing a lot of discussion of how to foresee the switch from a terror-propensity thought into a terrorist act. Even in retrospect this is very difficult to manage, although lots of people elide the difference or feel constrained to separate the two, and managing an effective strategy to accomplish forewarning seems close to impossible.
I’d like to observe that the great leap between thought and act is in fact a leap across the mind > brain distinction, ie the “hard problem in consciousness”. > It’ds called the “hard problem” because it’s a question so basic that our best reaches of thought can’t stretch across the inherent paradox, a koan in effect.
Perhaps if we started with that koan, we could at least understand the “size” of the problem that predicting terrorist violence poses.
I think that’s, technically, an audacious idea.
What the hell do I mean by that? It doesn’t threaten my physical well-being, nor, I’d suspect, national security. It’s “just a thought” — so what’s the big deal?
Well, it concerns a matter of immediate strategic and tactical concern, for one thing. And for another, it takes that strategic and tactical issue way past its present discursive parameters, and analyzes it to a level of fundamental abstraction — so much so that it invokes one of the few most basic unresolved issues in scientific thought, a veritable western koan.
That’s quite a reach, but I believe it’s a reach that illuminates the difficulty of the “strategic and tactical issue” from a fresh point of view that’s frustratingly so deep as to be virtually impenetrable.
In Chalmers‘ words, the “hard” problem is:
how physical processes in the brain give rise to subjective experience … the way things feel for the subject. When we see for example, we experience visual sensations, such as that of vivid blue. Or think of the ineffable sound of a distant oboe, the agony of an intense pain, the sparkle of happiness or the meditative quality of a moment lost in thought
You remember the kids’ mathematical saying, “three into two won’t go”? Well here’s a case of “mind into brain won’t go” in the sense of Chalmers‘ hard problem.
Leonard koan, yes, yes — from Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)
Posted in aryan nation, Charles Cameron, david ronfeldt, facebook, hard problem in consciousness, koan, music, new york times, strategy, Tactics, terrorism, Uncategorized, white supremacist, Zen | 3 Comments »
On the literary transmission of terror: 2: cascading texts
[ by Charles Cameron — from 1500 pp via ~80 to 4, the amount of writing irate people can manage has been diminishing — next up, silence! ]
In 1999 — the year in which Ahmed Ressam on behalf of al-Qaida attempted to cross the northern border of the United States with a truck-load of explosives, hoping to detonate them at Los Angeles airport’s International terminal on the evening of the roll-over to a new millennium, but was mercifully stopped by a suspicious US Customs official and detained, currently serving 37 years in a Colorado supermax for his terrorist offence — another quasi-religious organization with terror on its mind published a manifesto.
The group was Wotan’s Volk, and their publication the “Exclusive Millennial Wotansvolk Edition” of Ragnar Redbeard‘s 1890 novel, Might Is Right, or The Survival of the Fittest.
A Social Darwinist manifesto? plea for eugenics? Racial purity? — or is the book a satire on all of the above?
It wasn’t satire when Wotan’svolk republished it, it was a manifesto for race war:
Look at that sword — the phrase 14 Words inscribed on its blade refers to a popular white supremacist slogan coined by a member of the 1980s terrorist group, The Order:
We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.
Redbeard‘s book, like William Pierce‘s 1978 novel, The Turner Diaries, is more political pamphlet than literature — except in the widest sense of that term covering all textual materials including invite posters announcing the times and locations of church bingo sessions. Peirce‘s book inspired Timothy McVeigh to commit the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 of us: published or posted words have the potential to infect thought, and the fever at times spills over into violence. And Redbeard‘s 1890s novel inspired the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, killing three plus the gunman just a week ago.
But fiction is not alone in infecting thought that spills into violence: non-fiction “manifestos” — now also known as “screeds” — serve the same purpose, though with muted imagination.
Anders Breivik‘s “manifesto” 2083 – A European Declaration of Independence runs to just over 1,500 pages, and draws on other sources, though many of them, like “Pamela Geller, Paul Belien, Diana West, the Baron [Bodissey] and Dymphna from the Gates of Vienna blog”, have disclaimed any association with Breivik, the use he made of their texts, or his actions, extremely, fatally ugly as they were.
Breivik‘s sources, in fact, were many and various, as this para, one of thousands, illustrates:
Since the publication in 1970 of his book The Poverty of Critical Theory, Rohrmoser has promulgated, in constantly varying forms, the view that Marcuse, Adorno, and Horkheimer were the terrorists’ intellectual foster-parents, who were using Cultural Revolution to destroy the traditions of the Christian West. Academics such as Ernst Topitsch and Kurt Sontheimer, who saw themselves as educators and liberal democrats, followed in Rohrmoser’s footsteps. In 1972 Topitsch, a critical rationalist who was Professor of Philosophy in Graz, had stated that behind the slogans of “rational discussion” and “dialogue free of domination” there was being established at the universities “a distinct terrorism of political convictions such as never existed before, even under Nazi tyranny.”
And Breivik‘s work was itself a call to arms, inviting followers of his Oslo and Utøya “Knights Templar” killings to follow suit — albeit in a manner presented as fiction:
It [his “Manifesto”] also describes specifically how this hypothetical fictional group, “PCCTS, Knights Templar”, would choose to respond towards the so called ”enablers” or the so called “cultural Marxist/multiculturalist” elites that are allegedly allowing millions of Muslims to enter Europe. The book contains detailed strategies (guerrilla tactics, instructions to execute, political campaigns etc.) which normally would be partly incriminatory to anyone who published or distributed the book (had it not been fiction).
Indeed, Breivik himself later argued that “his main motive for the attacks was to publicize his manifesto” [Bloomberg, via Wikipedia].
Breivik claimed himself to be a “Justiciar Knight Commander for Knights Templar Europe and one of several leaders of the National and pan-European Patriotic Resistance Movement” and invited others to become “Knights Justiciar” thus:
The European military order and tribunal; Commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici – PCCTS is represented by self appointed European judges known as ”Justiciar Knights” or “Knight Judges” (Latin: justiciarius=man of justice, judge — Knight=Eques or Cavaliere in Old Italian, Chevalier in French, Ritter in German)”. Any self appointed Justiciar Knight has been given the authority, by PCCTS on behalf of;
1. The free indigenous peoples of Europe
2. Those Europeans not yet born
3. The legacy of our forefathers and fallen martyrs
– to act as a judge, jury and executioner until the free, indigenous peoples of Europe are no longer threatened by cultural genocide, subject to cultural Marxist/Islamic tyranny or territorial or existential threats through Islamic demographic warfare. It is therefore within any- and every-ones right to act in accordance with the given guidelines.
All free Europeans have a right and a duty to become “Justiciar Knights” for the order/tribunal
Breivik‘s call for more “Knights Justiciar” and more actions congruent with his killings in Oslo and Utøya, and in some cases the killings themselves, have infected other minds, albeit minds few and far between. JM Berger, author of Extremism and a friend of mine and this blog, describes the cascading waterfall effect:
The Newtown shooter Adam Lanza reportedly collected news clippings on Breivik’s attack and other incidents of mass violence before he killed 20 children at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. Other young men, such as the British college student Liam Lyburd, have been inspired to plan or carry out mass shootings based on their admiration for Breivik’s lethality, rather than his beliefs.
Then, JM tells us, the Coast Guard Lieutenant Christopher Hasson attempted to follow in Breivik’s footsteps:
planning a mass-casualty attack modeled in significant part on Breivik’s strategy, and bearing the marks of his belief system
Fast forward to this March, and the Christchurch, NZ mosque attacks. The shooter here, Brenton Tarrant, wrote at 87 pages a far shorter “manifesto” than Breivik‘s — The Great Replacement — albeit in it he linked his attack explicitly to Breivik‘s, writing that he “took true inspiration from Knight Justiciar Breivik” and claiming:
I have only had brief contact with Knight Justiciar Breivik, receiving a blessing for my mission after contacting his brother knights
Manifesto to manifesto, rant to rant, action to action, the infection cascades, spreads and, thankfully, dilutes.
A week ago, there was the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, and this weekend we have witnessed the shootings in El Paso, TX and Dayton, OH .
The Dayton shooter I dealt with in the previous post, contrasting his leftist online presence with the El Paso shooter‘s online presence from the right.
In the El Paso shooting, the motive seems clear. Crusius begins his 4-page screed thus:
In general, I support the Christchurch shooter and his manifesto.
There’s the cascade. His immediate follow up gives his motive:
This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas. They are the instigators, not me. I am simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion.
Further on he says, again referencing the Christchurch shooter’s rant:
Actually the Hispanic community was not my target before I read The Great Replacement.
He continues:
This manifesto will cover the political and economic reasons behind the attack, my gear, my expectations of what response this will generate and my personal motivations and thoughts.
And that’s pretty much what he delivers: lock, stock, you might say, and barrel.
But enough: all this delving into killers’ minds is disgusting.
The Unabomber, Industrial Society and Its Future”
Ragnar Redbeard, Might Is Right, or The Survival of the Fittest
Anders Breivik, 2083 – A European Declaration of Independence
Brenton Tarrant, The Great Replacement
Patrick Cursius, The Inconvenient Truth
Dylann Roof, manifesto
Posted in al qaida, alt-right, Breivik, Charles Cameron, Islam, islamist, jihad, literature, myth, new zealand, norse, templar, terrorism, Uncategorized | Comments Off on On the literary transmission of terror: 2: cascading texts
A second DoubleQuote from the El Paso / Dayton shootings
Monday, August 5th, 2019
[ by Charles Cameron — following on from On the literary transmission of terror: 1: mirroring Twitter-feeds ]
This one’s a matter of two sisters — onw of whom is a martyr-victim, the other a target-victim:
Giving one’s life to protect one’s kin is an easily understood, deeply honorable affair; getting killed by one’s kin either in vengeance or unintentionally — in haste, with a too-rapid-fire weapon — is saddening and sobering.
May there be less dead sisters, and less dead in mass casualty events, going forward. That’s a prayer.
Posted in Character, Charles Cameron, Doublequotes, family, gun, gun control, martyr, prayer, terrorism, Uncategorized, victim | Comments Off on A second DoubleQuote from the El Paso / Dayton shootings
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UD Trucks today unveiled New Quester with enhancements to the well-established heavy-duty truck.
UD Trucks launches New Quester
UD Trucks today unveiled New Quester with enhancements to the well-established heavy-duty truck. New Quester will enable logistics companies to tackle critical industry challenges and boost their bottom line through Smart Logistics.
UD Trucks launches New Quester.
To be introduced in fast-growing regions around the world, the launch of New Quester highlights UD Trucks’ unwavering commitment of “Going the Extra Mile” for customers’ businesses.
Building on proven robustness and reliability, New Quester introduces key features such as ESCOT automated manual transmission, engines with higher horsepower and user-friendly telematics to deliver greater fuel efficiency, productivity, driver efficiency, safety, and uptime.
Håkan Karlsson, President, Volvo Group Trucks Asia & JVs, said “Quester comes from the best of three worlds: UD Trucks’ strong Japanese heritage and craftsmanship, Volvo Group’s innovative technology and strong local manufacturing and customer support.
UD Trucks is recognized for pioneering new innovations within the Japanese trucks segment, and New Quester is testament to our global industry leadership”.
At UD Trucks, its Gemba spirit means being close to the ground and listening to the needs of local customers to be their most valuable partner in respective markets and segments.
Jacques Michel, President, Volvo Group Trucks Asia & JVs Sales, said, “We recognize immense potential in fast-growing markets such as Southeast Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America where business success is a key contributor to economic progress. Combined with our Ultimate Dependability standard and Gemba spirit, New Quester marks our commitment to continue championing Smart Logistics and providing unmatched value to our customers in these regions.”
New Quester will be available in key markets around the world in phases from mid-February 2019 onwards. Thailand, which also serves as UD Trucks’ export hub to growth markets in Southeast Asia, will be the first to launch New Quester.
For more information on New Quester, visit http://www.udtrucks.com/newquester and watch the digital reveal film at https://youtu.be/qRhK1wtSYPk.
For more information from the UD Trucks, please visit the homepage.
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Home HEALTH 654, 804 Kogi children targeted for immunisation against measle
654, 804 Kogi children targeted for immunisation against measle
About 654, 804 children aged between nine months and five years will be immunised during the March measles vaccination in Kogi, a World Health Organisation (WHO) consultant has said.
Dr Muhammad Salihu, a National Measles Consultant to WHO, made this known to newsmen in Lokoja on Tuesday, and said the exercise would last from March 1 to 13.
The consultant said that WHO had taken delivery of 720, 290 doses of vaccines required for the exercise.
Salihu who spoke at a one-day sensitisation programme for the media on the exercise, said it would hold simultaneously in all the 239 wards across the state.
He said the exercise would be handled by 614 teams of vaccinators and that it would hold at places of worship, markets, palaces, schools and health facilities across the state.
Also speaking, a facilitator, Dr Uzoma Ogbonna, said that the exercise would hold only in designated areas, adding that there was no resources to carry out house-to-house immunisation.
“We are using this to complement the routine immuniaation.
Parents are advised not to wait; they should just walk down to the nearest health facility to immunise their children irrespective of previous immunisation,” he said.
Ogbonna said the vaccinators had been instructed not to administer the vaccine on children above 10 years.
The facilitator emphasised that the exercise was essentially for those within the age bracket of nine months and five years.
The state Health Educator, Mr Acheku Yusuf, urged journalists to join hands with the State Government to make the exercise a success.
He said that only measles vaccines would be administered during the exercise, calling on parents to take advantage of it to immunise their children against measles.
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Lantana Nasir
NAFDAC: Lagosians express concerns over use of paracetamol to soften foods
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Home ENTERTAINMENT & TOURISM Calabar Christmas village opens for 31 days of entertainment
Calabar Christmas village opens for 31 days of entertainment
Eme Offiong, Calabar
The Calabar Christmas village in Cross River State, southern Nigeria has been inaugurated to give residents, visitors and tourists, 31 days of non-stop entertainment this December.
The Christmas village is usually opened every first day of December as a special commercial and entertainment centre for fun-seekers, who visit the ancient city of Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Located on the open grounds of the council headquarters of Calabar Municipality, the village consist of over 160 rented stalls, where food and drinks including carnival costumes would be on sale, while a well-lighted stage to host entertainers was set up in the centre leaving enough space for dancing.
The Governor of Cross-River, Ben Ayade, who inaugurated the arena, said that the Christmas village marked the beginning of festivities in the state and congratulated the people for being part of activities lined up for this year’s celebration.
Governor Ayade who was represented by his chief of staff, Martins Orim, said: “This Christmas village is to provide the opportunity for us, especially those that cannot travel outside the country with their families, to come and have all the fun we need to have this season.”
He used the occasion to appeal to all Nigerian youths residing in Cross River “to shun all criminal activities, all cult clashes, cult related killings and cult attacks in the state. We should say ‘no’ to them; we should rise up with one voice and fight against it.”
Earlier, Kenneth Aklah, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Events Management, hinted that the village was to create a centre of commerce for the people this season.
“The intention of the government is to enable people create wealth each year and so the government has set up this centre and the beneficiaries are citizens of this state, who own these stalls and running the trade here. This is so that in January, parents can have money to send their children back to school,” said Aklah.
He disclosed that this year, three foreign countries would be opening stalls later in the month, stating “the positives for this year at the village is huge as Dubai Tourism will be here from December 15. They are already building a huge gazebo, where they would do a raffle draw to select few people to attend the 2020 Expo.
“The Federal Republic of Bangladesh would open a store here and the Republic of Vietnam would be here also at the village to teach farmers more about rice production. It is obvious that this Christmas village is a potpourri of activities for us as a people, for Nigeria and internationally.”
A peak into the Hospitality village revealed a well-organized barbeque area, which is in collaboration with the Hausa-Fulani community, an art and craft section, stage for comedy and stalls named after top hotels in Calabar.
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Aisha John Mark
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Alun Wyn Jones
Alun Wyn Jones set to sign new Ospreys deal and stay in Wales
The inspirational Six Nations Grand Slam captain’s future with Wales and the Ospreys had been unclear
Alun Wyn Jones is set to remain in Wales (Image: Ben Evans/Huw Evans Agency)
Alun Wyn Jones is set to give Welsh rugby and the Ospreys a massive boost by signing a new deal to stay in Wales.
The inspirational Wales Grand Slam captain’s National Dual Contract expires following the World Cup in Japan later this year.
His future had been unclear with money-laden clubs in France, England and Japan waiting to pounce for the 33-year-old.
Jones, who today capped off his dream Six Nations with the accolade of being named the player of the championship , is now poised to play on after the World Cup in Wales.
He is expected to commit his future to his home region Ospreys just a couple of weeks after they staved off the threat of a controversial merger with the Scarlets.
“I know he was thinking potentially about when he was going to call time on the game but he is feeling pretty good at the moment,” said coach Warren Gatland.
“So Wales might get a few more years out of him. There is no doubt he has been a very important member of the team and the forward pack.
“He has matured gracefully. In the early years he was a bit hot-headed and temperamental. He was the one starting the fights in training – that is what a competitor he is.
“He has done a fantastic job this season in leading the team and has a huge amount of respect from the players.
“He has been very important to us, he is a player who does not pick up many injuries and has been a constant,” Gatland said before Jones led Wales to the Six Nations title with a walloping of Ireland.
Welsh fans will hope the super-fit Jones, who was this week offered the freedom of his home city of Swansea , decides to make himself available for Wales selection to Gatland’s successor Wayne Pivac following the World Cup.
Jones last weekend drew level with Lions and Wales prop Gethin Jenkins’ 134 Test appearances and is just 15 caps short of overhauling New Zealand living legend Richie McCaw’s all-time record of 148.
He joined Adam and Ryan Jones by becoming the third Welshman during the professional era to bag four Six Nations titles, three with Grand Slams.
A fourth Lions tour, in South Africa in 2021, could be a carrot for Jones, who has arguably been in the best form of his career and is still improving as a player.
He skippered the Lions in their historic tour-winning Test against Australia in 2013 and was also in the side that secured the famous drawn series against back-to-back World Cup holders New Zealand two years ago, becoming the first player to play nine consecutive Tests for the tourists in the professional era.
Jones may feel he has unfinished business with the Lions in South Africa after being on the end of a heart-wrenching defeat during an epic and brutal series in 2009.
He would be 35, but fellow lock Simon Shaw was the same age when he packed down against the Springboks for the Lions and ended his England career at 38.
Jones started his career with Bonymaen RFC before joining Swansea RFC. He made his Ospreys bow against Leinster as a 19-year-old in September 2005 and his Wales debut versus Argentina in the Patagonia city of Puerto Madryn in June 2006.
A 20-year-old Alun Wyn Jones ahead of his Wales debut in Argentina in 2006
He has made a record 236 appearances for the Ospreys and been touted as Wales’ greatest ever player in the wake of his latest Grand Slam.
Ospreys supporters will be heartened ahead of the must-win Guinness PRO14 derby with the Dragons that the region’s talisman is set to stay put.
Powerbrokers at the Swansea-based region have launched a “we fight on” campaign and are hoping to make a statement to Welsh Rugby bosses following the proposed merger with the Scarlets, by attracting a bumper crowd to the Liberty Stadium tomorrow.
They have only twice exceeded 10,000 against the Dragons, with 14,478 attending Shane Williams final regular league season match before retirement in May 2012.
Wales win Six Nations Grand Slam
Wales won the Six Nations Grand Slam after defeating Ireland 25-7 in Cardiff. Here's the best of our coverage.
* Just how did Wales secure the Grand Slam? Here's 14 key factors that helped the Six Nations dream come true.
* There's many ways to celebrate... Josh Navidi's way means getting behind the DJing decks!
* It was an extraordinary Wales win, and the celebrations were suitably spectacular. Here are the pictures from inside the Wales dressing room
* Warren Gatland revealed he's cancelled the coaches' debrief meeting in favour of an all day celebration. Here's the full Q&A with the Wales coach.
* This was the emotional reaction in one big Cardiff pub at the final whistle
* It was a remarkable match and performance at the Principality Stadium, here's our report and analysis.
* Here's how every Wales player rated against Ireland. One man surely has to be Six Nations player of the tournament.
Warren Gatland
Wayne Pivac
Wales Rugby Team
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Zoom Dune
Local artist captures video games in all their pixelated glory
by zoom dune
For the past 10 years, local artist Chris Olian, better known as the 8-bit Artist, has been dedicating much of his time to re-creating the images and scenes from many beloved video games. His pixelated art style not only makes the work instantly recognizable, but is also his attempt at capturing the feel of the game itself. Olian’s art mostly focuses on the classic 8-bit versions of games like Mega Man, Zelda, or his massive re-creation of Kefka’s Tower from Final Fantasy VI. As evidenced by his piece based on Shadow of the Colossus he also seems comfortable stepping out of the constraints of solely working with retro games.
Curious about how this art trend first started for Olian we sat down with him to learn more about his craft, inspiration, and the logistics of how he advertises his work.
Jesse Tannous: Tell me a little bit about how you got into doing these pixel styled art pieces in the first place.
Chris Olian: Way back in late 2004, my friend who was an artist asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I told her a Mega Man painting, but keep it pixelated like in the game. Long story short, she got busy and couldn’t do the painting so I tried my hands at it. Having no art/painting experience what so ever, it came out pretty bad. Refining my technique and coming up with better way to do things, each painting after that got better.
JT: How are you able to use these characters or the direct scenes from the games and sell your work without repercussions from the companies who own them?
CO: Fan art has been around for a very long time. I’m sure if Nintendo or another gaming company wanted to send me a cease and desist, they could, but they don’t because they realize its free promotion for their product. I was in Nintendo’s own magazine Nintendo Power back in I think 2007. If they were going to do something about it by now they would have. There’s also tons of art galleries, such as Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles that puts on monthly art shows dedicated to video games, movies and other pop culture. They are all using copyrighted IP. I did a painting from an upcoming Kickstarter game called River City Ransom: Underground and the developer of the game actually bought the painting to hang up in the office. The only instance that I know of with a company sending out cease and desists is Mojang with the Minecraft IP.
JT: Walk me through your process, how do you create these pieces?
CO: I’ll either get screen captures or use sprite sheets online. After that it’s just manipulating it a bit in MS Paint to get it exactly how I like it. After that it’s just simple math for the dimensions then I use a t-square, ruler and pencil to grid the entire canvas. After that it’s just looking at my screen shot and filling in the pixels.
JT: Where can locals find your work showcased now or in the future?
CO: Right now the only place is at Endgame on Mill Ave in Tempe. I will also be decorating the 8-bit Brewery that is opening up in Avondale AZ mid/late January. I will most likely be sharing a table with 8-Bit Brewery at the Phoenix Comic Con as well, but that is not set in stone yet.
JT: What have been some of your favorite games to draw inspiration from?
CO: The big 4 obviously: Mario, Zelda, Metroid and Mega Man. Also other games like Final Fantasy and even newer released games such as Journey or The Binding of Isaac.
Be it art, statues, or an extensive music collection we all have our ways of showing appreciation for our favorite video game experiences. If there is a particular video game scene you have been craving to hang from your wall, then the 8-bit Artist may be exactly what you have been looking for.
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There’s some-fin in the water
August 17, 2016 August 17, 2016 Chief Brody
Amity Island Review
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There’s some-fin in the water – Greatest ‘shark attack’ films of all-time
The release of Jaume Collet-Serra’s shark thriller The Shallows was exciting for a shark-movie aficianado like myself. I mean seriously – my blog is called ‘Amity Island’ and I write under the name Chief Brody. That in itself makes The Shallows close to my personal movie event of the year (and don’t even get me started on 2018’s Meg).
My love of shark movies started when I was just two years old, when my ultra cool (or terribly irresponsible, depending on your point of view) mother and grandmother took me to the drive-in to see Jaws. Obviously I don’t remember everything about that night at the drive-in (I’m pretty sure my mum was expecting me to sleep through it) but I do remember parts of it, and my love (and fear) of sharks became one of my earliest memories. Jaws today stands as my favourite all-time movie and one that I’ve watched countless times.
I was still only about four when my nan and pop made the outstanding decision to take me to see Tintorera, a soft-core porn Jaws rip-off featuring a killer tiger shark (what did I care about the nude lady bits and the subject of polygamy – I was there to see the shark) and not long after I was a five year-old with his feet curled up on his seat in the cinema as I caught Jaws 2. My parents even made the dodgy decision to take me to the cinema to see Great White (aka The Last Shark).
Sadly, Jaws aside, the killer shark genre has never reached any great heights, but The Shallows has proven a worthy entrant into the killer shark genre, and inspired me to put my questionable movie tastes to the test by listing out my ‘Lucky 7’ favourite shark movies of all time, and I would absolutely love to know how you think I’ve done.
7. Bait 3D (2012)
‘A tsunami just flipped the food chain’.
An armed robbery and an unfortunately timed tsunami combine to leave a group of shoppers trapped in a flooded supermarket with a couple of deadly friends to keep them company. Sounds absolutely ridiculous, right? The kind of thing that belongs alongside titles such as Sharknado and other such nonsense. Bait 3D is truly a pleasant surprise. Decent production values, a nice cast that includes Sharni Vinson (You’re Next, Step Up 3D) and Julian McMahon (Nip Tuck, Fantastic 4) and some good shark effects makes this a more than watchable film that provides a fun way to kill a couple of hours. Some of the set pieces, especially those featuring the car in the parking garage, are wonderfully well done. I could probably have ranked it higher, but the premise is a bit dodgy. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy!
6. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
‘Beneath this glassy surface, a world of gliding monsters’.
Much maligned by fans and critics alike, Deep Blue Sea was supposed to herald the resurgence of the killer shark film. Whilst it didn’t quite hit the mark, and it does contain some fairly questionable effects and ropey dialogue, it is still strong enough to rank relatively highly amidst the killer shark genre. Thomas Jane (The Mist, Dreamcatcher), LL Cool J (NCIS LA, Any Given Sunday) and Michael Rappaport (you’ll know him when you see him) provide enough humour to keep us engaged, and most of the story-telling is at least plausible (within its own setting, that is). With a decent budget it looks good on the screen, and is a must-watch among killer shark enthusiasts. Samuel L Jackson’s survival speech provides probably the most entertaining moment in the movie.
Action / Adventure, Horror, Spotlight On, Thriller Bait 3D, Deep Blue Sea, Jaws, Jaws 2, Movie Lists, Open Water, Shark Movies, The Reef, The Shallows permalink
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One Hand Feeds the Other: Georgia Journalists Feed the Good ‘Ole Boy System
GA-06, Politics, Richard Keatley
You might think that the voters of Georgia would get to choose their political representatives, but in a little known fact, it is actually powerful individuals in the media and business who choose who will...
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GA-06, Politics
Karen Handel is the Republican nominee for the congressional seat recently vacated by Tom Price in Georgia's 6th Congressional District and the candidate coronated by the Democratic Party, Jon Ossoff. At least...
Jon Ossoff Smooth Sailing to Democratic Party Coronation
Jon Ossoff has smooth sailing to coronation by the Democratic Party for the nomination as Representative for Georgia's 6th District Congressional District. Recently he flew first class (shown below) back from...
Bridge Collapse: How are You Getting to Work Today, Bob Gray?
Bridge Collapse, GA-06, Richard Keatley
Last night for anyone who's been asleep for the last day the I-85 bridge collapsed blocking both North and Southbound traffic for 225,000 people who cross it every day to go to work in Atlanta or travel...
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In the 2016 Congressional election for Georgia's 6th Congressional District the incumbent Tom Price (Republican) was up against someone named Rodney Stooksbury representing the Democratic Party. The only...
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Conlict-off-Interest, GA-06, Politices, Politics, Richard Keatley
Dr. Tom Price of our very own Georgia 6th Congressional District has been nominated as Director of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the incoming presidential administration. Not to worry about how he...
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Sep 18, 2019 In a moving talk, journalist Johann Hari shares fresh insights on the causes of depression and anxiety from experts around the world -- as well as some exciting emerging solutions. "If you're depressed or anxious, you're not weak and you're not crazy -- you're a human being with unmet needs," Hari says.
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Home > PEOPLE > MUNICH AIRPORT'S NEW CEO OFFICIALLY INTRODUCED
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United announces top management changes Modern Terminals announces top management changes AAPA names Subhas Menon as new Director General MSC appoints Soren Toft as new CEO Emirates appoints new Asia commercial head Thai Airways chairman quits UPS appoints new China head Munich Airport's new CEO officially introduced UPS COO Jim Barber to retire
MUNICH AIRPORT'S NEW CEO OFFICIALLY INTRODUCED
The supervisory board of the Munich Airport has recently announced that Jost Lammers was appointed as the next CEO of the airport's operating company.
And earlier this week, Lammers was officially introduced by the supervisory board chairman Albert Füracker, the Bavarian State Minister of Finance, Regional Development and Home Affairs.
Lammers will succeed Dr. Michael Kerkloh as the President and CEO of Munich Airport on January 1, 2020.
"Munich Airport is vitally important to Bavaria and its economic competitiveness. It has an outstanding global reputation and is Bavaria's gateway to the world. We are therefore delighted to have recruited Jost Lammers, a highly respected expert in airport management, for this role. We are confident that Mr. Lammers, with his proven expertise and commitment, will keep Munich Airport on course for success. On this occasion, we also wish to thank Dr. Kerkloh for his outstanding contributions to Munich Airport. The house he will hand over to his successor at the end of this year is in excellent order," said Füracker.
Kerkloh, who will remain at the helm of Flughafen München GmbH (FMG) until the end of the year, welcomed Lammers appointment describing the upcoming CEO as a "successful aviation manager."
"Munich Airport spent many years developing into one of the world's best airports that wins rave reviews from passengers. Since we opened in 1992, annual passenger traffic has quadrupled. And despite this enormous growth, Munich succeeded in becoming the first European hub to earn the prestigious 'Five Star Airport' seal of approval. That requires a strong team behind the airport's top manager, "Kerkloh said.
"I have known Jost Lammers for many years as a successful aviation manager who will take a forward-looking and sustainable approach in leading Munich Airport and maintaining its status as a leading hub in the worldwide air transportation network," he added.
Lammers said he is looking forward to leading Munich Airport to new heights.
"Over the past two decades, Munich Airport has taken its place alongside Europe's most important aviation hubs. As demonstrated by the traffic statistics and financial performance of the company, the management team and the entire airport crew have done excellent work. I'm very much looking forward to writing the next chapters in this airport's success story together with our team and in a close dialog with the airport's partners and neighbors," Lammers said.
Kerkloh, who has served as the President and CEO of FMG, managing the Munich Airport for over 17 years, has announced late last year that he will retire at the end of 2019.
Kerkloh, who took office in 2002, turned 65 in June 2018.
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Eugene O’Neill
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A programme about Eugene O’Neill from the ‘Famous Authors’ series of documentary biographies. Using film, archive documents, portraits, music and commentary, the programme presents not only a factual outline of the writer’s life, but also conveys a visual picture of the social and historical background to his writing.
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biographies; drama - contemporary; literature - American; O’Neill, Eugene; writers - American
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For over thirty years Academy Media has been making programmes about history, literature, music and languages with the hope of helping individuals to develop and enrich themselves. Famous Authors and Famous Composers are continuing series of video biographies, the former featuring many writers whose work is included in the National Curriculum. There are also series on the history and culture of China, Thailand and Greece as well as a new series of productions of classic plays, the first of which is Ibsen’s Ghosts. Sale on DVD.
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"Eugene O’Neill"; "Famous Authors, Series"; . http://bufvc.ac.uk/dvdfind/index.php/title/av35210 (Accessed 19 Jan 2020)
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Success is no accident. It doesn’t come without hard work, sacrifice, endurance, and discipline. This next couple we’re featuring on the blog knows the value of hard work, and they’re racing hard every day to set goals and crush them. From Colorado, we’re proud to introduce Adam & Julie Hancock.
Adam and Julie enjoy being together in beautiful Colorado!
In the midst of a busy day at the office and at home, Adam & Julie took time to sit down and share their goals and dreams with us. Currently, they are not full-time Bonvera entrepreneurs. Adam runs a State Farm insurance agency, and he’s been doing that for about 16 years. Julie has worked in customer service for the insurance agency for over 25 years. Together, they have also been in the network marketing industry in addition to working full-time jobs for the past 20 years.
One cold football game!
A couple of goofballs.
Their two sons and their wives in CA.
They love skiing and tubing!
Though it may be a lot of work, life has more freedom because of the residual income opportunity. Adam described, “We have more freedom, and we have more choices. We understood that residual income was important. The benefit from Bonvera from anything else is the variety and the magnitude of the product selection.” When asked how their lives have changed since being a part of Bonvera, Julie replied, “Bonvera really impacted our lives with the information from the training and teaching. That is literally what changed our lives. In our audio, we were on the brink of marital issues and divorce, but it really got a hold of our hearts which impacted everything else. It’s really been huge.” Adam agreed, “I would say the information we’ve learned and the different thinking/mindset has transformed our lives night and day better. Literally night and day better. We have substantially better relationships with each other and with our kids, even our team with Bonvera and at the office. Each and every element has been incredible as we’ve learned to grow and develop.”
Balancing their full-time jobs with their Bonvera jobs is not an easy task. Julie laughed, “We’re still figuring that out. Adam’s pretty intentional. When he’s at the office, he’s focused on that. But after hours are battle hours for Bonvera that he works really hard from 5pm to 9pm or 10 pm. It’s not an easy balance. We’ve seen residual effects from trying to run two different businesses, both positive and negative.” But they are putting in all of the work to reach their dreams. They are dreaming for “time freedom and money freedom.” Adam added, “Our major goal is to have a home down South in Tennessee, Georgia, or Florida and have a home in Colorado. We have a dream home we’ve been dreaming on for a while. So our major goal is to take off with this business and replace the income we have from the agency and hire someone that will manage our agency to free up our time. It gives us the freedom that we aren’t locked into the agency.”
Why do they work day and night around the clock? Because they truly believe and have seen the difference Bonvera makes in people’s lives. Julie said, “I really do believe that Bonvera is the vehicle to help a countless amount of people with their health, their finances, and even spiritually. There’s nothing out there like it.” Even their kids take notice. Adam said, “People come to them for a lot of advice, which stems from them listening to audios and them seeing us reading and associating.” Julie laughed, “Even Hunter (their youngest daughter) has a voicemail message that says she’s unavailable because she’s either in a meeting or meeting with people!” Their kids clearly value the education, training, and different way of thinking this business and the education program have to offer.
Adam and Julie just recently achieved a new rank, New Partners. They were recognized at a Bonvera National Training Event in Denver in June 2019.
Their hard work has paid off. They’ve gone out and crushed almost all of their goals. Julie reflected, “We’re going to have to redo our list. We were talking this morning that a few months ago, we wrote a list of goals on our bathroom mirror. We wrote down 5 things on our mirror and read them everyday. Probably in the next 30 days from now, we’ll have achieved every single one of those! That’s pretty exciting. We’ll have to reassess what to do afterward.” Just recently, Adam and Julie achieved a new ranking level within the company as New Partners. They were recognized at a National Training Event in Denver in mid June. It was awesome getting to watch them persevere, work hard, and meet their goals for themselves and their teams!
This couple complied when we asked if we could throw them a few fun questions towards the end of their interview! A few fun facts about them include:
As far as hobbies, this couple loves to….
Adam said, “I love being outdoors — fishing, camping, and hiking. I really love football too. I’d rather play it than watch it. I love being outside and being a part of nature. It fills my tank, and it helps me to feel alive.”
Julie replied, “It’s just fun hanging out with our family and doing fun things. For instance, this past Sunday, we took a picnic lunch to Grand Mesa and took my dad, who is in assisted living, with us. But if I could go back to school and do something, I’d go to culinary school. I love to cook.”
They would make some interesting cartoon characters…
Julie remarked, “Adam is that Hei Hei chicken from Moana. I would probably be the mom, Ugga, from that movie, The Croods.”
Adam argues, “No I’d be the Tasmianian devil.”
What makes them unique? They say…
Adam joked, “We’re spicy.”
Julie answered, “I think my ability to connect with people and make them really feel special just as they are, not where they are going to be. Adam’s a really good connector as well; he is really good at listening to people and helping them at their point of need. I would say overall we’re good connectors.” Adam agreed, “We’re phenomenal connectors.”
They wrap up this interview saying, “We’re just really grateful to how much trust and love they (our team) have for us and their support. It’s pretty incredible. We are a tight knit group. Kind of like the insides of a baseball. The tighter they are woven the faster they fly. We are very close, and we love each one of them.” Thank you for taking the time to get to know Adam & Julie Hancock. If you’re interested in learning more, please email us at support@bonvera.com or call us at (316) 260 – 2225, and we’ll get you connected to an entrepreneur near you.
about Bonvera company
about Bonvera leaders
Bonvera
Bonvera Adam and Julie Hancock
Bonvera entrepreneurs
Bonvera entrepreneurs Adam and Julie Hancock
Bonvera leaders
Bonvera leadership
Bonvera leadership profiles
Bonvera New Way MBA
Marketplace Select, Bonvera’s Very Own Specialty Grocery Store
The Top 4 Things to Know for an NTE
Bonvera Profiles in Leadership: Jim & Dolores Martin
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Difference between revisions of "Chochiro's List Part II"
(→Rearrangements)
Latest revision as of 13:18, 6 October 2018 (view source)
Justom (Talk | contribs)
(→Contract Negotiations)
==Contract Negotiations==
The party heads to the Dragon’s Throne to see if it’s possible to fill out a form to guarantee a favor from the Lord Mayor in exchange for reversing or delaying the Illuminated Precincts policy about modifying the chi of the Empire. The party goes in disguised, and Min Feng works up a set of false credentials under the name “Li Dan”, which the party uses for all transactions. She buys a Copper key and some passes, so the party can get to the Dulcet Harp, where Fen-xi (the party’s go-to bureaucrat) was often to be found in the past. On the way through Pewter, the party notices an urchin trying to get Lijuan’s attention. She pauses to talk with him. He says that the passes were great! (Zhuai distributed passes to urchins a while back as a means of causing some chaos in Dragon’s Throne, to make it easier for the party to operate) But they need more money or training or something, so they can get their stats up and move up to a higher ring. She says she’ll think about it.
The party heads to the Dragon’s Throne to see if it’s possible to fill out a form to guarantee a favor from the Lord Mayor in exchange for reversing or delaying the Illuminated Precincts policy about modifying the chi of the Empire. The party goes in disguised, and Min Feng works up a set of false credentials under the name “Li Dan”, which the party uses for all transactions. She buys a Copper key and some passes, so the party can get to the Dulcet Harp, where [[Fen-xi]] (the party’s go-to bureaucrat) was often to be found in the past. On the way through Pewter, the party notices an urchin trying to get Lijuan’s attention. She pauses to talk with him. He says that the passes were great! (Zhuai distributed passes to urchins a while back as a means of causing some chaos in Dragon’s Throne, to make it easier for the party to operate) But they need more money or training or something, so they can get their stats up and move up to a higher ring. She says she’ll think about it.
At the Dulcet Harp, the party asks about Fen-xi, but finds that he has been promoted to Bureaucrat of the Fourth Rank, and now lives in the Silver district. The party finds itself short on Silver Keys, so Li Dan buys one of those as well. In the Silver District, the party (still disguised well enough for Silver) arrives at Fen-xi’s house and inquires about hiring his services. A Bureaucrat of the Fourth Rank (he explains with a boilerplate speech) may be hired for 16 li per day.
Latest revision as of 13:18, 6 October 2018
"Under the overturned nest, can there be unbroken eggs?" The run begins on the Day of the Early Monkey in the Month of the Monkey in the twelfth Year of the Bear since the Regency Council was formed.
The run takes place in a number of places around the Empire
1 Layers of Distraction
2 Contract Negotiations
3 Rearrangements
4 Plans
5 The Shortest Social Debut In Recent Taiga Memory
Layers of Distraction
Lijuan, Xiao Fa, Wei Han, Master Zhou, Min Feng, and Cai Wen are all puzzling over Chochiro’s list. Their deliberations are not helped by Cai Wen’s inability to believe that ‘Steppes’ refers to a country. Eventually, Xiao Fa can no longer stand his prattling on about ‘Who is this First Servant, and why are we doing him a favor?’. He turns his Discerning Eye for the Bad Chi Guy upon Cai Wen and finds (starting in the gooey inside and proceeding outward):
A cartogramancy curse anchored on someone other than the Cartogramancer (Autumn Rose, we figure).
A subtle chi effect flaking bits of his chi off and repurposing them for something. We wonder if this is Mistress Mai’s alteration, but Xiao Fa thinks it’s more familiar than that.
Something horrible involving Emergency Defensive Blindness
Something Serpent-related (Xiao Fa has run out of successes, so no details, though it seems likely this is the Serpent Sight that Da Xie gave him)
Dealing with the cartogramancy curse would be very difficult without dealing with the outer layers first. Besides which, this layer of chi being flaked off is alarming and new.
We pause to consider Lijuan’s latest work of art. Omens are interpreted. Cai Wen thinks that the woman and man are Autumn Rose and the Bureaucrat, and that they both have to do with Chochiro’s list and with an opportunity to sever Autumn Rose from the Marked. Others note that everyone in the painting is looking at the map and the two people, and ignoring who’s behind them.
Master Zhou takes Cai Wen out to the practice field to train. They find a young girl there, who remarks that she was hoping they would both come at once. They eventually recognize her as Kai, one of the children from Fruit Fight, who were touched by demons. Her demon is Tarmorkh, the demon of dark truths.
"Many of us who are looking for you cannot find you. It is hard to see those who are the tools of the Hand of Fate, but now that you’ve shed your protection, I can bring my humble petition. There are doubtlessly legions of us waiting in the wings, but I got here first." -Kai
Master Zhou asks what her troubles are. She says she’s too young to bear her burden, and there are limitations she would like to escape. Limitations of your youth, he asks? Yes. In exchange, she can offer dark truths; she has already offered one as a sign of good will. How could we help? She can think of three ways: we could age her into her power; or she could wrestle with her demons more effectively “with a point of demon essence, which I believe you call spirit essence”. Or we could emancipate her under the law. The first of these would be the most effective, and the last one the least effective. She cautions that this opportunity will not last, as Fate does not wish her to approach us.
Master Zhou asks if she has accomplished the task that he set for her. She is a bit cross -- yes she has! She has traveled the land, and seen many things, and reported back, but Master Zhou did not reveal what she needed to know. Zhou recalls now that the things that she needed to know needed to be shown to her, not told.
Master Zhou and Cai Wen bring her into the House so that others can wrestle with the question while they train. Cai Wen notes that Speedy might actually be able to age her into her power if the House of Exuberant Interference takes a small hit for the out-of-sequence House action.
"Should we try to un-demon you?" -Lijuan
"Tearing away part of my soul is not the answer ... though some think otherwise." -Kai, turning to Xiao Fa
Kai says that she can offer dark truths in payment for our help. She thinks that dark truths are usually useful, though they usually don’t make you happy. The group thinks about how to legally emancipate her. A favor or a bunch of paperwork could do it.
Out in the practice yard, Master Zhou begins to sense the mysterious layer of Cai Wen’s chi. Cai Wen is weirded out by Master Zhou looking so sympathetic at him; that’s a terrible sign. Zhou explains that Cai Wen’s chi is being affected by Yanyu’s destiny, which is not well-focused, but it seems to find Cai Wen’s molls to be useful. It’s nothing that Yanyu has control over; it’s just her destiny grabbing at Cai Wen’s relationships with interesting women who are (mostly) unmarried and therefore presumably eligible for matchmaking. Cai Wen throws up his hands. “Inconceivable!” Inside, people can tell that this is not going well…
People are mostly reluctant to commit resources to help Kai; maybe just a bureaucracy roll to emancipate her. She reminds the party that the opportunity to make deals will probably be brief. Xiao Fa asks if she will be able to find us later.
"Once you’re pawns again, I won’t be able to find you, and you might be able to find me, but if I’d tell you a truth that the Hand of Fate doesn’t want you to know, there’s no way you’ll find me."
Lijuan asks Zhuai for advice; he would go for the truths, because you always want to know stuff that your boss doesn’t want you to know, but our relationship with Butterfly doesn’t seem to work that way. There is some general angst about damaging the party’s relationship with Butterfly by getting access to Dark Truths. The House of Exuberant Interference can attempt to use Speedy’s power to age Kai, though this will suppress the House’s chi stat for a while. The decision is to do this, but instead of taking delivery of Dark Truths now, we want them some time in the future if she can find us (figuring that Butterfly will let her through if Butterfly wants to). Master Zhou notes that this confuses Kai, but her Wisdom stat goes up by one (she’s been shown something she needs to know!)
The party brings Kai to the Speedy shrine, and the House rolls well (3 out of 5 on a roll with no skill). Speedy wraps her up in his whoojy embrace and they vanish. Kai comes back a little bit later, as a woman in her early twenties. Cai Wen is tempted to ask her out to dinner and discuss all of the subtleties of being a full-grown woman (she could be a moll), but is worried about ties with Butterfly, so decides not to. (Master Zhou sees her wisdom stat pop up again.) Kai asks for a room and some time to meditate, as she has just become aware of a lot more truths than she had previously realized existed. As a Good Faith Truth (but without decanting all of her truths, because we agreed not to do that), she says that there will be more people showing up with distracting opportunities in the near future, e.g. probably 2 distractions next run.
The party inquires -- can they file forms to get a favor from the Lord Mayor in exchange for services rendered? Fen-xi thinks they could just meet with him, but the party doesn’t seem to want to do that. Fen-xi thinks that if the service is indeed worth the favor, it should work. He can write up that contract himself. However, he offers an additional option -- an indemnified contract which shields the signatory from legal retaliation if the service rendered is deemed unworthy of a favor. He cannot do this himself, but he could arrange for a Bureaucrat of the Fifth Rank to see to it. This doesn’t actually get the party a favor if the Lord Mayor decides the service is not worth it, but does mean he can’t level charges of Aggravated Impertinence.
The party decides to go for an indemnified favor contract, and stays the night at the Dulcet Harp while Fen-xi makes the arrangements. In the morning he delivers the contract: 1 (one) favor, in exchange for reversing the Illuminated Precincts Imperial Chi Modification policy, or delaying it into ineffectiveness.
The party hires Fen-xi for another day for consulting on how one deals with Bureaucracy Storms. He thinks it should be straightforward to get a distinct entity (a person or organization) immunity from the storm -- he would need a name, and the forms would have to be notarized by a City Councillor. This would require negotiating with one of them; the party notes that the Municipal Sorceror is one of those Councillors. The party asks what it would take to actually end the storm. Once again, the easiest way would be to persuade the Lord Mayor. The Foreign Minister could do it on his own, but there’s no reason why he would do it without the Lord Mayor’s approval. His next suggestion (moving with effortless grace into the Political Shenanigans category) would be to arrange for the current Foreign Minister to be promoted; there would be a Foreign Minister Pro Tem, who would run the office while a new Foreign Minister was being chosen, and she or he might be more easily persuaded to simply sign orders to end the Bureaucracy Storm. With really good timing, the Minister Pro Tem might sign the documents and the new Foreign Minister might be installed before the Lord Mayor took vengeance. Selecting a Minister Pro Tem would be a brief bureaucratic battle while the main event (selection of a new Minister) was playing out. Other options for displacing the Foreign Minister might be to pension him out or take him down by scandal. The current Foreign Minister is named Gao Tse-Tong. The party asks if the Regency Council could do it. Fen-xi says they could, and he could get it onto the agenda if the party thinks it has the votes. (Seems unlikely at the moment.)
Cai Wen also quizzes Fen-xi about the details of the bureaucracy storm, in case Willow might be able to use the information. He thinks he has several successes on a helper roll for Willow if she tries to build a mechanic to break the storm. (But that mechanic would need to be in the Dragon’s Throne.)
The party departs the Dragon’s Throne. In the Pewter district, Lijuan runs into her urchin archer again, and says she’ll think about how to get them more stuff so they can move up. (They are in Illumineaucracy.)
Rearrangements
The party heads back to Tahiti, where they find that Kai has finished her meditations for the moment, and departed. They take the Water Gate to the Three Pagodas. Asking around about Autumn Rose, they find that she has been active on the border with Roof Of The World, and seems to spend nights in the Reflected City, where she is one of the Steward's advisors. We head for the border. Just north of the Inn which she favors there the party finds a large Dragon Army contingent, watching the border. The Warlord is, alas, not right here. Min Feng checks -- Tai Lung is near the Pass of Five Elements, and the Warlord is in the City of Spires.
The Dragon Army soldiers advise the party of the rules in the Roof of the World -- no Kung Fu, don’t attack anyone, even if they’re banished, don’t parry even if attacked. Dodging is fine. The sight of the Lake is not just line of sight, so hiding behind a building to fight someone isn’t safe.
The party heads to the Reflected City and splits up, with Min Feng walking along the lake shore hoping to run into Autumn Rose, and with the rest going to visit Kar Fai. At Kar Fai’s house they find him guarded by the Nefarious Ting Ting, who has fallen into darkness, and cackles creepily while carrying out her evil plans. (It seems she must have gotten into a fight and been banished…) Kar Fai tells Xiao Fa that there’s a stalemate -- Hawk and Lord Du are stymied by lack of mystical backers, and the Steward has Autumn Rose. Hawk was expecting help from Shen-ji, and Du was expecting help from the Cartogramancer. Xiao Fa informs Kar Fai that Autumn Rose is now among the Marked. Is she?? Well then, Kar Fai supposes, it’s time to get banished! The party protests...we have a plan, we’re hoping to get her to the City of Spires, where can sever her from the Marked in the presence of the Warlord. Ting Ting cackles some more. Shall she deliver Autumn Rose to the City of Spires? Wei Han cautions that this is premature; the party thinks she’ll go there of her own volition.
Meanwhile, Min Feng is walking down by the Lake, and sees a woman drawing characters in the sand -- Autumn Rose. An obfuscatory exchange ensues:
"You return. Daring..." -Autumn Rose
"I have promises to fulfill…" -Min Feng
"Best not to discuss them in the open, as the Lake has ears. Are your promises nearly complete?" -Autumn Rose
"They require the proper people to be in proper places at the right time" -Min Feng
"...and getting the wrong people not to appear?" -Autumn Rose
"...Sometimes the wrong people are needed. And my obligations also require me to go to the City of Spires." -Min Feng
"When are you required to get there?" -Autumn Rose
"I’ll be sailing down the Jasmine." -Min Feng
"The area around the Bridge of Moonlight is troublesome; you might want to pass it quickly. I’m sure it will be resolved soon. If you’re going to be in the City of Spires in a couple of days, I’ll let you get to it..." -Autumn Rose
Later on, Xiao Fa asks Min Feng about the characters Autumn Rose was drawing in the sand. He thinks that she may be setting up for something like a country-rename working, except that the country is already named the way the Marked want it.
Lijuan tries to get the accursed Ting Ting to come with the party. She creepily assures Lijuan that “...I will be with you, oh yes…” Nobody knows what that means, but it sure does sound foreboding.
The party goes down river by barge. At the Bridge of Moonlight, there seem to be work crews north and south of the bridge, as if they’re trying to rejig the chi to cross the bridge diagonally. Xiao Fa desperately wants to stop and figure out what is happening, but the party has a tight schedule, so he studies as much as he can while the barge zooshes by. He thinks that the current construction work is not the Marked plan; more like the work of a new party trying to modify things. Reluctantly the party chooses not to get off the barge and interfere.
The barge pulls into the City of Spires, and Min Feng heads out to gather information. There are parties coming up, but none of them are notable enough to be likely to attract the Warlord, who is having high-level meetings with the King of the Taiga, discussing how the Taiga might assist the Dragon Army in cutting off supplies to Bear Mountain and the Roof Of The World in case the situation goes hot. The Sea Lord is also in town.
Xiao Fa visits Li Kao’s spire. The great sage is busy, so Xiao Fa leaves a note asking to discuss the situation at the Bridge of Moonlight at the sage’s convenience.
Min Feng goes to visit her brother, the Black Duke. First she asks about the Purple Duke. Her brother rolls his eyes -- nobody has good relations with him, but he seems to have some hold on the other dukes. (He has not been a duke long enough to have juicy blackmail material yet.) Min Feng asks if it would be a problem for him if the party thwarted the Purple Duke. Well, it would be difficult for him if they did it *openly*, but if it’s not linked back to him, he’s fine with it. The Purple Duke is trying to elevate himself to a Team without actually having allies, which is annoying.
She also asks about the Black Spire. Well, he plans to renovate it, build it back up, and then he’ll have a Spire, which none of the other Dukes have, so it would be great! She asks about other news. Well, he’s not in great shape financially as expenses have been up. Min Feng asks where the idea for the Black Spire came from. Her blunt question slides through his bad defense roll; he talks around the idea a lot, but in the end Min Feng decides that he thinks it was his idea, but it really wasn’t, and it’s not clear where it came from. He hopes Min Feng can send Li Merit around to help deal with the financial situation.
Cai Wen visits Zhao Feiyan, the Pearl of the Taiga. When she sees the sorry state of Cai Wen’s moll shtick, she shakes her head sadly, and gently teases him. She can arrange a meeting with the King so we can arrange a promise of a favor in return for destroying the blackmail notes. As for arranging a party to get Autumn Rose and the Warlord in the same room, she thinks that will be tougher, but the Black Duke has yet to throw his social debut yet, and that would be a pretty good start, since he is new, enigmatic, and mysterious.
Wei Han goes to the Dragon Army barracks to find out the Warlord’s itinerary. He’s going back and forth between garrison HQ and the Royal Spire each day, and has a staff meeting after dinner each evening. He gets frequent reports from the Northwest Command.
Cai Wen heads off with Xiao Fa and Min Feng to a private dinner with the King -- it seems she can arrange private dinner with the King any time she wants to. Also present is Qiu Mei-shio (aka Blushing Rose), the Pearl’s protege. Mei-shio puts up a good front even though Cai Wen is clearly off his game. After dinner, business is discussed. Cai Wen wanders off with the King, and mentions the Purple Duke and his notes (getting an eye-roll at “Purple Duke”) The King says it would set his mind at ease if those notes would just disappear. (Ka-ching!) Cai Wen asks if His Majesty has any other concerns, as he realizes he needs another favor for permission to build a Spire. The King suggests that it would set his mind at ease if the Warlord would leave the Taiga out of this mess with Bear Mountain and the Roof of the World. (That seems harder.) At the end of the evening, couples depart to do such things as they shall find appropriate.
In the morning, Min Feng informs her brother that it’s time for a debut party, and begins planning it. Min Feng cashes a favor with the Sea Lord to get his boss to come to the party. Cai Wen goes to seek out the House of Night’s Promise to engage them to steal the Purple Duke’s notes. Alas, they come back later that day to return his money and inform him that there can be no stealing from the Purple Duke, as he is protected by a Horse statue. Not for the first time, Cai Wen is hoist upon his own petard.
The party calls on Melina for advice on how to deal with the repercussions when Min Feng severs Autumn Rose. The blowback will depend on which Marked is there; if it’s the Warlord, she thinks there will be some severe chopping involved, with extra Spidery badness of some kind. Choppery at a party will probably be bad for the Warlord, and we might be able to leverage that. Cai Wen warns the Pearl of that, and asks her to get the Black Duke out of the room for the chopping (“When you see Xiao Fa dancing with Autumn Rose”). The plan is to induce the mayhem after second drift of the party, when Cai Wen declares Ladies’ Choice Dancing.
The Shortest Social Debut In Recent Taiga Memory
The party begins! Cai Wen (using “Civil Behavior”) reminds everyone that chopping people is against the rules of the party, so they’ll incur a +2 difficulty if they do so.
The Warlord talks with the Blue Duke
Xiao Fa offers Autumn Rose 3 urbanity for a dance later, which she accepts
Cai Wen offers Mei-shio 3 urbanity to throw a drink in his face and leave at the same time as the Pearl leaves with the Black Duke. She warns that it’s not good for his reputation. “This is not for my reputation.”
The Green Duke offers Min Feng 7 urbanity to arrange secret meetings with Lord Yu and the Steward. Accepted.
Autumn Rose talks with the Black Duke
Lijuan talks with the Yellow Duke, opining that Baron Guo’s majordomo is a really nice guy and it would be nice if his life turned around”, offering 4 urbanity. She has chosen the perfect person to ask--all that Noble Lady training must be paying off!
Sagacious Mu enters the party and speaks with Master Zhou - it would be nice if the King understood the ramifications of the coming disturbance. He accepts.
Autumn Rose and Black Duke talk more -- something about money.
Master Zhou to Sagacious Mu - “I have concerns about an upcoming interview that I must participate in. I believe I have an idea for how to make it go in my favor, but if only I had more advice on how to steer that conversation.” Sagacious Mu recommends that Master Zhou have all his ducks in a row (such as travel plans to mysterious places to meet people who can exonerate him) before proposing it to said person, so that he could say “I have this plan. We go now.” and make it happen.
Cai Wen pitches the Green Duke on his project to build a spire: Such a great thing, if only the King would smile on it. The Green Duke agrees to help. (Two Dukes will be needed to convince the King by this means.)
The Yellow Duke comes up to Min Feng, asking her aid in persuading the Black Duke to join the Fire Dukes. He drops a lot (15 points) of urbanity on this request. Min Feng agonizes for a bit (turning down the request costs her the urbanity). She replies that it is not in her brother’s best interest. (Urbanity crash! Min Feng is at zero…)
Wei Han, seeing Min Feng in trouble, swooshes over to ask her assistance in setting up his school.
Xiao Fa, seeing that the Yellow Duke is pretty tapped out, pulls up next to him and implies that with the Black Spire being beautified, wouldn’t it be nice if other spire projects could be supported? The Yellow Duke, over a barrel because of urbanity spent on his gambit with Min Feng, grits his teeth and accepts. (Ding! Two Dukes should do it!)
Cai Wen declares Happy Hour, and most of the party heads for the bar.
Master Zhou confers with Min Feng -- the Sun could perhaps prove his innocence to Inspector Fu. (She has a favor from the Sun.) She agrees to let Master Zhou use the favor.
Lijuan asks Xiao Fa to help Kawaii recover. He accepts.
Autumn Rose heads toward the Sea Lord.
Lijuan goes to Master Zhou -- she has learned some new things, and could use more training.
Cai Wen, concerned with the number of civilians entering the party, asks Master Tanuma to protect the innocents who his plan has placed in danger. She asks who is not innocent? “The party…” She accepts.
Cai Wen declares Ladies’ Choice dancing! Min Feng dances with Warlord, and Autumn Rose, sensing that she might need a meat shield, chooses the Sea Lord. The Pearl figures out that it’s time, so she drags the Black Duke off, and Mei-shio dances with Cai Wen, in preparation for drink-throwing and exit shortly thereafter. Sagacious Mu rescues the Red Duke from his unfortunate position very near Autumn Rose and the Warlord. Master Tanuma is on hold.
As soon as the Pearl and her protege are out of the room, Min Feng maneuvers the Warlord right next to Autumn Rose, and then, using a move she learned from her grandfather Takanata, she severs Autumn Rose’s connection with the Warlord. The two of them fly across the room, away from each other. The Warlord, in a voice not his own, booms “What have you done???”, and a sword appears in his hand. He marches over to Min Feng and Xiao Fa. Wei Han interposes himself in front of Min Feng, and Ting Ting appears from nowhere to protect Xiao Fa. Wei Han and Ting Ting feel the bite of the Sword of State. Dodging almost all of the strikes, both of them take status damage (Wei Han 7, Ting Ting 1), and both of them become Enemies of the Empire! In Xiao Fa’s head, he hears a dragony lament: “Nooooooo!!!!!”
The Warlord looks around, confused by the sudden mayhem, and then even more confused as Wei Han marches up, denounces him soundly (adjudging him to be an idiot, foolish, and many other things not to be lightly attached to one’s reputation). Before the Warlord can get his bearings, Xiao Fa does a "What Does He Need" on Wei Han, and understands that Wei Han needs to get out NOW. Xiao Fa points at Wei Han and says, "Enough! Get gone!" Wei Han says, "Yessir," then disappears in a puff of ninja smoke, along with Ting Ting.
Autumn Rose is replaced by someone who looks a little like Autumn Rose, maybe. Xiao Fa and Min Feng rush her off to another room. She asks “has the danger passed?”, and when the answer is affirmative, she turns back into Autumn Rose.
Lijuan has also disappeared, and has appeared on the banks of the Jasmine. She gives the Jasmine a picture of the party at Shen-ji’s place.
The rest of the Dukes are all hustled out of the party by their retainers, leading to a quick retirement by all.
Retrieved from "http://boojum.scripts.mit.edu/Dragon/index.php?title=Chochiro%27s_List_Part_II&oldid=12676"
Book Eight Logs
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Breeding:
Generally during autumn but will go down any time when they found the conditions suitable.
The nest is usually located in a bush or shrub. The nest is globular about 150mm in diameter and lacks an entrance tunnel. It is constructed from dead grass and lined with feathers.
The selection of a nest site involves an elaborate ceremony. Both sexes sit on the site of the future nest and simultaneously bow deeply with tails twisted. This is followed by pivoting around the perch. Both the parents incubate the eggs and rear the young.
In the avery environment the Star prefers to nest in bundles of bush rather than other receptacles. Because they like to nest close to the ground and preferably in a grass tussock, it would be advantageous to provide these (or some sort of artificial substitute) for nesting. To avoid problems with exposure, Star Finches should encouraged to nest in a sheltered section of the aviary.
Star Finches require plenty of half-ripe seed heads, sprouted seeds and live food to be encouraged to nest.
Courtship Display:
The Star Finch performs a song and dance whilst holding a grass stem (or simular token) in his bill. The feathers on the head breast and flanks are ruffed and the tail twisted toward the female. This is accompanied by a great deal of bobbing.
Mutations and Hibrids:
The Yellow face is the most popular and prevelant. There is also a pied, fawn, cinamon, isabele and blue mutation.
The pied is not as dramatic as many pied mutations, only causing a ring of white around the mask and white wing primaries and tail feathers. The fawn and cinnamon are simular, from what I understand, with varying shades of brown. This may actually be the same mutation, but is being called by the two names. If it is a "brown" mutation of the Star, it would probably be more appropriate to be a form of dilute. Reducing both the green and yellow colors of the body, but not the red.
The "blue" mutation is not as dramatic as the "blue" mutation of Goudian Finches, but does iluminate the yellow base from the colouring leaving the belly and the back a dark shade of blue.
This species is know to have produced hybrids with the red-cheeked Cordon-blue and Red-billed Fire Finch. Hybrids with Zebra and Crimson Finches have also been reported.
3-6 pure white eggs (15mm x 11mm).
Incubation period: 12-14 days.
The young usually fledge at around 15-17 days. Fledged birds should not be removed from the parents until at least 4 weeks after fledging. In captivity, Star Finches may preduce as many as three broods per year.
Sexual Maturity:
Maturity is attained at about 12 months, but these birds are most productive after their second year and continue to be so until about their fifth year. Personal experience indicated that birds as young as 9 months successfully waened clutches of 3 and more.
Other Commonly Used English Names:
Red-faced Finch
Red-faced Firetail
Red-faced Grassfinch
Red-tailed Finch
Ruficauda
Ruficauda Finch
Rufous-tailed Finch
Rufous-tailed Grassfinch
Type: Grassfinch
Disposition: Peaceful, inoffensive, somewhat shy, good in a mixed flight. They may be kept in a colonyh of 3 or more pairs, or as single pairs. They will not tolerate nest inspections and will desert their nest at the slightest provocation.
Description and Mutations: 4 1/4 in (11 cm). Forehead, sides of head, chin & beak: bright red; neck & upper back: grey-green to olive green; wings: grey-brown; belly: yellowish green; rump & central tail feathers: crimson. Spots located on mask, chest & along the sides of the belly.
Mutations include pied (but pied feathers only tend to show on the head & wings (where the pied feathers are yellow), & on the tail where the pied feathers are pink), yellow-faced (where the mask is yellow instead of red), and isabel (a lighter, more fawn version of the bird with the same markings, just in a lighter, browner tone). The rarer Eastern Star Finch (N. r. ruficauda) is the same as the red-faced Star Finch, except it lacks yellow underparts.
Sexing: The visual sexual differences in Star Finches is easily identified as they are dimorphic. The red on the head is more extensive on the male than on the female. On the male the red extends below the mandible onto the chin. While the red on the female does not extend as far back at the sides, and does not occur below the mandible. The yellow on the underparts is usually more intense on the male. When sexing juveniles, it is best to wait until they start to break colour. Young males may be identified by looking flecks of red breaking through on the upper throat under the mandible, whereas young females will have no red breaking through in this area.
Housing & Breeding: House in a medium (at least 30" x 2' x 2') to large-sized flight, preferably planted with a thick bush or two for cover. These birds are fairly social by nature, and so do best when housed with several pair of the same species, or with species of similar demeanor, provided that the flight is roomy enough. They can be bred as a single pair per temperature they are exposed to remains above 60 degrees F (15 C). If in a very large flight or aviary, colonly breeding may also be an option. Their cage should not only be sheltered from the cold, but also from breezes and dampness. Provide half-open nest boxes and large hooded/oval bamboo nests fairly high along the walls of the flight, and provide grasses, coconut fiber, and feathers for nesting material. 3-6 eggs will be laid, incubated for 12-15 days by both parents (as soon as the 3rd egg is laid), and the fertile eggs will hatch. Do not perform nest checks. Make sure to give the parents lots of livefood to feed their chicks soon after hatching. The young can be close-banded at 9-10 days of age, will fledge at three weeks of age, be fully independent at 5 weeks of age, and begin to molt at 8 weeks of age. They will not begin a second molt for another 7-8 months.
In captivity, breeding usually is between March through September, but some may breed at any time.
Foods: A good quality finch mix for their dry seed, Millet, greenfood, livefood.( livefood which is not necessary for rasing babies or breeding) , medicated grit.
Natural Habitat: Australian Star Finches range from about Rockhampton, north to Cape York, Northern Territory, the Kimberleys, and south to the Ashburton district, the Barlee Range and Mount Augustus, occurring as far south as central New South Wales.
Additional Information: Star finch best breeding years are between 2 and 5 years. Their lifespan is about 7 years.
Health Problems Common to this Species: The normal worming (worm away recommended) and anti Coccidia (Cocci-Care recommended) treatments should be maintained throughout the year, as the Stars preference for spending a lot of time on the ground makes it an ideal host for parasitic worms. Overgrown toenails occasionally present problems in this species.
Showing: Star Finches make excellent show birds, providing their flighty temperament can be contained. The star finch is the first bird I won a show with on my first showing. The judges look for richness of colour, an evenness and quantity of spotting, and good quality feather. Care should be taken to avoid scaliness of the beak, feet and legs. Scaliness of the mandible becomes very obvious on the red colour. If the bird is not sufficiently well-trained, it will damage its tail by clinging on the wire cage front.
Common Names: Star Finches
Description: In the normal form the Star Finch has a bright red face which extends past the cheeks in males. The overal body color of this species is an olive green with a beige-yellow underbelly. Tiny white star like dots cover the the crown of the head circling around the outer edge of the eyes to the cheeks and extending from the chin to the chest then down the flanks. Both sexes have red beaks and dark eyes.
Size: The average size for this species is 4.5in (11cm).
Origin: This species originated and can be currently found in Northern Australia.
Sexing: Once molted into adult plumage Star Finches can easily be sexed visually. The males have a brighter red face mask which extends past the cheeks while hens have very little facial color with no red on the chin. Hens are also a duller grey-green with more white stars under the lower mandible and a beige colored belly while males are more olive green in color with a yellow colored belly.
Mutations/Sub-species: Aside from the normal form of Star Finches a few mutations are available such as yellow face (pumkin face) which chances the red face to orange, pied which give the bird blotches with no color pigment and fawn which changes the overall body color to a light brown color.
Diet: Star Finches do well on a finch mix which includes proso, japanese, german, siberian millet and canary seed. They also need fresh foods such as kale, green leaf lettuce, boiled egg, grated carrot, brocolli tops and chopped spinach. A vitamin/mineral supplement should be added in some form either in the water or on fresh foods. We chose to use Petamine and Wheat Germ Oil Blend mixed in with our "homemade eggfood" in which we give to all our birds. Cuttlebone, grit and fresh water should be available at all times.
General Care: Overall they are a pretty easy species to maintain but may need frequent nail trims.
Compatibility: This species is peaceful and a good canidate for a mixed aviary. They get along with thier own species and other species of the same temperment.
Housing: Star Finches can be housed in cages or planted aviaries of mixed species or their own species. Just be sure the birds you house them with also have a peaceful temperment. Best breeding attempts seem to happen when they are bred one pair per cage or planted flight. They will require heat during the winter at least to 55 degrees and will breed best in 70-75 degrees.
Song: The male's song is somewhat quiet but pleasant. He will puff his head feathers and lean forward while warbling his throat. He will also dance for the hen going from side to side in an up and down motion much like a Gouldian Finch only slower. Below is a short clip of the male. It is a little distorted in sound by the pugnacious Zebra Finches close by.
Breeding: Like most Austrailian Finches the Star Finches breeding season normaly ranges from mid October- March. However they may breed any time during the year if in breeding condition and the right enviroment. They often accept finch size nest boxes, bamboo finch nest or will build natural nest using coconut fiber, sisal, course grasses and feathers. After the male has constructed the nest and the hen accepts she will lay 3-6 eggs which she inccubates for 14 days. The male will on occasion sit with the hen or relive her from her duties for a while. Chicks normaly leave the nest at 3 weeks of age and are weaned by 6 weeks of age. It will take juveniles 4-6 months to obtain full adult plumage. While this species is eager to nest and breed they do not always make the best parents when feeding babies so be sure to supply them with plently of livefood and eggfood to feed the babies. You may also want to have a few Society Finch pairs set up as fosters just incase.
INTRODUCTION Star Finches are attractive, friendly, and peaceable birds named for the twinkling white spots that give them a sparkling appearance. A medium-size finch, measuring just under 5 inches, the Star is predominantly light olive-green, with a red face and white spots on the neck, chest, sides, and base of tail. The belly is yellow, the tail rusty, the bill orange, and the legs yellow. Although both males and females look very similar, they are actually quite easy to sex, especially if you can see them side by side. The colored area on the male's face is larger and brighter than on the female, and the female's plumage is generally a little duller in color. Stars are easy to keep, making them suitable for beginners, and they pose enough of a breeding challenge to interest experienced finch lovers too. But most people seem to like them just because they're just so, well, nice-ask anyone who's owned Stars what they think of the birds and you'll probably get answers like these:
* "They're my favorites-I think they listen to me when I talk to them."
* "Superb finches, one of the nicest, most pleasant Australian types to keep."
* "I love 'em-great fun!"
Stars get along well with other small finches, and make excellent additions to a mixed flight or aviary, but keep in mind that larger and more aggressive birds may take advantage of their shy and peaceful nature. Another reason to keep them with fewer or less boisterous companions is so you don't miss the male's melodious song, delivered sotto voce. Stars are generally higher-priced than many of the more easily-bred finches since they can no longer be imported from the wild, and in captivity frequently demonstrate somewhat lackluster parenting skills (more below). The Star Finch is listed in the National Finch and Softbill Society's FinchSave program. STAR FINCHES AS PETS Star Finches are sociable birds that should never be kept alone; keeping one or more pairs will satisfy their need for social contact and allow you to observe them behaving more as they would in a small flock in the wild. Like most finches, Stars do not need or appreciate human contact-if you're looking for a small, friendly bird that will become hand-tame, why not investigate a budgie or a cockatiel? Similarly, although male Star Finches sing a pretty, soft song, if you're looking to share your pad with Sting (or Yanni), you may be happier with a Green Singing Finch or a Canary! SPECIES AND MUTATIONS Star Finches are members of the Estrildidae bird family, and are one of a group of Australian grassfinches that also includes the Diamond Sparrow and Owl Finch. In the wild, look for flocks of Star Finches in tall grass, bushes, or trees near wet grasslands or irrigated areas. Often, they are found near rice or sugar-cane fields. Interestingly, Stars can drink without raising their beaks to let the water run down their throats-perhaps an evolutionary adaptation that lets them take advantage of meager water sources, and spend less time on the ground exposed to predators. There are two naturally-occurring forms:
* The familiar Red-faced Star Finch, Neochmia ruficauda clarescens, locally common across the north of Australia.
* The extremely rare Eastern Star Finch, Neochmia ruficauda ruficauda, similar to the Red-faced but lacking the yellow underparts. Found only in isolated areas in eastern Australia, this form is considered endangered (due to habitat destruction), with very few reported sightings in the last 50 years. In 1983, during a two-month study supported by the Royal Australian Ornithological Union to develop a recovery plan for the species in northern Queensland, no birds were found. As far as I can tell, this form is not represented in aviculture. Working from the Red-faced Star Finch, breeders have developed yellow-faced and bronze-faced mutations. These birds are identical to the red-faced variety, except for the color of the feathers around the face. CARE AND FEEDING With Stars (as with most other finches), the roomier the cage or flight, the happier the birds will be. If you house your Stars in a cage, choose one that's at least 30 inches long so the birds can fly freely. Also, make sure it's designed for finches, not cockatiels or small parrots-the spacing between the bars should be no larger than one-half inch. Since Stars can be shy, providing some plants (real or otherwise) will help make them feel more secure, and give them places to hide. True to their grassfinch heritage, Stars more than almost any other finch appreciate the opportunity to perch on upright stalks or branches rather than horizontal perches. Stars generally do not sleep in a nest, preferring the highest perch possible. One successful breeder says that his female will stop brooding the young as soon as possible so she can leave the nest and sleep on a branch. Since they don't sleep in a nest where they can keep each other warm, you'll need to provide a sheltered sleeping area if you house your Stars in an outside aviary, to protect them from the cold and damp even during the warm season. Whether you keep you birds inside or out, don't expose them to temperatures of less than 55-60:F (12-15:C) for more than brief periods. To keep their unique plumage in top shape, Stars absolutely require frequent opportunities for bathing. Several sources also indicate that without some natural sunlight, the feathers become dull and faded. If you keep your birds indoors year-round, this requirement perhaps could be addressed through careful balancing of artificial light sources. Star Finches will thrive on a typically varied finch diet-a good basic finch seed mix, fresh greens, grated fresh or cooked vegetables, mashed hard-boiled egg, soaked seed, spray millet, and cooked rice. Many Stars will accept meal worms. Provide a cuttlebone for calcium and grit to aid digestion. Like most finches, Stars love fresh seedheads (crabgrass is a good choice, and commonly available). You might try leaving the stalks long and fastening them in an upright position, so your Stars can feed in true grassfinch fashion by climbing up the stalks to pick out the fresh seeds. A STAR IS BORN! The frustrating thing about breeding Star Finches is that although they're often more than willing to build nests and lay eggs, their parenting skills sometimes leave a lot to be desired-one Star lover calls them "good breeders, but poor feeders". They may refuse to incubate or feed, or throw their chicks out of the nest, so many Stars are fostered using Society Finches-they are supposedly among the easiest of finches to foster. Some breeders report no particular difficulties in breeding Stars, but do recommend a spacious cage and a high-quality protein supplement.
The male Star Finch courts the female with song, often sitting very close to her and peering into her face as if to ensure she gets the message. Other Stars may cluster around the singing male to watch and listen. The male also performs a mating dance, swaying from side to side with a little up and down motion, in a slower version of the Gouldian Finch's hop dance. While he dances, the male almost always holds a feather or piece of nesting material by the very tip, waving it from side to side to indicate he's ready and able to join in the tasks of building a nest and raising young. Breeding season is probably the only time when a male Star will get at all aggressive or territorial, and then only in the immediate nesting territory.
A pair will frequently build their own round nest using various grasses, shredded paper, and other nesting materials; some pairs will accept a large basket or half-open box. The female lays 3-6 eggs, then both partners incubate the eggs for about 14 days. The babies are fed in the nest by both parents for about a month. In the wild, the rearing diet is primarily insects. To raise young successfully in captivity, Stars require a rich bill of fare throughout the breeding season-greens, seeds, insects, egg food, and a commercial rearing mixture. One breeder succeeds-without fostering-by offering seeds, meal worms, bread soaked in milk and maple syrup, hard-boiled egg, and some live plants (mostly herbs like basil, rosemary, etc.).
Once out of the nest, young Star Finches are strong flyers, and after only a few days will join their parents at night on the top-most branches. Stars are unusual in that they pass through a distinct sub-adult plumage when they look similar to the adult, but show no spots or red feathering on the head. They start showing some red coloring at about three months, and can take up to nine months to reach the full adult plumage.
Source : http://thetrueparrot.homestead.com/howtonails.html
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We’ve taken home Gold: Mumsnet Family Friendly Awards
By Clare McAuley, March 29, 2017
At Butlin’s, we pride ourselves on being a family friendly brand, so there is nothing better than when someone else confirms it!
Recently, Butlin’s was awarded Gold Family Friendly status by the highly-respected parenting website, Mumsnet. It’s their highest award and we’re so proud to say that we’ve achieved Gold status every year since we joined the scheme in 2012. Wow!
The Mumsnet Family Friendly scheme doesn’t only rate what we do on resorts but also how we perform as an employer. So basically they’re making sure we can walk the walk as well as talk the talk!
Over the course of the year, we’re judged by Mumsnet on number of different internal areas including policies, training, promotion and premises. As well as external areas including customer service, marketing, and value for money.
Mumsnet create a survey which members of our team complete, and they also send ‘mystery shoppers’ to our resorts, as well as sending surveys to guests who have recently been on breaks. All that data is then examined and collated, and we’re given one of three awards: Bronze, Silver or Gold.
To achieve Gold, Mumsnet state that “a company must have innovative policies in place for staff including enhanced benefits and practical approaches to ensure those policies are having an impact at all levels”.
Our on resort ratings showed that 90% of responses said Butlin’s “welcome children in a friendly way on resort” while 75% scored Butlin’s resort team as “very family friendly”, which is the highest rating available. Impressively, 100% of guests who were surveyed said they felt safe on our resorts.
Some of our favourite comments left by guests were:
“It’s affordable, and you get a LOT for your money”
“Amazing activities during the Tots break, the safeness and the happiness of the team members”
“The new chalets at Minehead are absolutely fantastic”
“My son has Down’s Syndrome and Butlin’s is a place that he can have more independence than anywhere else as it is safe and familiar to him”
“I love the way the Redcoats chat to the children, dance with the kids and sit with them to watch the shows. It’s so hear warming and really makes the children and their families feel welcome”
Carrie Longton, co-founder of Mumsnet, said: “Achieving a Gold Mumsnet Family Friendly award is no mean feat. Retaining Gold is even harder, so huge congratulations to Butlin’s for winning Gold for the third time!”
“Mumsnet users were consistently impressed with the welcome they and their children were given, and the sense that their enjoyment of their holiday really mattered to everyone who worked at the Butlin’s resorts. Company policies – relating both to team and customers – are obviously important and contribute to the Gold score, but so often what Mumsnet testers pick up on are the small things that demonstrate that family friendliness is becoming engrained into the company DNA. The spontaneous kindness of a Redcoat, someone saying hello, or remembering your name, holding a door or just making sure your little one is having fun whatever the weather! That’s what brings a Silver score to a Gold.”
“And then there’s maintaining Gold. This sounds like it should be simple but whether it’s making sure the toilets are always clean or ensuring the welcome is genuine and the entertainment experience top notch, there is no room for complacency. It’s all about communication and communal effort within a company. Every member of Butlin’s team from cleaners to MD should be proud of their Gold family friendly status and aware of their role in keeping the Gold standard going for another year.”
Clare McAuley
Web Editor at Butlins
Hey there! I form part of the Web Content Team here at Butlin's. I update our website with rich and exciting content everyday, assist with the 'techie' bits and help to plan our blog.
Latest posts by Clare McAuley (see all)
A quick hello and a big thank you from GOSH - March 28, 2018
Your top seven seaside family favourites, as revealed by you - February 26, 2018
Cheesy Garlic Pizza Bread recipe from Butlin’s Ludo’s Italian - February 9, 2018
Categories: Our Team
Tagged: About Us, Butlins awards, Butlins resorts, Gold Mumsnet Family Friendly award, mumsnet, Mumsnet Family Friendly Award, Our Team
Celebrate Easter with Brian Turner’s scrumptious biscuits
It’s Memory Day: Our top 10 favourite memories sent in by you!
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Home>Viral> Iconic Hippopotamus Gustavito Murdered In El Salvador
Iconic Hippopotamus Gustavito Murdered In El Salvador
An investigation is being launched into the murder of the hippopotamus Gustavito, who was considered a national treasure in El Salvador.
The citizens of El Salvador are no strangers to tragic violence, but they were shocked to hear of the deadly attack that was carried out against Gustavito, the hippopotamus who was among the most beloved creatures at the national zoo in San Salvador.
"Here we're used to seeing the dead every day," Martin Castillo, a street vendor in the capital's historic downtown, told the Associated Press on Monday. "They kill us like flies, but this tops it all. They killed an animal that only entertained us."
The unknown assailants reportedly broke into the zoo and into Gustavito's enclosure last Tuesday night. The zoo staff did not discover the hippo's horrific wounds until Thursday, as he had not left his pool since being attacked. Gustavito died of his injuries on Sunday night.
Zoo director Vladan Henriquez said that Gustavito's body was covered in bruises and stabs. The attackers are suspected to have used sharp weapons and blunt tools, such as metal bars, knives, and rocks.
The zoo has been temporarily closed in the wake of Gustavito's murder. Mourners have left flowers outside of the zoo's gate in honor of the 15-year-old hippo.
Justice Minister Mauricio Ramirez Landaverde has said that an investigation into the attack is underway.
Last year, going off data from the World Bank, El Salvador was deemed "the world's new murder capital," with the highest homicide rate of any country in almost 20 years. Gangs are responsible for the majority of the violence in the poverty-stricken nation.
Viral Lifestyle animals hippo zoo gustavito death murder violence el salvador gang violence
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VIRAL Iconic Hippopotamus Gustavito Murdered In El Salvador
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Exploring St. Paul's past through the pages of the Pioneer Press.
St. Paul gangster killed by car bomb was go-between for cops, crooks
Shortly before noon on Dec. 4, 1928, residents of “Dapper Dan” Hogan’s West Seventh Street neighborhood were startled by an explosion in the St. Paul gangster’s garage.
A bomb beneath the floorboards of his car blew off Hogan’s right leg when he pressed the starter, leaving him fatally injured. Hogan was well-known in St. Paul as a restaurateur and philanthropist — and as a powerful figure in the city’s Prohibition-era underworld, acting as a go-between for criminals and corrupt cops.
News of Hogan’s assassination led the front page of the next day’s Pioneer Press. A photo of his destroyed car was marked with an “X” where the bomb detonated. Detectives told the St. Paul Dispatch that “the blast had hurled Mr. Hogan’s body up with such force that his head broke through the top” of the car.
Hogan was rushed to a St. Paul hospital, where dozens of friends and fellow gangsters turned out to donate blood in hopes of improving his chances of survival, the city’s newspapers reported. Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Edward Diehl questioned Hogan at his bedside.
“I don’t know who did it,” Hogan told Diehl, according to the Pioneer Press. “I didn’t know I had an enemy in the world.”
Police and fellow criminals floated several theories to reporters, including rival locals and out-of-towners who were bitter about being forbidden from operating in St. Paul.
Hogan was the arbiter of the city’s infamous Layover Agreement, which allowed criminals from around the country to lie low in St. Paul while they were on the lam as long as they behaved while they were in town, according to local crime historian Paul Maccabee’s book “John Dillinger Slept Here.”
Hogan died at 8:55 that evening, about nine hours after the explosion. The Pioneer Press editorial board feared his death would touch off a gang war and “make St. Paul a shooting gallery.” Local newspapers called for city officials to oust the criminals and institute law and order.
“St. Paul has been a sanctuary for the underworld long enough,” read an editorial in the next day’s Pioneer Press. “This city cannot continue to be a safe haven for crooks, professional gamblers, gun men and breakers of law.”
But it did continue. After Hogan died, his protege Harry Sawyer took control of Hogan’s criminal enterprise. Although the case remains unsolved, Maccabee calls Sawyer, who harbored much resentment toward his boss over unpaid debts, “the most credible murder suspect.”
Posted December 4, 2015 by nickwoltman
Tags: john dillinger slept here, paul maccabee, pioneer press, prohibition, st. paul, st. paul dispatch
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(-) Nasikiliza
(-) Burkina Faso
(-) Urban Development
(-) Nasikiliza (11)
(-) Urban Development (7)
(-) Nigeria (11)
Celebrating Africa's Female Athletes and Leaders of Tomorrow
Stephan Gladieu/World Bank Last week we saw two Ivorian women, Murielle Ahouré and Marie-Josée Ta Lou, fly past the finish line in a historic one-two finish in the 60 meters sprint at the World…
Makhtar Diop | March 08, 2018
Education, Gender, Health, Urban Development
Creating a flood resilient city: Moving from disaster response to disaster resilience in Ibadan
The Eleyele Dam spillway in Ibadan was damaged during the 2011 flood. Ivan Bruce, World Bank As we reflect on 2017, the truly devastating impact of climate change is being felt across the globe.…
Salim Rouhana, Ivan Bruce | February 07, 2018
Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management, Environment, Urban Development
Depression and its links to conflict and welfare in Nigeria
Chronic depression affects about 20 percent of Nigerian heads of households, according to the most recent results of the Nigerian General Household Survey (GHS) Panel, which measures indicators…
Julie Perng, Kevin McGee, Gbemisola Oseni, Ryoko Sato, Tomomi Tanaka | January 31, 2018
Education, Health, Poverty, Urban Development
Making Progress Towards Polio Eradication in Nigeria, Despite Boko Haram
Many people were bitterly disappointed when four cases of wild polio were discovered in August 2016 in insecure areas of Borno State in the northeast of Nigeria. Nigeria had gone for almost two…
Mayowa Oluwatosin Alade, Benjamin Loevinsohn, Ayodeji Oluwole Odutolu | July 10, 2017
Desertification is not Fate
In East Africa and West Africa, about 300 million people living in dryland areas rely on natural, resource-based activities for their livelihood. By 2030, this number could increase to 540 million…
Magda Lovei | June 22, 2017
Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Urban Development
How can green growth benefit Africa?
Photo: Sarah Farhat/World Bank Group What exactly do we mean by green growth? For us, it’s not just about riding bikes and planting trees. The Korea Green Growth Trust Fund (KGGTF) defines green…
Eun Joo Allison Yi | April 03, 2017
Energy, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Jobs & Development, Urban Development
Turning Trash Talk into Action: A Story of Ibadan, Nigeria
Solid waste presents a significant challenge to Ibadan's capacity to manage its high exposure to flooding and further contributes to outbreaks of infectious diseases by human contact with…
Salim Rouhana, Ivan Bruce | March 01, 2017
Disaster Risk Management, Urban Development
Paving the Way for a Brighter Future for Nigeria’s Mothers and Children
Left, Dr Oluwole Odutolu, Senior Health Specialist, with officials of Osun State Ministry of Health after they received their initial disbursement check from the Minister of Health. As I witnessed…
Temitope Akintunde | September 23, 2016
Performance-Based Financing boosts quality of health care in Nigeria
Results Based Financing Brings Better Healthcare to African Countries My experience as a doctor who practiced actively in this country did not prepare me for the shock I had during the preparation…
Ayodeji Oluwole Odutolu | July 26, 2013
Of Human Waste and Water: Cleaning up Lagos City
In 2007, for the first time in human history, 50 percent of the global population lived in urban areas. The United Nations predicts that this figure will rise to 69 percent by 2050. A significant…
Olatunbosun Obayomi | November 02, 2011
Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Urban Development
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Indigenous Peoples; New France; The Acadians
1500 Indigenous Peoples of Canada
Mi'kmaq
Haudenosaunee
Huron-Wendat
Plains Peoples
Plateau Peoples
Northwest Coast Peoples
Indigenous Treaties; PEI joins; Supreme Court formation
1871-97 Indigenous Treaties
Chilkoot and White Passes
Home | Indigenous Treaties 1871-1897 | Big Bear
Big Bear was a Plains Cree chief. He was born in 1825 and died in 1888 on the Poundmaker Reserve in Saskatchewan.
Big Bear had a very independent spirit. He repeatedly refused gifts from the Canadian government, recognizing them for what they were - bribes to ease future treaty negotiations. He said:
"When we set a fox-trap, we scatter pieces of meat all around, but when the fox gets into the trap we knock him on the head. We want no bait; let your chiefs come like men and talk to us."
Big Bear refused to sign Treaty No. 6 (1876) which gave the Canadian government rights to 768,000 hectares of territory. He was the first major chief of the Canadian prairies to refuse. He said the treaties were inadequate and didn't give enough to his people. He finally signed in 1882 in order to secure rations from the government for his starving people.
He organized a large Thirst Dance attended by 2000 Indigenous people in 1884 hoping to establish a union of North American First Nations and a single large Indigenous territory in Canada, but his efforts were thwarted by the Canadian government and the impatience of some young warriors who followed Riel into rebellion in 1885.
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INDIGENOUS TREATIES 1871-1897(3:08)
SEVEN TREATIES SIGNED 1871-1877
POUNDMAKER (1842-1886)
THE NORTHWEST REBELLION 1885
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Art Current Exhibition Collection
Education Schedule your Group
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PORT ESP
The collection started with artists of Roberto Marinho’s generation, who took Brazil as topic, language and motor.
Artists of Roberto Marinho's Collection
Every private collection displays a personal point of view, as well as the mark of preferences that can sometimes reveal different moments of a human path."
Our father’s passion for art has been present in our lives since we were kids. We heard many stories about his friendship with Pancetti, the receptions held in Cosme Velho to present his artworks, the creative process for many of Portinari’s paintings as seen on his many visits to the artist’s studio, and the paints sent to Guignard so he would spare no colors in his canvases.
Driven by his love of art and his belief in the talent of Brazilian artists, he would acquire artworks directly from the painters and sculptors he considered promising. Or, as he would say, because he liked their work, for the emotions it evoked in him. He would visit art biennials and salons, galleries and studios, but he would also acquire canvases and sculptures to help an artist in difficulties.
Throughout his life he put together an important collection on Brazilian Modernism, even though it also contains relevant works by foreign artists. He liked to show his collection to the public and was happy to lend his artworks to national and international exhibitions. He would often remark that one of his greatest satisfactions was to see school children visiting an exhibition. He believed that art and education go hand-in-hand.
By inaugurating the Instituto Casa Roberto Marinho with this exhibition, we are convinced that the collection he formed reinforces many essential principles of Grupo Globo: its belief in the value of Brazilian culture; its continuous focus on talent, quality and innovation; its passion for communication in all its dimensions; its commitment to art as a means of enchanting, educating people and enriching their lives; and its efforts for a better future, doing all his best to construct it.
Roberto Irineu, João Roberto and José Roberto
The collection was driven by passion and will now be shared with a wider audience.
Double Gaze: Brazilian Modern Painting and Photography
Casa Roberto Marinho, a center of reference for modernism, is opening the sixth exhibition in its one and one-half years of existence.
Rarely in our historiography has there been an examination that relates the innovative path of photography with that of painting in the twentieth century. The many looks back at the period have generally treated them as isolated worlds, except in those cases of artists who built their oeuvres by registering the incidence of light through both lens and brush.
Dec 06 - Apr 26
The exhibition shows multiples created by eleven contemporary artists and their specific conceptions on the "Garden" theme
Instituto Casa Roberto Marinho, a center of reference for Brazilian modernism, is structured on the tripod of house, collection and garden. In the year of its opening as a cultural space, in 2018, ten contemporary artists were invited to produce their impressions on the theme of “House.” In 2019, eleven artists created multiples on the garden, in this exhibition that we are now presenting.
Foreigners in the Roberto Marinho Collection
Rio de Janeiro - JUL 19 TO NOV 10 2019
Trusteeship: Lauro Cavalcanti
Djanira: the Memory of Her People
Rio de Janeiro - JUN 28 TO OCT 27 2019
Trusteeship: Isabella Rjeille e Rodrigo Moura
Rio de Janeiro - DEC 07 TO JUN 09 2019
Eight Decades of Informal Abstraction (2)
Modernists 10
Rio de Janeiro - APR 28 TO NOV 04 2018
Artwork quantity: 124
10 Contemporaries
Artwork quantity: 10
São Paulo - JAN 16 TO APR 22 2018
Trusteeship: Felipe Chaimovich e Lauro Cavalcanti
Fortaleza - JUL 01 TO JAN 31 2015
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday,
from 12 AM to 6 PM.
*Admission until 5:15 PM
Tuesday to Sunday from 12 am to 6 pm
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Home > Film Productions
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Daisy Ridley Source is a non-profit fansite, made by fans for fans of Daisy. We are in no way affiliated with Daisy Ridley nor any of her family, friends and representative. We do not claim ownership of any photos in the gallery, all images are being used under Fair Copyright Law 107 and belong to their rightful owners. All other content and graphics are copyrighted to daisy-ridley.net unless otherwise stated. No Copyright Infringement Intended. If you would like any media removed please contact us before taking legal action.
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Drew Jacoby
Drew Jacoby, contemporary ballerina, has worked with Alonzo King, Complexions, Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, Sylvie Guillem, Desmond Richardson, Lightfoot Leon, Mia Michaels, Dutch National Ballet, Lar Lubovitch, and Christopher Wheeldon. She is the founder of DancePulp. She joined Nederlands Dans Theater 1 in August 2012.
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Kathryn Bennetts
Royal Ballet of Flanders artistic director Kathryn Bennetts shares how she turned a career ending injury into an opportunity, her 13 years as ballet master at Ballet Frankfurt, and her role in building the company’s international reputation.
Post by Drew Jacoby
20 Questions with Vanessa Zahorian
Vanessa Zahorian is a principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet.
1. What is your breakfast of choice?
“Oatmeal.”
2. What is your pre-performance ritual?
“Makeup, hair, warm-up.”
3. Last passport stamp?
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Freelance choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa shares how she became a choreographer, how she continues to make a name for herself, and the importance of networking and self-promotion.
photo © Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Black Swan DVD Give Away
The much talked about Academy Award winning Black Swan film is coming to DVD! DancePulp interviewees and New York City Ballet principals Wendy Whelan (The Daily Beast article) and Ashley Bouder (Huffington Post article) have weighed in on the movie and it’s been of much discussion within the dance community….
VIDEO: Sascha Radetsky
Dancing, Acting, and Introspection Season 2: Episode 5 | 22:30 American Ballet Theatre soloist and Center Stage star, Sascha Radetsky, talks about the importance of having a good coach, his experience with the movie Center Stage, and his interests outside of dance.
VIDEO: Lucia Lacarra
Dancing Is the Best Way to Be Myself Season 2: Episode 4 | 18:48 Bayerisches Staatsballett (Bavarian State Ballet) principal dancer, Lucia Lacarra, shares her experiences of changing companies several times, why she doesn’t bring her pointe shoes home, and where she gets her inspiration.
Raphael Coumes-Marquet
Dresden Semperoper Ballett principal Raphael Coumes-Marquet describes his early training at Paris Opera Ballet school, how adversity sometimes brings blessing, and the importance of having a fresh approach to work even after a long career.
Video: Maria Kowroski
The Evolution of an Artist Season 2: Episode 2 | 18:24 New York City Ballet principal ballerina Maria Kowroski speaks about the pros and cons of being tall, the advantages of having choreographers create on you, and shares thoughts on personal struggle and inspiration.
Video: Matthew Bourne
Refreshing the Classics and Winning Audiences Over Season 2: Episode 1 | 22:55 Choreographer Matthew Bourne talks about making dance accessible, commercial success, and re-creating classic stories by making them relevant for today.
No ‘Joke’
I recently spent 2 weeks at in Antwerp, Belgium. I was visiting 2 very good friends of mine, Garrett and Courtney Anderson, dancers with the Royal Ballet of Flanders. I got to spend some time taking class and watching the company rehearse and perform. Artistic director Kathryn Bennetts is well known among the dance community and she is a very active advocate for dance. It was amazing to see how involved she actually was with her dancers, making sure to teach class and be in the studio coaching as much as possible. The dancers seemed inspired and hard-working, and the over-all working environment seemed positive.
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Home » Motorola introduces new handsets
Motorola introduces new handsets
RCR Wireless News;12/11/2000, Vol. 19 Issue 50, p22
Reports that Motorola Inc. has launched eight general packet radio service wireless handsets including Accompli 008, Accompli 009, V. Series V66 and Timeport P7389i mobile phones.
Looking for the way forward. // Finance Week;8/9/2002, p48
Focuses on general packet radio switching (GPRS) technology. Comparison with second generation (2G) and third generation (3G) cellular technology; Preferred frequency for GPRS services; Features of a browser known as wireless Internet gateway (WIG); Launch of GPRS services in South Africa.
Gateway GPRS Support Node. // Network Dictionary;2007, p210
An encyclopedia entry for the term "Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node" is presented. It refers to a gateway from a cellular network to an Internet Protocol (IP) network which enables mobile cell phone users to access the public data network or specified private IP...
Motorola signs Kuwaiti GPRS contract. // RCR Wireless News;8/25/2003, Vol. 22 Issue 34, p14
Reports on a contract awarded by Kuwaiti operator MTC-Vodafone to Motorola to expand its General Packet Radio Service network in 2003. Value of the contract; Scope of the deal; Benefit from the deal.
Eyeing Africa. Mwanza, Chimwemwe // Finweek;8/17/2006, p77
The article reports on the growing business of Motorola Inc. in South Africa. According to Massimo Sangiovanni, Motorola marketing and strategy director, the group has targeted the fast-growing but largely untapped African broadband market as one of its growth frontiers. Its network operators...
Motorola updates GSM/GPRS handset platform. // RCR Wireless News;9/29/2003, Vol. 22 Issue 39, p15
Reports on the updates made by cellular-phone maker Motorola Inc. on its GSM/GPRS handset platform, as of September 2003. Features added to the platform; Components of the new version of the i.250 Innovative Convergence platform.
Vodafone plays its 3G data card. Wieland, Ken // Telecommunications - International Edition;Mar2004, Vol. 38 Issue 3, p12
Reports on the plan Vodafone to offer UMTS Vodafone Mobile Connect Card which will enable laptop users to have seamless roaming between 3G and GPRS networks in Europe. Data charges on Vodafone's standard GPRS Mobile Connect Card; Sales outlook for its UTMS/GPRS cards.
High definition. Silva, Jeffrey // RCR Wireless News;2/9/2004, Vol. 23 Issue 6, p10
Argues in favor of Internet regulation. Reasons policy makers refuse to regulate the Internet; Impact of General Packet Radio Service and third-generation mobile telephone networks on the Internet; Social and legal implications.
Dial M for movie. Fox, David // TVB Europe;Jul2005, Vol. 14 Issue 7, p1
The article focuses on the popularity of pay-TV technology on mobile phones in Europe. TV was one of the selling features of 3G mobile phone services when they bunched and some users have been downloading sports clips too. As the vast majority of Europeans now have mobile phones, the potential...
The marvels of the wireless Internet. Chan, Tony // Wireless Asia;May2004, Vol. 7 Issue 4, p30
Provides insights SmarTone's GX32 phone featuring the 1-megapixel camera phones. Shooting modes including macro for close-ups and a built-in fill-in light and flash; Multimedia messaging system; Improvement in wireless Internet access; Limitations of the phone with the general packet radio...
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Custom Home Health ⁄ Blog ⁄ Elevation ⁄ Crain’s Detroit Captures the Custom Way
Crain’s Detroit Captures the Custom Way
The Custom Way is not to be ignored! Crain’s Detroit recently featured Custom Home Health and its resilience in upholding elevated standards and expectations in an industry that rarely does the same.
Here’s our favorite piece from the article:
Chris Tillotson, Custom’s president, knows his company is tarred somewhat by the dozens of home health owners and employees in Michigan over the years who have faced charges of fraud, paid fines and gone to jail for a variety of scams. Since 2010, more than 200 people have been indicted or jailed for a total of $745 million in fraudulent billings in Southeast Michigan, much of that in home health, according to 2016 data from the Detroit-area Medicare Fraud Strike Force.
But Tillotson and co-founder Sean Fossee are sending a different message to doctors and hospitals in Southeast Michigan that refer patients to Custom for home health or hospice services.
“There is a lot of fraud in the industry. Detroit is a top-five market for fraud. That creates a major stereotype for our industry,” Tillotson said. “We pride ourselves in doing it the right way. Providing high-quality outcomes is where we make a difference and comes back to you in the long haul.”
Tillotson said Custom’s relentless effort the past five years to improve quality and outcomes, take care of its patients, referring doctors and hospitals, and employees will ultimately pay off for the company in higher growth.
“We are focusing on building a foundation based on integrity, excellence, empowerment and fun,” said Tillotson, adding that the company has secured a trademark under the tagline of “Elevated Expectations. Elevated Care.”
Elevation, News
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Album Review: Foals - What Went Down
If Foals didn’t already have enough songs in their arsenal to top festival bills, they’ve just added ten more.
Label: Warner Music
Released: 28th August 2015
Reviewer: Jamie Milton
Some bands shoot to the top, achieving headliner status before they’ve even had a chance to take stock. Others struggle for years before finally getting their breakthrough. With Foals, they’ve seen it coming from a mile off.
Every record an affirmation of their big-time potential, they’ve only taken steps in the right direction. 2013’s ‘Holy Fire’ was a fire-breathing monster in full form, but it was mostly defined by the biggest beasts within - ‘Inhaler’ and ‘My Number’, two songs raising the bar to a ridiculous height. Turns out,
they’re not one trick ponies in that regard. ‘What Went Down’ - recorded in a 19th-century mill in the South of France - thinks bigger and hits harder than its predecessors. But it’s still defined by two gut-wrenching opening moves; its title-track and the ravenous ‘Mountain At My Gates’. Across a record, they again strike a confident balance between open-ended, ‘Spanish Sahara’-style melancholy and deathly juggernauts. And there’s a familiarity running through ‘What Went Down’’s system that could result in deja vu.
The difference is in frontman Yannis Philippakis. He’s the bridge between big intention and actual superstardom, and on ‘What Went Down’ he shifts into another gear. Put it down to the fancy mill’s wine cellar or the breathtaking mountainous scenery Foals kept for company, but Philippakis is more than a fire-starting frontman this time round. Possessed would be an understatement. “You’re the apple of my eye” he barks on the opening track - whoever’s in the firing line better watch out.
With Philippakis going from angry to rabid, his bandmates follow suit. ‘Mountain At My Gates’ is remarkable in how it begins in standard Foals form before taking to an unprompted stampede, galloping into the distance. ‘Albatross’ is a pensive storm, while closer ‘A Knife In the Ocean’ sets off the final, destructive cannons. There’s a constant feeling that instead of edging towards going one bigger, this band have embraced their calling. And if Foals didn’t already have enough songs in their arsenal to top festival bills, they’ve just added ten more.
DIY’s Albums of the Year 2019
Team DIY pick out their favourite records from the year.
Readers’ Poll 2019: The Results
What made DIY readers’ collective 2019, you ask? Here we go…
Foals share thought-provoking animated ‘Like Lightning’ visuals
The new video is written and directed by French animator Virginie Kypriotis.
Watch Foals & SEED Ensemble talk inspirations and the 2019 Hyundai Mercury Prize
We caught up with Yannis Philippakis and Cassie Kinoshi around this year’s edition of the Prize.
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Dion Kliner
Art Criticism and Catalogue Essays
Gee, ILL no MORE: Graham Gillmore's Finishes I've Never Booked
Painting Lesson, oil and enamel on panel, 120x96 cm, 1998
It's a melancholy object looking at art some days. Galleries, especially in Chelsea, often resemble morgues. With their white walls, cement floors, and cold clinical light, the only thing missing are drains in the floor. In this environment it's no wonder that artists, curators, gallerists, and gallery goers seem like morticians sprucing up a corpse for another public viewing. It's a collaboration. Out on the street I can imagine myself pushing a wooden cart and yodelling, Bring out yer dead. On a good day you can almost smell the formaldehyde, it smells like art. As an antidote there is the work of Graham Gillmore. Standing, looking at Gillmore's recent paintings, this is no usual day of the dead.
Certain precursors are unavoidable consorts in experiencing and producing works of art. Experiencing art, the relationship is generally smooth sailing. When producing, it's usually more combative. Whereas most painters only wrestle with other painters, maybe a sculptor now and again, Gillmore has taken on the painter/writer tag team of Phillip Guston and Samuel Beckett. And he has pinned them both to the canvas. He has, in fact, accomplished the difficult and unusual task of seeming to reverse the order of precursor and follower. As consummate thief Gillmore has brought off a monumental heist; A good artist borrows, a great artist steals.
The distinction that Picasso's maxim makes is a worthwhile one that distinguishes Gillmore from many of his contemporaries. When the work of a precursor can be seen in the work of one who comes later some would call it influence, others appropriation, and still others plagiarism. Yet not all instances of influence are a series of plagiarisms, nor all plagiarism uninspired. This is something I happen to know something about. As an undergraduate in philosophy I was charged with plagiarism in both Philosophy of Religion, and Ethics. The difference in plagiarism in these two courses is the difference between borrowing and theft; between the flatness of appropriation, and the dynamism of influence. In philosophy of Religion the plagiarism was the dull sort where with very little energy I selected an essay and copied it. As is traditional I switched a few words around to make the borrowing less obvious. In Ethics, however, the plagiarism was complete; word for word. The essay was on Moral Egoism which states simply that whatever is done in one's own self-interest is justified. Clearly, this can include plagiarism.
On the one hand there's simply dipping into the time stream and pulling something out as the appropriator does. On the other is the real and dynamic relationship with a precursor that Paul Valery recognized as being of the greatest interest as the work of one modifies the mind of another. Because Gillmore's theft is so complete, it's almost as if on seeing Guston and reading Beckett in the future one would say...Gillmore. For my theft in Ethics I was given the option of either accepting a job at the university, or admitting to plagiarism. I took the plagiarism and was expelled. I should have said it was influence.
I understood it, I understand it, all wrong perhaps. That is not what matters.
S. Beckett, from Molloy.
Where to start in describing the work of Graham Gillmore? It seems immediately profound then absurd, then absurd then profound turn by turn about. Perhaps nothing describes it better than paradox. Duality and reversal are everywhere. Throughout the paintings, antitheses are established then somersault or vanish altogether. The complexity is enough to make your head spin. It begins with first principles, with a reflection of Descartes' fundamental dualism of mind and body in Gillmore's text and paint. Yet the moment this duality crests, it suddenly turns turtle and word is made flesh, collapsing into unity. The drooping, limpid forms that Gillmore lets stand independently or with which he encapsulates his texts become identical with the flaccid, skeptical texts themselves. Within the categories of text and paint, other paradoxes soon cartwheel into view. That's the thing with Gillmores, you never know. Imagine a Gillmore painting leading you down a garden path. Moving left, the painting suddenly turns right, or even worse, after beginning in front you suddenly realize that it is behind and following rather than leading. What to do? To continue leading will be not to see the painting. About face and you risk bumping into it and bringing everything to a standstill. Stand still is the only solution. As with Molloy, the only way to progress is to stop. Then one of two things will happen. Three if nothing happens at all. One, the painting will bump into you and push in the right direction. Two, the painting will pass and it will be possible to follow again until the positions are once again reversed.
In several of the texts and titles of the paintings Gillmore has swapped or reversed individual letters or word order of otherwise familiar titles or phrases to form his own: Greaves of Lass, Finishes I've Never Booked. Besides these instances where the reversals are more straight forward, his texts are full of educated literary references that are often confused or misspelled. Gillmore's no hillbilly, so what kind of willful misunderstanding is going on here? What's Gillmore opening up by his deliberate misspelling and misassigning?
Without having to look around much, what comes easily to hand is an engagement with one of the fundamental ideas of Modern art, that rearrangement releases the potential that exists in every arrangement. It's Cubism, though clearly Gillmore's no Cubist. After Cubism, this developed into the practice of juxtaposition, a crucial and defining characteristic of Modernism, but especially that of the avant-garde arts at the beginning of the Twentieth century. Yet Gillmore's not just painting another Cubist picture or adding another assisted Readymade or letting the principle of chance step close and have a roll. He's no demirep with a feather duster pulling an old trick out of the closet. At the same time, by turning the idea to his own as he does, Gillmore shows again the dynamism of influence and makes it interesting to place his work next to those that came before him to see what it says.
One of the things Gillmore brings up with his erroneous juxtapositions of authors and titles is the notion of buried texts. Let's use J.G. Ballard (spelled Ballad), The Drowned World (written by Ballard), and Eugene Ionesco (spelled Ugene Ionesc o) from Gillmore's Finishes I've Never Booked as an example. In the painting, Ionesco seems to be paired with The Drowned World, as Ballard seems paired with Sons and Lovers. Is Gillmore suggesting that Ionesco is buried within The Drowned World as perhaps Ballard is buried within Sons and Lovers and Rushdie buried in Bunny's Torrid Snatch, another of Gillmore's cockeyed matches? In more than a figurative sense, one text can be said to exist concretely within another. Imagine atomizing the text of The Drowned World, dissolving it back into its constitutive letters; so many "a"s, so many "b"'s, and so on. What you're left with is a heap of letters that contains all the potential energy that ever existed in The Drowned World. With these letters it may be possible to rewrite Ionesco's The Bald Soprano. In some sense, then, The Drowned World can be said to exist within The Bald Soprano, and vice versa. Even more than this, not only may The Drowned World be in there, but any number of other texts as well. What could it mean that The Drowned World is in The Bald Soprano, or that Genesis is in The Communist Manifesto? I don't know, but by suggesting that there is something beneath or beyond the surface, something which is perhaps forever unknowable, is to return to one of the primary and most profound questions of Epistemology and Metaphysics. Surface is something which seems especially redolent to Gillmore. What is above and below the surface? Of knowledge. Of the paint. That dividing line is frustratingly, expansively suggestive. Even the words used to describe Gillmore's paintings are evocative of themselves. Say the word puddle, and the mind begins to ebb and flood. Soon Pollock and Frankenthaler and Smithson bob into view. Once so reminded, possibilities eddy around the work and then hold fast or are cut loose. With the bedeviling question of surface, it's never a sure face.
Scratching the surface of Gillmore's paintings turns up burials not only figurative, but literal as well. There's a constant submerging as layer on layer sinks below the surface to murky depths. Liquidity prevails here. In Painting Lesson #1 and Untitled, (This Time I Am Definately Not Going To Fall Into The Same Old Trap), for instance, the text is routered below the surface of the wood support on which it's painted. Compared to I Think I Can, I Thought I Could and to texts in general, the thing on top has been reversed with the thing on bottom. The text has sunk below the surface, under the paint, behind the background. Buried text.
Gillmore's routing of the text does more than simply bury it though. As a technique it's completely tied to the central themes of duality and paradox. In paintings like I Think I Can, I Thought I Could, Painting Lesson #1, and Finishes I've Never Booked, the dualities are stacked top on bottom with an almost missionary ardor. In I Think I Can, I Thought I Could, on top of the financial and mercantile, the pages of an old ledger, Gillmore has layered the aesthetic and literary. On top of the body, Gillmore has imposed the mind. On top of the assurety and seductiveness of the paint itself and Gillmore's handling of it, he has placed the contingency of the text, a recapitulation of body and mind.
Yet on the paintings on wooden supports, Painting Lesson #1, and Untitled, (This Time I Am Definately Not Going To Fall Into The Same Old Trap) to name two, though the text remains self-conscious and equivocal in its expression, Gillmore has routered it into the support leaving no room for contingency or doubt. This reverses everything. The routing of the text makes it the more committed and the paint becomes more contingent. For the text, no changes are possible, no mistakes changeable, and no possibilities mistaken. It's absolute. By so committing himself, by making the text so concrete physically yet so self-conscious and contingent psychologically, Gillmore contradicts the spirit of the text, while at the same time revealing through the text what may be a more deeply engraved depression.
In Painting Lesson #1 and the earlier Fatal Flaw, there is the paradox of the relationship between the text and the painting itself. Taking the paintings at their word, we assume that the text, "This part (Lower R) seems to be coming right at you only to veer away at the last second" and "If I could have done this section over again I would have left it completely empty" from Painting Lesson #1, or "This section here will teach you everything you need to know about what doesn't work" from Fatal Flaw, is about the painting on which it is written. This, of course, turns out to be our fatal flaw as it soon becomes apparent, though not soon enough, that the part labeled "This part (Lower R)..." is not the lower right of the painting at all, but much closer to the upper right. More so than with the skewed authors and titles, we're thrown off balance and a radical skepticism invades the consciousness. A skeptical gap opens up that can only be crossed by a bridge of misunderstanding.
The realization that comes is that there is no paint before the text is routered into the wooden support so that in a painting like Painting Lesson #1 we have to understand the text as either preceding the paint and directing rather than commenting upon it, or as not being about this painting we're looking at, but as coming from some larger text about some other painting. The latter seems the more plausible. In this case, the alloying of unrelated elements is another form of juxtaposition that allows a third understanding to emerge. At the same time, it makes both the text of the painting and the paint of the painting absurd, pointing away from itself as a painting and towards the difficulty or maybe impossibility of communication, as in a segment of text from a play by Jurgen Becker:
- Yes I'm here.
- Then I'm coming over.
- But I'm leaving again.
- Well, wait for me.
- I'll be coming back.
- I won't be there then.
- Well, you wait.
- I'll come back.
- Then I'll be gone again.
- Well, I just won't come then.
- Yeah, I won't be here anyway.
What's left of the paintings once the text is removed? Why, duality and paradox. But with the paint, it's a paradox of a different color. The paint is lush and seductive in surface and color, but describes forms that are tuberous and alimentary. Though the forms are seemingly contingent, the execution is seductive and assured. The lumpish forms that Gillmore chooses to paint contradict his execution of them.
Not often mentioned in discussions of Gillmore's work are the squares and rectangles, but most often squares, that appear in almost every painting. Lots of ink has been spilled about his amorphous pools, his balloons or clouds or bladders or innards, but those regular geometries, not much. Granted they're not as prominent or evocative or hip as the blob, but Gillmore has thought enough to add them so they must be worth considering. By their addition, a duality is set up between the symmetry of the squares and its want in the bulbous eccentricities. They seem to be reminders of Modernism and a history of painting sometimes submerged, and sometimes holding the plane. Allying with the crystalline surface, these geometric forms support the impersonal and modernist and minimalist. But this is in tension with the writing and the routing and the flaccid forms which suggest the artist writ large. No brush strokes disturb the dense, hard, translucent surfaces of Gillmore's paintings. Any trace of the artist is eliminated in the painting by technique, but the artist is there completely in the text. The painting is depersonalized and yet entirely about the artist.
With both text and paint there's a similar operation underway, the what contradicts the how. The what of the text contradicts the how of the text. The what of the paint contradicts the how of the paint. The what of the text and the what of the paint are consistent. The how of the text and the how of the paint are consistent. The what of the text and paint contradict the how of the text and paint. It's the what that reveals the more deeply engraved depression. This contradiction of what and how makes the paintings more absurd, more humorous than they are otherwise. And Gillmore's works are absurd as they are profound. In The Absurd, A. Hinchliffe noted that Camus saw "a work of art as an absurd phenomenon, but one in which personal awareness is brought out for others to see in the hope of making them aware also, and indicating the common fate". Like Camus, Gillmore's art is also significantly concerned with the human condition. If there is a transcript of Sisyphus' infernal monologue as he pushes around his boulder, I Think I Can, I Thought I Could may be it. So it's not painting that's the problem for Gillmore. It's not how to apply paint. It's not what to paint. It must be why to paint. On this question there is unquestionably a Modern engagement with self-consciousness, futility, and the plodding effort to continue in spite of all. In the grip of this terrible splendor, Descartes' supreme expression of self-consciousness "I think, therefore I am" is ripened to "I think, therefore I cannot".
In an interview with Robin Laurence, Gillmore said he wanted to "debase the exalted and to exalt the debased". My hat's off to him, but taking Gillmore at his word, are we waking Gillmore at his turd? Is he crapping us? I'd say not. Without doubt a subversive cant runs from Dan to Beersheba in Gillmore's work and in his undermining of, well, of something exalted, or something debased.
In earlier work this included pornography and philosophy. Recently, Gillmore seems to be taking the piss out of literature. Or is it illiteracy? Or elitism? In several of the paintings there is the supposition of a necessary level of erudition to make the works pop, and come into focus. Not to know Leaves of Grass is to be cut short of appreciating Greaves of Lass. Not knowing that it was J.G. Ballard and not Eugene Ionesco that wrote The Drowned World leaves one high and dry in front of Finishes I've Never Booked for both its absurd, melancholy humor and its suggestive triangulation of authors and titles that may be intended to lend insight, or maybe not. Leading as it may be, there's no reason to make the connection. Pairing by proximity is nothing more than our compulsive need to make order where there is none. As Watt might instruct us, No order where none intended.
Whatever Gillmore is exalting or debasing, throughout his work there's a necessary degree of knowledge required to understand and appreciate it more extensively. Presuming and requiring a sophistication as he does and then subverting it with the conspiracy of Mrs. Malaprop, is Gillmore engaging in anti -elitism, satiric elitism, or, in fact, elitism? When the only way to get it is to know it and then to exalt the knowing of it seems elitist. When the only way to get it is to know it and then to debase the knowing of it seems a form of anti or satiric elitism, but falls into elitism in the having to know to get.
Here is where Gillmore really lays the axe to the root. By undressing the question of elitism by way of literature, Gillmore raises the horny matter in art. And nothing's more subversive than admitting the elitism of art. Why this should be is muddy and crabbed. If it's necessary to be literate to understand literature, it seems no more elitist to be expected to be able to see one's way in the subject of art and its history. No one argues that the expectation of literacy is a form of elitism. An author rightly expects that their audience can read. When did you ever hear a writer proudly announce "I write for the illiterate"? It doesn't happen. It would be absurd to say that an author is elitist because they write only for an audience that has been educated to read. Yet people, artists among them, bristle when it's suggested that the audience for art should be likewise educated. What is it about art that brings with it the expectation that it is for all regardless of education? What other discipline supports such a proposition? Religion may be the only one. And if the popular idea of some secular equivalence of art and religion is accurate, then god help us all.
Cruising at 31,000 feet on a flight from New York to Las Vegas over, of all places, Little Rock, Arkansas, I saw Gillmore's forms superimposed on a Suprematist background below. This wasn't the usual checkerboard of fields that is such a common sight on trans-continental flights, but random, isolated squares and rectangles of green on an otherwise undifferentiated ground. Primitive oxbows of a forgotten river connected by the thin lines of dried stream beds still marked the landscape encapsulating parcels of land. Sections filled with water, but dammed at both ends, created truncated segments of shimmering liquid. From this vantage point, I'm in a position not unlike Gillmore's as he looks down on his paintings while he's making them. On a clear day you can see for miles. When small clouds partially obscure the view, all you can see is Gillmore.
http://www.grahamgillmore.com/
Posted by Dion Kliner at 12:00 AM No comments:
Labels: Essay
Gee, ILL no MORE: Graham Gillmore's Finishes I'v...
Richard Clements
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Equinox Gallery
Etienne Zack
Gerald Janssen
James Nizam
Lyse Lemieux
Republic Gallery
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B & W Photos
Grease Origins
Dody's book
Mary Hartman
Jack Parr
A fun fact about Rydell High.
A little MORE on the movie.
Danny Zuko (JOHN TRAVOLTA) and Sandy Olsson (OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN) had the perfect summer romance. They met at a seaside resort and spent July and August spooning to "Love is a Many Splendored Thing." But Labor Day comes all too soon for the pair, and they must go off to their separate schools, each mistakenly thinking that this is the end.
The first day at Rydell High brings Danny back for his senior year, and he returns to his cool, leather-jacketed image as the leader of the "T-Birds." His friends, Kenickie (JEFF CONWAY), Doody (BARRY PEARL), Sonny (MICHAEL TUCCI) and Putzie (KELLY WARD) are eager to hear how Danny spent his summer vacation. Meanwhile, Sandy has been transferred to Rydell and at the cafeteria there she is introduced to the "Pink Ladies," the T-Birds' female counterparts. Rizzo (STOCKARD CHANNING), Frenchy (Didi Conn), Jan (JAMIE DONNELLY), and Marty (DINAH MANOFF) egg Sandy on to tell them about her summer romance.
Rydell High's faculty are somewhat less eager for their students to relive summer thrills. It's back-to-work time. Principal McGee (EVE ARDEN) welcomes back to school both students and faculty including Coach Calhoun (SID CAESAR), Automotive Shop teacher Mrs. Murdock (ALICE GHOSTLEY), and the dithering school secretary (DODY GOODMAN). She also announces that Rydell has been selected by National Bandstand Television as the representative American high school where their national dance-off will be telecast with Vince Fontaine (EDD BYRNES) hosting the event, and Johnny Casino and The Gamblers (SHA-NA-NA) appearing in person!
Following a pep rally (Sandy has joined the cheerleaders!), Danny and Sandy's paths cross again. And while Danny is truly happy about their potential reunion, his image forces him to play it very cool. Sandy feels rebuffed, and Frenchy tries to console her by inviting her to a slumber party. But it doesn't help when Rizzo mimics Sandy's wholesome qualities. Rizzo leaves the party and is off to Lover's Lane with Kenickie, while Sandy needs some time by herself.
The T-Birds decide to make Kenickie's car their automotive class project and to enter Kenickie in competition against the rival Scorpions at Thunder Road. They're off to plan the venture at the Frosty Palace where Danny runs into Sandy sharing a soda with Tom (LORENZO LAMAS), the school jock. Vi (JOAN BLONDELL), the fast-talking, heart-of-gold waitress, is at hand with a few wisecracks.
Finally, Sandy and Danny manage a moment together away from all the others, and he apologizes for his behavior. To impress her, he goes out for athletics - but proceeds to fail at everything and even takes a nasty spill on the track hurdles. Sandy rushes devotedly to our injured hero, and the pair renew their mutual devotion.
Things are not going as well for the rest of the kids. Rizzo and Kenickie have been fighting, and Frenchy - who had left Rydell for beauty school - is flunking shampoo-and-rinse. Her wish for guidance turns into a fantasy in which she is miraculously visited by Teen Angel (FRANKIE AVALON).
The National Bandstand Dance arrives, and while Danny and Sandy go together, Rizzo goes with Leo (DENNIS STEWART), the leader of the Scorpions, and Kenickie turns up with Cha Cha (ANNETTE CHARLES), Leo's girlfriend. Eventually, the aggressive Cha Cha manages to steal Danny from Sandy for the dance-off, and the couple wins first prize. A teary-eyed Sandy watches from the sidelines and learns from the other girls that Cha Cha has been one of Danny's former summer romances.
Later, Danny and Sandy make up at the drive-in when he asks her to be his steady, but the reconciliation is short-lived when he tries to take too much advantage of the moment. Meanwhile, matters are worse than ever for Rizzo, who is the talk of the drive-in when everyone discovers that she has missed her period.
Danny and Kenickie, neglected by their respective girls, devote themselves to Greased Lightning and Thunder Road and Danny finds himself racing in place of Kenickie at the last minute. Surviving an attempted sabotage, Greased Lightning wins the race and Sandy realizes that she cannot ignore her feelings for Danny. Rizzo reveals that she is not pregnant after all, and she and Kenickie kiss-and-make-up.
The final day of school arrives, and Danny shows up with his letterman's sweater (for track), while Sandy makes her appearance as a motorcycle-jacketed, T-Bird dream-girl. They acknowledge their mutual attraction for each other, and it's the ultimate, Technicolor happy ending for everyone.
Write-up & logo from www.greasemovie.com
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More info on Giant clam
Giant clam: Facts
Coral facts
Mollusca facts
Algae facts
Geoduck facts
Mussel facts
Tridacna facts
Zooxanthella facts
Plankton facts
Categories: Tridacna | Megafauna
fishing for giant clams in the Maldives was banned by the island's government in 1991, just one year after the fishery was established?
Facts on topics related to Giant clam
corals, graptolites, brachiopods and trilobites are frequently used as index fossils?
hypertrophied skeletons of the deep water coral Madrepora oculata (pictured) were thought to be signs of the first neoplasm to be discovered in coral, but are now reinterpreted as an internal gall?
Bunaken National Park (pictured) in the north of Sulawesi island of Indonesia, located near the centre of the Coral Triangle, provides habitat to 390 coral species?
yellow-band disease is a disease that attacks colonies of coral when the coral is under stress from pollution, overfishing, and climate change?
The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs, Charles Darwin's first published theory, explains how coral atolls (example pictured) form?
a sea fan is a form of sessile colonial cnidarian, similar to a sea pen or a soft coral, found in tropical and subtropical seawater?
a previously undescribed species of coral called Pocillopora sp. was found off the coast of Puerto Ángel, Mexico?
the antimicrobial protein hydramacin-1 was extracted and isolated in 2008 by German scientists from Hydra, a freshwater relative of corals and jellyfish?
the extinct coral Coelosimilia is the first known example of a scleractinian coral to have a skeleton not composed of the mineral aragonite?
the magnitude of the 1833 Sumatra earthquake was calculated from the amount of uplift recorded by coral microatolls around the Mentawai islands?
organisms exhibiting kleptoplasty retain active chloroplasts from the algae on which they feed, providing the new host with the products of photosynthesis?
Scripps marine chemist Edward D. Goldberg suggested using mussels to measure the amount of pollution in the oceans?
Perna viridis, a fast-growing bivalve mussel native to the Asia-Pacific, is an invasive species that harbors deadly toxins and biofouls submerged structures?
zoomusicology studies sounds, vocalizations and the organization of the noisy communications of animals?
automated CPR machines such as AutoPulse are used to treat cardiac arrest in both humans and animals?
mycologist Olav Johan Sopp suggested classifying fungi as belonging to neither plantae nor animalia, but to a third kingdom, back in the 1890s?
parts of the veiled stinkhorn Phallus indusiatus have been consumed by lifeforms as diverse as bees, flies, Chinese diplomats and Henry Kissinger?
the geology of London includes abundant fossilized animal remains?
catfish species of the genus Hypophthalmus are unusual among neotropical fishes because they feed on plankton by straining water over a fine sieve created by numerous long, thin gill rakers?
Leptodora is the largest planktonic cladoceran, and its type species is probably the only cladoceran to have been described in a newspaper?
at night, the Pacific angelshark (pictured) may use bioluminescent plankton to target its prey?
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The House of Cézanne
by John Olson
Is there anything more emphatic than an ovary? There is a house that thinks so. Cézanne lives there. He paints things. Apples, chairs, baskets, skulls. Men playing cards. Women frolicking outdoors. Women sitting meditatively in chairs. Women in hats. Women in scarves. Women looking sad. Women looking determined. Women. The walls of his house are fat but the windows are swollen. The world presses itself against the glass creating colors and birds. The laundry is a feast of folds and wrinkles. The shirts are deviations of sleeves and collars. Everything speaks a language of mute tumefaction. Even the chimney has something to say. Nothing in the house is unscratched, unscathed, unexplored or sloppily ellipsoidal. Unless it truly means to be ellipsoidal. And then it isn't sloppy so much as wobbly, or cheerfully decrepit. Nothing is so reduced to utility that it doesn't flow into this world on a continual basis, meeting perception with its own agenda, which is secret, and soaked in metaphors, like a high school gymnasium, or incoherent telepathist. Because really, when you think about it, what doesn't communicate with the mind directly? Well, people don't, that's for sure. People resort to language, which is narcotic, and agglutinates in inkblots. But none of this matters, because this is the house of Cézanne, where all is mutation, and perfectly imperfect, or imperfectly perfect, the way some bowls can be when they're filled with soup, or fruit, or light opera. The plaster presses itself against the wall like an innocent bystander. The page of a book on divination agrees to become a nipple and propagate raw silk. The smell of raw participles knocks on the door of moths. The sky disturbs the roof with its lusty details. The radical éclat of a mountain on paper embarrasses a counterfeit destiny. The energy of an experience battles the ennui of a grease stain. A thesis weeps for the death of a narrative continuity. For such is the soul of the house of Cézanne that the name of a thing will carry it into life and cause it to have being and colloquy.
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Rachna K., May 14, 2014
I was hooked from the first line! Love this: "The walls of his house are fat but the windows are swollen. The world presses itself against the glass creating colors and birds."
Gary Hardaway, May 14, 2014
An explosion of ideas.
James Robison, May 15, 2014
Cezanne, it is said, the Father of Modernism, would sit for hours in contemplation and then make a kind of patchy daub on his canvas and think about that for an hour and would sometimes admit, after a great painting was finally completed, (and only to his wife) that "the apron isn't too bad" or "the arm is right" and what only he saw in a work as realism of some kind, we see as a vision verging, almost,on abstraction it is so obviously "constructed" and this work, maybe unwittingly, mimics that process of observation, taking small strikes at a banal reality and creating something all new, but with word sounds and shapes instead of oil colors.
Gary V. Powell, May 17, 2014
This is strange and delightful.*
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Shabbat Parashat Chayei Sara 5779
Parashat Hashavua: Where Was Avraham Born?
Harav Yosef Carmel
When Avraham sent his servant to find a wife for Yitzchak, he instructed him to find her in “my land and my birthplace (moladty)” (Bereishit 24:4). While we know the servant went to Aram Naharayim, where Avraham’s brother Nachor lived, there is actually a dispute among commentaries as to where Avraham came from. Each explanation will have to deal with three other p’sukim in the past parshiyot.
In describing the life of Avraham’s younger brother Haran, the Torah says that he died in his birthplace, Ur Kasdim (ibid. 11:28). A second pasuk is the famous instruction of Hashem to Avraham to leave his land and his birthplace to go to a land that He would show him (ibid. 12:1). This relates to a third pasuk in which Hashem tells Avraham that He took him out of Ur Kasdim (ibid. 15:7). The latter pasuk seems to indicate that Avraham left Ur Kasdim for Eretz Cana’an, whereas Bereishit 12:4 says that Avraham left for Cana’an from Charan.
Rashi posits that Ur Kasdim was Avraham’s land, and that while he was in Charan when he was instructed to leave, that meant to distance himself further from Ur Kasdim; moledet in this context means one’s family, who were at the time in Charan.
The Ibn Ezra reasons that the commandment to go to Eretz Cana’an was given to Avraham when he was still in Ur Kasdim. This causes difficulties from the pasuk in our parasha identifying Aram Naharayim (=Charan) as Avraham’s land, as well as the description of Avraham leaving Charan.
The Ramban disagrees with both of the above. He claims that Avraham was born in Charan, and only his younger brother Haran was born in Ur Kasdim. Avraham was in Charan when told to go to Cana’an.
According to both Rashi and the Ramban, Ur Kasdim and Charan were far from each other. The former is in today’s Iraq, whereas the latter is near the border of Syria and Turkey. They posit that Avraham traveled first from Ur Kasdim to Charan and then was instructed to leave Charan to go to Cana’an.
We will suggest another approach, one which is based on the writings of Da’at Zekeinim Ba’alei HaTosafot. They posit that Ur Kasdim and Charan are bordering places within the land of Aram. According to this assumption, all the p’sukim fit in well, as both places are in Avraham’s land and birthplace. To reconcile the p’sukim, we must posit that Avraham went first from Ur Kasdim to Eretz Cana’an, but he was forced to return to the same region, except this time it was to the neighboring Charan. In Charan he was told to travel to an unknown place, just that it turned out to be the same Land to which they had previously gone.
It turns out that one of the differences between the commentaries is: how many times did Avraham go to Eretz Yisrael? According to Rashi, the Ibn Ezra, and the Ramban, it was one time. According to the Da’at Zekenim, it occurred twice. Let us hope that Jews from all over the world will make a permanent move to Eretz Yisrael.
Ask the Rabbi: Bar Metzra
Ein Ayah: Can Removing Be Positive?
P'ninat Mishpat: Quitting or Firing? – part II
Yair Menachem ben Yehudit Chana
Jack Levin –
Chaim Yaakov ben R'
Shlomo Yitzchak HaLevi – by his family
Tamar Lichtenstadt z”l.
May her memory be a blessing.
R' George Weinstein
Gershon ben Yehudah Mayer
a lover of the Jewish Nation Torah and Land.
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Create the ultimate at-home stadium experience this sports season
(ARA) - With fall in the air, that means one thing for sports fans: its game time. Between the hard-hitting pro and college football seasons moving into high gear, the puck dropping on the hockey season and heart-pounding UFC and boxing cards, sports fans have countless games, matches and battles to enjoy.
Not convinced that sports mean that much to die-hard fans? Take March Madness, for example: Worker distraction due to the first week of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament can cost employers an estimated $192 million, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., which releases an annual survey on the impact of the NCAA Tournament on workplace productivity.
While fans love the live experience of watching all the action play out right in front of their faces; it's the rare breed that makes it to every game so it's important to have the best back-up alternative: the right home set up.
Start with a picture-perfect TV
If you are going to have friends over to watch the game, a standard-definition TV no longer does the trick. A high-definition (HD) television, particularly LED back-lit, is a must-have for watching any game, and fans are tuning in from home in numbers well into the millions. For example, Nielsen ratings show that the NFL set a record in 2010 by reaching 207.7 million viewers throughout the year.
HD makes the action look better than ever, but its 3-D that really puts you IN the action. With networks like ESPN showing more live sports content in 3-D, now is the time for sports fans to give 3-D TV a shot. With the right TV, even if your game isn't being broadcast in 3-D, you can still get the in-your-face action you crave. For example, LG offers a 2-D to 3-D conversion with their Cinema 3-D models that allows you watch any sport in the third dimension.
Getting comfortable and affordable 3-D glasses is another key to good home viewing, especially for large groups. LG Cinema 3-D glasses are like the ones you get in a movie theater, as opposed to active-flicker glasses that require batteries, recharging, and are a lot more expensive. If you already wear regular glasses, you can even get clip-on versions of the polarized 3-D glasses.
Root for your team - from anywhere
Hardcore fans have been known to travel hundreds of miles just to watch their favorite team - just listen to St. Louis Cardinals fans at Chicago Cubs games, or Detroit Red Wings fans at hockey games in Florida. Other options when you don't live in your favorite team's city are expensive services you can buy through your TV provider to watch all the games - even the key out-of-market games you care about. But short of downloading apps to watch on your smartphone or tablet, it used to be a challenge, or very expensive, to watch what you care about on your TV.
Internet-connected "Smart TVs" are among the fastest-growing consumer electronics categories, and are ideal for the sofa-bound sports enthusiast. For example, Smart TVs and Blu-ray players from LG include sports content like MLB.TV, NHL and NBA (season permitting) to let you watch thousands of live HD streams of out-of-market games, and catch-up with your local team's games even after they've ended.
If your game isn't on, you can stream your favorite sports flick with apps from Netflix, Vudu or CinemaNow. Learn more at www.lg.com.
It's game time for diehard sports fans. For the hardcore fans that love the live action but can't be there in person, all it takes is the right gear to replicate the excitement from the comfort of their homes. From HDTV to 3-D TV to Smart TV, there's no better way to crave the wins, excitement and candid behind the scenes action, like watching the coach boil over or seeing the perfect human "wave" travel through a packed stadium.
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Magister Artium - MA (History)
Producing and consuming the Wembley Whopper and the Super Fisheries Gatsby: Bread winners and losers in Athlone, Cape Town, 1950-1980.
wentzel_ma_arts_2018.pdf (5.397Mb)
Wentzel, Tazneem
Wembley Roadhouse and Super Fisheries have cemented themselves as food institutions on the Cape Flats. Family-owned take-aways establishments that appeared on the black periphery and catered for the black consumer were popularised amid the political and economic upheavals of forced removals in the 1970s. The shifting labour market, changing work schedules, and hardening political climate was reflected in the popularisation and consumption of breadbased take-aways on the Cape Flats. This research sets out to show how the production and consumption of the Wembley Whopper and the Super Fisheries Gatsby constituted cultural signifiers of agency that were historically embedded within a set of discursive practices and a business ethic that distinguished halal take-aways from franchised and state subsidised food. Ideas of tradition and health became categories through which racial discourse was operationalised by both cultural and scientific agents of the colonial and apartheid state. Nevertheless, the Whopper and the Gatsby represented fast food culinary adaptations that appealed to a mobile generation of activists that challenged social restrictions and ideas about race and diet.
Magister Artium - MA (History) [61]
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Home Crowdfunding I AM A PARIAH: ACCOUNTABILITY IN A FAST WORLD
I AM A PARIAH: ACCOUNTABILITY IN A FAST WORLD
HANNICHKA DAMIANO
As winter dark sets in, and the deafening roar of holiday cheer brings reasonable justification to shutter down and watch films, I return – by way of a very lowbrow infatuation with Monica Vitti – to the work of that bicycle-less master, Antonioni. Watching the seamless rhythm of his long cuts and musical edit beats, I found myself ruminating (with the fatality that the year’s end always seems to bring) on all things seasonal: the drawing and quartering of the year and the kind of society freeze branded for posterity in 2011.
As Scarvada’s camera pans slowly, it is Vitti’s sharp laugh that punctures my maudlin reverie, and makes me consider not only how film has changed – but all related mediums, as well as the audience it caters to. Antonioni’s ‘L’avventura’ was scorned at its Cannes premiere in 1960 (most of the audience left howling – but not before beseeching “cut! cut!”) yet also garnered an unthinkable credit: a Jury prize created solely in its honour (no doubt to balance the drone of naysayers), in part – for its audacity in seeking the creation of a “new film language.” It is the nature of this “film language” that makes me think that Antonioni’s trifecta of ‘slow’ masterpieces was not just an act of aesthetic sedition. In stark contrast to the almost lethargic
undulation of his films stand the desperately fast cuts used today – and these cuts are visibly etched into culture everywhere, not just in the medium of film. Considering society’s “evolution” toward mass communication, the constant interchange of information and the subsequent menial commentary this interchange induces – it is exciting to imagine that Antonioni had a dream of things to come, and thereby created the ultimate cinematic antithesis. Or at least, a veritable record of an original rhythm: the temporal workings of the human brain and body before our synapses started changing.
Monica Vitti, L’avventura
For better or worse, the adoption of mass informal communication, the narcissistic spillage of personal details into the ether and the sheer superabundance of available information (and outlets by which information is made available) must surely be one of the most defining factors of this century. As the human brain attunes itself to being sated in 140 characters or less, the more Antonioni’s so called “double composition”1 – a cinema of the body and a cinema of the brain – feels like a phenol injection to the senses. As does reading Coleridge. It is small wonder then that even the schoolmaster’s staple, Chaucer and his “Canterbury Tales,” is being phased out of education. Could MTV with its frenzied schizophrenic cuts and three minute rules have been the harbinger, the mental and emotional precursor to the Twitters and Facebooks of our age? The human brain is evolving to a staccato beat, massive amounts of shallow information distributed instantaneously and without analysis.
First of all, how did we get here? Fifty years on from Antonioni’s ‘L’Avventura’, into a world of incessant “sound and fury” that really, unless you have a vital interest in what Ashton Kutcher thinks of – well anything – truly “signifies nothing.” Snippets of information are available on a multitude of platforms that didn’t exist five years ago and have become socially integrated to a level by which it is hard to imagine contemporary society without them. The vision of MTV reigns supreme. Other than watch horses (in a Desmond Morris – not Peter Shaffer “Equus” – way), there are few activities likely to sustain my sporadically myopic concentration for prolonged periods of time. An exception: music videos. A fast-moving ecstasy of sound and vision, they are the exception that decisively proves the rule (I am guilty: even watching ‘Dexter’ I fight the impulse to check my Blackberry every five minutes). It occurs that MTV’s cataclysmic effect is its influence on not only filmmaking but intellectual culture in general: accessible pop-art saturated with emotional information in an undemanding frame. Minus the pop art component, the same could be said of a “friend’s” status update. Amphetamine induced editing, acid infused cinematography, the MTV generation’s triumph: fascination and satiation in short bursts, stories complete in three minutes, information saturated and sold before it can be fully absorbed or understood – though, maybe there’s nothing to understand? The shortening of attention spans, the acceleration of the mind’s ability to accept – if not contextualize – massive amounts of information in small jagged doses. Facebook, Twitter, constant commentary, short meaningless information spat out at the speed of an MK19 in full release. Yet MTV can hardly be blamed for the intellectual perils of our age. Most people pay “considerable attention to forms of popular music, but are not prepared to feel or even experience the music of Haydn, Bach, or Mozart… their hearts are closed, or partially closed, to the canon of Western music.” The same applies to literature, theatre, cinema: There is indeed “something missing in the aesthetic experience of our young."2 In the time it takes to make a cup of tea, a world of opinions and passing observations have been disseminated throughout cyberspace. A constant stream of small ideas. And as the deities and monarchs of our age, what – or whose – opinions seem to count the most? Where the western world at large is concerned, and especially the astute denizens of Hollywood, that would be the expensively-appointed reserve of celebrities. As wryly noted by Woody Allen, "You can learn a lot about a society by who it chooses to celebrate;" thus it is hardly mollifying that we choose to celebrate not journalists, poets or teachers, but actors, rockstars, models – those who make a career of self-promotion and the manipulation of images and information. Hardly edifying, but such is the age. And in a way, it has always been thus: one of my favourite things about Jean-Jacques Rousseau (the giant who wrote ‘The Social Contract’ which precipitated the French Revolution) – other than that he moonlighted as a back alley ‘flasher’ (!) – was his discovery that in order to be anything in the world, one must secure the services of a good publicist. Rousseau put his formidable mind to significant work, and the confluence of his genius, loud PR and proximity to the Royal Court have proved a lasting, inspiring legacy. Though what of the PR world today? The vanity it is collectively paid to serve through a plethora of avenues…So many ways to celebrate shallow information. Boredom becomes boundless.
The advent of social networking, the speed of global communication (or to use an antiquated expression: the ‘information superhighway’) have admittedly yielded astonishing events – the role of Facebook in the development of the Arab Spring perhaps foremost among them…but an event occurred recently which rang out like a portend of things to come. Before it was washed over with millions of new posts and jots of meaningless information (the highway appears flooded), something for a second exposed the double nature of the moment our culture finds itself in now – at once exculpating – and condemning – our instant access/reliance on ‘mass’ communication/information. In this duplicitous moment, many questions could be tendered: the ramifications of the “superhighway’s” effect on society, learning, changes in the development of neural pathways – but ultimately, the question that intrigued me most (as someone who purports/hopes to be a filmmaker) was the role of an individual’s agency and accountability in the representation of their art (and if your art is the projection of your image), where this accountability ends – and what responsibility does Hollywood bear, after it has cashed the cheque?
Flashback to the Sydney Writers’ Festival, 2005. A dear friend, the preternaturally talented author Uzodinma Iweala, was supporting his debut novel “Beast of No Nations” and contributing to some panels. Sitting in on one I listened to a prematurely grey haired Russian speak about her book “Putin’s Russia.” The unusual gravity of her voice made me pay attention. The way the audience sat stock still while her words resonated throughout a 1,000 seat hall made me pay attention. When an audience member asked if she was scared for her life, or indeed, if she thought she may be a candidate for assassination, and she replied “yes, of course” – I held my breath. I watched Anna Politkovskaya walk through the Dress Circle of the Sydney Theatre Company, a building made new with old materials from a heritage-intact wool shed. She walked and talked with someone, head bowed, face ashen. I watched from a distance, very carefully. It occurred to me that this was someone who had borne the weight of the world, knew it was futile, but bore it anyway. Her shoulders sagged. No way back, only forward. Politkovskaya’s journalism had exposed the realities of Chechnya and its marionette President Razman Kadyrov, his enduring regime of corruption and terror. She had been reminded by members of Putin’s government that “Kadyrov has publicly vowed to murder me.” Asked in an interview what his stance was concerning Politkovskaya, Kadyrov stated that he was “not bothered in the slightest” by what she wrote as: “she was a woman, and I have never lowered myself to trying to settle scores with women.”3 Installed by Putin, Kadyrov rarely strayed from the Kremlin’s omnipotent hand; and when he did it was in defiance of Russia’s secular constitution by enforcing women’s use of headscarves, publicly support polygamy, and declare that lessons in the Koran and Sharia should be obligatory at Chechen schools. When the Danish cartoon scandal hit, he issued a ban on the Danish Refugee Council, the most active humanitarian organization in Caucasus. This is to speak nothing of massacres, censorship, the assassination of dissidents. Politkovskaya showed harsh truths with the power of her voice and pen, fearlessly reporting the “hidden actions of the Putin administration in both newspapers and books”4 – to a world that may not have been listening. Anna observed that "society has shown limitless apathy,” and could have been speaking of any modern atrocity: Rwanda, Chechnya, Bosnia. Here was a woman who knew (and after several episodes of genocide after the “Never Again” of the Nazi camps, who can blame her?) that the message would probably not get through, or at at least not get through enough – but she continued anyway, for the sake of those for whom it did matter, perhaps for the sake of “Truth” itself. Truth. The original domain of poets, actors, artists, filmmakers. Where is their voice now? Six months after the afternoon I saw her walk lightly through the mezzanine floors of the theatre, Anna Politkovskaya was shot and killed in the elevator of her apartment in Moscow. A Makarov pistol thrown at her feet.
Regarding the First World War, Wilfred Owen wrote:"All a poet can do today is warn. That is why the true poet must be truthful." Nearly 100 years later, it is not poets we look to. Not writers, perhaps not journalists – as Anna maybe felt when she wrote of our “limitless apathy.” It seems we look to the most unqualified sources: actors, singers…models. We celebrate those whose job it is to be for the most part – empty vessels upon which we cast fantastical visions, and in celebrating them – we look to them for answers, weight their opinions (even if we mock them). They have our attention, and we pay them handsomely for it.
Spontaneous citizens’ memorial at entrance to Anna Politkovskaya’s Moscow apartment 10. Oct. 2006
Perhaps a break from the sound and fury of Hollywood would be restorative – and at least it is the time of year for many of us to escape for a while – but even still, as the world fascinates itself by peering evermore into the Hollywood snow dome, something greater is getting lost: ideas, real news, diversity, truth. Lost “into an information vacuum that spells death from our own ignorance.”5 With each follower that subscribes to the inane trivia dispersed by celebrities, the more the nascent and nauseating trend for those so little qualified to present their beliefs to a massive audience grows. There are plenty of great and politically astute minds amongst those creatively celebrated in this town, yet the spectre of boundless narcissism actuated by these new forums for unrestricted banality is a trend that is as boring as it is disconcerting. But is it dangerous? Given the widespread consumption of celebrity “news”, is it yet another seemingly harmless auxiliary to the dumbing down of western culture? Or is it not a dumbing down, but just a technological/cultural shift toward a more integrated, openly communicating “global village”? A village where I can see what Starlet X is tweeting to her boyfriend at 3am, or see snapshots of Rockstar Y getting free headphones at a party to which a civilian could never secure an invitation. Everybody becomes a gaping, stupid voyeur. With some notable exceptions (Russell Brand, Steve Martin, Stephen Fry – an occasional thank you), the devotion of mental space to the frivolous ennui of people significantly better off than 99% of the rest of the world has hardly proved enlightening. So, the obvious having been (over)stated – back to the duplicitous moment which sparked this rant in D minor. A devil’s advocate not immune to the dark forces I reject, naturally, I posted my disgust on Facebook.
But first of all, a little game of word association. Let’s start and end with‘Chechnya.’ First thing that comes to mind? Most people would not know that it is a small country of about 6500 square miles with a population of 1.2 million people (thanks Wikipedia – didn’t realize you were so openly available – almost like an online…Encyclopedia!). Most people might have a flash of recognition that the word “Chechnya” is often synonymous with another bon mot of our times, “terrorism.” Without knowing anything more, if you were to set foot on a plane to the capital Grozny, it is a reasonable assumption that most would quickly pull it up on their blackberry, android, iphone, ipad – or your friend’s, or your neighbours – and see what trivia Wikipedia could bestow. Just on the off chance that it is not as benign a place as say, Florida. Or perhaps you could type it into google and see the type of news with which it is commonly associated? Just out of curiosity? It’s at least a day’s flight to Chechnya, why not?
Recently, an acclaimed actor made a paid appearance in Grozny and didn’t “do the research.” And by research, I presume that means looking up Wikipedia for about ten seconds. Or having one of your large retinue of highly paid professionals do it for you (fear not, they were all fired). The actor claimed they had no idea they would be publicly saluting a Sharia-law enforcing tyrant “Happy Birthday” in his capital city. It is of small relevance really. The demonstrated willingness to use one’s image for material gain is an actors’ bread and butter; but selling oneself in the seedy world of celebrity appearances and being an “unwitting” political pawn exposes an interesting question about the nature of accountability. Another celebrity who made the Grozny appearance deflected the media rap by insinuating the world was so corrupt that their cashing in was insignificant – and to suggest otherwise was hypocritical; just like a bad film role with fewer ramifications. Insofar as the degree of responsibility we have in all choices we make in this life (largely determined by our consumer dollar), from blood diamonds, organic cotton to battery farmed eggs – after the dismal perpetuation of genocides around the world I would largely agree that after 1945 only the most fanatically optimistic could hold out any genuine hope for humanity. I do not think Anna Politkovskaya held this hope. But she fought anyway. Maybe she felt as John Lennon did, in that “you either get tired fighting for peace, or you die”.
At what point does agency and accountability in Hollywood, a place which has the power to serve as a platform for the most prominent whistle blowing the globe has ever known (when convenient) reduce itself to absolutely nothing? So often the self-appointed mouthpieces of cultural (ir)relevance, where are the artists who sit ever so slightly outside the prism of our reality in order to reflect back what may not be visible from the surface, in short – what happened to John Lennon’s legacy? Aside from the enduring dedication of stalwarts like Billy Bragg, the sincere efforts of Roger Waters…where is the new generation of Mae Wests, Oscar Wildes, Joe Strummers, Siouxsie Siouxs, Primo Levis? Few contemporary artists have engaged their powers of cultural and political agitation to any lasting or progressive effect. There are those who shock for the sake of shocking, those who confuse for the point of – well who knows what their point is – and those who wear elaborate headdresses. Where are the artists who antagonize for the sake of change, or at least, for the sake of transparency? As Owen wrote in 1917, "The people [of England] needn’t hope. They must agitate."6 At this point I would not hold out for agitation, but at least awareness as a first step out of mute numbness and complicity. Is not the pursuit of art at its base level a search for truth, however elusive? Is the world more opaque now with its endless options for information and communication then when truth sat nervously still behind the giant mechanism of the fourth estate and it’s protective barons? Where was the outrage that a major – and utterly revered Hollywood star could financially benefit (to the rune of 15 times the median wage in the US) from publicly appearing at (and thus appearing to support) the birthday of a man who continues to sanction crimes against humanity? Did Twitter alight with commentary, solidarity, meaningful discussion about – well anything other than what Kim Kardashian ate – or didn’t eat – for breakfast? No. The incident escaped the scrutiny of not only the public at large, but the liberal demographic to which the actor purportedly belongs. Anna may have been right, it is well to shoulder the burdens of the world, scream for truth for those who are voiceless, but over the shrill hive of the Twitters and Facebooks, we are doing nought but demonstrating society’s “limitless apathy.” Support a dictator, stage a fake wedding? We may as well cash in. A deputy commanding officer in the Chechen militia reputedly told Politkovskaya that Kadyrov had commented “She is so stupid, she doesn’t know the value of money” as an exchange for her silence. Silence as complicity to suffering. “I offered her money but she didn’t take it.” If only the same could be said for those we choose to revere so highly that we immortalize them leaving restaurants.
Until then, it’s time for another Vitti marathon, lights out.
ABOUT HANNICHKA
Hannichka Damiano is in pre-production for "Kill All Previous Lovers," a film commissioned by Alaska Projects, Sydney.
Iweala, Uzodinma (2005), Beasts of No Nation, Harper Perennial.
Levi, Primo, (1947), If This Is A Man, The Orion Press: England.
Politkovskaya, Anna (2004) Putin’s Russia, Harvill: London.
Politkovskaya, Anna (2010) Nothing But the Truth: Selected Dispatches, Harvill Secker: London.
Politkovskaya, Anna (2003) A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya, translation of Vtoraya chechenskaya, The University of Chicago Press.
Politkovskaya, Anna (2011) Is Journalism Worth Dying For?: Final Dispatches, Melville House Publishing: Brooklyn, NY.
Politkovskaya, Anna (2001) A Dirty War: A Russian Reporter in Chechnya, Harvill: London.
Postman, Neil, (1985) Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, Penguin.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Confessions, Penguin Classics.
1 Gilles Deleuze, (1983): Cinema 1: The Movement-Image, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.
2 Postman, Neil, (1985) Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, Penguin.
3 Politkovskaya, Anna (2011) Is Journalism Worth Dying For?: Final Dispatches, Melville: Brooklyn, NY.
4 Robert Butche, Who Shall Stand Up For America? Newsroom Magazine, May 29, 2009.
5 .Politkovskaya, Anna, "Poisoned by Putin", Guardian Unlimited, 9 September 2004.
6 Wilfred Owen, lerrrrrrrrretter dated 19th January, 1917. Shortly after arriving at the front line in France.
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GENERATION UM…
22 Actors Share Their Audition Stories
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alongside Mika
Post subject: alongside Mika
LONDON - Former champions Sam Querrey and Lleyton Hewitt claimed contrasting victories on Monday to advance to the second round of the Queens Club grass-court tournament, a traditional warm-up event for Wimbledon. Querrey, the 2010 winner at Queens, fired 31 aces and saved all four break points he faced but the American needed three tiebreakers to upset 14th-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5). Australian veteran Hewitt went through 6-3, 6-3 against Spains Daniel Gimeno-Traver as he began his bid for a record fifth title. "I just felt pretty sharp out there," said Hewitt, who has played the most matches — 51 — in the tournaments history and won 41 of them. "Didnt take me long at all to get straight on the grass and felt comfortable, which is good." Australias Bernard Tomic faced defeat against American Tim Smyczek, dropping his serve to fall behind 5-4 in the third set before sweeping the final three games to win 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. "Very rarely youre going to get out of a match like that," said Tomic. "Im happy I won... realistically I should have lost that match." Among other winners was 13th-seeded Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, who defeated Marsel Ilhan 6-3, 6-4. Australian qualifier James Duckworth recovered from a disastrous opening set to beat Israels Dudi Sela 0-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 and set up a second round clash with Tomas Berdych, and Paul-Henri Mathieu of France earned a meeting with Andy Murray by beating Slovenias Aljaz Bedene 7-6 (2), 6-4. The tournament has been at the Queens Club for more than a century. Andy Murray, who won the title last year before going on to become the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years, is seeded three and bidding to join Hewitt, Andy Roddick, John McEnroe and Boris Becker as a four-time winner. The tournament, led by top-seeded Stan Wawrinka and second-seeded Tomas Berdych, also includes four former champions in Murray, Hewitt, Querrey and Marin Cilic. The top eight seeded players receive a bye into the second round. Nike Air Max Sko Tilbud . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Nike Air Max Norge . The Toronto Maple Leafs were holding a news conference, so they got curious. It didnt take long for them to find out via social media that coach Randy Carlyle was coming back — with a two-year extension — and assistants Greg Cronin, Scott Gordon and Dave Farrish were being let go. http://www.norgeairmax.com/ . - The Pittsburgh Pirates plan on keeping promising left fielder Starling Marte playing alongside National League MVP Andrew McCutchen for years to come. Nike Air Max Sko Salg .Y. - Matt Harvey wants to make sure hes on the mound in late October — if the New York Mets get there for the first time since 2006. Nike Air Max Billig Online . In sunny and almost windless conditions, the Swede shot four consecutive birdies on the front nine on his way to a 68 and went 9 under for a one-shot lead over Englands Lee Slattery and two over Paraguays Farbrizio Zanotti (68).Stepan surging, Gaudreau continues to find the net and the Blue Jackets getting offence from a waiver pickup; lineup news, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES Derek Stepan – The Rangers pivot scored all three goals in a 3-1 win over New Jersey, New Yorks eighth straight win. After fracturing his fibula in the preseason led to a slow start to the year, Stepan has eight points (4 G, 4 A) during a five-game point streak. Somewhat of a concern is that Stepan has been a puck possession disaster this year, pulling a 44.1% Corsi after back-to-back seasons north of 53%. Johnny Gaudreau – The Flames rookie buried a couple of goals in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Edmonton and has 14 points (9 G, 5 A) in the past 13 games. He’s up to 29 points on the season and is second in the rookie scoring race behind Nashville’s Filip Forsberg. ROOKIE SCORING LEADERS ROOKIE TEAM POS GP G A PTS Filip Forsberg Nashville LW 34 14 20 34 Johnny Gaudreau Calgary LW 36 12 17 29 Aaron Ekblad Florida D 33 5 14 19 Mike Hoffman Ottawa LW 32 11 6 17 Mark Stone Ottawa RW 32 8 8 16 Kevin Connauton – The Columbus blueliner, acquired on waivers from Dallas, had a goal and two assists against Boston Saturday, and suddenly has seven points (4 G, 3 A) in the past eight games. He’s been paired with James Wisniewski on the Blue Jackets’ most offensively-inclined pairing. ZEROES Brad Stuart – It’s not easy to be a defensive defenceman on a team that is consistently overwhelmed in shot differential, but the veteran Avs blueliner took it on the proverbial chin against Chicago Saturday (3 shot attempts for, 25 against, 10.7%). It’s been ugly for Stuart this year, as his 37.4% Corsi leaves him as the worst non-Buffalo defenceman in those terms and his relative Corsi (-9.1%) is challenging Dallas’ Trevor Daley for worst in the league among blueliners. Among defencemen with at least 250 5-on-5 minutes: LOSING THE POSSESSION BATTLE DEFENCEMAN TEAM CORSI% Tyler Myers Buffalo 35.6% Josh Gorges Buffalo 36.2% Andre Benoit Buffalo 36.8% Rasmus Ristolainen Buffalo 37.2% Brad Stuart Colorado 37.4% Tyson Strachan Buffalo 37.9% Mike Weber Buffalo 39.2% Nikita Zadorov Buffalo 39.3% Andrej Meszaros Buffalo 39.4% Nate Guenin Colorado 39.9% Franson & Phaneuf – Toronto’s top defensive pair were on the ice for three even-strength goals against in Sunday’s 6-4 loss to Florida. That hasn’t been typical, as they have been on the plus side of the goals-for, goals-against ledger this season, but these are the risks when getting consistently outshot. Viktor Fasth – Gave up three goals on six shots against Calgary Saturday. He has a career-low .881 save percentage in 15 games this season, thanks to an abysmal 832 save percentage in five games this month. LINEUP NEED TO KNOW Jordan Staal – The Carolina centre is set to play his first game of the season Monday, after missing 35 games due to a broken leg suffered in the preseason. Patric Hornqvist – The Penguins’ winger is expected to be out of the lineup for a few weeks with a lower-body injury. With Hornqvist sidelined, both Bryan Rust and Jayson Megna skated in top-six forward roles for Pittsburgh Saturday against Washington. Jonathan Drouin – An undisclosed illness has put the Lightning rookie on the shelf, so Steven Stamkos played with Cedric Paquette and Brett Connolly Saturday. Jason Garrison – The Tampa Bay blueliner has been out with injury, presenting an opportunity for Mark Barberio to play more regularly for the Lightning. Cam Atkinson – The Blue Jackets winger was injured early against Boston Saturday, leaving with an upper-body injury. Richard Panik – The Maple Leafs winger was given a good opportunity, skating with Peter Holland and David Clarkson against Florida Sunday, but ended up leaving early with a suspected concussion. Mikael Granlund – The Wild centre had a goal and an assist before getting crunched by Jets D Dustin Byfuglien Saturday and he’s been placed on IR with an upper-body injury. Michael Ryder – New Jersey’s veteran winger is the latest to be hit by mumps and hits the IR on a 21-game goalless drought. Peter Harrold – Played a season-high 22:40 in Saturday’s 3-1 loss at the Rangers, the Devils’ first game since Peter DeBoer was relieved of his head coaching duties. Oh, and he was crushed in puck possession (6 shot attempts for, 22 against, 21.4%) in the process. John Curry – Pressed into action with Niklas Backstrom on IR and Darcy Kuemper dealing with food poisoning, the 30-year-old Curry got into his seventh career NHL game, allowing four goals on 23 shots against Winnipeg Saturday. SHORT SHIFTS Predators C Mike Fisher continued his strong play, with a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Philadelphia; he has seven points (4 G, 3 A) in the past seven games…Predators LW Filip Forsberg recorded a goal and an assist, with nine shot attempts (7 SOG), in the win over Philadelphia, giving him 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in the paast 10 games…Predators LW Colin Wilson scored a pair of goals against Philadelphia and has five points (4 G, 1 A) in the past three games.dddddddddddd Wilson is also having a stellar season in terms of possession. Among forwards with at least 350 5-on-5 minutes, only Tomas Tatar, Joe Thornton and Patrice Bergeron are faring better than Wilson’s 58.6% Corsi…Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane picked up a pair of goals and an assist in Saturday’s 5-2 win at Colorado; he has 21 points (10 G, 11 A) in the past 15 games…Kings C Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 3-1 win vs. San Jose; he has 12 points (2 G, 10 A) during a five-game point streak…Maple Leafs LW James van Riemsdyk contributed a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 6-4 loss at Florida; he has 17 points (7 G, 10 A) in his past 14 games…Ducks C Ryan Getzlaf had a pair of assists in Sunday’s 2-1 overtime win against Vancouver, giving him 23 points (6 G, 17 A) in the past 14 games. Blue Jackets LW Matt Calvert had a goal and an assist vs. Boston Saturday, giving him four points (1 G, 3 A) in the past four games…Blue Jackets LW Scott Hartnell scored a pair of goals against Boston and has five points (3 G, 2 A) in the past five games…Blue Jackets D Jack Johnson recorded two assists in the win over Boston; he has eight points (2 G, 6 A) in the past nine games…Sabres LW Nicolas Deslauriers played a career-high 17:51 and recorded a goal and an assist in Buffalo’s 4-3 shootout win vs. the Islanders Saturday…Jets LW Andrew Ladd had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime win at Minnesota; he has 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in the past 10 games…Jets C Bryan Little also had a goal and an assist at Minnesota, and now has 10 points (6 G, 4 A) in the past 10 games…Wild RW Jason Pominville had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Winnipeg. In the past dozen games, Pominville has put up 13 points (4 G, 9 A)…Capitals RW Eric Fehr scored a pair of goals in a 3-0 win at Pittsburgh Saturday, giving him nine points (6 G, 3 A) in the past dozen games. Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin recorded 18 shot attempts (10 SOG) in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Pittsburgh…Senators D Erik Karlsson had 15 shot attempts (6 SOG) in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Detroit…Hurricanes C Jay McClement was buried in the defensive zone (3 shot attempts for, 22 against, 12.0%) in Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Tampa Bay…In Saturday’s 3-1 win over New Jersey, the Rangers’ line of Kevin Hayes, Lee Stempniak and Carl Hagelin had better than 80% possession, with Hagelin (13 shot attempts for, 2 against, 86.7%) leading the way…Blues RW Vladimir Tarasenko had a dominant possession game (22 shot attempts for, 4 against, 84.6%) in Saturday’s 4-3 loss to Dallas…The Ducks line of Andrew Cogliano, Nate Thompson and Jakob Silfverberg had excellent possession stats against Vancouver, with Thompson (27 shot attempts for, 5 against, 84.4%) leading the way. Coyotes G Devan Dubnyk stopped 35 of 36 shots in Saturday’s 2-1 shootout win against Anaheim. After washing out with an .891 save percentage last season, Dubnyk has rebounded with a career-best .924 save percentage this season…Lightning G Ben Bishop stopped 25 of 26 shots in a 2-1 win over Carolina…Hurricanes G Cam Ward turned aside 36 of 38 shots in the loss…Capitals G Braden Holtby had a 31-save shutout at Pittsburgh Saturday, lifting his save percentage in December to .933, which ranks fifth among goaltenders with at least 10 appearances this month. FIRSTS Max Friberg – A fifth-round pick in 2011, Friberg played his first NHL game for Anaheim Sunday, playing 8:47 against Vancouver. He had 11 points (5 G, 6 A) in 14 AHL games. Jeremy Morin – The Columbus winger scored his first goal of the season, on his 39th shot, ending his reign as the forward with the most shots without a goal this season. STILL LOOKING FOR GOAL NO. 1 PLAYER TEAM POS GP SOG Joakim Andersson Detroit LW 28 33 Brandon Bollig Calgary LW 30 28 Manny Malhotra Montreal C 35 28 Colin Greening Ottawa LW 15 27 Cody McCormick Buffalo LW 26 27 FANTASY TIPS It’s a busy night on the NHL schedule, with a dozen games. Here are half a dozen players in action that you may want to add to your lineup: Dmitrij Jaskin – Since being recalled to St. Louis from the AHL, Jaskin has three points (1 G, 2 A) in four games, skating on a line with Patrik Berglund and Paul Stastny. Josh Bailey – Playing with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo on the Islanders’ top line is a good gig and Bailey has four points (1 G, 3 A) in the past five games. Mike Hoffman – Ottawa’s leading goal scorer is getting a fine opportunity alongside Mika Zibanejad and Bobby Ryan. Mark Scheifele – The Winnipeg centre has nine points (3 G, 6 A) in the past seven games, riding high on a line with Mathieu Perreault and Michael Frolik. Sam Gagner – It’s been a hard start to his time in Arizona, but Gagner is coming on, with seven points (2 G, 5 A) in the past five games. Jamie McBain – He’s playing third-pair minutes in Los Angeles, but has been productive, with five points (2 G, 3 A) in his past six games – three points in three games since returning to the lineup. Much of the data included comes from www.war-on-ice.com, www.puckalytics.com, www.hockeystats.ca and www.naturalstattrick.com Scott Cullen can be reached at scott.cullen@bellmedia.ca Cheap Throwback Baseball Detroit Tigers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Colorado Rockies Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Houston Astros Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Kansas City Royals Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Los Angeles Angels Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Los Angeles Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Miami Marlins Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Milwaukee Brewers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Minnesota Twins Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball New York Mets Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball New York Yankees Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Oakland Athletics Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Philadelphia Phillies Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball San Diego Padres Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball San Francisco Giants Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Seattle Mariners Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Texas Rangers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Toronto Blue Jays Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Washington Nationals Jerseys ' ' '
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The Habsburgs (Moderators: grandduchessella, Forum Admin, Svetabel, britt.25) »
Emperor Karl of Austria & Empress Zita, their family, Part II
Author Topic: Emperor Karl of Austria & Empress Zita, their family, Part II (Read 103209 times)
KarlandZita
Mama Regina Elena
Re: Emperor Karl of Austria & Empress Zita, their family, Part II
Zita and her kids, around 1919-1920 :
Courtesy onb.at.
Reginei Mama Elena a Romaniei
JamesAPrattIII
I have some data on a couple of the photos:
reply 85 the men with the red cross and Knights of malta armbands are wearing the uniform of civilian officials
reply 102 Karl with the troops the book Uniforms and equipment of the Austro-Hungarian army in World war I Spencer a Coil has this picture in color. and dates it as 1915. Przemyl was under siege and captured and held by the Russians the first have of 1915 so if it was taken at Przemyl in 1915 it was taken in the fall of that year. This book has a number of other pictures taken of karl in a 1917 visit to the Southern (Italian) front.
I hope this is of some use and interest.
shvic300
Hi! As I understand she is the only daughter of Charles Adelheid.
Look at the color and texture of hair.
Where was this child in the previous 2 photos?
I think you will see there just Zita's niece.
Maria Sisi
http://www.crisismagazine.com/2012/blessed-karl-von-habsburg
http://mult-kor.hu/20121128_mibol_eltek_a_habsburgok_a_ket_vilaghaboru_kozott?pIdx=2
Has there been any talk of bringing Karl's remains back to Austria to lie next to Zita in the Imperial Crypt?
Two photos of Zita and Karl around the time of the engagement.
More pics and data on Kaiser Karl:
The great war channel week 95 has a picture of then archduke Karl this week they discuss the Asiago offensive or Strafexpedition (Punishment expedition). It began on 15 may 1916 and Karl was there as commander of the Austrian XX Corps.
This Austrian offensive made some gains and the Italians got into a panic and begged all their Allies for help. One result of this was the Russian Brussilov Offensive.
more information on youtube:
Strafexpedition: La Spedizione Punitiva 1916 has a film clip of Karl
boardgamegeek.com has the boardgame Strafexpedition 1916 played online
100 years ago AD Karl was put in command of Army Group Archduke Karl consisting of the Austrian 1st and 7th armies and the German 9th army. He was pretty much a figurehead a German General Hans Von Seekt ran things. One day Von Seekt was unhappy with the German 9th army's operations and sent an order for a detailed account of it's operations. The 9th army commander was General Von Falkenhayn the former Chief of Staff on the German army. He thought the order was unnecessary and refused to obey it as he had a battle to fight. One day Karl met up with Falkenhayn and things didn't go very well.
Falkenhayn: "What is your Imperial Highness thinking about? Who do you think is in front of you? I am a experienced Prussian General!"
Karl: said the order stands and walked off. I would say this incident didn't German-Austrian relations any good.
Kalafrana
This is very interesting - especially when I always thought that Karl was a sensible fellow!
Hans von Seekt was an interesting figure. He subsequently became Commander in Chief of the German Army under the Weimar Republic, when it was limited by the Versailles Treaty to 100,000 men on a minimum of 12 years' service, to make it impossible to build up a large reserve. Seekt created a highly professional army with a nucleus of very able officers, which became the foundation for the very effective army of the Nazi period.
Yes Von Seekt was a very interesting figure.
on the great war forum Italy section and the forumaxishistory.com First world war section there is a new posting of WW I photos taken by a soldier of the KUK 43 Infantry regiment/ 17th Infantry division on the Italian front during WW I. It includes a picture of Karl and what looks like one of Zita. A few of the other photos are graphic. the posting is www.worldwaronephotos.com
100 years ago the Italian army suffered it's worst defeat in its history the battle of Caperetto 24 Oct-19 Nov 1917 when a german and Austrian offensive broke through Italian lines and the Italians fled. For the last time in history church bells were rung in the Austro-Hungarian Empire to celebrate a victory of the Habsberg army.
10 June 1918 was one of disaster for the KUK marine the dreadnought battleship Szent Istvan was torpedoed and sunk by an Italian motor torpedo boat MAS 15. There is a famous film clip of the ship capsizing and sinking on youtube
The battle of the Piave 15-23 June 1918 was the last great offensive launched by the KUK Armee. It was a disaster where the army suffered heavy casualties that it could not replace. Karl deserves a lot of the blame for this disaster. One of his Army Group commander Conrad wanted to attack in the Tyrolean Alps the other Bonoevic wanted to attack across the Piave. So Karl splits the forces up equally and attacks in both locations. Result neither force was strong enough to break through and the Austrians were defeated.
To have launched such an offensive the first place was not a good idea. The KUK Armee was starving and in rags and short of everything. On the home front the people were also starving and in rags and short of everything. There was also major unrest on the home front as the Empire was falling apart and this defeat made matters worse.
I am a little late but:
24-Oct-4 Nov 1918 the battle of Vittorio Vento the Allied offensive against the Austrians. This was the last battle fought by the KUK Armee which was in a state of disintegration as was the rest of the Empire. 4 Nov was the day of the Armistance on the Italian front. On 11 November Kaiser Karl abdicates even though his wife Zita tried her best to stop him. One of the reasons he abdicated is there were no loyal troops around to defend him except for some cadets from a local military academy. In late life Zita says they sent out a number of telegrams requesting loyal troops but got no replies. GFM Baron Boroevic von Bojna the Italian front commander said he had some loyal troops and wanted to march on Vienna but, when he sent a telegram to Kaiser Karl the reply came back no. This reply most likely was not from Karl.
read about the last battles of the KUK Armee online:
"Austria-Hungary's Last war 1914-1918 Volume 7
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National/General Issues
Local & National Issues
How daft does it have to get?
By observer, August 15, 2006 in National/General Issues
observer 624
Locationwarrington
News tonight: An NHS Trust is paying the Police for extra security to protect staff from drunken yobs!
Peter T 61
Good Friend, Bad Enemy.
LocationLatchford.
Only this soft touch Government to blame with 24 hr drinking, soft on drugs and no discipline.
tonymaillman 0
Observer ...... I think that's an insult to the intelligence of Neanderthal man
McBain 1
I'd rather the NHS give each drunken yob a free injection of a powerful anasthetic/knock-down drug so that they quit moaning, then quit being conscious, and are then turfed back out in the street after being given a few judicious clouts around the ear 'ole
The tattoo across the forehead saying "I'm a drunken pillock" could then be re-charged to them once they wake up
It really shouldn't matter where you are or what you?re doing, if there's trouble the police should deal with it without putting their hand out.
I can just about see the logic of charging for the policing of football matches where a company is making a profit but hospitals and public events? Surely these sort of things are just part of everyday life and as such should be part of their "normal" duty.
I like the tattoo idea. A bit drastic but perhaps something similar with a big thick permanent marker that'd take a week of scrubbing to get off might be a good deterrent!
[ 17.08.2006, 21:12: Message edited by: Bill ]
Alas; what it tells us, is the Police are underfunded and undermanned.
I don't think their either. They just have an impossible task to perform with rules they have to follow.
Paul Kennedy 34
Originally posted by observer:
They also have to write a report on every conversation they have with Joe Public.
Work for 4 hours and paper crunch for 4 hours.
Not what people join the police for.
Why can't they use standard reports using a hand held computer, at the scene of an incident?
Not only would they need an ology, but they would probably get them nicked.
Ob, it would be easier for the police to use more straight forward technology like a digital memo-taker (with a 4GB capacity it could store hours of data) and then either record their conversation so it could be transcribed verbatim or subsequently typed up by a trained typist back at the office, or just verbally record their notes.
Unfortunately there is far too much red-tape preventing the Police from actually policing. In many instances it is simply not worth the officer's time intervening because of the sheer amount of paper work it will generate
It may be that it is not more officers that are needed, just more "back-room johnies" to support the officers we do have :confused:
Or just a lot less "red tape", problem is we would have to get the legal fraternity to agree. The more red tape there is, the easier it seems to be to get the guilty off on a technicality.
On the other hand there are those who will say, we need all the "red tape" to ensure there are less miscarriages of justice with innocent people being found guilty.
Mind you I always find guilty people getting off on a technicality a miscarriage of justice.
Being the simple fellow that I am, the accused either committed the crime or they didn't, technicalities don't come into it. Rather reminds me of a recent court case I read about where a person was stopped and found to be driving at over twice the drink drive limit, told to plead not guilty by his solicitor because the police had not asked him, had he vomitted prior to the breath test. When found guilty, the solicitor said that his client would have pleaded guilty but for the technicality of the vomitting question. Maybe the Magistrates should have sent both the accused and the solicitor to prison, one for committing perjury and the other for perverting the course of justice.
It's more probable that they would make the solicitor a Q.C. for his knowledge of how to exploit the system, and relegate the Magistrate for being a dunce
The problem seems to be that the "safeguards" on the system are biased toward the criminal rather than the victim. Intimidation of witnesses seems to be commonplace, but heaven-forbid a witness should try and browbeat a guilty defendant!
Mick Curran 0
I think its got more to do with the fact thar there are to many police of on sick pretending to be ill and they are just lazy.
Bold statement that Mick. Although it is a fact that sickness levels in the State sector are appreciably higher than those in the Private sector, guess its because you can't export many State type jobs to China/India. Mind you makes you think how many Polish police would like to come to work in the UK and for how much.
Don't the police have to do the backroom stuff as well now, because the civvies have been got rid of?
Mick, I wouldn't say lazy .......... more like disillusioned and demoralised.
How is it, that in some countries; like China, you can't move for coppers? :confused: As it seemed to be the case in the early 60s here? :confused:
Ob, you can't move for coppers in China because they are there to ruthlessly enforce a massively oppressive regime that needs to keep the majority in check. Are you saying you want the same here
Well yes McB; I suppose you do need lots of coppers to oppress a quarter of the world's population! BUT most Countries appear to have more per head of population than we do; maybe all ours are in the office, or out hunting for clues to a plot?!
Ob, lack of prison space can only be a contributory factor to the lunacy that is frequently exhibited by the judiciary. The truth of the matter is that too many judges and Magistrates are wrapped up in trying to cosset the criminals rather than punish them
As for lack of prison space, it was easy to solve a few years ago because the Crown could just build a new prison on its land without the need for planning permission. Unfortunately most prisons should be constructed far away from existing population centres (i.e. out in the countryside somewhere) and, with the Crown now subject to the planning Acts, this just will not happen! People will be up in arms about "loss of Green Belt" whilst at the same time bemoaning the increase in community service sentencing
This issue needs some serious political thought - who's going to do that... John Reid?????
I believe sentencing policies are "advised" from above, certainly to magistrates; and are governed by prison availability.
Perhaps time off for good behaviour should be knocked on the head and then that might act as a deterrent.
More ways of killing a cat!
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When the kids arrived at home last Monday night, they were greeted with Hootie, the Blue Stuffed Horned Owl from Ravenclaw's collection. The Vases were gone, the banners were gone, and in their place was a solitary Owl, delivering a message. Ravenclaw untied the scroll from Hootie's neck. The scroll contained instructions for the clue hunt to find out who won the House Cup. Each clue was hidden with a gem from the House Points. Whoever had the House with the Gem of their color got to read the riddle, but the team had to help solve it. After they read an understood the instructions, I gave Ravenclaw the first peice of parchment, on which was written a riddle.
Ravenclaw's clue came with a blue gem, so it was his to read. It lead the kids to the trail in the back yard. The clue was hidden next to a statue along the trail. (We call this place "the Moment Spot" because that's where the kids go when they need a moment and don't want to be bothered. Inside the container with the riddle was a golden gem. So Hufflepuff read this clue. It referenced Professor Spout. So after solving the clue, the kids found themselves in the Garden, where we held "Herbology class" earlier this year. (Since we had such a dry summer most of it is overrun with weeds, but the grow boxes that the kids planted hid clue #3.)
Slytherin read this clue as it contained a silver gem. This riddle sent the kids across the yard to the neighbor's gate. Next to the gate is a pile of bricks. They had to find out which brick hid the fourth clue. Gryffindor read this clue and pulled out the red gem. The answer to this riddle took the kids to the tree house where the final clue was found. It lead them all inside back to the table at the Great Hall (the Dining Room.)
While the kids were out searching for clues, I was inside, setting up the feast in the Great Hall.
By feast I mean Chicken Tacos served on Gold plates.
I also delivered the "owls". When the kids all came home there were just four vases lining the Great Hall.
Before The Owls Delivered the scrolls...
But when they came back inside, there was food on the table and Owls next to each vase. Inside each vase was a scroll, tied with a ribbon from the House's color.
"Who recieved the last clue?" I asked.
"Gryffindor!" answered Gryfifndor as she threw her hand into the air. "The person who got the last clue came in last for the House Cup," and I handed her the scroll out of Gryffindor's vase. She untied the red ribbon, unrolled the parchment and revealed a $10.00 bill. She was the least motivated by the House Cup, and it showed. She only had 62 points total, and was about 20 points behind the other participants.
"The House who recieved their clue second got third, " and Hufflepuff raised his hand. I gave him the scroll from his vase and he untied the yellow ribbon. Rolled into the parchment was $15.00.
"Hufflepuff, you only missed being the winner by 4 points!" The kids looked at me in surprise. "See? Every point matters. That leaves Ravenclaw and Slytherin." I turned to face the boys. "One of you had 82 points and the other had 83."
Ravenclaw smiled. When he counted his gems, he came up with 83. I had already counted Slytherin's points when Ravenclaw had counted his. So when he announced his number I laughed. Those two boys had been plotting to tie all along. How ironic that they actually had succeeded in tying? I decided to verify his count, which ended up in verifying all three of the boy's counts as they were so close.
So I took the scrolls out of the Ravenclaw and Slytherin vases and handed them to the two remaining participants. "Open them up and see who won." Ravenclaw's contained $20.00 and Slytherin won with $25.00. "One point," I said, "one point is what mattered." Needless to say, Slytherin was delighted at his accomplishment.
I have had to remind the kids that they are to save this prize money. It's not for spending...I know that defeats the purpose of Fun Dollars, but this money is especially earmarked for the trip.
Apparently it is imperative that we run another House Cup. The kids keep asking if we can, and I notice a definite drop in motivation to help. I think I should give the month of September over to getting established with new school routine and sports season. Then in October open the House Cup up again for another three months.
Until the Next Owl delivers a scroll...
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Artistic talent join forces to ask What Is … Light?
admin January 31, 2018 NewsComments are off for this post
What Is … Light? When: At Heads Up Festival, Wednesday 7th March 2018 Where: An intimate space and secret location in Hull’s Bankside industrial estate. An event that brings together a host of artists will take place at Hull’s Heads Up Festival. What Is … Light? will see visual artists, photographers, musicians, audio artists, writers, […]
Press Release: Brass players needed for award-winning British artist’s latest show
Ugly Chief – a funeral for a living soul… Where: Hull Minster When: March 2 & 3, 7.30pm Tickets: £15/£10 The organisers of Heads Up Festival are seeking brass and sax players to take part in performances of award-winning British artist Victoria Melody’s most ambitious show to date. Ugly Chief is a comedy based on […]
Press Release: It’s festival number 10 for Heads Up
Heads Up Festival’s spring 2018 season – the 10th Heads Up Festival – will take place from March 2 – March 17 at various venues, including Kardomah94, Hull Minster and Hull Central Library. The festival will include the world premiere of new E52 production Dark Winter at Hull Truck Theatre (March 13-17. SOLD OUT), award-winning […]
Sponge – malleable fun for babies and young children
Babies, young children and families are invited to roll, squeeze and pop themselves through a new malleable kind of show, set to an original 1970s-influenced score. In Turned On Its Head’s Sponge, heading to Hull’s Heads Up Festival, two friendly dancers guide the participants, revealing small- and large-scale squishy, squashy environments, fascinating in shape, texture and touch. […]
Press Release: Award-winning Victoria Melody returns to Hull
Where: Hull Minster When: March 2 & 3, 7.30pm Tickets: £15/£10 from www.uglychief.eventbrite.co.uk Artist and performer Victoria Melody teams up with her dad, TV antique dealer Mike Melody, for her most ambitious show yet. Ugly Chief is a comedy based on true-life events, performed by a real-life father and daughter. This is Victoria’s return to Heads […]
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Are You in an Emotionally Abusive Relationship With Yourself? Here Are 4 Ways To Treat Yourself Better
You may know the signs of an emotionally abusive relationship, but it might be time to examine how you’re treating *yourself.*
Sometimes we are harder on ourselves than we are on our loved ones. While it’s great to always be working toward improvement and recognize areas in which we can grow, it’s also important to have a healthy relationship with oneself. Self-love is the first step to being able to give away love and have healthy relationships with others. After all, how can you expect to have a functioning relationship with anyone else if you don’t even have anything nice to say to yourself?
Do you think you might be in an emotionally abusive relationship with yourself? It’s not too late to undo the habits you’ve fallen into. Ask yourself these three questions, then take these steps to work toward rebuilding a healthy internal relationship with the most important person in your life: you.
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Questions to Ask Yourself
Do you easily blame yourself or feel immense guilt?
In an abusive relationship, gaslighting is a term used to describe a technique in which one party attempts to alter the other person’s reality. Are you gaslighting yourself? If you are constantly accepting blame—even for things you cannot control or aren’t at fault for—you may be falling victim to the terrible habit of accepting a skewed, self-deprecating version of the truth.
Do you avoid certain situations, especially social ones?
Isolating is a huge red flag when it comes to abusive relationships. If you are withdrawing from friendships, relationships, and frequently turning down social opportunities, it may be because you aren’t happy with yourself and don’t feel comfortable or worthy of enjoying time with others.
Do you frequently talk down to yourself and believe only the negative?
When you look in the mirror, do you think positively or do you solely focus on the aspects you loathe? If you are constantly thinking dangerous thoughts like, “I hate myself,” “I’m so fat,” “I hate this body part,” “I can’t believe I did that/said that/acted like that,” your internal dialogue is emotionally abusive and could benefit from a severe renovation.
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How My Mother's Untreated Mental Illness Made Me Question Myself Mind
How to Revamp Your Relationship
Keep a Journal.
For one week, record both the negative and positive thoughts about yourself you have daily. Are there more entries in the negative column than the positive one? Reading through the messages you regularly convey visually shows you the treatment you’ve been giving yourself. Eventually, you should aim to circulate more self-loving, positive thoughts and talk to yourself the way you would a small child, a loved one, or even a pet.
Vow to Love Yourself Currently as You Are.
If you are guilty of thinking, “I’ll love myself when…” and then filling in the blank with whichever “accomplishment” matters most to you—ie. “when I lose 10 pounds,” “when I get a boyfriend,” “when I stop having anxiety,” “when I make more money,” etc.— recognize that even if you achieved these so-called accolades, your self-loathing habits likely won’t change. Love yourself as you are now. Consciously decide to do it. Learn to love your weight, your hair, every physical and emotional aspect about yourself that makes you who you are.
Make Plans Once a Week.
To avoid isolating yourself, start by committing to one social outing a week. It doesn’t have to be expensive; it can be as simple as going over a friend’s house to play video games or binge on Netflix together. Even one night outside of your own mind—and room—can improve your mood and the way you take care of yourself.
Surround Yourself With the Right Influences.
You deserve a team of people—whether it’s 10 people or one person—who genuinely cares about you, your well-being, and also serves as a good influence. Hanging with friends who only examine their imperfections and want to go back and forth talking about the things you both hate won’t help you change your internal dialogue with yourself. These are toxic relationships. Find people who love themselves in healthy doses—those who would never speak down on you and in turn, never speak down on themselves.
How do you recover from self-loathing thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
By Stephanie Osmanski on November 7, 2016
Stephanie is a chai tea enthusiast with a special penchant for telling apart the Sprouse twins. She works as a social media editor in the magazine industry and blogs about all things lifestyle at StephOsmanski.com. Her words have been featured on Seventeen, USA Today, J14, Parents, Hollywood, and more.
Acupuncture Didn’t Help Women Conceive, Study Claims
Period Cramps Don’t Just Happen in Your Abdomen
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Development of Global Consensus Sequence and Analysis of Highly Conserved Domains of the HCV NS5B Protein
Yasir Waheed 1 , * , Umar Saeed 1 , Sadia Anjum 1 , Mohammad Sohail Afzal 1 , Muhammad Ashraf 1
1 Atta-ur-Rehman School of Applied BioSciences (ASAB), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), [email protected], (44000), Pakistan
* Atta-ur-Rehman School of Applied BioSciences (ASAB), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), [email protected], (44000), Pakistan. Tel: +92-3005338171. Fax: +92-5190856102. Email: [email protected]
How to Cite: Waheed Y , Saeed U , Anjum S , Afzal M , Ashraf M . Development of Global Consensus Sequence and Analysis of Highly Conserved Domains of the HCV NS5B Protein, Hepat Mon. Online ahead of Print ; 12(9):6142. doi: 10.5812/hepatmon.6142.
Hepatitis Monthly: 12 (9); 6142
Published Online: September 30, 2012
Accepted: August 14, 2012
Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a plus stranded RNA virus which encodes 10 different genes. The HCV NS5B gene encodes a polymerase, which is responsible for the replication of the virus and is a potential target for the development of antiviral agents. HCV has a high mutation rate and is classified into six major genotypes.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to draw a representing consensus sequence of each HCV genotype, align all six consensus sequences to draw a global consensus sequence and also study the highly conserved residues.
Materials and Methods: 236 HCV NS5B sequences, belonging to all six genotypes, reported from all over the world were aligned then a representing phylogenetic tree wasdrawn.
Results: The active site residues D220, D225, D318 and D319, which bind the divalent cations, are highly conserved among all the HCV genotypes. The other catalytic pocket residues, R158, S367, R386, and T390 and R394, which interact with the triphosphate of NTPs, are also highly conserved while T390 is mutated to valine in the genotype 5. The motif B residues G283, T286, T287 and N291, which take part in sugar selection by RdRp, are also highly conserved except for T286 which is mutated to proline in the genotypes 3 and 6. The residues E18, Y191, C274, Y276 and H502, which take part in primer/template interaction, are also high conserved except for H502 which is mutated to serine in genotype 2. High variation in all the six consensus sequences was observed in a 12 amino acid beta hairpin loop, which interacts with the double stranded RNA. Nine different peptides from the highly conserved regions of HCV NS5B protein were drawn which can be used as a peptide vaccine. The HCV NS5B phylogenetic tree shows the clusters of different genotypes and their evolutionary association.
Conclusions: In spite of a high mutation rate in HCV, the residues which are present in the catalytic pocket, sugar selection and template/primer interaction are highly conserved. These are target sites for the development of antiviral agents or peptide vaccines. The phylogenetic analysis suggests that different HCV genotypes have been evolved from the genotype 1a.
DOWNLOAD PDF ( 3.72 MB )
Yasir Waheed: [PubMed] [Scholar]
Umar Saeed: [PubMed] [Scholar]
Sadia Anjum: [PubMed] [Scholar]
Mohammad Afzal: [PubMed] [Scholar]
Muhammad Ashraf: [PubMed] [Scholar]
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ResearchReport
Search in ResearchReport x
Review of orthopaedic services: Prepared for the Auditor General for Scotland. March 2010
Review of orthopaedic services: Prepared for the Auditor General for Scotland. March 2010. Website http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/media/article.php?id=128 "In recent years, the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland has significantly reduced the length of time people are waiting to receive orthopaedic procedures such as hip replacements and knee operations. Over 95% of patients are now treated within 26 weeks of referral, compared to only 66% in 2003. But there is scope to make savings by working more efficiently. An Audit Scotland report, Review of orthopaedic services, says there is high demand for these services. Orthopaedic care is particularly important for older people, who have the highest rates of fractures and joint replacement."
#Orthopedics
#GreatBritain
#Knee
Chris Oliver
almost 10 years ago
The 'Wisdom' Behind Wisdom Teeth Extractions
Wisdom teeth, whether impacted or not, are frequent causes of patholog and recommendations for early removal has been well documented in th literature and again most recently by a special task force from AAOMS What is most alarming is that problems occur even in patients with n symptoms or with non-impacted wisdom teeth. This podcast reviews th report by AAOMS task force and other key information to help patient and dentists make better decisions.
#HealthEconomics
#ResearchReport
H. Ryan Kazemi, Dmd
Focus On: Acetaminophen Toxicity and Treatment
The 2004 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System indicated 133,125 exposures to acetaminophen and combination products containing acetaminophen. Of these, there were 218 deaths, almost half of which were due to ingestions of combination products.
#Therapeutics
#Acetaminophen
American College Of Emergency Medicine
Radiation Injury / Nuclear MCI
The US government last week released a report that the threat of a nuclear device used in an act of terrorism is high in the next couple of years. In this episode we discuss the some concepts of the medical care required to those exposed to radiation as well as blast injuries. I hope this is information that none of you will ever need.
#EmergencyMedicine
#Government
Jeffrey S. Guy, MD, FACS
3D Visualisation System Report
An overview of the project to create a 3D stereoscopic anatomy teaching resource for aortic anatomy and the pathology of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
#Pathology
A Case Report: X-linked Dominant Protoporphyria
This narrated case report illustrates this newly discovered porphyria and also provides some background medical education to the porphyrias as a whole.
#Neonates
#MetabolicDiseases
Matthew Seager
Wales Medical Undergraduate Conference Case Presentation - A Dangerous Cough
A case report surrounding a “A dangerous cough” which highlights the importance of healthcare advertising and describes how a fairly innocent presentation can later turn out to be a more sinister pathology.
ABHISHEK CHITNIS
Inappropriate Authorship
The current trend of Publish or Perish and also for academic excellence, scientists get recognition by publications. However, besides publications in journal, there is a need for building educational scholarships and portfolios for proving excellence in academics. This is summary of report presented at ETHICSCON 2013 held at AIIMS Jodhpur, India on 9-10 December 2013.
#FellowshipsAndScholarships
Dr Kuldeep Singh
Watch a woman get a 3D-printed skull
Watch a woman get a 3D-printed skull For more latest tech news and product reviews SUBSCRIBE to http://www.youtube.com/user/TechyGUYS When a Dutch woman with a rare condition needed a new skull, surgeons 3D-printed one for her and put it on her brain like a cap. An entire human cranium can now be added to the growing list of 3D-printed body parts that includes a fingertip, a hand, prosthetic eyes, arms, a jaw, and even a new foot for a duck. The plastic skull was made by an Australian firm and placed on the brain of a Dutch woman at Utrecht University's University Medical Center in the Netherlands. The operation, which lasted 23 hours, took place about three months ago, and Dutch News just reported that the patient has returned to work -- plastic noggin and all. "The patient has her sight back entirely, is symptom-free, is back to work, and it is almost impossible to see that she's ever had surgery," lead neurologist Ben Verweij said in a statement. Prior to the procedure, the woman's skull was more than three times thicker than a normal skull due to a rare condition. The increased thickness caused the woman's skull to press on her brain, leading to severe headaches and vision loss. Although the report doesn't name the condition, Camurati-Engelmann disease is among the ailments that can cause skull bones to thicken. "Implants used to be made by hand in the operating theater using a sort of cement which was far from ideal," Verweij said of the procedure, according to Dutch News. "Using 3D printing we can make one to the exact size. This not only has great cosmetic advantages, but patients' brain function often recovers better than using the old method." Verweiji says that although portions of skulls have been swapped out in the past, this is the first time an entire cranium has been replaced in a patient. And I bet this is the first time you've ever seen a plastic skull get attached to a real live brain. Let me know what you think in the comments below. TAGS play station 4, play station, play station 2 emulator, play station emulator, play station 3, free play station emulator, play station network, sony play station, play station 2, xbox one, xbox, xbox 360, xbox live, xbox 360 iso, xbox emulator, xbox 360 game, gta 5 cheat xbox, xbox iso, gta 5 cheat xbox 360, xbox 360 deal, microsoft, microsoft office, microsoft window, microsoft security essentials, microsoft office 2000, 2003 edition microsoft office professional, 2003 microsoft office student, microsoft word, 2007 microsoft office system, microsoft window xp, download microsoft word, microsoft window media center, microsoft internet explorer, 2007 download microsoft word, microsoft excel, microsoft account, microsoft outlook, microsoft corporation, microsoft window 7, microsoft surface, microsoft office word, microsoft download, microsoft online, microsoft office 2010, explorer internet microsoft update, microsoft power point, microsoft update, download microsoft office, microsoft xbox 360, microsoft computer training, apple, apple store, apple itunes music store, apple itunes, apple ipad, apple iphone, apple ipod, apple laptop, apple vacation, apple ipad mini, apple fix, apple logo, apple tv, apple support community, apple software download, apple iphone 5c, apple iphone 5s, apple iphone 4, apple iphone 5, samsung galaxy, samsung, samsung galaxy s4, samsung galaxy s3, viber for samsung, samsung flight, samsung galaxy note, samsung phone, att samsung galaxy, samsung galaxy note 3, samsung kies, samsung galaxy s iii, sprint samsung galaxy, samsung galaxy s2, samsung galaxy tab 3, samsung galaxy s 4, samsung tablet, samsung galaxy tab, samsung galaxy s, att samsung, samsung galaxy note 2, samsung galaxy s5, samsung galaxy tab 2, samsung galaxy mega, samsung galaxy s3 mini, samsung galaxy s4 mini, samsung galaxy s ii, how to screen shot on samsung galaxy s4, mobile samsung, sony, sony video game, sony tv, sony vaio, sony xperia, sony play station, sony ericsson, sony xperia z, sony laptop, sony entertainment network, sony camera, sony xperia z1, sony tv live, sony psp wall, sony vegas, sony vaio laptop, sony computer, sony style, sony mobile,
#Headache
#GeneralSurgery
Four Vanderbilt schools ranked in ‘U.S. News & World Report’ top 25 lists
Vanderbilt’s schools of business, education, law and medical research were all selected in the top 25 in their categories of the best graduate schools as ranked by
#BiomedicalResearch
NHS Pay Review Body ignored; NHS staff denied
The Pay Review Body report released today confirms the case for applying the maximum possible uplift to pay for NHS staff. The Government has ignored this for staff working in England. Nurses, paramedics, healthcare managers, porters, cleaners, medical records staff and healthcare assistants alike have been sent a clear message by Jeremy Hunt – that he wants to cut further and deeper and they are the ones who will have to pay. NHS staff in England will only get 1% if they are at the top of their pay band – which means that over two thirds of staff will miss out.
#Nursing
touchstoneblog.org.uk
London NHS services 'unravelling', new report says - BBC News
A new report into the service provided by the NHS is London describes it as "cash strapped, fragmented health care and unravelling".
The horrific toll of America's heroin 'epidemic' - BBC News
Heroin abuse in the US has spread beyond inner cities, resulting in a sharp rise in deadly addiction. The BBC's Ian Pannell reports from Chicago, a hub for cheap, pure and plentiful heroin.
NHS fraud ‘equal to its entire budget for cancer treatment’
The true cost of fraud inside the NHS could be more than £5bn a year, more than 20 times the official government figure, a new report has warned.
#Neoplasms
#Fraud
Jeremy Hunt says hospitals will be obliged to report medical errors
Every hospital in England will have a legal duty to own up to mistakes and errors that cause harm to patients under a new “duty of candour” to be introduced by the Government.
#MedicalErrors
Should we pay a monthly membership fee to the NHS? - BBC News
In a report for the think tank Reform, former Labour health minister Lord Warner and policy consultant Jack O'Sullivan argue radical measures are needed to pay for the health service over the coming years.
#WeightsAndMeasures
#Consultants
Paralysed men move again with spinal stimulation - BBC News
Four paralysed men have been able to move their legs for the first time in years after electrical stimulation of their spinal cords, US doctors report.
#Leg
#SpinalCord
Tamiflu: Millions wasted on flu drug, claims major report - BBC News
Hundreds of millions of pounds have been wasted on Tamiflu, a drug for flu that may work no better than paracetamol, a landmark analysis says.
The Rural Blog: Report finds that 26.7 percent of rural children live in poverty, 12.2 percent in deep poverty
A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, by the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based at the University of Kentucky. Links may expire , require subscription or go behind pay walls. Please send news and knowledge you think would be useful to al.cross@uky.edu. Follow us on Twitter @RuralJournalism
#Psychiatry
irjci.blogspot.co.nz
Failure to spot kidney illness ‘kills 1,000 a month’
Failures in basic hospital care are resulting in more than 1,000 deaths a month from the preventable condition acute kidney injury (AKI), an NHS report has found.
#Urology
#Renal
#Nephrology
#AcuteKidneyInjury
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Home > People > Kilmaine, Co. Mayo - Chief Landlords of the area. >
Kilmaine, Co. Mayo - Chief Landlords of the area.
Cloghans
Turin Castle
by Evelyn Keane
The Landlords were the Lewins, Rutherfords, Kirwans, Staples and Bowens.
Lewins
General Arthur Lewin owned part of the land of Kilmaine and occupied Cloghan Castle in the early 20tth century. The house has been described as 18th century with 19th century alterations. General Lewis was an aviation enthusiast and went to live in Nairobi, Kenya in the 1930’s. Cloghan’s was sold in to the McCartans in the 1940’s and is now the home of the Kelly family.
Rutherfords
In the 1850s, the Rutherfords occupied Turin Castle. They owned a vast amount of land around Kilmaine and a gatehouse was situated at the entrance to the estate. That small building still remains.
Kirwans
Milford House was the residence of the Kirwan family. They owned several townlands within Kilmaine; Carrowmore; Ballycushion and Cloongownagh, to name but a few. In later years the Ormsby family married into the estate; the descendants of the family still occupy Milford House
The Bowens of Co. Mayo appear to be descended from the Bowens of Ballyadams, Queen’s county (county Laois). Anthony Bowen Elwood held lands in the parishes of Kilcommon, barony of Kilmaine and in Kilcolman, barony of Claremorris. He was recorded as an absentee landlord in 1802 and the estate was run by his agent Charles Cromie, who resided at Annefield, Hollymount.
My granny and grandad were given this gatehouse as a wedding present, my granny May Flanagan nee Mooney worked in Turin house and they gave her the gatehouse as a wedding present.
My mum Kathleen Flanagan 84 years young, her sister Josie Flanagan RIP and their two brothers Tom and Pake RIP lived there.
By Dorothy Hession
Tim & Rosaleen, there were Rippinghams in Coolylaughnan, more commonly known as Brownstown, Hollymount which is where my mother's family is from and is about four miles north of Ballinrobe. My mother's maternal uncle used to mention Rippingham as part of the family name according to my aunt. The Rippingham land that was leased per Griffith's Valuation in Coolylaughnan from as early as the 1857 publication of that record was passed to my mother's maternal family, the Heraghty's, which further bolsters the evidence of the relationship. I have seen Rosaleen's tree on Ancestry and noticed that her Rippingham ancestor married a Bartley and they settled in England. My mother's family is Bartley, so there would seem to be a strong possibility that they were all from Brownstown. You can reach me via email @ bbbmckeon@aol.com if you'd like any further details.
By Brian McKeon
Hi Rosaleen,
That means we're cousins! My grandfather was Thomas Francis Ord Rippingham whose grandfather Christopher John Rippingham left Ballinrobe around 1850. Christopher had a memorial obelisk erected at the head of his parents and grandparents grave beside the old ruined church in the graveyard on High Street.
Building on my grandfathers notes regarding the Rippinghams I have gathered up a huge amount of information on the Rippingham family who originate from Riplingham in East Riding of Yorkshire.
The family pedigree in the British Library starts with Philip de Ripplingham 10 years after the Conquest. The original spelling of the name was Ripplingham, the "l" was dropped around the late 1500s.
Unfortunately, the identification of their land in the Ballinrobe area has so far evaded me, though I believe they originally came to Ireland with the initial plantation of Coleraine [County Derry/Londonderry] and some of the family were later replanted to the Ballinrobe area.
By Tim Scott
My great grandparents were born in Ballinrobe - Thomas Rippingham date of birth: 1831. Left in 1861 to go to Ashton-Under-Lyne Staffs UK with many others from Ballinrobe. Anyone know if this family were 'freeholders'?
By Rosaleen (Carney) Gustavson
Hi, would anyone have any information on the Rippingham family of Ballinrobe?
Two Thomas Rippingham signed the 1716 Ballinrobe fortification petition; those who signed are described as freeholders, so presumably they owned land in the area at that time. Cheers,
Tim Scott.
Milford House was featured in BBC4 programme 'The other Irish travellers', broadcast on 16/12/12.
By bernard joyce
Rutherford Big House: There is a photo with Patrick Mooney holding the reins of a race horse at what appears to be the north side of the house at the corner of the front elevation facing west.
There also appears to be tall pillars along that north side and bay windows near the corner; basement windows and a portico in the center on the west side.
On a map the outline of the house appears to be square with a portico. An eye witness, who saw the house as a child, said that the hallway had animal heads displayed and that there were many windows.
The outline of the house is very faint but visible and I have hand-drawn what I could see, however, I am not an architect or artist.***
The will of Margaret Rutherford mentions an oil painting of Emily Gowen Tozzi or Fozzi; a large ivory vestal virgin and chippendale dining chairs among other things that she bequeathed to her brothers and sisters and nieces; Elspeth Howie (Barron), Dorothy Howie aviatrix and Alison Howie(Bailward).
*** Ms. Evans has very kindly supplied the drawings and map which are published on this site and titled Rutford Big House by Elizabeth Lee Evans as a seperate article. Thank you for your interest and support.
By Elizabeth Lee Evans
Regarding the mention of the Rutherford family,in fact,they did not occupy Turin Castle.They lived in Turin House,the mansion that stood,untill its demolition in the 1940s,a short distance from the Castle. I have often heard talk about the House but have never seen a picture of it.Would anyone have such an image of the building.It would be interesting to see it published on this site. Regards, Jon.
By Jon Dee.
John King US Navy
John O'Connor & Gerard O'Malley
KATHLEEN KILBANE 1933-1947 Information Appeal
Lardner Family, Ballinrobe
Last Schoolmaster at Ballinrobe Workhouse
Letter from Mary Cruise re Frank and John Looby
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The Historyscoper's Islam Watch Blog
islam, jihad
Are You Unknowingly Supporting Islamic Terrorism? Photos Show IRUSA Chairman’s Muslim Brotherhood Support
May 30, 2018 Historyscoper
https://www.investigativeproject.org/7468/photos-show-irusa-chairman-muslim-brotherhood
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" Strange times are these, in which we live, forsooth; When young and old are taught in Falsehood's school:– And the man who dares to tell the truth, Is called at once a lunatic and fool." - George Francis Train (1829-1904)
"In their collective state, the Borg are utterly without mercy; driven by one will alone: the will to conquer. They are beyond redemption, beyond reason." - Capt. Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise
Islam stinks, and it's easy to criticize it, and even make a career doing so, but that doesn't make one's other views worth spit. In particular, ROBERT SPENCER (Catholic) AND PAMELA GELLER (Jewish) think they were appointed and won't plug or even mention other blogs on theirs, clearly intending to squeeze them out and create their own monopoly. Leaders of a movement of any kind they are not, except in a bad way. Never fear, nobody owns the Internet, and when their readers figure it out, they too shall pass, especially because they're clearly only in it for the money, how 'bout them nice speaking tours and them ridiculous bus ads that waste money that could be used to reward other Islam watcher blogs, but are clearly for only one purpose, to generate controversy to get them speaking fees. Not satisfied to found an org. called Stop Islamization of America, they tried to trademark the name like they own the words. They're not on our team or your team, they're on their own team. I don't recommend that you contribute any money to them, they've outlived their usefulness. Donate to moi instead, the only person who is truly devoted to the truth and to free speech. They stink up the cause of fighting Islam like Mad Mary O'Hara (Madalyn Murray O'Hair) did the cause of American Atheism before she was murdered.
I represent America and defend its core constitutional values, not some puppetmaster's. I am not just non-religious, I'm anti-religious, just like the key Founding Fathers. Sure, we allow religious freedom, but only under watchdog control. Jews and Catholics did little to support the Founding Fathers back then unless there was something in it for them, and it is a credit to the Founding Fathers that they allowed them to even tag along when their loyalties were divided; e.g., in 1588, less than 200 years before 1776, the Catholics tried to invade England and extirpate Protestantism by bloody murder, while most Jews liked living in the Muslim Ottoman Empire or America's enemy Britain, and those few in America loved to set up closed communities where Jewish Kosher law not American ruled, although they at least didn't try to spread it by jihad like Muslims do. At least both groups mellowed out over 2 centuries, but now with the rising Islam threat, that doesn't make us forget their past.
As to S&G, they do not appear to even visit this blog occasionally, what maroons, the blind leading the blind, good news, you'll know more than them every day of the week. And they're outright frauds, claiming to champion American free speech, when for years Spencer's blog has banned me from posting, and since May 26, 2015 so does Geller's. Nobody who bans a person from posting, as opposed to deleting individual posts, and then only because they're forced to by the govt., is a champion of free speech, but is an enemy of it, deserving of no support or association. It's no mystery either. All of Spencer's anti-Islam work is suspect as the work of a Catholic front who wants to bring the Dark Ages laws stifling of free speech back, while Geller is transparently an Israeli front posing as a red-white-blue American while wanting free speech only for Jews in America. While I support Israel I don't want its constitution to become ours, sorry. In short, S&G are phonies. Neither of them represent the legacy of George Washington, but only want to wrap themselves in its image to sucker dopes into helping them defend alien interests. They and anybody who ever worked for them is banned from association with me or my orgs. When they did it to me they did it to themselves, it's my policy, sorry. I'm the real deal, they stink. If you don't like me for this, tell me and I'll ban you too.
Speaking of Islam watchers, if you run a blog that's linked to here, how about telling your readers about it, preferably in your masthead? I do everything I can to promote you already, don't I? When you give me a plug you help yourself. No, I don't want to evolve into another P&G, but want us all to prosper together and unite behind my Winslow Plan. One day we might actually have a democratic membership society which elects its leaders for fixed terms.
Regular readers: Just think. What would you do without this blog? How to donate? If you want to flip me a quarter, just click an advertisement. To donate more, there's a Paypal button at the end of the page. The donations must have no strings attached. Not that I really need to be making life so easy for you. It helps you for me to run this blog more than it does me. Despite running an online world history school that invites everybody to try despite long odds of success, TLW is currently the world's only Historyscoper (tm), it's lonely at the top, and since you can't be here with me you can send me money and hope I stick around. I don't live for money, I live for knowledge, but I'll take all the money I can get, so be generous, I'm not a disembodied brain, papa needs a new pair of shoes. BTW, why not tip the blogs I regularly link to if you like them, they're the lifeblood I'm just the heart pumping them to you and the brain organizing it.
I'm sorry if you can't handle the reading load here, but with me it's no sweat. This blog of blogs on Islam is merely my reading list on this one subject, check out my 20+ other blogs. The way I work is that I post each link after sponging it into my giant brain. If you can't keep up with me you can at least try your best, at least you know where to catch up with what you missed. So what if you're a zillion posts behind, at least you can get ahead of your next-door neighbor here. Never fear, I help by digesting the material and producing awesome astounding Historyscopes (tm) on my main Web site Historyscoper.com. Of course, they'll strain your brain, but that's nice because if it doesn't bust it'll grow. Your lack of mental power is your problem, not mine. I have no problems. I teach to all who can benefit from it. Who can replace me?
Have an article you think TLW should read, or a blog to add to his blog list? After searching to make sure it hasn't been posted, email the url to my Historyscoper account on gmail with msg title "HISTORYSCOPER/ISLAM WATCH BLOG" in caps. If you have a new blog you want me to plug, tell me please.
Oh yes. Is TLW leftist, rightist, or what? He's above all that, he's TLW, so awesome he talks about himself in the third person :)
NB: TLW is 100% for the Jewish State of Israel, which doesn't make him Israeli though, he's American first, but his knowledge of history tells him that Jews have a historical right to their own state with capital in Jerusalem, and that bucking them is suicide. There's only 13.7 million Jews, so why can't the 300 million Arabs make room for poor outnumbered surrounded Israel and leave it alone? Answer: ISLAM, which teaches Muslims to wage eternal jihad no matter how futile and bloody. The answer is for Muslims to chuck the Quran and Allah and forget Muhammad and clear out from the Nile to the Euphrates and let the Jewish State of Israel lead them back into the human race.
BIG NOTE: Don't rely on my Twitter or other feeds to keep up on all the posts here, they only provide spotty coverage, and combine posts from my numerous other blogs. For maximum benefit load the home page in your browser in a permanent tab and refresh it every hour or oftener. It's like sitting in the eagle's eyrie, like no other blog can give you.
My blog mainly links to posts by others, giving them a stage. But there's something that my sole creation, and nobody else can share the credit: my little old Winslow Plan.
No matter how bad the Muslim World gets, there's always a plan on the table for Islam's ultimate defeat, my Winslow Plan for Defeating Islam. How much blood will have to be spilled before the non-Muslim world wakes up and gets behind it? Yes, it's drastic, because it's war, and it assumes that all the ineffectual diplomatic solutions have finally been scrapped and we have the will to win at all costs. I'm not proposing it lightly, but my mind tells me that it's the only solution based on the truth. Read it now: The Winslow Plan for Defeating Islam Forever
TLW's Hillaryscope
Hadith, Saheeh Muslim 2889, “Verily Allah has shown me the eastern and western part of the earth, and I saw the authority of my Ummah (Islamic nation) dominate all that I saw.”
Qur’an Sura 4:89, “Have no unbelieving [non-Muslim] friends. Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them.”
Qur’an Sura 9:30, “And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!”
75 Years Ago He Saw It Coming
Quotes from Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953), The Great Heresies (1938):
"Islam is apparently unconvertible. The missionary efforts made by great Catholic orders which have been occupied in trying to turn Mohammedans into Christians for nearly 400 years have everywhere wholly failed. We have in some places driven the Mohammedan master out and freed his Christian subjects from Mohammedan control, but we have had hardly any effect in converting individual Mohammedans."
"Will not perhaps the temporal power of Islam return and with it the menace of an armed Mohammedan world, which will shake off the domination of Europeans - still nominally Christian - and reappear as the prime enemy of our civilization? The future always comes as a surprise, but political wisdom consists in attempting at least some partial judgment of what that surprise may be. And for my part I cannot but believe that a main unexpected thing of the future is the return of Islam."
"There is no reason why its recent inferiority in mechanical construction, whether military or civilian, should continue indefinitely. Even a slight accession of material power would make the further control of Islam by an alien culture difficult. A little more and there will cease that which our time has taken for granted, the physical domination of Islam by the disintegrated Christendom we know."
Daily links to articles and op-eds for serious Islam watchers
‘The crisis is far from over’: Battle to control Iraq extends beyond Twitter fight between Trump and Khamenei, analysts say
Middle East Policy – Realism vs. Wishful-thinking
VIDEO: Egyptian Cleric Muhammad Al-Zoghbi: Khamenei Was Crying at Soleimani’s Funeral because Iran’s Arms Have Been Cut off; This Is the End of the Iranian Regime
New video shows that 2 missiles struck the Ukrainian plane that crashed in Iran
Historyscoper on Western Journal: “Did Army College Just Cave? Islam Expert Postponed After Muslim Activists’ Uproar”
Historyscoper on U.S. appeals court says Trump travel ban unlawfully discriminates against Muslims
Historyscoper on “Arabs and Muslims Will Never Accept Israel as the Jewish State” by Daniel Pipes Feb 2, 2018
Historyscoper on Remember The Largest Terrorism Financing Trial in US History by Steve Amundson
Historyscoper on Islamic Shariah Law for the New Year
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The All-Seeing Eye of the Historyscoper ™
Don’t Let the Racism Thang Throw You
The Winslow Plan for Defeating Islam Forever - read and share it with non-Muslims only.
Islamophobia? Will that sick lying term ever die?
Islamophobia? A phobia is an irrational fear. With doomed desperate Islam, it's irrational not to fear it and keep vigilant, because Islam wants you to fear it so it can dominate the world. This recently coined newspeak word is a reverse psychology con by Muslim and pro-Muslim disinfo. artists to make you stick your head in the sand to aid their infiltration so they can turn the West into a living hell like the Middle East. In light of open threats to all who "offend Islam" including Pamela Geller and the journalists of Charlie Hebdo, Islamophobes are those who AREN'T afraid of Islam.
Sorry, but we Islamophobes won't go, nor the infidel West, no matter how much intimidation from the Muslim World and the Western left they endure. Rather, it's the Muslim World that must go, along with all its hate and fearmongering. Now a bunch of hardcore Muslims have declared a caliphate, which is gaining followers daily, and will eventually make it mandatory for all Muslims worldwide to go on jihad, making Muslims in the West into agents of a foreign power and enemy combatants in their midst.
So yes, we should all fear Islam, but not fear to fight it, and hate and despise it too, openly and proudly. Islam is a huge mental straightjacket of lies and fraud and hate, threatening to send humanity back to the Dark Ages, and it must go, it really must go.
Sorry, leftist PC useful idiots, Muslims aren't our friends. The Quran commands them to be enemies of all non-Muslims, and befriend them only under false pretenses for an ultimate victory. Allowing them to immigrate to the West without apostasizing first is wrong and sick. Yes, their big oil bucks allow them to pervert the media and govt., so listen to what they say but watch what they do, and work, watch, and wait for the joyous day of the Great Muslim Apostasy when hundreds of millions tweet that they're chucking Islam, Allah, Muhammad and his Great Jihad and dancing in the streets with Jews, asking for help in being absolved of their crimes and rejoining the human race in a new Middle East that's a credit to the world instead of an eyesore.
The U.N., which is now dominated by the 57-member Org. of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has made a big mistake in admitting Muslim nations in the first place, who all know very well that criticism of Islam is the seed, apostasy the fruit, and mental freedom the feast they don't want their people to enjoy. Instead of going with the sick OIC program of criminalizing criticism of Islam, the U.N. should expel any member nation that continues to criminalize criticism of Islam or apostasy, or won't renounce Islam as its official religion, or even tries to restrict non-Muslim immigration. The future must belong to those who apostasize from Islam, up yours Obama. If the worse comes and Europe goes, America will never fall, and will be victorious in the end. There will be world in our future where Islam is kaput forever, and now is the time to show your support by joining the fight.
DEAR PUSSIES: Islam LOVES You Being A POLITICALLY CORRECT, Nutless Wonder
What to say when ignorant people accuse you of being racist for honestly criticizing Islam
Keep America Sharia-Free
"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire
"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter." ~ George Washington
I agree with Voltaire and Washington, BUT when what you're preaching is hatred of free speech, then SHUT UP OR GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY. - TLW
"The trouble with Islam is deeply rooted in its teachings. Islam is not only a religion. Islam is also a political ideology that preaches violence and applies its agenda by force... No one can be a true Muslim and a true American simultaneously. Islam is both a religion and a state, and to be a true Muslim you must believe in Islam as both religion and state. A true Muslim does not acknowledge the U.S. Constitution, and his willingness to live under that constitution is, as far as he is concerned, nothing more than an unavoidable step on the way to the constitution's replacement by Islamic Sharia law." - Wafa Sultan, "The God Who Hates", 2009
Multiculturalism that's well-controlled can be nice, but when Muslims from the Muslim World are allowed to immigrate without apostasizing and burning their bridges, they bring the intolerant supremacist Muslim World and its horrors with them, and the Muslims will refuse to assimilate and instead form Muslim-only areas or "stans" where the Constitution is weakened or abolished, as preparation for a coming jihad to overthrow the entire infidel republic of people the Quran teaches them to hate and fight to total submission. In short, Allah, Muhammad, and the Quran are archenemies of the U.S. Constitution, and it's like two scorpions in a bottle. When will the American people wake up and throw out the ignorant bums in Congress who are oblivious to this? Will I live long enough to see my Winslow Plan for Defeating Islam Forever become THE plan? Read It Now or You're A Sad Sack.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. - John F. Kennedy
Islam vs. the Ten Commandments
Denver the next Ground Zero?
Homeland Security Live Alert
Islam: To Know It Is to Hate It
More Muhammad Cartoons
There Is Only Islam - And It Must Go, It Really Must Go, by TLW
Is it getting a little hot where you live? Yes, it is a global conspiracy. Can you pass a basic test on the key orgs. and leaders of the modern Muslim World, including those in the U.S.? Study The Historyscoper's Modern Muslimscope and pass the advanced test too.
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St Paul's Church, Skelmersdale
Church in Lancashire, England
Location in Skelmersdale
Show map of Skelmersdale
Location in West Lancashire
Show map of the Borough of West Lancashire
Coordinates: 53°33′00″N 2°47′33″W / 53.5500°N 2.7924°W / 53.5500; -2.7924
SD 476,062
Church Road, Skelmersdale, Lancashire
St Paul, Skelmersdale
Consecrated
Functional status
Heritage designation
Grade II
Austin and Paley
Sandstone, tiled roofs
Archdeaconry
Vicar(s)
Revd Christopher Spittle
Curate(s)
Revd Jack Shepherd ]]
St Paul's Church is in Church Road, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Ormskirk, the archdeaconry of Warrington, and the diocese of Liverpool.[1] The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[2]
2.1 Exterior
2.2 Interior
3 External features
A chapel was first built in Skelmersdale in 1776 as a chapel of ease to St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk. It was enlarged in 1823 and again in 1850. In 1856 it became a parish church in its own right, and was dedicated to Saint Paul. Later in the 19th century the chapel was damaged by subsidence due to coal mining. The present church was built on different site nearby.[3] Its foundation stone was laid in July 1903, and the church was consecrated on 18 December 1906 by the Rt Revd Francis Chavasse, bishop of Liverpool.[4] It was designed by the Lancaster architects Austin and Paley, and provided seating for 575 people.[5] The plan was to add a tower on the north side of the chancel, but this was never built.[6]
The church is constructed in sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings, and has a red tiled roof.[2] Its architectural style is free Perpendicular.[6] The plan consists of a five-bay nave with a clerestory, a west canted baptistry, north and south aisles, and a chancel, with the base of the projected tower to the north, and a vestry to the south. The clerestory windows have arched heads and contain rounded tracery. The windows along the sides of the aisles are flat-headed, and also contain rounded tracery. At the west end of the church buttresses flank the baptistry, above which is an arched four-light window. On the tower base is a pyramidal roof.[2]
Inside the church the arcades are carried on octagonal piers. Below the clerestory windows is a continuous impost with a raised carved inscription in Latin.[2] The east window contains stained glass by Shrigley and Hunt.[6] The two-manual pipe organ was built by Rushworth and Dreaper.[7]
The churchyard contains the war graves of three service personnel of World War I, and seven of World War II.[8]
Lancashire portal
Listed buildings in Skelmersdale
List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1895–1914)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Paul's Church, Skelmersdale.
^ St Paul, Skelmersdale, Church of England, retrieved 26 March 2012
^ a b c d Historic England, "Church of Paul, Skelmersdale (1291741)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 26 March 2012
^ Parish of Skelmersdale, Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerks, retrieved 26 March 2012
^ The Building, St Paul's, Skelmersdale, retrieved 26 March 2012
^ Brandwood, Geoff; Austin, Tim; Hughes, John; Price, James (2012), The Architecture of Sharpe, Paley and Austin, Swindon: English Heritage, p. 245, ISBN 978-1-84802-049-8
^ a b c Pollard, Richard; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, p. 589, ISBN 0-300-10910-5
^ Lancashire, Skelmersdale, St. Paul (N10949), British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 26 March 2012
^ SKELMERSDALE (ST. PAUL) CHURCHYARD, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, retrieved 17 February 2013
Listed churches in Lancashire
St Michael, Aughton
St Mary, Barnoldswick
St Peter and St Paul, Bolton-by-Bowland
St Michael, Bracewell
St Helen, Churchtown
St Bartholomew, Colne
All Hallows, Great Mitton
St John, Gressingham
St Cuthbert, Halsall
St Patrick, Heysham
St Peter, Heysham
St Margaret, Hornby
Lancaster Priory
Old St Leonard, Langho
St Wilfrid, Melling
Pleasington Priory
St Walburge, Preston
St Wilfrid, Ribchester
St Michael, St Michael's on Wyre
St Leonard, Samlesbury
St Andrew, Slaidburn
St Saviour, Stydd
St John, Tunstall
St Thomas, Upholland
St Mary and All Saints, Whalley
Grade II*
St Michael and All Angels, Altcar
St James, Altham
St John, Arkholme
St Michael and All Angels, Ashton-on-Ribble
Blackburn Cathedral
St Mark, Blackburn
St Silas, Blackburn
Sacred Heart, Blackpool
Holy Trinity, Bolton-le-Sands
St Paul, Brookhouse
St John the Baptist, Broughton
St Peter, Burnley
St John the Baptist, Burscough
St Bartholomew, Chipping
St George, Chorley
St James, Church
St Laurence, Chorley
St Mary Magdalene, Clitheroe
St John the Evangelist, Crawshawbooth
St Peter, Darwen
St Leonard, Downham
Euxton Parish Church
St Mary, Goosnargh
St Bartholomew, Great Harwood
St Michael, Kirkham
Lancaster Cathedral
St John, Lancaster
St Andrew, Leyland
St Cuthbert, Lytham
St John, Lytham
St Helen, Overton
St Nicholas, Newchurch
St Mary, Newchurch in Pendle
St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk
St Cuthbert, Over Kellet
St Mary, Penwortham
St John, Pilling
St Chad, Poulton-le-Fylde
St George, Preston
St John, Preston
St Mark, Preston
St Peter, Preston
St Wilfrid, Preston
Syro-Malabar Cathedral, Preston (former St Ignatius)
St John, Silverdale
St Mary, Tarleton
St James, Tatham
St Helen, Waddington
St Leonard, Walton-le-Dale
St Michael, Whittington
St Anne, Woodplumpton
St Andrew, Accrington
St James, Accrington
Christ Church, Adlington
St Paul, Adlington
St Andrew, Ashton-on-Ribble
St Leonard, Balderstone
All Saints, Barnacre
St Lawrence, Barton
Holy Trinity, Blackburn
Holy Trinity, Blackpool
St John, Blackpool
St Mary and St Michael, Bonds
St Mary, Borwick
St John, Bretherton
St James, Briercliffe
St James, Brindle
All Saints with St John Baptist, Burnley
St Andrew, Burnley
St Mary, Burnley
St Stephen, Burnley
Capernwray Chapel
Christ Church, Bacup
Christ Church, Chatburn
St Chad, Claughton
St Andrew, Cleveleys
St Paul, Constable Lee
St Saviour, Cuerden
St Cuthbert, Darwen
St Mark, Dolphinholme
St John, Ellel
St Paul, Farington
Immanuel, Feniscowles
St Mary, Fleetwood
St Peter, Fleetwood
St Thomas, Garstang
Christ Church, Glasson
St Michael, Grimsargh
St Ambrose's Church, Grindleton
St Wilfrid, Halton-on-Lune
St James, Haslingden
All Saints, Higher Walton
Holy Trinity, Hoghton
St John the Divine, Holme Chapel
Christ Church, Lancaster
St Thomas, Lancaster
St Peter, Leck
St Paul, Longridge
St Peter, Mawdesley
St Mary's Church, Mellor
Holy Trinity, Morecambe
St John the Divine, Morecambe
St Laurence, Morecambe
St Paul, Nelson
Immanuel, Oswaldtwistle
St Leonard, Padiham
Nazareth Unitarian, Padiham
St John, Poulton-le-Fylde
St Oswald, Preesall
Carey Baptist Church, Preston
City Church, Preston
Emmanuel, Preston
Fishergate Baptist Church, Preston
Moor Park Methodist Church, Preston
Preston Central Methodist Church
All Saints, Preston
St Joseph, Preston
St Luke, Preston
St Mary, Preston
St Paul, Preston
St Thomas, Preston
St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs Church, Preston
St Peter, Quernmore
St John, Rawtenstall
St Anne, St Anne's-on-the-Sea
St Thomas, St Anne's-on-the-Sea
St Peter, Scorton
St Paul, Scotforth
St Anne, Singleton
St Luke, Slyne with Hest
Church of the Good Shepherd, Tatham
St Oswald, Warton
St Michael, Weeton
Christ Church, Wesham
St Michael, Whitewell
St Luke, Winmarleigh
St John the Evangelist, Worsthorne
St Nicholas, Wrea Green
St James, Wrightington Bar
St John the Evangelist, Yealand Conyers
St Mary, Yealand Conyers
Buildings and structures in West Lancashire
Burscough Priory (remains)
Rufford Old Hall
Scarisbrick Hall
St Michael's Church, Aughton
St Cuthbert's Church, Halsall
Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Up Holland
Lathom House West Wing
Simonswood Hall
Tower Hill Water Tower
St John the Baptist Church, Burscough
St Michael and All Angels Church, Altcar
Church of St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk
St Mary's Church, Tarleton (redundant)
Appley Bridge railway station
Burscough Bridge railway station
Ormskirk railway station
Rufford New Hall
St Joseph's College
Up Holland High School
Up Holland Priory (remains)
Becconsall Old Church (redundant)
St James the Great Church, Wrightington
Bickerstaffe
Bispham
Downholland
Great Altcar
Hesketh-with-Becconsall
Lathom
Lathom South
North Meols
Rufford
Scarisbrick
Simonswood
Up Holland
Wrightington
Ormskirk Grammar School (converted into flats)
All Saints Church, Hesketh Bank
St Mark's Church, Scarisbrick
Holy Trinity Church, Tarleton
Derelict or
Greaves Hall
Lathom House
RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail)
Simonswood Supply Depot
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St_Paul%27s_Church,_Skelmersdale&oldid=907213747"
Church of England church buildings in Lancashire
Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
Grade II listed churches in Lancashire
Churches completed in 1906
Austin and Paley buildings
Gothic Revival church buildings in England
Gothic Revival architecture in Lancashire
Churches in the Borough of West Lancashire
Historic England citations needing attention
Articles with OS grid coordinates
This content was retrieved from Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul's_Church,_Skelmersdale
This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article "St Paul's Church, Skelmersdale"; it is used under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (CC-BY-SA). You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the CC-BY-SA
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HOMELAND SECURITY SUITE for Percussion Ensemble
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NOW AVAILABLE Robert S. Cohen's new title for Vibraphone and Marimba Duo: Happy Fugue'N Birthday
Also available, for percussion ensemble: Love Triangles for Percussion Trio.
Homeland Security Suite
THE genesis of Homeland Security Suite started with my composition of Orange Alert for solo timpani. At the time, the country was actually at “Orange Alert” and I was amazed that a color normally associated with such happy and positive images represented such a state of heightened anxiety. After it was published by HoneyRock, I thought it might be interesting to set all of the colors represented in the Homeland Security Advisory System: Green, Blue, Yellow, Orange and Red.
IT’S ironic that until 9/11, 2001 the vast majority of Americans weren’t even aware that an advisory system existed, let alone what all the colors meant. A number of questions came to mind. Was America ever at the lowest level, Green Alert? What was the symbolism embodied in a system of terror that uses the colors of the rainbow as its visual representation? How could I take these visceral images and transfer them to an art form based not on color, but sound, and create an arc over a sustained period of time that didn’t feel overly repetitive?
TO begin, I chose a more abstract rhythmical and harmonic style and a wide variety of instrumentation. Within each movement I embedded a number of more literal musical “signposts.” For example, toward the end of Green Alert I used the steel drum to capture the sense of joy and freedom that a lack of threat might engender - the tempo ironically marked “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” In Blue Alert I included a number of musical fragments referencing New York. After I completed all five levels I decided to add an epilogue in the form of a new level: White Alert – white being the color of light that embodies all others and yet appears without any. Whatever political statement I’ve attempted to embody in this work can best be understood by reflecting on my setting of this last, and truly final, movement.
. . . Robert S. Cohen, October 25, 2007
Complete Set - Six Titles: $100.00
Titles Also Available Separately
Sound Sample Green Alert
This challenging ensemble is the first movement of
Robert S. Cohen's Homeland Security Suite for Percussion.
[Six Players - Duration ca. 8' 33" ] Bongos (2), Castanets, Claves, Congas (2), Cowbell Guiro, Maracas, Ratchet, Sand Blocks, Steel Drum, Tambourine, Temple Blocks, Triangle, Vibraslap, Woodblocks (2).
GREEN ALERT (Low Risk of Terrorist Attack) is the lowest level on the Homeland Security Advisory System, a level that I expect, has yet to be attained – as it implies a total lack of outside threat. Highlights include a mysterious contrapuntal section led by the steel drum representing the omnipresent menace lurking below the surface; an extended solo for temple blocks; and a section with the ironic tempo marking “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” characterized by an infectious calypso tune played on steel drum.
1 2 Blue Alert
This challenging trio is the second movement of Homeland Security Suite for Percussion.
[Three Players - Duration ca. 7' 03"] Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Marimba.
BLUE ALERT (General Risk of Terrorist Attack) explores the interplay between the three tuned mallet percussion instruments. Tension is created by a repeated one-note figure that is punctuated by percussive semi-tones. It is the constant build of these semi-tones that becomes the metaphor for heightened risk as well as a musical representation of the hustle and bustle of New York City itself. Throughout the work, we hear snippets of well-known songs that reference New York City including: “New York, New York” (both the On the Town and “Sinatra” versions); “On Broadway” and “Autumn in New York.”
Yellow Alert
A tour-de-force for a solo percussionist. Scored for Snare Drum and small percussion set-up, Yellow Alert is a solo movement from Homeland Security Suite for Percussion.
YELLOW ALERT (Significant Risk of Terrorist Attack) ups the musical dread level significantly. A solo percussionist tour-de-force, it is a premonition of things to come. Sections contrast the ticking of a clock (or time-bomb) with military marches. The works embodies the sense that below the surface things are about to get out-of--control.
Digital Download Version
Orange Alert
Challenging solo for five timpani. Inspired by the recent events of 9/11 in New York City, Orange Alert was conceived as a tour-de-force for an advanced timpanist. It moves between moments of quiet foreboding, to outbursts of controlled chaos. The centerpiece of the work is a fugue that appears at rehearsal letter [F]. Orange Alert is a solo movement from Homeland Security Suite for Percussion.
ORANGE ALERT (High Risk of Terrorist Attack) is the most overtly programmatic of the set. Inspired specifically by the events of 9/11 it is structured around a series of explosive figures that not only represent the hijacked planes crashing into the World Trade Center, Pentagon and field in Shanksville, PA, but the shattering of our innocence and sense of security. A highlight of the work is a fugue and a sense of impending chaos that reaches its climax at the end of the piece with the exhortation for the player to “go crazy”.
This ensemble is the challenging fifth movement of Homeland Security Suite for Percussion.
[Eight Players - Duration ca. 5' ] Air Raid Siren, Bass Drum (2), Chimes, Cowbell, Crash Cymbal, Glockenspiel, Marimba, Snare Drum, Suspended Cymbals (3), Tambourine, Tam-Tams (2), Temple Blocks, Timpani (5), Tom-Toms (4), Triangle, Vibraphone, Whip.
RED ALERT (Severe Risk of Terrorist Attack) goes beyond 9/11 to musically explore a dark vision of world-wide apocalyptic destruction. The piece builds in tension and texture and reaches a climax with the sound of an air raid siren hovering over descending overlapping glissandos punctuated by the sounds of explosions. The end is represented by a relentless repeated figure in the timpani and a militaristic figure in the snare drum that crescendos into a deafening wall of sound.
White Alert
[Solo Percussionist - Duration ca. 1' ] $2.00 Cuica (Lion’s Roar).
THERE is actually no White Alert in the Homeland Security Alert System. White Alert is my own creation. In the simplest of terms it represents the moans of the planet earth or, perhaps, the echo of our souls after the final apocalypse. The color white represents both the blinding flash of a nuclear explosion and a blank sheet of paper on which everything has been erased.
HONEYROCK
... make a joyful noise!
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Misbehaving Monks
A closed down monastery nearby was open for people to come take a look, and I quietly joined a guided tour. Between stops the guide would tell stories about all the trouble the monks kept getting themselves into. These were my two favorites.
At one point a monk and a lay Brother (Men who had taken some vows but not all, and spent more time doing manual work than reading and writing. They dressed in brown robes, weren't expected to join in all the prayers and some orders allowed them to marry and have kids) were caught having an affair. They were both sentenced to get one whip lash from each monk and lay Brother, but oddly enough they weren't separated. The abbot just told them "Stop that" and that was it. As the guide said "They probably just continued their affair but got better at hiding it"
Another time a lord had a mistress he was very fond of, but he was terribly worried she might cheat on him, so he sent her to the monastery, thinking the chaste monks would never touch her. But the lord didn't visit her much so of course she got bored, and eventually started an affair with a young handsome monk. When the lord found out, people where whipped left and right, and the woman was sent off to live in the country.
Tagged in Monk
"As the guide said 'They probably just continued their affair but got better at hiding it' "
Perhaps that was the point.
I like to imagine that both stories happened simultaneously, and all 4 knew each other.
AwfulLawful
Abbot: "Stop that" as in stop getting caught because you're making us look bad.
Zuperkrunch
I ever went to budhist temple in thailand and saw all the monks there using iphone.. I was like.. Wow..so cool..
LavaMadness
You seem to be really into affairs. >~<
Zeust
Is it just me or does the lady look like princess Zelda?
...Cute!
HomelyAmerican
Put glasses on the princess and her paramour, and they look like my daughter and her girlfriend.
Monks or not, humans will be humans...
I like the look of the mistress though.
Well, like you formerly stated in a comic, not all monks wanted to become such, so I guess these weren't the only cases... but I aggree, these are cute... at least drawn in your style, they are
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Board index ‹ Philosophy Forums ‹ Psychology and Mind
The Helper In The Dream
The origins of the imperative, "know thyself", are lost in the sands of time, but the age-old examination of human consciousness continues here.
by Del Ivers » Sat May 04, 2019 4:00 pm
This is a recurring dream experience that I've had over the years. More accurately, it is an element in the dream, not the entire dream itself. I have heard and read accounts of people who also had this element in their dreams. In some cases it's been regarded as an out of body experience (OBE) more than a 'dream'. I'm not going to debate here whether it's either or, I'm just focusing on the experience/element.
I begin by relating one of the dreams that had this particular element:
The dream began by finding myself standing in an open field, there was some foliage here and there and in the distance, around half-mile to a mile was a hill. I was facing in the direction of the hill. I was wearing a black shirt and black pants. In front of me and to the left was a small pedestal and my left hand was resting on it.
Beyond the hill I could see the top of a large dome and part of the building it was on. It looked similar to the large dome of the palace on the planet Naboo in one the Star Wars movies. Here is an image of the dome in the movie, just picture the dome and building it's on by itself, no other domes or structures.
The weather was that of a warm, summer day, I didn't feel any breezes. I just stood there and enjoyed the view of the land, the dome and sky. It was a very calm and pleasant feeling.
After a few moments I noticed to the left of me (around 50ft or so) two things: a row of ramshackle shacks and an old, black woman walking along in front of them. She seemed around 90 years old, very thin, bony, and with white hair. She was wearing a simple off-white dress.
She didn't notice me until she was nearer. Then when she saw me she started shouting and flailing her arms. She didn't get close to me, she stayed near the shacks. In short, she seemed not to like the fact that I was there, she was really upset. Her physical and verbal rant was nonstop. She was speaking a language I did not understand nor could I refer it by sound to any language I knew about.
Then I saw a young, black man walking toward us. He was tall and looked physically fit. He noticed what was going on and then bypassed her and walked toward me. He got about 5 feet or so feet from me and looked at me curiously. I'm 6'2" so I figured his height to be around 6'6".
I said to him something to the effect that I was there simply enjoying this beautiful day and looking at the view and then something about not wanting to bother anyone, in reference of course to the older woman's reaction.
He looked at me for a moment and then slowly showed a slight smile. he then turned and walked over to the woman. She was still ranting and then suddenly he said some words to her; again, like with the woman, I did not understand the language he was using. He was very firm in whatever he had said, it seemed along the lines of, Enough! Stop your screaming, and then something that made her walk away from us. She stopped her rant and just walked away quietly.
He then came back to me and smiled knowingly, the expression on his face was that of someone who realized what was going on, not about the woman, etc., but about the situation itself. He then put his arm out as to motion to me to go with him. I turned and began to walk with him. At that moment the dream ended. By the way, through all of this until I turned and followed him, my left hand was resting on the small pedestal I mentioned earlier.
As with any dream there are things that can be analyzed, symbolisms, and so on. With the dream I just related it's open to those interpretations too but the most noticeable and remembered feature in these types of dreams for me was that element where someone in the dream, in this case the young man, seemed to act out of context in regard to the dream, or more to the point, to my presence in the dream.
For example, the reader may be familiar with Robert Monroe. I think it was him or another author, can't remember which, who related an out of body experience he had. He found himself in a place similar to my dream, a nice country-like setting, trees, etc. As he was standing under a tree there enjoying the view he noticed a young girl riding a bicycle toward him. As she got nearer she got off the bike and walked toward him and bringing the bike along holding the handlebars. She got to a certain point, about 20 feet or so from him and then she said, "You're a traveler, aren't you?" Monroe, having had many previous experiences in OBEs said to her that yes, he was. She smiled and replied, "I thought so". Then she got back on the bike, said goodbye to Monroe and then rode away.
For me, and no doubt for others who have had these types of dreams, the interesting aspect apart from any other information from the dream is that someone in the dream recognized me as someone who was having a dream or an OBE. As example, imagine yourself as that young man. You hear a commotion, someone shouting. You go over to see what's going on. You see the old woman and then look to the left and see someone standing there whom you have never seen before. You walk over to them. As you're standing there trying to figure out who this person is and hearing them talk in a strange language you notice a particular characteristic about them. You figured it out, you smile. You turn to the old woman, you tell her to stop screaming, that there's nothing to worry about, to go back home. You turn back to the 'stranger' and help him move along.
In all the dreams that I've had with this element, there has been a 'helper' of some sort. The dreams of course are different re the people, scenes, and so on. The helpers are different, sometimes a man, sometimes a woman. Sometimes the situation seemed a tense one, sometimes a pleasant one. But in all of them what remained most vivid in my recollection of the dream afterward was that aspect of someone who 'recognized' what I was doing in that scenario.
I've often wondered if in those dreams or OBEs I was traveling in places, dimensions, etc., where the people there are aware of those 'travelers'. To them, I wasn't a mere 'ghost' or some such, I was simply a being who was traveling through their realm. And because they knew who and what I was, they helped me along the journey.
So, have you had a dream(s) like that? Did it seem like someone in the dream helped you out not just in the context of a dream situation but more in the sense that they were as aforementioned, out of sync, so to speak, with the narrative of the dream, that as example, it was like you were watching a movie in a theater and then an usher goes up to you and tells you something whereby you had to leave the theater/movie. That's just a quick example that came to mind but I think by now and with what I have related you get the idea.
Del Ivers
Location: Nevada
Re: The Helper In The Dream
by Meno_ » Sat May 04, 2019 8:17 pm
Del Ivers wrote: This is a recurring dream experience that I've had over the years. More accurately, it is an element in the dream, not the entire dream itself. I have heard and read accounts of people who also had this element in their dreams. In some cases it's been regarded as an out of body experience (OBE) more than a 'dream'. I'm not going to debate here whether it's either or, I'm just focusing on the experience/element.
I did, in a prior life, I was called one, and I was taken to be a character out of star wars, so I started to dislike myself , so I changed.
Meno_ wrote: I did, in a prior life, I was called one, and I was taken to be a character out of star wars, so I started to dislike myself , so I changed.
You believe you were regarded as a 'helper' in a prior life? What about that made you dislike yourself?
by Meno_ » Sat May 04, 2019 10:53 pm
Actually my automatic writer missplelled it , my name was obe and I guess I was a helper, but the co sensus in related dreams was different. I was like a ghostly non attached figure, as I passed them, they did not notice me or pretended not to.
So I had to change.
Sometimes in the morning upon waking bleary eyed, I do not recognize myself, so I have proof that I changed and still, changing.
But I guess it's all good.
by Del Ivers » Sun May 05, 2019 3:22 pm
Meno_ wrote: I was like a ghostly non attached figure, as I passed them, they did not notice me or pretended not to.
I've thought of the 'ghost' aspect with these types of dreams and others. But if that is the case, then what I've noticed is that in the helper dreams/OBEs it seemed I was perceived in a more 'substantial' way compared to how we in this reality regard a ghost as an apparition, shadow, spectral, etc.
Now, it could be that it's a different degree of being a 'ghost'. In the dream I related, the young man looked at me for a moment or so until I could tell by his expression and slight smile that he had 'figured it out', that he understood 'what' I was. That kind of exchange is not something you normally hear when people recount ghost stories, they're usually just fleeting sightings. Maybe the old woman perceived me differently considering her reaction but there again her reaction could also apply to the presence of a stranger, ghostly or not.
What all of that tells me is, again, that in the 'helper' dreams I seemed to have more of an 'embodiment', something that could be addressed more directly than a fleeting, ghostly encounter. Another possibility is that I was occupying someone else's body, that's also been considered in dream/OBE literature and has its own implications on different levels.
In short, it seems that in some of those realities 'visited' there are individuals there who recognize those 'travelers' just as easily as one would regard another person. It's like if someone from another country came up to you on the street and they asked you for directions and you knew immediately that English was not their primary language. They would be 'different', yet you would still help them because it's another human being. Maybe in some other realities awareness and helping is expanded to many kinds of beings.
Now, if some tourist, humanoid-like being with four eyes and wearing a fanny pack suddenly came up to me on the street and in the most basic English asked me for directions to 'The Strip' where the casinos are, yeah, I'd be freaking out a little.
by Meno_ » Sun May 05, 2019 7:35 pm
There is a vast difference between the two types. The four eyed tourist and the one who pegged as simply from another country.
However the ghost resides in between these two types, plus if he is seasoned then he knows allusion from illusion. He becomes variable, and as soon as. a focus tries to come close to determening his identity he morphes into the highly variable come uncertain roles that evade identification .
The other, trying to identify, compresses the two architypical covers and again expands them , and wholla! A ghost is born.
The next stage is anomalous character of shadow and ghost, here the hunted may become the hunter.
This also may progress into a less idiomatic creature of helped/helper.
These are merely appaririona in a nighttime tableau, &/or a real time horror scene. The true haunt can or even MUST fulfill both requirements or else!
I need to clarify a few things for myself re your reply before proceeding further.
Are you shifting into the 'ghost' premise as explanation for the 'helper' premise as I've described it, or as an explanation for the ghost premise by itself?
The reason I ask is because you posit the ghost as a third party: "However the ghost resides in between these two types.." That makes for an elaboration of the scenario that I related. For example, was the young man and the old woman real and I the ghost or vice versa? Were we all ghosts thus making the scenario I described a kind of ghostly rendezvous?
I think you can see why I want to define which premise we're dealing with. The ghost premise seems to explain the 'helper' premise as more 'nighttime tableau' than 'alternate reality'. Granted, they may be one and the same but then the recurrence of the particular element as I described in the OP would have to be explained as a non-variable aspect, i.e, the many dreams/OBEs had different situations, scenarios, etc., but upon assessment of them the 'helper' aspect was constant and thus of particular focus.
by Meno_ » Mon May 06, 2019 4:52 pm
Del Ivers wrote: Meno
Just noted what you call 'm elaboration'. The symbolism is rich, therefore it's expected that different interpretations will come off it. I must defer any comment until a few hours from now, since it will take that long to digest and formulate at least an inceptional comment.
Meno wrote:
Del Ivers wrote: Del Ivers
Del Ivers_ wrote:
I think both.Depending where the focus is coming from. Simultainity is impossible, and the 'ghost' can be used a literal or a metaphoric experience . Lack of content, visualization of the fleeting moment can be experienced both: in dreams and in waking
This bybqay of describing the experience , whereas dreamlike content cam be experienced during waking, and the opposite, - 'real' similitude during unconsciousness of dreams.
This type of hybrid is again, variable , as above described, depending on the type of manifested symbolism. as more closed, (with less space to define it, therefore within more general parameters), with less articularization and embellishment.
Whichever with less space, needs a minimum of declinated adjectives, minimal to the point, gleaning off the surface.
That is where the ghostly apparition induces a feeling of being haunted, hunted down, as in the old lady's cryptic presence indicates.
The helper comes along defensively, but his intentions are not early known, so where and for what purpose does he appear? A mechanism perhaps , literal for structure and continuity perhaps, or, maybe for deeper psychological reasons, for which much more space is required, terming it's contradictory logic into play, in presentation, not mere representation , a contradiction not only on terms , in description, in order to configure, wjat really is going on, in the dream, vis. and what it is trying to say.
Whether the theme can actually rise to the level of paradox, and become a model for subsequent and future action, depends on the foreshadowing , the present circumstance, and the thematic expectations, by a well integrated memory.
If such does in fact occur, the. perhaps only a divine oracle would do justice to it. Examples abound in Hamlet, Ibsen's Ghost, and some other notables.
At that point, it can be said of the question of difference, an uncertainty between them, and indeed such confusion does not relegate to Hamlet's madness, for life may indeed be merely a dream.
by Del Ivers » Tue May 07, 2019 1:20 am
Meno_ wrote: I think both. Depending where the focus is coming from. Simultainity is impossible, and the 'ghost' can be used a literal or a metaphoric experience . Lack of content, visualization of the fleeting moment can be experienced both: in dreams and in waking
Simultaneity is impossible or possible? You start out saying you think it's both but then you say it's, 'impossible'. Or is that the automatic speller? Also, is 'bybqay', byway?
Meno_ wrote: The helper comes along defensively, but his intentions are not early known, so where and for what purpose does he appear? A mechanism perhaps , literal for structure and continuity perhaps, or, maybe for deeper psychological reasons..
Yes, in the interpretation of dreams much has been written as to the symbolism in them and what it represents. In the case of the dream (or OBE but that puts it in a different category) that I related, the dome in the distance, the pedestal my hand was on, the old woman, her reaction, the young man, etc., all can have a symbolic meaning that refers to something else in my 'awake' life. I've had many dreams when in the aftermath (awake) I thought about the different elements and with some I was able to see how they represented something that referred to my awake state.
If such was the case that this particular dream represented something, it was some time ago when I had it but then as now I do not remember it referring to anything that was going on in my life at the time. Sure, I could make generalizations of some sort, the old woman is age, young man is youth, maybe he is an aspect of me, the ramshackle shacks a condition of some sort, and so on. But the distinguishing feature of that dream above any of the possible symbolisms, was the 'helper' aspect. This has been the case, the 'constant', in these 'helper' dreams. It was so apparent that as you can see I posted this topic not to relate about the dream's symbolic material but instead about something that seemed independent of the dream and that such has recurred in dreams that I've had through the years.
Again I refer to what I noted in the OP about the usher. The movie is the dream, I'm watching it, involved in it. Suddenly the usher appears and tells me something that for whatever reason makes me leave my seat and follow him. At that point the movie is of little, if any, consideration.
Now, there have been dreams where the 'helper' appears in the middle of a dream. For example, some time back I had a dream and in the middle of it I found myself in a large hallway like you see in office buildings. It had lots of doors and I 'knew' that I had to find the one that would lead me out of there. As I'm walking around I see an open doorway and walking up to it I see a girl, she was maybe 10-12 years of age. Along with her in the room was a woman, maybe in her late 20s, early 30s. The girl saw me first, there was no reaction on her face of me being someone dangerous or whatever but she left through a door, I guess to another room. The woman walked over to me. No extreme reaction from her either, she just nodded with an expression of acknowledgment and waiting for whatever I had to say. I told her that I was looking for a door that would lead me outside. She motioned with her hand up the hall. I started walking and she was behind me. We got to a point and then she motioned again to large double doors. I turned and thanked her, she nodded, turned and walked back to the room. I walked through the doors and the dream continued.
In that type of 'helper' instance there was nothing evident that would make me search subconscious symbolism for an explanation. So, that was a mild instance of the 'helper'. But what made think afterward about it and brought it round to be considered a 'helper' incident is that when I first saw the girl and she saw me she didn't freak out or anything as I said but I could tell in just those couple of seconds or so that for whatever reason she knew I was something or someone 'different'. When the woman approached me I could sense the same in her, she was dealing with me, and pleasantly so, but I could tell that there was a mild caution to her facial and body expression. That indicator is what reminded me of the same in other 'helper' dreams.
Is there a symbolism to the 'helper' aspect? I don't know. Maybe a safeguard of some type employed by the subconscious in the dream narrative? Again, I don't know. What I do know, at least from having experienced various 'helper' scenarios, is that it seems to run in a parallel narrative to the narrative of the dream. Such as in the example of the usher in the theater. His narrative runs parallel to the movie/dream I'm watching. But he is not the movie/dream, he is something other. He recognizes the difference between the movie and me the watcher of the movie. And of course, I've come to realize that he recognizes that.
If you haven't already done so, check out some of Robert Monroe's books whom I mentioned in the OP. His story is a fascinating one and those who 'helped' him in his OBE experiences takes the 'helper' concept to a whole other level. The Wikiwand on him gives a lot of background info from others but the books speak for themselves.
So thus far, the feeling I get as I've said before is that 'somewhere' there are beings who recognize me, and probably many others like me, as not being a 'local'. That unlike us, or at least the majority of us, they communicate with the 'travelers'. Do we appear as 'ghosts' to them? Maybe. I don't know. But whichever the case, they seem to have a better handle on such 'tourism' than we do.
by Meno_ » Tue May 07, 2019 1:40 am
Yes lack of sleep , automatic speller.
But here. I think the redux, the simplification and minimilization between entropy and redundancy must lead to an intermingling clarification. (Of the helper and its role and substance
Otherwise the problem of the unconscious, the dream, will coil around it like - looking beneath it, like for an original search for the temptor, the woman in the picture who plucks off the apple.
I always like to look for subterfuge, like Your searching for am exit, and the young girl, may be it. Who is she? Another helper, so the multiplicity and the deacription of helpers are variable.
Who the helper is is not the central matter, of is the role they play.
by Artimas » Tue May 07, 2019 3:13 am
Did the dome look similar to something like this? An more details of the scenery, buildings and what not? Did it look like Africa?
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-dome- ... 63205.html
Even nothing, is something.
If one is to live balanced with expectations, then one must learn to appreciate the negative as well, to respect darkness in its own home.
All smoke fades, as do all delicate mirrors shatter.
"My ancestors are smiling on me, Imperials. Can you say the same?"
"Science Fiction today ~ Science Fact tomorrow"
Change is inevitable, it can only be delayed or sped up. Choose wisely.
Truth is pain, and pain is gain.
Artimas
Emancipator of ignorance and also Chameleon upon the stars
Location: Earth, Milky Way
Artimas wrote: Did the dome look similar to something like this? An more details of the scenery, buildings and what not? Did it look like Africa?
No, it was wider and smoother like the image from the movie I linked.
But your mention of Africa is interesting. Apart from the hill which was obscuring part of the dome building, the terrain did have the look of a savanna.
by Artimas » Tue May 07, 2019 3:37 pm
Del Ivers wrote:
It could have been a remote viewing or some form of non discretion/differentiation of and between time while dreaming or in a lucid subconscious state. A conscious viewing of some of the imagery that is the subconscious string attached to our conscious awareness. Seems very lucid and I don’t think dreams that lucid are just made up by the mind, the mind needs information that is in a proper sequence before it can do such a thing, that’s how it may show up as imagery, by it being a sequence of information through and creating of imagery. It also didn’t sound as though it was dictated by fear or emotional attachment either.
Similar to how when awake, there is a sequence of information of which is the reason why we view blue as it is and can’t describe it other than providing the specific experience/information.
by Del Ivers » Tue May 07, 2019 8:22 pm
Artimas wrote: A conscious viewing of some of the imagery that is the subconscious string attached to our conscious awareness.
Yes, that connection is a possibility.
Artimas wrote: Seems very lucid and I don’t think dreams that lucid are just made up by the mind, the mind needs information that is in a proper sequence before it can do such a thing,
Or an OBE. But as I mentioned previously there are differeing opinions on this, some to the point that they regard OBEs happening more from a waking state than a sleeping state. Personally, I would have to disagree on that assessment, I've had experiences in sleep where it was more, shall we say, a passport than a postcard. Very intense, where even after waking the feelings and atmosphere of the experience lingered regardless the scenario had changed.
Now, if as you have noted that it's the subconscious connecting to the conscious, then that brings up questions. One of the many being if the connection is merely for 'psychological entertainment' purposes, i.e., a mind movie, or if it effects a conduit of sorts to actual though remote, sometimes very remote, 'locales'.
Here's an illustration using a previously mentioned experience that can be examined both as possibilities of a conduit and as a mind movie (a 'representational' display).
In the experience with the woman who helped me find the double doors, and which I stated that the dream continued, once I went through the doors there was a very vivid scene before me.
Now, if you've ever passed a theatre on the street you may have seen the doors open, maybe no function going on, airing it out, whatever, and seen the interior of the theatre, the seats, how big the interior is, and so on.
When I went through the double doors I saw those other, opened doors what seemed to be an area for a large group of people but I wasn't on the sidewalk next to the doors, I was more like across the street from them. The 'street' was more like a concourse of some sort, there were people walking back and forth.
Inside the doors there were hundreds of people or even a thousand or more. There was a golden light that suffused the interior and the people. The people were dressed in varying colors of red, green, gold, (there could have neem more colors but those were the prominet ones) and sparkling elements on the clothes and the architectural features.
The people were grouped together according to the colors and they all moved in a kind of dancing procession. The closest I can describe this is like if you've ever seen Shaker dancing. Here is a video of it. Go from the 4 minute mark to around the 5 and half minute mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcoAkNU24Vw
You see that slight procession and then backward motion? Now instead of just a line of people doing it as shown in the video, imagine groups of people, hundreds, wearing the same color I mentioned doing that in formation. Then imagine that the red-dressed people moved in one direction passing the green-dressed people who were moving in the opposite direction, then the gold dressed people in another direction, and so on. In other words, if you could see all of that from above, from the ceiling of the place, you would see color swirls of the differently dressed people. Remember, the swirls are independent from each other yet side by side. Add to all of that the choral aspects such as you hear in the video but multiply to a thousand voices. I hope all of that gives you an idea of what it looked and sounded like.
I stood there transfixed by this scene. The feelings that were emanating from it were of a JOY that was absolutely irrefutable. At one point I heard myself saying emphatically in the dream, "Now, THAT! is a Christmas celebration!".
When did I have that dream? Around a week or so before Easter (Google Christmas-Easter connections). But here's the thing: I haven't gone to church in decades, since I was boy of around 12. And the extent of religion since then has been mostly in discussing it as philosophy, politically, etc. 'Spirituality' would more descriptive of what I've pondered and even at that not in a routine or particular form of it.
A part of me wanted to get nearer, join in with those people in their celebration. But as you may know from your own dreams, sometimes the itinerary, for whatever reason, is not in your control. I smiled at the scene, enjoyed the wonderful feeling from it and walked away. Shortly thereafter the dream stopped.
Now, in what you previously stated, that would be a rich field for examination in the sense of what the 'connections' might be. Did the subconscious/unconscious delight me with a fantastic mind movie since, hey, it's that time of the season? Or was I fortunate enough in some trans-dimensional way to "be" at the actual location of this event? Whichever one, even the most hard-bitten nihilist would have had the biggest, goofiest and most joyful smile on his or her face. The scene and feelings were, IRREFUTABLY AWESOME.
by Artimas » Tue May 07, 2019 11:34 pm
If emotion is attached to your experience it can be blinding to and hard tocseparate the message of the dream or communication from subconscious to conscious mind, it could be a beckoning to invest time into studying religious texts, I'd meditate or concentrate on it, the first organic thoughts or intuitive feeling of description you get from the idea separate from an exaggeration of emotions are usually pretty accurate.
by Del Ivers » Wed May 08, 2019 3:22 am
Artimas wrote: If emotion is attached to your experience it can be blinding to and hard tocseparate the message of the dream or communication from subconscious to conscious mind, it could be a beckoning to invest time into studying religious texts, I'd meditate or concentrate on it, the first organic thoughts or intuitive feeling of description you get from the idea separate from an exaggeration of emotions are usually pretty accurate.
Emotion was the message of that dream. I say that because with dreams I usually do review, as many people do, and meditate on them afterward to see which elements compare, contrast, and refer to what is occurring in the awake state. In this dream that emotion, elation, joy, was the purest message and it didn't take too much reviewing to see how that related to my present experiences.
I agree with you that emotion could interfere with an assessment. But I'm sure you also know from your own such examinations that dream material is of a highly fluid character, 'separations' are not so defined. It's like examining water on a slide under a microscope compared to examining water in situ such as a stream, a shore, the rain, etc. The former can give you some details but the latter examples can show a larger dynamic and context. In this particular dream related, emotion was front and center.
Nonetheless, I do intend to meditate on it and see where the details lead especially because of its wonderful import. Nothing wrong with reverse engineering, as long as the 'quality' of what is being examined is not compromised.
by Meno_ » Wed May 08, 2019 4:15 am
Can the sub-conscious be attributed in a dream(2 doors) within the sub conscious?
My experience with an auditory dream with no visuals, indicate 2 mental processes going on at the same time? Like the auditory , one with no or little content, and one with it?
And the key to the helper in two forms( old lady, young man), be indicative about some need to describing both forms? Or something like this?
An example is one mentioned, as the Polanyi dream, strictly auditory, linear and may be interpretive of a kind of Oracle, as mentioned above.
Or another, with a question to the oracle: as also mentioned, about a game being played in the unconscious, a prisoner's dilemma occuring within the unconscious , the dream. Can the two helpers or even guardians facilitate recognition of metaphoric content?
In that event a deothness to the roles can be discerned to arise, as a third man solution to the dilemma.
Solution: at the level of contradiction, the metaphor has to include, not exclude the middle .
This requirement, is necessary for proper dream interpretation as a transcendentalky full content.
Can I thus, incorporate the Polanyi example , and give substance to the question of whether there really is a way, an exit out of one dimensionality, and pricerde from the seeming existential nothingness into the content of full being.
If I can shed light here, it may support proof positive for elevating the question worthy to ask, the oracle.
The thing is, the man in the middle in a transcendental/transactional situation, relies on the flow of suggested dream-scales, where the two tries to diminish the difference between types of helpers , I f not, they can switch roles , and become hunters.
The two drives the hunter, there by becoming hunted. by becoming non distinguishable, and that is a difficult middle position.
Oracle not accessible there, and leads either to repression - turning into dreams. Or strike out, the third. , excluding the middle, who is desperately trying to stay within.
I'm sure that when you write your observations and questions there is a rhyme and reason. But I find that trying to make the connections of what you say is at times like playing pick-up sticks. So with that in mind let's clarify a couple or so questions at a time.
"Can the sub-conscious be attributed in a dream(2 doors) within the sub conscious?"
Are you asking if the dream of the double doors can be attributable to the subconscious? 'Within' it as opposed to an external location such as an OBE would imply?
"My experience with an auditory dream with no visuals..."
To my recollection, I do not remember ever having an auditory dream with no visuals. The nearest analogy that I can think of would be listening to a piece of music 'as itself'. But even there the music would provoke some imagery.
What do you mean by, "Oracle"? And your statement of, "..worthy to ask, the oracle" ?
Let's start with those.
Yes, the double door image or symbol covers 3 realm- the conscious, the unconscious, and the sub-conscious, with the sub- conscious involved with deep symbolism, as Artemis alluded to in his treatment of the vast ancient ages effects on the psyche. Most dreams are merely unconscious, I believe, but deeper REM sleep often occurs, exceptionally with dreams, however. These deep images are the ones kings consulted the Oracle of Delphi. They are extremely difficult, and almost unbelievable in their significance. Maybe my Polanyi dream was like that, but extremely one dimensional, as if the symbolism become a hidden metaphor, could not filter substantial matter to enlighten.
This was the only dream apparent to me in my life, making it unique among other dreams.
I think my above explanations are sufficient, but must admit an uncertainty that approaches incredulity. Therefore initially welcomed Your 'helpers'
This start maybe a beginning or end, depending Your appreciation of the general framework of the connective impulse leading to an intentional motive, as is traditionally viewed philosophically and psychologically. Mind You, this is uncharted territory, especially from my point of view, and it's more inclined to concern with Jung than with a Freudian look into dreams.
by Del Ivers » Wed May 08, 2019 9:04 pm
Meno_ wrote: Yes, the double door image or symbol covers 3 realms- the conscious, the unconscious, and the sub-conscious, with the sub- conscious involved with deep symbolism,
I will answer that with my take on the character of symbolism as it applies to the particular dream related in this topic. I do this partly because I think that it's the pivot of your observations and partly because I still find it tricky to interpret the manner in which you relate on said observations. There's nothing wrong with such manner, it's the 'voice' of the writer. But at times, said voice might employ free association modes that makes the sequence of interpretation by the reader a kind of patchwork.
Symbolism, by it's very definition is of a 'representational' character. Thus it is not the, 'thing-in-itself'. What that means re the dream related is that we are left with the task of discerning whether it is wholly generated by the subconscious' apparatus, or if it's of supraconscious or even super-physical import (remote viewing being one example of super-physical). In other words, the 'helpers' are either representational mirages, or they are actual entities albeit in a distant 'locale' that the perceiver witnesses. At this point things are fairly neat and simple, it's either-or.
I figure you know of the Hermetic Principles. The first one, the Principle of Mentalism, states that, 'The All is Mind; the Universe is Mental". That at a foundational level all phenomena of life share a connection in the fact that they exist within the mind of 'The All'. If such a context holds, then symbolism would be relegated to the status of, say, a photograph. It can be a good photograph, depicts things clearly and sharply, and as such still qualifies as an effective representational device. But it would no longer be considered a principle 'generator' of phenomena, it would only generate 'reiterations' of itself. Just from this we could radiate out in different considerations but here I just want to focus on the aspect of the 'helpers'.
If the premise of 'All is Mind' holds, then the 'helpers', and for that matter all other phenomena in dreams/OBEs, are actualities, they're 'real', not merely symbolic products. It would echo what you noted in an earlier post: ".. for life may indeed be merely a dream." I would only differ with you on the 'merely'.
Symbolism is not without merit, we rely on it for many things in our existence. Language itself, perhaps the premier stream of symbolism, is what we use every day and right now in this discussion. Yet, as philosophers have pointed out and what every person has noted without necessarily being a philosopher, language is a representation. It's been said that, 'The map is not the territory'. At least with that we have 'territory' as the focus. With symbolism it could be that, 'The symbols are not the map'. And if we regard language in that manner, well, then it could very well be, 'Language is . . . . .' (and you fill in whatever is appropriate for you).
So, in the 'All is Mind' premise, the 'helpers', the 'ghost' aspects, and yes, the Oracle, could all be real. They only seem unreal because our station in existence is maybe not equipped to perceive them. Thus, perhaps, our reliance on an ethos of representation in so many of our endeavors.
Does any of that mean that I am now free to ignore all symbols? No, if when I'm driving I see a stop sign, I will stop. I don't think 'All is Mind' will regard me lesser for it.
Last edited by Del Ivers on Thu May 09, 2019 12:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
by Meno_ » Thu May 09, 2019 12:09 am
Sure the representation within the absolute mind is merely a map. And that is a conscious interpretation within the symbolic content of the dream.
However that interpretation coincides with the Freudian totem , and levels down it is less figurative, more substantial, in terms of the sensible , qua, sensation , less figurative, and that is the source of major oracles, it's source has been filtered through the muraids of time, before that, and before even that, into a downward spiral infinity, whose totem is really the beginning of phallic inference.
If your were to along Freud's line. But Jung extends this into more dimensions and ends up with reality within epochs which bear definition within their own subsequent perimeters. Their flowing into each other is based more on metaphor then actual succession of images and ideas spliced together, mostly their gaps consist of situational variable fillers, because all representation. Is acquired after exposure, a posteriori.
It appears as flow, and my free flow only factually submerges such flow into the lower realms of increasingly excluded temporal space.
At the limit, the unfathomable looks backward at the identified essence who asks the oracle. This absolute can be accessed, but only subliminally, from beyond where limits no longer assail with scepticism and doubt. It is through the veils of doubt that certainty comes to emit a generated energy packet of quantum uncertainty, made explicit by the power of the will to communion.
The helpers need to appear to alley the uncertainty, because at the level of the inquiry , the inquirer would be thrown into apotheosis of incredible negative power, most certainly destroyed by such energy.
The helpers may be a defensive shield to the dream's downward lunge into the unfathomable .
Nietzsche was a pioneer, he has become a helper. For me, it's Polanyi.
by Del Ivers » Thu May 09, 2019 4:33 pm
Meno_ wrote: Sure the representation within the absolute mind is merely a map. And that is a conscious interpretation within the symbolic content of the dream.
I'm not sure about that segue. By, "within the symbolic content.." do you actually mean "of the symbolic content..." ? There is a difference, or maybe I'm reading it wrong. Could you please rephrase that?
Meno_ wrote: If your were to along Freud's line.
I can see the totemic aspect re this discussion because of the 'representational' element. But what does the Freudian totem with its connotations have to do with the context of the 'helper' dreams? Are the 'helpers' of sexual significance or were you using that totem as merely an example discharged of its particular characteristics?
Interesting that you bring up Jung. He once said that God spoke through dreams and visions. That would seem to make a case for the first Hermetic principle. By the way, you didn't say if you considered the principle a valid one.
Meno_ wrote: The helpers need to appear to alley the uncertainty..
I gather you mean, 'allay'?
Yes, as I noted in an earlier post there may be safeguards employed. Whether by the inquirer or an 'other', I'm not sure.
Meno_ wrote: ..the inquirer would be thrown into apotheosis of incredible negative power, most certainly destroyed by such energy.
If that is so - or more accurately, the potential for that - it implies an 'agent' independent of the inquirer (assuming you mean by 'inquirer' the person having the dream experience) who is aware of a peril that the inquirer is unaware of. Following along that line, would the frequency of 'helper' dreams be an indicator as to proximity to destructive regions? Similar to, let's say, a spaceship registering the outermost traction of a black hole?
Meno_ wrote: The helpers may be a defensive shield to the dream's downward lunge into the unfathomable .
Or, upward? Though in the omnidirectional display of direction such as implied by, 'All is Mind', then up, down, left right, etc., may be irrelevant.
By the way, I understand how you use 'apotheosis', but it's a tricky word to use in some contexts because one of its roots is, 'the act of making someone into a god'. Then again, maybe you are of the opinion that dreams/OBEs, especially high-risk ones, are possibly preparatory for such.
by Meno_ » Sat May 11, 2019 1:02 am
Meno_"]Sure the representation within the absolute mind is merely a map. And that is a conscious interpretation within the symbolic content of the dream. [/quote]
1. Your first question is caught up in semantic complexity, therefore, and since the dissection of hybrid re-presentation between cognitive differentials is sourced in definitions, I quote Frege:
Sep 23, 2007 · The central idea of the alternative interpretation is that for Frege, the question whether a given thought is logically entailed by a collection of thoughts is sensitive not just to the formal structure of the sentences used to express those thoughts, but also to the contents of
the simple (e.g., geometric) terms ...
Here 'formal' can entail 'absolute' as well, reminiscent of set theory, where the absolute contains every set, including it'self.
Here conscious, unconscious(sleep derived) and subconscious (absolute containment of awareness past, present and future)-[ remember we alluded to this previously, in terms of of primary spatial determinants of time.] Absolute spatial indeterminancy exposes the lack of object(ive) of the imminence of all cognition. Transcendence, on the other hand is objectified by a particular epoch, or the object's frame of reference, or context which brings about the overcoming of said object, referred to.
The overcoming of it, sets in motion(spatial relativity per movement through time) of the objective particular.
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QotW: What tools do you keep in your JNC?
Posted on November 13, 2017 by Ben Hsu
As clockwork-reliable as Japanese cars can be, when we’re talking about cars 30, 40 or 50 years old there’s always the chance of something breaking down. Most of us probably keep a few items in our JNCs at all times, whether we’re going out for an afternoon touge run or a days-long road trip, and especially when we travel to some far flung location to bring home a new project.
What tools do you keep in your JNC?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Tell us your most challenging ‘reach.'”
There were many good AotW this time, proving that Japanese cars aren’t always as logically laid out and easy to work on as their reputations suggest. From Geoff‘s travails with Z32 twin turbos to BW‘s ordeal of a Miata clutch change in freezing temperatures, you guys have had it rough. However, the winner this week was David Meyer, who spent the better part of a year replacing a light bulb in his FB RX-7.
My very first attempt at fixing something on my FB was, what I thought, going to be a fairly easy fix. A light. A very small light in a very small heater control unit, which had decided many years ago that it had had enough and quit lighting up the words “Vent”, “Def”, and “Heat”. It was such a little thing. I almost considered not even messing with it. But after a few evenings of being in the car, it really started to bug me. “OK, I guess I’ll replace that bulb…it’ll a nice, easy, first thing I can do with this car.”
A car which was alien to me and had some problems…a flooding carburetor, a sloppy steering box, and rattles from god knows where. But this should be easy. A fine way to ease into getting to know the car. This was in November…shortly after I’d gotten the car.
So I went to work disassembling the center console. Unlike my old Civic, there were virtually NO visible screws. Everything was cleanly hidden from view by snapped on facias, all of which had to come off in a certain order. It took 3 trips to rx7club.com and a fair amount of searching before I got to the point where I had the center console apart and access to pull the heater panel. A heater panel that did *not* want to come out. It was attached in the back by a molex plug and some round plug. There was no possible way for my hand to get in there and successfully coax the plugs apart. Several scans of the parts manual refused to give up the secrets that kept that heater control firmly affixed to the center dash. To add insult to injury, it offered no real reassurance that the bulbs were, in fact, replaceable. A call to my local Mazda dealer did nothing to reassure me either…the parts guy couldn’t even read the parts manual they had…which was the same crappy scan of a microfiche from ’85 that I was reading. He had no clue and, from the sound of it, didn’t want a clue.
Questions were posted to rx7club.com, which were met with resounding silence. Nobody knew. It was an ’84-85 thing. Probably nobody had tried. Or nobody cared. Or both.
I left the console out, looking rather untidy with the resolve that the console would NOT go back in until I had replaced that bulb.
Fast forward to 8 months later. I went in the garage with the resolution that I would do one of two things. Pull that heater out and see if the bulb is replaceable, or throw in the towel and put everything back together. I was tired of the car looking like a theft recovery. It’s a #@$! lightbulb! I probably wouldn”t even drive this thing in the dark more than a couple of times a year. But it tasked me.
Armed with my LED light wand and reading glasses, I looked at the heater from every angle I could. I could see the two plugs. I could get one hand kinda up in there, but I just didn’t have the leverage to pull the molex apart with one hand, I noted, however, I was able to pull the heater control out just a little bit. Enough to expose 3 screws on the top of the front panel. I wasn’t sure exactly where the light bulb would be, but I suspected it would be behind the panel there somewhere, so I got a stubby phillips screwdriver. I couldn’t get it in the screws…the heater wouldn’t’ come out far enough to clear the dash so I could get access to those screws. Then I remembered. And I dug around in my tool box and found a little chintzy, “Made in China” screw driver ratchet thingy. I was able to get that thing in there with room to spare. Ratcheted out 3 screws and popped the top panel off and what do I see? A light bulb with an orange rubber condom on it. It’s attached with a little twist-lock thing which I had very little access to, not being able to get the whole control unit out of the dash. But a pair of needle nose pliers managed to twist the bulb enough to coax it out of its home.
It was such a stupid little thing, but it had been dogging me for so long, I felt even better than when I’d finally swapped the rear end or got the coil overs on. Logical, no. But damn, I felt great after that.
Omedetou! Your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop.
This post is filed under: Question of the Week and
tagged: QotW.
20 Responses to QotW: What tools do you keep in your JNC?
Geoff said:
Fluke electrical meter, socket set, screwdriver set, a hammer, a cricket bat, a torch, a trolley jack, Stanley pliers, vice grips, migraine medication, some clean rags and a workshop manual.
Other er, necessities, can’t live inside a car due to Australian summers but you always throw a few in before a big night out. 😉
TommyGUN said:
Sadly, I keep nothing in my CRX.. not even a spare tire (nor its jack, for that matter). What can I say, I’m a rebel. I do, however, keep a bottle of spray wax and microfiber towel – they count as tools, right?
Jac Cottrell said:
90 Miata. 10mm wrench to take of the antenna when I put the car cover on it.
Jim Simspson said:
I carry a full tool roll, in any of my old cars when I travel… kind of like having a spare tire, almost guarantees that you will not need them… !:-)
Hutch said:
Love that RX-7
Mike in Long Beach said:
When you have a Honda Accord, even one that is almost 40 years old, and it only has 57000 miles on the clock, you carry the tools that came with the car: A jack and a lug wrench. Job done.
Vic from PA said:
Just the exact tool kit you pictured above. Have a 1972 Celica RA21. Bought it new and still have it. 105K original miles.
sabin simard said:
You’re the KING of this site, stories like yours should be put in front of this site and if only Japanese cars have been owned by guys like you, they wouldn’t be in extinction, and finally, i always thought than REAL CAR COLLECTORS and cars lovers are in New England. Good luck for FIND another guy like you to put your car in secure hands.
After all these years, can’t part with it.
Very sentimental. All the memories!
Not sure how to post photos here.
-vic
Hi Vic from PA, i hope you will try to find help to show us your car, i’m sure it worth the wait and really hope you will be contagious for attitude and mentality change.
on November 14, 2017 at 12:46 pm
J.A.C.K said:
AE86: pair of mechanics gloves, socket set (metric and the other one), wrench, screw driver(s), hammer (for “percussive maintenance” on the starter), hydraulic jack, a couple spare exhaust hanger donuts (don’t ask), and the universal repair AE86 body repair kit known as “bundle of zip ties”
madis said:
basically all the common bolt-nut sized wrenches, knipex tweezers?, hexagon toolie-thingies for ratchet thingy, damn, dont know how the tools are named in English.. some screwdrivers, electrical tape, multimeter to check, if the fuel pump is out again, gloves ALWAYS, a fuel filling thingy for premix…. Cant afford to break down on the side of the road because of a simple malfunction because not having some tools with me..
fc3s rx-7 6 port turbo
Ant said:
There’s a battery tender permanently rattling around in the back of my Eunos Roadster, because I’m too dumb to just fit a cut-off switch like I should.
Bob said:
A smart phone with GEICO app for roadside.
Drag it back to the house.
I’ll fix it there.
Negishi no Keibajo said:
Ya beat me… AAA card & cellphone.
Brian Foo said:
-An interchangeable flat head/Phillips screwdriver
-size 10 wrench
-original lug nut wrench and jack
-Japanese LED roadflare
Thats all she needs.No worries on my AE80 breaking down anytime soon with her timely maintenance. If it does break down, I’ll just give my good pal a call and wait for his flatbed truck to bring my beloved back to the workshop. 🙂
jivecom said:
Just the driver!
Nico said:
Still got the set new in the trunk of my TA-22 GT , never needed it in the 34 years im driving it , Toyotas dont break down ! they keep on going .
amar said:
For the 260z thats my current DD I’ve kept: a set of screw drivers (Phillips / Flat), spark plug tester, assorted metric wrenches (8mm – 14mm), a SU carb-tune, couple feet of assorted gauge wire, a spare alternator belt, a Fluke meter, and some fuses. They all fit into this really sweet leather bag that I got from an old job, which is tucked into the rear container compartment.
Oh and some baby-wipes that I picked up in a drug store in Santa Cruz after having to address a stuck float needle. No more smelling gasoline. Just enough to get myself back on the road.
Ha could probably pull the car apart with these tools actually.
Colin said:
After my 82 rx7 flooded while driving, I now keep a small battery jumper so I can pull the fuel pump fuse, crank for awhile to get rid of extra fuel in the carb then put it back in.
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Canadian pondweed
Small aquatic perennial herb.
Scientific name: Elodea canadensis Michx.
Common names: Canadian pondweed, common elodea, Canadian waterweed, American elodea, broad waterweed
Family: Hydrocharitaceae
Status in Portugal: invasive species (listed in the annex I of Decreto-Lei n° 565/99, of 21 December)
Risk Assessment score: (in development)
Synonymy: Anacharis canadensis (Michx.) Planch., Anacharis canadensis (Michx.) Planch. var. planchonii (Caspary) Victorin, Elodea brandegeeae St. John, Elodea ioensis Wylie, Elodea linearis (Rydb.) St. John, Elodea planchonii Caspary, Philotria canadensis (Michx.) Britt., Philotria linearis Rydb.
How to recognise it
Perennial aquatic herb, dark green, with thin stems and a fragile look.
Leaves: 5-12 x 1-2 mm, rarely larger, generally linear–oblong, obtuse, finely serrate on the 2/3 distal, frequently 3 on each node.
Flowers: rarely produced; male and female flowers occur on different plants; 3 green sepals, purple-striated; withe petals, narrower than sepals, 5 (6) mm long; 9 yellow stamens.
Frutos: capsules with 6-9 mm, with 3-4 seeds inside.
Flowering: May to August.
Similar species
Egeria densa Planch. is very similar, distinguishing itself by its robustness and size – the leaves are normally longer than 2 cm and they appear (at least the superior ones) with more than 3 in each node. The flowers of Egeria densa are also larger, with petals on male flowers up to 12 mm long. According to some references, E. densa, presents a larger extension in Portugal.
Characteristics that aid invasion
It propagates vegetatively by stem fragmentation. Each fragment may be dragged by the water flow and originate new invasion foci far from the original population.
It also reproduces by seed, though less frequently.
Native distribution area
North America.
Distribution in Portugal
Mainland Portugal (Beira Litoral).
Geographic areas where there are records of Elodea canadensis
Other places where the species is invasive
Europe (United Kingdom, Ireland, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Lithuania, Lithonia, Estonia), South America (Chile), Australia, New Zealand.
Introduction reasons
Probably for ornamental purposes. Used as an ornamental plant in fishkeeping.
Preferential invasion environments
Lagoons, ditches and rice fields.
It grows between 0,5 and 7 cm deep, standing still or moving slowly.
It develops mainly in basic, cold and limpid water.
Although it’s considered as being an invasive species, its dispersion in Portugal is relatively limited.
Impacts on ecossystems
It grows into mats that may totally cover the water surface. Its growth reduces the water flow up to 80%, changes the available lighting and prevents the growth of native species.
Economic impacts
It diminishes the recreational use of the invaded area and may cause problems in irrigation systems.
Potentially high costs in applying control measures.
Natura 2000 network habitats more subject to impacts
– Natural euthrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition-type vegetation (3150).
Controlling an invasive species demands a well-planned management, which includes the determination of the invaded area, identifying the causes of invasion, assessing the impacts, defining the intervention priorities, selecting the adequate control methodologies and their application. Afterwards it is fundamental to monitor the efficiency of the methodologies and recuperation of the intervened area as to perform, whenever necessary, the follow-up control.
The control methodologies used for Elodea canadensis include:
Manual/mechanical removal (preferential methodology). Manual removal or by using nets and dredging. For the success of this methodology, it’s fundamental not to create and/or leave large fragments in the water.
Shadowing of the invaded waterbodies. The shadowing may be obtained by tree planting on the banks of the affected areas or by applying an opaque covering.
Chemical control
Herbicide application. Herbicide spray (active substance: diquat in formulas adapted to aquatic environments). It is expensive and only temporary. It affects non-target species and its efficiency is very dependent on the age and phenological state of the plants and the presence of debris in the water, so it may result in very low success rates.
The presence of carps and other fishes enhances the water’s turbidity and, thus, reduces the probability of the species’ expansion.
Visit the webpage How to Control for additional and more detailed information about the correct application of these methodologies.
CABI (2012) Elodea canadensis. In: Invasive Species Compendium. CAB International, Wallingford, UK. Available: http://www.cabi.org/isc/ [Retrieved 29/11/2012].
DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway (2012) Elodea canadensis. Available: http://www.europe-aliens.org/speciesFactsheet.do?speciesId=1052 [Retrieved 29/11/2012].
DiTomaso JM, Healy EA (2003) Aquatic and riparian weed of the West. University of California; Agriculture and Natural Resources. Oakland.California 442pp.
Global Invasive Species Database (2012) Elodea canadensis. Available: http://www.issg.org/database/species/search.asp?sts=sss&st=sss&fr=1&x=0&y=0&sn=elodea+canadensis&rn=&hci=-1&ei=-1&lang=EN [Retrieved 29/11/2012].
Marchante E, Freitas H, Marchante H (2008) Guia prático para a identificação de plantas invasoras de Portugal Continental. Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, 183pp.
Vernon E, Hamilton H (2011) Literature review on methods of control and eradication of Canadian pondweed and Nuttall’s pondweed in standing waters. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report n° 433, 45pp.
categoria: Aquatic plants
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Carpobrotus edulis
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Phytolacca americana
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Tradescantia fluminensis
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Dani obtained her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from New York University. While at NYU, she was introduced to the Institute of Physical Art (IPA) and their Functional Manual Therapy (FMT) approach. She was inspired to approach the whole body as an integrated system and influence the system through manual touch and manipulation to restore efficient function and eliminate pain. During her last year in the DPT program, Dani took courses through the IPA, which began preparing her for the rigorous certification process in Functional Manual Therapy (CFMT). After practicing in New York for a year, Dani moved to California and completed a 1-year residency, through the IPA to further her manual therapy skills. She finds the scaffolding of FMT allowed for ease of integration with other system approaches that she took continuing education from ie. the North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy, Spinal Manipulation Institute, and Herman and Wallace Institute. Her passion in physical therapy focused on Orthopedic and Sports related injuries which stems from her long history as an avid athlete. Today, she continues to live an active lifestyle long distance running, cycling, hiking, and playing volleyball. She also holds a certification as a strength and conditioning specialist. While she continues to treat Orthopedic and Sports related injuries, she also has delved into the world of pelvic floor physical therapy in the last few years, treating males, females, and transgender. The bottom of the core is comprised of the pelvic floor muscles which function contribute to core stabilization and integral to achieving maximal core strength. Weakness in the pelvic floor can contribute to core weakness, low back pain, incontinence, and sexual dysfunction. She believes the pelvic floor is often a missing link that goes unaddressed in orthopedic and sports issues. Some pelvic floor conditions that affect overall function and impact everyday lives are chronic pelvic pain, pudendal neuralgia, incontinence, prostatitis, hernias, sexual dysfunction, dyspareunia, diastases recti and prolapse.
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Shemouel “Samuel” Haim, a.k.a. Mister Haim or Monsieur Haim, was born in 1897 C.E. in the city of Kermanshah (later Ghahremanshahr) in Western Iran. His father, Yehazghel “Ezekiel” Haim was a prominent businessman. Samuel received his elementary and high school studies at the Alliance Israélite “Ettehad” School of Kermanshah, although despite the shortage of educational facilities outside the Iranian capital, his education was not limited to that institution. Haim graduated high school with honors. A young man devoted to sophisticated philosophical, historical and social studies, he spent most of his time on reading, and what he earned on books.
Besides English and French, Samuel Haim knew Hebrew well. He mostly studied books in foreign languages almost exclusively on historical, political and philosophical subjects, especially the works of Montesquieu, Tolstoi, Nehru and more.
Upon graduation, given his mastery of English and French, Samuel Haim was readily employed at the customs office of Kermanshah. He made fast progress, and despite being Jewish, he was chosen soon as the president of the Customs Office of the Kurdistan region.
Samuel Haim was distinguished by his free spirit and his love of humanity. He often spoke fearlessly, never afraid of debating with who belittled Judaism.
During WWI, the feudal figures of Kurdistan conspired to hoard the wheat and cause famine. By the order of Samuel Haim, the chief of the Customs Office of the Western Iran, the secret silos were opened and large amounts of wheat were provided to the poor and hungry sectors of the society.
But Haim was a lonely man. The landowners tapped into the dormant prejudice among the fanatics, spread false rumors about Haim, caused riots, and forced him to resign from his services and flee Kurdistan.
Between 1917 to 1919 C.E., as World War I raged, Iran was fully occupied by the British forces. With his mastery of English, Samuel Haim was employed first as a translator, and then, as the Advisor to the British Military in Bureaucratic Affairs, Qazvin, Iran. This was a fresh new start for him, and a chance to form close relations and friendships with Colonel Pouladin, the Chief of the Qazvin Gendarmerie, and Mr. Sarkeshik-zadeh, the mayor of that city, due to Haim’s influential, strong and ambitious personality. Later on, when both Sarkeshik-zadeh and Haim were elected to the Fifth Parliament, the two men would join the ranks of the supporters of Modarres, while sadly, his friendship with Colonel Pouladin would provide an excuse for the accusations of treason committed by Haim against his country.
Having fulfilled his mission in Qazvin, he was transferred to Zanjan, and then to Tabriz, where he resisted the ominous intents of the British, rejected their demands, decided to cease serving in their organization, submitted his resignation, and left for Tehran.
Mr. Haim arrived in Tehran in the early 1290’s of the Persian calendar, ca. 1912 C.E. This coincided with the reign of Ahmad-Shah the King of Qajar, and the peak of anti-Semitic crises, including the trespass and violations committed against Jewish properties in the Sarpoulak neighborhood carried out by Kazem Attar. Also, preparations were made by the thugs and hooligans to persecute and plunder Jews over “an insult to Sheikh Abedini’s donkey” (sic!) around the Grand Bazaar. Meanwhile, the representative of the Jewish community in the Parliament, Dr. Loghman Nehorai, refused to interfere in this matter, as he was burdened by an overload of work.
In the meantime, Jews were faced with increasing problems, especially outside the capital. The trouble of anti-Semitism in Khorram-abad and Azerbaijan, the Kolah Jalli (Jalli Hats) affair in Shiraz; the murder of several Jews around Hamedan; the issue of closing Jewish stores in the Grand Bazaar of Tehran; insults to Jews in other locales; and so forth; they led many Jewish families to immigrate to Tehran. Numerous such issues made a large number of Jews more dissatisfied with the status quo, particularly with their representative at the time, Dr. Loghman Nehorai, who seemed unable to bring order and resolve the situation.
Samuel Haim’s heart was still aflame with anger and revolt ignited by the damaging consequences of his resignation from the Kurdistan customs office, the later abuses of the British occupiers, and many other forms of discrimination imposed on Jews which violated their rights. He was waiting for a chance to kindle a light in the minds of his fellow Jews, and to guide them in a movement to free themselves from such inequalities, humiliations and miseries.
Thus, he intended at first to penetrate the socio-cultural institutions of the community and earn himself a hold on power. But before long, he realized that the rising disagreements would not let him achieve his goal. Therefore, facing such organizations, he shortly established the Hobyeh Zion Association and the Omid “Hope” Committee. He then obtained the required permit and published the Haim Newspaper.
The Haim Newspaper earned him a worthwhile and admirable place among Persian publications. Despite competition from Hageoula Newspaper, which often opposed or criticized Haim, Samuel Haim managed to reflect much of his opinions and visions via his publication as well as possible. The newspaper was part written in Hebrew, and all significant news and events of the Jewish community were fully reflected in the paper.
An intellectual figure, Mister Haim soon connected to all leading figures and public servants of the Tehran Jewish community, thanks to his determination and unceasing efforts; and thereafter, he befriended the statesmen, influential people, and others in charge of the country. Later, it was rumored that Mr. Haim had close relations with some important Iranian publications and the British Embassy, and certainly, he could solve many a problem with ease. Also, His sudden emergence on the scene in the days of youth, especially during some of the most tumultuous years of the Jewish life in Iran — the end of the Qajar Dynasty and the regime change in the country — had been verified.
Furthermore, the current socio-political transformations in the country as a whole — the effects of WWI, the consequences of the Constitutional Revolution, and scattered uprisings — had an incredible impact on the Jews of Iran at that historic juncture. These made Mr. Haim determined more than before to boost his activities as a philanthropist and benevolent figure.
To realize his visions, he now viewed membership at the Parliament as an institution of hope, because earning this position would mean to sit at the height of power over the affairs of the Jewish community. Besides, he would also obtain the presidency of the Tehran Jewish Association.
People were dissatisfied with Dr. Nehorai’s three terms as their representative to the Parliament. All the while, Mr. Haim was earning fame as a young and energetic power, so far as he was known to some of his followers as the “Promised Savior.” Thus, as predicted, Mr. Haim decided to run for the office in the elections for the Fifth Parliament. He earned the majority of the votes — more than 80% — and hence, defeating his opponent Dr. Loghman Nehorai, he joined the Fifth Parliament as the Representative of the Iranian Jews. He assumed the position on the 22 of Bahman, 1302 of the Persian Calendar, winter 1924 C.E., and he continued to hold his seat until Ordibehesht 1304, spring of 1925 C.E.
Samuel Haim’s mastery of Persian, Hebrew, English and French quickly earned him much influence among the members of the Parliament, and the matter caught the attention of the most beloved member of that period, Modarres.
Modarres did not withhold any efforts to persuade Mr. Haim to form a minority faction. Although his plan failed for this term, he eventually managed to recruit Mr. Haim as one of his followers. Most often, Haim consulted with Modarres especially in matters of politics. He deemed their friendship to be a great honor and had a special respect for the elder’s ideas. However, their connection and friendship had some unpleasant effects on Haim’s political fate. On the one hand, it provided his opponents with the favorable conditions in the upcoming elections, while on the other hand, it would raise the suspicion of Sardar Sepah, the Chief Military Person, namely Reza Pahlavi, and provoke him.
Once in the Parliament, Mr. Haim re-established the Zionist Association. He attended the Founders’ Parliament and voted in favor of dismantling the Qajar Dynasty to establish the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi; and Reza Shah expressed his immense satisfaction with Haim’s move. He also attended Reza Shah’s coronation ceremony in the spring of 1926, which allowed him to get closer than before to the highest ranking statesmen of the country.
Among his achievements during the Fifth Parliament, Mr. Haim requested assistance for the Jewish schools from the business taxation revenue. He also requested to reduce taxation on Jews, especially the Jews of cities outside the capital.
During a life cut too short, Samuel Haim, did much for his poor, oppressed, and impoverished fellow Jews, especially since he arrived in Tehran and during his years as an active member of the Parliament. Thanks to his persistent efforts, he took many successful steps to rectify the affairs of the Jews. He believed that the Jewish Neighborhood known as Oudlajan, a.k.a. the Tehran ghetto, with its dissonant composition, was not worthy of the Jewish life. He further believed that it was due to their own indifference that Jews had yielded to such a coerced life in a most contaminated part of the city, deprived of a minimum of life necessities, such as water, lighting and hygienics.
Thus, he emphatically reproached the city over the sanitation issues in the Alley of the Oudlajan neighborhood; and in a published essay, he asked the authorities to seek a fundamental solution to clean up the district. He also took on the business of butchery, which had always enjoyed special privileges and much influence in the Jewish communities. To that end, he took several initiatives, and even sent the violators to jail. To teach hygienic principles, he went so far as to ask a group of educated youngsters among his supporters to dress up in clean clothes and white overcoats, appear in the new clean and hygienic spaces built with white ceramic tiles, and sell meat for awhile.
Such actions increased Mr. Haim’s popularity by the day, although he had no few enemies. The latter accused Haim of holding radical ideas, that he lacked in political skill and experience, and that this weakness would lead to irreparable damages. Moreover, they reinforced the rumor that Mr. Haim was a spy planted by a foreign government. However, many Jews believed that he was intelligent and politically savvy, and that given his democratic spirit, he most deserved to represent them in the Parliament.
In the heat of the elections for the Sixth Parliament, Mr. Haim’s supporters showed an unequalled passion and activism, and his victory appeared to be guaranteed as with the last election. He was supposed to speak at the largest synagogue in Tehran, the Ezra Yaghoub “Jacob” Synagogue. A large crowd had gathered inside and around the temple, in the area known as Sar-e Chal Square, and the security forces were there on grounds of maintaining peace and order. The moment Mr. Haim appeared at the scene of the temple, the crowd’s jubilant voice echoed in the space. However, as he walked to the podium to present his speech, suddenly by prior arrangement, two bands began to argue and started a pretense fight. Next, the police forces walked in to control the crowd and restore order. They scattered the people, but arrested Mr. Haim and sent him to jail. During the seven days that the Jewish elections were in progress, Haim was in jail, allowing his opponent to win the elections in his absence and join the Sixth Parliament instead to represent the Jewish community. Haim was released from jail after the elections.
Despite failing in the elections, he did not cease to work. He knew well that this conspiracy had been arranged in advance and carried out by his enemies; and yet, he pursued his social activities with more determination. He tried to prove his innocence by providing facts and documents to refute the accusations laid against him by his enemies. But lacking experience in politics, and underestimating his enemies and the statesmen of his time, his noble effort instead reinforced the hostility and increased the suspicions against him. Also, playing such a sloppy political move, he fell unwittingly into a political game that would claim him as its sacrifice.
Shemouel “Samuel” Haim’s enemies carried out a conspiracy to remove him out of their way. They obtained the order of his arrest and sent him immediately to the Ghasr Prison. In the year 1926 C.E. the newspapers announced that a group of displeased military figures, headed by Colonel Mahmoud-khan Pouladin, intent on striking a coup d’état against the regime had been arrested, and their conspiracy had been frustrated. “Monsieur Haim’s” name too had been included among the coconspirators.
Shemouel “Samuel” Haim spent more than five years in prison. During this period, nothing was published on him to the newspapers. No one spoke of the charges against him, of the investigation or the trial, the name of the defense attorney, or how he was defended. Merely, some scattered information or contradictory gossip and rumors could be heard among people, especially amongst his fellow Jews.
On the 10th of Azar, 1310 of the Persian calendar, the 15th of December, 1931 C.E., early morning at the dawn, Samuel Haim was placed before a firing squad at Bagh-Shah, and he was executed. Before he was executed, he recited aloud and eloquently the verse the shema’ yisra’el prayer. His only request was for them not to hit his face, and only shoot at his body.
On that very day, the Ettela’at Daily published the following few lines:
“Haim, who was elected to the Fifth Parliament as the Representative of the Jews, and who spent time in prison for collaborating with the secret committee, was executed today morning at Bagh-Shah.”
Sources, in Persian:
(*) Moshfegh-Hamedani: The Memoirs of Half-a Century in Journalism; (Persian)
(*) Banayan, Jahangir: Notes.
(*) Levi, Dr. Habib: A Comprehensive History of Jews of Iran.
(*) Bina Publication, No. 8.
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An isovelocity dynamometer method to determine monoarticular and biarticular muscle parameters
Conceição, F., King, M.A., Yeadon, M.R., Lewis, M.G.C. ORCID: 0000-0001-5918-3444 and Forrester, S.E., 2012. An isovelocity dynamometer method to determine monoarticular and biarticular muscle parameters. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 28 (6), pp. 751-759. ISSN 1065-8483
212996_8382 Lewis Publisher PID212996.pdf
This study aimed to determine whether subject-specific individual muscle models for the ankle plantar flexors could be obtained from single joint isometric and isovelocity maximum torque measurements in combination with a model of plantar flexion. Maximum plantar flexion torque measurements were taken on one subject at six knee angles spanning full flexion to full extension. A planar three-segment (foot, shank and thigh), two muscle (soleus and gastrocnemius) model of plantar flexion was developed. Seven parameters per muscle were determined by minimizing a weighted root mean square difference (wRMSD) between the model output and the experimental torque data. Valid individual muscle models were obtained using experimental data from only two knee angles giving a wRMSD score of 16 N m, with values ranging from 11 to 17 N m for each of the six knee angles. The robustness of the methodology was confirmed through repeating the optimization with perturbed experimental torques (±20%) and segment lengths (±10%) resulting in wRMSD scores of between 13 and 20 N m. Hence, good representations of maximum torque can be achieved from subject-specific individual muscle models determined from single joint maximum torque measurements. The proposed methodology could be applied to muscle-driven models of human movement with the potential to improve their validity.
Conceição, F., King, M.A., Yeadon, M.R., Lewis, M.G.C. and Forrester, S.E.
Human Kinetics Inc.
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WordPress Plugin Hijacks Websites to Show Payday Loan Ads
Authors of the 404 to 301 WordPress plugin have hijacked the content of other websites by showing SEO spam on their homepages, most of the illegally displayed content being ads for payday loan services.
The 404 to 301 WordPress plugin is, at least in theory, a very useful plugin for site owners because it takes users landing on former website pages (that show 404 errors) and uses a 301 HTTP request to redirect them to the site’s homepage.
Because 404 errors hurt rankings in search results, the plugin is useful for people who care about SEO.
WordPress plugin delivered payday loan ads to search engine crawlers
According to WordFence, a company that provides security products and services for WordPress website owners, the plugin abused the trust its users placed in it and secretly added code to the original site that loaded ads, usually right under the main navigation menu.
These ads were your basic SEO spam, ads that only showed up to Google’s search bot, but not to regular users.
It was one of WordFence’s customers who first detected this behavior when he couldn’t figure out why his company’s website featured a dodgy description in Google’s search results.
WordFence investigated the case and notified both the plugin author and the WordPress security team in charge of the WordPress Plugins Directory.
Rogue plugin returns to the Light side of the Force
In normal circumstances, the plugin would have been removed, but its author removed the code responsible for the shady behavior three hours before this article’s publication.
The plugin has over 70,000 active installs, and a 4.5-star review from its users. The latest version, 2.3.0, is safe to use, but the plugin’s reputation has already taken a huge blow.
According to WordFence, the plugin’s author took the liberty of hijacking other people’s sites after he added the following text in the plugin’s license agreement, in the Third Party Text Links section.
“ Third party text networks supply text for display in 404 to 301. These networks may collect your visitors’ IP addresses, in native or hashed forms, for purposes of controlling the distribution of text links. 404 to 301 collects anonymous aggregated usage statistics. By clicking the button here below, you agree to the terms and conditions and give permission to place text links on your website when search engine crawlers access it. ”
WordPress Plugin Hijacks Websites to Show Payday Loan Ads - Kode88 Website Design, Cape Town
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HomeGalleriesNevadaRed Rock CanyonWildflowers of Red Rock Canyon and the Mojave DesertWildflowers of Red Rock Canyon and the Mojave Desert, Photo Gallery, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
Wildflowers of Red Rock Canyon and the Mojave Desert, Photo Gallery, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
Wildflowers of Red Rock Canyon and the Mojave Desert
Red Rock Canyon supports over 600 plant species, 15 of which are found nowhere else in the world. 9 distinct ecotones span a 5,000' elevation change from the desert floor to Spring Mountains, including riparian areas deep within canyons and white fir forests on the highest slopes. Red Rock Canyon is part of the Mojave Desert, which covers over 54,000 square miles of basin-range topography across eastern California, southern Nevada and western Arizona. See hiking trails in Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park and Red Rock Canyon.
Desert Sage favors alluvial slopes from creosote scrub communities to pinyon-juniper woodlands
Desert succulents close their stomates during the day to minimize water loss
Western Redbud is a leguminous shrub that favors xeric, gravelly canyons and slopes
Beavertail Cactus is named so for its relatively smooth pads; Native Americans used the pulp to soothe abrasions
Hairy Daisies occupy rocky crevices from low-lying desert to pinyon-juniper woodlands
While typically associated with higher elevations, Flax is found among pinyon-juniper woodlands of the eastern Mojave
Desert Marigold have tiny hairs on their stems that reflect light, block ultraviolet light and moderate leaf temperature
Desert Globe Mallow has been found to be an effect defense against certain invasive plant species
The Joshua Tree - Yucca brevifolia, is a member of the Agave family
Mariposa Lily range in color across the Mojave, typically lighter in the east and darker orange in the west
The hedgehog (or Calico) cactus; it opens stomates for gas exchange at night and stores carbon dioxide in the form of an organic acid
Desert Canterbury Bell grows in lower elevations and gravelly soils, like other Phacelia species, it can cause contact dermatitis
There are several Penstemon species in the Mojave with a wide geographic range
Cliffrose is an important food source for mule deer and bighorn sheep
Native Americans harvested Utah Agave stalks when they were just starting to grow and were most nutritious and palatable
Four O' Clocks are named so for their tendency to open petals in the late afternoon and remain open all night
Manzanita - which translates to Little Apple in Spanish - produces edible berries in late spring
Soil depth, alkalinity, exposure and moisture have a profound impact on where Red Rock's 600 plant species can be found
Creosote bushes can live thousands of years and have significant pharmacological applications
Overlapping creosote, blackbrush and rabbitbrush communities offer the greatest variety of flowering bushes in Red Rock Canyon
Hedgehog Cactus flowers range from pale yellow to a deep magenta and are among the first cacti to flower in the desert
Juniper berries are an important food source for browsers such as deer and wild horses
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White Rock Loop
6.35 Miles | Moderate
La Madre Springs
La Madre Springs and White Rock Loop
Turtlehead Peak
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FOR A BETTER TOMORROW
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BAPTIST LIFE
EXPLAINER: ERLC, George Soros and Evangelical Immigration Table
NASHVILLE (BP) -- A Breitbart.com article recently highlighted the Evangelical Immigration Table (EIT), an organization credited with persuading multiple governors to allow refugees to resettle in their states.
The article also suggested the group has ties to the progressive billionaire George Soros. A number of blogs have circulated these rumors, charging the group and those affiliated with it as advancing an "open borders" mass immigration agenda. These claims have proved to be false.
What is EIT?
EIT is a nonpartisan coalition of evangelical groups who partner together to advocate for a bipartisan solution on immigration. According to EIT's Statement of Principles, the group advocates for a solution that respects the God-given dignity of every person, protects the unity of the immediate family, respects the rule of law, guarantees secure national borders, ensures fairness to taxpayers, and establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents. In 2013, a resolution at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention drew directly from the EIT Statement of Principles.
Who is part of EIT?
Several evangelical organizations serve as the formal "heads" of the coalition, including World Relief, the Assemblies of God, the National Association of Evangelicals and the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Numerous individuals, while not a part of the coalition itself, have also joined EIT's Statement of Principles as signatories. This includes Southern Baptist leaders Jason Allen, Danny Akin, Ronnie Floyd, Kevin Ezell, J.D. Greear, Johnny Hunt, Bryant Wright, Jack Graham, Fred Luter, James Merritt and many others.
What is the ERLC's role in EIT?
The ERLC frequently participates with coalition groups on issues important to Southern Baptists. ERLC's work with a coalition does not signify agreement with the other coalition members on every issue.
As such, the ERLC continues to work with other members of EIT to advocate for a solution to immigration reform. The ERLC originally partnered with EIT under the leadership of then-president Richard Land, partly in response to the Southern Baptist Convention's 2011 resolution, "On Immigration and the Gospel," which called for a just and compassionate solution to immigration reform. Messengers to the 2018 SBC annual meeting likewise passed a resolution "On Immigration," and current ERLC president Russell Moore has remained part of the coalition, advocating for immigration reform as stated in both the 2011 and 2018 resolutions.
Does George Soros fund EIT or the ERLC?
Some accusing EIT, or member groups of EIT, as being "Soros-funded" point out that EIT is supported by the National Immigration Forum, and that an organization chaired by George Soros had awarded grant money to the National Immigration Forum -- which is true. However, the grant in question represented just 2 percent of National Immigration Forum's overall budget, and further, EIT has never received or utilized any money from either George Soros or a Soros foundation.
Additionally, the ERLC has never funded or been funded by EIT or NIF. Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum confirmed this in a statement to Baptist Press: "Quite simply, there has never been a single penny from George Soros that has gone toward the work of the Evangelical Immigration Table." Likewise, ERLC has never received funding from Soros.
The fact-checking website Snopes.com published a piece in December 2019 debunking this same Soros charge aimed at another evangelical organization. The article describes the Soros accusation as consisting of "convoluted connections," claims the charges, "stretch and distort the existing facts," are "factually insupportable," and "simply false."
2 comments on this story | Please log in to comment by clicking here
YL Gray
I have a problem ERLC and the other groups not condemning what has gone on for many years with the invasion of people, drugs, and slavery by with so-called immigrates. They have not condemned the manipulation of people with false promises. And those in our governments' creating sanctuary cities/states, or make promises or not enforcing current laws or lack of legislation. The church is to go and not encourage with silence on government officials' malfeasance and twisting of the laws.
My question to the ERLC and others why are you encouraging law-breaking. That is not the purpose of the Gospel. The scripture tells us to go and preach the gospel, not encourage corruption by others so we can preach the gospel.
David Arvin
The ERLC should back away from this movement and replace Russell Moore with someone whose views are more in line with Southern Baptists in the pews.
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Safer Internet Art Competition
Safer Internet Day was held on the 6th February. We had an in-school Art competition, Below are the winners in the Junior Classes. Comhghairdeas libh!
School Gaelic League Final
There was great excitement in the school as the finalists in our School Gaelic League, na Cealla Beaga and Naomh Conaill faced each other on Monday, 5th February. Master Devenney got proceedings underway in the school early when he conducted an intercom interview with the opposing captains, Jack and Caolán, Both spoke openly about their fears and hopes for the final in a candid interview!
Both teams then lined up for a heartwarming rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann on the Astro-Pitch. Master O Donnell was shortlisted to referee on the day, with Adrian and Master Gallagher as his understudies on the line.
The game began at a frantic pace. It was a pulsating contest with fine scores from both teams. The crowd were thoroughly entertained and encouraged both teams.
In what was a truly absorbing contest, na Cealla Beaga emerged as victors on a 5-8 to 5-7 scoreline. Well done to both teams.
Many thanks are due to Master Gallagher for organising the league.
St Brigid Crossmaking with Grandparents
We all had a most enjoyable day in the School on St Brigid’s Day. Fr Strain celebrated mass in the chapel at 10 am. Our School Music Group partook in the lovely ceremony.
Following this, all grandparents were invited to the School Hall for a cup of tea. Then we all had great fun making St Brigid’s Crosses.
Note to parents – Jan 30th 2018.
Feb 2nd
A copy of note given to the children at school
January 30th,
Dear Parent,
Grandparents Day will be held on Thursday, 1st February. The pupils will attend Mass in the chapel at 10am. All are then invited to the School Hall for tea at 10.30, followed by St Brigid Cross-making with the children until 12.30 approximately. The invitation is for parents and the wider community too, not strictly for grandparents (though family pets might be a step too far!).
The children will be having a bowl of mashed poundies on the day, and can bring a small plastic plate or bowl for feeding purposes!
The Parents-Association are hosting a Family Movie Night in Century Cinemas on Thursday, 22nd February at 6pm. The movie is Coco, and tickets can be purchased from the school at a cost of €5 per ticket.
Parents of Fifth Class pupils are meeting tonight, Tuesday 30th January at 7.30pm in the School Library to arrange teas for the Confirmation.
The Confirmation is scheduled for Sunday, 11th February at 12.30pm. We wish all the Confirmandi well on the day.
The school had a successful night at the Letterkenny Credit Union this week, winning the U-13 Senior Section and were placed third in the U-11 Section. Well done to teams involved.
The school will be closed for Mid-term Break on Thursday, 15th and Friday, 16th February.
John Devenney.
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Archive for A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE at the Ahmanson Theatre
Photo by Jan Versweyveld
Terry Morgan - Stage Raw
The Young Vic production of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge was roundly praised in both London and New York. The current version at the Ahmanson, however, has at least a couple of major problems. Read more…
Dany Margolies – The Daily Breeze
Belgian theater director Ivo van Hove revives Arthur Miller’s 1957 classic “A View From the Bridge” with a staging at once utterly realistic and utterly stylized. Read more…
Now running through November 5.
Tags : A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, Ahmanson Theatre, Arthur Miller, Dany Margolies, Stage Raw, Terry Morgan, The Daily Breeze
A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE at Pacific Residents Theatre Ensemble
Sunday, July 7th, 2013
Terry Morgan – LAist
When one thinks of Arthur Miller’s body of work, one doesn’t immediately think “chronicler of Italian-American experience,” but with A View From The Bridge, he revealed a further breadth of his talent. The lead characters of most of Miller’s plays are imperfect men, from Willy Loman and John Proctor, and Eddie Carbone from View fits right in.
Dany Margolies – Arts In LA
“I want my respect!” insists Eddie Carbone continually—and ambiguously. Sadly for him, but thrillingly for audiences since 1955, when Arthur Miller’s magnificently crafted play premiered, Miller’s protagonist Eddie has no idea what respect means nor how to earn it.
Now running through August 25.
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A Lesson in Jersey-French
First steps in an expressive language.
As I was coming to work the other morning, I was hailed across the street by “Quand tch'i qu'j'allons avé du bé ? Y tchait d'la plyie touos les jours, man vi.”
Two visitors on my side of the road, all but stopped in their steps. They seemed uncertain whether the outlandish speech was addressed to them: but the perplexity so plain on their faces changed to a smile of amusement when I explained that an acquaintance of mine had merely remarked in passing that it was about time we had some decent weather and that it rained every blessed day.
Amusement was succeeded by interest, and for some ten minutes I was busy expounding the virtues of Jersey-French, or, as learned people like to call it, Norman French. There are certain uninstructed folk who have the temerity to call it the Jersey “patois,” but with those I have neither lot nor part.
It is perhaps too much to say that the Doomsday Book is pure Jersey-French, but there are certainly many words in it which are in common use here to-day in the country districts, and especially in that strong hold of our old popular speech, the parish of St. Ouen's. And in an old French book I once read - " Le roi Henri IV était très mârri."
Gendarme with huge whiskers
In the modern French Henry of Navarre would have been "très fâché," but when the present-day Jerseyman who lives in the country is angry, he is still "mârri”.
Once on the Place de la Concorde I made friends with an enormous French gendarme who stroked his huge whiskers as he directed the traffic. When I told him I came from Jersey he nearly kissed me.
"Jersey!" he exclaimed, “ah j'y suis allé il y a bien des années pour une semaine, et j'ai eu le temps de ma vie. Je n'ai pas désoûlé pour un seul instant."
A Jerseyman would have said:-
“Jerri ! Ah, véthe; j'pâssit une semaine là y'a ben d's'années, et j'eut une raide bouonne bordée. J'tais plyien comme un ketto tout l'temps."
And, an Englishman:-
" Jersey! I went there a good many years ago for a week, and I had the time of my life; I wasn't sober for a single minute."
Personally, I prefer the Jersey-French as the most expressive of the three. It gets nearer the bone. Whereas the other two merely tell a story, this one shows a picture.
Never forgets
What perhaps is curious is that the boy brought up to Jersey-French can never forget it in later life, even if he wants to. You may have heard the story of the fellow who, having spent many years in Canada and made money there, returned to his native Island having, forgotten every word of Jersey-French. But, happening to step on the teeth of a rake, he remembered sufficient to ejaculate "b------ d'râté!"
Another thing that is curious about Jersey-French is that many words are pronounced differently by people of the west and people of the eastern part of the Island. The western pronunciation approximates more closely to French than does the other, which has a kind of Guernsey twang about it, and is more difficult to spell.
At St. Ouen's the word “deux” (two) is pronounced as in French; at Trinity it is "die," from which was evolved the pun that “Jerseymen never say die.” A fishing rod at St Peter's is a "vôle"; at St Martin's it's a "vowl." To be warm at St. John's is to be “caud”; the Grouville man is “cow." To be beautiful at St Brelade's is to be “byo” but at St. Clement's it is “biow" (more like a cat-call). I have never been able in discover how, when, where or why this difference came about.
Cattle Shows
Jersey-French is heard at its best and brightest at cattle shows. Here is a sample of the talk that goes on round the ring while the judges are doing their best not to make too many mistakes in the class for heifers in milk.
First critic: “Nos juges n'y vaient pas cliet agniet. La preumièthe tch'il ont chouësi n'vaut pas quat' sous. Oulle a l'nez d'travers, épis r'garde ses trans d'drièthe comme y piquent."
Second critic: “Ma fé vèthe, ou n'est bouonne que pour lé bouochi; épis r'garde sait couôson et ses p'tites hanques."
Third critic : “La g'niche à Ph'lip le Merquand a un ben miyeu piechot, et d'ben pûs fines s'epaules."
Fourth critic: “Pour ben dithe, ch'n'est pas des juges dé bêtes chais gâs-la, mais des bêtes de juges."
Chorus : “Tu l'as dit.”
Which being interpreted means that the first critic is of opinion that all is not well with the judge's eyesight, and that the one they picked out, first is not worth much. Her nose is crooked, and her back teats instead of hanging straight down, are inclined at an angle of 25 degrees in a forward direction.
No. 2. He agrees, even goes farther in his adverse criticism, for he is of opinion that the brute is good only for butcher's meat. Her setting is awful, etc., etc.
No. 3. Philip Le Marquand's heifer has a much better udder, and much cleaner shoulders.
No. 4. His meaning is clear, but not so easy to indicate to the unfortunates who don't understand Jersey-French. What he actually says is that the judges don't know their job. In Jersey-French the sentence is a play upon words.
St. Paul's Failing
Which brings to my memory an incident:-
A good many years ago a man called. W. Stanley Hunt came to Jersey as a Wesleyan Minister.
Prejudice against English was very strong in the Methodist community, and notably at St Ouen, where there lived an old lady who didn't believe that anyone who could not pray in French or Jersey-French stood any chance of getting to Heaven.
Mr. Hunt had been in the Island only a few weeks when he was called to preach at St Ouen's Methodist chapel. He chose some words of St. Paul's for his text, and began with an exposition of the man himself. The chapel was filled, because, although the people resented the introduction of English, their curiosity to see what this new Minister was like overbore their prejudice. They discovered from that service what sort of an English Minister had been sent to them.
“St. Paul,” said Mr. Hunt, “was a man of exceptional gifts; one of the most courageous men who ever lived. He had all the virtues except one -" and then he praised. The congregation thought this a very bad start. How dared this young fellow criticise St. Paul, even suggest that he lacked one virtue ? It was intolerable impudence.
But Mr. Hunt (a man of remarkable talents, by the way), having fulfilled his object of fairly rousing his audience, shook his head, frowned, then said - "St. Paul didn't know Jersey-French!"
I hope to write more about Jersey-French. There is a tendency in higher quarters to sneer at it and belittle it, but to the true Jerseyman, who learnt it in childhood before he knew a word of English, it still remains the language of the country. He knows it is disappearing, and this to him is a source of regret.
E.L.B.
Morning News 7/9/1946
Viyiz étout:
Le "Parler" jersiais
L'Humour Jersiais
The Jersey Language in its Present State
The Jersey Language
L'Idiome Jersiais
R'tou à la page d'siez-mé | Back to home page
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Bramaderos Exploration Update – Strong assays received for upper portion of drill hole BMDD001 from the Bramaderos Main gold-copper prospect
OTTAWA, July 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. (“Cornerstone” or “the Company”) (TSXV-CGP) (F-GWN) (B-GWN) (OTC-CTNXF) is pleased to provide an update on its Bramaderos gold and copper project in southern Ecuador, which it is exploring together with ASX listed Sunstone Metals Inc. under a farm-in agreement (see “About Bramaderos”, below).
Figures related to this news release can be seen in PDF format by accessing the version of this release on the Company’s website (www.cornerstoneresources.com) or by clicking on the link below:
http://www.cornerstoneresources.com/i/pdf/NR19-22Figures.pdf.
Initial assay results from the upper portion of the first hole (BMDD001) drilled at the Bramaderos Main prospect indicate a well mineralized porphyry system and include:
164m1at 0.77g/t gold equivalent (from 11.45m downhole) comprising 0.52g/t gold, 0.16% copper including,
6m at 0.90 g/t gold equivalent (from 78.8m downhole) comprising 0.61g/t gold, 0.18% copper
54m at 0.80 g/t gold equivalent (from 301m downhole) comprising 0.50g/t gold, 0.19% copper
Gold equivalents are based on gold and copper assays only and using metal price assumptions as shown in the note to Table 1 below
The assay results support and extend the historical results from drill hole CURI-03 which was mineralized from 9m to 257m (end of hole) and returned 248m at 0.56g/t gold and 0.14% copper and is located approximately 50m from BMDD001
Assays for the remaining intervals from BMDD001 are expected in August
The first hole at the outcropping Bramaderos Main porphyry target, BMDD001, was completed at 669.49m depth (Figures 1 & 2). Assays received to date are for the upper portion of the drill hole only and are provided in Table 1. Assay results for the complete hole are expected to be released in August.
BMDD001 was drilled approximately 50m below the historical intersection of 248m at 0.56g/t gold and 0.14% copper obtained from near-surface in hole CURI-03 (drilled to a depth of 257.24m in November-December 1999 by Paragon del Ecuador for Ecuanor) and below a surface longitudinal trench that delivered 615m at 0.52g/t gold and 0.11% copper (see Cornerstone news release dated May 9, 2018).
Cornerstone Vice President, Exploration, Yvan Crepeau said:
“This is a strong result on several levels. It shows we have drilled into a well mineralized porphyry system and it supports the historical results from hole CURI-03. Importantly, the geometry of the mineralized system appears to be correlating well with the 3-D magnetic model, which has a vertical extent of at least 1,000m. The combination of these latest assays, the historical results and the large extent of the mineralized system as outlined by the surface trenching and magnetic model is extremely promising in terms of both grade and scale.”
Table 1: Significant intersections BMDD001
Hole ID From To Interval Au (g/t) Cu (%) Au_Equiv Ag
BMDD001 11.45 175.4 164.0 0.52 0.16 0.77 1.84
Incl. 78.8 175.4 96.6 0.61 0.18 0.90 2.08
BMDD001 301.05 355.05 54.0 0.50 0.19 0.80 2.17
Incl. 301.05 337.05 36.0 0.58 0.19 0.88 1.97
Note: The gold equivalent grade was calculated using the following formula: Au Equiv g/t = Au g/t + (1.55 * Cu %). Gold equivalent has been calculated using a copper price of $US 2.96/lb, a gold price of $US 1305/oz, and assuming 100% recovery for both gold and copper.
Hole BMDD002 is in progress at approximately 640m and is located ~150m to the south of BMDD001 to test the interpreted down-plunge geometry of the porphyry system. The expected end of hole depth for BMDD002 is ~800m.
The overall Bramaderos Project Phase 1 drilling program across the three targets of Limon, Bramaderos Main and West Zone is anticipated to be ~5,000m (See Figure 3 for target/prospect locations). Drilling at the West Zone target, where surface trenching has delivered 15.6m at 6.1g/t gold, is expected to follow later in the program (see Cornerstone news release dated November 8, 2017).
About Bramaderos
The Bramaderos concession is owned by Cornerstone subsidiary La Plata Minerales S.A. (“PLAMIN”), which has signed a binding letter agreement with Sunstone Metals Ltd. (formerly Avalon Minerals Ltd.) (STM.AX), whereby Sunstone has the right to earn a 51% interest in the project by spending US$3.4 million over 3 years to complete a phase 1 drill program. If this first option is earned, Sunstone can go to 70% by funding a bankable feasibility study, and can go to 80% by financing 100% of the cost of construction of a mine and mill (see news release 17-08 dated April 10, 2017).
Qualified Person:
Yvan Crepeau, MBA, P.Geo., Cornerstone’s Vice President, Exploration and a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for supervising the exploration program at the Bramaderos project for Cornerstone and has reviewed and approved the information contained in this news release.
Sampling and assaying
PLAMIN uses a fire assay gold technique for Au assays (FAS-111) and a four acid multi element technique (IMS-230) for a suite of 48 elements. FAS-111 involves Au by Fire Assay on a 30-gram aliquot, fusion and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) at trace levels. IMS-20 is considered a near total 4 acid technique using a 20g aliquot followed by multi-element analysis by ICP-AES/MS at ultra-trace levels. This analysis technique is considered suitable for this style of mineralization.
Standards, blanks and duplicates are inserted ~1/28 samples. The values of the standards range from low to high grade and are considered appropriate to monitor performance of values near cut-off and near the mean grade of the deposit. The check sampling results are monitored and performance issues are communicated to the laboratory if necessary.
Sample security was managed through sealed individual samples and sealed bags of multiple samples for secure delivery to the laboratory by permanent staff of the joint-venture. MS Analytical is an internationally accredited laboratory that has all its internal procedures heavily scrutinized in order to maintain their accreditation. MS Analytical is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 2005 Accredited Methods.
PLAMIN’s sampling techniques and data have been audited multiple times by independent mining consultants during various project assessments. These audits have concluded that the sampling techniques and data management are to industry standards. All historical data has been validated to the best degree possible and migrated into a database.
Rock samples are collected by PLAMIN’s personnel, placed in plastic bags, labeled and sealed, and stored in a secure place until delivery by PLAMIN employees to the LAC y Asociados ISO 9001-2008 certified sample preparation facility in Cuenca, Ecuador.
Rock samples are prepared crushing to 70% passing 2 mm (10 mesh), splitting 250 g and pulverizing to 85% passing 75 microns (200 mesh) (MSA code PRP-910). Prepared samples are then shipped to MS Analytical Services (MSA), an ISO 9001-2008 laboratory in Langley, BC, Canada, where samples are assayed for a multi-element suite (MSA code IMS-136, 15.0 g split, Aqua Regia digestion, ICP-AES/MS finish) and gold by Fire Assay (MSA code FAS-111, 30 g fusion, AAS finish). Over limit results for Cu (>1%) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code ICF-6Cu, 0.2 g, 4-acid digestion, ICP-AES finish). Gold is assayed using a 30 g split, Fire Assay (FA) and AAS finish (MSA code FAS 111). Over limit results for Au (>10 g/t) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code FAS-415, FA, 30g., gravimetric finish).
Soil samples are dried at low temperature, screened to 80 mesh (MSA code PRP-757), a 15 grams portion is then assayed for a multi-elements suite (MSA code IMS-136, Aqua Regia digestion, ICP-AES/MS finish).
Quality assurance / Quality control (QA/QC)
The MSA Analytical Laboratory is a qualified assayer that performs and makes available internal assaying controls. Duplicates, certified blanks and standards are systematically used (1 control sample every 20-25 samples) as part of PLAMIN’s QA/QC program. Rejects, a 100 g pulp for each rock sample, are stored for future use and controls.
About Cornerstone:
Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company with a diversified portfolio of projects in Ecuador and Chile, including in the Cascabel gold-enriched copper porphyry joint venture in north west Ecuador. Exploraciones Novomining S.A. (“ENSA”), an Ecuadorean company owned by SolGold Plc and Cornerstone, holds 100% of the Cascabel concession. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including SolGold’s fully funding the project through to feasibility, SolGold Plc will own 85% of the equity of ENSA and Cornerstone will own the remaining 15% of ENSA. SolGold Plc is funding 100% of the exploration at Cascabel and is the operator of the project. Cornerstone’s carried interest through to completion of the feasibility study is repayable at Libor plus 2% out of 90% of its share of the earnings or dividends from an operation at Cascabel.
Further information is available on Cornerstone’s website: www.cornerstoneresources.com and on Twitter. For investor, corporate or media inquiries, please contact:
Mario Drolet; Email: Mario@mi3.ca; Tel. (514) 904-1333
Due to anti-spam laws, many shareholders and others who were previously signed up to receive email updates and who are no longer receiving them may need to re-subscribe at http://www.cornerstoneresources.com/s/InformationRequest.asp
Cautionary Notice:
This news release may contain ‘Forward-Looking Statements’ that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of Cornerstone’s beliefs, plans, objectives, strategies, intentions and expectations. The words “potential,” “anticipate,” “forecast,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend”, “trends”, “indicate”, “expect,” “may,” “should,” “could”, “project,” “plan,” or the negative or other variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify ‘Forward-Looking Statements.’ Although Cornerstone believes that its expectations reflected in these ‘Forward-Looking Statements’ are reasonable, such statements may involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in our regulatory filings, viewed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets, predicting natural geological phenomena and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of an environmental, climatic, natural, political, economic, business, competitive, or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes the facts and information contained in this news release to be as correct and current as possible, Cornerstone does not warrant or make any representation as to the accuracy, validity or completeness of any facts or information contained herein and these statements should not be relied upon as representing its views after the date of this news release. While Cornerstone anticipates that subsequent events may cause its views to change, it expressly disclaims any obligation to update the Forward-Looking Statements contained herein except where outcomes have varied materially from the original statements.
On Behalf of the Board,
Brooke Macdonald
1 The true width of the intercepts is not known at this time.
MI3 communications Financières © 2017. Tous droits réservés.
231 des Violettes, Ste-Thérèse, QC, J7E 5S3
Email: mario@mi3.ca
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Mozart in the Viennese Council of War
On 21 October 1786 Mozart's name ("Mozard Capellmeister") appears in the protocol of the k.k. Hofkriegsrat (I. & R. council of war) – of all places. Mozart stood bail for his friend Franz Jacob Freystädtler who was accused of having stolen a piano by the Bavarian captain David Haißer. In the last fifteen years nobody has discovered more handwritten Mozart documents from the composer's lifetime than yours truly.
Part of the entry in the protocol of the I. & R. council of war concerning Mozart posting bond for his friend Freystädtler (OeStA, KA, ZSt HKR HR 2026, fol. 1067). The file related to this case does not survive.
This discovery was published the article "Mozarts Haftungserklärung für Freystädtler. Eine Chronologie". Mozart-Jahrbuch 1998. Kassel: Bärenreiter, 2000, 1-19.
Updated: 6 October 2018
Posted by Michael Lorenz at 3:58 PM No comments:
Labels: Freystädtler, Mozart, Mozart documents
"The Johann Strauss Odyssey" – A Few Necessary Notes
Because Silvia Mattl-Wurm's reply to Frieder Reininghaus' article, "Johann Strauss auf Irrfahrt" ["The Johann Strauss Odyssey"] (in: Österreichische Musikzeitschrift, 65, vol. 9, Vienna 2010, 45) leaves important things unsaid, I wish to add a few points from my perspective as a Schubert scholar and former president of the International Franz Schubert Institute. While the current efforts of the Wienbibliothek to recover stolen Strauss sketches are praiseworthy, it has become evident that these sketches are only the tip of an iceberg, and that the public has not yet been informed of the full extent of the losses suffered by the music collection of the Wienbibliothek (at that time the Wiener Stadt- und Landesbibliothek) prior to the retirement of Ernst Hilmar as head of that collection in 1994. In particular, the estates of Otto Erich Deutsch and Ignaz Weinmann, both owned by the Wienbibliothek, suffered massive losses. Items that were demonstrably in the library as part of Weinmann's estate surfaced in a Viennese antiquarian shop as early as 1993, where they were purchased by the Canadian Schubert scholar Rita Steblin. Steblin (for obvious reasons) did not notify the police, but informed the head of the library, who, however, took no legal action, preferring instead to resolve everything behind the scenes, putatively in the interest of a principle of "confidentiality" that is apparently still in force today. The head of the music collection was suspended and eventually quietly dismissed into retirement. The police and the state prosecutor were not involved. The losses from Weinmann's estate included not only irreplaceable treasures that once belonged to the Krasser family, such as the prayer books of Schubert's sister Therese Schneider and her daughter, but also many other valuable books and a lock of Franz Schubert's hair that had been given to his half-brother Andreas Schubert on the occasion of the composer's first exhumation in 1863. Material from the estate of O. E. Deutsch in the Wienbibliothek also surfaced in the Viennese antiquarian trade. Gitta Deutsch, the daughter of the great Schubert scholar, unsuccessfully tried to awaken the media's interest in these dubious transactions. In 1998 I informed City Councilor Peter Marboe of the alleged thefts – but got no response. In 2000 I informed the head of the Wiener Stadt und Landesbibliothek Dr. Walter Obermaier and his deputy Dr. Gerhard Renner that the missing lock of Schubert's hair from Ignaz Weinmann's estate is now on exhibition at the museum of the Schubert Memorial Site and Museum Atzenbrugg "on loan from Ernst Hilmar" (redated to the year of Schubert's death).
Schubert's lock of hair (stolen from Ignaz Weinmann's estate) on exhibition at the Schubert Memorial Site and Museum in Atzenbrugg
I further informed Dr. Obermaier of several facts strongly suggesting that the lost inventory of lenders to the 1897 Schubert exhibition, likewise owned by the library, had also been stolen. This handwritten register had been described in 1995 in the journal Schubert durch die Brille (edited at the time by Ernst Hilmar) as "having been found in private hands" (Schubert durch die Brille 14, 106). In fact, a copy of a page from this handwritten book had been inserted arbitrarily by Hilmar into one of my articles (Brille 24, 2000, 46). Rita Steblin had seen this precious, leather-bound manuscript in 1993 in the office of the International Franz Schubert Institute (IFSI) in the Kettenbrückengasse, where Hilmar had told her that it could not be given an IFSI stamp, because it "belongs to the Stadtbibliothek".
Ernst Hilmar's office in the Kettenbrückengasse in December 1993. The red arrow points to the lost register of lenders to the 1897 Schubert exhibition (photograph by Rita Steblin).
The management of the Wienbibliothek began to search for this inventory (which never had been given a shelfmark), but the book could not be found. The police were not notified and no attempt was ever made to recover the stolen lock of hair from Atzenbrugg. Dr. Renner merely asked me every now and then in a humorous tone: "Have you been to Atzenbrugg lately?" On 6 May 2009 I informed Dr. Silvia Mattl-Wurm of the theft of the lock of Schubert's hair and gave her copies of all my documents pertaining to this unfortunate case, which had now grown far beyond the realm of "speculation and premature judgment". Following this conversation – long before the Strauss affair had become public – no attempt whatsoever was undertaken by the people in charge "to retrieve the stolen material without damage to its collections with the help of the authorities" (as Mattl-Wurm puts it in her statement in the Österreichische Musikzeitschrift). Mattl-Wurm's reply epitomizes the deplorably passive behavior of the Wienbibliothek and its motives: "If we report the theft, it would be more embarrassing for the library than for Hilmar!" If in this affair the police eventually retrieve the stolen goods, we can safely assume that they were not alerted to the theft by the Wienbibliothek. It was certainly no action taken by the representatives of the Wienbibliothek (spun as cunning finesse) that led to the resurfacing of a few of the stolen Strauss manuscripts. It was the stupidity of the thief Ernst Hilmar and his accomplice Werner Bodendorff, and a lucky coincidence, involving the chairman of the German Johann Strauss Society, Ralph Braun. The whole affair is reminiscent of one involving the Vienna City Archive, where between 1969 and 1999 nine leaves were stolen from Beethoven's probate file. Owing to the lack of an inventory it is not even known what exactly went missing and nobody ever reported the theft to the police.
See also: Response to Walburga Litschauer‘s essay "Perspektiven der Schubert-Forschung in Österreich", (Österreichische Musikzeitschrift, 65, vol. 9, Vienna 2010, pp. 46-49)
Posted by Michael Lorenz at 12:45 AM 2 comments:
Labels: Ernst Hilmar, Franz Schubert, Ignaz Weinmann, Johann Strauss, Silvia Mattl-Wurm, thefts of Schubert documents, Wienbibliothek
"The Johann Strauss Odyssey" – A Few Necessary Not...
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Seasonal Guide+
Recipes List
Categories: Spring, Vegetables, Winter
Beets are highly nutritious and “cardiovascular health” friendly root vegetables. Certain unique pigment antioxidants in this root and its top greens have been found to offer protection against coronary artery disease and stroke, lower cholesterol levels within the body, and have anti-aging effects.
Botanically, this tuberous root vegetable belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, in the beta genus. Its scientific name is Beta vulgaris. Swiss chard is another member of the beta genus grown for its edible leaves.
Beets are small herbaceous plants with broad dark-green leaves. Its underground taproot matures in 50-60 days of sowing and weighs about 100 to 150 grams. If not harvested at the right time, it continues growing to more than a pound and may develop surface cracks, woody and fibrous in texture, lose flavor, and become less appetizing.
Many different cultivars like red, orange-yellow and white verities of beet exist. The unique crimson-red color of red beet is due to betalain pigments, such as betanin and betacyanin. Yellow varieties are rich in ß-xanthin pigment. The root and its top tender greens have been in use for human consumption. Chioggia beet or candy cane variety has alternative red and white concentric whorls.
Health benefits of beets
Garden beet is very low in calories (provide only 45 kcal/100 g), and contain zero cholesterol and a small amount of fat. Its nutrition benefits come particularly from fiber, vitamins, minerals, and unique plant derived anti-oxidants.
The root is a rich source of the phytochemical compound, glycine betaine. Betaine has the property of lowering homocysteine levels within the blood. Homocysteine, one of the highly toxic metabolite, promotes platelet clot as well as atherosclerotic plaque formation, which, otherwise, can be harmful to blood vessels. High levels of homocysteine in the blood result in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and peripheral vascular diseases.
Raw beets are an excellent source of folates. It contains about 109 µg/100 g of this vitamin (Provides 27% of RDA). However, prolong cooking may significantly deplete its level in food. Folates are necessary for DNA synthesis within the cells. When given during peri-conception period folates can prevent neural tube defects in the baby.
Fresh tubers contain small amounts of vitamin-C; however, its top greens are rather excellent sources of this vitamin. 100 g of beet greens provide 30 mg or 50% of RDA. Vitamin C is one of the powerful natural antioxidants, which helps the human body scavenge harmful free radicals one of the reasons for cancer development.
Additionally, its top greens are an excellent source of carotenoids, flavonoid anti-oxidants, and vitamin A; contain these compounds several times more than that of in the roots. Vitamin-A is required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for vision. Consumption of natural vegetables rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
The root is also a rich source of B-complex vitamins such as niacin (B-3), pantothenic acid (B-5), pyridoxine (B-6) and minerals such as iron, manganese, copper, and magnesium.
Further, the root composes of moderate levels of potassium. 100 g fresh root hold 325 mg or 7% of daily requirements. Potassium lowers heart rate and regulates metabolism in the cells by countering detrimental effects of sodium.
Selection and storage
In the store, choose fresh, bright, firm textured beets with rich flavor and uniform size. Avoid those with slump looking or soft in consistency, over-mature and large. Whenever possible, go for the organic produce to get maximum health benefits.
In the farmer markets, often the roots with intact top greens put for sale. If you are buying a whole beet plant, then separate its tops from the root sooner since top-greens rob moisture and nutrition from the roots.
Beet greens, just like other greens, should be washed thoroughly under clean running water and rinsed in saline water for about 30 minutes to remove soil, sand, dirt, and any insecticide residues before use.
Top beet greens should be used while they are fresh. Beetroot, however, can be kept in the refrigerator set at high relative humidity for up to ten days.
Preparation and serving methods
In addition to its crispy root, fresh tender top greens and stems are also equally popular in the recipes.
To prepare, gently scrub and wash the roots in clean running water before use to remove sand, soil, and dirt. Peel the tough outer layer using a vegetable peeler. Cut the root into chunks, squares, or thin slices as you may desire.
Here are some serving tips:
Garden beets are being used in varieties of delicacies.
The root may be eaten raw in salads with carrot, radish, cucumber, cabbage, etc.
Steam the small cubes and serve warm with butter as a delicacy.
Pickled beets are a part of the traditional food in the southern American states.
Beet juice is a popular health drink.
In India, the roots are eaten boiled in curries with other vegetables such as carrot, potato, tomato,.
In Europe,cooked chunks are enjoyed as side dish with added olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice.
In the Europe, cooked chunks enjoyed as a side dish with added olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice.
Betanin pigments, obtained from the plant parts, are being used in food industry as colorants, e.g. to improve the color of tomato paste, sauces, dessert, jams and jellies, ice cream, sweets, etc.
Safety profile
Beeturia is a harmless condition of passing red or pink color urine after eating beets and its top greens. The condition is seen in around 10-15% of the populations who genetically unable to break down betacyanin pigment.
Beet greens contain oxalic acid, a naturally-occurring substance found in some vegetables, which may crystallize as oxalate stones in the urinary tract in some people. Therefore individuals with known history of oxalate urinary tract stones are advised to avoid eating an excess of this greens.
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Cumquat
Turnips are popular, nutritious root vegetables. They are round, tuberous roots grown in many parts of Europe, and Asia as one of the cool-season vegetables. Botanically, they belong to Brassicaceae family, a broad family of greens and vegetables which also includes cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, etc.
Asian greens include a number of varieties which derive from southeast Asia. With centuries of cultivation and culinary related uses, you will be hard pressed to discover all the ways in which to use this broad class of leafy vegetables.
Pungent, spicy ginger root is one of traditional root herb of culinary and medicinal importance. Ginger composes novel phytochemical compounds and holds a special place, even today, in many traditional Indian and Chinese medicines for its disease preventing and health promoting properties.
Brussel sprouts are tiny, leafy green buds resembling like miniature cabbages in appearance. They nonetheless are exceptionally rich sources of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In fact, a renewed interest is emerging among the scientific community about health benefits of brussels-sprouts have to offer.
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The smart Trick of list of The Good Doctor episodes That Nobody is Discussing
January 14, 2020, 11:38 am / manuelatjyp.full-design.com
In only twelve minutes, “The Witness” manages to encapsulate all of Love, Demise & Robots’ worst qualities: Gratuitous nudity, tons of sexualized violence, and an ending that’s as complicated as it is actually pointless.
Wireless support program expected for cellular service. Apple Watch and apple iphone assistance provider needs to be exactly the same. Not all support companies help organization accounts; Check out with the employer and service company.
The show has been praised for its optimistic affect towards the Hispanic society, that makes a lot of nods to your historical past of Mexico and folklore, plus the series' worthy instructional values, educating young Hispanic viewers about the significance of their Mexican roots.[nine] Accolades[edit]
The Legends are joined even more because of the shapeshifter Charlie, who will become stuck in Amaya's Bodily form after losing her powers, and Mona Wu, who may have the opportunity to develop into a Kaupe.
Love the podcast! You are doing a terrific position retelling the tales with a transparent, contemporary design. I do think sometimes old wisdom receives dropped in aged wordings, however, you converse in a way that is humorous and interesting. Keep up The nice function!
Within the West, there happen to be kid's photograph book adaptations in the legend, penned by Western authors and illustrated by Chinese artists, which includes:
Annemarie Blanco as Teodora, the ghost of a woman who essentially hails from the longer term, as shown by her modern-day apparel and mobile phone, which contrast With all the show's nineteenth-century environment. It really is later unveiled that she is not really dead but rather comatose because of injuries sustained in a truck incident; a mysterious Woman subsequently taught her the strength of astral projection and encouraged her that Leo would need her assist, prompting Teodora to send herself back again I Am The Night Season 1 by means of time.
Is it me, or has it been a really while since we’ve experienced a member episode? Do i must update it or some thing? Actually enjoy the pod Forged, among my favorites!
The group brokers a handle the Bratva to obtain in to the gulag exactly where Ray, Mick, and Stein are being held. Rip secretly jobs Sara with killing Stein, should they fail to rescue him. Savage has Ray and Mick tortured in front of Stein, forcing him to cooperate. Getting the formulation, Valentina discovers that Stein is the other half of Firestorm. The crew arrives with the gulag just as Valentina enters a reactor to get started on absorbing energy from a new thermal core.
In Brazil, the team helpful resources hunts the blog Caipora, the protector in the jungle. But he tells them a Tale that shocks Leo and throws the group off track.
Two (originally kid's) tales that underscore the stunning brutality of the earth by which these stories ended up informed.
Loss of life is simply the beginning: When you have a fatality, You're not out of the game, you as a substitute Participate in on as your ghost with ethereal ghostly powers to rise up against evil from over and above the veil.
In case your character special info dies in Folklore: The Affliction, it is not the close. You go on Engage in as your character’s spirit! Ghost characters can battle Together with the strength in the spirit and duel otherworldly foes.
Launched having an eye to regional study, and deeply built-in Using the College’s very long-standing target the South, the study of Folkore at UNC maintains its determination to the study of regional folklife. This dedication, nonetheless, under no circumstances restrictions our vision. Learners here are the findings and college even now do A lot of their fieldwork within the South, with new theses on pimento cheese, the alternative ways a number of generations of the Tennessee relatives have interaction during the overall performance of Region songs, the verbal and Visible artistry of homeless Adult males in Chapel Hill, the re-emergence of girls’s roller derby, the Recollections of area that maintain the African American Neighborhood in Natchez, and also a multi-ethnic minimal-rider motor vehicle club close to Greensboro.
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The detachment has issued a list of its top 10 most-wanted offenders ahead of the holiday season — and the. This page just highlights some of the displaced aggression society seems to be over looking. The child was unharmed but covered with blood, indicating that she had been present when her mother was killed. The Surrey RCMP just released their list for the Top Ten Most Wanted over the holiday season. Date: 2019-06-05. Ariva is a beautiful master planned lakeview estate with Premium Condominiums and a plethora of incredible amenities. Maddy's disappearance may be the result of foul play. Antique Cupboard is a family-owned and operated, Better Business Bureau business that has been in operation over 50 years. Back in the day if you wanted to buy Indian records, your best bet was probably to make the trip to Delhi. Over 10000 All jobs on Eluta. fraser valley all housing wanted - craigslist CL fraser valley fraser valley comox valley kamloops kelowna nanaimo sunshine coast vancouver, BC victoria, BC whistler / squamish >. There are dozens of tribes of gangs in Scarborough, but the most common ones that are seen are the Afghan street gangs, Tamil street gangs, Chinese street gangs, and West Indian (Caribbean) street gangs. As the search continues, it is believed that the wanted Vancouver gang member was last seen in California. Vancouver's Most Wanted. Help Raise Awareness of the Missing People in Canada. Our specific mandate is to serve the needs of the entire Okanagan membership by mobilizing member volunteers to get involved in active liaison. August 25 at 11:39 AM · Kelowna, BC, Canada · Cristian, our little Dragon, and Fraser, our Warrior, are having fun shopping during our Halloween Costume Kickoff Event 🎃 ♻️ Shop today and check out all our spook-tacular costumes starting as low as $5!. Read the latest breaking news around the province as well as national and international news including images, videos, and community discussion. July 12, 2012 edition of the Kelowna Capital News. Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers is a non-profit society and registered charity that receives anonymous tip information about criminal activity and provides it to investigators in the communities of Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. in the next decade. Kelowna’s most adorable counsellors. 5 million in 1999 to 13. RCMP believe a man on their most wanted list may be in Dawson Creek. 's most wanted suspects. We are proud to announce that Chris Mould, CA has been promoted to Principal at KNV Chartered. batman incorporated vol 2 gotham 39 s most wanted the new 52 PDF File. -- There are easier ways to get to Penticton, B. Crime Stoppers is a program that empowers regular people to fight back against crime. Kelowna is also known for its fruit, farming and wine industries. A BC WIDE warrant of arrest was in effect as of Jun 20, 2017. Help Raise Awareness of the Missing People in Canada. KelownaCrimestoppers @KelownaCrimes Crime Stoppers services the greater Okanagan including Kelowna, Peachland, West Kelowna and Lake Country to stop,solve and prevent crime!. Hewco said there were nine arrest warrants outstanding for Soper, whom he suspects is tied to recent break-and-enters in the Oliver, Okanagan Falls and Heritage Hills. Search all houses for sale, condos or townhouses to find the best homes for sale in Kamloops, British Columbia with Canada's #1 Real Estate Brand. Dec 27th, 2013 – 10:11 AM. See BBB rating, reviews, complaints, request a quote & more. As a result, please do not attempt to contact, approach, or apprehend these individuals on your own. most wanted: Help police catch these 15 fugitives from justice. This page just highlights some of the displaced aggression society seems to be over looking. QR Code Link to This Post. Police are still looking for the man. Prince George Citizen October 30, 2019 The College Heights Cougars took on the Duchess Park Condors in the senior boys volleyball city final on Wednesday evening at College of New Caledonia gymnasium. Pieces with opaque stones, like these, are not as common as other colors with sparkling rhinestones. 1 day ago · PENTICTON, B. It helps of course that we are fortunate enough to offer you the latest generation of new Honda vehicles , some of the most value-packed and highly regarded. Kelowna Hells Angel Joseph Bruce Skreptak is now also facing charges of aggravated assault, assault, uttering threats and breaking and entering to commit a criminal offence in regards to an assault which took place at a Kelowna residence. BBB accredited since 2015-11-13. Find Most Wanted in Canada | Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere in Kelowna. net - Crime Stoppers - | Story: 254022. Mussio Goodman Kelowna A cruise will give you from metropolis to location in your journeying hotel. Hockey World: Buffalo’s Myers on the NHL’s most-wanted list. Educated man, nice and clean. net - Crime Stoppers - | Story: 254025. Here at your Kelowna Honda dealer, the entire team at Harmony Honda is committed to being attentive to your needs and providing you with the kind of customer service you expect and deserve. by Sam Cooley. Has two red bush guards on each handlebar; front and rear fenders, FMF single exhaust, and LED tail and signal lights all around. In addition to black and white t-shirts, you can find clothing in a wide variety of colors that work well for different skin tones. 4-million gift,” Rankmore said. Calgary to Kelowna (Calgary) ride wanted. Give your career a boost by targeting the most in-demand jobs in Canada. Turns out that senseless murder in Kelowna involved Robert Thomas and another Hells Angel as well as the president of a Hells Angels. New Book Finder 2019. Ricardo Fanchini is one of the world's most well-connected gangsters, with mobster friends as far afield as Moscow, New York, London, A. These days he spends most of his professional life designing highways and municipal roads. The list includes a pair of twin brothers, both men and women ages 19-40 years old, and a reduced list of the charges each offender faces. Caring for each as our own. Investigators said they had located Young deceased in the Town of Shelburne. Issuu company logo George wanted her to be at home and she wanted to be there too. The Okanagan's largest classified ad listings online or in print. Crime Stoppers works with the police,. Taking a page out of Surrey's book, Richmond RCMP have released a holiday most wanted list. At the dawn of a new millennium, and with the expectation of changes to come, Crime Stoppers started to look at new and innovative ways to serve and engage this community. Patio pool combo you have always wanted inside the home you are immediately met with natural hardwood. Where the word “dick” originates from in this context is unclear, but it is most likely a corruption, possibly of “dough” or the last syllable of “pudding. Take a look at the RCMP's 10 most wanted for murder or attempted murder. To submit a beef or a bouquet to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, e-mail [email protected] The child was unharmed but covered with blood, indicating that she had been present when her mother was killed. microwave working or not $0 (abbostford) hide this posting restore restore this posting. Chilliwack, B. Chilliwack, B. Antique Cupboard is a family-owned and operated, Better Business Bureau business that has been in operation over 50 years. If you know where he is call 911. Pieces with opaque stones, like these, are not as common as other colors with sparkling rhinestones. Information about individuals who have been determined to be inadmissible to Canada and are the subject of an active Canada-wide arrest warrant. ca's thousands of profiles mean thousands of possibilities to connect with the right musicians. The book about one the most famous Hells Angels, Sonny Barger, who founded the Hells Angels Oakland chapter and has been the public face of the club for decades. This website may contain nudity, explicit sexual content and adult language, you must be 18 years of age or older to enter it. photoshop most wanted effects and design tips PDF File Uploaded by Robert Ludlum PDF GUIDE ID 345968bf New Book Finder 2019 Photoshop Most Wanted Effects And Design Tips "Summary Of Photoshop Most Wanted Effects And Design Tips" Jul 03, 2019 - [FREE EBOOK] the best most requested effects that youve seen on the web and. Draw a line around the center and this represents 50 year olds. favorite this post Oct 29 Vancouver (Abbotsford, Chilliwack) to Kelowna / Penticton, November 11 (Vancouver to Kelowna/Penticton) hide this posting restore restore this posting. Call Crime Stoppers if you see him. File: 2016-69937 Wanted for failure to comply with an order (x2). Take a look at the RCMP's 10 most wanted for murder or attempted murder. Callers to Crime Stoppers never have to reveal their identity. net - Crime Stoppers - | Story: 266151. Thursday, February 7, 2013 Peace Arch News welcomes a new Principal. From the most common Mosin Nagant to the rarest of Canadian-made Lee Enfields, there's a lot of surplus rifles in Canada, and even more to know about them. Learn about one of a kind funerals. Kelowna Hells Angel Joseph Bruce Skreptak is now also facing charges of aggravated assault, assault, uttering threats and breaking and entering to commit a criminal offence in regards to an assault which took place at a Kelowna residence. The gang registry is a popular page that needs to be organized. The RCMP have proudly served Canadian communities for more than 130 years, establishing a reputation as one of the most respected police forces in the world. The Okanagan's largest classified ad listings online or in print. In addition to black and white t-shirts, you can find clothing in a wide variety of colors that work well for different skin tones. Model: DRZ400. Simmons, a 25-year-old single mother, lived in a quiet. Garcia is wanted in Texas on charges of murder, manslaughter, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and failure to appear. File: 2016-69937 Wanted for failure to comply with an order (x2). There are a number of crimes committed in Metro Vancouver everyday; however, this is the most recent list of Surrey’s Most Wanted. favorite this post Oct 31 Wanted FREE. Kaylalynn Kruger Is Kelowna’s Most Wanted… Again. Kelowna British Columbia Musicians Wanted, Kelowna British Columbia Band Classifieds. After a week of close surveillance, Kelowna RCMP, captured two from the "WANTED" list. favorite this post Sep 20 WANTED 55-57 Chev rear end $1234 (Kelowna) hide this posting restore restore this posting. Thank you to Loblaw for their ongoing partnership. Anyone can submit an anonymous tip by using our tips line or website; and if that tip leads to an arrest the individual will receive a reward for their efforts. Check out this week's Crime Stoppers mugshots. The Okanagan's largest classified ad listings online or in print. If you have information regarding the whereabouts of. Antique vs. Before you make your next purchase, be sure to see which small businesses are Most Recommended in West Kelowna, BC. Kelowna, BC. Anyone with information about these individuals is asked to call police at 604-599-0502. Don’t miss the Canadian Tire specials, and best sales & prices from the current flyer. He was a former business partner of Mickey's, and when the business went bad, he and Trudy sued and won a civil judgement against him. Perhaps you have inherited dolls from a mother or grandmother and you need to sell them. Offices in Kelowna, and Grand Forks. RCMP search for man wanted Canada wide October 2, 2019 Dawson Creek, Kelowna, BC – RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in tracking down a wanted Kelowna man, believed to be in the Dawson Creek area. Like Us On Facebook. 30 Thursday, October 31, 2019 9:47 pm. All rights reserved. Nominations for Best of Kelowna 2019 are not currently open. Kelowna's most wanted is Jason. Crime Stoppers is asking the public's assistance in locating the following female who is wanted on a province-wide warrant in effect as of April 16, …. RCMP search for man wanted Canada wide October 2, 2019 Dawson Creek, Kelowna, BC – RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in tracking down a wanted Kelowna man, believed to be in the Dawson Creek area. Maddy's disappearance may be the result of foul play. favorite this post Sep 20 WANTED 55-57 Chev rear end $1234 (Kelowna) hide this posting restore restore this posting. favorite this post Oct 4 Wanted Old Wooden Tripods $1234 (kel > Kelowna) pic hide this posting restore restore this posting. By subscribing to our people-centered newsletter you will meet the families in need and learn how special partnering with Archway Food Bank can be. Pisces Pet Emporium is Calgary's most loved premium pet product supplier and sales center. A 2oz bottle was only $1. In this section you will find everything from tranquil antiques to modern masterpieces. If you have information regarding the whereabouts of. Get your quote today. He has brown hair and blue eyes. — Was the Liberal win in Kelowna–Lake Country a blip, or could it be a beachhead? Stephen Fuhr, the Grit incumbent who won a surprise victory in 2015, is hoping to replicate his. Crime Stoppers services the greater Okanagan including Kelowna, Peachland, West Kelowna and Lake Country to stop,solve and prevent crime!. net - Crime Stoppers - | Story: 254025. All rights reserved. net - Crime Stoppers - | Story: 254022. co/qLfjPrIy3m. The Thompson murders was also profiled America’s Most Wanted. kelowna’s most wanted The Daily Courier - 2019-06-04 - CRIME - Robert Glenn FIELD, 31 5’7”, 130 lb. Get your quote today. Dec 27th, 2013 - 10:11 AM. Latest in Hip-Hop, Entertainment, Sports, and Film. Jul 30, 2012 · The FBI's most wanted list is exclusively male, and the vast majority of the other fugitives on its website are also men. ca - Search high quality jobs, direct from employer websites. But The Province has compiled this list of 14 bad guys and one girl who are definitely priorities for police in Metro Vancouver and. The Critical Flaw How To Profit And Protect Wealth In History S Greatest Opportunity. The Okanagan's largest classified ad listings online or in print. Canada's Most Wanted BY MICHAEL WELZENBACH In co-operation with the RCMP and other police agencies, Reader's Digest launches a manhunt for this country's most heinous criminals. Get current local news, crime, politics, weather, sports, entertainment, arts, features, obituaries, real estate and all other stories relevant to residents of Red. Patio pool combo you have always wanted inside the home you are immediately met with natural hardwood. As a proven leader in online music services, BandMix. Canada’s most dangerous place, North Battleford, is fighting for its future The Saskatchewan city dives headlong into the trend of crime prevention through environmental design. After his retirement, he became a beekeeper, keeping us supplied with fabulous honey. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride. DATSIK's future-tech dance-floor detonators exploded on the dubstep scene almost immediately, racking up a series of seven #1 tracks on Beatport, including at one time owning five of. Garcia is wanted in Texas on charges of murder, manslaughter, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and failure to appear. Your local, family-friendly online classifieds site for cars, furniture, jobs, real estate & more. Call Crime Stoppers if you see him. BRAMPTON - Police issued a Canada-wide warrant for Nicholas Anthony Young who was wanted for the second-degree murder of Hoden Said, 30. Vintage vs. The Okanagan's largest classified ad listings online or in print. Antique vs. The victim is warned that there is a large amount of money owing on their personal taxes and are threatened with arrest unless the balance is paid immediately by money transfer or credit/gift card. Additionally, you could take your talents to the street by painting faces or drawing caricatures. A BC WIDE warrant of arrest was in effect as of Jun 20, 2017. Perhaps you have inherited dolls from a mother or grandmother and you need to sell them. Kelowna's most wanted Crime Stoppers - Oct 21, 2019 / 10:00 am | Story: 268270 Crime Stoppers is asking the public's assistance in locating the following male who is wanted on a province-wide. This man is Kelowna's Most Wanted for April 22nd, 2013. As of April, Soper was at the top of a list issued by Surrey RCMP of that city’s most-wanted auto thieves, as was 21-year-old Laetitia Acera, who was also arrested Thursday. Kelowna Police look to help mother find answers Article released on 2013-05-30 Coquitlam *Corrected* Coast Cottages patient still. Explore our unrivaled selection of makeup, skin care, fragrance and more from classic and emerging brands. Report any tips or information to the nearest RCMP detachment or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Callers to Crime Stoppers never have to reveal their identity. In December of 2001, Michael Goodwin was arrested and charged with the murders of Mickey and Trudy Thompson. A brief overview of top 10 hottest women figure skaters that keep the world of sports cool every winter, or hot, depends on the point of view. Home; Wanted; Unsolved. Coming from that Kelowna Rockets’ defence factory (Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, Alex Edler, Josh Gorges), he looked dominant. Based on ratings alone, this is the most powerful old school amp in the bunch. FBI: Hell's Angels gang member wanted A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to Christopher Slightam's arrest. In a 2007 Pearl & Dean poll, Jack Sparrow was listed as Depp's most popular performance. This is for technology maintenance. Come along with the tallest couple in triathlon for training camp in their hometown of Kelowna, BC. terracecrimestoppers. In this video we are going to look at the most needed and in-demand jobs in Canada. Take a look at the RCMP's 10 most wanted for murder or attempted murder. Uploaded by Denise Robins PDF GUIDE ID 7603d72e. Kelowna's most wanted - Crime Stoppers. Website Design by Kelowna Web Design Agency Csek Creative. During that time, people who have come to us to sell their silver have been consistently bowled over by our service. Kelowna's most wanted; Kaos Krew member busted in Edmonton; Women the Hells Angels have murdered; Kelowna Independent Soldier gets four years for il Former Montreal cop sentenced to 8 years for selli Saskatoon Hells Angel stands trial for death threa Another Red Scorpion bust on Vancouver Island; Sonny Barger plays Lenny the Pimp. Scandal buffs may recall that when a UN peacekeeping mission got under way in Cambodia in the early 1990s, the number of brothels suddenly spiked. go to Crime Mapping> To view only the crimes reported by the Los Angeles Police Department: Click on the Crime Mapping Agencies tab, then click the drop down arrow in the Only show crime reported by window. Share Tweet Snap. FBI: Hell's Angels gang member wanted A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to Christopher Slightam's arrest. Single male, quiet, 30s, looking for a ride to Kelowna either this weekend or for the first. • CONTACT INFO: Anyone who has information on or knows the whereabouts of Tarrant is urged to call the Niagara Falls Police Department's Criminal Warrants Division at 286-4557 or 286-4711 for. Castanet,Kelowna's Most Wanted - View topic. These days he spends most of his professional life designing highways and municipal roads. fraser valley all housing wanted - craigslist CL fraser valley fraser valley comox valley kamloops kelowna nanaimo sunshine coast vancouver, BC victoria, BC whistler / squamish >. See all announcements and obituaries published in Penticton city with InMemoriam, the greatest obituary reference for Penticton and across British Columbia. Quality Pre-Owned and Beautiful Estate Jewellery, taking consignments. food products,” McMeeken said. From bikers to terrorists, the country's biggest unsolved cases are pretty juicy. Where the word “dick” originates from in this context is unclear, but it is most likely a corruption, possibly of “dough” or the last syllable of “pudding. kelowna's most wanted The Daily Courier - 2017-06-13 - THE CRIME PAGE - Gordon Van FIGENSHAW, 32 6'1", 181 lb. Please read the exam schedule carefully. Hewco said there were nine arrest warrants outstanding for Soper, whom he suspects is tied to recent break-and-enters in the Oliver, Okanagan Falls and Heritage Hills. Nik, I just wanted to put this girl on blast for being a homie hopper, not to mention her 50 shades of eyebrows. Local news for Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley. The House of Harley-Davidson, in Milwaukee, WI, is one of the world’s largest Harley-Davidson dealers. File: 2017-31753 Wanted for one count of possession of a controlled substance. Era a segunda turnê da cantora Hilary Duff. co/qLfjPrIy3m. Crime Stoppers cannot be used to try to “frame” an innocent person. Stuff that matters Police authorities were kept busy in Penticton during the first week of May, as two of the most wanted vehicle crime offenders. Find Most Wanted in Cars & Vehicles | Find new or used cars in Kelowna : Honda, BMW, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, Chevy, services, parts and make every mile. kelowna's most wanted The Daily Courier - 2018-04-03 - CRIME - Miranda Lynn DAVID, 54 5'7", 135 lb. Eric Lagerstrom, goes. If you’re the artsy type, you could sell your creations such as jewelry, paintings, or pottery. The deer contraceptive program has run successfully to date with 60 does tagged and inocculated this fall. Help Raise Awareness of the Missing People in Canada. You have a certain budget to plan for floor plans in Kelowna beginning from the least cost to the most lavish decks made of marbles and stones. The House of Harley-Davidson serves the greater Milwaukee area, including Greenfield, West Allis, Franklin, Greendale, Cudahy, Wauwatosa, New Berlin, Waukesha, Kenosha, Racine, northern Illinois, and the surrounding Midwest. fraser valley all housing wanted - craigslist CL fraser valley fraser valley comox valley kamloops kelowna nanaimo sunshine coast vancouver, BC victoria, BC whistler / squamish >. Home News Dawson Creek RCMP looking for man wanted on arrest warrants. Kelowna Custom Home Builders Connect. Several RCMP front line officers responded to the store parking lot where, according to an eye witness, the 32-year-old West Kelowna man was departing. We produce award-winning designs on time & within budget. THE DIRTY ARMY: Nik, Kaylalynn Kruger is such a hopeless train wreck. nanaimo wanted - by owner - craigslist CL nanaimo nanaimo comox valley fraser valley kamloops kelowna sunshine coast vancouver, BC victoria, BC whistler / squamish >. Castanet,Kelowna’s Most Wanted - View topic. Scarborough. If you have any information on where Belinda Ann Cameron may be, or what may have happened to her, you are asked to call VicPD's non-emergency line at 250-995-7654. Cold Lake, Alberta – After a lengthy investigation Cold Lake RCMP General Investigations Section (GIS) with the assistance of K Division General Investigation Section – Edmonton have laid charges in relation to one of the firearms incidents on August 25, 2019 which occurred at a rural residence in the MD of Bonnyville. , RCMP were called to the West Kelowna Walmart Superstore located on Louie Drive, for a reported public sighting of one of Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers most wanted. A Look at Canada's 12 Most Wanted Fugitives. Antique vs. Home; Wanted; Unsolved. Don’t miss the Canadian Tire specials, and best sales & prices from the current flyer. As a proven leader in online music services, BandMix. In addition to black and white t-shirts, you can find clothing in a wide variety of colors that work well for different skin tones. A list of B. Year: 2009. As a result, the Vancouver Police are asking the public to come forward with any information they may have that will lead to the arrest of any of these individuals. Find Kelownas Most Wanted in Canada | Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere in British Columbia. Kelowna Hells Angel Joseph Bruce Skreptak is now also facing charges of aggravated assault, assault, uttering threats and breaking and entering to commit a criminal offence in regards to an assault which took place at a Kelowna residence. The Surrey RCMP has released a wishlist of sorts — just in time for Christmas. Eric Lagerstrom, goes. Clint Bannister $915 million. Curtis Peter Moyan (DOB 1982-11-04) is wanted for one count of assault with weapon. kelowna's most wanted The Daily Courier - 2017-06-13 - THE CRIME PAGE - Gordon Van FIGENSHAW, 32 6'1", 181 lb. Each one is hand-selected and then individually recorded and photographed. File: 2017-33083 Wanted for theft under $5,000 (x3), breach of undertaking. It doesn't matter, if you want to visit your friends, organize a shopping-spree or simply take a break from your everyday life. The new patrons, it turned out, were male troops. Find out more on Amazon (link opens in a new tab). Remember half of the E24 models which are most wanted by collectors around the world are sitting in North America. Always free classifieds, serving the Okanagan region. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Looking for a great Kelowna DJ? Our team of Kelowna Wedding DJs has performed at over 3000 weddings and events since 2007. To Submit an online request to share the result of a completed criminal record check: The criminal record check must have been completed within the last 5 years through the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Criminal Records Review Program. LAPD Crime Mapping Get up-to-date crime statistics for neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles. "We want the community. Crime Stoppers is asking the public's assistance in locating the following male who is wanted on a province-wide warrant in effect as of September …. Being informed about crime in your community is the first step in preventing future occurrences. The Surrey RCMP just released their list for the Top Ten Most Wanted over the holiday season. VIN: JS1SK43A392101236. The Thompson murders was also profiled America’s Most Wanted. Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers is a non-profit society and registered charity that receives anonymous tip information about criminal activity and provides it to investigators in the communities of Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The new patrons, it turned out, were male troops. Always free classifieds, serving the Okanagan region. Chad Wilson: Hells Angels: Haney / San Diego. • CONTACT INFO: Anyone who has information on or knows the whereabouts of Tarrant is urged to call the Niagara Falls Police Department’s Criminal Warrants Division at 286-4557 or 286-4711 for. RCMP's weekly most wanted. Lindsey Houghton of the Combined Forces. Get current local news, crime, politics, weather, sports, entertainment, arts, features, obituaries, real estate and all other stories relevant to residents of. Starting in January, students at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops will have the chance to take a course about the evolution of pop culture from 1954 to 1984, from someone who witnessed it. The following prolific offenders have outstanding warrants in Surrey and their officers would like to see them apprehended before the new year so that everyone can have a safe and happy holiday season. *** Following notification of an arrest of a wanted person their image will be removed as soon as practicable and replaced with a silhouette. In partnership with our community, we are committed to ensuring safety and security by enforcing the law, preventing crime, and responding to community needs. Começou no dia 12 de julho de 2005 em Los Angeles , Estados Unidos e se encerrou no dia 26 de setembro de 2006 em Puyallup , Estados Unidos. Kelowna is also known for its fruit, farming and wine industries. Surely there are a lot more serious criminals out there that the police should be looking for like whoever put Joey up to murdering Britney. com Wolf: On Halloween, it’s mini 3 Musketeers, then all the rest. Wanted found dead. NTSB ADDS MOTORCYCLE SAFETY TO MOST WANTED LIST; REMOVES RECREATIONAL BOATING ***** The National Transportation Safety Board today updated its Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements directed at state governments by adding a new issue area - motorcycle safety - and dropping another - recreational. Also check out the latest PC games, VR gear, apparel, and collectibles. If your budget allows it and you don’t mind spoiling your eleven year old a bit, think these mp3 players, laptops, tablets, and cameras. Kelowna classified ads, Penticton classified ads, Vernon classified ads, Westside classified ads. There is no wrong or right way to celebrate someone’s life. Turns out that senseless murder in Kelowna involved Robert Thomas and another Hells Angel as well as the president of a Hells Angels. In addition to black and white t-shirts, you can find clothing in a wide variety of colors that work well for different skin tones. Based on ratings alone, this is the most powerful old school amp in the bunch. Free shipping and in-store returns. Ariva is a beautiful master planned lakeview estate with Premium Condominiums and a plethora of incredible amenities. Raisins are then added to make the dish “spotted” before being steamed or boiled. KelownaCrimestoppers @KelownaCrimes Crime Stoppers services the greater Okanagan including Kelowna, Peachland, West Kelowna and Lake Country to stop,solve and prevent crime!. Ricardo Fanchini is one of the world's most well-connected gangsters, with mobster friends as far afield as Moscow, New York, London, A. Spending your 9 to 5 in your truck means it needs to be tailored to your job with the right accessories, inside and out. Your local, family-friendly online classifieds site for cars, furniture, jobs, real estate & more. Most kids this age want their first cell phone. Eric Lagerstrom, goes. THE S&S GUIDE TO VINTAGE COSTUME JEWELRY. Castanet,Kelowna’s Most Wanted - View topic. Find the most current and reliable 7 day weather forecasts, storm alerts, reports and information for Kamloops, BC, CA with The Weather Network. Kelowna prospect Colin Michael Bayley busted again - Clubhouse raided A raid on their clubhouse earlier in the week didn't appear to slow down festivities at the annual 'K-Town BBQ Cook Off', hosted by the Kelowna chapter of the Hells Angels for the past eight years. Retail Experience Wanted - Sales/Events/Marketing Opportunity Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada 2 weeks ago Easy Apply. In order to speed up the search, posters of Vancouver's most wanted man have been plastered all around town. favorite this post Oct 31 Wanted FREE. UPDATE: October 29, 2019 Any changes to the schedule will be posted in RED text. Several RCMP front line officers responded to the store parking lot where, according to an eye witness, the 32-year-old West Kelowna man was departing. Trust your husbands judgment of how you look. Coming from that Kelowna Rockets’ defence factory (Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, Alex Edler, Josh Gorges), he looked dominant. ca or by texting “TERRACE plus your message” to 274637 (CRIMES).
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About Rabbi Rosen
Thoughts & Commentary
Weekly Torah
Favorite Texts
Rabbi Jeremy Rosen
Rabbi Jeremy Rosen’s Opinions and Commentary
The JFS
Jeremy Rosen / July 8, 2009
“The Law is an Ass,” said Mr. Bumble in Oliver Twist . And if that is so, then some rabbis are even bigger asses.
The English courts have decided that the rabbis who determined the entrance policy of the JFS (the Jews Free School, a large state-supported Jewish day school in London) have contravened the Race Relations Act. It refuses to admit children where the mother’s conversion to Judaism is suspect according to their criteria.
Unlike other community Jewish schools throughout the world, the JFS’s religious position is controlled by the established Church of Anglo Jewry, the United Synagogue and its ecclesiastical authorities. So that if elsewhere children recognized as Jewish by other denominations and other ecclesiastical authorities are allowed to attend community Jewish schools, in England they are not.
The usual pathetic argument is that if you have children of doubtful Jewish identity mixing with those who are definitely Jewish this encourages intermarriage and will lead to confusion. It is so myopic, it leads inevitably to saying a Jewish child should never mix with any other Jew of different religious background or any non-Jew for fear of ending up falling in love and marrying out. It implies that reasonable adults are incapable of making choices. If ever there was an example of religious insecurity this must be it. And sadly it abounds.
It was my policy when principal of Carmel to accept children from homes where one parent was not Jewish, if I was convinced the parents and child really wanted a Jewish education and would be prepared to rectify the status issue at a later date, and so long as everyone was aware of the present status. Most of such pupils eventually did rectify their Jewish status in a committed way. So I regret nothing because frankly Judaism has been enriched by them.
The Charedi world doesn’t have a problem because its schools really do apply only religious criteria. However technically Jewish a person may be, if he or his parents do not come up to their religious standards they don’t get in. Got a TV at home? You’re out! Now if a private school wants to apply religious or academic criteria, whether one agrees or not, it can. And this would of course exclude many Jews who are not religious, just as it might exclude many who are not so bright (and yes there really are stupid Jews).
But petty Anglo Jewish Orthodoxy has created this absurd situation where children who might be religious but whose parents are not considered Jewish because their conversions are challenged cannot get in. But most pupils in the JFS are not at all religious. They might meet the criteria of identity through maternal birthline, what exactly, ask the Judges are these criteria? They cannot be religious because non religious kids attend. So they must be something else. And why aren’t the current nominally Orthodox parents worried that their offspring will sit next to bacon-fressing Jews and then marry into a family where religious practice is reviled? If that is acceptable why not have children of Reform conversions who only eat kosher? Clearly it is not a matter of religion but something more insidious. But ethnic identity is not necessarily racial. That’s where the law is an ass.
According to English law, the JFS has contravened the race laws and stands accused of racial discrimination! That Judaism is a race is, of course, absurd and only used by anti-Semites as a false argument to berate us with. All criteria of race are genetic and Judaism has no hint of racial discrimination in its laws.
“Jews”, the appeals court has determined (or rather, confirmed), “constitute a racial group defined principally by ethnic origin and additionally by conversion.” Well blow me down with a left-handed goose quill. That is like saying “The big toe, as defined by digits on the right hand.” Are Jews a race, based on genetic make-up? No, because anyone of any race may become a Jew. Are Jews all members of a religion? No because many self-proclaimed Jews refuse to have anything to do with religion. The Torah has no word for “religion”, only “people”.
What is Judaism? Most Jews cannot agree on who is a Jew. Israel cannot agree. But the English judges know! They have simply exchanged one ambiguous term for another. Ethnic origin? Pray, tell me what that is? Are Muslims a religion, a race, an ethnic group, or a football team? The fact is that definitions are usually dangerous, misleading, and ultimately wrong. We are humans and we need to treat each other the way we ourselves would like to be treated. (Where have I heard that before?)
That means that the law’s job, in a democratic society, is not to define but to protect citizens of a state and treat them equally. It means that any state-funded religion, or ethnic group, or golf club should not be allowed to discriminate on any grounds other than preventing others interfering with or degrading the life and amenities of members.
If you allow religions to function, then they must be allowed to function within their own parameters so long as they do not damage or injure other citizens. Religions, like clubs, are voluntary. The French system makes more sense. In the Public Sphere there is no room for religion. Religions fund themselves. Similarly, in the USA, where government may not encroach on religion, denominational schools can apply for government aid to be used for purposes other than religious instruction. Once again I repeat, where religions are freed from state involvement and bureaucracy they flourish.
The British problem is, as always, fudging boundaries. If it supports a Jewish or a Catholic or a Muslim school, it is doing so for anyone who wishes to live or be educated that specific religious way. Therefore the courts were right to say anyone who wants a Jewish religious education should be allowed to receive one. But that is on the basis of equity and fairness, nothing at all to do with race or how you define religious identity.
Had the JFS not been under the dead hand of ecclesiastical authorities, it could, as most community schools around the world do, say that whoever wants to benefit from its kind of education and will participate positively is welcome. Had that been the case Anglo Jewry would not have needed to stump up more millions for yet another school, the Jewish Community Secondary School, to provide just that. Let alone fritter away sparse money defending an indefensible position. But no, once you let clerics get involved they invariably screw things up.
Amazingly this mess is more Anglo Jewry’s own fault because in addition to the pettiness of its ecclesiastical authorities, those who claim to represent Anglo Jews decided to agree and push to have Jews classified as a race to benefit from the Race Relations Act!! I ask you.
Those who sow the petty wind, reap the vindictive whirlwind.
Genius & Anxiety by Norman Lebrecht
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54 thoughts on “The JFS”
Mr Bumble actually said "The law is a ass – a idiot." Hurrah for pedantry and Talmudic training in minutiae.
Hurrah too for your comments. The court ruling is truly asinine but the school rules equally idiotic
"Judaism has no hint of racial discrimination in its laws."
A convert cannot marry a Kohen (ok, nor can a Jewish divorcee, a woman with a non-Jewish father or a kidnapping victim !) But isn't there at least a whiff of racial discrimination about this? That ever-present halachic obsession with "purity"? A convert must of course be welcomed wholeheartedly, but they may have to wait a generation or two before they become "pure" enough in the eyes of those running the show …?
Jeremy Rosen says:
Thanks for the correction on the quote! English barristers must have purged it of solecism!
Aren't there already enough schisms in Jewish society? As a community we are under threat from all sides but mostly from within. I can foresee a time when converts and their children become anti-Semites because of their treatment by the so-called "orthodox".
I should like to nominate you, Jeremy, as Chief Rabbi and the sole member of the Beth Din. You're one of the very few who talks sense.
NickA says:
The courts have had to grapple with an inherent difficulty in our discrimination laws. Our laws prohibit racial but not religious discrimination. The reason anti-Semitism is illegal is because the courts have consistently decided – over a very long period – that Judaism is defined predominently (but not exclusively) by descent. Judaism is therefore a "race" for the purposes of our anti-discrimination legislation. If Judaism was solely a religion, and not a race, anti-Semitic hate speech (for example) would be perfectly legal.
The courts are therefore on the horns of a dilemma with the JFS case – they have to apply the "sauce for the goose" principle. If discriminating against Jews is prohibited under our anti-discrimination laws, then it logically follows that the activities of the JFS are equally discriminatory.
Frankly the problem here is not with our laws – Judaism is not just a religion – but with the myopic and intolerant views of the US establishment. And this myopia does not just extend to their intolerance of other streams of Judaism – just read the recent update of Ros Preston's working group on women in the community for examples of how the myopia extends within the community.
Don't Call Me Dave says:
As a member of both a United Synagogue and also Reform (hedging my bets!), I warmly welcome the Court’s decision in this case.
The mother of the child denied a place at JFS is Jewish. It is simply that the school and the United Synagogue do not recognise her conversion as it was not carried out under the auspices of the orthodox movement. If JFS want to run an orthodox only school, that is their right. But if they want to continue to receive state funding, they should be required to accept anyone who is Jewish, however that is defined.
I am angered that the United Synagogue would see a child denied a Jewish education to try and prove some hallachic point. Recently my Rabbi invited a Muslim speaker to give the Shabbat sermon from the pulpit. It was a very interesting experience and I support the Rabbi for allowing it, but when I asked him if he would consider allowing a Reform Rabbi to address us, the request was met with a refusal. Inter faith dialogue is fine, but intra faith is not. At least, not in the eyes of the orthodox movement.
Frankly, the world is not so over-run with Jews that we can afford to constantly fight with each other. The JFS ruling is the natural consequence of the United Synagogue’s dogmatic and often antagonistic insistence that they, and they alone, are the arbiters of who is and who is not Jewish. The orthodox community is entitled to say “If you want to join our gang, these are our rules” but they have absolutely no right to impose their values and beliefs on the Progressive movement.
If I prayed in Church every week and had bacon & eggs for breakfast, the United Synagogue would still recognise me as Jewish, but they seek to deny membership of the faith to people who are far more worthy than I will ever be.
The Court’s ruling is a long overdue recognition that religion is determined by what is in your head and in your heart and not by what is written on a piece of paper.
King Solomon School in Barkingside,Redbridge,also under the US, has been forced, due to a declining Jewish community in our area to show far more compassion and commonsense. What was a cause for regret has becokme a cause for celebration. The multi-denominational Clore Tikvah Primary school (in practice Liberal, Reform and Masorti)is now the main feeder school for KS, including it's non-orthodox converts, more so than the nominally orthodox IJPS.
Thank you for that post, Nick. Certainly the present snafu is the fault of the US (the United Synagogue not the USA, for American readers). But you are right the question is both one of defining Jews and how to deal with anti-Semitism.
Muslim friends object to Islam being categorized as a race too. They tell me horror stories of inner-London Socialist councils sending Muslim orphans to black Christian families rather than white Muslim ones on racial grounds!!!
But I believe there must be a distinction between race and religion. Now I don't want the state to stop me criticizing or poking fun at religion–any religion including mine–otherwise we'd never have seen 'The Life of Brian!'
But equally, freedom of speech should not extend to incitement or attacks. Surely the Asses can come up with some formulation to class Judaism as a religion rather than a race, but to make anything that smacks of anti-Semitism a crime on the grounds of incitement & hatred and exactly the same for Islam?
And ancestry is a false distinction. If for random example, I hate the French, based on the ancestral cultural characteristics, is this racist? Surely not!
Some suggest Biblical antipathy to certain tribes was racial, but it wasn't; it was directed towards their practices regardless of colour (recall Moses's black wife, according to some commentators) and indeed in the case of the Moabites, excluded all women. So it was particular and cultural and ancestral but not racial.
Islam is not classified as a race (at least for the purposes of anti-discrimination legislation). On the other hand Sikhism is. This is because "race" is defined for the purposes of the relevant act as “colour, race, or ethnic or national origins”.
In England we do not outlaw religious discrimination (although the law was changed recently to provide for limited protection against stirring up religious hatred) (Northern Ireland – for obvious reasons – does have legislation on religious discrimination). So there is no law which prohibits discrimination against Muslims or – for that matter – in favour of Christians. Your socialist inner-London borough is acting out of political correctness – not because of some legal requirement. And yes – discriminating against Frenchmen (or women) is illegal – because they share a national origin.
Prohibiting discrimination on religious grounds gives rise to some difficult legal issues – which were canvassed when the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 went through Parliament (see for example Geoffrey Bindman (one of the UK's leading human rights lawyers) article on hate speech and the law which can be read at http://www.opendemocracy.net/faith-europe_islam/article_2049.jsp).
I understand why you want Judaism to be classified as a religion rather than a race – but this would have the effect of permitting all kinds of insideous anti-semitic behaviour (which would not rise to the level of stirring up racial hatred).
In my view is is not the law which is an ass (at least as regards JFS) – but the ecclesiastical authorities of the United Synagogue.
luzrose says:
Your last paragraph is probably your starting point for the discussion of the asses or the civil law.
But if I was the convert mother who teaches at JFS, I'd be wondering what the bus routes are like up to JCoSS, compared with JFS?! I'd buy two season tickets-one for me and one for my child reject- and go and teach there, to help build expertise for Ofsted purposes. Why stay where you aren't valued?
And then there was World War 2, when JFS evacuated groups of their kids to farms and homes in the rural Fens-a pig breeding area. No-one's mentioning that any more, are they?! Bacon fressers? Ouch.
It was an appalling judgment, full stop. I have written about it here:
http://www.hurryupharry.org/2009/06/29/guilty-of-false-equivalence/
That is where it begins and ends. Criticise the CRO if you want but be aware that this mess is 100% the fault of Sedley & Co for the absurd and false equivalence they have drawn between the halachic definition of a Jew and (undefined) definition in the 1976 Race Relations Act.
It is wrong to blame anone in the Jewish Community for the mess.
Hopefully the Law Lords will see sense. I believe they will. Lord Hoffmann certainly will, I believe.
Jonathan Hoffman (no relation)
Don't Call Me Dave:
In principle I agree with you, the divisions and petty one-upmanship within Judaism are a disaster. The Torah only recognizes differences between those Jews who do more and those Jews who do less, but does not categorize them or claim they are different denominations. The Bible is full of saints and sinners and they are all Jews.
Here is not the place to go into the history of Reform or to apportion blame fo the split, but in practice we are as divided as Protestants and Catholics. The only real difference is that we are so small we cannot afford the luxury of splittism!! Think of how those closest to one's position are often most reviled, how Leninists hated Trotskyites, who hated Stalinists, etc. Or the hatreds within the Labour Party!! How different sects of and within Hassidisnm refuse to speak to each other!
None so queer as folk and we Jews are pretty queer!!!
The Judgment included these words:
3. Meaning of "racial grounds", "racial group" etc.
(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
"racial grounds" means any of the following grounds, namely colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins;
A far as I am concerned, if this is what defines race they have reinvented the word and it is poppycock! Like saying men are whoever we lawyers feel like classifying as men, including dogs. It may be that according to English law if I hate Frenchmen that classifies me as a racist but if so then I reiterate, the 'Law is a ass' (and I got the quote right this time)!!!
And an excellent example of both how myopic and ultimately self-defeating United Synagogue policy is!!!! But don't expect North West London to take any lessons from Ilford! They think they are a different breed! Now THAT'S racism!!!!
In its ruling on who is a Jew, the court restricted itself to an interpretation of race from an earlier ruling on the meaning of race within the 1976 Act. Paragraph 31 of the judgement sets out the interpretation in the sort of detail that has so far eluded the attention of newspapers and blogs. To summarise: the intended meaning of race is described as being one popularly understood rather than one based on science, even supposing that such a scientific definition exists or is possible. There then follows a list of criteria for membership of a racial group which includes a wide range of cultural characteristics.
The definition of who may be racially defined as Jewish according to English law seems to be pretty much exactly how the majority of non-religious English Jews define themselves although these are not how rabbis define Jews. From a secular perspective, the worst that can be said is that eating smoked salmon and cream-cheese bagels is not included in the list of potentially racially defining characteristics. The judgement makes no dent to halachah. Anyone who follows the matrilineal descent line of reasoning is free to do so. If their beliefs lead to illegal behaviour they risk prosecution, not for believing whatever they want to believe but for breaking the law as a consequence.
How much better it might have been had our dear religious leaders woken up sooner. What's to be next? Will they wait to fight their sexist corner in court or come round to the idea that if they want organisational policies for the C21st, ignoring women qualified to do more than bake a cake does not make sense. Suggesting 'Jews know best' about either how to define who is a Jew or how to run a school is patently not true.
Re: "Like saying men are whoever we lawyers feel like classifying as men, including dogs."
Yes, that's how it is, that's how the law works. It has defined 'race' so there is now a legal definition of race which happens not to accord with your understanding. How is this different for example from rabbinical definitions of 'hygiene' which do not accord with my understanding and have no consistent scientific basis?
Don't you say that this is halacha so to the best of our ability and notwithstanding any unintended insult to our intelligence or plain confounding of common sense, we have to go along with it?
I don't think it's possible to have it both ways, uphold 'the law' (any variety) or don't but don't ask for logic as well.
Jonathan Hoffman:
Thanks for your comments. I've read your piece on HarrysPlace and I agree the judges have got their knickers in a twist.
But still, this whole issue would not have arisen had not the London Beth Din and the Chief Rabbi who, though technically their superior is in fact their poodle, had not created the unnecessary and highly questionable barriers to entry in the first place. Their excessive strictness, zeal, is symptomatic of an ongoing shift to the Right that a centrist community ought to be resisting.
luzrose:
It is ironic that the JFS was set up to Anglicize poor Jewish immigrants from the east and, in fact, used never to have any Jewish religious dimension. Now it's pushing a right wing position both educationally and for entrance that is simply kow towing to fundamentalism. Don't get me wrong–I am delighted it now offers serious Jewish education, but the swing of the pendulum is symptomatic.
Leila:
Thank you so much, but a masochist (or one who needs status) I'm not!!!!
"Their excessive strictness, zeal, is symptomatic of an ongoing shift to the Right that a centrist community ought to be resisting"
There I agree with you. But a lot of people are using the Sedley Judgment as a stick to beat them with. There are plenty of vaid sticks without using invalid ones. Eg the United Synagogue allowing two HOs to kick a Rabbi out with no semblance of democracy (Woodside Park). Eg the failure to allow women to be trustees of the US.
http://www.newjewishthought.org/ShalomShul.php
Jonathan:
Indeed there are plenty of other sticks! Nevertheless, the way the Beth Din, which is technically the servant of the United Synagogue (its full name is The Court of the Chief Rabbi, after all) too often deals, bludgeons, bullies on so many issues, including this one of conversion, only underlines the abuses of religious power. The only counterbalance is to find other ways of standing up to bullies.
I have no doubt they genuinely believe they are doing God's work (and of course one must differentiate between Dayanim), but then so did Torquemada and the Ayatollahs.
Since no one has the guts to stand up to them one can only hope against the odds that one day Dayan Binstock takes over.
HS:
I suppose that was Michael Jackson's defence when he sang 'Jew Me, Screw Me'–he was only using common usage!!!
That's precisely why I started with 'The Law is A Ass.'
Yes, the law must be upheld; but the interpretation of the law can range from strict to lenient. The legal effect of this judgment is to allow the law to decide who a Jew is. Perhaps the Lords will see sense. But either way the rabbinate that set this up and refused earlier mediation (see Dr. Alderman) should take the blame.
Please see paragraph 31 and 32 of the transcript (and maybe also publish my earlier post). I cannot find anything wrong with either the legal definition of ethnicity or the logic that identifies discrimination. I think that protesting that the English courts are in some way mistaken, high-handed or given to ill-considered judgements is part of the same culture that is responsible for this case arising in the first place. This judgement may have any number of effects but these do not include allowing the English courts to decide who is a Jew. That was already decided in the 1976 Act which was drafted after considerable consultation. There is nothing in the description of ethnicity (para 31) that a reasonable minded person can find objectionable.
The definition of who is a Jew varies according to you, me, my dear aunt Esther, the JFS and all the rest but none of these definitions are relevant to the English courts. In an English court there is only one definition that counts and that is the one legally defined by English law. How does a Beth Din operate? By taking into account every individual interpretation or by using argument supported by legal definitions?
The Anti Defamation League records examples of Torah being taken out of context by way of proof for anti-Semites. That is what one expects from people desperate to make a baseless point, partly because it is much easier to do that than read the whole thing. (In my not yet published post) I repeated the citation of Lord Fraser in Mandla v Dowell-Lee [1983] 2 AC 548 who described the intended meaning of racial belonging to have a popular meaning rather than that membership of a particular racial group should depend upon scientific proof. The reasons for drawing such a distinction should be obvious. I can't understand what objection you have or what Michael Jackson's lyrics have to do with any of this.
From Dr. John Marks
I agree with almost every word that Jeremy Rosen has written, but there is one serious error. I accept absolutely that the bigoted United Synagogue Ecclestical authorities have done enormous harm to Jewish education and the Jewish community through their handling of potential entrants to the JFS.
With the exception of women who are “orthodox converts “in the opinion of the United synagogue, , a tiny minority within the Jewish community, the offspring of those whose mothers are not themselves the offspring of a “halachically Jewish” mother are barred from the school. The criteria used is purely biological – it depends on the the genetic rmaterial of a parent and child. That can only be described as racial.
It is not the judges who were stupid – they are followed clear logic. It is the reactionary ecclesiastical authorities that allowed this situation to develop who are.
The newest United Synagogue sidur re-iterates the third century adage that for Jews “the Law of the land is the Law”. They have a problem!!
Indeed, I find any definition of a Jew other than the halachic one to be problematic and ambiguous. In the context we are discussing, the religious definition is the only one that makes sense! The problem is then only with interpretation, excessive strictness, and bloody mindedness!
I agree. But please help me understand what the error is!
Your reply to message struck a chord. There was a letter in last week’s Jewish News from a resident of Golders Green (with a PhD noch!) who wrote: “They [non orthodox Jews] should live with the consequences of their choices. One consequence is that their religion and Orthodox Judaism are now radically different, with the gap between them rapidly increasing. Indeed, morally and theologically Orthodox Jews have more in common with Muslims, and even Catholics, then they do with progressive Jews.
We should cease the pretence that the Jews are still one religion and one people. Perhaps then we can live together in peace and tolerance.”
The irony will not be lost on most people of the writer’s somewhat hypocritical use of the world “tolerance”!
What I find most upsetting is that under the schools preferred admissions policy, members of Neturei Karta would qualify to get in, but the son of a Reform convert does not. Where is the sense and justice in that?
I'm afraid when it comes to people, power, and clergy, there is neither rhyme nor justice!
On a tangent, if the Knesset passes a law demanding loyalty for citizenship I trust they will refuse citizenship rights to Neturei Karta!!!
Fair Comment says:
Rabbi Jeremy Rosen makes one key basic error. JFS and United Synagogue schools do not deny places to children who are not halachically Jewish. The question here is one in which there are insufficient places for halachically Jewish children. Here, the schools discriminate in favour of the halachically Jewish. There is unfortunately always discrimination against children when a school has insufficient numbers of places to satisfy all applicants.
Fair Comment:
While I don't disagree with what you say in principle, in fact they ARE disqualifying conversions on various grounds that are debatable, and had they chosen not be extra strict this whole business could have been avoided, as Geoffrey Alderman, who tried to mediate, wrote in the JC.
Again, you are not dealing with the basis of this Court case, which has nothing to do with the disqualification of conversions. If you agree in priciple, you should support the United Synagogue. Bringing up other irrelevant cases, and maligning the institution, does not help your readers to understand the importance of this case and the need to have the judgment overturned.
The Bochur says:
You agree with Fair Comment 'in principle' and you find find 'any definition of a Jew other than the halachic one to be problematic and ambiguous'. Yet you disagree with Fair comment's point that in the case of oversubscription, halachic conversions should be preferred. This is not consistent.
Additionally, your justification of the admission policy at Carmel is opaque
'It was my policy when principal of Carmel to accept children from homes where one parent was not Jewish, if I was convinced the parents and child really wanted a Jewish education and would be prepared to rectify the status issue at a later date, and so long as everyone was aware of the present status'.
How was this fairly applied? Which criteria did you use to decide how they would 'rectify the status' and did this mean they had to agree to undergo a Halachic conversion in the future?
Finally, although it is obvious that casual insults of the Rabbinate go down well with your audience, even you should think before comparing the Dayanim with 'Torquemada and the Ayatollahs. This is plainly disgusting.
Fair Comment – I am sorry that you don't understand the fundamental issues of English law that underpin the court case – and which made their finding inevitable. English law does not prohibit discrimination on religious grounds (with some very limited exceptions). However it does prohibit discrimination on grounds of "colour, race, or ethnic or national origins". The courts have consistently held – for very very many years – that Judaism falls within this definition (which is not surprising as virtually all Jews in the UK are "Jewish" because their mother is Jewish). And they are regarded as Jewish by the Jewish community irrespective of their personal beliefs. As far as we Jews are concerned, Lewis Wolpert (for example) is Jewish, even if he doesn't believe in God and is an officer of the British Humanist Association. On the "duck" test (if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck) – Judaism has all the hallmarks of "ethnic origin". The fact that there are a few converts does not subvert the ethnicity of Judaism, precisely because there are so few converts. This is in contrast to (say) Christianity or Islam, where to be regarded as a Christian or a Moslem, your beliefs, rather than your parenting, are essential – and both religions actively seek converts.
If you overturn this judgment – it will be on the basis that Judaism is not within the definition of race, colour, ethnic or national origins. And if that is the case, the law will then no longer protect Jews from anti-semitic activities.
Beware the law of unintended consequences.
To characterise concern about intermarriage as "myopic" is ironic.
Many parents send their children to JFS simply because it is a good school. But a substantial proportion – perhaps a mjaority – want their children to attend a Jewish school.
I doubt that the school will choose to respond to the ruling by excluding non observant Jews. The admission criteria would then be such that the intake will rapidly become non Jewish. The school would become Haberdasher – esque.
The race relation act is an absurd piece of legislation, outlawing discrimination against Jews but not Moslems. It inteferes with individual choice to an excessive degree. I do not believe that shouting "yid" should be any more of a crime than shouting "fat boy" or "baldy" – (i.e. – a straighforward public order offence – without the racially aggrevated title). We must learn to bear out own little peckel without excessive resort to the law
From the sidelines, I admit to having been crowing, sorry. It looks like one myopically legalistic group has run up against another, more powerful, myopically legalistic lot. I suppose we can agree, it's an unpleasant spectacle. The case is reported in this week's Solicitors Journal, I think for the piquancy rather than because it's really that legally interesting.
Shutting a Jewish child up in a protective box is a very dubious way of guaranteeing anything, unless a child is going stay in that box for the rest of his or her life, and even then, as the recent book 'Flipping Out' illustrates, it's no guarantee. The idea that mixing with half-Jewish or non-Jewish children will lead directly and in itself to intermarriage is faulty.
If one is going to mix or work or relate to non-Jews or non-religious Jews, one needs to be educated and strong and committed enough to mix freely and still stay within Judaism.
The fact that a significant number of children at the JFS are from totally non-religious backgrounds and obey nothing of Judaism at all represents just as big a threat, if not greater, than a half-Jew living a religiouis life in terms of closeness to God, surely! And that is why Charedi parents would not dream of sending their kids there.
But anyway God is not involved, but protectionism.
But, yes indeed, I agree the Race Relations Act IS ridiculous and as I said earlier many Muslims I know resent it too. The Race Relations Act in the UK should simply be an act against any incitement against any group, leave vague and arguable terms such as race, religion, or ethnicity out of it.
And here's the problem of Who Is A Jew. Whether it is Hitler, or lehavdil, the Knesset any attempt to define Jews other than religiously is absurd, in my view, and doomed.
I do indeed accept halchic definition. Though I also accept a wider usage of 'Jew', too, in other contexts. My gripe is with the way some authorities apply it.
Once again, I believe community schools should belong to the community. I love Charedi schools from manty points of view. But they do not claim to be for the community. The JFS is, or was until the limitations forced on it from the Orthodox rabbinate forced the JCoSS onto the scene.
I do want to clarifty one other issue. It might in one way be unfair of me to excoriate the United Synagogue, which is rather like the Synod of the C of E on which it was modelled, a law organization, but since the Beth Din and Chief Rabbi are the ecclesiastical authorities of the United Synague I'm afraid the organisation is fair game.
NickA – I'm afraid that you do not understand the points of this case. Th Race Relatiions Act prohibits(currently subject to carve-outs such as charities) discrimination on the basis of race and ethnicity. Under English law (cf Mandla case), the child in this case is without doubt ethnically Jewish. So how could discrimination against this child be based on his ethnicity – as defined in law? Because of over-subscription at JFS, he is unfortunately being discriminated against solely on the basis of a purely religious law defining the staus of Jews.
So there you have it. Rabbi Rosen believes that the Charedi system of segregating and giving preferential education to those who satisfy religious rules against those who don't, is better than providing education to all Jews.
Education, regardless of practice or faith, has everything to do with God. It's based on His commandments Ve'shinantam Le'Vanecha (command to the Community to teach its children) and VeHigad'ta LeBincha (command to the individual to teach the Torah to his/her child.) These commands are not qualified by reference to faith or practice. The hope at JFS and US schools is that Jewish children with little or no practice or faith will, through education, embrace our religion more fully. The Charedi method has no basis in Halacha. It is the very social engineering exercise (keeping observant children away from non-observant in case, Chas VeShalom, they are invited to each other's homes or, worse,fall in love) that he so fully excoriates in his main blog.
His cheap attacks and jibes against the Chief Rabbi and the Bet Din (comparing them to Torquemada and the Ayatollahs)are based on bigotry – not the facts of this case.
In my previous response, the reference to the second of God's Mitzvot to teach Jewish children (as found in the Shema) should read, Ve'Limadetem otam et B'neichem and not Ve'Higadta Le'Bincha. The principle remains that the Community's and individual's requirements to teach Jewish children are unqualified.
NickA:
I have to spring my own defense. I think I do understand the issues; I just think the law, even if it gets it right in its own terms, can get it wrong objectively, because the very terms are partly sociological and not just legal.
As you say, to try to define Judaism in a nice Hegelian perfect formula won't work. See Wittgenstein on 'Uses of Words', as opposed to definitions. And equally, to say anyone who quacks is a duck, does not stand up philosophically.
What I have learnt from this exchange is that lawyers, rabbis, and sociologists look at the world very differently and often speak different languages too!!!
The Bochur:
Let me explain. In the case of oversubscription I would, as a teacher, indeed rather choose a half-Jewish child totally committed to studying Torah, observant and positive, than an anti-religious, totally unobservant, disruptive kid who was technically Jewish in the very sense the judges use!
At Carmel we had, under my father as well as me, non-Jewish and half-Jewish children. I expected from them positive participation (here is not the place to argue about the halachic issues of expecting a non-Jewish boarder to keep Shabbat) and I made sure that everyone was aware of the child's religious status, after discussing it with the child himself or herself. It might surprise you to learn that one such family was actually introduced to Carmel by Lord Jakobovits.
To me, rectification meant and means that if they want to become part of the observant Jewish community they will, if they freely choose to, convert under an Orthodox Beth Din, as practising Jews. I regarded the issue as an opportunity to talk about ethics, chessed, ahavat haGer in both meanings, and sensitivity in dealing with others of different backgrounds–a problem most schools must tackle but often do not!
And finally, the point I was making about Torquemada was that many bad things are done in the name of religion and by religious humans absolutely convinced they are right and doing the work of God. That seems obvious. To deduce from that that I equate a Dayan with Torquemada in every respect, is if I may say, either vindictive or childish.
Amen! But thanks anyway for your very important contribution to all this.
Sadly, the court case did indeed come about because of the disqualification of conversions, otherwise it would never have arisen.
I should be happy to support any religious institution if I experienced its ecclesiastical authorities as representing a more benign and tolerant expression of Torah.
But ethnic Judaism is meaningless outside of lawyers! It's closer to Hitler's definition than the Torah's. Don't bandy the oversubscription line. If the school were genuinely a religious school in the full sense, rather than a denominational one within Judaism, then it would give priority to children who actually wanted a religious education. Satmar or Bais Yaakov would turn away lots of applicants who are halachically Jewish but whose values are not theirs. What the JFS is saying is that, regardless of religious commitment, if you don't pass OUR test you're out. C of E, for example, does indeed apply religious tests (of course you will argue it's easier for looser religions, let's see how well that goes down with the law), so should we, within the wider and more inclusive framework of Judaism that our community actually is.
Rabbi Rosen states:
"Sadly, the court case did indeed come about because of the disqualification of conversions, otherwise it would never have arisen."
Er, wrong. The case was that of a child of a mother who converted in a non-Orthodox Bet Din. The London Bet Din did not disqualify her conversion, and she and her husband have never disputed the non-Orthodox nature of her conversion. That was the mother's choice. Other cases were introduced in the High Court and the Judge ruled that in these cases the Bet Din had acted fairly. They were irrelevant to this case and played no part in the Court of Appeal.
By obfuscating this case with anything you can throw at the US, the Chief Rabbi and the Bet Din, your arguments become increasingly self-defeating and your point of view is becoming increasingly difficult to understand.
'And here's the problem of Who Is A Jew. Whether it is Hitler, or lehavdil, the Knesset any attempt to define Jews other than religiously is absurd, in my view, and doomed'.
That at least clarifies you standpoint
The Carmel policy is difficult to understand. Your initial argument was that you accepted children
'if I was convinced the parents and child really wanted a Jewish education and would be prepared to rectify the status issue at a later date, and so long as everyone was aware of the present status'.
Now you add
'To me, rectification meant and means that if they want to become part of the observant Jewish community they will, if they freely choose to, convert under an Orthodox Beth Din, as practising Jews'.
Such an admissions procedure seems to be totally subjective and far worse than any used by other schools. In selecting a child you let them in if you were sure they would later 'rectify' themselves (itself a rather unpleasant term to use if rectify means to set right or to correct by removing error)
For some reason you also found it necessary to
make sure that everyone was aware of the child's religious status, provided the child agreed.
Therefore you admitted children if they guaranteed later 'rectification' (although you seem unsure of this), tell everyone their 'status' (which you clearly regard as being non-Jewish) and sit back awaiting their Jewish flowering under your tutelage. The courts would have a wonderful time with these criteria.
The comparison between the genius, Torah-studying, well behaved child who isn't Jewish and the halachically acceptable delinquent psychopath is flawed. What about two applicants who are both equally qualified except that one is halachically Jewish and one is not. Which would you accept then? If the halachic Jew (which you consider to be the only definition of Jewish), then your response is no different than JFS.
With regard to the Torquemada analogy, we all know that religious fanaticism exists and can be cruel. By invoking it here you explicitly make the comparison that the Rabbinate is fanatical and cruel. Sadly your blog is riddled with supposedly sharp observations meant to be sardonic but which are just offensive. You can do this as someone with no responsibility but who snipes from the sidelines.
Let me concede for the purpose of this debate that I know nothing about the case or about English Law or even abot Judaism.
I am afraid you are either intentionally or otherwise missing the main point, and what's more, you seem to think that hectoring will get you somewhere. I'd expect that of establishments that try to cow their members, stifle dissent. The sort of tactics I have often seen used in Anglo Jewry. You remind me of the time I was told that I must not allow a Massorti Rabbi to speak under the Chupa because it might give people the wrong impression!!! Thank goodness I wasn't in the United Synagogue.
The primary facts I am concerned with are that the JFS is NOT a true Jewish community school of the sort that exists in Toronto, Johannesburg, Sydney, and Melbourne for example, but one whose policies are dictated by an autocratic and not very open-minded Beth Din. (I should of course, and do, differentiate between Dayanim. Make Dayan Binstock Av Beth!)
A school is not an ecclesiastical authority, but because its policies do indeed make questionable ecclesiastical decisions on occasion it is divisive for really very illogical and silly reasons.
The result has been the uneccessary and costly JCoSS to meet those precise needs that the JFS is not allowed to.
Your insistence on taking my crack about Torquemada the way you do, makes me wonder whether you might not benefit from a day with Ali G.
Anonymous ("To characterise concern about intermarriage as "myopic" is ironic."):
I agree with your comments and of course I am concerned about intermarriage, but primarily because it weakens the attachment to one's people. Sadly, too many parents who do nothing to strengthen Jewish commitment and are Jews only socially at best, go crazy over the very mention of marrying out. I used to shock my congregants by telling them that I'd rather marry a non-Jewish girl who cared about God, ethics, and morality than a Jewish girl who did not! Of course that did not mean I intended to, or approved of intermarriage!!!! I was simply trying to make the point that it's not so much the act that is the problem (pace Ezra, of course) as the consequences. If one really cares about marrying out, live a more positive Jewish life!
Of course there are no guarantees. Sons and daughters of great rabbanim and rebbes have married out. But desperate measures like artificial segregation, certainly don't work!
re The Bochur:
Once more into the breach dear friends…
I believe community schools should be community schools and anyone who wishes to be stricter may set up a school to meet those criteria.
Where a school is oversubscribed and it has to use criteria, I do not think those criteria should be based on one specific denomination's own standards. But if a school claims to want give a religious education, I think it reasonable to choose someone who is more interested in receiving one. I realize this is not the halachic criterion but then given the nature of Jewish life in a post-Enlightenment era other criteria should apply and halachic Jews who care will make their own choices, as indeed they do. As it is, oversubscribed schools apply their own selection based on a range of criteria.
Having said that, I do not understand or agree with the judgement. But I don't want to go there again.
The Carmel experience-yes, of course, where there are status issues concerned houseparents need to be fully in the picture, after all they know who non-Jewish children are too. And yes, of course it's subjective.
And finally, why the heck do you think I have always chosen to work outside the establishment? Precisely because I value the freedom to sound off and sometimes go over the top. Every healthy society needs alternative and provocative voices, and religion in particular with its tendency towards control and conformism needs a free spirit with an occasionally acerbic turn of phrase. My contribution is to serve that role while still being committed to the halachic process in my persopnal life and delighting in the positive things Orthodoxy has to offer.
But I will, I'm afraid, continue in my gadfly role, frankly because I am free to enjoy it. And if others enjoy or prefer being establishment figures, I accept there's a need for that too, but not me. And that is precisely, dear Bochur, why I find Manhattan such a welcome relief after Anglo Jewry!!
Boys(I say that as we girlies can't usually be bothered to bicker so, although it is interesting and provocative)-One man's views will always provide the oxygen of another man's challenge.But every value system nonetheless needs its gadflies. It's healthy. And like his views or not, it's Jeremy's site, and we are his guests on it. It's nice here. It's comfortable.
Now. My point is this. All civil laws have a shelf life. They need to be reviewed, updated, rewritten, evaluated. It's cyclical. But the cycles aren't standardised and the Govts differ in hue and policy. Those reviews aren't always timely.
The governing primary legislation that underpins this case is in parts quite aged now. It's started to look a bit antiquated alongside say ECHR or the various EU anti discrimination directives that have come into force over the last few years. Old and new end up looking and being dysfunctional.
Whatever the longlasting internecine scraps might be, it's probably time for the rest of us to provide a more supportive civil legislative structure for you.
And now for a piece of diversity in action-it's Saturday morning and I'm off to wash the breakfast dishes.
Sorry -may have pressed the button twice!
Thank you so much for your support, even as you were washing your dishes!
But your comment about the nature of legislation and its need for constant revision is so important. In this context I guess we should be grateful to the stuffed shirts for forcing the issue!!
Rabbi Mordechai says:
I don't get it. You are an Orthodox Rabbi. The simple fact is there is a fundamental halachic problem with a reform conversion. As an Orthodox Rabbi (however liberal) surely you cannot sanction counting somebody non-Jewish in a minyan or allowing a marriage between someone non-Jewish and Jewish. Since according to Halacha a Reform Convert is not Jewish, the problem starts.
You cannot gloss over that without denying orthodoxy.
The petitioner in this case was not challenging a specific conversion but rather the premise that only the OCR/Orthodoxy can define "who is a Jew". How can an Orthodox Rabbi accept a pluralist definition? You puzzle me
Rabbi Mordechai:
I draw a complete distinction between halachic definitions of Jews, in which I accept the halachic definition, and on the other and the social /national definition of Jewry, in which I am inclusive. My precedent for this is that fact that many opinions in Chazal were favourably disposed to the Shomronim (Cutiim), even if they were not halachically acceptable. And at the same time, even within 'halachic' Judaism Chazal made a distinction between the Am Haaretz and the Chaver.
There are different types of Jewish schools. Religious ones are of course very strict about halacha and rightly so, and I would expect them to adhere to halcha absolutely to the level of the chaver. But communal schools are for the wider, more national community which we Jews, small as we are in number, actually need to keep part of the community.
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The Halo Effect by Nick Michelioudakis
Nick Michelioudakis (B. Econ., Dip. RSA, MSc [TEFL]) is an Academic Consultant with EDEXCEL. He has worked in the field of ELT for many years as a teacher, examiner and trainer. He has written more than 50 articles and regularly gives talks to both private and state school teachers. He likes to think of himself as a ‘front-line teacher’ and is particularly interested in one-to-one teaching and student motivation. He also has a keen interest in Social and Evolutionary Psychology. When he is not struggling with students, he likes to spend his time in a swimming pool or playing chess. For any questions, comments or feedback, you can contact him at nickmi@ath.forthnet.gr. To see more of his published articles you can visit his site at www.michelioudakis.org.
Social Psychology and ELT – THE HALO EFFECT
How important is one’s handwriting? Hardly at all you might say, especially today when most people use a computer. Yet research shows otherwise. In a revealing experiment, a number of exam scripts were copied twice – once in good handwriting and once in bad handwriting. They were then passed on to two groups of examiners who were told to mark them and were specifically instructed to mark for content. Amazingly, the neatly-written scripts got significantly higher marks than the others (Sutherland 1992). Why did such a thing happen? The answer is that very often when we have to assess someone (or something) and this person has a salient, positive feature, the latter colours our judgment, so we tend to make all kind of positive attributions about this person, judgments which are at best only marginally related to the quality which stands out. This is called the ‘Halo Effect’.
An experiment: One would expect the scientific world to be less susceptible to such an effect. Not so. In 1982, two psychologists decided to try out an interesting experiment. They selected 12 well-known journals of psychology and to each one they sent an article to be considered for publication. These articles are routinely checked by two authorities on the particular field as well as the editor. The results: in 8 out of the 12 cases the articles were deemed unworthy of publication. Out of 16 ‘evaluators’ and 8 editors who (presumably) read them, not a single one had a different view. Well, one might say, not all articles submitted are up to par. This is true, only in this case these particular articles had been published by the very same journals, under the same title only a few months previously!! The only thing the two psychologists had changed were the names of the authors (eminent university professors) to imaginary ones and their affiliations (originally such prestigious universities as Harvard or Princeton) to non-existent (and by definition obscure) ones! Well, you might think, at least 4 of the articles were thought to be good. Not quite. In 3 out of the 4 cases someone simply realised that they had published this material before… (Sutherland 1992)
Why did such a thing happen? The answer is probably that journals like the above are probably inundated by submissions from academics on the make who are anxious to add yet another entry to their CV. It is equally likely that many of these articles are run-of-the-mill, with little to recommend them. This being so, it makes sense for the ‘evaluators’ to resort to ‘shortcuts’ (Cialdini 2001) – rather than scrutinize each script, they look at the name of the writer first. If s/he is a famous professor from an Ivy-League University, then the article is more likely to be worthy of publication. But if we start thinking like this, then an amazing change happens: as Sutherland (1992) points out, when faced with a piece of work by an established writer, we tend to look for its positive aspects, while if the writer’s name rings no bells then we start looking for flaws!
Still not convinced? Here is another example. In the mid-70s, someone sent a book to no less than 27 different publishers and literary agents. No marks for guessing what happened. All 27 rejected it. Yet this book (‘Steps’ by Kosinsky) had actually been published in 1969 and had won the American National Book Award! All that had been changed was the title and the name of the writer. What is more remarkable is that one of the publishers who rejected the ‘new book’ was ‘Random House’ – the ones who had published the original one!! (ibid.)
Lest you should think that this phenomenon is restricted to the world of books and publishing, here are some more examples to show you just how widespread it is: Good-looking people are universally thought to be friendlier, more intelligent and more humorous, tall people are thought to have all kind of leadership qualities, they are clearly favoured in job interviews and make more money than people like me who are slightly challenged in the vertical dimension, and, of course, men of a high social status are judged as more attractive by women…(Brehm, Kassin & Fein 2002).
Applications in the field of teaching: If we can create for ourselves this ‘aura’ of the competent/charismatic/special teacher, then we are halfway towards winning the battle for the ‘hearts and minds’ of our students. Here are some ideas:
Friendliness: When I ask my students to describe the best teacher they know, they almost invariably mention someone possessing this quality. When I try to probe deeper to see what it is about their method that is so special, my students are often stumped. It is because attitude is such a salient feature that it colours the students’ perception of the teacher both as an individual and as a professional (for research on this very theme, see Alberson, Frey & Gregg 2004, p. 8)
First impressions: Teachers often ‘save’ their best techniques for later – a big mistake in my view. By using your favourite materials/techniques early on, you create a positive impression in the students’ minds which will pre-dispose them favourably towards all your subsequent lessons. The tendency of first impressions to ‘stick’ has been demonstrated again and again (Fine 2005)
Professionalism: Little details like being prepared, giving an outline of your lesson in advance, revising what you did the previous time, showing students that there is a continuity in your sessions – all these create an impression of ‘professionalism’ and they are more observable than, say, a profound activity sequence (Lewis & Hill 1992). The point is that once you have acquired a reputation as a ‘true professional’, this reputation precedes you and everything you do will then be seen in this light!
Success: Unfortunately perhaps, teachers too are judged by results. This is particularly true in the case of 1-1 lessons. Consequently, there is a lot to be said for ‘blowing your own trumpet’. This will create an expectation of success which boosts the students’ confidence and acts like a self-fulfilling prophecy (Dornyei 2001).
Titles: As I have said in other articles and as the above experiment clearly demonstrates, titles like ‘MSc’, ‘PhD’ etc. never fail to impress people about your competence – so if you have them, flaunt them! (On how effective this ‘aura’ can be, see also Goldstein, Martin & Cialdini 2007). Similarly, if you happen to work for a prestigious institution, then mention it to your students. I remember how people’s faces used to light up when I told them I was an Oral Examiner for the British Council!
Looks: At the cost of repeating myself, the importance of being good-looking can hardly be exaggerated. Not only does this quality affect the ‘marks’ one gets in virtually all other fields, but there is evidence that this positive pre-disposition of others actually elicits all kind of positive behaviours from them (Aronson 1999). The moral is clear: it pays to work on your appearance!
What about ELT? So, what about our field? Are there any elements which can create a ‘Halo Effect’? Yes, there are - two of them: a) Your passport and b) your accent. Let me explain. I believe that if would-be employers receive 2 identical CVs, one from a native speaker and another from a Greek teacher, there are many cases when only the former will be short-listed. I believe that if two Greek EFL teachers go through an interview and one of them has a native-like accent while the other one does not, then the former is far more likely to be hired, even if the latter has better qualifications/more experience. And I am certain that (ceteris paribus) native speakers are on average better paid when it comes to private lessons. Now, I do not have any hard evidence for all this, but I am prepared to bet good money that all 3 hypotheses are true. Anyone for research?
1. Abelson, R., Frey, K. & Gregg, A. “Experiments With People” Lawrence Erlbaum Associates 2004
2. Aronson, E. “The Social Animal” Worth – Freeman, 1999
3. Brehm, S., Kassin, S. & Fein S. “Social Psychology” Houghton Mifflin, 2002
4. Cialdini, R. “Influence – Science and Practice”, Allyn & Bacon 2001
5. Dornyei, Z. “Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom” CUP, 2001
6. Fine, C. “A Mind of its Own” Icon Books 2005
7. Goldstein, N., Martin, S. & Cialdini, R. “Yes! 50 secrets from the science of persuasion” Profile Books 2007
8. Lewis, M. & Hill, J. “Practical Techniques for Language Teaching” LTP 1992
9. Sutherland, S. “Irrationality” Constable and Company, 1992
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78 City: Prince's Band, Waring's Pennsylvanians, Jean Moeremans, more!
So, I have a new, more powerful PC, but I have to do my CD burns at a slower speed, or else there's trouble. I guess logic plays no part in any of this....
Sorry--just typing out loud. Today's post (it'll be tomorrow by the time I'm done) consists of no fewer than 20 shellac sides, starting with the 1915 Columbia 12" Medley of Indian Songs by Prince's Band. These, of course, are not authentic Indian songs but rather pop songs on Indian themes--Red Wing, Silver Heels, Hiawatha, etc.
We heard a charming 1905 version of Silver Heels in the last 78 rpm post, so if that melody sounds familiar, that may be the reason. And we have nine dance sides from the 1920s, plus an almost-1920s dance side--the 1919 In Your Arms by Ben Selvins' Orchestra, a medley which "introduces" the number I Know Why. In the early dance band days, arrangers would often include the chorus of a second song to break up the monotony--hence, "introducing..."
Contrary to what some people insist, evolution is a linear process--linear in the sense of an unbroken line (like a family tree--branching out in all directions but with no gaps). But of course evolution never happens in a straight line, and so any generalization I make about the evolution of dance band arranging is going to be wrong. For instance, generally speaking, the earliest (1910s) dance band charts repeated the chorus (aka refrain) of a pop song without any variation in treatment. Then came Ferde Grofe and his anything but monotonous approach--an approach that bordered on theme and variation--which included trading off the verse and chorus of a song instead of importing the strain of another tune. And highlighting and/or contrasting sections of the orchestra, a la big band. But, of course, that's an overgeneralization that borders on vast. Anyway...
Today's 1920s sides all have that classic Twenties flavor--arrangers striving for variety in their charts, trying for new sounds. Ironically, all that striving for variety is what makes these sides sound so dated today. But dated in a fun way. At best, in a way that has the listener marveling at the arranger's ingenuity.
Then we have 1907's I'd Rather Two-Step Than Waltz, Bill, which, fittingly, is a two-step. And two paragraphs back, I talked about "the earliest (1910s) dance band charts," so what's up with that? This disc is certainly dance music--two-step is a dance, of course. But it's not dance band music in the modern sense. It's too much like straight ragtime, and the orchestra's stiff handling of the syncopated rhythms doesn't help. Dance and dance band (or dance orchestra) music has always existed, of course. Probably as long as music itself.
Not so the saxophone--it's from the early 19th century. You just know an instrument as complicated as the saxophone couldn't go back to, say, the year 900. Anyway, the 1904 Carnival of Venice features stunningly virtuosic noodling from Jean Moeremans. I read an on line piece which refers to Moeremans' tone as flat, and I suppose it is, especially when compared to the goofy sounds extracted from the instrument in the 1920s, when saxophones went from pop novelty to pop staple. But what stands out as hopelessly out of fashion to my ears are the highly impressive but absurdly over the top arpeggios, plus the fact that the side is the same musical section over and over. It's like we're eavesdropping on an 1879 parlor music performance, only it's 1904 and the performer is world-class.
To the 78s....
DOWNLOAD: Indian Songs and more!
Medley of Indian Songs--Prince's Band (Columbia A5716; 1915)
Lovin' Sam (The Sheik of Alabam')--Dixie Daisies (Cameo 291; 1922)
What More Do You Want? (Isham Jones)--Same
In Your Arms (Medley)--(Ben) Selvin's Novelty Orch. (Victor 18650; 1919)
Carnival of Venice--Jean Moeremans, Saxophone Solo (Victor 16244; 1904)
Carolina in the Monring (Walter Donaldson)--(Hazy) Natzy's Biltmore Orch., Dir. Jack Green (Okeh 4713; 1922)
Are You Playing Fair?--Zez Confrey's Orch., with ZC at the piano (Victor 18921; 1922)
Red Hot Chicago--Waring's Pennsylvanians, v: Fred Waring (Victor 22325; 1930)
Wasn't It Beautiful While It Lasted?--Same, w. The Three Girl Friends and Stewart Churchill
Linger Awhile--Bennie Krueger's Orchestra (Brunswick 2526; 1923)
I'm Sittin' Pretty in a Pretty Little City--Gene Rodemich's Orch.--Same
I'd Rather Two-Step Than Waltz, Bill (Medley Two-Step)--(Zonophone) Concert Band (Oxford 837; 1905)
Toot, Toot, Tootsie! (Goo'Bye)--Frank Westphal and His Rainbo Orch. (Columbia A3706; 1922)
Why Should I Cry Over You--Knickerbocker Orch., Dir. Eddie Elkins--Same
There's a Lump of Sugar Down in Dixie (Medley-One-step)--Marimbaphone Band (Red, White and Blue Marimba Band) (Columbia A2550; 1918)
At the Cottonpickers' Ball--Same
Mandy Make up Your Mind--Mike Speciale and His Carlton Terrace Orch. (Perfect 14336; 1924)
Home Again Blues (Berlin-Akst)--Gene Rodemich's Orch. (Brunswick 2060; 1921)
I Can't Make Her Happy--Waring's Pennsylvanians, v: Clare Hanlon (Victor 21810; 1928)
The Song I Love--Same, v: Fred Waring
Posted by Lee Hartsfeld at 9:05 AM
Scott1669 said...
This does sound like an excellent listen!!!!!
I have never heard of the sharing site given in the link though;
http://prince%27s%20band%2C%20waring%27s%20pennsylvanians/
That is a new one on me.......
Lee Hartsfeld said...
I don't know what happened there. I just redid the link and it seems to be working now. Let me know. Sorry about that!
WorkUpload. That on works
Thank you Sir!!!!!!
Buster said...
Thanks, Lee - always interesting, made more so by your enlightening comments.
boppinbob said...
Yet another superb compilation from the Maestro of Shellac. Thanks Lee. Regards, Bob
Buster and Bob,
Thanks for the nice words!
rev.b said...
I'll 2nd Buster-n-Bob's comments. Exceptional transfers Lee, the music's upfront and clear and the surface noise is very low. I always look forward to the 78 posts. Much appreciated
rev.b,
Thanks. I'm happy to hear you describe the music as clear and upfront, because that's what I strive for. I focus on what can be saved, not on what I'm going to cut. I cut as an afterthought. I just processed some super lo-fi Varsity label 78s of the late 1940s (post coming up), and it took three levels of tweaking, all devoted to pulling the "good" sound out of the mix. Without the ability to save my audio tweaks in individual levels, building on previous results, a lot of what I do would be impossible. Unless I had a bunch of expensive analog filters filling a room....
Lee Hartsfeld
Central Ohio, United States
I was born in Toledo, served in the Navy eight years, graduated from Bowling Green State University with a B.A. in Popular Culture, and worked for fifteen years as a Medicare claims examiner. We reside in the country with eleven cats, two of whom--Griff and Wesley--are my very own tuxedos (black-and-whites).
Genius marketing
"For your parties and entertainment": Juke Box Cla...
Hymntime Sing-Along w. Jerry Barnes and the Kurt K...
More early fakes--Tops, Varsity, Top Tunes, and Wa...
Claiborne Brothers Quartette at the World's Fair (...
78 City: Prince's Band, Waring's Pennsylvanians, J...
First, the ten-inch. Now, the twelve-inch: The Mo...
The Looper Trio--Singing on the Way
Somehow, I got fourteen 78 rpm files made....
It's possible the problem is solved....
This. Is. Unreal.
Didn't we just see these two?? Hits are A' Poppin...
Chester (William Billings, 1778)
Hits A' Poppin (SPC 108)--Fine records needn't be ...
Update to Blue Ridge Quartet post
Lee's Comic Rack
Lee's Halloween Slaylists
MYPWHAE Text (Sort of a holding station)
Gospel Songbook and Hymnal Covers
Branham Family
Colleen's Collectables--Columbus, Ohio
Hymns and Carols of Christmas
Illustration (the band)
Online 78 rpm Disc. Project
Big 10-inch Record
Ernie (Not Bert)
Probe Is Turning-on the People!
Wonderful Wonderblog
World of Budget Vinyl, The
Zorch's Inner Sanctum
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2.a* Under the Yoke
9% x 81/2" (236 x 215 mm.)
S. 49 W. 41
Signed: Edv. Munch
Probably a test print, this etching is on a plate with The Suicide.
There is a black and white chalk drawing in the Munch-museet sketching
the position of the woman.
Exhibited: The Phillips Collection, 1969.
b* The Suicide
4% x 914" (106 x 235 mm.)
Signed: Edv. Munch
In this example, the etching is on a plate with Under the Yoke. Cf. 1896-
15. On the wall behind the scene are large letters: O AHC
3.* Jealousy
18% x 223/4" (475 x 576 mm.)
This lithograph is one of the first in the remarkable series printed by Clot
after Munch settled in Paris in late February 1896.
The jealous man combines the features of Paul Herrmann, a German
graphic artist who had come to Paris the previous year (using the name
Henri Heran), and those of the Polish writer Stanislaw Przybyszewski
(1868-1927). Herrmann did an etching called Jealousy during this period,
and Przybyszewski had published a novel on the theme of jealousy in
1895, Vigilien. Munch's illustration for the title page of Przybyszewski's
novel was a drawing of Madonna. The "Aladonna" had the features of
Dagny Juell, the daughter of a Norwegian doctor. She had served as
muse for the "Zum Schwartzen Ferkel" group in Berlin — Strindberg
called her "the Aspasia of us all" — and married Przybyszewski in 1893.
She was killed in Bussia in 1901 (1901-5). The painting Jealousy (Rasmus Aleyer Collection, Bergen) of 1894-95 is reproduced by Benesch
(PL 31), as are Alunch portraits of Dagny Przybyszewska (PL 32) and Paul
Issue Title The Epstein Collection
Heller, Reinhold
Van Nimmen, Jane, 1937-
Contents Edvard Munch and the Clarification of Life; Cataloguer's Note; Catalogue
Artists Munch, Edvard (Norwegian, 1863-1944)
List of Illustrations Girls on the Jetty (Girls on the Bridge); Man's Head in Woman's Hair; Girl's Head Against the Shore (Asgardstrand); Harpy (Vampire), drypoint (1894-1); The Sick Girl, drypoint with roulette (1894-3); Death and the Maiden, drypoint on copper plate (1894-4); Consolidation, drypoint and aquatint on copper plate (1894-5); Christiania-Boheme I, etching and drypoint (1895-1); Tete-a-Tete (In the Furnished Room), etching and drypoint (1895-2); The Day After, drypoint and aquatint (1895-4); Summer Night (The Voice), aquatint and drypoint (1895-5); Two People (The Solitary Ones), drypoint and roulette (1895-6); The Kiss, etching, drypoint, and aquatint (1895-7); Self Portrait, lithograph (1895-9); The Woman II, drypoint, etching and aquatint (1895-11); The Scream, lithograph (1895-12); Female Nude in an Interior, color mezzotint (1896-1); Under the Yoke and The Suicide, etching and drypoint (1896-2a, 2b); Jealousy, lithograph (1896-3); The Sick Child, color lithograph (1896-4); Anxiety, color lithograph (1896-5); Room of Death, lithograph (1896-9); Portrait of August Strindberg, lithograph (1896-11); Three Stages of Woman (The Sphinx), lithograph (1899-1); The Old Seaman, woodcut (1899-2); Stump, Moonlight, color woodcut, hand colored (1899-3); Ashes II (After the Fall), lithograph (1899-5); Two People (The Solitary Ones), color woodcut (1899-8); Meeting in Space, color woodcut (1899-9); The Sin (Nude Figure; Nude with Red Hair), color lithograph (1901-2); Melancholy (On the Beach; Evening), color woodcut (1901-3); Moonlight, color woodcut (1901-4); Madonna, color lithograph (1902-1); Vampire, color lithograph and woodcut (1902-3); The Kiss, color woodcut (1902-4); Potsdamer Platz, Berlin (The Hearse), etching, aquatint, and drypoint (1902-5); Ibsen in Cage of Grand Hotel in Christiania, lithograph, hand colored (1902-7); Old Man, woodcut, hand colored (1902-35); Violin Concert, lithograph (1903-3); Woman with the Brooch, lithograph (1903-4); Salome, lithograph (1903-5); Girls on the Jetty (Girls on the Bridge), etching on copper plate (1903-6); Man and Woman Kissing Each Other, color woodcut (1905-1); Spirits, drypoint on copper plate (1905-4); Zum Sussen Madel (Divided Room; Pair at Round Table), lithograph (1907-1); Alpha and, Omega, lithograph (1908-09-8); The Cloud, lithograph (1908-09-11); Alpha's Offspring, lithograph (1908-09-22); Omega's Death, lithograph (1908-09-24); Self Portrait, lithograph (1912-2); On the Bridge, lithograph, hand colored (1912-4); Lioness, lithograph (1912-5); The Kiss on the Hair, woodcut (1915-1); Young Man and Woman in the Fir Forest, color woodcut (1915-2); The Last Hour (Courtyard in Elgeseter Convent), woodcut (1920-2); Self Portrait, with a Bottle of Wine, lithograph (1925-26-1); Self Portrait with Hat, lithograph (1927-2)
Transcript 2.a* Under the Yoke 9% x 81/2" (236 x 215 mm.) Etching and drypoint S. 49 W. 41 Signed: Edv. Munch Probably a test print, this etching is on a plate with The Suicide. There is a black and white chalk drawing in the Munch-museet sketching the position of the woman. Exhibited: The Phillips Collection, 1969. b* The Suicide Etching and drypoint 4% x 914" (106 x 235 mm.) S. 50 W. 42 Signed: Edv. Munch In this example, the etching is on a plate with Under the Yoke. Cf. 1896- 15. On the wall behind the scene are large letters: O AHC Exhibited: The Phillips Collection, 1969. 3.* Jealousy Lithograph 18% x 223/4" (475 x 576 mm.) S. 58 This lithograph is one of the first in the remarkable series printed by Clot after Munch settled in Paris in late February 1896. The jealous man combines the features of Paul Herrmann, a German graphic artist who had come to Paris the previous year (using the name Henri Heran), and those of the Polish writer Stanislaw Przybyszewski (1868-1927). Herrmann did an etching called Jealousy during this period, and Przybyszewski had published a novel on the theme of jealousy in 1895, Vigilien. Munch's illustration for the title page of Przybyszewski's novel was a drawing of Madonna. The "Aladonna" had the features of Dagny Juell, the daughter of a Norwegian doctor. She had served as muse for the "Zum Schwartzen Ferkel" group in Berlin — Strindberg called her "the Aspasia of us all" — and married Przybyszewski in 1893. She was killed in Bussia in 1901 (1901-5). The painting Jealousy (Rasmus Aleyer Collection, Bergen) of 1894-95 is reproduced by Benesch (PL 31), as are Alunch portraits of Dagny Przybyszewska (PL 32) and Paul 146
Girls on the Jetty (Girls on the...
Edvard Munch and the...
The Epstein Collection
Cataloguer's Note
Catalogue of the Collection
Girls on the Jetty (Girls on the Bridge) (1918-19-1)
Edvard Munch and the Clarification of Life
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5 . Tanzio da Varallo, St. John the Baptist, c. 1618,
oil on canvas (87,34)
Museum Director/Acting Director Chiego, William J. (William Joseph)
Contributors Bukdahl, Else Marie
Chiego, William J. (William Joseph)
Johnson, Ellen H.
Contents Director's Report; David Saunders in Oberlin; Lagrenee the Elder -- "mythologie" and "allegorie"; Acquisitions, 1987-88; Loans, 1987-88; Friends of the Museum; Oberlin Friends of Art, July 1987-December 1988
Artists Arneson, Robert (American, 1930-1992)
Chirico, Giorgio de (Italian, 1888-1978)
Edelinck, Jean (Flemish, 1643-1680)
Ghisi, Giorgio (Italian, 1520-1582)
Golub, Leon (American, 1922-2004)
Grasset, Eugène (French, 1841-1917)
Lagrenée, Louis Jean François (French, 1725-1805)
Lartigue, Jacques-Henri (French, 1894-1986)
Le Pautre, Jean (French, 1618-1682)
Saunders, David (American, 1954-)
Sugai Baikan (Japanese, 1784-1844)
Tanzio da Varallo (Italian, ca. 1575-1633)
List of Illustrations David Saunders, Desdemona (Mare Nectaris), 1979 (detail) (cover); Eugene Grasset's lithograph La Vitrioleuse of 1894; David Saunders, Hamlet, 1979-81; David Saunders, Desdemona (Mare Nectaris), 1979; David Saunders, Hamlet Study, 1979; David Saunders, Untitled (Desdemona), 1981; David Saunders, Detail of Untitled (Desdemona); David Saunders, Letter of 6 November 1987; David Saunders, On the back of an envelope for a letter of 26 November 1982; David Saunders, Undated letter enclosed in BIRD NEST EGG shipping box, fall 1982; David Saunders, Letter of 6 January 1986; David Saunders, Lizzie and Gaffer Hexam Searching for Corpses in the Thames. 1982; David Saunders, Study for Aluminum Rod; David Saunders, BIRD NEST EGG. 1978-79; David Saunders, Sea of Troubles, 1983; Louis Jean Francois Lagrenee, Midday, 1772; Louis Jean Francois Lagrenee, Sunset, 1772; Louis-Jean-Francois Lagrenee, Tethys Receiving Apollo, 1759-60; Jean Le Pautre, The Grotto of Tethys, Versailles. 1676; Jean Edelinck, Apollo Bathed by the Nymphs of Tethys. 1678; Louis-Jean-Franpois Lagrenee, L'Epee (Bellona Presenting to Mars the Reins of his Horses), 1766; Louis-Jean-Franfois Lagrenee, La Robe (Justice Disarmed by Innocence and Congratulated by Prudence), 1766; Sugai Baikan, Summer, c. 1838; Sugai Baikan, Winter, c. 1838; Giorgio de Chirico, La Solitudine, 1910s or 1920s; Leon Golub, Head (XV), 1958; Tanzio da Varallo, St. John the Baptist, c. 1618; Roman, early 1st century A.D., Bust of Silenus; Robert Arneson, Sakharov, 1987; Giorgio Ghisi (after Teodoro Ghisi), Venus and Adonis, late 1560s or early 1570s; Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Untitled (Portrait of Pablo Picasso) c. 1950s
Transcript 5 . Tanzio da Varallo, St. John the Baptist, c. 1618, oil on canvas (87,34) 38
List of Illustrations Tanzio da Varallo, St. John the Baptist, c. 1618
Director's Report, 1987-88
David Saunders in Oberlin
Lagrenee the Elder � 'mythologie'...
List of Acquisitions, 1987-1988
Allen Memorial Art Museum Loans,...
Oberlin Friends of Art July...
[Commitees and Trustees]
Lagrenee the Elder � 'mythologie' and 'allegorie'
Allen Memorial Art Museum Loans, 1987-1988
Oberlin Friends of Art July 1987-December 1988
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Shankar, C. (2015). A Study on Achievement in Chemistry in relation to certain Selected Variables. Unpublished. Ph.D., Psychology Of Education. Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli,Tamil Nadu.
1. To find out the level of achievement in chemistry of higher secondary students. 2. To find out the level of educational aspiration of higher secondary students. 3. To find out the level of emotional intelligence of higher secondary students. 4. To find out the level of mental health of higher secondary students. 5. To find out the level of scientific aptitude of higher secondary students. 6. To find out the high, average and low levels of achievement in chemistry of higher secondary students with respect to their educational aspiration, emotional intelligence, mental health and scientific aptitude 7. To find out whether there is any significant difference among the high, average and low levels of achievement in chemistry of higher secondary students with respect to their educational aspiration, emotional intelligence, mental health and scientific aptitude. 8. To find out whether there is any significant difference among higher secondary students achievement in chemistry based on their sub-sample. 9. To find out whether there is any significant difference among higher secondary students educational aspiration based on their sub-sample. 10. To find out whether there is any significant difference among higher secondary students emotional intelligence based on their sub-sample. 11. To find out whether there is any significant difference among higher secondary students mental health based on their sub-sample. 12. To find out whether there is any significant difference among higher secondary students scientific aptitude based on their sub-sample. 13. To find out whether there is any significant relationship between higher secondary students achievement in chemistry and their educational aspiration with respect to entire and sub sample. 14. To find out whether there is any significant relationship between higher secondary students achievement in chemistry and their emotional intelligence with respect to entire and sub sample. 15.To find out whether there is any significant relationship between higher secondary students achievement in chemistry and their mental health with respect to entire and sub sample. 16.To find out whether there is any significant relationship between higher secondary students achievement in chemistry and their scientific aptitude with respect to entire and sub sample. 17. To find out whether there is any significant contribution of independent variables and the demographic variables on higher secondary students achievement in chemistry.
1.The level of achievement in chemistry of higher secondary students is high. 2.The level of educational aspiration of higher secondary students is high. 3.The level of emotional intelligence of higher secondary students is high. 4.The level of mental health of higher secondary students is excellent. 5.The level of scientific aptitude of higher secondary students is high. 6.High, average and low levels of achievement in chemistry of higher secondary students with respect to their educational aspiration, emotional intelligence, mental health and scientific aptitude are high. 7.There is no significant difference among the high, average and low levels of achievement in chemistry of higher secondary students with respect to their educational aspiration, emotional intelligence, mental health and scientific aptitude. 8.There is no significant difference between higher secondary students achievement in chemistry based on their sub-sample such as gender, medium of school, location of school, type of family, parental monthly income, siblings and attendance. 9.There is no significant difference among higher secondary students achievement in chemistry based on their sub-sample such as type of school management, type of school, religion, community, father s education, mother s education, father s occupation and mother s occupation. 10.There is no significant difference between higher secondary students educational aspiration based on their sub-sample such as gender, medium of school, location of school, type of family, parental monthly income, siblings and attendance. 11.There is no significant difference among higher secondary students educational aspiration based on their sub-sample such as type of school management, type of school, religion, community, father s education, mother s education, father s occupation and mother s occupation. 12.There is no significant difference between higher secondary students emotional intelligence based on their sub-sample such as gender, medium of school, location of school, type of family, parental monthly income, siblings and attendance. 13.There is no significant difference among higher secondary students emotional intelligence based on their sub-sample such as type of school management, type of school, religion, community, fathers education, mothers education, fathers occupation and mothers occupation. 14.There is no significant difference between higher secondary students mental health based on their sub-sample.
The population for the present study is first year higher secondary school students in selected 40 schools and those who are studying chemistry as one of the subject under academic stream. From these 40 schools the total numbers of students studying are 4022 during the academic year 2012-2013. From 4022 higher secondary first year students, 2023 students are studying chemistry as one of the subject which will constitute the population. From the population, the investigator selected 800 as the sample for the final study. This will constitute 39.54 (800/2023) percentage of sample from the population.For the present study, the investigator adopted simple random sampling technique for the selection of higher secondary schools and stratified sampling technique has been adopted for the selection of sample subjects. A sample of 800 first year higher secondary students was selected by using stratified random sampling technique from 40 schools in Namakkal district.
1. ACT- Achievement in Chemistry Test (2011) developed and standardized by the Investigator; 2. EAS - Educational Aspiration Scale constructed and standardized by Dr. S.K. Saxena (2006); 3. EIS - Emotional Intelligence Scale developed by Anukool Hyde and Sanjyot Pethe (2001); 4. MHB- Mental Health Test Battery was developed and validated by Arun Kumar Singh and Alpana Sen Gupta (1996), and 5. SATB “Scientific Aptitude Battery was devised by K.K Agarwal (1998).
In the present investigation normative survey research method has been employed.
The scored data was then subjected to the following statistical analysis. -Descriptive analysis like Mean, Standard Deviation, Skewness and kurtosis, - Differential analysis like t -test and F- test, Correlation analysis like Co-efficient of Correlation (r) and - Regression (R) analysis.
1.Among the total 800 subjects, 10.87 percent of total samples are high achievers in chemistry. This finding is the indicative of the acute problem for the educationists at the present context. Higher secondary stage form basis for the students entry into the professional and higher studies. Lack of self regulated plan of home work, study habits, and distraction by the medias are the constant sources for the under achievement. 2.Medium of school has been found to be a determinant factor of achievement in chemistry. English medium (24.44) students are better achievers in chemistry. This indicates that the more regulated activities and instruction in English language facilitate and enhances the learning as well as achievement in chemistry. 3. Parental monthly income is another determinant factor of achievement in chemistry. Students with high parental monthly income have more achievement in chemistry. High income provides facilities such as individual reading room, work table, and conducive learning environment in home that facilitates more achievement. 4.Type of school and type of school management influences the achievement in chemistry. Co-education school students (23.08) are found to be high achievers. This is the indicative that co-education schools promote equal learning abilities and independent learning styles among the students irrespective of the gender in achievement. But this not in the case of same sex schools. Teachers from the unisex schools help the students to overcome from dependent learning styles to enhance their achievement. 5.Private school students (24.44) have higher achievement in chemistry. The systematic implementation of time table, special classes, remedial teaching, continuous assessment of daily home works and class tests, regular parent –teachers meeting, personal care of poor achievers are the constant sources that enhances learning and achievement. Government and aided schools management also taking extra efforts in individual attention towards students in promoting their achievement in chemistry. 6.Community influences the achievement in chemistry. OBC (23.54) students have higher achievement in chemistry than other community strata group. This is the indication that achievement also depends upon the basic social stratification based on Varna Sharma segregation till from the olden days. This is the crucial time by the educationists to revamping the existing policies to promote more achievement among the students of socially down-trodden communities.
Keyword(s): Chemistry, Selected Variables
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QUI EST RACHID NEKKAZ ?
TOTAL DEGAGE d’ALGERIE
ADHÉREZ AU MJC ALGERIE
ADHÉREZ AU MJC MONDE
DEVENEZ CORRESPONDANT DU MJC DANS VOTRE APC الرابط لتصبحوا مراسلين ح.ش.ت ببلديتكم
PROGRAMME DU MJC
STRATÉGIE DU MJC POUR 2017, 2018 et 2019
شكوى جماعية لدى امانة ضبط محكمة الرويسو بالجزائر العاصمة ضد السيد احمد قايد صالح نائب وزير الدفاع / Plainte collective contre le vice-Ministre de la Défense, Monsieur Ahmed Gaïd Salah
Rachid Nekkaz, the politician who walks the most kms in the world ( 3124 kms through Algeria's desert, mountains and plains).
Contact : nekkaz.mjc@gmail.com
Accueil→Non classé→Transfer United Nations HQ to Jerusalem
← NIQAB IN AUSTRIA : THE PHILOSOPHY OF RACHID NEKKAZ
Journée internationale contre la Corruption: 9 decembre →
Transfer United Nations HQ to Jerusalem
Publié le 6 décembre 2017 par Rachid Nekkazdécembre 6, 2017
The main barrier to finding a definitive solution to the [Israeli-Arab] conflict [is] the question of Jerusalem. For Israel, Jerusalem should be under Israeli sovereignty. For the Palestinians, it should be the future capital of the Palestinian state.For the Palestinians, it should be the future capital of the Palestinian state.These two antagonistic visions regarding the future of Jerusalem obviously do not allow for an early solution to the conflict.
However, in the last 70 years there has never been so much good will on the part of the key parties: the Arabs, Israel and the United States. President Bill Clinton made it a personal goal to find an amicable solution to the conflict.
The internationalization of the city of Jerusalem is the only way to establish a just and durable peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.
This idea has been supported by the Vatican and recently the mayor of Jerusalem himself, who has expressed his wish for a divine sovereignty to reign over the city.
The religious dimension of Jerusalem, a center of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, brings complications to the possibility of finding a political solution to the crisis.
Given these complexities, we suggest that the problems of Jerusalem and the wider Arab-Israeli conflict can best be addressed if the headquarters of the United Nations is transferred from New York City to Jerusalem so that Jerusalem becomes a true city of Nations.
The following would be achieved by this move:
Differences between Israelis and Palestinians would be overridden by the UN presence as the holy city would belong to the international community and in no exclusive way to one or another country or culture;
The fragile states of the region, such as Israel, Palestine and the Gulf countries, would feel reinforced and protected against possible threats from aggressive neighboring countries, such as Iraq and Iran;
The UN would gain in symbolic power and would be ideally positioned to take a true measure of the conflicts that are troubling today’s world. Increasingly, conflicts in the world are no longer purely political. Most are loaded with powerful spiritual factors (e.g. Catholic-Protestant rivalry in Northern Ireland, Muslim- Hindu rivalry in Kashmir, Christian-Muslim rivalry in Chechnya and Kosovo). If the UN wants to acquire the means to bring true solutions to all these conflicts, it must take these spiritual factors into serious consideration during its policy formation and decision-making.
Headquartered in Jerusalem, the UN would acquire the necessary legitimacy and authority to renew its image. It could again become the indispensable international organization without which world conflicts could not be resolved.
Given the importance of every square foot in Jerusalem, the location and security of the UN headquarters would have to be studied, as would the accommodation and security of its 10,000 employees.
And given the urgency of the situation this proposal would have to be strongly and swiftly supported by all persons and organizations who want a just and rapid solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, in particular Israel, Palestine, all Arab and Muslim countries, the Vatican, the European Union and the United Nations.
Making Jerusalem home to the UN headquarters means turning the holy city into an international political and spiritual center from which peace will shine across the entire world.
By Rachid Nekkaz
Rachid Nekkaz is with Millenarium, a non-profit, non-governmental organization established to promote peace in the world.
In February 2000, Rachid Nekkaz co-authored one of his 3 publications, “Millenarium; Which future for Humanity?” (distributed in 10 countries). In this book, he interviewed the heads of State of the G7 through questions collected online from thousands of youth from all over the world. President Bill CLINTON participated in the process.
Publié dans Non classé permalien
Transfer United Nations HQ to Jerusalem — Un commentaire
Le 7 décembre 2017 à 14 h 34 min , Aissa a dit :
Pour tout vous dire Mr Nekkaz les nations unis ne servent a rien .tant que les elites qui dirigent le monde arabe sont divisees il n y aura pas de solution in the middle east.
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Nen Daiko
Dounen Daiko
#TaikoLove >
#TaikoLove Participants
Buchiawase Daiko
Man'in Onrei
Rouga
Satori no michi
Shiawase Ondo
Ekoji Buddhist Temple
Buddhism and Taiko
At the National Cherry Blossom Festival Family Day, April 2, 2009 Photo: Nick Glover
Nen Daiko's song Satori no Michi means "The Road to Enlightenment."
The visual centerpiece of the song is the odaiko or largest drum. It is on an upright stand with the head facing the audience. The deep resounding sounds of the odaiko represent the Buddha. The chu-daiko (medium-sized drums) represent people trying to find the path to enlightenment.
The song begins with a peaceful melody by bamboo flutes, either the shakuhachi (an end-blown vertical flute) or shinobue (smaller transverse flutes). The fue set the stage for a conversation between the chu-daiko and the odaiko. The song starts out quietly and builds up to a crescendo by the end.
While the other drums play a variety of rhythms, the Buddha's response is always the same. By the end of the song, the other drums have learned the pattern and play it with the Buddha. This progression symbolizes people's path in finding the Buddha's teachings and finally, really hearing them.
Inspiration for Satori No Michi
Ruth Vines played with Nen Daiko from 1994-2007. In 2007, she was inspired to write Satori no Michi because she was leaving the area and Nen Daiko. She wanted to express her strong feelings about Nen Daiko and Ekoji Buddhist Temple.
"The first thing that came to me was the melody line for the fue," says Ruth. "I wanted the song to give the sense of being grounded and free at the same time."
In the middle of the song, many drummers play solos. Ruth says this represents how everyone has their own journey.
"Everybody has their own energy and movements that they bring into the solos that are unique to them," she says. "It is similar how everyone has their own questions or doubts."
Ruth says the format of the song was inspired by Omiyage, a well-known song in the taiko world that was written as a gift to all taiko groups. The word omiyage means "gift." Satori no Michi is similar in that each instrument has a unique voice that blends together into a multi-layered song.
While Ruth wrote most of the parts, Greg Nakamura wrote the part for the set of shime or rope drums. Ruth says she told him she needed enough music to fill a certain number of measures, and he would improvise. Over time, his playing became consistent so the shime part now sounds similar from one performance to another.
Obon 2017, photo by Evan Michio
Fun Facts about Satori no Michi
At many performances in the intro, there is an unusual instrument played called the vibraslap. This instrument is best known for songs about cowboys and the Wild West because it sounds like a rattlesnake shaking its tail.
When the chu-daiko start to play, their part begins with a quick tapping sound on the edge of the drum. This beat is called "horse beat" because it sounds like the rhythm of a horse's hooves. The drummers aim to make the sound even across all the chu-daiko. The first drummer sets the volume for the rest.
April 11, 2015 performance of Satori no michi with calligraphy artist Bien at Sakura Matsuri in Washington DC
Memorable Performances
Nen Daiko has adjusted the number of drums in the song through the years. At some performances, particularly those at Ekoji Buddhist Temple, the song starts with the first part of the Buddhist chant Shoshinge.
More than once, the group has played it during a windy day, which can be very difficult for those playing fue or shakuhachi. On more than one occasion when the flutes were supposed to provide a dramatic start to the song, the wind was so strong that no sound would come out of the flutes.
In 2015, Nen Daiko played Satori no Michi at the Cherry Blossom festival with calligraphy artist Yoshino Bien who did a live calligraphy painting during the song.
Here's one of our most memorable Satori no Michi performances, as part of our 20th Anniversary concert, In Gratitude, in August 2014. It begins with a chant often sung at the beginning of Jodo Shinshu services to welcome the Buddha into the space. The fue players each represent the three taiko groups at the performance - Nen Daiko, Soh Daiko and Hoh Daiko, showing how these sister groups support each other and came together for this performance.
Video by Michael Galvin
This video shows the first half of the song to give a flavor of Satori no Michi. Come to an in-person performance to see the full song!
Video from Taiko Jam 2017 - Thank you to the volunteers with the Taiko Community Alliance led by Benjamin Pachter for taking this video. This video shows the last minute of the song to give a flavor of Satori no Michi. Come to a performance to see the full song!
Cherry Blossom Family Festival, March 2017 - Photos by Bruce Guthrie
Freedom Walk 2017, photos by Bruce Hollywood
© 2019 Nen Daiko. All Rights Reserved.
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Love Coupons
Get Love Coupons essential facts below. View Videos or join the Love Coupons discussion. Add Love Coupons to your PopFlock.com topic list for future reference or share this resource on social media.
A love coupon is a romantic way of expressing one's feelings for a partner in a relationship. It is a form of voluntary IOU or promissory note between people in love that contains a promise from one of the partners in a relationship to engage in romantic activities at a time in the future.
The love coupon contains a relevant artistic image or drawing, a romantic promise and sometimes redeeming conditions like date of expiration. At the core a love coupon is a love note that uses the coupon metaphor but it can also be seen as a very specialized form of greeting card.
The promise made through the love coupon can range from romantic fantasies to taking care of domestic chores. Samples of romantic promises may include an evening of dancing, night of kisses and cuddles, evening of romance, romantic weekend getaway, boat ride for two, BBQ party, stroll on the beach or a romantic day trip, just to name a few.
Love coupons are seen as a romantic way to pamper one's lover or to reinforce and heat up a relationship. They are usually given as gifts on Valentine's Day, birthdays or anniversary days. They are meant to signify that one is deeply caring about his partner's wishes. A love coupon can be also seen as a sign of trust between partners. The receiver of the love coupon may choose to redeem it at a time of his choice providing no restrictions apply.[1] Sometimes it is more effective to make a promise using a love coupon than to discuss and talk about it with your partner.
Love coupons can be found in many forms: as printed cards, printed books of love coupons [2] and in digital format. Many web sites dedicated to subjects as Valentine's Day, love and romance offer various forms of love coupons for download or as attachments for romantic email messages. They can also be handmade from coloured paper, cut into heart-shape.[1]
Another popular variant uses the scratchcard metaphor. Created as scratch-off lottery tickets they are sold and marketed as romantic gifts for lovers. Usually all tickets are winners, but like lottery cards one has to find the winning item or combination. The winnings range from romance, love and sex and the gift giver has to fulfill them.[] Aside from love coupon, there are several other types of coupon that serve diverse purposes.
Love coupons can be delivered individually or as books of coupons. They can be sent by traditional mail, in digital format as email attachments, handed in person at the right moment or placed as surprises in places where the receiver will stumble upon them.
Love coupons can be bought in form of printed coupon books or can be downloaded and printed from various web sites. Some of these sites offer free customizable love coupons for download and print.[3]
A variant of the love coupon concept can be used by parents as an educational and relationship building tool. Parents can use this kind of coupon to get over communication barriers with their children and to assure the children of their love. Such a coupon can promise time for activities together, uninterrupted time for discussions or it can send a message hard to communicate in person.[4]
Use as promotional material
Various companies started to use love coupons as promotional materials for their products and brands. For example, Jones Soda Co. introduced in 2006 a Valentines Pack containing among others a book of "Love Coupons".
Dance card
^ a b Melodie Moore (1998), The Complete Idiot's Guide to Household Solutions (illustrated ed.), Alpha Books, p. 204, ISBN 0-02-862706-7
^ Godek, Gregory (2006). Love Coupons. Sourcebooks Casablanca. ISBN 1-4022-0846-4.
^ "You can even make your own coupons out of magazines, photos, comics, or just write a note". U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Archived from the original on 2006-08-27.
^ "SAMHSA Family Guide: Activities. Encourage Communication... With Coupons". Archived from the original on 2006-08-27.
Mom Love Coupon Book Mother's Day Love Coupon Book
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PDF Download Love Coupons A Coupon Gift of Love and Romance Coupon Collections Download Full Ebook
Love Healthy Living 4 Chicago & Grow Small Business! Shop World You Love Coupon Deals Sales
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Big Deals Love Coupons for Kids: 52 Creative Ways to Tell Your Kids How Special They Are! Best
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What Women Really Want for Valentine's Day
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Papa Johns coupons 50 off - DealsIF
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"United We Stand What More Can I Give" Concert Update From CaroleKing.com
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - CaroleKing.com was notified by Jeff Margolis Productions that Carole King's performance will not, in fact, be included in the ABC televised showing of "United We Stand What More Can I Give?" concert that will air November 1.
Carole King Presents the AMA Artist of the Decade Award to Taylor Swift
Beautiful - The Carole King Musical Takes It's Final Bow On Broadway
Carole King Urges Climate Action to Support NREPA
Carole King Performs at Global Citizen Festival in NYC 9.28.2019 - UPDATE
Carole King Appeared on 'Morning Joe', Friday, 9/27/19
Carole King Appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Thurs. 9/26/19
Goldmine Magazine Features 'Carole King - Live at Montreux 1973' Sept 2019 Issue
Carole King - Live at Montreux 1973 Release Available Now
Vanessa Carlton Makes Her Broadway Debut as Carole King in "Beautiful-UPDATE
"Beautiful" UK Tour in 2020!
Carole King Urges Lawmakers to Pass NREPA
A Landscape Lewis and Clark Would Recognize Is Now Under Threat
New Expansive, Intimate Interview with Carole King on The Great Song Adventure podcast, premieres February 8, 2019
"Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" Celebrates 5 years on Broadway
Carole King's Midterm Dream is "One (2018)", New Video From Tapestry Studio
Broadway Celebrates 2000 Performances of "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical"
Elvis Costello, Carole King and a Song 20 Years in the Making
'America's Got Talent' Treated to a Taste of Broadway's Best with a Performance from the Cast of "Beautiful"
Carole King Surprises Melissa Benoist and Cast of "Beautiful"
Abby Mueller Returns to "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical"
Two Helpmann Awards For "Beautiful" in Sydney, Australia
July Anniversary of Carole King's Historic Concert in Hyde Park
Smooth Radio Features Story Behind Hit Song "You've Got A Friend"
Melissa Benoist Joins the Cast of 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical'
'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' by The Shirelles Highlighted in The New Yorker
Carole King's 'Tapestry' at Top of NPR's First-Ever Readers' Poll 'Turning The Tables'
Beautiful - The Carole King Musical Celebrates Facebook #FriendsDay With Joyful Mashup
Carole King Tapestry: Live in Hyde Park Available Now on CD/DVD/Blu-Ray!
Carole King Tapestry: Live in Hyde Park on PBS!
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Opens in Australia Sept. 2017
Carole King: Tapestry - Captured Live in Hyde Park Showed Exclusively in the U.S. - CD/DVD Pre-Order Now!
Carole King Joins The People's Climate March
Carole King In Conversation with BBC's Michael Ball
Carole King Performs At Buckingham Palace For The Outward Bound Trust
Broadway Welcomes Abby Mueller and Evan Todd to cast of "Beautiful"
Inspired by the Woman's March, Carole King Re-Releases "One Small Voice"
Carole King Joins Millions in Women's March
Gilmore Girls: Carole King Hits a High Note With Her Cameo Appearance
Carole King's "Tapestry" - Live at Hyde Park Aired Sat. Oct. 29th on SkyArts in the UK
"Beautiful" is Heading Down Under
Carole King Performed "Tapestry" in Hyde Park 3 July, 2016-UPDATE-SOLD OUT
Carole King, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Sara Bareilles, Idina Menzel and 60 More Record Single to Benefit Broadway For Orlando
NREPA Bill Introduced in the Senate For the First Time
Carole King Presents 2016 Tony Award For Best Original Score To Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda
American Masters Presents "Carole King: Natural Woman" on PBS - Now on DVD/Blu-ray
45th Anniversary of Tapestry Release
Rolling Stone Features Exclusive Clip From American Masters - 'Carole King: Natural Woman'
Carole King Featured on NPR's Fresh Air
Carole King, George Lucas, Rita Moreno, Seiji Ozawa, Cicely Tyson Receive 38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors Dec. 29, 2015
Carole King Interview on CBS 'This Morning'
Carole King Appears on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" Friday, Dec. 4th
Carole King Featured in Billboard Magazine
Carole King Joins "Morning Joe" To Discuss National Tour of 'Beautiful'
Carole King, Chilina Kennedy and Abby Mueller Interview Wednesday, Sept. 9th on TODAY
Carole King Appears in TODAY's Toyota Concert Series, Announces National Tour of BEAUTIFUL!
A MusiCares® Tribute to Carole King Release on Blu-Ray/DVD June 23, 2015
Abby Mueller Joins "Beautiful" Cast In Title Role As Carole King
Carole King Performs at SeriousFun Children's Network Fundraiser
Autism Speaks Light It Up Blue Campaign April 2
Sony To Bring "Beautiful" To the Big Screen
London's "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" Nominated for 8 Olivier Awards
Sony U.K. Releases A Beautiful Collection
Chilina Kennedy and Jessica Keenan Wynn Join "Beautiful" Cast March 7, 2015 on Broadway
Carole King Performs at Paul Newman's SeriousFun Children's Network Fundraising Gala
Broadway's "Beautiful" Opens in London Feb. 24 To Rave Reviews.
"Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" Original Cast Recording Wins Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album
Finding Your Roots, Episode 7, Includes Ancestry of Carole King
Carole King Appears on "The Meredith Vieira Show"
'Beautiful' Cast Recording Debuts at No.1 on Billboard Top Broadway Albums Chart
'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical' Wins Two 2014 Tony Awards
Legendary Songwriter Gerry Goffin February 11, 1939 - June 19, 2014
'Beautiful' Receives the Eighth Annual "ACCA" Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus
'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical' Receives Seven 2014 Tony Award Nominations - Carole Appeared At Live Broadcast Sunday, June 8
'You've Got A Friend - The Carole King Story' Airs on BBC Four
Carole King Performs at Power of Love Fundraiser for Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center
Carole King Sees "Beautiful"
Beautiful: Broadway Show Opens 1/12/2014.
Carole King Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year On Jan. 24, 2014
Sara Bareilles and Carole King Perform Together at 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards®
Carole King 'Beautiful' Sweepstakes
Sony Legacy Recordings Celebrates Carole King as 'Artist of the Month': Hosts Contest
A Special Opening Night Message from Goffin & King and Mann & Weil
Carole King Performs at National Vigil for Victims of Gun Violence
Carole King Performs At Alicia Keys' Black Ball Event November 7th
New Single Available On iTunes
Carole King Performed At Fundraiser In Boston To Benefit One Fund.
The President and First Lady Host Concert Honoring Carole King: Recipient of the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song
Carole King Speaks Up For America's Wild Horses on Today Show
Carole King Receives Honorary Doctorate Degree From Berklee College of Music
28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony Airing May 18 at 9pm ET/PT on HBO
"Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" is Broadway Bound - Fall Tryout Run in San Francisco
Reps. Maloney, Grijalva, & Markey introduce the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA) H.R.1187
Pandora Radio Interviews Carole King as part of their Turning Points Series
Carole King Interview Airs on NPR's "The Diane Rehm Show"
Carole's Memoir A Natural Woman Available In Paperback February 12
Carole King Awarded GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Honor
The Australian Tour Merchandise Store is Officially Open!
Natural Woman Tour Success in Australia and New Zealand
'A Holiday Carole' Grammy Nomination
Carole King honored with star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Carole on 60 Minutes Australia
Natural Woman Tour: More Shows Announced
A Celebration of Carole King and Her Music benefits The Painted Turtle Camp
Playlist: The Very Best of Carole King Released by Sony Legacy
Natural Women, Natural Leaders Panel Discussion at Southern New Hampshire University
Carole King Appeared on 'Joy Behar: Say Anything!'
Help Save America's Wild Horses
Carole King Performed on MDA 'Show of Strength' Labor Day Weekend
Carole Invited to Share a Meal with Fire Crews
Louise Goffin Releases "Indiglo" Music Video
CURE 2012 Chicago Benefit Features Carole King
Carole King Named BMI Icon at 60th Annual BMI Pop Awards
'The Legendary Demos' Released by Carole King April 24
Carole King Presenter for Don Kirshner at 27th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Carole King's Memoir, 'A Natural Woman', is Published April 10, 2012
Help Protect the Northern Rockies Ecosystem
Carole King Released First Holiday Album and Took to the Airwaves in the U.S. and UK!
'American Idol' Honored the Music of Carole King On Fox
'Troubadours' Premiered on PBS Series 'American Masters'
'Troubadours' Available on DVD/CD
Carole King's Music Featured on 'Glee'
Carole King and James Taylor Featured in Documentary Film 'Troubadours 'at 2011 Sundance Film Festival
R.I.P. DON KIRSHNER
'Troubadours' Hits the Theaters!
"Going Back": The Carole King Connection to Freddie Mercury's Last Song, "Mother Love"
Phil Collins Album with Carole King Tracks Hits # 1 in the UK
'Live At The Troubadour' A Golden Success!
Carole and James Say "Thank You"
Carole King and James Taylor Appear on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show'
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June 24, 2010 Issue of Rolling Stone
Carole King and James Taylor In The Big Apple!
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Request a Song and Win!
Thoughts after Nashville
Carole King and James Taylor 'Live At The Troubadour' 2 Disc CD/DVD Set is Available!
Special Nashville Stage Seat Packages To Directly Benefit Flood Relief Efforts!
"I just boarded a tour bus ...
'The Essential Carole King' - Double CD Uniquely Profiles Carole King Career as America’s Best Known Singer and Songwriter
'Troubadour Reunion' tour Donates to Charity Onstage Seating for Charity - 'Intimate and In The Round'
First Show.
Carole King A Presenter On 'Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony' - Live On Fuse!
"Way Over Yonder" Performance Features Idaho's Wild Horses
Sun Valley Date Added to the 'Troubadour Reunion' Tour for Sun Valley Center and Alliance for the Wild Rockies Benefit Concert
Carole King and James Taylor Appear on the 'Today Show' and 'Letterman' January 20th
Carole King Interview on NPR'S 'The Diane Rehm Show' Rebroadcast
Carole King's Idaho Home Featured in Architectural Digest
James Taylor and Carole King Announce 'Troubadour Reunion' World Tour 2010 - Full Article
Carole King Hits the Airwaves for NREPA
In Memory of Clif Maloney
Americans Attend 'Mustangs on the Hill' Event in support of S. 1579, The Roam Act, to Save American Wild Horses and Burros
Carole King Performs at Ken Burns' Film Celebration in Central Park
Carole King Talks National Parks, NREPA with 'Morning Joe'
Carole King Visits Capitol Hill
Carole King Appears on "Way Too Early with Willie Geist"
Carole King Interview in Politico
Carole King Performs at Benefit for Camp Korey
NREPA Editorial Appears in the New York Times
Carole King Joins Political Analyst Carlos Watson on the Radio
Carole King Testifies in Support of NREPA at Subcommittee Hearing
Carole King Talks NREPA on 'Morning Joe'
Carole King Appears on New Bob Dylan Deluxe Edition Box Set
Carole King Appears on 'MSNBC Live'
EVERY day is Earth Day! By Carole King
Carole King Joins Reps. Maloney and Shays in Support of the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act
Carole King Appears on 'Later…with Jools Holland' in the UK
Gloria Estefan Has a Friend - And It's Carole King!
Carole King in Washington for NREPA Introduction
Carole King Returns to 'Morning Joe'
Rare Carole King Track Included on Graham Nash Boxed Set
Carole King Appeared on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe'
Carole King Performs at Two Inaugural Events
Carole King - Japan Tour and TV 2008 Update
Carole King on the Campaign Trail
Carole King Appears on ABC Television
Carole King Appears at 'Yes On Prop 2' Event in California
Remembering Paul Newman
Carole King Hits the Trail in Support of Obama
Carole King Joins Forces with Olympic Medalists to Battle Women's Cancers
Carole King/Brian Wilson Exclusive Tracks
PBS Airdates Added for 'Welcome to My Living Room'
Jerry Wexler (1917-2008)
Carole King to Return to Japan - Tour Dates Announced!
Carole King's 'Welcome to My Living Room' to Debut on Public Television in August
Carole King Memorabilia Included in Online Auction to Benefit Grammy Charities
Carole King Stumps for Obama in New Hampshire
Carole King Makes a Surprise Appearance at James Taylor Show
Carole King "Home Again" on 'Tavis Smiley
New Addition Welcomed to Carole King's Living Room
Carole King Appears on Plum TV Network
Carole King Featured on 'Ecoists' for Earth Day
Carole King Interviewed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Carole King Performs in '3 Great American Voices" in Japan
Carole King "Sells Out" For Jimmy Kimmel
Carole King Interviewed on 'Tavis Smiley' Show
Carole King to Perform in Santa Ynez on March 27, 2008
Carole King Appears on 'The Colbert Report'
Carole King Returns to Capitol Hill
Carole King Featured on Sierra Club Radio
Carole King Attends 50th Annual Grammy Awards
Carole King Memorabilia Included in Online Auction Benefit For Musicians On Call
Carole King appears on 'Duets' Album
Carole King Appears on Re-Air of PBS Program 'NOW'
Carole King Comes 'Home For The Holidays' on CBS Television
Carole King Appears on KCRW
CaroleKing.com Mourns the Loss of Linda Lawley Pelfrey
Rockingale Records Releases Carole King's 'Welcome To My Living Room' DVD
Carole King, James Taylor and the Original Band Celebrate the "Troubadour's" 50th Anniversary
Carole King Featured in 'Three Great American Voices' tour in Japan
Carole King Performs on 'The Today Show' Friday, October 26, 2007
Carole King Appears on "The Martha Stewart Show"on October 23, 2007
Carole King Testified Before Congress October 18, 2007 in Support of H.R. 1975 (NREPA)
Carole King Joined Garrison Keillor for 'A Praire Home Companion' on October 13, 2007
Carole King Performs at Firefighters Benefit Concert September 29, 2007 in Idaho
"Girl Power" Performed by Carole King at the U.S. Open
'Stop Global Warming Concert' Airs Saturday, July 14, 2007 on Sirius Radio Channel 18
Carole King Performs in Japan
"Love Makes The World - Deluxe Edition" is Released
Carole King Joins Sheryl Crow in Performance at Earth Day Event in Washington DC
Carole King Memorabilia Included in Online Auction Benefit for 'Musicians On Call'
Carole King's "Tapestry" is #7 on the NARM/Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 'Definitive 200'
Carole King Records with Reb McEntire on 'Duets' Project
Carole King Appears on Phil Ramone-Produced Compilation Album
Carole King on HBO's 'Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry'
Carole King Performs at Swearing-In for Speaker Pelosi
Carole King Appears on PBS Program 'Now'
Carole Wraps Up Successful Tour in Australia and New Zealand
Carole King Wows Australia - Next Stop, New Zealand
Carole King's The 'Living Room Tour' Receives Rave Reviews Down Under
Carole King Appears on Idaho's 'Newmakers' in November
Carole King Brings 'The Living Room Tour' Down Under
Carole King Appears on 'Sunrise' and '7:30 Report'
Carole King Appears at Two Political Fundraising Events in Idaho
Carole King Performs at 2006 Gala for The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp
Carole King's Rockingale Records Announces New Deal with Ryko Distribution
Carole King Testifies Before Senate Subcommittee
Carole King Appears on Idaho's 'Newsmakers'
Carole King Appears on Sunrise
Carole King Re-Enters Billboard Top 200
Carole King Appears on Nicolette Larson Tribute Album
Carole King Appears on Tribute DVD to Benefit MusiCares
Carole King Performs at MusiCares Tribute to James Taylor
Carole King Returns to the Hit Series 'Gilmore Girls'
Carole King Testifies Before Congress
Join Carole King on the Virtual March to Washington
Singer/Songwriter to Launch 'The Living Room Tour 2005 on July 3, 2005
Carole King on CBS Sunday Morning July 24, 2005
Rockies Prosperity Act Has 187 Bipartisan Cosponsors
Carole King's New CD Debuts at #17 on Billboard!
Carole King's The 'Living Room Tour 2005' Receives Rave Reviews
Carole King Performs on Today Show Concert Series July 15, 2005
Carole King Opens Up Her 'Living Room' - Two-CD Set
July 9, 2005 - Carole King on NPR's 'Weekend Edition'
Help Fight Poverty On July 2, 2005
Carole King Joins the Wallflowers for Some Oxygen
Advance Concert Tickets Available at CaroleKing.com
CaroleKing.com Proudly Announces the Grand Opening of the CK Cafe'!
Carole King Returns to Stars Hollow
Carole King Featured Artist in Rock & Roll Library
Carole King's "Uncommon Love" Included on 'Love Rocks' CD to Benefit Human Rights Campaign
Carole Plays for Peace 2004
Carole King on Campaign Trail Through November 2, 2004
Carole King Stumps for Kerry-Edwards
Carole King Guests on John McLaughlin's 'One On One'
Carole Takes a Break From Concert Tour to Campaign for Democrats in Idaho
Carole King to Perform at Democratic Convention
Honesty is Back - Carole King Announces Summer Concert 'Living Room Tour'
Carole King and Vanessa Carlton Perform at Lifetime Television and 'Rock the Vote' Late Night Party
Ray Charles Duets CD 'Genius Loves Company' Features Goffin & King's "Hey Girl" Performed by Charles and Michael McDonald
Carole King 'Live' with Wolf Blitzer on CNN
Carole King Featured on the Cover of Performing Songwriter Magazine
Goffin and King "Inside the Hit Factory" One of the 50 Most Important Moments That Changed the History of Rock
Carole King to Present Award at 'Spirit of Liberty Celebration' June 14th for People For The American Way
Carole King Duets with Willie Nelson on 'Willie Nelson & Friends: Outlaws and Angels' On Memorial Day USA Network Television Special
Carole King Marches for Womens' Lives
Carole King Visits Rock Hall of Fame
Carole King Adds Second Show in Boise for Kerry Campaign
Carole King Presenter and Acknowledged at 46th Grammy Awards
Rudy Guess on NPR and Other News from the Campaign Trail
Carole King Adds Concert in New Hampshire
Carole King on C-SPAN from the Kerry Campaign in Iowa
Carole King Crisscrosses New Hampshire for Sen. John Keryy
Carole King Performs in Concert at 'Kerry For President' Events in Iowa, New Hampshire and New York
Goffin and King Names as Recipients of NARAS' 2004 Trustees Award
Carole King's Landmark Album, 'Tapestry', #36 on Rolling Stone List - King Contributes Another Dozen Songs on Top 100 LPs
"Love For Christmas" Available Exclusively at iTunes
'Love Makes The World', Carole King's Latest CD Now Available on iTunes Music Store
Carole King Performs at Inaugural "Songwriters Salon" to Benefit Hearing-Impaired Children and Their Families
Carole King Lifts Her Voice in Songs for Life - Multi-Artist CD to Help Fight AIDS in Southern Africa
Carole King to Perform at Westport Country Playhouse Benefit
NREPA Reaches All-Time High: More Than One Third of House of Representatives on Board
Carole King Interviews Mandy Moore for Interview Magazine
Carole King an "Inspiration" to Vanessa Carlton in This Month's Music Issue of InStyle Magazine
Carole King in the Studio
Carole King's "So Far Away" Artist's Choice on New Starbucks CD
Yale University Hosts Carole King at a Master's Tea
Carole King Visits 'Raising Helen' Set
Carole King Recalls Little Eva in NPR Interview
'Tapestry' Added to National Recording Registry
Carole King and James Taylor Join Representatives Christopher Shays (R-CT) & Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) to Reintroduce Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act in 108th Congress
'Carole King: A New Colour in the Tapestry' Re-Airs on PBS
Carole King's "It's Too Late" Inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame
'A Sugar Beats Christmas' is a Holiday Treat for All Ages
Carole King Joins Studded Cast to Benefit The Painted Turtle Children's Camp
Sherry Goffin Kondor's 'A Sugarbeats Christmas' Now Available Online
Carole King's NPR 'Weekend Edition' Interview with Liane Hansen Available Online
Carole King Interviewed by Liane Hansen for NPR's 'Weekend Edition'
"Gilmore Girls' Soundtrack CD Features "Where You Lead", with Carole King and Louise Goffin
Carole King Video Interview Available on CaroleKing.com
King and Daughter Sherry Goffin Kondor at 'Hole in the Wall Gang' Came Benefit
Carole King Guests on 'The Caroline Rhea Show' Wednesday, September 4
Carole King is "Sophie Bloom" on the WB's Gilmore Girls Television Show
Carole King to Headline Friday Concert on NBC'S 'Today'
AC Radio Loves "Monday Without You"
Carole King Performs at 20th Anniversary Celebration of Newman's Own
"Love Makes The World" on 'World Cafe'
What Year Is This?
Grammy Hall of Fame Inducts "You've Got A Friend"
Louise Goffin Releases 'Sometimes A Circle' on Dreamworks
'Love Makes The World' Added to VH1 Classics Channel
Ms. King Goes to Sacramento
'Love Makes The World' Climbs to #27* on R&R's First 2002 AC Chart
Response to Carole King's Christmas E-Card: Tremendous!
Carole King Honored at Recording Academy's 2001 New York Hero Awards
AOL Music Names Carole King "Artist of the Day"
Carole King's 'Love Makes The World' Album Debuts on UK Chart at #86
Rosie O'Donnell Hosts Carole King on October 24th
'Love Makes The World' Debuts on Billboard Charts
Carole King Appears on Oprah - Friday, October 19th
'Tapestry' Jumps from #15 to #7 on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Chart
CaroleKing.com Street Team Up and Running!
A Cause Worth Fighting For: Carole King on Capitol Hill
Television Appearances Scheduled for October
'Love Makes The World' Released September 25, 2001
King At The Castle
Carole King and Louise Goffin Featured in GAP's 'My First Love' Fall Ad Campaign
VH1 Names 'Tapestry' in Top 100 Greatest Albums of Rock 'n' Roll
Rep. Maloney Tours Idaho Back Country
A&E Documentary Features Goffin & King
King Takes Rep. Shays On Tour Of The Northern Rockies
King Tune Leads the WB's 'The Gilmore Girls'
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" Included in Nyro Collection
Carole King & Semisonic - Now That's "Chemistry"
"You've Got A Friend" Inducted into NARAS Hall of Fame
King Named Most Successful Female Songwriter by Whitburn
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" Featured on Ally McBeal
President Clinton Visits King Home For Fundraiser
"Freedom Song" Receives 2000 Emmy Nomination for Best Song
Explore Carole’s Career Through The Years
"Goin' Back"
Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King
Goin' Back
Never berfore seen classic performance released for the very first time. Available on CD+DVD, CD and Vinyl.
#happysunday! #reallyrosie #believeme #mauricesendak #caroleking @LouiseGoffin @SherryKondor https://t.co/aGXMc2Uvnm
#fridayfeeling Photos: #GuyWebster, #JimMcGuire, @elissa_kline https://t.co/9s0uTI85fU
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Like Carole on Facebook »
© 2020 CK Art Media Inc.
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BOND VOTE
COMMUNITY & PROGRAMS
POLICY & FORMS
PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATIONS
BUDGET / FINANCIAL
VIKINGS FOOTBALL TEAM RECOGNIZED
Vikings Football Team Receives Howie Voghts Memorial Trophy from the Nassau County Football Coaches Association
Coach Dan Agovino receives Lou Rettino High School Coach of the Week
The 2019 season was an amazing turnaround for the North Shore Vikings Varsity Football Team. Coach Dan Agovino said, “In recognition for improving from a 2-6 to 8-2 season, the Vikings received the Howie Voghts Memorial Trophy from the Nassau County Football Coaches Association. This award is chosen by a vote of four nominated teams from their respected conferences.”
Congratulations go to the following members of the Vikings Football team and their coaches: Will Scarola, Jack Ledden, Aiden Mandell, Lenny Scarola, Michael Cristofari, Brandon Centeno, Forrest Demetri, Zeke Hert, James DeSimone, Maximo Marra, Phillip La Rosa, Michael Russo, Andrew Jarkow, Gianni Abouelhassan, Jackson Cooperman, Ryan Murphy, Luke Kenny, Trevor Kunkel, Ian Roach, Oliver Palone, Louis Lavenda, Lorenzo Recine, Anthony Caprarella, Christopher Damphouse, Andrew Franco, and Jake Papalcure.
Earlier this season, the Vikings were also crowned “Big Four” champions after defeating Lynbrook in the playoffs. In addition, the football teams was also ranked in the top 10 Small School Newsday Poll.
But, that’s not all! The New York Giants and Gatorade selected Mr. Daniel Agovino of North Shore High School as the Lou Rettino High School Coach of the Week for Week 10 of the 2019 season. A $2,000 check was granted to North Shore High School’s football program from The Giants Foundation and Gatorade. Coach Agovino also received a certificate of recognition signed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Giants head coach Pat Shurmur, and was acknowledged with an in-stadium announcement when the Giants hosted the Green Bay Packers on December 1, 2019. He will also be invited to attend a dinner hosted by the Giants at MetLife Stadium in the Spring with the other winners, and will be invited with their teams to a Giants preseason game in 2020!
Three cheers to the Vikings and their coaches for an incredible season!
Article written with assistance from Coach Dan Agovino
North Shore Schools
112 Franklin Avenue
Sea Cliff, NY 11579
Copyright © 2019 North Shore Schools . All rights reserved.
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Nova Press — Test Prep Center
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Math Test
1. Because of his success as a comedian, directors were loath to consider him for ________ roles.
(A) supporting
(B) leading
(C) dramatic
(D) comedic
(E) musical
Correct Answer: (C)
Solution: If the public expects a comedian to always make them laugh, then they might not accept a comedian in a serious role. Hence, the directors would be loath (reluctant) to cast a comedian in a dramatic role. The answer is (C).
2. The aspiring candidate’s performance in the debate all but ________ any hope he may have had of winning the election.
(A) nullifies
(B) encourages
(C) guarantees
(D) accentuates
(E) contains
Correct Answer: (A)
Solution: The phrase “all but” implies that the debate was a make-or-break event for the candidate. Suppose the candidate did well. Then his spirits would be high, and we would expect the missing word to be positive. However, a positive word in the phrase “all but ________ any hope” is awkward. Hence, the candidate must have done poorly in the debate and had his hopes for election nixed. So we turn to the answer-choices looking for “nixed.” It’s not there, but a synonym—nullifies—is. The answer is (A).
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3. She is the most ________ person I have ever met, seemingly with an endless reserve of energy.
(A) jejune
(B) vivacious
(C) solicitous
(D) impudent
(E) indolent
Correct Answer: (B)
Solution: Since no connecting word — such as and, for, so, etc. — follows the comma, the phrase “seemingly with an endless reserve of energy” defines the missing word. Now, a person with an endless reserve of energy would be lively, which is the meaning of vivacious. The answer is (B).
4. Liharev flirts with being both a nihilist and an atheist during his life, yet he never does ________ faith in God.
(A) affirm
(B) lose
(C) scorn
(D) aver
(E) supplicate
Solution: Paraphrase: “Yet” draws a contrast between what one would expect an Atheist to do (renounce faith in God) and what Liharev did (maintained faith in God). In other words, he did not lose faith in God. The answer is (B).
5. Her snide remarks, her simpering smile, and above all, her unceasing insubordination drove Katie to conclude that her teenage daughter was the most ________ child that had ever lived.
(A) docile
(B) zealous
(C) incorrigible
(D) primal
(E) irredeemable
(F) amenable
Correct Answer: (C) and (E)
Solution: Word clues such as “simper,” “snide,” and “insubordination” indicate that Katie’s daughter is rebellious. (B) zealous and (D) primal, even if you’re not sure what they mean, don’t have synonyms in the sentence. (A) docile means teachable and corresponds to (F) amenable, agreeable, which are too positive for the sentence. The answer is (C) incorrigible, which means unreformable, and (E) irredeemable.
6. While many find the writings of early feminist writers such as Mary Woolstonecraft to be enlightening and still relevant, others find their writings ________.
(A) archaic
(B) inane
(C) idiosyncratic
(D) antediluvian
(E) illuminative
(F) edifying
Correct Answer: (A) and (D)
Solution: The phrase “While many…others” implies a contradiction within the sentence. Thus, the answer should be opposite in meaning to “enlightening” or “continually relevant.” Your word to fit the blank might be something like “obsolete” or “irrelevant.” (A) archaic and (D) antediluvian both mean outdated. A trick answer is (B) inane, which means empty or silly. This would make sense in the context of the sentence, but since none of the other answer choices are a close synonym, (B) cannot be an answer. The answer is (A) and (D).
7. Judith feigned a forgotten wallet to evade paying for dinner, proving she had surpassed frugality and become ________.
(B) parsimonious
(C) prudent
(D) penitent
(E) economical
(F) miserly
Correct Answer: (B) and (F)
Solution: Since she has “surpassed frugality,” the blank must mean frugal to a greater degree. Look for words then that mean “cheap.” The answer is (B) and (F).
8. Bradford’s many notorious trysts with various supermodels have earned him a reputation as a ________.
(A) libertine
(B) philanthropist
(C) marionette
(D) lecher
(E) patriarch
(F) puritan
Solution: Know your vocabulary, and use process of elimination. If he has trysts with supermodels, he is probably known as a womanizer. Eliminate the answers you know don’t mean that, such as (B) philanthropist, (E) patriarch, and (F) puritan. The answer is (A) and (D).
9. Existential philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche are known for focusing on the subjective aspects of life rather than the ________.
(A) obscure
(B) personal
(C) disingenuous
(D) dispassionate
(E) illusory
(F) unbiased
Correct Answer: (D) and (F)
Solution: The phrase “rather than” lets us know the blank is opposite in meaning to “subjective.” You might come up with the word “objective” for the blank. The answer is (D) and (F).
Passage for Question 10:
As Xenophanes recognized as long ago as the sixth century before Christ, whether or not God made man in His own image, it is certain that man makes gods in his. The gods of Greek mythology first appear in the writings of Homer and Hesiod, and, from the character and actions of these picturesque and, for the most part, friendly beings, we get some idea of the men who made them and brought them to Greece.
But ritual is more fundamental than mythology, and the study of Greek ritual during recent years has shown that, beneath the belief or skepticism with which the Olympians were regarded, lay an older magic, with traditional rites for the promotion of fertility by the celebration of the annual cycle of life and death, and the propitiation of unfriendly ghosts, gods or demons. Some such survivals were doubtless widespread, and, prolonged into classical times, probably made the substance of Eleusinian and Orphic mysteries. Against this dark and dangerous background arose Olympic mythology on the one hand and early philosophy and science on the other.
In classical times the need of a creed higher than the Olympian was felt, and Aeschylus, Sophocles and Plato finally evolved from the pleasant but crude polytheism the idea of a single, supreme and righteous Zeus. But the decay of Olympus led to a revival of old and the invasion of new magic cults among the people, while some philosophers were looking to a vision of the uniformity of nature under divine and universal law.
10. The main idea of the passage is that
(A) Olympic mythology evolved from ancient rituals and gave rise to early philosophy
(B) early moves toward viewing nature as ordered by divine and universal law coincided with monotheistic impulses and the disintegration of classical mythology
(C) early philosophy followed from classical mythology
(D) the practice of science, i.e., empiricism, preceded scientific theory
Solution: Most main idea questions are rather easy. This one is not–mainly, because the passage itself is not an easy read. Recall that to find the main idea of a passage, we check the last sentence of the first paragraph; if it’s not there, we check the closing of the passage. Reviewing the last sentence of the first paragraph, we see that it hardly presents a statement, let alone the main idea. Turning to the closing line of the passage, however, we find the key to this question. The passage describes a struggle for ascendancy amongst four opposing philosophies: (magic and traditional rites) vs. (Olympic mythology) vs. (monotheism [Zeus]) vs. (early philosophy and science). The closing lines of the passage summarize this and add that Olympic mythology lost out to monotheism (Zeus), while magical cults enjoyed a revival and the germ of universal law was planted. Thus the answer is (B).
As to the other choices, (A) is false. “Olympic mythology [arose] on one hand and early philosophy and science on the other” (closing to paragraph two); thus they initially developed in parallel. (C) is also false. It makes the same type of error as (A). Finally, (D) is not mentioned in the passage.
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Forensics Team Finishes First in National Competition
The Biola forensics team finished in 1st place of the Division II Individual Events Sweepstakes at the National Christian College Forensics Association’s (NCCFA) national tournament held March 7-10 at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. This year over 20 schools from across the country participated.
According to Dorothy Alston Calley, Director of Individual Events for Biola Forensics, “This may be the only tournament each year where students are encouraged and honored by their judges and peers for presenting pieces with Christian social significance. It is a blessing for Biola Forensics to support this important organization.”
Jennifer Martin, a freshman Communication Studies major, won first place in Novice Individual Events, while Kyle Danielson, a senior Communication Studies major, finished sixth place overall in the Open division. Other Biola students who were recognized for their achievements were Megan Burbidge (senior, Communication Studies major), Scott Munekawa (junior, Business major), and Travis Rasmussen (sophomore, Psychology major).
Nccfa
Professor and Students Recognized at Journalism and PR Conferences
U.S. News Names Biola an "Up and Comer" Second Year in a Row
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Home » Implementing NWRM » Download services
Download services
The NWRM project is gathering a large set of data and information and provides all this in a structured format on this website. It was not primarily focussed on Inspire Directive but the platform was developed to gather relevant NWRM knowledge and structure it and give access to it as much as possible, and in an easy to use and accessible way, which is largely what is required under Inspire Directive.
Stricto sensu the Inspire Directive solely adresses spatial datasets and the only NWRM spatial data is the localisation of the case studies. You will find hereunder the associated services implemented for this.
But the Directive requires to implement the following five services: discovery, view, download, transform and invoke.
While the NWRM platform is not about spatial objects and therefore not providing them in the exact required format, giving access to knowledge in principle entails similar requirements to allow easy use and reuse by end-users. In the following we present the relevant elements which can be found on the platform for these five services
* Discovery services: the organisation in catalogue of NWRM, catalogue of case studies, catalogue of sources and glossary, and the different schemes and maps allow access by a wide set of different entry points,
* View services: the individual fiches, the maps, the definitions are all visible with specific templates,
* Download services: a large set of the gathered knowledge can be downloaded, printed, reused and are provided in user friendly format (.pdf, .doc, .xls...),
* Transformation services: this is more relevant for geographical data with different projections and therefore not implemented here,
* Invoke services: the WFS and WMS webservices can be invoked to allow visualisation of case studies on other platforms.
On this page we have gathered the main elements which can be found and downloaded on the platform and in particular some datasets and files, to ease their access.
1-NWRM: the full set of information on NWRM would not be relevant alone, but having all NWRMs in a printable document can be very practical.
2-Case study: the full database is complex and giving access to it as a whole would not provide a relevant added value to users. However, to select case studies, it can be useful to have the full case studies list and the country in which it was implemented.
3-Documentation: this set of element is wide: documents and ressources used to describe the 53 NWRM, documents and ressources used to describe the case studies, documents developed during the project
4-Glossary: The glossary is framing the NWRM concepts and was developed using a classical ontology approach which allows interlink between concepts as can be seen on the graph. The full list of terms can be downloaded in MS Word format.
In this section you can access to the data used, the information produced or gathered and the webservices available on the platform in the different webpages, and use or download them.
type of document & format
NWRM
NWRM list (pdf)
NWRM short factsheet (pdf)
List of NWRMs
Translated versions: DE, EN, ES, FR, IT, PL
List (xls)
List of case studies
WFS - WMS
argumentation on NWRM (ppt)
Key aspects of NWRM in synthesis documents
NWRM guide (pdf)
NWRM leaflet (pdf)
NWRM and case studies sources documents
NWRM project documents
Why designing and implementing NWRMs?
Biophysical impacts: SD1, SD2, SD3
Socio-economic aspects: SD4, SD5, SD6, SD7
Governance, implementyation & financing: SD8, SD9, SD10, SD11
Translated versions: BG, CZ, DE, EL, EN, ES, FR, HR, HU, IT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK
Translated versions: BG, CZ, DE, EE, EL, EN, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IT, LT, LV, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, SV
NWRM documents
List of terms and definition (doc)
How to make references to this website?
All the pages of this website are fixed and URL do not change. They can be accessed directly, and then referenced on other websites. Please make sure to mention the source as detailed in the legal notice, and report back any question using the contact form.
Last updated: 29 Nov 2017 | Top
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Q&A: Everything you need to know about Benfica for the 2014/15 season
In the excitement of the new season, supporters are often guilty of creating over-the-top expectations and landing up disappointed when the clubs fail to meet those objectives. Often all we need is a bit of perspective from experts to maintain rational thought; our Q&A mini-series going into the 2014/15 season serves this purpose.
Jan Hagen answered our questions on Benfica. Jan is a Portuguese football expert who is a contributor to FIFA’s official World Cup magazine, Metro Sport and Sport Witness.
Get in touch here if you’re interested in contributing to any of our Team Blogs
Having won three trophies last season, what next for Jorge Jesus? Is he now obsessed with breaking the curse of Bela Guttmann himself?
No one is expecting much from Jorge Jesus and his Benfica side this season. Having lost 12 players who were part of the first team last season this summer, it’s unlikely they’ll challenge for the title. Of course, Benfica is a selling club, but replacing the likes of Jan Oblak, Ezequiel Garay, Siqueira, Lazar Markovic and Rodrigo, all extremely crucial parts of Benfica’s treble-winning team last season, are more than difficult.
Add important squad players like André Gomes, Ivan Cavaleiro and Óscar Cardozo to that list and you got a nearly impossible task to recreate the results from last season. As Jorge Jesus said himself after losing 5-1 to Arsenal in the Emirates Cup, “We’ve lost eight key players this summer. I’m Jesus, but it will take more than four weeks to build a new team.” Bela Guttmann’s curse will have to wait another year or two.
Luisao is the backbone of this defence, and has been for a while. is there anyone in the current squad that you think can serve as an adequate replacement given that he’s now 33?
Luisão is a living legend in this Benfica team. O Capitão had a terrific season and with Garay besides him they formed one of Europe’s best centre-back pairing last year. It’s possible to replace Luisão as a footballer, but his loyalty, passion for Benfica and his great personality would be impossible to replace.
In today’s Benfica squad Luisão’s companion César has looked promising in the pre-season. Personally I look forward to watch Argentine centre-back Lisandro López this season. He’s got great physic, he’s dominant in the air and he reads the game well. Very similar to Luisão, basically.
A technically proficient and hard working midfield was important to the success Benfica enjoyed last season. How does Jesus plan to carry this forward into this season, considering the fact that they’ve lost the likes of Gomes, Duricic & Markovic?
Jorge Jesus focused more on the defensive part of the game last season, but attacking football will always be his style of football, this season as well. Benfica have already replaced André Gomes, who never really hit the ground running at the Lisbon club. He was an important squad player for Jorge Jesus, but he never really impressed much. Without doubt a solid footballer, and still only 21-years-old, but he tends to be too slow on and off the ball. Some will say new Brazilian midfield man Talisca is an improvement on Gomes, although he’s more attacking minded. Filip Djuricic won’t be missed at Benfica. Jorge Jesus never gave him a proper chance, and there’s no room for a number 10 in Jesus’ tactic. Djuricic never managed to adapt the box-to-box role nor as a winger.
Markovic, however, will be sorely missed. In the absence of Eduardo Salvio, who missed 8 months of the season due to injury, Markovic managed to fill the big hole Salvio left on the right wing. Even though Salvio is back from injury, Ola John has returned after a season away on loan and Bebé has joined the club, the young Serbian will be missed. And that’s the problem with Benfica this season. Their best line-up is pretty good, but the depth and quality of their back-ups is nowhere as good as last season, which is pretty similar to what Paulo Fonseca experienced at Porto last season.
Talks of curses aside, have Benfica got a sort of mental block in European matches, or is it just a coincidence?
I don’t think Benfica have a mental block in the European competition. Their participations in the last few years’ editions of the Champions League have been dreadful, but beating Juventus and Tottenham, two teams with far greater resources than Benfica, in the Europa League last season was really impressive. Losing to a far superior Chelsea side in the 2012/13 final was inevitable, although Benfica were the better team. This year’s final went down to penalties versus Sevilla, and losing it was disappointing, but I doubt any mental block (or curse) was the cause to their loss.
Benfica’s title win ended three successive season’s of Porto taking the league, but the Dragons are constantly improving and have done so again this window. What is your opinion on their new boss and objectives for the season?
It’s very exciting times at Porto. Although they have lost important players like Mangala and Fernando, they managed to keep hold of superstriker Jackson Martínez. Losing João Moutinho and James Rodríguez last summer was tough for Porto, and especially because they never managed to replace them properly. This season Porto have bought (and loaned) big. Last season was a disaster, and Porto President Pinto da Costa won’t let that happen again. With the signings of Adrían Lópes, Bruno Martins Indi, Cristian Tello, Casemiro and Yacine Brahimi Porto are lining up as the big favourite to take home the title.
We track the progress and performances of youngsters with our Talent Radar feature. Victor Andrade is one of the most exciting talents at Benfica, and that really is saying something. What can we expect from the youngster?
Victor Andrade hasn’t featured much in Benfica’s pre-season, and he’ll probably play at Benefica’s B team in the Segunda Liga this season. João Teixeira on the other hand has been one of very few positives in Benica’s pre-season. The 21-year-old midfielder’s passing and confidence on the ball has been especially impressive, and he’ll certainly get chances for Benfica throughout the season.
As a player, Ola John looks like he could be spectacular. Tall, quick, strong, and skillful. Why hasn’t he taken off like he should?
It may be the year Ola John gets his breakthrough. He got the attributes and the potential to become something special, and maybe all he needs is Jorge Jesus’ trust. The Dutch winger has faced tough competition at Benfica earlier, but this season he may be the first to replace Gaitán and Salvio whenever they need a rest, which means we’ll get to see a lot of Ola John the upcoming season.
Again, having won everything there is to win in Portugal last season, how does Benfica improve? What are fans’ expectations now?
Jorge Jesus’ side took another title on Sunday as they won the Super Taça (Portuguese Supercup) versus Rio Ave on penalties. Jorge Jesus became the first Portuguese manager to ever win all four Portuguese titles, but this title may be the only title he wins with Benfica this campaign. The fans don’t expect much from this inexperienced team, and I think they’ll be happy with a top three spot and good runs in both domestic and European cups. Benfica are in a rebuilding phase and I doubt there’s many fans who have high expectations to this side.
Although Portuguese sides have done well in Europe’s “second competition”, they look far from achieving success that Porto did exactly 10 years back. While teams that do achieve it always look towards talent from the Portuguese league. What could be the reason then that the clubs lag behind?
While the biggest European clubs get wealthier and wealthier, Portuguese teams struggle with the economy and high debts. Combine that with a less competitive league you have the reason why Portuguese clubs hardly manage to build top class teams. If a player does well in Portugal, both player and club receive offers they can’t reject. The clubs needs the money and the player wants higher salaries, better team and a more competitive league. It’s really sad to see your best players leave at every transfer window, but that’s the reality of modern football.
A miracle is needed if any of the “smaller” teams in Europe is ever going to challenge the big ones for a spot in a final or semi-final of a Champions League. I believe, given another year with the squad he had as his disposal in May, Jorge Jesus and Benfica could have challenged for big things in the Champions League. If Porto hit the ground running with their new squad they may be the big surprise in the Champions League this season.
Questions answered by Jan Hagen. Follow him on Twitter @PortuBall
You can read all our interviews and Q&A’s here. Check out all articles under our Rest of the World blog. Share your thoughts on Benfica with a comment below.
Related Topics:benficaJorge JesusLazar MarkovicLuisaoPrimeira Liga
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Scout Report: Wendel | Sporting Club de Portugal’s new box-to-box diamond
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Liga ZON 2017-18: U-22 Young Players’ Team of the Season
Tactical Analysis: Benfica 0-1 Manchester United | Goalkeeping Mistake Decides Close Encounter
Scout Report: Chris Willock | Benfica’s ex-Arsenal youth product
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JUVENILE FICTION / Family / General (see also head (27)
JUVENILE FICTION / Family / Multigenerational (2)
JUVENILE FICTION / Family / Siblings (1)
JUVENILE FICTION / Girls & Women (1)
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JUVENILE FICTION / Social Issues / Friendship (9)
JUVENILE FICTION / Social Issues / General (see al (2)
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Subject=JUVENILE FICTION / Family / General (see also headings under Social Issues).
Alexander, Kwame, author.
Twelve-year-old Nick loves soccer and hates books, but soon learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams.
Fiction - JH & HS
Add to Bookbag
Saint Anything : a novel
Dessen, Sarah, author.
Sydney's charismatic older brother Peyton has always been the center of attention in the family, but when he's sent to jail, Sydney struggles to find her place at home and the world until she meets the Chathams, including gentle, protective Mac, who makes her feel seen for the first time.
Ask the passengers : a novel
King, A. S. (Amy Sarig), 1970-
"Astrid Jones copes with her small town's gossip and narrow-mindedness by staring at the sky and imagining that she's sending love to the passengers in the airplanes flying high over her backyard. Maybe they'll know what to do with it. Maybe it'll make them happy. Maybe they'll need it. Her mother doesn't want it, her father's always stoned, her perfect sister's too busy trying to fit in, and the people in her small town would never allow her to love the person she really wants to: another girl named Dee. There's no one Astrid feels she can talk to about this deep secret or the profound questions that she's trying to answer. But little does she know just how much sending her love--and asking the right questions--will affect the passengers' lives, and her own, for the better"-- Provided by publisher.
Never fall down : a boy soldier's story of survival
McCormick, Patricia, 1956-
"Cambodian child soldier Arn Chorn-Pond defied the odds and used all of his courage and wits to survive the murderous regime of the Khmer Rouge"-- Provided by publisher.
Patron saints of nothing
Ribay, Randy, author.
When seventeen-year-old Jay Reguero learns his Filipino cousin and former best friend, Jun, was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, he flies to the Philippines to learn more.
Fiction (Chapterbooks) - Elementary
The Penderwicks in Spring / #4
Birdsall, Jeanne.
As spring arrives on Gardam Street, there are surprises in store for each Penderwick, from neighbor Nick Geiger's return from the war to Batty's new dog-walking business, but her plans to use her profits to surprise her family on her eleventh birthday go astray.
Due 01/29/20
Summer and Bird
Catmull, Katherine.
In the world of Down, young sisters Summer and Bird are separated and go in very different directions as they seek their missing parents, try to vanquish the evil Puppeteer, lead the talking birds back to their Green Home, and discover the identity of the true bird queen.
The only road
Diaz, Alexandra.
"Twelve-year-old Jaime makes the treacherous journey from his home in Guatemala to his older brother in New Mexico after his cousin is murdered by a drug cartel"--Provided by publisher.
It ain't so awful, falafel
Dumas, Firoozeh.
"Eleven-year-old Zomorod, originally from Iran, tells her story of growing up Iranian in Southern California during the Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis of the late 1970s"--Provided by publisher.
English, Karen.
Gavin wants to make a good impression at Carver Elementary, where no one knows he excels at soccer and skateboarding, but an annoying big sister, a bully, and his great aunt's Pomeranian are not helping.
Picture Book - Elementary
It all comes down to this
"In the summer of 1965, Sophie's family becomes the first African Americans to move into their upper middle-class neighborhood in Los Angeles. When riots erupt in nearby Watts, she learns that life and her own place in it are a lot more complicated than they had seemed"-- Provided by publisher.
Armstrong & Charlie
Frank, Steven, 1963-
"During the pilot year of a Los Angeles school system integration program, two sixth grade boys, one black, one white, become best friends as they learn to cope with everything from first crushes and playground politics to the loss of loved ones and racial prejudice in the 1970s"--Provided by publisher.
Midnight without a moon
Jackson, Linda Williams.
Rose Lee Carter, a thirteen-year-old African-American girl, dreams of life beyond the Mississippi cotton fields during the summer of 1955, but when Emmett Till is murdered and his killers are unjustly acquitted, Rose is torn between seeking her destiny outside of Mississippi or staying and being a part of an important movement.
Amina's voice
Khan, Hena.
"A Pakistani-American Muslim girl struggles to stay true to her family's vibrant culture while simultaneously blending in at school after tragedy strikes her community"--Provided by publisher.
"Zayd is so excited to finally be on the Gold Team in basketball but when the team starts struggling and his best friend quits to play football he must step up for his team"-- Provided by publisher.
This would make a good story someday
Levy, Dana Alison.
Although not thrilled when her summer plans are upended for a surprise cross-country train trip with her family and embarrassed because one of her moms is writing a tell-all book about the trip, twelve-year-old Sara Johnston-Fischer finds herself changing along with the landscape outside the train windows.
O'Connor, Barbara.
"A story about a girl who, with the help of the dog of her dreams, discovers that family doesn't always have to be related--they are simply people who love you for who you are"--Provided by publisher.
Peck, Richard, 1934-
"Archer has four important role models in his life--his dad, his grandfather, his uncle Paul, and his favorite teacher, Mr. McLeod. When Uncle Paul and Mr. McLeod get married, Archer's sixth-grade year becomes one he'll never forget"--Provided by publisher.
Amal unbound
Saeed, Aisha.
In Pakistan, Amal holds onto her dream of being a teacher even after becoming an indentured servant to pay off her family's debt to the wealthy and corrupt Khan family.
Woodson, Jacqueline.
"When six students are chosen to participate in a weekly talk with no adults allowed, they discover that when they're together, it's safe to share the hopes and fears they have to hide from the rest of the world"--Provided by publisher.
Brosgol, Vera.
Grandmother wants so badly to be left alone to finish the knitting for her grandchildren that she leaves her tiny home and her big family to journey to the moon and beyond to find peace and quiet to finish her knitting.
de la Peña, Matt.
"Illustrations and easy-to-read text celebrate the bonds of love that connect us all"--Provided by publisher.
Rocket writes a story
Hills, Tad.
"Rocket writes a story about a new friend, the owl"--Provided by publisher.
Jackson, Richard, 1935-
"An ailing grandfather and his helpful granddaughter play a unique game of seek and find"-- Provided by publisher.
My father's arms are a boat
Lunde, Stein Erik, 1953-
Unable to sleep, a young boy climbs into his father's arms and asks about birds, foxes, and whether his mother will ever awaken, then under a starry sky, the father provides clear answers and assurances.
Portis, Antoinette.
"Follow a little girl as she takes you on a tour through all of her favorite things, from the holes she digs to the hugs she gives"--Provided by publisher.
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Passepartout is all about documentaries and visual stuff I find worth seeing.
Ears / Eyes
Before they pass away: Jimmy Nelson's glamorous photos of tribes tell the kind of PR stories we want to hear
Before they pass away
Before they pass away: Jimmy Nelson’s glamorous photos of tribes tell the kind of PR stories we want to hear
What initially might seem to be the very best of anthropology meets photography, Before They Pass Away eventually turns out to be a (talented) photographer’s imagination at work. Jimmy Nelson tells the kind of stories we want to hear and takes the kind of photos we want to see, but in the end they create a imaginary that does not reflect the reality of the people photographed. Plus, most of these tribes are not really about to disappear.
The photos are without a doubt…fantastic. If there’s something not to be discussed, that’s the quality of these images. They’re so good that questioning how they’re made and what they do might not be something to cross our minds. They tell the kind of stories that we want to hear. The stories of a remote life, of community and symbolism, of meaning and beauty, in short of everything we feel we’ve lost nowadays. Those worlds are right here, in front of us, and in Nelson’s understanding, they’re also about to disappear. Obviously because of us, our greed, ignorance, consumerism, capitalism, etc. Now isn’t that a romantic and dramatic story?
“I saw the photos and I didn’t like them,” says Brazilian Yanomami spiritual leader Davi Kopenawa for The Guardian. “This man only wants to force his own ideas on the photos, to publish them in books and to show them to everyone so that people will think he’s a great photographer. He does whatever he wants with indigenous peoples. It is not true that indigenous peoples are about to die out. We will be around for a long time, fighting for our land, living in this world and continuing to create our children”.
Truth is Nelson is a great photographer, technically speaking. But making a biased portrayal of a subject you claim to be documenting doesn’t really define a photojournalist’s work. Bias in any social science research will compromise the researcher. Does bias in photojournalism do the same? Should it do the same? I think to a certain extend it does shake one’s credibility, but the line between when something inaccurate is really bad and when it’s one’s understanding is not precisely drawn. Yet, I have the feeling with his set arrangements and all adjustments Nelson crossed the precisely drawn line in the direction of a shaky credibility (read this article as well for a better understanding of what is wrong with these photos).
To all the criticism he recieved (there’s much more, check the Guardian article), Nelson said his photos are celebratory and intended to be aesthetic rather than factual. They’re his view, meaning his staged view, including clothing adjustments and everything else. “I am aiming to document the variety and importance of what is left of indigenous culture. Yes, it’s idealistic. Indigenous peoples are usually portrayed [by groups like Survival] as impoverished. But they have a wealth and a pride. It’s not only about material possessions” Nelson says for The Guardian, after he initially said that his photos are an ‘irreplaceable ethnographic record of a fast disappearing world’, which frames the work very differently.
Now the question is: for us to understand the variety and importance of what is left of indigenous culture, do we need a glamorized portrayal of them? Do we empathized more with this idealized version of them than with their realistic image? Well, here’s where I’m afraid the answer is yes. In the end it is Nelson’s portrayals that put the issue on the agenda. Thinking a print of the photos goes up to 45.000 pounds and a special edition book costs over 5000 pounds, while he doesn’t pay the people he photographs even though they are his models and work for him…well, this might raise some moral questions and some questions about his attitude. Thinking he explained the photos are idealistic and staged only after a pile of accusations, that raises other ethical questions. But on top of that, what should raise more questions is the fact that it is this approach that put the issue on the agenda, it is the title suggesting they’re about to pass away, it’s the glamorous portrayal, the beautiful story tapping into our imaginary. It’s not the realistic portrayals what made us care. Bad on Nelson, but most important, what does this say about us and the way our visually saturated/media saturated world works? Is it just that organisations like Survival International don’t reach far or it’s just that sugar coated stories work best for PR? And in the end, do we respond better to PR than to empathy? To aesthetics than to poverty?
More on Passepartout
Doing Art and Being a Mom: a Photographer That Does Both and the Story of Travelling Around the US with Her Son "I took Casper on his first road trip when he was three-months old and by the time he was one we managed to stay out most of each year for the next five years of his life" begins the […]
Home in an unfriendly place: a photo portrayal of life in the city of Norilsk, close to the polar circle Here it is: Norilsk - photographed by Russian photographer Elena Chernyshova. You've probably never heard of the city, and there's no particular reasons you should have. Its list of […]
Photos in February: my commitment to search for visual details in my own routine In the end of January this year, I decided that for the whole month of February I will take photos every day. Not random photos, but photos of the same route I walk every day. I really […]
The Way of the Reindeer: photos of the Mongolian Dukha people It looks romantic but it's actually a really tough harsh life. So tough and so harsh that it's actually disappearing. The Dukha people live in the North of Mongolia and they domesticated […]
Photographic Darkrooms: Michel Campeau’s Photos of a Disappearing and Often Romanticized World I think most people have seen darkrooms in films, where they can seem this mysterious places where pictures come to life. Film characters are either developing their films there because […]
Beijing to Sankt Petersburg: a surreal trip made and documented by Dee O’Connell Hey, you know what? I almost decided to show you some photos of Iceland, with that kind of isolated landscape and towns with 5 inhabitants. But then I thought: it's almost summer and […]
← Many in one image: the aerial photography of Alex MacLean
Trip to London and 2 photos →
What is Passepartout about?
Photography, documentaries, visual stuff, questions and context.
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All Ears and Eyes
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I was doing some research for a story, and accidentally found this series of soviet cats illustrations. I didn’t find the author or the idea behind them – if anyone know who he or she […]
This month I bought an obscene number of books, watched many docs and wrote for the latest issue of Modern Times. Below are just a few of the things I find interesting: More on PassepartoutMovies […]
On a flight from Amsterdam to Johannesburg last month, I watched two documentaries in a row. Life, Animated (Roger Ross Williams) and Dancer (Steven Cantor) tell very different stories, one of a boy with autism, […]
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Predator: Life and Death #1 Review
By Art Macias 4 years ago
The Predator is Back in a New Limited Series
By Art Macias
Contributing Guest Reviewer
(Inland Empire)– Let me start off by saying I have not picked up a Predator comic in quite sometime and was a little apprehensive for fear that I may be lost in the storyline. The storied film franchise has also been a mainstay at Dark Horse Comics for some time now, and with this new limited series, we see the worlds of the Predator, Aliens and Prometheus begin to collide.
My fears were short-lived as this is a new tale, which takes place approximately 43 years or so after the first Aliens film. The first few pages introduced the reader to the new characters and set the stage for what’s to come. The action picks up immediately after in gory, Predator fashion.
It’s interesting that the first half of the book reads more like an Aliens story and is an enjoyable segue to the Predator storyline. Avid readers/fans of these universes will appreciate the subtle references to the Alien and Prometheus films.
Dan Abnett’s character dialogue captured humorous moments, which progressed later in the story to a sense of dread, which he conveyed very well. Brian Albert Thies’ artwork seemed to fit the mood of the story with solid characterization and nice action sequences.
All in all the Predator Life and Death #1 is worth a read and sets nice groundwork for the issues to follow.
Rating: 8.0 out of 10.
Tags: Brian Albert Thies, Dan Abnett, Dark Horse, Dark Horse Comics, Predator, Predator: Life and Death #1, Predator: Life and Death #1 Review
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Whitetail Deer Helping Spread Invasive Species articles
by MoIP on December 22, 2016 0 Comments
Deer and Deer Hunting magazine recently published an article titled, “Hitching a Ride,” which describes the way Whitetail Deer help spread certain invasive species. For more information, visit this Science Daily article or this Phys.org article.
‘NatiVeg’: NBCI RELEASES ONLINE TOOL TO AID NATIVE PLANT SELECTION
by MoIP on December 9, 2016 0 Comments
The National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) has taken another significant step in the recovery of native vegetation and habitats on the landscape across the 25 NBCI states with the release of a new decision-making tool, NatiVeg, NBCI Director Don McKenzie announced today.
“With restoration of native grasses, wildflowers and shrubs across the landscape being a critical means to the recovery of bobwhite, grassland bird and pollinator populations, NBCI’s NatiVeg will make it significantly easier for landowners and resource managers to select the right native plants for their specific location and specific purpose,” said McKenzie.
NatiVeg (www.quailcount.org/NatiVeg) is a remote, Internet-based tool that works on desktops, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Developed by NBCI and University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Information Technology Service and beta-tested by a variety of outside reviewers, NatiVeg is a database that, within the 25-state initiative’s range, delivers the proper native plant choices for a specific location and the user’s specific purposes, whether wildlife, forage, biomass, pollinators, critical area planting, restoration or soil conservation. That location can be specified either manually or by a connected mobile device’s GPS system. And the provided recommendations discriminate, for instance, between a big bluestem grass adapted to Texas and one adapted to Alabama based on location.
An eight-month project, NBCI first captured the database for the 126 Natural Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Major Land Resource Areas (eco-regions) for the 25 NBCI states and secured the NRCS database of plant materials identified as suitable for conservation purposes. NBCI deleted from that list all non-native species, tree species and other species not applicable to the NBCI states, leaving only native grasses, shrubs, forbs and legumes in an eventual 306-species menu. NBCI then folded in a plant hardiness zone database into the mix. Also provided is a species “Location Assistance” button that delivers information from the respective state wildlife agency, including contact information for experts.
“There are still shortcomings to overcome,” McKenzie said. “For instance, there are many plants that NRCS has not done any work with, so are not included. In addition, there won’t be as many choices east of the Mississippi River because NRCS has worked more on western species. So, NatiVeg is a work in progress.
“We encourage landowners and resource managers to check out this new tool,” McKenzie said, “to help improve their native grassland restoration efforts, and we ask for feedback from users, to help NBCI continually improve this unique wildlife conservation service.”
For questions and more specific information, contact NBCI Grasslands Coordinator Jef Hodges at [email protected] or at 660-351-2766.
Missouri Prairie Journal articles added to Resource Pages
The Missouri Prairie Foundation has been publishing the Missouri Prairie Journal since 1979. Print magazines are sent to Missouri Prairie Foundation members as a benefit of membership.
Among the hundreds of articles published over the years, several relate to the management of invasive plant species that affect prairie natural communities. The following articles have been added to the Management and Identification Guides page in Missouri Invasive Plant Species Task Force’s resource section:
Controlling Invasive Plants: Sericea lespedeza (pg. 31), Teasel (pg. 32), Caucasian, Plains and Other Old World Bluestems (pg. 32), Vol. 36, No. 1, 2015
Pasture Conversion and Control of Invasives, Vol. 34, No. 1, 2013
Invasive Plant Control: Tall Fescue, Reed Canary Grass, Bush Honeysuckle and Callery Pear, Vol. 32. No. 3, 2011
Best Management Practices for Problem Plants, Vol. 30, No. 1, 2009
Missouri’s Thistles, Vol. 28, No. 2, 2007
Digitized articles from all Missouri Prairie Journal volumes since 2003 are available here.
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Mouse's Musings
Better to Live Under Robber Barons than Under Omnipotent Moral Busybodies
Those of you concerned about my psychological state will be happy to know that this week's selection is nowhere near as rage-inducing; in fact, it's quite dull. The problem with Ellanjay is that their stories come in two flavors: rage-inducing and dull. For those of you wondering, most of the time I get through these passages by imagining the adventures of the League of Awesome*, who actually do stuff while the Tribbles just dick around. Seriously if anyone wants to publish fanfiction on Right Behind about the League, feel free to do so.
The majority of this chapter consists of what Turkey City Lexicon calls, "Brenda Starr Dialogue." For those of you too lazy to click on the link, here's the definition.
Long sections of talk with no physical background or description of the characters. Such dialogue, detached from the story’s setting, tends to echo hollowly, as if suspended in mid-air. Named for the American comic-strip in which dialogue balloons were often seen emerging from the Manhattan skyline.
Ellanjay do briefly remember that Vicki exists and she and Judd have a conversation. Whether or not they'll ever remember the existence of that black guy cough:Lionel:cough, is hard to say. I did read the next chapter and there's no sign of him. I'm assuming Lionel is some kind of being that ceases to exist when no one looks at or talks to directly. And it's times like this I really wish I knew which pop culture reference to make. I suppose I could repost that clip I did about the ads in that one Simpsons Halloween Special, but I was hoping to think of something else.
Anyway, nothing really to report on the conversation between Judd and Vicki. Vicki's all womanly and whiny and ineffectual, and doesn't understand why her manly man, Judd, is spending so much dicking around in New Babylon. We all know the obvious answer is "Padding!" but still.
Anyway, Judd and Gunther and Westin and ZZ Top check into a hotel. They get stopped at the desk but Westin helps them get in, by claiming that they're actually GC, wearing some special optic lenses that enable them to see despite the massive plague. So the manager lets them by. I suppose my faithful readers could point out a thousand holes in said story, but like I've said, given how very rarely the characters demonstrate any intelligence at all, I cling to these moments, even if they frequently don't make much sense.
Judd makes note of the luxurious accommodations (remember if RTCs live in the lap of luxury while their fellow humans suffer horribly, it's their reward from God. Asking them to share is "Teh Socialism!" which is how Hitler started! If Nicky and his crew lead a life of comfort and ease while their fellow humans suffer, that's proof of their evil.) nods off, and sleeps for a bit.
But Judd is troubled. Why? Just read the paragraph and commence with the headdesking.
Something had bothered Judd about Westin since they had teamed up to rescue the people in the Indiana library. He seemed to have no problem lying to the GC or to members of the Tribulation Force. Judd tried to bring up the subject.
To be far, Ellanjay are kind of hamstrung by the morality of their particular subculture. The RTC believe in manly, heterosexual Absolute Morality as opposed to those slimy effete and possibly homosexual Liberals who practice Moral Relativism. Trouble is, Absolute Morality can only work in a situation where everything's stable: steady supply of food/water/shelter, no threats, inside or out, and there's a fair, democratic government that guarantees the rights of all, even minorities.
Outside those strict conditions, Absolute Morality falls apart pretty fast. Take, for example, what if you were stranded on a deserted island, with somebody you've never met, but there's only enough food to feed one of you. What would you do then? Absolute Morality (the morality that says "X is always wrong no matter what the circumstances") would fall apart pretty quickly.
But you never have much luck explaining to Ellanjay how something that could be evil under most circumstances, is good under a specific kind of circumstances. They always say "Lying is always wrong!" but never have a good response when you point out people like Oskar Schindler and others, who, during the Holocaust, risked their lives and often :gasp: :choke: LIED in order to protect the Jewish people they were hiding from the murderous Christian Nazis.
This is even more galling when you consider that Ellanjay steadfastly believe that Nicky is supposed to be worse than Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Chairman Mao, and Pol Pot combined. Wouldn't most people consider lying to Nicky as opposed to helping him, to be the lesser of two evils in that scenario? But then again, when you're part of a culture that carefully divides everything into two categories--good and evil--where anything they consider evil goes into the evil box, regardless of circumstances...like I said, Ellanjay probably treat genocide or rape as being equivalent to premarital sex (regardless of if both parties consented) and lying, even though most of us, know that premarital sex and lying are worlds' apart from genocide or rape.
Plus Ellanjay are terrible at following their own advice. As aunursa can point out, there are numerous incidents in the Adult Books where Our Heroes pledge allegiance to Nicky and proclaim his divinity, but they get out of it by telling themselves that in their hearts, they were pledging allegiance to Jesus. Like I've said before, I'll continue to wonder what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would have thought of that weaselly logic. Because according to Ellanjay, they could have bowed to the Idol of Nebuchadnezzar while telling themselves that they bow to God, and not had to go through that whole fiery furnace bit.
Credit where credit is due: Westin's reaction when Judd confronts him, is pretty close to how I'd respond. He's like, “Look, this is war. Life or death. These people will chop our heads off. And pretty soon they’ll be gunning for us with nukes.”
As you guessed it, Judd's response to this, is pure weaksauce. But since Judd is a Main Character and basically a male Elsie Dinsmore, eventually Westin will be made to see the errors of his ways and repent for having questioned the judgment of a Main Character. Though further illustrating why Ellanjay don't understand basic morality, Judd skips over the whole "Lying to the GC" offense, because apparently, Westin committed an even greater wrong: he lied to Rayford Steele! That is an even greater offense than Jerry (a Tribble who freely admitted to nuking London, a city of 8.63 million)! Because St. Rayford and Our Buck are the suns around which all the characters or planets in the GC universe revolve around! Even Zod and TurboJesus bow at their feet, hoping someday to be as awesome as St. Rayford and Our Buck!
Anyway, here's the conversation between Judd and Westin. Ignoring the Brenda Starr dialogue, like I said, I'm totally on Westin's side right now. Because his perspective is slightly less nonsensical than Judd's. I know that's not a very high standard, but given how bad this series is, my standards dropped below sea level a long time ago.
“The GC is one thing, but to lie to Rayford Steele about me—”
“I was trying to do you a favor and keep you out of trouble.”
“I know, and I’m grateful you wanted to look out for me—”
“Then drop it. If you have a problem with it, let me go my way and you go yours.”
Judd felt frustrated that the conversation had turned into a fight, but he still felt bad about Westin’s lies.
I'm assuming this conversation where Westin committed the unforgiveable offense of lying to St. Rayford took place in the previous chapter. Probably that part where Judd took some time out from RTCsplainning to ZZ Top about how the Jewish people are Cute but Wrong (and have been misinterpreting their own scriptures for who-knows-how-many millennia) to talk to Chang about something. I ignored most of that conversation, because it didn't present much snark material. I suppose I could turn back to said chapter and reread it, but what do you take me for? Someone who isn't lazy?
Anyway Judd and the others head to the first-floor conference for some meeting, Judd demonstrating his trademark sociopathy by blithely noting the body of a guy who fell down the stairs and broke his neck thanks to the Darkness plague. But Judd gets side-tracked by the most evil thing of all!
The sound began as a soft, crackling noise wafting through the streets. As Judd reached the top of the steps he made out the strains of a recorded version of “Hail Carpathia,” sung by the 500-voice Carpathianism Chorale:
Hail Carpathia, our lord and risen king;
Hail Carpathia, rules o’er everything.
We’ll worship him until we die;
He’s our beloved Nicolae.
Hail Carpathia, our lord and risen king.
Because the most evil thing the devil can do, is establish his own version of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, apparently. Also, again, songs work a lot better when you know something about scansion. Just like stories tend to be more interesting with conflict and when you show, rather than just tell us what's happening.
But the evil of Nicky's Choir pales in comparison to the horror he really has in store for the suffering people of the Global Community. Y'see, Nicky has decided to (and here I must warn any of my readers with heart conditions to clear out) set up stations to provide much-needed food and water to those suffering as a result of the plague! Can anyone think of any greater evil than providing food and water to those who need it?!
Of course, while the suffering citizens clamor to the supply stations for food, Westin and Judd demonstrate the great compassion that RTCs are known for, by smirking about all these people desperately seeking answers and actually accepting help and aid from the Satanic NWO that's providing help and aid.
Westin was right. Some were even grumbling against the potentate. “Carpathia’s always told people the big advantage of worshiping him was that he was a god you could see,” Westin said. “I guess the real God took care of that for a while.”
Okay, Westin has officially lost what few points I was willing to give him for standing up to a spineless little toady like Judd. Because that's what Judd is--a toady--and there's a reason that people tend to find the toady who cowers and does whatever the Bully wants him or her to do, to be so much worse than the Bully itself. Of course what makes this particular Bully even worse is that He (because God is totally a dude. Numerous verses attest to him having a penis) is doing this for OUR OWN GOOD!
Yeah, I'm going to post a C.S. Lewis quote. While he screwed up the whole "Liar-Lunatic-Lord" trilemma and I will never stop being pissed about "The Last Battle" from the Chronicles of Narnia, he did say some pretty insightful things on occasion. Plus, like I said, for all his faults, Lewis genuinely believed in the value of the craft. When he wrote the Chronicles of Narnia, he didn't just slap a Jesus fish on it, pepper in a few references here and there, and call his job finished: he did know that it was his duty, as a writer of children's fiction, to create good, quality fiction that children would enjoy reading. But anyway, here's the quote, one that I think most RTCs could benefit from knowing:
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
Judd and the others go to a GC meeting and face no difficulties whatsoever in getting in. Because a Satanic worldwide government dedicated to crushing their enemies and ruthlessly suppressing dissent, has never heard of lying.
So they mingle among the GC and we do get this little moment of hilarity:
“Chief Akbar, can you give us an update on the situation?” the general said.
“I just returned from a meeting with the potentate. It appears that he is the only one we’ve found who can see in this most recent … phenomenon. You’ll be pleased to know his presence actually provides a glow.”
"Years of working at a nuclear power plant has left Nicolae Carpathia with a healthy glow. And left him as impotent as a Nevada Boxing Commissioner."
Sorry, but that Simpsons episode was the first reference to come to mind, which isn't too surprising. The show premiered when I was five and I've been watching ever since. I'm fairly certain if you were to do a diagram or something of my brain, you'd find a whole part of it devoted to Simpsons quotes. That and a section for Star Wars trivia as well as theme songs from cartoons I haven't seen since my age was in the single-digits. My brain obsessively catalogs useless information, which really distracts from the two never-ending quests I've committed myself to: one, to finally figure out which Chris in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the hottest (Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Pratt) and two, my journey to pinpoint the precise moment Frank Miller went insane. Because how the same guy could give us both "Batman: Year One" and the clusterfuck that is "All-Star Batman and Robin" is driving me to madness!**
Okay, I'll stop with all the annoying geekish*** tangents that no one cares about (but me) and get back to tearing Ellanjay a new one.
So okay, we can add "Glows like E.T." to the list of Nicky's powers, right up there with the mind-whammy, charisma (though anyone would be more charismatic than the Tribbles), insane organizational abilities (because he's keeping up the infrastructure despite repeated back-to-back Acts of God, so clearly the dude's got some talents), being unaffected by the Heat plague, and somehow still being an exemplar of the eeevils of pacifism, despite resembling Genghis Khan a lot more than he resembles Gandhi.
They mention that New Babylon is currently the only place affected by the Light Plague and I find myself nitpicking, because that's what I do. Couldn't Nicky bring in outsiders to provide support/supplies to the beleaguered city or would any forces that suddenly show up there, be suddenly blinded as well? I find myself wondering whether there's some kind of residency requirement in this plague. Like do you have to have lived in New Babylon for a specific amount of time or would an Unsaved who just moved in the day before the plague, still be screwed? I ask these questions, because like I've said before, the series gives me nothing else to think about.
The GC continue to talk, very eeevilly talking about how Nicky is sending supplies and setting up a loud-speaker system in order to provide relief and calm his citizens. Quelle horror! Everyone knows that the true Christian response to a disaster isn't to get to work providing much-needed aid, but to stand and goof around with a guitar as the levees break, drowning a major metropolitan city full of people and destroying many others.
Towards the end of the chapter, they make some half-hearted attempt to have Nicky do some actual evil. Though I have a feeling they only put it in there in order to bolster their "They're the real anti-Semites, not us!" defense.
Akbar cleared his throat. “The current concern is with the Island facility. As you know, the potentate has considered closing this, and now he is anxious about the prisoners there.”
“Why is he anxious?” the general said.
“The Island is the only camp for Jews in the blacked-out area. He is requesting that you go ahead with extermination plans of all prisoners immediately.”
Judd glanced at Westin and Gunther who both looked horrified.
“How do you propose we do that since we can’t even see the prisoners?” a man in front of Judd said.
“We have every confidence that you will find a way. Shoot them. Gas them. Burn them. The potentate doesn’t care how you accomplish this, just that it gets done.”
No wonder Judd's justifiably horrified. The GC wants to exterminate every Jew, which is so unlike the RTCs. The RTCs just want them to surrender the cultural/religious identities that have sustained them through countless millennia of persecution and become good RTCs, or be pitched into Hell by the RTCs' personal strongman (TurboJesus) where they will suffer the physical and psychological equivalent of Auschwitz all the time, every day for the rest of eternity! Truly, the GC are the real anti-Semites in all this!
The chapter ends with the Tribbles deciding to make a bold stand against Nicky's tyrannical forces by taking their cell phones! I'm seriously not kidding here. Because even though the GC are under the blindness plague, apparently they don't notice Judd and the others lifting their cell phones off of the table. At some point, one of them even takes the cell phone right out of someone's hands.
Gunther answers the phone saying that the matter will be taken care of and since there are no other means of relaying messages quickly in the GC universe (because landlines and email do not exist apparently), that means we're off to the next great adventure that allows Ellanjay to both expand the page count and their breakfast nook: they're going to The Island to rescue all those foolish Jewishy Jews. I'll reassure you somewhat in saying that they mostly fast-forward through everything so the RTCsplainning isn't quite as bad a last week's but I don't know if you find that reassuring at all.
*As of right now, membership in the League of Awesome consists of Taylor Graham, Hasina Kamen, Joel, and Dr. Rose. If anyone knows of any other minor characters worthy of being promoted, let me know.
**I've been debating what the hell happened to Frank Miller. At first, I was operating under the "Replaced-by-an-Evil-Twin" or possible "Mirror-verse" version, but my brother came up with a theory I like even better: replaced by a Skrull shapeshifter. Yeah, the Skrull are part of the Marvel Comics Universe but I still like this theory because it's been proven time and time again, that the best way to figure out if someone's been replaced by a Skrull, is to punch them until they're unconscious. And I have no shortage of reasons for wanting to punch Frank Miller.
***In the great "Nerd vs. Geek debate and what it means," I totally have to label myself a Geek. Because the way I distinguish between Nerds and Geeks is that Nerds, despite their great social difficulties, they possess useful information. They are the Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and Stephen Hawkings of the world. Geeks on the other hand, despite having the same social difficulties as Nerds, Geeks have a wide command of useless information. If the safety of the world depended on me solving a quadratic equation, then it's been nice knowing all of you. If it depended on me humming the Dragon Dagger Theme from Power Rangers, then you guys better have one hell of a parade in my honor when this is all done.
Posted by Mouse at 2:49 PM 12 comments:
Labels: Ellanjay Know Nothing about Humans, Judd, Left Behind Kids, Nicky Fails Basic Villainy, Our Sociopathic Heroes, So Much Padding, Strawman always has a point, Zombies would starve
Ellanjay Don't Get It, Like At All
For those of you who missed my all-caps ragedumps, you're in luck because like I said last week, this chapter is a doozy. If you don't like all-caps ragedumps, then skip this week's selection and wait for next week's. Next week's chapter, while boring and pointless, is a lot less rage-inducing.
Like I said, in a futile attempt inject some suspense and convince us that the characters are really in danger, Ellanjay take a page from Raymond Chandler and send a man in with a gun. Okay, if we must split hairs, it's a woman with a gun, but the basic principle is the same.
But since there are never any consequences to anything that happens in the LB-verse and since, like I said last week, the woman with a gun is STILL BLIND AS A RESULT OF THE LATEST ZOD PLAGUE! I'm going to picture the scene where she goes after Judd as playing out like this scene in Muppets Treasure Island. Thing is, at least Muppets are actually funny, whereas Ellanjay...their worst moments are when they try to be funny.
As you can imagine, the lady's shots are pretty much going wild. In spite of this, Judd decides not to rush her and disarm her or even hide behind a desk. Instead, he picks up a glass paperweight, shaped like Nicky, and throws it at a wall, causing her to freak out and start shooting everywhere. Me, I desperately wished that the GC WEREN'T ROCK-STUPID and had other weapons at their disposal, like batons (both electric and non-electric) as well as knives OR SOME FORM OF CLOSE-QUARTERS WEAPONRY SO THEY AREN'T COMPLETELY HELPLESS AND EASILY PWNED BY A WORTHLESS IDIOT LIKE JUDD! BASIC RULE OF LIFE: ALWAYS HAVE BACKUPS TO YOUR BACKUPS SO YOU'RE NOT COMPLETELY SCREWED IF WEAPON A FAILS FOR SOME REASON!
As you can imagine, given my love of the Internet, I am familiar with the Evil Overlord List and how the LB-verse would be much improved if Ellanjay were as well. Not going to quote all the lists, but a few rules did stand out.
23. I will keep a special cache of low-tech weapons and train my troops in their use. That way -- even if the heroes manage to neutralize my power generator and/or render the standard-issue energy weapons useless -- my troops will not be overrun by a handful of savages armed with spears and rocks.
56.My Legions of Terror will be trained in basic marksmanship. Any who cannot learn to hit a man-sized target at 10 meters will be used for target practice.
197. I will explain to my Legions of Terror that guns are ranged weapons and swords are not. Anyone who attempts to throw a sword at the hero or club him with a gun will be summarily executed.
After throwing the paperweight, Judd goes to ZZ Top and continues to try to convert one of those foolish Christ-killers Jews to RTCianity.
ZZ Top talks about how there have been all these mysterious appearances at beheadings and whatnot.
Zvi was panicking now, breathing heavily and shaking. “A friend told me he saw a man appear at one of the mass beheadings of Judah-ites. Right out of thin air. He wasn’t there, and then he was. Do you think that was from God?”
“What did the man say?”
“He talked about God’s forgiveness, like you.”
“I’ve seen angels do the same thing,” Judd said. “They come as God’s messengers to warn people about not taking Carpathia’s mark. And they plead with the undecided to choose Christ. It’s another display of God’s love.”
Yeah, it's a truly powerful display of God's love, akin to how an abusive asshole, after beating their spouse or kid senseless, will clean and dress their victims' wounds, often apologizing and saying it won't ever happen again, I just lost my temper, and all that.
This is really the only justifiable response to this...
And I really have to apologize because I keep using the abusive spouse/parent analogy but it's just so damn apt that I have to. Because it's been established that Ellanjay believe that ultimately God can do everything in this universe! So in other words, HE COULD FUCKING CHANGE HIS MIND AND NOT SEND DOWN A HORRIFIC DISASTER AFTER WHICH ALL THOSE WHO DIED WITHOUT SAYING THE PRAYER BURNINATE FOREVER! HE COULD, WITH THE FLICK OF A PINKY, CAUSE NICKY TO SUFFER AN ANEURYSM! IN FACT HE COULD PROBABLY TRAVEL THROUGH TIME AND PUSH NICKY'S MOTHER DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS OR SOMETHING! IF HE REALLY LOVED HIS CHILDREN, THERE ARE A THOUSAND WAYS HE COULD WITNESS TO THEM AND DEFEAT SATAN THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE REPEATEDLY TRYING TO MURDER THEM!
Because as the Book of Jonah, chapters 3 and 4 make it clear, GOD CAN CHANGE HIS MIND! I understand why the Old Testament God makes some people blanch, but compared with the God of Ellanjay...yeah, it's not even a contest. In fact, aren't Ellanjay basically placing limits on a being they believe is limitless, by saying that God cannot change his mind?
But I have a feeling they probably don't read the last two chapters of Jonah. Though they really, really should.
ZZ Top is all "I won't take Nicky's Mark!" and Judd preaches the Gospel of George W. Bush by saying,“It’s not enough to be against Nicolae. Jesus said those who are not for him are against him. That puts you in some pretty awful company.”
As you can imagine, every time I stumble onto a line like that in these books, I have uncomfortable flashbacks to 2003 where us anti-War types (of which, I was one) were constantly having to explain that being opposed to invading Iraq doesn't mean we love Saddam Hussein. Given the ideology and makeup of the Bush II administration, it's not too hard to see the parallels. Because for some reason, while the Right is able to grasp the idea that cities and states tend to contain large groups of people, many of whom have little if any influence over government affairs, for some reason, they think that only one person lives in Afghanistan or Iraq or Whatever Middle Eastern Country the Right is chomping at the bit to go to war with.
Judd sees the woman lying down and pointing the gun at her head. For those of you who thought that previous all-caps ragedump was impressive, just you wait. Because to quote Bachman-Turner Overdrive: You ain't seen nothing yet.
And I know I'm doing another bigass quote, but you know by now I believe in spreading the misery around.
The woman looked wild, clawing at her skin until it bled. Big patches of hair were gone from her head. “Oh, God, help me. I don’t want to go through another one of these!” She finally stopped and put out a hand toward Judd. “Who are you?”
“A friend. Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“You’re one of them, aren’t you? One of the Judahites.”
Judd didn’t answer. He simply stared at the -6 on her forehead, signifying that she was from the United North American States.
“Before the disappearances, before any of the bad things started happening, I went to one of those big meetings,” she said. “The kind they used to have in stadiums.” Saliva ran down the woman’s lips and onto her chin. She was sobbing as she talked, reaching out, then pulling her hand back. “A man sang and then another one stood up and talked about the Bible. I didn’t want any part of it. My friends and I were there to make fun of the meeting. And then I saw some people from my neighborhood going forward. I almost went with them, just to see what would happen. I almost did.”
“Why didn’t you?” Judd said.
“I thought religion was for weak people. I thought I had plenty of time to decide. I wanted to have fun with my life. But …”
With this, the woman flew into a frenzy of scratching and wailing. Her eyes flew open and Judd saw how hollow they looked, as if he could see all the way to her soul.
When she settled, Judd came closer. “Let me help you to a safe place.”
“Where can I go in this blackness that’s safe?” she spat. “I might as well throw myself off the side of the building. There’s no hope!”
Judd wanted to tell her she could call out to God and be forgiven, but he couldn’t. The best he could do for her was ease her pain a little.
“I know what I’ve done!” the woman yelled. “I had a lot of chances to say yes to God, but I kept putting it off. Kept saying no. And now look what happened.”
I'm fighting the urge to repost the link to that Nostalgia Critic clip I posted earlier. You should thank me. Instead I scoured YouTube searching for a clip from The Simpsons, specifically their parody of Left Behind called Left Below. Because it is so close to the actually thing that it is barely satire.
Because Ellanjay, like I and Fred before me, have said before, they are Jonah. They're preaching the Gospel not because they genuinely care about people and want them to be saved, but because like Jonah, they're obliged by God to give those heathens, The Requirement. Their only consolation is that after having done The Requirement, RTCs are completely off the hook. They get to set back and laugh as those horrible people who believe slightly different things from them, burn for all eternity! After all, you did your part. CLEARLY THE BLAME LIES WITH THEM FOR NOT CHANGING THEIR CHERISHED BELIEFS AT THE DROP OF A HAT!
:deep breath: I knew I was in it for this week, but really...
As you can imagine, Judd displays the warmth and compassion we've come to associate with RTCs.
Judd sat back, drained of emotion. How many other people on earth could say the same thing? How many had hardened their hearts toward God, making jokes of the message or saying they would get around to it later? Judd had been one of them. He had ignored the truth for so long, but God had given him a second chance.
That's the difference between the forces of good and the forces of evil in these books. Satan has no value for human life, which is why he does his best to try to clean up the massive mess God created, so as to lessen the death toll. God on the other hand, values human life and is so willing to not let a single one perish that he DECIDES TO KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!
Yeah, in order to both soothe my temper and allow me to gush like a fangirl, I'm going to talk about Avengers 2: Age of Ultron. Because the Marvel Cinematic Universe is nothing but awesome, because the people involved know that there should be a clear difference between the heroes and the villains. I was nothing but impressed in the final climatic battle, when Ultron is basically like "Okay, you can stop me or save the citizens of this city" and Captain America, along with everyone else on the team, responds by saying,"STFU! We're doing both!" And they proceed to do so.
Because that's the kind of thing heroes do: when given a choice between options A and B, they try to find an option C, which is all of the above.
In fact, that's why of the Avengers, Captain America is my favorite. While I don't hate angsty heroes, at the same time, his optimism is quite refreshing. Optimism is too often conflated with naïveté, but I don't think that describes the Captain. He knows there are bad people in the world, but he steadfastly believes that they are far out-weighed by all the good people and that when push comes to shove, the good people will stand up and do the right thing.
Plus, previous entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe prove that the Captain, when faced with having to choose between the lives of many against the lives of few, he will be pragmatic and choose the many. Because as that previous clip shows, he does give his former friend a chance to back down, but when said friend makes it clear that he's not going to, the Captain gets down to business and does whatever he has to in order to save the world.
:sighs: If we could just spend more time gushing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we'd all be a lot happier. I know I would be. But this blog is devoted to tearing Left Behind: the Kids a new one, so let's get back to business.
Judd does display some compassion. He takes the sobbing woman to a back room and gives her soda and sandwiches. That is seriously all that does. Though to be fair, that's still more compassion that Our Buck or St. Rayford ever demonstrate towards anyone.
“I know he tried to reach me,” the woman whispered. “I watched them bring people through here and treat them like dogs, then talk about peace and love and goodwill. I knew in my heart it was fake and the other message was true.” She looked up and opened her mouth. Her chin quivered as she tried to form the words. Then tears welled in her eyes.
Judd guessed what she was trying to say. She wanted to know if there was any hope, if God would somehow give her one more chance. But the woman must have known the answer. She put her head on the table and sobbed.
And that's the extent of said Unnamed Female Guard's participation in this chapter. No soul-searching from Judd whatsoever. He can't be bothered even to pray and say to God, "Yeah, I know about this whole Mark business but couldn't you cut this person a little slack here?"
It's probably for the best, though: if Judd started asking God to cut this one person some slack, he might :gasp: :choke: start thinking of other people, realize that they matter as well and ask God why he can't cut them some slack as well! We mustn't allow such heretical ideas to take root!
So Judd and ZZ Top walk down the hall and we get what makes up the bulk of this chapter: RTCsplainning!
Yeah, when an amateur scholar like me (I took a Bible Study course in college and I read about theology in my spare time) can easily poke holes in your theology, you've failed.
“How could you have compassion for that woman when she wanted to kill you?” Zvi said.
“Because I was exactly like her before the disappearances. For some reason, God gave me mercy and allowed me to call on him before it was too late.”
“Why do I still have a chance when that woman doesn’t?”
"Because thanks in part to the writers, God is weaker than a tattoo with a computer chip in it, making it so that he can't save you if you have one for any reason. Plus the writers deemed that you would serve as a good representation of all Jews everywhere as a means of deflating criticism that they're anti-Semitic, even though all they want is for Jewish people to stop being Jewish. So that's why they've let you temporarily off the hook. My advice: convert or wind up a brief sad example for me, the Main Character, to reflect on."
Anyway, ZZ Top says, "Tell me why you think Jesus is the Messiah," thus paving the way for many wrong-headed lectures. Let's brace ourselves.
Judd starts with the Old Testament. I'll post his entire thing on it, so we can all enjoy just how wrong he is.
Judd began in the Old Testament and from memory shared many prophecies that looked forward to the Messiah. “In Genesis, God curses the serpent and says that a descendant of Eve will crush the serpent’s head. Jesus won the victory over the devil on the cross. In Isaiah it’s predicted that a virgin will conceive a child and give birth to a son. Mary, Jesus’ mother, was a virgin.
“In one of the little books, Micah, I think, it says that out of Bethlehem will come a ruler over Israel whose origins are from ancient times. Jesus was born in Bethlehem.”
If you're wondering, the one about the descendant of Eve crushing the serpent's head, that's in Genesis 3, verse 15 to be specific. And it really is an astounding prediction. Given that Eve is considered to be the Mother of all Humans, it really takes a lot of prophetic insight to predict that one of her many offspring will at some point in the future, step on a snake.
I can't be the only one wondering what would happen if I pointed out that there are two creation stories and two flood stories and from there, asked them which one they believed was true. Because if the Bible is inerrant with each book being equally authoritative...
Judd is clearly speaking about Isaiah 7 where there's a verse about how "a virgin shall conceive." Oddly enough, the original Hebrew version of Isaiah doesn't use the word traditionally used to refer to virgins "betulah." Instead, the word they use is "almah" which Wikipedia defines as:
a young woman of childbearing age who has not yet had a child, and who may be an unmarried virgin or a married young woman.[1] The term occurs nine times in the Hebrew Bible – see usage below.
So yeah, Isaiah may have just said, "A young lady will have a baby," which most will agree is different from "A woman who has never so much as masturbated, never mind performed the filthy act of sex (which we only perform in order to fill the pews, not because we enjoy it), will miraculously bear a baby."
As many scholars point out, Paul's letters are the oldest part of the New Testament and it's rather interesting that for all his striving to try to convince people that Jesus is the Messiah, he doesn't ever mention a Virgin Birth. You'd think something that notable would be worth bringing up.
Ellanjay do a little better in that there is a part of Micah that speaks of a great ruler coming out of Bethlehem in Micah 5. But once again, Ellanjay assume that the writers of the gospels recorded exactly what happened, even though the oldest of the gospels, Mark, was written several decades after Jesus had lived and died. Also, Mark doesn't have a birth story in it.
But as aunursa will point out, if you actually read Micah 5, compare the actions of said predicted ruler with those of Jesus. Granted the gospels are not history books, no matter what Ellanjay say, but even so, Jesus is a very different figure from the one in Micah. Micah's ruler triumphs over all his enemies; Jesus died a criminal's death on the cross.
Plus since Bethlehem wasn't exactly a little one-horse town at the time of Jesus's birth, I really doubt that it's an astounding insight to suggest that at some point, somebody will be born in that town and grow up to do great things. As for the "origins from ancient lines" bit, given that Ellanjay believe that Adam and Eve are the parents of all humans everywhere, that's not much of an accomplishment. Also, since both David and his son, Solomon, had multiple wives/concubines, I doubt that they each produced only one direct offspring, so you can't use the Line of David bit as well.
ZZ Top is all "But Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah, right?" Thus allowing Judd, in a masterful display of Circular Reasoning, to quote several passages from the Gospels. Even though, like I said, the Gospels weren't meant to be history books. Gospel means Good News and that's essentially what they were: these guys trying to spread the word of a guy who had done amazing things and helped them to do amazing things as well.
In fact, even if we assumed that the Gospels were meant to be history tracts, ancient people weren't as scrupulous about history as we are. Ancient historians tended to compile history not so much as "Here's exactly what happened" but as a series of stories from which a moral can be drawn. Also, basic fact when it comes to studying the field of history: there is no such thing as an unbiased study of history. Even if you just listed the facts, the mere act of choosing which facts to list and which to leave out, is in itself a product of the writer's bias.
Anyway, there's a brief interlude in the "Convert the Jew" lecture as Judd receives a phone call from Chang, who tells him that St. Rayford will fly him and everyone else out to Petra. Wooo...Just remember that this detour in New Babylon allowed Ellanjay to build another wing on their mansions, so it can't be called pointless, at all.
Anyway, as you probably guessed, the chapter ends with ZZ Top, after doing the Obligatory "How could I have been so blind?" self-flagellating, saying The Prayer. After which, he can see. I must confess that frankly I wonder about The Prayer. Ellanjay treat it in a manner akin to the "Bloody Mary" chant where if you do it the right way with the precise amount of sincerity dictated, you win. I sometimes wonder if there's a way to measure the precise amount of sincerity needed. Obviously, you can be too insincere but I wonder if you can go too far and not be insincere enough.
Just remember that unless you say The Prayer, it doesn't count. Not even if you're in a foxhole and your friends are dying around you. Unless you say The Prayer, you can't just shout "O God, Save Us!" Because no matter how sincere you might be, even if you genuinely believe that the Christian God will answer your prayer, it doesn't count.
And I realize I spent a lot of time this week being angry and probably not that funny. I like to think I was at least informative in that I gave you stuff to think about, but in the interest of lightning the mood, I'll provide a link to a music video by Veggie Tales that is both funny, informative, and somewhat related to what we've been talking about this week. Plus, it proves that Christian Art doesn't always suck nard. Jonah Was A Prophet.
Ellanjay could really stand to listen to the chorus of that song, is all I'm going to say.
Posted by Mouse at 3:20 PM 6 comments:
Labels: Bigass quote alert, Ellanjay Know Nothing about Humans, Judd, Left Behind Kids, Nicky Fails Basic Villainy, Our Sociopathic Heroes, ragedump, So Much Padding, Strawman always has a point, Zombies would starve
Facing the Idiot Hydra
Like I said for those of you who enjoy all those scenes where an RTC patronizingly explains to a Jewish character how they've apparently been misinterpreting their own scriptures for centuries, you're in luck this week. And of course, said lectures also come with a dollop of "The GC are the real anti-Semites, because they want to kill Jews, whereas RTCs merely want them to abandon the faith that has sustained them through countless millennia, surrender their identities, and become good RTCs, which is totally different!"
So Judd and Gunther basically just walk in and what follows results in me headdesking a lot. Because I'm fairly certain you'd have a more difficult time shoplifting a pack of gum from the mini-mall than these characters have in busting out the prisoners.
Basically all they do is walk up to this one chick, wave around a paper that claims contains orders from Nicky (I won't use the word "Potentate." I have a few principles but I stand by them) demanding that the prisoners be let go. And while I know New Babylon is under the effects of this whole Blindness plague (except for our brave heroes), I'm still like "Seriously?" Because you'd think that given Nicky's top-notch communications network, someone would have radioed in something like, "Yeah, we've been struck blind," and from there, order all their employees to stay where they are and continue to do their jobs until things get worked out.
But that's one of the many things that bugs me about this series: not only are the heroes consistently caught off guard by the latest Act of God, but so are the villains. Even though Nicky is possessed by Satan and there have been countless works written by PMDs listing when all this horrible stuff will go down. I thought Nicky's shtick was that he knew exactly what was going to happen somehow believed that everything was going to work out, so long as he follows everything to the letter. Granted, it makes no sense because if he knows what's going to happen, then he knows that he gets punted to Hell in the end.
Initially, when I started this series, I just assumed that Nicky was basically a puppet for Zod to carry out his work, that he had no will of his own. Granted that's pretty sick--the idea that Zod created Nicky to be the anti-Christ, yet when all this is said and done, he gets punted for being the anti-Christ even though he lacked the free will needed to change his fate--but at least it was somewhat consistent.
Anyway, my long-winded point is, why is Nicky completely caught off guard by all this? Why isn't he like, "Okay this plague will last X number of hours. Until then, stay where you are and don't let anyone go until it lifts?"
But again, if this series had villains that actually posed a threat...yeah there'd be no way we'd have gotten to 40 kids books and 16 adult ones. Because I have an easier time listing villains who were less effective than Nicky than I do trying to think of more effective ones. There are toddlers playing with chemicals found under the sink that are more of a threat to the world than Nicky! Zygotes are more of a threat to the world than Nicky! Probably even Aquaman from the Superfriends is more intimidating than Nicky!
And yes, I know, Aquaman in the comics is a lot cooler, but y'know I love any excuse to indulge in my love of crappy Saturday Morning Cartoons put out by people whom...in the Superfriends' case, I think it's safe to assume that everyone involved, was on massive amounts of drugs. Probably even the kids who originally watched that series. I'm not sure how, but it's the only logical conclusion for the sheer amount of WTFery that is the Superfriends.
So anyway, Judd and Gunther find the seven, but three of them have Marks, so they're going to let them hang. Though I could ask why exactly they'd be in prison. They did what Nicky wanted, surrendered their identities and accepted the Mark that means they will burn for all eternity. I suppose they could be like Dr. Rose (who isn't dead, dammit!) in that they accepted the Mark, but have since fallen out of love of Nicky, but you know how Ellanjay feel about nuance. They believe in the Gospel According to George W. Bush: you're either with us or you're with the enemy. The idea that people could object to God and Nicky...something tells me if we were to try to explain that to them, what would result is an eruption that makes Pompeii look like a piker in comparison. That is, if they don't just start reciting their talking points over and over again until you say, "Screw it," and walk away. Because if your opponent realizes you can't be reasoned with, gives up, and walks away, you've won the argument.
So Gunther decides to RTCsplain to one of the Jewish prisoners. And if you guessed that we get an example of how RTCs simultaneously believe that all non-RTCs are mind-blowingly ignorant of Jesus yet at the same time, are well-versed in the bizarre lingo of the RTC culture but pretend otherwise...again, congratulations. Wish I could say you could redeem any of the points you get for acquiring this knowledge for anything useful, but I'm afraid not.
Here's the conversation:
“How do we know you’re not the GC with more of your tricks?” Longhair said.
“We come in the name of the Prince of Peace, the King of kings, the one who was called the Light of the World.”
“Who is this light?” a bearded man said. “And when can he come down here?”
Gunther chuckled. “I will tell you about this light. In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”
:headdesk:
Because apparently the Jewish people are so ignorant that they haven't heard of the first few verses of the Gospel of John or that apparently Christians worship some guy whom they also call The Prince of Peace, the King of Kings, and the Light of the World. They somehow have never heard of this. They never went to school or read a book or watched a movie or a television show. Because, like it or not, Christianity has had a major impact on the world and as a result, even if a form of entertainment doesn't explicitly say, "This is totally about Jesus," Christian motifs still show up. In order to understand what people are talking about when they say Superman is a Christ figure, you have to have a basic knowledge of who Jesus Christ is and what people believe about the guy, even if you don't agree one hundred percent. Of course, in Superman's case, the idea that so many call the character a Christ figure, is somewhat amusing, given that his creators were both Jewish. But I think I've made my point.
Though I suppose that passage could have been so much worse. Ellanjay could have decided that all Jewish people speak in backwards talk like Yoda or that they all began all their sentences with, "You want?" Like the guy could have been like, "You want that this guy can come down here?" or something like that.
Because like I keep saying, I freely admit that I like to exaggerate for comedic effect, but in Ellanjay's case, I don't think I'm really exaggerating much. Whenever one of their characters identifies another character as Jewish, I always assume it's because said Jewish character is wearing a kippah, eating a bagel, sporting sidelocks and a beard (even if they're female), and shouting, "Oy Vey!" at various intervals. That or in this not-so-distant future, the Jewish people wear special codpieces that accentuate their circumcised penises. Again, even if they're female.* Because that's what Ellanjay believe regarding the Jewish people: that they're basically a collective like the Borg, only with more beards and fewer electronic components.
Anyway, Unnamed Longhaired Guy is like, "Yeah, I'll take my chances" and is shuffled off-screen. But fear not: a younger guy is curious, thus giving Judd an opening so he can rack up another Christ-killer convert for God.
Of course, the dude has an incredibly Jewish name, Zvi Zeidman, but I'll be damned if I'm going to waste time learning it, especially since I don't know if we'll ever see him again, so I'll just call him ZZ Top. There's probably more dignity in being named ZZ Top. Plus the girls go crazy for a sharp-dressed man.
I know, I should stop indulging in my love of eighties cheese, especially since the eighties also gave us Ronald Reagan, aka the guy who responsible for a lot of the idiot rightwing ideas that we're still trying to get out from underneath of. :(
But before we get into the RTCsplainning, Judd shows off his awesome super-vision, by reading an email.
Regarding the latest Jewish camp on the Island, I wish to relate good news. The transport you sent arrived fine with only two dead prisoners. We have experienced great success in keeping the inmates alive and, at the same time, miserable. The camp doctor has come up with a concoction that we have to feed only once a day, and it sustains the prisoners for twenty-four hours.
Truly the GC's capacity for cruelty knows no bounds! Can anyone think of anything more evil than giving a prisoner one meal a day that satisfies their daily calorie requirement?! I mean, sure the GC could be giving them nothing, thus condemning the prisoners to a slow, horrible death from starvation, or they could feed them very little, while working them to death building weapons and other projects on behalf of the GC, again, condemning them to die slowly and horribly from starvation. But clearly the GC's method of giving them one meal that sustains them for a day, is so much worse!
Judd reads a little more about something called The Island, which apparently is located on the Tigris and is bad, somehow. I'll assume this is something that they talk about in the Adult books, but given that I have enough worthless knowledge clogging up valuable neuron space, I'm not going to bother to hold onto this, not even on the off-chance that it'll come into play later on.
Ellanjay continue to present their "The GC are the real anti-Semites, not us!" defense by having ZZ Top talk about how the GC are so much worse than the Nazis:
“It’s worse than the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s. The GC torture their prisoners to the point of death but don’t allow them the decency of dying. I’ve even heard they take videos of the beatings and torture and send them to Carpathia.”
I can't be the only one fighting the urge to point out that the majority of the Nazis identified as Christian. If you talked to their friends and neighbors, they would be the kind of people that they would speak well of. They attended church every week, paid the bills on time, and were kind to their wives and kids. Yet at the same time they were doing horrible things to innocent people.
Because like Alexander Solzhenitsyn said, in The Gulag Archipelago, "If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?"
Because what Ellanjay stubbornly refuses to accept is that all the horrible people of history, your Hitlers and Stalins and whatnot, weren't supernatural beings that inexplicably bamfed onto Earth and decided to do horrible things for shits and giggles; they, along with all the many people who carried out their orders, were people, ordinary, horrible people.
Yeah, I'm going to put in another quote, this one by Hannah Arendt from her infamous Eichmann in Jerusalem book. I suppose it would help if Ellanjay read the entire book from cover to cover, but really just this one quote would probably help:
The trouble with Eichmann was precisely that so many were like him, and that the many were neither perverted nor sadistic, that they were, and still are, terribly and terrifyingly normal. From the viewpoint of our legal institutions and of our moral standards of judgment, this normality was much more terrifying than all the atrocities put together, for it implied — as had been said at Nuremberg over and over again by the defendants and their counsels — that this new type of criminal, who is in actual fact hostis generis humani, commits his crimes under circumstances that make it well-nigh impossible for him to know or to feel that he is doing wrong.
Judd is all "You don't have to stay in the dark." and ZZ Top is like "So you're going to preach now?" And Judd lays it out for the poor befuddled Jew, who, well I'd say he was raised by wolves which is why he has never heard any of Judd's standard boilerplate theology before and acts like all this is new, but I'm fairly certain even if ZZ Top had been raised by wolves, he wouldn't be this clueless.
“Basically, God loves you and wants you to be his child. He wants to adopt you into his family, but he won’t do that unless you want to be a part of it.”
“God’s perfect. He can’t allow anything near him that’s imperfect. And you and I are both sinful. We’ve done bad things.”
“I’ve been taught since I was young that the path to God was through obeying his commands.”
“True, but you know as well as I do that you haven’t lived up to every command. And if you break even one, you’re out of the program. That’s why God had to provide a sacrifice, so we could be forgiven.”
"But by that logic, if I say The Prayer with the precise amount of passion and sincerity demanded, I can do whatever I want and still wind up in Heaven, so long as I ask for forgiveness afterwards for the horrible things I do, right?"
Oh how I wish ZZ Top would say that. Just like I wish he'd point out "Okay so God's perfect, which is why we can't be around him, because we're imperfect. Even though God created us to be imperfect in the first place. How does that make sense? And why exactly can't he just say, 'Sorry about that screw-up,' and wave his hand and make us perfect?"
But like I said, the Rapture probably will come and go before we see an honest skeptic asks a question that isn't pure weaksauce. Just like I'll wait in vain for a character who isn't defined solely by his/her ethnic identity or for a villain that isn't made of incompetence.
But there's more...
“Zvi, have you ever considered the possibility that you’ve been living in darkness your whole life? Do you know God’s peace, feel his forgiveness, his love?”
“You can’t know those things in this life.”
“Yes, you can. Again, I’m not trying to preach, and this is your decision, but God is real and he wants to come into your life right now and make a difference. He wants to show you mercy, but you have to accept it. I’ve met a lot of people in the past few years who’ve been raised exactly like you, and when they see the truth, they can’t believe they were blind to it for so long.”
:whimpers: For those of you, like me, cringing at all the illogic, I really hate to break it to you, but next week, it'll only get worse. That's the beauty of this series: every time you cringe and think, "Now there's no way they can come up with something worse than this scene," Ellanjay dig deep and find a way.
Or in other words, for all of you who enjoy my profanity-laced, all-caps ragedumps, you have much to look forward to next week.
Because I don't think you could sway a brain-damaged toddler with this logic yet in the next chapter...the only way I can describe it is, the way I describe a lot of things: through pop culture references. Basically the next chapter...you know that scene in The Princess Bride where Wesley gets a year sucked off his life and all he can do is whimper afterwards? Yeah, I have whole new insight into how he must have felt?
Ellanjay, in yet another futile attempt at suspense, end the chapter by having the female guard come in and threaten them with a gun. I suppose it would be threatening if she could actually see to aim it and if you didn't know, even without having read the books or my posts, that it will all come to nothing, but they tried.
I could also point out that there's no logical reason why she suddenly is like "Hey, you're those bad guys I'm supposed to be executing by the hundreds!" when earlier, she barely bat an eye when they claimed to be GC. Because since the GC operate on the honor system, all Judd and Gunther have to do is say they're with the GC and it totally works. Because an evil Satanic worldwide government has never ever heard of lying.
But now that the plot needs some suspense, suddenly she's threatening them. :sighs: I'd say this entire series is an Idiot Plot, but that feels piddling and inadequate. This series is a Idiot Hydra: no matter how many idiot plots/characters you cut away, they just sprout more.
*I suppose I should apologize for that visual, but hey, Misery Loves Company. Brace yourselves for next week, though.
Labels: Ellanjay Know Nothing about Humans, Judd, Left Behind Kids, Nicky Fails Basic Villainy, Zombies would starve
I Get Pedantic (Or Am Still Totally on Satan's Side)
So for those of you who didn't read last week's post, the GC are stumbling around in the dark as a result of God's latest plague which is a plague of darkness that solely hits New Babylon for reasons! Our heroes are able to see somewhat, enough that they can get around and laugh at all those hapless unbelievers, which is what takes up most of the chapter.
But seriously the amount of Deus Ex Machina in this series...it's like trying to play freeze tag or something with that one irritating kid. No matter how many times you get him, he's like "Nuh-uh I have [Superpower X] which makes me immune" until you want to just smack the hell out of him and go play with someone else. Another bit of advice for writers: Invincible Characters are boring as hell!
So Gunther, Westin, and Judd are driving around talking about what's happened and what will happen. Gunther, based on his reading of the Bible, believes that God's going to nuke New Babylon. Because the verse says that the city will be destroyed by fire and the only thing that causes fire, are nukes apparently. Ellanjay probably look down on people who are obsessed with Nostradamus yet they fall into a lot of the same traps as Nostradamus groupies.
But in a rare display of, I don't know what to call this, Gunther suggests that they take advantage of the light plague and use it to free GC prisoners while the GC are stumbling around like idiots. :Dramatic Prairie Dog: Okay, who are you and what have you done with the actual Tribbles? Show me on the doll where the aliens probed you, Gunther! Because as an RTC, you should have internalized the sacred Tribbles ethos of doing nothing! After all, Ellanjay have shown that nothing but bad comes of violating this ethos! The few Tribbles who have actually done stuff, inevitably wind up dead! So WTF?!
Gunther held up a hand. “If Judd’s right—and I think he is—we still have time to do some good here.”
“What do you have in mind?” Judd said.
“Radios and computers are working,” Gunther said. “We might be able to communicate with other locations and get the GC to release prisoners, maybe foul up their system. Plus, there’s a holding facility not far from here. Captured Jews are sent to concentration camps from there. Since the heat wave ended, they’ve probably brought new people there.”
Okay, so since Judd suggested it and since Judd is a Main Character, thus higher up on the Great Chain of Being than Gunther, that's why he suddenly wants to do stuff. Still haven't ruled out a possible pod person invasion, though.
I did read the next chapter after this one and for those who you who felt there weren't enough scenes where the Author's Mouthpiece patronizingly explains to a Jewish character that they've apparently misinterpreted their own scriptures for countless millennia, don't worry: we've got one coming down the pipe for you. :sighs: It's times like this, I think of that quote from King of the Hill where John Redcorn (an Indian) goes, "Five Hundred Years of Oppression, and somehow I find this the most irritating." Except, of course, the Jewish people kind of have the Indians beat on that account.
[Slight Tangent] Since one of the perks of having an eBook is the "Search Inside" feature, I decided to use it and if they ever mention Joel or Aron again. For those of you who have forgotten, Joel and Aron are a pair of Jewish brothers, but Joel took the Mark in order to keep his brother from starving to death. Because feeding the hungry is for dirty hippies. Since when has Jesus fed anyone? Though he has regretted taking the Mark ever since, by the characters' own admission, Joel is going to burn for all eternity. :pauses to scream a little: Last we left Aron, the RTCs were dropping him off in Petra to be with his parents, which gave me some hope. Because they didn't do the obligatory "Character Kneels Before Zod" scene, I thought maybe Aron would get out of this somehow. But I also remembered that Ellanjay love to do that cute trick where they shuffle a character off-stage for so long and with so little mention that you can't pick on the reader for forgetting that they existed, so I checked. And neither Joel or Aron's names turn up in this book. I'm not sure what to make of that. Just know that Joel is one of the few characters in the League of Awesome, along with Taylor, Hasina, and Dr. Rose. If you know of anyone else who deserves promotion to the league, let me know. [/Slight Tangent that probably bored people to tears]
But Judd has to call his one shot at getting laid before God comes back and takes away sex for everyone. Vicki is all "Tell me you've gotten out of here" and Judd has to tell her that with all the GC planes destroyed by the heat wave and Westin's plane destroyed as well, they're not going to get out any time soon.
Uh, yeah, guys you know there are other ways of getting to Petra that don't involve the use of planes. Okay, I went to the wikia for this series (the things I do in order to make my snarks accurate). According to the wikia for this series, New Babylon is located on the ruins of old Babylon in Iraq. I'm not going to dig too deep and ask which old Babylon they're dealing with (I'm pathetic but not that pathetic, not yet anyway), but most place that ancient civilization as roughly in the southern part of Iraq. Since we can't pin it down too much, I'll just assume that New Babylon is located somewhere between the Tigris and the Euphrates and all that. In fact to make this a little easier for my poor suffering readers, we're going to pin down Babylon's location as the modern city of Hillah, Babil Governorate, Iraq, just so we can have a few parameters to work with.
That leaves Petra. Petra's location can be more easily pinned down, in the southern Jordan governorate of Ma'an. The nearest town to Petra is Wadi Musa, so we'll use that in order to pin down the distance between the two points. After doing all this digging, I'd estimate that there are 551 miles between Our Heroes and the Holy City of Refuge. That is a good distance to be sure, but what I'm getting at with all this nitpicking and obsessing over geography, is THE READERS CAN PROBABLY THINK OF MANY WAYS FOR THE HEROES TO GET TO PETRA THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE USING A PLANE!
I know Ellanjay wouldn't dream of letting their characters do something as gauche as use the two limbs located on either side of their sin spear, and I admit, I'd certainly try to avoid traveling that far using either a bicycle or my own two feet (don't even get me started on the kind of terrain Our Lazy-Ass Heroes would face), but really, the only means of travel that come to mind is a large metal gas-guzzling phallic symbol?!
Okay, given what we know about Ellanjay and how desperate they are to assert the manliness of their heroes, their preference for the large gas-guzzling phallic symbol way of travel isn't too surprising. But even with my amateur knowledge of geography, I know New Babylon probably isn't the only city in Iraq. Ever hear of a little place called Baghdad? They could, travel by foot or bike or vehicle until they're out of New Babylon, then use their contacts to get someone to fly them out to Petra. Spoiler alert: no one suggests this. [/Insanely long rant about Geography]
Sorry about the previous rant. I swear I'm not normally this pedantic. But like I keep telling aunursa and many others, if this series had given me something, anything to think about, like a character or a plot point worth following, I wouldn't so obsessed with pinning down minor details like this. But Ellanjay failed as writers, so I have no choice but to be all irritating and nitpicky.
Judd tells Vicki about Gunther's plan. Vicki continues to wring her hands and express concern for Judd's safety, before realizing that though she may be a Main Character, which boosts her above other characters, that still doesn't overcome her primary defect: that she's a girl with girl parts. So she tells Judd to be careful but to go and set free as many captives as he can. And that's the extent of Vicki's participation in this chapter.
Gunther did do something smart by destroying one of the Mark applicators. Though given that Nicky can probably easily have one shipped in via rail (another form of transportation our heroes could take advantage of) or by air once this plague is over, it probably just slowed him down a little. To be fair, that's more than what they have been doing and it's nice to see them behaving somewhat like the resistance group they claim to be, but really, you wished that Ellanjay had done some research on guerilla warfare or resistance groups. Because when a lazy English major can poke holes in your heroes' Great Heroic Action Against Tyranny...yeah.
To be fair, said destruction probably has value from a symbolic standpoint, but destroying one machine out of the many many others Nicky has...Good luck. Especially since Nicky has proven over and over again that he runs a top-notch government with infrastructure most people can only dream of, so like I said, he'll replace the broken machine pretty soon.
Anyway, I'd thought that Judd and Westin and Gunther were going to go liberate a GC Holding Facility and liberate it, which actually would be an impressive Act Against Tyranny, but instead, they dick around by going to a restaurant. And as said before, while I know we're supposed to be on the side of Our Compassionate Heroes as they smirk at the horrific sufferings of others, but...you can see where I'm going with all this, can't you?
Here's a hint: the heroes don't come across as particularly compassionate when they whine about the wailing of all those suffering heathens.
I'll just provide a few quotes for you, without commentary, because there are times in which commentary is insufficient/redundant.
“Oh, Nicolae, you have all power,” an older woman cried from across the street. “You bring light and peace and hope. Please, Nicolae, save us!”
“Shut up, woman!” a young man said. He was sitting with his back against the wall of a building next to the restaurant. “Neither Nicolae nor Fortunato can save you from this.”
“Blasphemer!” an older man yelled. “You let Nicolae or any of his Peacekeepers hear you say that and you’re a dead man.”
The young man scratched at a bloody scab on his neck. “Death would be welcomed right now.”
Gunther and the others went inside the restaurant, stepping over two bodies of people who had killed themselves. Judd stayed behind and inspected the young man’s forehead. No mark. But when Judd leaned down and caught a glimpse of the man’s right hand, he saw the clear mark of Carpathia.
The young man took a swipe at the air, missing Judd’s head by inches. “Who are you? What do you want?” He had pulled his shirt up and was rubbing up against the coarse brick, trying to get some relief. His back was bleeding.
“I’m a friend,” Judd said softly. “You don’t have to be afraid.”
“Do you have a gun?”
“Can you get one?”
The young man laughed wildly. “How long has it been since this darkness came? A week? Two?”
“It’s only been a few hours,” Judd said.
The man put a finger in his mouth and bit down hard. Blood poured from the wound and gushed down his lips. “I can’t see to take a step, and I don’t have the energy if I could. I just want to die. I know this is the end.”
Judd stood and took a step toward the restaurant door.
“Please, I beg you. Hit me with something, knock me out. I can’t stand this itching, and my head feels like it’s about to burst!”
“I can’t help you,” Judd said. “I wish you’d have responded to God before it was too—”
“God?” the man screamed. “Jesus? I hate them! I hate everyone who talks about God!”
If you guessed, regarding the second passage, that Judd just steps around the corpses and keeps walking, congratulations. You could have donated valuable neuron space so much worthier information.
But yeah, am kind of regretting starting that "Our Sociopathic Heroes" tag, because there really is no way I can avoid overusing it until it loses all meaning. That and the "Strawman Always Has A Point" tag as well. Because as I keep pointing out, GOD IS THE ONE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THIS HORRIBLE SHIT IN THIS WORLD! Just remember: Nicky uses his supernatural powers to rescue people, which is bad. God uses his supernatural powers to kill people after which HE SPENDS ETERNITY BURNINATING THE SHIT OUT OF YOU, which is good.
Because seriously, when Silver-Age Superman is looking at you and saying, "Christ, what a dick," you need to reexamine your life. Figure out at what point did you sell your heart for some magical beans or something.
The scene at the restaurant, as you probably guessed, Goes Nowhere, Does Nothing. Judd and some other characters cook some meat and leave. After which, they drive around some more with Judd sitting in the backseat thinking about how it's very sad that those horrible people left God with no choice but to Exterminate all the Brutes! As you probably guessed, even before you read the part I'm about to quote, while I love exaggerating for comedic effect, I'm not exaggerating by much. I very rarely am when it comes to these books.
Everywhere they drove, Judd heard howls from people in pain. It seemed to be getting worse by the hour. When people heard the car’s engine, they ran into the street, reaching out like blind zombies, trying anything to relieve their pain. Judd hated ignoring them, but what could they do? These people had chosen against God and were now paying the price.
Judd wondered what it was about the darkness that made things so much worse. Simply turning out the lights on the world was one thing, but there was something supernatural about this that caused people enough pain to want to kill themselves.
Yeah, I know I shouldn't repeat myself and I know I should stop invoking Godwin's Law, but like I said in previous posts, if the RTCs were dropped in a village down the road from Auschwitz in the years between 1940-1945, the extent of their rebellious actions against a genocidal tyrannical government, would be praying that all those gassed people became RTCs before they died and complaining about all the dead person ash from the crematoriums ruining their whites. I mean, show some consideration, people!
I could also point out that said genocidal tyrannical government during that time was also predominately Christian, but they'd probably just invoke the No True Scotsman fallacy and we'd wind up going in circles.
It's like I said, in another Left Behind discussion thread, but sometimes I wonder if this Weird Al song doesn't perfectly encapsulate RTCs: Why Does This Always Happen to Me? Because you know Rayford or any Ellanjay character would complain about how the bones in their boss's face bent the tip of the blade after they stabbed him with it, thus making it so it would never be quite as sharp again.
Anyway, they do finally get to a holding camp, complete with razor wire and guard towers. The guard is all bluster, but the RTCs just seriously walk up and start opening the gates. :headdesk: I think even the guys who gave us Red Dawn could have created a more plausible, busting out the prisoners scene. Granted that movie is pretty much an NRA masturbation fest, but still.
And that's it. Get ready for patronizing lectures next week! I keep wondering if I should call this kind of lecturing, Christsplainning or RTCsplainning. You guys can tell me which works better in this case.
Labels: Ellanjay Know Nothing about Humans, Judd, Left Behind Kids, Our Sociopathic Heroes, ragedump, Strawman always has a point
Totally Rooting for Satan (because I have no other options)
Happy Saturday everybody! Thought I'd try posting my update today for some reason. Got nothing better to do.
Anyway, for a brief instance, the GC does demonstrate a basic level of competence. I know, I'm shocked too. Granted it dissipates pretty quickly as yet another Deus Ex Machina intervenes before the characters suffer so much as a bruise, but still. Like I said, I keep thinking I should have named that tag "Villain Always Has a Point" instead of "Strawman Always Has a Point." I've said it before and I'll say it again: this series forces me to side with Satan simply because the heroes are such reprehensible people.
Because you know I love pop culture references, think of the beginning (with the GC demonstrating basic competence) as being like the beginning of Star Wars: Episode IV, where the stormtroopers swoop in and kill everyone aboard Princess Leia's spaceship. They get that one scene of competence than spend the rest of the movie being the idiots who smack their heads on door frames and couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat. Thing is, Star Wars had a sense of fun about the whole deal and had characters you could actually care about, especially Han Solo. :pauses to drool: If you were to ask me who my childhood crushes were, I'd say my first crush was either Han Solo or Tommy Oliver. Yes, that Tommy Oliver from Power Rangers. C'mon, he's awesome!
But I should probably stop talking about Star Wars and childhood crushes and get back to the business at hand.
Judd is all bent out of shape that the GC is swarming the hideout and arresting everyone inside, even though the RTCs are a terrorist group that has repeatedly tried to undermine Nicky's regime and made numerous threats on the lives of Nicky's supporters, siccing God on anyone who dares to oppose them.
Okay to be fair, Nicky is hardly a shining beacon of democracy, but at the same time...it's an old rule I have, regarding stories with heroes and villains: you should be able to tell the difference between the two. If the city of Petra is supposed to be a micro-version of the Kingdom of God, given that previous snarks have demonstrated that Petra is about democratic as North Korea, you know that if Token Jew and his merry band of RTCs were in power, they'd be imprisoning and torturing and executing their enemies as well. But they'd be doing it in the name of TurboJesus, which makes it okay.
As though having heard all my complaints about how for all their bluster, the RTCs are surprisingly afraid of martyrdom, Ellanjay do have Judd narrate about how he's totes not afraid of dying, though he will regret not getting to third base with Vicki not being able to see Vicki again. Though given that TurboJesus shows up about a year from now, like I said, that's really not too horrible a fate.
Anyway, before the Deus Ex Machina steps in and makes all this completely pointless, I thought I'd quote some of the stuff with the GC demonstrating basic competence. Because I feel like celebrating whenever any character does that in this series.
A man with several military medals pinned to his uniform stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back. “I suppose you’re wondering why your little operation didn’t explode when we entered, hmm?”
When no one answered, the man gave a fake smile and continued. “Well, I’ll tell you. After your two friends gave us trouble, we found your guns.” He motioned overhead. “When we uncovered your entrance, instead of barging in, we called in the bomb squad.” He pointed to the side of the house, and Judd saw a gaping hole. “We made a new entrance—hope you don’t mind—found your little bomb, defused it, and waited. What a shock when we heard you enter through the sewers.”
And here's the second example:
The officer squinted. “You have no guns, you have no contact with other rebels, and you have no chance of escape.” He held up a small computer device. “And in this tiny drive I have all the information from your computers. Your contacts, your plans. Everything.”
Helga gave the man a worried look. “Our files are encrypted. You’ll never be able to—”
“With the resources of the Global Community? I’m sure our tech crew will have this figured out by my morning coffee.” He turned to Westin. “You’re crazy to think you can defeat us.”
Okay, I admit in both of those passages, the GC are doing stuff that a Elementary School Hall Monitor would know to do and the second one, given how heavy it is with the "Bwaah-Bwaah!" the guy was basically asking for a Deus Ex Machina to smack him upside the head, but really, I treasure any moment where either side demonstrates basic competence. Though given my love of eighties cheese, yes, I did spend the entire segment picturing the Unnamed GC guy as Cobra Commander.
That's one of the things that really bothers me about the series, not so much that it's bad, but y'know, that it's not entertaining in its badness. Say what you will about how pretty much all those cheesy eighties cartoons existed as twenty-two minute toy commercials, but at least, the people involved, well, they probably knew this was a step above dinner theatre, but hey, a paycheck is a paycheck. Plus, the thing that distinguishes Ellanjay's bad art from all other bad art is, they actually believe this shit will happen at some point in the future, even the part where the Leader of the World rides a giant pig. Say what you will about G.I. Joe and its merits or lack thereof, but I don't think anyone who produced or watched the show, feels like it's an accurate portrayal of the U.S. military. Though given the Right's kneejerk response to anything is either invasion or more guns, maybe I'm wrong there.
Westin is all "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." To which Unnamed is like, "Yeah, I actually saw someone rise from the dead, so you're little shtick ain't impressing me much," which I have to say, is a very reasoned response. Yeah, the RTCs can chest-thump about how Jesus came back from the dead, but all they've got, are testimonials, many of which were written years after the events depicted, actually happened. Whereas for those of you who've forgotten, Nicky did actually come back to life, sat up in his coffin in front of a massive crowd and a whole lot of cameras. Can't blame people for siding with Nicky given that his side has more solid proof backing up its claims right now.
Anyway, here comes the Deus Ex Machina to save our heroes once again and keep them from experiencing any actual consequences to their actions.
The group had all been cuffed except for Judd and Gunther when the lights went out. Literally. Peacekeepers dropped their weapons and reached to rub their eyes as headlights on the GC cars went dark. Flashlights were useless to the officers. Streetlights disappeared. Judd had seen power outages before. Once his parents had been away and the power went out while he was watching a scary movie in the basement. It had taken him several minutes to find his way upstairs, and it had terrified him.
But this was different. Lights on phones, radios, the dashboards of the squad cars—everything was dark. The incredible thing was, Judd could still see. Everything was a hazy brown, and he could only see about twenty feet, but he could see.
So okay, basically Zod's latest disaster is making everything go dark: no sun or moon or any form of light whatsoever. I suppose I could try to tackle the science of it all, but given that Ellanjay's response to everything (including why everything and everyone isn't dead, despite multiple bombardments from space rocks and poisonings of the world's water supply) is "Goddidit!"
But anyway, what follows is an action scene where Our Heroes take advantage to escape. It's boring as hell, so forgive me for fast-forwarding through it.
Westin pointed to the lead officer, and Judd angled toward the man who sat mumbling on a smoldering piece of wood. He had put his pistol back in its holster and was staring into the darkness.
Westin grabbed the gun and Judd expected the man to lunge or shout, but he just kept mumbling. “My wife. She doesn’t know where I am. We should get word to the others not to come out, not to go into the dark.”
Judd took out his pocketknife and carefully cut a hole in the man’s right front pocket. The computer drive fell out. The Peacekeeper reached for his holster, but the gun was gone.
“You looking for this?” Westin whispered, cocking the gun close to the man’s face. “Not dancing in any blood now, are you?”
“Please,” the man cried, “don’t take my gun.”
Judd picked up the computer drive and took a few steps back. Westin joined him, emptying the gun and tossing it back at the feet of the Peacekeeper. The man picked it up, pointed it at his own head, and pulled the trigger. He pulled again and again, until the clicking of the gun mocked him. The man broke down, falling to the ground and jerking with sobs.
Before anyone says anything, I'm not stupid, I know Ellanjay totally intend for us to be on the side of Judd and laugh at the pathetic GC officer he has completely at his mercy, but I just can't. I'm having uncomfortable flashbacks to another piece of shitty literature. For those too lazy to click on the link, it goes to a snark from Christopher Paolini's Eragon series, specifically a chapter from the third book, Brisingr. Paolini suffers from a similar problem as Ellanjay in that he's written what he thinks is a dashing hero, but is in actuality, a heartless sociopath. It's heavily debated among the anti-fans of Paolini's series (a group that's almost a big as the actual fandom) as to which is Eragon's worst Kick the Dog moment. For me, it's totally the part in the link, because wow...
Though like I said before, in Paolini's defense, I will say that while his books are crap (and they only get more incoherent further in when he tries to turn them into something more than Star Wars in Lord of the Rings clothing) at least, he doesn't honestly believe the stuff in his books will actually happen at some point in the future.
Word of advice to aspiring writers: if you want us to sympathize with your heroes, DON'T HAVE THEM BEHAVE LIKE ABSOLUTE SOCIOPATHS TO SOMEONE WHO IS COMPLETELY AT THEIR MERCY! IT DOESN'T MAKE THEM LOOK BRAVE OR COOL ANYMORE THAN MAKING WATSON A COMPLETE PUNCH-DRUNK IDIOT MAKES HOLMES LOOK BRILLIANT!
Anyway, Judd and the others make it back to the hideout and destroy it, taking with them a laptop. But fear not, Judd does get to talk to Vicki, while continuing to demonstrate what an absolute fucking sociopath he is.
Judd looked at the Peacekeepers, many of whom were on the ground, screaming and cursing God. They scratched at unseen sores and rubbed their aching bodies. The pain that began as an itch soon turned so intense that the Peacekeepers crawled beside rocks or cars and tried to rub up against them for relief. Men chewed their tongues until blood ran down their chins. Some found rifles on the ground and turned them on themselves, hoping to end their agony.
For those of you wondering what Bible verse they use to justify this, don't worry: Vicki has the answer. I suppose I could point out that really six years in and you still haven't memorized all this shit that's going to happen to you?! You're still going "Durrr...I wonder what this Act of God is all about?!"
But I know that's the least of this series' problems. That kind of complaint is basically the equivalent of going to a porno and your biggest quibble being the characters' taste in wallpaper. Given that one of Fred Clark's earliest Left Behind posts was on the pornographic aspects of the Left Behind series, that metaphor seems a lot more accurate than I originally intended. I'd honestly thought I was just making a one-off funny line.
Though Left Behind serves much the same purpose as porn, allowing its readers a nice fantasy world where they're always right and always get whatever they want and everybody exists to serve them. [/Digression]
Judd heard a click of computer keys. “Here it is. It’s in Revelation, chapter 16.” Vicki read the verses, her voice trembling. “ ‘Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. And his subjects ground their teeth in anguish, and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they refused to repent of all their evil deeds.’ ”
For those of you wondering, the verses Vicki cites (because context is for wimps!) are 10-11. For those of you, who like me, believe in context, here's the rest of Revelation, chapter 16. Once again, I regret that I don't have Fred's theological training so I can't properly tear into this, but then again, I'm just waiting for the part with the hundred pound hailstones mentioned later. Because like I said, my knowledge of physics is limited to "Gravity makes stuff fall down" level, but even I know that if the Earth was to be bombarded by massive hundred pound hailstones...yeah, I think life on this planet would become even more moot than it already should have!
But I'm one of those weirdos who believes that the Book of Revelation was written by John as a blistering critic of the cruelties of Rome and how they'll totally get what's coming to them, so what do I know? I mean, it's not like Nero, aka the Emperor of Rome, was massively persecuting the Christian Church at the time of John's writing. Oh wait...
Vicki's all "Get out of there" and the chapter ends. And I think that's as good a place as any to leave y'all for the week.
Labels: Ellanjay Know Nothing about Humans, Judd, Left Behind Kids, Our Sociopathic Heroes, ragedump, Strawman always has a point, Zombies would starve
Better to Live Under Robber Barons than Under Omni...
I Get Pedantic (Or Am Still Totally on Satan's Sid...
Totally Rooting for Satan (because I have no other...
Heathen Critique
Jingle Bell Romance: Chapter 10
Apocalypsereview's Blog » EoA: Sermonizing on the State of Affairs
Right Behind
Left Behind: with Hackers!
I am out of school and unemployed and trying to make it through the Left Behind Kids series.
and Ryan (2)
Bigass quote alert (9)
Bruce Barnes (9)
Bruce Barnes is Dead (1)
Bruce Barnes is Useless (10)
Creepy Raymie (10)
Creepy Sex Stuff (15)
Ellanjay Know Nothing about Humans (88)
fandom life (1)
Gratuitous Pop Culture (24)
Hasina is Awesome (1)
Ho Yay (16)
I love Marvel (1)
Judd (217)
Kenny-Boy (18)
Kingdom Come (37)
Left Behind Kids (265)
Lionel (124)
longwinded rants FTW (1)
MCU obsessed (1)
Meta-Ryan (1)
Mouse Talks Too Much (31)
Nicky (12)
Nicky Fails Basic Villainy (26)
Our Sociopathic Heroes (37)
Power Couple of Awesomeness (1)
ragedump (92)
Ray Goes to Church (1)
Ryan (31)
Saintly Irene (2)
Slacktivist (3)
So Much Padding (88)
So Very Bored (77)
St. Rayford (23)
Strawman always has a point (51)
Taylor is Awesome (6)
That's Our Buck (14)
the power of fiction (1)
Token Jew (26)
Tom and Josey (4)
TurboJesus (2)
Vanished (1)
Vicki (196)
Who the Hell is that? (39)
Zombies would starve (43)
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Hold Gov. Cuomo Accountable -- demand Early Voting in New York!
I'm Common Cause, and I started a petition to Governor Andrew Cuomo, which says:
Keep your promise to pass and fully fund Early Voting in this year's budget -- because no one should have to choose between their job or family obligations, and their right to vote.
Sign Common Cause's petition
It doesn't matter whether you're a working parent, student, senior or service member -- everyone deserves an opportunity to get to the polls and vote when it's convenient. That's why policies like Early Voting, a common sense solution already enacted in 37 states, are so important.
But when it comes to voting rights -- New York lags behind the rest of the nation. Right now, Common Cause New York is leading to bring Early Voting to their state, so that New Yorkers can exercise their basic democratic rights without unnecessary barriers.
Now, it's up to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo whether this common sense solution is enacted. He's meeting with legislative leaders are meeting in Albany this week to finalize the state budget, and it's absoutely critical that they commit to to fully fund Early Voting.
Gov. Cuomo promised to pass Early Voting earlier this year, and included the money to enact it in his budget. But now, we're hearing reports from budget negotiations that Early Voting funding has been cut -- even though 65% of New Yorkers support it.
Eligible voters should be able to cast their ballot on a day that's convenient for them, without worrying about choosing between their work, their family and their vote. So if Cuomo won't fight for Early Voting, we need to make sure he knows the whole nation is watching.
Add your name today to tell Gov. Cuomo -- we expect you to stand up and fight for every voter's right to be heard, and make sure Early Voting is fully funded for New Yorkers.
You're receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you. It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online petitions. You can start your own petition here.
Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on March 29th, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
My new book, "Make Trouble"
I'm Cecile Richards, and I've been a lifelong activist for progressive change, including more than a decade as the president of Planned Parenthood. In my many years of organizing, I've seen a lot.
From my earliest days growing up in Texas in a family that did politics the way others bowled, I learned that taking on the status quo is not only important—it can also be a lot of fun.
Since then I've celebrated unlikely wins—like the day my mother, Ann Richards, became the first woman elected governor of Texas—and persevered after tough losses. I've been inspired by the courageous staff and volunteers at Planned Parenthood who go above and beyond every day to be there for the patients who are counting on them. And I have organized alongside the millions of people in America who have put on their pussy hats and proudly joined the Resistance in an outpouring of grassroots activism like this country has never seen before.
I've just written a book sharing what I've learned, why I keep going, and how you too can make a difference. It's called "Make Trouble," and right now, you can get it through MoveOn.
Click here to get your limited-edition copy of my new book from MoveOn, and your money will support MoveOn's vital work.
If there's one thing I've learned in a lifetime as an activist, it's that you can't be afraid of making trouble. If everyone agrees with what you're doing, you probably aren't setting your sights high enough.
These days, people come up to me everywhere I go, usually with a look of distress, to ask, "How are you doing?" They seem to think that working for progressive causes is unpleasant or burdensome.
But working for change isn't tedious or a chore. In fact, it's a privilege—and the most fun, inspiring, and rewarding work I can imagine doing.
I wrote this book for people who are looking at what's happening in this country and know that we need to do something about it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment to help shape the future of America. I believe that all of us can make a difference—and if we don't, who will?
Click here to pre-order a limited-edition copy of my book, "Make Trouble," from MoveOn, and put your money to work supporting this important organization that's fighting for social justice and women's rights.
–Cecile Richards
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PHOTOS: Our billboards are live
On Saturday, students across the country led the largest marches against gun violence in history in an awesome display of people-power—and tens of thousands of MoveOn members joined the March for Our Lives actions that demanded politicians protect our kids and our communities, not the NRA.
Thanks to the donations of MoveOn members, MoveOn also contributed in another way to this historic action—launching billboards and airplane banners around the country to pressure Republicans who day after day do the bidding of the NRA.
Here's one of the billboards in Chicago, asking Republican Representative Pete Roskam, "How many dead kids until you say no to the NRA?"
People of all walks of life are seeing the billboards and sharing images of them on social media—and we're continuing to drive calls and tweets to corporate America and Congress to cut ties with the NRA.
But we're not stopping there. Just last week, MoveOn contributed $100,000 to organizations led by people of color who are fighting gun violence around the country, including local organizations like Urban Peace Movement in Oakland and Power U Center for Social Change in Miami and national groups like Black Youth Project and Community Justice Reform Coalition.
If we can raise another $100,000, we'll launch more billboards like these in another 10 districts between now and the April 20 student-led protests, to continue putting pressure on the GOP to break the NRA's stranglehold on American politics. Can you chip in $3 now to help us meet our goal?
Yes, I'll chip in.
–Emma, Jadzia, Nick, Scott, and the rest of the team
P.S. If you took photos during this weekend's actions, share them with us by emailing them to photos@moveon.org and we'll share them over social media to continue to amplify the impact of this weekend's historic events.
P.P.S. In a few cities, the billboard companies wouldn't accept our message—so we found other ways to get the word out! We hired airplanes to fly banners, including this one flying over Dana Rohrabacher's district in Southern California!
Click here to chip in $3 and help us launch even more of these messages around the country!
Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?
Have a petition idea for Inwood?
Petitions are powerful. Start a petition today to make your voice heard.
I didn't know the power of petitions until I started creating them. They have helped me build real-world people power that helped save a few local families from being broken apart by Trump's deportation machine.
Click here to create your own petition to build power and support an issue, a person, or a group of people you care about in Inwood, or anywhere else in the country.
Here's one quick story:
We had 2 1/2 days. On a cold Saturday in November, 2017, we were asked to help a member of our community, Miriam Martinez-Lemus, avoid deportation before she was to board a plane for Guatemala and leave her daughter—who has diabetes and is a citizen of the United States—to fend for herself. Miriam's daughter's doctors said the medical system in Guatemala was not equipped to care for a child with complicated juvenile diabetes.
We immediately launched a MoveOn petition—signed by more than 10,000 MoveOn members like you—that lifted up Miriam's story, attracted media attention, and helped us mobilize dozens of people to a local demonstration and a vigil, which were also covered by local media.
And we won. The MoveOn petition effectively helped build the people power we needed to keep Miriam where she belonged—with her family.
By using MoveOn's user-friendly petition tools, you can create your very own petition.
Do you have any ideas for a petition for Inwood or nationwide that could build power on an issue you care about? Click here to start building power with your petition.
I know from personal experience that the MoveOn team will be there to support you, from helping build support for your petition by connecting you to other MoveOn members to reimbursing you for printing costs to deliver your petition in person—one of the best ways to get your message heard and make an impact.
Will you start a petition right now on an issue that you're passionate about that affects your community, or even the entire nation?
–Charla Nich, petition creator and MoveOn member
The largest show of support for gun reform in history
Only days after the massacre at their school, the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas decided what they were going to do next: march for their lives.
Only days after the massacre at their school, the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School decided what they were going to do next: march for their lives.
As march organizer and Marjory Stoneman Douglas student David Hogg said, "We're trying to make sure that these politicians know that their actions can and will have consequences if they don't listen to their constituents and their future constituents—which are us—because right now they're not doing a good job of keeping us alive."1
In just a few weeks, their idea turned into a nationwide movement. And today, hundreds of thousands of people joined them in more than 800 March for Our Lives marches in all fifty states and around the world—as far away as Ghana, Vietnam, and Australia.2,3
The images from today's marches are astounding, and this movement represents the single largest show of support for gun law reform in history. But these students aren't stopping now; they know that if this historic outpouring doesn't change our laws, elections can.
These activists are gearing up to register millions of young voters and to make sure that young people march to the polls in November. Will you help MoveOn stand with them?
Yes, I'll pitch in $3 and help MoveOn invest in a major effort to register young voters across the country before the midterms, so that they will have a voice to fight the NRA and GOP politicians that are in the NRA's pocket.
As Jaclyn Corin, a student activist from Marjory Stoneman Douglas said, "We want everyone to know that their voice and their checkmark on a box matters. We don't want people to continue thinking that they're just one person, they're not going to make a difference in the election, [so they're] not going to go vote."4
If we can support a massive millennial registration effort, we will fundamentally change not only the conversation about gun legislation, but the entire electorate of the United States. We will take back the House, make gains in the Senate, and set the stage to throw Donald Trump out of the White House.
The bottom line? This is a crucial and heroic effort for America's political future. And if these young activists have shown us anything today and over the past month, it's that they can succeed—but they can only do it if allies from around the country pitch in.
Can you chip in $3 right now to help us support these amazing student leaders by dramatically increasing young voter turnout in 2018?
Back in 2008, MoveOn members funded a massive young voter registration effort, which led to thousands of canvassers reaching out to young voters in 14 crucial battleground states, ultimately registering hundreds of thousands of new voters.
MoveOn already has the systems in place to do that again—and more. We're investing in new technology, like our groundbreaking texting program and video persuasion tools, training our massive volunteer base, and strengthening strategic partnerships with other grassroots organizations. Together with these young activists, we will register a wave of new voters who will challenge the NRA, its GOP enablers—and hold them accountable at the ballot box, and change the balance of power in America's electorate.
David Hogg said it best: "We're going to change history with or without [these politicians], and if they choose to be on the wrong side of history that's fine, because we're going to write the history books."5
Let's start writing the history books now. Click here to chip in $3
–Michael, Schuyler, Kenia, Jackie, and the rest of the team
P.S. Marching today? Share your photos with MoveOn! On social media, use hashtag #MarchForOurLives and tag @moveon. You can also email pictures to photos@moveon.org.
1. "Parkland Students David Hogg and Jaclyn Corin Interview | Pod Save America," Crooked Media YouTube channel, March 21, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/36894?t=6&akid=202167%2E10220574%2Eksh-Vu?v=IPKDb0qU0xA&t=11s
2. "March for Our Lives Updates: Chants of 'Enough is Enough' at Huge Rallies on Guns," The New York Times, March 24, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/36901?t=8&akid=202167%2E10220574%2Eksh-Vu
3. "March for Our Lives - Find an Event," March for Our Lives, accessed March 23, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/34702?t=10&akid=202167%2E10220574%2Eksh-Vu
https://act.moveon.org/go/36894?t=13&akid=202167%2E10220574%2Eksh-Vu?v=IPKDb0qU0xA&t=11s
5. Ibid
This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on March 24th, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
Marching this weekend?
New printable signs to bring to the March for Our Lives. New printable signs to bring to the March for Our Lives.
This weekend, hundreds of thousands of people, including MoveOn members all around the country, will take to the streets to support the students and teachers from across the United States who are leading in this historic moment to confront gun violence.
Join a March for Our Lives on Saturday, March 24, near you.
In the five weeks since the Parkland shooting, even as hundreds of thousands of students have walked out of their classrooms, as gun violence has dominated the national political discourse, as major retailers have posed new restrictions on assault weapons, and even as the state of the Florida passed measures opposed by the NRA, Congress has done nothing—and young people across the country continue to fall victim to gun violence.
An average of 96 gun deaths occur every day.1 Since the Parkland massacre, there have been nine more school shootings.2 So why won't Republicans in Congress take action?
That's the question we're asking on billboards, on banners that will be flown from airplanes above marches, and on this sign that you can print—and bring to the march or hang in your window.
Gun violence won't be solved with just one piece of legislation. That's why MoveOn members have been pushing for federal and state actions, as well as pressuring corporations. Powered by members like you, MoveOn has granted $100,000 to organizations led by people of color that are deeply invested in combating gun violence in communities across the country. And MoveOn will continue to work to break the NRA's stranglehold on Congress—and hold accountable the Republican politicians who choose to protect gun lobbyists rather than our kids.
Enough. On Saturday, go to a local March for Our Lives, be sure to bring a sign that you can print from here, and stand with young people demanding gun violence reforms.
–Emma, Michael, Jo, Seth, and the rest of the team
P.S. Click here to see a round up of some of the great work done to stop gun violence in the aftermath of the Parkland shooting.
1. "Gun Violence by the Numbers," Everytown for Gun Safety, accessed March 9, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/3762?t=19&akid=202073%2E10220574%2EjH19Sv
2. "There has been, on average, 1 school shooting every week this year," CNN, March 22, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/36673?t=21&akid=202073%2E10220574%2EjH19Sv
Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on March 23rd, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
Red alert (Mueller could be fired at any time)
It's time to go on red alert: Donald Trump is closer than ever to shutting down special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, rattling the very foundation of our democracy.
MoveOn is mobilizing to defend the investigation by amplifying the national outrage against Trump's overreach and pushing Republicans to, at last, draw a red line for Trump.
Can you chip in $3 today to help seize this moment and turn the tables on Trump before it's too late?
MoveOn has been working for months to prepare a nationwide response if Mueller is fired—but we also have to focus our energy on preventing a firing. And right now is a critical moment.
By now, you've probably heard the news: On Saturday, for the first time since the start of the probe, Trump called out Mueller by name on Twitter, attacking his investigation and calling it a "witch hunt."1 This may seem like business as usual for a presidency defined by Twitter feuds and chaos, but this is different—it's a serious attack on Mueller's independence and on the rule of law. This move came only hours after the politically motivated firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe just hours before he was eligible for retirement. Meanwhile, a new lawyer who has publicly pushed conspiracy theories about the investigation being a setup has been added to Trump's legal team.2
Democrats have come to Mueller's defense in recent months, but we need Republicans to draw the red line clearly in defense of the investigation. The best way to do this is to make them understand that if they remain silent and Trump fires Mueller, Americans will pour into the streets to protest.
As of now, more than 275,000 people have signed up to attend an event immediately after Mueller is fired or if Trump moves to stop the investigation, including over 45,000 new RSVPs since Saturday—that's eight new RSVPs per minute—but we want to double that number and show Republicans that if Trump fires Mueller, they'll have to contend with an unprecedented show of outrage.
Will you chip in $3 now to help us urgently spread the word?
Yes, I'll rush an emergency donation right now to help make sure that activists POUR into the streets if Mueller is fired.
Our pressure is starting to work. Some Republicans see last weekend's outburst by Trump as a dangerous development. Lindsey Graham said that firing Mueller would be "the beginning of the end of his presidency," Jeff Flake said it would be a "massive red line that can't be crossed," and even Trump loyalist Trey Gowdy called him out for behaving as if he's guilty, saying that if he's innocent, he should "act like it."3
But we need to do even more. Because speaking out isn't the same as Republicans drawing a clear line—and more of the Republicans, including those in leadership, need to speak up for the rule of law. And they'll only do that if they know that the public won't tolerate Mueller's firing.
It is clear that the probe is getting closer and closer to Trump and that he is unraveling in response. We're facing a constitutional crisis, and it is up to us to raise the alarm and show Republicans that we're ready to act if Trump follows through on his threats.
Can you rush a donation of $3 right now to help fund our emergency campaign to protect Robert Mueller's investigation and activate MoveOn members across the country if Donald Trump tries to stop it?
The past few days have been filled with terrifying developments, but here is the good news: MoveOn has been preparing for this for months. With your help, Eddie, we'll be ready to respond on a massive scale when Trump tries to stop the investigation.
Here is what we have planned:
Activating hundreds of thousands of MoveOn members to attend over 800 emergency events in the hours after Mueller is fired. More than 275,000 people are signed up to attend an event immediately after Mueller is fired or if Trump moves to stop the investigation, including over 45,000 new RSVPs since Saturday, and that number is growing by the minute. But we need your help to spread the word even more.
Pushing our brand-new "Cover-Up Caucus" website to media and the public. This site tracks the number of times that individual Republicans in Congress have helped to cover for Trump, or supported Trump's efforts to obstruct justice; voters should know about it when they go to the polls this November.
Contributing to a video series with experts to get the word out about the crucial importance of the independent investigation. Legal scholars like Norm Eisen are working with former FBI agents, elected officials, national security experts, and others to educate the public on how dangerous shutting down the Mueller investigation would be.
Running campaigns and digital ads to push for transparency and protect Mueller, including asking Congress to pass a law protecting Mueller from being fired, calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to testify about the firing of Andrew McCabe, and calling for investigations and action to be taken against the Trump campaign's digital firm, Cambridge Analytica, which was revealed to have misused data from over 50 million Facebook users.4
This is a huge undertaking, but the past few days have proven just how important this work continues to be.
Can you help us keep it up the momentum and build on it before its too late? Click here to chip in $3 right now to this urgent campaign.
Let's be very clear: Trump shutting down special counsel Mueller's investigation would be a dire threat to our democracy. Nineteen indictments, five guilty pleas, cooperating witnesses, and subpoenas to Trump's businesses and associates certainly doesn't sound like a witch hunt; it sounds like the tip of a corrupt iceberg.5
Jeff Flake is right: Stopping the Mueller investigation is a "massive red line that cannot be crossed." And we need to do everything we can right now to stop it from happening.
–Jo, Shari, Iram, Chris, and the rest of the team
1. "Trump Assails Mueller, Drawing Rebukes From Republicans," The New York Times, March 18, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/36560?t=6&akid=201917%2E10220574%2Eb1upi1
2. "Trump Hires Lawyer Who Has Pushed Theory That Justice Dept. Framed the President," The New York Times, March 19, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/36560?t=10&akid=201917%2E10220574%2Eb1upi1
4. "Revealed: 50 million Facebook profiles harvested for Cambridge Analytica in major data breach," The Guardian, March 17, 2018
5. "All of Robert Mueller's indictments and plea deals in the Russia investigation so far," Vox, February 20, 2018
Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on March 21st, 2018. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
Mueller (act now)
Sign up to join a protest if Donald Trump fires Mueller or otherwise moves to end the special counsel investigation.
Donald Trump may be closer than ever to firing Robert Mueller and ending the Trump-Russia investigation. On Saturday, Trump's personal attorney called for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, while Trump targeted Mueller by name for the first time on Twitter.1, 2
If he does make a move, we'll be ready for him—because MoveOn members and our allies have already signed up to organize more than 800 rapid-response protests, with more than 250,000 MoveOn members pledged to attend—in the hours directly following a potential Mueller firing or a calculated move to stop the investigation.
Click here to join a rapid-response protest near you if Trump fires Mueller or otherwise ends the independent investigation—and share it with your friends. This way, you'll receive notice within hours of where to go to declare "Nobody Is Above the Law"—and you'll receive other updates in those critical hours and days after such a brazen abuse of power.
In the past 24 hours, more than 10,000 more people have signed up to join these events—help us build numbers that politicians and the media can't ignore!
The past few days have been a whirlwind, on top of a wild week, leading us to the highest level of alert in months.
According to reports:
John Dowd, Trump's personal lawyer, called on the Justice Department on Saturday to end the special counsel investigation.3
Mueller is said to have sent questions to Trump's legal team as part of negotiations over an interview with Trump.4
Trump posted a tweet that specifically attacked Mueller. He again denounced the inquiry he is conducting as a "witch hunt."5
Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe was fired and then announced that he kept detailed memos of correspondence with Trump about the investigation, which he's handed to the special counsel.6
On Thursday, Mueller subpoenaed the Trump Organization's business records specifically connected to the Russia investigation, bringing the investigation potentially into the heart of Trump's conflicts of interest and unethical business practices.7
And of course, the House Intelligence Committee shuttered its Russia investigation a week ago, giving Trump backing for his bogus claims of "No collusion!"8
Trump has already tried once to fire Mueller—in June, he ordered Mueller fired, he but backed down when the White House lawyer threatened to resign rather than carry out the order.9 And Trump said that Mueller would be crossing a "red line" if his investigation were to turn to Trump's personal finances unrelated to Russia, which makes Mueller's subpoena of the Trump Organization from last week all the more significant.10
All of these pieces suggest that the threat to the Trump-Russia investigation is even higher than before.
Sign up to attend a rapid-response event near you to protect our democracy—with over 800 around the country, there's one near you!
These are trying days for our democracy and our communities. And this past week was full of reminders that every day with Donald Trump in the White House is a threat to all Americans and our democracy. But after every night comes a dawn. Hopefully, our actions together can be part of helping our nation emerge from this period as a stronger and more just nation.
–David, Scott, Corinne, Jo, and the rest of the team
P.S. We're not just waiting to react to the worst case scenario—MoveOn members are also working tirelessly to prevent Mueller from getting fired, to push for an investigation that uncovers the truth about Russia's interference in our elections, and to hold accountable Republicans who cover up for Trump and his team. We're driving calls to Congress on a daily basis—and we've just launched a new site with information on how many times individual members of the House of Representatives have covered up for Trump. You can use it as an organizing tool to hold members of Congress accountable—check out our site to "Expose Trump's Cover-Up Caucus."
1. "Trump's lawyer: It's time to end the Mueller probe,'" Daily Beast, March 17, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/36393?t=18&akid=201755%2E10220574%2EfjfFRC
2. "Trump slams Comey, mentions Mueller for first time in tweet," Politico, March 17, 2018
5. "We may now know why Trump and his lawyer made their most brazen calls yet for the Mueller probe to be shut down," Business Insider, March 18, 2018
http://act.moveon.org/go/36395?t=26&akid=201755%2E10220574%2EfjfFRC
6. "The Latest: AP source says McCabe kept notes on Trump," Associated Press, March 18, 2018
7. "Mueller subpoenas Trump Organization documents in Russia probe," CNN, March 16, 2018
8. "Russia probe: House intel Republicans end investigation, find 'no evidence' of collusion," USA Today, March 13, 2018
9. "'NYT' Report Says Trump Ordered Mueller Fired Last June Before Backing Down," NPR, January 26, 2018
10. "Did Robert Mueller just cross Donald Trump's red line on Russia," CNN, March 16, 2018
Unimaginable tragedy
The students in Parkland experienced an unimaginable tragedy. They looked around and saw that their elected officials had done nothing to prevent it and were doing nothing to stop it from happening again. So they decided that if the grown-ups won't act, they will.
I watched the news reports of an estimated 1 million students walking out of class last week to demand change to our nation's gun laws. In fact, here in Massachusetts, more than 600 students spent their snow day marching to the State House (I was so proud of them that we sent over donuts and hot chocolate).
Young people have always been on the frontlines for social change. It is our responsibility to listen, answer their call, and get to work.
The persistence of these students is working. The state of Florida—a state led by Republicans and where the NRA has tremendous power—passed modest new limits on guns last week, including raising the minimum age and banning bump stocks. It's not enough, but it's a small step in the right direction.
I'm standing with these students, and doing everything I can to support them. And MoveOn members are too. You're planning to show up in person at the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., and sister marches around the country on March 24. You've been funding MoveOn billboards in key districts all over the country exposing how much money individual Republican members of Congress have gotten from the NRA. And you're gearing up to help MoveOn run get-out-the-vote drives in districts represented by NRA Republicans to defeat them in November.
Nonstop political pressure—the kind MoveOn's millions of members can muster—is what it's going to take to make the voices of these students heard.
I wish I could tell you that the Republican-led Congress is finally willing to do something about gun control. Democrats in Congress have proposed bills to ban assault weapons. Bills to require universal background checks. Bills to close the gun show loophole. Bills to ban bump stocks. Bills to fund Centers for Disease Control research on gun violence. Congress could vote on any of those pieces of legislation tomorrow. But as long as Republicans maintain control of Congress, they've made it clear that they won't vote on a single one.
Which is why I'm asking you, Eddie: Will you chip in $3 right now to help fund MoveOn's elections program to help end Republican control of Congress this November and elect progressive leaders who will stand up to the NRA and vote to pass common-sense gun control legislation to protect America's kids?
Since the Parkland shooting, student activists have been absolutely clear about what they want to accomplish: They want universal background checks. They want to ban assault weapons. And they want to make sure that their school is the last one in America to experience this type of unspeakable tragedy.
I don't think they're asking for too much, do you?
But Donald Trump and his Republican enablers have rejected all of these reasonable ideas. Instead, they've come up with "solutions" that would make things worse: arming teachers and passing laws that will make it even easier to carry a concealed weapon anywhere in the United States.
Are you kidding me? The only reason that these nonsense "solutions" are even being discussed is because of NRA's grip on the GOP. We have to stop it—for the safety of our children and our communities. That means that we have to do everything we can to end the GOP's control of Congress this November.
Will you chip in $3—or whatever you can afford—right now to help power MoveOn's innovative elections program to help elect progressive leaders at the local, state, and federal levels?
Yes, I'm in. I'll chip in now.
My oldest granddaughter is 16 years old. She's smart, kind, and has a smile that lights up a room.
And I don't know how to look her in the eye and tell her that the people that her grandma works with still won't do one single thing about guns to keep her safe at school.
I refuse to fail her, and I refuse to fail the students from Parkland, the youth in urban cities who have been fighting gun violence in their communities without any headlines at all, the young people around this country who walked out of their schools last week to demand that we fight for their lives, and the schoolchildren still too young to join in the protests.
MoveOn is already doing powerfully important work to address gun violence in our country. But MoveOn knows, and I agree, that to pass gun reform laws, we'll need to make members of Congress who are beholden to the NRA fear for their jobs—because the moment that they realize that students, teachers, moms and dads, grandparents, and concerned people across the country will hold them accountable if they don't pass stronger gun laws will be the moment that change will happen.
Click here to chip in $3 now.
The resignation of Betsy DeVos
Will you sign and share the petition demanding the immediate resignation of Betsy DeVos?
Betsy DeVos: Resign
Betsy DeVos has proven time and time again that she is completely unqualified to serve as Secretary of Education.
Recently, she struggled to answer even basic questions about schools in her home state of Michigan, where she implemented a private charter school system that has drained public education funds and worsened both public and private school performance statewide.
Enough is enough. Will you sign and share my petition demanding the immediate resignation of Betsy DeVos?
—Ronen Kauffman
FW: Billboards to stop the NRA.
Hi Eddie—Tens of thousands of students, from elementary school children to college students, bravely walked out of their schools today to say #Enough to the epidemic of gun violence in America and to demand stricter gun laws.
Hi Eddie—Tens of thousands of students, from elementary school children to college students, bravely walked out of their schools today to say #Enough to the epidemic of gun violence in America and to demand stricter gun laws. A week from this Saturday, on March 24, hundreds of thousands of people, led by young activists, will join the March for Our Lives events in Washington, D.C., and in communities across the country.
MoveOn members have already helped pay for billboards exposing just how much money individual Republican members of Congress are getting from the NRA and how the NRA's influence controls them. But we want to make sure that constituents in more districts with Republican representatives beholden to the NRA know about it and hold them accountable, so we're asking for your help to secure even more billboards. Click here to chip in in $3 now.
Together, let's keep supporting this truly awe-inspiring youth leadership, which is changing America's broken politics on guns and giving us hope for tomorrow. See Emma's recent email for more details on our plans. –Anna
On Monday, Donald Trump buckled under pressure from the NRA—backing away from his call for stricter gun laws, made during a televised meeting with senators.1 At that meeting, he mocked other Republicans for being too scared of the NRA!
That's what cowardice looks like.
And today, tens of thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of students all across the country, in poor communities and wealthy ones, in blue states and red states, walked out of their classrooms at 10 a.m. for 17 minutes, one minute for each student murdered in the Parkland massacre. They were joined by teachers, parents, and other people of all walks of life, who are sick and tired of politicians crumbling before the NRA.
And that showed us what courage looks like.
I know which side MoveOn members are on every day—as together we make calls, tweet, sign petitions, donate, and prepare to march with hundreds of thousands of people on March 24 in Washington, D.C., and at sister marches across the county, to confront the NRA and break its stranglehold on American politics.
And that's why we want to make sure voters know which side Republican members of Congress are on—the side of Trump and the cowards or the side of American's schoolchildren, families, and communities.
MoveOn is launching billboards in key districts over the next 10 days—in time for the March for Our Lives actions around the country—to shine a spotlight on just how much money individual Republican lawmakers have taken from the NRA and hold them accountable. MoveOn members have already contributed enough to purchase 10 billboards, but as Congress continues to refuse to act, we want to go even bigger.
Will you chip in $3 now to allow us to double our ad buy to 20 billboards around the country? We want them up by March 24, which means we need to place our final order by this Friday, March 16. And we need to know how much MoveOn members can contribute. Will you help out?
Yes, I'll chip in now to fight the NRA and the epidemic of gun violence in America.
In the wake of the Parkland massacre, student activists have succeeded in forcing a conversation about gun control at the national level. But instead of listening to them, Trump and the NRA-backed GOP have called for the arming of school teachers.2 They've pushed to pass a law that would make it even easier to carry concealed weapons everywhere in the United States.3 And not a single Republican has announced that they will return or refuse money from the NRA.4
They have shown their true colors, and now they need to answer for them.
These billboards will be a visible and unmistakable reminder to the constituents in key districts across the country of just how cowardly their members of Congress have been on this issue and how out of step they are with the overwhelming majority of Americans who support legislation to curb gun violence.
Media-grabbing visuals like this, in the home districts of pro-NRA Republicans, will also force Republican members of Congress to respond and be held publicly accountable for their inaction.
So let's go big. Click here to chip in $3 right now to help us expand this campaign to even more districts across the country.
Last week, in response to the growing backlash against them, the NRA released another one of their ominous, fearmongering ads, telling members of the public and elected officials who oppose them that our "time is running out."5 But we know the truth: It is the NRA and their enablers who are running out of time.
–Emma, Robert, Shari, Kate, and the rest of the team
1. "White House defends its walkback on gun law proposals," CNN, March 12, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/36032?t=6&akid=201341%2E10220574%2Ev1-ocW
2. "Trump backs off raising age limit to buy some weapons and focuses on arming teachers," Los Angeles Times, March 12, 2018
http://act.moveon.org/go/36033?t=8&akid=201341%2E10220574%2Ev1-ocW
3. "Congress Focuses on Leftover Gun Bill After Florida Shooting," Slate, February 20, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/35893?t=10&akid=201341%2E10220574%2Ev1-ocW
4. "How the NRA won the obedience of the US government," Quartz, March 2, 2018
5. "Parkland student warns NRA spokeswoman: Your time is running out," The Hill, March 6, 2018
http://act.moveon.org/go/36036?t=14&akid=201341%2E10220574%2Ev1-ocW
Add your name: This resolution on Saudi-led war in Yemen is guaranteed a vote
There isn't a family in Yemen that hasn't been affected by this war, including my own family. We've lost family members to airstrikes and through mortar attacks. I also have family members who are stuck in countries such as Djibouti or in cities such as Cairo and Amman and who can't even come to the U.S.
For three years, the U.S. has been providing military support to a Saudi-led war in Yemen that has has only escalated and led to one of the worst humanitarian situations in the world. Over 42,000 people have been harmed, and over 18 million people in Yemen require humanitarian aid.1
But there is hope.
Right now, Senators Bernie Sanders, Mike Lee, and Chris Murphy are calling on Congress to exert its constitutional authority and end this inhumane destruction of millions of lives for geopolitical games. Because the bipartisan resolution is grounded in the War Powers Act, it must be brought to a floor vote in just a few days. The vote could happen this week! Add your name to show your support for this important resolution:
End U.S. military support of inhumane attacks in Yemen led by the Saudi coalition. The time to act is now—millions of lives are at risk from famine and preventable diseases. Support the bipartisan resolution from Senators Sanders, Lee, and Murphy to end this now.
Sign Mokhtar's petition
There isn't a family in Yemen that hasn't been affected by this war, including my own family. We've lost family members to airstrikes and through mortar attacks. I also have family members who are stuck in countries such as Djibouti or in cities such as Cairo and Amman and who can't even come to the U.S. because of visa restrictions and the current Muslim Ban.
It's a concept many people from impacted majority-Muslim countries know well: being bombed and banned.
Will you sign my petition and tell Congress to stop supporting this inhumane and immoral war?
Some of you may already know me as the Monk of Mokha (it's the title of the best-selling book by Dave Eggers, and it's about my experience).2 But for those who don't: A few years ago, I left California to visit my ancestral home, Yemen, and to start a coffee business—an equitable and sustainable business to support farmers and to bridge the divide between cultures through something that everyone loves.
But I ended up in the middle of a war.
On March 26, 2015, while in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital, I woke up to loud explosions all around me. I went out to see what was going on and saw what looked like laser beams being shot in the sky.
The Saudi government had begun a military campaign against Yemen—supported by our government and funded by our tax dollars.
As an American, I felt ashamed, and I felt angry because I knew that those bombs weren't made in Saudi Arabia. They were made in the U.S. When I found out that the logistical supports for these attacks were also provided by our government, it made me even more angry.
The airstrikes were violent and sporadic. I heard the sounds of men, women, and children crying, the earth shaking. I didn't know what would happen the next day.
I came home to California—but I still run my business and I go back every year to work with my farmers. And it's still a risk to go back. Congress must see the American people's fierce opposition to an immoral and illegal war being fought in our name and see strong support for legislation that would bring this U.S. war in Yemen to an end.
We have a small window to change this—there are only a few days left before the legislation goes to a vote. Click here to sign the petition to let your senators know that U.S. support of this war is unacceptable.
Thanks for adding your voice to this fight.
–Mokhtar Alkhanshali, Mokha Foundation
1."Yemen conflict: How bad is the humanitarian crisis?" BBC, March 28, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/34353?t=18&akid=201213%2E10220574%2EvwlWca
2. "'The Monk of Mokha,' by Dave Eggers," SFGate, January 25, 2018
https://act.moveon.org/go/34352?t=20&akid=201213%2E10220574%2EvwlWca
Billboards to stop the NRA
Yesterday, Donald Trump buckled under pressure from the NRA—backing away from his call for stricter gun laws, made during a televised meeting with senators.1 At that meeting, he mocked other Republicans for being too scared of the NRA!
And tomorrow, tens of thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of students all across the country, in poor communities and wealthy ones, in blue states and red states, will walk out of their classrooms at 10 a.m. for 17 minutes, one minute for each student murdered in the Parkland massacre. They'll be joined by teachers, parents, and other people of all walks of life, who are sick and tired of politicians crumbling before the NRA.
And that will show us what courage looks like.
https://act.moveon.org/go/36032?t=4&akid=201257%2E10220574%2E5qtW8b
http://act.moveon.org/go/36033?t=6&akid=201257%2E10220574%2E5qtW8b
https://act.moveon.org/go/36035?t=10&akid=201257%2E10220574%2E5qtW8b
http://act.moveon.org/go/36036?t=12&akid=201257%2E10220574%2E5qtW8b
Hold Gov. Cuomo Accountable -- demand Early Voting...
The largest show of support for gun reform in hist...
Add your name: This resolution on Saudi-led war in...
🌏 RSVP: Global call for peace with Bernie Sanders...
Should MoveOn support this petition?
Let's erect billboards to stop the NRA
March for Our Lives. Will you be there?
Take a look at the electoral map
I'm a teacher at Stoneman Douglas High School
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Towards sustainable partnerships in global health: the case of the CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases in Peru
Editados por otras instituciones
Artículos en revistas indizadas
Miranda, J. Jaime; Bernabe-Ortiz, Antonio; Diez-Canseco, Francisco; Malaga, German; Cardenas, Maria K.; Carrillo-Larco, Rodrigo M.; Lazo-Porras, Maria; Moscoso-Porras, Miguel; Pesantes, M. Amalia; Ponce, Vilarmina; Araya, Ricardo; Beran, David; Busse, Peter; Boggio, Oscar; Checkley, William; Garcia, Patricia J.; Huicho, Luis; Leon-Velarde, Fabiola; Lescano, Andres G.; Mohr, David-C.; Pan, William; Peiris, David; Perel, Pablo; Rabadan-Diehl, Cristina; Rivera-Chira, Maria; Sacksteder, Katherine; Smeeth, Liam; Trujillo, Antonio J.; Wells, Jonathan C. K.; Yan, Lijing-L.; Garcia, Hector H.; Gilman, Robert H.
URI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-016-0170-z
http://repositorio.upch.edu.pe/handle/upch/5230
Human capital requires opportunities to develop and capacity to overcome challenges, together with an enabling environment that fosters critical and disruptive innovation. Exploring such features is necessary to establish the foundation of solid long-term partnerships. In this paper we describe the experience of the CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, based at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru, as a case study for fostering meaningful and sustainable partnerships for international collaborative research. The CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases was established in 2009 with the following Mission: "We support the development of young researchers and collaboration with national and international institutions. Our motivation is to improve population's health through high quality research." The Centre's identity is embedded in its core values - generosity, innovation, integrity, and quality- and its trajectory is a result of various interactions between multiple individuals, collaborators, teams, and institutions, which together with the challenges confronted, enables us to make an objective assessment of the partnership we would like to pursue, nurture and support. We do not intend to provide a single example of a successful partnership, but in contrast, to highlight what can be translated into opportunities to be faced by research groups based in low- and middle-income countries, and how these encounters can provide a strong platform for fruitful and sustainable partnerships. In defiant contexts, partnerships require to be nurtured and sustained. Acknowledging that all partnerships are not and should not be the same, we also need to learn from the evolution of such relationships, its key successes, hurdles and failures to contribute to the promotion of a culture of global solidarity where mutual goals, mutual gains, as well as mutual responsibilities are the norm. In so doing, we will all contribute to instil a new culture where expectations, roles and interactions among individuals and their teams are horizontal, the true nature of partnerships.
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Issue 47 5th February 2016
Happy Friday! Welcome to Issue 47 of Rerun, your weekly digest of digital storytelling, interactive media and the future of TV curated by Axonista.
This week's Top Pick is a very interesting read on how viewers perceive a show after binge-watching compared to watching episodes on a weekly basis, and how storytellers need to adapt to this.
We also look at how Netflix and Amazon are becoming a beacon of hope for indie filmmakers, how the branding industry is building up around Snapchat and Periscope, how TV gets tiny on Instagram and Snapchat, the story behind Star Wars VR and much more.
But before there was social media, there was Terry Wogan. In sad news this week, iconic host and (not so subtle) satirist, Terry Wogan died. To celebrate the awesomeness of Wogan’s talents, here are some of his highlight quips from Eurovision, a TV event he turned into must-watch television for millions.
Netflix’s Making a Murderer: why everybody missed the point of the true crime doc
This piece from Vox investigates how binge viewing a show has a different effect on audience reaction to weekly episodic viewing. It contrasts Making a Murderer, which debuted on Netflix, to The Jinx, which aired on HBO in weekly episodes.
The major difference between the two projects is this: The Jinx was presented on a week-to-week basis; Making a Murderer was presented in one big gulp. The former allowed for plenty of time between episodes to tease out the themes Jarecki and company were pursuing. The latter hung its material on the framework that was most immediately compelling: the question of Avery's guilt or innocence.
At Rerun, we'd love to see some scientific analysis of how our brains absorb storylines while binge viewing.
Netflix and Amazon offer Indie filmmakers hope (and lots of money)
Indie filmmakers have always struggled when it comes to funding and distribution. Now the cost of making a film is lower than ever, there are more indie filmmakers than ever, and the competition for funding and distribution deals has never been tougher.
Enter Netflix and Amazon, who have become a beacon of hope for beleaguered indies. They offer global distribution and receptive audiences, all without the restrictions that come with cinema timetables or TV schedules. Amazon have even started offering theatrical releases in addition to streaming, for those filmmakers who can't resist the allure of the big screen.
Applause connects brands with live streaming stars
This week has seen quite a few announcements about branding and advertising in social media, like Instagram’s introduction of 60 second video ads. There’s even more industry activity bubbling up around talent management and branded content, with 'the first Snapchat network' Naritiv raising $3m funding and Applause linking brands with influencers on live streaming apps like Periscope. Will we see a new Maker or Fullscreen emerge?
techcrunch.com
Netflix investing in social media stars
We all know that Netflix uses its subscriber data to identify likely film & TV successes. Well now it’s using Youtube’s data, or more specifically, investing in social media stars who have high social media ratings, like Colleen Ballinger-Evans (aka ‘Miranda Sings’ ). It’s a first for Netflix, and might be a sign they’re going for a new market.
Spotify, please don't turn into iTunes
The Verge's Chris Welch laments the addition of video to Spotify.
We tend to agree on this one. Adding random short form video to an already feature heavy music app doesn't speak volumes for product focus or bring much joy to music loving Spotify app users. It's disappointing that Spotify didn't focus purely on music related video or live performances, rather than delivering a mixed bag of short form video.
However, if Spotify can apply its successful Discover Weekly algorithm to video content, it might just be on to something.
Discover Weekly is Spotify's killer weapon; Tosh.0 clips won't ever be.
Totino's turns to Twitch for its Super Bowl marketing
This is a clever new marketing stunt on Super Bowl Sunday, combining live eSports streaming with interactive audience participation, by Totino's Pizza Rolls. Come on, who saw it coming?
They're hosting a pre-SuperBowl 3.5 hour gaming marathon live on Twitch, featuring several of its most popular streamers. They'll be going head-to-head in a series of contests, where one player sits on a normal couch and the other on the "Bucking Couch", which will buck, roll and spin based on chat commands sent in by the viewers. And there will be pizza rolls.
In a week where Instagram announced 60 second ads and Periscope agency Applause bragged about 29% of viewers watching and engaging with 7 minute branded videos, we think this 3.5 hour branded experience really stands out.
TV Gets Small: New shows on Instagram and Snapchat
Along with new social networks come new ways of storytelling.
A 28 episode scripted series called 'Shield5" has been launched on Instagram, with plans to release in 15 second chunks every day at 5pm GMT. It's a well shot thriller, (unusually in landscape format. The daily short films are interspersed with photos of clues that reveal more about the plot. Slightly reminiscent of The Bill or a UK soap opera, the actors' British accents leave global Instagram followers a little confused as to what is happening. To address this, Shield5 are now providing subtitles in the comments section with each clip.
Last week, Snapchat quietly launched its own US election coverage show 'Good Luck America. Former CNN host Peter Hamby visited various caucus locations in Iowa. This was a surprisingly low key and TV-like first outing for Snapchat, and no doubt a very interesting space to watch.
fortune.com
Pandemic trailer pulls you into the zombie outbreak
Hitchcock tried it and failed. Video game film 'Doom' played with first person POV in one scene but didn't risk total game POV . But who knows? First-person-shooter style zombie film 'Pandemic' might be released at just the right time, given the popularity of video game viewership and the many VR experiences that have come out recently. We’ll find out after its release on 1st April.
slashfilm.com
AR startup Magic Leap raises $793.5M Series C at $4.5B valuation led by Alibaba
At Rerun, we can only imagine what goes on behind the velvet curtain at Magic Leap. With a $4.5 billion valuation, Magic Leap's tech has yet to launch commercially or even be publicly revealed. This is either going to be a mind blowing technology for the planet, or a whale of a fail.
One thing is for sure, Magic Leap's headset-free mixed reality vision of our future is pure magic. We can't wait to cradle a tiny elephant in our hands and chase pet dragons around our living rooms.
Inside Lucasfilm's Star Wars VR project
The team at ILMxLab have the envious job of using cutting-edge technology and ILM resources to create new immersive VR experiences. Shortly before the release of Star Wars Episode VII they released a nine-part Star Wars VR series called "Jakku Spy". This feature explores the year-long making of the series, and it's a great insight into the R&D lab at the film industry leader in technology and special effects.
fastcompany.com
NFL meets HoloLens: Here's Microsoft's vision for watching sports in augmented reality
It not quite ready yet, but the HoloLens - Microsoft's augmented reality headset- looks really exciting. Microsoft have released a concept video that shows how the HoloLens might enhance the NFL TV viewing experience. The video shows how viewers wearing the headset can use hand gestures to bring up player stats and have instant replays screened on a table. It might be a concept but, here at Rerun, we like where it's pointing to.
NFL meets HoloLens: Here’s Microsoft’s vision for watching sports in augmented reality
Yahoo Sports unveils The Vertical
YouTube developing live 360-degree video capability
Video to represent 75% of mobile traffic by 2020
Surprise! Three-quarters of teenagers glued to their mobile phones
YouTube to premiere its first shows and films
Instagram extends video ads to 60 seconds to score TV dollars
The breakneck speed of the 'Grease: Live' control room
More impressive than Fox's 'Grease: Live' musical, was the view from the live control room, where the amazing associate director Carrie Havel called the shots in time to the music. Watch her perform at (Grease) lightening speed.
Previous issue 29th January 2016
Next issue 12th February 2016
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Schoenstatt Movement in England and Wales
St John Fisher Parish, Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Schoenstatt
St. John’s Fisher Parish
What is Schoenstatt?
Taste and See in February 2019
You are invited to Taste and See just before Valentin’s Day – Love Changes everything We look forward to welcoming you on Sunday 10th Feb at 3.30pm followed by a talk and children’s programme and concluded with a shared meal.
Please remember to bring something for our food and warm clothes bank. Thank you
E-Newsletter for July 2018
Please find our e-newsletter for July 2018
E-Letter July 2018
Taste and See Family Mass in February
You are invited with family and friends to Taste and See Family Mass of the year at the Shrine on Sunday 11th February 2018 starting with Mass at 3.30pm and followed by a shared meal and time to chat. One book about Father Kentenich calls him ‘Mary’s Prophet’. His charism was to raise our awareness of the special role Our Lady plays in God’s entire plan of salvation. As Mother of the Lord Mary shows us the way to follow her Son closely. And Mary is closest to him on his journey and always there to assist him in his mission to win the world for the Father. Please also bring a donation for our food and clothes bank. Thank you. Looking forward to seeing you next Sunday
Taste and See Family Mass
You are invited with family and friends to the first Taste and See Family Mass of the year at the Shrine on Sunday 14th January2018 starting with Mass at 3.30pm and followed by a shared meal and time to chat. Throughout this coming year we want to look at the development programme in Salford Diocese called ‘Hope in the Future’. This coincides with a year with Father Joseph Kentenich the founder of Schoenstatt in which we are asking how do we share in his charism and how can we reach out to others assisting them on their journey. Please also bring a donation for our food and clothes bank. Thank you Look forward to seeing you next Sunday
Covenant Mass in October
You are invited to our Covenant Mass in October, tomorrow, Wednesday 18th October at 7.30pm at the Shrine. Our Mount Carmel Group are preparing this Mass with remembers the beginnings of Schoenstatt on 18th October 1914 and follows the renewal of the Walsingham Crowning of our Lady as Schoenstatt Queen of England and as Queen of the Family.Our homes become little shrines, in the Second Vatican Council they spoke of domestic church; each home a place of grace and school of sanctity in everyday life. Theme of the Covenant Mass is taken from Pope Francis’ letter on the joy of love in the family and refers to the depth of our relationship which can become a strong network of personal support and for you to give support in solidarity and mutual care to others. We cannot simply log-in or block at will like we can do in social media.We look forward to seeing you there. Please bring a donation for our food and clothes bank.
Covenant Mass Monday 18th September 2017
Welcome to our Covenant Mass on Monday 18th September 2017 at 7.30pm at the Shrine. This celebration will be our final before we crown Our Lady on October 1st this year. We see each one of us as a jewel in the crown of our Lady – ‘you are precious in my eyes’. We crown Mary our Queen so that she will care for us and we can unite ourselves with her in pursuing her share in the interests of her Son, namely building God’s Kingdom and welcoming all to find their way to the heart of the Father. We want to become missionary disciples of the covenant of love, reaching out to many so that each may find their way home to the Father. Mary is invited to be queen of our homes and our families.
In 1968 Father Kentenich, the founder of Schoenstatt died in the sacristy just after saying Mass in the church of the Blessed Trinity in Schoenstatt. During this coming year we want to look at how Father Kentenich wanted us to be apostles for our time, instruments in Mary’s hands, wining the world for Christ. Our women’s group are preparing the Mass. We look forward to seeing you.
How can I find the way to God? an invitation for young adults
Topic: How can I find the way to God?
Young adults are welcome.
worship, music, prayer, input , games and dinner
It will be on Saturday Aug 12th starting at 5 p.m..
Any informationen required, please contact Ignacio and Michael. (Click here for invite)
schoenstattyouthuk@gmail.com
Ignacio and Michael
Schoenstatt Youth UK
Schoenstatt Shrine Kearsley
St John Fisher
Manchester Road Kearsley
Bolton, , England, BL4 8QQ
www.schoenstatt.org/en/schoenstatt-in-action/youth/
“Only living faith can conquer the world.” , “Ite incendite mundum” …..Joseph Kentenich
Covenant Mass November 2019
http://schoenstatt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/getfvid_78141625_442963289938234_5792419682543730688_n.mp4
Schoenstatt London 30.12.19
http://schoenstatt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/WhatsApp-Video-2019-12-21-at-19.22.16.mp4
garden of mary
Kentenich
pilgrim mother
schoenstatt
st ethelbert's
womens league
year of mission
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Liechtenstein Luxembourg Slovenia Switzerland All countries
All countries Liechtenstein Ruggell Ruggell
Weather in Ruggell
57 minutes ago at the weather station (7 km) it was +1.7 °C+35 °F, very high air pressure, high humidity (76%), light air (1 m/s) (4 km/h) (2 mph) (2 knots) (1 Bft) blowing from the north-west.
Today we expect 0..-4 °C°F, +32..+25 °C°F, without precipitation, calm. Tomorrow: +2..-5 °C°F, +36..+23 °C°F, without precipitation, light breeze.
Sat,
Local time 19 01 07 13 19 01 07 13 19 01 07 13 19 01 07 13 19 01 07 13 19 01
direction calm SE S SE S S S S S S S SE S S S S S S S S S S
direction calm S SE SE S S SE SE S S S S S S S SE S S S S S S SE S
direction calm calm calm calm S S SE SE SE SE SE SE SE S S S S S SE SE SE SE SE SE
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is available on the website rp5.lv
Gamprin
Mauren
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UPSTAIRS/DOWNSTAIRS: THE FILMS OF 2019
Seems to me that only in a very good year for movies could the best film I saw all year and the worst film I saw all year both be called Parasite. Of course, one was the Cannes sensation and sure-to-be-Oscar-nominated South Korean film from Bong Joon Ho. The other was the 1982 3-D “classic” from director Charles Band, starring Demi Moore and Luca Bercovici, a movie which, once I finally caught up with it, or rather once it finally caught up with me (after my having successfully avoided it for almost 40 years), certainly made for an agonizing waste of my time, so I can only imagine what the actors and craftspeople who were involved with making it must have felt, and likely still do. And I consider it a real hallmark of a quality cinema annum when I can say that I saw more movies by near-forgotten Hollywood journeymen Ray Enright and Lloyd Bacon (look ‘em up, kids—that’s what IMDb is for) than I did by Martin Scorsese, who doubles up near the top of my list this year.
Here then, from the heights to the depths (with only the most glancing mention of the depths, really), are the highlights of this past terrific movie year for me, the pictures, performances, and singular achievements that made going to the movies so much more enjoyable than paying attention to real life, even when they opened the sort of revealing window onto real life that is only possible within this art form, reflecting and illuminating the human condition in the most unexpected, welcome and, if we’re really lucky, entertaining of ways.
PARASITE Bong Joon Ho redefines “upstairs/downstairs” in what is, in my estimation and on its own terms, and if such a thing can even exist, just about as perfect a movie as I’ve ever seen in the modulation of its social satire— acute observations on class and strata are embedded in just about every frame, yet the picture is astonishing fun to watch, the polar opposite of a dry treatise on how humans functioning in webs of economic frustration or privilege feed on each other. It seems also to have hit a nerve with audiences starved for a sense of surprise, for the satisfaction of not knowing where they’re going but being absolutely assured, and with great pleasure and anticipation, that they’ll get there—the movie is thrillingly entertaining and, from moment to moment, genuinely unpredictable. It also has, in the work of actors like Boon Joon Ho veterans Song Kang-ho (The Host) and Lee Jong-un (Okja), as well as Jo Yeo-jeong, Jang Hye-in, and especially Park So-dam, the highest caliber ensemble performance by any cast this year. This movie is what ensemble screen acting awards are made for. Bong (Mother, Memories of Murder) has conjured an exquisitely controlled, fiercely alive work that ought to make just about every other director out there sick with envy, and perhaps even inspired by the surety and humor and brilliantly sustained purpose with which he delivers the goods. This is easily the year’s best, most pleasurable, and ultimately most devastating movie.
DIANE The Los Angeles Film Critics Circle were wise enough to award Mary Kay Place their best actress honors this year, which gives me hope that she may at least be acknowledged by yet another higher-profile award-bestowing body this coming week. But even if she doesn’t, she’s given a performance for the ages in Kent Jones’s masterful movie, a lovely, unforced, exquisitely realized, formally engaging act of empathy for unsung souls burdened by the shadows of social and familial responsibility, mortality, identity and inescapable guilt. If that sounds like a drag, then please allow yourself to be energized by a film that, though it couldn’t feel more different in tone and approach, can stand right next to Parasite as an exemplar of the absolute best a very good year at the movies has had to offer.
THE IRISHMAN One of the great common denominators about at least five of the movies among my favorites of 2019 is that they couldn’t have been made by anyone else, and that’s certainly true of the two movies made by Martin Scorsese represented here. The cast, from the rightly celebrated Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, through Ray Romano, Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin, Stephan Graham, and on to Jesse Plemons, Kathrine Narducci, Domenick Lombardozzi and a giant cast of players even less known, are all deserving of praise. But even more fascinating, Scorsese approaches the story of hitman Frank Sheeran, his role in the tumultuous history of American union politics and, perhaps, in the death of Teamsters icon Jimmy Hoffa, with the subdued style of one of his religious epics, eschewing the flash of GoodFellas for an appropriately rueful stylistic meditation on tenuous power, corrupt morality, and the heavy sigh of a soul, perhaps not one even worth saving, in absolute freefall.
A HIDDEN LIFE With his gorgeous, agonizing, poetically realized story of a conscientious objector in WWII Austria, Terence Malick not only sums up the stylistic compulsions that have obsessed his work over the last two decades, but he’s also finally fulfilled the promise of Days of Heaven and his presumed status as a great American filmmaker. This is a movie that demands a rigorous attention to philosophical quandaries that clearly alienated several members of the audience with which I saw it, yet it rewards those like myself, who were suspicious of films like The Tree of Life or To The Wonder, with a genuinely haunting, challenging, uniquely introspective experience that is itself based on the introspection of a modest, undeniably heroic man, the sort who chooses to suffer injustice rather than perpetuate it, the sort whose stories often go untold.
ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: A BOB DYLAN STORY BY MARTIN SCORSESE Scorsese’s second appearance on this list is a long, strange, joyous, darkly comic mix of the factual and the fantastical, a reassessment of Bob Dylan’s famous 1975 tour which contextualizes the music, the personalities and especially the attempts to control the telling of the story of a specific moment in a musical movement, in terms of the shifting landscape of a country and its culture, both then and now. Like Dylan’s music, and Dylan himself (who robustly participates in the blurring of as many lines of truth and fiction as possible here, to fascinating ends), the documentary/mockumentary Scorsese has fashioned is, both in individual moments and in overall philosophy, epic, lyrical, personal, contradictory, nonsensical, and a deliriously fascinating one in which no truth, and perhaps every truth, is arrived at 45 years late and right on time.
ATLANTICS A mysterious, gorgeous first feature from director Mati Diop scored to its own ethereal, uniquely untrackable heartbeat, a love story grounded in social reality which floats on longing and pivots on its metaphysical heel to become something… unexpected, expansive, strangely worthy of that longing. Mame Bineta Sane, a first-time actress, holds the screen like a Hollywood veteran as Ada, a young woman bound in a marriage contract whose true boyfriend disappears with a group of fellow construction workers at sea, and the way Diop, with a magnificent assist from Claire Mathon’s swoon-inducing cinematography, tells the story of these two unrequited lovers and the unbreachable gap separating them is satisfying in the elliptical manner of a superbly written short story.
APOLLO 11 In coincidence with the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, and bereft of narration, talking heads or other grounding devices, director Todd Douglas Miller uses NASA and television news footage (a generation of viewers will now be privy to the reasons behind the reverence with which their elders infuse the utterance of the name “Walter Cronkite”) to tell the story of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and that truly incredible journey in a way that enhances the reality and the unbearable suspense of a situation we’ve now known the outcome of for several generations. In a year of great documentaries, none was possessed of the sort of historical acuity or grandeur, or the almost hallucinatory clarity that is the lifeblood of Miller’s achievement.
ONE CHILD NATION A cross-generational cry of anger from documentarian Nanfu Wang, who explores the awful history of China’s one-child policy, those whose lives were shaped (and sometimes warped) by it, and the dutiful citizens, acting from pride, helplessness, or a grim combination of both, who perpetuated it in the name of national strength. Perhaps the most distinctive element of Wang’s approach, apart from her refusal to look away from even the most personal implications of China’s policy, is the creative and political intelligence she exhibits in observing that though she grew up in a country which for years mandated abortions, and then moved to a country (the United States) where abortions are slowly becoming more difficult to obtain, both governments were about removing the rights of women to make decisions about their own bodies, thus neutering the opportunity for those who might be so inclined to reductively spin One Child Nation into a simple pro-life tract.
HONEYLAND If the measure of a truly remarkable documentary is to illuminate an aspect of humanity unfamiliar to most audiences, then the work done by directors Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov, in distilling over three years’ worth of footage into this compelling, ultimately heartbreaking nonfiction film, must be considered remarkable, a lovely rendering of a life lived and expressed in balance with the natural world, the world faced as it is with no compromise, which nonetheless is perilously close to falling out of balance. As shot by the intimately calibrated cameras of Fejmi Daut and Samir Ljuma, Honeyland quietly observes, and ultimately celebrates the endurance of a middle-aged beekeeper named Hatidze, who tends to her feeble mother as well as the bees who provide the means of her physical and economic sustenance, and who must also endure the appearance of a vagabond Turkish family who inadvertently come to threaten her ecosystem and her survival. With its equal measures of patience, insistent yet nonjudgmental curiosity about human motivations, and its inevitable sadness, the film stands as a unique wonder, painfully privy to secret moments, expansive, haunting.
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME A heartfelt tribute to getting your art (and yourself) on the screen and into movie history, anchored by an arguably career-best performance by Eddie Murphy, alongside stellar support from the likes of Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Keegan-Michael Key and, most especially, Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Murphy thankfully avoids the mistake of slavishly copying the vocal rhythms and look of Rudy Ray Moore, who brought a generation or two's worth of folklore and coalesced it into a stand-up and movie career as Dolemite, a storyteller styled in the pimp couture of the day. (Moore is also considered by some, based on his musically charged vocal rhythms and how he used them to relate his jokes and stories, as the godfather of rap.) Instead, Murphy makes the character his own, which is his way of carrying on Moore's tradition of passing along urban legends filtered through his own personality. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable, outrageously profane, and not surprisingly honorable movie which joins the ranks of Ed Wood (1994; also written by DIMN's Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander) and Allan Arkush and Joe Dante's wonderful Hollywood Boulevard (1976) as perhaps the best movies ever made about making Hollywood outside the box.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
AD ASTRA, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM, CRAWL, FORD VS. FERRARI, GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS, LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE, THE LIGHTHOUSE, MARRIAGE STORY, MIDSOMMAR, PAIN AND GLORY, THE PRODIGY, TRANSIT, UNCUT GEMS, US
Still to see in 2019
ASH IS PUREST WHITE, BOOKSMART, BOMBSHELL, CATS, THE CURRENT WAR, DAVID CROSBY: REMEMBER MY NAME, ESCAPE ROOM, THE FANATIC, FIRST LOVE, GLORIA BELL, THE GREAT HACK, HONEY BOY, THE KING, THE KINGMAKER, THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO, LITTLE WOMEN, MAKING WAVES: THE ART OF CINEMATIC SOUND, THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE, MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN, THE NIGHTINGALE, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE, RICHARD JEWELL, TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID, TOY STORY 4, THE TWO POPES, WESTERN STARS, WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE?, WHERE’S MY ROY COHN?, ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP
One I Liked Way Better Than Y’all Did
GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS
Ones Y’all Liked Way Better Than I Did
THE SOUVENIR, ONCE UPON A TIME IN… HOLLYWOOD, HUSTLERS
Least Fulfilled Opportunity Based On Its Excellent Source Material
Biggest (Happy) Surprises
6 UNDERGROUND, SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK
Biggest (Unhappy) Surprise (aka The Worst Movie of 2019)
Best Viewing Experiences of 2019
CRAWL (head in popcorn bucket, Regency Academy, Pasadena)
CRY WOLF (1947) (TCM)
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME (with a similarly amused audience, Laemmle Glendale)
GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (with Emma, free preview courtesy of the Secret Movie Club, Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood)
THE IRISHMAN (packed house, Studio Movie Grill, Glendale)
LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE (by myself, sobbing, Laemmle Glendale; with Bruce, sobbing, Hillcrest Cinemas, San Diego)
MERRILY, WE GO TO HELL (inaugural selection TCM Classic Film Festival 2019, with Bruce)
NASHVILLE (TCM Classic Film Festival, with Bruce, Bob Westal, Ronee Blakely, Keith Carradine, Jeff Goldblum, Joan Tewkesbury)
THE PRODIGY (under the seats with Emma, AMC Burbank 16)
ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: A BOB DYLAN STORY (date night, Los Feliz 3)
UNCUT GEMS (second time around, this time on the big screen, with a sparse audience who seemed to get it, AMC Burbank 6)
Mary Kay Place DIANE
(Honorable Mention: Lupita Nyong’o US, Scarlet Johansson MARRIAGE STORY, Geraldine Viswanathan HALA, Florence Pugh MIDSOMMAR, Awkwafina THE FAREWELL, Isabelle Hupert GRETA)
August Diehl A HIDDEN LIFE
(Honorable Mention: Eddie Murphy DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, Adam Driver MARRIAGE STORY, Antonio Banderas PAIN AND GLORY, Toni Servillo LORO, Joaquin Phoenix JOKER, Christian Bale FORD V. FERRARI, Brad Pitt AD ASTRA, Robert De Niro THE IRISHMAN, Willem Dafoe THE LIGHTHOUSE, Adam Sandler UNCUT GEMS)
Supporting Actress(es)
Yeo-jeong Jo, So-dam Park, Jeong-eun Lee, Hye-jin Jang PARASITE
(Honorable Mention: Da’Vine Joy Randolph DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, Idina Menzel UNCUT GEMS, Shuzhen Zhao THE FAREWELL, Nora Navas PAIN AND GLORY (HM: Laura Dern MARRIAGE STORY, Sienna Miller 21 BRIDGES, Rebecca Ferguson DOCTOR SLEEP, Michaela Watkins BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON, Marisa Tomei FRANKIE, Dierdre O’Connell DIANE, Anna Paquin THE IRISHMAN)
Kang-ho Song PARASITE
(Honorable Mention: Al Pacino THE IRISHMAN, Joe Pesci THE IRISHMAN, Eric Bogosian UNCUT GEMS, Leonardo Sbaraglia PAIN AND GLORY, Lakeith Stanfield UNCUT GEMS, Judd Hirsch UNCUT GEMS, Alan Alda MARRIAGE STORY, Asier Etxeandia PAIN AND GLORY, Tracy Letts FORD V. FERRARI, Tom Hanks A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, Alejandro Patino PAPI CHULO)
Bong Joon Ho PARASITE
(Honorable Mention: Kent Jones DIANE, Martin Scorsese THE IRISHMAN/ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: A BOB DYLAN STORY BY MARTIN SCORSESE, Terence Malick A HIDDEN LIFE, Mati Diop ATLANTICS, Ari Aster MIDSOMMAR, Josh & Benny Safdie UNCUT GEMS, Christian Pozold TRANSIT, Pedro Almodovar PAIN AND GLORY, Robert Eggers THE LIGHTHOUSE)
Bong Joon Ho and Jin Won Han PARASITE, Steven Zaillian THE IRISHMAN, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie UNCUT GEMS, Christian Pozold TRANSIT, Robert Eggers, Max Eggers THE LIGHTHOUSE, Noah Baumbach MARRIAGE STORY
Kyung-pyo Hong PARASITE, Jorg Widmer A HIDDEN LIFE, Claire Mathon ATLANTICS, Pawel Pogorzelski MIDSOMMAR, Darius Khondji UNCUT GEMS, Jarin Blaschke THE LIGHTHOUSE, Roger Deakins 1917
Music (Original Score or Use of Songs)
Score: James Newton Howard A HIDDEN LIFE, Jung Jaeil PARASITE, Thomas Newman 1917, Hildur Guðnadóttir JOKER
Use of Songs: THE IRISHMAN, ROLLING THUNDER REVUE, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
First Time Seen in 2019
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT (1942; Vincent Sherman)
BLACK HAND (1950; Richard Thorpe)
BLONDIE JOHNSON (1933; Ray Enright)
BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948; Robert Wise)
BLUME IN LOVE (1973; Paul Mazursky)
BROTHER ORCHID (1940; Lloyd Bacon)
THE CARS THAT ATE PARIS (1974; Peter Weir)
CHAMBER OF HORRORS (1966; Hy Averback)
CHARLIE CHAN IN HONOLULU (1938; H. Bruce Humberstone)
CHARLIE CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND (1939; Norman Foster)
CHARLIE CHAN AT THE WAX MUSEUM (1940; Lynn Shores)
CLEO FROM 5 TO 7 (1962; Agnès Varda)
COLORADO TERRITORY (1949; Raoul Walsh)
THE CROWD ROARS (1932; Howard Hawks)
CRY WOLF (1947; Peter Godfrey)
CUBE (1998; Vincenzo Natali)
A DELICATE BALANCE (1973; Tony Richardson)
EXPERIMENT IN TERROR (1962; Blake Edwards)
THE FAMOUS FERGUSON CASE (1932; Lloyd Bacon)
FAT CITY (1972; John Huston)
GENOCIDE (WAR OF THE INSECTS) (1968; Kazui Nihonmatsu)
GUN LAW JUSTICE (1948; Lambert Hillyer)
THE GYPSY MOTHS (1969; John Frankenheimer)
HOT LEAD (1951; Stuart Gilmore)
THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY (1981; Lucio Fulci)
HYSTERIA (1965; Freddie Francis)
JASON X (2002; James Isaac)
JOUR DE FETE (1949; Jacques Tati)
THE LETTER (1940; William Wyler)
THE MAN WHO HAUNTED HIMSELF (1970; Basil Dearden)
THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (1928; Paul Leni)
MERRILY WE GO TO HELL (1932; Dorothy Arzner)
MILLIONAIRES IN PRISON (1940; Ray McCarey)
MISS PINKERTON (1932; Lloyd Bacon)
NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS (1971; Dan Curtis)
NIGHT WORLD (1932; Hobart Henley)
OLD ACQUAINTANCE (1943; Vincent Sherman)
OPEN SECRET (1948; John Reinhardt)
PARASITE (1982; Charles Band)
POSSESSED (1931; Curtis Bernhardt)
THE RAGING MOON (aka LONG AGO, TOMORROW) (1971; Bryan Forbes)
THE ROBOT VS. THE AZTEC MUMMY (1958; Rafael Portillo)
SAGEBRUSH LAW (1943; Sam Nelson)
THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA (1973; Alan Gibson)
SAVAGE MESSIAH (1972; Ken Russell)
SEVEN DAYS TO NOON (1950; John Boulting, Roy Boulting)
SHADOW ON THE WALL (1950; Pat Jackson)
TARZAN AND HIS MATE (1934; Cedric Gibbons)
THE TATTOOED STRANGER (1950; Edward Montagne)
13 WEST STREET (1962; Philip Leacock)
…tick…tick…tick… (1970; Ralph Nelson)
TWO-GUN MAN FROM HARLEM (1938; Richard C. Kahn)
WATERLOO BRIDGE (1931; James Whale)
WHILE THE PATIENT SLEPT (1935; Ray Enright)
WHOEVER SLEW AUNTIE ROO? (1971; Curtis Harrington)
THE YIDDISH KING LEAR (1935; Harry Thomashefsky)
Happy New Year, everybody! Here's to another great year of movies in 2020, and a much improved year from the past few in every other regard!
HEIST FOR THE HOLIDAYS: CASH ON DEMAND (1962)
One could be forgiven for not suspecting that Hammer Films, known for their comparatively lurid and bloody, sometimes pointedly lusty, and otherwise vividly imagined (and reimagined) catalogue of horror classics, would be the first place to look if one were in the market for a low-key yet spirited take on a holiday classic to turn to once the perennial screenings of It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Die Hard and countless other popular titles have begun to wear out their welcome. Yet the studio delivered just that in Cash on Demand (1962), a dandy and delicious suspense thriller directed by Quentin Lawrence, from a script by David T. Chantler and Lewis Griefer, itself based on a play by Jacques Gillies, which echoes of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the book and the countless movie and TV iterations which came before, to fresh and potent purpose.
Lawrence, a British TV veteran whose few feature film credits included The Man Who Finally Died (1963; itself based on a British TV series for which Lawrence shot several episodes), a Hammer follow-up to the infamous WWII potboiler Camp on Blood Island entitled The Secret of Blood Island (1965), and, perhaps most memorably for those of us well-versed in the Hammer output (though it was not itself a Hammer film), 1958’s The Crawling Eye, directs Cash on Demand with crisp efficiency and seductive simplicity that draws the viewer into its wintry setting with ease and assurance. But it is the players who populate this intense chamber piece—it takes place entirely within a small community bank located an hour or so outside London—who create the film’s most lasting impression.
One of the best things about Cash on Demand is the relative subtlety with which it references the Dickens classic—it’s possible to not even notice the resemblance until you’re snared in the movie’s novel web. But even though it’s not ultimately a full-fledged refashioning of Dickens’ familiar tale, this film most certainly has its own Ebenezer Scrooge, its own Bob Cratchit, and even a personification of a specter with less than honorable intentions who nonetheless nudges the Scrooge figure toward a self-realization that is entirely in line with the original story’s emotional denouement.
The movie opens on a snowbound scene just outside the bank, where a man in a Santa suit is collecting for a local hospital charity, with the familiar carol “The First Noel” lilting on the soundtrack. But as the camera moves in on the metal placard just outside the bank’s door which identifies it as the City and Colonial Bank of Haversham, a musical strain is introduced that sounds at first as if it might be an orchestral ornament to the carol but which quickly evolves into a minor-key evocation of uncertain dread as the camera goes inside and moves through the empty spaces soon to be filled with employees and the occasional customer.
Soon those employees begin to populate their workstations, led by Mr. Pearson, the head clerk who stands in for Cratchit. Pearson is essayed with palpable empathy by veteran character actor Richard Vernon (Goldfinger, The Satanic Rites of Dracula, The Pink Panther Strikes Again). The head clerk’s vaguely worn countenance bespeaks the weariness of a man stuck in a professional position which offers little reward other than vague security, yet also of a kindness that has probably carried him further with his own subordinates than it does with his immediate superior.
That immediate superior is, of course, Cash on Demand’s Scrooge figure, the bank’s detail-obsessed, meticulously efficient manager Harry Fordyce, played with imperious reserve by one of Hammer’s greatest stars, Peter Cushing. When Fordyce enters the bank the already wintry atmosphere chills a few degrees further, each employee registering the degree of their boss’s daily, surely countless demands on their performance, and none more so than Pearson, whose professional competence and morality Fordyce calls into question almost immediately over a discovered imbalance in the daily books, the result of a charitable loan to a customer proffered by another clerk, which Pearson signed off on and which Fordyce inflates into a career-threatening charge of embezzlement.
Cushing, at least initially, offers no quarter against the impenetrable air of superiority Fordyce is able to indulge within his little realm. But unlike Scrooge, Fordyce appears to have no large wealth to claim as his own, which might make lording his power over his employees an easier path to take. Fordyce is, it’s fairly clear, a small man in his own right, without friends or connections apart from his immediate family, and embodying his pettiness is a task perfectly suited to Cushing’s wheelhouse. But as Fordyce is forced to confront the limits of his own worldview, and to come to understand how he has so frequently come up short in the humanity department, the shades of desperation, of isolation, of helplessness that are encased beneath Fordyce’s icy exterior begin to rise to the fore, and it’s here that Cushing, an actor able to imbue even his most extreme and ideologically entrenched characters with welcome shadings of understanding and clarity, begins to breathes real life into Fordyce and craft what I, as an unrepentant Cushing devotee, consider to be one of his two or three best, most compelling performances. (For another one of those, please see, if you haven’t already, his fanatical Gustav Weil in Hammer’s magnificent Twins of Evil, in which he gifts the religious zealot given charge over voluptuous twins who come under the influence of a vampire lord with a similar and unexpected sympathy.)
But what of Dickens’s ghosts? Fordyce himself first appears as an eerie reflection in that City and Colonial placard, an apparition which eventually takes human form and begins tending to an unoffending smudge on the placard’s shiny surface with a handkerchief. But in Cash on Demand, the real analog to those chain-rattling specters Dickens used to compel his protagonist into self-awareness takes corporeal shape as Colonel Gore-Hepburn, a cordial, if officious and perhaps overly self-assured gentleman who initially presents himself to the bank staff as an insurance inspector in order to get an audience with their boss and eventually reveals a more sinister purpose once ensconced within the confines of Fordyce’s office.
Gore-Hepburn is played by the terrific and always-welcome André Morell, veteran of scores of Hammer productions as well as mainstream classics like Ben-Hur and The Bridge on the River Kwai, whose most indelible impression upon genre aficionados may have come as the persistently enquiring Professor Bernard Quatermass, who literally uncovers evidence of extraterrestrial life in a London Underground excavation in the original British TV production of Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass and the Pit (1958). As the ex-military man, Morell deals in unctuous insinuation as if casually breathing the icy Haversham air, and he relishes his power over Fordyce from his first words, when Fordyce still believes him to be who he represents himself to be. But when Gore-Hepburn pulls back the curtain and reveals his actual identity and agenda, the charm Morell has exuded, and which he will be required to occasionally tap into again through a more threatening veil, disappears in favor of a decidedly less welcoming persona. Gore-Hepburn is actually a career criminal who has been casing the bank for over a year and has begun executing a well-thought-out plan to relieve the City and Colonial of its holiday reserve of over 90,000 pounds, a plan which includes holding Fordyce’s wife and son hostage under threat of torture and execution if the bank manager does not acquiesce to his every demand. It’s a great role for Morell, who clearly is having the time of his life playing the greater evil against Cushing’s misguided man of appearances and procedures, and together they deliver one of the most formidable one-two acting punches in the history of Hammer Studios.
Through the procession of events in which Fordyce is forced to squirm and betray his own principled stature as a banker of apparently peerless standards at Gore-Hepburn’s relentless insistence, the dramatic twists and turns which propel Cash on Demand never seem only like overwrought dramatic contrivances, and much credit for that has to go to these wonderful actors. The push-pull between Gore-Hepburn’s dominion of the situation and Fordyce‘s increasing desperation play with theatrical artifice, to be sure, but then so do Dickens’s. However, within the framework in which those conventions and artifices have been refashioned, the Cash on Demand company artfully deliver on their conceit with palpable relish, and with awareness of just how to deliver Fordyce to his particular personal and professional epiphanies (which, for Fordyce, are most certainly and inevitably intertwined) in a satisfying minor key befitting the resolution of an otherwise nerve-racking cat-and-mouse scenario which must echo, but never blatantly ape, the Dickensian formula in order to arrival at its own particular destination.
The resolution that Cash on Demand does come to I daresay will satisfy connoisseurs of crime and suspense as well as those in search of the restorative holiday balm that Dickens’s tale has delivered for generations, yet without the need to insist upon itself within the trappings of a traditional holiday classic. Maybe that’s one of the main reasons why it has become exactly that for me.
SAD/GLAD TIDINGS: BILL FORSYTH’S COMFORT AND JOY (1984)
Scottish director Bill Forsyth has a strange way, one for which audiences should be eternally grateful, of delivering a symphony of melancholy notes which register in his movies with a sort of blithe exhilaration instead of the customary patina of hopelessness they perhaps might otherwise be subject to in the hands of another filmmaker. One senses the discomfort, the confusion, the weariness some of Forsyth’s characters experience without feeling overwhelmed by them, and he infuses his best films with such lyrical, unexpected, transformative beauty that it’d be almost impossible to leave them with anything other than an entirely bearable lightness of being; suffocating ennui is not on this filmmaker’s palette.
Pauline Kael said of Forsyth’s much-beloved Local Hero (1983) that the picture was “like one of those lovely Elizabethan songs that are full of tra-la-la-la-la-las,” a quality that most appreciate about the film but that some use as a way of ticking down the picture’s overall worth into a somewhat more trivial margin. (Kael herself seemed to slightly discount the picture, after spending her review accounting for its offbeat charm and perspective, by claiming that it wasn’t “any major achievement… but it’s true to itself.”) And beneath those tra-la-las, beneath the fog of contentment that the protagonist of the film, the local hero, experiences upon arriving in the strangely magical Scottish coastal village and subjecting himself to its casually odd cadences, one senses Forsyth’s melancholy, the tinge of regret that the whole world can’t be as special as this place, which only fully emerges over the film’s final shot.
Kael also said of the Scottish director in that review that “Forsyth seems to go where impulse and instinct guide him; he's an entertainer-filmmaker who gives free play to his own sense of the ridiculous and his own sense of beauty.” This may be even more true of Forsyth’s follow-up to Local Hero, 1984’s Comfort and Joy, than it is of its more-celebrated predecessor. Comfort and Joy tracks a complacent Glaswegian radio personality, Alan “Dicky” Bird, played by Scottish character actor and national treasure Bill Paterson (The Singing Detective, Traffik, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Witches), who is quite suddenly unmoored from his complacent life when his kleptomaniac girlfriend decides to leave him in the midst of decorating their apartment for Christmas.
Disoriented, saddened, longing for the pleasures of his lost love, yet constantly casting an eye toward possible rebound romances, he catches the eye of a lovely lass in an ice-cream truck one day while caught in heavy city traffic and decides to follow the van, buy a sweet treat and perhaps strike up a conversation with the entrancing young woman. Up to this point the viewer, especially one unfamiliar with Forsyth’s other films, might have a sense of what’s coming next. But of course, as Kael observed, this director is rarely beholden to anything beyond his own curiosity and impulses, and in pursuit of a fresh perspective on midlife crisis Forsyth lands Dicky Bird, who being the host of a popular light-information morning radio program is beginning to rankle at the triviality of his own contributions to the societal good, in the middle of a violent (but persistently silly) confrontation between two rival ice-cream companies.
Forsyth took inspiration from an actual, and far more seriously violent and criminal conflict that had been in Glasgow headlines for years, but though allusions are made as to the underworld influences present amongst the soft-serve butting heads in Comfort and Joy, the scuffles depicted in the film are more easily remedied by recipes, or a wry, quizzical comment, than a hail of bullets or crowbars applied to kneecaps. In one big fight scene, some of the assailants wield large wooden mallets that wouldn’t be out of place in a Wile E. Coyote escapade. And there’s that the incessant, inescapable jingle emanating from the Mr. Bunny ice cream van. It’s a musical joke, on Alan and on the audience, of course, that approaches earworm levels of pleasing madness and tempers the real-world consequences of vendor-on-vendor violence with the assaultive capabilities of a lighter-than-air melody. But that joke is topped when Alan finally makes his way into the Mr. Bunny stronghold and we see (though he barely notes it) the hilarious origins of its recording, which are themselves incessant and sublimely ridiculous— in the midst of a chaotic warehouse filled with damaged ice cream vans and the autobody specialists repairing them, a man stands hunched over a xlyophone, repeatedly picking out the jingle’s melody, while another man stands with a microphone recording the sounds, interjecting a never-less-than-jolly “Hello, Folks!” over and over again at exactly the right interval. There you have the perfect Bill Forsyth trajectory—where you think you’re going is never quite where you arrive.
The film is shot by Chris Menges, who also conjured the visual poetry of Local Hero. And here Menges delivers what might be the most quietly, unexpectedly lovely visual portrait of a city that I’ve ever seen in a movie— his Glasgow is dazzling in its softness, in its ephemeral curiosity; in the compression of buzzing cars and hilly roads that are flattened against one another and yet somehow expanded free of traditional physical constraints; in the glow of distant lights illuminating structures and interiors in ways that emphasize an intangible mystery about what might be going on inside, as if they were Christmas ornaments in a diorama of a city which displays all indication of existing in the real world yet seems almost supernaturally beautiful; in the gray gloaming that seems to have settled over that cityscape and its old and ascendant buildings, not like gloom but instead a blessing. This brilliant cinematographer-magician’s dexterity and sensitivity with light imbues Dicky Bird’s wanderings through man-made constructs with mournful beauty; he distinguishes Glasgow in the same way he did the Scottish coast, not with picture-postcard platitudes, but with gorgeously integrated notes of solemnity and lightness that seem to leap directly from the discombobulated disc jockey’s modesty-scaled crisis of identity and purpose.
And in the modulation of their particular contributions, both Forsyth and Menges crystallize the humanity that descends on Comfort and Joy like a light snowfall, or the expressive, oddly cheering gray fog in which the city seems perpetually enveloped here. As writer-director Forsyth characteristically zeroes in and, abetted by Menges’s poetic expressiveness, encapsulates the absurdity of conducting dire business over diary-based sweets, he manages to never forget that absurdity has a human scale. When Alan scoffs at grown men fighting over something as inconsequential as ice cream, the almost offhand way the observation is redirected to him (“And what business are you in that’s so important?”) has an unexpected sting. Alan’s rediscovery of himself as someone other than Dicky Bird, besotted partner to a woman who finds him disposable, and his emergence from his cloud of depression over the dissonance between his sense of purpose and the simple human need set in relief by the lyrically decorative trappings of the holiday season, is compelled by his reluctant involvement as mediator between the two rival confectioners. But it’s in integral element to the film’s decidedly odd tone, its odd humor, its raison d’etre, that even though Alan may be moving toward an actual state of happiness, the melancholy he feels, and that we viewers sense throughout, is part of his nature-- yes, perhaps as a Scotsman, but also simply as a man-- a realization with which he eventually comes to terms.
Happily, in the film’s final shot, as Alan settles into his radio station studio, with all of Glasgow floating just outside the window, to take the Christmas morning shift and accompany his listeners in his familiar way, one truly understands how that alchemic mix of melancholy and lightness is in the spiritual and visual DNA of the film too. Which makes Comfort and Joy, for me, an almost perfect Christmas holiday movie.
Comfort and Joy looks to be a bit difficult to find in the usual streaming places, though Netflix or Amazon could probably set you up with a DVD for rent. However, I found it last night in a surprisingly robust 720p transfer on, of all places, YouTube. Click this link and you can see it for yourself for the holidays.
CINEMATIC GRATITUDE v.2019
During a year in which the world finds itself increasingly in the throes of totalitarianism and corruption, when institutions, traditions and good old common sense seems to be crumbling before our very eyes, when the world itself appears to be catching fire, a spirit of thanksgiving may be one that is hard to come by. But there are reasons to give thanks even in light of those realities, ones even directly to those realities, and I encourage you to seek out those reasons, be as grateful as is warranted, and find ways to express that gratitude. In other words, don’t let the bastards get you down.
And in the world of cinema, there was the usual degree of lousy movies, some franchise-related, of course, but some that were pretty shitty of their own accord. Yet at the same time, there were lots of reasons to justify gratitude. Here are some of my reasons to give thanks for the treasures that the movies offered audiences in 2019.
I am thankful…
…that it was possible to see the trailer for what’s gonna be the best movie of the year three or four times before actually seeing the movie and still have no idea going in where this wonderful creation was going to go.
…that there’s still a place in Los Angeles to see first-run films in a premier presentation for less than $10.
…that the fascination with the de-aging process used in The Irishman fades about a minute after you first become aware of it and is overtaken by a more seductive fascination with the story and the acting and how the director adapts his energetic style to telling the tale of men growing older and finding themselves increasingly impotent in a world of their own making.
...that I can watch TCM again, stress-free, now that I’ve dumped my rip-off cable provider.
…for the live version of “Isis” seen and heard in Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese.
…that documentarian Nanfu Wang had the creative and political intelligence to observe that though she grew up in a country (China) that for years mandated abortions, and then moved to a country (the United States) where abortions are slowly becoming more difficult to obtain, both governments were about removing the rights of women to make decisions about their own bodies, thus neutering the opportunity for certain factions which might have tried to reductively spin One Child Nation into a pro-life tract.
…for the glory of Linda Ronstadt’s voice as heard again in Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, but also for the look in Ronstadt’s eyes, one of pleasure mixed with trepidation and outright fear, as she attempts to harmonize with her relatives in the present day, with her Parkinson’s disease continuing to take its toll.
…for the discipline, wit and insight of the script for Dolemite Is My Name, written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski.
...that two Martin Scorsese movies will be in my top 10, perhaps my top five for the year.
…that it’s possible to actually tour Apricot Lane Farms, aka The Biggest Little Farm.
…that 2019 was such a good year for horror film, with Us, The Prodigy, Crawl, Midsommar, The Field Guide to Evil, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Happy Death Day 2 U already in the bag, and the possible addition of In Fabric to the list in the couple of weeks.
…for the folks you sometimes meet in line at the movies in Los Angeles.
…that even butchered and hobbled, Brian De Palma’s Domino was still clearly an improvement over his last movie, which was closer to the De Palma formula but seemed like it might be the last draining of any real passion the director might still have in reserve.
…and for the actors:
Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo, Woo-sik Choi, Hye-jin Jang, and especially So-dam Park (Parasite); Mary Kay Place, Estelle Parsons, Andrea Martin, Diedre O’Connell, Joyce Van Patten, Phyllis Somerville, Jake Lacy (Diane); Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Anna Paquin, Stephen Graham, Bobby Cannavale, Harvey Keitel, Katherine Narducci, Ray Romano, Lucy Gallina (The Irishman); Flotence Pugh, Vilhelm Blomgren (Midsommar); Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper (Crawl); Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and, really, the entire cast of Avengers: Endgame; Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson (The Lighthouse); Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and especially Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Dolemite Is My Name); Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Tracy Letts, Jon Bernthal, Ray McKinnon (Ford v Ferrari); Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Nora Navas, Julietta Serrano, Cesar Vicente, Asier Flores, Cecila Roth and Penelope Cruz (Pain and Glory); Brad Pitt, Tommy lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, Ruth Negga, Loren Dean (Ad Astra); Taylor Schilling, Jackson Robert Scott (The Prodigy); Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Madison Curry (Us); Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Ken Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang, Sally Hawkins (Godzilla, King of the Monsters); Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas, Meryl Streep (The Laundromat); Adam Driver, Annette Bening (The Report); Adam Sandler, Eric Bogosian, Idina Menzel (Uncut Gems);
Geraldine Viswanathan (Hala); Toni Servillo (Loro); Jillian Bell, Michaela Watkins, Lil Rel Howery (Brittany Runs a Marathon); Taylor Russel, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Sterling K. Brown, Lucas Hedges (Waves); Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Austin Zajur (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark); Kristen Stewart, Jack O’Connell, Anthony Mackie (Seberg); Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey); Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood); Isabelle Huppert (Greta); Marisa Tomei (Frankie); Olivia Wilde (A Vigilante); Aldis Hodge (Brian Banks); Joaquin Phoenix (Joker); Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran (Doctor Sleep).
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
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A NOTE OF SAD NEWS
OSCAR'S TOP DRAWER: THE 10 BEST BEST PICTURE WINNE...
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PROFESSOR BRAINERD'S CHRISTMAS QUIZ: THE ANSWERS (...
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EDWARD COPELAND's BEST OF THE BEST: Ten Instances ...
DAVE CHAPPELLE'S BLOCK PARTY plus TIM LUCAS WANTS ...
I just wanted to take a moment to send out all my best wishes and prayers to Matt Zoller Seitz and his two children, Hannah and James, and Matt’s entire family, in the wake of the terrible loss of his wife, Jennifer, this past week. I didn’t know Jennifer, but I’ve spoken to Matt a few times, have been an avid reader of his reviews for several years and, of course, his blog since the beginning of this year. There really are no words that can be said to address this kind of tragedy, especially by those of us who only know Matt, and then largely only through his work. The best we can do for him, it seems, is to let him know, in the ways that we can, that we’re there for him in spirit and support. This is my way of doing that.
Matt suggests that should you want to send cards, the address is 343 State Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217. He is also looking at his e-mail, either his work address (mseitz@starledger.com) or his home address (reeling@aol.com), if you care to send a personal note that way. Also, in lieu of flowers or other gifts, Matt suggests that donations be made to either the Red Cross or the America Civil Liberties Union, two of Jennifer’s favorite charities.
Rest well, Matt, Hannah and James, and know that you will find the strength to face each new day.
UPDATE: 5/01/06 At The House Next Door, Matt has provided further news regarding a memorial upcoming this week, as well as a heartbreaking and lovely gallery in remembrance of his wife, Jennifer Dawson.
OSCAR'S TOP DRAWER: THE 10 BEST BEST PICTURE WINNERS (and a little something extra...)
Edward Copeland, proprietor of Edward Copeland On Film, is counting down the final days before the deadline to submit your list for The Ten Best Academy Award Best Picture Winners, and I’m sending my ballot in today, along with apologies to Edward for taking so long to get to it. I encourage you to hustle over to his site NOW, check out the rules and regs and get your choices sent in so Mr. Copeland won’t be spending every waking second of his upcoming weekend tallying votes.
The list I’ve sent to Edward consists of the ten best I was able to mercilessly cull from a complete roster that was actually a little stronger, considering how easy it was to compile a Ten Worst List, than I expected. I also found it interesting, and not the least unexpected, that the ‘80s would be the easiest decade to dismiss— but for the appearance of The Last Emperor and, yes, Driving Miss Daisy (not a classic, but hardly a poster child for racial insensitivity either), I might have guiltlessly blocked and deleted the entire line-up of winners for that ten-year span.
I also found it encouraging that, through no element of design, at least one film from each full decade that Best Picture awards were handed out made it onto my list—although, again, no huge surprise that fully half my list should be weighted toward the ‘70s and beyond.
Finally (and I hope I’m not trumping a future Copeland inquiry here), I decided to extend the optimism of this survey a degree further by trying to fashion a list of the Ten Best Films Nominated for Best Picture That Didn’t Actually Win the Award. Well, that was an even longer list than the 78 actual Best Picture winners, and proved to be much too daunting to be held to just 10. I slashed and ripped and tore at the list of nominees, heartlessly boiling it down further and further. But as I got nearer to that magic number there came a point where I found that I could slash no more. So my Ten Best FNFBPTDAWTA list is actually comprised of 18 essential titles, examples of when the Academy got it right, but could have gotten it even righter.
Again, Edward’s deadline is midnight CDT, Saturday, April 29. He will surely post the final results, along with some highlights of the delicious comments he’s sure to receive, whenever he damn well wants to. Here, then, are my lists.
1) The Godfather Part II (1974) Lightning in a bottle. The one film sequel that has done what (arguably) no other film sequel has done—breathed new artistic life into a predecessor that was already considered about as good as it could be and expanded the scope, emotion, metaphorical power and ultimate horror of the most potent, self-contained vision of America ever made in this country. And in a two-film series stuffed with brilliant acting, John Cazale, as the doomed Fredo Corleone, turns in one of the great overlooked performances in American movie history.
2) The Godfather (1972) The bar that seemed so unsurpassable. It is itself an incredible feat of art and passion winning out over the demands of commerce and the shortsightedness of studio executives, who would reap a huge financial and cultural windfall anyway. What would the landscape of American cinema in the ‘70s, right up to today, look like without the blood, sweat and fears of Francis Ford Coppola, the eccentricity of Marlon Brando, the interior geography of Michael Corleone courtesy of Al Pacino, or Richard Castellano's way around a pot of spaghetti?
3) Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Nine years after the introduction of Cinemascope and nearly a decade of gargantuan productions like Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments, David Lean fulfilled the promise of the epic scale of motion pictures and the wide-screen image with this rousing, troubling, awe-inspiring adventure. Like most of the films on this list, it has made an imprint on nearly every movie of any measurable scale, regardless of genre, that has been made since.
4) It Happened One Night (1934) Frank Capra drafted a durable template of screwball comedy with this graceful, ageless delight, even as his stars, Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, would never strongly be associated with the form (Colbert still had great comedies in her, however, for Mitchell Leisen and Preston Sturges.) Unless you’re a Sunday school teacher, you’re more likely to think of this movie than the Old Testament if someone mentions the walls of Jericho. Seventy-two years later, whenever someone mentions great comedies, we’re still thinking of this one.
5) The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) One of the great war movies, this is, of course, a spectacle grounded in character, centered on a psychological battle of wills between two officers and how wartime strategy quickly curdles and madness infests the motivations of both. Alec Guinness, Sessue Hayakawa and William Holden were perhaps never better than in David Lean’s warm-up to Lawrence of Arabia and, once I heard it, “The Colonel Bogey March” has never really left my head.
6) Unforgiven (1992) A summing up of and engagement with the dark underbelly of not only Clint Eastwood’s career, but also with the nature of American life and history as well. The actor/director is likely never to make another western, but Unforgiven is such a rich, evocative, chilling and morose experience that it really does feel like the last necessary word on the subject, at least from this filmmaker.
7) Annie Hall (1977) Because it was such an unlikely choice to best a phenomenon like Star Wars, and because it became itself the unlikely pinnacle of Woody Allen’s connection with an audience (i.e., the real world), this self-conscious, maddening, riotously funny and surprisingly sweet comedy makes the list. When I think of 1977 some 30 years later, I’m much more likely to conjure an image from this movie than of C3PO or R2-D2, and for that, Woody, despite your output over the past 20, I thank you.
8) The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) Peter Jackson’s feat of bringing J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels to the screen with abundant integrity and vision, sustaining that integrity and vision over three films, and adding such overwhelming sorrow, yearning and, ultimately, joy to the third part is the kind of expansion of Lean’s epic filmmaking into a fantasy realm that must still give George Lucas fits of envy and nightmares of what could have been. Jackson’s contribution to the Oscar roster stands the best chance of being undervalued over time (actually, I think it already has been) due to its sheer popularity and inclusiveness.
9) All About Eve (1950) Released the same year as Sunset Boulevard, these two Best Picture nominees must have give the impression that Hollywood suddenly really had it in for itself. Wilder’s film carries with it the truly acrid scent of dead flowers, whereas Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders and company are in it for the bitchy fun. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Essentially a soap opera for the above-the-line set, the movie is carried almost effortlessly along by the arrogant entitlement, and the confusion, of Davis’s Margo Channing, one of the most unlikely repositories for audience identification in the history of the movies.
10) Casablanca (1942) The ultimate studio picture, seemingly conceived by the seat of its pants out of providence, unlikely chemistry, spit, bailing wire, prayer and sheer luck. But to fully accept this theory would be to discount the importance of director Michael Curtiz, a solid craftsman who, despite helming other classics like The Adventures of Robin Hood, Angels with Dirty Faces and Yankee Doodle Dandy, has never been one to stoke much auteurist heat. Overexposure and excessive popularity are other enemies against which this movie’s reputation has had to endure. But a clear eye reveals Casablanca to be one of the pinnacles of the studio system, proof that even too many cooks and a bunch of conflicting recipes don’t spoil the soup every time.
The Ten (18) Best Films Nominated for Best Picture That Didn’t Actually Win the Award
Ruggles of Red Gap (1935; Leo McCarey)
Grand Illusion (1937; Jean Renoir)
Stagecoach (1939; John Ford)
Citizen Kane (1941; Orson Welles)
Double Indemnity (1944; Billy Wilder)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946; Frank Capra)
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951; Elia Kazan)
Roman Holiday (1953; William Wyler)
Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964; Stanley Kubrick)
M*A*S*H (1970; Robert Altman)
Deliverance (1972; John Boorman)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975; Sidney Lumet)
Nashville (1975; Robert Altman)
Taxi Driver (1976; Martin Scorsese)
Breaking Away (1979; Peter Yates)
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982; Steven Spielberg) *
The Right Stuff (1983; Philip Kaufman)
Babe (1995; Chris Noonan)
* In choosing E.T. over Jaws, I decided that losing to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (as did Jaws) was no dishonor, whereas losing to Gandhi (as did E.T.) was a slight that I wanted to address in some fashion, however insignificant.
If you have your own lists, please get thee promptly to Edward via his e-mail address: eddiesworst@yahoo.com (And don’t worry about that address. As Edward said himself, “I know the title seems wrong for a best contest, but I created the address especially for the first contest, so might as well use it again.”)
Or if you just feel like dropping the names of a couple of other candidates or arguing with the ones on my list, the door to my comments column is always open. With a survey like this, the more perspectives, the better.
Thanks, Edward, for inspiring a load of fun. I look forward to seeing how it all shakes out!
UPDATE 4/27/2006 In a comment below, Mr. Middlebrow quite correctly pointed out that I left one of the best movies of the '80s, one that actually was nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award off my Ten Best FNFBPTDAWTA list. I have updated it above, but please now consider that Ten Best list expanded from 17 to 18 with the tardy inclusion of Philip Kaufman's The Right Stuff.
ALSO, Mr. Middlebrow has a fun survey of his own going on at his site A Drinking Song (You know... "Show me the way to go home/I'm tired and I wanna go to bed...") that will give you an opportunity to stand up for 10 movies you think have been unjustly ignored or given the critical shaft. I've already turned in my list and I encourage you to do the same!
Posted by Dennis Cozzalio at 4:05 PM 16 comments
The first crush I ever had on a TV or movie star was Julie Newmar in the role of Catwoman on the Batman TV series. I remember vividly the stirrings of fear and desire that were conjured up in me upon first seeing her in that costume, and then every time after that when I had even but an inkling that she would be reappearing on the show to test the wits and strength of the Dynamic Duo. That Newmar-inspired fear, which was really the first stirrings of lust in the heart of a then-six-year-old boy, often manifested itself in nightmares, visitations by the Catwoman as she floated over my bed, like a feline succubus in black-and-gold lame, silken cat ears and coyly revealing face mask, often flanked by a couple of her extremely nonthreatening henchmen. Julie Newmar set the template of sensual and sexual attraction for me very early on—strong, seductive, sometimes violent females, capable of holding their own amongst the men who would either hold them in check, lash out against them or conspire in some way to keep them down. Claudia Cardinale, Sophia Loren, Pam Grier, Ann-Margret and Michelle Yeoh would all occupy the same position of honor in my affections at one point or another in my development as a teenager and a cinephile. Had I encountered her in any significant way during that time, I’m pretty sure Angie Dickinson would have slipped under my youthful radar.
My interest and fascination with Angie is, instead, a late, retroactive one, and much more satisfying so, I think— the fascination roughly fits my particular mold in terms of her basic appeal, but it seems to be most clearly expressed in a more adult-oriented sensibility of appreciation. Angie never was the ostentatiously libidinous villainess, or the outsized, overripe sexpot, or the hyperactively alluring Vegas-style entertainer, or the carnal and deadly action star, or the lithe and transcendently kinetic martial arts heroine. For me, her appeal was rooted in the earthy splendor best displayed by Feathers in Rio Bravo. The role could have been simply female diversion—some might argue, and successfully, that that is exactly what it is. But I think Dickinson’s easy manner, her sense of playfulness in her scenes with John Wayne, her refusal to be intimidated by him either as an actor/icon, or in her encounters with Wayne’s John T. Chance, and what That Little Round-headed Boy accurately describes as her casual beauty, allows Dickinson to reveal more than that diminutive “female diversion” might allow. Feathers stands toe-to-toe with the men and the boys on Hawks’ canvas of loyalty and controlled action-- she demands respect, and makes no apologies, for seeing the world the way she sees it.
Her devastating, rather understated beauty is central to her appeal in Rio Bravo and, I think, throughout her career. The fact that she registers first as a “real” woman, that is, not a spectacular, unattainable caricature, but as someone whose essence seems grounded in the everyday, the recognizable, is what makes the gradual revelation of just how lovely a presence she is in films as varied as The Bramble Bush, The Chase, Ocean’s Eleven, Rome Adventure, Jessica, The Killers, Point Blank, Sam Whiskey and Pretty Maids All in a Row eventually so, well, devastating.
However, while reserving spots for Rio Bravo, Point Blank and Dressed to Kill as perhaps the best movies Angie Dickinson ever appeared in, I would agree with those who cite Big Bad Mama as perhaps her best role, and perhaps even her finest hour as an actress. It’s an excellent showcase for the particular brand of earthy, genuine manner and humor she accesses, leavened, of course, by that unassuming, unadorned beauty, and all mixed up with a unapologetic and brazen sexuality (the kind only hinted at in her previous roles), a measure of maternal compulsion, and the kind of violent bravado that was not out of place amongst Roger Corman’s New World Pictures at the time. The template for the picture is, of course, Bonnie and Clyde, and while the movie cuts nowhere as deep as Arthur Penn’s picture, it’s still a lively, funny ride, an ostensibly new wineskin filled almost to bursting with admittedly old wine—the heady excitement and eventual comeuppance of gangsters on the run in 1930s America wasn’t exactly a new tale even when Penn told it (in that instance, the old wineskin did indeed bust wide open), but director Steve Carver’s movie opened it up with a kind of B-movie brio that would prove profitable for Corman, as well as for several producers of similar gangster movies that would follow in its dusty, bloody trail throughout the ‘70s.
But I’ll leave the movie to others whose enthusiasm for it matches mine even as their words engage it with the kind of ease of articulation and perception that I’m not capable of mustering as the hour grows late. Instead, Big Bad Mama, and indeed the essence of the allure of Angie Dickinson, for me can be boiled down to a single shot in that movie. It’s a moment that encapsulates all the qualities of her physical presence, which, I think it can be argued successfully, is the sturdy foundation on which her very real, if modest, talents as an actress are built. (Anyone who doubts her ability to conjure coiled, feral energy and focus with laser precision on the weary disgust of a fashion-plate femme fatale really ought to get themselves hence to John Boorman’s Point Blank, and then contrast this character turn with Maria Bello’s rather more well-trodden approach in Brian Helgeland’s terrific, if more conventional, Point Blank remake, Payback.)
Mama, known to everyone else but her daughters as Wilma McClatchie, has returned to the arms of Fred Diller (Tom Skerritt) one last time, in a hay loft on the farm where Wilma’s gang has being hiding out. Yes, this is the scene every teenaged boy who saw Big Bad Mama in 1974 and has held it near and dear to their hearts ever since remembers with absolute clarity— the shocking moment when Wilma/Angie rises up from the arms of Fred/Tom, reacting the noises being made by a posse that is about to lay siege to that farm and engage her gang in a fatal gun battle. Wilma crosses in front of the camera toward the barn door, revealing herself to be completely and totally nude—a surprising and quite welcome display by Angie Dickinson that even today puts most pneumatically engineered porn starlets and their relentlessly manufactured eroticism to sad shame.
But it’s the moment when Wilma/Angie begins to steel herself for that gun battle that I find to be the height of the film’s fusion of sexuality, eroticism and violence. Framed by the hay loft door, looking down over the courtyard at the entrance to the farm where her pursuers have started to make themselves known, Wilma, holding her pistol, breasts still exposed, gathers up her slip over herself in a series of modest moves, all the while talking (To Fred? Her daughters? Her soon-to-be attackers? I admit I don’t remember to whom) and readying her pistol for the defensive task at hand. The simple eroticism of this shot, the actress’s economical, expressive movement, and the projection of the inescapable trajectory of violence that has now fused itself permanently with her maternal instincts by the presence of the gun, strikes me as easily the visual highlight of the film. In fact, when I saw Big Bad Mama recently on DVD, the moment seemed to me to be one of the most genuinely, poignantly, expressively sexy images I could recall seeing in a movie.
Angie Dickinson is arguably more famous for her role as Pepper Anderson on TV’s Police Woman series, which ran for four years, than for any single movie, or perhaps for her entire movie career. Though Police Woman often stuck her in vaguely demeaning hooker/stripper guises in order to lure criminals to their date with the law, often emphasizing Lt. Bill Crowley (Earl Holliman) as her unlikely savior, it was steady, high-profile work, and she certainly got to do more during the run of Police Woman than she ever did in a typically small role like the one she played in The Chase. (And no matter how traditional his male-dominant role in the series, I always imagined Angie could mop the floor up with Earl pretty handily.) But for many I suspect her Wilma McClatchie, Big Bad Mama herself, has reserved a much softer spot in their cinematic hearts. For me, discovering the movie as a grown-up, rather than as a testosterone-fueled teen at my local drive-in in 1974, it cements the grown-up appeal Dickinson held for me in Rio Bravo, Point Blank and Dressed to Kill as a sex symbol grounded in a happily recognizable standard of beauty. All the photographs and stills you’ll see during today’s Angie Dickinson Blog-a-Thon show that beauty to be timeless, and it still shines through Angie v.2006. Her movies, even the least memorable of them, testify to a different kind of beauty though, the kind informed by the magic that the cinema can bring to an actress to make her live and breathe for us, to make her more “real.” The movies featuring Angie Dickinson prove that a cinematic sex symbol need not seem larger than life. Indeed, for my money, it’s her connection to the truer dimensions of that life, with all its attendant humanity, grace, failures, and even acceding to the inevitability of aging, that ushers her into the pantheon of the movies’ greatest beauties.
There are other contributions to the Angie Dickinson Blog-a-Thon that will provide you with much reading enjoyment today. This list will undoubtedly expand as the day moves along, but for right now you might click on the following to get that Angie fix:
Steven Carlson checks in on The Three Faces of Angie, one of them being the little seen Big Bad Mama II, over at The Ongoing Cinematic Education of Steven Carlson.
Flickhead has a great overview of Angie's career, as well as his usual keen observtions: "Ultimately what purpose does she serve other than to let us know all is right with the world?... Angie flowered in an era that went gaga over smoldering, busty exotics and amazons: Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Senta Berger, Anita Ekberg. But wisely and logically, she never tried to compete. Hers is a soft sexuality, warm and genuine, merry narrow-eyes and a slight lisp, the promise of a pleasant time in the sack and blueberry pancakes in the morning."
Look to That Little Round-Headed Boy for an investigation into "The Enduring Mystery of Angie Dickinson," seen largely through the prism of Big Bad Mama: "Angie Dickinson is a gorgeous, gorgeous woman, with one of the most casually beautiful bodies ever put on screen. But is she much of an actress?... She could have been a '60s-'70s Lauren Bacall, a topline star of slow-burning insouciance who attracted the men but didn't turn off the women. She had the legs, she had the bust, she had the pert blond hair and most important, she had the voice. Angie Dickinson's voice is truly what makes her sexy: it's low, smoky, whiskey-cured, measured out to entice. It's irresistible catnip to a man."
Peter Nellhaus does well to remind us of Angie, Arnold Leven and Sam Whiskey at Coffee, Coffee and More Coffee.
John McElwee at Greenbriar Picture Shows remembers some forgotten Angie Dickinson films and the Hollywood atmosphere in which her bid for stardom was launched.
Inisfree offers Angie en francais...
Richard Gibson features some nice screen grabs in considering Angie in Dressed to Kill.
Michael J. Hayde has a look at an early TV Guide appearance by our guest of honor.
Keep checking back for more to come as we celebrate Angie Dickinson Blog-a-Thon Day!
(Again, thanks to Aaron Graham, keeper of More Than Meets the Mogwai for his excessive generosity in procuring the screen grabs used to make this post a much more entertaining one than it would have been without them. Aaron is unfortunately unable to participate in today's tribute to Angie Dickinson, but even so, that he would take the time to supply this DVD-ROM-less soul with such delights for publication speaks volumes. My tab just keeps getting bigger and bigger, MGM.)
Posted by Dennis Cozzalio at 2:47 AM 19 comments
This coming Wednesday, April 19, is the day that has been set aside as Angie Dickinson Blog-a-Thon Day. So if you’re going to be contributing to the festivities, please drop either me or Flickhead a line at our e-mail addresses so we can get a preliminary roster of links posted first thing Wednesday.
And remember, if you don’t have a blog and would be interested in contributing a piece, however brief or lengthy, feel free to submit your stuff to Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule at powser2@earthlink.net and I’ll be glad to post it for you.
Rio Bravo! Ocean’s Eleven! The Killers! Point Blank! Big Bad Mama! Dressed to Kill! Police Woman! Join us as we pay tribute to this sensationally sexy star Wednesday, April 19.
This just in: When Terence Malick's The New World opens in Tokyo later this month, two movie theaters there will be specially equipped to offer something U.S. audiences had to rely on Malick's lush, atmospheric imagery, and their own imaginations, to provide. According to an Associated Press report, special scents will be released into the air of the auditoriums during crucial moments in the film.
The report states that "a floral scent accompanies a love scene, while a mix of peppermint and rosemary is emitted during a tear-jerking scene.
"Joy is a citrus mix of orange and grapefruit, while anger is enhanced by a herb-like concoction with a hint of eucalyptus and tea tree.
The smells waft from special machines under the seats in the back rows of two movie theaters, which create different fragrances by controlling the mix of oils stored in the machines."
Enhancing anger with a hint of eucalyptus and tea tree. Interesting. One has to wonder, though, whether or not if a certain director had been brought in to consult on the aromas those lucky Japanese viewers might also have been treated to a dose of what Colin Farrell's John Smith might have smelled like after a few weeks away from camp.
Malick's trimmed theatrical cut of The New World arrives on DVD May 9 with a 60-minute making-of documentary attached but, presumably, sans smells of any kind.
My friend and coworker, super fan Haruka Sometani, got the chance to meet actor-writer-director Steve Buscemi at a recent screening of his new directorial effort, Lonesome Jim, and just happened to have a camera ready. Said Haruka in the e-mail to which this photo was attached, “It’s my dream come true! The only celebrity I've dreamed of meeting! I finally did it! It's Mr. Buscemi!”
I can only imagine that Buscemi, the man whom the Coen Brothers have killed off at least four times (bullet in the brain pan, hotel fire, wood chipper, and of course, heart attack, as Donny in The Big Lebowski) * and who was so memorable as Seymour, the blues record collector who catches Thora Birch’s cynical eye in Ghost World, was just as happy to meet you, Haruka! I don’t remember if Haruka said whether she liked Lonesome Jim or not, but from the look on her face I doubt if it would have made any difference one way or another.
* (Did the Coens off Buscemi in The Hudsucker Proxy? I’ve only seen it once, and if not for the wonder of the Internet Movie Database I probably wouldn’t have even remembered he was in it.)
PROFESSOR VAN HELSING’S JUST-BEFORE-SUNRISE WOODEN-STAKE-THROUGH-SPRING-BREAK QUIZ
Spring break? What spring break? Professor Van Helsing, senior professor emeritus at the SLIFR U School of Vampirology, has driven a stake through the entire conception of an April vacation and issued another quiz designed to keep you clothed, off the beaches and stone cold sober while all around you students destroy brain cell after brain cell on the hunt for cheap thrills and fresh meat. As proctor of these quizzes, I make a vow right now not to make you wait until September to see the answers to this quiz—the Professor Brainerd turnaround should be considered an aberration, not the rule (this is why I’m not going on spring break either).
And here's a special shout-out to any longtime or newbie lurkers who regularly check out the goings-on at SLIFR-- we all want to hear from you. If you're logging on for the first time, or especially if you've hung around for a while and never commented or participated in one of our quizzes before, I hope you'll take some of your valuable time and let us know what your answers are to these pressing cinematic questions. As much as I hope to see many, if not all of the past participants check in, I know I'd love to have more company in the comments column as those answers start coming in. So join us, won't you?
Just submit your completed list of answers in the comments column. In a month or so, I will compile all of the answers in a digested format for easy pickin's. The questions tend not to be yes-or-no, so short, terse answers may not always be easy to formulate, nor are they necessarily preferred. Personally, I like to read the ones with lots of verbiage, so if you feel like going off on a tangent, feel free to do so!
All right, the hour is now upon us. Sharpen your stakes, sharpen even further your No. 2s, sit up straight and open your blue books… now!
1) What film made you angry, either while watching it or in thinking about it afterward?
2) Favorite sidekick
3) One of your favorite movie lines
4) William Holden or Burt Lancaster?
5) Describe a perfect moment in a movie
6) Favorite John Ford movie
7) The inverse of a question from the last quiz: What film artist (director, actor, screenwriter, whatever) has the least–deserved good reputation, artistically speaking. And who would you replace him/her with on that pedestal?
8) Barbara Stanwyck or Ida Lupino?
9) Showgirls-- yes or no?
10) Most exotic or otherwise unusual place in which you ever saw a movie
11) Favorite Robert Altman movie
12) Best argument for allowing rock stars to participate in the making of movies
13) Describe a transcendent moment in a film (a moment when you realized a film that just seemed routine or merely interesting before had become become something much more)
14) Gina Gershon or Jennifer Tilly?
15) Favorite Frank Capra movie
16) The scene you most wish you could have witnessed being filmed
17) Robert Ryan or Richard Widmark?
18) Name a movie that inspired you to walk out before it was finished
19) Favorite political movie
20) Your favorite movie poster/one-sheet, or the one you’d most like to own
21) Jeff Bridges or Jeff Goldblum?
22) Favorite Ken Russell movie
23) Accepting the conventional wisdom that 1970-1975 marked a golden age of American filmmaking in which artistic ambition and popular acceptance were not mutually exclusive, what for you was this golden age’s high point? (Could be a movie, a trend, the emergence of a star, whatever)
24) Grace Kelly or Ava Gardner?
25) With total disregard for whether it would ever actually be considered, even in this age of movie recycling, what film exists that you feel might actually warrant a sequel, or would produce a sequel you’d actually be interested in seeing?
Posted by Dennis Cozzalio at 4:55 PM 114 comments
PROFESSOR BRAINERD'S CHRISTMAS QUIZ: THE ANSWERS (PART THREE: HOLIDAYS, HAMS, CRUSHES, WISHES AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
Okay, this is it— Part Three, the concluding chapter of the roundup of answers to Professor Brainerd’s mind-boggling Christmas Quiz. If you’re looking for a quick (well, not so quick, really) update on the previous two installments, here’s the buttons to push for part one and part two. I’m only throwing in an answer derived from my on list of answers every once in a while, but if you so choose to revisit that logorrheic document, you can do so by clicking here.
12) YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY MOVIE (doesn’t have to be Christmas-oriented)
Of course, when one thinks of holiday movies, it’s almost inevitable that Christmas films come to mind. Murray, Machine Gun McCain, the Mysterious Adrian Betamax and Mr. Middlebrow all cited It’s a Wonderful Life, as did I.
Racking up almost as many mentions was Bob Clark’s A Christmas Story, a favorite of Roscoe, Snake Plissken and Nilblogette, who listed, as did Brian and Sal, Die Hard as well (that’s always been one I like to warm my chestnuts by during the Christmas season too).
Thom McGregor voted for Groundhog Day, Beege gave up some love for National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Sal points us toward April Love and One Magic Christmas, Dave Robidenza prefers Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Roscoe loves The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mr. Middlebrow cites the original animated version of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and he joins Sharon in recommending The Ref (another wonderful monkey wrench in your stocking!), Peter Nellhaus recommends George Cukor’s Holiday, and both Robert and Virgil Hilts think highly of Alastair Sim’s portrayal of Scrooge in the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol directed by Brian Desmond-Hurst. On to some commentary:
Blaaagh: “I'd sure like to see Magoo's Christmas Carol again...my dad could never watch it without crying at the end! But barring that, I'll go with It's a Wonderful Life, which came on some dreary 70s day after Christmas in the midst of my teenage years and acted on me like some sort of tonic. I don't watch it often, so as not to wear it out even more than it has been already, but I still love it.”
Brian: “Let’s try one for each of five holidays: Halloween: Halloween; Dia de los Muertos: Macario; Christmas: The Shop Around the Corner; Groundhog Day: Groundhog Day; Easter: Monty Python’s Life of Brian”
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “Only It's a Wonderful Life springs to mind, and it is a really excellent movie on all levels, so it's okay to pick it. Bonus response: Best SHORT holiday movie-- Laurel and Hardy's Big Business, the one where they go selling Christmas trees door-to-door.”
psaga: “Every Halloween, I force anybody within reach to watch The Frighteners with me. This Christmas, my mum, in a fit of cine-filial pride and enthusiasm, purchased and distributed every copy of Danny Boyle’s Millions found in the Greater Michiana area and forced everyone within reach to watch it, plus the English subtitles I cocreated, with her. (“Forget Jimmy Stewart and that kid with the tongue to the flagpole! This is the new Christmas movie. And my daughter worked on the DVD.”) My favorite explicitly “holiday” movie would have to be the Holly Hunter-starring Home for the Holidays. I’m a sucker for all that alliteration. (How’s that for a rambling stoner non-answer?)”
13) WORST HOLIDAY MOVIE (doesn’t have to be Christmas-oriented)
The hammer seems to have come down hardest on Ron Howard’s live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Mr. Middlebrow, Dave Robidenza), but, entertainingly enough, there were plenty of offenders to go around.
Peet is perplexed by The Polar Express; Virgil Hilts says Surviving Christmas is dreck, although seeing Ben Affleck getting slammed on the head with a shovel has some value; Robert thinks Santa Claus The Motion Picture may have had fatal consequences; Peter Nellhaus holds up Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights for some hot-buttered scorn; Brian thinks Independence Day stunk loudest; Murray was offended by Kelsey Grammer’s interpretation of Scrooge in the recent TV movie version of A Christmas Carol; Roscoe thinks any holiday movie with Ben Affleck in it is to be avoided (Reindeer Games, anyone?); and Machine Gun McCain would like a tarp dropped on any Christmas TV movie of the last few years.
Nilblogette: “Once Upon A Christmas starring Kathy Ireland as Santa's daughter is dreck, but I've got to go with The Polar Express. I have never been so simultaneously angry and bored during a movie.”
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “So many. What was that one with that guy Sinbad?”
Dave Robidenza: “I'd pick the Jim Carrey Grinch on general principles, though I've avoided seeing it.”
Blaaagh: “I love Murray's choice of that terrible, terrible new musical last year with Kelsey Grammer as Scrooge--Jane Krakowski (sp?) as the Ghost of Christmas So-and-So in a slinky dress, singing in a faux English accent, "Do you remembah? Do you remembah?"--but my own choice is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Ugh.”
14) YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE HAMMY ACTOR
Machine Gun McCain: DAVID PATRICK KELLY
Peter Mellhaus: ORSON WELLES
Roscoe: AL PACINO
Murray: HUGH GRANT
Nilblogette: MICHAEL MORIARTY, specifically Troll and Island of the Alive (It’s Alive III)
Beege: STEVE MARTIN
Blaaagh: CHARLTON HESTON
Brian: TOSHIRO MIFUNE
Robert: WILLIAM SHATNER
Virgil Hilts: ROBERT ARMSTRONG and BASIL RATHBONE
Thom McG: MALCOLM McDOWELL
Psaga: VITTORIO GASSMAN
Dave Robidenza: CHARLES S. DUTTON and HARRISON FORD
Sal: JAMES WOODS
Snake Plissken: WILLIAM SHATNER (“Khaaaaaaaaaaan!”)
Peet: GEORGE C. SCOTT (“Boy, I love it when this guy gets angry!”)
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “SHELDON LEONARD, perhaps (if that's fair to him), especially in the film noir Decoy. But he's quite amusingly hammy also in Somewhere in the Night.”
Mr. Middlebrow: “Gary Cooper. Man, what a scene-chewer! Kidding! First blush: William Shatner. Upon consideration: William Shatner."
Dennis: “Some years ago a friend of mine and I put together a patchily-edited (on a VCR) montage of some of Rod Steiger’s wildest moments from movies as diverse as Oklahoma!, In the Heat of the Night, The Loved One, No Way to Treat a Lady and many others (including a scene with Kevin Kline from The January Man where the actor goes so far over the top that it seems the only way out is a full-on aneurysm), and it was an absolute delight to see all that bizarre energy pop off like honey-cured firecrackers, one straight after the other. The cherry on top: I was at a screening of The Passion of Joan of Arc at the John Anson Ford Theater here in Los Angeles several years ago, waiting in line to use the men’s room. A guy emerged from the facility and walked passed me, and the guy waiting behind me made a comment to me along the lines of, ‘Did you see the look on that guy’s face when he came out? I wonder what the hell went on in there?’ I chuckled and turned around to acknowledge the stranger’s vaguely scatological good humor. It was Rod Steiger.”
15) FAVORITE FEDERICO FELLINI MOVIE
8½ (Peter Nellhaus, Snake Plissken, Nilblogette, The Mysterious Adrian Betamax)
NIGHTS OF CABIRIA (Thom McGregor, Blaaagh, Dennis)
I VITTELONI (Machine Gun McCain)
THE WHITE SHEIK (Brian)
JULIET OF THE SPIRITS (Virgil Hilts)
Peet: “Clowns and fat ladies scare me.”
Dave Robidenza: “The only one I ever saw was Satyricon, and I'm still working through it in therapy.”
Psaga: “Hooray! LE NOTTI DI CABIRIA ties with GIULIETTA DEGLI SPIRITI for yin. (Fantasy: Giulietta Masina takes out Mastroianni’s Guido from 8 ½.) ROMA (riveting images of the metro tunnels and of Anna Magnani) makes yang.”
16) YOUR FAVORITE FILM CRITIC
(I’ll probably get scoffed right off the information superhighway for this, but it was not my intention to use this question to go fishing for a bunch of shout-outs. That said, thanks to those silly folk who mentioned my name here. Your copies of Reeling are in the mail.)
Peter Nellhaus: LISA SCHWARTZBAUM, Entertainment Weekly
Machine Gun McCain: ANDREW SARRIS (but not the Sarris of today)
Nilblogette: All-time: PAULINE KAEL/Current: DAVE KEHR
Blaaagh: PAULINE KAEL
Brian: Tie between RUDOLF ARNHEIM and VERN
Sal: DAVID SPADE
Robert: Likes Kael and Kehr, but his favorite movie critic is HIMSELF
Peet: DANA LINSSEN (though he would now add Matt Zoller Seitz to his short list).
Dave Robidenza: THE THREE BLACK CHICKS
Mr. Middlebrow: ANTHONY LANE
Roscoe: “I’m too much of a cynic and a masochist, I only read bad reviews.”
Snake Plissken: “Dennis Cozzalio, although I don't agree with him a lot of the time. His fawning appreciation of JM J. Bullock is just too far out for me. (Was I supposed to tell anyone, Dennis?)”
Virgil Hilts: “R.D. Cozzalio. Second place is a tie between Kevin Thomas and Linda Gross of the late '70s/early '80s L.A. Times.”
Peet: “I would have said Dennis Cozzalio if he hadn’t faced me with yet another pointless, irresistable movie quiz to waste my precious holiday time. ;-)”
Beege: “Dennis. ;) Actually...that's not so much of a joke.” (Depends on yor perspective—Ed.)
Thom McG: “Fishing for compliments?” (You get TWO copies of Reeling!—Ed.)
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “Hans Lucas.”
Psaga: “If I weren’t such a slacker, I’d have been the first to submit Dennis Cozzalio as my favorite critic. Ooh, I just read Thom McGregor’s answers though, and several chortles and exclamations of ‘Man, why didn’t I think of that?’ later, I’m thinking she’s my current favorite. All right, I try to remember to read SALON’s ‘Beyond the Multiplex,’ because Andrew O’Hehir can usually get me all excited by writing something like ‘Cache: Joseph Conrad meets David Lynch in a neighborhood not unlike yours and mine.’ I also try to remember to be amused by the ONION’s AV Clubbers.”
18) BEST USE OF A NATURAL LOCATION SETTING IN A MOVIE
Sal: THE HILLS HAVE EYES (Wes Craven original)
Robert: WALKABOUT, PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK
Thom McGregor: NAKED, MANHATTAN
Nilblogette: FITZCARRALDO
Murray: BEND OF THE RIVER, THE WAY WEST
Peter Mellhaus: John Ford in Monument Valley
Machine Gun McCain: Any of Don Siegel’s San Francisco films
Sharon: “As much as I didn’t care for the movies, I’d have to say that Peter Jackson did right by the glorious New Zealand scenery in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.”
Peet: “Picnic at Hanging Rock You beat me to it, Robert!”
Brian: “Having recently seen Zabriskie Point for the first time, I have to say that Antonioni’s use of Death Valley obliterates the memory of all other comers in my mind right now. And this is only a couple weeks after concluding that he was resting on Antonio Gaudi’s laurels for certain stretches of The Passenger.”
Snake Plissken: “Preston, Idaho, in Napoleon Dynamite. Folks, I've been there, and I'm telling you, that movie was a freaking DOCUMENTARY. Stay far, far away.”
Beege: “Hard to beat Cannon Beach's gigantic rock in The Goonies.”
Blaaagh: “New Zealand in the Lord of the Rings movies...runner-up, the coast of Ireland in Ryan's Daughter (I got to see it at the Paramount in Portland as a kid in 70mm and 6-track stereo).”
Dennis: “I’m obviously not thinking on a very Lean-esque scale here, but I think it’s pretty wonderful what the filmmakers responsible for National Lampoon’s Animal House were able to do to make the campus of the University of Oregon pass for a splendidly atmospheric Eastern college… The location adds a priceless richness and authenticity to the movie, just another element that makes Animal House stand apart from its endless imitators.”
Virgil Hilts: “Alberta, Canada, subbing for the Texas Panhandle in Days of Heaven; the French countryside in The Duellists; and the river in Deliverance. And Robert's choice of "Picnic at Hanging Rock is a real good one.”
Psaga: “Mt. Potts Station as Edoras speaks to my inner lady of Rohan. Matamata as Hobbiton speaks to, well, my inner hobbit. Now please excuse me while I go curl up and cry a puddle over all that beauty.”
Dave Robidenza: “Various North Carolina locations (standing in for colonial-era New York) in Michael Mann's Last of the Mohicans.”
Mr. Middlebrow: “The Last of the Mohicans (four years living in Asheville, NC, near Chimney Rock, where the final showdown with Magua takes place, will do that to you.)”
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “Ah, whatever. I don't have to answer your stupid questions. Ask Anthony Mann. How about The Far Country. Yeah, go with that.”
19) WORST SQUANDERING OF A NATURAL LOCATION SETTING IN A MOVIE
Robert, Machine Gun McCain: THE LAST SAMURAI
Thom McGregor: Lawrence Kasdan's GRAND CANYON
Psaga: FAR AND AWAY
Peter Nellhaus: ISHTAR
Nilblogette: “There was no reason for Troy to shoot on location when nothing in that movie looked, or was, real.”
Mr. Middlebrow: “Oregon City, Oregon, in Bandits. (No falls? No elevator? The hell?)
Also the worst squandering of Cate Blanchett.”
Blaaagh: “Er...I dunno. Probably all the locations in Sidney Sheldon's Bloodline. I don't remember whether any of them were "natural" locations, but I remember how terrible it was and that they traveled to different countries around the world to make this trash.”
Dave Robidenza: “Mount Etna for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, both for providing the background for the great big letdown that was the Anakin/Obi-Wan duel and for once again putting the lie to George Luca$$'s assertion that digital effects can replace practical locations.”
Dennis: “The screenwriter and/or director of The Ring 2 decided to set the movie in one of the most picturesque and haunting locales in the Northwest-- Astoria, Oregon-- and then pissed away any and all opportunity to put that natural beauty to any narrative use to conjure dread or even a strong sense of local geography. The location is relegated to a series of picture postcard establishing shots, each one making obvious the inarguable grandeur and natural beauty of the area… The most frightening thing about The Ring 2 is the film’s blindness to its own setting… The best thing about The Ring 2: those establishing shots.”
Brian: “The shooting of The Beach literally squandered the actual beauty of Ko Phi Phi in real life, so it has to win this contest.”
Sharon: “The splendor of Hawaii was wasted on Waterworld.”
Robert: “Once Upon a Time in the West-- I know I’ll get brickbats for this, but I do feel that better use could’ve been made of iconic locations through the whole movie, not just Jill’s wagon ride.”
Peet: “With pain in my heart, I say: Full Metal Jacket. Not that Kubrick did a poor job of making London and Essex look like Parris Island, mind you, but I still believe he should have gotten over his fear of flying for this one.”
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “Was there a natural location in Chain Reaction? 'Cause I'm sure that was probably a bad movie.”
20) FAVORITE SONG FROM A MOVIE
Roscoe: Gary Jules’ cover of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World,” from DONNIE DARKO
Murray: “The Circle of Life” from THE LION KING
Peter Nellhaus: “Beautiful Stranger” by Madonna, from AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME Snake Plissken: “All Over the World” by Electric Light Orchestra, from XANADU
Machine Gun McCain: “He Needs Me” sung by Julie Andrews, from 10
Nilblogette: “Memo from Turner,” from PERFORMANCE
Beege: “I’ll Cover You,” from RENT
Blaaagh: “Edelweiss,” from THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Brian: The title track from THE HARDER THEY COME by Jimmy Cliff
Sal: “Skid Row” from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and the title track from THAT THING YOU DO!
Robert: “Love Power” (Dick Shawn’s audition) from THE PRODUCERS; also, “Porpoise Song” and “Daddy’ Song”,” from HEAD.
Peet: “When She Loved Me” by Randy Newman (sung by Sarah MacLachlan), from TOY STORY 2
Dennis: Original to film-- "Until the End of the World," written by Bono and the Edge, from Wim Wenders' Until the End of the World (1991) Non-original to film-- “Move On Up,” written by Curtis Mayfield, as heard in Ken Shapiro's The Groove Tube (1973).
Psaga: “Moving Right Along” by Kermit and Fozzie Bear
Thom McGregor: “Singin’ in the Rain,” from Singin’ in the Rain and Clockwork Orange
Dave Robidenza: “I’m a Neat Kind of Guy” from Todd Solondz’s Fear, Anxiety and Depression
Virgil Hilts: "Singing In The Rain" sung by Gene Kelly; "Town Without Pity" sung by Gene Pitney; Shirley Bassey singing "Goldfinger"; and Jimmy Cliff singing "Many Rivers To Cross," "You Can Get It If You Really Want" and "The Harder They Come."
Mr. Middlebrow: “‘Me Ol’ Bamboo’ from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Ah, the ribald subtext of Ian Fleming...”
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “????? You are insane if you think I'm going to answer a question this broad.”
22) FAVORITE ROGER CORMAN MOVIE
Machine Gun McCain, Snake Plissken: X- THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES
Nilblogette: HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP (Any idea what ever happened to Barbara Peeters?—Ed.)
Blaaagh, Peet: THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM
Brian: SUBURBIA (directed by Penelope Spheeris)
Sal: ROCK AND ROLL HIGH SCHOOL
Dennis: THE PREMATURE BURIAL, THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD
Robert: THE INTRUDER
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: THE HAUNTED PALACE
Beege: “Too bad M has gone to bed. I bet he'd have one.”
Thom McGregor: “The Silence of the Lambs, where he played, to perfection, FBI Director Hayden Burke. Okay, this was a weird question…”
Dave Robidenza: “The Skateboard Kid (executive producer), but only for the kick-ass opening credits song.”
23) YOUR BIGGEST MOVIE STAR CRUSH
Mr. Middlebrow: FAYE DUNAWAY as Bonnie and MYRNA LOY in The Thin Man
Sharon:GEORGE CLOONEY
Thom McGregor: Current: EWAN McGREGOR Firsts: RICHARD DREYFUSS, ROBERT REDFORD, AL PACINO, DIANA RIGG (Gentlemen, all questions about this last one can be referred directly to powser2@earthlink.net for a discreet reply in a brown wrapper. –Ed.)
Sal: LINDA BLAIR, SHAWNEE SMITH
Brian: KATE WINSLET
Nilblogette: DONALD SUTHERLAND
DENNIS: CLAUDIA CARDINALE, MICHELLE YEOH
Machine Gun McCain: ISABELLE HUPPERT
Snake Plissken: RAQUEL WELCH
Murray: LINDA PURL, VALERIE BERTINELLI
Roscoe: KEIRA KNIGHTLEY
Peter Nellhaus: SANDRA MAJANI. She was only in one film, but God, is she hot!”
Blaaagh: “Crushes through the eons: 1. Julie Christie 2. Julie Newmar 3. Sarah Miles 4. Olivia Hussey (I saw Romeo and Juliet late) 5. Linda Blair (serious). Let's skip over some years, eh?
Currently: Rachel McAdams (I know, I know, she's a young-un, but it's just a movie-star crush).”
Beege: “Zach Braff. There’s just something about those Jewish men…” (Beege, I was coming out of a doctor appointment with my youngest daughter about a month ago, and traffic was stopped right at the street level of the exit to the parking lot. When we creeped up to the top, there was Zach Braff, in hospital blues, sitting in a shopping cart stuffed with garbage, being pushed across the street by an actor dressed as a homeless guy. We’d stumbled onto a location shoot for Scrubs. Life in Los Angeles… -- Ed.)
Psaga: “My heaviest imaginary relationship with a famous person involved a rock star, not a movie star (and you’d have to apply some serious torture—say, marathon screenings of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt and Billy Zane—to get me to say more.) With movie stars I guess I’m rather promiscuous. Seeing Capra’s You Can’t Take It With You a few years ago had me clipping photos of young James Stewart to hang in my office cubicle and swoon over. Watching Mathieu Kassovitz in Amelie of Montemartre has me omitting regular squeals. (Director Jeunet cheerfully points out at various times in the commentary and bonus features that they don’t have Leonardo DiCrapio in France, but they have Mathieu Kassovitz. And I ask myself again, “Self, when are we defecting?”) This year’s movie-star crush (all Karl-Urban-in-Doom rumors aside) is definitely Romain Duris in De Battre Mon Coeur S’est Arrete (Zut alors! Another French hottie), a scrumptious blend of Daniel Day-Lewis, Ewan McGregor, and Nick Cave.” (I think that’s “zoot alures,” Psaga—Ed.)
Peet: “Remember that mini-series The Thornbirds in the early ’80s? Well, little girl Meggie in the full-grown shape of English goddess Rachel Ward stole my young boy’s heart. The sight of Richard Chamberlain as Father Ralph struggling to hold on to his priest’s collar while this heavenly brunette was practically tearing off his robe with her teeth assured me that atheism was the path laid before me. Those longing brown eyes, that deep husky voice, those glistering beads of sweat dripping down the curves of her naturally tanned body... Damn, is this thing out on DVD?”
Virgil Hilts: “It wouldn't be right to say anyone other than Claudia Cardinale, but Claudia is more than just a crush. Hayley Mills. That's a crush.”
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “Ah, I don't know. I really don't obsess about them. (And I'm much healthier for it!)”
Dave Robidenza: “That's between me and a well-hidden folder on my hard drive.”
24) DIRECTOR YOU’VE ALWAYS FELT DESERVED MORE ATTENTION THAN HE/SHE EVER GOT OR HAS GOTTEN UP TO THIS POINT, AND A HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU FROM HIS/HER CAREER
Virgil Hilts: BILL FORSYTH, JOHN SAYLES, GILLIAN ARMSTRONG
Peet: JONATHAN GLAZER
Machine Gun McCain: JOHN LANDIS, especially Into The Night
Dave Robidenza: WHIT STILLMAN, especially Metropolitan
Sharon: JOHN LASSETER (check this out, Sharon… --Ed.)
Sal: TED DEMME
Nilblogette: DONALD CAMMELL
Snake Plissken: “Michael Mann. Manhunter is a far better movie than all that other Anthony Hopkins Lecter piffle, and it effectively bridged the gap between Miami Vice and CSI.”
Mr. Middlebrow: “What the hell happened to Paul Brickman? Risky Business is/was The Graduate of my generation, with the role of “plastics” being performed by “dermatology.”
Then Men Don’t Leave was a really worthwhile, if lower profile, sophomore effort. Then, poof. He’s gone from the radar. Also, I have to second Snake Plissken’s nomination of Michael Mann. You look over his filmography and you can’t help thinking, Wait, these were all done by the same guy? He’s got so much range; the only thing many of his films have in common is a journeyman’s attention to craft and detail. He’s one good romantic/screwball comedy away from being this generation’s Howard Hawks.”
(Speaking as another Michael Mann fan—and I know you have an opinion on this one, Snake—has anyone seen The Keep lately? –Ed.)
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “Depends what you mean by "attention" and where, but it seems to me that Bergman, Fellini, Antonioni, Godard et al. are alive and well in the bodies of Theo Angelopoulos, Abbas Kiarostami, Hou Hsiao-Hsien (and Godard is still going strong in his own body!-- Oh, wait, Bergman too!) and many others I can't think of right now. But unlike in the '60s, when people in America had often heard of these people, especially Bergman, these "equivalents" have nowhere near the same visibility at all, despite being equally vital and excellent artists. They do, however, have plenty of attention in the right film magazines and blogs, so it's not like they're unknown, they're just not as well-known as they ought to be in comparison to their '60s counterparts. Angelopoulos - Eternity and a Day, Kiarostami - Homework, Hou Hsiao-Hsien - Good Men/Good Women and The Puppetmaster, Godard the Latter - Soft and Hard and Sauve qui peut (la vie).”
Thom McGregor: “New Zealander Vincent Ward, who directed one of my all-time favorites, Map of the Human Heart, and also the interesting The Navigator. I believe that has been his hightlight so far. Didn't see River Queen from last year, but heard good things about it.”
Robert: “James Frawley should have had more attention as a comedy director – he’s mainly known for The Muppet Movie, but people forget that he started out directing The Monkees television show – looking at those episodes now, they hold up much better than even present day sitcoms. He did a little seen feature, Kid Blue, an adaptation of a Larry McMurtry novel (Leaving Cheyenne) with Blythe Danner, but his breakout SHOULD have been The Big Bus, a parody of disaster movies that didn’t come out at the right time… four years later in 1980, The Zuckers would hit pay dirt with Airplane! that was the same type of parody, but more frenetic and with smuttier humor. The Big Bus did pick up a cult following and was a staple of the CBS Evening Movie in the late 70’s – early 80’s.”
Peter Nellhaus: “The French director Cedric Klapisch should be better appreciated. I saw one of his films on DVD that did not get released in the U.S., a heist film titled Ni Pour, Ni Contre. Dark heist comedy where the young woman who accidentally becomes involved with a criminal gang escapes with the loot.”
Roscoe: “Darren Aronosky, because I'm a huge fan of the new innovated camera effects and he's the only director that seems to make it work to his advantage and not to his detriment (Tony Scott).”
Brian: “William Wellman doesn’t seem to get the respect he deserves from auteurists, who seem to regard him as unquestionably inferior to the likes of Ford, Hawks, Lang, Walsh, etc. while every film I see of his makes me more convinced he belongs near or among their ranks. Beau Geste is a personal fave.”
Blaaagh: “Phil Kaufman has gotten a good deal of attention and acclaim, but considering how great some of his movies are (The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Invasion of the Body Snatchers), I'd expect him to be much busier and more acclaimed...still, he seems a bit off his game these days (though I guess I didn't give Twisted a fair shot that night you and I started watching it after 480 tequila shots).”
Dennis: “Joe Dante. Run his name up the IMDb flagpole, take a look, then rent Gremlins 2, or other "bombs" like Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Explorers, The 'burbs, The Second Civil War, Small Soldiers, Innerspace, the third episode of the ill-fated Twilight Zone movie, Matinee, or earlier Corman-influenced pictures like Hollywood Boulevard, The Howling and Piranha, and see if you don't see a sliver of what I see: a renegade intelligence running wild and loose under the radar across the landscape of American pop culture, leaving a trail of singed ground, felled trees and exploded cultural assumptions behind.”
Beege: “I'll tell you what, Dennis. YOU tell ME what theologian you've always felt deserved more attention than he/she ever got or has gotten up to this point, and a highlight for you from his/her career, and then I'LL come up with an answer for this question. ;) I mean, come on: are directors REALLY so important? ;)” (I gave you my answer a little further down in the comments column of the original post, but you never came through on your end, Beege! Whazzupwit dat?:)—Ed.)
26) IF THE MOVIES WERE TO GIVE YOU A CHRISTMAS GIFT, OR A GIFT FOR 2006,WHAT WOULD IT BE? (I MEAN “THE MOVIES” IN THE MOST GENERAL SENSE—THE FILM INDUSTRY, THE ACTORS, A DIRECTOR MAKING A CERTAIN FILM, WHATEVER)
Blaaagh: “Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit.”
Sharon: “An Oscar for George Clooney.” (Your wish is my command!—Ed.)
Peter Nellhaus: “Regional coding on DVDs would be a thing of the past.”
Roscoe: “It would be Martin Scorsese recasting The Departed with Jim Carrey and Daniel Day Lewis as the two moles. They are older sure but they both are young enough to pull it off. Leo and Damon seem like the worst fit for that movie.”
Murray: “The best thing the movie industry could give me for Christmas is their continued efforts in making closed captions and subtitles available on as many movies as possible. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the movie industry could make closed captions available for all movies at the theaters? There are open captions available now on a select few movies, but they are seldom shown in my area. Besides, most movie watchers who are not hearing-impaired prefer no captions. But with today's technology it seems that there should be a way to encode captions to a movie that would be invisible to the naked eye, but could be seen by wearing special glasses, much like the 3D movies. That way only the people that want to watch the movie with captions could.”
Snake Plissken: “A two-hour version of the new King Kong. Terrific effects, truly emotional story, and an exciting tale with a fine cast of actors. But Great Gracious Lord, I could have cut at least 45 minutes out of that thing blindfolded. It's a good thing I got a new Timex INDIGLO(r) for Christmas (which I opened early; don't tell my mother-in-law), because I found myself checking it several times during the film.”
Machine Gun McCain: “A new film from Monte Hellman, which seems like it’ll happen, with the release of the anthology work Trapped Ashes (co-directed by Tobe Hooper and Joe Dante!)”
Nilblogette: “Lower ticket prices, lower budgets, fewer remakes and comic adaptations, actors who were never models, fewer awards shows, less CGI, no blue filters in shots also using shakey-cam, no comedies over 90 minutes long, and a better ratings system, but I think doing away with marketing departments would do the most good.”
Beege: “Better films and a free babysitter so I can actually go out and SEE them.”
Brian: “A travelling Friz Freleng retrospective for the 100th anniversary of his birth this year.”
Sal: “Well, I'm a big fan of the old movie studio lots and the magic they were able to make within those walls. It saddens me to no end when I think of film fans will never see the famous High Noon western set (bulldozed for a parking lot) or enourmous backlot of 20th Century Fox (sold off to create Century City) or the sin of all sins, the destruction of the treasured sets of the old MGM/RKO backlots of Culver City. So much of film today has relied on technology such as CGI to transport the audience that it has somehow made that trip less fantastical than it once was. The greatest gift I could receive would be to have some group of investors or directors or producers get together and find an area outside of L.A. and construct the next great studio lot that would recreate some of those lost sets and create new ones for the next several decades. God I would love to see that. I remember Debbie Reynolds talking about how she begged and pleaded with Kirk Kirkorian not to sell off and bulldoze the MGM lot. She even offered to stand in from of the main gates and sell tickets so people could see that beautiful place for themselves. It makes me weep!”
Robert: “An R1 release of Pretty Poison; a strapped-on, blown-out, extras to the max- release of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, with cast/crew commentaries and/or interviews, tons of stills, deleted scenes, and whatever else they can dredge up related to the production;
and for The Industry to regain the ability to do simple math: good writing + good actors + imaginative directors = Good Movies.”
Virgil Hilts: “Fewer remakes would be nice. Heck, an original idea for a movie would be really nice.”
Peet: “Lots of money to make one of my own. And if it isn’t too much to ask: bring Stanley Kubrick back from the dead, or successfully translate Neil Gaiman’s graphic novel epic The Sandman to the small or silver screen (not likely).”
Thom McGregor: “A great Christmas present from Hollywood to me would be to stop making trailers that reveal everything about the movie, stop reporting on the weekly box-office take as if it matters to anyone outside of Beverly Hills, Burbank and Encino, and to give Ewan McGregor and Kate Winslet really, really great roles, but not in Hollywood movies.”
The Mysterious Adrian Betamax: “There is already so much good stuff out there (more than anyone can watch), and it's just that it's unrecognized or unexplored (see response to #24!). So I'd say not a present for me, but that more people would discover these wonderful directors and actors and movies as a present to themselves! (And places like Netflix can help you do that even if you live in the boonies!) And not just those contemporary directors I was mentioning, but all the great classic/silent/classic foreign movies too!”
Psaga: “Man, I just want to hang out and finish this joint and watch blaaagh, Peet, and Thom open their presents. Well, I suppose I could get off my slacker behind and subscribe to Netflix. Do you think that would thaw a chunk of the MAB’s cold, shriveled heart?”
Dave Robidenza: “To understand that movies are at their base level entertainment and that whatever visions or pretensions the director, producer, writer, star, etc. have (to be shocking, to be outrageous, to be lyrical, to be cathartic, to throw in lots of inside jokes) the movie is being made for an audience that just wants to lose themselves in a story for two hours. I have enjoyed movies from nearly every genre but what makes a film truly enjoyable for me is that it feels like the filmmakers know exactly what their film is, know what I want it to be, and don't try to trick me with false sentiment or outlandish effects. It's kind of like a stage magician - now, I'm old enough and knowledgeable enough and cynical enough that I know the cards are marked, the box has a trapdoor, and that the coin was palmed when it looked like he was putting it under the cup. But someone who can overcome that "it's all a trick" cynicism and impress me with their banter, dexterity, and skill is someone whose act is going to leave an impression on me. Similarly, a team of filmmakers who recognize that I know the words are fake, the sets are painted muslin, the monsters are latex and the tears are glycerin but who can still put on a show that leaves me feel like I got my money's worth are always going to impress me more than someone who thinks a lot of fast cuts, digital stunts, and screamed dialogue can cover the fact that there's no real substance to their movie. Also, I want more Toblerone at the snack counter.”
Mr. Middlebrow: “Would mild electrocution to or near the genitals of the ass clowns who ruin a movie with their incessant jabbering and cell phone ringing be too much to ask? I went to, like, three movies last year and every one was, to some degree, marred by a basic lack of consideration. Things that used to be the irksome exception seem to have become the rule. I know it’s not really ‘The Movies’ to give, but if they could get the man-cub to sleep through the night and be able to be left with a competent sitter, that would be good, too. Yeah, that and the ‘nad-shockers and we can pretty much call it a day. God bless us, every one!”
Dennis: “I would love to see directors and editors rein in the incredible versatility and endless shuffling possibilities that editing digitally affords them. Back in the days of the Moviola, when editors actually had to touch film, to physically splice sequences together and make cuts with actual blades, assembling and disassembling a sequence was not only cost-prohibitive, it was time-prohibitive, and it was physically degenerative to the film stock on which the editor was working. This, I think, caused directors and editors to be judicious before the fact and actually plan how best to tell their story, through storyboarding or other means of preparation, rather than just leaving it all up to excessive digital improvisation and using 200 cuts when 20 will do, just because the Avid allows them to do so. My wish for 2006 is that The Movies would somehow rediscover the glories of longer takes, of the use of the camera to do something other than whipsaw back and forth and up and down while genuflecting at the altar of simulated documentary verisimilitude, and for modern film editors to go back and take a look at the work of Robert Wise, Albert Akst, Adrienne Fazan, Agnes Guillemot, Dede Allen, Verna Fields, Anne V. Coates, George Tomasini and so many others from the classical period of American and European cinema (many of whom, as you may have noticed from the above, utterly random list, were women). There's a better way to tell a story, one that doesn't shatter a viewer's perceptions into a thousand incoherent shards with every passing minute, and my hope is that more people who work as film editors in modern cinema, and those who aspire to do so, will look to these masters for inspiration and education in the coming year.”
That’s it, everyone! Hope you enjoyed the Christmas Quiz as much as I did! And now, everybody go out for a drink of water, sharpen your pencils and return to your seats. The Spring Break Quiz is next…
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Glee will perform Thriller by Michael Jackson on Superbowl day episode
Ok, All the Glee fans will be Thrilled, why? well… simply put, because as Tim Stack announced, Glee will perform Thriller by Michael Jackson on Superbowl day episode.
If you were all excited about the songs by Gwyneth Paltrow on Glee´s substitute, you will be even more come Superbowl time, when you watch Glee cast members take on a Michael Jackson´s Thriller mashup (with a yet to be selected song), as a part of the halftime show for the football game played during the episode.
As Tim Stack reported on EW, Although “Thriller” is featured in the episode, it will not be a Michael Jackson tribute episode. Nor will it be a tribute to Bruce Springsteen, as rumors have suggested. In fact, our source says that the only pop star truly considered for the Super Bowl episode was Sir Elton John.
The post-Super Bowl episode will instead keep with the evening’s sports theme and focus on the local football championship and Sue Sylvester’s cheerleading regionals (the “Thriller” mash-up will be played during halftime of the onscreen pigskin game). Basically, it will be a classic episode of Glee, but just bigger and better; Gleeks can also expect appearances from season two fan favorites: Blaine (Darren Criss) and Coach Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones). Oh, and General Motors is co-sponsoring the episode, which likely means there will be limited commercial interruptions.
What do you think? Will you watch Glee cast members take on a Michael Jackson´s Thriller mashup? Let me know in the comments section.
Also, remember to follow me on Twitter for more Glee scoop and spoilers.
Photo Credit: Inside TV – Entertainment Weekly
Categories: Glee Tags: Glee, Glee Songs, Glee Spoilers, Michael Jackson, Thriller
« HBO Documentary: Public Speaking, by Martin Scorsese, about Fran Lebowitz
Smallville Spoiler: Lois and Clark engaged »
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Board index » Specific road user groups » Cycling
Baby showered in glass after cyclist's road rage attack
Post subject: Baby showered in glass after cyclist's road rage attack
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 23:24
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2005 21:15
From the BBC News.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34584344
A mother has described the "terrifying" moment a cyclist smashed her car window spraying glass over her three-month-old son in an alleged act of road rage.
Rhiannon Gautama was travelling in a car along Croydon Road in south London during Monday morning rush-hour.
She said a cyclist thumped the car roof as he passed and when the car overtook him she leaned out of the window and told him to be more considerate.
Moments later, the cyclist caught up with the car and smashed the window.
"It was terrifying," Miss Gautama said.
She had been supervising her partner Barnaby Reardon, 33, who is a learner driver, as he drove to work.
Their son Jasper was in the back seat.
Deeply shaken
Miss Gautama said: "My partner saw the cyclist get his bicycle lock and smash the car window that shattered all over the inside of the car.
"I was in complete shock. I checked on Jasper to make sure he was ok, then I called the police straight away.
"Jasper was asleep the whole time but when I took him out of his car seat there was all this glass falling out of the seat everywhere, but he was just smiling.
"I guess, in hindsight the cyclist may have thought we were too far on his side of the road and there wasn't enough room to get past us, but he still managed to cycle past us.
"When we caught up with him I leaned out of the window and said: 'Have some consideration, we've got 'L' plates on and a baby in the back'.
"Then we hit more traffic and I turned to my partner and said, 'he's going to catch up with us,' but I had no idea he was going to smash the window."
Jasper was uninjured but the family was deeply shaken by the experience.
"I think I will never say anything again, you just don't know who you are speaking to," she added.
The Met said it was investigating but no arrests have been made yet.
Miss Gautama said the cyclist had long blonde hair worn in a pony tail and was wearing a bright yellow jacket, see-through cycling glasses and black cycling shorts
Anyone who tells you that nothing is impossible has never bathed in a saucer of water.
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Orensland didn’t sleep all that well that night, worried that Lady Drakh might make her move during the night and catch even the party unawares. But his fears were unfounded, even if it they made his sleep restless. He awoke early and took breakfast, then exited to head over to the main mansion. Two of Captain Gendry’s guards were stationed at the front entrance, but they let him in.
Inside one of the maids escorted him to a waiting room, where he sat and fidgeted until she returned. She brought him to another room where he joined with several of the Maramos coven vampires, including Lord and Lady Maramos. “When the time comes to enter the meeting proper,” the maid said, “head to your right. Your place will be about the middle of the table. You will see your name there on a placard.”
“You have earned your place at this meeting, Orensland,” Lady Maramos said, looking up from where she and her husband were conferring. Lord Maramos was dressed in his fine leather armor, more, Orensland thought, for decoration than practicality. Still, the shadowdancer was disappointed. While he would have found it odd to be the only one wearing armor, it did mean others would be prepared to fight, which would make it all the more dangerous.
“Thank you for inviting me, my lady,” the shadowdancer replied, bowing slightly. He then moved to what he hoped was the back of the room to try to be surreptitious. Nobody paid him that much mind. He was fine with that.
Then one of the double doors opened slightly, and Master Greymantle entered. “My lords and ladies, and master Orensland, we are ready when you are.”
“Let us begin,” Lord Maramos said. Greymantle nodded and exited. After just a few seconds, the double doors swung open and they walked into the main dining room. Orensland found his place at the table with no trouble and noticed that he was virtually in the middle of the two parties. The cult leadership had been escorted in simultaneously with the vampires.
“Please, sit,” Lady Maramos indicated to their guests. The three of them did so, the black dragon disciple at the head of the table, the cleric to his right, Gulnith to his left. Two of the dragon-men took a guard station next to their double doors, and Orensland noted that Captain Gendry and another of the Maramos guards took up place behind Lord Maramos. Lord Maramos sat at the other head of the table, Lady Maramos to his right, one of his sons to his left, and next to his son, Lady Isabelle.
“Allow me to do the introductions,” Lord Maramos said. “You’ve already met my daughter, Lady Isabelle, and my son, Lord Pieran. They have prepared much of our house for the forthcoming move. Our other children will be joining us for that, but are not here for the meeting. May I also present Orensland, one of the mercenaries we hired to help escort my wife through the Deadlands. He is a member of your organization, and took this job to further himself in it.”
Orensland felt like his tongue had grown several sizes, to have all four vampires, the three cult leaders, two dragon-men guards, and two vampire coven guards, all turn and look at him.
“Ah, yes, that is right. I believe in the cause greatly, but have had little contact with others aside from Irina Heppler in Laishtek. I send her a tithe of my earnings for the cause. She was the one that initially recruited me. When I learned of the connection between this job and the Cult,” he paused, “can I call it that?”
The cleric nodded, still hidden behind all of his? her? armor.
Orensland swallowed. “Well, when I learned of the connection, I thought it might be a better way to help the cause than just sending money. I think I turned out to be correct.”
“After my manservant was slain in an unfortunate incident, Orensland served as my source of food for several months,” Lady Maramos said. “His help was invaluable, and I feel to commend him for you for his dedication to your cause. It was above and beyond the conditions of the mercenary contract he had already agreed to.”
Orensland pulled his collar down to reveal the vampire fang marks on his neck. It was apparent by now, according to Khaska, that the scars would never completely go away.
“You have served the cause well, Orensland,” the black dragon disciple spoke. His voice was deep, with unusual harmonics. “I am Rickas Yrthraz, the Supreme Wyrmhead of the Cult of Skyrnyn. That means I am your master.”
Orensland bowed his head in what he hoped was the appropriate gesture of respect, and opted for using his title. “Supreme Wyrmhead.”
“When we are done with our negotiations and reports here, Gulnith,” he indicated towards her with a clawed hand, “will speak with you. For now, be silent and listen. If you speak of anything you hear here to anybody outside of those in this room, I will personally melt the flesh off of your bones, but only after you have begged me for days to end your torment.”
Orensland swallowed, and nodded.
This Mr. Yrthraz was not, he gathered, a pleasant fellow.
He listened to them talk about the work the coven had performed for the Cult. Having looked through the ledger, he was already aware of most of it. Lady Maramos did a decent job of remembering details despite not having access to the ledger. Lord Maramos did have some more recent reports from the living side, and between her memory and the reports had more or less reconstructed the basics of their work.
Most of it was similar to the arrangements the party had broken up in Hammerdine. Vampires enthralled certain key figures to allow smuggling of contraband and slaves and supplies more easily. Orensland didn’t learn much more than he already knew from the ledger from the first hour of the meeting.
Rickas turned to Gulnith. “Are you satisfied?”
“I am, Supreme Wyrmhead.” Orensland was very happy to hear her use that honorific in addressing him. It meant he had done the correct thing. “With their help and the goods we have acquired, we will be able to feed our slaves and armies until well after the Dark Times. The Citadel will remain secure. They have kept their part of the bargain.”
“Then we will honor our agreement,” the Supreme Wyrmhead said. “We have room on our skyship for all of your coven that is here, and will help secure the others who are still on the living side to join us now that their work is complete.”
There was a grunt of dismay from the cleric of Tiamat. Yrthraz glared at the armored figure.
“You have something to add, Hierophant Narvoth?”
“I must once again voice my displeasure at allowing further unbelievers to join us in the Citadel.” A man, then.
Yrthraz sighed. “Your objections have been noted time and again, but I am the Supreme Wyrmhead, and you will obey. You know that these vampires will add to our defenses as the drow have, and their centuries of experience among the machinations of the great houses here in Darkcrest will serve well as we prepare for the Dark Times and the Dedication thereafter.”
The hierophant folded his arms and said nothing.
Come to think of it, Orensland thought, that sentence was the only thing he’d spoken the entire meeting. Gulnith and the Supreme Wyrmhead had done most of the talking, Gulnith the one keeping track of most of the details, and Yrthraz asking clarifying questions here or there.
“Forgive my associate,” Yrthraz was saying. “He has a vision of our organization that is of a more, shall we say, pure than I and the other leadership deem necessary. He yearns for all to worship the goddess Tiamat. His zealousness is simultaneously his greatest strength and his most glaring weakness.” Yrthraz glanced around the room. “Are you prepared to leave?”
“We have made preparations, per your instructions. Our coffins are ready for transport, we have each selected a single servant to accompany us, and have much of our wealth and riches stowed in appropriate magical containers. We can leave as soon as it is all loaded on your ship.”
“Then let us begin loading your things, and we will take you to the Citadel in the Marshes. There you will be safe through the Dark Times, and, I daresay, in a privileged position of power for what will come afterwards.”
“And what is that?” asked Lord Maramos.
“Something we will discuss at the Citadel at a later date. Right now you are concerned with making it through the Dark Times. You approached us, entered into this agreement with us, and are now the beneficiaries of that arrangement. You may join us in our stronghold.”
Just then there was a faint sound, almost like a fizzling. Everybody paused, looking around for its source. Only Gulnith and Orensland, however, noticed the small wisps of smoke coming from under the table.
“It’s coming from the table!” Gulnith shouted, jumping up so quickly her chair fell over backwards with a clatter.
The center of the table began to burn in a particular pattern, a ring with runes and writing strewn about it. This only lasted a moment before the table exploded in fire, sending splinters all across the room, the center virtually vanishing, the two halves falling to the ground, smoke billowing out and filling the room. Orensland was a bit singed, being so close to the center, but didn’t appear to have been injured aside from his eyebrows being singed. He knew that Lady Drakh was about to make her move, but was caught off guard by what happened next.
The arcane circle that had first begun appearing in the table was … still there, hovering in the air, lines drawn with luminescent power, glowing purple, throwing small shadows. It flared and a small burst of purple light flashed just above shattered remains of the table. A winged horror appeared in the light, the arcane magic coalescing into a hideous creature, seemingly a humanoid vulture, but with wicked looking claws and a beak ready to rend flesh. Simultaneously, with a pfft! sound, three more creatures appeared, long and gaunt forms, shrieking and laughing and screaming in a language Orensland didn’t recognize.
Out of the smoke and ash of the partially disintegrated table Lady Drakh appeared, coalescing from her mist form directly in front of Lady Maramos, her sword swinging down and slicing through Lady Maramos’ shoulder, driving the vampire sorceress to her knees. Lord Maramos roared in fury, drawing his longsword, but Lady Drakh just licked her lips at him.
Orensland just had time to draw his sword before pandemonium completely broke out.
Rynn was watching the courtyard from his perch up on the wall of the complex, just sitting with his hood up and observing things. He had sat here a lot during the past few weeks, bored and feeling out of his element in the city. Aside from changes of the guard of the weird dragon-men, nothing had really happened on the ship. He wanted to be close to the Adder Invictus when the fighting broke out. The ranger had designs on burning the ship down and trying to steal some of the skyship crystals before making their exit, whether by stealing the gnomes’ ship back or taking the voidgate route. He liked the parallel justice of stealing their crystals when they had stolen crystals from Captain Botspringer all those months ago.
Orensland had disappeared into the main mansion over an hour ago. Rynn found himself anxious. He hoped Lady Drakh made her move sooner, rather than later. He glanced down to where Ranna was sitting on the ground, down below where he had clambered up.
“I hope it’s soon,” he said. Khaska and Sanjin were waiting in his room, the only one of theirs that overlooked the courtyard. They were ready with spells and preparations for when the fighting started. He glanced up at the window, but the Maha’i and the elf were safely hidden behind the curtains. He was sure they were watching, but they had done a good job of concealing themselves.
A few pfft! sounds brought his attention back to the courtyard, and the ranger smiled. Several creatures had teleported into the area, quickly closing with the dragon-men guards, who drew their swords. One of the dragon-men spat a line of acid, coating two of the creatures in it, and their howls made the ranger’s skin crawl.
But he was already in motion. He drew one of the arrows from his quiver, one he had tied a vial of alchemist’s fire to, aimed at the ship, and fired. The arrow struck the middle of the deck near the main mast, and fire spread across the wood planks. The ranger smiled, and then followed up with two more shots in rapid succession.
“Come on, girl!” Rynn said, and Ranna lept to her feet to follow her master as he dropped to the ground. He moved towards the entrance of Master Greymantle’s guest house, hoping his friends had seen the action start. There was enough shouting and now combat as the dragon men engaged these newcomers … demons, he suspected. A vampire was fighting the two guards stationed at the main entrance to the compound, making quick work of the two of them with his spiked mace.
As Rynn got to the front of the guest house, the door opened. Khaska and Sanjin stood there, several of the servants standing behind them.
“If you leave this place, the vampires attacking can get to you,” one of the maids was saying. “But they have not been invited in here, so here you are safe.”
Rynn glanced back to assess the battle. The guards of the skyship seemed to be holding their own—though two of the ones from the ship were trying to put the flames out, along with the crew. For now, they seemed to be losing that battle.
There was a shout from above them, and the ranger glanced up to see a small figure atop the guest house chanting in an arcane language. Ice and snow erupted in a cylinder around the skyship, centered on where the dragon-men were coming down to join their friends. The spell cut into them, bludgeoning them with hail and slashing them with ice. Rynn looked once more up at the figure and felt his blood run cold.
It was Greydale, the gnome wizard. Lady Drakh had apparently turned him, and now he had joined the attack.
Lady Drakh has made her move, apparently having prepared a summoning circle literally on the bottom of the table in the Maramos’ dining room. She has summoned four demons and in the surprise round got a hit off on Lady Maramos.
Unfortunately, Orensland is the only member of the party in the room. The rest of you have your own problems. The courtyard is also quite chaotic. I know Rynn wanted a spot where he could watch things unfold, but honestly as I’d drawn the situation out in my mind watching surreptitiously from his room was the best option. Without sneaky shadowdancing, there’s not a better place to observe the courtyard.
In the dining room:
Team Maramos
Lord Maramos, fighter.
Lady Maramos, sorceress.
Lady Isabelle, wizard.
Lord Pieran, ??, wearing leather armor.
Team Drakh
Lady Drakh, blackguard.
Vrock demon.
3x babau demons.
Team Skyrnyn
Rickas Yrthraz, ??. (Likely sorcerer.)
Gulnith, sorceress.
Narvoth, cleric.
In the courtyard:
12 dragon-men. Only 9 are in their full plate. 3 are joining having been below decks and not fully armored up. Two of them are trying to put the flames out on the ship.
Several humanoids of various persuasions that look to be the crew of the ship. They are all running below decks or trying to get the flames out.
3x babau demons. In combat with the dragon guard.
Greydale. Atop the building Khaska, Rynn, and Sanjin are currently in.
Vampire 1, in plate with a shield and mace. Has just slain the guards at the front gate. Seems to have taken some damage from the fighting.
Vampire 2, atop the wall, with a longbow shooting arrows at convenient targets.
Five guards remain. Two at the front door to the mansion, three from one of the other buildings. (Two dead near the entrance.)
I would like you all to roll initiative and give me three rounds of actions. Specifically, who would you like to target initially? I know the end goal is to help each side destroy each other, but as the fighting begins, you don’t know who will have the upper hand. It could change as the fighting progresses.
Combat has begun. I need DeltaWolf and Thevarou to make sure their spell lists are updated and finalized. I’ll not allow things to change after this post. May I suggest Khaska have prepared Sending to summon the Bringers (who are nearby and ready to join the fray). Also, if you haven't updated your character sheets to reflect your new armor and weapons, now is obviously the opportune moment to do so.
Also, I’ll need a list of which books/items you wanted to toss into the voidgate for “safekeeping.” I assume all the spellbooks for Sanjin, but what else for him and what for Khaska? I haven’t given you a detailed list of all the books in the library for obvious reasons, but give me an idea of what you’d want and I’ll make some books up (if the dice deem them to have been available) of the variety you desire. After this post, that list will similarly be frozen like your spell lists.
Initiative: 14
Khaska's first action would definitely be to cast Hide from Undead, touching each member of the party. Would it then be good to cast Sending, to call the Bringers, and Protection from Evil? What do you all think?
One thing is clear, though: we must do what we can to eliminate vampire-Greydale. We can't have a vampire with knowledge of the voidgates and their key out and about.
As for books… Khaska's mainly interested in history and legends: anything about Gallidus, the Knights, the Dark Times, previous Dark Times and the eras in between, the Pressen Empire (if there's anything about it), dragons… in addition to information that might help in a battle against the vampires and other evil forces (information about Darkcrest and other strongholds, etc.). (I'm assuming they pilfered these books away the day before the battle. Khaska would not want to open the voidgate amid a battle unless it were the last resort for escape.)
I assumed that Khaska would be casting buffs on people as they went to exit their building. Assume that those 3 spells you outlined have been cast on Khaska, Rynn, and Sanjin, and that the Bringers are on their way (others may adjust their character stats as needed—everybody except for you and the Bringers are evil-aligned). What are your first three rounds of combat going to be?
So, Orensland is feeling pretty silly right now. He's surrounded by big-time heavy hitters, most of which are fortunately on his side for the time being (I assume the "Supreme Wyrmhead" is no pushover). Thinking quickly, it seems clear that the demons summoned are insufficient for taking on everybody in the room. Unless I'm getting the wrong read on the room? The vulture demon guy is probably no pushover either, and the three other demons are likely at about my level, and Lady Drakh the powerful blackguard… against about 5 people that could go toe-to-toe with or soundly trump Manson from our boat fight, plus Captain Gentry, plus another guard, plus… me. So, that being the layout, it seems clear the invaders have one main goal in mind: To take out the Maramos power couple. Once they're gone, other vampires may enter the compound, drastically changing the tides in favor of Lady Drakh. The house hasn't really been invaded yet – this is just the group that is ensuring there CAN BE a full invasion by taking out Lord and Lady Maramos. It wouldn't surprise me if all enemies targeted those two. Which is great for me, because I likely won't be the direct target of any particular demon or heavy hitter.
So. With everything, I think I'll target Lady Drakh, whose focus should be on the Maramos couple (I doubt she'd turn her back on Lord or Lady Maramos to deal with me, it would be suicidal and way too big of a risk for her plan). We have always had one major goal in allowing the coup to occur: maximize the damage to all parties involved. In light of that, I would actually be in favor of the Maramos' being taken out. That would maximize the likelihood that the three Cult heavy hitters face the maximum amount of overwhelming force on the way out. Lady Drakh plans to kill them all, and has minions set on doing that. If she's gone, I suspect they will continue the work, so killing Lady Drakh could well end in us getting what we want: The leadership from all three groups gone. I'd call that a win. Take that, Supreme Wyrmhead. You sound like a jerk.
So, here are my first three rounds. I'd probably shout something like "Kill Lady Drakh so she can't summon more demons!" in the hopes that she becomes more of a target. I may even shout some of my above logic as well should the Cult feel uninclined to participate in the fighting. "Supreme Wyrmhead, this mansion will be swarming with enemy vampires if the Maramos house falls!" Something like that.
Initiative: 17 (rolled 6 + 11)
Hit: 21 (rolled 10 + 11)
Damage: 6, (1+5) but with fire activated 12 (+6)
Damage: 13, (8+5) but with fire activated 16 (+3)
Great rolls! No crits, but still good. Also note that I am getting ready to bail at a moment's notice. If it looks like death is imminent, I'm shadowdancing and high-tailing it out of there. Given what I said in the last post, with it being my intention to explore the voidgates over escaping via airship, I likely would have stowed my stuff near the library for a quick exit (since I probably don't have my handysack present at the meeting). Would Sanjin have been ok planning on going that route too? I kinda need a spell caster to use the darn thing.
As for the outside stuff, which I probably shouldn't contribute too much to, but to be clear: By Greysdale "turning," do you mean he's a vampire now? Or just officially fighting for Lady Drakh? If the former, someone can stake the boy from behind. Grab some wood on your way up the roof. Or just knock him off with spells, that works too. But yeah, he's got to go. Knowing about the voidgates is dangerous enough, but thank goodness we never told anyone we got them up and running.
Also, I would hope that the destruction of the ship is still a high priority even in the ensuing chaos.
As for what books to pillage, make sure the more up-to-date ley line map is included. It could prove invaluable in voidgate exploration.
I guess I wasn't clear enough. Rynn didn't care about being in a place where he could watch things unfold. He wanted to be ready to destroy the Adder Invictus at a moment's notice. Somewhere where he could immediately set fire to it, preferably from above and in a location that is advantageous to an archer. Especially after Orensland decided that stealing the ship's crystals wasn't going to happen (definitely when the fighting broke out anyway).
I asked about such positions in the last post, but got no answer. Being hidden would be nice, but not strictly necessary unless it was obvious that he was loitering and not just relaxing or whatever.
Is that possible from Rynn's room? Is he close enough that he could open his window and use the Alchemist's Fire? Or have them tied to arrows to shoot them over (would that even work)? Ideally also alcohol/oil/other flammable material to make sure it catches.
We've been in the Maramos' estate for some time, I expect our characters would know it pretty well by now. But as a player I have no idea. Was there some other location where Rynn could have been waiting? Or, if it makes most sense that he was watching from his room, where is the best location that he could quickly get to?
Those things inform my 3 rounds of actions. If Rynn has to move into position, so be it. How many rounds would that take? Once there, he'll set fire to the ship. That's his first objective: get the Adder Invictus burning before anyone can do anything about it (or even realize who had done the deed). What rolls would be necessary?
What I fear is that one of our high-level enemies will use some spell or ability to put out the fire. Conjure up a wave of water or something. Gulnith used chain lighting when we encountered her before, so she's likely level 12 or higher. Who knows what level her Supreme Wyrmhead is. Lady and Lord Marmos have shown they are no slouches either. The further along the fire is, the better.
I agree with Thev that vampire Greydale should be a major target. He'd go for the turned gnome next after the ship is ablaze. As for the Bringers, letting them know now would be good, especially if they wait a few minutes to let the enemies thin each other out before they join the fray.
One thought about downing the skyship: if we target its sails and crystal-cases with fire, we could probably injure it enough that it can't escape even if they manage to put out of the fires. Khaska would suggest (or would have suggested) that to Rynn.
Regarding getting the Adder Invictus on fire: would Flame Strike work for that? If so, and if Rynn's efforts fail or are thwarted by some spell, Khaska would cast it at the ship, near a place away from Greydale's ice column, and preferably where the ship's navigation mechanisms are located. (If some of the Cult's guards are in the way, probably for the better.)
Searing Light Rolls:
Ranged Touch: 18 = 12+6
Damage (9d8): 3+6+6+7+4+2+1+2+8 = 39
Given that that's conditional on something else happening, here are some things that Khaska would do or work toward in the meantime:
Who would be best to try to go up and stake/de-roof Greydale? Could we send one (or more) of the Bringers and provide cover/diversion for them? If so, Khaska would probably cast Spiritual Weapon to attack Greydale, staying out of his sightline for the time being.
Khaska agrees with Rynn's idea to let the other opponents thin themselves out while we target the ship and Greydale.
If Khaska needs another attack for Greydale, it would probably be Searing Light.
Given the general layout of the compound and the fact that Rynn and Khaska were going to lay low to avoid being possibly seen by Gulnith, this was the best way to do what you wanted to have happen, I thought. I apologize for not quite understanding what you posted, specifically for not realizing exactly how much Rynn wants to burn that ship down.
Shall I re-wind part of the clock and have Rynn shatter his window and throw the alchemist's fire onto the ship? (It's not that close, but it's easily within throwing distance. You'd have to roll a throwing attack for that. Or if you wanted to use an arrow to deliver it, that would work to. No roll needed—I just assume Rynn is a good enough shot to hit the deck of a large ship that close to him.) The other alternative would be to have him milling about in the courtyard, in which case I'll need a Bluff check from you because someone's going to ask "hey, why are you just sitting around during this high-stakes high-level meeting?" I'm not going to wind the entire clock back, despite my error here, but failure to succeed on the Bluff check will mean Rynn is being watched very closely when the combat breaks out.
Any of the fire-based spells you've mentioned, Thev, will work to set fire to the ship. Assuming Rynn's Alchemist's fire doesn't do the job. It probably will.
There's not a way to get onto the roof directly. You'd have to go out a window on the 2nd story (it's only two stories tall) and climb up if you want to try to stake Greydale. Or toss him off of the roof. (Too bad "defenstrate" doesn't technically apply to that action. It's a great word.)
Yes, Crosis, "turned" means that he is now a vampire. It's daytime on the Death Side right now, so the reflected sunlight off of Pressen poses no threat to vampires out in the open.
Milling about in the courtyard is the last thing that Rynn would want to do. So I guess shattering the window would be okay. It's unfortunate, since it could make it a bit more obvious that Rynn was the perpetrator, but hopefully he can pass it off as "I broke the window so I could shoot at the demons that appeared!"
I guess my real frustration here is that I've been saying I want to hurt the cult via their ship for weeks now. Several times I've asked questions along these lines, or said that I want to plot it out, but I've never really received any answers or further information. It didn't matter too much before, I guess, because the cult hadn't shown up yet. But now they are here and I'm hamstrung in doing what I want (or even understanding how plausible it is), not for lack of asking, but because what I was asking about wasn't what the DM was interested in replying to.
It's felt kinda like this:
Me: "Is there a good place for a ranger to burn down their ship? Where are they even going to set it down?"
DM: "There is an ancient magic portal!"
Me: "Uh… okay, I don't really care about that right now. I guess it seems important for the long term, but what about setting fire…"
DM: "PORTAL!"
… /end exaggerated rant
I realize that this is a two-way street though; I should have been more clear about my intentions and whatnot. Not trying to heap up blame on our DM… I certainly haven't been as engaged as I could have been.
The DM has also been texting me this morning; I just got one that might resolve things a bit better and allow Rynn to be up on a perimeter wall. I think that best fits what I had been asking for all along, so I'd prefer to go with that. But I also know it's a pain to retcon things sometimes, so if it becomes a big problem narratively, I'd settle for smashing the window.
I apologize for my part in the miscommunications. I'd thought that positioning you here at this point would be sufficient to start the ship on fire, which I assumed would be your first actions now. Rynn is much more gung-ho for that idea than I thought. Part of the problem here is also the nature of this kind of D&D game. One of the reasons I want so much input and what more clear consensus is that I'm wary of moving the timeline forward too much and missing a particular point … which is exactly what happened here. I completely misread BlackWolf's intention ("this is my general goal" vs. "I burn with the hatred of a thousand suns and wish to destroy that ship at the first sign of anything going sideways") and that's on me.
I've adjusted the text above to reflect this better consensus on what Rynn would have done, as well adjusted the "Team Maramos" section for the courtyard. I'm also about to go back and retcon a bit with Lord Maramos to reflect Rynn's having sat on this wall out of boredom/desire to be left along before, to give some context to why he would plausibly be there during this high level meeting.
Thank you for the updates so that Rynn could do what he most wanted: set fire to the ship. But I have trouble understanding why he'd leave such an advantageous place for archery. Why not stay on the wall and keep firing arrows until such time that it becomes unsafe?
Oh well, I don't want to keep making a big deal about this. Let's just move on.
Rynn's next actions would be to attack the crew. Though you said they seem to be losing the battle against my flames, the ranger is unwilling to leave that to chance. He wants to shoot at anyone who is trying to manage those flames, ideally targeting the weakest of the crew to thin them out (rather than targeting the harder-to-kill guards first).
Here are my 3 rounds of actions. He will be firing with his new flaming burst longbow.
Longbow: 32 (rolled 17 + 9 base attack + 4 DEX + 1 magic + 1 weapon focus), 10 damage (rolled 4 + 1 magic + 1 STR + rolled 4 fire)
Longbow: 17 (rolled 7 + 4 base attack + 4 DEX + 1 magic + 1 weapon focus), 11 damage (rolled 4 + 1 magic + 1 STR + rolled 5 fire)
Longbow: 23 (rolled 8 + 15 as above), 9 damage (rolled 4 + 2 bonus + rolled 3 fire)
Longbow: 28 (rolled 18 + 10 as above, 10 damage (rolled 4 + 2 bonus + rolled 4 fire)
Longbow: 30 (rolled 15 + 15 as above), 12 damage (rolled 4 + 2 bonus + rolled 6 fire)
Longbow: 17 (rolled 7 + 10 as above, 15 damage (rolled 7 + 2 bonus + rolled 6 fire)
If the cult crew/guards flee so he has no targets, Rynn would switch to our gnomish vampire, I think.
There isn’t any particular books I have in mind. He will try to direct his attacks towards Team Drakh (Graydale if possible)
Initiative: 20 (18+2mod)
Cast Burning Hands: 11 Damage
Cast Lightning Bolt: 25 Damage
Just realized I didn't roll initiative for Khaska! I got 15.
“Killing him is a priority,” Sanjin whispered. “He knows about the voidgates.” He began chanting arcane words and launched a Lightning Bolt that slammed into the gnomish vampire.
Rynn turned to the ship. One of the more finely dressed gnomes, he guessed it was the captain, had come above deck and was shouting orders. It appeared that his leadership might turn the tide of the fight against the fire. Couldn’t have that.
Rynn fired two shots at the dimunitive figure, and they both landed true. The gnome crumpled to the deck. Rynn aimed at another gnome, and dropped him. Then another, who also went down.
Sanjin gave a low whistle. “You’re in rare form today.”
“I just really hate that ship.” Down went another skyship sailor.
Khaska had stepped a few feet away from the building to better see Greydale. The cleric agreed with Sanjin—the newly-turned vampire was a priority. Khaska was holding his hand up and with a prayer, launched a Searing Light spell at the gnome, who glared down at him, red eyes flashing.
Unfortunately for him, they didn’t flash red for long. The spell tore into the vampire’s body, burning it away. With a shriek, he vanished in a puff of smoke that wafted away, moving from the top of the building and out over the wall.
Sanjin gave a low whistle. “You’re in rare form, too, my clerical friend.” The wizard flashed his fingers. “I’d best get to carrying my weight around here,” and then began to cast his offensive spells.
Orensland assessed the situation quickly. It appeared that nobody was really focused on him, which he was grateful for. He felt a little silly, trapping himself in a room with such heavy hitters.
But, he reasoned, all the better for earning the trust of everybody but Lady Drakh anyway. She was the ringleader … it was time to get her! He activated the flame spell on his blade and leapt forward, trying to ignore the unearthly shrieks coming from the demons on the other side of the room. All of them had moved towards the Cult leadership.
“Kill Lady Drakh so she can't summon more demons!” Orensland yelled.
But she didn’t seem to be acting like she would. He and Lord Pieran closed with her as she and Lord Maramos began a furious duel. Though he was not armored as she was, Lord Maramos was more than able to hold his own. However, his wife, curled in pain around the wound to her side.
“I’m not healing!” She screamed. “She’s poisoned me somehow!” Orensland glanced over to, indeed, see Lady Maramos’ veins turning black, slowly moving from the wound she had received.
That must be her plan, Orensland surmised. Kill the power couple of Lord and Lady Maramos. Then … more vampires could enter the house! He shouted his idea.
“Supreme Wyrmhead, this mansion will be swarming with enemy vampires if the Maramos house falls!”
“You dare command me!” he heard Rickas yell. That might have been a mistake.
Just then Lady Drakh landed a blow on Lord Maramos. He shuddered, throwing her off as Orensland stabbed her in the back, Lord Pieran also landing a blow. But Lady Drakh swung around, causing them both to step back for a moment and she slammed her hand into her chest and Orensland watched as magic, a dark, twisted parady of the light from Khaska’s divine magic, wrapped around her body. She healed, laughed, and then winced as a blast from Lady Isabelle scorched her face, causing her to flinch as Captain Gendry landed a blow on her leg.
But Lady Drakh just smiled, and lunged forward, smashing her jagged sword twice into Lady Isabelle. Sure enough. Just like her vampire parents, Lady Isabelle’s skin began to grow dark around the wounds.
“Well,” Lady Drakh said, “That’s about all the poison I could create. Should be enough!” Her gloating caused her to miss another strike from Orensland, even as Lord Maramos again closed ranks. “Now you can’t heal! You’ll slowly die and then we’ll finish you off in your crypt!”
She turned around to see how combat had gone on the other side of the room.
The Supreme Wyrmhead was down on the ground, his head torn off. (At least he wouldn’t get after Orensland for his “temerity,” the shadowdancer thought.) One of the babau was dead, frost coating his corpse from a spell. Another looked incredibly wounded, black ichor staining the floor around him from copius wounds. Gulnith looked about ready to fall over.
“Heal me!” she begged the Hierophant.
“I will heal you if you are not dead after the combat is complete,” Narvoth practically spat at her. “Our master brokers no weakness!”
With that, he waded into the combat, his mace smashing into the winged demon, which, Orensland noted, seemed to be moving slow. Some spell affecting it?
Then Lady Drakh moved to attack again, and he was drawn back into his fight. Her combat skills were amazing, holding her own against Orensland, Lord and Lady Maramos, Lord Pieran, Lady Isabelle, and Captain Gendry and his associate. But she had been wounded much. Her healing had helped a lot, but could she keep it up?
As she laughed, he felt a chill go up his spine. Perhaps she didn’t even care.
The dragon-men guards and the Maramos guards all focused on the demons, who were methodically shredding the dragon-men, their unearthly shrieks and cries rending the air and making the hair on Khaska’s neck stand up. But the dragonmen seemed ineffective, and arrows from the guards flew wide or bounced off the demon’s skin.
There was a whirlwind of melee fighting directly at the ship, and Khaska smiled. Perhaps he could kill two birds with one stone (and he was proud that he think he correctly remembered that idiom). With another prayer to Teresh, he smashed a Flame Strike spell in such a way that it caught a number of the combatants as well as part of the ship.
Unfortunately, the dragon-men were so focused on the demons that the spell completely engulfed several of them, and they dropped dead, charred husks stuck in their heated plate armor.
“I thought we wanted to let them thin each other out?” Rynn said.
“I didn’t think it would do that much damage to them,” Khaska replied, marching forward with Sanjin. Rynn shrugged, and took out two more of the skyship crew. The ship was severely on fire now, and the remainder of the crew bolted, jumping over the side and running away.
However, Khaska’s magic had attracted attention. The vampire wearing plate armor raised his hand and a blast of Searing Light lanced out, coating the Maha’i in its radiance, singing and burning the cleric. He was not undead, so the spell was not as effective as his had been, but it hurt him nonetheless. The vampire up on the wall fired arrows at him as well, but one flew wide and he blocked another with his shield.
Sanjin blasted the vampire with the mace with another Lightning Bolt, and the man took it full on. His face contorted in a rictus of hatred and pain, but then he dissolved into mist and floated away. It was not like Greydale, this vampire was still in the fight, but biding his time.
The 3 dragon-men on the ship jumped off and joined the melee, despite the fact that they were wearing no armor. They were brave, at least, Rynn noted. The demons tore one of them apart in seconds, however. There were only three of the dragon-men guards left, two unarmored.
Sanjin was close enough now to bathe the three demons in a casting of Burning Hands, but the flames seemed to lick around their skin, and the demons chuckled at him. They had taken very little damage from the spell.
Khaska held his holy symbol up and practicaly shouted a command at one of the demons in celestial. “Begone, fiend!”
The creature shrieked and began clawing at the air, as if trying to attack something, but then it moment it vanished, fading back to wherever hell plane it had come from. Arrows from the guards lanced into another, and it was looking pretty haggard.
Just then a shout came from the door to the courtyard, and the Bringers arrived. The party was relieved—with three clerics and a fighter in the mix, things were about to get much better. Then a crossbow bolt lanced towards the ranger vampire, who was still atop the wall shooting (mostly ineffectively, though she had hit once) at Khaska.
It was Greygook. “For my brother!” he shouted.
Here is the situation in the courtyard.
3 of the dragon-men guards remain, only 1 in full armor.
The ship is in very bad shape. It’s very much on fire. Everybody has abandoned it.
Vampire with the bow at the wall has taken no damage you are aware of. She’s still firing away.
The plate-wearing vampire has vanished—turned himself into mist and moved into the smoke from the ship.
2 of the demons remain. 1 is in very bad shape. They don't seem that affected by fire.
Khaska basically vaporized Greydale after Sanjin had hit him with a Lightning Bolt spell. Khaska would know that Greydale is now flying away to seek his coffin to regenerate.
The 5 guards have opted to use ranged attacks and have taken no damage.
Your Hitpoints
Khaska: 47/63
Rynn: Full health
Sanjin: Full health
Give me 3 more rounds of actions. You can direct the Bringers. (3 clerics. 1 fighter.) Greygook is gonna do his own thing, but you know he’s on your side.
Here is the situation in the dining room.
Lord Maramos, fighter. Poisoned. Slowly losing health.
Lady Maramos, sorceress. Poisoned. Slowly losing health.
Lady Isabelle, wizard. Poisoned. Slowly losing health.
Lady Drakh, blackguard. Alive and well, but pretty wounded and taking on 7 people.
Vrock demon. Slowed.
2 babau demons. One barely alive.
Rickas Yrthraz, dead. (Not bleeding out. Dead.)
Gulnith, sorceress. Looking very haggard.
Give me 3 more rounds of actions. Orensland has taken no damage.
Besides survival and (eventual) escape, Khaska thinks a primary goal should be making sure Greydale (and, perhaps, the others of the Drakh vampires) cannot regenerate. Perhaps we can direct the Bringers to help finish off the remaining vampire in the courtyard and check in on Orensland (potentially helping to off Lady Drakh) while we run ahead to to the Drakh household to 1) prepare the gnomes' ship for evacuation and 2) destroy all the caskets we can find. Khaska would track Greydale's vapor form, if at all possible, to help locate the casket in question.
Is there anything we'd want to do in Maramos House before we leave?
(After we iron these matters out, I can figure out three next steps!)
On that note, you'd also know that to make sure the Maramos vampires don't regenerate, they need to be similarly dealt with. Merely defeating them in combat isn't enough to permanently eliminate them.
Rynn feels a sense of relief that the ship is burning. He'd feel even better if he knew what Orensland knows… though if Gulnith could only see her ship now, that would be justice. Or revenge. Those are kinda getting mixed up here. :)
Rynn is all for eliminating the vampires permanently. He'll heed Khaska's advice, but for the moment we must take care of this battle. Seems like the clerics have the means to fight demons. Plus the demons appear to resist fire and the ranger has a magical fire bow, so he'll target the bow-wielding vampire instead.
Also, I forgot to add in my bonus damage for favored enemies last time. Oops, but it doesn't seem to have mattered.
Longbow: 29 (rolled 14 + 9 base attack + 4 DEX + 1 magic + 1 weapon focus), 8 damage (rolled 1 + 1 magic + 1 STR + 2 favored enemy + rolled 3 fire)
Longbow: 24 (rolled 14 + 4 base attack + 4 DEX + 1 magic + 1 weapon focus), 15 damage (rolled 7 + 1 magic + 1 STR + 2 favored enemy + rolled 4 fire)
Longbow: 30 (rolled 15 + 15 bonuses), 14 damage (rolled 7 + 4 bonuses + rolled 3 fire)
Longbow: miss! (rolled natural 1)
Longbow: 35 crit! (rolled natural 20 + 15 bonuses), 43 damage (8 full damage + rolled 8 & 2 crit damage + 4 bonuses + rolled 2 fire + rolled 10 & 9 for flaming burst fire)
Wow! Getting a crit with this new bow dishes out the damage!
To hit: 7 (1 +6 mod)
Damage: 4 (5, 7)
To hit: 16 (10 +6 mod)
To hit: 24 ( 18+6 mod)
With Rynn so effectively targeting the archer vampire, Khaska will direct the Bringer clerics to help him against the demons (potentially boxing them into combat with the dragonmen, if possible; the more they can kill each other without us getting directly involved, the better). He'll cast Bless to help the newly-arrived allies, but he'll reserve his stronger spells for whatever we might encounter later (in the dining room or in the Drakh residence) and will engage with his scimitar.
To hit: 17 = 9+8
Damage: 6 = 4+2
To hit: 25 = 17+8
Sorry about the delay. I'm continuing my attack on Drakh. Also – when someone shouted “Now you can’t heal! You’ll slowly die and then we’ll finish you off in your crypt!” was that Drakh or Lord Maramos? It could be the poison keeps them from healing, or it could be that Lady Drakh has used up her healing opportunities. I'm not sure which. If the poison pushes Lord and Lady Maramos into a gaseous state, in gaseous form do Lord and Lady Maramos count as "dead" so far as uninvited vampires entering the compound goes?
Hit: 13 (rolled 2 + 11)
Damage: 33, (rolled 5 + 5 + 6 (fire) + 17 (sneak attack/flanking) )
Lady Drakh said that.
They don't count as "dead" until they have been slain in their coffins (or their coffins destroyed and their inability to rest finally gets to them).
In that case, I would vote we send the bringers to wipe out Drakh's coffins. I presume, again, that Drakh has a plan for wiping out the Maramos's crypt, but we might want to help take care of that. It seems the Cult leadership is basically out for the count, so that's one down, two to go. Though I guess we'll see in the next post.
Rynn decided that the vampire firing shots at Khaska was his next priority. The demons seemed resistant to fire, and since his bow did magic fire damage. He turned and sent two arrows at her, both of which landed true.
“More intruders!” the Maramos guards shouted.
“No, they’re on our side,” Khaska shouted. He pointed at the entering Bringers, who he was grateful were not dressed in the attire of their order, a dead giveaway. “Attack the demons!” He shouted at them. And the Bringers charged towards the melee fighting, one firing a crossbow as he went.
By the inferno of the Adder Invictus the dragon-men and the demons were still locked in combat, but the arrival of the Bringers turned the tide. With the added help, Khaska also joining the fray, the demons lasted only seconds longer.
The vampire firing shots off looked annoyed that Khaska was so difficult to hit, so turned her attention to Rynn. Her first shot hit him square in the chest, while her second glanced off his leg. The ranger stumbled down under the loss of blood, his vision swimming from the first hit.
But with melee combat in the center paused, Khaska, Bringers, and dragon-men all wary, but not attacking each other, the Maramos house guards turned their attention to the vampire archer. Several shots hit her.
She moved, looking like she’d be exercising her “discretion is the better part of valor” tactic and jumping off the courtyard wall, but Rynn was having none of that. He cleared his vision with a quick shake of his head, nocked an arrow, and released it. It landed right in her skull and exploded.
She assumed her mist form, and began wafting away.
Khaska looked from the Bringers and Greygook, to the dragon-men, to the guards. It appeared his bluff had worked. Nobody of the survivors thought anybody else the enemy. (With the exception of that plate-wearing vampire who had vanished into the smoke of the burning ship.)
The remaining dragon-man still in his full armor began speaking to the other two.
“They want to go find their leadership and report on what happened here,” Sanjin said, translating from the draconic.
“What are your orders, Master Khaska,” asked one of the Bringers.
Orensland continued to press his attack, but Lady Drakh was too well armored. Though she was not wearing a shield, she must have additional magical protection. Even Lord Maramos, whose sword moved so quick it was barely visible, seemed to have trouble penetrating her defenses.
But even armor couldn’t stop Lady Maramos’ Lightning Bolt spell, which blazed into the blackguard vampire with a thunderclap, small sparks of electricity arcing off Lady Drakh’s plate armor.
Orensland felt a cold blast on his back and ducked away, but he could see that Gulnith was channeling some kind of ice spell, but it was smashing into the demons as well as the Cult guards, and Narvoth!
The cleric of Tiamat didn’t seem to mind. “That’s the spirit!” Narvoth roared with pleasure. “Take the initiative! Attack without mercy! Even your allies deserve no mercy!”
“What an idiot,” Lady Drakh laughed. “These are your allies?” Then she smiled. “Well, I came here to do what I wanted to do. Have fun slowly dying. See you in your crypts soon!”
With that, she shoved Captain Gendry aside and sprinted towards the window, jumping through it. Lord Maramos was at it in a flash, but Orensland could tell he was looking for her. She must have flown away in mist form or something. Annoying ability.
On the other side of the room the dragon-men and Narvoth had carved through the babau demons, but the slow-moving Vrock still remained. Making a split-second decision, Orensland sprinted across the room and lunged forward, stabbing the creature in the back.
His sword sliched right through the creature’s head, emerging from its mouth. It collapsed, and he withdrew his sword.
“A good blow,” Narvoth said. “And your tactics were sound to help the vampires first. But come, with Yrthraz dead, I will be the new Supreme Wyrhmead to serve our dark master.” He reached a hand out and divine magic healed Gulnith some. “We will gather our things and leave. I have no interest in continuing the deal with these unbelievers. Leave them to their fate. Come, Gulnith. Come, Orensland.”
“Orensland,” Lord Maramos gasped. The veins in his neck were slowly turning gray, the poison spreading up from his wounds. “At least help Captain Gendry sound the alarm and gather our troops before you go. Escort us to our chambers.”
Lady Maramos seemed to be dealing better with the poison, though with her skin-tight sleeveless dress it was obvious the poison was spreading as well.
“Mother,” Lady Isabelle called. Her skin continued to blacken, the poison having affected her in a greater fashion than her more powerful sires, and the vampire collapsed to her knees in pain. “I can’t … stop … it.” Lady Isabelle succumbed to the poison, her body convulsing on the floor as she slowly dissolved into her mist form.
“Captain Gendry,” Lord Maramos said. “Follow her. Get her to her chambers safely. Orensland, we have bags of gold and gems ready for our departure with the Cult. Ask anything you want, it’s yours, but help get us to our chambers.”
“Come Orensland,” said Narvoth. “Leave these weaklings to their fate. Tiamat does not smile on them today.”
3 of the dragon-men guards remain, only 1 in full armor. There was a bit more damage taken, but nobody went down from the last post.
The plate-wearing vampire is still, you presume, hiding in the smoke from the ship. He’s basically impossible to find.
Rynn’s crit exploded the vampire archer’s head. She’s headed back to her coffin to regenerate as well.
All the demons are dead.
Team Bringer
Nobody took any damage, and are awaiting your instructions.
Greygook is unaware of his brother's fate. When he finds out, he'll want to go finish him off, but isn't stupid enough to do so alone.
Rynn: 43/64 (Sorry man, she crit you on that first shot.)
I asked Khaska for a Bluff roll and he got an 18. Currently the Maramos guards and the dragon-men think you’re on their side, as you have only attacked House Lancel vampires and their demon allies so far. The dragon-men want to head into the main house to report the situation. The Bringers are waiting for instructions.
Lady Isabelle, wizard. Forced into her mist form by the poison. Headed to her coffin.
Captain Gendry and 1 other Maramos house guard, I forgot to mention last time.
Lady Drakh, blackguard. Fled the scene.
All demons are dead.
Rickas Yrthraz, dead.
Narvoth, cleric. Arrogant and pleased to be, apparently, the new Supreme Wyrmhead.
2 dragon-men guards I forgot to mention last time.
The Maramos’ are headed to their chambers, apparently to try to rest. The poison continues to spread through their system. They’ve asked Orensland to come.
Narvoth has asked him to join them and leave on the ship, abandoning these weak vampires to their fate. They’re going to their quarters to gather their stuff and then they’re going to take off.
None of the people in the room has any idea that the ship is actually gone, including Orensland, the character, even though Crosis, the player, obviously does. So play it from Orensland’s POV, not your own, Crosis.
It is true that nobody in the room knows that the ship is actually gone, but Orensland also knew two things in advance. First, Rynn was ready to burn the ship when Lady Drakh made her move if she made it during the meeting. If he had become aware in some way, the ship should be in flames by now. Second, he knew that Lady Drakh was planning an attack on both the Cult AND the Maramos household- meaning their transportation was likely on her hit list as well. He doesn't know for sure, but Orensland has a good idea that that ship might not be usable anymore.
However, Orensland has learned with his earlier comment to Yrthraz ("You dare command me!!") that subtle manipulation with the arrogant and powerful Cult leaders is… a bad idea. He will ask the new Supreme Wyrmhead/his new "master" for permission to collect his things from his quarters and warn servants/fellow mercenaries as he goes, meeting the leadership at the ship at a time appointed by Narvoth. Basically, He'd try to be agreeable with the Cult and ASK PERMISSION to help the Maramos household in a simple way- hopefully staying on both their good graces and appealing to Narvoth's joy over his recent promotion. Obviously the time is coming up when Orensland can't fake being a Cult member any longer, but he'd hate to lose the social advantage he currently has when it may still come in handy. …Plus he doesn't want to make the burly dark cleric he's standing next to angry. Seems suicidal to challenge or otherwise ignore the authority Narvoth's so happy to have received when he's literally right next to Orensland.
…of course, as soon as Orensland gets some privacy (his quarters are separate from theirs, he'd likely take a different path) he'd try to meet up with the party and inform them of the dining hall issue. I have a couple ideas on where to go from there- attacking Lady Drakh's crypt while she is on the offensive to fully destabilize Darkcrest, for example- but that's something to discuss as a party. He'd pick up his bag where he left it (stashed close to the dining room, out of sight, and probably in the direction of the library) and then head in the direction of the ship, since he knows Rynn is poised to burn the ship if he hasn't already. Orensland would be thinking about how to signal Rynn should it be quiet in the courtyard. Which it isn't, but you asked for some POV thoughts.
Orensland would also legitimately warn the servants that he encounters of the attack on the crypt. The more people that know, the more fighting that will occur, the weaker Darkcrest will be. I don't know what the Bringers are planning should Darkcrest become incredibly weak (head households taken out, major warfare, etc.), but if they're thinking ambitious thoughts, our impact could lead to a victory over one of the darkest cities in the world. Boo-yeah.
Also, a word of explanation. Apparently none of the dragon-men nor the crew of the ship realized it was Rynn attacking them, not the archer vampire. In the hubbub of the fight, with demons teleporting in to startle them and flames already licking at the ship, they didn't make their spot checks.
Khaska still thinks our primary objective needs to be splitting our enemies and pitting them against each other. Here are a couple options:
Dispatch the Maramos guards to the Drakh residence to destroy any coffins they find there (following the smoke-forms of Greydale and the archer vampire) — if they'd take orders, or suggestions, from us. That way, we can continue to split the enemy parties while continuing to accomplish our objectives. We could even suggest this to the Maramos, volunteering to lead the party.
Perhaps the party headed to the Drakh household could bring Greygook to commandeer the gnomes' skyship and get it ready to depart. After all, we don't want our mode of escape burned. Once we're in the Drakh residence, and have secured the ship, we could fake our deaths and cover our tracks.
Let the dragonmen give their report about the skyship's destruction, which we can then corroborate if needed. Maybe Narvoth, Gulnith, and what remains of the Cult's forces would be enraged enough to pursue Lady Drakh themselves or attack the Drakh household, again doing some of our work for us. On the other hand, if we're able to implicate the Maramos in the destruction of the ship somehow (say, through negligence), that could be helpful. It seems like Orensland is getting a handle on how to manage these Cult leaders, and he figures the ship might be destroyed; perhaps he's the one that could pose the suggestion, demonstrating thereby his higher loyalty to the Cult? (Though who knows how Narvoth and Gulnith will want to escape now the ship's destroyed.)
It's possible Orensland would be able to convince Narvoth and Gulnith to attack Lady Drakh. Orensland could run to their quarters and report that Lady Drakh's demons have destroyed the ship, with other dragon men who witnessed the whole thing. Gauging Narvoth's reaction, Orensland would say something like the following: "Supreme Wyrmhead, may a propose a possible course of action?" If given permission, Orensland would say something like the following: "It is clear that Lady Drakh, the vampire blackguard in the dining room, has challenged the Cult by direct assault on the Cult's leaders and their skyship. It appears to me that her intention is to destroy the leadership of the Cult as well as the house of Maramos. While the Maramos household is likely bound to fall, we yet have strength, and Lady Drakh may have left her own estate vulnerable in her mad efforts to end all in this household. If it be your will, we could strike at the foolishly exposed heart of the enemy and eliminate her household for her presumptive provocation if nothing else."
Thoughts? Should this work, perhaps Rynn and Khaska could go with Greygook and Feral to get the skyship away from the Drakh residence while we are inside so the Cult doesn't see the escape route. After all, they are the ones who would be recognized by Gulnith, and therefore probably couldn't help in the raid should we be able to convince the Cult leadership to attack Lady Drakh's estate. If it doesn't work… well, I suspect there will be a lot of texting between Eryx and the players during this particular series of events. It's rather chaotic, and our original plans are probably not going to work out as the chaos progresses.
And Orensland means it- he doesn't see the Maramos household coming out alive on this one. I doubt much help is needed wiping them off the board, Lady Drakh seems to have that covered. The Maramos guard would put the safety of their own masters first, I doubt they would be open to abandoning their mansion for a suicidal attack on the other estate (they're not quite as buff as us). Frankly, Lady Drakh is the only one I see with a clear path to victory. One that we would like to thwart. While taking out the vampire who knows about the voidgates too.
Who has the voidgate key? I would assume that either Sanjin or Orensland would be carrying it – those two are the ones most on board with exploring the voidgates, at least as far as I've seen. We should give it to one of those two if they don't already have it, should Rynn and Khaska need to take the skyship without Orensland or Sanjin. I could see that happening if Orensland and Sanjin aid in the raid on Lady Drakh's estate with Narvoth and Gulnith. Splitting the party doesn't need to happen and we probably shouldn't strive to do that, but I'm seeing the possibility of us being forced into separation. Just in case, we should agree to meet somewhere in several months should we get separated.
All of this depends on how Narvoth sees Orensland's proposal, if Orensland even gets the chance to present it, if you guys agree to that idea, etc.
Although, quick note. These dragon men are an unknown species to us. It may be beneficial to provide a specimen to somebody who knows more about dragons. What do you guys say to chopping off a head from a dead dragon man near the ship and taking it to Captain Bronzebeard/someone who knows about dragons after all this is over?
I'll post a more extensive passage later, but remember that Khaska has a Hat of Disguise! If we need him to blend in, perhaps as another Bringer in normal garb, we can manage that!
In terms of more immediate actions: Khaska would support sending Sanjin in to check on the dining room. As Crosis pointed out above, he's the only member of the courtyard-based party that Gulnith would not recognize. The dragonmen should accompany him to deliver their report.
Meanwhile, Khaska would find some pretense to pull on the Hat of Disguise — probably something about not wanting to be recognized when they exit the Maramos complex, as it seems might happen soon, or simply if any more Drakh-aligned fighters show up. (Of course, this would also allow him to operate in the Maramos complex without getting recognized…)
He's open for suggestions on how to deploy the Bringers, though. Help in ending the Maramos clan? Pursuing the dust-form of Greydale, alongside Greygook? What do ya'll think?
Rynn will be cautious about what's going on inside the mansion. He doesn't want to accidentally be seen and recognized by Gulnith. So depending on how things unfold, he'll agree that Sanjin is the best candidate to check on our Orensland.
If Gulnith comes out to see the ship, the ranger would be very tempted to fire on her, especially if he notes her haggard state. But he'll resist that urge unless combat resumes or some other opportune moment arrives.
The ranger likes the idea of making an attack on Lady Drakh's manor. Ideally we'd send any of our enemies we can (the Cult, if they'll go for it, and any Maramos guards). We'd probably need to send the Bringers too, unfortunately… it would be nice if they could stay behind and help us off the Maramos clan. But better to ensure that we end the Drakh threat.
That also gives us a chance to get the Glittersail skyship. That would be helpful as long as the Cult doesn't try to take it for themselves! (grumble, grumble)
So it seems that a lot is pending now on how the Cult reacts to the loss of their ship and the suggestion to send them against Lady Drakh.
Sanjin is willing to look for Orensland and reunite the party. He has Invisibility Sphere prepared… if that changes what we want to do next.
Orensland glanced from the Maramos couple to Narvoth and back.
“Supreme Wyrmhead,” he said, cautiously. Gulnith sucked her breath in. Apparently she disagreed that he would be the new leader—or at least that he was the leader already. “I will gladly join you, but as you are going to retrieve your things, may I go retrieve mine?”
Narvoth nodded. “We will get our things and depart shortly. If you’re not on the ship, you will be left behind. Come, Gulnith.”
Orensland left the way he had come, and he looked at Lord Maramos, whose face was in a rictus of agony as the poison slowly spread. “I will sound the alarm as I go, my Lord.”
Lord Maramos nodded as Captain Gendry and Lord Pieran grabbed him under the shoulders to help him move off.
“To the crypt,” he said, “not our personal chambers.”
“Yes, my Lord,” Captain Gendry said.
Orensland ran. He grabbed his backpack where he had stashed it nearby and took off at a dead run. He was true to his word, though, and alerted guards and servants as he went that Lady Drakh had attacked the meeting. The mansion became a whirlwind of activity as the Maramos servants and milita began scurrying about in response to this information.
He rounded a corner to head down the flight of stairs and almost bowled into a group of dragon-men over. Sanjin was with them.
“Orensland!” the wizard cried out. “What’s happened?”
“Lady Drakh attacked the meeting with a bunch of demons. She poisoned Lord and Lady Maramos and the demons killed the Supreme Wyrmhead.” Sanjin looked at him blankly. “The black dragon disciple.” He looked at the three dragon-men, one wearing armor, the other two not, and all showing signs of combat. “You also get attacked?”
Sanjin nodded. “Demons and vampires as well. We’ve fough them off, but the ship is on fire. It’s not salvageable.”
“I doubt the other cult leaders will be happy with that.” (But Rynn was probably pleased as could be.) “I’m to meet them on the ship.”
“That’s going to be very difficult, since it’s burning down.”
“The courtyard, then. I’ll await the cult leadership there. Then we’ll all decide what to do.”
“Mercenaries that we made friends with,” Khaska said. “When the attack began, I was able to magically alert them. They came to help.”
“Well, I’m glad they came,” the guard was saying. “Saved the lot of us.” He turned to the Bringers and gave a nod of thanks.
“You recognized the vampires that attacked?” Khaska asked.
“Not that one up there,” he indicated the top of Master Greymantle’s guest house. Greydale. “But the other two are from the House of Lancel.”
Khaska pulled out his Hat of Disguise. “Well, I helped repulse the attack, but I’d rather not be recognized if we decide to leave and retaliate.” He put it on, and changed his appearance to a rather average looking human, just as the doors to the mansion burst open. Orensland and Sanjin came running down, and the shadowdancer hurriedly gave his report.
“If the poison works on Lord and Lady Maramos like it did Lady Isabelle,” Khaska surmised, “they will need to return to their coffins or graveyards. I imagine after resting for an hour or so the poison would wear off and they could heal quickly back to full health.”
It wasn’t long before Captain Gendry came out, motioning for the guards to come. He conferred with them hurriedly, sending them all back into the mansion, and then approached the group.
“We have reason to believe that Lady Drakh isn’t finished with her attack. Will you aid us in defending the crypt until our Lord and Lady are hale enough to continue the fight?” He tossed a bag at Sanjin’s feet, he being the closest party member. Sanjin looked in it. It was a bag of holding … and it was filled to the brim with jewels and platinum. He gave a low whistle.
Orensland sidled up to the Captain and whispered. “Did your master and mistress succumb to the poison, as Lady Isabelle?”
Captain Gendry hesitated, but then nodded. “They think after an hour’s rest they will begin to heal as normal. I expect Lady Drakh to attack in the next hour, then.”
But then Narvoth emerged from the mansion’s doors, accompanied by Gulnith and the five remaining dragon-men. The cleric still had his mask on, so his expression wasn’t visible, but he paused for a long moment before descending the stairs, staring at the burning skeleton of the Adder Invictus.
Rynn surreptitiously moved to the back of the group, trying to keep as many people between himself and Gulnith as possible. She was burned and bleeding quite a bit, but he knew how powerful of a magic-user she was. It wouldn’t do for her to recognize him. Luckily, she was distracted by the sight of the flaming skyship and by Narvoth’s walking right up to Orensland.
“Orensland, do you know of any other skyships in the city that we may commandeer to return to the Citadel?”
Orensland blanched, but covered his surprise quickly.
“No, Supreme Wyrmhead.” Gulnith glared at him again for his use of the term, but Narvoth appeared to not notice his deception about the gnomish skyship. “But, um, sir, may I propose a possible course of action?”
Orensland could practically feel the sweat dripping down his back as he waited for an answer. Then Narvoth nodded at him. He tried not to let his relief show as he spoke.
“It is clear that Lady Drakh, the vampire blackguard in the dining room, has challenged the Cult by direct assault on the Cult's leaders and their skyship. It appears to me that her intention is to destroy the leadership of the Cult as well as the House of Maramos. While the Maramos household is likely bound to fall, we yet have strength, and Lady Drakh may have left her own estate vulnerable in her mad efforts to end all in this household. If it be your will, we could strike at the foolishly exposed heart of the enemy and eliminate her household for her presumptive provocation if nothing else.”
Narvoth stood very still for a moment.
“Your plan has some merit. With no skyship, we must wait until tomorrow for me to prepare new spells for us to magically transport to the Citadel. It would be unwise to leave our enemies to return. And an example must be made.” He gripped his mace tightly, and his voice deepened. “Woe betide the vampires who dared strike at us! Do you know the way, Orensland?” The shadowdancer nodded. “Will your friends aid us? We have means to pay them,” he kicked at the bag of holding, “much like the vampires do.”
“If I ask them, they will go,” Orensland said. He was pretty sure that was true.
“Then ask them, and lead on,” was Narvoth’s response.
“Do you really expect me to come assault another vampire house with you with no more healing than what you have given me?” Gulnith hissed. “I survived the combat in the Maramos’ dining room.”
“Do not presume to command your head,” he snapped back at her.
“Heal me, or I’ll stay here and take my chances if this Lady Drakh returns.”
Narvoth hesitated for a moment.
“No, it would be unwise to split our forces at this time. Come, I will heal you.”
I asked Crosis for a Bluff check and Thev for a Knowledge (Religion) check. The bluff on Narvoth (rolled 8 + 10 = 18 total) that he doesn’t know of any skyships seems to have worked. The Knowledge (Religion) check (rolled 4 + 13 = 17 total). will be reflected here in the gray box and in some of the dialogue above.
Captain Gendry wishes you to stay and defend against Lady Drakh. He’s willing to pay handsomely with some of the money that was to come with the vampires to the Citadel.
Narvoth wishes to assault the House of Lancel. He’d accept assistance, and says he is willing to pay.
A few points to consider.
Lord and Lady Maramos will begin healing in about an hour, minimum. (You don’t know their condition, but it seems reasonable to infer that they must rest for at least an hour if the poison reduced them to zero like it did Lady Isabelle.) It’s doubtful you could get to the House of Lancel, destroy it, come back, and make sure they were finished off before they could heal back to full strength. (This information comes from Captain Gendry and Khaska’s Knowledge (Religion) Check.)
Narvoth is about to heal Gulnith. He may be all “survival of the fittest,” but he’s also not stupid. He’s not going to assault the House of Lancel with her mostly already dead.
Gulnith has not noticed or recognized Rynn.
Lady Drakh indicated she was going to attack the Maramos’ in their crypt. That’s probably going to happen while they are weakened and poisoned (in the next hour, you suspect). She would have a similarly difficult time getting back to her place to defend it, then coming back here to finish them off.
In short, all the heavy hitters are, currently, still in the Maramos compound. To make sure the Maramos’ are dead, they must be decapitated in their coffins, which should then be destroyed. To make sure Lady Drakh is dead, you would have to do the same. (Same with Lady Isabelle, Greydale, etc.)
With all the Maramos guards, Captain Gendry, the dragon-men, the few skyship sailors left, Narvoth, and Gulnith around, you don’t really have opportunity for your characters to have a big conference about what to do next. Keep that in mind when you answer my question …
What do your characters do next?
Some thoughts about what might be good, though of course, as Eryx noted, these wouldn't be matters we could discuss. Therefore, these are just suggestions, and we can figure out whether they'd be things that we'd come up with on our own.
Orensland could offer to scout ahead the route to Lady Drakh's complex, taking Greydale and a Bringer or two with him. (He could do this under the pretext, perhaps, of following the evaporated vampire to help locate the coffins.) He could thus smuggle them onto the ship and see them off before the Cult leaders arrive, then meet Gulnith and Narvoth partway. (Maybe he could try to inflame their rivalry, too, ha.) Perhaps the ship could proceed to the rendezvous point outside of the city to keep it away from enemy hands?
Rynn and Khaska could stay behind to continue to cause chaos in the Maramos household, subtly making sure that Lady Drakh's attack succeeds, perhaps by diverting Maramos guards, causing problems elsewhere in the residence, and so forth.
After the deeds are done within the Maramos house (all that's required is that the vampires be dead, basically), Rynn, Khaska, and the Bringers who remained can head to House Lancel to see about finishing off that House and the Cult (depending on what remains).
Not sure where Sanjin would be best!
ADDENDUM: Would anyone in the party be, perhaps, foolhardy enough to just attack Gulnith before she's healed, teaming up with the Bringers to defeat her and Narvoth right now?
If anybody did, it would probably be Rynn. If Rynn DOES shoot at Gulnith, I think I'd really have to know how Gulnith reacts before deciding what Orensland would do… if she is capable of reacting. Plus how Narvoth reacts.
If such a shot is not taken, Orensland would take all who are willing to come to the House of Lancel for the mega showdown. Well, who knows, we might have no problem storming the castle with Drakh being on the offensive elsewhere. Greydale would be helpful in locating the Lancel crypt, but he's also our only skyship pilot. If anybody wants to escape via skyship, they would probably need to find him (he's not in the group with us right now, is he? I feel like he would have said something, or sobbed or something, I don't know).
Presuming pandemonium doesn't break out, Orensland would also tell Captain Gendry that vampires they kill may well have a permanent end should we succeed. Drakh's coffin would be our first target. So in their battle at the Maramos crypt, targeting Lancel vampires would be especially beneficial.
Greydale is with you all in the courtyard.
Sanjin would volunteer to help attack Drakh -he would be very pleased to see their extinction.
Rynn was not privy to what happened inside the mansion, but the report of Captain Gendry makes it pretty clear that both sides of vampires are temporarily out of commission. Meanwhile, we still have Gulnith and this "Supreme Wyrmhead" here.
As I mentioned before, the ranger is very tempted to end Gulnith. While hearing Orensland offer his idea and Narvoth accept it, the ranger calculates their odds. If we fight alongside the cultists we will likely finish off Lady Drakh. But by then the Maramos clan will recover (not to mention that Gentry and their guards are in place and wouldn't just let us kill their masters). And it's not clear that we'd eliminate the Cultists in the fight… so that plan seems to indicate that we'd end up with 2 sets of enemies remaining.
On the other hand, if we attack the cultists now… The vampires are going to have at it anyway and surely won't stop until one side is eliminated. 2 eliminated instead of 2 remaining. That's just good math.
With these thoughts running through his head, Rynn will spring into action upon hearing "Come, I will heal you." He'll use his still-drawn bow and fire. But instead of targeting Gulnith… he'll try to take out Narvoth before he can cast any healing spells!
Longbow attack:
to hit: 24 (rolled 8 + 9 base + 4 dex + 1 magic + 1 weapon focus + 1 point blank), damage: 13 (rolled 5 + 1 magic + rolled 3 fire + 1 STR + 2 favored enemy + 1 point blank)
to hit 22 (rolled 11 + 4 base + 7 bonuses), damage: 14 (rolled 3 + rolled 6 fire + 5 bonuses)
Crap, those aren't particularly good rolls. Rynn's impetuousness might have backfired a bit. But he's hoping that he can rally our team as well as the Maramos guards and the Bringers to take out these cultists. Hopefully this will count as a surprise round, so maybe we'll get a few hits in anyway.
Sorry that the ranger isn't consulting the group on this one, but it doesn't seem like that's a real option given the situation. This just seems like the opportune moment to attack.
If asked later, Rynn would say he attacked the leader in the heat of the moment to stop him from healing Gulnith. But if he was really honest with himself, there is definitely an element of wanting Gulnith to recognize him as the one who ruined her. And just maybe he wants her to survive this encounter so we can interrogate her. After we help the Maramos clan defeat Lady Drakh, surely they'd be even more grateful to us than they were before… perhaps they could help with such an interrogation, especially if it could mean finding out where all those slaves went — and probably Rynn's wife and child among them. It's a dark path, for sure, but when it comes to finding his wife, the ranger may be willing to let the ends justify the means.
This entire time, Rynn had been thinking through the various scenarios in his head. If they went to assault the Lancel coven with Narvoth and Gulnith, they would likely succeed. But there was no guarantee that the combat would eliminate Narvoth and Gulnith. And by then the Maramos couple would have recovered. So, really, only one of their three main enemies would have died—Lady Drakh’s house.
On the other hand, if they attacked the cult leadership now, with the element of surprise and the Bringers with them, they could also likely succeed, but that would leave the two vampire houses still at war, and they wouldn’t stop until one or the other of them was dead. Instead of only one of their three main enemies dead, two of them would be. It was just good math.
Plus, he really hated Gulnith. He wanted her to know that it was him that had ruined her. So he made his decision, nocked an arrow, whispered the command word that activated its fire properties … and fired at Narvoth.
The first shot landed in a nook in his armor, painfully scorching his left shoulder, but the second shot ricocheted off of his right arm. Narvoth cried out in pain and whirled, bringing his mace up. “I will flay the flesh from your bones, in the name of Tiamat!”
Well, Rynn’s gone and done it now. Just as I suspected he would.
This is a new combat, so please roll initiative and give me three rounds of combat. The first round will be a surprise round.
If Gulnith goes down, will Rynn ask Khaska to stabilize her? (Or one of the other cult members, for that matter. There was discussion of attempting to study one of the dragon-men.)
To be clear on the situation:
Narvoth, a high-level cleric.
Gulnith, a dragonborn sorceress who is quite wounded.
3 dragon-men in plate.
2 dragon-men without armor, but with weapons.
Captain Gendry
5 guards
Team Bringers (will respond to your commands)
3 clerics
1 fighter
You don’t know where that plate-wearing vampire went. He might still be around.
Team PC
Rynn 43/64
Khaska 47/63
Sanjin-full health
Orensland-full health
Time to drop the facade and be marked as full-blown traitor in front of a madman with a mace. It's been good knowing you, folks. :)
There's still somewhat of a silver lining in this scenario –– Gulnith clearly doesn't like Narvoth or his new status as Supreme Wyrmhead. She may actually approve of a group of people attacking him directly.
Regardless, that's thinking way too far ahead. Orensland would likely rush to Rynn's aid. He hasn't been running through the options of interrogating Gulnith –– we talked about it being a possibility earlier, but that was a while ago, it's not at the forefront of his mind–– so the most straightforward action is to simply attack Narvoth. However, sheer survival instinct kicking in, he would likely not want to be the direct target of a high-level cleric. So he'd hit and hide.
Initiative: 19 (rolled 8 + 11 bonuses)
I'm not even going to roll for the damage on that one. Good thing I'm hiding for the next action.
Move Silently: 27 (3 + 24)
Orensland doesn't do well with surprises, apparently. Those were all awful rolls. He'd get in position to knock Gulnith out if she isn't down already (interrogation may come to mind after not being the center of violent attention) or Narvoth if she is. I suspect the events won't unfold in a straightforward manner, so am not sure what else to do here until I know more.
One thought: Captain Gendry was in the room when Narvoth and Gulnith refused to help Lord and Lady Maramos, correct? Might that treachery persuade them to help us fight the Cult? In short: do we have to worry about fighting them, too, or are they our allies in this fight?
EDIT: Eryx just clarified that we have to act without knowing how the Maramos guards will fight. Could Orensland remind them of the Cult's treachery to the Maramos house?
EDIT 2: Khaska will first cast Sound Burst, trying to get Narvoth, Gulnith, and (in case they show aggression) the Maramos guards in its blast. After that, he'll cast Silence on Narvoth — it's important that he be as incapacitated as possible.
Any thoughts on a third round action?
Hit: 15 (9+6 mod)
Cast Ray of Frost
Hit: 25 (19+6 mod)
Attack with the Python Rod
To Hit: 17 (13+4 mod)
Right. Time to turn this guy into a pincushion. Rynn will step backward as he fires to keep a good distance. But if forced into close combat, I guess he'd use his magic longsword (which would mean -3 to hit, and +1 STR but -fire damage; otherwise these same rolls would work as is).
to hit: 35 (rolled 19 + 9 base + 4 dex + 1 magic + 1 weapon focus + 1 point blank), damage: 12 (rolled 6 + 1 magic + rolled 1 fire + 1 STR + 2 favored enemy + 1 point blank)
to hit 15 (rolled 4 + 4 base + 7 bonuses), damage: 15 (rolled 7 + rolled 3 fire + 5 bonuses)
to hit: 35 (rolled 19 + 16 bonuses), damage: 13 (rolled 4 + rolled 4 fire + 5 bonuses)
to hit 23 (rolled 12 + 11 bonuses), damage: 16 (rolled 8 + rolled 3 fire + 5 bonuses)
(If forced to use his sword, that 19 would be a crit… but I'm hoping that he can stay with his bow and some distance given the mayhem that ensues.)
I like the idea of trying to rally the Maramos guards to help us, but I'm not sure if Rynn has enough knowledge of the situation (having been outside) to really be in a position to call out to them. And for Khaska's 3rd round… some kind of damage or healing would be nice. :)
Orensland sighed. Well, the jig was up. He grabbed his sword, ignited it, and lunged at Narvoth in one fluid motion.
And totally missed as the cleric brandished his two-handed mace above his head. He turned to Orensland and roared at him.
“Get Narvoth!” Khaska said to the Bringers, as Sanjin and he cast spells at the enraged cleric.
Then sheer pandemonium broke out.
“Retreat!” Captain Gendry cried out just as a loud cacophonous sound blasted the area around them. Khaska’s Sound Blast spell caused several of their ears to begin to bleed, but unfortunately nobody seemed affected by the stun effect. The Maramos militia members all, as one, began to run to the entrance to the mansion. Greygook merely backed away, firing from his crossbow at random targets in the melee.
As Narvoth brought his mace to bear on Orensland, the shadowdancer vanished. Three of the dragon-men moved to attack Khaska, but he was too well-armored and skilled. Their attacks were ineffective. The Bringers all converged on Narvoth per their orders, one casting a Searing Light spell, and the remaining the dragon-men joined that fray as Rynn and Sanjin continued to back up and fire arrows and spells.
Gulnith shouted some arcane words and a Chain Lightning spell erupted from her outstretched palm. It arced towards the Bringers surrounding Narvoth and one of them immediately went down. The lightning then jumped to the others and then to Khaska, the sparks of electricity playing around all their armor, the smell of burned flesh filling the air.
Meanwhile, Narvoth held aloft his shield with the five faces of Tiamat. It glowed with a black light for a moment, and then the divine magic raced over his body, coating him in a layer of darkness, making him seem as if he were in twilight, seemingly dimmer than his surroundings. The attacks of the Bringers were stymied. Sanjin unleashed a Lightning Bolt, catching Narvoth as well as two of the dragon-men. One of the dragon-men went down, the other was wounded, but the lightning bolt seemed to vanish and dissipate as it impacted the darkened area around Narvoth. He began to laugh …
But the sound vanished as Khaska finished his Silence spell. It was unnerving to see such ferocious combat playing out with no sound.
Orensland, seeing his enemy surrounded by the brave Bringers and feeling a little foolish at having struck and then retreated immediately, jumped back into the fray and began to attack Narvoth, seemingly materializing next to the dark cleric. But his attacks glanced off of the cleric’s armor, and the shadowdancer was dismayed to realize his worst fears. Narvoth immediately began to focus on him exclusively, the large mace smashing into him once, crushing bone and puncturing skin.
Gulnith was left alone, everybody seemingly focused on Narvoth. She grabbed a potion and drank it before running away from the melee combat. One of the Bringers, seeing her, ran after her, barreling into her with his sword, cutting into her arm. She reflexively cast another spell, but by this time they were too far for the Chain Lighting to jump to anybody else. The fighter caught the effect full on, and dropped.
Seeing the combat playing out the way it was, Khaska called upon Teresh with a Prayer spell, blunting the efforts of their enemies and aiding the efforts of his allies.
The sounds of melee combat and shouts of alarm came from the mansion. The armored vampire from before appeared just in front of the doorway, attacking Captain Gendry and the others. Khaska and Sanjin both attacked Gulnith. Sanjin hitting her with another Lightning Bolt, catching one of the unarmored dragon-men as well, and the cleric casting Spiritual Weapon, a Maha’i-style scimitar appearing in the air next to her. Before the dragon sorceress could cast another spell, the scimitar cut deeply into her neck, and she dropped to the ground, clutching it, blood spurting from the wound. In a moment, she collapsed.
Rynn, in the meantime, shot arrow after arrow after arrow after arrow at Narvoth. Between his efforts and those of the Bringers and Orensland, Narvoth, too, went down, a pair of arrows from the ranger puncturing his armor where he collapsed.
The vampire up by the mansion door cast a Searing Light spell through the door just as the militia members all shut it. He whirled, assessing the situation below.
All the heavy hitters are down, thanks to Khaska’s Silence spell. Gulnith and Narvoth are both bleeding out. Two of the Bringers are down (a cleric and the fighter), and there are 4 dragon-men left (two armored, two not).
Up at the entrance to the mansion, the vampire has fought with the militia members, but they have managed to push past him and are now inside.
The Silence spell makes it impossible to magically heal one of the Bringers. The other, over by Gulnith, is also bleeding out.
Your hitpoints are as follows:
Sanjin 26/26 (His actions in this round didn't match his post because I realized that DeltaWolf had inadvertantly given himself less spells to use. I had his permission to correct that and then play Sanjin as I thought he would.)
Orensland 47/60
No, that’s not a typo, both Orensland and Khaska have 47 hitpoints left.
The current make of your enemies/allies:
4 dragon-men, two armored, two not. The two armored ones are in melee combat with Khaska. The other two with the Bringers.
Narvoth, bleeding out in the Silence spell.
Gulnith, bleeding out.
1 cleric bleeding out in the Silence spell.
1 fighter bleeding out.
2 clerics still standing.
I guess we’re counting Greydale as a member of Team Bringer. He’s far back by the courtyard wall and firing crossbow bolts.
All have retreated into the mansion. None went down. Took some damage from Khaska's Sound Blast and the vampire.
One vampire, by the door to the mansion.
Give me three more rounds of combat. By now your characters would have realized that the dragon-men, despite their very cool and intimidating appearance, are not much of a threat to you. Probably not a threat to the Bringers in a one-on-one setting. You don’t need to blow your big spells or abilities on these guys.
And because I’m quite confident that this last bit of combat will wrap up fairly quickly, what do you all want to do afterwards? As a reminder: You’re fairly certain Lady Drakh will be attacking the House of Maramos very shortly. (For all you know, she may have already begun inside.) Your best chance to “kill” her in combat will be then, when she has many enemies to deal with. Or maybe wait to see how that combat plays out and go after the victor. However, to permakill her, you need to get over to her place and eliminate her coffin. If you want to permakill the Maramos coven, you have to do that before you head over to the Lancel coven. Khaska’s educated guess is that the Maramos’s will have recovered by the time you get there and back.
Sparing a glance at the vampire locked out of the Maramos house, Khaska will immediately run to the fallen Bringer fighter to stabilize them, while ordering someone to drag the fallen cleric his way, out of the ring of silence. He'll also direct someone to take on the remaining dragon-men.
In the longer term, Khaska wants the Maramos House gone, if at all possible. He'd be willing to help the Drakh vampires gain access to the Maramos compound so that they can do the dirty work. He'd have to debate with himself about potentially helping them, though. Right now, he's leaning towards letting them fight it out and making sure the party and the Bringers escape.
Can't someone cancel out the ring of silence?
I vote on going against Lady Drakh, mostly because they have a vampire (possibly more, depending on who he told) who knows about the voidgates. Plus at least we have some goodwill with the Maramos clan if they survive–– I can say I turned on Narvoth because I realized I was more loyal to my comrades. So we finish off the dragonmen first? I actually think we should leave the vampire–– more firepower against the Maramos clan, increase the chances of them being ended. I would vote we get out of earshot before discussing our plans to go to Lady Drakh. If that's what we decide.
As for the bleeding out heavy hitters of the Cult, we have two options. If we want to interrogate Gulnith, we should stabilize her, gag her, possibly drug her, and take her to a place away from all the craziness, probably to one of the Bringer's safe houses. Otherwise, we really should just behead them just in case the Maramos clan tries to revive one of them out of goodwill. Not likely, but not something to leave to chance either. I'm personally voting on the beheading option.
Sanjin agrees with Orensland -he wants to attack Lady Drake and destory any enemy that knows about the voidgates.
BlackWolf (via email)
I think Rynn would try to clear the rest of the dragonmen and then the vampire.
If no one else will be helping heal the bringers, Rynn would help with that. But he’d probably be more effective firing his arrows. Carl can make that judgement call and any necessary rolls for me.
Once the courtyard is clear, Rynn would prefer to try to take out Lady Drakh. We should be able to get support from Cap. Gendry (whom Rynn would apologize to, if it comes up). It’s only been a few more moments (a few rounds of combat) so it seems like the plan to take the battle to Lady Drakh could still be on.
I'd rather have the Maramos clan survive than let Lady Drakh win. And it doesn’t look like we’d be strong or lucky enough to tale out both. Besides we have the back door into their coven now…
Plus we could possibly obtain a sky ship if we go fight the Drakh household.
But Rynn will defer to his friends if they feel strongly. He did just put them into a tough spot and has used up some goodwill.
It seems to me the options are:
1.Go after Lady Drakh in person. The Maramos couple are still crippled for about the next 50 minutes or so. Surely Lady Drakh make her move in that time.
2.Go after Lady Drakh’s mansion. Try to find and destroy her coffin/graveyard dirt. This would kill her eventually as she would have no place to rest. But it would take a few days, likely.
3.Go after the Maramos couple. They’re crippled right now. Destroying them would be simplicity itself.
4.Or just escape the city, either via voidgate or by skyship. (I assume you want to do one of the first 3 options, but you could just decide to cut and run at this point.)
We have two votes for Option 2 (Orensland and Sanjin), one vote for Option 1 (Rynn), and one vote for Option 3 (Khaska).
The Bringers lean slightly towards option 1, thinking it will be easier to engage the House of Lancel without the possibility of Lady Drakh showing up, but will defer to you. Are Rynn and Khaska okay with Option 2? (I don't want to move forward if you are vehemently opposed to it.)
Would it be suicidal if we split up? Rynn, Khaska and Sanjin(?) could go into the Maramos mansion, Orensland (and Sanjin?) could go to the House of Lancel? I think my mind is still considering how to knock all players off the board permanently. Ensure that the Maramos couple dies/tempkill Drakh in the Maramos mansion, while also trying to permakill Drakh/the gnome vampire?
Orensland and Sanjin (?) could try to wipe out the coffin through sneakery as opposed to a frontal assault. Orensland could sneak in and eliminate the coffin(s)/grab the grave dirt. The House of Lancel is likely ready to directly assault the House of Maramos and are not paying attention to shadowdancing rogues. If the party agrees, Orensland would try to get as much info from the bringers/Greydale/Khaska/anyone who as been in the House of Lancel about where the coffin(s) would be, and about any traps that might be in the way. If the party disagrees… well, I'd like to know the reasons before determining if Orensland would listen or not.
I am worried that attacking Lady Drakh in the flesh first would prevent her from killing the Maramos power couple. For those going into the mansion, I'd almost be in favor of waiting off to the side to see who dies first: Lady Drakh or the Maramos couple. Then gang up on the other. Anywho. Thoughts for those who are going into the Maramos mansion.
It occurs to me that we've never quite worked out how to destroy a large amount of graveyard dirt. Taking a small amount and scattering it, making it impossible to re-gather it, would work, but if it's a crypt sort of situation (like Lord Maramos indicated they have), that would require something more.
By DM fiat, the Consecrate spell will destroy an area, making it unsuitable for vampires to rest (despite the fact that the spell is limited in duration, it renders the area "unnourishing," for lack of a better term, for vampire rest forever after). The Bringers have the necessary components for two castings of the spell. They've been prepared for this eventuality for … years.
I'm still down for splitting the party. However, given the circumstances he'd ask for two others to join him (Sanjin included?), at least one of which being a cleric that can cast the spell. Sneakery can still be done, especially if there's a shadowdancing rogue creating distractions for any guards left behind. If a giant suit of armor collapses or an expensive-looking painting falls off the wall in one direction, guards will likely not be looking in the other, you know? :) We may want to cast a silence spell to enhance our sneakery, and just try to keep guards from entering the sphere of the spell via above said distractions/well timed dashes. Also, do the bringers have wooden stakes handy? That seems like something we'd have prepared to have on hand.
Orensland would probably offer to scout the House of Lancel first–– find the crypt/bedroom (hopefully they are one and the same) before bringing in anyone else.
Option 2 works for Rynn.
He didn’t like what he saw, turned into a bat, and flew away.
Orensland reached down and shoved his sword into Narvoth’s neck. He wanted no chance that cleric could come back to haunt them. He flicked blood from his sword and moved out of the Silence spell. “Where to now?” He asked, as the Bringers worked to stabilize everybody. Rynn indicated they should do so to Gulnith, and one did. With her stabilized, they had options with the sorcereress.
“If we wish to send Lady Drakh to her crypt, our chance is now, while she assaults the House of Maramos.” Khaska said. “She will be fighting many opponents, with no possibility of reinforcements.”
“I don’t know if I like the idea of taking on the crazy blackguard vampire,” Orensland replied. “She more than held her own against several opponents just ten minutes ago.”
“A surgical strike,” one of the Bringers said, a woman by the name of Sarah Milner. “She knew she had to get in, poison them, and get out. She’s surely healed to full by now, while they are crippled and helpless.”
Rynn looked towards the mansion. “I could apologize to Captain Gendry for fighting them. Just say we were fighting the cult.”
“I don’t know how plausible that will seem,” Sanjin said. “You just started shooting at their cleric. For no reason.”
“Speaking of which,” Rynn said, glancing over to the still form of Gulnith. “I have unfinished business with that one. Could we bring her along?”
“You wish to carry her comatose form into battle?” Sarah said. “That will be less effective.”
Orensland’s face lit up.
“Can we fit her in one of our haversacks?” A quick check showed that no, they could not. But she would fit into the bag of holding! Orensland quickly began dumping some of the coins out, haphazardly trying to keep the platinum and gold over the silver and copper.
“Frankly,” Rynn said, “I’d rather the House of Maramos survive. I vote we move on Lady Drakh’s lands and try to wipe out her coffin and graveyard dirt. Then escape using the skyship.” Greygook nodded at that.
“We can consecrate two areas,” Sarah replied. “Could be the crypt of either coven.”
“What happens to Lady Drakh if we destroy her resting place?” Sanjin asked.
“She would die, eventually, but over a few days,” Khaska replied. “Imagine you were force to go without sleep, permanently. You wouldn’t just die the first night, but eventually, it would get to you.”
“So,” Orensland said, “head over, take out the crypt and coffins of Lady Drakh… “
“And my brother,” said Greygook. “I will not leave until he is at rest.”
“I agree,” Khaska said, exchanging a knowing look with Sanjin. “That is a priority as well.” A vampire wizard with knowledge of the voidgate system would be a dangerous adversary.
“Well,” said Orensland, who was now tying and gagging the comatose form of Gulnith. “I’ll run ahead and do some quick scouting. Just to see if I can get the lay of the land before you all come in to murder them.”
“The vampires there usually stay in the lower levels,” Greygook said. “There is one that stays in the upper levels. If we want to wipe out the entire Coven It might be nice to know how many are there, but don’t push your luck. And be prepared … the smell down there is awful.”
“Don’t forget to assess the skyship,” said Rynn. Orensland nodded, then sprinted out of the courtyard, vanishing as he exited.
Khaska was looking at Gulnith. “How should we go about … ?” He was cut off by Sanjin unceremoniously dragging the bag of holding over to her, opening it, and dumping her it. It was a little weird to see her limp body disappear into the small bag, but it did, and the wizard closed it up.
“We’ll have to open it every few minutes, to make sure she has enough air, but she’ll be fine. And there’s still plenty of money in there, if we care,” he said.
“I’m sure Orensland cares a great deal,” Rynn said, to brief laughter from each of the rest of them. “Frankly, I think we’re good on money with the money that the House of Maramos already paid us. Not to mention the new weapons and armor they procured for us. Now let’s get out of here before the situation changes again.” '
Orensland had quickly assessed the situation at the House of Lancel. The skyship remained behind the main mansion, and seemed untouched. Good.
There were many guards out and about in the courtyard, but he saw no vampires. He managed to sneak into the house itself through a window and first went to check upstairs. He found a vampire strumming a mandolin on a large couch with several different women surrounding him in various states of undress or with scanty clothing. There was a bed behind him. Orensland then snuck away and then got down into the basement area. He first encountered a vampire walking down a hallway. The shadowdancer quickly backed away and waited for him to pass. He found another vampire in a room standing over a dead body (no idea how recently dead), and passed several rooms with coffins in them. There were few guards or others on this level. It seemed most of the servants and vampire worshippers were upstairs.
There was a door that led down to a further sub-basement, but there were two guards stationed by it. He didn’t feel like pushing his luck, so he went back upstairs and went to find the others.
Once he found them, he described what he had seen, and between his recollections, Greygook’s time there, and Khaska’s single visit to the sub-basement, they had a decent idea of the setup. The vampire upstairs was likely Lord Jacen Lancel, a bard, the only Lancel vampire remaining from before Lady Drakh’s purge. The vampires downstairs were in the first level of the basement—where they all slept. Below that were the cells for prisoners and unwanted slaves. Lady Drakh, near as the Bringers had gathered information and Greygook had seen, slept below that first level. Speaking of Lady Drakh, they were on the clock, so to speak. There was no telling when she and the other vampires at House Maramos would be returning.
So they went in, quickly, and with no mercy. Khaska and the Bringers had healed most everybody up, so they were in better shape than when they had started their quick jaunt across town. The guards in the courtyard put up an honorable fight, but between the four members of the party and their powerful Bringer allies, the situation was quickly dealt with. Orensland and Rynn led the charge into the house itself, throwing the double doors open with a flourish and seeing … nothing.
“Welcome,” came a smooth voice. The group looked up to see the vampire Orensland had seen upstairs slowly descending the stairs. He was wearing a robe, and it was open, showing off his lithe chest. A smidge of blood ran down from the corner of his mouth, and he licked it as he held up his glass of red liquid. “I assume you are here in retaliation for my Lady’s attack.” He shrugged, and drank deeply from the goblet. “I’m surprised we’ve lasted this long under her leadership. Though we might prevail with what forces we have left. You’ll find them downstairs in the first level of the basement. Lady Drakh is not my sire, so I have no loyalty to her. I wish you the best of luck.”
Given that the guards in the courtyard would pose no problem to the eight of you, I simply moved the narrative ahead instead of waiting for the tediously easy combat to conclude using our usual method. We're at the first real decision point.
This vampire is making no threatening moves towards you. It is Lord Jacen, and Greygook would have informed you that he’s a hedonist of the highest order, but certainly not a fighter or a major threat. Lady Drakh kept him around for his music. The more threatening vampires will be downstairs, at least the last Orensland saw of them.
Downstairs there is a basement, the first level of which is mostly private vampire rooms with coffins. Below that is the area where Khaska came when visiting to ask about the Codex Demonicus. It is mostly filled cells and a few other rooms, like the one Lady Drakh had used to summon a babau to talk to the Maha’i.
1. What do you all want to do?
2. Also, how much healing would you have done on the way over? Gotten everybody to full health? Mostly full health? At least a certain percentage (75%, 80%, whatever.) The Bringer clerics are also willing to use their healing spells to top people off.
I think we'd do the bare minimum to maximize healing before heading here, but not overdo it — we might need healing after these encounters, too.
Would Jacen Lancel be willing to indicate where exactly Lady Drakh's sleeping chambers would be? He wouldn't need to come with us, of course, but some directions would be helpful.
As for the vampires… perhaps Orensland, with some backup outside whatever room he's in, could sneak in and try to off the vampires quietly. Meanwhile, others could systematically proceed through the vacated rooms, destroying coffins and scattering dirt. If that won't take too long, of course.
If such systematic destruction seems too involved for our timeframe, Khaska would suggest that we off the vampires present, then immediately proceed to the subbasement, find Lady Drakh's chamber, consecrate it, and then get to the skyship and away as fast as possible. Potentially leaving a pillar of flame behind as a parting gift.
As a matter of fact, Lord Lancel is willing to tell you that she sleeps in the crypt, which is in the third sub-basement. "Disgusting place. I'd not be caught dead there with what she's done with the place." Basically, there is one level of basement (vampire quarters), a first sub-basement (cells for prisoners and slaves), and a final sub-basement, in which the House of Lancel crypt is.
Can I get a Sense Motive check from anybody who wants to know why this vampire is being so friendly.
Khaska Sense Motive: 18 = 11+7
The hitpoints are as follows:
And the Bringer Fighter is at 5/57.
How many, and which spells, will Khaska cast to heal folks? (You have 3 level 7 Bringer clerics with you as well.)
Orensland Sense Motive: 19 = 19+0
Orensland likes the systematic method of offing vampires idea. He could shadowdance in, stake a vampire, behead him/her (otherwise they could just be "unstaked" later), then move on to the next one. I assume that, because everyone is in their private headquarters, that they are not armored up. That should make staking someone much more straightforward. It is also likely that the two vampires we tempkilled earlier (including our gnome friend) are in their coffins at this moment, so there are 4ish vampires to worry about. Would those two be in a sleeping state as they come back to life, or would we have to worry that they would wake up?
I would vote that those of our party not doing the systematic killing move into an empty room on the first level of the basement during this process. Close enough to spring to action, but not waiting around in a hallway where they could be seen.
Also, does the crypt count as all the vampires' grave dirt? That would be handy.
I like Crosis' idea. Sanjin would offer to cast Mage Armor on Orensland prior to his systemic offing.
Sense motive: 20 (rolled 13 + 7 bonus)
At this point, as long as this "Lord Lancel" doesn't interfere with the party, Rynn is more than willing to let him be. He's a bit wary, just in case the vampire might turn on them, but there are fighting foes ahead.
Rynn would have also used the wand of Cure Light Wounds from his backpack to heal people up quickly. Better to use that up and save spell slots for the upcoming fight. Plus we've been carrying it around since Codex I, so we might as well use it. :)
3 castings gets Rynn up to 63/64.
2 more puts Khaska at 61/63
2 more gets Orensland up to 59/60
It's not the best for quickly healing a lot of damage, but Rynn wouldn't leave the Bringer fighter out. If somebody else (one of the clerics, perhaps) wanted to do one bigger spell, Rynn could top the fighter off. Just let me know how many charges he'd have to expend. After the uses above, we've got 10 charges left.
The ranger is also in favor of the plan to off the vampires as we go. Although we have to hurry to eliminate Lady Drakh's grave before she returns, there's something Rynn doesn't like about what Jacen said about "what she's done with the place." Who knows what we'd find down there. So we've got to move quickly, but there's no sense in barging straight there and surrounding ourselves with enemies.
Khaska thanks Rynn for contributing to the healing effort with the wand; we'll have to get another of those! Meanwhile, he'll cast Cure Serious Wounds (3d8 +1/level) on the Bringer fighter:
Should he cast more?
I forgot you guys had the wand. It seems to make the most sense to use it to get the Bringer fighter up as well.
I asked Crosis for some Hide/Move Silent and Attack rolls. He sent them to me and I'm posting them here.
Hide/Move Silent:
Attacks (roll + BAB + DEX):
Also, for preparing to essentially storm the dungeon, Orensland would ask Jacen what guards we might expect to encounter. Plus whatever he means by "what she did with the place."
“Lord Lancel,” said Greygook.
“Greygook,” the vampire inclined his head. “I am pleased you survived the attack on your brothers.”
“I’m here to make sure they have their eternal rest.”
“Well, Greyran has that. Lady Drakh was uninterested in another bard as long as she had my considerable talents at her disposal. No offense intended, of course. Greydale has a coffin on the first level of the basement, but he has joined the Lady in an attack on a rival coven. Such a distasteful waste of resources.”
Rynn noted the melancholy from this vampire, and the way he said Lady Drakh’s name spoke volumes of his distaste for her. If he didn’t know better, he’d say this vampire was world-weary. He wondered what kind of hell it would be like to be eternally trapped by a more powerful and violent vampire. No wonder this Lord Lancel hated her so.
“Well, we’re here to end her,” Orensland said. “Where is the crypt and her coffin?”
Lancel smiled, a happier smile than any of them had seen on any of the vampires in all their months in this city. “Well, that is intriguing. Her coffin is in the crypt itself, down in the second sub-basement. Disgusting place. I'd not be caught dead there with what she's done with it. That’s why I sleep upstairs in my private quarters. She’s allowed me at least that much dignity.”
“What kind of resistance can we expect?” Sarah asked.
“I am unsure how many of our vampires are with the Lady, but there are usually at least six guards downstairs, a pair for each level of the basement.”
“And what will we find in the crypt?” came Rynn’s inquiry. He was wary of what they might find there.
“Nothing dangerous, but you will find all the reasons that I care not to visit. But I suggest you go quickly. If she catches you here, it may not go well for you, and I know not if she will return sooner or later.”
“Traitor!” Two guards appeared from around a corner up above, near Lord Lancel. The first of them fired a crossbow bolt at the vampire, but it went wide. The vampire turned and, with a speed that surprised everybody, closed the distance between himself and the guards, locking eyes with the second, who went slack. His partner was re-arming the crossbow, but just as he prepared to fire again, the second stabbed him in the side of the neck with his sword. The man dropped to the ground, gurgling, and Lord Lancel slowly closed on the other, grabbing his head and jerking it back, exposing his neck. He drank deeply, and in a matter of seconds the other guard collapsed. Lord Lancel wiped his lips with a silk handkerchief from one of the pockets of his robe.
“Like I said, I suggest you go quickly, and now I wish you much success, moreseo than even before.”
They needed no further encouragement.
“So what’s the plan?” Fynn asked as they headed down. “We just going to go barging in?”
“Orensland is particularly good at sneaking, obviously,” Khaska said. “Perhaps we should let him go first to try and stake some vampires. Be prepared to rush to his aid if needed.”
“Sounds good to me,” Orensland said. “There’s a door at the bottom of these stairs. I’ll sneak in like before, but if you hear me calling for help, come get me!”
“Please, if you find my brother,” Greygook said, “let me be the one to …” he gulped, “to do it.” Orensland nodded, listened at the door, then opened it and vanished as he moved forward.
The shadowdancer found the same vampire standing over a dead body. The vampire was … eating it. Absolutely disgusted, Orensland staked the elven vampire with no problems (he was not wearing armor) and chopped his head off with a single blow.
He moved to the next room, and gently pried open the coffin lid. Inside was one of the vampires they had killed back at the Maramos household, the ranger. She looked serene, at peace. He staked her and chopped her head off as well, though that was a little more difficult since she was in the coffin.
The next room had a coffin, but it was empty. The next room’s coffin held … Greydale. He left the room intact, to honor Greygook’s request.
However, a moment later he heard a gasp and turned to see a new vampire having discovered his handiwork with the first. This vampire had red skin and horns peeked out from under his black hair … a tail swished back and forth behind him. Actually, Orensland wasn’t even sure it was a vampire, despite the fact that there were prominent fangs.
“Intruders!” The newcomer yelled. Another vampire came, one that Orensland had seen before, came around the corner as Orensland heard the door to the upstairs slam open. Rynn and Khaska were the first ones to arrive on the scene seconds later.
“There they are!” The human vampire called out.
“I don’t see … ah, a dwarf to play with,” the demonic-looking one responded as Fynn bounded down the stairs.
Orensland smiled. Khaska’s Hide from Undead spell had apparently affected the red-skinned one. But just then the two Lancel guards arrived from their spot by the stairs to the basement. The easy part had ended—they’d have to fight from here on down.
Between getting yourselves back up to near-full health and getting the Bringers up to the same, the wand has now used up all of its charges, but you have more flexible spellcasting options from the 4 clerics with you (Khaska and 3 Bringers, who had to use a few of their spells to finish topping everybody off).
Orensland was able to sneak up on and decapitate two of the five vampires downstairs (Greydale is still recovering and will not be part of this combat), but unfortunately you’ve been discovered. There are two vampires and the two guards, but one of the vampires is unable to see the party thanks to Khaska’s Hide from Undead spell (they can see the Bringers). You are all in a hallway only about 10 feet wide. The two guards are at one end, then Orensland, then the two vampires, then the rest of the party. There are two main hallways on this level that basically make a square figure 8 (like a digital 8), so if you wanted to run around and flank that’s an option too. Neither vampire is wearing armor or has a weapon.
Please roll initiative and give me three rounds of actions. Also, if you wanted to cast any buffs on everybody before Orensland went through the door, I’ll allow that as well. (Bless, or the like.)
Of note, if Khaska casts Turn Undead the Hide from Undead effects will end on the red-skinned vampire. One of the Bringers will be casting that anyway. If the spell fails, another may follow suit.
I almost wanted Khaska to roll a Knowledge (Religion) check to see what species this red-skinned creature is, but with a +13 to that skill, you’ll automatically know that it’s a vampire Tiefling. (You know it’s undead because the spell is affecting it.)
Does Orensland get a suprise round, seeing as he's been there the whole time? Also, Orensland would try to stake a vampire first. He'd try to stake the human one first, seeing as he would still be invisible to the Tiefling and possibly be able to flank/stake him too.
Prior to descending the stairs, Orensland would request that someone cast Silence on Orensland. Not necessarily for better sneaking, but more so that he can position himself to mask the din of battle from reaching other guards while being far away enough from our clerics to unhinder their spellcasting. If the party disagrees with that idea (for example, out of fear for accidentally cancelling out our party's ability to cast spells) than continue as planned. (when the Tiefling shouted "intruders," would that have been loud enough to reach other floors? In other words, are we expecting more guards to show up at any moment?)
Also, whoever has the Consecrate spell ready should stay out of the thick of the fight. Just in case.
Initiative: 18 (7+11)
* Hit: 29 (18+11 mod)
* Damage: 9 (1 + 5 mod + 3 fire damage)
* Damage: 14 (6 + 5 mod + 3 fire damage)
* To Hit: 19 (8+11 mod)
Round 1: cast Crushing Despair directed at the vampires
Round 2: Throw down the Payton Rod to form Nagini
Round 3: Nagini will attempt to grapple the nearest enemy
43 (20 +23 mod)
Alas, Khaska only prepared one Silence, and we've used it. He will, however, cast several buffs before combat: Bless and Prayer.
Could Khaska cast Searing Light aimed at both vampires? If so, he will, gesturing to Orensland to get out of the way.
Damage: 23 = 1+1+6+7+8
After that, he's tempted to cast Fire Shield and enter melee with his scimitar; does that sound like a good idea?
Just received permission from BlackWolf to do his rolls for Rynn, who will be using his sword in this combat due to the close quarters. I'll post those here in the gray box before writing up the post.
Rynn's attacks.
Initiative: 16 (rolled) + 4 (bonuses) = 20 total.
Round 1.
Attack: 12 (rolled) + 9 (BAB) + 2 STR + 1 (Magic) = 24 total.
Damage: 8 (rolled) + 2 STR + 1 (Magic) = 11 total.
Attack: 19 (rolled). CRIT!
Damage: 8 (Max) + 6 (rolled) + 3 (bonuses) = 17 total.
Attack: 18 (rolled) + 12 (bonuses) = 20 total.
Damage: 5 (rolled) + 3 (bonuses) = 8 total.
Attack: 1 (rolled). Miss.
Attack: 2 (rolled) + 12 (bonuses) = 14 total.
Attack: 10 (rolled) + 7 (bonuses) = 17 total.
Rynn drew his sword and advanced quickly on the red-skinned vampire, who was extremely surprised to get hit by an invisible opponent. The ranger’s quick swordsmanship severely wounded the demonic-looking vampire. But with a cry of dismay the two guards closed the gap and began frantically trying to keep Rynn from the vampires.
It was simplicity itself for Orensland to stake the human vampire from behind. That vampire collapsed, completely disabled. The guards didn’t even notice for a few seconds, busy with Rynn and with Sarah, who had closed to fight as well.
Fynn grabbed one of the other Bringers and sprinted away, trying to move around the corridors to flank from the other side, as Sanjin ensorcelled one guard and the two vampires with Crushing Despair, wondering if it would even effect a staked and disabled vampire.
A crossbow bolt from Greygook and Khaska’s Searing Light, however, simply obliterated the tiefling vampire—the cleric knew enough about planar beings that he had quickly identified the original species of this red-skinned vampire. After Rynn’s surprise attacks, the vampire simply didn’t have much strength remaining. The holy light burned the vampire fiend to ash. Its mist form began moving down the hallway, turning into one of the rooms.
Orensland parried a quick attack from one of the guards and then shoved his sword right into the man’s jaw. It jutted out the back of his head, killing the man outright. The other guard, however, managed to pull the stake out of the heart of the remaining vampire just as Rynn stabbed him in the back. The man went down, dead, but the vampire jumped to his feet. Fynn rounded the corner and also blasted the vampire with a Searing Light spell of his own. The vampire wasn’t destroyed instantly, but the Bringer’s fighter followed up with a few savage blows. The vampire couldn’t recover in time, and in moments was also misting back to his coffin.
“Well, that was easier than expected,” Fynn said.
“We suspected the heavy hitters would be over at the Maramos lands,” Sarah said. “Let’s destroy their resting places before they return. I don’t much fancy a fight with Lady Drakh.”
The Bringer’s fighter was already summarily decapitating the vampires in their coffins, each body dissipating into ashes after his strikes. Then he hacked at the coffins until they were nothing but splinters.
Greygook entered the room Orensland had said Greydale was in, and the gnome tossed aside the lid of the coffin. He was all business, decapitating his brother and then dousing the coffin in an alcoholic beverage from a flask. A few sparks later and the coffin was in flames.
He pushed past Khaska, who saw tears in the gnomes eyes. “Let’s go,” Greygook said.
They appeared to have attracted no attention, and it took Orensland just a moment to pick the lock leading to the next basement level.
It was as Khaska remembered, though this time illuminated by Sarah’s Light spell, cast on her mace. There were various cells, some with solid wooden doors, others with bars, leaving them open to the hallway. When it became obvious that there were armed intruders, the people in the cells began clamoring for help. Dirty, outstretched arms grasped at the party from behind barred windows and cell doors.
“Sarah!” Came a voice. A haggard elf, chained and nearly naked, sat in one of the open cells.
“Kivessin!” Sarah cried out, and with a quick few blows she smashed the lock and opened the doors. The elf began to cry and she grabbed him and held him close. The two of them spoke through sobs of joy that made it difficult to understand. The clamoring of the other prisoners grew louder.
“You’re alive!” Sarah gasped.
“I don’t know how long I’ve been here,” he said. “I had given up hope long ago.”
“You’ve been missing for years. A decade!” she said. “Have you been here all this time?”
He nodded. “Lady Drakh keeps me here and forces me to make holy water for her. She takes it downstairs, and I no not why!”
“Greygook,” Fynn said, “could you assist with opening the locks and freeing these prisoners? Sarah, remain here in case he needs any help.” He hefted his mace. “The rest of us, let’s go to the sub-basement and finish this.”
Orensland once again picked the lock and opened the door, and Fynn knocked a sunrod against the wall, emitting more light. The Shadowdancer nodded, asked to go ahead just a bit, and then walked down, vanishing into the darkness.
At the bottom of the spiral staircase was a large room with four large stone sarcophagi, and many different grave niches along the walls. None were occupied. The smell was horrifying—Orensland gaged a little, and wrapped a cloth around his face (though that helped little). Several rotting corpses were on the ground in various states of disarray and decay.
Across from the stairway were two items of note. The first seemed to be an altar, with two large icons on it. One was a lightningbolt, the other a large disk with a disfigured face adorning it. Both were coated in dust and looked as if they had been tossed onto the altar.
The other item was a cross. Hanging on the cross was a naked human woman, her arms cruelly wrenched to hang her from the nail marks in her wrists. Jutting from her chest was a large wooden stake. Her skin bore many burn marks, and at her feet were shattered jars and clay urns. Orensland crept forward and peered inside, but even with his darkvision, he could tell that the liquid inside was merely water.
It appeared that, other than the incapacitated vampire hanging on the cross, they were alone.
I assumed that you would all consent to freeing the prisoners of House Lancel, though you should decide how you want to handle their escape. There is not enough room aboard the skyship for all of them—it will only fit you, Greygook, and the Bringers (including Kivessin).
You have reached the crypt of the House of Lancel, where Lady Drakh rests, after blowing those two vampires and guards away in a round and a half.
Anybody wishing to do a more complete survey of the room should give me a Search check. Khaska would know that the two religious icons on the altar are for Heironeous, a lawful good god of valor, and Erythnul, the god of chaos and slaughter.
There appears to be a crucified vampire, hung, tortured, and staked (therefore incapicated, but not killed). None of the Bringers have any idea who it is.
Shoot. I had just assumed Lady Drakh would have a wooden coffin, like everyone else. Would the Consecrate spell render stone sarcophagi useless? If not, any ideas on how to destroy a sarcophagus?
Orensland is intrigued by the tortured vampire. We've been on something of a killing spree for… all the vampires in this mansion so far, but thinks it may be a good idea to interrogate her. We're in something of a time crunch right now, but she's presently staked, how about we throw her into the bag of holding along with Gulnith? Part of me just wants Gulnith to wake up surrounded by gold and a bloodied staked vampire. I can't think of a weirder "what the hell?" moment than that right now, and it would make Orensland laugh. We'd probably have to clear some more money out, but given he wants to loot the Maramos mansion in a moment feels it would be worth it.
If we're running into trouble with the sarcophagi, perhaps we could temporarily unstake this vampire. Aside from asking who she is, we could ask if there are any secrets we should know about regarding this crypt––– which sarcophagus is Lady Drakh's, or is her coffin hidden in one of the crevices or something? We know Lady Drakh's crazy, but she may be paranoid too. On that note, Orensland would be looking for traps. This vampire likely is not a fan of Lady Drakh and is therefore more inclined to inform us of the goodies/dangers/secrets of this room. THEN restake her and throw her in the bag.
If we can think of no way to destroy the sarcophagus, could we fit hers into the bag of holding? We could drop it off the skyship from waaaay up into the sky, that should do the trick. Perhaps right onto the mansion. That would be hilarious.
If we're REALLY in luck, Lady Drakh may have temp-died by this time and will just float in to be peacefully staked and dismembered. That would be nice.
Anywho. Our priority is to kill Lady Drakh by destroying her ability to rest ASAP. If the party doesn't necessarily need Orensland's help, he'd probably just search around the crypt for anything of note, including traps or hidden coffins (including recently upturned dirt), though obviously keeping an eye out for looting potential. We should also check to make sure the sarcophagi are empty, though only after we've done what we need to stop lady Drakh/secure the vampire. If a wraith pops out or something I'd rather we already finished our main task.
Search: 28 (rolled 11 + 17 mod)
In terms of escape, not all of us need to be on that skyship. Orensland would still like to explore the voidgate himself (with Sanjin, probably), which would free up two spots. Plus some of the bringers may want to stick around the city––– their covers aren't really blown, and they may want to stick around to report what happens in the city after everything that's happened. Thus, some prisoners could come on the skyship too. I'd assume we'd want to give priority to Bringer prisoners, Kivessin should know who those may be.
The sarcophagi are not movable.
If I could get a Knowledge (Religion) check from Khaska, he could answer some of your other questions. Given that you have 3 Bringer Clerics with you that specialize in anti-vampire lore, I'll give you advantage on the roll. (Roll twice, take the higher roll.)
Well, Khaska has a +13 in Knowledge (Religion), and I rolled a 20… so what does a critical success 33 get us? A flash of sudden and unexpected genius? :D
Khaska's Knowledge (Religion) check allows him to realize that the sarcophagi would suffer from the same effects of the consecrate spell that the rest of the crypt will. Sorry, a critical success doesn't mean Teresh himself answers your inquiry complete with angelic choirs. You just know the basic information.
You do not need to destroy the sarcophagi. Just consecrate them. The crypt is small enough that you can easily consecrate the entire thing.
Since none of the rest of you can even roll a higher search check than 28, I'll say this: Orensland finds no traps. In one of the grave niches he finds a series of jars, beakers, pots, gristles, and other implements. After closer inspection, he deduces that it is a used combination alchemy set and a poisoner's kit.
In one of the sarcophagi he finds silk pillows and fine blankets. In another he finds a well-polished suit of armor, set up as if on a dead person, holding a jeweled longsword and with a gold-trimmed shield bearing the symbol of Heironeous. Scratched into the inside of the lid are the words, "Here lies Knight Vitoria Moretti of the Order of the Silver Dragons, Baronessa of Cyriest." The other two are empty aside from some old moldering clothing and tarnished jewelry all thrown into one of them.
That simplifies everything immensely. Though I'm a bit bummed we couldn't drop the stone sarcophagus from the skyship, that would have been entertaining.
While obviously quite happy to see such a grand display of goods, Orensland would simultaneously feel sorrowful over the implications of this armor. We're not sure if this is Lady Drakh's original armor or that of the women presently on the cross––– regardless, it marks the grave of a what was once likely a noble and respectable warrior. Orensland would want to remove the armor (perhaps by putting it in his haversack) with the intent of returning it to Cyriest for a type of proper burial.
So basically, Orensland would vote we consecrate the place, throw the staked vamp into the holding bag as the second person to interrogate later, grab the armor and alchemy kits (he's curious what she's been doing), and leave while we still can. Between the 7 or 8 of us, we should be able to do these several things simultaneously and get out of there fairly quickly. We could also ask Greygook if he's heard the name Vitoria Moretti.
The Bringers are vehemently opposed to any plan that doesn't involve killing the vampire. In fact, Fynn notes they were deferring to you in the matter of Lord Lancel, but they really want to kill him on the way out as well.
Khaska remembers that Lady Maramos told him that Lady Drakh was once a paladin.
Well then. Consecrate the ground, take the goods, unstake her to briefly interrogate her, restake/dismember her, then go. She's on a cross and clearly weakened, she can't put up a good enough fight to be considered a danger. Interrogate to 1) see who she is and why Drakh hates her, 2) see if there's anything of note in the crypt we missed, including the uses of the "used combination alchemy set." By intending to return the armor to Cyriest, Orensland would also want to ask her if she wants anything written over her tombstone/completed in Cyriest while he's there, presuming she is Vitoria.
As for Lord Lancel, I'd be fine with ending him too.
Sanjin is also opposed to a plan that incolves bringing a vampire with us.
When he makes his way down into the small crypt, Rynn will find himself feeling uncomfortable about the naked woman, vampire or not. So when Orensland's search turns up the blankets he will use one to drape over the tortured victim, giving her some small semblance of modesty.
Throwing her into the bag of holding doesn't seem quite right either, so Rynn will end up falling in with the Bringer's plan to kill the vampire. Seems like it would put her out of her misery as well. He's fine with her being questioned first though.
The ranger suspects that the armor belongs to Lady Drakh's former paladin persona. It makes him wonder if her attacks on the Maramos are part of some sort of twisted desire to hold on to her prior beliefs? Or perhaps it's more simple: exacting revenge against those who turned her?
Above all else, he's antsy for the clerics to consecrate the place so that Lady Drakh will be undone. Hopefully we can do that before or during the questioning of the vampire.
Bear in mind that we should blindfold the vampire if we unstake her. We don't want her to be charming anyone, that would complicate things.
He guys! Sorry for the delayed response. It's been a very busy week on my end.
Khaska also opposes bringing any vampires with us. He'd advocate for:
Blindfolding and covering up the vampire (thanks for the tip, Crosis!).
Unstaking and questioning the vampire, after asking Greygook if he's familiar with the name Vitoria Moretti. He'd be interested to learn anything she knows about Lady Drakh's plans/objectives, especially for the Maramos house.
If we learn that Lady Drakh and others in her household (who are still alive) knew about the voidgates, we should make sure to end them. (If Lord Lancel knows, Khaska would acceded to his death; if not, he'd be somewhat conflicted about it, as Lord Lancel apparently let us pass by.)
Consecrating the ground as soon as possible. That's what we came here for, and we don't want to miss our chance.
We should also grab the armor to return to the Knights of the Silver Dragons and/or Cyriest; we could report on Lady Moretti's demise. (Is there any way possible to un-turn a vampire?)
“Everybody come on in,” the shadowdancer said. “I don’t see any traps or anything. We’re alone.”
“Good, let’s consecrate the tomb and then get out of here …” Rynn stopped upon entering the room, just behind Fynn. His eyes went to the tortured vampire hanging across the room. Then his eyes dropped to the ground, embarrassed by her nakedness.
“Do we need to physically destroy these sarcophagi?” Sanjin asked.
Orensland looked at his sword. “I don’t know if our weapons will work.” His face brightened. “Maybe we could stuff them in our bags of holding and then drop them on the house as we fly away!”
Fynn looked at them, inspecting them. “They’re part of the crypt itself. Moving them without shattering them into pieces is impossible.”
“Then consecrating the crypt itself is all that we need to do,” Khaska said. “Anything else we need to do we can do so after the spell is complete, thereby assuring Lady Drakh’s eventual death. Though,” he walked over and grabbed the plate with the disfigured face, “best to get rid of this symbol of Erthynul.” He slammed it on the ground, bending it, then slashing it several times with his scimitar, eventually splitting it.
“Could we unstake and ask her about this crypt?” Orensland asked, looking up at the crucified vampire.
“It’s lucky there’s now an altar here to Heironeous, who I serve,” said Fynn as he straightened the lightning symbol on the small altar, then bowed to it. “It will make my Consecrate spell all the more powerful.” He grabbed out a bottle of holy water and a small pouch of silver dust. “We know Lady Drakh makes her bed here. I don’t know that it’s worth the risk to wake up the vampire. What could she tell us that we don’t already know?” Then he began sprinkling them both around the crypt, muttering a prayer. In a matter of moments, he was done. The area seemed to glow momentarily with a holy light, and Khaska felt his connection with Teresh strengthen.
“Well, then I’ll finish looking around,” Orensland said.
In one of the sarcophagi he found elegant silk blankets and sheets, with down pillows to match. The Bringer fighter whistled. “She sleeps well with these,” he said, pulling them up, and running his fingers over the soft cloth.
Another of the sarcophagi yielded nothing. A third held some old moldering clothes, things that looked like they might have been elegant many many years ago. Orensland didn’t even want to venture how long they had been in there. There were some jewels among the clothing, however, and Orensland retrieved those items and put them in his haversack.
The final sarcophagus was where the surprise lay. Inside was a suit of armor, laid out as if for burial (though empty), with a gold-laced shield with a symbol of Heironeous and an elegant jeweled longsword. The armor was polished and meticulously kept. “Wow,” said Orensland. The others came to look.
“Woman’s armor,” Fynn said.
“There’s an inscription here,” Orensland said, noticing something on the bottom of the sarcophagus’ lid. He ducked down to see it better, then pushed the lid off and laid it on the ground. “Here lies Knight Vitoria Moretti, of the Order of the Silver Dragons, Baronessa of Cyriest.” He became a little quiet. “I wonder if this is Lady Drakh’s original armor.”
“I was told that she was a paladin before she was turned,” Khaska said.
“Perhaps, then, her attack on the Maramos Coven was a twisted way of holding on to her old beliefs,” Rynn said, running a hand gently over the armor’s gauntlet. “Or maybe exacting her revenge against those that turned her.”
“She got all her scars before she was turned, right?” Sanjin asked.
Khaska nodded. “Had she been tortured after becoming a vampire, they would have healed. Those wounds were received before she was turned. But she wasn’t turned by the Maramos Coven, Rynn.”
“I meant vampires in general,” the ranger replied. He reached down to scratch at Ranna’s head, as the wolf was pawing at her nose from the smell of the rotting flesh.
“Ah. I suppose that is possible,” the cleric somberly stated.
“Cyriest is in the Tlerian empire,” Fynn said. “We dwarves do much business through there.”
“Perhaps we should take this armor and return it there for a proper burial,” Khaska said.
“How do we know it’s not her armor?” Orensland said, pointing to the crucified vampire. Rynn was, at that very moment, draping the corpse with one of the blankets from the first sarcophagi, affording the woman at least some measure of modesty, vampire or not. “I still think we should question her? She poses little danger, injured as she is and tied down.” He glanced at her wounded wrists. “So to speak.” He smiled. “Though maybe we could take her with us. Stuff her in the bag of holding. I would love to see the look on Gulnith’s face when she wakes up in a pocket dimension with a dead vampire next to her!”
“You have a very odd sense of humor, my roguish friend,” Fynn said, looking at him sideways.
“We can question her if you want,” came Sarah’s voice as she entered the chamber. Kivessen followed her, moving slowly, his wounds and time in chains still evident. “But she doesn’t come with us—re-stake and execute her when we’re done. And cover her eyes at least. So she can’t try to ensnare one of us with her gaze.” She glanced around. “Everybody upstairs is free, and we’re ready to go.”
“We’ve consecrated the crypt,” Fynn said. “The House of Lancel will perish within days.”
“After we kill that vampire upstairs,” she said. “I suspect Lord Lancel’s coffin isn’t down here.”
“It’s not,” said Greygook, coming down himself. “It’s upstairs in his private quarters.”
“Then we have unfinished business before we depart,” Sarah said. “And if Lady Drakh’s coup against the Maramos coven is successful, we will have dealt a huge blow to the vampire reign of this city.”
“I also want to ask her about this,” Orensland said, indicating one of the crypt’s grave niches. A series of bottles and beakers and pestles sat there. “It looks to me like a combination poisoner’s kit and an alchemy set. I wonder what it was used for.”
“Have you heard of a ‘Vitoria Moretti,’ Greygook?” Sanjin asked.
“Can’t say that I have. Why do you ask?”
The wizard indicated the inside of the sarcophagus lid, now on its side. Greygook inspected it. “Yeah, I don’t know who that is. It never came up in our time here. Sorry.”
Fynn and Khaska lifted the cross up from its base. The bottom was quite rotted, but the wood was still strong enough to keep the cross upright. Upon closer inspection, there were several nail marks on the crossbeam. Either this woman had been recrucified several times, or she was not the first victim of this cross. Fynn made sure the blanket covered her well with a nod to Rynn as Sarah wrapped a torn piece of one of the silk sheets around her eyes. Fynn still had to reach in towards her chest to prepare to pull out the stake, slightly exposing her chest. Everybody in the room readied spells or prayers or weapons. Fynn glanced around to make sure all was in readiness, then yanked the stake out.
The vampire’s eyes immediately snapped open and she began snarling and yanking back and forth, attempting to wrench her arms free of the spikes in her wrists. It became obvious that both arms had long since been popped out of their sockets by similar actions in the past.
“Who are you?” Orensland asked quickly. She snarled more and gnashed her teeth towards him, causing the shadowdancer to involuntarily jump back. “Are you Vitoria Moretti?” At this she got even more enraged and shrieked. Foam formed on her mouth, and Orensland noted that her various scars and wounds were beginning to slowly close up. He held up a few of the jars from the alchemy set and poisoner’s kit and clinked them together. “What are these for? What poison or potion was being made?” She had been struggling to get up, wrenching herself away from the cross and lashing out futilely at those surrounding her, but when she heard those items she grew quiet and pulled away, trying her best to get as far from the items as possible. She began to whimper and babble. “Poison, poison, poison.” She said nothing else, just continued to say that word over and over, while shying away from where Orensland had clinked them together.
“Stake her,” Sarah ordered, “whatever’s been done to her, she’s too far gone, and I don’t fancy an actually insane vampire running around.”
The vampire screamed as Fynn plunged the stake into her heart. The sound echoed in the small chamber for a moment as the Bringer’s fighter brought his sword down and decapitated her in one fell stroke. Her body melted into ashes, turning into a mist form and moving towards one of the sarcophagi—the one that had held the old clothes and jewelry. The mist fell in and as everybody watched, tried several times to reform into a body before it simply disippated.
“That’s what will happen to Lady Drakh soon,” Khaska said. “I don’t know how long it will take, but that’s what will happen.”
“Lord Titanius will be very interested in this process,” Fynn said. “I don’t know that any Bringer alive has seen a vampire die this way—unable to find rest and simply …” he searched for the right word “… dissolving.”
“Then we’d best make sure we can report back to him,” said Sarah. “Let’s go.”
“Let me gather this armor,” Orensland said. “I think we wanted to take it back to Cyriest for proper internment, correct?”
Khaska nodded. “It would be fitting. And may give us some knowledge of the past history of events here in Darkcrest and this vampire coven.”
“You are all more noble than you first seem, Orensland,” Sarah said. “You would make a good member of the Bringers of Light.”
Orensland wasn’t sure what to say, so he said nothing as he gathered up Baroness Moretti’s armor and stowed it in his haversack. He also gathered up the various poisoner’s kit and alchemy set pieces. Perhaps, with study, he could figure out what was being made. With that, the party headed upstairs, bringing the seven different prisoners from the cells on the second basement level. Khaska grabbed Greygook and held him back, letting the others go first.
“The ship can’t take all of the prisoners,” Greygook said. “We might have to divide and conquer a little bit to get them away safely.”
“A concern I had as well. But I wanted to ask if any of the vampires here knew about your research. Had you told them anything?”
“We had not. You are the only ones aware of the work we were doing,” he said. “Obviously I don’t know what my brother did once he was turned by Lady Drakh. But she had been planning on attacking the Maramos coven for some time at the right opportunity. She wasn’t targeting them because of our research.”
Khaska nodded. “Let’s go before the others notice we have hanged back.”
“Hung back.”
At the main level, they found Lord Lancel, sitting on a couch in the front foyer, a young woman with diaphanous clothing cuddled next to him, both drinking from a wine glass. Lord Lancel unceremoniously pushed her aside as the party came into view. She curled up to his leg and didn’t move much, obviously drunk or drugged, contently smiling through the haze of her drug-induced state. He slipped a small open box up to his mouth and sniffed deeply, then snapped the lid shut. He looked at them with wildly dialating pupils.
“Thank you,” he said, “for finally freeing my mother. It has been well over a century since Lady Drakh’s coup against her.” He sighed. “I assume that you wish to dispose of me as well? I don’t suppose I could convince you to destroy my coffin upstairs, like you have the others, instead of killing me outright? Allow me a few days to continue to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh before I pass on?”
The crypt has been consecrated. Lady Drakh will die … sometime in the next few days. You’re not really sure how that will work.
Apparently the tortured vampire in the crypt was the original Lady Lancel. Lady Drakh kept her there for a very very long time.
Two questions. First, this Lord Lancel has proposed that you leave him to die like her, allowing him to live out his last day or two in a bacchanalian celebration. (The Bringers advocate just killing him.) Second, how do you want to make your escape? Will you be splitting up? (I’m not going to let you completely split up, but if some of you wanted to stick around before meeting at the rendezvous location, that would be acceptable.) Leaving the prisoners to fend for themselves? Fynn wants to stay in the city to be able to report on the results of all the violence this day. The other Bringers think that getting out while the getting is good is a better idea.
Edit: I have not made the situation entirely clear, and for that I apologize. The gnomes' skyship is quite small, normally housing only the three of them. Greygook has determined that there is only enough room on the ship for him, the four of you, and five others maximum. There are 5 Bringers (including Kivessin), and 6 other prisoners. This isn't even for a long-term flight, this would just be to get to the rendezvous point. With all 10 "slots" on the ship there would not be adequate room for everybody to even sleep. Fynn would like to stay in the city. The other Bringers would like to accompany you to the rendezvous site, where they would take their leave of you. Feral and the Bringer's officer (the sorceress) are already on their way to the rendezvous point.
And finally … I think we’re coming up on the end of this Codex. So, if you would, please head over to D&D Beyond to make your 5th edition character sheets. When we switch to the new Codex, we’ll be switching to the (much superior, in my opinion) 5th edition rules. If you can’t create the kind of character you want (not all options are available for free), let’s talk. There are ways of opening up the full character options for you that don’t involve lots of money.
Orensland would like to stick around the city and do some looting. This is basically his dream come true––– the wealthy fall, chaos ensues, and goods are for the taking. However, that is largely because he can hide easily and escape the city without too much trouble on his own. He'd recommend that everyone get on the skyship, and Orensland will arrive at the rendezvous point (or a better location) a few weeks later. Unless you guys want to do some voidgate exploration/otherwise stick around as well. However, given the fact that Feral is out there likely waiting for us, it is likely that our ultimate goal will be to get to the rendezvous point. Orensland would also make sure a specimen of the dragonmen (such as a chopped off head, something I believe he acquired earlier) accompanied those travelling to Garth Calad.
In traversing the city, his first place to go to would be the Maramos mansion. He'd want to know if Lady Drakh succeeded, plus they have literally bundled up the best of their treasures right there for the taking. I'd assume Oresland would have kept note of any treasure transferance that had been going on in the week leading up to the arrival of the Cult, including where the treasure is being kept. After that, he'd consider coming back to the Lancel mansion. If someone else wants to come back to the mansion as well, particularly a magic user, we could perhaps put such items just inside the voidgate. Otherwise, he'd just use the bags of holding he comes across as well as his handysack. Orensland would ask Lord Lancel if he knows of any bags of holding in the Lancel mansion he could procure while they're there.
Orensland is also interested in knowing what Greygook wants to do now that his life is basically in ruins. Perhaps we could help in some way. We now have connections with some rather powerful people, including the Knights of the Silver Dragons and the Bringers of Light. Some favors could potentially be called in. We should also ask him to clarify some things from their notes, such as what the Pressen empire is historically. Does he care about the voidgates anymore? Should we tell him what we discovered? Would he be interested in looking at the ley line map we found to provide a better estimate of the 15 voidgate locations? As Orensland is likely not the one who will do the talking, these are questions others should be asking themselves.
…and yeah, I vote we go ahead and kill Lord Lancel now. Also, what would we like to do with our Cult prisoner? That would probably be up to Rynn––– it's his wife and child that she may know about. Though obviously we should try to get as much information about the Cult generally from her that we can. Would the Bringers be interested in bringing a prisoner to Garth Calad for further interrogation?
I forgot to answer a question from the other gray box, but no, there is no way to un-turn a vampire short of casting Wish twice, to recreate the body of a dead person and then to resurrect them.
Would the Bringers be interested in bringing Gulnith to Garth Calad for further interrogation? "I don't see the need to drag her all the way to Garth Calad to interrogate her," says Sarah. "We can get the information from her, then slit her throat and throw her overboard. Bringers of Light do not allow such evil doers to live. We never take prisoners."
Despite your recent alliance with these Bringers, you're forcefully reminded that the order as a whole takes defeating evil very seriously, and with little room for moral gray areas.
Sanjin is ok with letting Lord Lancel "live" a little longer.
I've made the 5e version of Sanjin to level 10 Sanjin 5e
Rynn will offer to travel on foot to the rendezvous point to provide a place for one of the prisoners are able to escape. If there is still not enough room, he'd help guide others (prisoners or perhaps better, Bringers) through to the place.
The ranger would be willing to use some of his spell casting power to charge the rod for Orensland (that would work, right?), but he isn't very interested in going back into the Maramos mansion himself. He'd rather help with exiting Darkcrest.
Rynn is definitely open to making friends with Greygook, since his skyship could provide an alternate way to the Marshes (the gates being another option, I suppose). He believes that's the best chance of finding his lost family. He's fine with telling the gnome what we learned, provided that Greygook seems trustworthy.
As for Lord Lancel, the ranger shrugs his shoulders. Seems like Orensland may spring into action, in which case Rynn would help. Given that the vampire didn't hinder our actions, the ranger sees him as more a non-combatant. The zeal of the Bringers isn't something he's fond of, but he also doesn't want to cross our allies.
I've enabled "content sharing" on the campaign in D&D Beyond and purchased a subscription at the "Master Tier." The link to the campaign is here. I appreciate that you made a 5E version in google docs, but I think you'll find the character creation application through D&D Beyond ridiculously simple and much easier to use going forward, DeltaWolf.
Crosis, we're going to have to homebrew some of your abilities. BlackWolf, we'd talked about doing the same for you.
Sorry for the delay, folks!
Lord Lancel: Khaska's actually wary of him. He's proven to be treasonous, and Khaska isn't sure if the party wants to leave eyewitnesses of their deeds. When Lady Drakh returns, after all, she'll have several days before death, and we don't want her coming after us. He thinks it would be best to let him shuffle off the mortal coil sooner than later. He thus agrees with Orensland on that point.
Khaska wants to get out of the city soon, but he also wants to make sure all the prisoners are able to escape. He'd be up for walking to the rendezvous point, hopefully with a Bringer or two or a party member, so long as at least one party member rides on the skyship to make sure that Greygook doesn't pull any funny business at the last moment.
Regarding further voidgate exploration… Khaska is torn. He wants to leave Darkcrest as soon as possible, but also understands that he doesn't know when they party will next get the chance to explore the voidgate network. Perhaps Orensland can scout out what happened to the Maramos household and report back before the party leaves the city for good; if the Maramos are incapacitated or dead, maybe returning to carry out explorations would be a possibility. Using them to get to the Marshes could be a good idea.
Khaska would also want to discuss the voidgate network with Greygook when he gets the chance, following Crosis's suggestions above; he'd want to ask what the gnomes' interest in the network was, and how they hoped to keep it secret from the Powers That Be; after all, knowledge of a system like that could be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands.
“I don’t think so,” Sarah said.
He sighed. “I suspected as much.” He raised a hand. “There’s no need for excessive violence. Come with me.” Everybody was wary of a trick, but there was none. He led them up to his quarters, an extremely decadent room that was basically one big sleeping area with pillows and blankets and soft furniture all over the place. The smell of various drugs wafted through the air, and to the side was a large bar stocked with various alcohols. There were several different humans, some completely naked, some merely high or passed out.
He dismissed the vampire worshippers that were semi-coherent and they all stumbled out of the room, either too high or too drunk to put up any kind of resistance or even to notice the weirdness of their vampire master bringing in an armed party to this den of vice. He took one look around, wistfully. “Even the pleasure of the flesh grow boring after decades and decades. Perhaps it’s for the best that you will simply end me. Please don’t harm my worshippers.” With that, he lay down in his coffin and removed the box of drugs from his robe. He brought it up to his nose and inhaled deeply for several seconds. The smell of the drugs, whatever they were, wafted over to the party and the Bringers. It was nearly overpowering. “My apologies for the smell,” he said. “The potency must be very high to have an effect on a vampire. But even then I fear,” he shook his head. “I’m still not sure it’s possible for me to … to overdose.” A trickle of black ooze emerged form his right nostril. “That much might have done it, though.”
Orensland walked over and peered down, his weapon at the ready, but Lord Lancel was completely unresponsive. The shadowdancer grabbed his stake and jammed it into the vampire’s chest. Sarah cut his head off right then. The vampire dissolved into mist form and then dissipated.
Khaska was almost as horrified at this den of vice as he was at the torture chambers below. If he never encountered another vampire, it might be too soon. With the vampire dispatched, they made short work of the coffin just in case. The sleeping/high/drunk vampire worshippers didn’t even respond. One looked like he might actually try to interfere, but Fynn knocked him out with a single punch.
It took just a few minutes to gather supplies and to properly clothe the prisoners from downstairs, and then they left the Lancel mansion. Orensland noticed several scouts from other coven militias watching them through the gates.
“Do we need to be worried about retaliation?” he asked Sarah.
“I think as long as we get out of the city soon, we do not,” she said. “The covens have a long history of using outside mercenaries to attack each other. If we don’t attack any other covens, they probably won’t come after us. This whole day will likely look like a war between the Maramos and Lancel covens.”
“Now the question of who is coming with me,” Greygook said. “There’s not enough room for everybody.”
“I’d like to stay,” Orensland said.
“Are you crazy?” asked Sarah.
“The city will begin to tear itself apart with such a power vacuum, right? I mean, you’ve indicated the Maramos and Lancel covens are the two most powerful.”
“Seems likely. I don’t think there are any individual vampires as powerful as Lord and Lady Maramos, or Lady Drakh.”
“Then the wealthy are going to fall, chaos will ensue, and there’s going to be much looting to be had!” The shadowdancer was basically beaming. “Why would I not want to stay?”
“Well, for one, we’ve got a psychopath vampire blackguard who will find out she has days to live,” Fynn said. “Who knows what kind of bang she’ll want to go out with.”
“She has to find me first.” Orensland smiled. “I’m not concerned.”
“I can remain, but to help some of these people leave the city,” Rynn said. “If there’s not enough room on the skyship, they’ll need help surviving in the Deadlands. I don’t expect any of you all want to stay in the city?” Several shakes of their heads were more than enough to demonstrate that he was correct about the newly freed prisoners.
“Then I offer up my spot on the skyship as well,” said Khaska. “But we need to leave immediately. And I would be more comfortable if one of us stayed with Greygook.”
“I have no intention of betraying you,” the gnome said. “I assume you’ve investigated the items that my brothers and I came here to investigate?”
The party glanced at each other. “We have.”
“Then that’s a longer conversation than we want to have here, waiting for Lady Drakh to drop in and skin us all alive.”
After a quick discussion, Greygook took Sanjin, Kivessin, Sarah, and the six remaining prisoners. After a few moments of the gnome barking orders, the skyship lifted up and sailed away.
Rynn, Khaska, Orensland, and Fynn with two additional Bringers all remained. They left the Lancel Coven’s lands in a hurry, but it appeared that they had missed the window where Lady Drakh would return.
Their strike had been successful.
The Bringers were able to grab travel gear from their various quarters and were ready to go. Orensland was completely dismayed.
“Come on!” he said. “If Lady Drakh was successful then there’s gobs of money just sitting around. And in bags of holding! It’s perfect!” He glanced at the two Bringers (Fynn had already disappeared, moving back into the anonymity of being a “homeless bum” after congratulating them on their success and wishing them well) and pulled Rynn and Khaska aside. He whispered to them. “And we have the perfect place to hide it. Nobody else even knows about the voidgates. I can sneak in, scout it out, and if it’s safe, do some looting. Easy peasy!”
Khaska was very wary of the danger Orensland would be walking into, but was seeing the wisdom in a limited scouting run. He pointed emphatically at the elf. “Okay. Go and scout it out. Even steal some loot if possible. But come back to us and let’s decide what to do then. All our allies here are headed to the rendezvous point we agreed upon. Perhaps we can come back to explore the voidgates, but we aren’t going to do so now.”
“I had just planned on using them as storage space,” the shadowdancer replied. “We want Sanjin there when we do our full exploring.”
“Yes. That seems very much up his lane,” the cleric responded.
“Alley,” Rynn corrected. “I agree with Khaska. Be. Careful.”
“Who me?” said Orensland. “Always. Now,” he said, surreptitiously pulling out the voidgate control rod. “I’ll need at least one spell here so I can open the gate in case there is any loot I can toss in.”
“I think I have plenty,” said Khaska. “I was perhaps too cautious with using my spells, but we ended up in one less fight with a major player than I expected.”
“That’s probably for the best,” said Rynn. “If Lady Drakh killed off the Maramos coven, and we killed her off, and together we all killed off the Cult leadership, then we did everything we came here to Darkcrest to do. I also think it would be good to know how Lady Drakh did, and Orensland is quite good at such things. Let’s give him some spells in the control rod and then let’s all meet at the eastern market.”
Orensland made sure that the Bringers weren’t able to see the rod as Khaska cast spells into it, filling it up. Then he took off, vanishing into the shadows as he went.
When he arrived at the Maramos lands, he had to smile a bit at the carnage in the courtyard. Nothing seemed to have been moved. There were no attemps to clean up the blood or clear away the bodies. He saw movement in Master Gendry’s place. There were probably a bunch of survivors in there, hiding out in terror.
He snuck into the mansion easily and took just a few steps before he saw the first body. One of the Maramos guards, burned and stabbed, lying facedown on the ground, his blood pooled around him on the floor. A little ways later he saw another. And then two others. He listened carefully and heard … nothing. He moved carefully, sticking to the shadows (even while blended into them), trying to be silent.
Everywhere he went there were bodies. It appeared that Lady Drakh had not only killed the vampires, but the servants, the militiamen, the cooks, the maids, the butlers. Everybody.
He made his way to Lord and Lady Maramos’ chambers. Their bed and other furtniture was destroyed, the dirt underneath it scattered around the room. He poked through the wreckage of the room and his eyes lit up as he discovered several bags of holding. He looked into them and found that, indeed, they were full of coins and gems. He hoisted two of them and snuck out, still listening for anything.
As he moved downstairs he did finally hear something near the kitchen area. The door had been thrown ajar and, once again, bodies were strewn about. Lady Drakh, he saw, sat slumped on a chair, drinking from a bottle of wine. At her feet was a set of armor. He peered hard, unwilling to get closer, but he was pretty sure that it was the armor of the vampire cleric that had participated in the attack on the courtyard. It was empty. Had she killed him? Why would she kill one of her own coven? If he had been inside the building when she killed him, that would confirm that the building was “public.” Lord and Lady Maramos would therefore be dead.
Regardless, he wanted no part of whatever melancholy victory celebration she was holding. Alone. In a mansion full of her dead victims. He snuck away.
Down in the basement he could either go left, to the library, or right, towards the crypt. His curiosity got the better of him, especially when he noticed bloodstained footsteps leading towards him from the left and up the stairs. He went towards the crypt.
The battle here must have been tremendous. The walls were coated in sprays of blood and the floor was piled high with dead bodies. He saw Captain Gendry's dead body back against the door to the crypt. The door itself was shut. Lady Drakh must have slaughtered the remaining Maramos guards here and then entered via mist form to destroy the Maramos couple. He wondered what it would be like to participate in such a futile battle. The guards had died defending their vampire masters, fighting hopelessly against a vampire lady with prodigious skill with the sword and dark magic besides. It must have been a sight, but in the end, Orensland was glad he missed it.
The library was empty, left as it had been before. He stashed the bags of holding in a corner and crept back upstairs to retrieve the others. In the end, there were five he could find before he decided that he no longer wanted to press his luck.
Lady Drakh had finished in the kitchen and left. She was making no attempt to be silent, and he tracked her by the sound of her clanking plate armor. He watched her examine the courtyard, curious at the situation. She kicked Narvoth’s head several feet and then left. If he didn’t know any better, he would think she was walking slowly out of some kind of disappointment. As if she didn’t quite know what to do next.
Alone in the mansion, he searched all the rooms he could for more bags of holding with money and jewels and art, but the five in the main chambers of Lord and Lady Maramos were all that there were. He also grabbed one of the bodies of the dead dragon-men, one of the unarmored ones with the most intact flesh. He went back to the library, opened the voidgate for one minute, threw the bags and the body in, and then waited for it to close. Then he left, satisfied that the Maramos coven was decimated, the Lancel coven would be soon, and the Cult leadership had been annihilated (except for Gulnith, but that was another matter). They had done good.
He made his way through the streets, listening to the buzz growing about the fighting between the two covens. Many people were scared. Some were excited, playing up the chances that their vampires would rise to power. Some were confused at the presence of the skyship, unaware of who had brought it to meet with the Maramos couple.
Rynn and Khaska (disguised as a human) were relieved to see him, as were the two Bringers. He quickly reported on the Maramos coven, mentioning surreptitiously that his personal objectives in scouting their mansion had more than been accomplished. Khaska and Rynn knew what that meant.
“I think it best that we leave now,” said Khaska. “The city seems to be growing more and more agitated. I don’t like the feeling I’m getting from the crowds here.”
“Agreed,” Rynn said. “To the rendezvous.”
They made their way to the eastern gates, Rynn looking forward to being on the open road again. Ranna grew excited, her magic bond with the ranger communicating his excitement at finally being rid of this city. However, there was one surprise left. As they approached the eastern portions of the city, they began to see several people on horses headed in their direction. Then they began to see militiamen and armored vampires headed in the other direction. Eventually, Orensland decided to ask one of the men running away what was happening.
“There’s some vampire that’s gone crazy and is massacring everybody she can see. She’s set fire to shops and destroyed a contingent of city guards by herself! I’m getting out of here, and you’d best as well!”
“What vampire lady?” Orensland asked.
“I don’t know her name. Got once glance of her crazy eyes from that scarred and burned face and decided to get out. Left my cart of goods there, but it ain’t worth my life.” He pulled away from Orensland. “Now let me go!”
Khaska was horrified. “With nothing to lose, I guess she’s decided to end her life in a rampage of violence.”
“Then I really suggest we leave now,” one of the Bringers said. “Without your wizard and Fynn and Sarah we can’t hope to take her on.”
Khaska looked at Rynn and Orensland. “I feel some responsibility.”
“She’s slaughtering vampires, vampire worshippers, and people who do business with vampire worshippers!” The Bringer replied again. “’By the evil are evil punished.’ You can go on a suicide mission if you want, but we’re leaving and heading for the rendezvous.”
Sanjin is not with the group, and I don’t expect you will, but I feel I need to give you the option to turn back and try to help kill Lady Drakh before she slaughters … as many people as she can. She gone full suicidal "death by cop" rage sort of thing. Pure chaotic evil to the end.
Otherwise, we’ll end this chapter and have a short chapter to end this Codex.
Good job, guys. Looks like we got the dream scenario of all three groups being taken out!
While immensely happy that we are basically settled for life financially, note that Orensland would probably grab other items of note as well. For example, Lord Maramos's longbow is incredibly rare, if I recall correctly. He'd probably swipe that and give it to Rynn, who could put it to good use. Other such goods would probably also be left in the voidgate. That includes the suit of armor/goods we want to return to Cyriest, by the way. I'd assume that stuff is fairly heavy, we may just want to retrieve it from the Nikktean Wastes or something at a later date. We also wanted to grab one of the dragonmen for future inspection… perhaps we could throw one in the voidgate as well? The full body may be better than just a head for those who would investigate this new creature.
As for Lady Drakh, Orensland doesn't really know what to do. At the very least he'd like to go and watch the spectacle. He'd try to help innocents escape the path of her destruction. But he doesn't want to pick a fight with her––– it would be a gamble not worth taking. Let's just get to the rendzveous point.
Khaska's conscience is pricked: he doesn't want to leave such horrific chaos in his wake. He's still got a bunch of good spells prepared, so with the party's approval, he'd want to go back to the city and help where possible. With the Hat of Disguise, blending in with city and coven militias — and sneaking out afterward — would be relatively easy, and he'd want to change between volleys. Meanwhile, others in the party could help civilians and non-vampires to safety.
After doing what he could against Lady Drakh, Khaska would help as he could with getting people to safety, though he'd have to decide how he'd want to appear while doing so. Some potential options: some legendary figure, to orient the people of Darkcrest to proper reverence for good people? as himself, under his own name, to influence the memory of the party? a metallic-looking dragonperson?
Personally, Rynn would rather just leave. He does feel badly for the people being slaughtered, but on the other hand this is a town of vampires. How are these victims different from people like Captain Gendry and his men who were also slain by Lady Drakh?
However, since he does have some empathy toward these people (and some of them may truly be innocents) and not wanting his Maha'i friend to go alone, Rynn will go along to assist those we can. Maybe he'll even find an opportunity to cast his Entangle spell that he always prepares but never seems to cast; perhaps using it to surreptitiously slow down the murderous vampire blackguard. The ranger definitely agrees w/ Orensland though: he does not want to start a direct confrontation with Lady Drakh.
I love the idea of Khaska using this opportunity to influence the people of Darkcrest… but I think Thev/Khaska has to choose that appearance. I don't want to try to influence your decision too much (just interested to see how you decide to go on it) and Rynn wouldn't know what to say (other than, "Huh. What an interesting idea, Khaska.")
They made good on their statement and turned to leave. “You coming?”
Khaska looked at the other two. “I have many spells prepared still,” he said. “Perhaps we can lend assistance to the efforts to destroy Lady Drakh from afar, but not try to kill her ourselves.”
Orensland rolled his eyes. “I’m more of an up close and personal kind of guy, so I wish you all the best. But I can go scout ahead to see what’s up.” He turned to look and noticed for the first time smoke rising in the distance. “But, one thing first.” He turned to Rynn. “I wanted this to be a special present later on, but I guess you’d better use it now.” With that, he swung his haversack around and reached into the main pocked, drawing forth a large white wood bow—Lord Maramos’ personal longbow. “It was in his room and I thought, since he’s dead, perhaps at least you could put it to good use.” He also drew Lord Maramos’ quiver and arrows out and handed them over. “Happy Lady Drakh Death Day, or whatever we’re going to call this day from now on.”
With that, he took a deep breath, turned, and then vanished into the shadows. Rynn hefted the bow, admiring it once again. “Bonestrike,” he said. "That's what Lord Maramos called it."
“Fortune favors you with such a weapon,” Khaska said.
“We’ll find a way to redeem Kvanir yet,” the ranger said. “Now, if you’re serious, then let’s go see if we can help.”
It was not hard for Orensland to find Lady Drakh. He just followed the smoke, screams, and trail of corpses. She didn’t seem to be picky at all about who she killed. Shopkeepers, militiamen, guards, mercenaries, civilians, vampire worshippers, and he even saw a few sets of empty armor or robes, indicating a vampire had dissolved and left behind their belongings. He was tempted to try to snag some of those as he went, but decided against it. He had plenty of money from looting the Maramos coven. No need to endanger himself just for a few more items.
When he finally caught up to her, he was astonished. She stood in a square atop a fountain, fighting off an entire militia. Literally. It seemed one coven had thrown their entire forces at her, Orensland counted fifty men led by a captain and an armored vampire.
She carved through all of them. Even when they did land a blow (a rare occurrence given her skill and armor), she healed very quickly. In a few minutes the entire square was slick with blood and dead bodies, the vampire retreating before Lady Drakh's onslaught, turning into a bat and flying away. She, too, turned into a bat, flying to a new location. That was wise, Orensland thought. It prevented everybody from converging on her at once. He tried to follow as best he could, but eventually had to wait until there were more visible signs of fighting. He followed, jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
There were a group of people hiding in an inn. Lady Drakh cut some civilians down as they tried to retreat into the building, reaching the door of the house and being thrown backward, unable to enter for not having been invited in.
She grabbed some materials from a nearby cart, took a few seconds to light them on fire with some flint and steel, and then, when she had a pretty good blaze going, tossed them onto the roof.
If she couldn’t enter, she would at least try to burn the place down.
Magic attacks smashed into her from behind, as well as a few arrows. Two vampires atop a nearby building were attacking her. She bolted towards them, turning into a bat once again. The two of them moved back to back, a defensive posture. Lady Drakh erupted from the floor below them, tearing through the wood roof. The magic user vanished into the building with a shriek, and after a few moments Lady Drakh’s mist form emerged from the new hole. The other vampire turned into a bat and though she got a piece of him with her sword, he managed to get away. The house across the street now engulfed in the flames, Lady Drakh turned, smiled, and once again turned into a bat.
Orensland was impressed. If she wasn’t stopped … she might very well burn the entire city down! She was savvy, intelligent, used her surroudings well, and retreated and moved as necessary to keep the fight alive. She must have been quite a lady paladin before she was turned.
It was obvious to the shadowdancer that tracking her would be useless. They would have to wait for her to come to them. He had seen some coven militias setting up in defensive postures here or there. It might be best to join one of them.
It took him a few minutes to locate Rynn and Khaska, and he told them his thoughts. They agreed, and found a marketplace where a group of soldiers from two different covens, with their vampire masters, had set up a defensive position, throwing tables and carts and stands to create barriers.
Of course, when she dropped right into the middle of them, the barriers functioned more to keep them all trapped, giving her a target-rich environment. She went after the vampires first, killing one of them very quickly with a series of savage blows and then engaging the other two. The militiamen stabbed at her with pikes and spears, wounding her, but Orensland was quite confident that she would prevail even against these numbers. She was simply too powerful and too skilled.
But then he heard chanting from below and saw a human next to Rynn holding up a holy symbol.
Fire blazed forth from the human’s palms, lancing forth across the marketplace and blasting Lady Drakh, coating her in flames and scorcing her armor, which began to glow red. The human turned to run, moving around the building as Rynn fired two shots off with Bonestrike, but landing with thuds into Lady Drakh, who screamed and lashed out, killing yet another opponent, a dwarven vampire dissolving into mist.
An elf rounded the building from the other side. Where had the human gone? And where was Khaska … oh. Orensland smiled. Clever. Worried he might be easily identified, the Maha'i was using his Hat of Disguise to change appearance between attacks.
Khaska cast another Searing Light spell, and Lady Drakh’s skin burned away under the onslaught. She continued to fight with the others, but was severely wounded.
“Hit her again,” Orensland called out. “Before she flies away!”
Lady Drakh whirled with her blade, causing most of her opponents to jump back and she began to morph and turn into a bat once again … a second too late.
“The day comes for darkness!” Khaska shouted as he extended his arms to the sky and brought them down in a swift motion. He looked like himself this time, though Orensland didn’t get a good look as he glanced over to see the results of the spell.
A column of fire roared down from the heavens, completely enveloping Lady Drakh and the vampire fighting her. There were two shrieks from both of them and the vampire worshippers nearby shied away from the heat and light. Lady Drakh screamed, a high pitch scream full of anger and rage which suddenly cut off.
When the fire cleared, and Orensland could see past the purple afterimage, he noticed two vampires in mist form. One flew away, but another stayed, moving in and out of Lady Drakh’s armor, trying to resume human form. After a few seconds, however, the mist dissipated. Lady Drakh was finally dead.
Orensland blended into the shadows. He wasn’t quite sure how the vampire worshippers would react given than their vampire had also died (though was headed back to their coffin and would presumably be okay). But then Khaska stepped forward from where he stood in the alleyway, and the Maha’i had transformed.
He stood erect, regal, one of his horns broken, with a gleaming scimitar that looked like a righteous version of Kvanir, and in plate armor. On his shield was the emblem of the Knights of the Silver Dragons, and his entire body was wreathed in shimmering white holy energy.
Khaska had gone full Tawru.
And when he held aloft the faux-Kvanir, he had everybody’s attention.
“People of Darkcrest! Too long have you labored under the weight of murder, of greed, of lust, of oppression and exploitation. Behold before you the only fruits they ever bear: terror, pain, death. You cannot make alliance with such and hope for peace. Cast away your shackles of evil! Shatter your chains of darkness! Look to the sun in the west, and I say: if you so choose, even Darkcrest shall come to be known as Dusklight.”
Rynn had backed away after the final moments of the fight, content to let Khaska have his moment. Orensland clambered down the back of the building. As Khaska finished his speech he turned to leave, dismissing the Dispel Evil spell that shimmered around him with holy power. When he rounded the corner, he changed into a grubby-looking human.
“Khaska, my friend,” Orensland said, jaw hanging open in astonishment, “you are the stuff of legends!”
“Now let us leave so that the legend may grow in the fertile ground we have made here, but without our interference. Best to leave quietly. And quickly.”
“You get no argument from me,” Rynn said. “Let’s go.”
There were many people leaving the city given the circumstances, but after a few miles Rynn was able to pick up the trail of the two Bringers and they had caught up by that evening. The Bringers were surprised they had survived, and fascinated by the tale Orensland eagerly told of how Khaska had turned the tide and then used the moment to sow the seeds of doubt on the vampire’s reign and perhaps begin the process of ending it. As they went to sleep, Khaska looked to Darkcrest, still visible in the distance, as sunrise twilight hit it. He couldn’t help but think of the symbolism of seeing the sunlight hit the city. Perhaps he and his friends had done much good here. Despite the evil they had been surrounded with, and even temporarily allied with, they had struck several decisive blows for good.
As he lay on the ground, attempting to sleep on the cold earth, he thought again on his friends. The shadowdancer who could sneak past powerful vampires and who fooled the leadership of the cult before betraying them. Rynn, who grew more prodigious with combat as their adventures continued and now with Lord Maramos’ personally made bow, a tracker capable of finding the Bringers easily even among the hubbub of the exodus from Darkcrest. Sanjin, a seeker of ancient forbidden knowledge and now in possession of many spellbooks of ancient and great (and sometimes terrible!) wizards.
Orensland’s words came to him unbidden as he lay on the ground in his bedroll. “You are the stuff of legends.” He didn’t feel like the stuff of legends. Then again, he hadn’t felt like he was in an ancient tale when they had found Kvanir, on the other side of their moon fighting undead and creatures of darkness in an ancient crypt. Perhaps it was time to re-evaluate yet again his role in these stories.
But as he thought on his actions, and the skills and triumphs of he and his friends, a thought came to his mind as he fell asleep.
Perhaps they were all becoming the stuff of legends.
That will end this chapter. FYI, Thev rolled a 33 on his Diplomacy check to convince the crowd to turn from evil and begin walking the path of righteousness. It’s probably had some effect.
I went back and changed a few things in the previous chapter to lay the seeds for Rynn's new bow, Bonestrike, because when Crosis mentioned he'd grab that, I knew immediately that it should be a slightly more special bow than just a "white longbow." In 5E, there aren't any bows that require a certain strength setting, so congratulations … Rynn now has a +3 named bow of awesomeness (in 5E rules). Rynn now has many options when he wants to shoot something dead.
page revision: 138, last edited: 27 Nov 2018 22:48
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