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Education & Background
Case Victories
Cases We Defend
DUI and Related Crimes
Murder & Violent Crimes
Sex Crimes & Child Pornography
Theft and Fraud
Warrants & Probation Violations
Recent media & features
The Modern-Day Scarlet Letter: Defending People Accused of Sex Crimes.
Published July 2014 by Aspatore Books – Thompson Reuters – Inside the Minds: Strategies for Defending Sex Crimes.
Written by Debra S. White, Esq. and Karen L. Goldstein, Esq.
Cover Story in the Los Angeles Times,
Sunday Edition
Read about Ms. White’s fascinating attempted murder case on the LA Times website.
Live appearances on the Money 101 radio show,
CBS Los Angeles.
Debra White discusses DUI roadside tests and your right to refuse.
Confidentiality in the Cloud
July/August 2012.
Published in Valley Lawyer Magazine by the San Fernando Valley Bar Association.
The following awards and recognitions were earned by Attorney Debra S. White through years of hard work, respect, and acknowledgement of her superior professional achievements in the field of criminal defense.
Super Lawyers List 2015 & 2016
Attorney Debra S. White was selected to the Southern California Super Lawyers list in the category of criminal law in 2015 and 2016. Super Lawyers is a rating service of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only the top 2.5% best criminal lawyers in Southern California receive this award.
Ms. White has also been featured in Los Angeles Magazine by Super Lawyers as a top Southern California criminal defense lawyer.
AV-Preeminent Rated
Attorney Debra S. White is AV-Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell for having the highest level of professional excellence, legal ability and ethical standards in criminal law.
The AV-Preeminent rating is a nationally recognized peer review rating system that is based on an attorney’s ratings from peers, prosecutors, and Judges. It has been considered the gold standard in attorney ratings for more than a century. This award is granted to only the top 5% best criminal attorneys in the United States.
Hear what my clients have to say
Read Real Client Reviews
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Intercellular communication through gap junctions: A potential role in pharmacomechanical coupling and syncytial tissue contraction in vascular smooth muscle isolated from the human corpus cavernosum
George J. Christ, Alonso P. Moreno, Melanie E. Parker, C. Marjorie Gondre, Mira Valcic, Arnold Melman, David C. Spray
Kinetic and steady-state protocols were used to examine the effects of disruption of intercellular communication with heptanol, on contractile responses elicited by activation of the α1-adrenergic receptor in human corporal vascular smooth muscle. For the steady-state studies, strips of corporal tissue from 19 patients were submaximally precontracted with phenylephrine (PE) and then relaxed by the cumulative addition of heptanol. Heptanol completely and reversibly relaxed all tissues studied in a concentration-dependent manner. The heptanol concentration response data were then computer fit to the general logistic equation to obtain pEC50 (negative logarithm of the concentration that elicits one-half of the maximal effect) and slope factor values, with Emax (maximal relaxation) set to 100%. The mean pEC50 and slope factor values, respectively, were 2.86±0.04 and 1.86±0.17. Furthermore, kinetic studies on corporal tissues from a subset of the patient population (11 patients) revealed that preincubation of tissues with 2 mM heptanol caused a significant decrease in both the rate and magnitude of PE-induced contractions in all tissues studied, without affecting the rate constant for onset of contraction (kobs). The present results on intact tissue extend our previous observations on cultured corporal cells, and support the supposition that intercellular communication through gap junctions may play an important role in the initiation, maintenance and modulation of α1-adrenergic contractions in human vascular smooth muscle.
Heptanol
Gap Junctions
Vascular Smooth Muscle
Phenylephrine
Adrenergic Agents
Adrenergic Receptors
Christ, G. J., Moreno, A. P., Parker, M. E., Gondre, C. M., Valcic, M., Melman, A., & Spray, D. C. (1991). Intercellular communication through gap junctions: A potential role in pharmacomechanical coupling and syncytial tissue contraction in vascular smooth muscle isolated from the human corpus cavernosum. Life Sciences, 49(24). https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(91)90489-X
Intercellular communication through gap junctions : A potential role in pharmacomechanical coupling and syncytial tissue contraction in vascular smooth muscle isolated from the human corpus cavernosum. / Christ, George J.; Moreno, Alonso P.; Parker, Melanie E.; Gondre, C. Marjorie; Valcic, Mira; Melman, Arnold; Spray, David C.
In: Life Sciences, Vol. 49, No. 24, 1991.
Christ, GJ, Moreno, AP, Parker, ME, Gondre, CM, Valcic, M, Melman, A & Spray, DC 1991, 'Intercellular communication through gap junctions: A potential role in pharmacomechanical coupling and syncytial tissue contraction in vascular smooth muscle isolated from the human corpus cavernosum', Life Sciences, vol. 49, no. 24. https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(91)90489-X
Christ GJ, Moreno AP, Parker ME, Gondre CM, Valcic M, Melman A et al. Intercellular communication through gap junctions: A potential role in pharmacomechanical coupling and syncytial tissue contraction in vascular smooth muscle isolated from the human corpus cavernosum. Life Sciences. 1991;49(24). https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(91)90489-X
Christ, George J. ; Moreno, Alonso P. ; Parker, Melanie E. ; Gondre, C. Marjorie ; Valcic, Mira ; Melman, Arnold ; Spray, David C. / Intercellular communication through gap junctions : A potential role in pharmacomechanical coupling and syncytial tissue contraction in vascular smooth muscle isolated from the human corpus cavernosum. In: Life Sciences. 1991 ; Vol. 49, No. 24.
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title = "Intercellular communication through gap junctions: A potential role in pharmacomechanical coupling and syncytial tissue contraction in vascular smooth muscle isolated from the human corpus cavernosum",
abstract = "Kinetic and steady-state protocols were used to examine the effects of disruption of intercellular communication with heptanol, on contractile responses elicited by activation of the α1-adrenergic receptor in human corporal vascular smooth muscle. For the steady-state studies, strips of corporal tissue from 19 patients were submaximally precontracted with phenylephrine (PE) and then relaxed by the cumulative addition of heptanol. Heptanol completely and reversibly relaxed all tissues studied in a concentration-dependent manner. The heptanol concentration response data were then computer fit to the general logistic equation to obtain pEC50 (negative logarithm of the concentration that elicits one-half of the maximal effect) and slope factor values, with Emax (maximal relaxation) set to 100{\%}. The mean pEC50 and slope factor values, respectively, were 2.86±0.04 and 1.86±0.17. Furthermore, kinetic studies on corporal tissues from a subset of the patient population (11 patients) revealed that preincubation of tissues with 2 mM heptanol caused a significant decrease in both the rate and magnitude of PE-induced contractions in all tissues studied, without affecting the rate constant for onset of contraction (kobs). The present results on intact tissue extend our previous observations on cultured corporal cells, and support the supposition that intercellular communication through gap junctions may play an important role in the initiation, maintenance and modulation of α1-adrenergic contractions in human vascular smooth muscle.",
author = "Christ, {George J.} and Moreno, {Alonso P.} and Parker, {Melanie E.} and Gondre, {C. Marjorie} and Mira Valcic and Arnold Melman and Spray, {David C.}",
journal = "Life Sciences",
T1 - Intercellular communication through gap junctions
T2 - A potential role in pharmacomechanical coupling and syncytial tissue contraction in vascular smooth muscle isolated from the human corpus cavernosum
AU - Christ, George J.
AU - Moreno, Alonso P.
AU - Parker, Melanie E.
AU - Gondre, C. Marjorie
AU - Valcic, Mira
AU - Melman, Arnold
AU - Spray, David C.
N2 - Kinetic and steady-state protocols were used to examine the effects of disruption of intercellular communication with heptanol, on contractile responses elicited by activation of the α1-adrenergic receptor in human corporal vascular smooth muscle. For the steady-state studies, strips of corporal tissue from 19 patients were submaximally precontracted with phenylephrine (PE) and then relaxed by the cumulative addition of heptanol. Heptanol completely and reversibly relaxed all tissues studied in a concentration-dependent manner. The heptanol concentration response data were then computer fit to the general logistic equation to obtain pEC50 (negative logarithm of the concentration that elicits one-half of the maximal effect) and slope factor values, with Emax (maximal relaxation) set to 100%. The mean pEC50 and slope factor values, respectively, were 2.86±0.04 and 1.86±0.17. Furthermore, kinetic studies on corporal tissues from a subset of the patient population (11 patients) revealed that preincubation of tissues with 2 mM heptanol caused a significant decrease in both the rate and magnitude of PE-induced contractions in all tissues studied, without affecting the rate constant for onset of contraction (kobs). The present results on intact tissue extend our previous observations on cultured corporal cells, and support the supposition that intercellular communication through gap junctions may play an important role in the initiation, maintenance and modulation of α1-adrenergic contractions in human vascular smooth muscle.
AB - Kinetic and steady-state protocols were used to examine the effects of disruption of intercellular communication with heptanol, on contractile responses elicited by activation of the α1-adrenergic receptor in human corporal vascular smooth muscle. For the steady-state studies, strips of corporal tissue from 19 patients were submaximally precontracted with phenylephrine (PE) and then relaxed by the cumulative addition of heptanol. Heptanol completely and reversibly relaxed all tissues studied in a concentration-dependent manner. The heptanol concentration response data were then computer fit to the general logistic equation to obtain pEC50 (negative logarithm of the concentration that elicits one-half of the maximal effect) and slope factor values, with Emax (maximal relaxation) set to 100%. The mean pEC50 and slope factor values, respectively, were 2.86±0.04 and 1.86±0.17. Furthermore, kinetic studies on corporal tissues from a subset of the patient population (11 patients) revealed that preincubation of tissues with 2 mM heptanol caused a significant decrease in both the rate and magnitude of PE-induced contractions in all tissues studied, without affecting the rate constant for onset of contraction (kobs). The present results on intact tissue extend our previous observations on cultured corporal cells, and support the supposition that intercellular communication through gap junctions may play an important role in the initiation, maintenance and modulation of α1-adrenergic contractions in human vascular smooth muscle.
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JF - Life Sciences
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Author and broadcaster on economics and social issues
The Fortune Account
Scrap the complicated patchwork quilt of different social benefits, say the authors, and give people their own Fortune Account—a sort of backpack they can put money into when they are flush, and take it out again when they need it. The idea proved influential in both the UK and other countries.
About Eamonn
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Classical Liberalism: A Primer
Foundations of a Free Society
Friedrich Hayek: The ideas and influence of the libertarian economist
Milton Friedman – A Concise Guide
Public Choice: A Primer
The Best Book on the Market
The Condensed Wealth of Nations
Capitalism: A Primer
Institute of Economic Affairs, London
It is hard to find a book that explains, simply and fairly, what capitalism is, how it works, and its strengths and weaknesses. The very word ‘capitalism’ was coined as a term of abuse, and still today, most books on the subject remain hostile to it, or paint a distorted or confused picture of it. So common is this that even capitalism’s own supporters have trouble understanding what it is, and find themselves struggling to excuse the distorted versions rather than explain the reality. This short guide fills the gap, and outlines the subject of capitalism plainly and even-handedly.
101 Great Classical Liberal Thinkers
In a series of short introductions, this primer outlines the lives, work and ideas of 101 great thinkers, from ancient China, through classical Greece, to Enlightenment France and Britain, the American Revolution and subsequent centuries up to today. In the process, it identifies some of the main debates in classical liberalism and shows how—sometimes over a period of many centuries—different thinkers have added to them or re-focused them to make the principles of a free society relevant to their age.
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Bargain and Free eBooks for Tuesday (4/26)
Enjoy today’s list of free and bargain ebook deals from eBooksHabit.com!
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Sacrificed
by Emily Wibberley
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Knowing the future can save her city – but not her heart.
Born to serve the merciless Oracle, Clio wants nothing more than to break free. But when her entire family is murdered by Mannix, the king’s adviser, Clio inherits the Oracle’s power, a power she never wanted and doesn’t understand.
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Music, love, friendship, and family. Matt is living the dream, until it all comes crashing down…
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Thor has returned from The Hundred as a hardened warrior, and now he must learn what it means to battle for his homeland, to battle for life and death. The McClouds have raided deep into MacGil territory—deeper than ever before in the history of the Ring—and as Thor rides into an ambush, it will fall on his head to fend off the attack and save King’s Court.
Godfrey has been poisoned by his brother by a very rare and potent poison, and his fate lies in Gwendolyn’s hands, as she does whatever she can to save her brother from death.
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Dragon’s Teeth
by Upton Sinclair
In the wake of the 1929 stock market crash, Lanny Budd’s financial acumen and his marriage into great wealth enable him to continue the lifestyle he has always enjoyed. But the devastation the collapse has wrought on ordinary citizens has only strengthened Lanny’s socialist ideals—much to the chagrin of his heiress wife, Irma, a confirmed capitalist.
In Germany to visit relatives, Lanny encounters a disturbing atmosphere of hatred and jingoism. His concern over the growing popularity of the Nazi Party escalates when he meets Adolf Hitler, the group’s fanatical leader, and the members of his inner circle. But Lanny’s gravest fear is the threat a national socialist government poses to the German Jewish family of Hansi, the musician husband of Lanny’s sister, Bess—a threat that will impel the international art dealer to risk his wealth, his future, even his life in a courageous attempt to rescue his loved ones from a terrible fate.
The Wolf You Feed
by Angela Stevens
Tore Vargr finds his world turned upside down when he is forced to choose between the love of his life and the life he loves. He chooses Annike, disrespects his brother, Erik, and sets off a chain of events that shape his life in a way he could never have imagined.
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A Soldier’s Promise
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Ryker was raised in foster care group home, and never gained the softer skills a family would have given him. Upon graduation he joined the military, providing him structure, meaning and a great career of which he could be proud. After twelve years he has a life he is comfortable within, a team that he would die to protect and little else in his solitary existence. Unfortunately, all that changes when one of his team doesn’t make it out of the latest covert operation and Ryker is made to keep a promise that will take him on a trip toward everything he always claimed he didn’t want.
Darby is the all-American girl that her fiancé left behind to serve on a covert military team. Engaged to be married that summer when he returned she is knee deep in getting her organic produce and therapeutic horse farm operation off the ground. She is busy working toward her goals when the first letter is delivered by impersonal military personnel ending her dreams of the marriage she had planned since high school. The next three envelopes will be from members of her fiancé’s team, all making good on a promise they made him. One of those letters will bring the loner Ryker to her doorstep for one surprising month.
Mistaken Kiss
by Kathleen Baldwin
Willa is nearly blind, but she knows trouble when she trips over it.
Willa, the vicar’s little sister knows full well that her prospects are bleak. When she accidentally kisses Alexander Braeburn, her dull predictable world turns upside down. Logic dictates that she should stay away from the handsome Corinthian. He’s the black sheep of their village. But how can she resist? She yearns for one more taste of the most tantalizing excitement she has ever experienced. Just one more, before Willa settles back into her dreary life forever.
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A Joyful Break
by Diane Craver
Rachel Hershberger wants to get away from her Amish home in Fields Corner, Ohio. For a year she’s been trying to fill her mother’s shoes by taking care of her father and siblings. She quit her job at the bakery so she would have more time to clean and cook at home. Before her mother died, Rachel was positive she wanted to marry Samuel Weaver, but now she can’t think about wedding plans. She blames her father for her mother’s death. If they had installed a phone in their barn or a shanty, her mother might have received medical help in time to save her life. Her mother’s death has made Rachel question if she should be baptized and join the church. She wonders if non-Amish women live longer and have less stress. Maybe her forty-four-year old mother would still be alive had she left the Amish lifestyle like her sister Carrie did.
Apocalypticon
by Clayton Smith
Three years have passed since the Jamaicans caused the apocalypse, and things in post-Armageddon Chicago have settled into a new kind of normal. Unfortunately, that “normal” includes collapsing skyscrapers, bands of bloodthirsty maniacs, and a dwindling cache of survival supplies. After watching his family, friends, and most of the non-sadistic elements of society crumble around him, Patrick decides it’s time to cross one last item off his bucket list.
He’s going to Disney World.
Orphan Moon
by T. K. Lukas
1860 – Palo Pinto, Texas: Under the spectacular glow of a Comanche moon, a family is slaughtered, their homestead torched. Nineteen-year-old Barleigh Flanders survives the terrifying midnight raid. Fiercely determined to rebuild, she seizes an opportunity meant for another. Desperate, near penniless, her foolhardy, reckless scheme could prove calamitous or miraculous, yet it’s her only hope.
Her grueling physical journey stretches from Texas, to Missouri, and into the rugged Utah Territory. However, it’s her emotional journey that takes her to places of uncharted darkness, discovery, and redemption when old family secrets are revealed. What she accepted as her past turns out to be a convoluted lie that reaches across generations, reshaping her memories of the Grandfather she despised, the father she adored, and the mother she never knew.
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by Lyle Howard
Even in Paradise things change…
All Cal Mackey wanted was to live out a peaceful existence and put his past in the rear view mirror. How better to live out his dream then to open a peaceful little bar in the Florida Keys? Far from the madness of war, Mackey lives his life on his own terms, mixing umbrella drinks for his customers and maintaining his anonymity.
But even in Paradise things change”…
Out of the darkness a mysterious ship docks behind The Paradise Shack and patrons begin to disappear.
What is the horrific secret that this vessel is carrying?
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The Shoemaker’s Wife
by Adriana Trigiani
Beloved New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani returns with the most epic and ambitious novel of her career—a breathtaking multigenerational love story that spans two continents, two World Wars, and the quest of two star-crossed lovers to find each other again.
Burn District
by Suzanne Jenkins
Laura and Mike Davis and their four children build an idyllic life with friends and family nearby in the beautiful Brandywine River Valley. Dreams and goals come to an abrupt end soon after Hurricane Sandy hits the east coast. Discovered in wood soaked by seawater, a virus thought to have the potential to decimate the population becomes the excuse to relocate thousands of citizens from beach towns. Fire is the only known way to eradicate the virus.
Rumors spread that napalm is used to burn without evacuating the people. A neighbor warns Laura and Mike that their town is next as the destruction moves inland. Is it a drastic way to halt the spread of disease, or is there another catalyst?
Something Cloudy
by J.R. Limon
While, looking at clouds have you ever wondered what your child might see? Something Cloudy, was written and illustrated to help stimulate creativity and imagination. With each flip of the page another curious cloud formation is revealed, engaging young audiences and providing a wonderful interactive experience.
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Volume 07, Number 1 (March 1998)
Medieval Philosophy and Theology
Infinity, Continuity, and Composition: The Contribution of Gregory of Rimini
Cross, Richard (Cambridge University Press, 1998-03)
God, Indivisibles, and Logic in the Later Middle Ages: Adam Wodeham’s Response to Henry of Harclay
Dudley Sylla, Edith (Cambridge University Press, 1998-03)
Richard Rufus on Naming Substances
Karger, Elizabeth (Cambridge University Press, 1998-03)
The Earliest Known Surviving Western Medieval Metaphysics Commentary
Wood, Rega (Cambridge University Press, 1998-03)
The Problem of a Plurality of Eternal Beings in Robert Grosseteste
Lewis, Neil (Cambridge University Press, 1998-03)
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Rita Coolidge Play Something Sweet 3D Blu-Ray
https://elusivedisc.com/aix/ Music - 2
Genre Folk
If Can Be Discounted YES
Discontinued NO
Inventory 3.00
Artist Rita Coolidge
Title Play Something Sweet
Record Weight
Record Speed
Record Speed Record Size
Multi Channel 1
1/2 Speed
Sell Hold/Repressing
Direct to disc
ASSOC B
Scratch & Dent 0
Label: AIX
An In Stock item is available to ship normally within 24 business hours.
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Awaiting Repress
Awaiting repress titles are in the process of being repressed by the label. No ETA is available at this time.
Expected On
When an item is Out Of Stock and we have an estimated date when our stock should arrive, we list that date on our website in the part's description.
A Special Order item is an item that we do not stock but can order from the manufacturer. Typical order times are located within the product description.
AIXBR86062
Plays on Blu-Ray Players ONLY!
Rita Coolidge has won numerous Grammy awards, provided a hit single for a James Bond movie and promoted Native American music and heritage during her lengthy career. But this is the first time that she's gathered together an incredible band, brought in the famous Waters Family for vocal support and produced a collection of tracks that is both full of hits and adds some great Southern funk to her repertoire. On an early June afternoon in 2010, AIX Records captured the amazing talents of Rita Coolidge in full HD-Audio and 3D video. If you've got the right equipment, Rita and the band are in your living room.
If you pay attention to the whos and whats of AIX Records, you might recognize some of the names on this project. Laurence Juber and Jim Cox were on board while drummer MB Gordy, who has played with Rita for years, was definitely going to be involved.
This disc was shot using 3D HD video equipment and is presented in 16:9 HD-Video in 3D. It is also completely compatible with 2D equipment.
Blu-ray Disc
High Definition Video (1920x1080) Encoded Using MVC
Recorded in High Definition PCM Audio (96kHz/24-bits)
Mixed in High Definition PCM Audio (96kHz/24-bits)
Choose from 3 different audio mixes: 5.1 Dolty TrueHD "Stage" Mix Perspective, 5.1 Dolby TrueHD "Audience" Mix Perspective, 5.1 Dolby Digital (Stage & Audience Perspective), 2.0 96kHz/24-bit PCM Stereo Mix
No Dynamic Process / No EQ / No Artificial Reverb
Compatible with all Blu-ray players (2D & 3D)
Region: ABC (region free)
Bonus Features
Rita Coolidge, vocals
Jim Cox, music director & keyboards
Maxine Waters, background vocals
Julia Waters, background vocals
Oren Waters, background vocals
Dean Parks, lead guitar
Laurence Juber, acoustic guitar
Kevin Axt, acoustic & electric bass
M.B. Gordy, drums
Lee Thornburg, trumpet
Brandon Fields, saxophone
1. Higher And Higher
2. Soothe Me
3. The Way You Do The Things You Do
4. Can't Stop The Rain
5. It's How You Play The Game
6. Walking Away
7. Only You Know And I Know
8. That's How Strong My Love Is
9. Nothing Can Change This Love
10. Shoo Rah Shoo Rah
11. Brickyard Blues (Play Something Sweet)
12. Take Me To The River
13. Sensitive Kind
14. People Get Ready
If Can Be Discounted
Play Something Sweet
Gary Moore & Friends One Night In Dublin Blu-Ray Disc
Sting Live In Berlin Blu-Ray Disc
AIX Records 3D Music Album Demo & Audio Calibration Disc 3D Blu-Ray
Styx The Grand Illusion Pieces Of Eight - Live Blu-Ray Disc
The Eagles History Of The Eagles 3 Blu-Ray Discs
Carl Reinecke Trios For Clarinet, Viola, Piano & Horn CD
The Peter Ulrich Collaboration Tempus Fugitives CD
Mannheim Steamroller 30/40 Ultimate Collection 3CD Box Set
Temple Of The Dog Temple Of The Dog 2CD, DVD & Blu-ray
Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina Sittin' In Numbered Limited Edition Hybrid Stereo SACD
The Peter Ulrich Collaboration The Painted Caravan CD
Martha's Trouble Forget October CD
Labelle Nightbirds Numbered Limited Edition Hybrid Multi-Channel & Stereo SACD
Mannheim Steamroller Fresh Aire 8 Numbered, Limited Edition Hybrid Multi-Channel & Stereo SACD
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas HDCD
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December 10 | Article about December 10 by The Free Dictionary
https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/December+10
Advent (Sunday nearest November 30 through December 24)
Celebrated in: Germany
Nobel Prize Ceremony
Old Saybrook Torchlight Parade and Muster (Second Saturday night in December) Dec 10, 2011; Dec 10, 2016; Dec 10, 2022
Thailand Constitution Day
Constitution Day Thailand
Foundation of the MPLA Workers' Party Day Angola
International Human Rights Day Cambodia, Namibia
<a href="https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/December+10">December 10</a>
Anti-Hitler Coalition
Bill of Rights Day
Budapest Operation of 1944-45
Central Committee of the Army in the Field and the Fleet
Civil War and Military Intervention, of 1918–20
'We shall send these lines to you by the post of to-morrow, December 10; leaving time to receive your further instructions
DECEMBER 10. - I began now to think my cave or vault finished, when on a sudden (it seems I had made it too large) a great quantity of earth fell down from the top on one side; so much that, in short, it frighted me, and not without reason, too, for if I had been under it, I had never wanted a gravedigger.
This marks a 7% reduction at the midpoint of the range compared with the company's December 10, 2018 Guidance.
Cenovus Energy lowers FY19 total production view to 472-500 from 350-370 MBOE/d
The company is preparing to end support for Windows 10 Mobile on December 10, 2019.
Microsoft ends Windows 10 Mobile support, pushes users to switch to Android
Meron kami order dated December 10 so hindi totoo yung basis,' he said.
Trillanes: Move to cancel bail 'totally baseless'
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, announces (December 10) the relevant per annum interest rate for the third interest payment of Silver Bond Series due 2020 (Issue Number 03GB2006R) (the Bonds) issued under the Retail Bond Issuance Programme of the Government Bond Programme.
Hong Kong : Interest rate of the third interest payment for Silver Bond Series due 2020
From September 1 to December 10, 2018, water levels in all dams in Tunisia have increased sixfold to 718 million m3 against 128 million m3 during the same period of 2017, she added.
Bizerte: 59% increase in water reserves in dams
Muscat: Value of the Indian rupee (INR) has depreciated and crossed INR185 against one Omani Rial on December 10, 2018.
Indian rupee value depreciates ahead of state election results
Luli Arroyo-Bernas is new chair of National Museum board !-- -- Ryan Macasero (philstar.com) - December 10, 2018 - 5:02pm MANILA, Philippines Evangelina Lourdes "Luli" Arroyo-Bernas, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's daughter, is the nextchairperson of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum.
Luli Arroyo-Bernas is new chair of National Museum board
The Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948, setting out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected.
Qatar Foundation Honors Universal Declaration of Human Rights
| Download/stream and available on DVD/ Blu-ray from December 10.
three to see; WATCH AT HOME Missed it at the cinema or on TV? We round up the best streaming and DVD releases of the week
ISLAMABAD -- National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has issued production order of the opposition leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif to attend the proceeding of lower house of the parliament starting from Monday (December 10).
NA speaker issues Shehbaz's production order
Decebalus
decelerating electrode
deceleration parachute
deceleration parachute or drag parachute
deceleration parameter
deceleration time
Decelerometer
deceleron
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Did You See That One?
Find Movie Reviews By Name
Movies Over the Years
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Category: Best Supporting Actor Winners
September 26, 2018 Best Original Score / Best Supporting Actor Winners / Classic Films / Dramas / Oscar Nominated Films / Westerns
See how one movie changed an entire genre for the better.
September 7, 2018 adventure / Best Adapted Screenplay Winners / Best Director Winners / Best Supporting Actor Winners / Classic Films / Dramas
John Huston took home two Oscars for his work on this film. He also helped his father earn one. It’s a true classic with a complicated story to tell.
August 25, 2018 Best Actor Winners / Best Makeup and Hairstyling Winners / Best Original Screenplay Winners / Best Supporting Actor Winners / Biographical / Classic Films / Dramas
A brutally honest movie that pushes the audience into uncomfortable territory.
August 16, 2018 Best Original Screenplay Winners / Best Supporting Actor Winners / Classic Films / Comedies / Dramas / Oscar Nominated Films
“Oh my God, I’m getting pulled over. Everyone, just… pretend to be normal.” – Greg Kinnear as Richard Hoover
August 3, 2018 Best Adapted Screenplay Winners / Best Supporting Actor Winners / Best Supporting Actress Winners / Dramas / History / Oscar Nominated Films
” I’m old now and I want to remember what was there for me once and what is there for me now.” Jane Fonda as Lillian Hellman
July 13, 2018 Best Adapted Screenplay Winners / Best Production Design Winners / Best Sound Mixing / Best Supporting Actor Winners / Biographical / Classic Films / Crime / Dramas / Suspense Movies / Thrillers
“You guys are about to write a story that says the former Attorney General, the highest-ranking law enforcement officer in this country, is a crook! Just be sure you’re right.” – Jason Robards as Ben Bradlee
April 7, 2018 Best Supporting Actor Winners / Classic Films / Dramas / Westerns
“If there’s anything I admire more than a dedicated friend, it is a dedicated enemy.” – Charles Bickford as Major Henry Terrill
March 4, 2018 Awards Season / Best Actor Winners / Best Actress Winners / Best Adapted Screenplay Winners / Best Animated Feature Winners / Best Cinematography Winners / Best Costume Design Winners / Best Director Winners / Best Editing Winners / Best Makeup and Hairstyling Winners / Best Original Score / Best Original Screenplay Winners / Best Picture Winners / Best Supporting Actor Winners / Best Supporting Actress Winners / Best Visual Effects Winners / Classic Films / Did you see that one? / Opinion / Polls and Questions
My Picks for the 90th Academy Awards
My complete list of Oscar predictions, winners, and other thoughts.
Stay up to date with the most recent reviews!
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Dare to lead change
July 24, 2019, at 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/dare-to-lead-change-tickets-62246410690
Merchant Osteria Veneta
495 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Join us for an Intimate Dinner at Grossi’s Merchant for an evening with Samantha Freebairn (Menu below)
DARING TO LEAD CULTURAL CHANGE, WITH SAMANTHA FREEBAIRN
WEDNESDAY JUL 24, 2019
INTIMATE DINNER AT GUY GROSSI’S MERCHANT
WWW.DIGITALWOMENSNETWORK.COM
Samantha is a highly skilled and driven women, a Wing Commander, Pilot for Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), World Economic Forum Global Leader, Telstra Business Woman, Gender Diversity and Inclusion Advocate, Mentor and Women’s Leadership Specialist and a busy Wife and Mother of two.
Our Daring to Lead Cultural Change event is born from Samantha’s first-hand experience in creating systemic change in the Royal Australian Air Force.
Samantha’s work has been globally recognised in 2016 by the prestigious World Economic Forum, where she was identified as a Young Global Leader, “Most influential global leaders under 40 years” for her outstanding leadership drive and qualities.
Furthermore, her entrepreneurial flair has also been recognised Across Australia by Telstra in 2014 by taking out the QLD Telstra Business Women’s Award for Business Innovation of the Air Force’s Graduate Pilot Scheme.
Over a delicious meal courtesy of Guy Grossi and his team at Merchant) we will be looking at;
In-depth look at the challenges and opportunities across the professional cultural landscape.
Discuss the definition of what leadership is and most Importantly what it means to you
The various type of leadership style’s and how to apply a suitable leadership style that you will excel in
How to Inspire Female leaders with a focus on understanding key attributes of a change maker and the importance of trials
How do we encourage to change the cultural environment in which we work?
How do we inspire “New ways” of working?
Insights and practical tips “How to both tactically and as an influencer” lead the way for many Women
There will be some takeaway materials and an opportunity to win a 1:1 coaching session with Samantha and some wonderful door prizes.
Canapés served with bubbles on arrival
Herb & Almond crusted Barramundi with Buckwheat Lentil Salad, Tomato & Saffron Broth
Braised Flinders Island Lamb Shoulder, Cannelloni Beans, White Wine, Herbs
A glass of wine and sides; Potatoes, Garlic, Rosemary and Mixed Leaves
Chestnut Flower Honey Panna Cotta with Pistachio, Honeycomb and Almond
Tiramisu, Grossi Classic
Vegetarian options available, please speak with us regarding dietary requirements, we endeavour to accommodate all dietaries however we cannot guarantee that any products served will be free of allergens.
Samantha Freebairn bio
Earlier in Samantha’s career, she worked as a Air Force Pilot, flying both combat and on humanitarian relief missions. As a highly skilled pilot, Samantha was the first woman in Australia to instruct pilots in the C-17A simulator.
As a Gender Diversity and Inclusion Advocate, Samantha wrote the RAAF policy which enabled her and other women the ability to return to operational flying positions after having children.
Later Samantha was employed as the Operations Flight Commander for 36 Squadron and their fleet of eight C17 Globemaster aircraft.
In 2014, Samantha won the QLD Telstra Business Women’s Award in Business Innovation for her Graduate Pilot Scheme, which incentivises military aviation to women who had never previously considered it. Increase in Female pilot numbers had been stagnant for over 30 years, Samantha’s new initiative resulted in successfully doubling the number of Female pilots in the Air Force in a two-year period.
2016, World Economic Forum, Young Global Leader most influential global leaders under 40 years
2014 QLD Telstra Business Women’s Award winner, Business Innovation (Graduate Pilot Scheme)
Wing Commander, Pilot, Royal Australian Air Force
First Women in Australia to instruct pilots in the C-17A simulator
Gender Diversity and Inclusion Advocate
Currently the Deputy Director of the Australian Air Force Cadets aviation and Women’s Leadership Specialist
Samantha’s Education & Qualifications include;
Bachelor of Science degree,
Masters of Management in Leadership,
Certified Workplace and Business Coach
Graduate of Harvard University (John F. Kennedy School of Government) ‘Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century’ program.
Operational C-130H Hercules Pilot
C-17 Globemaster pilot
Today Samantha is a keynote speaker, the Deputy Director of the Australian Air Force Cadets aviation activities, Women’s Leadership Specialist and works and a Business Coach.
« SOLD OUT!! HOW TO KEEP UP WITH THE EVER CHANGING DIGITAL LANDSCAPE!
LEADERSHIP SPEAKING BREAKFAST »
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International schools in Brussels
BEPS International School
International schools in Belgium
Established in 1972, BEPS International School is situated in beautiful buildings in the heart of one of Brussels’ most desirable areas, close to the Bois de la Cambre and the University (ULB). We offer an inquiry learning approach through the International Early Years Curriculum, the International Primary Curriculum and the implementation of the…
Franklin Rooseveltlaan, 23, Brussel, 1000, Belgium
St. John's International School
St. John’s is regarded by many as one of the best international schools in Europe. In order to provide the school with a platform to develop in a coherent manner, we have drawn up clear guiding statements, supported by a mission, vision and values which we believe positively differentiates us from other international schools. Our mission St.…
146 Dreve Richelle, Waterloo, 1410, Belgium
Antwerp International School
At Antwerp International School we embrace holistic and high-quality learning in a multicultural environment. Our academic setting, wide range of STEM, sports and arts facilities, and world-class International Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes help ensure our students' diverse talents take flight towards the best universities across the globe.…
Veltwijcklaan, 180, Antwerpen, 2180, Belgium
European School of Bruxelles Argenteuil - EEBA
British School of Brussels (BSB)
International School of Brussels (ISB)
Bogaerts International School
Deutsche Fernschule e.V.
International schools in World
British International School of Brussels (BISBRU)
Montessori House Belgium
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11 pages/≈3025 words
Religion & Theology
Islam (Research Paper Sample)
There are two topics to choose from: 1) Explain the growth of Islamophobia in Europe since the 1970s. Choose two countries and explore xenophobia and Islamophobia. 2) Discuss the identity of European Muslims in Europe. Choose two countries or regions and explain the interaction between Muslim self-representation, European nationalisms, and Islam. Please choose one of these topics. I NEED a minimum of 7 academic sources. Thesis and Argumentations are a must. source..
Student`s Name:
Professor`s Name:
The paper generally focuses on the growth of Islamophobia in Europe since the 1970`s and also explores Xenophobia and Islamophobia in France and Germany and the existing arguments on the two concepts by various critics.
The word Europe alone brings out a variety of negative and positive connotations. It has not only been seen as geographic but also as a normative power. It is the foundation of diverse philosophies and political views, concepts and ideas which in the current centuries have helped change and shape the world. It is the continent in which the revolution of French arose, demanding for equality, liberty and fraternity and also was the source of the modern day democracy yet it was the starting point for two world wars. It is in Europe where fascism and Nazism were born and also it`s in this continent where communism and capitalism emerged from. The end of cold war and the emerging victory of the capitalism system in the west brought to an end the frightening enemy –communism. Now the European Nation desperately needed a new enemy and was easily found. The rising up of the Islamic Revolution in Iran from 1979 and the regime of Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan posed as a new opponent to the European Union. Then came the September11 attacks, though this was not the first terrorist attack on planet earth, it was indeed the biggest sudden attack against the United States of America which made President Bush to establish a fight against terrorism and the target group was the Muslims. This led to the rise of Islamophobia which basically means the fear of Muslims and Islam and Xenophobia which highlights the fear of foreigners, immigrants and strangers among the European Citizens. For over the past five years, majority of the European governments have enacted prohibition or any laws regulating the putting on of veils by Muslim women in public places and schools.Not only did the European marginalize Islam`s, but they also extended their discrimination against those races that were different from them such as indigenous Native Americans, to Jews, to Blacks, to Asians, to Hispanics among others.[ZuhaL Yesilyurt gu¨ NDU¨ Z, "The European Union at 50-Xenophobia, Islamophobia and the rise of the Radica Right, "Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs30 (March 2010):35.] [Rachel.B.Jones,;Intolerable Intolerance: Toxic Xenophobia and Pedagogy of Resistance;, The High School Journal(2011): 34-45]
Exploring xenophobia and Islam phobia in France
France became among the first European countries to introduce a ban on covering faces with veils in all the public places in spring of 2011 and the commencing of April 2011 and those who did not adhere to the regulations were detained by police. This led to the expression of outrage by majority of the people in France and other international communities as they viewed this law as discri...
Download for $52.27
The Regan administration was responsible
Description: Undergraduate Research Paper: The Regan administration was responsible...
8 pages/≈2200 words | 7 Sources | Turabian | History | Research Paper |
history: common enemy - Adolf Hitler
Description: High School writing level 2 pages History Format Style English (U.S.) Essay. history...
2 pages/≈550 words | No Sources | MLA | History | Essay |
Civilisation and Conflict
Description: Social Sciences Essay: Civilisation and Conflict...
11 pages/≈3025 words | 10 Sources | Harvard | Social Sciences | Essay |
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EU may fine countries for rejecting refugees
Besides visa liberalisation for Turkey, the EU Commission is due to unveil revised EU asylum rules on Wednesday (Photo: europarl.europa.eu)
By Eszter Zalan
Brussels, 3. May 2016, 09:30
The EU Commission plans to impose fines on countries that refuse to take refugees under revised EU asylum laws to be put forward on Wednesday (4 May).
The commission will propose a sanction of €250,000 per refugee, according to the Financial Times.
The commission's proposal will maintain the guiding principle of the current system that the country where migrants first step into the EU must deal with asylum applications.
But it proposes that when a country at the EU’s external border is overwhelmed, asylum seekers should be distributed across the continent.
The commission has been trying to encourage reluctant countries, particularly in central and eastern Europe, to take part in the redistribution system.
Slovakia and Hungary have already brought a court case to challenge an earlier EU decision to redistribute migrants based on a mandatory quota.
But commission officials say the outcome of the court’s decision will not affect their plans to overhaul the asylum system, known as the Dublin regulation.
EU countries last year agreed to redistribute 160,000 asylum seekers across Europe in two years, but have so far actually redistributed only a small portion.
Central European politicians have been vocal about an earlier version of the proposal for mandatory redistribution that was released last month.
At the time, Czech European affairs minister Tomas Prouza tweeted: “Permanent quotas once again? How long will the EU commission keep riding this dead horse instead of working on things that really help?”
Diplomats from eastern EU states have told this website that they are not “heartless people” and they are willing to help refugees in other ways, but they believe a redistribution system will simply lead to more immigrants arrive in the EU.
Turkey falling short
Along with the revised Dublin regulation, the commission is expected to recommend visa-free travel for people from Turkey and Kosovo on Wednesday, even if Ankara is not able to fulfil all the 72 benchmarks that the EU set as conditions.
Sources suggest Turkey is falling short on a handful of the demands – for example issuing biometric passports, and granting visa-free travel to Turkey for EU countries including Cyprus, which Turkey does not recognise.
Other outstanding issues include data protection, fighting corruption, effective cooperation with Europol and state-level law enforcement agencies, and a revision of anti-terror laws so that they cannot be used against journalists or opposition figures.
However, the commission will suggest visa-free travel with the condition that these criteria are met by the end of June, when Turkey is expecting visa requirements to be lifted.
EU asylum reform ideas hit wall of opposition
EU asylum reform to include migrant-sharing law
EU advances Turkey visa deal amid migration fears
Computer to make EU asylum decisions
Refusing refugees would cost EU funds, MEP says
First reactions from central Europe to EU commission's asylum reform ideas indicate strong opposition to any kind of mandatory scheme on sharing migrants.
The EU commission plans to propose permanent migrant-relocation system as part of broader reforms aimed at repairing the beleaguered asylum system.
2. May 2016, 09:30
EU commission to give green light to Turkey on visas despite non-compliance with full list of criteria. Five EU states seek to extend internal EU border checks.
The EU commission has presented sweeping reforms of the "Dublin" asylum regulation that include deferring the most painful decisions to a computer in Malta.
The Swedish liberal MEP Cecilia Wikstroem seeks to introduce a five-year transition period for countries that are not ready to take in asylum seekers under the reformed Dublin system.
EU aid pushing Libyan refugees back to war-hit Libya
At least 17 Libyans were returned to their war-torn country after attempting to flee on boats towards Europe. Their fates, along with many others, remain unknown as the EU-backed Libyan Coast Guard sweeps up people en masse.
EU Africa envoy: Europe needs to look beyond migration
Europe's obsession with migration from Africa means it risks losing out the continent's potential when it comes to trade, says the EU's ambassador to the African Union, Ranier Sabatucci. "Africa is a growing continent, it is the future," he says.
Malmo, a segregated city - separating fact from fiction
Despite the neighbourhood's beautiful name, the reputation of Rosengård (Rose Garden) does not so much evoke images of roses as headlines of crime and social challenges. This area of Malmö has been struggling with its notorious, mythical, image for years.
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Пробный ЕГЭ 2019 по английскому языку. Чтение 12-18
Выполните онлайн автоматизированный тест по материалам пробного ЕГЭ (апрель, 2019). Это третье задание по чтению.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании выберите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Scholastic Aptitude Test
The Scholastic Aptitude test or the SAT is a standardized test used in the United States for college admissions. High school students usually take the SAT at the end of their junior year (11 grade) of High School or at the beginning of their senior year (12 grade). Students are able to re-take the test as many times as they like on any of the test dates, which occur 6-8 times a year. The test is administered all over the world, and most big cities have at least one testing center.
The SAT is developed and run by College Board, an American non-profit organization created to provide teenagers with access to higher education. It was founded in 1899 and was originally called the College Entrance Examination Board (CHEB). Not only does it develop standardized testing, it also develops the Advances Placement (AP) Program. AP classes are offered in most High Schools in the U.S. and provide students with university level classes. These classes allow students to gain college credit and skip some of the basic courses at the university.
Today, the SAT is made up of three main parts: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, Mathematics and the Essay, but over its long history, the SAT has undergone several changes in format, types of questions and scoring. The first standardized exam was administered by the CEEB in 1901. It consisted of a series of essay questions on topics such as Greek, Latin and Physics, it was completed over the course of 5 days. After the development of the IQ test in 1905, the SAT changed its approach to the test, now testing not specific knowledge, but aptitude for learning. By 1961 the SAT was taken by over 800 thousand students annually.
A lot of changes were made to the SAT between 1994 and 2005: the use of calculators became permitted, the reading passages were chosen to mimic texts students might encounter in college, the scoring system was changed from 1600 to 2400, and an essay section was introduced. Some of these changes were reversed in 2016; the scoring system changed back to 1600 and the essay became optional.
In recent years, the SAT has been criticized for not being a good reflection of students' academic ability. The test puts a lot of emphasis on speed and time management, prioritizing it over knowledge and reasoning. The reading section contains 52 questions based on 5 reading passages and has a time limit of 65 minutes. Even without the time it takes to read and understand each passage, this gives a student a little over a minute to answer each question, some of which are quite difficult. The other sections are no better. The whole exam takes 4 hours and 5 minutes to complete, and the breaks between its four sections are very short: a 10-minute break between the Reading and Writing sections, 5 minutes between Writing and Math, and only 2 minutes between Math and the essay. Because of these issues, more and more universities are becoming "test-optional", meaning that they do not require their students to submit standardized test scores.
In the summer of 2018, there was a scandal regarding the August SAT. The test got leaked to the internet a few days before the exam. Because of this College Board threatened to cancel all the scores. This news resulted in a lot of panicked high school seniors, who would not have time to re-take the test before their college applications were due. A lot of desperate students turned to the ACT (American College Testing), the SAT 's main rival, as an alternative standardized test.
Reading 12-18
Выберите один из вариантов в каждом из 7 вопросов;
Нажмите на кнопку "Показать результат";
Скрипт не покажет результат, пока Вы не ответите на все вопросы;
Загляните в окно рядом с номером задания. Если ответ правильный, то там (+). Если Вы ошиблись, там (-).
За каждый правильный ответ начисляется 1 балл;
Оценки: менее 3.5 баллов - НЕУДОВЛЕТВОРИТЕЛЬНО, от 3.5 но менее 5.25 - УДОВЛЕТВОРИТЕЛЬНО, 5.25 и менее 7 - ХОРОШО, 7 - ОТЛИЧНО;
Чтобы сбросить результат тестирования, нажать кнопку "Сбросить ответы";
12. Students can take the SAT
only one time.
up to six times.
up to eight times.
more than 8 times.
13. College Board does NOT develop
the SAT exam variants.
advanced placement courses.
university course programs.
the format of the SAT.
14. The first SAT exam was held in
15. The word \"aptitude\" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to the word
skills.
desire.
16. In 2010, students who were taking the SAT
were not allowed to use calculators.
had a choice whether to write an essay.
could get a maximum of 1600 points.
had to read university-level texts.
17. Paragraph 5 implies that
the SAT is not a good system to rate the student\'s true level.
it is important for college students to manage time efficiently.
universities prefer students who can solve problems quickly.
the SAT should be shorter than the 4 hours 5 minutes it is now.
18. The word \"rival\" in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to the word
supporter.
competitor.
contractor.
Это второе задание раздела Чтение диагностической работы по английскому языку, которая проводилась в апреле 2019 года как пробный ЕГЭ. Тест предназначен для выполнения онлайн. Ответы сразу после выполнения. Задание 12-18 смотрите далее.
Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A–F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1–7. Одна из частей в списке 1–7 лишняя. Занесите цифры, обозначающие соответствующие части предложений, в таблицу. В задании один заголовок лишний.
How do blind people get around safely? Some people use special guide dogs. A well-trained dog knows A_______cross busy streets and get from place to place. Some people use long white canes to help them get around.
Guide dogs and canes are helpful, but is there a better way B_______? A scientist in England thought so. He is a zoologist named Dean Waters who studies bats. He knows that bats are able to fly in the dark without bumping into things. Also, he knows that bats go by using sound to "see". Dr. Waters wondered C_______.
Bats as they fly make squeaking or clicking sounds. These sounds travel outward in waves. When the waves hit an object D_______, they echo, or bounce back. The waves travel back to the bat's ears. From the echoes, a bat learns the location and shape of objects around it. This is called echolocation.
Dr. Waters talked to other scientists, including Deborah Withington and Brian Hoyle. They all worked together and invented a new kind of cane. At first they called it a "bat cane" because the idea started with bats. The new cane has a computer in the handle. It sends out high sounds E_______. The sound waves bounce off objects and echo back. This causes buttons in the handle to buzz. With a little training, a person F_______can tell where the objects are and can "see" with sound!
1. for blind people to get around
2. if people could do something similar
3. who can hear and see well
4. how to help his master
5. that humans cannot hear
6. using the cane
7. such as a tree or a house
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Based on the decree of Government of Estonia issued in 2014, the Estonian Olympic Committee is responsible for awarding bonuses to athletes and coaches who have won medals from international championships.
According to the NOC Executive Committee's decision (updated in April 2018), bonuses to are awarded based on the following principles:
Olympic disciplines
Gold medal 100 000 EUR
Silver medal 70 000 EUR
Bronze medal 45 000 EUR
Gold medal 40 000 EUR
Juniors in Olympic disciplines
Junior World Championships gold medal - up to 10 000 EUR
Junior European Championships gold medal - up to 7000 EUR
World Championships gold medal - up to 19 000 EUR
European Championships gold medal - up to 6500 EUR
Bonuses for results in other major international competitions will be decided by NOC Executive Committee in the amount of up to 40 000 EUR.
Coach can receive an award bonus in the sum of up to 50% in the value of the athlete's bonus
Coeficients for teams
Team of two members - the award bonus sum is divided between two athletes
Team of four or more members - double the award bonus sum divided by the number of athletes in the team
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Eldridge, David (2017) Beginning. Modern Plays. London, UK: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama. ISBN 9781350061286.
Official URL: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/beginning-9781350061...
You didn't fancy it then? Fancy what? Getting in the taxi. No. Every story starts somewhere. It's the early hours of the morning and Danny's the last straggler at Laura's party. The flat's in a mess. And so are they. One more drink? David Eldridge (Market Boy, The Knot of the Heart, In Basildon) returns to the National Theatre with a sharp and astute two-hander that takes an intimate look at the first fragile moments of risking your heart and taking a chance. This tender and funny play received its world premiere at the National's Dorfman Theatre in October 2017.
Birkbeck Schools and Departments > School of Arts > English, Theatre and Creative Writing
Contemporary Theatre, Birkbeck Centre for
David Eldridge
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ergot
revue pro filosofii a společenské vědy
Ergot č. 01/2019
Will to die: brain behind pulling the trigger
Bc. Sofiya Valeeva
The Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague.
E-mail: Sofiya.L.valeeva@gmail.com.
Suicide and the Brain
Despite suicide being a major health concern worldwide, its neurobiology is far from being clearly defined. Even with technological advances in treating psychiatric disorders, suicide rates are progressively increasing.[1]
According to the definition by the World Health Organization, suicide is the act of killing oneself intentionally.[2] In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) it is considered to be a symptom of various psychiatric conditions (e.g. depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, psychosis, anxiety, etc.), not a separate diagnosis.[3] Suicidality in a more general sense can describe suicidal attempts, plans, and ideations.[4]
There are a number of stressors associated with suicidal behaviour ranging from personal and financial problems to full blown psychiatric disorders. Stress in general is widely known as one of the risk factors leading to suicide behaviour.[5] It is, however, worth noting that only a small percentage of individuals faced with these stressors would demonstrate suicidal behaviour.[6] There are three major cognitive characteristics that can be attributed to suicidal patients: “(1) an attentional bias to particular life events reflecting signals of defeat (‘loser’ status), (2) the sense of insufficient capacity to solve problems and (3) the absence of prospective anticipation to problems, leading to hopelessness.”[7]
Research suggests that cognitive functioning in suicidal patients is different compared to healthy controls or even those with, say, depression but no suicidality in their medical history. This raises the question of neurobiological bases for suicide behaviour.
From the neuroanatomical point of view, there are certain brain areas associated with higher vulnerability to suicidal behaviour. Research suggests that frontal, temporal, and parietal cortexes are heavily involved and dysfunctions in those areas are associated with elevated risks of suicidal behaviour.[8] Most current neuroimaging reviews confirm the involvements of the dorsolateral and orbitofrontal cortexes, as well as left superior temporal gyrus, rectal gyrus, and caudate nucleus. These areas are involved in processing executive functions, emotions, and rewards. Dysfunctions in the areas mentioned above are associated with decreased support seeking and ability to regulate behaviour, as well as increased levels of hopelessness and impulsivity in suicidal patients among other things.[9]
Magnetic Resonance Imaging studies have revealed higher prevalence of hyperintensities of white and grey matter in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes of suicide patients, as well as decreased volumes in both the frontal and temporal lobes. This allows us to speculate that suicidal behaviour is related to hyperintensities of grey matter and reduction of volume in cortical and subcortical structures, which might mean disruption of crucial neuroanatomic pathways leading to impaired decision-making and predisposition to impulsivity, resulting in higher risk of suicide attempts.[10]
Functional imaging has revealed prefrontal dysfunction, particularly in orbitofrontal cortex that is involved in response inhibition and its impairment might lead to reduction of impulse control and problem-solving abilities, as well as increased proneness to act on negative emotions and focus on certain negative aspects of life.[11]
Another brain area that is associated with suicidal behaviour is hippocampus, which is concerned with cognition[12] and is primarily affected by stress[13]. There is some evidence to support that neurotrophins[14] are regulated in response to stress.[15]
Neurochemical aspects of suicide are not well known, yet there has been evidence stacking up in support of the notion that neurotrophins, that are involved in directing brain growth and are essential for maintenance of neural functions, have a lot to do with suicidal behaviour and its pathophysiological aspects.[16]
A study done by Banerjee et al. (2013) revealed that expression of neurotrophins and their cognitive receptors (TrkB and TrkA) in hippocampal region of the postmortem brains of suicide victims was reduced compared to controls. This strongly suggests that such molecules as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) which are crucial in mediating survival of the cells, plasticity of synapses, as well as other physiological functions, are involved in pathophysiology of suicidal behaviour.[17] Authors suggest that reduced expression of neurotrophins might be linked to structural abnormalities in cortical and hippocampal brain areas as well as reduced plasticity, which is supported by other studies.[18] ٫[19]
Despite the fact that underlying causes and pathologic mechanisms of suicide remain unclear, there is a certain determinism to it due to the brain involvement, which raises the question of what role free will plays in suicide. This is discussed in the following sections.
Determinism and the concept of free will
Physical determinism has been proven to be rather problematic, since the effects of genetic and environmental determinism are only partial, while physical determinism itself is considered to have total effects.
Approximately 6.2×109 bits of information is contained in human genome, while the amount of information that can de facto be used is even smaller. This implies that the genome does not contain enough information to specify the connectivity of 1011 neurons and hundreds of their synaptic contacts. Meaning that the human brain is far too complex to be genetically determined. This is well illustrated by the phenotypical differences between isogenic[20] lower animals like daphnia[21], as well as morphological brain differences and variations in psychological characteristics and intellectual abilities in monozygotic twins.[22]
Traditionally, differences between isogenic organisms are associated with external environmental factors ranging from subtle differences between embryos in the womb[23] to upbringing. The combination of genetic and environmental determination is often considered a good enough explanation for population variations among academics. However, if we consider processes that occur at the cellular and molecular level, there seems to be a possibility to question the deterministic approach. Scholars like Clarke (2010) argue that developmental noise (chance events) beyond the control of genes and environment have sufficient influence on brain development, which results in differences between individuals.[24]
For instance, filopodia, which are projections that extend from the ends of axon and dendrites, are constantly growing and changing directions, which requires some trial and error. They recognize molecular guidance molecules as they are trying to reach the correct region of the brain, yet not all of them make it to the desired destination. Some grow to the wrong part of the brain (up to 40%), while others might even grow to the wrong side of it (up to 1%). This may lead to axon degeneration or even death of the neuron due to the brain trying to eliminate the error. As Clarke (2010) puts it, our brain development is not determined “by a rigidly prespecified programme, but by a more approximate process involving imprecision everywhere, gross mistakes occasionally, and elimination of faulty elements at various inspection points along the cellular production line.” [25] Which further supports the notion of genetic specification being only an approximation.
Laws of nature, apart from minor inconsistencies on quantum level, are deterministic, which raises a question of compatibility between the theory of free will and the deterministic universe, considering that our brains are governed by the laws of physics.[26] Can we really be held accountable for our actions and choices if they were determined long before we made them? Is there freedom of choice if our behaviour is determined by the laws of chemistry and physics?
Philosophers arguing the existence of free will can be roughly divided into two major groups in regards to their opinion on determinism: compatibilists and incompatibilists.[27]
Compatibilists like Hobbes, Hume, and Spinoza operate on the premise that free will and responsibility for one’s actions are perfectly compatible with determinism, while incompatibilists can be further divided into two categories: libertarians and hard determinists. Libertarians like Kant argue that existence of free will requires indeterminism in nature and brain function, hence deny physical predictability and affirm the existence of free will. Hard determinists like Nietzsche, on the other hand, consider free will to be a mere illusion and argue that according to deterministic theory our future, including the future of our brain, is predetermined by our past.[28]
The existence and role of free will has been debated for centuries among the philosophic community.[29] Defining it has proven to be rather problematic, since most philosophers incorporate their own philosophical theories into the definition. Some even dispute the very term, preferring to refer to free will as freedom of action.[30]
Some define free will through a profound connection with God. Others believe that free will means that one’s personal choice on how to behave is not influenced by outside forces – physical, religious or otherwise. That we as humans have a single command center calling the shots.[31]
One’s view of free will is most often determined by one’s opinion regarding the relationship between the mind and the brain, as well as their belief in the existence of a soul. Monists would have a different approach to the subject than dualists, and, would most likely take a more deterministic position. Others that view soul as a separate entity would lean towards indeterminism.[32]
A dualist approach, most popular nowadays, implies that the soul is eternal entity completely separate from our mortal, physical body. The concept is rooted in antient Greek philosophy and was developed by neoplatonists, however, in modern society, it is a part of a Western Christian way of thinking. Funny enough, if we look through the Old Testament, nowhere does it imply this dualistic approach. The most common words that are often translated as ‘soul’ are nephesh (life, vitality) and ruah (spirit). Both can describe an instance of leaving an individual dead, yet none are mentioned to exist separately from the mortal body. In the New Testament there’s also a word psyche that is similar in meaning to nephesh, yet most scholars agree that the New Testament as well puts emphasis on the unity of a man and does not exercise Platonic dualistic approach. As a matter of fact, immortality of the soul is not stated anywhere in the Bible, nor does it propagate the notion of disembodiment.[33]
Nonetheless, the biggest Christian philosophers like St. Augustin, who first started to differentiate between freedom and free will, as well as Luther and Calvin have all been dualists, and the dualistic approach is still popular among modern philosophers and scholars.[34],[35]
Physical determinism and its application on the human brain and, consequently, free will, is a major philosophical problem. In order to combine the concept of freedom with supposed physical determinism, quantum indeterminism[36] and/or chaos theory[37] are used to work around the physical predictability
There have been quite a few attempts to apply quantum indeterminism to the concept of free will. One of these attempts was made by Eccles, who proposed that Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle can be applied to synaptic function. Another hypothesis was initially presented by Penrose and Hameroff (‘brain as quantum computer’ theory). It proposed that quantum indeterminism has an effect on microtubules inside axons.[38] Both theories tried their best to prove the existence of indeterminism at the brain level in an otherwise deterministic physical model, yet failed to do so by being proven faulty or undetermined aspects being too small to influence major brain activity.
Some scientists add chaos theory to the equation in order to justify the existence of free will. There’s been enough evidence to prove that chaos, in fact, occurs in brain activity. The premise is that it is capable of amplifying the indeterminism available from the quantum theory paradigm, hence, even if the brain activity is influenced very slightly, chaotic dynamics are able to amplify them enormously. This provides some scientists the base to argue that there is a possibility for the non-physical mind to influence the brain and alter our behavior.[39]
There are, however, some significant problems with the baseline logic of this approach that allow one to dispute the very existence of quantum chaos. The major problem being the mathematical prediction of quantum suppression of chaos. Theoretically speaking, there is a possibility of it being suppressed by quantum decoherence through the interaction between the environment and quantum system.[40] However, fundamental indeterminism, which is needed to prove the existence of free will, can not be provided by quantum chaos since, in this case, the environment must be considered as an external element to the quantum system, which will not be subject to decoherence. On top of that, the decision-making process under the chaos theory would be extremely sensitive to minor events like blood pressure or irrelevant neural input.[41]
The indeterministic concept of free will raises some major question when challenged with deterministic model of our brain. There is ongoing research regarding this topic but, the possibility of us humans making free choices that are not rooted in physics and chemistry is rather slim; especially when it comes to suicidal behaviour that seems to be governed by the faulty brain structures. Despite some pathological mechanisms of suicide being unclear, there is little doubt in my mind that free will plays little role in deciding to kill oneself if our brain dictates one to do so.
The following article reviews current research regarding the connection between suicidal behaviour and functional and structural abnormalities of the brain. It also deals with the question of free will in suicidal behaviour in particular, and the possibility of us making free choices in general. It compares the indeterministic concept of free will against the deterministic model of our nervous system and tries to answer the question whether or not it is possible to choose suicide freely.
Následující článek shrnuje aktualní výzkum vztahů mezi sebevražedným chováním a funkčními a strukturálními abnormalitami mozku. Zabývá se také otázkou svobodné vůle zejména v oblasti sebevražedného chování a možností obecně volného rozhodování. Článek porovnává indeterministický pojem svobodné vůle proti deterministickému modelu našeho nervového systému a pokouší se odpovědět na otázku, zda možné zvolit sebevraždu volně.
Alfonso, Julieta, Guido D Pollevick, Marieke G Van Der Hart, Gabriele Flügge, Eberhard Fuchs and Alberto CC Frasch. 2004. „Identification of Genes Regulated by Chronic Psychosocial Stress and Antidepressant Treatment in the Hippocampus.“ European Journal of Neuroscience 19(3):659-66.
Banerjee, Ritabrata, Anup K Ghosh, Balaram Ghosh, Somnath Bhattacharya and Amal C Mondal. 2013. „Suicide: Neurochemical Approaches.“ BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience 4(1-4):97-104.
Bani-Fatemi, Ali, Samia Tasmim, Ariel Graff, Philip Gerretsen, John Strauss, Nathan Kolla, Gianfranco Spalletta and Vincenzo De Luca. 2018. „Structural and Functional Alterations of the Suicidal Brain: An Updated Review of Neuroimaging Studies.“ Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.
Berry, Michael V. 2001. „Chaos and the Semiclassical Limit of Quantum Mechanics (Is the Moon There When Somebody Looks?).“ Quantum Mechanics: Scientific perspectives on divine action 41.
Clarke, Peter Gh. 2010. „Determinism, Brain Function and Free Will.“ Science & Christian Belief 22(2).
Cosman, Doina. 2018. „Suicide–Freedom or Constraint? How Free Will Works in Autolysis.“ Romanian Journal of Artistic Creativity 6(3).
Desmyter, Stefanie, Cornelis Van Heeringen and Kurt Audenaert. 2011. „Structural and Functional Neuroimaging Studies of the Suicidal Brain.“ Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology and biological psychiatry 35(4):796-808.
Gazzaniga, Michael. 2012. Who’s in Charge?: Free Will and the Science of the Brain: Hachette UK.
Houart, Gérald, Geneviève Dupont and Albert Goldbeter. 1999. „Bursting, Chaos and Birhythmicity Originating from Self-Modulation of the Inositol 1, 4, 5-Trisphosphate Signal in a Model for Intracellular Ca 2+ Oscillations.“ Bulletin of mathematical biology 61(3):507-30.
Jollant, Fabrice. 2016. „Neuroimaging of Suicidal Behavior.“ Pp. 110-22 in Biological Aspects of Suicidal Behavior, Vol. 30: Karger Publishers.
Miguel-Hidalgo, José Javier and Grazyna Rajkowska. 2002. „Morphological Brain Changes in Depression.“ CNS drugs 16(6):361-72.
Rowe, Christopher J and Sarah Broadie. 2002. Nicomachean Ethics: Oxford University Press, USA.
Sala, M, J Perez, P Soloff, S Ucelli Di Nemi, E Caverzasi, JC Soares and P Brambilla. 2004. „Stress and Hippocampal Abnormalities in Psychiatric Disorders.“ European Neuropsychopharmacology 14(5):393-405.
Sheline, Yvette I, Mokhtar H Gado and Helena C Kraemer. 2003. „Untreated Depression and Hippocampal Volume Loss.“ American Journal of Psychiatry 160(8):1516-18.
Suicide, WHO Preventing. 2014. „A Global Imperative.“ World Health Organization.
Sweatt, J David. 2004. „Hippocampal Function in Cognition.“ Psychopharmacology 174(1):99-110.
Westrin, Å. 2000. „Stress System Alterations and Mood Disorders in Suicidal Patients. A Review.“ Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy 54(3):142-45.
[1] Banerjee, Ritabrata, Anup K Ghosh, Balaram Ghosh, Somnath Bhattacharya and Amal C Mondal. 2013. „Suicide: Neurochemical Approaches.“ BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience 4(1-4):97-104.
[2] Suicide, WHO Preventing. 2014. „A Global Imperative.“ World Health Organization.
[3] Desmyter, Stefanie, Cornelis Van Heeringen and Kurt Audenaert. 2011. „Structural and Functional Neuroimaging Studies of the Suicidal Brain.“ Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology and biological psychiatry 35(4):796-808.
[4] Bani-Fatemi, Ali, Samia Tasmim, Ariel Graff, Philip Gerretsen, John Strauss, Nathan Kolla, Gianfranco Spalletta and Vincenzo De Luca. 2018. „Structural and Functional Alterations of the Suicidal Brain: An Updated Review of Neuroimaging Studies.“ Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.
[5] Westrin, Å. 2000. „Stress System Alterations and Mood Disorders in Suicidal Patients. A Review.“ Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy 54(3):142-45.
[8] Jollant, Fabrice. 2016. „Neuroimaging of Suicidal Behavior.“ Pp. 110-22 in Biological Aspects of Suicidal Behavior, Vol. 30: Karger Publishers.
[10] Desmyter, Stefanie, Cornelis Van Heeringen and Kurt Audenaert. 2011. „Structural and Functional Neuroimaging Studies of the Suicidal Brain.“ Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology and biological psychiatry 35(4):796-808.
[12] Sweatt, J David. 2004. „Hippocampal Function in Cognition.“ Psychopharmacology 174(1):99-110.
[13] Sala, M, J Perez, P Soloff, S Ucelli Di Nemi, E Caverzasi, JC Soares and P Brambilla. 2004. „Stress and Hippocampal Abnormalities in Psychiatric Disorders.“ European Neuropsychopharmacology 14(5):393-405.
[14] Proteins concerned with neuron function and development that can signal particular cells to survive, differentiate, grow, etc.
[15] Alfonso, Julieta, Guido D Pollevick, Marieke G Van Der Hart, Gabriele Flügge, Eberhard Fuchs and Alberto CC Frasch. 2004. „Identification of Genes Regulated by Chronic Psychosocial Stress and Antidepressant Treatment in the Hippocampus.“ European Journal of Neuroscience 19(3):659-66.
[16] Banerjee, Ritabrata, Anup K Ghosh, Balaram Ghosh, Somnath Bhattacharya and Amal C Mondal. 2013. „Suicide: Neurochemical Approaches.“ BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience 4(1-4):97-104.
[18] Sheline, Yvette I, Mokhtar H Gado and Helena C Kraemer. 2003. „Untreated Depression and Hippocampal Volume Loss.“ American Journal of Psychiatry 160(8):1516-18.
[19] Miguel-Hidalgo, José Javier and Grazyna Rajkowska. 2002. „Morphological Brain Changes in Depression.“ CNS drugs 16(6):361-72.
[20] Genetically identical.
[21] Water fleas.
[22] Clarke, Peter Gh. 2010. „Determinism, Brain Function and Free Will.“ Science & Christian Belief 22(2).
[23] One twin can be exposed to more nutrition due to a richer blood supply.
[27] It is worth noting that there are philosophers like Strawson that deny compatibility of both subcategories with the theory of free will, but the format of the article does not allow us to go into more detail.
[29] Rowe, Christopher J and Sarah Broadie. 2002. Nicomachean Ethics: Oxford University Press, USA.
[31] Gazzaniga, Michael. 2012. Who’s in Charge?: Free Will and the Science of the Brain: Hachette UK.
[34] Cosman, Doina. 2018. „Suicide–Freedom or Constraint? How Free Will Works in Autolysis.“ Romanian Journal of Artistic Creativity 6(3).
[36] Physical system cannot be described completely, hence no outcome is certain and probabilistic.
[37] Describes the behaviour of complex nonlinear dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to subtle changes under certain conditions, which can lead to major consequences within the system. The behavior of such a system seems random, even if the model describing the system is deterministic.
[38] It was not intended to prove the existence of free will, yet some philosophers adapted it to serve that purpose.
[39] Houart, Gérald, Geneviève Dupont and Albert Goldbeter. 1999. „Bursting, Chaos and Birhythmicity Originating from Self-Modulation of the Inositol 1, 4, 5-Trisphosphate Signal in a Model for Intracellular Ca 2+ Oscillations.“ Bulletin of mathematical biology 61(3):507-30.
[40] Berry, Michael V. 2001. „Chaos and the Semiclassical Limit of Quantum Mechanics (Is the Moon There When Somebody Looks?).“ Quantum Mechanics: Scientific perspectives on divine action 41.
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Mortal Kombat 11 Already $10 Cheaper At Multiple Retailers
by Gregory Stevens April 25, 2019
Yesterday Mortal Kombat 11 was released on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. And usually, with a big title such as Mortal Kombat 11 the price would stick at $60 for weeks without budging. But the brand new beat-em-up has already discounted on Amazon (bear in mind even anthem lasted five days before the price decreased)
Gamespot had initially reported that the PS4 price had dropped $5, but Amazon has since decreased the price even further with a $10 discount that now applies to all three consoles.
Does Amazon Have Too much Power?
Amazon has an advanced algorithm for price matching and its possible they are matching a random deal somewhere on the internet. However, regardless of Amazon’s price, there are probably better places to buy from such as target. Where if you purchase Mortal Kombat you get a $10 gift card, or Walmart who are also offering the same deal. You just have to add the game to your cart first. They will then ask for your name and email and once entered the price will drop to $49.94 for standard editions and $89.94 for premium editions.
The game received an 8/10 in GameSpot’s Mortal Kombat 11 review. “MK11 isn’t just a sequel for series fans and Netherrealm devotees, it’s a gateway into the realm of fighting games for anyone who has a passing interest in watching ruthless warriors beat each other silly,” wrote Edmond Tran. “Streamlined mechanics keep the act of fighting furiously exciting no matter what your skill level and comprehensive tutorials encourage you to dig into the nitty-gritty. There’s a diverse roster of interesting characters and playstyles, and the story mode is an entertaining romp.” This reassures fans that its not quality of the game causing the drop in price and it is most likely Amazons algorithm setting a price trends in the other major stores.
Have you played Mortal Kombat 11 yet? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comment section below…
Gregory Stevens
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Extension program bridges digital gap in rural areas
The information presented on this page was originally released on June 3, 2016. It may not be outdated, but please search our site for more current information. If you plan to quote or reference this information in a publication, please check with the Extension specialist or author before proceeding.
Mr. Robert Nathan Gregory
QUITMAN -- Bringing rural Mississippi communities into the digital age is the objective of a newly established Mississippi State University Extension Service program.
The MSU Extension Intelligent Community Institute, or MSUE-ICI, is a joint project between the Extension Center for Technology Outreach, Extension Center for Government and Community Development, and its parent worldwide organization, the Intelligent Community Forum.
Designated as an Intelligent Community Institute in October 2014, MSUE-ICI is currently working to help nine rural communities across the state transition to, plan for, and prosper in the digital age through research and outreach, specifically its Intelligent Community Outreach Process.
Roberto Gallardo, associate Extension professor in the Center for Technology Outreach, said doing so means understanding characteristics of the digital age and their implications for businesses, governments, and residents.
“There is not a lot of research on the impact of broadband in rural areas,” Gallardo said. “You see a lot of it on cities, but there is little attention to rural settings. We are trying to generate that research by working with communities that want to participate.”
Though it is only in its second year, the foundation for MSUE-ICI was established when Extension received grant funding in 2011 to increase broadband adoption and availability throughout the state. Gallardo said, for the next 3 years, Extension formed partnerships with the Mississippi Development Authority along with WIN Job Centers and public libraries. Due to a solid working relationship with these and other statewide agencies and an important need for digital literacy, Extension applied to be designated as an established ICI with rural communities in mind.
The Intelligent Community Outreach Process put in place by ICF identifies the unique digital challenges each community faces and provides local Extension agents and other local champions with the tools necessary to address those needs over an 18- to 24-month, four-step process. The steps are increasing awareness; identifying assets and needs; implementing a strategy to address those weaknesses and leverage existing assets; and nominating themselves for consideration from ICF as one of 21 Intelligent Community yearly designations in the world.
One Mississippi community already benefiting from the efforts of MSUE-ICI is the city of Quitman. Gallardo worked with the town’s public library to purchase a three-dimensional printer for the facility. He said the library’s new tool addresses two indicators of Intelligent Communities: knowledge workforce and digital equality. Broadband connectivity, innovation, marketing, and sustainability are the other four indicators.
“It’s been fantastic,” Gallardo said. “If the kids there are reading a book with an emphasis on the Empire State Building, they can print a 3-D model of the building and develop a better understanding of the book. More than likely, they would not have seen that elsewhere. Exposing kids to STEM-related concepts at an early age can have a significant impact on their lives later on as they choose career paths.”
East Mississippi Regional Library System Director Josh Haidet said the new equipment has gotten local young people coming to the library more often to see it at work and using their imaginations on ideas for objects that could be printed next.
“What really blows their mind is that they see that we have actually made this at the library with the machine,” Haidet said. “We did not have a 3-D printer in this area before, so having something like that here has been great for kids to come in because it’s introducing them to emerging technology.
“Roberto has been a true asset to this area, and we can’t thank him enough for his work,” Haidet said. “It has been very helpful to our community.”
Gallardo said the Intelligent Community concept plays well into the Extension mission of extending knowledge and changing lives because it creates another role for Extension in the 21st century.
“Incorporating the IC concept provides strong incentives for Extension specialists and agents to develop relevant programming to address 21st century needs in their communities,” Gallardo said.
Released: June 3, 2016
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https://extension.msstate.edu/news/feature-story/2016/extension-program-bridges-digital-gap-rural-areas
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You are here: Home | Economy | News | ND conference suggests reconstitution of anti-corruption office
ND conference suggests reconstitution of anti-corruption office
Author: Garang Abraham | Published: 5 months ago
South Sudanese refugees and some Kenyans hold corruption protests in Nairobi in 2019 | Credit | Unknown
Participants to the Greater Equatoria National Dialogue Regional Conference say the Anti-Corruption Commission should be supervised by the TNLA, not Executive.
This, they say, would make it possible to punish those involved in corruption across South Sudan.
A 2013 report about corruption in South Sudan shows that the vice spreads across all sectors of the economy and all levels of the state apparatus.
It says since independence, South Sudan has taken steps to promote transparency and accountability to fight corruption, but lack of capacity, resources and political will often hamper effective implementation.
In September 2016, The Sentry in a corruption report showed that South Sudan’s top leaders, including President Salva Kiir, former army Chief of General Staff Paul Malong and former first vice President Dr. Riek Machar “appear to have accumulated significant wealth since 2005”.
“They are saying the single most important issue and which encourages corruption is impunity,” said Peter Lam Both, member of the Economic Committee at the ongoing Equatoria National Dialogue Regional Conference.
“Leaders are accused of corruption but they are let go and that is what encourages it. So, they are saying we need to punish those who are responsible for corruption in the country.”
He revealed that the participants call for reconstitution of the defunct Anti-Corruption Commission, with a vibrant one that should be accountable to the national legislative assembly rather than to the executive.
“Participants are suggesting that there is need to reconstitute it and to make it accountable to national assembly rather than to the executive,” Both added.
Over 300 participants representing traditional leaders, faith-groups and politicians from the Equatoria region have gathered in Juba to deliberate on issues affecting the country.
The national conference is expected to be held before the formation of the next Transitional Government of National Unity.
The recommendations from the dialogue will be presented to the coalition government to factor into its programs of reforms and service delivery across the country.
The Equatoria regional conference will end on Friday, 30 August.
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Lotus Confirms Type 130 Hypercar is named EVIJA
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Location: Goodwood, West Sussex
(Goodwood, West Sussex – 3 July 2019) – Lotus chose the Goodwood Festival of Speed to reveal the name of its new all-electric hypercar, and called on fans to visit its stand for an exclusive glimpse.
Due to start production in 2020, the world’s first British EV hypercar will be called the Lotus EVIJA. It marks the start of an exciting new chapter in the history of the iconic British sports car brand. As the first major Lotus model launch under the stewardship of Geely – the world’s fastest growing automotive group – its significance cannot be overstated.
Pronounced ‘ev-eye-a’ it means ‘the first in existence’ or ‘the living one’. It is highly appropriate; Lotus has an unquestionable reputation for its pioneering approach in both automotive and motorsport. The Evija – as the first all-electric hypercar from a British car maker – continues that story of innovation.
Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham said: “Evija is the perfect name for our new car because it’s the first hypercar from Lotus, our first electric offering and is the first new model under the stewardship of Geely. The Evija is a Lotus like no other, yet a true Lotus in every sense. It will re-establish our brand on the global automotive stage and pave the way for further visionary models.”
Sports car fans attending the Festival were invited to visit the Lotus stand – on the main grid – for an exclusive glimpse of the Evija. Hidden from general sight, visitors can join a dramatic ‘light show’ experience that reveals new details and provides the best hints yet of its exterior design.
The Lotus Evija will be unveiled in full in London later this month. Since its existence was confirmed at the Shanghai International Auto Show in April, the car has been known only by its Lotus Type number – Type 130. In May Lotus confirmed a maximum of 130 examples will be built at its factory in Hethel, Norfolk, in tribute to its Type number.
Also at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed are some of the most successful, pioneering and record-setting Lotus cars ever made. The stand is hosting the recently unveiled Lotus Evora GT4 Concept race car – which will be making its dynamic debut up the famous Goodwood hill climb course – as well as examples of the current Lotus range of Elise, Exige and Evora.
One historic car is expected to be a real crowd-pleaser. It’s the almost mythical Type 25/R6 Formula One racer, which is the actual car in which legend Jim Clark set the best ever time of 1:20.4 for a lap of the Goodwood circuit. This 1965 record has never been and never will be bettered due to changes in the original configuration of the circuit.
Lotus of Denver is 1 of Only 5 Accredited Partners for Evija in the US.
To learn more about being the first to order Lotus EVIJA contact us at sales@lotusofdenver.com or call Lotus Denver 303-996-7395.
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The apprenticeship accountability hole in the Careers Strategy
Now that the Careers Strategy and both the subsequent Statutory Guidance for Schools and the Guidance for Colleges and Sixth Forms has been published, thoughts turn to not just implementation of the ambitions contained in all 3 documents but how the progress of the sector (and Government) will be measured against them.
A cornerstone of both the Careers Strategy and the Statutory Guidance for Schools is the need to improve the awareness of and the aspiration to apply for apprenticeship routes in young people.
The Careers Strategy decrees that the new Baker Clause law will ensure that young people are, ” are clear about the opportunities offered by technical, employment-focused education” (para 32). It highlights the work and the resources offered by the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network as a way of promoting the route. STEM apprenticeships should be promoted (para 44), the £4m funded training for 500 of the newly defined Career Leader posts in schools will include information about apprenticeships and the revamped National Careers Service website will include apprenticeship information as well as allowing young people to apply for vacancies through the site.
Meanwhile, the Statutory Guidance for Schools again is clear on the requirement to include information on apprenticeships in careers provision and promotes organisations such as Amazing Apprenticeships and the ASK Apprenticeship scheme as well as the steps needed for a school to be compliant with the Baker Clause (paras 61-69).
This is all to be welcomed by Careers practitioners in schools looking for more power to their elbow to help them prepare an impartial careers programme. What is missing though from both documents and, it seems, wider Department For Education thinking is how this provision will be evaluated. The Statutory Guidance document includes reference to how Ofsted will evaluate the outcomes of this work
Destination Measures
A successful careers guidance programme will also be reflected in higher numbers of pupils progressing to positive destinations such as apprenticeships, technical routes, sixth form colleges, further education colleges, universities or employment. Destination measures provide clear and comparable information on the success of schools in helping all of their pupils take qualifications that offer them the best opportunity to continue in education or training.
in their Section 5 inspections. If the entire evaluation of this theme of the Careers Strategy and Guidance is just these (sometimes very infrequent) inspections of schools below Outstanding grade) looking at destinations of KS4 & KS5 leavers, then a lot of schools will be harshly judged for their work.
We know that employers favour hiring older employees for their apprenticeships as Ofsted laid out in their 2015 report “Apprenticeships: developing skills for future prosperity (para 26).
While still early after the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, it should also be noted that the number of Level 2 apprenticeships accessible for school leavers is falling while the growth is in the higher Degree Level apprenticeships, many of which are not new positions but current employees taking new training.
This further narrowing in the number of opportunities for young people to actually progress into means that using only destination measures to monitor the success of careers provision is a metric weighed heavily against schools.
A much fairer way would be to measure both the aspiration of young people to progress into an apprenticeship route and then the number of applications made. At institutional level, collecting this data would be the responsibility of the Careers Leader but at regional and national level, the Government should surely be collating this.
The intentions of young people are regularly assessed by the DfE in their Omnibus Survey series of surveys, the most recent of which shows that apprenticeships still have a journey to make to become a first choice for significant numbers of students
@educationgovuk an overwhelming majority of pupils are still aiming for University as a preferred route https://t.co/AroqT8VNbm—
Russell George (@FECareersIAG) January 31, 2018
That being said, as Ofsted noted above, young people have always been the largest cohort of registrations and applications on the Find An Apprenticeship portal as the spreadsheets here show. As you can see from the number of registrations by age and number of applications by age spreadsheets, interest from those 19 and under has always outstripped the supply of vacancies.
The problem is that the DfE has now stopped publishing these figures. This will be a substantive hole in the accountability data for the success of the Careers Strategy and the Statutory Guidance for schools.
Judging the progress and impact of the Careers Strategy and Statutory Guidance for schools is a wide reaching task but one that will only possible in any meaningful, quantifiable way, if data such as the number of applications for apprenticeships made young people of school leaver age is collected and published. The DfE should rethink their decision to stop publishing these stats.
Posted in CEIAG Policy and tagged apprenticeships, careers strategy, dfe, Lord Baker, national careers service, statutory guidance on February 15, 2018 by fecareersiag. 2 Comments
CEC annual accounts 2017
Since the dissolution of the Connexions framework for delivering CEIAG across England, the placing of the statutory duty upon schools to provide this provision and the establishment of the Careers & Enterprise Company to oversee this area of policy, the hardest thing to track and keep an accountable comparison record of has been the amount of public funds allocated by Government.
At the time of its passing, the annual £200m of funding that Connexions received was much used to highlight just how big of change was being planned by the then Government. Asking schools to fulfill the same level of provision while only retaining a £4.7m web and phone National Careers Service out of the Connexions pot was always going to be a test for resource levels.
The establishment of the Careers & Enterprise Company came with a slew of funding stream promises which were difficult to disentangle to find the overall package worth. Announcements in the budget gave (in political lingo) the spending envelope but, still, left out the detail for how the pie was to be split. It was also worth remembering during the period that the CEC was originally floated it was allocated a £20m start up pot but that it would then be fully employer funded.
Another piece of the jigsaw to complete the funding picture was filed in November 2017 as the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended March 2017 for the CEC were filed at Companies House.
The audited accounts show that for the financial year ending March 2017, the CEC’s income rose to £14,732,430 from £6,204,509 the previous year and that this sum came solely from a Government grant for both years. For 16/17 this is actually less than the £19.5m set aside by the Government for the CEC but the “resource expenditure” was lower than expected.
The CEC is leasing its Clerkenwell Green offices no more than a year in advance (future lease commitments page 19).
The Statement also details that the number of staff is now up to 24 from 9 in 2016 as the Company has expanded its research and outreach teams (page 15). The wage bill of £1,335,319 means that the average salary for a CEC employee is a little over £55,000. Enterprise Coordinators will not be included in this as, I think, their wages come from the Local Enterprise Partnerships.
Elsewhere in the document, the Strategic and Directors reports outline the CEC plans and goals including it’s “ambition..to bring together the best technology to create a digital system for careers and enterprise activity” or Lord Young’s long mooted Enterprise Passport. Lord Young himself is a Director of the CEC and was one of the three on the Incorporation of “Enterprise for Education Ltd” as the organisation was originally named. £11m external funding has been “secured” for the Investment Funds program of researched provision while page 2 also boasts of another £15m of external funding being “leveraged” to “increase investment in the system.” These could also be public funds from Government or bodies such as LEPS.
Page 2 confirms that the CEC has been funded by the Government for 17/18.
As you can see, even with an end of financial year statement, finding a total amount of public funding being spent on CEIAG provision isn’t easy. Add to the sums mentioned in this document can be the funding for the National Careers Service, the Job Centre Plus work in schools, branding and promotion schemes such as YourLife or the Year of Engineering 2018 and you have a multitude of funding streams with changeable annual budgets. These type of documents are important though for they detail the actual expenditure of the CEC and not the canny accounting which can conjure up the figures in politicians speeches.
Posted in CEIAG Policy and tagged Careers Entreprise Company, Connexions, Enterprise Passport, Lord Young, national careers service, YOUR LIFE on January 2, 2018 by fecareersiag. Leave a comment
The demise of Plotr and what free online CEIAG diagnostic tools are left
With news that the Plotr website is finally shutting down and merging with Start Profile (itself a brand of U-Explore) I thought I would give a rundown on the variety of free online CEIAG diagnostic tools available and see if readers have their own links and views to share.
Plotr came onto the scene back in 2012 with the backing of the then Skills Minister, Matthew Hancock who considered it as
an excellent example of employers coming together, to create an innovative website allowing young people to really understand what employers offer
Others in the Careers community were not so sure as the new website received significant financial backing from central Government with an initial £700,000 from the Cabinet Office and the (then) Department for Business Innovation and Skills
doesn't the #careers community think £1.998 million for #plotr could have been better spent – hard to see how they blew our money #plotr
— Nick Newman (@newmanswords) November 20, 2014
and launched without public tender or consultation from the sector bodies. I remember from conversations at the time, Careers colleagues were distinctly unimpressed with the lack of co-ordination with professional or non-profit organisations that were already working in the space and the fact that the first CEO, Andrew Thompson, was a Director at the then Government’s favoured outsourcing firm Serco did not sit well.
In 2014 another £1.3m was injected by BIS for a revamp which included the diagnostic tool “The Game.” This was an exhaustive set of questions based on psychometric research that suggested job roles to the skills and abilities suited to the young person answering the questions. As a CEIAG tool it wasn’t great but it was free and, with a lot of assistance, you could get results out of it to talk through with a young person.
The company behind the site actually went into liquidation back in October 2016 and the obituaries for it written at the time weren’t pretty. As the Buzzfeed report details, the significant taxpayer investment did not produce anything like the engagement or traffic statistics from its target audience hoped for so the initial employer buy-in soon frizzled out.
Which all leaves Careers practitioners with what available free diagnostic resources to use?
Start Profile
After registering, students can access 4 areas (My Skills, My Interests, My Qualities & My Work Preferences) to enter their responses. This information is then used to suggest courses, qualifications, study locations and jobs that might fit.
Requiring students to register before using the site has its positives and negatives. As a practitioner, you can register and then monitor your students work but the sheer faff of getting a class or even individuals to sign up and then check their email account for confirmations is off-putting. Students can also search by Job Sectors. It’s cleanly laid out as a site that seems easily navigable to me, the job suggestions make sense from the information inputted and, with a cursory tour, the course information at providers seems up to date.
National Careers Service Skills Health Check
Still hosted on the plain .GOV.UK platform, the National Careers Service website is a sorry state these days. The Skills Health Section is not a tool I would advise for use for young people, it’s simply too exhaustive. Adult clients of mine have used it and found useful feedback in the Skills Report produced once the numerous question sections are completed but to complete the entire check requires a significant time commitment.
It is not something I would suggest that could be completed in a session with a client, they would need to complete this in their own time for a discussion of the findings to take place at a later date.
The Skills Report suggests job areas that may be of interest which you can then click-through to the National Careers Service Job Profiles to further explore. The results of the Activity Skills sections can need some tact when discussing with clients who find those academic tasks more difficult.
ICould Buzz Quiz
At the opposite end of the time commitment needs is the ICould Buzz Quiz. This is a quick set of either/or questions that then suggests jobs through the bank of videos on the site and assigns the user a personality type.
I have found the quick questions, videos and fun outlines of the personality types extremely successful when working with Key Stage 3 children or those with Special Educational Needs. Some of the skill terminology can need explaining to young ears (a “cold” personality doesn’t mean you’re always shivering) but these discussions can be beneficial in identifying skills and descriptive language. The lack of information inputted by the user though can be an issue, some of the suggested jobs can seem quite random and not allied to the interests of the young person at all. This can cause them to lose faith in the whole exercise so caution is advised. When leading groups, headphones are also required.
Prospects Job Match
Still in beta testing mode, this Prospects offer can be attempted without registering but the later stages of the job recommendations are only accessible after signing up. After 26 questions which are very on the nose (“Do you understand the law?”) and use language aimed at the graduate target market of the site, the user’s skill set is matched against job families. The user can then click-through to the recommended job profiles. I personally find the job profiles section excellent and use it regularly in one to one sessions, each profile has comprehensive and clearly written information on the skills required and duties likely to be encountered as well as the qualifications required. The links to associated job boards or industry organisations are also extremely useful and have broadened my bookmarks of useful sites to use with clients.
Pearson Career Interests Quiz
Similar to a section of the now defunct Plotr Game, the user is asked to rate duties in order of preference or select their top three most appealing tasks from a list. The questions are easy to understand and a typical student could rattle through them in 15 minutes. Some of questions require the statements to be moved into priority order and the design is all very intuitive. On completion of the questions, users are shown a sector matching chart
in which users can click on the sectors to encourage skill comparison but actual job titles or profiles are not then mentioned. Job profiles are held elsewhere on the site so why this connection is not made is strange and a real negative. Young people need to see what job titles fall into what sectors to begin to make connections between them and investigate what those jobs are, not making this link explicit is odd.
Skills Route Explore
Asks users to enter courses they are studying and suggests jobs associated with that course
so it’s fairly reductive and is not good at highlighting transferable skills. The job profiles then linked through as also fairly basic with little in the way of description that would help a young person understand what was involved. The charts showing the likelihood of automation, job satisfaction and wage are neat ideas but the job satisfaction one especially needs context as the average for all jobs is only 32% (it seems the data these charts is based upon asked a lot of unhappy people at work!).
Diagnostic tools are useful conversation starters when dealing with younger clients or those considering a complete career change and the more options you have to use in your toolbox, the more likely you are to use the right one for the right client. If there are any I’ve missed, please link in the comments below and let me know what you think about it!
April 2019 update –
The National Careers Service – Discover your skills and careers
At the time of writing this tool is still in beta testing so the URL or layout might change depending on the feedback received. This is a much shorter and easier to complete tool than the more in-depth Skills Health check described above. The questions seem clear but some of them are worded in a way which may not elicit and honest answer from a client but one which they think they should say so watch for that. It is though, something which could be completed in a 1:1 session and the results built into the Guidance discussion. The results from the client’s questions are disappointingly vague, in that they only suggest job areas which then require the use to click through to see job title in that area. More specificity in the recommendations would be welcome but it’s still a tool I can see Advisers finding useful.
Posted in Careers & WRL lessons, Face 2 Face IAG and tagged Diagnostic tools, icould, matthew hancock, national careers service, Pearson, plotr, Prospects, Serco, Skills Route, Start Profile, U-Explore on August 4, 2017 by fecareersiag. 3 Comments
Some kind of bliss – on timing for Careers reports
Today saw (yet another) report on Careers work in school added to the library of publications released on the matter. The sub-Committee on Education, Skills & the Economy published a report on the findings of it’s inquiry into the state of CEIAG in schools. The recommendations and conclusions within retread old ground of those previously recommended by Education Select Committees and takes a lot of direction from the report du jour, the Gatsby Foundation report on Careers.
Some of those detailed recommendations make sense, for example:
We invite the Government, in its response, to set out a comprehensive plan for improving destination data, including the timescales for doing so. This plan should include steps to make the data available in a more timely way and to ensure that they cover a longer period of time, and give more details on how the data will draw on information held by other Government departments. The Government should also consider how best to present its destination data, to mitigate the risk that schools are judged primarily on the number of their students going onto higher education.
We recommend that the Government, in its careers strategy, take steps to simplify the delivery of its careers policy at the national level. It should put a single Minister and a single Department in charge of co-ordinating careers provision for all ages, and set out how it plans to rationalise the number of Government-funded organisations delivering careers programmes.
We recommend that the Government work with employers and schools to produce a plan to ensure that all students at Key Stage 4 have the opportunity to take part in meaningful work experience.
all get a big thumbs up from me.
Other points such as for the Careers & Enterprise Company to take on the “inspiration agenda” work of the National Careers Service might be good strategic ideas but, as an end facilitator of that provision, I’m more concerned that high quality provision is on offer. How the email invites actually make their way to my inbox doesn’t bother me.
What does concern me though is the sheer unfortunate timing of the whole report and seemingly oblivious to external factors the report (actually written on the 29th June) is.
Firstly the report is published in the post-Brexit maelstrom. We currently have a barely functioning Parliament as both main parties are gripped in their own internal struggles. Getting traction from Ministers caught up promoting their favoured candidates in the Conservative Leadership election will be difficult before the summer recess and, with a General Election a possible blot on the horizon (and so a new Education Secretary) not likely after. If Brexit can scupper an entire White Paper, what hope a report from a sub-committee? Will the report be championed by the opposition? Well, it would need a quick grasp of a new brief from a new Shadow Education MP only a few days into her role after the previous incumbent lasted two days.
The aftershock of the Brexit vote on Government business cannot be underestimated. The Institute for Government rates the Life Chances Strategy (of which the Careers & Enterprise Company is a component) as “delayed” and highly dependent on whoever takes the Tory leadership crown.
How #brexit is throwing policies& projects off course: a list of what has been left behind https://t.co/W5HFLdNtcQ pic.twitter.com/j4HA9jhz1R
— Institute for Gov (@instituteforgov) July 2, 2016
Another iceberg in the way of traction is the Chilcot report on the Iraq War. Released the day after the sub-Committee Careers report, it is sure to consume news headlines and, already hard pressed, Parliamentary focus.
Then there is the reliance in the report on Ofsted to monitor CEIAG provision in schools which doesn’t appear to quite realise what’s happening to Ofsted.
We recommend that Ofsted introduce a specific judgment on careers information, advice and guidance for secondary schools, and set clear criteria for making these judgments. The Common Inspection Framework should be amended to make clear that a secondary school whose careers provision is judged as “requires improvement” or “inadequate” cannot be judged to be “outstanding” overall; likewise, a secondary school should be unable to receive an overall judgment of “good” if its careers provision is judged to be “inadequate”.
For context, this academic year has seen a sharp fall in the number of schools Ofsted is actually inspecting due, in part, to a new “targeted” inspection framework. One goal of a “self improving system” is to have this more targeted Inspectorate but the £31m funding “black hole” Ofsted faces over the next four years will drive the inspection framework just as much. Add to this the appointment of a new Chief Inspector from 2017 who will have her own views and priorities and it becomes concerning that relying on an Office for Standards without resources to monitor those standards perhaps isn’t the most effective driver of then improving those standards.
Back in 1997, Kylie Minogue released a track called “Some Kind of Bliss” as the opening to a new direction in her career. An expensive video was shot, indie credibility from the Manic Street Preachers brought in and a whole promotional blitz was planned. Then, on the Sunday before, Princess Diana died, the country had a collective weep and went out in their millions and brought Elton John instead. Kylie’s dalliance with indie was consigned to the musical dustbin. Releasing reports designed to improve CEIAG in the wake of the Brexit vote will have as much impact as when an Australian pop princesses tried to grab onto Britpop’s vanishing coat tails.
Posted in CEIAG Policy, Uncategorized and tagged Brexit, business select committee, career guidance, Careers Entreprise Company, careers policy, Chilcot Report, destination measures, dfe, education select committee, gatsby foundation, national careers service, ofsted on July 5, 2016 by fecareersiag. 1 Comment
More Careers inquiry fandango
Recent weeks have seen not one but two sessions on CEIAG held by the joint Education & Business sub-committee. In fact, due to Ministerial illness, a third is soon to come. What a time to be alive.
The first session, with witnesses from the CDI, Careers England, AELP and the West Midlands LEP, was not broadcast as it was held away from the Westminster estate so only a written record has been published while the second session, with witnesses from the Careers Enterprise Company, the National Careers Service and Ofsted, is online for your viewing pleasure.
Across these two sessions there’s a couple of things which peaked my interest.
The CDI are treading very carefully around the funding issue
Suggesting that HE Widening Participation funds be funneled off to help fund careers support might be an idea with merit and fit as a solution to the dropout data but asking funding to be directed from another strand of the social mobility levers isn’t without downsides. Careers work with young people is something that a Government should see as a stand alone good and fund as such. In the current climate, asking Government for cash is a sure fire way to be swiftly shown the meeting room exit door which makes persuasion harder but it shouldn’t be dodged because of this.
The confusion over strategic funding ideals and what this funding gets spent on (see point 5) is also exacerbated by the strong call from all witnesses for Careers Quality Marks to be an integral part of any recommendations put forward by the Committee. This would come with a significant cost for schools currently under huge financial pressure (plus the forthcoming evidence toolkit will surely weaken the argument for quality awards even further, but that’s another blog). The issue of funding needs a joined up message from the CDI and not left to other unions.
2. The National Careers Service offer for young people isn’t being held to account
Around the 16.30pm mark Joe Billington, the Director of the National Careers Service, is asked how many young people have used the phone service but the conversation is diverted and the answer never comes. The most recent data shows that just 4% of the 25,000 telephone users of the service were 19 or under (page 19). That isn’t enough.
3. Generally, the MPs didn’t seem very well briefed
Around the 16.38pm mark, a number of the MP’s seem shocked to learn that a wealth of data on skills mismatches and employer views on the employability of young people was already readily available even before the Careers Enterprise Company used it to form their “cold spots” map. Both the UKCES Employer Perspectives survey and the annual Employer Skills survey have this information in droves. That these MPs, on this specific sub-committee, looking at this specific issue, were not aware of this is baffling. Amanda Milling MP then goes onto ask about the interaction between business and schools, it’s true that a lot has been published on this subject but, at the very least, could she not be aware of the work from the department she is meant to be scrutinising?
4. Relying on Ofsted to be the all knowing overseer of careers work in schools is a busted flush
They don’t have the time, the capacity nor the inspection framework to do it. It isn’t happening on the scale it needs to now and, with the ongoing move to a school lead system and a new Chief Inspector to be appointed, won’t in the future.
5. This is a lot of strategic stuff without asking, “Day to day, who’s talking to young people?”
For all of this talk about “umbrella” organisations, Quality Marks and websites not a lot of time or attention seems to be focused on who is actually going to enabling this provision for and with young people. To their credit, the CDI are clear in their expectation of suitable CPD and qualification status for professionals and the work of the Careers Enterprise company will help provision levels. Helping schools focus on, fund and find time for careers work to happen seems to be the roll your sleeves up work though nobody wants to roll their sleeves up for.
Side note – If I was a tinfoil hat wearing type I would also note that, last year, the revamped careers duty for schools was released on the 25th March and the Guidance the year before that on April 14. Postponing the Ministerial witness session to beyond those dates this year could allow them to appear in front of the Committee with a new document to offer.
Posted in CEIAG Policy, Employer Engagement, Face 2 Face IAG, Uncategorized and tagged AELP, careers england, CDI, LEPs, level 6, national careers service, ofsted, Quality Awards, ukces on March 23, 2016 by fecareersiag. 4 Comments
My stab in the dark at where that £70m is going
Politicians have many tricks up their sleeves, one of which David Cameron recently deployed in a speech more widely about life chances but in a section about launching a mentoring scheme aimed at students “at risk of underachieving or dropping out.”
The trick is in the section below:
AKA Announce one initiative, then mention a large amount of funding that isn’t just for that one initiative.
“We’ll direct £70 million towards careers in this Parliament”
If we take that to mean ‘youth’ careers services (the accompanying press release elaborates “government will spend £70 million on its strategy to improve careers education and guidance in this Parliament”) then the announced mentoring scheme is only a tiny, tiny percentage of that money.
Before we do the math, let’s remember as well that “in this Parliament” now means by statute, a period of 5 years.
Last financial year, the young people’s helpline section of the National Careers Service cost £3,369,000. (x5 = £16,845,000) The financial year before this cost £4.165m so funding there is falling.
The Careers & Enterprise Company was established with a one off £20m investment with the hope that employers would pay for it in future years.
We know the Government also funds advice channels such as YourLife, Big Bang Fairs and others. The 14/15 cost for all of those initiatives was £7.85m. If they were to be continued over 5 years that’s £39,250,000 (which means they won’t be on that scale).
Without taking into account future cuts to those figures (and there will be, the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills has to cut £2.4bn before 2020), that takes the total to over £80m already.
We also know that trials are currently being run by Job Centre Plus in schools. I’ve been unable to find a cost for this trial but I would assume that will be funded by the Department for Work and Pensions so might not be included in Cameron’s headline figure. Likewise the funding for the Skills Show is from the European Social Fund so comes from a wholly different pot.
Even with that rough and ready maths, you can see how quickly the figure of £70m is soon soaked up by current commitments without nary a penny thrown in the direction of a mentoring scheme.
Posted in CEIAG Policy, Uncategorized and tagged bis, Careers Company, Careers guidance, government, job centre plus, national careers service, yourlife on January 20, 2016 by fecareersiag. 4 Comments
A Journey into LMI lesson plans
Being sent out to schools at the moment are the lesson plans below. “A Journey into LMI” are lesson plans from the National Careers Service and are part of the Service’s remit to engage with younger learners. Back in October 2014 Nick Boles announced that all National Careers Service contracts were being amended to include a 5% spend on young people. Whether through online resources meant to engage directly young people or through resources for teachers and advisers to use, these are some of the results of that funding.
As part of a wider drive to improve the awareness of labour market intelligence, the site also has an LMI area map and each LEP area should be sending out an LMI newsletter. The sign up for the update for my own area (SEMLEP) is here.
My local contract holder has also trailed the possibility of some actual activities happening but, by the time the representative came to talk to school careers advisers in my town, we were told the funding pot for these activities had already been exhausted.
Posted in Careers & WRL lessons and tagged labour market, LMI, national careers service, nick boles, semlep on October 6, 2015 by fecareersiag. 2 Comments
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Ficticities
Imagine a Publishing House Run by Writers…
Random Short Fics
Counteractuals
My name is John Doyle. I grew up in Des Plaines IL, the “City of Destiny,” home of Ray Kroc’s first McDonald’s franchise and John Wayne Gacy’s last victim. I left there long ago; Durham NC is our latest stopover. You can download my long fictions for free at salonpostisme.com. You can email me at portalic@gmail.com.
Imagining Alternative Postcapitalist Realities
Ours is a mongrel species consigned to wandering hybrid worlds — worlds that are never enough for us and yet always too much. To craft a tool, to plant a garden, to build a city, to launch a spacecraft is to infuse raw matter with meaning and purpose. To craft a weapon, to burn down a forest, to build an empire, to launch a war… Power and subjection, wealth and abjection, fame and rejection: the imaginary becomes real, fiction becomes fact. We are, separately and together, thrown into a world already made, and so it seems inevitable to us, inescapable, the imaginary inseparable from the material. Is it possible to pull them apart, putting them back together again some other way?
Fictional narratives are works of the imagination embedded in real-world pipelines and platforms, in cash flows and organizational flowcharts, in economic systems and status hierarchies and cultural milieus established long ago. For many the fictional tradition is no longer sustainable, trapping writers in economic precarity and readers in literary predictability. Fiction is a canary in the capitalist coalmine, a forerunner of a seemingly inevitable future collapse of the gig economy where workers’ wages approach zero while return on investment approaches infinity and where, amid the incessant churn of the marketplace, novelty and popularity stand in for excellence. We deserve better than what we’re getting, however unlikely or implausible. Can’t something else be envisioned? Can’t something else actually happen?
Random Fics
There are worlds that occupy neither place nor time or, better, that occupy no place and time in particular. Any place, any time; actual, possible, impossible — such are the parameters. They are extensible, these worlds, appearing in countless times and places, overlapping and morphing into each other in such pluripotency it’s as if they don’t exist at all, collapsing into void and chaos under the weight of their own multiplicities. Perhaps after all these worlds are imaginary, but from whose imagination do they arise? Is it conceivable that such worlds are the source of their own imaginings, incorporating denizens and strangers, forces and structures, compulsions and outrages, into their deliria?
Some wander intermittently through the fictional worlds, the FictiCities, arriving through force of intent or in unwitting response to strange allures, unaware of having joined themselves, however tangentially, to the ambient throngs. Others take up more permanent residency as bon vivants and recluses, as characters and chroniclers. Not everyone who occupies the FictiCities is real in the ordinary sense; they are, each and all, extraordinarily real.
Those who chronicle the FictiCities lead double lives, simultaneously imagining and being imagined, observing and being observed, creating and being created. Triple lives actually, for they find themselves enmeshed also in the actually existing world. One by one they’re looped into institutions and organizations, marketplaces and networks, schools and publishers and platforms, all purporting to span the abyss separating fict from fact, imaginary from real. These bridges too are largely imaginary, their reality dependent on the complicity of their participants. And the bridges are so narrow, the tolls so high and the queues so long, offering passage to desperate and teeming realms stripped of sustenance.
Instead of scrambling and competing for purchase on a barren and shrinking land, can the chroniclers recognize their joint tenancy in the limitless realms of the FictCities? Can they author not only their narratives but also the conduits through which those narratives are transmitted? Can those who receive the chronicles realize that they too occupy these selfsame FictiCities, along with all the other real and imaginary characters they encounter there?
I’m a virtual flâneur. In my wanderings I read online short fictions. I select them by sortilege: an online random number generator selects a page of literary magazines from the Poets & Writers website; a second random number selects a specific magazine on that page; a third number selects the piece of fiction from the most current open-access issue of that magazine.
From some short fictions I excerpt a textual fragment that refers to some salient aspect of its fictional world. A single day’s excerpts are compiled into a single post, with original sources cited and linked, as if I’d witnessed each of these scenes or events in sequence while strolling through a fictional city. Together, all of these virtual strolls comprise a kind of grand tour of the fictional FictiCities — a complement of sorts to Calvino’s Invisible Cities, in which descriptions of various fictional cities all refer to the same actual city of Venice — or at least the actual 13th century city as remembered by a fictionalized Marco Polo.
With other short fictions I interact more intensively. Having a manuscript accepted for publication is an accomplishment, like getting top marks on an exam, an achievement to sweeten the transcript or the résumé. The judgment can become more important than the meaning; the judge, more powerful than the writer or the text. Redressing that imbalance is one motivator for me to start engaging publicly with new stories and their authors. Getting published needn’t be an end in itself; what’s important is the open invitation extended to readers to explore and question the text, extending the boundaries of the FictiCities.
Each fictional narrative takes place somewhere in particular, but from the standpoint of Ficticities’ City the particulars aren’t of central concern; it’s the relationship between the fictional and the actual that comes into focus. Can textual indicators of fictional versus actual be discerned? I don’t mean actual versus fictional places and times in which the stories unfold, nor am I concerned particularly with the author’s use of “realism effects” to make the fictional setting seem actual. I’m wondering about the extent to which the actuality of the story, the place and time in which it unfolds, drifts into realms of the imaginary, the speculative, the abstract, the unreal — the fictional. This sort of imaginary drifting out of the actual here-and-now, incorporating fiction into reality, is something all of us do in real life.
Every now and then I identify one sort of Counteractual — an element of fictional fiction, an instance in which the reality depicted in the fictional narrative is disrupted by an alternate reality. Phrases from this website’s randomly selected short fictions are selected to illustrate the Counteractual.
Surveys and Results
Could writers and readers of fiction jointly run an open access e-book publishing house of distinction?
Would they want to?
I have my own opinions, but I don’t know how far out of step I am with consensus, or even with the radical fringe. Surveying fiction writers — who of course are also readers of fiction — seemed like a good first step in finding out. Others might want to know too, so I intended to post the results of each survey on the website. Anyone who’s interested in the survey topics is invited to fill out a survey. However, as a proactive recruiting tactic I focused initially on writers whose short fictions have been published in online open-access publications, since they’re more likely to have informed opinions about the publication format. It’s not always easy to find email addresses of writers, and besides, unsolicited requests to participate in surveys might be met with skepticism and spam filtering. Instead I expected that authors excerpted or explored more intensively here would google themselves, leading them here, where they would be invited to complete a survey. Alas, that didn’t work: evidently very few authors of recently published short fictions google themselves, perhaps because they expect to come up empty. So the survey aspect of FictiCities is presently on pause.
Postcapitalist Fictions: Outline for an Experimental Agenda
Postcapitalist Houses: Writing Precariously — Pamphlet 1
Postcapitalist Books: Book Fetish — Pamphlet 2
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Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” on Fortnite’s piano is even better than you can imagine
Eli Becht
The piano in Fortnite’s Creative mode is home to pretty much anything that can come to your imagination, including recreating popular songs like Bad Guy by Billie Eilish.
While many players have been complaining about the direction of Season X, Creative players have just been sitting idly by collecting new objects to use on their maps.
Players have shown their talents on the pianos before but it’s still impressive to see how easy they make it look.
Reddit user UMadBroYolobf uploaded a video showcasing his skills on the piano and even if you’re not a fan of the song, it’ll be pretty hard to not come away surprised with how good this sounds.
"Bad Guy" played on the Fortnite piano from FortNiteBR
Somehow, the piano skills aren’t even the most impressive part of all this but the editing might actually take the cake here. Seeing the use of the campfire, snap, and gun all add to the experience.
Even better, we see the four different videos all playing at the same time as each other, really making it look like this took a lot of work to edit.
READ MORE: What to expect from Fortnite’s v10.31 Content Update
UMadBroYoloBf has become known over the past several months for their piano creations and bringing songs like Old Town Road, Despacito, and many more to life.
For as much flak the battle royale mode of Fortnite is currently getting with Season 10, it’s impressive to see how much content comes out of the Creative mode.
Fortnite Season X has added a lot of new Creative features.
We can’t forget that Fortnite’s ever-changing location, The Block, is materialized because of players in Creative mode so its importance is felt in many ways.
Creative mode gives players a good way to experience Fortnite even if they aren’t all that great at it.
Those players even have a chance to make some money, as we saw we the Fortnite Creative World Cup. Who knows, Epic might hold another event like that in the future so don’t worry about spending hours upon hours making maps.
Writer for FortniteIntel. You can find him on Twitter @elibecht
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First year PIOMAS volume below 1000km^3 poll 2018
When will be the first year that daily ice volume per PIOMAS goes below 1000 km^3?
Voting closed: May 27, 2018, 05:31:41 PM
Author Topic: First year PIOMAS volume below 1000km^3 poll 2018 (Read 22865 times)
This poll was first posted 10 Dec 2014. Over 3 years seemed suitable delay before trying again and after lots of comments on the 'Ice free arctic' thread https://forum.arctic-sea-ice.net/index.php/topic,1886.0.html also seemed suitable.
The original post had
Since 2013 and 2014 minimums were so high, I thought it might be an idea to have another poll to see how much later if at all people think ice free conditions will occur.
Other long term outlooks are welcome. Feel free to describe what you think will happen. If you wish that can include downloading the attachment and drawing what you think is more plausible.
To explain the attached graph:
Blue data is April Average PIOMAS volume
Yellow data is September average PIOMAS volume
Red and green are 4 parameter gompertz fits.
The straight blue line is intended to show acceleration as MYI over 2m thick collapsed due to less area, less age and thinner MYI mainly as the MYI stopped making it around the Beaufort Gyre. Once there was little MYI over 2m thick this accelerated phase dies out so that the thinning was only at a rate consistent with just FYI thinning.
The purple line descends more quickly than the blue line again aiming to be consistent with past. If there is less ice at the start of the season then albedo will be lower allowing more open water to form and more energy to be absorbed so that more ice melts. I have the difference between the two straight lines increasing from 17.8 K Km^3 in 2014 to 18.8 K Km^3 when we reach ice free.
This purple line first goes below 1000 km^3 in 2028.
Also note that the difference between 2012 and 2014 minimum volumes is nearly 3200 Km^3. Therefore while the purple line only gets down to 1000 Km^3 by 2028, it could occur any time after the purple line gets below 2600 km^3 which could be as early as 2022. I am therefore going to average 2022 and 2028 to arrive at 2025.
To this I am adding updated graphs for September and April PIOMAS volume with 4 parameter gompertz fits.
Votes should be changeable until the vote deadline. Also viewable after you have voted.
Anything else I should add? (I haven't put a link to the old poll, think I would prefer people to vote without looking to see how they compare. But open to arguments for doing so.)
Edit: in response to question, I have edited to make clear it is daily minimum per PIOMAS. Note that the graphs are of September average not daily and first year could well be ahead of any trend.
PIOMASVolumemax&minExtrapolatebelievable.png (27.02 kB, 952x566 - viewed 152 times.)
SeptPIOMASVolume4pgf.png (16.19 kB, 600x371 - viewed 1748 times.)
AprilPIOMASVolume4pgf.png (17.75 kB, 600x371 - viewed 1745 times.)
« Last Edit: March 29, 2018, 01:24:31 AM by crandles »
Re: First year PIOMAS volume below 1000km^3 poll 2018
The 2014 First Ice free day poll (volume) comments can be reviewed. Voting record below.
An Arctic sea ice free (extent) poll was started in March 2013. About half of us were wrong (so far). At least one or two of us will undoubtedly be right! (I'm still in the running. Boy my thinking changed between this 2013 extent poll and the 2014 volume poll!) This wasn't a volume poll, I know, but I think it is worth reviewing. Voting record below.
ASI free-PIOMAS-2014poll.png (31.28 kB, 842x363 - viewed 112 times.)
ASI free-extent2013poll.png (27.46 kB, 838x320 - viewed 106 times.)
Crandles just to verify, your poll is about the daily minimum, correct? I am asking as the graphs you posted are for the Sept average.
Archimid
Attached is Volume Max with an extended linear trend.
Loss maximum, minimum and average are taken for the 2007-2017 period and drawn on the line
According to that a graph if a maximum loss happened last year volume below 1000km^3 would've been achieved then!
If the average loss remains constant, then the date would be somewhere around 2030.
However because gains are decreasing and temperatures rising I'm going with 2019-2021.
Edit: Replaced graph. Forgot to add 1 to the average
LessThan1000.png (46.75 kB, 1146x656 - viewed 138 times.)
« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 10:42:00 PM by Archimid »
I am an energy reservoir seemingly intent on lowering entropy for self preservation.
Dharma Rupa
This is a crap shoot with real loaded dice. Loaded dice have a shot of lead inside with something sticky, like wax. Turn the dice to a particular pair of faces and smack them down hard against the table and now that pair of faces becomes the most likely roll next time.
I don't know which year will be first, but I'm pretty sure the next year will be the same.
Quote from: oren on March 28, 2018, 08:16:00 PM
Should have known I would miss something obvious. Have edited poll question to add daily and also put in some warning about this issue in the first post.
People should be able to change their vote if they wish.
Dave C
My real answer is "not likely to be soon", but I guess I'll pick 29-33.
Obviously you have to be careful against cherry picking, but the fact is that there has been no volume decline for 7 years now. I don't believe an objective rate of yearly volume decline exists. The rate is entirely dependent on the starting year you pick.
I think the most likely theory is the slow decline one(but still faster than scientific models predicted in the past). It is becoming increasingly likely that the ice dynamics have changed after most of the multi-year ice was eliminated. There is no reason that a trend has to continue. It's quite possible that the usual trend lines referred to will be wrong because the negative feedbacks certain to occur are stronger than predicted.
At least 4 negative feedbacks are certain to occur with less ice. Lower temperatures in ice covered areas, less average insolation, less ice transport and greater chance for refreezing in winter. It's possible that less ice creates more protective cloud cover as well. In the long run the ice is doomed. But in the short run I think these negative feedbacks are likely to prevail.
Quote from: Dave C on March 30, 2018, 12:29:15 PM
>"Lower temperatures in ice covered areas"
Why would there be lower temperatures? Surely there are warmer temperatures nearer than previously that can get blown to such positions more easily? Then there is GHG levels.
'Less average insolation' is assuming increased cloud cover? (Not sure there is data showing this or at least isn't very clear.) Then there is lower albedo meaning a higher proportion is absorbed.
'Less ice transport' ice is thinner but moves faster so not sure about less being transported out of arctic. It is possible as ice retreats to smaller area.
But maybe you are talking about, we have cleared ice from area where there is a net movement out of the areas where quick increase in ice free area occurs so readily creating albedo feedback, but when we try to clear area with net movement in the area doesn't clear quickly so the albedo feedback is much slower.
Certainly agree with winter regrowth feedback.
Then there are others like:
Bathymetry: We have cleared the shallow area where warm salty gulf stream water cannot sink.
Distance from land and rivers:
Land warms up fast warming the air and rivers provide fresh water warmed during its journey. As the ice retreats away from these areas it gets harder to melt the ice.
Dave C, the slow transition theory postulated a plateau in winter volume, due to fast refreeze of open water and thin ice, and with the freezing season remaining almost the same length, and thus it postulated a slow decline in summer. But instead we got a record low max volume last year, and a number two this year, so I think the theory is flawed, not taking into account very delayed refreeze. I therefore believe only luck prevented new lows in summer volume.
Great reply, crandles! (You wrote everything I was thinking while reading Dave C's post, plus an item or two.)
The Arctic conditions that most support the "slow transition theory", in my opinion, are the bathymetry and distance from coasts concerns. (I don't think these are really "negative feedbacks" because 'nothing has changed'; years ago I posted, IICR, a concern that ice loss graphs used to predict an ice-free Arctic should use 'only' CAB data. [I think my concern at the time was the limited 'length of summer' in the high Arctic {late May to mid-September.} I've learned something along the way!])
Quote from: crandles on March 30, 2018, 02:46:31 PM
Dave may not be that far off. Considers his 4 feedbacks the remaining ice-covered areas.
1. Even if the average temperature of the Arctic increases, it will still be substantially colder than the water. The open water will lose more heat than the ice-covered areas. This could result in a short-term temperature decrease (at least until most of the ice is lost).
2. Less ice transport is most likely to occur, as most of the ice loss occurs in the open ocean where it is much more susceptible to transport, whereas the remaining ice will be tied to land areas.
3. Yes, the is definitely greater opportunity for refreezing. This has already occurred during the winters following low summer minima. This ice is then more likely to melt the following summer. Not sure that this is a feedback at all.
4. The ice will not create more cloud cover. Open water may. The effect of clouds are two-fold; warmer winters, due to heat retention, and cooler summers, due to solar blockage. This would be a negative feedback on summer ice loss, but a positive for winter gains. Overall, clouds tend to reduce temperature extremes; cooling the warmest areas and warming the coldest. With the Arctic being among the coldest, I would expect a general warming with more cloudiness, even though summer temperatures may decrease slightly.
litesong
cherry picking.... has been no volume decline for 7 years..... rate is entirely dependent on the starting year you pick.....most likely theory is the slow decline one..... in the short run I think these negative feedbacks are likely to prevail.
AGW deniers depend on the temporary decrease in solar TSI which has been languid for half a century & low for 11+ years(including a 3+ year period setting a 100 year record low). AGW deniers lock on to anomalous low ice records like 2012(which decreased greatly in part due to fortuitously directed winds driving much ice out of the arctic). AGW deniers don't mention that present Arctic sea ice ranges from 8000 to 12,000 cubic kilometers LESS than the average of the 1980's, this despite the already mentioned low solar TSI. AGW deniers are cherry pickers & blame AGW advocates as cherry pickers.
Quote from: litesong on March 30, 2018, 06:07:44 PM
I would caution against automatically calling it cherry picking. Only 40 years of data exists, so the analysis is somewhat strained initially. Overall, the trend over the first and last decades show a slow decline as stated by Dave. The middle two decades show a large decline. While the long term decline is definitely apparent, it is difficult to say which trend will continue in the short term. Obviously you and Dave disagree on which will prevail in the short run. This does not make either of you cherry pickers.
Quote from: Daniel B. on March 30, 2018, 06:37:17 PM
Why are you talking decades when the only interesting inflection point is the beginning of the Industrial Age?
We ain't seen nothing yet, and I don't know when the first year will be, but the next year (and many more) will be ice free too.
.... cherry picking. Only 40 years of data exists, so the analysis is somewhat strained initially......last decades show a slow decline as stated by Dave.....Obviously you and Dave disagree
Quoting Dave & giving him cred, while saying its a difference between him & me, tells us where you land. Stating that there is only 40 years of AGW effects, while AGW denier data is neglected or nil, then landing in the AGW denier nest, also tells us what you are hatching.
Quote from: Dharma Rupa on March 30, 2018, 10:08:19 PM
Quite simple. The satellite data starts in 1979. There is no good measure of ice volume to that, so anything else is speculation. Can you state with any certainty the volume of ice in the Arctic at the beginning of the industrial era? or at any time prior? I do not know when the first ice-free year will occur either. However, that does not guarantee that next will be similar.
The satellite data starts in 1979. There is no good measure of ice volume to that, so anything else is speculation.
Much submarine data is available. AGW deniers love to hoot that submarines were surfacing at the North Pole in the 1950's, intimating that 1950's Arctic sea ice was thin. But submarine logs indicate 1950's sea ice was much thicker than today. It took weeks for submarines to find sea ice thin enough, through which submarines could surface. & in weeks previous to that, submarines could not enter the Arctic Ocean from the Bering Strait easily or safely, due to sea ice that was as much as 60 feet thick.
Article about submarine data on sea ice in the 50's & 60's:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/523065.stm
I don't know when the first year(of month or a few weeks of ice-free) will be, but the next year (and many more) will be ice free too.
The real problem will be 4 or 5 months of ice-free Arctic Ocean waters. An ice free September has the sun low & even below the horizon & ocean waters will not collect much solar energy. But when Arctic Ocean waters are ice-free in May, June, July, & August, with the sun at its highest elevation in the sky, much solar energy will absorbed & will warm Arctic waters. Also, wherever solar energy is absorbed on waters that are on downwellings, much solar energy(previously unavailable) will be transported to continental shelves & even to ocean depths for deep sea storage.
Already, tho NOT ice-free, present Arctic waters have as much as 2 million square kilometers less sea ice as that of the 1980's. & as above, these present clear ice waters ARE gathering solar energy during April, May, June, July & August, that wasn't available before sea ice reductions.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2018, 12:11:06 AM by litesong »
Daniel B.'s lies are delicious because by finding what the lie is, you find enlightenment. They are getting very easy to spot though. As climate change advances the evilness of his lies will be evident.
This is one of the best write ups I've seen on Arctic sea ice history. I highly recommended.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-piecing-together-arctic-sea-ice-history-1850
This image is from the article.
Daniel B. is right in that the satellite record is very small. Where he is wrong is that when the rest of the evidence is compiled there is reason for alarm.
Quote from: Archimid on March 31, 2018, 12:53:28 AM
Please leave your false accusations out of this discussion please. If you wish to present evidence against my claim, at least try to present relative evidence. We are discussing PIOMAS volume, and you present evidence on extent. This is similar to the thread on which we were discussing extent, and your refuting evidence was volume. When you post negative comments about another poster it reflects more on you than the person whom you are attacking.
Please leave your false accusations out of this discussion please.
Calling you a liar is an accurate description, not an accusation.
If you wish to present evidence against my claim, at least try to present relative evidence
There was twice as much extent for the last 150+years, plenty of anecdotal evidence that it was much thicker and much colder temperatures. The historical data doesn't have the precision and accuracy of the satellite record but it is equally scientific and consistent.
We are discussing PIOMAS volume, and you present evidence on extent.
If you are talking about the ice-free thread, this is what I said in regard to extent vs volume
If we were talking about albedo, extent would be a good metric, but we are not talking about albedo. We are talking about when the Arctic will be ice free for the first time. For that the best measure is volume for two good reasons. One, extent has no information about ice content, volume does. The second one is that volume hits 0 first. 0 volume = 0 extent.
But you ignored it and kept using extent without justification for it's use.
When you post negative comments about another poster it reflects more on you than the person whom you are attacking.
Yeah, and as climate change gets worse that reflection will improve as the nature of your lies become evident. For now, I'll bite the reputation bullet and treat you like a liar you are, hiding the risks of climate change from others. Sure my words are rough, and I'm sure nice people everywhere despise me for it but what you are doing is despicable and if no one denounce you, then I will, when I have the strength.
I'm sorry to the nice people that must read these strong words, but given the nature of the argument and it's consequences I believe it must be done.
To close in a more scientific note:
Can you state with any certainty the volume of ice in the Arctic at the beginning of the industrial era?
Yes. Given the large extent of the past, lower temperatures of the past and recorded descriptions of the Arctic of the past, as long as the physics are the same as today, the ice was much thicker and the volume much higher to a high degree of certainty. To a very high degree certainty.
However there is always uncertainty. Daniel B. lies uses that fact of life to throw unnecessary uncertainty on the fact that there was much more volume of ice in the past.
Rather odd that you have been arguing on another thread that volume can be less, even though extent is higher. You seem to be changing your argument to fit your opinion. I am truly sorry that you think honesty is despicable, and prefer exaggeration to accuracy. We have argued this previously. I understand that you are passionate, but your repeated attacks are reflecting poorly on yourself.
jdallen
People, please chill. Please don't turn this into a flame war.
2phil4u
I read about the negative feedbacks.
This is what i thought about.
We saw better years after low minimums in general and not the opposit, thus winter outperformed the summer because of more heat loss to space.
I only wasnt sure about water temperature in deeper depth, so it could be that even if we have better ice grow after low minimas this is only true for the upper lawyer of the water, but deeper water store energy.
I was not sure, if this is possible or not.
On the other hand with open water all around the pole there is a small cold surface surrounded by a large area with way above average temperature in summer due to no ice.
So im not sure if there is at least if we dont go up with world temperatures tremendous an area that is absolute safe or not.
But i will vote for last possible options, there is no never ?
o.k. that is unlikely to that never before our sun system collapse the global average is high enouph like it was in the past.
So the negative feedbacks but the tremendous amount of warm air in summer if there is only a little core left, hm.
Quote from: Daniel B. on March 31, 2018, 06:30:03 AM
Rather odd that you have been arguing on another thread that volume can be less, even though extent is higher.
Not only did you ignore my arguments about why volume was obviously higher, you twist my words to fit your lies. This is what I said about volume and extent in the past:
It also works in longer time frames. Volume has been free falling since the beginning of the satellite record but area remained mostly the same for much of it until the 2007 crash. In the colder past when the Arctic was 15m thick I’m sure volume grew yearly but area was limited by export and the Atlantic and Pacific interface.
I told you then, as I tell you now, volume was much higher in the past
You seem to be changing your argument to fit your opinion.
No, you are twisting my words to fit your lies.
I am truly sorry that you think honesty is despicable, and prefer exaggeration to accuracy.
Your exaggeration of the uncertainties is despicable. Your exaggerations are already costing lives and property. Your honesty is fake. Fake honesty is a very powerful tool.
I understand that you are passionate, but your repeated attacks are reflecting poorly on yourself.
I'm telling the harsh truth and your telling comfortable lies. There is no way around it. Calling you a liar is harsh but accurate.
I could take the Katherine Hayhoe approach, but by doing that I risk understating the risk. While her way is the most effective way of gaining acceptance of climate change (thank goodness for her), my way better depicts the risks we face.
Can you state with any certainty the volume of ice in the Arctic at the beginning of the industrial era? or at any time prior?
The answer is yes, you can. There are all sorts of proxies confirming that the ice used to be much thicker than it is now. Expeditions, temperatures, ship logs, sediments, anecdotes and human settlement distribution all point at a consistently thick sea ice sheet and a large extent.
On top of the evidence, the laws of physics ensure that with that much extent there will be more volume.
Your uncertainty argument is false.
It seems to be more than luck that the minimum record wasn't broken last year. There is evidence that the arctic is countercyclical to a degree.
I don't know if winter volume has to plateau. It would be enough to slow melting if winter ice gain is increasing, which over the last decade it has on average. It's weird to refer to it as "slow transition theory" though. I am still predicting that the ice will melt way faster than the official IPCC consensus. I just don't think it's going to drop to 1 km^3 in the next decade.
Temperatures would be lower because remaining ice will be further north and further out to sea. I don't think increased weather variability will outweigh that effect. In the long run increased GHG levels will melt the ice, but we are talking about what will happen in the next 20 years.
I'm not talking about cloud cover, but the basic fact that there is less annual insolation the further north you go.
Most ice transport is through the Fram strait. Transport declines significantly in the summer because there is less ice nearby. We can expect that feedback to increase as the ice extent decreases.
I wasn't talking about albedo. But speaking of that- If the albedo effect were important then you would expect increased melting in the second half of the summer due to warmer waters. But we see the opposite. Melt at the end of the summer is decreasing and the melt season is increasingly focused around the solstice. Of course the albedo effect still exists on some level, but at least in the short run it appears that the albedo effect is being dominated by the negative feedbacks I have listed.
As for bathymetry, I am skeptical. The ocean map doesn't line up well with this theory. On the Atlantic side it fits well. But on the Alaska/Russian side bathymetry seems like a poor fit for the typical melt shape. See image below.
I agree that distance from land is also likely to be a negative feedback.
http://s16.photobucket.com/user/iciclespike/media/common%20ice%20shape.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
Quote from: jdallen on March 31, 2018, 07:34:27 AM
Addressing the obvious, conscious & determined errors(lies) of a poster is no flame war. If such is NOT opposed from the beginning, THEN more lies will propagate.
This may well be of base by many kilometres but the multi-year ice is the most important part of this equation. If the multi-year ice is losing out year on year than volume will be the Arctic Ocean area times the thickness of one winters freeze. One winters freeze tends to turn to water the following season except in the very far north but with the intrusion of the open water on both sides the chances of multi-year ice build up is seemingly impaired by transport out of the arctic. The multi-year ice is the catalyst that was keeping things together, I think. Winter refreeze is the all important variable that seems to be compromised. Remember that the night time lows globally are rising faster than the daytime highs. Well the polar night is the longest night on the planet so it goes to follow that the polar night might just have the time available to creep into heights that not too long ago were unimaginable. Oooh look, I think it just happened in the last couple of years. A few more nights like the last couple and we may well have something here.
I think that is a given, and often posters will point out glaring errors. I believe he was referring to actual ad hominem attacks and name calling, instead of countering scientifically.
Precisely.
icefisher
I chose 2017 as my first year with area less than 1MM. After 2007 and 2012, 2017 seemed as likely as not. Negative reinforcements may delay melting for a few more years or we may have another perfect melting season. Either way we are already dealing with the effects of global warming. The future looks unknowable. Unlike Darth Vader we have already altered it further.
Ad hominem (Latin for "to the man" or "to the person"[1]), short for argumentum ad hominem, is a fallacious argumentative strategy whereby genuine discussion of the topic at hand is avoided by instead attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself
I addressed the discussion at hand and provided evidence. Since his point was false, that would make his statement a lie, making him a liar. Without any context, I didn't perform an ad hominem, however, the rough nature of the words I use make it look like I did. With the context of the climate change debate what I did was way too nice, given the cost in lives and property, present and future.
However I acknowledge that my words have unintended consequences for the good flow of information in a public forum. Thus I pledge to hold strong language back in favor of more calmed and objective language, even if it understates the nature of these falsehoods.
Further north - less insolation.
I am a little more sceptical of colder temperatures though. In summer temps pegged closely to melting point/freezing point. In winter there is very little insolation and I would expect distance to relatively warm water to be a much more important factor.
Also not sure about your 'further out to sea'. The sea is warm. Secondly i expect wind and currents to keep the last of the ice to hug Greenland and Canadian islands. So for the last of the ice the retreat will be southward not northward. Does that make your insolation effect a positive feedback at the end?
Transport, yes I agree that seems highly probable.
How can the albedo effect not be important? Maybe heat absorbed by ocean doesn't travel far. I would expect winds to pick up this heat but even leaving that out, thin ice has lower albedo and surely that has to be important. But as you say "Melt at the end of the summer is decreasing and the melt season is increasingly focused around the solstice."
How can this be? I suggest it points toward 'distance from land', 'bathymetry' and 'we have done the easy areas where there is net movement of ice out of the area so the albedo effect is artificially enhanced' being important feedbacks.
I believe he was referring to actual ad hominem attacks and name calling, instead of countering scientifically.
Daniel tries to side-slip away, pretending the following earlier set of posts didn't occur:
///////
Daniel B. wrote: The satellite data starts in 1979. There is no good measure of ice volume to that, so anything else is speculation.
litesong wrote:
« Last Edit: April 02, 2018, 06:30:44 PM by litesong »
Last week, I voted for 2029-2033 and today I try to change it to 2034-2039 or even the 2040-49 range, but there is no option to remove my vote [help Neven or DungeonMaster].
Would that make me a denier?
I believe that we are sub estimating the impact that the melting ice on Greenland will have on the process of having an ice-free Arctic. Also, the impact that permafrost melting could have on delaying the ASI melting.
So, we could think that it is good news that the ASI will melt slower than forecasted by some of us, but that will not be true. The problem with AGW is that there are some things going on, that we are not able to see or to measure properly. That is the case of [Oh, my God] “Oceans melting Greenland” (OMG).
https://omg.jpl.nasa.gov/portal/
Quote from: echoughton on November 03, 2017, 11:22:26 AM
OMG?...really?
Quote from: litesong on April 02, 2018, 06:24:59 PM
I have seen several papers, whereby the scientists try to piece together sea ice extent from various sources. I have yet to see one detailing volume. Please post any references.
We know the thickness since the 50's to the 80's was extremely thick, relative to today. We have good proxies for extent that go back centuries that confirm the extent was much higher than now. We have proxy temperatures that confirm that it was much colder than now that extends for thousands of years.
There is absolutely no indication that the Arctic or the world were as warm as they are today.
You can start here : https://skepticalscience.com/past-Arctic-sea-ice-extent.htm
Evidence was provided that proves Daniel B. statements false. Evidence provided by Daniel B. to justify his uncertainty about volume in the past 0.
« Last Edit: April 03, 2018, 12:22:10 AM by Archimid »
Quote from: Archimid on April 02, 2018, 10:18:13 PM
We know the thickness since the 50's to the 80's was extremely thick, relative to today. We have good proxies for extent that goes back centuries that confirm the extent was much higher than now. We have proxy temperatures that confirm that it was much colder for than now that extends for thousands of years.
There is absolutely no indication that the Arctic or the world was were as warm as they are today.
Sorry, but inferences do not constitute proof.
How do you figure the earth is round without making inferences?
Quote from: Archimid on April 03, 2018, 12:12:51 AM
We have visual from space for one.
Let's put your inferences to the test. The rate of average ice loss, in volume, from 1990 to 2010 was about 4000 cubic km per decade. Let us assume that your inference (based on proxy data) shows that the rate of ice loss prior to the satellite era (1979) was similar to that measured during those two decades. If we extend that rate back to 1850, that would equate to a volume of ice loss covering the entire Arctic ocean to a depth of 30 meters! You can infer all you like, but at some point, logic has to step in.
slow wing
Picked 2019-21.
Main contender for me was 2022-2024.
In my humble opinion we are already at the stage where an extreme year could do it.
Superimposed on that is the expectation that the situation is getting progressively worse. But it's problematic to quantify that for Arctic sea ice - the physics is far too complicated & poorly understood, & the constraining observations and measurements are far too few &/or too poor.
I think the year-to-year fluctuations are so big as to be more important than the progressive trend in choosing the first year below 1000 km^3.
It could possibly be this year. But it would take a very bad melt season. The 2018 bin is only 1 year wide so I think it less likely than the 3 year bin afterwards that I did choose.
Competing against the progressive trend, the bins 2022-24 and later are disadvantaged by the possibility that, even if the volume does fall below 1000 km^3, it might have already happened in a prior melt season. That's why I chose 2019-21.
This poll runs for a long time - was it for two months? People voting near the start have less information than those voting later on. Can the close date be made earlier? Also, my preference would be to change the poll settings so we can change our vote.
Quote from: Daniel B. on April 03, 2018, 12:45:21 AM
There is a staggering amount of inferences that go into placing an object in orbit.
There are inferences and there are false inferences. For example by assuming continuous volume loss you arrive at a nonsensical result. However a quick look at Arctic temperatures tells you that the losses experienced in the late 20th didn't occur before. Assuming a permanent state of volume loss is a false assumption that leads to nonsensical results.
Let's put your inferences to the test.
Daniel B. put its own IN-ability to infer properly to the test.... & failed its own test.
Since you just acknowledged that your previous inference was false, are you now saying that there was no volume loss prior to 1979? If your new premise is based on rising temperatures resulting in volume loss, how do you explain the volume gains in recent years? Or are you backtracking now, and supporting my previous contention.
Iceismylife
You can infer all you like, but at some point, logic has to step in.
Did you really read what you wrote?
Let us try some logic.
Max volume is dropping.
How long can this be kept up?
Run some numbers.
The classic "argument from ignorance" logical fallacy. There is no good measure of prior ice volume indeed, but it doesn't mean that anything else is speculation. A quick read about Captain Cook's voyage to the Chukchi Sea in mid-August 1778, will reveal that uncertainty is not a good proxy for unknown. The captain's journal describes "ice which was as compact as a wall and seemed to be ten or twelve feet high at least". Compare that to the current ice edge and thickness in mid-August. So yes, anybody can state with certainty that sea ice volume 200 years ago in summer was much higher than today, even though no one can say what the actual volume was.
Of course the ice volume was higher than today. No one is arguing that. However, the claim that the volume from past centuries is known, and the recent volume decreases are similar to past is unsupported. I have been arguing against this “argument from ignorance,” yet others seem to be supportive of it.
Lets not stray too far off-topic, please.
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Overnight search for wanted man taken into custody on the Salt Flats
Posted 4:33 pm, November 1, 2016, by Tiffany DeMasters, Updated at 04:36PM, November 1, 2016
TOOELE COUNTY, Utah — A search for a wanted man overnight in Tooele County ended Tuesday afternoon when he was taken into custody on the Salt Flats.
Utah Highway Patrol first came in contact with the man Monday night when a trooper stopped to assist a vehicle on Interstate 80 at mile marker 22.
Sgt. Todd Royce with UHP said two males and a female were inside the car and they were acting suspicious. When the trooper ran their names it was discovered that they had outstanding warrants.
One male and the female were taken into custody. However the second male in the car fled the scene on foot into the Salt Flats area, Royce said.
Troopers searched for the suspect but were unable to find him. At about 11:30 a.m. today, Royce said, a trooper spotted the man on I-80 near mile marker 18.
When approached, the suspect was noncompliant and claimed to have a .45 caliber handgun, Royce said. The man fled back into the Salt Flats.
Hours later, troopers were able to approach the man who was still noncompliant. However, Royce said authorities were able to take the suspect into custody with less lethal force.
Troopers accompanied the suspect in an ambulance into Tooele where he will checked out at the hospital. Once cleared, he will be booked into jail.
Authorities have not released the names of the suspects at this time.
Topics: utah highway patrol
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Get up-to-the-minute news updates by following @fox13.
Man killed in officer-involved shooting in Emery Co. identified
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Trooper assaulted after approaching man walking on I-15 in Salt Lake City
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‘We have families too’ — UHP troopers plead for drivers to slow down and move over after 10 troopers hit Thanksgiving week
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10-year-old woodworker raises thousands of dollars for animals in need
Posted 3:16 PM, January 10, 2020, by FOX 61 Staff
While running a thriving business selling crafts and donating proceeds to animals, 10-year-old Kash is making pouches for animals impacted by Australia’s fires.
Author: Andie Judson (TEGNA)
ONTARIO, Canada — As soon as Kashton “Kash” Weinber could walk, he was walking dogs.
Rather than cuddling stuffed teddy bears, the young animal lover snuggled up with cats.
When he began reading, he was nose-deep in thick animal biology books.
Kash doesn’t just love animals, he’s also passionate about wildlife advocacy.
It’s common to find him striking up conversations on the importance of preserving the pangolin, a type of anteater on the brink of extinction due to trafficking.
But Kash didn’t just love animals – they loved him.
“He [always] seemed to be one of those people that animals naturally gravitate and flock to,” said Kash’s mother, Jules Gendron.
Animal shelters would call Kash when an exotic animal came in because they knew he would not only be thrilled but would have a calming influence on anything from a python to pangolin.
The now 10-year-old was born with a deep love of all animals, but it’s not just his knowledge of any variety of species that’s impressive, it’s his drive to help the living creatures of our world.
While a respect for animals runs family wide in the Weinber-Gendron household, Kash’s determination to help them has been all his own.
Kash was raised volunteering at local animal shelters. But to him, time wasn’t enough.
“Even when we were [volunteering] walking dogs he would say, ‘I want to help with my own money,’” Gendron recalled. “We said the typical parent response of, ‘Your time is plenty.’ But he wanted to do more he said.”
Kash came up with the idea of using another family hobby to fund his determination of helping animals: woodworking.
With the help of his father, Kash learned woodworking skills at age 7. He decided to try and sell his woodworks and donate 100-percent of proceeds back to organizations and shelters helping animals.
His drive led him to hit the streets, canvassing local craft shows and stores to sell his crafts.
Kash’s Kreations
What started as an idea has flourished into a booming business. In two years, the idea has become Kash’s Kreations and he has raised over $4,000.
His wooden toy robots or “block bots” have been sold worldwide.
“Each one takes about an hour to make,” Kash said. “It brings kids joy and helps animals at the same time!”
His current business plan has transitioned to donating half of his funds to animals and keeping the other half for supply costs. He also hopes to save money in hopes of fulfilling his dream of opening his own unique animal shelter.
Kash hopes to build a shelter and home on the same land in order to help accumulate abandoned dogs to home life.
He believes many dogs in shelters are overlooked because they’re not “kid or home” friendly. But with a little time, love and care that he would provide with his shelter, he could get dogs adjusted to life inside a home and therefore, adopted.
Additionally, he hopes to one day become a wildlife biologist and conservationist.
In the meantime, the aptly-nicknamed “mini Steve Irwin,” is homeschooled which allows him to spend his time doing what he loves: helping animals.
“He just has the purest heart of gold, I’m beyond proud of him,” said Gendron. “People always ask, ‘Is he actually ten?’”
In light of Australia’s fires killing millions of animals, Kash has transferred his woodworking skills to sewing in order to make pouches for kangaroos and koalas.
His continued efforts for all four-legged, slithering, swimming creatures comes as no surprise to those closest to Kash.
“It really opens your eyes to see the kind of passion he has that relates into a work ethic at ten years old,” Gendron said. “He just always asks, ‘What can I do to help the animals?’”
For more information or to place an order from Kash’s Kreations, visit his Facebook and Instagram
Topics: animals, canada
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Oklahoma girl, 9, mauled by dogs that escaped from shelter
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Data USA makes government data easier to explore
Apps / government, open data
Government data is, shall we say, not the easiest to use and look at, which is why there are so many ongoing efforts to make it more accessible to both practitioners and the average citizen. There’s no doubt that the data is useful. The Sunlight Foundation does fine work with various projects, Census Reporter provides data at a glance, and efforts like IPUMS make certain large datasets easier to subset and grab.
Data USA, a collaboration between Deloitte, Macro Connections at the MIT Media Lab, and Datawheel, is another hefty project that aims to make government data feel less hairy. It uses data from a number of sources — the American Community Survey, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to name a few — to create profiles for locations, industries, occupations, and education.
Just enter your interest in the search box, and you quickly get common statistical breakdowns. Seems pretty great if you want summaries in a pinch. From there, you can embed and download charts, download data, and make comparisons. There is also an API, and the project is open source.
It feels like a statistical atlas of the United States, with modern functionality.
Give it a try.
Where People Work and How Much They Make
ProPublica opened a data store
Resources to Find the Data You Need, 2016 Edition
Coffee Place Geography
My fascination with the geography of place and businesses continues.
Most Common Jobs, By State
Instead of looking at only the most common job in each state, I found the top five for a slightly wider view.
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I Feel Like My Old Self: Kyah Simon
Posted On December 4, 2019 December 4, 2019 By athossirianos
Kyah Simon’s winning goal at the weekend brought a smile to an Australian football community which has missed her dearly.
The Matildas veteran is back in full swing after an interrupted 2019, where she was sidelined for most of the year with recurring ankle and hamstring injuries.
While she is yet to play a full 90 minutes for City this season, the 28-year-old says the last fortnight has been one of the most enjoyable.
“It’s a gradual build coming back from any injury,” she said.
“I’m still feeling I’m getting back to my old ways and getting my feet back at training and I’m starting to feel like my old self physically.
“I think first-and-foremost playing without any pain or injury has brought a smile back to my face when I’m playing.
“I’m enjoying my football the most I ever have in these last two weeks because it’s been a long time between wickets for me and I’m really stoked to be back out there injury free doing what I love.”
Simon made her first start in Round 2 and came off after 62 minutes in City’s win over Adelaide United at the weekend.
City sits third on the table after three rounds and meet league leaders and reigning Champions Sydney FC at Cromer Park this Saturday.
It is expected up to nine Matildas will take the field when the two sides meet, with Simon excited to add another chapter in this “unspoken rivalry” between the two clubs.
“It’s always fun facing other Matildas and the other girls who I’m close with,” she said.
“I think City and Sydney have this unspoken rivalry over the course of the last few years where it’s been neck-to-neck and I think it’s going to be exciting and so much quality on the park.
“It’s been a slow start for us the difference between last year and this year is we were dropping points in these early games where we weren’t playing our best.
“This year we’re picking up vital points that could really be crucial towards the back end of the season.”
Simon’s return has been timed well with the Matildas set for a host of qualifiers for next year’s Olympics.
Ante Milicic’s side will meet China, Thailand and Chinese Tapei en route to qualification for the Tokyo games.
“[Been] in close communication with the coaching staff Ante [Milicic] and Ivan [Jolic] they understand my situation and the tough couple of years I’ve been going through and I think from everyone at the club, to national team to myself we all want the same thing,” she said.
Featured Image: Westfield Matildas
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athossirianos
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First year Journalism student at RMIT University. Looking to get the truth out while having a bit of fun.
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Science journalism by Leonid Schneider, on research integrity and academic publishing in life sciences and biomedicine
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Is Frontiers a potential predatory publisher?
The Lausanne-based publishing house Frontiers, founded by the neuroscientists Henry and Kamila Markram, has been added to the Beall’s List of potential, possible, or probable predatory scholarly open-access publishers. Was this decision justified? I wish to share here some of my recent investigations.
by Leonid Schneider
The Lausanne-based publishing house Frontiers, founded by the neuroscientists Henry and Kamila Markram, has been recently added to the Beall’s List of potential, possible, or probable predatory scholarly open-access publishers. Was this decision justified? I wish to share here some of my recent investigations.
Previously, I reported about an editorial conflict at the Frontiers medical section in Laborjournal and Lab Times. In May 2015 Frontiers sacked almost all of its medical chief editors. This was because those chief editors had signed a “Manifesto of Editorial Independence”, which went against one of the key guidelines of Frontiers, namely that editors must always “allow the authors an opportunity for a rebuttal”. Associate editors are namely instructed to always “consider the rebuttal of the authors”, even “if the independent reviews are unfavourable”. At the same time, chief editors claimed to have had little, if any, influence over the editorial processes at Frontiers. Since the Frontiers Executive Editor Frederick Fenter fired all 31 signatory chief editors, Frontiers in Medicine has been operated without an Editor-in-Chief and with few Chief Specialty Editors. Medical ethics requirement for publication, originally introduced by the previous chief editors, were not implemented in the Frontiers instructions for authors. There appear to be few people in a position to provide oversight, while the associate editors handle manuscripts which they often receive directly from authors. Some of these associate editors are no strangers to controversy themselves; Alfredo Fusco, who is also a frequent author at Frontiers in Medicine, has had several of his papers retracted and is facing a criminal investigation over alleged data manipulations.
The Frontiers in Medicine “purge” led me to inquire into how Frontiers’ unique editorial model works in their other journals. What I learned is that even the associate editors often find their power limited: once a manuscript has been sent out for peer review, Frontiers editors have hardly any option to reject it. This may explain how controversial papers came to be published in Frontiers, e.g. one denying that HIV is the cause of AIDS, or another suggesting that vaccinations cause autism.
On the other hand, Frontiers is quite popular with many scientists and research organisations. How can a publisher which helped pioneer such innovations as open access and name-signed peer review, have come to this?
Frontiers’ story began in 2007, with the first journal Frontiers in Neuroscience. One of its very first accepted articles, before the new journal was officially accepting submissions, was a theory on the origins of autism by journal founders Kamila and Henry Markram. Since then, their Intense World Theory (formerly Intense World Syndrome) has been published in various Frontiers neuroscience-related journals. There, the Markrams’ COI statement always proclaims “the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest”. Yet these two authors have an apparent ownership interest in the journals they publish. Henry Markram is listed as Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief at Frontiers, Kamila Markram as Co-Founder & CEO. The mass sacking of medical chief editors suggests, they might be in a position to decide on the employment and remuneration of their editors.
Meanwhile, Frontiers manages according to own website “54 open access journals, 55,000 editors, 38,000 articles”. Some Frontiers editors I communicated with were quite content with the publisher. Anne Simon, professor at the University of Maryland in the USA (and one of the whistle-blowers in the case of Olivier Voinnet, which I have been covering for Lab Times), is also Editor-in Chief (EiC) of the journal Frontiers In Virology. She describes her experience as “extremely positive“. Unlike the medical chief editors, Simon says she was never was left in the dark about submitted manuscripts or witnessed their inappropriate handling by associate editors or reviewers.
Simon explained to me in an email that she sees the Editor-in-Chief as
“the next point of contact for editors who are having problems handling a manuscript or needing advice, and authors, who may be upset with decisions and want to contact someone other than the editor who handled the manuscript”.
She added:
“we are frequently called upon to politely nudge late reviewers, when the editor and journal managers have been unsuccessful, or if there is an editor who is slow in the review process”. Maybe this is why Frontiers in Virology is one of the best cited Frontiers journals, because the chief editors are free to do their jobs? Simons clarifies: “Most journals can operate smoothly without EiC most of the time. But when something comes up, (…) then the EiC is a critical part of the journal for making decisions about exceptions to journal “rules” and dealing with papers that have possible ethical issues”.
Apparently Frontiers in Medicine can operate without an Editor-in Chief, and indeed it has done for months now. But what about the ethical duties Simon was mentioning?
Matthias Barton, cardiology professor at the University of Zurich and former EiC of Frontiers in Medicine and Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, told me that when he and his fellow editors were sacked, their ethical policies were also shown the door. New medical ethics guidelines, which he and his colleagues had established to preserve clinical safety and patient protection, were revoked. For example, Barton and colleagues stipulated that “For each manuscript submitted, every author needs to electronically complete and sign the COI form provided by ICMJE [International Committee of Medical Journal Editors], and all completed COI forms need to be submitted with the manuscript”.
Today, however, there is no requirement or even option for every author to provide a signed COI statement at Frontiers in Medicine, despite ICMJE guidelines. Instead, the corresponding author simply has to make one click to verify COI status on behalf of others.
Another example of the post-purge reform: Frontiers does not distinguish in their section “Case Reports” between human and animal subjects anymore. The guidelines for manuscript submission are the same for both. No mention is made that human patient identity must be specifically respected and protected, in fact the new Frontiers guidelines there are same as for horses and cattle. The previous definition of the “Case Report”, as written by the now absent editors, was focused on human patients only and included demands such as: “Manuscripts must not include any information that allows identification of the patient. This includes, but is not limited to, names, initials, and hospital information” as well as “as anonymity cannot be guaranteed by simply covering the eye area with a black bar, the patient, parent, or guardian must be shown the photograph intended for publication, provide informed consent for its publication, and be informed by the authors that the image will be visible on the internet”. For Frontiers in Medicine, these rules are now a thing of the past.
Simon also stated:
“Having a scientist as EiC who is in the same [research-] field as the journal is important for making informed decisions”.
However, this does not appear to be the case for the new head of Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. After the editorial purge, the journal received its new EiC, Hendrik Tevaearai Stahel, professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Inselspital in Bern, Switzerland. Cardiovascular medicine is a branch of internal medicine and requires an utterly different medical specialization than cardiac surgery. A heart surgeon cannot replace a cardiovascular internist. Dr. Tevaearai Stahel’s CV is rather inconclusive in the area of cardiovascular medicine than one would anticipate for the EiC of this journal.
Frontiers’ philosophy is to give all authors a chance to publish their work in one of their journals. In basic science, this is, to a degree, a laudable approach indeed. Many scientists convincingly argue that every single research study should be published and judged by the scrutiny of scientist colleagues in post-publication peer review. Yet this option is not available at Frontiers, and while the reviewers are named, their peer review reports are kept confidential. This concept to publish almost every manuscript, while keeping the peer review process rather opaque, has possibly contributed to the recent placing of the publisher Frontiers on the Beall’s List.
With medical studies, which go beyond laboratory experiments, the issue of proper editorial process is even more serious. Doctors adjust their patient treatments according to recent developments and publications in their field. This is why there are strict ethical rules and quality guidelines for clinically relevant medical publications, as issued by the ICMJE and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). Therefore, there can be many reasons for a submitted manuscript to be rejected. However, at Frontiers, the rejection option is not always available. Generally, a peer reviewer can only withdraw from the peer review; recommending rejection is not an available option. If a reviewer does withdraw, the handling editor is automatically prompted to find a replacement reviewer. Theoretically, this can go on back and forth until two positive peer reviews are finally obtained. Occasionally, associate editors skip the search for willing reviewers altogether and perform the peer review themselves.
Tamas Szakmany, honorary senior lecturer in intensive care medicine at the Cardiff University in UK, reports of his experience as a reviewer for Frontiers in Medicine:
“The piece in question was lacking very basic aspects of a scientific manuscript and the authors failed to make any amends. I made it very clear at the first response to the authors that the paper was unacceptable in this format and although they made some small changes, they did not address any of my major comments. The subsequent rounds of “revisions” were getting nowhere and as there was no option for me to reject the manuscript in the online review system and the Editor couldn’t make this decision as he was forced to give further “chances” for improvement, I felt that I had no other option than to withdraw from the process as the authors were clearly not willing to understand”.
Szakmany summarizes:
“From a reviewer point, there is no opportunity to reject a paper, only to endorse or ask for further revisions”.
The specialty chief editor responsible for the above-mentioned Szakmany-reviewed manuscript was Zsolt Molnár, professor for intensive care medicine at the University of Szeged in Hungary. Molnár was among the signatories of the editorial Manifesto, which resulted in his removal together with 30 other chief editors. While still in his post, Molnár protested about the unrejectable manuscript to the Frontiers in Medicine “Editorial Office” – actually a publisher-run department outside of any academic editor control. He received a reply from the journal manager who explained:
“once a paper is sent for peer-review, we want to give the authors the chance to discuss with the reviewers in the interactive review stage. You can always reject a manuscript BEFORE [caps in the original] sending it to reviewers/review editors”.
Yet just in the previous sentence, the journal manager also explained:
“Regarding rejecting before interactive review: the reason we strongly discourage this is because Frontiers wishes to overcome one of the common concerns that authors have – that the editors have overruled their chance to discuss their paper with the reviewers”.
This sounds somewhat like a Catch-22 situation, in which the very act of sending out a paper for peer review precludes the ability to reject this paper on the basis of the review, should it turn out negative.
The resulting high acceptance rate at Frontiers goes hand-in-hand with the fact that the publisher has offered its chief editors a reward of €5,000 “for each batch of 120 papers submitted to your section in 2015”.
Yet under certain conditions, Frontiers has no problems with rejections at all, even of positively reviewed manuscripts. Lydia Maniatis, formerly adjunct psychologist at the American University in Washington DC, had such an experience. She submitted a rather critical Commentary (a publication type generally published by Frontiers free of charge) on a certain Frontiers in Human Neuroscience article which dealt with visual shape perception. Her manuscript was assigned an associate editor, but soon rejected. The reason was: despite one endorsing review, another reviewer chose to wordlessly withdraw. No specific criticisms from this reluctant reviewer were forwarded to Maniatis. No replacement reviewer was appointed, despite Maniatis’ many requests. Instead, the associate editor reviewed the manuscript himself, despite being a child psychologist and autism specialist rather outside the field. He decreed that Maniatis’ revised manuscript was “not adequate and lacked clarity and focus”, without providing any further explanations. With the support of the journal’s Chief Editor, the rejection was final. Maniatis later published her criticisms on PubPeer and PubMed Commons and was finally able to engage with the authors of the paper.
After Frontiers was listed as a potential predatory publisher, Nature News has reported on the scientists’ protests about this addition to the “controversial ‘Beall’s List’”. The Nature Publishing Group (NPG) is owned by the German publishing house Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, which is also the partial owner of Frontiers. Indeed, as I reported for Laborjournal and Lab Times, NPG became a major stakeholder in Frontiers, publicly much celebrated by both publishers. Then, at the beginning of 2015, a break came. NPG representatives have left the Frontiers board, with Henry Markram taking over their duties. The current administrative board lists the Markrams, some Frontiers employees, the reviewing board member PricewaterhouseCoopers (USA), a representative from the private equity firm CVC Capital Partners (Luxembourg), and Michael Brockhaus, Head of Group Strategy at the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. I have reached out to Brockhaus, through his personal assistant, for a comment on the nature of Holtzbrinck’s financial involvement with Frontiers, yet received no reply.
One could assume that NPG has sold or withdrawn their investment in Frontiers, however one fact suggests that there has not been a total financial divorce: Nature journals keep advertising for the Frontiers-owned academic social network, Loop, by posting links to authors’ Loop profiles (which are created automatically for all Frontiers authors) on their article websites. Certain editors told me that they did not succeed in having their Loop account fully deleted.
Loop may help Frontiers and NPG scientists to connect, but not every account belongs to a bona fide user. The network contains a number of obviously inappropriate or bogus accounts, and Frontiers has been informed by then-EiC Barton about certain questionable Loop profiles. Some, such as the profile “Isha FB1 TEST Jan” (whose only content was a photo of a pornographic film actress) were removed, but others remain active: an Indian “Genius Mind”, a US professor by the name of “Alpha Shred”, a teenage professor from Macedonia, a Chinese senior researcher “Eagle Eagle Jg”, a student of a geographically bizarre “Amedeo Avogadro University of Eastern Piedmont” in Lebanon, and finally a US based CEO called “mis souri” whose speciality is the “wonderful sport of duck hunting”. Frontiers thanked Barton in January 2015 for sharing the information on these strange researcher profiles, but has yet to remove them.
Regardless their publishing and editorial policies, Frontiers journals have recently joined the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) en masse. Coincidently or not, prior to this the Frontiers journal manager Mirjam Curno joined the committee as council member. While most other journals list their editors-in-chief as their COPE contact, none of the listed Frontiers journals does. Instead, their COPE contacts are exclusively the employees of the publisher, working in managerial capacities – and not involved in the editorial process of the journals. Some of these employees have little experience in the research fields they are now supervising. One is a former earth scientist, now in charge of veterinary science, neurology and psychiatry. Another studied English and Croatian at university but is now an oncology, endocrinology and public health specialist. Yet another, who supervises several Frontiers life science journals despite having studied earth sciences, has no PhD. In fact, a number of Frontiers journal managers carry no academic credentials beyond a bachelor’s degree, in a field unrelated to their Frontiers duties. All of this would not necessarily be a problem if these managers were assisting and answering to the senior academic editors of their respective journals. Instead, as the sacked medical chief editors have experienced, these journal managers interfered with the editorial process, by occasionally advising these editors to keep recruiting further reviewers or dissuading them from rejecting a manuscript.
Editorial independence, free from the meddling of the owner and publisher is a key principle of good editorial practice in science publishing, as stipulated by highly respected organizations such as ICMJE and COPE. Shortly after sacking its editors, Frontiers listed its medical and other journals as “Following the ICMJE Recommendations” and, as mentioned, became member of COPE. These events however do not mean that Frontiers is bound to change its internal policies. Why? Simply because both organizations seem not to mind when those who publicly subscribe to their rules don’t actually consider adhering to them.
More on this soon.
The author wishes to thank NS, RP, PSB, SC and JB for their critical comments on this text.
28.10.2015: The institutional affiliation of Lydia Maniatis has been corrected -LS
06.11.2015: Two journals, which list their EiCs as COPE contacts, were erroneously attributed to Frontiers Media. The reader “MH” has pointed out the mistake in a comment below. This text correction means that not a single Frontiers journal lists its chief editor as COPE contact. -LS
Frederick Fenter of Frontiers about this article (source: his rebuttal letter to Jeffrey Beall):
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Tagsconflict of interest • Frontiers • medicine • open access • peer review • predatory publishing
About Leonid Schneider
Independent Science Journalist and Cartoonist. Formerly molecular cell biologist. My academic CV at: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6204-9470
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70 comments on “Is Frontiers a potential predatory publisher?”
Gabriel Finkelstein
I very much liked your essay. I also work at the same institution as Jeff Beall, but that’s purely coincidental.
My own experience at Frontiers in Neuroscience was quite positive. I was invited to contribute an article on paradigm shifts in neuroscience, and even though most historians of science now reject the concept I rose to the challenge based on the quality of the other contributors to the issue. Frontiers’ peer-review process was transparent. My reviewer made reasonable objections, most of which I accepted, but some (e.g. “rewrite your article to argue against paradigm shifts”) I could not for obvious reasons. My editor was also reasonable, and my manuscript went to press quite rapidly. I balked at paying to publish, but in my case the fee was waived.
I think that the dangers that you and Jeff Beall identify are real. On the other hand, my experience with Frontiers was no worse than those I’ve had with traditional journals in my field, some of which acted much worse in their choices of peer reviewer or in pressuring me to sign off on deficient and even plagiarized manuscripts. I also like reaching an audience of scientists, not historians, and am happy that 500 people have viewed my essay within a month of its publication. It usually takes ten years to garner this many readers in traditional journals.
The world of academic publishing is changing. There are new pressures and new dangers, and it’s important that scholars like you keep a close eye on what is going on. I’ve had enough terrible experiences of corruption within the traditional system to keep an open mind about ventures like Frontiers. Let’s hope that it works out for the best.
A quote from Tamas Szakmany: “The subsequent rounds of “revisions” were getting nowhere and as there was no option for me to reject the manuscript in the online review system and the Editor couldn’t make this decision as he was forced to give further “chances” for improvement, I felt that I had no other option than to withdraw from the process as the authors were clearly not willing to understand.”
It seems to me that ‘no option for a peer-reviewer to reject the manuscript’ is not in line with Principle 4 of “The Netherlands Code of Conduct for Academic Practice”. From http://www.rug.nl/about-us/organization/rules-and-regulations/algemeen/gedragscodes-nederlandse-universiteiten/code-wetenschapsbeoefening-14-en.pdf :
“Principle 4. Impartiality. In their scientific or scholarly activities, academic practitioners are led by no other
interest than academic interest, and they are always prepared to account for their actions.
4.3. A reviewer carefully reflects whether they can offer an impartial assessment of a manuscript, for instance when it concerns a competing research group.
4.4. In assessing the performance of others (peer review of research and manuscripts), academic practitioners are led by scientific or scholarly arguments, and they refrain from assessing a manuscript if there could be any doubt about the impartiality of their opinion.”
See http://ukrio.org/wp-content/uploads/UKRIO-Code-of-Practice-for-Research.pdf for the UKRIO Code of Conduct.
Marcos Pedlowski
Reblogged this on Blog do Pedlowski.
Lydia Maniatis (@LydiaManiatis)
Just want to clarify some of the details of my experience with FHN. I actually did go through a fairly extensive interactive review process that led to a revision and the unconditional endorsement of one reviewer. The second reviewer withdrew without responding to my last set of comments. The rejection decision was not accompanied by any negative review either by the second reviewer or by the Associate Editor (who, as Mr. Schneider points out, didn’t have the remotest connection to the field). Any explanation I received from him was in the context of personal emails. When I appealed the decision, the responses were almost exclusively from “managerial level” personnel. The Chief Editor did respond with an email into which he had copy-pasted one of the uninformative, boiler-plate rejection criteria from the journal’s website.
Leonid Schneider
During my earlier investigation, I have been in contact with Frontiers Executive Editor, Frederick Fenter. Here are his replies to my questions, dated August 19th, 2015, which concern the issues featuring in the main article:
“(1) The members of the Journal’s editorial board, as published on the Journal homepage, have complete authority over the content that is published and are completely free of any commercial pressures.
(2) Frontiers employees have well-defined administrative roles, in which they have no mandate or authority concerning the suitability or content of articles and editorial projects, which are entirely with the external editorial boards.
(3) Chief Editors have complete oversight of all manuscripts in their section/journal and can access them at any time; they can intervene and take any action they consider necessary at any time during the review process.
Frontiers Associate Editors are fully qualified to judge the scientific soundness of contributions in their field and to make an “accept” decision on an article. Their names are made public on every paper for which they are responsible, to acknowledge their role and for transparency. To imply otherwise is disrespectful, to say the least. Many journals around the globe allow associate editors to make accept/reject decisions (but without the transparency inherent in Frontiers’ processes).
The contact person for journals in the COPE-member database are not required to be a member of the external editorial board.
Editorial independence is a concept focused on the content that a journal publishes, not about whether there is a strong editor in chief calling all the shots. From the WAME definition of editorial independence: “Editorial decisions should be based on the validity of the work and its importance to readers, not the policies or commercial success of the owner. Editors should be free to publish critical but responsible views about all aspects of medicine without fear of retribution.” This holds for Frontiers, as stressed above and in many other places.
As Executive Editor, I ensure that the Journal Managers understand their responsibilities, and I address any issues they raise requiring senior managerial input. I provide a senior point of contact for our editors. I have no mandate or authority to decide on content or the validity of any editorial project.
The Frontiers Editor-in-Chief oversees the Frontiers principles and publishing model and appoints Chief Editors, who are proposed for appointment after extensive discussions and research and after assurances that the Chief Editors understand the Frontiers model. He has no mandate or authority over content. Your message states that Dr. Henry Markram is “simultaneously Editor-in-Chief of all Frontiers journals”, which is factually incorrect; he is Editor-in-Chief – i.e., a senior manager – of Frontiers as an organization, responsible for its ethical and publishing policies. The Journal Chief Editors, as clearly explained on our journal websites, remain the ultimate editorial authority for their respective Frontiers Journals. All this was explained in detail in our blog post Frontiers acts to defend distributed editorial independence, which can be accessed on our blog (http://blog.frontiersin.org/2015/05/07/frontiers-acts-to-defend-distributed-editorial-independence/).
Your message refers to publication of articles by Dr Kamila Markram and Dr Henry Markram in Frontiers titles. Dr. Kamila Markram does not exert editorial supervision; as mentioned above only the editorial boards have authority over content. Nor does Dr Henry Markram, as editor-in-chief, exert editorial supervision. Both are, however, active researchers, and as such are fully welcome to submit their work to Frontiers. These contributions will be subject to the same independent and external editorial decision process as all other submissions. As one of the world’s leading neuroscientists Dr Henry Markram has also been appointed Assistant Field Chief Editor of Frontiers in Neuroscience, and in that role he exercises the same authority as any other chief editor over specific articles in whose review he is involved.”
Based on Frontiers’ guidelines (see below) Chief Editors actually seem to have ultimate and total control over the rejection (and therefore of acceptance) of a manuscript. Only they can endorse a rejection by reviewers and editors. Obviously, not endorsing a rejection is tantamount to acceptance. Why is Frontiers designed this way? Do any other journals give Chief Editors the power to override rejection by reviewers/editors?
“22) Associate Editors can recommend the rejection of an article to the Chief Editor, who needs to check that the authors’ rights have been upheld during the peer-review process, and who can then ultimately reject the article if it is of insufficient quality, has objective errors or if the authors were unreasonably unwilling to address the points raised during the review.”
Obviously, if reviewers and editors reject an article, they have deemed it of insufficient quality. Again, why does the CE, who likely will not have the necessary expertise, have the power to override this evaluation?
In the case of Frontiers in Medicine, the issue remains that there are none of EiCs and only 3 chief speciality editors (with narrowly defined areas of responsibility) present, while a large number of papers has been published since the editorial mass dismissal in May 2015.
http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/medicine#editorial-board
http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/medicine#archive
Alvaro de Campos
indeed, chief editors have ultimate power. but this is not a prerogative of Frontiers solely. Frontiers maybe makes it clearer. So the question “why is Frontiers designed this way” is not so pertinent. They chose to be this way, point. Furthermore, no-one is obliged to submit their manuscripts there if they don’t want. I never heard any colleague submitting to Frontiers because the paper could not be rejected there (for increased acceptance rate yes, but this is common to so many journals).
Also in the case of Frontiers in Medicine, someone is acting as editor, one way or the other. I don’t see anything wrong in that, in the same way I don’t see anything wrong in an editor acting as a reviewer (provided that (s)he discloses the joint role of reviewer and editor).
Personally, I don’t see Frontiers as a predatory publisher. Actually I am not worried at all by “predatory publishers”. All publishers are predatory in a way.
Guillaume Schmidt
Actually, reviewers and editors have very different functions and these should not be mixed. Reviewers do NOT accept or reject manuscripts. Their role is to ADVICE the editors about the quality/suitability of a manuscript. The final responsibility to accept or reject lies with the Editor-in-Chief. As an EIC myself, I have several times rejected manuscripts despite positive reviewer comments, because of deficiencies that were identified by the handling associate editor or myself. The opposite is rarer, but I have seen cases where a reviewer clearly was going over board with his/her criticisms, which I then chose to ignore.
In short: the role of an EIC is much more responsible than just counting “votes” from reviewers. Science is not democratic. Hence the paramount importance of having EICs who have a deep understanding of their fields. Of course, for journals covering a very broad field, the role of the EIC is taken over by associate/specialty editors. The EIC can overrule them, but should only do that in exceptional cases and not without any good reason.
Dear Guillaume, thanks for your comment. At Frontiers, a reviewer can either advice acceptance or provide further demands. The associate editor cannot reject a paper, and can only recommend rejection to EiC or chief speciality editor. At the same time, associate editors are automatically instructed to give authors another chance to reply to reviewer comments, or find replacement reviewer if one withdraws. Frontiers in Medicine lost both EiCs and almost all chief speciality editors. There is basically hardly anyone to issue a rejection. Yet a large number of papers has been published after the mass sacking, since all associate editors, including Fusco(!) are still there and active.
Virginia Barbour
The statement below is COPE’s position on Frontiers. We have posted this on our website also.
Like the DOAJ does now, COPE has a rigorous and stringent process for scrutinizing members before they are accepted and we review this process as needed. Frontiers has been a member of COPE since January 2015. In the interests of complete transparency, we note here also that one of the Frontiers staff, Mirjam Curno, is a member of COPE council – a position she was elected to when she was employed at the Journal of the International AIDS Society in 2012 and which continued (with the agreement of the COPE Council and on becoming an Associate Member of COPE) after she moved to Frontiers; she is now also a trustee of COPE. (NB, She was not involved in drafting this statement.)
We note that there have been vigorous discussions about, and some editors are uncomfortable with, the editorial processes at Frontiers. However, the processes are declared clearly on the publisher’s site and we do not believe there is any attempt to deceive either editors or authors about these processes.
Publishing is evolving rapidly and new models are being tried out. At this point we have no concerns about Frontiers being a COPE member and are happy to work with them as they explore these new models.
In addition to the above statement I want to make it clear that in accordance with how we handle COIs at COPE, Mirjam Curno was not involved at COPE with the decision about whether or not they were admitted as members.
Dr Virginia Barbour
Chair, COPE
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All readers of this blog with experiences with students and with assessing the (scientific) output of students will be aware that almost all students are able to work together with the teachers to improve the (scientific) level of their output.
All of you will as well be aware that there is a certain level of quality of the work of students and that it is not allowed to provide a degree to students who are unable to reach this level. So the level of the work of these students can show a high variation, but there is always a lowest possible level. Such students are unable to get a degree. There is a huge variation in level of the different universities. This implies that there is of course also a huge variation in the amount of students who are able to pass the exams (etc.)
The same is of course the case for manuscripts submitted to (peer-reviewed) journals. There is a huge variation in the level of the papers which are accepted and which get published, and there is as well a huge variation in the way how editors, peers and peer-reviewers are working together with the authors to improve the manuscript.
There will however always be a certain proportion of manuscripts of which the scientific level is too low to be published in the journal in question, even with alot of help and guidance of peers and editors. Such papers will be rejected and both the peers and the editors of the journal in question have a high responsibility that such papers are not added to the body of scientific knowledge.
The statements of Anne Simon, professor at the University of Maryland in the USA, and the statements of Tamas Szakmany of Cardiff University in UK are thus in agreement with each other.
(1): No problem as long as the authors are willing to work together with the editors and the reviewers to improve the manuscript and no problem as long as the basic level of (an improved version of) the manuscript is solid.
(2): A big problem (in this case currently on http://scholarlyoa.com/publishers/ ) because there is no option to reject the (small part of) manuscripts which lack this scientific level.
The option ‘withdraw from the process as the authors were clearly not willing to understand’ is ridiculous when it comes to assessing the (scientific) output of students.
Two more ridiculous and contradictory things with Frontiers:
– Frontiers has recently published an article warning from predatory journals while their own journals are considered as predatory journals:
http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2015.00022/full
– There are much more editors than authors: thousands of editors against hundreds articles published!!!
I am not sure why the previous comment says hundreds of articles – their websites states that they have published 38,000 papers.
What is ridiculous though, is the claim that at Frontiers the “very act of sending out a paper for peer review precludes the ability to reject this paper on the basis of the review, should it turn out negative”. I am not sure where this rumour started, but it is obviously not true.
This is how it actually works:
a) A manuscript can be desk-rejected without being sent out for review, if it contains obvious and serious problems (similar to most other peer reviewed journals)
b) After a manuscript has been sent out for review, it is not possible to reject it before the authors have had a chance to respond to the reviewers´queries. This procedure is afaik unique to Frontiers – and I think it is a good solution for many reasons. For example, it prevents rejection based on reviewer misreadings.
c) If the authors’ rebuttal is deemed unsuccessful by the reviewers they can say so, and the associate editor can then propose that the ms should be rejected. Or if the authors’ revisions are deemed successful, the reviewers can endorse publication, and the associate editor can then propose that the ms is accepted. Note that it is the associate editor who makes the decision to recommend accept/reject (like all other journals that I know of, the reviewers give advice to the editors, but the editors make the decisions).
d) The specialty chief editor oversees all decisions about both reject and accept, as a final quality check. I believe this final stage was recently introduced as a response to the critique from the FI Medicine editors (who did not like the idea that associate editors had the power to accept manuscripts).
I meant ‘thousands editors per journal”. Please take a look at any Frontiers journal and you will see that the number of editors is much higher than the number of articles published so far.
Apparently, they try to make a ‘kidding newwork’.
I might as well point out another frequent misunderstanding… It is correct that chief editors get a reward for “each batch of 120 papers submitted to your section in 2015”. But do note that it is for papers SUBMITTED and not for papers ACCEPTED. Editors thus have no financial incentive at all to accept papers! I am sure that Schneider did not mean to be intentionally misleading, but on a casual reading it is easy to think the reward is for accepted manuscripts (especially because he writes that the reward “goes hand in hand” with the “high acceptance rate at Frontiers”).
Btw, am I the only one who is curious why Beall has not cared to give a motivation for his decision?
Dear fhjij,
I appreciate your concerns, but this is what Frontiers writes on the topic of rejection:
“Submissions can only be rejected by the Chief Editor, while the Associate Editor who handles a manuscript can only recommend to reject a manuscript. The Chief Editor may override an Associate Editor’s recommendation to reject the manuscript and insist to call in further reviewers to continue the review process.”
This does point towards the systematic preference of acceptance over rejection.
I wish to point out yet again, that Frontiers in Medicine operates utterly without EiCs and largely without chief specialty editors. I am not sure who decides about rejections there now. Previously, the former chief editors claimed to have experienced that papers were accepted without their knowledge of their submission (http://www.labtimes.org/editorial/e_631.lasso).
Also, you mentioned above it is in your view appropriate for handling editors to act as reviewers. Please consider that at Frontiers handling editors can be selected or proposed by the authors themselves. This COI might influence the peer review done by these editors in place of proper, independent reviewers.
In general, it would be very useful to obtain information on Frontiers acceptance/rejection rates. If you have any connection to this publisher, please help me to make this information publicly available.
See also in the article above:
“Meanwhile, Frontiers manages according to own website “54 open access journals, 55,000 editors, 38,000 articles”!!
Kidding network? The journals are large and each contains many specialty sections which all have their own editorial boards, so there is nothing strange about the numbers reported above. Indeed it is the size and quality of the Frontiers editorial (chief and assoc. editors) and reviewer (review editors) boards that make the journals attractive to authors. The better the board, the better the chance to get expert opinions on your manuscript 🙂
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The ‘better’ ? What is the “better” in science? And, how do you know whether something is ‘better’ or not?
Is Drosophila for example better than mouse, Arabidopsis or ape to study genetics? No, there is no better or less good.
The same for editorial board and peer review.
“Good, Better, Best…Worse, Worst etc” all are subjective adjectives particularly in science.
April Tatro-medlin
“Human & Environmental Dangers Posed by Ongoing Global Tropospheric Aerosolized Particulates for Weather Modification”, by J. Marvin Herndon, June 30, 2016, PMID:27433467. FOUND AT:. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. RETRACTED. The reviewers name is listed but the review report is kept confidential. The article is also found on the Frontiers in Public Health website. Why wasn’t the author allowed to revise to avoid retraction? I find this suspect given the secrecy of the topic.
“Frontiers in Zoology” is published by Biomed Central and “Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology” is published by Elsevier. These journals do not belong to Frontiers Media.
Many thanks, text corrected! My apologies for mistake.
It is also worth clarifying that NPG was never a stakeholder of Frontiers Media. This so called “alliance” is about the Loop project. Now NPG is a part of the company Springer Nature (which is owned by Holtzbrinck). So, Springer Nature and Frontiers Media are two separate and competing companies. In fact, for the Loop project, NPG is a “customer” of Frontiers Media. Meanwhile, Springer Nature gets rid of the NPG and frontiersin journal connections. This however may be still confusing, and has been used for a long time to lure authors, reviewers and editors to Frontiers Media.
MH, thank you for your comment. My present information was based on the facts that:
1. Nature Publishing Group bought a stake in Frontiers in 2013, “the company said it was taking a majority investment but wouldn’t say how much that cost”: http://blogs.nature.com/news/2013/02/nature-publishing-group-buys-into-open-access-publisher.html
2. The current administrative board of Frontiers lists as signatory Michael Brockhaus, Head of Group Strategy at the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group.
Dr. Kamila Markram, co-founder and CEO of Frontiers, in her reply to the concerns raised by Prof. Dorothy Bishop writes at http://deevybee.blogspot.com.es/2015/06/my-collapse-of-confidence-in-frontiers.html the following: “Let me reassure you that the Frontiers process works extremely well for the vast majority of papers that are peer-reviewed. In fact, the paper in question is a good example of how our policy of transparency works. Readers with doubts about a published article, or about potential conflicts of interest, can scrutinize the qualifications of the handling editor and reviewers, as you did, and this will provide useful information for their assessment of the article.”
Although Dr. Markram encourages readers to communicate their doubts about potential conflicts of interest with respect to published articles, it would be useful to know that some action is actually taken once such concerns are reported. Following the Frontiers Review Guidelines (http://www.frontiersin.org/Design/pdf/ReviewGuidelines.pdf), concerns about two articles recently published in Frontiers in Psychology were emailed to the Frontiers editorial office. The email was sent on 30/10/15 and the concerns are summarized below:
According to Frontiers Review Guidelines, Frontiers claims to maintain a peer-review process. Some recent incidents seem to suggest that the claimed standards in reviewing are not always met. We see here (http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01082/abstract) a recently published article in Frontiers in Psychology. Upon reading it, we see that the author, both the editors (as it is part of a special issue) and one of the two reviewers all share an affiliation at http://biolinguistics-bcn.info/people/. (**NB. After we reported the issue to Frontiers, this website seems to have deleted much of its content, but check Google cache): Two of them are listed as external members/collaborators and two of them as core members of the same research group. The fact that the editor, one reviewer and the author have recently conducted work together (see the program of this conference http://www.er.uqam.ca/nobel/bioling/PAVIA2015/program.htm for featuring joint work between the author, the reviewer and the editor or this article http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01463/abstract for joint work between the reviewer and the editor) in a topic that seems related to the topic dealt with in the article is a clear violation of the Frontiers Review Guidelines.
What is even more disturbing is that the above article does not mark a single incident of what looks as a potential failure to adhere to the ethical standards that Frontiers seeks to meet. In another article (http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01355/abstract) in the very same issue of Frontiers, we see that the editors, the author and both reviewers all come from the same research group, listed as either core members or collaborators. The author of the second article mentions in the acknowledgments that “Preparation of this work was supported by funds from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grants FFI2013-43823-P and FFI2014-61888-EXP)”. These are grants awarded to the two editors (check Google cache for http://biolinguistics-bcn.info/about/research-lines-and-funding/). This looks like another conflict of interest (point 10 in section ‘Financial’, page 3 of the Frontiers Review Guidelines).
I hope you see the multiple conflicts of interest that arise in both cases. Given that (i) the peer-review process has been seriously compromised on the above mentioned grounds and (ii) your journal publicly claims that a peer-review process without conflicts of interest is ensured (see Frontiers Review Guidelines), retractions seem necessary. Failure to do so may be subject to various forms of legal action in the European Union (Misleading Advertising, Article 2, Directive 2006/114/EC).”
This email was sent to Frontiers 7 days ago. Given the transparent process that Dr. Markram so enthusiastically advertises, one would expect some kind of (re)action from Frontiers. Even a minimal “thank you for your time. We had no idea but are currently looking into it” would be an indication that some action will be taken and the reported concern is taken seriously. Surprisingly, Frontiers remains silent. No reply. Not a single word. No indication of action. No expression of concern. No appreciation of the fact that readers spent some time to point out apparent conflicts of interest.
Dr. Markram claims that Frontiers’ policy of transparency allows readers to “scrutinize the qualifications of the handling editor and reviewers”. Well, this scrutinizing is not always easy. It seems that Frontiers permits authors and reviewers to selectively list some of their affiliations (compare http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01082/abstract and http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01355/abstract with http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01463/abstract. Affiliation 3 in the latter is absent from the other two articles even though some of the mentioned individuals were listed as members of the very same group at the time these articles were published).
One wonders: Do people at Frontiers check for potential conflicts of interest before they publish an article? If not, how is the peer-review process maintained uncompromised? More to the (worrying) point, do people at Frontiers take some kind of action when readers alert them about potential conflicts of interest? And, finally, what qualities make a publisher predatory?
Costa Vakalopoulos
A majority of studies in high IF journals not being reproducible does not seem to be a concern because they have titled EiC independence and by Beall’s definition are not predatory in turn, because are not oa and therefore not on Beall’s list. The real concern here for scientific introspection is that Beall’s impulsiveness (although it appears more like the inevitable outcome of a carefully orchestrated agenda over some time) is an attempt to silence a well-regarded and attended platform for scienticifc dissonance, not readily available on traditional pathways of publication. I suspect that Beall has simply compromised the integrity of his otherwise worthwhile eneterprise and that he is largely appealing to a converted group simply by the nature (no pun intended) of their position within a hierarchy that depends on prestige by association.
The manifesto challenging editorial independence against Frontiers is notable not only for what it claims to be an abrogation of editorial independence (a worthwhile cause ), but also for the disappointment of editors who took on a role believeing it would bring them closer to an elite world by association (there is some rant about a dissipating cosy relationship between frontiers and npg). I just wonder if the manifesto would have materialized if Frontiers had fostered the dependence of its reputation on the Nature brand.
There is always room for criticism, no one should stiffle constant checks and balances irrespective of the stated principles on foundation and sure they can be corrupted by monetary inetersts, but Beall shows a short-sighted and pervasive lack of empathy for the cause of innovation in science and the way it is delivered. His effort simply trashes the work of many dedicated scientists who put their integirty at a premium whether editors or authors associated with the journal. As such he has made himself a villain to many.
I received this message from Frontiers today:
“Frontiers in Human Neuroscience was launched in 2008. In just 6 years, it has become the #1 most-cited journal in psychology, the #1 most-cited open access journal dedicated to neuroscience and the 10th most-cited journal in all of neuroscience. It is also the 2nd and 3rd largest journal in all of psychology and neuroscience, respectively.”
http://blog.frontiersin.org/2015/11/20/quality-and-impact-analysis-frontiers-in-human-neuroscience/
I still don’t have a strong opinion on Frontiers and Open Access, but so far the model seems to be working for me. I have gotten more views in seven weeks for my Frontiers opinion piece than I have in fifteen years for any of my traditionally published essays.
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Thank you for the most useful post. As an editor of a Frontiers journal, I agree, several of the points raised are serious, indeed, and should be amended. However, as mentioned above – scientific publishing is going through changes – and hopefully this type of discussion will help to improve and learn, while doing.
Avoiding “hate reviews” by publishing reviewers’ names is a relief. Hard to say which is worse – “type 1” or “type 2” errors – greedy publishers letting low quality pass or envious colleagues suppressing high quality material. Will the audience pass the verdict, by means of citations?
Are leading journals being submitted to such scrutiny? Recently, I reviewed an article for a top science journal (IF>10). The handling editor rejected the paper & circulated reviews, all of which were downright negative. Much to my surprise, the paper was published soon after, with only minor modifications, by the very same journal. Is “carte blanche” for famous colleagues – translating to bias and discrimination – any better?
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When are scientists and science journalists going to start having a frank and open conversation about the predatory nature of Elsevier, Springer-Nature and Taylor & Francis? Or are they too afraid of these publishers?
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PubPeer continues to manipulate commentary that is critical of Dr. Elizabeth Wager, and protect her.
February 25, 2016, Dr. Wager wrote:
“My PhD was based on my original research publications (not guidelines). I would never consider listing multiple versions or republications on my CV (and, since the CV lists the titles, this would be pretty obvious to anybody, so I can’t imagine why one would do it). As I am not an academic, I have no reason to count my publications.”
There were three comments in response to that statement, the last one being most important, but basically all requesting information about Dr. Wager’s PhD.
“I am sorry to insist about this point, but most academics are conferred a PhD while they are under a supervisor, or a PI. I did a rough calculation: if you obtained your PhD in 210, and you claim that your non-guidance papers counted for the PhD, then I assume that papers published in 2008 to 2009 would be within this subset.
I then went to PubMed, and looked up, after entering Wager E into the search function, your 2009 and 2008 papers which were not “guidance” papers. To my great surprise your company name was written in all papers that I checked.
For example, 3 random examples:
J Med Ethics 2009;35:348-353 doi:10.1136/jme.2008.028324
Science journal editors’ views on publication ethics: results of an international survey
E Wager 1, S Fiack 2, C Graf 3, A Robinson 3, I Rowlands 4
Sideview, 19 Station Road, Princes Risborough HP27 9DE, UK
(incidentally no affiliation listed for the other 4 authors at PUbMed, why not?)
However, the original BMJ site lists the affiliations of the last 4 authors as:
1 Sideview, Princes Risborough, UK
2 Wiley-Blackwell, Berlin, Germany
3 Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK
4 UCL Centre for Publishing, University College London, London, UK
What should be done to tackle ghostwriting in the medical literature?
Gøtzsche PC, Kassirer JP, Woolley KL, Wager E, Jacobs A, Gertel A, Hamilton C.
PLoS Med. 2009 Feb 3;6(2):e23. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000023.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2634793/pdf/pmed.1000023.pdf
“Elizabeth Wager is at Sideview, Princes Risborough, United Kingdom.”
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Oct 8;(4):MR000002.
Technical editing of research reports in biomedical journals.
Elizabeth Wager E, Philippa Middleton
doi: 10.1002/14651858.MR000002.pub3.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.MR000002.pub3/abstract
1 Sideview, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, UK
2 The University of Adelaide, ARCH: Australian Research Centre for Health of Women and Babies, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Now I am even more curious than before, Dr. Wager, which academic institute conferred your PhD in 2010, and why do you continue to keep it secret? The public should be able to access a PhD thesis easily, I assume. This is very important because you have stated publicly that you are not an academic yet your waiving your academic title, a PhD, proudly, yet fail to indicate who conferred this title and what papers were used to obtain that title. Since none of your papers carry the name of any academic institute, only your company affiliation, I sense that the problems associated with this hexaduplicate and the lack of conflicts of interest may be reflecting a much larger problem.
So where can we find a copy of your thesis on a public depository? Can you please provide the URL.”
Are these libelous questions that should have merited removal from PubPeer, or is it possible that there is collusion between COPE and PubPeer in protecting Dr. Wager’s image at the expense of the truth?
Will you be remedying your own undisclosed conflicts of interest at any time?
Bobo.
This very strange defense of Dr. Wager by PubPeer. I believe that this blind defense of what the academic community has perceived as perhaps one of the most ethical individuals in science publishing, was cemented in California’s UC Davis in early February:
http://icis.ucdavis.edu/
Elizabeth Wager = Watchdog I
PubPeer’s Barndon Snell = Watchdog II
Some in the public tend not to believe this claim. I have thus assembled the proof of PubPeer’s “comment moderation”.
Wow, that’s quite the cabal you’ve uncovered there by Googling two people’s names at the same time. Your detective work is simply outstanding. This is the same kind of nonsense that 9/11 conspiracy theorists rely on. Break out the tin-foil hats.
Have you considered the possibility that your comments were removed because–as someone on the PubPeer thread pointed out–they border on harassment?
And again, I ask, will you be redressing your own missing conflict of interest statements?
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Sam Kagawa
AASCIT are complete spammers beware. Recently i sent an article to the American journal of science and technology. After a bogus review they replied they have accepted my article. they asked me to pay article processing charges. The bank transfer address is Hong Kong while the journal is American! I transferred USD 200. After acknowledging the receipt of the money they refused to publish my article. I pleaded with them but since then they refused to reply. The address aascit002@gmail.com. there is no person full name, no address, no contact. Only Gmail address. These are complete spammers. Do not ever send your journal to AASCIT. I have all the evidence of the communication i had with them. If need be i can give you the details.
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Nicholas Collin Paul de Gloucester
Guillaume Schmidt:
[. . .] Science is not democratic. [. . .]”
I agree that science is not a democracy but much of what passes for science is alas a popularity contest. There is too much herding amongst persons who dishonestly profess to supposedly be investigators who are not truly careful seekers of truth. Much of the novel “Brave New World” is worth quoting. I quote merely de its third chapter: “Sixty-two thousand four hundred repetitions make one truth. Idiots!”
Plantarum asked: “When are scientists and science journalists going to start having a frank and open conversation about the predatory nature of Elsevier[. . .]? Or are they too afraid of these publishers?”
On 12/12/2011 a legal-advice organisation in the Netherlands (namely het Juridisch Loket) advised me to contact the “Fraudehelpdesk” (fraude being Dutch for fraud) to make a complaint against Elsevier. I promptly did so. During March 2012 the policeman Mister Hoekman of the Fraudehelpdesk said to me that to proceed I would need to nominate an expert who can fluently confirm in Dutch to a person who is not a technical person that Elsevier perpetrates fraud. I promptly nominated to the Fraudehelpdesk more than one such expert (all of who agreed to testify about this). More than 4 years later I have not heard any more about this.
I type this as I read For Better Science — without access to the Internet therefore I indicate
http://OpenAccess.EPrints.org/index.php?/archives/1160-Netherlands-Boycotting-Elsevier-To-Sustain-Bloat.html
(that has been indicated by Richard Poynder and Leonid Schneider on “Berlin12: closed society at an open access conference” on For Better Science) without having accessed it.
I became aware that Gizem Donmez ( http://retractionwatch.com/?s=Gizem+Donmez+ ) has a Loop profile on the website of publisher Frontiers ( http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/50104/overview ).
This Loop profile states: “Gizem Donmez, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA”. This information is not in line with information at http://retractionwatch.com/2014/10/16/neuroscientist-who-threatened-to-sue-science-fraud-org-retracted-two-papers-is-out-at-tufts/ : “Gizem Donmez, a neuroscientist who has retracted two papers from Cell and the Journal of Biological Chemistry, is no longer in her position at Tufts University, Retraction Watch has learned. A Tufts spokesperson confirmed the news for us yesterday: ‘Dr. Donmez is no longer employed by Tufts University. We don’t, as a rule, comment on employee personnel matters.’ We’ve tried to contact Donmez for comment, and will update with anything we learn.” (posted 16 October 2014).
The Loop profile of Gizem Donmez currently lists 8 publications. It is not indicated that publication #3 ( http://loop.frontiersin.org/publications/22219275 ) is retracted (see
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/32/1/124 and http://retractionwatch.com/2016/04/07/image-splicing-duplications-inversions-kill-paper-for-well-known-longevity-researcher-and-alum-of-lab/ ). Also publication #6 at the Loop profile of Gizem Donmez ( http://loop.frontiersin.org/publications/20655472 ) is retracted ( http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867410006744 and http://retractionwatch.com/2014/08/13/cell-retraction-of-alzheimers-study-is-second-for-tufts-neuroscientist/ ). The retration of this publication is not indicated at the Loop profile of Gizem Donmez
Anyone any idea about a relation between publication #1 ( = http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2014.00184/full ) at the Loop profile of Gizem Donmez and between http://retractionwatch.com/2013/08/13/authors-withdraw-already-corrected-jbc-paper-questioned-on-pubpeer/ and http://www.jbc.org/content/287/39/32307.short ?
The Loop profile of Lei Liu, the first author of publication #1 at the Loop profile of Gizem Donmez, lists
a recent publication of Gizem Donmez, see http://loop.frontiersin.org/publications/44323022 and http://benthamscience.com/journals/current-neuropharmacology/volume/14/issue/2/page/143/ This 2016 publication is currently not listed on the Loop profile of Gizem Donmez.
The Loop profile of Gizem Donmez also lists: “Editorial Roles, Guest Associate Editor for Frontiers in
Aging Neuroscience”. See http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/aging-neuroscience
What a surprise, Klaas. Some background about Dönmez, who is now actually a tenured faculty member in Turkey: https://forbetterscience.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/zombie-scientists/#comment-227
As you noticed, she is editor with Frontiers, but Guest Associate Editor: http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/50104/overview
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FrontiersLESS
A little after Frontiers has started, the papers of Opinions, Commentaries, etc. were free of charge. A guy told me that Frontiers editorial office has asked some of its editors to reject papers when these were free because they do not generate money! So, some time later, Frontiers applied fees on these paper categories to maximize its profits.
Frontiers is a money-focus publisher more than a science-focus publisher. Otherwise, it would not apply fees on Opinion papers.
At Frontiers, everything is made to maximize profit. A greedy publisher. Period.
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March Madness, Lemur Madness, Dam Madness and Funny Names in the News 31!
Posted on March 22, 2013 by Arto
Hello folks and welcome to a Funny Names in the News roundup so chock full of funny names it’ll make every forthcoming post on this blog seem disappointing. But hey, I’m here to disappoint, and always have been, so logically no one should be disappointed by that. Hooray!
A basketball, in a white place, earlier.
We start with our celebrated coverage of March Madness, which I’m dubbing March Madness Madness!! Yes, that’s right, with two (2) exclamation points. Courtesy of our intrepid March Madness Madness!! correspondent Mad Dave, here are the best of the best funny names from the 2013 NCAA March Madness Tournament.
There’s a team in existence called St. Louis Billikens, which should fill their funny name quota already, but oddly, it doesn’t! They have room for a player dubbed Kwamain Mitchell. Extraordinary! (Mad Dave’s edit: What is a Billiken you ask? Why, it’s one of these!… I’m not sure if that helps answer your question…)
The country’s third leading scorer this year goes by the name of Lamont “Momo” Jones, instantly answering the question “what to name my child if my last name is as dull as Jones?”. Lamont “Momo”, that’s what.
Of Iowa State’s top six scorers, four are transfer students. That’s a stat that will impress some, but we’re more interested in their names, which include Tyrus McGee, Korie Lucious, Chris Babb, and Will Clyburn. They can’t lose with those guys!
And finally in the “How Do You Spell That Again?” category we have Saint Mary’s star Matthew Dellavedova, whose 22 points helped his team beat the glamorous sounding Middle Tennessee to make it to the final 64.
Patrick Stewart and his magnificent hair. Amb has requested I mention that his proposal surely included him bellowing “ENGAGE” at his bride-to-be, and that sounds right to me so I will repeat it as fact.
Moving beyond basketball, where our…ahem, Amsterdam Correspondent Amb brings us this priceless news item from Canada’s Finest, the CBC, which I had to check several times to make sure it was not actually from the Onion. It concerns Amsterdam’s two longest working prostitutes, twin sisters Louise and Martine Fokkens (yes, Fokkens). I truly recommend reading the article, for it is full of unintentional, semi-intentional, and definitely intentional puns from a clearly amused, but gotta-be-serious CBC staff writer. I give you this paragraph about their experiences in the Red Light District as a teaser.
“We like to work in the red light district,” said Louise in broken English. “You had fun, we know a lot of people … the American boys, the Canadian boys, the German … every country come there.”
Can’t beat that.
In more unfortunate news, folk singer Michelle Shocked thought her concert at a bar in San Francisco would be the perfect time to announce to her sure-to-be-receptive audience that gays are like, totally not cool, and that Jesus would set them straight (no pun intended…really, I swear). Accordingly, everyone left, the bar turned off the mic and left her sitting in the darkness all alone. So it goes.
These are lemurs. They have nothing to do with this post, and aren’t in the news, but clearly they should be. Look at them! They’re hilarious!
Adding insult to injury was funny-named bar The Hopmonk Tavern, who cancelled her upcoming appearance. This article was presented by Mad Dave, Budweiser, J.C Penney, the Ghost of Christmas Past, and the Howard Hawks film His Girl Friday*.
Finally, some magnificently “engaging” news from the world of Show Business from our There’s No Business Like Show Business Correspondent Amb. Actor, Starship Enterprise captain, and all-around sweetheart Patrick Stewart is marrying a lucky lady by the name of Sunny Ozell. We can see why he’d marry a person of such a fine name. But that’s not all! The wedding will be officiated by the great Ian McKellen, who I should mention grew up in the town of Wigan in England, and deserves an honorary Funny Names Blog Mention for having played characters with names like Gandalf, Iorek Byrnison, Kurt Dussander, Amos Starkadder, and of course “Porn Photographer” in 1978’s Corvette Summer. That’ll be some wedding.
*We stress these companies did not actually present this news item, but we stress this for legal reasons only. We fully embrace gratuitous, transparent and unethical corporate sponsorship opportunities. Please contact Dave between the hours of 2 am and 5 am Pacific Time for details. Thank you.
P.S. Eat Cheetos.
P.P.S. You owe us some cash, Cheetos.
P.P.P.S. I want Cheetos now.
P.P.P…..What? What? Enough? What do you mean, enough? Where are you taking me? What’s that? Nooo, noooooooooo! See you all next weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
*silence*
About Arto
Co-founder of the Funny Names Blog, Hawaiian shirt enthusiast, and holder of a funny name himself with too many vowels for any sensible person. Currently residing in San Diego, California, scouring through obscure documents on a hunt for more funny names. www.funnynamesblog.wordpress.com
View all posts by Arto →
This entry was posted in Funny Names In The News and tagged amsterdam, basketball, cheetos, funny, funny names, humor, humour, march madness, monkeys, patrick stewart, spurious sponsorship, weddings. Bookmark the permalink.
28 Responses to March Madness, Lemur Madness, Dam Madness and Funny Names in the News 31!
Grrr…… I’m so mad!
Sounds like we should start calling you Crazy Arto after this post!
Ooh, pretty edgy! I’m all for it, Mad Dave! (Mad in the British sense of course).
1. Cheetos does owe us money … A lot o’ money.
2. My f key is broken, so when I don’t feel like copying and pasting an “f”, I end up sounding like a leprechaun!
3. Is a Billiken a leprechaun? What the heck is it?!?
4. It’s 4am and thus far nobody has contacted me about corporate sponsorship (gratuitous, transparent, unethical or otherwise). I’m deciding to punish them by getting a better score on today’s exercise physiology final. Take that, plebes!
Last thing: I wish I’d known about these names before I made my bracket. I picked Notre Dame’s fighting Irish (perhaps because o’ my keyboard predicament (see above)) to beat Iowa State in the first round. We’ll see today how well the funny names bracket picking strategy works. We already know that the southern states strategy was enough to propel ol’ Willie to victory in 2006, which was the largest March Madness pool I ever organized, containing 24 people.
Oh, just kidding… not last thing! Amb… I should let you know that both Arto and I have used a strategy called “The George Effect” to some success in previous March Madness pools. Arto coined the George effect, but I later used myself, and also put it into action to describe why Strombo is awesome. (Arto’s a Clooney lover, so he still believes in the George Effect as well).
You know what, that wasn’t the last thing either…
March Madness can be anagrammed to say SS Named Charm. Sounds like a ship I’d like to sail!
Amb, you’ve met caffeinated Dave now. I had a 5-hr energy to study for finals. Its effect is incessant commenting and anagramming. It’s a little talent o’ mine that I let out on very rare occasions. It was also a major reason Mailman and I bonded in the first place.
– Mad Dave
Dear Mad Dave,
That was everything I hoped it would be, and more.
Love, amb
PS: The anagramming is kinda hot. I’m just saying.
I’m glad to hear it. Now… 3 hour nap before I wake up at 9:30 to do the last stages of prep for my final. Love you my dearest!
(P.S. This is also your first encounter with ambien dave… hey, amb… .ambien, that’s awesome. He doesn’t come around much because Arto and Leslie don’t want me to take ambien, so I only take it when I desperantely need some weird sleeping pattern like the one today . But he’s been known to be a prettty fun guy! Wooooohoooo! Glycolysis! Systolic pressure! Ventricular contractility! Sarcoplasmic Reticuli! Cholinergic signaling at the Neuromuscular junction! Woohoo!
Alright, I think I was saying I am about to go to sleep. That’s what I should do. G’night lovies!
Goodness – just when I thought my morning couldn’t get any better, I get declarations of love and neuro-speak in a single reply! *swoon*
Sweet dreams, and so much good luck with your final, xo.
Oh, Arto. This post is even more magnificent than Patrick Stewart’s hair.
Oh thank you, that is the highest level of compliment, and also one no one has ever heard before. Literally.
Hey, man, that’s how I roll. I don’t save up ALL of my sweet talk for Dave, you know. Especially if you’re going to be throwing Howard Hawks references around!
I hate to interrupt this bizarre sort-of monologue that turned dialogue when amb stepped in, but Dave–am worried about you. As your TV Land sister, I’m a little concerned what with all the above mentions of “drugs” such as 5 hr and ambien. You’re a bright guy and know that these things aren’t the way to sound mental health.
Seriously, though, I thought my life was crazy nuts with little kids running underfoot, a moody tween who blames me for everything, a real-world job, and multiple blogging personalities. But now I see that I’m doing ok and maybe you should calm down a bit.
Would you like that I bake you up a batch of my Classic Granola? The complex carb-protein balance might do you well. (kidding, all (or am I?). What we need to do is get BoFN readers together for drinks that contain bourbon and such.) Good luck on the finals!
Haha, I’m doing fine. 🙂 It’s just this one final and then I get a whole week off to relax and things. Arto poked fun at me by saying “Please contact Dave between the hours of 2 am and 5 am Pacific Time for details. Thank you.” because he knows the way I get during finals. I’m all good. Just gotta ace this exam. Don’t worry, I’ll be relaxing tonight. A lot!
ok, then. won’t worry 😉 just that you seemed so frenetic. (amb, psssst….that’s a good word for one of your Wed posts, y’think?) happy relaxing, Dave–you earned it!
It totally is – good call Liz! You can expect it to see it (along with, perhaps, a quote from the other half of Davember) coming to a superfluous blog near you!
Oh, the foreshadowing…
Imagine. Me, all over a literary dramatic device like a fat kid all over a smartie. It’s almost like you saw that one coming …
Lol! Is it bad that I just cracked up over my own word-nerd joke? Wit and charm indeed …
Haha, no, it’s perfect. 🙂
Thanks! I think I earned it, because the exam went well. Took a several-hour nap afterward. Things are good right now! And yes, I get frenetic sometimes. Who knows, perhaps it’s a side effect of an active mind and March Madness (which I really think should be celebrated by having a 4-day national holiday so we can all watch the first two rounds … which also always coincide with finals 😦 ). Have a good weekend!
paralaxvu says:
Hmmmm….Sunny’s initials will now be SOS. Not too good for a captain’s wife. Just sayin’…
LOL. You know your comments make my day, right?
It’s nice to know someone likes to see/hear my name;-) Thank you.
Haha, that’s hilarious, good catch!
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Murder, She Wrote Appreciation Thread
By CinemaInternational, May 29, 2019 in General Discussions
LocationOhio
Yes, seeing Bill Maher was funny (now. didn't know him then). I think he played a character during those years when she had "guest sleuths" as well (to give Angela a break). I remember Megan Mullally in one (Before Will and Grace). I'm sure there are many others. George's Costanza's boss was in at least one. (when he worked for the Yankees).
Someone posted this review for the classic crime show Matt Houston on the IMDb. Since they mentioned Murder She Wrote, I thought it was worth sharing:
I never watched it in it's initial run, but I've quickly learned to appreciate it as a campy hoot filled with goofy situations, some fun stuntwork and most importantly of all....a potpourri of cheesy, "Murder She Wrote"-style guest stars. No lover of has been, quasi-stars can afford to miss an episode of this show. I don't know if the entire run of the series kept it up, but the ones I've watched so far had fun combinations like David Cassidy, Troy Donahue, Monte Markham and Jessica Walter in one show and Hugh O'Brian, Cesare Danova and Tina Louise in another and then Britt Ekland, Carol Lawrence and Christina Ferrare in another!! An added bonus is the occasional glimpse of Lee Horsley in a speedo or other skimpy attire. Check it out!
Matt Houston was an Aaron Spelling show, so that explains all the "big name" guest stars.
yanceycravat
3 hours ago, Hibi said:
WOW! Could you tell us which episodes or is that being too nosy? You don't have to say which character you played!
A Nest of Vipers (1994)
The Survivor (1993)
Quel siecle a mains!
LocationNorth Carolina
And you could count on the host being accused of murder! Who'd want her coming for a visit???
The first few weren't too bad but after it became a regular plot gimmick it grew kind of tiresome.
Not only did she discover the host was the murderer, but Jessica never straightened out her guest
towels.
3 hours ago, Michael Rennie said:
That might be so. The show was based on current times. Guess things were pretty nasty in Sparta. Just like Murder, She Wrote, Sparta, Mississippi was not real.
I like Matlock but never got into Perry Mason.
And Sparta, Mississippi had a lot of racial problems which Cabot Cove, Maine didn't.
ITHOTN was more graphic in its violence than MSW for sure. I've seen most of the
episodes of Matlock multiple times and enjoyed them at the time, though I don't have a
desire to see them again any time soon. I enjoy the late 1950s episodes of Perry Mason.
They are kind of down and dirty in subject matter in that special 1950s way.
Perry Mason is on FETV twice on week nights. I'm sure they cut at least 5 minutes if not more
from the originals. But the plots are so complicated I doubt if the originals would make things
much clearer. It takes a while just to figure out how everybody is related to one another. I
always get a kick out of Paul Drake and his wandering eye. I think that up and coming TV
stars were more common on Mason than old time movie stars, though they would show up
on occasion. I recall future star Robert Redford was in one episode.
I know. Even unedited the plots were complicated and it took awhile to get all the relationships worked out.
1 hour ago, yanceycravat said:
THANKS! I remember Nest of Vipers, but not Survivor, though I'm sure I've seen it. I'll watch for them again!
28 minutes ago, Vautrin said:
The host wasnt usually the murderer, but they were often accused of murder. Usually it was someone else.
Not sure Cabot Cove had any races besides white, but I'll look around for some extras in future shows.
1 hour ago, Vautrin said:
This is one of the big problems I have with the show. To me, something like Columbo is much more believable, because it's his job to be snooping around for clues. His occupation brings him to various crime scenes. Same goes for other detective shows like Cannon and Barnaby Jones. But the fact that this woman, who's just an author that happens to write murder mysteries, suddenly finds her whole life surrounded by crime-- it is just really far-fetched.
If she had been a retired copper, like a 65 year old Cagney or Lacey who couldn't get resist staying away and helping people, that would be one thing. Where she had lifelong skills in investigating, because it used to be her regular occupation, yes. But a gal in a sleepy New England hamlet, traveling the world and not being able to go one place without corpses turning up, no way. It's ludicrous and beggars belief!
Despite the wild improbability of it all, Lansbury made it work (most of the time). But I think the premise was ill-conceived.
Even Jane Marple never had so many dead bodies turning up in her presence. Agatha Christie wrote only 12 books and a few short stories featuring Jane Marple. That means the character only dealt with this sort of thing 14 or 15 times. But Jessica Fletcher dealt with this sort of thing 264 times plus four more times in the TV movies.
I don't know any amateur sleuth, especially one that age with limited police contacts overseas, who has been asked to solve a murder 268 times in her life! And she was solving cases that trained detectives couldn't figure out? Yeah, right! Plus she didn't start doing this until 1984 and she solved all these cases in a 15 year period? Oh, and she was also supposedly writing books during this time. The whole thing was implausible from the word go.
It's called the willing SUSPENSION of DISBELIEF. Obviously many people were willing. Am sure most saw the implausible elements in the show, but didnt care. They enjoyed it and probably participated in guessing whodunit.
18 minutes ago, Hibi said:
The only episode that seemed totally plausible was the one where she became a juror, and as a regular citizen, she was legitimately involved in the process of proving or disproving a person's innocence in a murder.
But even that episode borrowed heavily from 12 ANGRY MEN. The entire series was not very original or fresh.
Like I said, it worked mainly because of Lansbury's charisma and acting ability...and the acting of the guest stars.
The scripts were routine at best. There were flashes of brilliance in some of the writing, but the writers were way too restricted by a specific formula. The first act, leading into the first big commercial break, always had to end with the murder. They seldom delayed the murder to the end of the second act, unless it was a two-part episode where they had more time. And the fourth act was always Jessica figuring it out ahead of the police and a reconstruction of the crime in flashbacks. So the actor or actress who played the murder victim would only appear in the first act and the fourth act. The structure was very predictable.
They also thought they were being clever by making the murderer someone the audience wouldn't expect by putting someone who had never played a villain before into that role. Like the episode where Gary Sandy was the killer. He had been a good guy all those years on WKRP in Cincinnati so the audience would not expect him to be the murderer. Priscilla Barnes, one of the roommates from Three's Company, was also in an episode where she was unmasked as the killer. She had never played a villain before. But this routine of casting against type soon became predictable too.
Dr. Somnambula
TopBilled, I think Jessica started out by helping Sheriff Tupper solve a case. He got use to asking her for help. He frequently needed her assistance.
4 minutes ago, Michael Rennie said:
That's for SURE! LOL!
It was even worse when Perry had to solve two murders, one from years ago and the
current one. Yikes.
Of course the show was just following the demographics of Maine, which is very white.
I recall folks criticizing the lack of black people in The Andy Griffith Show, which was
set in NC, which is certainly not Maine.
17 minutes ago, Michael Rennie said:
Thanks Michael. Yeah, Amos Tupper was the small town inept sheriff stereotype. I'm surprised he didn't need help crossing the street!
I hear he became a priest and changed his name to Father Dowling.
This is an APPRECIATION thread. It says that in the title. Some lighthearted criticism is ok. None of us said the show was perfect. But constant long negative posts about the show aren't appreciated here! (Sorry, but the word fit!)
CinemaInternational
4 hours ago, LawrenceA said:
You've discussed a lot of the classic era performers who appeared on the show, but what about those that appeared early in their career? Can you think of anyone?
I recall one with a young Bryan Cranston of Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad fame.
There was one on the other night with Julianna Marguiles, who would go on to ER and The Good Wife.
And one features a young Bill Maher long before Politically Incorrect or Real Time.
George Clooney appeared in an episode in 1987 (one with Buddy Hackett and Sheree North). Jim Caviezel appeared (several years before The Thin Red Line) in an episode in 1995 (one with Kim Darby and John Astin) Joaquin Phoenix appeared as a child in a 1984 episode. Andy Garcia had a non-speaking part as a thug in the very first episode in 1984. Courtney Cox was in a two-parter in 1986.
Yes, seeing Bill Maher was funny (now. didn't know him then). I think he played a character during those years when she had "guest sleuths" as well (to give Angela a break).
That's right. It was the one with Faith Ford of Murphy Brown fame (which was running on CBS concurrently)
4 minutes ago, CinemaInternational said:
29 minutes ago, CinemaInternational said:
I haven't seen the Clooney one, or the one with Joaquin Phoenix. Now I have a reason to look in on the nightly reruns again!
I agree that the premise of the show is pretty far-fetched, though no more so than a lot
of other TV shows and many studio era movies. I think the audience realizes that and
just goes with the flow for the most part and isn't bothered too much by the
implausibility of the whole thing, though it's fun to discuss some of the more improbable
aspects of this and other shows and movies. I think a big part of the appeal in the early
years of the program was the Maine small town setting and some of the eccentric
characters who lived there. Jessica was definitely the brains before Tupper. I'm sure he
was well meaning and tried hard, but anything more complicated than a lost dog was
beyond his abilities. Uh oh, it's Perry Mason time.
HelenBaby2
Mariska Hargety appears in an episode of In the Heat of the Night where she plays the girlfriend of a pathological murderer. It seems to pop up on WGN about every other week.
17 hours ago, TopBilled said:
I hear he became a priest and changed his name to Father Dowling.
Father Dowling Mysteries was a good show too.
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HomeWardrobe Malfunction: Knesset ‘Miniskirt’ Rule Humiliates Sensibly-Dressed Aide
Wardrobe Malfunction: Knesset ‘Miniskirt’ Rule Humiliates Sensibly-Dressed Aide
by Phoebe Maltz Bovy
Man in revealing kilt. Probably too scandalous for the Knesset.
Remember last summer’s burkini ban in France, where police (!) in the South of France — as in, actual police, not fashion-police-y French beach-goers — demanded a woman take off a bathing suit a new law deemed too modest? (See Jane Eisner’s analysis.) Even more frighteningly (though neither is great…), in Mosul, Iraq, reports the New York Times, ISIS-enforced dress codes require women to cover every part of their bodies, a complicated procedure involving gloves and eye coverings.
Which leads me to the latest in womenswear-policing: Marcy Oster reports that Knesset aide Shaked Hasson was examined and detained by a guard and other workers for violating new rules regarding skirt length.
A Facebook photo of the outfit in question reveals… nothing all that revealing. She’s in office-wear. I don’t have the cultural relativism in me that would be necessary to sort out how the outfit in question could be classified as a “short skirt”, in Israel or anywhere else. Yes, different locales have different dress codes, but it would seem a rule about workplace-appropriate attire wouldn’t entirely converge with one about what to wear at a particularly traditional house of worship. Or, rather, it sure says something when they do! Although I did notice that the Knesset website makes no mention of requiring head-coverings of male visitors, which suggests a touch of good old sexism under the cover of piety at stake.
The Dangers of Lady Knees at the Knesset
Was This Knesset Aide’s Dress Too Short for New Modesty Code?
Marcy OsterDecember 12, 2016
Phoebe Maltz Bovy edits the Sisterhood, and can be reached at bovy@forward.com. Her book, The Perils of “Privilege”, will be published by St. Martin’s Press in March 2017.
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Network TV and the Web: Fox’s Take
Liz Gannes Nov 23, 2008 - 9:01 PM CST
This has been the year TV networks finally embraced the web. As 2008 wraps up, nearly every broadcaster posts its shows online within half a day of first airing them on TV. And the audience for such programming is growing, especially among desirable younger demographics. Twelve percent of teens and 11 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds watch online TV at least once a week, respectively, as compared to 4 percent of 35- to 64-year-olds, according to Knowledge Networks.
But network strategies aren’t cut from the same cloth. For instance, ABC employs a dedicated premium player, for which users must download a plug-in, and mandates that even official partners send users to the player to watch its long-form content. Meanwhile, Hulu, a project from News Corp. and NBC Universal, has made freely embeddable content the norm, allowing online publishers large and small to publish snippets, full episodes and even movies from its library, and in some cases share ad revenue.
There’s no real public measure of which particular network is tops in online streaming, though Hulu (which now has more than 100 content providers) does have a significant traffic lead, rising to the No. 6 video site in the 8 months since its launch, according to Nielsen, and seeing an 87 percent increase in unique visitors from September to October, according to comScore. It’s instructive to consider each network’s overall strategy holistically, and we recently got a chance to do that with Fox, which sent Hardie Tankersley, who leads online strategy for Fox Broadcasting, to our NewTeeVee Live conference.
Fox posts most of its shows online — though it doesn’t control web distribution for a little one called American Idol or for a few others with expensive music rights. Tankersley was adamant that syndicating content online is additive. He said that generally speaking, syndication adds another 50 percent of viewership on top of what Fox gets already.
However, there was a discrepancy between separate comments by Tankersley and Hulu CEO Jason Kilar at NewTeeVee Live. Tankersley attested to “more viewership on any given episode on Fox.com than on Hulu,” whereas Kilar said Fox “actually get[s] the majority of their business on Hulu now, relative to their own sites.” But either way, they agree business is booming. Kilar says Fox streams have tripled since Hulu launched, and Tankersley compared the last six weeks’ streaming numbers (since the fall season started) to a rocketship. Fox also reports unusually strong viewer engagement numbers.
Tankersley attested to different viewing habits on Fox.com proper as compared to aggregators; he said for the Fox marquee hits like House people go to Fox.com, but more niche shows, like It’s Always Sunny in Phildelphia, have won over new audiences on external sites (that show in particular has surprised many people with how often it’s near the top of the Hulu leaderboard). Fox also gets more lunchtime viewers compared to the primetime rush on Hulu, which has more of an audience of “cord cutters,” according to Tankersley.
Still, he admitted, online video minutes viewed are “almost invisible” compared to TV. On a graph of minutes viewed for TV and online, “you can’t make the chart big enough actually to have the little bar on the side,” he said.
Fox is actually fairly conservative (and we’re not talking Fox News; that’s handled separately) compared to other portals when it comes to advertising. Tankersley said the network favors midstream ads — though it does try to limit the number to one ad per break. Fox doesn’t offer the popular new overlay format whatsoever, and it doesn’t advertise anything besides other Fox content on the programming it licenses from studios. Why? “Studio agreements, guild agreements, implied endorsement issues,” Tankersley said. “Right now we’re very leery of that.” He named monetization as the biggest challenge in the coming year.
Tankersley thinks networks are well-positioned to succeed in online TV, and not necessarily because they have huge budgets and audiences on their side. Why? Partly because other people don’t get it. He says most web series to date have the wrong idea about the necessity of short-form content. “Everyone’s confusing this idea that people have a short attention span online. All you content creators, stop it! You can’t tell a good story in two minutes.” And even as traditional channel switching becomes an anachronism, Tankersley expects the power of its network to stick around. “You need to promote stuff on the back of other stuff,” he said.
This article also appeared on BusinessWeek.com.
7 Responses to “Network TV and the Web: Fox’s Take”
kevin November 24, 2008
think it’s coincidental that Always Sunny in Philly and Arrested Development are so popular on Hulu when they’re two of the most recent shows to have entirely all of their episodes available?
Ryan November 24, 2008
I am cord cutter and in this economy more should do the same and enjoy their TV online.
I do through this set up http://techavid.com – PC connected to LCD TV use handheld mouse as remote.
How are other cord cutters consuming their online TV?
simon horner November 24, 2008
The next big thing is mashed up tv material with advertising mashed into it….
Going for the split
5 questions for… Auddly, targeting the source of music creation
Jon Collins May 4, 2018 - 8:48 AM CDT
Expertise and provenance
Trust in media is collapsing. Is that such a bad thing?
Jon Collins Jan 26, 2018 - 4:02 AM CST
The Rise of Ad Fraud
Will 2017 be the Armageddon for Online Ads?
Frank J. Ohlhorst Jan 3, 2017 - 5:34 PM CST
Business on Display: Making a Statement with Digital Signage
Jon Collins Jan 14, 2016 - 12:00 PM CST
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‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Actress Ever Carradine Joins ‘All My Life’; ‘Shameless’ Shanola Hampton Cast In ‘Grace’
Deadline November 22, 2019
Ever Carradine (The Handmaid’s Tale, Marvel’s Runaways) is set to appear in All My Life, Universal’s romantic drama inspired by the life of Jenn Carter and her husband Solomon Chau, who will be played by Jessica Rothe and Harry Shum Jr. Marc Meyers is directing the piece, which revolves around the love, life and laughter circle of a young couple as they plan their wedding in the face of devastating news. Jay Pharoah, Marielle Scott, Michael Masini, Chrissie Fit, Greg Vrotsos, Kyle Allen, and Keala Settle also co-star. Todd Rosenberg wrote the script, which Todd Garner and Sean Robins are producing for their Broken Road Productions banner. Carradine is repped by Gersh Agency.
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Keala Settle Joins Universal's 'All My Life'; Tessa Munro Set For 'Conductor'
'All My Life': Michael Masini, Chrissie Fit & Greg Vrotsos Join Universal Drama
'Sex and the City's Kristin Davis, Greer Grammer, Dermot Mulroney To Star In 'Grace' Thriller From Anna Elizabeth James
Shameless star Shanola Hampton has been added to the cast of Grace, joining Kristin Davis, Greer Grammer, and Dermot Mulroney in the indie thriller from Anna Elizabeth James. The pic follows a bestselling female novelist (Davis) who is suffering from writer’s block and hires an innocent young woman (Grammer) to watch over her twin children. As the novelist dangerously indulges in her new best-seller, the line between the life she’s writing about and the one she’s actually living becomes blurred. Shanola will play the best friend of the novelist. Davis and Grammer are producing. Hampton can currently be seen as Veronica Fisher on the tenth season of Shameless on Showtime. She is repped by Buchwald and Reel Talent.
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Stock market news: November 27, 2019
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Latest news about: convertibles
In new York brought the updated Mercedes-AMG C 63
28 March 2018 FineAuto
At the motor show in new York presented the updated Mercedes-AMG C 63. This car is easily distinguished by a new corporate grille with vertical bars. In addition, there are other changes in appearance: the model also increased the exhaust pipes and rear diffuser. Gamma motor remained the same. Under the hood of the updated… More
Mercedes-Benz has updated its two-door C-Class
In the framework of the recent Geneva motor show Mercedes-Benz presented the updated version of the sedan and station wagon C-Class, and at the upcoming motor show in new York, the manufacturer intends to demonstrate the coupe and convertible. Restyling “dvuhdverok” is no different from the changes for the “chetyrehdverny” — redesigned bumpers, led head… More
The Mitsuoka Himiko Roadster changed a generation
22 February 2018 FineAuto
Small Japanese company Mitsuoka is famous for the fact that alters the cars of other local brands are “antique”. For example, the model Mitsuoka Viewt built on the base hatchback Nissan March/Micra of the previous generation, as “donor” for a large sedan Galue was the old Nissan Teana. Is in the range of brands and… More
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Other Hyundai ix35 has again shown unprecedented demandposted on December 23, 2019
The VW has confirmed the imminent appearance of the serial electrocreaserposted on December 28, 2019
Cheap crossover Toyota Raize in great demand in the Japan marketposted on December 17, 2019
The horror and fascination of old age: a test drive Nissan Frontier 2018posted on February 08, 2018
The art of Woo: test drive of Volkswagen Tiguan Sportlineposted on February 22, 2018
Experience of owning a Land Rover Defenderposted on March 24, 2018
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Research > Fixed Income >
Historical Yield Curve
People talk about interest rates going up and going down as if all rates moved together. The truth is, the rates on bonds of different maturities behave quite independently of each other with short-term rates and long-term rates often moving in opposite directions simultaneously. What's important is the overall pattern of interest-rate movement -- and what it says about the future of the economy and Wall Street. Rates are like tea leaves, only much more reliable if you know how to read them.
The yield curve is what economists use to capture the overall movement of interest rates (which are known as "yields" in Wall Street parlance). Plot today's yields for various maturities of U.S. Treasury bills and bonds on a graph and you've got today's curve.
Normal and Not Normal
Ordinarily, short-term bonds carry lower yields to reflect the fact that an investor's money is under less risk. The longer you tie up your cash, the theory goes, the more you should be rewarded for the risk you are taking. (After all, who knows what's going to happen over three decades that may affect the value of a 30-year bond.) A normal yield curve, therefore, slopes gently upward as maturities lengthen and yields rise. From time to time, however, the curve twists itself into a few recognizable shapes, each of which signals a crucial, but different, turning point in the economy. When those shapes appear, it's often time to alter your assumptions about economic growth.
To help you learn to predict economic activity by using the yield curve, we've isolated four of these shapes -- normal, steep, inverted and flat (or humped) -- so that we can demonstrate what each shape says about economic growth and stock market performance. Simply scroll down to learn about the significance of that particular shape.
Normal Curve
When bond investors expect the economy to hum along at normal rates of growth without significant changes in inflation rates or available capital, the yield curve slopes gently upward. In the absence of economic disruptions, investors who risk their money for longer periods expect to get a bigger reward -- in the form of higher interest -- than those who risk their money for shorter time periods. Thus, as maturities lengthen, interest rates get progressively higher and the curve goes up.
December, 1984, marked the middle of the longest postwar expansion. As the GDP chart above shows, growth rates were in a steady quarterly range of 2% to 5%. The Russell 3000 (the broadest market index), meanwhile, posted strong gains for the next two years. This kind of curve is most closely associated with the middle, salad days of an economic and stock market expansion. When the curve is normal, economists and traders rest much easier.
Steep Curve
Typically the yield on 30-year Treasury bonds is three percentage points above the yield on three-month Treasury bills. When it gets wider than that -- and the slope of the yield curve increases sharply -- long-term bond holders are sending a message that they think the economy will improve quickly in the future.
This shape is typical at the beginning of an economic expansion, just after the end of a recession. At that point, economic stagnation will have depressed short-term interest rates, but once the demand for capital (and the fear of inflation) is reestablished by growing economic activity, rates begin to rise.
Long-term investors fear being locked into low rates, so they demand greater compensation much more quickly than short-term lenders who face less risk. Short-termers can trade out of their T-bills in a matter of months, giving them the flexibility to buy higher-yielding securities should the opportunity arise.
In April, 1992, the spread between short- and long-term rates was five percentage points, indicating that bond investors were anticipating a strong economy in the future and had bid up long-term rates. They were right. As the GDP chart above shows, the economy was expanding at 3% a year by 1993. By October 1994, short-term interest rates (which slumped to 20-year lows right after the 1991 recession) had jumped two percentage points, flattening the curve into a more normal shape.
Equity investors who saw the steep curve in April 1992 and bet on expansion were richly rewarded. The broad Russell 3000 index (right) gained 20% over the next two years.
Inverted Curve
At first glance an inverted yield curve seems like a paradox. Why would long-term investors settle for lower yields while short-term investors take so much less risk?
The answer is that long-term investors will settle for lower yields now if they think rates -- and the economy -- are going even lower in the future. They're betting that this is their last chance to lock in rates before the bottom falls out.
Our example comes from August 1981. Earlier that year, Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volker had begun to lower the federal funds rate to forestall a slowing economy. Recession fears convinced bond traders that this was their last chance to lock in 10% yields for the next few years.
As is usually the case, the collective market instinct was right. Check out the GDP chart above; it aptly demonstrates just how bad things got. Interest rates fell dramatically for the next five years as the economy tanked. Thirty year bond yields went from 14% to 7% while short-term rates, starting much higher at 15% fell to 5% or 6%. As for equities, the next year was brutal (see chart below). Long-term investors who bought at 10% definitely had the last laugh.
Inverted yield curves are rare. Never ignore them. They are always followed by economic slowdown -- or outright recession -- as well as lower interest rates across the board.
Flat or Humped Curve
To become inverted, the yield curve must pass through a period where long-term yields are the same as short-term rates. When that happens the shape will appear to be flat or, more commonly, a little raised in the middle.
Unfortunately, not all flat or humped curves turn into fully inverted curves. Otherwise we'd all get rich plunking our savings down on 30-year bonds the second we saw their yields start falling toward short-term levels.
On the other hand, you shouldn't discount a flat or humped curve just because it doesn't guarantee a coming recession. The odds are still pretty good that economic slowdown and lower interest rates will follow a period of flattening yields.
That's what happened in 1989. Thirty-year bond yields were less than three-year yields for about five months. The curve then straightened out and began to look more normal at the beginning of 1990. False alarm? Not at all. A glance at the GDP chart above shows that the economy sagged in June and fell into recession in 1991.
As this chart of the Russell 3000 shows, the stock market also took a dive in mid-'89 and plummeted in early 1991. Short- and medium-term rates were four percentage points lower by the end of 1992.
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The 1000 Kid March
Albuquerque, Community, Philanthropy
On February 13th four leading non-profit organizations will unite 1000 children and families for the One Thousand Kid March on the New Mexico Capitol to rally in support of landmark changes in how our state funds early childhood education. Scientific research tells us that the first few years in a child’s life are when the most rapid brain development occurs. Data shows that New Mexico is not providing for the overall well-being of our children; we have the second lowest per-capita income in the US, among the highest teen birth rate, lowest graduation rate and we are near last in reading scores. Many believe sustained change lies in providing kids the resources they need early, before kindergarten even begins. A rally in support of early childhood education will culminate on the East Concourse at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe at 10:30 AM, Friday February 13th.
NM Early Educators United, Partnership for Community Action (PCA), OLÉ, and QELA are rallying with families and community members from all over the state to ask Legislators to consider our future and boldly channel permanent resources to early childhood education to provide New Mexico’s children and future generations with opportunities to succeed and build healthier families.
“With permanent funding and a comprehensive plan, we can transform the cycle of poverty in New Mexico,” Early Educators United Member Peggy Otero Lopez said. “I have worked in early childhood education in many capacities for 20 years. In that time I have experienced the frustration of a system that overlooks the benefits of providing funding to educate 0-5 year olds.”
Studies have shown that investment in early childhood education has a return of seven dollars or more on each dollar invested (whitehouse.gov) due to the reduced need for spending on other services, such as grade repetition and remedial education. Not only will strategic and permanent increases in funding for early education lead to valuable investments in the short-term, childhood preparedness also increases productivity and earning for these children as adults, helping them to become assets to the nation in the future.
“Kids are our priority and our future,” says Adrian Pedroza, Executive Director of the Partnership for Community Action and President Obama appointee to the national Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, “We need bold and permanent investment in our children. Every child deserves the resources and opportunities to succeed in school and throughout life. It is critical that supports for parents and children are fully funded.”
According to a Legislative Finance Committee budget report, this year 2,800 children will be served by home visiting while the total need for services is 10,800 children, leaving 8,000 without service. With prekindergarten, about 7,100 will be served in half-day programs, while 12,760 are in need of service, leaving 5,660 without service. The needs numbers are based on primarily serving low-income families, not all families.
“Legislators promised $30 million in new funds for early education programs,” says Reina Acosta, a parent with the OLÉ Working Parents Association, “but that money disappeared with the drop in oil prices across the state. This is hurting our families and shutting down our early education providers. That is precisely why our state needs a permanent, dedicated funding stream for early education.”
The power of early learning sparks children’s creativity and imagination and gives them the skills they need to be ready to learn when they go to school.
There will be parents and educators on hand for comments to the press, Spanish and English language.
WHAT: 1000 Kid March
WHEN: February, 13, 2015, 10:30AM to 12:00PM
WHERE: New Mexico State Capitol, Santa Fe Roundhouse, East Concourse
About the Partnership for Community Action The Partnership for Community Action works to build strong, healthy communities throughout New Mexico by investing in people and families, helping people to become strong leaders in our neighborhoods and in our state.
About Early Educators United
Early Educators United consists of directors, teachers, and parents from early childhood education centers around New Mexico. EEU has members in every legislative district in the state. Members have a citizen lobby plan for the 2015 Legislative Session to advocate for passage of the Senate Joint Resolution for Early Childhood Education.
About OLÉ
OLÉ is a non-profit that uses grassroots organizing within the local community of working families in New Mexico. Our members and staff work together to strengthen our communities through social advocacy and economic reform, using issue-based campaigns and electoral engagement to ensure that working families are playing a critical OLÉ in shaping New Mexico’s future with a united voice.
About QELA
QELA, the Quality Early Learning Association, seeks to increase the quality and availability of early childhood education for all children in New Mexico. QELA is comprised of early education center owners and directors from around New Mexico, striving to provide a high quality early education for NM children.
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Hey! It’s a “Beach Book Bash”
On August 1, 2014 August 1, 2014 By NikeChillemiIn Beach Book Bash, Grace Awards
Lazing by the pool, taking in the delish aromas at a BBQ, perhaps in the park for a summer picnic, reclining on a blanket at the beach, sitting in an air conditioned room with your e-reader, or maybe you’re under the boardwalk…take these fantastic, sizzling, compelling, inspiring summer reads with you.
MARCY G. DYER
Set in the hot west Texas summertime, DOWN & OUT is a fun summer beach novel. It has thrills, laughs, and love. For the scary thrills part of the book, you’ll want the bright sunshine of a beach….As one reviewer said, “Books have to make me react in some way. Whether it be a laugh, a smile, a tear, or even anger, each book that I read has to create some emotion in me or I consider it a so-so story. This one caused me to react in a way that I have NEVER, EVER reacted. It caused me to shudder. Literally shudder. Every time the protagonist of the story, Candace’s stalker, walked onto the page, a pit of fear would form in my stomach. My shoulders would go up to my ears, and I just wanted to get away from him. I felt like a part of the story. I felt like he was after me. Creepy, huh?”
Going home again can be deadly. Suddenly jobless, enterprising Candace Downs returns to the parched and dusty oil-town of Odessa, Texas as a trainee for her cousin’s towing company. Rejecting the romantic obsessions of a maniacal stranger intent on capturing her heart throws her life into a terrifying spiral downward. As the clock ticks, and her hunter ups the ante, the charismatic, handsome security consultant, Josiah Bradley, is determined to keep her alive – at any cost. Will they win this harrowing cat-and-mouse game? Or will the unrelenting stalker bury them both deep in the desert.
OUT FOR BLOOD is another chilling read for summer. It’s set in hot west Texas, but does have some beach time in sunny Southern California. One reviewer said, “The characters are extremely well defined. I don’t want to spoil it for others, but the character known as “the man” really got my attention.”
A thriller, this novel has romance, suspense, and espionage. Out for Blood won’t disappoint as a good, thriller for the beach.
Dialysis nurse, Danielle Battershawn’s, life is turned upside down when her identical twin is murdered. As she strives to deal with yet another death, the killer sets his sights on eliminating her. Can handsome security consultant, Tyler Covington, keep her alive?
NIKE CHILLEMI
Sex, lies, and murder…that’s HARMFUL INTENT. Yet it’s uplifting and hysterically funny…a perfect summer read. ~ ~ Betrayal runs in private investigator Veronica “Ronnie” Ingels’ family. So, why is she surprised when her husband of one year cheats on her? The real shock is his murder, with the local lawman pegging her as the prime suspect. Ronnie is a Brooklyn bred private investigator who has traveled to west Texas, where her cheating husband is murdered. As she hunts the killer to clear her name, she becomes the hunted. Deputy Sergeant Dawson Hughes, a former Army Ranger, is a man folks want on their side. Only he’s not so sure at first, he’s on the meddling New York PI’s side. As the evidence points away from her, he realizes the more she butts in, the more danger she attracts to herself. ~ ~ Sweet, askance romance, warm intimacy, sophisticated themes presented tastefully. Now, only .99 cents.
A terrific swimmer, Lucinda Byrne fears the ocean. Her husband and parents died there. Will she? DARKEST HOUR, is set in July, 1948 on the south shore of Long Island, a summer vacation destination. ~~ A petite widow, secretary and sole support of her son and grandparents, is framed for the murder of her boss. Wealthy village residents conspire with the DA to indict her and stop further investigation. The medical examiner thinks the shooter was a tall individual and when his report is shoved aside, starts snooping trying to clear her and in the process falls in love with her. ~~ Sweet romance, warm intimacy, sophisticated themes presented tastefully.
SADIE AND SOFIE CUFFE, a/k/a The Cuffe Sisters
Why should you read a Cuffe sisters’ book this summer? Well, for one thing, they’re $1.99 on Amazon. People think Maine is mostly about lobsters and clams, but we’re native Mainers and we don’t like either one – ain’t that odd? What we DO love about Maine is the people, not the stereo-typical old duffer wearing a sou’wester and spouting things like, “You cahn’t get theyah from heyah.”
You’ll meet Myra Stanley, shotgun-toting granny in her 80’s who can shoot the wings off a fly at 100 paces. One of our favorite Myra moments comes from WARRIOR’S JOURNEY: Molly’s friend Ashley has just accused Myra of trespassing on private property and told her to leave. Myra, shotgun trained on the offensive Ashely, responds, “Might snotty soundin’ from someone starin’ down iron moose nostrils.”
In ARROW THAT FLIES, you’ll meet Brad Stanley, Myra’s great-nephew. He obviously has the Stanley charm. Maine Forester Jackie Duncan’s thoughts upon meeting him – She might not know a gearbox from a jewelry box, but she knew a dipstick when she saw one. Then there are the twins, Robbie and Rand Adams. Robbie and Jackie are polar opposites. Robbie’s Type-A out the whazoo and Jackie’s about as scattered as you can get, but they’re drawn to each other. Can they trust each other and find the evil archer who is intent on ruining the lives of Stellar’s Ford?
In WARRIOR’S JOURNEY, Molly Stewart thinks Rand Adams is responsible for her husband’s death, but now her 12-year-old son is in a tailspin and needs a good male mentor. Can Rand step up to the plate and convince Molly he’s one of the good guys?
Both books can be read independently of each other, but we suggest ARROW followed by WARRIOR. It’s Maine – the way life should be!
NAOMI MUSCH
Fantasy and Realism in Two Novels for summer reading! ~~ Do you watch Once Upon a Time? If so, or if you’re drawn to fantasy and retellings of famous fairy tales, then you’ll enjoy TREVELYAN ~ A Tale of Beauty & the Beast, a full length novel for the romantic and young at heart. Here’s why this new tale might fit your bill for summer reading:
• It’s Beauty & the Beast! I mean, come on. Best. Fairytale. Ever.
• TREVELYAN has elves and faeries, creatures and magic, and there are swashbuckling heroes — several of them.
• TREVELYAN is “take me away” reading to lead you on an epic adventure through the land of the Great Winter to the lost city of Trevelyan, where legends say a monster lord and his evil faerie wife have usurped a once glorious kingdom. Now evil and madness wait to prey upon the unwary who venture there.
• TREVELYAN answers burning questions about the original tale: What happened to all Belle’s brothers and sisters? How come no one else had stumbled into the beast’s kingdom? What was the deal with the faerie who turned the prince into a beast? Who helped the beast survive those lonely years in his enchanted kingdom? What was the castle really like?
You mean you didn’t wonder? Well, now you surely must. So add TREVELYAN ~ A Tale of Beauty & the Beast to your summer beach reading list!
Do you prefer realism? How about love rediscovered? In PAINT ME ALTHENA artist Ethan Day has been raising his little girls on his own for three years. When he stumbles upon a painting for sale by Althena, he thinks he’s finally found Ava, his runaway wife. But Ethan has begun moving on with the help of lovely widow Jackie. His art has become popular. He’s found a new faith. Ava moved on too, but things haven’t turned out as she’d planned. Now she needs rescue. Though old desires surface, wounds of distrust and conflict between Ava’s search for identity and Ethan’s new faith might break the safety net he offers, making the journey home to love too painful to take. PAINT ME ALTHENA was a 2013 Grace Awards finalist.
August 1890 is already hot in Prophecy, Colorado, and things are about to get hotter! ~~ Abby Finnegan is working hard to make a better life for her daughter while protecting both of them from Abby’s callous & sadistic brother Clayton Bigelow. Secret Service Operative Kyle Lachapelle is working undercover. Kyle can’t deny the attraction he feels toward Abby but she’s too closely connected to his counterfeiting case for him to trust her. Abby wants to trust Kyle, maybe with more than just helping with Clayton, yet his guarded attitude confuses her. When she learns he’s come to arrest her family, her doubts seem justified. Can love overcome their fears?
Counterfeiting, murder, kidnapping & cowboys – CELTIC KNOT has everything you need for great summer reading! In a 5-star review, The Wordsmith Journal Magazine says, “Tammy Doherty hits the mark with this novel. It’s superbly written with vocabulary, language, and phrases appropriate to the period in which it is set. Fast paced and suspenseful.”
Don’t miss the first novel in this series, CELTIC CROSS. Set in 1883 Colorado, Cristeen arrives on the Donovan ranch badly wounded. Matt Donovan and his sister nurse Cristeen back to health but is that enough? Cristeen must learn to trust – in God and Matt – before a madman returns to complete the murder she narrowly escaped earlier. A 5-star Amazon review states, “Wonderful inspirational, historical romance that shows the power of love, trust, and humor to bring healing to troubled lives.” Another reviewer writes, “I was caught up in the characters and didn’t want to put it down.” Sweet historical romance with Western action and characters that hook the reader make CELTIC CROSS a great beach or vacation read!
For one week only, all three novels in this series will be just .99 cents on Kindle
“Take yourself away” for a couple hours this summer and believe in romance all over again when you read TAKE ME AWAY.
When Celia Boyle asked Gator Lawrence to take her on vacation, she had no idea that such a simple request would become so incredibly complicated. All she wanted was seven blissful days of beach sand, ocean waves, and tropical sun. But now, her sister’s sudden visit, her own misspoken statement, and a threat by Gator’s dad to send him out of town, jeopardizes everything. Unless, they take things in their own hands and go anyway. Yet sometimes life has a lesson to share that only experience can teach, and it could be what they’re both looking for has been with them all along.
Early reviews for TAKE ME AWAY: “A cute female, an honorable man, a chance meeting, and a flirty comment, what could possibly go wrong? Grab a cup of tea or a glass of wine and let this book take you away better than Calgon! This is a fun, sweet read that will leave you smiling and believing in love all over again.” ~ “Such a neat, sweet short romance with a bit of adventure and mystery behind it as well! I enjoyed it.” Now, $1.99.
JOY DEKOK
Looking for a new summer read or two? ~~ RAIN DANCE is only .99 cents for the next few days. This is the story of two women who are surprised by a friendship others might consider impossible. I mean think about it – how can a Christian prolifer and an atheist prochoicer agree on anything? Jonica and Stacie discover they are far more similar than they thought possible. Together they struggle to find hope and healing in the tangle of their own hypocrisies, prejudices, and political opinions. Will they succeed or are abortion and infertility impossible to overcome? –Contemporay Women’s Fiction – Gently Prolife
Another option for your summer reading pleasure is BETWEEN THE LIES – Book 1 in the Northern Lights Series. Olivia Morgan was doing just fine, thank you very much. Until the dead guy in the elevator, her lover’s dismissal of her, the loss of her dream job, and an FBI agent who is looking into the past she’s worked so hard to hide. What’s a woman to do when she’s suddenly un-kept, a murder suspect, and has her own personal stalker? Olivia uses her artistic talent to remember and reveal what she knows. Will it save or convict her? This mystery will keep you guessing until the end. –Nail-biting suspense with heart and soul.
beach readingbook bashDetective Storyfictiongreat readsInspirational LitMurder MysteryRomanceRomantic Suspensesummer funsummer reading
Grace Filled Christmas Book Celebration
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The Misfits Walk Among Us
Walk Among Us is the debut full-length album by American punk rock band Misfits. The band's first full-length album to be released it was originally co- released Evilive - 3 Hits from Hell - 12 Hits from Hell.
19 Feb - 25 min - Uploaded by SoloPunkRockRadio Descargar: Lista. Discover releases, reviews, credits, songs, and more about Misfits - Walk Among Us at Discogs. Complete your Misfits collection. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the Vinyl release of Walk Among Us on Discogs.
They were outliers when they started, but by the time their classic debut arrived in , Misfits' gleeful, ghoulish punk rock was exactly in tune.
Overall a decent reissue but the LP was not gatefold as described, and did not come with anti-static sleeve like other Rhino reissue vinyl. Still pretty cool to have .
Formed in the late s in New Jersey by beefcake idol Glenn Danzig, the Misfits forged horrorshow hardcore that continues to thrill (predominantly) male. Walk Among Us. By Misfits. • 13 songs. Play on Spotify. 1. 20 Eyes. 2. I Turned Into A Martian. 3. All Hell Breaks Loose. 4. Walk Among Us. Misfits. Released March K. Walk Among Us Tracklist. 1. 20 Eyes Lyrics. 2. I Turned into a Martian Lyrics. 3. All Hell Breaks Loose.
Walk Among Us Lyrics: They'll find pieces of you / Scattered on the ground / I am the mad man in your dreams / We are the evil ones / We need the planet to.
This record, Walk Among Us, released in , is the first full length studio album released by The Misfits. Prior to this album, the band had put.
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Last edit by UG Team [a] , on Feb 11, View interactive tab. Walk Among Us The Misfits Tabed By HellHound [email protected] Tuning. Walk Among Us Wikipedia article Album by Misfits. Side A. 20 Eyes I Turned Into A Martian All Hell Breaks Loose Vampira Nike-A-Go-Go Hatebreeders Mommy. Mason Orso Staff Writer Walk Among Us is the first full-length album released by the Misfits of Ruby and Slash Records in March
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LP - MISFITS - WALK AMONG US Reissue, coloured vinyl. Tracklist A1 20 Eyes 1 A2 I Turned Into A Martian A3 All Hell Breaks Loose A4 Vampira. Get Walk Among Us: A Piano Tribute to the Misfits setlists - view them, share them, discuss them with other Walk Among Us: A Piano Tribute to the Misfits fans for. They'll find pieces of you / Scattered on the ground / I am the mad man in your dreams / We are the evil ones / We need the planet to demonstrate / We want your.
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Archive | Cheese/Fromage RSS feed for this section
This article was written for the Spring Edition of Australia’s French Living Magazine. You can view an extract of the article here, or pick up a copy of the publication here.
When I first arrived in Paris over two years ago, if you had tried to convince me that French cheese was an endangered species on the culinary food chain, I would likely have choked in disbelief on my staple lunch order of Salade de chèvre chaud.
My first exposure to the concept of “Les fromages en voie de disparition” (endangered cheeses) was through a French documentary called “La guerre des fromage qui pue” (The war of stinky cheeses) — an eye-opening exposé on the French dairy industry revealing the how countless French cheeses annually become extinct due to increasing hygiene controls enforced on small-scale producers, globalisation by mega dairy cooperatives, and the general decline in demand by French consumers for premium, artisanal products. Curious to learn more, I arranged to meet with one of Paris’ most respected, accomplished and outspoken men in the cheese business: Philippe Alléosse. A master fromager and affineur, Alléosse’s task is to ripen cheeses in his vast network of Parisian caves. He is not only a master when it comes to cheese making, but also a passionate ambassador for the preservation of what could be a dying art – the cultivation of stinky, gooey and delectable fromage.
Philippe Alléosse in his caves with two goats cheeses at different stages of maturation, and Spanish machengo. Image © Rachel Bajada
I meet with Alléosse at his cheese maturation caves, which are situated near Clichy in the buzzing and eclectic 17th arrondissement. Eager to get to the bottom of the situation, I ask him which exactly of the French cheeses face extinction. His response is terrifying and astonishingly simple: “All of them”… When many French people think they are buying a Brie, Roquefort or a Sainte-maure-de-touraine today, what they’re getting is mass-produced industrial cheese, it’s not AOC and a lot of the time it’s not even made from raw milk… take Camembert AOC, there are only a handful of producers left making AOC Camembert, not to mention all the lesser known cheeses made on a small scale whose producers can’t keep up with the strict hygiene regulations being imposed on them.”
Alléosse is determined to show me first hand the dedication, patience and savoir-faire required for the genuine artisanal production, and it’s serious business. For one, the hygiene standards on site are higher than your average hospital. I am quickly covered in a long white lab coat, my hair is whisked away in a plastic net, and my new season’s espadrille wedges are given attractive blue plastic sockettes to cover them completely- much to the amusement of the on-site staff, but necessary to prevent any foreign microbes entering the caves. “Pas de problème!” I oblige willingly- I would hate to be responsible for infecting the Parisian cheese supply!
The first cave and… my shoes. Image © Rachel Bajada
Occupying over 300 square meters underground, the caves are divided into four separate zones categorised by variety: Cave à croûtes lavées (washed rind cheese cave) which includes Reblochon, Maroilles, Epoisses; a Cave aux chèvres (goats milk cheese cave); Cave à pâte molle à croûtes fleuries (soft cheeses with bloomy rind) which includes Brie, Coulommiers, Saint Félicien, Saint Marcellin, and lastly a Cave à tomme pâtes cuites/pressees (pressed or cooked hard cheeses) housing varieties such as Comté, Beaufort and Pecorino.
Alors…the first thing that hits you is the smell. The odours oozing from hundreds of cheeses slowly ripening underground in closed vicinity could only be described as taking in a long, deep sniff from a bottle of pure, industrial-grade ammonia. Alléosse senses my discomfort and assures me I’ll get used to it.
Making a conscious effort to breathe through my mouth, the giant fridge doors to the first cave are swung open. My cinetrash mind makes a quick comparison to a scene from a H.R Giger sci-fi film, where you see thousands of alien eggs resting dormant underground. But what lies before me is far more interesting and a little more terrestrial: in this room, the simple elements of milk, bacteria, perfect conditions and terroir combine to transform humble curds into complex, diverse and delicious cheeses. I instantly want to know everything there ever was to know about cheese!
We start with one of the most renowned of all French cheeses- you either love him or you hate him, and they call him Epoisses. I couldn’t have named this cheese better myself; the word is effectively a perfect onomatopoeia. Eposisse: ça puuuuee!
Epoisses being sprayed in Marc de Bourgogne saline solution. Image © Rachel Bajada
Epoisses comes from the Burgundy region and was actually the favorite cheese of Napoleon. Its offensive pungency ranking means it’s apparently banned from being carried on public transport in France (I have yet to see anything official confirming this). When Alléosse explains exactly how the cheese is matured, I start to understand why. Epoisses develops a characteristically slimy orange rind as it is progressively washed in a solution of Marc de Bourgogne (a local brandy), mixed with 50% water, twice a week over the period of approximately four to six weeks. Amazingly, the rich orange colour of the rind is a natural effect caused by a reaction from the carotenes in the unpasteurized cow’s milk.
Next I am introduced to an orangey-pink cheese that has three rows of something resembling a green ribbon neatly wrapped around it. The cheese is called Livarot and comes from Normandie. The wrapping in river reeds and is a tradition that was originally designed to represent the stripes on a Colonel’s uniform. The assemblage of the bulrush reeds is carried out by a particular group of women in one village who are efficiently complete the assemblage of each reed in under 5 seconds. Not a bad party trick to hand down through the family!
Livarot – with river reeds. Image © Rachel Bajada
Eager to know the secrets of such a cheese behemoth, I ask Alléosse what the Reblochon is washed in. His answer is disappointing, to say the least. “Ça, c’est un secret,” he says with a devious grin. “Je ne le dis à personne (“I don’t tell anyone”)… If anyone else knew, I wouldn’t have the best Reblochon, would I? Not even my wife knows. The recipe has never even been written down. It has been passed on through three generations of fromagers purely by word of mouth. And it will stay that way.”
Taken back, I had nothing left to say. It seemed both wonderful and slightly worrying at the same time that the secret to creating such a highly coveted product is in the hands of one sole individual. I can’t help but reflect on irony in this story. Here is a man whose life’s passion is to continue and conserve the tradition of traditional cheese making as has been done for centuries, yet the key and secret to one of the greatest French cheeses is held in this same man’s hands- and there’s no spare copy. Only in France!
Alleosse and his famous Reblochons at three different stages of maturation. Image © Rachel Bajada
We move to the next cave- a room full of cheeses made mostly from goats’ milk. Now this is what I call paradise. Pyramids, bricks, cylinders, bouchons, and heart shapes… the chèvres are endless. I spot one of my favourites- a Corsican cheese covered in a soft blue-grey mould, wild bush herbs, juniper berries and fennel seeds- the lovable Brin d’Amour, which Philippe tells me is frequently imitated and sold under the name of Fleur de Maquis. Again, another copycat cheese! I like to think I have at least been getting the real thing.
Philippe beckons me over to a large rack of log-shaped chèvres- I identify them correctly as Le sainte-maure-de-touraine, La Loire Valley’s famous goats cheese. Just when I think I am gaining some points on my cheese knowledge, Mr Alléosse is quick to clarify.
“Now this is Le sainte-maure-de-touraine, but the large majority of what you find in the supermarket, at le marché, and at a lot of fromageries, is not the real AOC kind. The straw that sits inside the log to keep it stable during maturation must bear the markings and name of the producer. If the straw is blank, it could have come from anywhere.”
Cheesemaker’s mark: the genuine Touraine chevre, and Corsican Brin d’Amour. Image © Rachel Bajada
Lastly, I am guided to the fourth cave, which is also the coldest. This special room houses the most mature, complex, exotic and fascinating of cheeses- it’s the Cave of pressed/hard-cooked cheeses, or what I would label as the Cheese Hall of Fame. Spanish Machengos, Italian Pecorinos washed in wine and coated in grapes off the vine, huge wheels of Beaufort and Comté, and beautiful old Mimolettes with crater-like corroded crusts. I remark that Mimolettes look like something has been eating away at them, and Philippe laughs and says: “Well it is being eaten- it’s covered in cheese mites!”
Vieux Mimolette
He taps one on the bench and a pile of dust gathers. This is no ordinary dust; they are microscopic bugs whose action on the cheese’s surface influences flavor and character. This cheese is literally alive.
Live cheese mites. Image © Rachel Bajada
It’s in this moment that I begin to really grasp and appreciate this artisanal trade for what it is- a simple miracle of nature, an art, a science, a passion and a skill which has been handed down through humanity since it was first created by accident over 6,000 years ago.
Walking out of Alléosse caves d’Affinage, I feel so fortunate to have seen and experienced this ancient tradition first-hand, being kept alive in the current day- and something I was never exposed to in Australia. At the same time I can’t help but feel a sense of melancholy at the sad reality. France, the original cheese mecca of the world, has an industry that is fast declining. Meanwhile, the artisanal cheese industry is fast booming in the US and the UK with mass demand and export to Japanese, Russia and the UAE. It seems the new world is embracing the old.
Philippe Alléosse said himself- “We don’t know where we’ll be in ten years from now.”
I for one find it hard to imagine France without its wonderful stinky cheeses, and I hope even more so that we will never have to.
Let them eat cheese!
Three goats cheeses at different ages. Image © Rachel Bajada
You don’t get this in the supermarket: Genuine Brie de Meaux.Image © Rachel Bajada
Some further food for thought:
• Of the 100-150 raw milk cheeses available, three disappear each year, meaning around 40 have become extinct in the last decade.
• While Americans, Australians and Britons are increasingly going for unpasteurized cheese, in France raw milk cheeses dropped to 179,750 tonnes in 2008 against 183,500 tonnes in 2006.
• Bleu de Termignon, Vacherin des Bauges, Vacherin d’Abondance, Persillés de Tignes des Aravis and de Semnoz, Reblochon du Mont-Cenis, Colombier des Aillons, Galette du Mont-d’Or are just some of the cheeses that have disappeared. During the last 30 years, more than 50 traditional cheeses disappeared, whereas industrial production continues to increase
• French people eat 23.9 kg of cheese per capita per year, which is the second highest consumption rate, just after the Greeks. But that good score hides a cruel reality: raw milk cheeses are only 7 per cent of that consumption
Tags: alleosse, cheese business, dairy cooperatives, endangered cheeses, french cheeses, french living magazine, fromage, paris, raw milk, stinky cheeses
Categories Cheese/Fromage, France Culture, Gastronomy
I thought this was an appropriate post for the 4th of July. As per usual, this is a true story, with not a word of a lie (okay there are possible embellishments for entertainment value only, that’s all). Enjoy!
There is a good reason this pic is blurry — it was shot at the very moment we got sprung taking photos inside the boutique of Rome’s ‘Nazi di Formaggi’… explanation below!
The magnificent cheese fridge at Beppe e I Suoi Formaggi, Rome
On a recent trip to magnificent Rome, I found myself in a scene that I can only describe as the Italiano, formaggi version of that “Soup Nazi” episode from Seinfeld. Confused? Let me tell you the story.
In my extensive research to find the best cheese, pasta and foodie gems in Rome, I stumbled across this post by Parla Food on a special cheese boutique nestled away in Rome’s Jewish Ghetto district. Beppe Formaggi is a cheese concept store featuring divine Italian cheeses, mostly from the northern alpine region of Piedmont, and a rustic dining salon for private degustations and wine tastings.
After wandering for over an hour and getting completely lost trying to find the shop, I had hoped for a welcoming reception to match my high expectations and bright-eyed, food tourist enthusiasm. Armed with only my iPhone camera, pocket Italian vocab book and sheer excitement, I proceeded to do what came most naturally — taking photos, of course!
Little did I know, this was NOT the done thing in the boutique of Mr. Beppe Formaggi.
The man himself emerged from the back room: a gusto, hearty Italian character with a powerful presence who proceeded to sternly look at me and slowly shake his head. Confused, I attempted to introduce myself in hopeless broken Italian. I could have said, “My name is Rachel; I’m here to order a lifetime supply of formaggi for the entire extended family of Berlusconi,” but it would not have made a difference.
“No photos!!!”
Ugh… how stupid of me not to ask permission first, I thought to myself. I’m not off to a good start here.
Here’s the photo I managed to take before being scolded like some sort of despicable undercover paparazzi:
Some of fresh Goats cheeses at Beppe e I Suoi Formaggi, Rome
Next attempt: Come on Rachel, you’re a cheese journalist (did I invent that title?) … Surely it will change things if I explain myself?
A younger, handsome lad with piercing northern Italian blue eyes arrived at the counter. This one smiled. I explained to him (resorting to English) that I am a journalist writing about cheese for America and Australia, and was it OK for me to take some photos?
He went to the back of the shop and had a few words with Mr. Beppi Formaggi, who again crossed his arms and shook his head. Blue-eyed boy came back with bad news.
“Sorry, miss, you can’t take photos.”
And that’s how I found myself as rejected as our friend George Costanza being told “No soup for you!” by the Soup Nazi — only in my case it was “No cheese for you!”
Okay, maybe that’s pushing it a bit, since I was still allowed the cheese, just not the photos.
So I figured, if I can’t take pics in the store, I will just have to taste the cheeses, buy them and photograph them back at the hotel room. So that’s what I did.
I started with the mildest of fresh Italian goat cheeses, the beautiful array of Meline di Capra — soft, delicate and crumbly, decorated and adorned with black ash, dried wild flowers, camomile buttons and herbs. I then worked my way through the brothers, sisters and cousins of the king of cheeses, Parmesan, and then finally asked for the rarest Italian blue cheeses I wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else.
Blue-eyed Italian boy disappeared under the counter and then produced a seductively oozing, runny blue cheese with a pale pinkish-orange rind. It was a six-month-old gorgonzola from Piedmont made of unpasteurized, non-treated cow’s milk.
The undercover photo: A sweet, mild and creamy gorgonzola from Piedmont, Italy
“This one’s really special,” he said. “It’s too soft to pass you a sample but this one is so nice, she is almost sweet.”
“I’ll take it! Now, please show me your strongest blue cheese. A strong, very ‘gusto’ one, please!”
He returned holding a seriously mean-looking blue from under the counter.
“Are you sure you want to try her? Most people can’t handle this one, it’s verrrry strong.”
I replied without hesitation: “Absolutely!”
So, slicing off a sliver, I tried the sample. Boy, was that one big cheese! This blue had serious power. It was so strong it was almost spicy. The blue mould was so developed and intense you could actually feel the texture of it, kind of like a silver foil — practically crunchy. The aftertaste was a warming white peppery sensation that lasted a good 10 minutes on the palette.
Next, the pretty little fresh goats cheeses and our sweet and spicy feisty blues were wrapped up before we rushed off back to the hotel.
For our final night in Rome, what better way to celebrate than an Italian cheese pre-dinner aperitif with a nice bottle of champagne? I took some better pictures before the cheeses were quickly devoured. The rest of the blue came home with me and I’m still working my way through it and loving every spicy morsel!
Thanks, Mr. Italian Cheese Nazi, your welcome wasn’t exactly as warm and fuzzy as that spicy blue, but your cheeses are simply wonderful and made for an incredibly memorable last day in beautiful Rome.
Happy days: The ultimate pre-dinner aperetif of Italian cheese and champagne back at the hotel in Rome
Meline di Capra: The gorgeous fresh goats cheeses adorned with black ash, dried wildflowers, camomile buds and mountain herbs
Cheese that knocks your socks off: That strong and spicy Italian blue cheese
This article was originally published for The Cheese Course — a European-style cheese shop in with nine locations in Miami and Florida, offering over 150 artisanal cheeses imported from dairy farms all over the world. Check out my new column where I write and video blog as “The Cheese Reporter” on their blog here.
The Roman Cheese Nazi (AKA “Beppe e I Suoi Formaggi”)
Via Santa Maria del Pianto 9A/11
www.beppeeisuoiformaggi.it
If you do visit, say “hi” from me!
Tags: formaggi, fromage, gorgonzonla, Italian cheese, Rome, The Cheese Course
Categories Cheese/Fromage, Gastronomy, Italian Food
Dear Australia,
I love you. You raised me, bathed me in sunlight and blessed me with beautiful beaches, an awesome lifestyle and my treasured family and friends, but I am sorry, I am leaving you. This little holiday at home has been magical, but the time has come, and I am going back to my adopted country, France.
Now, don’t be like that; please don’t be jealous, we absolutely cannot compare the two of you. And don’t be so presumptuous please- it’s not the wine I’m leaving you for. It’s also not the amazing markets and restaurants, nor is it for the fashion. You did everything right, my dear homeland, but you did one thing wrong. There is just one thing missing in this relationship…. Let me explain…
Chère France,
I love you, too. And I am coming back to you, if you will take me. How you have such a strong pull on me, honestly I don’t know. In reality, you treat me kinda mean. You’re painfully cold 6 months of the year. You make me drink too much wine, eat too much bread and not do enough exercise. You made me tolerant of passive smoking, and living in overpriced shoebox-sized flats. You make me spend too much money on pretty things I probably don’t need. Your metro is an efficient but dehumanising experience. Your lovely pebbled pavements ruin my stiletto heels and your thousands of poodles leave their sh*t everywhere. Too many of your shopkeepers are rude and obnoxious; your Michelin star waiters refuse to serve me real cappuccinos and most of your café coffee sux.
OK OK … maybe that was a little rough, after all, for a love letter, this didn’t start so well. No need to be insecure. I do love your amazing fashion, and strolling around the city at night is like living in a walking museum. Your effortless elegance, manicured gardens and romantic summer nights certainly wooed me, but that is not why I am taking you back. I’m coming back, my dear France because you offer me in abundance one thing Australia cannot – real cheese.
That’s right baby. Unpasteurised, unhomogenized, unadulterated, raw milk, artisanal, wonderful… CHEESE! Fresh ones, aged ones, soft ones, hard ones, stinky ones, mild ones… I’m only just getting started. You know you’ve got what I need my love, and over 400 of them….
So yes, you won me over.
At Rungis Markets, Paris with a 'Mega Mont d'Or'
And so there we have it. Going home after almost two years in the land of wine and cheese, I have returned as a changed woman. Arriving in Sydney was like walking into my hometown with a brain transplant. My country has not changed a lot, but I have evolved enormously. I’m the same person, with different eyes, and slightly evolved tastebuds. A new language, a million crazy stories, hundreds of new friends and bank accounts in multiple countries.
Out of habit, one of the first things I did was to check out the cheese selection at the local delis and department stores (like, isn’t that what we all do)? Wasn’t that just a depressing experience? Hate to say it but Australia really is the communist Cuba of fromage. We are living in the height of cheese communism. How can such a developed and progressive country still have strict bans on raw milk production? As long as Australia keeps a ban on raw milk cheese production, I’m going to have a hard time living there!
So I’ve decided to do something about it. Next month I’m launching a campaign in conjunction with Slowfood International and Australia’s top chefs to lobby against the ban on Raw Milk production and sale in Australia- the principle thing preventing artisan cheese makers cultivating a rich and diverse industry. Let’s support local producers and artisans and support the freedom of choice over what natural raw foods we have access to.
Watch this space and stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, check out some reading material on the issue here, and while you’re at it, join my Facebook Cheese Fanclub ☺
See you at the Paris fromagerie!
Tags: artisan cheese, cheese, raw milk, slowfood, unpasteurized milk
Categories Cheese/Fromage, France Culture, Paris, Products
How I became an international French cheese smuggler
Now here is a very funny real life foodie adventure story.
We’ve all been there. Stranded at customs or airport security begging the security agent to let you though with you your so-called ‘prohibited or dangerous’ goods- usually an expensive hand cream, alcohol, perfume or gourmet gift that you put in your hand luggage, not knowing of, or forgetting the crazy cabin baggage policies of today. Bring back memories? I bet it does. I’m still laughing to myself about the journey I went through with my precious French cheeses went last night when taking a short EU flight between Marseille and Malta, and since it’s quite a laugh, I just had to share it.
– Printed board pass and passport in handbag? Check
– 15 kilos suitcase pre-paid check in luggage. Check
– Bag of edible goodies and gifts for expat friends ? (Check-in bag already at 15kg so will have to go in hand-luggage). Check
– Hand cream, lip gloss, nail polish and hairspray: All under 100 mls and sealed in plastic zip-lock bag? Check
And so, there I was. Bag checked in and ready to go through security to board my flight.
It started with the usual procedure. Laptop out, boots off, jacket off, liquids separated and in plastic bag, handbag in tray and on the conveyor belt. I then pulled out my shopping bag of goodies intended as gifts for friends and family in Malta and put it in the tray.
I had spent a good 45 minutes in the local fromagerie yesterday deliberating over which of the finest, stinkiest French cheeses to take with me and bring delight to those eagerly awaiting at the other end for their foodie fix.
Aside from a top French sauccisson and a block of fine dark chocolate, I had 750 grams ‘quota’ to fill with cheese After much indecision, I ended up choosing three of my favourites, just imagining the look of pure delight as they were received by their cheese deprived recipients.
A 250 gram Tête de Moine (my new favourite). Usually served as an appetizer, it’s a firm cow’s milk cheese that’s loads of fun to serve using it’s special ‘shaving handle’ implement which shaves it into cute little ‘chanterelle-shaped morsels.
Tête de Moine shaved into chanterelle morsels
An 350 gram round wooden box of divine Mont d’Or. For those of you not familiar with this cheese, all I can say is: this is the stuff dreams (and round hips) are made of. An unpasteurised ‘cru’ cows milk cheese which has an exquisitely creamy oozing centre and washed rind. The best way to eat Mont d’Or is heated in the oven in it’s own round wooden box, mixed with white wine till it’s an oozing and melting pot of liquid heaven.
Mont d'Or: a melting pot of liquid heaven
And finally- I couldn’t go past 250 grams of the irresistible and classic Blue d’Auvergne. Another one of my personal favourites (especially with a walnut and endive salad) it was also a special request anxiously awaited by my friend Dennis at the other end.
Now… I got a little carried anyway there describing those cheeses- let’s get back to the story.
The dialogue from this point went a little something like this:
Security checkpoint officer woman: “What’s in the plastic bag?”
“Oh… just cheeses.”
“What type of cheeses? As some kinds of cheeses are not allowed”.
And then it occurred to me: Maybe you actually can’t take unpasteurized cheeses outside of France? So, knowing that 2 of the cheeses were ‘cru’ and one was not- I responded sheepishly with “Tête de Moine” (the pasteurised cheese). Hoping that would get me out of the red. After-all, the x-ray machine can’t tell the difference….right?
So, I proceed to go through the scanner gate. No beeps. All clear. I wait anxiously at the other end for my bag, laptop, jacket, shoes and- cheeses.
The woman at the other end opens the goodie bag and goes through it piece by piece.
Saucisson- fine. Chocolate- fine. Tete de moine- fine.
Just when I think it’s all good, she starts poking at the slab of blue cheese, shakes her head, and then puts it aside.
Then she picks up the round box of Mont d’Or…. and … puts it aside.
“Sorry- you can’t take these two cheeses- the other things are fine”
My panic begins to set in. Stay calm, don’t look stressed.
“But why? They don’t say that the milk is unpasteurised? And it’s the EU?!
She glares back at me, shaking her head and says:
“No no no it’s not that- that doesn’t matter. You are carrying too much LIQUID”.
Now I’m getting confused. I respond:
“You mean, it’s ok that the milk is unpasteurised, but I can’t take it because it’s a LIQUID?!”
She calls over Mr French Security Officer to further explain.
He lifts up the two offending cheeses and starts squeezing and poking them, shaking his head in dismay.
I respond “Mais… je ne comprends pas” C’est incroyable… This is not liquid- It’s CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSE!!!”
“Yes, madame, but these cheeses are too soft so they are classified as liquid, and you can only take 100 mls of liquid on board.”
My jaw drops. I try to imagine possible ways of hijacking the plane armed with my Tête de Moine and Blue d’Auvergne. My imagination did not take me very far. Now I’m just annoyed at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.
“But I HAVE to take the cheeses with me- they are important GIFTS!”
“I’m sorry, but that’s the rule. Can you put them in your check-in baggage or give them to a friend?”
“I have already checked in my bag, and there is no-one here who can take them from me.”
“Then, I’m sorry Madame, but there is no other option.”
Now my determination takes over. I respond, evidently flustered, in clumsy French:
“I cannot leave the country, and arrive empty-handed, without the cheeses- everyone waiting for them will be soooooo disappointed!”
He looks mildly apologetic, shrugs his shoulders and again, apologises. Now I am even more determined- I refuse to abandon my beautiful cheeses at the border.
That’s when it occurred to me. A flash of inspiration. A wise, authoritative voice in my head says:
“Pull out the Grandma story.”
So that’s exactly what I did.
Holding a piercing gaze with Mr French Security Officer, I respond with full conviction and my best possible French:
“You don’t understand. My Grandma is going to CRY if I don’t bring this cheese”
His face instantly starts to melt, kind of like the gooey Mont D’or. Now that I know I have struck a chord, I come in for a second strike.
“She has rung me twice this week, just to remind me not to forget her cheese”
His bottom lip begins to quiver.
“She has been waiting SIX MONTHS for me to come, with this cheese, and if turn up, empty handed, she will be DEV-A-STAT-ED.”
The Grandma guilt trip is working. Mr French security officer is clearly disturbed by the thought of my sweet little 87 year old ‘Mamie’ missing out on her long-awaited cheeses.
He takes a deep breath, lowers his voice and pulls me aside.
“OK. There is one thing you can do. Are you listening?
“Go back out of Security with your belongings, and the soft cheeses. Go over to the café, and buy two baguettes. Cut each of the cheeses in half.
“O…..K……”
“Put one half of each of the cheeses inside a baguette, and wrap up the other half separately.”
He continues: “ This way, technically, the cheese between the baguette will not be classified as a liquid substance anymore, and the other half will be closer to 100 mls.”
Again, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. First the cheese is a liquid, now a baguette is a liquid defying agent. Craziness.
“You mean, if I put the cheese in a baguette, It’s not a liquid anymore?”
Mr French Security Officer whispers with a very serious face:
“Yes… It’s not really ‘by the book’ but it’s the only way.”
And so off I went. Back out through security, passers-by watching and wondering why I am going in the wrong direction.
I go to the café and alors- there is only one baguette left for sale- and of course it’s filled with ham.
I buy it anyway. It’s better than nothing. Out goes the ham, I take a plastic knife and begin chopping the blue d’Auverge in half, much to the baffled looks of the other café patrons at my table. I then proceed to stuff the empty baguette with massive slabs of blue cheese, and wrap the remaining half.
I then realise the sad reality. There is no solution to save the Mont d’Or. Quelle dommage. This beautiful cheese, and I’m going to have to throw it out. Even if there were baguettes, it’s too soft to remain edible once its been squashed inside a baguette.
In desperation, I do the only thing I can to make the most of the situation.
I crack open the Mont d’or. I tear away a piece of the baguette and I scoop a big morsel of cheese, then eat right there, on the spot.
I have to say, cheese has never tasted as good as that moment there. Time stopped for a precious 10 seconds as this ‘forbidden’ cheese, about to be abandoned at the border, slowly melts in my mouth.
A Final boarding call for my flight abruptly ends my moment of pleasure with the Mont d’or.
I wrap up the blue cheese baguette, painfully drop the box of Mont d’or in the bin then run back to security.
The security officers let me jump the queue. I go through the drill once again with my belongings on the conveyor belt where I meet once again with Mr and Ms Security Officer who are giggling at my determined efforts to save the cheese. Amused, they inspect my baguette and hacked slab of blue cheese as I explain that I did exactly as they had asked me, and how I had to make the agonizing decision to throw out the Mont d’Or.
“It’s better than nothing” says the security officers.
“At least your Mamie will have some good French bread to go with it!” Someone else adds.
I thank Mr Security Man on behalf of my Grandmother and run to the boarding gate where I just make my flight, short of breath, stinking of blue cheese and proudly satisfied with my success.
Once again, Grandma saves the day.
And so there you have it. 10 points to the French for this one I say. Who else but the French care enough about food and the family bond with food, to bother finding a solution in the pursuit of getting good cheese across the border?
My faith in the French is restored.
I arrive at my destination and present my friend with his much awaited blue cheese. It’s not pretty. It’s squashed inside a stale airport baguette. It’s been through a tough journey.
But damn did it taste good.
Thanks Nanna.
Got a similar story to share? What’s the craziest thing you’ve done for the love of food? If you enjoyed this story or have a good one to add, add your comments below.
The 'non-liquid' Blue d'Auvergne arrives at it's destination
Tags: airport security, blue d'Auvergne, cheese, food trends, french cheese, mont d'Or, tete de moine
Categories Cheese/Fromage, France Culture, Malta
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Cricket Blogs
International Profiles
Cricket Club Profiles
Boxmoor Cricket Club - England
Boxmoor Cricket Club is located at The Oval, St Johns Road, Hemel Hempstead. In 1857 Boxmoor Trust granted permission for Cricket to be played on the moor. Until 1936 the club operated with the First XI and in 1936, a second XI was formed due to greatly increased membership. In 1957, a number of Sunday Matches were arranged by Boxmoor Cricket Club but those were always away matches. So in 1960, the Boxmoor Trust gave permission for matches to be played at Boxmoor.
Since 1967 the club has managed to field two teams on both Saturday and Sunday because of growing membership. A youngster section of the Club was formed in 1969 and re-established in 2007. The original pavilion of the club was built in 1962 and extended in 1970. The present pavilion was built in 1983. An extension was built in 1996 to increase the size of the changing facilities and to form a new groundsman’s store. Boxmoor Cricket Club celebrated its 150th Anniversary in 2007 and a full history of the club was compiled and published by First XI umpire Mr. Colin Hollick.
Mr. John Scott is the President, Mr. Ian Gorringe is the Chairman, Mr. Richard Crowther is the Secretary, Mr. Aaron Hinton is Head of Cricket and Mr.Nick Harper is a Head of Junior Cricket of Boxmoor Cricket Club. At present Boxmoor Cricket Club have 4 Saturday Teams, 2 Sunday Teams and 1 Playing XI team. Along with this they also have Junior Teams which includes Under 13's, Under 14's, Under 15's and Under 16's Boys Teams, Under 11 and Under 13 girls teams and Under 9's Mixed Team.
Boxmoor Cricket Club aims to provide safe, fair and enjoyable cricket for its members, young and old. The club hopes to provide an environment fit for the local community, in which players and social members can develop their cricketing skills, knowledge and friendships. The club currently has a playing membership of over 70 adults and fields four teams in the Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League on Saturdays. On Sundays they have two sides, with the 1st XI playing in the Chess Valley League and the 2nd XI playing friendly cricket against local sides, home and away. There is an active junior section, with over 100 young cricketers learning the game under the supervision of 8 ECB qualified coaches.
The four themes of Boxmoor Cricket Clubs are:
Duty of Care and Safeguarding Children
The Cricket Programme
Sports Equity and Ethics
Boxmoor Cricket Club has ECB Clubmark status. Clubs priorities are prioritising junior development, creating a benchmark for high quality community club cricket.
Official Website: http://www.boxmoorcricketclub.co.uk/default.aspx
Written by Rohit Mahadik
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Watch 1962 Movies Online, Free Movies 1962 Online
Watch movies and tv series of 1962 in hd quality, 1962 movies online free, Watch Full Movies of 1962 Go123movies is the best option to watch movies and tv series with latest updated seasons/episodes on daily basis.
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International FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Guiding Harbor awarded three-year CARF accreditation Belleville, Michigan — September 21, 2011 — CARF International announced that Guiding Harbor has been accredited for a period of three years for its Foster Family and Kinship Care, Residential Treatment, and Supported Independent Living programs. This is the first three-year accreditation that the international…
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US, Brazil not to attend UN climate summit
World Americas
Only 60 world leaders — out of 136 in New York — to be present at ‘emergency’ meet
Published: September 23, 2019 13:48 AFP
UNITED NATIONS: Some 60 world leaders convene on Monday for a UN summit on “climate emergency” aimed at reinvigorating the faltering Paris agreement, at a time when mankind is releasing more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than at any time in history.
From heatwaves to slow-crawling hurricanes to rapidly acidifying oceans, the impacts of global warming are being felt more than ever before, yet the gap between carbon reduction targets demanded by scientists to avert catastrophe and actions thus far taken is only widening.
It is within this context that a new, youth-led movement has emerged and re-energised climate activism, symbolised by Swedish teen Greta Thunberg who will take the podium following a speech by Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Thunberg along with millions of others around the world rallied on Friday calling for climate justice and for the voices of the younger generations who will be most affected by increasing extreme weather events to be heard.
Fewer than half the 136 heads of government or state in New York this week to attend the UN General Assembly will be present Monday.
Australia absent
Among the list of those absent will be US President Donald Trump, who pulled his country out of the Paris Accord upon taking power and has made slashing environmental regulations a key part of his platform.
Likewise President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, under whose leadership the Amazon rainforest is continuing to burn at record rates, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison whose government has pursued an aggressively pro-coal agenda.
China, the world’s biggest carbon emitter by far, but also a leader in the renewables sector, will be present and represented by foreign minister Wang Yi, with Guterres hinting last week that the East Asian giant will be committing to new measures.
Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and one of the architects of the Paris agreement, told AFP the summit represented a “moment of truth” but was also taking place at a time of great political headwinds.
“There’s a tension between the countries that want to go ahead to translate their goals into real policies” and those that do not, she said.
“We can hope for the best, that this group of progressive countries and actors and local authorities prepare for the second wave, to demonstrate that this is where modernity is, where progress is, and even where economic growth could be.”
Increased urgency
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, fresh from a triumphant diaspora event in Houston where he was joined by Trump, will speak in the morning session, along with the leaders of New Zealand, the Marshall Islands, and Germany’s Angela Merkel.
Like China, India is coal-addicted, but has also set itself highly ambitious renewable energy targets, particularly in solar.
Guterres has asked countries to bring “concrete, realistic plans” to enhance commitments made in 2015 in Paris toward the goal of limiting long-term warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius — and ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius — over pre-industrial levels.
These are deemed important to avoid hitting a number of so-called “tipping points,” like the melting of polar permafrost, that could trigger irreversible warming and fundamentally alter weather events and ecosystems.
Seventy-five countries are expected to bring enhanced commitments. But officials have also been careful to manage expectations and say Monday’s summit is also a run-up event to the 2020 UN climate summit that the UK will host in Glasgow.
Still, there is some sense of increased urgency.
The goal of “carbon neutrality” — where most emissions are eliminated and those that remain are offset by planting new trees (and potentially carbon capture technology in the future) — was considered so radical in 2015 that it was left out of the text of the Paris agreement.
Now, though, it has become a rallying cry for countries like the United Kingdom and France as well as major corporations, who are leading the charge in countries like the US where the political leadership have sought to distance themselves or even undermine the cause.
Ahead of the summit, 87 firms under the “We Mean Business” coalition pledged to slash their emissions.
The UN published a report on the eve of the summit that said the five-year period ending 2019 was set to be the hottest ever, the latest grim reminder that climate change is already a reality.
“Our global carbon credit is maxed out,” said Dave Reay, a professor and chair in Carbon Management at the University of Edinburgh, commenting on the report.
“If emissions don’t start falling there will be hell to pay.”
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One thing stands between the army of Maeve the Intoxicator and its goal: a small young warrior named Setanta. Maeve, with all her cunning, sees no problem in dispatching him.
But Setanta is no normal defender. His father is a god, who has given him a monstrous power and a magical spear, and his skills were learned on a magical isle of women warriors. Alone against all odds and all comers, he fights as strange a war as was ever undertaken – in the narrows of every stream the army must cross.
Tain and Remscela are two books derived from the Ulster Cycle of Celtic mythology, known also as the “Táin Bó Cuailnge.” The first comprises the story of a cattle raid upon Ulster Province perpetrated by the royal couple of Connacht, its neighbor, and the single-handed defense of the province by its semi-divine hero Cú Chulainn. The second, compiled from pieces of tales of Cú Chulainn and other heroes of Ulster, is the story of a hero in decline while his unforgiving enemy Queen Maeve sides with the supernatural sisters, the Morrigu, to take him on again…and this time for good.
Both Táin and Remscela are available in new ebook editions from the online authors’ cooperative Book View Cafe.
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“Black & Blue” will it be a Hit at the Box Office
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“Black & Blue” to their audience. The film stars veteran actors like Naomie Harris playing the character Alicia West & Tyrese Gibson playing the character of Mouse. Unintentionally walking in on the activity of illegal rogue cop affairs, Alicia is an inexperienced African-American police officer who happens to be caught in the middle of a…
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Will Smith Tom Holland Spies in Disguise Animated Movie trailer
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Michelle Obama plays DodgeBall
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Prince Harry and Wife Meghan welcome Their first child a baby boy!
Jonas Brothers Happiness Begins Tour
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Kings Coach Luke Walton sued for Sexual Battery
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#BeyonceHomeComing Netflix Special
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Will Smith To Play the Genie in Live Action Aladdin
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Watch Gronk Get Up Close and Personal With a Tiger Shark
We’re not sure where “making out with sharks” fits into NFL safety regulations but that didn’t stop Gronk from fearlessly doing it on a recent shoot for the Discovery Channel.
Our intrepid underwater adventurer traveled to the Bahamas with his trusty sidekick Bobby Goons and a top team of shark scientists to film “Monster Tag,” a Shark Week special that involved tagging endangered sharks.
“The Tiger Shark = Huge, strong, misunderstood, AND endangered
Watch us both WIN on @sharkweek this month,” Rob posted on Instagram this week, along with a video of him literally petting a shark underwater.
Before you freak out, we can assure you that Gronk is fine and escaped the encounter without even a flesh wound (the shark was totally unscathed too). But yes -- tiger sharks are on the list of "big three" shark predators known to attack humans especially in U.S. waters, along with great whites and bull sharks, so it was pretty dangerous.
According to the show description courtesy of Discovery, “Shark populations are in trouble worldwide, but a daring collection of dedicated shark researchers are using the latest satellite technology to try and save them. If researchers can use satellite wildlife tags to figure out where sharks feed, mate, and birth their pups, the information will be critical to conserving the species.” The episode is produced by Gronk's long-term manager, Henry Penzi, Gronkowski himself and Propagate Content.
Gronk was joined by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn on the Caribbean trip, but even they aren’t the biggest stars featured on the 30th Anniversary of Shark Week.
Yep, we’re talking about NBA giant and former Gronk dance partner Shaquille O’Neal – who’s pretty much the size of a great white – as he overcomes his fear of sharks in “Shaq Does Shark Week.”
Have you ever seen a 7-foot-one former pro athlete cry in fear? If that’s on your bucket list, tune in as he is helped by former Navy and Marine Rob Riggle, who trains Shaq to take the “deep plunge.”
Former UFC fighter and current WWE wrestler Ronda Rousey has her own episode too, as she gets out of cage with bull sharks -- but will she dare to do it with a mako in the "main event?" We bet Mojo Rawley would ...
Tune into the Discovery Channel on July 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT to watch Gronk on “Monster Tag.” We promise it is less scary than sitting through “Jaws” or “The Shallows.”
A post shared by Rob Gronkowski (@gronk) on Jul 9, 2018 at 2:06pm PDT
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Intesa Sanpaolo Press release
INTESA SANPAOLO LAUNCHES A NEW THREE-YEAR BENCHMARK EUROBOND OF €2 BILLION
Torino, Milano, 3 May 2011 – Today, Intesa Sanpaolo has launched a €2 billion eurobond issue targeted at international markets.
It is a three-year, floating rate issue under the Euro Medium Term Notes Programme of Intesa Sanpaolo.
The coupon, payable quarterly in arrears on 12 August, 12 November, 12 February and 12 May of each year from and including 12 August 2011 up to the maturity date, is equal to 3 month Euribor plus 110 bps p.a..
The re-offer price is 99.795%.
Considering the re-offer price, the yield to maturity for the investor is equal to 3 month Euribor plus 117 basis points p.a..
Settlement is due on 12 May 2011.
Minimum denomination of the bond issue is 100 thousand Euro and multiples.
The bond is not offered to the Italian retail market; it is distributed to international institutional investors and financial institutions. It will be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and, as usual, traded Over-the-Counter.
Banca IMI, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and HSBC act as joint lead managers for the placement of the bond.
The ratings assigned to Intesa Sanpaolo’s senior long-term debt are: Aa2 by Moody’s, A+ by Standard & Poor’s and AA- by Fitch.
This communication does not constitute an offer or an invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (as amended) (the "Securities Act"). The securities may not be offered, sold or delivered within the United States or to “U.S. persons” (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) as part of their initial offering. The securities may be initially offered and sold only outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act and subsequent resales may be made only in accordance with applicable law. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan.
This communication is being distributed to and is directed only at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) persons who are investment professionals within the meaning of Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) and (iii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2) from (a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). Any investment activity to which this communication relates will only be available to and will only be engaged with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
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Last updated 3 May 2011 at 18:05
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Posted in WallSt
20,000 Pallets Of Water Bottles Were Left In Puerto Rico, And No One Seems To Know Why
An estimated 20,000 pallets of water bottles have apparently just been sitting
An estimated 20,000 pallets of water bottles have apparently just been sitting on a tarmac in Puerto Rico since after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, and no government agency has been able to answer why.
Abdiel Santana, who works for a Puerto Rico Police agency, posted photos of the pallets on a runway in Ceiba on Tuesday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency told CBS News on Wednesday that FEMA delivered the bottled water to the island but said the agency didn’t track specific shipments.
BREAKING: What may be millions of water bottles. meant for victims of Hurricane Maria, have been sitting on a runway in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, since last year, according to @FEMA, which confirmed the news to me, late tonight, after pictures, posted today on social media, went viral. pic.twitter.com/jidGJAvCyJ
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) September 12, 2018
Ottmar Chávez, the administrator of General Services in Puerto Rico (ASG), told HuffPost in a news release that it requested 20,000 pallets of water bottles in May from FEMA, which had reported it had a surplus of emergency supplies. The ASG then distributed some of the water to a dozen municipalities, but the water had apparently gone bad after sitting too long in the sun and heat.
“After having delivered more than 700 pallets, ASG received several complaints about the smell and taste of the water received from FEMA,” Chávez stated in the press release.
Chávez said in his statement that the agency had “been in contact with FEMA and the Department of Health to test the water inventory received by the federal agency. We are going to return those waters to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) inventory.”
The GSA told HuffPost it did not order or obtain the water for FEMA during the Hurricane Maria aid efforts. Angelo Cruz Ramos, the mayor of Ceiba, told ABC News he wasn’t sure when the pallets of water bottles actually arrived on that tarmac.
The island’s Secretary of the Department of Public Security, Héctor M.
Pesquera, said in a statement that “the Government of Puerto Rico never received the water from FEMA for distribution during the emergency, and it was not until April 2018 that we were notified of its availability.”
None of the agencies seemed to have an answer for how long the water had been sitting on the tarmac and why it had not been distributed.
A senior FEMA official told CBS that if FEMA “put that water on that runway, there will be hell to pay …. If we did that, we’re going to ’fess up to it.”
FEMA did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Read on Yahoo! News
← Trump pushes conspiracy theory denying Puerto Rico hurricane death toll
Embattled archbishop may be considering resigning →
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Difference between revisions of "References - Mediawiki"
Helpwiki » Web Publishing » Mediawiki » References - Mediawiki
This page explains very briefly how to create numbered footnotes and references using the '''<nowiki><ref> ... </ref></nowiki>''' and '''<nowiki><references/></nowiki>''' syntax, which is the current best-practice method in most circumstances. See [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes Wikipedia:Footnotes] for more detail.
Use this template to create a reference list in an article with a small font. Note that there is no consensus that small font size should always be used for all references; when normal-sized font is more appropriate on an article, use <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code> instead.
If used with no parameters, it will produce a reference list with a single column.
===Single citation of a reference or footnote===
=== Multiple columns ===
At the point of citation in the main text, enter the reference or footnote like this:
Using <code><nowiki>{{reflist|2}}</nowiki></code> will create a two-column reference list, and <tt><nowiki>{{reflist|3}}</nowiki></tt> will create a three-column list.
:'''<nowiki><ref>Excel For Dummies, First Edition, Hungry Minds, Inc., 1980.</ref></nowiki>'''
Using <code><nowiki>{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}</nowiki></code> will allow the browser to automatically choose the number of columns based on the width of the web browser. Choose a column width that's appropriate for the average width of the references on the page.
You can include formatting and links in the footnote or reference text in the usual way.
Note: multiple columns currently render properly only in [[Mozilla Firefox]] and other [[Gecko (layout engine)|Gecko]]-based browsers,<ref>Multi-Column Thriller|url=http://www.stuffandnonsense.co.uk/archives/css3_multi-column_thriller.html</ref> and [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]]<ref>http://www.css3.info/preview/multi-column-layout.html |title=Multi-column layout in Safari 3 and Firefox |accessdate=2007-07-25</ref> though the feature is included in [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS3]], so it should work for a larger number of browsers in the future.<ref>url=http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-multicol/|title=CSS3 module: Multi-column layout|publisher=[[World Wide Web Consortium|W3C]]|date=[[2005-12-15]]|accessdate=2006-11-24</ref>
===Three options for usage===
===Multiple citations of the same reference or footnote===
====Option 1 (only specific references) — Example: [[The Rule]]====
==Content==
Lorem ipsum.<ref>Source name, access date, etc.</ref>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.<ref>Source name, access date, etc.</ref>
To cite the same reference or footnote several times, identify it using the '''name''' parameter of the '''<nowiki><ref></nowiki>''' tag.
At ''one'' of the citation points (it makes sense to choose the first), enter the reference like this:
==== Option 2 (only general references) — Example: [[National Publications]] ====
:'''<nowiki><ref name="Perry">Perry's Handbook, Sixth Edition, McGraw-Hill Co., 1984.</ref></nowiki>'''
Then, at all the other citation points just enter:
:'''<nowiki><ref name="Perry"/></nowiki>'''
{{refbegin}}
* general reference 1
{{refend}}
====Option 3 (both specific and general references) — Example: [[Elephant]]====
===Producing the reference or footnote list===
At the point where you want the text of the footnotes or references to appear (usually at the end of the article in a "Notes" or "References" section), insert the tag:
:'''<nowiki><references/></nowiki>'''
===What it looks like ===
The '''<nowiki><ref></nowiki>''' tags in the main text are converted to auto-numbered superscripts, like this:
{|class=wikitable
:The only reference to Excel For Dummies.<ref>Excel For Dummies, First Edition, Hungry Minds, Inc., 1980.</ref>
==Continuing the references==
:The first reference to Perry's Handbook.<ref name="Perry">Perry's Handbook, Sixth Edition, McGraw-Hill Co., 1984.</ref>
In order to add references manually, use the "#" sign and enclose the additional references in the <tt>"references-small"</tt> div style, as in this example:
<div class="references-small">
#<li value="2"> [http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features/feature20070719.cfm ''Cassini-Huygens: NEWS - Features - Saturn Turns 60'']
# [http://www.scitech.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/frank.aspx ''A new moon for Saturn a family affair'']
# [http://ciclops.org/view.php?id=3353 ''From Dark Obscurity… A Tiny New Saturnian Moon Comes To Light'']
The <code><nowiki><li value="2"></nowiki></code> tag is used to ensure the new references start at the correct number. In the example, there was just one reference. Had there been 10, we would have started the additional references at "11".
:The second reference to Perry's Handbook.<ref name="Perry"/>
:The third reference to Perry's Handbook and to another, related book.<ref name="Perry"/><ref>Nuclear Chemical Engineering (2nd Edition), McGraw-Hill Co., 1981.</ref>
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Citation_templates
:The only reference to Linux in a Nutshell.<ref>Linux in a Nutshell, O'Reily Co., 2003.</ref>
Clicking on a numbered superscript takes you straight to the text of the corresponding footnote or reference.
The '''<nowiki><references/></nowiki>''' tag is expanded to show the text of the footnotes or references against their corresponding numbers, like this:
For single citations, clicking on the caret (<font color=blue>'''^'''</font>) takes you to the point of citation in the main text.
For multiple citations, the links back to the main text are distinguished by letter superscripts (<font color=blue>'''''a'''''</font>, <font color=blue>'''''b'''''</font>, <font color=blue>'''''c'''''</font> etc.). Clicking on a letter superscript takes you to the corresponding citation in the main text.
=== Using templates to insert reference text ===
A number of templates, such as '''<nowiki>{{cite book}}</nowiki>''' and '''<nowiki>{{cite web}}</nowiki>''', are available to format the text between the '''<nowiki><ref></nowiki>''' and '''<nowiki></ref></nowiki>''' tags in a more structured way. These are described at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_templates Citation Templates]. Their use is optional: they do aid with consistent formatting, but on the other hand they can make editing more cumbersome.
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes Wikipedia:Footnotes] (Further details on this method, specific to wikipedia)
* http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Footnotes (General MediaWiki footnotes documentation)
* http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Cite/Cite.php (technical details about cite.php technology)
{{Mediawiki Help}}
This page explains very briefly how to create numbered footnotes and references using the <ref> ... </ref> and <references/> syntax, which is the current best-practice method in most circumstances. See Wikipedia:Footnotes for more detail.
Single citation of a reference or footnote
<ref>Excel For Dummies, First Edition, Hungry Minds, Inc., 1980.</ref>
Multiple citations of the same reference or footnote
To cite the same reference or footnote several times, identify it using the name parameter of the <ref> tag.
At one of the citation points (it makes sense to choose the first), enter the reference like this:
<ref name="Perry">Perry's Handbook, Sixth Edition, McGraw-Hill Co., 1984.</ref>
<ref name="Perry"/>
Producing the reference or footnote list
The <ref> tags in the main text are converted to auto-numbered superscripts, like this:
The only reference to Excel For Dummies.[1]
The first reference to Perry's Handbook.[2]
The second reference to Perry's Handbook.[2]
The third reference to Perry's Handbook and to another, related book.[2][3]
The only reference to Linux in a Nutshell.[4]
The <references/> tag is expanded to show the text of the footnotes or references against their corresponding numbers, like this:
↑ Excel For Dummies, First Edition, Hungry Minds, Inc., 1980.
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Perry's Handbook, Sixth Edition, McGraw-Hill Co., 1984.
↑ Nuclear Chemical Engineering (2nd Edition), McGraw-Hill Co., 1981.
↑ Linux in a Nutshell, O'Reily Co., 2003.
For single citations, clicking on the caret (^) takes you to the point of citation in the main text.
For multiple citations, the links back to the main text are distinguished by letter superscripts (a, b, c etc.). Clicking on a letter superscript takes you to the corresponding citation in the main text.
Using templates to insert reference text
A number of templates, such as {{cite book}} and {{cite web}}, are available to format the text between the <ref> and </ref> tags in a more structured way. These are described at Citation Templates. Their use is optional: they do aid with consistent formatting, but on the other hand they can make editing more cumbersome.
Wikipedia:Footnotes (Further details on this method, specific to wikipedia)
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Footnotes (General MediaWiki footnotes documentation)
http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Cite/Cite.php (technical details about cite.php technology)
Mediawiki Tutorial - for a step-by-step tutorial to get you started
FAQs - common questions about using Mediawiki at Evergreen
All Mediawiki articles
Retrieved from "http://helpwiki.evergreen.edu/wiki/index.php?title=References_-_Mediawiki&oldid=31685"
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IEC World
IEC Family
e-tech Special
Peer assessment programme enhances global certification scheme
Fostering mutual trust and recognition
By Antoinette Price
From household appliances to office equipment and medical devices, when we purchase electronic products, we expect them to function properly and to be able to use them safely. We assume that this has been taken care of through the process of testing and certification. But how can we be sure that the people carrying out the tests are doing their jobs correctly?
IECEE peer assessment programme enables participants to be assessed by experts working in the same market segment
Testing the testers
IECEE is the IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components. The different schemes test the safety, quality, efficiency and overall performance of electrical and electronic components, devices and equipment for homes, offices, workshops and health facilities, to ensure they comply with international standards such as those published by IEC.
IECEE covers 23 categories, including batteries, cables and cords, electric vehicles, lighting, photovoltaics, portable tools and electric toys.
A core part of the Conformity Assessment Board (CAB) policy for IEC, and IECEE work, is the peer assessment programme, which allows new participants to become qualified and existing participants to maintain their qualifications; without it, they cannot operate within IECEE.
“Peer assessment offers the unique opportunity to understand how, and with which level of competence, other participants in the system operate, and to be assessed by true experts working in the same segment of the market”, said Wolfram Zeitz, Deputy Secretary of IECEE.
Peer assessment of the participants ensures that national certification bodies (NCBs), CB testing laboratories (CBTLs) and other laboratories operating in the IECEE System competently carry out the testing, by applying the Standard’s requirements and the rules of the system consistently.
IECEE peer assessment programme
The programme aims to ensure:
conformity of member organizations with specified requirements
equivalence of test and assessment results generated by the members
acceptance (mutual recognition) of the results from one member, by all other members.
In 2018, the IECEE Lead and technical assessor training was held in the US. Training contributes towards harmonizing processes and helps to foster mutual trust and recognition of NCBs and CBTLs. The training ensured that newly appointed assessors understood the need to assess the particular rules of the system, and to help existing assessors reach the next level of expertise. More training is expected to take place in Europe in 2019, followed by Asia in 2020, to ensure harmonized interpretations among our pool of more than 500 peer assessors.
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Cô gái Sài Thành nuôi heo 150 kg làm thú...
Homeless people 'should be allowed to stay with their dogs'
Animals, Events
by admin 2 months ago 2 months ago
Fish were relocated from part of a historic canal before water was drained away to allow for winter maintenance work.
Pike, lamprey, brown trout and salmon were among more than 150 fish moved from an 108m (354ft) stretch of the Caledonian Canal at Fort Augustus.
Experts from Ness and Beauly Fisheries Trust caught the fish and moved them to another part of the 200-year-old canal.
The relocation was carried out under a licence from Marine Scotland.
Catherine Topley, Scottish Canals chief executive, said: “Many of the visitors to the waterway may not appreciate the extensive and caring work that goes on behind the scenes to preserve the fish during this essential work, allowing us to continue to protect the heritage, environment, and various wildlife that the canal habitat provides a home for.
“These works will ensure that the much loved scheduled monument – the Caledonian Canal – continues to thrive for years to come.”
19.3k-6
Animals, Paginated Post, Photography, Travel
Animals, Events, Extreme
Captivity-bred wildcats to be released into wild in Cairngorms
FROM DUNG BEETLES TO SEALS, THESE ANIMALS NAVIGATE BY THE STARS
More From: Animals
Animals, Photographyanimals
It’s mind-blowing to think about the multitude of animals that exist in this world.
11.5k-14
16.5k21
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Home Research > Members > 1558-1603 > TAILBOYES, Anthony (-d.1584)
TAILBOYES, Anthony (d.1584), of Skirmington, co. Dur.
Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
?3rd s. of Ralph Tailboyes of Thornton Hall, Conscliffe by Eleanor, da. of Henry Killinghall of Middleton St. George. educ. Camb. 1544. m. aft. 1569, Elizabeth, da. of Anthony Eshe, of Skirmington, wid. of Thomas Norton.
J.p.q. co. Dur. and other northern counties and commr. in north parts 1577.
Descended from the baronial family, the Tailboys of Kyme, Lincolnshire, Tailboyes himself, like his eldest brother Robert, was an ecclesiastical lawyer and an official of the bishopric of Durham. When the dean of Durham, William Whittingham, died in 1597 he made Tailboyes one of the trustees of his property. These connexions of Anthony and Robert Tailboyes suggest puritan religious views, yet they were closely connected with Thomas Norton, who was executed for his part in the rebellion of 1569: Ralph Tailboyes received a grant of Norton’s lands, which he later transferred to Thomas Norton the younger, while Anthony married his widow and probably had charge of the education of his son. Moreover, the William Tailboyes who was a confidential servant of Thomas Percy, the gunpowder conspirator, may well have been the brother of Robert and Anthony.
Tailboyes probably owed his return for Aldborough to the influence of the 2nd Lord Eure, a member of the council in the north, whose son referred to Robert Tailboyes as ‘my friend and kinsman’. He died intestate in 1584. Administration was granted to Ralph and William Tailboyes—presumably his father and his brother—in November of that year. His widow was still living in 1606.
Surtees, Hist. Durham, iii. 345, 382, 382 n; Depositions (Surtees Soc. xxi), 293-5; SP12/121; APC, xxvi. 138-9, 231, 318-19; HMC Hatfield, vi. 411-13; Wills and Inventories (Surtees Soc. xxxviii), 17-18; CSP Dom. 1595-7, p. 281; 1603-10, pp. 260, 272, 286; 1611-18, pp. 365, 406; Neale, Commons, 228-9; Border Pprs.ii. 193, 457, 460.
Author: Irene Cassidy
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****** * ********** trial update: Day 3
First, a word of explanation about the odd title of today’s court report. It seems that the Crown Court at Southwark is now listing this case as a series of asterisks, due to the Court Order made under s45a, Youth and Criminal Justice Act 1999, which we mentioned on Monday. We are following their lead, and will be changing the titles of the previous posts as well.
Court very nearly started on time today, with legal teams on both sides turning up only about 10 minutes late…but then it turned out that they needed just a bit more time to ensure that their evidence was in order, and so there was a brief adjournment, with court resuming at 10:47 a.m.
Once the jury was seated, the admissions were read into the record. Admissions constitute a series of facts which both prosecutor and defence agree are accurate.
In brief, the admissions consisted of joint acceptance that in 2014 two children made false allegations of SRA against various people including their father, their teachers, children and parents in their school, social workers, and police officers. Both sides agreed to the facts of the police investigation, the children being taken into protective custody, and the fact-finding hearing which led to the 19 March 2015 judgment by Mrs Justice Pauffley. It was agreed that a massive amount of information was released onto the internet, in contravention of a court order intended to protect the children in the case.
It was further agreed that the defendant was arrested in Erith, at which time his MacBook computer and external hard drive were examined by police. A GoFundMe account was discovered, which at the time contained $5,072 in contributions. In addition, a Skype conversation between Sabine McNeill and the defendant was discovered, containing a link to the website http://www.hampsteadchristchurch.com. This site contained a link which contained the names of the five witnesses in this trial, as well as a reference to one of the witnesses being “constantly on the move”. The hard drive contained an Excel spreadsheet last updated on 30 July 2016, containing the names of all five witnesses.
It was further agreed that the original version of the defendant’s first YouTube broadcast about Hampstead, in which he discussed kicking down doors and taking blood samples, was broadcast in February 2015, and that it was reposted at least once since then under a different URL.
Witness: Steve Martin
DC Steve Martin, a member of the CAIT (Child Abuse Investigation Team) took the witness stand, noting that his involvement in the Hampstead hoax went back to its genesis in 2014, and that he had continued to be involved with the accused and exonerated families. On the stand, he was questioned about three particular pieces of evidence: the original YouTube video; the defendant’s show on American Freedom Radio in which he stated that he “didn’t want to kill them, only to beat them up real good”; and the defendant’s Facebook post containing a selfie of himself outside Christ Church Primary School, which was posted on 5 September 2016.
DC Martin played the original video, in which the defendant was heard to say, “If nobody else wants to do it, I’ll do it”, stating that he would be willing to go to Hampstead, kick down doors, and take blood samples from the accused.
Next, DC Martin played the American Freedom Radio audio clip from approximately 1 hour and 2 minutes. In this clip, the defendant stated that he had seen a video of the two children at the centre of the Hampstead hoax, that he had made a response video, and that he had been trolled for it. He stated he wanted to get the names of those who had allegedly abused the children, and that he would get those people to tell the truth. During this show he stated, “I want to go the violent route. I don’t want to kill them, just beat them up real good”.
On the defendant’s public Facebook page, which had at that time approximately 5,000 friends and 7,000 followers, he posted on 5 September a photograph of himself in front of the school, with the comment, “This is what I look like at a moment of acute defiance”. Under the photo, a friend of the defendant commented, “Is there a biscuit in your pocket?” to which the defendant replied, “Knife?” The friend said, “Biscuit knife”, to which the defendant replied, “Sharp ham”.
DC Martin stated that on the defendant’s computer, a link to the HampsteadChristChurch.com site had been found, accessed via a link sent by Sabine McNeill on Skype. While the list containing the names of the five witnesses was not on the homepage of that site, someone using the defendant’s computer had visited the site on numerous occasions, either by searching on a search engine or via Facebook link.
On the hard drive recovered from the defendant’s room, a file was found marked AB, containing an Excel spreadsheet named “Cult details” and dated 16 April 2016. DC Martin showed this spreadsheet to the court onscreen. The spreadsheet contained the headings “Count” and “Parents and Children”, and contained personal details regarding numerous people.
When the defendant was arrested on 13 September 2016, said DC Martin, he was interviewed at Bethnal Green police station. At that time, his solicitor advised him not to comment. However, on the date of his bail return, he indicated to DC Martin that he wished to make a statement. He was interviewed without a solicitor, though he was reminded that should he wish to stop the interview at any time and bring in a solicitor, he could do so.
DC Martin and prosecutor Martyn Bowyer read aloud from the transcript of that interview, with DC Martin playing himself and Mr Bowyer taking the part of the defendant. During this interview, the defendant stated that he had become disillusioned with the people who had wanted him to come to the UK. “I hung out with those people, and I’d be happy to let you know more about them”, he said. Later, he noted that “the dumbest thing I did was to go to Angela Power-Disney”.
He noted that a person called “Kevin Justice” also annoyed him. “He seems to puff up, maybe to assert himself physically”, he said, adding that possibly this was because this person could tell that “I wasn’t really into what they were doing”. He stated that in respect of the “journalistic investigation” he had planned to do, “I found absolutely nothing” to incriminate any of the accused in the Hampstead case.
“When I got here I should have gone to the police and said, ‘I was funded by people I don’t like’,” he said, adding, “I was just going through the motions”. The defendant said he realised he had been wrong, and that since that realisation he had “just been trying to weasel out”.
The defendant also said he was being harassed online. He said he had gone to the church: “I was only going there to take pictures,” he said. “I was only there to show up the people who said I couldn’t”. He stated that he had not spoken to anyone while he was at the church and school.
In explanation of the conversation about the biscuit and knife under the Facebook post, the defendant said that this had arisen from a private joke between himself and his friend. This joke had originated when his friend had thrown a ham sandwich in a tinfoil wrapper at his head, which the defendant had found very funny.
The defendant said he was “aware of the collateral damage” from his activities, and noted that while he was “not asking for pity”, he had “never been taken this seriously before”. Asked whether he understood why people were scared, he said he did. “I was being a jerk online and things got out of control”, he said.
Witness: Defendant
In the afternoon, the defendant took the stand and was questioned by Mr Tom Stevens for the defence.
The defendant stated that prior to his involvement in the the events leading up to this case, he had been an hotelier in his hometown in the United States. Asked about his stint on American Freedom Radio, he said he had been broadcasting there for about a year before he made the post referring to “beating them up real good”. He admitted that he had been in conflict with the law on one previous occasion, involving a “tiny amount” of cannabis and a pipe. This occurred in 2001.
Asked about the circumstances under which he’d posted the YouTube video on 16 February 2015, he stated that he’d been made aware of the Hampstead children’s story, and that it seemed to meet the criteria for a video, due to its provocative nature. He made the video right after watching a video of the two children making their allegations, and had edited it and uploaded it an hour or two later.
Referring to the video of the children, the defendant said, “The content made me angry….Some pretty bad things were talked about. I had a sort of gutteral anger”. The reference to “kicking down doors” of churches and schools was a direct response to the video he’d seen, he said, adding, “It was hyperbolic, a figure of speech….I didn’t think it would happen”. He also said that the expression “kicking down doors” is common in America, and doesn’t imply any intention to actually do it.
“It was how I felt at the time,” he said, “I didn’t anticipate it would take on a life of its own”. Asked whether he had any intention that the accused in the case should see the video, the defendant said it had been intended for “his audience”.
Referring to the American Freedom Radio broadcast, the defendant said he had made it whilst he was in Holland. He said the people at home had wanted an update from him, and that he had also been experiencing considerable harassment online. Mr Stevens noted, “This is what you meant in your (police) interview—you’d had a negative response to your (earlier YouTube) video, and you were on the receiving end of people saying negative things about you”. The defendant agreed, stating he’d been “intimidated for about a year”, which had affected him. “I was very tense, and I was trying to maintain myself at work”.
The defendant stated that before leaving for the UK, he had received “threats about when and where people were going to meet me”.
Asked why he had made threats on the American Freedom Radio broadcast, the defendant said that this had been a response to the people who had been trying to dox and threaten him.
“Was that directed at the parents?” Mr Stevens asked.
“No,” said the defendant. “I was trying to express my frustration. I don’t know why I thought that would straighten things out. I had no intention to beat anyone up”.
Asked who would usually listen to his American Freedom Radio broadcasts, the defendant said, “Conspiracy theory buffs”. Mr Stevens asked whether the defendant had any idea that the people named in this case were listening to his broadcast. “No, only my family and the harassers”, the defendant said.
Mr Stevens asked who the main harasser was.
The defendant stated, “[The father in the Hampstead case]”.
He noted that he wanted out of his current city when he left the USA, due in part to the loss of his job and in part to the evolving political situation there. “It was an opportunity to travel”, he said. “That doesn’t happen much”. He said the first place he wanted to visit was the UK, but that he had interviewed Kevin Galalae who was going to Italy, and decided to accompany him there, to assist him whilst he was on his hunger strike in front of the Vatican.
Asked about the source of funding for his travel, the defendant said, “It was mostly from me. I sold everything”; the GoFundMe site was meant to supplement the money he was already putting into the trip. In a Skype comment, he stated, “I’m going to the UK to fight pedos. Please share”, which he characterised as a “brief way to say that it was going to be an investigation”. This message was sent to multiple people. The defendant claimed he was being sarcastic in characterising his trip this way: “It wasn’t meant to be taken literally”.
Mr Stevens asked the defendant about the £1,000 donation from Angela Power-Disney. The defendant replied, “She is…I guess you can call her an activist”. He guessed that she had contacted him because of the YouTube video he’d made about Hampstead.
Judge Griffith asked the defendant whether Angela had been actively interested in Hampstead. “Adamantly”, the defendant said. “She didn’t accept the outcome”.
The defendant said that the more he and Angela had talked, the more she had tried to take over and influence him, scheduling his itinerary and planning what he could do. “I never said yes, she just donated”, he said.
When his plane landed in the UK, he was “petrified”, due to the people trolling him online.
“Why did you come, then?” asked his barrister.
“Because I said I would, and I was at the point of no return”, the defendant said. However, he quickly realised that much of what he’d said when he was at home would not be attainable in reality. “I wanted to prove I’d looked into it, and then get out”.
The defendant travelled to the Canary Islands at Angela’s invitation, but he cut that trip short. “She was not a nice person”, he said. “I thought it would be best to put some miles between me and her”.
Once in the UK, the defendant said that at some point he went to Hampstead, for two reasons: “to prove it does exist, and because a lot of things were being said about me being a scam artist, and I wanted to be absolved from those accusations”. He said he had been told that he would be killed if he went to Hampstead. “The trolls reached a fever pitch, and I felt trapped”, he said. “My defiance was against people speaking badly about me”.
Mr Stevens asked whether he was referring to anyone mentioned in the indictment for this trial, and the defendant said he was not. He said he had no plans to meet anyone in Hampstead, and said he would have turned around and left if he’d seen anyone near the school. He said he was not aware that the day he posted the Facebook post was the first day of school.
“My motivation was that I was getting taunted, and I reacted to that”, the defendant said. “I didn’t want to release the picture but I didn’t want to be called a chicken”.
“Who did you think would view it?” Mr Stevens asked.
“I wanted my family and the people who were taunting me to see it”, the defendant said. He also said that he didn’t think anyone would interpret the “banter” about carrying a knife as a threat. “I just didn’t want to bend to the people who were harassing me”.
Asked about the Excel spreadsheet found on his hard drive, the defendant said he didn’t know how it had got to him, but that he understood that the author of the sheet was the mother of P and Q. He stated that he was not familiar with any of the names on the sheet, except one.
He stated that he had no memory of checking out the HampsteadChristChurch.com site, adding that he knew it contained a list of the accused in the case, but not what that meant.
The defendant said that when he heard the witnesses testifying in court yesterday, he found it very painful. “I had a panic attack”, he said, adding that he’d found it very upsetting.
Cross-examination of defendant
Noting that the defendant had stated that the abuse he experienced online had affected his life negatively, Mr Bowyer asked, “Before you even left (the USA), you realised the serious, devastating effects of posts online”. The defendant disagreed that this was true.
Asked about why he had published the video about Hampstead, when his usual video fare consisted of more lighthearted material, the defendant said, “Sometimes I don’t make a distinction (between lighthearted stuff and paedophilia”. Mr Bowyer asked, “Don’t you think you ought to?”
“Now, yes”, the defendant replied.
Mr Bowyer asked whether the defendant was aware that the case about which he’d made the video was in court, or whether he knew how the material he’d included in the video came to be online.
“No,” said the defendant. However, he added, “there were so many outlets doing it. It was on LiveLeak, and I thought that was a tacit green light”.
Mr Bowyer suggested that the defendant was not an “investigative journalist”, and said his degree of journalistic integrity would not match that of any actual news outlet. “No, it’s the internet”, the defendant said. “We are still discovering how it affects people”.
“To the extent that you were fearful, can you see how (your behaviour) could have affected the witnesses?” Mr Bowyer asked.
The defendant responded that this had been unintentional. “I’ve never gone over the edge like that”, he said. “I didn’t know I had, at the time”.
Mr Bowyer asked why those who the defendant claimed were harassing him had been angry with him. “It was just character assassination”, the defendant replied, adding that it “made him furious”.
“Did it cross your mind that you should leave it alone?” Mr Bowyer asked.
“Even bad press is good press”, the defendant responded, adding that he had been “angry and excited”. “There’s a saying that if you hit a nerve you must be doing the right thing”, he said.
Mr Bowyer asked whether the defendant thought any of the people named in this case had been among those harassing him. The defendant said he thought this was possible, but that it was more likely that others were doing it.
Mr Bowyer noted that having attracted a degree of attention, the defendant had begun to attract “activists” such as Angela Power-Disney and Sabine McNeill, who wanted him to campaign on their behalf. “Not specifically”, responded the defendant.
The defendant agreed that Angela disagreed “extremely” with the High Court judgment on the Hampstead case.
“Do you remember when she tried to supply you with the names of the accused?” Mr Bowyer asked. The defendant said his memory of this was hazy.
“Someone sent you an Excel sheet. Was it her?”
“Maybe, I can’t remember”.
Asked why he continued to engage with Angela, the defendant said, “She got really nasty when I started to question where she got her information”.
“If you’d been given information about how to track [the father in the case] down, would you have taken it?”
“We know his name appears on your computer, and we know you accessed a site with information as to where [the father] was alleged to be”, Mr Bowyer said.
“Yes, I might have, and put it in the file”, said the defendant.
“Did you have any reason to believe he might be in America?”
“I heard he might be in San Francisco or Los Angeles”, said the defendant.
At this point, the proceedings were adjourned for the day. The case will resume tomorrow morning at (dare we say it?) 10:00 sharp.
As we have been saying, it’s extremely important that no one on this blog speculate on the outcome of this trial in any way. In addition, it’s now equally important that the defendant not be named here, lest we find ourselves in contempt of court. Thank you all very much for your cooperation.
23/08/2017 in Legal news. Tags: criminal charges, harassment, trial
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156 thoughts on “****** * ********** trial update: Day 3”
I am confused, are we in prosecution or defense stage in court proceedings now?
Sorry, we’ve moved on to defense. I’ll try to clarify.
Excellent update and for me, the most interesting post on this case yet.
Once again, thanks, EC and your Reporter.
Ethel Aardvark says:
Thanks for the update, EC. Just about to read it now.
One thing I can say is that it’s really pissed Angela off, which is most satisfying in light of her utterly disgraceful bullying, slander and privacy invasion against an innocent social worker. So double thank you, Your Howlness 🙂
I guess Angela Power Disney is considered a ******** and a ******* by everyone in this matter. I also think she is a ***********.
Great reporting, thanks for the update. Does any one know whether there will be an outcome tomorrow?
Sir Henry Rawlinson says:
Stressing that I reference more general matters rather than the case itself; it’s always a source of great bemusement to me that those who routinely issue threats against others so often feel ‘threatened’ by the prospect of arrest and/or detention. Similarly that so many self-styled ‘investigative journalists’ adopt that pretence without a jot of training or awareness of what the job entails or the rules that genuine professionals must observe.
Incidentally, the s45a order is there to protect the children… As anyone who actually has studied media law (i.e actually Is a journalist or media professional – unlike Angie or her kind) ‘jigsaw identification’ is a concern. So, one imagines, is the public gallery filling up with baying lunatics.
When declaring yourself intellectually superior to Noam Chomsky just isn’t enough…
…what’s needed is an angry, shouty video rant about how “stupid” Chomsky is a “creep”…..
By the way, her anger about Mr. Chomsky stems from his ‘failure’ to believe in her 9/11 conspiracy theories!
Yes, that woman never learns.
Some fascinating stuff coming out. Good reporting. I will keep my opinions on the content to myself for now.
Tomorrow will be the second half of the cross-examination, followed by summing up. I don’t know if the jury will be instructed, but we expect a judgment on Tuesday (because of the bank holiday).
Couldn’t have said it better myself, SV..
Frankly Debbie dimwit would struggle to establish intellectual superiority over a plastic garden gnome!
I agree, excellent reporting.
I’d like to comment about APD but will wait until after the Verdict.
It has been reported in the Mail too.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4817638/US-blogger-threatened-draw-blood-parents.html
Excellent reporting, thank you. Won’t comment on the case except to say that if I were APD I would be expecting a knock on the door sometime soon. Please delete if inappropriate.
Congratulations ********** You’re famous http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4817638/US-blogger-threatened-draw-blood-parents.html
MonsterRavingGoonies says:
One has to wonder why Angel Powered Dizzy has only copied day 1 to her FB page but not the subsequent reports, would it be perchance because she has been mentioned both days……not in the best light either if I may be so bold as to say!
Great reporting by your reporter, this is what I would call true professionalism instead of the raving lunatics reporting the rubbish they constantly copy & paste!
Slightly off-topic, but I’ve just been reminded of a case back in 2001 where one Christopher Loosemore (then 17) and another boy of 14 wandered into the Liberty Bank in Middletown (Portland) and handed a teller a note claiming they had a gun and demanding $30,000…
The police quickly caught up with the almost-appropriately named Loosemore hiding in the apartment of a girl he was apparently trying to impress with his ‘hard man’ act. There was some digging done at the time, and it seems poor Christopher was ‘one of those sad kids’ nobody took seriously, always a looser, unemployable, tried to paint pictures of himself living the life of a tough guy when the reality was he played the role of big fish to a gang of children that had the measure of him. He felt ‘egged on’ to do the robbery – couldn’t pull out for fear of losing face etc. – Oddly enough, none of that provided him with any basis for a defence; he still robbed a bank and went down for it.
With precedent like that in mind, and there’s lots of it, some people (many associates of Belinda McKenzie for instance) might find that stuff like ‘peer pressure’, ‘trying to impress people’, trying to ‘keep face’, making up shit about trillion pound liens, claiming you were ‘obliged’ to commit a crime because you couldn’t obtain lawful remedy (as claimed by Caul Grant) in relation to some other crime etc… It’s all just complete and utter bullshit.
I also find myself reflecting upon the prosecution of Robert Green. – Did he or did he not frighten the living daylights out of an ordinary Aberdeen tiler and his neighbours and thereby breach the peace? The prosecution proved he did just exactly that, and despite Green’s best efforts to deflect the court’s attention onto other matters, the clown talked his own way into jail. – Was it Einstein who said, doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result is a sign of madness? I can’t help thinking the head of McKenzie Industries didn’t get that memo.
“jigsaw identification’- havent heard it called that before but thats exactly what happened a while back in a fairly local(ish) case to me- where both the victim and the accused werent allowed to be named- the victim (for obvious reasons such as her age etc) but the accused name was withheld as well because he was a relative- hence identifying him would make it trivially easy to identify her
Blimey, for the first time ever Angela’s ‘journalism’ has scored more than two stars 😀
Oh, that’s interesting, as I’ve been checking to see if they covered it in the Ham & High but they haven’t and yet it’s made it into a national tabloid paper!
How come the Mail are naming the defendant, btw?! (Not that the Mail are known for their integrity.)
Just google the phrase. It’s a ‘key concept’ in relation to what you can and cannot report and specifically taught in most of the basic media law units… For example what’s wrong with the following sentence (apart from the spelling and grammar!)…
“Goodwin Grope of 43 Poshnbex Avenue, Binworthy was today sentenced to twelve years in prison for the sexual assault of his fifteen-year old neighbour”
Given that victims of sexual assault always have anonymity – and that’s compounded by the fact his victim was a minor; how many fifteen year olds might live in Poshnbex Avenue Binworthy? – This is an example of where you probably couldn’t name the offender (and a judge might make a specific order to that effect) because it makes it very easy for the victim to be identified and their rights breached. If you dig around you’ll find examples where judges have made such orders and been accused by loonies of protecting the offender; when in fact it’s done for the victim’s sake. …For similar reasons you cannot name schools, workplaces, clubs etc.
Sorry mate but that’s incorrect – she has covered each day. I’ve been saving the screenshots – along with those of comments she’s posted elsewhere – and if it’s deemed appropriate, I’ll happily post these after the trial.
Incidentally, I’d like to reiterate that she didn’t even know about the trial at all until I PMed her on the morning of day one and she posted a comment about it within a few minutes.
Good question. We’ve sent a query to the court about it. Will let you know.
Yes, exactly. We were initially told by the judge that the witnesses were not to be identified, but now it appears that the defendant is to be anonymous as well.
They appear to have a poor record on apostrophes too. To wit:
“One of the mother’s told Southwark Crown Court…”
I’d imagine the court have adopted this ‘technique’ to minimise what any ‘disruptive’ types might easily find out and make the life of those who steward the precincts easier. There is no ‘harm’ in not naming the defendant here as far as I can see, but equally well I don’t imagine there is actually a bar on naming him.
LOL I noticed that too.
Their spelling’s iffy too:
“…to kick out doors down…”
…Has that actually been handed down in a specific order? Or is it just that the court has taken his name off the public roll?
@SV –
* ***** ****** ***** ****** ** ********** * fuddle-duddle *** * stegosaurus ** ********* ** **** ******. * **** ***** *** ** * walrus-face.
I blame the cheep doggy tipwritterz they supply jurno lists with these days!
Well, it’s all a bit puzzling to be honest. Yesterday his name was published in full on the court schedule, but by last night it had changed to the all-asterisk format. It remained that way today, and when our reporter asked the reply was that it might be better to anonymise the defendant’s name too. I tend to think it’s excessive, but unlike an accredited journalistic site we rely upon the goodwill of the court officials who allow us to take notes in court (subject to the judge’s approval), so felt it best to go the extra mile.
How long before we get an angry video rant about all this from Mad Moo, I wonder. The Daily Mail article will annoy her further, of course. Ditto APD.
Both. The order itself says that no one may be named whose identity might allow identification, directly or indirectly, of any child mentioned in this case. And the court has anonymised his name online.
If that was the only thing they had a bad record for. The comments section is a hoot though or can be depressing, I tend towards the latter recently.
No worries,, I had only looked at her FB page & was surprised she wasn’t posting it all there, but I see now she is twisting things again on there to make herself look super important. 😏 Thank you for letting me know. 🙂
EC, I’m not sure which schedule you’re viewing but the name was printed in full on this one:
http://xhibit.justice.gov.uk/southwark.htm
However, it was “frozen” at 10:57 and not updated at any point afterwards.
Please delete this link and comment if you deem it inappropriate.
Sorry but to reiterate, it is her Facebook page I’m referring to. She has posted about each day on there.
I think the Mail will argue that the order applies to the parents of children and the teachers; if you you know their names you know who their kids are… It’s not unknown in cases that might attract attention for the defendant to be anonymised like this; that way they can ‘filter’ enquiries as to which court when at the front bar. – But from the blog’s point of view there’s certainly no harm in being cautious; the Mail have lawyers to hand to argue their corner!
The extra mile is well worth travelling. Whatever the outcome I’d expect the blog to come under attack from the lunatic fringe after the trial; no point in enabling them to any degree.
This is what I’m going by, Ethel. Honestly, as I say I find it a bit confusing as I’ve never known of a public trial that anonymised the name of the defendant, but I’m not an expert in court reporting either, so I’m proceeding with (perhaps too much) caution.
…Not long Liza, and that might be an issue.
Another possibility is that the police have intelligence that some sort of disruption might be being planned by certain parties. The conversation here may be contained and the management anxious to ensure fair pay; but that won’t necessarily be the case in the darker corners of electric looneyland.
Haha He looks like a right yob in those photos. And to all the satanic hoaxers, take note of the part where it says “The children were taken into TEMPORARY care” Haha!
Oh for feck’s sake, who let Alan ‘Sieg heil’ Alanson out of his cage?
listen with mother says:
Great bit of reporting here, so interesting to hear the details, the police work, forensics, ‘his’ story.
My apologies for misleading anyone, I myself can only see Day 1. Mind you, that could be due to my old eyes. Thank you for the clarification.
it wasn’t me what did it Guvner, honestly.
yet pandering to the audience says:
So he went ‘not guilty’ then…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-couple-cleared-of-satanic-abuse-claims-to-get-3-4-million/
“Texas will pay $3.4 million to a couple who were wrongfully imprisoned for more than two decades on prosecutors’ claims that they sexually abused children as part of satanic rituals at a day care they operated.
Dan and Fran Keller learned Tuesday that they’ll receive the payment from a state fund for the wrongly convicted, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
A judge in June approved a request from Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore for a declaration of innocence for the Kellers”.
Sounds oddly familiar…..
Be interesting to see what this ‘therapist’ has to say for themselves these days- do they have even a twinge of remorse for what they have put innocent people through??
(and although I’m not a big fan of the US habit of suing people- in this case I actually think the compensation being awarded is actually far less than they should be getting considering the time they spent in jail and the loss of both income and a good proportion of their lives), and of course even now there will be far too many wackjobs like APD and her ilk still willing to ‘beLIEve the children’ and making any possible return to normality for the Kellars extremely unlikely
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Hill_satanic_ritual_abuse_trial
“In the summer of 1991, the therapist of a three-year-old child being treated for behavioural problems due to her parents’ divorce alleged that the Kellers had sexually abused her. The child’s mother contacted the police, who alerted the case’s eventual prosecuting attorney, who contacted a friend whose child was also enrolled in the day care and being treated by the same therapist. During the time leading up to the trial, two other children from the day care offered similar accusations. According to the children, the couple served blood-laced Kool-Aid and forced them to have videotaped sex with adults and other children. The Kellers, they said, sometimes wore white robes and lit candles before hurting them. The children also accused the Kellers of forcing them to watch or participate in the killing and dismemberment of cats, dogs and a crying baby. Bodies were unearthed in cemeteries and new holes dug to hide freshly killed animals and, once, an adult passer-by who was shot and dismembered with a chain saw. The children recalled several plane trips, including one to Mexico, where they were sexually abused by soldiers before returning to Austin in time to meet their parents at the day care.”
Yes angie we know you like to sprout “A LOAD OF B+++”+CKS”
Nice of you to admit it for once though
(have you checked out the extradition treaties of your list of hideouts recently, you might be in for a shock)
Don’t worry Angela, Your time is gonna come.
Tis 🙂
With a lotta, lotta, luck she will be “important” soon, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more.
I’m not so sure APD will actually be annoyed.
She thinks she is UNTOUCHABLE. Mmm…
I reckon she’ll be loving it but she doesn’t really know ALL that has been said in Court, only what is reported here and that piece in the Daily Mail.
Journalist my arse!
Shut yer moosh Angela, you haven’t got a f…… clue.
Attention seeking, trouble maker you are at the very best.
Let her walk around with her head up her arse.
I’m hoping that what that VILE lump Caul Grant spouts about KARMA comes to fruition.
And from my knowledge APD is definitely not the only one treading on thin ice.
This all could get very, very interesting.
Got to also say that Belinda looked a lot more healthy Wednesday.
Best song Lennon ever wrote, that was.
I agree 100%, Captain, but I’d be a traitor to my user name and mission statement were I to comment on anything more important than grammar 😀
MRG, if you’d like to see them all, PM me on Farcebook and I’ll send you the links/screenshots 🙂
I can’t post them here, out of due deference to legal restrictions.
Babs – check out her Farcebook page – she is already annoyed. Extremely annoyed! Hehe 🙂
Now, that’s one of the screenshots I declined to post, out of deference to the legal restrictions/contempt rules. Are we sure that this one is ok to have up?
I’ve so far archived 15 screenshots of Angela and Bellender’s posts/comments about the trial, which I’ll be happy to share after the trial is over (possibly with some sensitive parts blanked out).
Mad Moo’s under starter’s orders again. Buckle up 😀
Noam Chomsky eat your heart out! 😀
Blimey, this is one of her most unhinged ones yet. Does she really believe all this crap? I do genuinely think she may have a drink/drug problem.
Next on Dave... says:
Speaking of which…
I’ve just realised that this is an old one but she’s been re-promoting it on Farcebook. I don’t recall hearing this one before, though.
David Shurter in a moment of self-reflection looked in a mirror.
With the end of this trial in sight, time to roll out the Bork.
Sergeant Sirius Crook-Hunter of the Marrakesh Fraud Squad says:
Another new scam brewing for Hopeless Girl? (And Teflon, or whatever the fuck his name is.)
“And Teflon, or whatever the fuck his name is.”
I think Teflon would be an appropriate nickname for all three of those dodgy fuckers.
Yep, hence why I felt sick and didn’t stay for the afternoon session.
Not on fb anymore Angiewatch, but more than happy if she is annoyed!
The fear is setting in probably.
Oh gawd!
Is Belinda posting too?
Hope she’s not in contempt of the Court!
Had forgotten all about Mad Manna. Communism failed did it? Must be my imagination that Russia & China are now 2 of the most powerful nations on earth.
Nothing scheduled today and there’s a different case in Court 7:
Scarlet Overkill says:
More phone harassment by ‘Neelu of the Chaudhari clan’, including some extremely serious slander against the SRA’s CEO (“He is an illegal slave trader of humans”) 😦
RQ was listed this morning on the system. I think a short case is being heard in room 7 whilst the powers that be are getting things together for the RQ case today.
Is Neelu saying that the solicitors are guilty of being associated with SRA? *joke*
The system at time of writing has relisted RQ allocated to room 7; waiting to begin the case.
The good news for Angie is that she hasnt got very far to fall having already descended deep into the sub basement of the human condition.She wont have to suffer the bitter wranglings of remorse either given the total absence of anything resembling genuine conscience.But that is her lot,her sparse and shallow allocation.
Still,she can be worried,be very,very worried as the past revisits its genesis.Tap,Tap,Tap. MU HA HA HA HA
Over to you Vincent:
They’ve been at it since day one, and not just on the most obvious platforms either Ethel. Their ‘plan’ will be to draw others into commenting (i.e. directly debunking them) and by that means try and either scupper the case or lay the groundwork for later vacuous ‘appeals’ and/or fundraising. I think the authorities are keeping a weather eye on them though.
Very considerate of Neelu to share with the general public regular updates of her progressive unhingement from reality.
Outlook:All rather bleak.
Gnome Chompsky is more of a burger man I think…
I thought all slave trading was illigal, but where does she get her evidence from, who has she been talking to. I bet she’s been making it up, and what is her obsession with treason, does she really know what it means, or was it just a big word she learnt from some pne else from planet Zong.
Case is now under way with witness 5 continuing to give their evidence as per
Also, discovered a Satanist who ate a yellow jelly baby. #jellybabygate
So you are feeling Satanic, its xmas, and you got some jelly babies to lawfully and without prejudice shove things up the arse, decorate and eat. Here is a nice idea to decorate your home, especially if you got a Satan Hunter visiting.
#jellybabygate
I see they’ve re-instated the full name.
Well if you are going to massively slander some one, why not pick some top lawyers?
I’m not sure if Angie, and her associates, fully appreciate their immense irrelevance to the matters in hand.
Turning first to her vacuous comments. Facts have been agreed, admitted and entered into the record; what does Angie fail to understand about this? Equally well Angie (I know you do read this) the S45a order now gives all the children involved in the Hampstead Hoax lifelong anonymity… And that effectively extends to the parents and teachers too as talking about them would lead to the ‘jigsaw identification’ scenario I mentioned earlier…
These are both things you would realise if you had even basic training as a journalist. What’s “bollocks” is your claim to that professional title as you clearly know fuck-all about the job!
Likewise, isn’t it interesting that Angie isn’t in court? Not as a witness nor as observer? – One imagines she wouldn’t be welcome as the latter; and is clearly of no relevance to the case. It’s fairly obvious she’s finding the lack of attention frustrating.
Yet again I’ll stress that the following observations relate to matters in general and NOT the case in question…
Courts operate with a laser-like focus on the matters in hand… Did individual ‘A’ commit act ‘B’ contrary to statute ‘C’. – That’s it! that’s all they are really interested in. The Robert Green case I referenced elsewhere is a good example of this at work. – Did Green’s actions frighten and alarm people and by that means breach the peace? The proof of that was easily provided and yet, for all his days of rambling, Green provided not one scrap of evidence to counter that proof.
You see that’s the thing with courts, they will often tolerate irrelevant testimony – particularly in criminal trials – in the hope that relevant matters will emerge; but there is no loss of focus… No inability to boil away the waste in order to distil the truth.
In Green’s case it’s reasonable to suggest that, by alarming and giving rise to fear among the population of a certain Aberdeen district, he hoped to raise a rabble and gain aggrandisement for himself. But of course, ‘right thinking people’ don’t generally take to the streets pitchforks at the ready! And it was proven in court that Green knew or ought to have known that his actions would cause fear and alarm and proved that they did!
By this means the ‘mens rea’ (guilty thought) and ‘actus reus’ (guilty act) are established as fact and it is proved beyond any reasonable doubt that a crime was committed. In Green’s case the ‘actus reus’ was established by something as simple as an Aberdonian Tiler giving testimony that he was made alarmed and made to feel fear for the safety of his grandchild. – All of Green’s superfluous waffle didn’t defeat that.
Let me turn now to a different example…
This fearsome weapon is made of chocolate. It’s quite amusing I think… Jolly japes.
But suppose, as a prank, you walked into a bank with it, brandished it around, walked up to a teller and demanded money. – What do you, as a reasonable person, think would happen? Viewed from twenty feet away by a member of the public who is not ‘in on the joke’ what would be made of it? – Particularly if they didn’t know you from Adam.
Does anyone seriously think they wouldn’t be charged with attempted armed robbery? Or that a Police Officer wouldn’t be justified in tazering them to the ground?
Would it be a defence to claim in court that you only indulged in this prank because your mates ‘egged you on’ to do so? – Maybe it would if you were nine or had an IQ south of about 70. But suppose you were a grown woman of 40 who laid claim (even if vacuous) to a degree-level education and a professional background? – “Big boys said I should do it, then they were horrible to me and ran away”.
But! That innocent bank-teller still nearly had a heart attack, was terrified and now lives with PTSD! – who knew that could happen? …Well, anybody with enough sense in their heads to be walking about the streets on their own should. Ignorance is not a defence, nor is stupidity (no matter what Belinda says).
So – What’s your next idiotic fairy story Angie?
Confuseddotcom says:
The memories these therapists come up with show who the real perverts are. What a sicko to introduce those ludicrous claims of murder, mutilation, sex tapes and the rest to the minds of very young children. What a minute, sounds like child grooming Abraham Christie did exactly the same in his sexually perverse month long torture sessions to two children he had only met months earlier.
To think Angie downplays Abe’s role to that of a patsy! Only a dirty paedophile supporter would claim Abe is innocent when all the medical evidence, the childrens own words and rest of the details all name Abe as a bully and child abuser.
Angie showing us all that she cannot read or deliberately taking things out of context. The blog post clearly stated that the joint acceptance of the SRA claims being false Referred to a point the prosecution and defence BOTH agreed on. Is angie claiming that is incorrect and disputing that FACT.
Abe Christie has a very long criminal history… I’ve often wondered if there is some old association between him and APD from her ‘London days’? For there seems to be some credible evidence she was part of a particular ‘set’ back then.
Hmm vid not playing here.
For the record ,Vincent Price reading of Edgar Allan Poes poem “The Raven”.
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—
Only this and nothing more.”
Etc,etc
The rule is know your shit. The noob journalist takes a few hours to learn the rules of the game, and longer how to write like a journalist. Noob lawyers who desire to assist the unfortunate need to know the rules of court, law and procedure, and how to apply that information to any situation to leverage the advantage for their client. The track record of Belinda McKenzie, Angela Power Disney and their like is dire: clients lost 100% custody of their kids; went to jail; got sectioned; suffered unnecessary legal bills. Appeal to the public mob has its use, but has no impact upon convincing police, judge and jury to venture too far from procedure and law; the mob is useful to soften or harden judgements, rather than influence law; the outraged mob can emotionally influence a judge to harden a judgement, and the sympathetic mob, soften the judgement. At the least, a wise and knowledgeable representative of a client can win some ground for them, even in the most challenging of circumstances; the law seeks to be fair, often offering concessions to make it look it is fair.
That poor woman went off to make a cup of tea when Neelu launched into her Treason Tirade.
Seeing Neelu is suing them for fraud and operating with counterfeit currency they should respond “well send us you lien and we’ll pay you compensation with counterfeit currency”.
Poor Ved just doesn’t have the panache with these phone calls as the Late Great Irish Comedian Patrick “Talmudic Law” Cullinane. His would rise in tempo to a brilliant finish with a cutting and thigh slapping punch line like “you can stick your ambulance up your arse”.
You can’t beat the old comedians.
It’s good to see that Angie is being talked about and held in such high regard. 🙂
DragonsandKungFu says:
Pedo Protector and defamation Queen back at it again.
Queen of limbo once again. Apparently people who have met her think she is “not a nice person”.
Problem is she gets off on this shit. The fact she was named as a player in a crown court trial to do with Hampstead will go to her head, especially as she has got off scot free and let another sucker take the shit. She’ll dine out (metaphorically) on this for months
Angela Power Disney is a shepherd who whilst she is at liberty to do the things she is doing, will bring more sheep into her designs to inflict suffering on the people of Hampstead. Jake Clarke and RQ are sheep she manipulated, used, and had destroyed. The old saying, slay the shepherd, the sheep will scatter. Disney must be a top target to take down.
Regretfully I must disagree SV… Jake Clarke, I will concede, may well lack capacity – but he is exceptional in that respect. And otherwise, all of the people who involve themselves in these frauds are the unmitigated authors of their own misfortune.
She was ‘named’ yes; but consider by whom and in what context. Clearly she wasn’t considered of sufficient relevance to actually be called. One day, I’m sure, she will feel the cuffs on her wrists.
S Jones says:
I’m not surprised as 45A only applies to the names of children under 18 and not defendants:
(3) A reporting direction may be made only in respect of a person who is under the age of 18 when the proceedings commence and who is—
(a) a witness, other than an accused, in the proceedings;
(b) a person against whom the offence, which is the subject of the proceedings, is alleged to have been committed.
Though obviously it’s much wiser to follow the lead of the court as there may have been a different reason for withholding his name.
Oh do stop talking crap Angie.
Not sure that is a good idea, unless you don’t like your home.
When I met her she started telling me some tale about how her car had been sabotaged and she crashed it off the Freeway in USA!
Blamed it on something sinister, I can’t remember off hand who or what it was allegedly all about.
I thought it was a really tall tale and I didn’t warm to her.
Dressed up to the 9’s in Red with one of her trademark hats. Looked like she was off to a wedding.
Everyone else was dressed very casual.
She stood out like a sore thumb with her great nephew in tow, poor lad.
He seemed bemused.
What’s she complaining about Fostering Targets for?
She claimed she had been a Foster Parent!
HYPOCRITE.
He was giving evidence at 10.40 am in Court 7.
I see there is no hearing tomorrow listed for him.
That’s from Court Serve.
Haven’t a clue how to share the link.
Yes indeed, I suspect there will have been. – Although don’t the Jigsaw identification rules effectively (though not explicitly) also protect the parents and teachers?
Many thanks for offering to send me links,/screenshots. It is much appreciated. I have contacted you via pm on FB.
Wasnt able to find a copy, but WHEN (and not if) angie goes down in flames, I would love the classic Vincent Price laughter from Thriller…
Love his work, but jeez that laugh just sends shivers down your spine…
http://www.thelawpages.com/court-hearings-lists/Southwark-Crown-Court.php
I had a look on this one
Before the Court status servers went down yet again, both sides were involved in technical legal issues. I understand the judge is off on Friday.
A real shame for Angie that consumer demand for sanctimonious bullshit never really took off,otherwise she would be absolutely sodding minted by now.
If Angela Power Disney had got her hands dirty with the real stuff, selling manure from local farms to the weed growers etc, she would have no need for gofund or nicking money from hungry African orphans.
What? Honest toil? Don’t you know all hoaxers hold people who actually work for a living in complete contempt?
Dr Danish-Quack! Totally unqualified for his VOLUNTARY (unpaid, because he’s not qualified to assess or treat actual trauma victims) interference in family court cases. His hero is…Colin Ross, naturally!
He believes in “aura reading” and “psychic abilities”.
Lol, anyone in need of a laugh. Abraham’s friend, commenting about Flat Earth on 3 of her alias’s.
and just a reminder to the Hoax promoters, whose side again was it that was meant to be into Satanic drug parties? Lol. Surely Evidence one of Abraham’s friends is into weird shit by their standards. Imagine if she had been a friend of RD’s? They would be naming her as the Satanic Queen.
More importantly, anyone who professes to belief that deliberately abusing children, in any way, can have a CONSTRUCTIVE impact on their development, (i.e., the creation of multiple “selves” with specialized skills & abilities), is not just a quack…they are an EVIL quack.
Deliberate, repeated abuse of a child can only have a DESTRUCTIVE impact on their development. We’ve discussed this in detail here before.
Just a thought… Could I possibly ask everyone to independently google the phrase “sharp ham” ?
btw I am not saying dressing up like that is remotely Satanic or wrong in anyway, just an example of how the Hoaxers would react if they had found something like that about one of the innocent people accused in the Hampers Hoax. They would run with those images for years. Personally I think it looks quite cool for a party.
If you are doing a google image search, may I suggest keeping the quotation marks along with the phrase.
As much as I like English Wine and Cheese 🙂
Yes indeed… Keep the quotation marks. Please resist the temptation to repost your findings though; I should have been clear on that. But it seems the phrase does have a particular meaning.
I have also just been educated as to what exactly a “biscuit knife” is… Apparently it’s a small knuckle-duster type device with a sharp serrated edge parallel with the handle. – I’m told it’s favoured in some circles because it creates a particularly nasty wound which is difficult to stitch and consequently leaves a horrific scar. – Hardly the stuff of genteel conversation inspired by the W.I.
Another one at it promoting tabloid nonsense and whatever they can no matter how pathetic. Old Mad Moo certainly spend a lot of time deflecting attention away from those involved in the Newcastle Case.
Biscuit in Rap Slang is also a gun, obviously irrelevant to anything, just interesting.
Or, apparently, in American parlance, this…
I’m told it ‘works better’ when disguised as a money clip or hidden in one’s shorts!
That’s the image I had saved, like a lock knife.
http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-5-worst-attempts-to-start-catchphrase-in-rap-history/
My source on this side of the pond works in A&E – Apparently the knuckle-duster type device can be had from the shadier market stalls and has various names. The American ‘version’ however seems to be marketed under just exactly that label. I stress of course that I’m simply trying to understand the general colloquial meaning of these things. – Quite interesting.
I remember years ago I had a lock knife for playing out in the woods as a kid, my friends all had army knives and even machetes. Today none of those would be legal, let alone being a 13 year old wearing army fatigues and running round the countryside carrying them. Lock knives are illegal to carry in public in the UK.
Lock knives are not classed as folding knives and are illegal to carry in public without good reason. Lock knives:
have blades that can be locked and refolded only by pressing a button
can include multi-tool knives – tools that also contain other devices such as a screwdriver or can opener”
https://www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives
Ah! Blue remembered hills…
I have a fishing knife; but it’s kept in a locked part of the tackle box at all times. Apart from specific sports, carrying a knife, even a penknife was always ‘frowned upon’ as something only ‘certain types’ indulged in.
Drat,there was me thinking Sir Henry was plotting to invite us all to dinner at one of his fine country mansions.Mines a half by the way.Hic.
SJones says:
I don’t think she has much of a grasp, she tried to prosecute the queen for treason a few years ago. Though she had thought that through a bit and had a reason why Mrs Mountbatten-Windsor is NOT the queen, viz. the stone of Scone is false (it’s a Welsh cake or something) and so the coronoation DIDN’T COUNT.
Narcissistic conspiracy theorists like treason though; they believe that anything which doesn’t go their way is driven by a huge conspiracy and the whole machinery of state is against them in some monstrous plot which is contrary the true interests of the people (identical to their interests of course) and thus must be treason. Also there is a freeman on the land import from the US – in the US officials swear to uphold the constitution so the argument is that by finding against the fotler the judge is in breach of his oath, not complying with the constitution and thus treasonous. This is then imported into the UK without any thought that oaths here are completely different. Roger Hayes’ mob of supporters tried to arrest the judge for treason for example as they said he was not acting under his oath.
Seems she’s a ‘one trick’ model now well past her sell-by date. The look would indeed be quite cute for a Halloween party or the like I suppose; if only the person sporting it didn’t stink like a rotten manure midden and wasn’t completely off their fucking rocker!
Half bottle by the looks of that glass!
Does she understand something rotating slowly does not create a blur? Filming the moon over a few days a month etc then speeding up footage much like how we can look at a plant growing and it does not show as blurred. Time and motion?
Oh gawd knows what the hell she’s thinking… Her few remaining braincells are a stewed as a well boiled teabag.
The problem with interpretating slang and code words, is that they have different meanings to different groups of people, depending on their circles etc.
Take the Wikileaks emails of John Podesta for example. Due to 4Chan’s history of using Cheese Pizza as code for Child Porn, a troll took that information and used various other terms to send people looking through 10 years worth of emails for supposed “code words”. TThe term Cheese Pizza itself, I do not believe was even referenced in those emails. It didn’t seem to matter how unlikely that a group of middle aged, so called elites, would even be aware of internet paedophile slang let alone be using it in emails.
Earlier I was catching up on the George Webb and Jason Goodman comedy saga, and came across an article on a site about the dirty bomb threat causing a port to be closed down.
http://www.billwarnerpi.com/2017/08/false-claims-by-george-webb-and-jason.html
Another article on that site was about an FBI most wanted man who had supposedly being sighted. The man was wanted for the honour killing of his two daughters. After the act he had apparently called one of his brothers and asked to meet up for “Coffee” which according to the site had been their code word for Trouble/Help.
“Yaser Said told daughters Aminia, 18, and Sarah, 17, he was taking them to get something to eat before he shot and killed them on January 1st, 2008. On January 2nd, 2008, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Yaser Abdel Said, in Dallas County, Dallas, Texas, on charges of Capital Murder-Multiple. On August 21, 2008, a federal Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution warrant was issued by the United States District Court, Northern District of Texas, Dallas, Texas. Uncovered cellphone records showed Yaser Said making multiple calls to family members (his brothers) immediately before and after his daughters’ deaths. Then he disappeared.”
“Yaser Abdel Said called his brother Mohsen Said on his cell phone after the murders of Amina and Sarah Said to meet for coffee (‘coffee’ meant trouble, need help)”
https://pibillwarner.wordpress.com/2016/11/14/has-fbi-top-10-most-wanted-yaser-abdel-said-been-located-in-cairo-egypt-his-kidnapped-niece-and-nephew-are-there/
Just two examples of code words meaning different things to different groups.
I was sent this Gem on Sunday about that particular incident.
But Alex Jones says he was beating up guys that weighed hundreds of pounds more than him and was really good looking, thats why the Satanists tried to recruit him. He also says in certain areas of America you cannot throw a stick without hitting a group of devil worshippers.
Those are very fair points… But there is, I think, a difference between ‘code words’ which may or may not mean something and a live vernacular. Something similar is true when a conversation is clearly moved into a particular – actually very specific – frame of reference.
Yeah, you are right. Thinks are pretty clear to me about certain phrases, in context.
What a pathetic sack of sh*t.
F*ck off, Alex!
Har-dee-har-har!
(That was actually very heartening! Nobody wants to talk to him, and everyone knows he’s a heartless child-hating racist windbag. Hooray!)
Sir Henry: to reiterate – on that listings page, the full name has never been removed. It was a different listings page where that was the case:
https://hoaxteadresearch.wordpress.com/2017/08/23/trial-update-day-3/#comment-76506
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US Fascist Police State Advancing at a Rapid Pace
Filed under: Barack Obama, Bush, collapse, corporate corruption, cover-up, crimes against humanity, dictatorship, domestic news, empire, false flag, fascism, hypocrisy, illegal, imperialism, infowar, martial law, NAU, news, North American Union, nuclear war, obama, politics, population control, poverty, protest, Real ID, resistance, spying, surveillance, troops, war, war crimes, war profiteering, wiretapping
PDD 51 & New Executive Order Give Obama Dictator Power
OBAMA’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL MILITIA
Obama Executive Order Stokes Martial Law Fears
An Obama executive order that creates a council of state governors who will work with the feds to expand military involvement in domestic security has stoked fears that the administration is stepping up preparations for martial law.
The order, which is entitled Establishment of the Council of Governors (PDF), creates a body of ten state governors directly appointed by Obama who will work with the federal government to help advance the “synchronization and integration of State and Federal military activities in the United States”.
The governors will liaise with officials from Northcom, Homeland Security, the National Guard as well as DoD officials from the Pentagon “in order to strengthen further the partnership between the Federal Government and State governments,” according to the executive order.
Obama takes new tack in disregarding parts of laws
The Obama administration is lowering the volume in a long-running argument between Congress and the executive branch over when, if ever, a president has the power to bypass federal statutes he has signed into law. The administration will consider itself free to disregard new laws it considers unconstitutional, especially in cases where it has previously voiced objections elsewhere, White House officials said. The White House disclosed the shift when asked why it had not put out a signing statement last month, when Obama signed a $447 billion spending bill for 2010 that contained several provisions that restricted executive power in ways that the administration had previously asserted were unconstitutional.
Foreign Troops on the Streets of America?
The Makings of a Police State-Part VI : A Nation of Suspects
Puerto Rico leader calls on National Guard For Use As Police
Actual Bloomberg Headline: “Secret Banking Cabal Emerges From AIG Shadows”
Airline passengers have ‘no right’ to refuse naked body scanners
Pentagon calls for ‘Office of Strategic Deception’
Growing Movement To Disband Police Departments
RAND Corporation Blueprint for Militarized “Stability Police Force”
Obamacare sparking 10th Amendment rebellion, action in seven states
Looks like the steadily growing list of constitutional, ethical and political outrages that constitute the Harry Reid version of Obamacare is sparking a rebellion in the states, as AP reports South Carolina’s attorney general plans to investigate the vote-buying that surrounded the proposal in the Senate majority leader’s office.
According to AP, South Carolina’s Henry McMaster is being joined by the attorneys general of Michigan and Washington state in a suit to determine the constitutionality of the Obamacare proposal. Their initiative was prompted by a request from South Carolina’s two senators, Lindsay Graham and Jim DeMint, both Republicans.
Nine Vermont state office candidates favor secession
Court Rules That Mass Surveillance of Americans is Immune From Judicial Review
“The alarming upshot of the court’s decision is that so long as the government spies on all Americans, the courts have no power to review or halt such mass surveillance even when it is flatly illegal and unconstitutional,” said EFF Senior Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston. “With new revelations of illegal spying being reported practically every other week — just this week, we learned that the FBI has been unlawfully obtaining Americans’ phone records using Post-It notes rather than proper legal process — the need for judicial oversight when it comes to government surveillance has never been clearer.”
Intel Boss Blair: Government Plans to Kill Citizens
Report: Bush order allowing murder of US citizens abroad still in effect
A North American Security Perimeter on the Horizon
Plans for a North America security perimeter might have seemed like a pipe dream just a short time ago, but it could become a reality sooner than one thinks. Some believe that a perimeter approach to security would be a more effective way of providing safety while ensuring the free flow of trade and investment. For those pushing for deep continental integration, this move is seen as the next logical step. A recent article from the Toronto Star, Canada warms to idea of a tougher ‘perimeter’ suggests that Canadians might now be ready to debate the concept of perimeter security. David Biette who specializes in U.S.-Canada relations and is a member of the Woodrow Wilson Center stated that a, “Perimeter is no longer a dirty word.
“Us” versus “them”: on the meaning of fascism
Roger Tucker considers the linguistic root, visual representation, usage and practise of fascism, and examines the circumstances under which the concept, “which is neither good nor bad in itself”, becomes malevolent. To illustrate, he looks at two contemporary examples of fascism: the USA and Israel.
”Fascism … it is a social pathology and it can legitimately be considered humanity’s most urgent public health problem. If enough people come to understand what the disease is and how to diagnose it, perhaps there will emerge a means to inoculate ourselves. At this point American and Jewish fascism appear to have converged into an aggressive pathological force that endangers humanity more than any such phenomenon in the past.”
New Film Exposes Government Drug Dealing
New speed cameras enrage Arizona drivers
Spying on Americans: A Multibillion Bonanza for the Telecoms
Verichip is now called PositiveID! Roll up your sleeve for the implantable human microchip, it’s now Positive?
Is Corporate Personhood the End of Democracy?
Idea of company-as-person originated in late 19th century
Nobel economist Stiglitz: “US privatized profits, socialized losses is not capitalism.” It’s fascism
Joseph Stiglitz understands half the US economic disaster when he explains current policy is “no way to run an economy that’s going to work,” “there’s moral hazard everywhere,” and newly-invented and unregulated financial markets have only increased risk, not decreased it.
Top Obama czar: Infiltrate all ‘conspiracy theorists’ Presidential adviser wrote about crackdown on expressing opinions
The Guantánamo “Suicides”: A Camp Delta sergeant blows the whistle
ACTA: the leaked secret memos
Michael Geist: “Negotiations in the 7th round of the ACTA [ed: The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement — a brutal, secret Internet treaty] talks open this morning in Mexico with civil enforcement issues on the agenda. Yesterday I posted on the developments to-date, including a chronology of talks, issues, and leaks that have led to this week’s round of discussions. Part Two of the ACTA Guide provides links to the underlying documentation. Governments have been very tight lipped about the talks. Initially, only a brief summary following the conclusion of each round of the talks was provided. More recently, the agenda of each meeting is disclosed and a summary document (largely confirming Internet leaks) has been provided. Of far greater importance are the leaked documents. These have confirmed how the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement is designed to extend far beyond counterfeiting and how it would reshape domestic law in many countries.”
Obama Administration Shuts Down Oldest Gun Show in Central Texas
BATF Notice Bans Private Gun Sales In Texas
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is actively issuing directions banning private sales of guns without licenses at gun shows in Texas, despite there being no law to justify such demands.
Is Obama Really Preparing For Civil War?
According to an obscure report in the European Union Times (EUTimes.net), “Russian Military Analysts are reporting to Prime Minister Putin that US President Barack Obama has issued an order to his Northern Command’s (USNORTHCOM) top leader, US Air Force General Gene Renuart, to ‘begin immediately’ increasing his military forces to 1 million troops by January 30, 2010, in what these reports warn is an expected outbreak of civil war within the United States before the end of winter.
Big Brother: Obama Calls for the Integration of State and Federal Military Forces
In the wake of the Flight 253 provocation, over-hyped terrorism panics, and last year’s Big Pharma and media-engineered hysteria over the H1N1 flu pandemic, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13528 on January 11.
Among other things, the Executive Order (EO) established a Council of Governors, an “advisory panel” chosen by the President that will rubber-stamp long-sought-after Pentagon contingency plans to seize control of state National Guard forces in the event of a “national emergency.”
According to the White House press release, the ten member, bipartisan Council was created “to strengthen further the partnership between the Federal Government and State Governments to protect our Nation against all types of hazards.”
“When appointed” the announcement continues, “the Council will be reviewing such matters as involving the National Guard of the various States; homeland defense; civil support; synchronization and integration of State and Federal military activities in the United States; and other matters of mutual interest pertaining to National Guard, homeland defense, and civil support activities.”
Clearly designed to weaken the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 which bars the use of the military for civilian law enforcement, EO 13528 is the latest in a series of maneuvers by previous administrations to wrest control of armed forces historically under the democratic control of elected state officials, and a modicum of public accountability.
American Fascism: Recent News
Filed under: Barack Obama, biowarfare, Bush, collapse, colonialism, cover-up, crimes against humanity, death, Democrats, domestic news, empire, fascism, hypocrisy, illegal, imperialism, infowar, interesting, martial law, news, obama, politics, Real ID, Republicans, torture, war, war crimes
Government Prepares for “unwillingness to follow government orders” – LRC 8/10/09
Forging a “New World Order” Under a One World Government – Global Research 8/13/09
Mexican Army takes over customs on US border – Agence France Presse / Google 8/17/09
Governors oppose DoD emergency powers – The Hill, DC 8/10/09
The Pentagon Wants Authority to Post Almost 400,000 Military Personnel in U.S. – The Progressive 8/12/09
Pentagon, governors face off over military reserve – AP/Google 8/12/09
White House Warns Rush: Nazi Talk Puts You On “Thin Ice” – Huffington Post 8/7/09
Congress proposed implanting airport workers with RFID chips – Prison Planet 8/3/09
Obama’s Civilian National Security Force – No Quarter USA 7/20/08
Turning the US Army Against Americans – DProgram.net 8/7/09
An antiwar activist has been accused of spying for the US army, raising legal questions the Obama administration must answer
White House asks for $1B to add to Army manpower – Politico 8/13/09
Audio Unearthed: Obama in His Own Words Wants Mandatory Civil or Military Service – Prison Planet 8/14/09
Insane Food Bill 2749 Passes House On 2nd Try. HR 2749: Totalitarian Control Of Our Food Supply – Prison Planet 8/3/09
America’s Warfare State Lining the pockets of Pentagon contractors – Uruknet 8/17/09
William Blum: Assassinations and Coups: Keeping Track of the Empire’s Crimes – CounterPunch 8/6/09
Paulson reveals US concerns of breakdown in law and order – Global Research 8/6/09
GITMO in Kansas? – Mother Jones 8/5/09
Nazi-Style Denunciation Campaign Urges Americans To Report Each Other – Prison Planet 8/6/09
A privately-run informant program operating nationwide encourages Americans to anonymously turn each other in to the authorities for cash rewards in a chilling echo of the Nazi “denunciations” of 1930’s Germany, where neighbors would grass their neighbors up to the local Gestapo officer over petty issues. The WeTip organization takes anonymous tips online or via toll free phone lines and carries the creepy slogan “For A Safer America!” on its website beneath an image of a U.S. flag. The group forwards tips given by the public to law enforcement authorities across the country, with no jurisdictional borders.
North American Union: Implanting microchips in national ID cards – Global Research 8/5/09
Report Reveals CIA Conducted Mock Executions – NewsWeek 8/21/09
Living Under Fascism – well written sermon for Austin Unitarian church from 2004
New Jersey Curfew: Legitimate action or test for more cities to follow suit? – Prison Planet 8/20/09
FBI Says Boston Cops Need M-16s to Prevent City from Becoming Next Mumbai – InfoWars 8/20/09
The Fifty Top U.S. War Criminals Who Need To Be Prosecuted – The Public Record 8/18/09
Mental Stress Training Is Planned for U.S. Soldiers – NYTimes 8/17/09
Arms expert warns new mind drugs eyed by military – Reuters 8/19/09
A leading expert on chemical and biological arms control called Wednesday for urgent efforts to stop new mind-altering drugs developed for medical purposes from being adopted by the military for use in warfare.
In an article in the U.S. journal Nature, British academic Malcolm Dando said civilian researchers in many countries seemed largely unaware of the danger and urged quick action to adapt a key arms pact to head it off.
The Obama Deception HQ Full length version – Alex Jones, via YouTube
Biological Warfare and the National Security State: A Chronology – AntiFascist Calling 8/8/09
Worthwhile reading…
America’s Ultimate Weapon of Mass Destruction: Biological Warfare – Global Research 8/3/09
Vietnam: Chemical companies, US authorities knew the dangers of Agent Orange – Global Research 8/10/09
Blackwater ‘hired for CIA plan’ – BBC 8/20/09
The CIA hired contractors from the US private security firm Blackwater as part of a secret programme to track and kill top al-Qaeda figures, reports say. The New York Times quotes current and ex-government officials as saying Blackwater helped the CIA with planning, training and surveillance. Several million dollars were spent on the programme but no militants were caught or captured, the report says.
No cash? Elyria High students can pay with their finger – Chronicle Telegram, 8/18/09
The CIA’s Torture Psychologists – Mother Jones 8/12/09
Interrogation Inc.: A Window Into C.I.A.’s Embrace of Secret Jails – NYTimes 8/13/09
Bombshell report on CIA interrogations is leaked – Guardian, UK 8/22/09
Findings suppressed since 2006 detail death threats against prisoners and other methods that may constitute torture
Slow, Brutal, Merciless Inhuman Ethnic Cleansing of Ancient Lands – There Are No Sunglasses 8/5/09
The Start Of The Second American Revolution? – Prison Planet 8/7/09
With collection of best angry-town-hall-rabble videos
Project EXPOSE MSM Report 2: Sibel Edmonds: Major DEA Scandal & Time Magazine – 123 Real Change.com
This second project report is based on the first-hand documented experience of Mr. Sandalio Gonzalez, retired Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Special Agent in Charge. Time Magazine reporters Tim Burger and Tim Padgett had an opportunity to speak at length with Mr. Gonzalez and several other veteran DEA agents with direct knowledge of a major corruption case involving several DEA agents on drug traffickers’ payrolls in Colombia. The involved corrupt US officers were also directly involved in helping Colombia’s paramilitary death squads launder drug proceeds. Further presented was the documented cover up of this major scandal by the DEA and DOJ IG offices. Despite corroboration by a number of other sources, including several veteran DEA agents and other government officials with first-hand knowledge of the case, and documented evidence disclosed and provided, and despite being given an ‘exclusive’ to the story as insisted on by them, Time Magazine never published the story, and no reasons were ever provided.
Technology Round-Up: Robots, Real ID, fabricated DNA, the 10th dimension and more
Filed under: imperialism, interesting, news, physics, Real ID, science, technology, weaponry
IBM uses DNA to make next-gen microchips – Reuters 8/16/09
REAL ID reincarnated with a new name: “PASS ID” – Boing Boing 8/20/09
Robo-copter can navigate inside your home – CNet 8/14/09
Police launch ‘Flying Saucer’ CCTV camera – London Telegraph via Prison Planet 8/16/09
Earth Hums, and It’s “Loudest” in Europe, Americas – National Geographic 8/10/09
The Hubble Ultra Deep Field in 3D – via Cryptogon 8/14/09
High Tech Weaponry used in Gaza: Radiation contamination by Depleted Uranium – Global Research 8/14/09
DNA Evidence Can Be Fabricated, Scientists Show – NYTimes 8/17/09
Visualizing up to ten dimensions – BoingBoing 8/18/09
“This is a short animation that takes the viewer through a progressive description of all (and all possible) dimensions, up to and including the 10th. It is an elegant introduction to the fundamentals of string theory and a mind-blowing toe-dip into the pool of the metaphysical.”
Sentient world: war games on the grandest scale – The Register, UK 6/23/07
The DOD is developing a parallel to Planet Earth, with billions of individual “nodes” to reflect every man, woman, and child this side of the dividing line between reality and AR.
Called the Sentient World Simulation (SWS), it will be a “synthetic mirror of the real world with automated continuous calibration with respect to current real-world information”, according to a concept paper for the project.
“SWS provides an environment for testing Psychological Operations (PSYOP),” the paper reads, so that military leaders can “develop and test multiple courses of action to anticipate and shape behaviors of adversaries, neutrals, and partners”.
SWS also replicates financial institutions, utilities, media outlets, and street corner shops. By applying theories of economics and human psychology, its developers believe they can predict how individuals and mobs will respond to various stressors.
Police State America: Important News You Should Read and Share
Filed under: Barack Obama, Bush, collapse, colonialism, community, consumerism, corporate corruption, cover-up, death, Democrats, dictatorship, domestic news, economy, empire, fascism, hypocrisy, illegal, imperialism, infowar, interesting, martial law, mercenaries, Miscellaneous, NAU, news, North American Union, obama, police brutality, politics, random, Real ID, Uncategorized, war, war atrocities, war crimes, war profiteering, weaponry
Seymour Hersh: ‘Executive Assassination Ring’ Reported Directly to Cheney Office – Alternet 3/11/09
VIDEO: Police State – The Militarization of the Police Force in the USA – Global Research 7/5/09
Police State USA? – Hermes Press 4/21/09
A police state unquestionably exists when:
1. Federal executive and legislative powers make domestic spying on US citizens legal
2. Federal and state political and police mechanisms:
* Steal elections
* Shut down media coverage after they steal an election
* Serve the central government instead of serving the citizens
* Enforce the policies of the central government instead of responding primarily to criminal misdeeds
* Spy on and intimidate citizens
All these conditions now exist in the United States!
Democracy, Consensus and Mass Awareness — It’s Not What You Think – Survival Acres 5/11/09
A useful rant.
RED ALERT: The Total Takeover Of America Enters Its Final Phase – PrisonPlanet 6/29/09
Top 10 Ways to Know You’re Living in a Medical Police State – Natural News 5/27/09
Top 25 Censored Stories for 2009 – Project Censored 2/19/09
Obama: The Emperor’s Seven Signing Statements – Global Research 7/3/09
Obama Issues Signing Statement On War Spending Bill – Huffington Post 6/27/09
On Friday, President Obama signed a new war spending bill into law, but “not without taking a page from his predecessor and ignoring a few elements in the legislation,” the Hill reports.
The Obama administration announced in the statement it would disregard provisions of the legislation that, among other things, would compel the Obama administration to pressure the World Bank to strengthen labor and environmental standards and require the Treasury department to report to Congress on the activities of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
U.S.- Canada Border Security and Military Integration – Global Research 6/22/09
Air Force tests missile in launch from Calif coast – AP/Mercury News 6/29/09
Pentagon Deploys Experimental Missile Shield to Hawaii – Wired 6/20/09
First came the attempted launch in April. Then, last month, Pyongyang detonated a test nuclear device, which may or may not have worked as planned. Now the Norks are threatening to launch another Taepodong-2 missile, with a 4,000-mile range, towards Hawaii — and Gates is pulling out all the stops, to prepare for an intercept.
That means sending Army Terminal High-Altitude Air Defense missile systems, still in development, to the islands, and deploying the SBX radar. Joint Chiefs vice chairman General James Cartwright said he was “90-plus percent” sure the U.S. could intercept a Nork missile, in the unlikely event it overflew U.S. territory.
Pentagon Rebrands Protest as “Low-Level Terrorism” – AntiFascist Calling 6/18/09
DNA databases prelude to return of eugenics? – Global Research 6/8/09
Obama’s “Open Government” Project Censors Popular Proposal to “End Imperial Presidency” – Alternet 6/4/09
Obama promises to suspend Habeas Corpus – Boing Boing 5/22/09
Obama Administration Targets Environmental and Animal Rights Activists as Eco-Terrorists – Global Research 6/5/09
Police State Study Ranks US As 6th Worst In The World – PrisonPlanet 5/12/09
Obama’s Plan for Dictatorship, Americans’ Nightmare – Global Research 5/23/09
Obama Demands Right to Recruit Minors for Military – Atheo News 4/27/09
Humboldt County, California voters passed measures F and J last November prohibiting military recruiters from initiating contact with minors. Now the Obama administration is demanding that the law be overturned. A court hearing is scheduled for June 9 in Oakland, California. The measures which passed by a large margin allow recruitment to occur if the minor initiates contact. Federal government lawyers claim “irreparable harm” if the laws stand.
Almost half of Georgia Republicans back secession – Raw Story 5/1/09
Crisis as a Means to Building a Global Totalitarian State – Global Research 4/23/09
Obama’s New World Order – Global Research 4/10/09
Pentagon preps for economic warfare – Politico 4/9/09
The Pentagon sponsors a war game that examines how hostile nations might seek to cripple the U.S. economy.
The Costs of Empire: Can We Really Afford 1,000 Overseas Bases? – Alternet 3/10/09
US Justice Department memos: the specter of military dictatorship – Global Research 3/4/09
Cost of locking up Americans too high – Pew study – Reuters, UK 3/2/09
One in every 31 U.S. adults is in the corrections system, which includes jail, prison, probation and supervision, more than double the rate of a quarter century ago, according to a report released on Monday by the Pew Center on the States.
The study, which said the current rate compares to one in 77 in 1982, concluded that with declining resources, more emphasis should be put on community supervision, not jail or prison.
FBI use of Patriot Act authority spiked in ’08 – Raw Story 5/20/09
NYC rehearses for next terror attack; WTC ‘swarmed’ – Raw Story 5/17/09
Night chopper flights over L.A. are tied to military training – LA Times 6/26/09
Second 9/11 Envisaged by Homeland Security: Emergency Procedures in the Chicago Area – Global Research 4/13/09
Senate Rubber Stamps National Enslavement Bill – PrisonPlanet 3/24/09
Obama Defends Expansion Of Fed Powers – CBS 6/23/09
President Obama defended his recent decision to give the Federal Reserve expanded oversight powers over the nation’s biggest financial institutions, during an exclusive interview with CBS’ The Early Show. While his critics argue the Fed was partly responsible for letting reckless practices on Wall Street get out of control, the president disagreed. “It wasn’t the Fed,” Mr. Obama said.
DOJ: AIPAC case witness was asked to ‘fake…suicide’ – Politico 6/23/09
Two people asked a Pentagon official cooperating with prosecutors in an investigation into the American Israel Public Affairs Committee to fake his own death to avoid testifying against two pro-Israel lobbyists charged in the case, according to the Justice Department.
Nafta Superhighway Returns From The Dead – Global Research 7/4/09
House Passes the 1,200-page Climate Bill that Congress was Not Allowed to Read – InfoWars 6/27/09
Objecting to the fact that 300 pages were added to the bill at 3 a.m., Minority leader John Boehner attempted a brief filibuster, giving time for colleagues and aides to scan the unread extra passages and present certain excerpts on the floor. Politico blasts his effort, reporting:
That wasn’t good enough for House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who delayed the roll call vote by reading page-by-page through a 300-page managers’ amendment Democrats added at around 3 a.m. Friday. Boehner seemed to relish the hour-long stunt, picking out the bill’s most obscure language and then pontificating about what it might – or might not – mean.
Whose Country is it anyway? A political-economic oligarchy has taken over the United States of America – Global Research 7/3/09
George Carlin – “Who Really Controls America” – viaYouTube
Obama’s Czars “R” US! – Global Research 6/30/09
Real ID: A Real Warning on the Danger of Government – Campaign for Liberty
There was no reason to pass Real ID, and there is no reason to enact a replacement after state legislatures shot REAL ID to pieces. Nothing has happened since 2005 to make the government more trustworthy or to make liberty less valuable. It is vital that we never permit our rulers to treat all Americans like criminal suspects all the time. The government’s incompetence at protecting Americans must not be converted into a political entitlement to destroy all privacy.
US: Citizen or Consumer? – Unobserver 7/3/09
A corporation is not a person. It is an abstraction: an organizational structure that feels no remorse and has no morality, no life, no soul. Yet the modern corporation – still just an arbitrary legal entity – enjoys the same rights as you or I. It has the right to free speech, to own property, to lobby government officials and protect against self-incrimination.
Michael Hudson’s Super Imperialism: The Economic Strategy of Imperial America – Dissident Voice 7/4/09
Harold Pinter to Obama. The US has supported every right wing military dictatorship in the World since World War II – Global Research 4/27/09
“The United States supported and in many cases engendered every right wing military dictatorship in the world after the end of the Second World War. I refer to Indonesia, Greece, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Haiti, Turkey, the Philippines, Guatemala, El Salvador, and, of course, Chile. The horror the United States inflicted upon Chile in 1973 can never be purged and can never be forgiven.
Hundreds of thousands of deaths took place throughout these countries. Did they take place? And are they in all cases attributable to US foreign policy? The answer is yes they did take place and they are attributable to American foreign policy. But you wouldn’t know it.”
“The True Story of the Bilderberg Group” and What They May Be Planning Now – Global Research 6/1/09
Bilderberg 2009 Intel Already Proving Accurate – PrisonPlanet 6/24/09
2009 is not even half over, but it seems the forecasts made by both Estulin and Tucker based on their 2009 Bilderberg sources are already proving to be accurate. In a phone interview conducted as this year’s conference was getting underway in Greece, Daniel Estulin warned The Corbett Report that the powers that be were preparing to run up the stock market one final time in order to draw the masses back into investing before crashing the market. Now, a worrying new report suggests that this is precisely the case as corporate executives start ditching their stocks at a rate not seen in years.
FLASHBACK – Bush Seeks Immunity for Violating War Crimes Act – Common Dreams 9/23/06
Thirty-two years ago, President Gerald Ford created a political firestorm by pardoning former President Richard Nixon of all crimes he may have committed in Watergate — and lost his election as a result. Now, President Bush, to avoid a similar public outcry, is quietly trying to pardon himself of any crimes connected with the torture and mistreatment of U.S. detainees.
RICE MAKES RICHARD NIXON CLAIM: WHEN PRESIDENT AUTHORIZES IT, IT’S NOT ILLEGAL – Raw Story 4/30/09
Exclusive: Inside The Pentagon’s Idea Factory – TPMuckraker 3/10/09
Rahm Emanuel’s Think Tankers Enforce ‘Message Discipline’ Among ‘Liberals’ – Common Dreams 4/10/09
Over the past several weeks, independent journalists and anti-war activists have tried to shine a spotlight on how groups like the Center for American Progress and MoveOn, which portrayed themselves as anti-war during the Bush-era, are now supporting the escalation and continuation of wars because their guy is now commander-in-chief. CAP has been actively pounding the pavement in support of the escalation in Afghanistan, the rebranding of the Iraq occupation and, more recently, Obama’s bloated military budget, which the group said was “on target.” MoveOn has been silent on the escalation in Afghanistan and has devoted substantial resources to promoting a federal budget that includes a $21 billion increase in military spending from the Bush-era.
27,000 Work in Pentagon PR and Recruiting – Wired 2/13/09
“This year, the Pentagon will employ 27,000 people just for recruitment, advertising and public relations — almost as many as the total 30,000-person work force in the State Department.”
Tale of the secret Army tape – Salon 4/9/09
After a soldier taped a psychologist saying he’d been pressured not to diagnose PTSD, the Army launched an investigation. Read the details of how the Army declared itself innocent.
The panopticon economy – San Antonio Current 6/24/09
America’s top spy agency has taken over the former Sony microchip plant and is transforming it into a new data-mining headquarters — oddly positioned directly across the street from a 24-hour Walmart — where billions of electronic communications will be sifted in the agency’s mission to identify terrorist threats.
Fascism Watch: Martial Law, Checkpoints, Internment Camps – 7/11/09
Fascism Watch: Mercenaries, Violation of Posse Comitatus, and Police Corruption – 7/11/09
Fascism Watch: Second Amendment Threats, Mandatory Service Brigades – 7/11/09
Fascism Watch: Torture and other Atrocities, Rendition and Indefinite Detention – 7/10/09
Fascism Watch: Spying & Wiretapping News – 7/9/09
Police State America: What Are They Planning Next? – 3/10/09
American Fascism: Advances of the Police State – 3/10/09
FEMA & Martial Law – 3/11/09
Cops Gone Wild! – 3/10/09
Fighting Back Against Fascism: Are these tactics effective? – 3/10/09
The Technology of Fascism – 3/10/09
Lost in the Shuffle: under-reported US News round-up
Filed under: Bush, collapse, colonialism, corporate corruption, domestic news, empire, fascism, imperialism, infowar, interesting, katrina, martial law, Miscellaneous, New Orleans, news, nuclear war, police brutality, politics, random, Real ID, resistance, war, war atrocities, war crimes, war profiteering
Massachussetts Law School to plan Bush war crimes prosecution – Information Clearinghouse 6/17/08
General accuses White House of war crimes – Washington Post 6/18/08
EXCERPT: “The two-star general who led an Army investigation into the horrific detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib has accused the Bush administration of war crimes and is calling for accountability. In his 2004 report on Abu Ghraib, then-Major General Anthony Taguba concluded that “numerous incidents of sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses were inflicted on several detainees.” He called the abuse “systemic and illegal.” And, as Seymour M. Hersh reported in the New Yorker, he was rewarded for his honesty by being forced into retirement.”
“Now, in a preface to a Physicians for Human Rights report based on medical examinations of former detainees, Taguba adds an epilogue to his own investigation. The new report, he writes, “tells the largely untold human story of what happened to detainees in our custody when the Commander-in-Chief and those under him authorized a systematic regime of torture. This story is not only written in words: It is scrawled for the rest of these individual’s lives on their bodies and minds. Our national honor is stained by the indignity and inhumane treatment these men received from their captors.”
The Last Round-Up: Is the government compiling a secret list of citizens to detain under martial law? – Global Research 6/6/08
Continuity of Government planning has already superseded the Constitution as a higher authority – GeorgeWashington blog 5/8/08
Republic of Montana: Second Amendment Secession – Reason 6/08
EXCERPT: “In a joint resolution, the Montana politicians argue that when Washington approved the state constitution, including a clause granting “any person” the right to bear arms, upon the Treasure State’s entry into the Union in 1889, the federal government recognized that clause as consistent with the Second Amendment. If the Court comes down on the side of a collective right, they argue, it would breach the compact for statehood between Montana and the federal government.
Oklahoma claims sovereignty under 10th Amendment – SpkTruth2Power blog 6/14/08
America’s Democratic Collapse – Alternet 6/3/08
A stirring read…
Note: Chris Hedges gave this keynote address on Wednesday, May 28, in Furman University’s Younts Conference Center. The address was part of protests by faculty and students over the South Carolina college’s decision to invite George W. Bush to give the May 31 commencement address.
When it was announced in May that Bush would deliver the commencement address, 222 students and faculty signed and posted on the school’s Web site a statement titled “We Object.” The statement cites the war in Iraq and the administration’s “obstructing progress on reducing greenhouse gases while favoring billions in tax breaks and subsidies to oil companies that are earning record profits.”
“We are ashamed of the actions of this administration. The war in Iraq has cost the lives of over 4,000 brave and honorable U.S. military personnel,” the statement read. “Because we love this country and the ideals it stands for, we accept our civic responsibility to speak out against these actions that violate American values.”
6 Extreme Weather Projections for the U.S. – Treehugger 6/29/08
Will Midwest Floods Be as Toxic as New Orleans? – Alternet 7/3/08
Midwest Flooding Brings to Light the Vulnerability of Corn Ethanol – Treehugger 7/1/08
Government “Strike Teams” Invade Homes, Harass Flood Victims – with video, PrisonPlanet 6/18/08
EXCERPT: “Shocking footage out of Cedar Rapids Iowa shows cops and government employee “strike teams” breaking into houses of flood victims and threatening anyone who questions their actions in complete violation of the 4th amendment right that protects against unlawful search and seizure. No warrant, no knock home invasions are being carried out on the flimsy pretext of “checking for structural damage” as cops harass and threaten with arrest people who refuse to have their homes ransacked by thugs in uniforms. Cedar Rapids police chief Greg Graham promised residents over the weekend that “Law enforcement officers are not entering homes,” and that firefighters would only enter homes through unlocked doors and windows yet the video clearly shows locked houses being broken in to.”
US not as ‘free’ as touted – Washington Times 5/4/08
EXCERPTS: “The U.S. political system is, at best, “a work in progress” according to an evaluation from the pro-democracy group Freedom House, which finds significant flaws in the U.S. criminal justice system, counterterrorism strategies and the treatment of minorities and immigrants…. “Generally speaking, the controversies over counterterrorism policies can be traced to the Bush administration’s assertion of a degree of executive authority that is extraordinary even in wartime,” says the report, which finds that broad electronic surveillance affects millions, and law enforcement has “overreached” in terrorism cases.”
Has the Battle for America Begun? – Global Research 5/14/08
“This article contains several forecasts, including the possible start of a major war with unforeseeable consequences, if the U.S. should happen to attack Iran.”
Senate Moves Forward on Orwellian “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act” – Dissident Voice 5/15/08
Unmarked chopper patrols New York City from above – AP/Yahoo 5/24/08
Washington DC cops will begin patrolling with ASSAULT RIFLES later this month – Washington Times 5/9/08
Police in Miami and Los Angeles already use the weapons, and Chicago police have plans to use them in the near future.
Government in Secret – Sen. Russ Feingold in LA Times 5/8/08
EXCERPT: “Congress should pass legislation to require the administration to alert Congress when the law created by Justice Department opinions ignores or even violates the laws passed by Congress, and to require public notice when it is waiving or modifying a published executive order. Congress and the public shouldn’t have to wonder whether the executive branch is following the laws that are on the books or some other, secret law.”
US-led capitalist system heading for collapse? – Arab News 5/19/08
EXCERPT: “Oil prices continue to rise and rise, with no end in sight. Virtually all other commodities seem to be following to be the same suit. Some now say a new economic system is emerging from the ashes of the old and now crumbling financial structure. Failing to meet even the basic needs of the common man, the current economic system is facing its worst crisis and appears in doldrums. It has miserably failed the underprivileged of this world.”
Martial Law on the Installment Plan – Freedom in Our Time blog 5/29/08
Constitutional history and its’ relevance today
Pentagon: Over 1.000 US nuclear weapons components missing – Financial Times 6/19/08
Marines to begin martial law training in Indianapolis – Daily Newscaster 6/3/08
Secret Pentagon Funding Near All-Time High – Wired 6/20/08
REAL ID UPDATE
Filed under: Bush, news, politics, Real ID, resistance, technology
Homeland Security blinks on Real ID: No Hassles May 11 (CNet 4/2/08)
Montana Gov: Homeland Security ‘blinks’ on Real ID (Wired 3/21/08)
3 Governors Continue to Hold Out on Real ID – rest file for deadline extensions (AP/Raw Story 3/20/08)
Federal ID law draws objections (Tulsa World 3/16/08)
States say no (and yes) to RealID (CNet 3/4/08)
South Carolina, Maine granted Real ID extensions (USA Today 3/31/08)
The Torture Tap Dance and the Progression of the American Police State
Filed under: Bush, fascism, infowar, Miscellaneous, news, police brutality, politics, Real ID, torture, troops, video, war profiteering
Torture Tap Dance (Raw Story 2/7/08)
Mukasey’s ‘Justice Dept’ refuses to open investigation into waterboarding admissions; CIA Director Hayden says waterboarding illegal torture now, legal and not torture then
More Torture Tapes to Come (TPMuckraker 12/11/07 and 1/21/08)
Judge orders Bush Administration to provide answers on torture tape handling (ABC 1/25/08)
“A federal judge said Thursday that CIA interrogation videotapes may have been relevant to his court case, and he gave the Bush administration three weeks to explain why they were destroyed in 2005 and say whether other evidence was destroyed.”
Which would be about this Friday 2/15.
Torture is Impeachable and has been Confessed to (Global Research 2/8/08)
FBI wants palm prints, eye scans, tattoo mapping (CNN 2/4/08)
EXCERPT: “The FBI already has 55 million sets of fingerprints on file. In coming years, the bureau wants to compare palm prints, scars and tattoos, iris eye patterns, and facial shapes. The idea is to combine various pieces of biometric information to positively identify a potential suspect… The FBI has also started collecting mug shots and pictures of scars and tattoos. These images are being stored for now as the technology is fine-tuned. All of the FBI’s biometric data is stored on computers 30-feet underground in the Clarksburg facility. In addition, the FBI could soon start comparing people’s eyes — specifically the iris, or the colored part of an eye — as part of its new biometrics program called Next Generation Identification.”
Police Swabbing Mouths in Traffic Stops in Serial Killer Hunt (Local 6 via MParent 2/6/08)
Civilian auxiliaries as police officers (local Fox 8 via YouTube)
“The Fox 8 I-Team’s hidden cameras raise the question, when is a police officer not really a police officer? As the I-Team’s Tom Merriman reports, one city has found a loophole on just who can wear a badge and a uniform.”
US troops asked if they would shoot American citizens (PrisonPlanet 2/4/08)
Worthwhile reading, and 2 frightening embedded videos.
Checkpoint USA: Documenting Police Power (via MParent 2/7/08)
DHS checkpoint video blog day 5 – this man is repeatedly detained and harassed by Border Patrol agents who even know his name.
FBI deputizes businesses with ‘license to shoot to kill” with InfraGuard program (Progressive 2/7/08)
EXCERPTS: “Today, more than 23,000 representatives of private industry are working quietly with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. The members of this rapidly growing group, called InfraGard, receive secret warnings of terrorist threats before the public does—and, at least on one occasion, before elected officials. In return, they provide information to the government, which alarms the ACLU. But there may be more to it than that. One business executive, who showed me his InfraGard card, told me they have permission to “shoot to kill” in the event of martial law. InfraGard is “a child of the FBI,” says Michael Hershman, the chairman of the advisory board of the InfraGard National Members Alliance and CEO of the Fairfax Group, an international consulting firm…
[Schneck, chairman of the board of directors of the InfraGard National Members Alliance, and the prime mover behind the growth of InfraGard over the last several years], says “that FBI and Homeland Security agents do make presentations to InfraGard, she denies that InfraGard members would have any civil patrol or law enforcement functions. “I have never heard of InfraGard members being told to use lethal force anywhere,” Schneck says… The FBI adamantly denies it, also. “That’s ridiculous,” says Catherine Milhoan, an FBI spokesperson. “If you want to quote a businessperson saying that, knock yourself out. If that’s what you want to print, fine.” But one other InfraGard member corroborated the whistleblower’s account, and another would not deny it.”
United States Inc vs. The People (AtLargely blog 1/25/08)
The FISA bill’s retroactive immunity and the meaning of the Declaration of Independence
S1959 / HR 1955 ‘Homegrown Terrorism’ bill not legally passed, already being put into operation (JustAnotherCoverUp 1/23/08)
Who will rule us after the Next 9/11? (Slate 10/19/07)
“The reality of NSPD-51 is almost as bad as the paranoia”
Toledo Mayor to Marines: Leave Downtown, You’re Scaring People (Toledo Blade 2/9/08)
EXCERPTS: “The 200 members of Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., planned to spend their weekend engaged in urban patrol exercises on the streets of downtown as well as inside the mostly vacant Madison Building, 607 Madison Ave. Toledo police knew days in advance about their plans for a three-day exercise. Yet somehow the memo never made it to Mayor Finkbeiner, who ordered the Marines out yesterday afternoon just minutes before their buses were to arrive…
“Members of the 1st Battalion, 24th Marines have trained periodically in downtown Toledo since at least 2004 and most recently in May, 2006. Past exercises have involved mock gun fights, ambushes, and the firing of blank ammunition…The Reservists’ visit was no surprise to Toledo police, who Tuesday issued a news release to media outlets on behalf of the Marines that asked Toledoans not to be startled by the sight of camouflaged soldiers toting M16 rifles.”
ACLU Fact Sheet on “Police America” Act
– allows the Attorney General (AG) to issue program warrants for international calls without court review.
– has no protections for American phone calls and emails that are caught up in the dragnet.
– provides only a phony court review of secret procedures.
– requires only meaningless reporting to Congress.
– has a sunset that may be of little value.
Montana Governor Foments Real ID Rebellion (Wired 1/18/08)
New Missouri Bill Thumbs Its’ Nose at Real ID (St Louis Post Dispatch 1/18/08)
How will Real ID affect you? (CNet News 2/7/08)
EXCERPT: “Editor’s note: A May deadline looms as just one flash point in a political showdown between Homeland Security and states that oppose Real ID demands. This is the last in a four-part series examining the confrontation. Today’s installment is a set of frequently asked questions, or FAQ, that we hope explains how the Real ID law affects you.”
“The Real ID law is touted by Homeland Security officials as an anticrime and antiterror measure, but is steadfastly opposed by some state governments on privacy and sovereignty grounds. Computer scientists also have raised concerns about how its creation of a national interlinked database would work in practice. Keep reading for more on Real ID.”
The legislation behind a national ID (CNet News 2/4/08)
Why Real ID is a flawed idea (CNet News 1/31/08)
Ed and Elaine Brown’s property being auctioned off to pay federal taxes (Boston Globe 2/1/08)
Wesley Snipes found guilty of misdemeanor charges, not guilty on felony charges in his anti-tax lawsuit (NYTimes 1/30/08)
Shreveport LA attorney Tom Cryer was found innocent on tax evasion charges in July 2007 after ten years of not paying taxes (via WUFYS 2/1/08)
Top 100 Prime Federal Contractors (Washington Technology 1/15/08)
1/21/08: Fascist News: Torture Tapes, FEMA Camps, RFID, Real ID, Abu Ghraib, Gitmo and more
1/16/08: Keeping Track of the Fascists: Edmonds, Orwell, Sudden Jihad Syndrome and more
12/31/07: Top American Fascist News
12/15/07: Keeping Track of the Fascists: The American Police State
11/15/07: Fascist World News: Variations on a Theme
11/15/07: American Fascist News
11/3/07: Top US News: The Slow Decline of American Empire
10/7/07: Keeping Track of the Fascists
9/26/07: Keeping Track of the Fascists
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Security Experts Worry the Chinese Government Will Acquire Access to Grindr Users’ Profiles and XXX Pics
Written by Daniel Villarreal on January 19, 2018
This post is also available in: Español Українська
Previously, the worst thing you had to worry about when using the hookup app Grindr was being horribly murdered. But now that a China-based technology firm has purchased full ownership of the app, Chinese experts and former intelligence officials worry that at any point the anti-gay Chinese government could request all user data to “demand sensitive and embarrassing details on the lives of millions of non-Chinese citizens.” Should Grindr users be worried?
(It’s worth mentioning at this point that Hornet will never share your personal info with shady anti-gay governments. We also do lots of other things to help keep our users safe.)
Last week, a Chinese firm called the Kunlun Group acquired full ownership of Grindr, and this reportedly alarmed “officials and experts that track Chinese intelligence and foreign influence operations in the U.S.,” according to The New York Times.
Citing various intelligence experts, The New York Times reports:
The Chinese government is sweeping up massive amounts of data on not only its own citizens, but also Americans and others, as part of a unique and well-planned effort to build files on foreigners for intelligence purposes. … Sometimes, the Chinese government steals the information directly, as it did when hacking the Office of Personnel Management, which gave it highly sensitive details about 21.5 million Americans. But other times … the Chinese government works with Chinese firms abroad or compels them to hand over massive amounts of data illegally.
RELATED | China Bans LGBT Content From the Web, Proving Yet Again It’s No Gay Haven
The Times adds that the U.S. government often worries about the acquisition of American tech companies by Chinese firms, “which are subject to undue influence and control by Beijing.”
Should Grindr users be worried?
While Grindr’s vice president of marketing, Peter Sloterdyk, said, “Grindr has never disclosed any user data to the Chinese government nor does it intend to do so,” an international policy expert has said the Chinese government can demand any kind of data from Chinese companies, citing vaguely defined “public security” concerns, and the companies have little choice but to play along.
This risky proposition follows a recent report that 77% of all Grindr users feel unhappy after using the app. Geez, who wants to hookup when there’s depression, murder and blackmail hanging over your boner?
Featured image FOTOKITA via iStock
China homophobia
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Home » Restaurants + Bars
Halal Guys Arrive
High-profile restaurant chain joins rush to Houston, sets opening date
Most Anticipated Winter Openings
Houston's 10 most-anticipated restaurant openings of winter 2016
Caffe Bene Arrives
Korean-influenced international coffee shop opens in downtown Houston
A look inside Houston's Caffe Bene. Courtesy photo
Downtown office workers gained a new coffee option on Monday, and this one comes with waffles.
Caffe Bene, the South Korean-based coffee shop with locations in 14 countries, opened its first Houston outpost in the downtown GreenStreet development. It's the company's second location in Texas, with an outpost in the Dallas area.
At 886 square feet, the location near McCormick & Schmick's has been designed to give patrons a local coffee chop, sit-and-relax vibe instead of the grab-and-go atmosphere that dominates at other international coffee chains.
"I am very excited to open Caffe Bene in Houston,” said local franchisee James Son in a statement. “Houston is an ideal market, as it is a world-class city that values diverse cultures and people. I have visited Caffe Bene locations in South Korea and New York City, and really enjoyed their great coffees, waffles and light bights. I am excited to introduce them locally at GreenStreet."
The cafe sets itself apart by blending traditional coffee shop items and Italian gelato with Korean dishes like misugaru, a drink made with rice and barley, and patbingsu, a shaved ice dessert with sweet toppings. Toasted honey bread is another popular item; it's available topped with fresh strawberries, bananas and walnuts, caramel and cinnamon, or a savory option of cheese and roasted garlic.
Caffe Bene is only one of the new additions to GreenStreet, the 570,000 square foot mixed-use destination owned by real estate and development firm Midway. The 223-room Hotel Alessandra, which will feature a restaurant helmed by Radio Milano chef Jose Hernandez, will also open at the development later this year.
"It is important to continue to seek out unique tenants like Caffe Bene that offer a wide range of options that appeal to downtown’s growing population," added Midway CEO Jonathan Brinsden.
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Sentencing and the law
Intelligent Justice
This publication, written by Professor Mike Hough, Professor Stephen Farrall and Professor Fergus McNeill, revisits the much argued question about the relative merits of prison and community sentences.
The ASBO: Wrong turning, dead end
The ASBO: Wrong Turning, Dead End Chief Superintendent Neil Wain, of Greater Manchester Police, questions the success of ASBOs in preventing further crime and anti-social behaviour. (2007)
Indeterminate Sentences for Public Protection
Drawing on a range of sources, including public documents and interviews, this report illustrates that the Indeterminate Sentence for Public Protection (IPP) has been ill-conceived and is ultimately flawed.
This research briefing presents research on the impact of indeterminate sentencing on the prison regime.
Do Better Do Less
The final report of the Commission on English Prisons Today takes a radical look at the purpose and limits of a penal system.
What if imprisonment were abolished for property offences?
Professor Andrew Ashworth, argues that deprivation of liberty is a disproportionate response for an offence that deprives people of their property.
Faint Hope: What to do about long sentences
This briefing paper shows that there are lessons to be learned from the way other jurisdictions approach long-term imprisonment.
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The Tarkeeth Tapes – Interviews on Bellingen’s Radio 2bbb
November 12, 2017 Paul Hemphill 1 Comment
Residents of Bellingen Shire have been protesting for almost two years against the aggressive forestry harvesting practices employed by Forestry Corporation New South Wales in the Tarkeeth Sate Forest. The following is an on-line record and archive of interviews, videos and media coverage.
Adele Hemphill talks to Bunda of 2bbb about the fires that have shrouded Bellingen in toxic smoke. 10th November 2017
2. Adele Hemphill talks to Bunda about her forest neighbour from hell. 17th March 2017
3. Bellingen barrister John Carty talked to 2bbb’s Leo Bradney-George about the trials of the Tarkeeth Three, and particularly, the acquittal of the Tarkeeth Two at Coffs Harbour courthouse on March 2nd 2017. 10th March 2017
4. Prior to the trial of the Tarkeeth Three on 17th January 2017, forest protector Sean Maigh talked to Leo Bradney-George about the Tarkeeth Forest and its defenders.
5. Paul Hemphill talks to Leo Bradney-George about an upcoming recital in the Tarkeeth Forest by acclaimed bandurist Victor Mishalow. 28th November 2016
The interviews are followed by a compendium, an archive, indeed, of videos and media coverage of the Tarkeeth Forest protests.
See also on this blog:
If you go down to the woods today
Tolkien’s Tarkeeth – Images of Isengard
Tolkien’s Tarkeeth – In the darkest depths of Mordor
Small Stories – A Tale of Twin Pines
Further viewing: a selection of videos about the Tarkeeth protests
Here is what the recent burning of the windrows of Tarkeeth State Forest looked like to The Lord God Almighty. The Coffs Coast Advocate likened it to “a scene from a doomsday sci-fi movie”. The scariest thing is that this video was taken as dusk was descending. The Forestry Corporation fire crew work office hours – they had knocked off at four o’clock and left all this to burn overnight.
And this is what happened the day Adele walked home from her friend’s house on the north side of the Tarkeeth Forest: “I am allowed to walk home on a public road… That is the closed forest, this is the public road under the Roads Act. If you think I have done something illegal, please call the police”.
In September, last year, the windrow fire set by Forestry Corporation closed Fells Road and had the potential to threaten local homes. “It’s dying down. It was a lot worse a minute ago”!
Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham’s live coverage of Simmo’s lock-on at Tarkeeth on 25th July 2016:
Protest leader Susan Weil’s live coverage of the Not In My Forest action group’s onsite protest at Tarkeeth State Forest on 28th July 2016, where Sean and AJ locked on to a timber harvester machine:
A short video of the destructive clearfell and burn forestry operations that inspired the Tarkeeth Three to direct action:
Tales of Tarkeeth – other stories in this blog about Tarkeeth’s past and present.
A selection of local newspaper coverage of the Tarkeeth Forest story:
Coffs Coast Advocate -Like a scene from a doomsday sci-fi vovie
Coffs Coast Advocate – Tarkeeth Forest debate fires up
Coffs Coast Advocate – Suggestions by protesters axed
Bellingen Courier Sun – Tarkeeth burning causes grave concern
Bellingen Courier Sun – When a tree falls in the forest…
Bellingen Courier Sun – Susan Weil clarifies misconceptions about the Tarkeeth protests
NBN News – Fears as flames rage close to residents
NBN News – Locals fighting to save Tarkeeth Forest
NBN News – Activists and Forestry Corporation at loggerheads
selection of local media coverage of The Tarkeeth Three:
Coffs Coast Advocate – The Tarkeeth Three convicted over battle with archaic logging operations
Coffs Coast Advocate – The Tarkeeth Two have convictions quashed
Coffs Coast Advocate – Protester arrested in Tarkeeth blockade
NBN News – Environmental activists appeal convictions
The Watchers Of The Water
April 19, 2015 April 24, 2018 Paul Hemphill 2 Comments
A song about Gallipoli, sung by a Turkish soldier
Back in the last century, before ANZAC Day became the secular Christmas that it has become, before marketing people and populist politicians saw its commercial and political potential, before the fatal shore became a crowded place of annual pilgrimage, my Turkish friend, the late Naim Mehmet Turfan, gave me a grainy picture of a Turkish soldier at Gelibolu carrying a large howitzer shell on his back. Then there was this great film by Australian director Peter Weir, starring young Mel Gibson and Mark Lee. There were these images of small boats approaching a dark and alien shore, of Lighthorsemen sadly farewelling their Walers as they embarked as infantry, and of the doomed Colonel Barton humming along to a gramophone recording of Bizet’s beautiful duet from The Pearl Fishers, ‘Au fond du temple saint’ before joining his men in the forlorn hope of The Nek.
There were other melodies I could never quite get out of my head. One I first heard in a musical in Beirut before that magical city entered its Dark Ages – Al Mahatta, written by the famous Rabbani Brothers and starring the Lebanese diva Fayrouz. And The Foggy Dew, one of the most lyrical and poignant of the Irish rebel songs:
Right proudly high over Dublin town, they hung out the flag of war. ‘Twas better to die ‘neath that Irish sky than at Suvla or at Sud el Bar…Twas England bade our Wild Geese go that small nations might be free, But their lonely graves are by Suvla’s waves or the fringe of the grey North Sea.
Over three thousand Irishmen died at Gallipoli.
The song grew out of these many inspirations.
It was first performed in public by HuldreFolk in the closing concert of Coffs Harbour Folk Festival at the RSL on Australia Day 1984. When we had finished, there was absolutely silence in the hall. Then a voice cried out “the sky didn’t fall down!”, and the hall erupted with applause.
Some Notes on Gallipoli and the Anzacs for readers unfamiliar with the history.
Monday 25th April is Australia and New Zealand’s national day of remembrance for all Anzac solders killed and wounded in their nation’s wars, and to honour servicemen and women past and present. At first, the Anzacs fought in the British Empire’s Wars, beginning with the Boer War, and then through two World Wars. From the mid -twentieth century, they have fought and died in what could ostensibly be called America’s wars even though these were waged under UN, EU or western alliance auspices: Korea, Gulf Wars II and III, Afghanistan, and the current interventions in Syria and Iraq. Incidentally, Australian veterans are presently commanding mercenary forces hired by the Gulf coalition that is laying waste to towns and villages in Yemen (with the help of American and British weaponry).
At the heart of the Anzac Day remembrance is the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’ role the Dardanelles campaign of 1915-16, Winston Churchill’s grandiose and ill-conceived plan to take the Ottoman Empire out of the war by seizing the strategic strait between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, thereby threatening Istanbul, the Ottoman capital. It was a military failure. From the initial seaborne assault to the evacuation, it lasted eight months and cost 114,000 lives with 230,000 wounded.
Gallipoli is cited as the crucible of Australian nationhood, but the Anzacs’ part in the doomed campaign was but a sideshow of the wider campaign. Although it is celebrated in Australian song and story, it was the Ottomans’ most significant victory in the war that was to destroy the seven hundred year old Ottoman Empire secure the reputation of its most successful general Mustafa Kemal, who as Ataturk, became the founder of modern Turkey.
Some thirty four thousand British soldiers died on the peninsula, including 3,400 Irishmen, and ten thousand Frenchmen – many of these latter being “colonial” troops from West and North Africa. Australia lost near on ten thousand and NZ three. Some 1,400 Indian soldiers perished for the King Emperor. Fifty seven thousand allied soldiers died, and seventy five thousand were wounded. The Ottoman army lost fifty seven thousand men, and one hundred and seven thousand were wounded (although these figures are probably much higher). An overlooked fact is that some two thirds of the “Turkish” solders in Kemal’s division were actually Arabs from present day Syrian and Palestine. Gallipoli was indeed a multicultural microcosm of a world at war.
Whilst the flower of antipodean youth is said to have perished on Gallipoli’s fatal shore, this was just the overture. Anzac troops were despatched to the Western Front, and between 1919 and 1918, 45,000 Aussies died there and 124,000 were wounded.
There are abundant primary and secondary sources relating to the Dardanelles campaign and the Anzacs, but here is a wiki primer: Gallipoli Campaign
And here is HukdreFolk’s rendering of Russian poet Yevtushenko’s account of the parade of German prisoners of war through the streets of Moscow in 1941, juxtaposed with The Watchers of the Water.
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
Dermott’s Last Ride
March 5, 2015 November 30, 2015 Paul Hemphill 6 Comments
So, when my time it comes and at last I leave this place, I’ll walk out past the charge hand’s gate and never turn my face. Up to the gates and into the sun, and I’ll leave it all behind, with one regret for the lads I’ve left to carry on their grind. Factory Lad, Colin Dryden
Dermott Ryder, poet, writer, collector and chronicler of songs and stories, singer and songwriter, stalwart of the seventies and eighties Sydney folk scene, one-time manager of the legendary ‘‘Liz” Folk Club, and creator and longtime presenter of the iconic weekly folk radio programme Ryder ‘Round Folk, headed off to his big gig at the great folk club in the sky on the night of Tuesday 3rd March.
A retrospective follows, but first, enjoy two minutes of delight with the theme to Ryder Round Folk: a merrie morris, a hornpipe, and a hoot!
Dermott and I go back a long way, though not as long as most.
He arrived in Oz in 1968 as a Ten Pound Pom. Before that, he’d spent five years in the Royal Artillery on a short term commission, seeing service in Germany and in Malaya, avoiding the nasty places that proliferated during the declining decades of the moribund British Empire. Trained in management, accounting and IT, he worked in Papua New Guinea before settling down in Sydney where he became a pillar of the folk music scene. Since his retirement, he has devoted his energies to his music and writing.
It was Victor Mishalow who first introduced me to Dermott in 1983. He was dropping into 2MBS for an interview on Ryder Round Folk, and he brought me and Yuri the Russian Storyteller along too. We had just launched our short and almost illustrious career as HuldreFolk. Dermott, as guru, mentor, and propagandist for the Sydney folk scene, gave us our first radio appearance. There is a famous photograph to commemorate it (Dermott’s archive of folkdoms’ seventies and eighties should be a national treasure. All the wannabes and could’ve beens, the famous and almost famous are celebrated therein).
The live concerts at 2MBS’s Chandos Street studios were a must-listen on the monthly calendar, with the good and the great of Sydney’s folksingers and musicians doing their thing. Guests included Victor, Yuri, Jim Taylor, Robin Connaughton, Penny Davies, Roger Illot, John Broomhall, Gordon McIntyre and Kate Delaney, Phil Lobl, Mary Jane Field, and the Fagans.
This was when Adele and I got to know Dermott and Margaret Ryder for the first time. We then learnt of his history: his part in the famous folk revival of the late sixties and early seventies, the first Port Jackson Folk Festival, the foundation if the NSW Folk Federation, and the famous Liz Folk Club in the Sydney CBD. He was among that first golden generation of folkies, including Colin Dryden, Gary Shearston, Declan Affley, Warren Fahey, John Dengate, Danny Spooner, Mike McClellan, Bernard Bolan, and Judy Small. Many other performers moved in Dermott’s musical orbit, including Andy George, Rhonda Mawer and the Shackistas of Narrabeen, Jim Jarvis, Al Ward, John Summers, and many, many more.
Dermott and I bonded further with our shared origins in the old country. He of Lancashire Irish heritage (Widnes, actually), and me, an Irish Brummie. We had a shared love of traditional Irish and English folk music. We probably even crossed bars in one of the many English folk clubs, in the ‘sixties. Most notably, the celebrated Jug O’Punch in the Birmingham suburb of Digbeth, run by the famous Ian Campbell Folk Group.*
Trad. as sung by Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem
Oh all the money that e’er I had
I spent it in good company
And all the harm that e’er I’ve done
alas, it was to none but me
For all I’ve done for want of wit
to memory now I can’t recall
So fill to me the parting glass
good night and joy be with you all
Oh all the comrades that e’er I’ve had
they are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e’er I’ve had
they would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot that
that I should rise and you should not
I’ll gently rise and I’ll softly call
Farewell, old friend.
Leaving Can Be Easy
By Dermott Ryder
Leaving can be easy, when the right time comes. Many will have gone before, in a long, long line. When it’s your turn, you look back, and smile, then look forward to your own new, far horizon.
There are people to tell, and books to return, Broken bridges to mend now, better this way, leave no hurt feelings behind at the end of the day. We are all travellers, and we will meet again.
Don’t think of sleep. Keep that for much later. Give and take addresses and phone numbers. Make promises you probably won’t remember. Be pleasantly surprised and strangely grateful.
Welcome the crowd come to see you on your way, and to share this rite of passage, to keep the faith in this next step in the long tradition of the traveller. Shake hands, and know that you cannot return.
* What a club that was. Back in the day, it hosted the cream of British folk music, including the Dubliners, the Furey Brothers, Martin Carthy, Peter Bellamy, and a very young and acoustic Al Stewart. Overseas guests included Tom Rush, an unknown Paul Simon, a young goddess called Joni Mitchell, and on an antipodean note, Trevor Lucas, who went to marry Fairport’s fair maid, Sandy Denny, and later, become a founding member of The Bushwhackers before his untimely demise in 1989.
Yuri The Storyteller
July 9, 2014 July 9, 2016 Paul Hemphill 4 Comments
My old friend and Huldrefolk member, George Hofsteters, aka Yuri The Storyteller, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday morning. Passing strangest is Yuri’s passing. He had such a life force. he was a force of nature, even, the kind of person you’d think would outlive us all. And it was ironic that he who raged so long against the establishment should go so quietly into the night. I would have expected a contrarian like Yuri to have been lynched by a mob of irate god-botherers.
Yuri’s departure brought me back to the dying decades of the last century, when the shadowy and iconoclastic HuldreFolk appeared out of nowhere with their unique combination of stories and songs, and then almost as suddenly, disappeared into the mists of memory.
I was playing at the celebrated Three Weeds Folk Club in Rozelle in the spring of 1983, performing a cover of Meniscus Diabetes’ song ‘Roman Holiday’. I was distracted by a cackling in the front row; and there was Yuri, laughing his head off. After my set, we got together and swapped notes on life, the universe and everything. Fate would have it that celebrated bandurist Victor Mishalow was also on the bill that night. And Yuri and I were enthralled by the magic of the Carlingford Cossack’s grand instrument.
Yuri told us he was a Russian Storyteller, and that he was performing at the Humanist Society the following Tuesday. “Come along and play some songs and tunes”, he said. And so we did. Yuri enthralled us with his spirited rendering of Alfred Noyes’ “The Highwayman”. And it was there, in Shepherd Street, Surrey Hills, that HuldreFolk was born. Over the next two years, HuldreFolk, named for the mythical and mystical ‘hidden people’ of Icelandic legend, played throughout Australia.
One such occasion was the very first time I visited Coffs Harbour, a seaside graveyard with lights on the mid north holiday coast of New South Wales, sometimes known as the Costa Geriatrica (as fate would have it, we now live in the forest some forty clicks away from there). Looking fir a parking space outside the venue, Yuri cut into a space ahead of a car that had already bagged that spot. A few minutes later, the occupants of the car approached us, looking mean and moody. Tall, broad and hairy, they looked like bad news. Yuri was unperturbed. “My mate Paul is a black belt in karate”, he chirped…
So Yuri! He could be a proper bastard sometimes.
Although the HuldreFolk pursued their own paths and projects, during the following decades, they would pop up in unexpected places, like their namesakes, in ones, twos, threes, and on occasions with guest HuldreFolkies. Their last outing as a trio was in October 2007 at the North By Northwest Poetry And Folk Club.
Whenever they worked together, their collaborations were creative and at times, crazy. Listen to Victor’s haunting bandura arrangements behind many of Yuri’s stories, the bravado of ‘The Ballad of Boreslav’ and the wackiness of ‘The Song Of The Volga Shearers’. Back in the day when I was performing ‘I Still Call Mongolia Home’, ‘Brave Goliath’, and ‘Roman Holiday’, Yuri would say: “There has never been as song about the Spanish Inquisition. Why don’t you write one”. Or, “How about a song about the Vikings?” The rest, of course, is hysterical.
We would always introduce George as “The One And Only Yuri The Storyteller”. Watch him on You Tube reciting the epical ‘McArthur’s Fart’ or the poignant ‘Claudy’, and telling the magical story of ‘The Algonquin Cinderella’ or the faerie ‘Green Lady’, and you will see that he really was.
Goodbye old friend.
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US (United States) Code. Title 7. Chapter 56: Unfair trade practices affecting producers of agricultural products
7 USC CHAPTER 56 - UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES AFFECTING
PRODUCERS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS 01/06/03
TITLE 7 - AGRICULTURE
CHAPTER 56 - UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES AFFECTING PRODUCERS OF
2301. Congressional findings and declaration of policy.
2302. Definitions.
2303. Prohibited practices.
2304. Disclaimer of intention to prohibit normal dealing.
2305. Enforcement provisions.
(a) Civil actions by persons aggrieved; preventive
relief; attorneys' fees; security.
(b) Civil actions by Attorney General; Federal
jurisdiction; complaint; preventive relief.
(c) Suits by persons injured; Federal jurisdiction;
amount of recovery; attorneys' fees; limitation
of actions.
(d) Federal jurisdiction; exhaustion of other
remedies; State laws and jurisdiction
unaffected.
2306. Separability.
7 USC Sec. 2301 01/06/03
Sec. 2301. Congressional findings and declaration of policy
Agricultural products are produced in the United States by many
individual farmers and ranchers scattered throughout the various
States of the Nation. Such products in fresh or processed form move
in large part in the channels of interstate and foreign commerce,
and such products which do not move in these channels directly
burden or affect interstate commerce. The efficient production and
marketing of agricultural products by farmers and ranchers is of
vital concern to their welfare and to the general economy of the
Nation. Because agricultural products are produced by numerous
individual farmers, the marketing and bargaining position of
individual farmers will be adversely affected unless they are free
to join together voluntarily in cooperative organizations as
authorized by law. Interference with this right is contrary to the
public interest and adversely affects the free and orderly flow of
goods in interstate and foreign commerce.
It is, therefore, declared to be the policy of Congress and the
purpose of this chapter to establish standards of fair practices
required of handlers in their dealings in agricultural products.
(Pub. L. 90-288, Sec. 2, Apr. 16, 1968, 82 Stat. 93.)
Section 1 of Pub. L. 90-288 provided that: ''This Act (enacting
this chapter) shall be known as the 'Agricultural Fair Practices
Act of 1967'.''
Sec. 2302. Definitions
When used in this chapter -
(a) The term ''handler'' means any person engaged in the business
or practice of (1) acquiring agricultural products from producers
or associations of producers for processing or sale; or (2)
grading, packaging, handling, storing, or processing agricultural
products received from producers or associations of producers; or
(3) contracting or negotiating contracts or other arrangements,
written or oral, with or on behalf of producers or associations of
producers with respect to the production or marketing of any
agricultural product; or (4) acting as an agent or broker for a
handler in the performance of any function or act specified in
clause (1), (2), or (3) of this paragraph.
(b) The term ''producer'' means a person engaged in the
production of agricultural products as a farmer, planter, rancher,
dairyman, fruit, vegetable, or nut grower.
(c) The term ''association of producers'' means any association
of producers of agricultural products engaged in marketing,
bargaining, shipping, or processing as defined in section 1141j(a)
of title 12, or in section 291 of this title.
(d) The term ''person'' includes individuals, partnerships,
corporations, and associations.
(e) The term ''agricultural products'' shall not include cotton
or tobacco or their products.
Sec. 2303. Prohibited practices
It shall be unlawful for any handler knowingly to engage or
permit any employee or agent to engage in the following practices:
(a) To coerce any producer in the exercise of his right to join
and belong to or to refrain from joining or belonging to an
association of producers, or to refuse to deal with any producer
because of the exercise of his right to join and belong to such an
association; or
(b) To discriminate against any producer with respect to price,
quantity, quality, or other terms of purchase, acquisition, or
other handling of agricultural products because of his membership
in or contract with an association of producers; or
(c) To coerce or intimidate any producer to enter into, maintain,
breach, cancel, or terminate a membership agreement or marketing
contract with an association of producers or a contract with a
handler; or
(d) To pay or loan money, give any thing of value, or offer any
other inducement or reward to a producer for refusing to or ceasing
to belong to an association of producers; or
(e) To make false reports about the finances, management, or
activities of associations of producers or handlers; or
(f) To conspire, combine, agree, or arrange with any other person
to do, or aid or abet the doing of, any act made unlawful by this
Sec. 2304. Disclaimer of intention to prohibit normal dealing
Nothing in this chapter shall prevent handlers and producers from
selecting their customers and suppliers for any reason other than a
producer's membership in or contract with an association of
producers, nor require a handler to deal with an association of
producers.
Sec. 2305. Enforcement provisions
(a) Civil actions by persons aggrieved; preventive relief;
attorneys' fees; security
Whenever any handler has engaged or there are reasonable grounds
to believe that any handler is about to engage in any act or
practice prohibited by section 2303 of this title, a civil action
for preventive relief, including an application for a permanent or
temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order, may be
instituted by the person aggrieved. In any action commenced
pursuant hereto, the court, in its discretion, may allow the
prevailing party a reasonable attorney's fee as part of the costs.
The court may provide that no restraining order or preliminary
injunction shall issue except upon the giving of security by the
applicant, in such sum as the court deems proper, for the payment
of such costs and damages as may be incurred or suffered by any
party who is found to have been wrongfully enjoined or restrained.
(b) Civil actions by Attorney General; Federal jurisdiction;
complaint; preventive relief
Whenever the Secretary of Agriculture has reasonable cause to
believe that any handler, or group of handlers, has engaged in any
act or practice prohibited by section 2303 of this title, he may
request the Attorney General to bring civil action in his behalf in
the appropriate district court of the United States by filing with
it a complaint (1) setting forth facts pertaining to such act or
practice, and (2) requesting such preventive relief, including an
application for a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining
order, or other order against the handler, or handlers, responsible
for such acts or practices. Upon receipt of such request, the
Attorney General is authorized to file such complaint.
(c) Suits by persons injured; Federal jurisdiction; amount of
recovery; attorneys' fees; limitation of actions
Any person injured in his business or property by reason of any
violation of, or combination or conspiracy to violate, any
provision of section 2303 of this title may sue therefor in the
appropriate district court of the United States without respect to
the amount in controversy, and shall recover damages sustained. In
any action commenced pursuant to this subsection, the court may
allow the prevailing party a reasonable attorney's fee as a part of
the costs. Any action to enforce any cause of action under this
subsection shall be forever barred unless commenced within two
years after the cause of action accrued.
(d) Federal jurisdiction; exhaustion of other remedies; State laws
and jurisdiction unaffected
The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction
of proceedings instituted pursuant to this section and shall
exercise the same without regard to whether the aggrieved party
shall have exhausted any administrative or other remedies that may
be provided by law.
The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to change
or modify existing State law nor to deprive the proper State courts
of jurisdiction.
Sec. 2306. Separability
If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to
any person or circumstances is held invalid, the validity of the
remainder of the chapter and of the application of such provision
to other persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
Codificación normativa de EEUU (Estados Unidos) Legislación Federal estadounidense # Agriculture
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It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
Jimmy Buffett: Akordy k piesni It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
Interpret: Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett - It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (akordy)
Why Don't We Get Drunk
Come Monday
In the Shelter
Changes in Latitudes, Changes...
Tampico Trauma
Cheeseburger in Paradise
It's My Job
Knees of My Heart
Burn That Bridge
Gypsies in the Palace
Great Heart
Far Side of the World
Grapefruit/Juicy Fruit
Natives Are Restless
I Still Miss Someone
The Wind Cries Mary
A Thousand Steps to Nowhere
Weather With You
Incommunicado
Intro: The Legend of Norman...
Back to the Island
Ringling, Ringling
Death Valley Lives
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I Like Kill Nerds — The blog of Australian Front End / Aurelia Javascript Developer & brewing aficionado Dwayne Charrington // Aurelia.io Core Team member.
Aurelia 2
Next Level Conspiracy Insanity: Direct Energy Weapons Allegedly Used To Start Australian Bushfires
I love a good conspiracy theory. Some of my favourite conspiracy theories include the Royal Family being shape-shifting lizards, part of some global reptilian elite controlling the world or Alex Jones’ famous rant where he claims the government is putting chemicals into the water turning frogs gay.
The late-2019 Australian bushfires which have burned into 2020 have attracted some crazy individuals claiming all kinds of crazy things. People have lost their lives, thousands of homes destroyed, towns completely wiped, millions of hectares burned, over 1 billion animals estimated to have been killed.
It all started when Barnaby Joyce helped start the rumour that the Greens were responsible for the bushfires by proclaiming they have stopped needed fire-reduction efforts and locked up national parks. In amongst all of this, another conspiracy has been spreading amongst the inner crazy circles of the internet.
Allegedly, some elite secretive entities with an agenda for a high-speed rail line started the fires in the needed areas where the line would go and furthermore, an agenda to force people in regional areas into cities so they can be “more easily controlled”.
I would say you can’t make this stuff up, but here we are talking about it.
One of Australia’s most well-known weather centric Facebook groups Higgins Storm Chasers has also helped spread the rumour to their 10k followers.
This post, in particular, loses credibility almost instantly by claiming that dry lightning is a new and made-up term. Ignoring the fact that dry thunderstorms are well-documented and occurring phenomena that happen in dry areas.
As can be expected, crazy attracts crazy. The comments section, things start to spiral out of control quite quickly. People start sharing images of what they believe to be chemtrails and planes spray chemicals in the sky, presumably to cover bushland in some kind of combustible material.
The thing is, the unprecedented fires we are seeing don’t need anything sprayed in the areas to make the fires spread. The fuel is the incredibly dry bushland catching alight.
Furthermore, there are much better ways to make money than a train line. Look to other established rail lines and services, Amtrak doesn’t turn a profit and it turns out in the UK private railway operators have realised that they’re not profitable either.
Whoever these elite corporate shadow entities are, they have a terrible business sense if they think a high-speed rail line is going to be their ticket to riches. Given the exorbitant cost of constructing such a line, it would take decades for it to earn the money back (if it ever manages to achieve profitability).
These bushfires are being spread by insanely dry conditions, caused by climate change. We need to be smart and plan accordingly for the future because this is just going to keep happening. We can let the crazies play in their little crazy corner on the internet while the sane ones try and come up with solutions to stop these fires from spreading as badly as they have.
What Comes Next After USB-C?
I have the weirdest and sometimes most profound thoughts about the most useless stuff. I actually asked myself this question whilst in the shower this morning: is there going to be a USB-D? Do we need a successor to USB-C or is it good enough for the time being?
When these types of questions pop into my head, I have to Google them. I actually stepped out of the shower and before reaching for a towel, I grabbed my phone and had to find out. With the water dripping onto my phone screen and floor, I set out to find the answer.
Given the iPhone doesn’t even support the USB-C standard yet (opting for its own Lightning Connector™) I wonder if it’s due to limitations in the standard or fact Apple doesn’t want to have to change their cables again, after the controversy they generated a few years ago when they did it.
Anyway, back on the topic at hand. In terms of the USB-C specification, it is relatively quite new. It wasn’t published and finalised until August 2014, which isn’t that long ago.
It turns out the answer is not exciting at all, there is no publicly announced successor to the USB-C cable standard. In terms of capabilities, it seems USB-C is capable of supporting quite a high throughput with the recently announced USB 4 standard supporting speeds up to 40gbps (which is super fast) and will require compatible USB-C cables to take advantage of it.
It is naive to assume that USB-C will be as good as it gets. Once upon a time, USB-A and USB-B were probably considered enough and then technology evolved and times changes.
I wonder though, will they call it USB-D or something a little less silly-sounding opting for something like USB-Next or USB-Z?
Preferring If Statements over Ternary Operators In Javascript
Every so often thought-pieces will go around proclaiming that you are writing code the wrong way and that you should be writing your code this way instead.
One such opinion I have seen (and will not link because this isn’t a takedown) is recommending the use of Ternary Operators in Javascript over if statements.
While ternaries can make your code look cleaner in some cases by replacing multi-line if statements with one-liners, there are instances where they fall apart quite quickly. Ternary operators exist in all programming languages and the problems they can introduce into a codebase are universal.
Ternaries are hard to read
Sure, they might look cleaner, but ternaries can needlessly make code hard to read. This is the problem I have with “clever coding” and some developers pursuit to write the most convoluted code in an attempt to condense things.
const canAccess = user.isAdmin || user.isEditor || user.level > 6 ? true : false;
It’s a simple one-liner, but there is a lot going on here. Replaced with an if statement, things get a little easier to read.
let canAccess = false;
if (user.isAdmin || user.isEditor || user.level > 6) {
canAccess = true;
Understandably, this is an exaggerated example and even so, there is room for improvement here. But, my eyes are instantly drawn to the if statement, it is easier to read and if I need to change it, it will be easier to change as well.
Ternaries fail at dealing with complex conditions
The above example is quite a simple set of conditional checks, but what happens in a situation where things are more complex? A good example is detecting keycodes on the keydown event in Javascript and reacting accordingly.
While in simple use-cases it is more than fine to use a ternary, complex scenarios with multiple conditions should be avoided like the plague. If you need to check multiple values or check multiple expressions, a ternary condition will be a nightmare.
const prevNext = (e.keyCode == 38) ? 'prev' : (e.keyCode == 40) : 'next' : null;
This is a relatively tame example of multiple expressions, can you imagine throwing more into the mix?
Ternaries are hard to debug
If you have a one-line ternary expression in your application, good luck setting a precise breakpoint. This is where the differences between a ternary statement and if statement is truly highlighted. Sure, you could use a console.log if you wanted to debug, but setting a breakpoint is not going to be possible.
Code that is broken up into multiple lines might not look as appealing as a condensed ternary condition, but at least you can set a breakpoint and go through it line-by-line to debug the flow.
I am not saying that you shouldn’t use ternaries, because they have a purpose. But to go as far as recommending their use over if statements in general defies all common sense.
The Real Reason Virtual Reality (VR) Has Never Taken Off
Recently, the BBC published an article titled Why we’ve never fallen in love with virtual reality in which they discuss virtual realities lack of mainstream consumer adoption.
The article then goes on to talk about one VR segment that is thriving: group entertainment. Specifically, virtual reality arcades, theme parks leveraging virtual reality in rides and offering an affordable means of immersing yourself without getting into debt.
Truly immersive virtual reality experiences in 2020 are amazing. In countries like Tokyo, they have numerous public places where VR is employed for fun experiences. Disneyland has been showcasing the power of virtual reality for some time now.
One of VR’s biggest problems in the consumer home entertainment space is the cost. The technology is on the high-end of the spectrum, often requiring the headset, sensors and a computer to power it.
While the cost of the headsets themselves have gone down over the last few years, building a PC powerful enough to provide a low-latency, immersive and smooth experience requires top-shelf components (the most expensive being one or two graphics cards).
The Oculus Quest which is an attempt to not rely on external hardware and provide an all-in-one virtual reality solution is a step in the right direction towards mainstream adoption. Still, the cost puts in way above a gaming console and the Quest is considered low-end VR.
It goes a step above those horrendous standalone headsets like the failed Google Daydream which has been shut down by Google and requires you to put your phone inside of it.
Virtual reality isn’t dying, it’s just considerably behind optimistic estimates of where it was heading. 2016 was allegedly meant to be the year of virtual reality, really, we are still 3 to 5 years away from mainstream VR adoption. The latest, we won’t see VR truly take off until 2025.
Estimates of mainstream VR adoption were about ten years behind if you ask me. However, we cannot discount companies like Oculus and Sony who took the plunge and invested in early generation headsets.
I believe headsets like the Quest which do not require expensive water-cooled gaming PC’s with $1500 graphics cards in them are the beginning of a new era of VR. Screen technology is getting quite good, refresh rates are increasing and experiences are also getting better.
The one thing VR is also missing is a killer app. Something synonymous with VR like Facebook, Google and Twitter are with the internet, there is no one killer app that springs to mind for people when they think of VR. However, I think that will eventually change.
We also cannot discount the fact that VR will never appeal to some people. For some, VR is an uncomfortable nauseous and disorienting experience. I think the future of VR is a hybrid of both virtual reality and augmented reality, not one over the other.
Once the cost of VR comes down to a level that is comparable with a gaming console like the Playstation or Xbox, we are going to see considerable adoption and a new industry that will start a gold rush. It hasn’t started yet, but it is coming.
The real problem to VR adoption right now is the cost. It’s a problem other industries like the electric vehicle industry are experiencing, but once the economy of scale kicks in, that’s when the adoption truly begins.
Should I Choose Firebase Cloud Firestore or Realtime Database?
When it comes to Firebase for newcomers, the first point of confusion in what is quite a simple platform is what should you choose for your database: Firestore or Realtime Database?
As someone who has been using Firebase for quite a few years, there was a time when Firestore never even existed. Initially, it used to just be Realtime Database and that was that. A couple of years ago, Firebase introduced the Firestore database which is the next evolution of databases on Firebase.
While Firestore has been in beta for some time, I can tell you based on experienced that it is anything but a beta product. The difference between Firestore and Realtime Database used to be the reliability. For a while after introduction, Firestore’s reliability was terrible, regularly going down.
In 2020, Firestore seems to be quite stable. I use it for several applications, including a highly trafficked cryptocurrency exchange and I have not witnessed a period of downtime with Firestore.
The ability to query data in more flexible ways is more appealing than Real-Time. Previously, you would have to pull down entire trees of data (which could be massive) and then sort through them in either Node.js or on the client because of the lack of querying, this is why Firestore was created.
Even so, Firestore still has its limitations when it comes to complex querying and you should absolutely read up on what those are. You can’t do everything that a normal RDBMS allows you to do or even completely what NoSQL solutions like MongoDB offer, but all limitations have workarounds.
Rather than reiterate the technical differences between the two, there is already a great official post on the Firestore site that details the differences between the two.
Without delving too deeply into the specifics, you should choose Firestore and I would not recommend anything else. It offers way more powerful querying (which is important in a database), more flexible ways of storing data (Real Time can get messy) and it is still quite cheap.
Are We Finally Getting A New System of A Down Album In 2020?
All signs are pointing to yes. System of A Down frontman Serj posted an image of himself in the studio working on what appears to be music for a System of A Down.
Many might be quick to say this could just be Serj working on more solo material, the hashtags tell a different story at the end, using the band’s name as a hashtag.
For years there has been rumour and speculation a new album is happening. Then various members speaking out about the band’s inability to get on the same page musically, could they have found a way to work past the problems they were happening?
We have all been let down by the possibility of a new SOAD album, only for Serj or someone else in the band to come out and say it is not happening. Time will tell.
Thoughts On Ember Octane
When it comes to JavaScript frameworks, few can lay claim to the longevity of Ember which just turned eight years old. To give readers some perspective, Ember is about as old as AngularJS (the first version of Angular), older than React, older than Vue and many other options out there. It harks back to the days when IE6 was still a browser many of us had to support.
To the surprise of some who abandoned Ember (and JavaScript frameworks in general) years ago, Ember just released a large update which changes and improves Ember in many facets. For years, Ember has been trailing behind other frameworks and libraries. Even though updates were still being made, Ember has always felt like a relic of Web yesteryear.
Despite trailing behind newer, faster and smaller options, Ember has enjoyed success at numerous companies including LinkedIn and Intercom. Nobody can argue that Ember isn’t used or that it is even dying, it’s just not that popular any more. It’s hard to deny that React has eaten front-end development.
With Ember Octane, many facets of Ember have been improved, Ember applications are still overly verbose and the templating syntax which uses Handlebars feels outdated.
In Octane, some of the changes actually resemble that of Aurelia dating back to 2015. Previously, view-models and templates were located in separate directories. The old approach looked like this:
app/
components/
my-component.js
templates/
my-component.hbs
In Ember Octane, this now resembles that of frameworks like Angular or in my opinion as mentioned, more closely to Aurelia:
As you can see, the view-model and template are in the same directory now. Likewise, Ember Octane introduces a new decorator for computed properties called @tracked which is reminiscent of Aurelia’s @computedFrom decorator. A similar concept further cemented by the introduction of a decorator called @computed in Ember Octane.
I think Ember Octane is a step in the right direction. Some parts feel inspired by React and other parts feel inspired by Aurelia. Still, looking at Ember, it feels overly complicated and like it is still playing catchup with Aurelia from 2016 or really, every other established framework using modern Javascript syntax.
For me personally, there is nothing in Ember Octane that is exciting or innovative enough that it would suddenly win back developers who left Ember or have eschewed it for other options such as React and Vue. Still, it is great to see the project is maintained and this is all a positive step in the right direction.
I don’t want people to misconstrue this post as a beat-up of Ember with a hidden agenda to promote another framework. I think the more frameworks and libraries there are, the better. But when you’re competing with the big daddy React or up and coming superstar Svelte, you have to bring something substantial to the table and really, Ember doesn’t feel that different when you dig beneath the surface.
Is Ethereum Dying?
Or is it already dead?
The once-promising blockchain and beloved smart contract project seemed to be at the top of the world. From a high of $1431 in January 2018 to its current low of $126, it seems whatever hopes people have for Ethereum have faded quite a bit.
Despite the fact that Ethereum still holds the number two spot on Coin Market Cap Ethereum has fallen out of the limelight somewhat with developers. On State of The DApps, Ethereum accounts for only three of the top ten applications. Klaytn accounts for four of them, Steem accounts for two and NEO just one. In the top five, Ethereum only has one DApp.
Vanity metrics aside, given Ethereum was one of the first smart contract platforms and holds the coveted #2 spot, you would expect more popular applications to be using it. However, over the last two or so years, many projects and exchanges have moved away from Ethereum to their own solutions.
Ethereum used to be ICO blockchain. Almost every ICO in 2017 was an ERC20 token. Fast forward to 2019 and the projects that are still alive, quite a few of them have moved away from Ethereum. Crypto.com (formerly known as Monaco Card) previously used Ethereum, until they created their own blockchain called Crypto.com Chain (CRO). In early 2019, Binance famously ditched Ethereum for their own solution as well Binance Chain.
Tron and EOS are also two other blockchains which received their funding through Ethereum and then subsequently created their own competing blockchain. It seems Ethereum has become the gateway to other blockchains.
One of Ethereum’s biggest problems is that it has serious scaling issues. I am sure you all remember CryptoKitties which famously crippled Ethereum a couple of years ago. It also turns out that Tether may also be to blame for Ethereum’s high network usage and problems.
Having said that, many blockchains have the same scaling problems. Bitcoin is also quite full, EOS recently experienced some serious problems with their network as well.
While the anticipated Ethereum 2.0 release will alleviate some of the problems by moving away from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, nobody can agree on anything. There has been a tonne of infighting within the Ethereum team and associated entities contributing to the blockchain.
Allegedly the first upgrade will be happening in January 2020, but given the turbulence, Ethereum has experienced with nobody seemingly able to agree on anything, I would actually be surprised if that happens. People are afraid of Ethereum 2.0 and the changes being proposed.
Even one of the co-founders of Ethereum recently sold off 90,000 ETH worth $11 million US dollars. Another nail in the coffin of an already fractured and turbulent cryptocurrency project.
Given Ethereum was one of the first general-purpose smart contract blockchains, perhaps it was inevitable that it would eventually lose some of its popularity in favour of other more modern solutions who have the luxury of beginning from scratch without having to worry about an entire legacy ecosystem built around them.
I don’t think Ethereum will truly die, but there are so many better options out there now ranging from Steem to EOS, to Stellar, Tron and Klaytn that make Ethereum look antiquated and clunky. Ethereum is no longer the first choice that comes to mind for many DApp developers.
Select Change Event Not Firing When Using Characters On Keyboard
Here is a nice bug-not-bug to close out in 2019. One of my Trello cards detailed what sounded like an error:
When toggling between two options (yes and no) in a dropdown, entering “y” changes to yes and quickly entering “n” does not switch to no. However, waiting a second you can change between them.
Some initial debugging suggested this was not actually a bug in our application. But, I knew if I was going to get the ticket closed off as not a bug, I had to have an explanation.
It turns out that browsers (well at least in Chrome and Firefox) select dropdowns are searchable by offering a delay allowing you to type in long values. The way I highlighted this was creating a dropdown with four options:
YNo
NYes
To highlight the error I created a JSFiddle demo here. The first dropdown contains the above options. Try pressing “Y” and then “N” quickly after, the selected value will then be “YNo” highlighting the searchability. Similarly, entering “N” followed by “Y” will yield “NYes” selected.
There is also a second dropdown with some years from 1988 to 1993 in the above linked JSFiddle demo. Try selecting the dropdown and then entering 1993 (which is the last option) you will see the searching feature in the browser selects 1993.
So, not a bug, just a browser feature. Admittedly, I didn’t actually know you could search values in a dropdown this way. I usually use my mouse to select values in a dropdown. We have some people on our team who shun the mouse and navigate through our main app using their keyboard.
Quick & Easy Way To Reset Mocks & Spies In Jest
When working with mocks and spies in Jest, it is quite easy to fall into a trap where they become stale (especially in cases where pure functions are not being used). Heading to the documentation for Jest yields a lot of similar-looking methods for restoring mocks, clearing mocks and resetting mocks.
This is where confusion sets in. What is the best practice? Which ones should I call to ensure my tests don’t have stale mocks or spies? Even I struggled with this aspect.
In my Aurelia applications, Jest is my prefered means of test tool. In my trial and error, I have settled on the following in my tests which ensures all mocks and spies are reset between tests being run.
afterEach(() => {
jest.resetAllMocks();
jest.restoreAllMocks();
The jest.resetAllMocks method resets the state of all mocks in use in your tests. It is the equivalent of manually calling mockReset on every mock you have (which can be tedious if you have a lot of them).
The jest.restoreAllMocks method restores all mocks back to their original value, ONLY if you used jest.spyOn to spy on methods and values in your application. It is important that you use spyOn where you possibly can.
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Pilgrim (Timothy Findley novel)
Pilgrim (archbishop of Cologne)
Pilgrim (brig)
Manchester (UK Parliament constituency)
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, east London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. The band's discography has grown to thirty-eight albums, including sixteen studio albums, eleven live albums, four EPs, and seven compilations.
Pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s. After several line-up changes, the band went on to release a series of UK and US platinum and gold albums, including 1982's The Number of the Beast, 1983's Piece of Mind, 1984's Powerslave, 1985's live release Live After Death, 1986's Somewhere in Time and 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Since the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999, the band have undergone a resurgence in popularity, with their 2010 studio offering, The Final Frontier, peaking at No. 1 in 28 different countries and receiving widespread critical acclaim. Their sixteenth studio album, The Book of Souls, was released on 4 September 2015.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Iron_Maiden
Pilgrim is a novel by Timothy Findley, first published by HarperFlamingo in Canada in 1999. The first US edition was published by HarperCollins in 2000. The novel is typical of Findley's interest in Jungian psychology; in fact, Carl Jung himself is a major character.
The novel's protagonist is Pilgrim, an immortal who is brought to Jung's clinic in Zürich after his latest failed suicide attempt. Pilgrim has lived through the ages, moving from one life to another, and claims to be tired of living. Jung takes it upon himself to cure what he sees as a delusion and to restore Pilgrim's will to live.
Pilgrim is the inspiration for a contemporary opera, The Dream Healer, composed by Lloyd Burritt, with libretto by Christopher Allan and Don Mowatt. The premiere is planned for March 2008 at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia. It will star mezzo-soprano Judith Forst as Lady Sybil Quartermaine
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Pilgrim_(Timothy_Findley_novel)
Pilgrim (Latin: Pilgrimus; c. 985 – 25 August 1036) was a statesman and prelate of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1016 he took charge of the chancery of the Kingdom of Italy, and became the first archchancellor in 1031. In 1021 he became Archbishop of Cologne. For his part in the imperial campaign against the South Italian principalities in 1022, the chronicler Amatus of Montecassino described him as "warlike".
Pilgrim belonged to Bavarian family of the Aribonids. He was born around 985. His father was Chadalhoh IV (died 11 September 1030), count of Isengau. His older brother, Chadalhoh V (died 29 October 1050), inherited the Isengau, while Pilgrim entered the church. He had important relations in the church, since his uncle Aribo was the archbishop of Mainz and his great-uncle Hartwig was the archbishop of Salzburg. Pilgrim's primary education began at Salzburg Cathedral under the direction of Hartwig, and there he became a canon as a young man.
In 1015, through Hartwig's intervention, Pilgrim was appointed to the royal chapel. In 1016, when the Emperor Henry II founded Bamberg Cathedral he named Pilgrim its provost. After defeating his rival, Arduin, for the Kingdom of Italy, the emperor placed Pilgrim in charge of his separate Italian chancery. In 1016 Pilgrim undertook a journey to northern Italy to reconcile the emperor to those magnates who had supported Arduin. He was so successful that in January 1017 an Itailan embassy travelled to the assembly then in session at Allstedt to greet the emperor. In the October or November 1017 Pilgrim returned to Germany, and in January 1018 the last hostage of the Otbertine family, which had supported Arduin, was released by Henry.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Pilgrim_(archbishop_of_Cologne)
The Pilgrim was a sailing brig (180 tons, 86.5 feet (26.4 m) long) engaged in the California hide trade of the early 19th century. Although just one among many other ships engaged in the business, the Pilgrim was immortalized by one of her sailors, Richard Henry Dana, Jr., who wrote the classic account Two Years Before the Mast about its 1834 voyage between Boston and California.
The Pilgrim was built in 1825 for Boston owners Bryant, Sturgis & Co., and went down in a fire at sea in 1856.
A replica of the vessel is currently based in Dana Point, California, the site of some of Dana's adventures. This replica began as a 3-masted schooner (also called a "tern" schooner in North America) built in 1945 for the Baltic trade in Denmark. In 1975, Pilgrim was converted to her present rig, a brig, in Setúbal , Portugal. She is currently used as a floating classroom with the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, California, and she sets sail every summer on a tour of Southern California with a volunteer crew. The ship was used in Amistad, a film directed by Steven Spielberg. Pilgrim also played the notorious "Ghost Galleon" in Power Rangers: Turbo.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Pilgrim_(brig)
Manchester was a Parliamentary borough constituency in the county of Lancashire which was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its territory consisted of the city of Manchester.
Manchester had first been represented in Parliament in 1654, when it was granted one seat in the First Protectorate Parliament. However, as with other boroughs enfranchised during the Commonwealth, it was disenfranchised at the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
The subsequent growth of Manchester into a major industrial city left its lack of representation a major anomaly, and demands for a seat in Parliament led to a mass public meeting in August 1819. This peaceful rally of 60,000 pro-democracy reformers, men, women and children, was attacked by armed cavalry resulting in 15 deaths and over 600 injuries, and became known as the Peterloo Massacre.
Reform was attempted unsuccessfully by Lord John Russell, whose bills in 1828 and 1830 were rejected by the Commons. The city was finally enfranchised by the Reform Act of 1832, and at the 1832 general election, Manchester returned two Members of Parliament (MPs). The Reform Act 1867 increased this in 1868 to three Members of Parliament.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Manchester_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
PILGRIM'S PROGRESS released:
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Rising
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Diamond Life ft Cwitch & G Reign
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Organ Jam
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Old New School
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Letter to Fela
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Da Ruggedness ft Cwitch & G Reign
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Show Love
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Lastgiddy
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen God, Man and Money
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Get on the floor ft Kru
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen We Don't Stop ft Samwise
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Mother Africa
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Aboomoni Aboojasi (Future So Bright).
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Give You My All
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen 9ja Boy - But You Know
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Still Gat ft Ezra and Mc Scatter.
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen The Jesus Track
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen African Warrior ft Leva
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Be Alright ft Leva
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Feel Good
Mystic Spirits released: 2000
Search for the Dreamchild released:
Mystic Spirits
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Alegria (radio edit)
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Only Rose
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Aquaria
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Kayama Remix (radio edit)
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Voice
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Meeting Of The Waters
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen En Gedi
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Eyes of Truth (radio edit)
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Siren Song
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Cristofori's Dream
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Theme from Harry's Game
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Angel's Lullabye
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Dreaming Sea
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Where Spirits Meet
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Arcadia Memory
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Ya-Ho-He (extended)
Search for the Dreamchild
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen From Angels to Lovers
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Agnus Dei
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Barefoot Angel
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Bound to Desire
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Devotion
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Stay
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Eternal Dance
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Conquest
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Seduction
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Longing
II: Void Worship released: 2014
Misery Wizard released: 2012
II: Void Worship
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Master's Chamber
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen The Paladin
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Arcane Sanctum
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen In the Presence of Evil
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Void Worship
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Dwarven March
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Away From Here
Misery Wizard
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Astaroth
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Misery Wizard
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Quest
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Masters of the Sky
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Adventurer
add to main playlist Play in Full Screen Forsaken Man
thewebofthing.com
ironsilver.org
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easy4market.com
irondeposits.com
ironfurnace.org
chessthing.com
create-thing.com
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spanishthing.com
treatingthing.com
ironwolfgaming.com
ladiesshoessize4.com
locking4life.org
ironfoundries.net
lithiumironphosphatebattery.com
thingmanga.com
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On Lost, the Island Skips, Skips, Skips in Time
Lynn Peril
Filed to:Lost recap
Lost is back! Let's sort through the tangle of weirdness, bad parenting and shirtlessness together, and may the flying spaghetti monster of your choice help us all. Spoilers follow.
It’s been almost seven months since we last saw the intrepid survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. The island went poof. The freighter went blammo. Jin may or may not have died, but the O6 definitely lied. Now, in an opening scene reminiscent of Season two’s first few moments, a hand drops a needle on a vinyl platter, the dulcet tones of Willie Nelson’s “Shotgun Willie” fill the air—and then the record skips, skips, skips.
After what felt like a spell in the doldrums during Season three, the stripped-down-due-to-the-writer’s-strike Season four brought a new sense of focus to Lost, and a renewed commitment to storytelling, along with the occasional answer to a question. Last night’s double-episode season premiere displayed the same sense of urgency, narrative, and fun that Season four left us with. Above all, the comforting sense that the writers really know where they’re going continues. Indeed, the new episodes picked up right where the season closer ended.
Time travel is apparently here to stay. The island has become unstuck in time and we are along for the ride, like it or not. As Daniel Faraday says in the clip: “You cannot change anything. You can’t . . .,” especially a storyline. Given the whole show requires a major suspension of disbelief, I’m fine with this one — though I’ll wager some of you are marking this as a jump-the-shark development. Of course there are inconsistencies, the clothing, as a character points out, and why isn’t anybody but Charlotte suffering a nosebleed? And is the Desmond/Daniel meeting taking place in the past and present simultaneously, albeit in a dream state — and doesn’t that mean that Daniel is violating his own advice about not changing anything? But Dez is uniquely and miraculously special, according to Daniel, soooo . . .
Speaking of clothing — as much as I enjoyed Sawyer’s quest for a shirt, wouldn’t shoes be the first thing wanted by somebody running through the jungle?
Poor Locke finally gets a chance to say, “Ben Linus has appointed me your leader!” but only at the business end of Ethan’s gun — and the only thing that saves him is the island’s little time hiccup. But that little ding to his ego has to have been assuaged by Richard’s assurance that the only Locke can save the island. So what if he has to die — apparently to reunite the O6 in the attempt to haul his carcass back to the beach. Despite the little set back with Ethan, Locke’s messiah complex has got to be working overtime. Quite possibly even while he’s stored in Butcher Jill’s meat locker. (And who are these Off-Island Others?)
Kate = Most. Annoying. Mother. Ever. You just know that kid pitches massive tantrums in public places and all she does is smile indulgently while he’s thrashing on the floor. True to form, Kate’s only reaction to the appearance of attorneys at the door is to hightail it. I’m glad Sun is playing her like a violin, though for who and for what reason, I’m not entirely sure. “I don’t blame you [for Jin’s death]. How’s Jack?” she says to Kate, in a textbook performance of passive-aggression. (For the record, Jack is still a pill-head, though a clean-shaven one.)
There were so many moments of Hurley greatness last night that I can’t begin to list them: the Shih-tzu t-shirt, throwing the hot pocket at Ben, his “meeting” with Ana Lucia, putting the shades on Sayid, telling the truth to his mother. Mom Reyes definitely had the best line last night: “Why is there a dead Pakistani on my couch?”
Of course, it wouldn’t be Lost without questions galore. Take that opening scene, for example. Does the existence of Baby Candle mean that at some time in the past babies were being born on the island—or was s/he born elsewhere?
What is the significance of Richard’s compass? He gives it to Locke, and tells him that the next time Locke sees him, Richard won’t recognize Locke until he gives him the compass. I immediately thought of Richard’s visit to Child Locke, when the compass is one of the objects set before young John, who fondles it, before picking up the knife.
In some of the training films, but not last night’s episode, Dr. Candle appears to have a prosthetic left hand or arm—perhaps from an encounter with the same group of hostiles who were going to cut off Juliet’s hand? They appear to be dressed in some kind of paramilitary uniform with nametags, which indicates a certain level of technology—and yet their weaponry consists of flaming arrows. Black Rock survivors or indigenous islanders in uniforms based on Dharma Initiative jumpsuits? Are they the remnants of Rousseau's team?
Is Mrs. Hawking Daniel’s mother? I loved her Crowley-esque magick chamber, complete with pendulum and Apple III. She’s conjured 70 hours of time for Ben. Maybe she’s passed her time-tinkering knowledge on to son Daniel - or maybe she's just one of Ben's special off-island friends.
Goodbye, Frogurt Redshirt. We hardly knew ye, but could see your demise coming from many leagues off.
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Morning Spoilers
What Surprise Marvel Characters Will Show Up In Avengers: Age Of Ultron?
Filed to:Morning Spoilers
Morning SpoilersIf there’s news about upcoming movies and television you’re not supposed to know, you’ll find it in here.
Gal Gadot talks about Wonder Woman in Dawn of Justice, while The Rock talks Black Adam and Justice League. The X-Files' return may have taken an important step forward. Plus what's to come on Grimm, Agents of SHIELD, and Orphan Black. Spoilers, ho!
Top image: Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Speaking to Marvel, Joss Whedon teased that there are even more Marvel characters in the movie than the ones already confirmed. When asked whether some Marvel characters are in the movie that we haven't yet seen in promotional pictures, he answered with a succinct "Yes!" Whedon also explained why Paul Bettany is going to blow everyone away as Vision, and why he really wanted Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch in this film.
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
Here's Gal Gadot speaking in an Israeli interview on why she took on the role of Wonder Woman:
Between all this you have a career to run. You are on the fast track to be a comic and action start. How important is it for you not to be taken as just an action star?
Gal: I will never take for granted the job I have right now. (she actually said 'I will never spit into the well from which I drink from'. It's a phrase in Hebrew that means she won't make fun or look poorly on what she is doing right now. I forgot the equivalent in English ). Playing Wonder Women is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I can't describe to you how much I wanted to play this character without even knowing I wanted to play her. I met a lot of people from the industry in LA for meetings. They always asked me 'what's your dream role?', and I never could define it. I always answered that I wanted to play a women that is strong and will be a source for women empowerment. I don't want to play a damsel in distress that needs to be saved. I don't like it when women in the movies are shown as the victims. I always thought that if I could send out a message I want to show the strong side of a woman and how she can handle tough situations.
[Translation on Superhero Hype forums via Coming Soon]
Independence Day 2
Charlotte Gainsbourg is in talks to join the sequel. [ THR]
Black Adam/Justice League
Dwayne Johnson sat down with IGN to discuss Black Adam and a potential future team-up with the Justice League:
He will become an anti-hero, but first, daddy's got to go to work," laughed the actor. He noted that a team-up with the world's greatest superheroes is in the cards moving forward. "I think so, and I think you always want to leave that creatively open – that he could join 'Justice League.' And I think that's the fun part about creating this character right now. Everybody involved from the studio to New Line to Warner Bros. as well to the writer and our producing partners, you definitely want to engage his heroic side, but that has to be earned.
With the mythology of Black Adam starting off as a slave...when you start off as a slave, inherently there's things in your DNA that piss you off. That's the bottom line. We have to respect and pay homage to the true mythology, and the heroic side will come down the line.
[ IGN]
The Bad Batch
Keanu Reeves, Suki Waterhouse, Diego Luna and Jim Carrey have joined this "cannibal love story" from Ana Lily Amirpour. Reeves and Carrey will play mysterious characters called The Dream and The Hermit, while Waterhouse plays Arlen, the female lead. Diego Luna will play a man named Jimmy. [ The Wrap]
Mark Miller's new time-travel comic, the first issue of which came out last week, has already been optioned by Universal for adaptation into a movie. [Deadline]
Here are a couple of new pictures from Empire Magazine's latest issue — find more here. [via Coming Soon]
Alex Roe will play the male lead, Holt, the boyfriend of the protagonist played by Matilda Lutz. [ Deadline]
This is unconfirmed so as ever, a pinch of salt is required, but apparently Fox is keen on moving the revival of the series forward, and has ordered a short stack of roughly 6-9 episodes. And both David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are supposedly coming back. However, talks are allegedly still ongoing. [TV Wise]
Doug Jones will reprise his role as Deathbolt in "Rogue Air", following his appearance on Arrow. [Twitter via Coming Soon]
The press release for "Afterlife" teases an encounter between Coulson's SHIELD and the 'real' SHIELD, headed by Robert Gonzalez:
"Afterlife" – As Robert Gonzalez makes his move, Coulson must do whatever it takes to protect the future of S.H.I.E.L.D. Meanwhile Skye's journey to control her powers takes a surprising turn when she meets the enigmatic Inhuman named Lincoln, on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."
[ Marvel]
Simmons and Fitz butt heads and namecheck the Avengers, as they debate Skye's powers in this clip from "Love in the time of Hydra". [ Coming Soon]
Finally here's a picture of Luke Mitchell's new Inhuman character, Lincoln. [ TV Line]
The 21st episode of the current series is called "Asylum". [ Twitter]
Here's a press release for "Search and Destroy":
REESE AND FINCH SCRAMBLE TO PROTECT A SOFTWARE CEO WHEN HIS BEHAVIOR BECOMES INCREASINGLY ERRATIC FOLLOWING A HACKER ATTACK, ON "PERSON OF INTEREST," TUESDAY, 7th APRIL
Aasif Mandvi Guest Stars as Software CEO Rajiv Khan
"Search and Destroy" – Reese and Finch scramble to protect a software CEO (Aasif Mandvi) when his behavior becomes increasingly erratic following a hacker attack that reveals all his secrets and unravels his life, on PERSON OF INTEREST, Tuesday, April 7 (10:01-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
[ Spoiler TV]
David Giuntoli offers a taste for what's to come:
The villainous Adalind certainly knows how to push buttons. Will viewers be treated to a confrontation between Nick and her anytime soon?
Things get a little weird with Adalind and Nick. She will enter my world, but it's not really a confrontation. It's nuts.
The Royal Family have been searching for Adalind's baby, Diana, but Nick obviously had bigger problems to contend with. How will those two worlds collide moving forward?
In a huge way. The Royal Family deals me a huge blow at the end of the season that is unforgivable. You'll see.
[ CBR]
The Disciples
Wes Craven has been tapped to adapt the upcoming science fiction/horror comic by Steve Niles. [ THR]
There's wedding bells in this brief synopsis for "Suicidal Tendencies":
It's celebration time as Diggle (David Ramsey) and Lyla (guest star Audrey Marie Anderson) get married. However, Deadshot (guest star Michael Rowe) interrupts their honeymoon and tells them the Suicide Squad has been given a new mission - rescue United States Senator Joseph Cray (guest star Steven Culp) from a hostage situation in the Republic of Kasnia. Amanda Waller (guest star Cynthia Addai-Robinson) breaks down the mission and introduces them to the newest member of the Suicide Squad, Cupid (guest star Amy Gumenick). Meanwhile, Oliver (Stephen Amell) learns about Ray's new Atom costume and the two have a heated stand-off. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Ray hit a rough patch.
Here's some promo pictures for the episode too - you can check out more at the link. [ Buddy TV]
Meanwhile, here are some more promo pictures for the following episode, "Public Enemy", which herald the return of Felicity's mother. [ TV Line]
Ryan Guzman and Gatlin Green have joined the show in some even more undisclosed roles. [ Deadline]
Graeme Manson warns not to count Rachel out:
"[The pencil went in deep], but how deep?," Manson says. "That's going to really tell us about Rachel's fate. It is rather delicious to take someone who is that poised and cold and have such a heavy, hard mask and put them in a position where they are less than what they've been before."
[TV Guide]
Comic Book Resources has some set photos from filming on this show — see a few more pictures here.
Here's another poster for the show. [Twitter via Spoiler TV]
Finally, here's a slew of behind the scenes featurettes for Syfy's Greek mythology show. [Spoiler TV]
Additional reporting by Abhimanyu Das and Charlie Jane Anders.
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Category: Financial News
Toggle Summary December 5, 2019 Korn Ferry Announces Second Quarter Fiscal 2020 Results of Operations
LOS ANGELES , Dec. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports fee revenue of $492.4 million in Q2 FY'20. Net income attributable to Korn Ferry was $42.8 million in Q2 FY'20. Operating income was $61.9 million in Q2 FY'20 with an operating margin of 12.6%.
Toggle Summary September 5, 2019 Korn Ferry Announces First Quarter Fiscal 2020 Results of Operations
LOS ANGELES , Sept. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports fee revenue of $484.5 million in Q1 FY'20, an increase of 4% (7% at constant currency) from Q1 FY'19. Net income attributable to Korn Ferry was $43.0 million in Q1 FY'20. Operating income was $60.3 million in Q1 FY'20 with an
Toggle Summary June 20, 2019 Korn Ferry Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2019 Results of Operations
LOS ANGELES , June 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports annual fee revenue of $1,926.0 million , an increase of 9% year-over-year (12% increase on a constant currency basis), with growth coming from all three lines of business. Net income attributable to Korn Ferry was $102.7
Toggle Summary March 7, 2019 Korn Ferry Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2019 Results of Operations
LOS ANGELES , March 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports fee revenue of $474.5 million in Q3 FY'19, an increase of 6% (10% on a constant currency basis) from Q3 FY'18, driven by organic growth in all segments. Operating income was $62.7 million in Q3 FY'19 with an operating margin
LOS ANGELES , Dec. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports fee revenue of $495.2 million in Q2 FY'19, an 11.8% increase (14.6% on a constant currency basis) from Q2 FY'18, driven by organic growth in all segments. Operating income was $71.0 million in Q2 FY'19 with an operating
LOS ANGELES , Sept. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports fee revenue of $465.6 million in Q1 FY'19, a 16.0% increase from Q1 FY'18, driven by organic growth in all solutions. During the first quarter the Company announced a rebranding campaign under which it is sunsetting all
Toggle Summary June 13, 2018 Korn Ferry International Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2018 Results of Operations
LOS ANGELES , June 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports record annual fee revenue of $1,767.2 million , an increase of almost 13% year-over-year. Korn Ferry reports record fee revenue of $475.4 million in Q4 FY'18 an increase of 17% as compared to Q4 FY'17.
Toggle Summary March 6, 2018 Korn Ferry International Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2018 Results of Operations
LOS ANGELES , March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports record fee revenue of $447.6 million in Q3 FY'18 driven by organic growth in all three lines of business as compared to Q3 FY'17: Futurestep 29.4% Executive Search 18.1% Hay Group 12.7% Operating income was $48.6 million
Toggle Summary December 6, 2017 Korn Ferry International Announces Second Quarter Fiscal 2018 Results of Operations
LOS ANGELES , Dec. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports record fee revenue of $443.0 million in Q2 FY'18 driven by organic growth in all three lines of business as compared to Q2 FY'17: Futurestep 16.7% Executive Search 13.2% Hay Group 5.9% Operating income was $51.2 million in
Toggle Summary September 6, 2017 Korn Ferry International Announces First Quarter Fiscal 2018 Results of Operations
LOS ANGELES , Sep. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports fee revenue of $401.3 million in Q1 FY'18, a 6.8% increase from Q1 FY'17, driven by organic growth in all lines of business. Operating income was $40.7 million in Q1 FY'18 with an operating margin of 10.2%. Adjusted EBITDA
LOS ANGELES , Sep. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports fee revenue of $401.3 million in Q1 FY'18, a 6.8% increase from Q1 FY'17, driven by organic growth in all lines of business. Operating income was $40.7 million in Q1 FY'18 with an operating margin of 10.2%. Adjusted EBITDA
LOS ANGELES , June 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports record fee revenue of $406.1 million in Q4 FY'17, driven by organic growth in Futurestep and the North America region of Executive Search. Korn Ferry reports record annual fee revenue of $1,565.5 million , driven by the
LOS ANGELES , March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights Korn Ferry reports an 11% increase in Q3 FY'17 fee revenue compared to the year ago-quarter, primarily driven by the acquisition in Hay Group . Futurestep's new business in the quarter reached a record high of $103.8 million , with a record $83
Highlights - Korn Ferry reports an increase in Q2 FY'17 fee revenue compared to the year ago-quarter, driven by the Hay Group acquisition and strong revenue growth in Futurestep. - Fee revenue from Hay Group and North America Executive Search increased sequential quarter by $14.2 million and $10.9
Highlights - Korn Ferry reports a year-over-year increase in fee revenue in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, driven by the Hay Group acquisition and strong revenue growth in Futurestep. - The Hay Group integration was substantially completed in the quarter: - Converted 75% of legacy Hay Group
Highlights - Korn Ferry reports record fee revenue. Fee revenue was $344.2 million on a U.S. GAAP basis and $350.1 million on an adjusted basis (includes $5.9 million in deferred revenue adjustment related to the Hay Group acquisition). - Excluding legacy Hay Group, fee revenue was $272.3 million,
Highlights - Korn Ferry reports record fee revenue of $280.6 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2016, an increase of $24.9 million, or 9.7% ($41.3 million, or 16.2% on a constant currency basis), from Q2 FY'15, with increases across all segments on a constant currency basis: Futurestep 35.4%
Toggle Summary June 11, 2015 Korn Ferry International Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2015 Results of Operations - Surpassing $1 Billion in Annual Fee Revenue for the First Time
Highlights - Korn Ferry reports record annual fee revenue of $1,028.2 million, an increase of $67.9 million or 7.1% ($91.8 million or 9.6% on a constant currency basis) over FY'14. - Fourth quarter fee revenue was also a record at $271.8 million, an increase of $20.1 million or 8.0% ($35.8 million
Gregg Kvochak
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Indonesiaful
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In the Name of Cultural Exchange: The Day I Became a Dutch Colonialist
Indonesiaful / December 13, 2015
— By Kelly Fitzgerald —
When I made my list of goals for this year in Indonesia at the start of my Fulbright grant, “reenact the colonial period” was not exactly an aspiration that came to mind. Similarly, getting in touch with my Dutch roots by becoming the face of imperialism in Indonesia is probably not the kind of “promotion of international goodwill” that Senator William Fulbright envisioned when he drafted the bill for his namesake program in 1945. But Indonesia has taught me to (among many other things) expect the unexpected and handle many unanticipated situations, bizarre as they may seem, with grace.
Hari Tentara Nasional Indonesia celebrations underway.
And so it happens that on the morning of October 5, 2015 I became a General in the Dutch army circa 1949.
The fifth of October is one of many national holidays in Indonesia. It is Hari Tentara Nasional Indonesia, or Indonesian National Armed Forces Day. This day is celebrated as the birthday of the modern Indonesian military which means that there are parades, ceremonies, and lots of speech-making across Indonesia. Bangka-Belitung province went all-out in 2015 for the military’s 70th birthday by orchestrating Drama Kolosal, a theater performance of epic proportions. Drama Kolosal tells the story of the foundation of Tentara Keamanan Rakyat (TKR) [People’s Security Army] and the Indonesian struggle for independence from the Netherlands in the 1940s.
By the powers that be in Indonesian politics, students at my school were chosen to participate in the festivities. For two weeks prior to the October fifth performance of Drama Kolosal, students at SMAN3 Pangkal Pinang had an alternate schedule in which classes started two hours later than usual. During this time, nearly all of the male students assembled on the dusty soccer field at the back of our campus and rehearsed a school-wide game of war. Actual members of the Indonesian military were regularly in attendance to help direct the rehearsal. Male teachers drifted through the scene, taking turns barking orders through a megaphone. An impressive sound system was set up in the shade of some trees on the perimeter of the field. From the booming speakers an ominous voice narrated the mock-battle, interspersed with recorded sounds of fighting and battle cries.
The morning of Hari Tentara Nasional Indonesia, a Monday my headmistress Ibu Kun approached me before the weekly flag ceremony. She asked if I would like to accompany her to watch our students perform, and before I knew it we were in a SUV on our way to the Kantor Gubernur [Governor’s Office] where Drama Kolosal was being performed.
Sitting in the shade with the oh-so glamorous ibu-ibus.
It was easy to tell when we had arrived because busloads of spectators were converging on a gravel parking lot in the back of the office, disgorging passengers at will. Rows of uniformed students and soldiers were already standing in formation on the road flanking the side of the building. My headmistress and another ibu from my school took turns grabbing my arm, guiding me to the rows of chairs shaded by the giant, temporary tent that is the hallmark of outdoor events in Indonesia. We sat with the glamorously-adorned wives of various important military personnel. As I shook hand after hand, I marveled at their ability to navigate gravel while wearing six-inch heels and binding silk skirts. Two of the five bupatis (high-ranking regional officials) of my province were in attendance as well as the governor and the mayor of Pangkal Pinang. I was duly introduced to them before finally being allowed to take a seat and watch Drama Kolosal unfold.
We had been sitting for perhaps ten minutes when, after a series of conversations in rapid-fire Indonesian, my headmistress beckoned for me to join her. We were directed into the lobby of Kantor Gubernur and from there we were taken through a series of doors. Somewhere along the way a full military uniform — fatigues, belt, boots, and all — appeared out of thin air. I was unsure of what was going on, but I followed my headmistress’s lead and soon the two of us were in a carpeted, air-conditioned office of none other than the governor himself. She held up the fatigues against herself to gauge the fit and, apparently satisfied, proceeded to undress. I was surprised to see my headmistress strip down to her knickers, but quickly fell into step by helping her fold discarded clothes and lace up the military-grade boots.
Yours truly, front and center, waiting in the wings of Drama Kolosal with my soldier-students and actual members of the Indonesian military.
Once she stood before me, combat-ready, it was clear that she intended to join in the Drama Kolosal. We exited the A/C and were taken deeper into the warren of administrative offices. In hindsight I now realize that our escorts were looking for a uniform for me to wear, a fact that I was unaware of until someone took off his jacket and handed it to me. There were no combat boots or cargo pants for me, but I did receive a red beret and had the foresight to bring sunglasses, which completed the look.
Once we were suited up, we were escorted outside to a vintage Jeep that was flying the Dutch flag. Ibu Kun climbed into the back and — you guessed it — I was seated in the front passenger seat. A small cadre of students from my school flanked both sides of the Jeep, wearing orange fatigues and carrying actual rifles. They greeted me and were apparently as surprised as I was about this turn of events. I answered the usual questions posed to me by the members of the military I was now sharing a ride with, with an additional line of questioning to clarify that I was not actually from the Netherlands and therefore could not speak Dutch.
We, the Dutch army, waited in the wings for our cue. After a bit of waiting, we were given the signal and the Jeep lurched forward. Ibu Kun whispered instructions into my ear. I didn’t understand everything, but I picked up serius [serious] and mati [die]. Apparently I was to be serious and then I would die at the end of the act. The Jeep rolled into view of the spectators. Let my acting/military career begin.
At first I had to bite the inside of my cheeks to keep from laughing at the absurdity of it all. Here I was, not even two months into my Fulbright grant and trying so hard to find avenues for cultural exchange, and somehow I ended up being cast as an imperialistic aggressor. This was only for the sake of theater but I felt uncomfortable to have all of the eyes of my province on me while I played this role. Discomfort or not, the show must go on.
My role was easy. All I had to do was wait for my cue to die and hold a straight face in the meantime. The latter proved easier to do as the drama went on because the Drama Kolosal re-enactment of Dutch treatment of Indonesians was more graphic than I was expecting. Our Jeep rolled onto the grass and my student-soldiers jogged along in formation. In the center of the field a gaggle of students dressed as villagers waited for our arrival. The Jeep slowed as we approached and the narration of Drama Kolosal continued over the loudspeakers mounted on palm trees around the field. On cue, my student-soldiers shouldered their rifles and opened fire on the hapless cluster in the middle of the field. The rifles were loaded with blanks and the smell of gunpowder accosted my nostrils from point-blank range. The student-villagers screamed. Some fell to ground. The Dutch soldiers, my students, advanced on the villagers and dragged them off one-by-one, screaming and struggling. I felt tears stinging my eyes and it wasn’t just from the gunpowder.
The assassin meeting his mark.
The path thus cleared, we advanced to do a lap around the field. During this lap, Drama Kolosal continued. At least one hundred students, all wearing white, gathered at the far end of the field. This portion of the play was heavily narrated (and unintelligible to me) though it was clear that the army in white was the Indonesian resistance. On our second lap around the field, orange and white clashed in combat, fighting with sticks, swords, rifle butts, and bare hands. The students took to their roles with such zeal that it was hard to believe it was acting. We, the Dutch, were victorious again but it was a close victory.
We made another lap around the field and the narration continued. On our third round, two lookout posts made out of sticks appeared in the middle of the field. We parked behind these posts, facing the army of white that was once again assembling. Two of my student-soldiers broke rank to take up posts as lookouts atop these precarious positions.
We waited. The sun showed no mercy. Not a breeze stirred. Even the sweat on the back of my neck was tense.
After a seemingly interminable amount of time had passed, there was movement among the Indonesian resistance. The student-soldiers dressed in white advanced toward us slowly. Two of them crept ahead of the formation, shimmying on their hands and knees toward the lookout posts. The sentries atop those posts maintained a steady gaze on the advancing army and were oblivious to the assassins quickly closing in. The audience’s anticipation was palpable. When the assassins met their mark and my orange-clad student-soldier-corpses dangled from their lookouts, a great cheer went up from the crowd. With that, the Indonesian army surged forward and more blanks were fired.
“Mati mati mati, Kelly, mati!” Die die die, Kelly, die! That was my cue to slump over, the grand finale of my nascent acting career. I leaned into the driver, whispering a quick apology — maaf, ya? — for utilizing the facility of his shoulder. I cracked one eye open under the cover of my sunglasses to watch the Indonesian victory unfold. In less than a minute, all of my Dutch student-soldiers lay in the dirt.
Mambo Square and the Bangka Pos both featured my participation in Drama Kolosal on their front pages.
One of the Indonesian military members let out a rallying cry: Bendera! Bendera! The flag! The flag! The Dutch flag was ripped off the front of the Jeep and taken down from the lookout posts. Another cheer erupted from the crowd and members of the press swarmed our Jeep as the Indonesian military retreated to begin the next act of Drama Kolosal. Meanwhile, we played dead for no less than five minutes while photo after photo was taken.
This concluded my brief acting career. The following day I made headlines, appearing on the front page of at least two local newspapers. While it was fun to participate in such a large-scale performance, the cultural implications of my participation in Drama Kolosal have prompted me to reflect on the lasting impact of colonization on much of the world. The events of the past create the context of today, which can keenly be felt in Indonesia. The Netherlands’ impact persists in Indonesia in the government’s bureaucratic structure; in the fierce independent spirit of many Indonesian people; and in the separatist struggles that have been largely resolved in Aceh and but persist in Papua which began because of territorial agreements made between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
By participating in Drama Kolosal, I willingly symbolized the blue-eyed, blond-haired colonizers of Indonesia’s past. I also reflected on how my Dutch ancestors likely drank tea and used spices grown in Indonesia and how they probably never would have imagined that one of their descendants would some day come to a land that, to them, was nothing more than a distant, exotic source of wealth. I am eternally thankful to the Fulbright Program for making cultural exchanges such as this possible and to my school, SMAN3 Pangkal Pinang, for welcoming me into every celebration even if I do have to play a less-than-savory role. Together, we are creating history for a better tomorrow.
Kelly Fitzgerald is currently a Fulbright ETA in Pangkal Pinang, the capital city of the beautiful but lesser-known island of Bangka. She was born and raised in Chicago and is a recent graduate of the University of Tampa. When she is not teaching she enjoys making lists, laughing way too much, and exploring Pangkal Pinang. You can follow her blog at http://mskellyfitzfulbright.wordpress.com/.
December 13, 2015 in Media. Tags: Bangka, celebrations, history, military, Pangkal Pinang
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7 thoughts on “In the Name of Cultural Exchange: The Day I Became a Dutch Colonialist”
hobareba says:
Thanks for sharing this life experience with us.And front page of the newspaper; awesome!
Sastri says:
I’m Indonesian by birth, and I found this amusing. Thanks for sharing.
mskellyfitz says:
Reblogged this on Fulbright ETA in Indonesia 2015-2016 and commented:
I am officially Indo-famous. This article, which I wrote for Indonesiaful last year, explains the incident of how this came to be.
Lisa Wienecke says:
“What sort of a tale” have you “fallen into” this time, Kelly? My, you do live an exciting life and I love reading your adventures. Life is a story and yours is one of the best! I hope you write a book one of these days. It will be a good read. Love you bunches!!!
davidpfitzgerald says:
My goodness Kelly, the stories keep coming. And as I so often remind you, I love your writing style and abilities. You can always go to work for the New York Times if your acting career goes south. You will treasure your accounts of these times. I am continually very proud of you.
Love Uncle Dave F
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Changing a society’s governing paradigm is no easy undertaking.
Take Copernicus and Galileo, who dedicated their lives to the unenviable task of debunking the notion that the sun revolved around the earth just because the medieval church proclaimed it. Today, we no longer question that theory, or whether democracy is a better form of government than plutocracy.
Now, in the early years of a new millenium, we find ourselves in the midst of another renaissance — a pivotal inflection point in the history of civilization. This time, however, the belief system we need to overcome is the idea that perpetual economic growth is the key to prosperity — or even possible.
There’s a new paradigm emerging. A fundamental shift away from the extractive brand of capitalism that has put the nine planetary boundaries on which humanity and life on earth as we know it depend in grave jeopardy. Emerging in its place is a more regenerative economy — one that restores those systems, while demonstrating that economic prosperity, security and sustainability go hand in hand.
That’s why I found myself especially fired up by the interview we just published with Hunter Lovins about her new book, A Finer Future, and the in-depth paper it references, by John Fullerton, on Regenerative Capitalism. Specifically, the compelling case they make that regenerative businesses are more successful businesses, and that we’re ultimately headed in the right direction, albeit not as quickly as we need.
The idea of business as a force that regenerates rather than degenerates ecological and human systems is by no means a new one. Visionaries like Ray Anderson, Carol Sanford, Bill Reed and many, many others have been championing, and implementing, it for decades — including Hunter Lovins (a la Natural Capitalism, circa 1999).
Lovins recounts in the interview her experience sitting with Anderson back in 2001, at which time his bold vision — to redesign Interface’s core business to eliminate any negative impact on the environment by 2020 — was unprecedented, even outlandish. Even then, however, it was as much about building a better company as it was about social and environmental responsibility. "Everything I’m doing to make Interface a more sustainable company is enhancing shareholder value," Anderson told Lovins, at the time.
Today, unlike during Anderson’s era, this is no longer a radical idea. We’re seeing evidence that businesses that align their core strategy with sustainability — and increasingly towards regenerative outcomes — can be more profitable.
Case in point: Companies that lead in measuring and managing their carbon footprint have an 18 percent higher return on investment than the laggards, and a 67 percent higher return than companies that performed as if climate were not a material issue, according to a 2014 study conducted by CDP. The rapid adoption of Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) Criteria now has evidence to back it up, too — publications ranging from Bloomberg to GreenBiz are all telling the data-driven story of why ESG is good for business, in addition to people and the planet. There’s even a new ETHO Climate Leadership Index, which has proven the climate-smart companies in which it invests consistently outperform others in the S&P 500.
As Lovin’s put it, “there are now well over 50 studies showing that companies leading in ESG criteria have, take your pick: the highest stock value; the fastest-growing stock value; well outperform the market; outperform their peers; and have more engaged workforces (a better engaged workforce will give you 16 percent higher profitability, and 18 percent higher productivity).”
While the data are clearly on our side, time is not. Now is our moment to reimagine and redesign a regenerative economy that works for all — and, like any proper paradigm shift, it takes work.
As Fullerton poignantly put it, “We are the new Copernicans.” So, let’s get back to work.
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George H. W. Bush on Bohemian Grove Guest List
Filed under: 9/11 Truth, Bohemian Grove, Bush Sr., California, child sex slavery, CIA, Colin Powell, David Rockefeller, Donald Rumsfeld, franklin coverup, George Bush, george h. w. bush, global elite, global government, Globalism, Henry Kissinger, homosexual, homosexual prostitution, International Bankers, internationalist, internationalists, James Woolsey, jeff gannon, john decamp, neocons, New World Order, paul bonacci, san fransisco, scandal, secret meetings, Secret Societies, Sex Scandal | Tags: effigy, human sacrifice, molech, moloch, Monte Rio, owl, Sonoma County, vanity fair
911 Blogger
Activists from truthaction.org have obtained the official guest list for Bohemian Grove’s 2008 midsummer encampment along with a map of the Grove’s facilities. According to the guest list, this year’s attendees include George H. W. Bush, David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and several former CIA directors. Also attending are two members of the Grateful Dead, one of whom is camping with the elder Bush. During an action at the entrance of the elite retreat, several 9/11 truth information packs were accepted by Bohemian Grove campers and taken into the grove, including one by former CIA Director James Woolsey’s bunkmate.
The Bohemian Grove, located in the small town of Monte Rio in Sonoma County, California is notorious for its annual summer retreats for the rich and powerful during which participants kick back, relax and enjoy a simulated child sacrifice called ’Cremation of Care’. The Grove is strictly off-limits to the uninvited and much effort is made to maintain secrecy. Workers at the retreat must sign a comprehensive confidentiality agreement and the entrance to the 2,700 acre getaway is guarded not only by private security but also the local Sheriff’s department, at taxpayers expense.
This year, 9/11 truth activists have been a regular presence at the entrance to the Grove during the two week event, talking to many of the workers coming in and out and also to several of the campers. A number of workers have expressed profound gratitude for the presence and message of the activists and at least one elite camper displayed a seemingly genuine interest in the 9/11 truth materials he was given, stopping to talk for awhile and revealing that he was camping with a former CIA director before heading back into the Grove with his infopack.
Bohemian Grove 2008 Guest List REVEALED
http://truthaction.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3873
2008 Bohemian Grove Guest List Obtained By 9/11 Truth Activists
http://www.infowars.net/articles/july2008/210708Grove.htm
SF Truth Action Visits the Bohemian Club
Vanity Fair writer arrested for sneaking into Bohemian Grove
http://www.prisonplanet.com/vanity-f..-for-sneaking-into-bohemian-grove.html
Bush, McCain & Obama To Visit Bohemian Grove?
http://noworldsystem.com/2008/07/13/bus..obama-to-visit-bohemian-grove/
Anti-Gay Republican Caught Being Gay, McCain Hides
Filed under: 2008 Election, homosexual, homosexual prostitution, John McCain, neocons, scandal, Sex Scandal
McCain Campaign Quickly Scrubs Website of References to Its Allegedly Outed Alabama Campaign Chair
The John McCain campaign scrubbed its website today to remove all references to its Alabama campaign chairman, Attorney General Troy King.
King, who has frequently made homophobic statements, including calling gays the “downfall of society,” is the subject of rumors that his wife recently discovered him having sex with another man.
King, who is known for extremist views on religion and who has frequently made homophobic statements, including calling gays the “downfall of society,” is the subject of rumors that his wife recently discovered him having sex with another man.
Anti-Gay Republican Attorney General Caught Being Gay
http://wonkette.com/40101..-general-caught-being-gay
Filed under: 2-party system, 2008 Election, Alan Greenspan, Alex Jones, amnesty, Barack Obama, bilderberg, Bohemian Grove, Bush Sr., California, Child Abuse, child sex slavery, Colin Powell, David Rockefeller, franklin coverup, George Bush, global elite, global government, Globalism, Henry Kissinger, homosexual, homosexual prostitution, Illegal Immigration, Immigration, International Bankers, internationalists, jeff gannon, john decamp, John McCain, La Raza, left right paradigm, manhattan project, Mexico, neocons, Neolibs, New World Order, obama, paul bonacci, richard nixon, Ronald Reagan, san fransisco, scandal, secret meetings, Secret Societies, Sex Scandal, Tony Blair, trilateral commission, White House | Tags: effigy, human sacrifice, molech, moloch, owl
Outgoing President George W. Bush and both of his presumptive replacements John McCain and Barack Obama are rumored to be in attendance at this year’s Bohemian Grove gathering, an annual get-together of the global elite staged inside a sprawling forest encampment which kicks off tonight and runs until July 27.
Bohemian Grove is a 136-year-old all-male encampment complete with restaurants, bars, stages and lodges, which caters to around 2,000 members of the global elite along with Californian hoi polloi on a yearly basis in July. The camp is set within a 2,700 acre secluded forest replete with giant redwood trees.
Former attendees include Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, who both went on to become President, as well as regulars like Henry Kissinger, Alan Greenspan, David Rockefeller, Colin Powell, as well as George W. Bush and his father.
In 2000 radio host and film maker Alex Jones infiltrated the gathering and caught exclusive video footage of a bizarre mock human sacrifice ritual, known as “the cremation of care”, under a 40 foot stone owl that the members refer to as Molech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_PAqT2JZOw
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TrZ1B38TH6k
Alex Jones discusses the shocking footage he obtained during his 2000 infiltration of the Grove.
Homosexual orgies are known to be part of the festivities enjoyed by the predominately “Christian conservative” leaders who go there. Former attendee Richard Nixon once referred to the Grove as, “the most faggy goddamned thing you could ever imagine.”
A reader who got a summer job working at the Grove in 2005, Chris Jones, told us that he was regularly propositioned for sex by the old men attending the encampment and asked if he “slept around” and wanted to have some fun.
Jones was later sentenced to three years in jail by California authorities for simply showing a tape of his visit to minors.
However, the media’s attitude to hundreds of powerbrokers attending an event at which the Manhattan Project was known to have been born, while frolicking around dressed up as women pissing up trees and having gay sex, has been sophomoric to say the least.
One such hit piece in the Sacramento News & Review, which ties the Grove as well as public organizations such as the Bilderberg Group and the Trilateral Commission with shape-shifting reptoid conspiracies, is useful for only one piece of information – the claim that Presidential hopeful John McCain may be attending this year’s gathering.
George W. Bush and his father give a lakeside talk at Bohemian Grove in this photo from the Grove’s annual yearbook.
In addition, according to an Arizona Daily Star report about a different subject, President Bush’s schedule for next week has not been released, meaning Bush, a regular attendee with his father to Bohemian Grove in past years, could be set to make a visit at some point to mark the last year of his presidency.
Tellingly, both McCain and Democratic candidate Barack Obama will be in California from Saturday to Tuesday, during which time both candidates are scheduled to speak at the National Council of La Raza, a racist Mexican separatist group that advocates a violent overthrow of the southwestern U.S. states.
Their schedule puts them in the perfect location to enjoy a night at the Grove this weekend.
Two years ago we were able to accurately surmise then British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s visit to the Grove, which coincided with a visit to San Francisco where he met with powerbrokers.
Thus far, there has only been one other mainstream report concerning the event, an article entitled Power brokers due at Bohemian Grove, appearing in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, a local paper that routinely covers the gathering.
“Critics, who until recent years mounted protests outside its gates, say the gatherings serve as strategy sessions for a New World Order operating outside democratic institutions,” states the article.
“Most critics raise the specter of national policy with global implications coming from behind the gates of an exclusive, closed-door gathering of largely conservative, wealthy white men.”
Bohemian Club Convenes Tonight – Ends July 27, 2008
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/ar..e=Bohemian_Club_convenes_tonight
Bohemian Grove White Wash Piece
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=690215
Power brokers due at Bohemian Grove
http://www.pressdemocrat.com..ers_due_at_Boho_Grove
Man Claims Drug Use & Oral Sex With Obama
Filed under: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Bloggers, cocaine, crack, DNC, global elite, homosexual prostitution, House, jeff rense, Larry Craig, male escort, minnesota, Neolibs, obama, Senate, Sex Scandal, war on drugs, Washington D.C., webster tarpley, White House
Editor’s note: The accompanying YouTube video contains sexual language that some will consider offensive. The article itself contains material that is inappropriate for children.
Larry Sinclair accuses Barack Obama of homosexual acts and drug use in video posted on YouTube
WASHINGTON – The electrifying presidential campaign of Barack Obama faces a new challenge – a Minnesota man who claims he took cocaine in 1999 with the then-Illinois legislator and participated in homosexual acts with him.
When his story was ignored by the news media, Larry Sinclair made his case last month in a YouTube video, which has now been viewed more than a quarter-million times. And when it was still ignored by the media, Sinclair filed a suit in Minnesota District Court, alleging threats and intimidation by Obama’s staff.
Sinclair, who says he is willing to submit to a polygraph test to validate his claims, will now get his chance – thanks to a website offering $10,000 for the right to record it and $100,000 to Sinclair if he passes.
“My motivation for making this public is my desire for a presidential candidate to be honest,” Sinclair told WND by telephone. “I didn’t want the sex thing to come out. But I think it is important for the candidate to be honest about his drug use as late as 1999.”
Sinclair, who lives in Duluth and describes himself as “gay,” claims he “personally engaged in sexual activity and personally used illegal drugs in November 1999” with the man who is now the leading Democratic presidential candidate. He claims the activity took place in the back of Sinclair’s limousine and occurred again, later, in his hotel. Sinclair also says he personally no longer uses drugs.
In his lawsuit, filed last week, he charges his civil rights have been violated by Obama and the Democratic Party. Named as defendants in the case are the presidential candidate, David Axelrod of AKP Message and Media in Chicago and the Democratic National Committee.
Sinclair charges Obama smoked crack cocaine in the limo while Sinclair snorted powdered cocaine provided by the legislator. He says the two met in an upscale Chicago lounge before leaving in Sinclair’s limousine where the drug use and sex took place for the first time.
Sinclair says he is a registered Democrat but has never voted for any candidate. He is 46 and claims to be physically disabled.
He says he was not physically impaired in 1999 when the alleged incidents with Obama took place.
Calls placed to the Obama campaign were not returned.
See Larry Sinclair’s allegations:
Webster Tarpley Reports on Larry Sinclair
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6sy61ASW6k
Obama accuser has long rap sheet
Larry Sinclair Gets Arrested
http://www.roguegovernment.com/news.php?id=10094
Pro Obama Bloggers Get Sinclair Arrested
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/06/a-campaign-firs.html
Larry Sinclair, Obama’s Accuser, Tries To ’Produce Evidence’ At National Press Club
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/256352
Dominatrice Who Claimed to Have S&M Sex with Bush Is Said to Be Missing
Filed under: George Bush, GOP, homosexual prostitution, Leola McConnell, neocons, Sex Scandal, Victor Ashe, Washington D.C., White House
“In 1984 I watched George W. Bush enthusiastically and expertly perform a homosexual act on another man, one Victor Ashe,” -Leola McConnell
Jon Ponder
Leola McConnell, the former dominatrice and militant for civil equality for people of all sexual orientations — who claimed in her memoir, “Lustful Utterances,” to have had S&M sex with George Bush in the 1980s — is feared by friends to be missing, according to this report:
“I hide from no man. I fear no mortal man of flesh and blood, regardless of the title he wears.”
–Leola McConnell
Several people who regularly communicate with her have told us they have not heard from her in a few weeks, and attempts by us to reach her have been unsuccessful to date. McConnell had told friends recently that she was growing increasingly concerned that her allegations about politicos who had used her services would somehow cause her harm.
Ominously, in a defiant email last spring, McConnell wrote:
A recent article in a tabloid newspaper, The Globe, claimed I was in hiding in fear for my life.
Well, I hide from no man. I fear no mortal man of flesh and blood, regardless of the title he wears.
McConnell also claims to have firsthand knowledge that Bush had an affair in the mid-1980s with Victor Ashe, the former mayor of Knoxville, Tenn., who has served as the Bush’s ambassador to Poland since 2004.
In an article about McConnell’s book last month, I wrote, “What is evident is that McConnell has no hard copy evidence that she whipped the future president and called him bad names. Proof of this: She is neither fabulously wealthy and quiet nor dead.”
I hope I was wrong — on all counts.
Bush Homosexual Allegations Resurface In New Book
http://www.prisonplanet.com/…osexual_allegations.htm
FLASHBACK: Woman who filed lawsuit against Bush found dead
http://www.fortbendstar.com/Archives/2003_4q/122403….ead.htm
Alleged Haggard Escort: ‘Sen. Craig Visited Me’
Filed under: George Bush, homosexual prostitution, Larry King, male escort, Mike Jones, Senate, Sex Scandal, Ted Haggard
KESQ News Channel 3
The male escort responsible for the downfall of Christian evangelist leader Ted Haggard is now alleging that embattled Senator Larry Craig also came to see him.
While promoting his new book during a radio interview with KNWQ-AM in Palm Springs Wednesday night, Mike Jones hesitated from making the allegation on the air.
Management for the radio station says Jones told them he would reveal something about Idaho Senator Larry Craig on the “Bulldog Bill Feingold Show.”
While he hesitated doing so on the air, a NewsChannel 3 camera was rolling when he made the accusation during a commercial break.
Feingold asked whether the Senator had seen Jones in a hotel room.
Jones responded, “No, he came to see me.”
Jones then added, “His travel records to Denver have been documented. That’s what I wanted to say.”
NewsChannel 3 asked Senator Craig’s office to comment on the allegations that Craig came to Denver to see Jones, who calls himself a gay escort.
Craig’s office said in response, “Mike Jones’ allegations are completely false.”
Christian evangelist Ted Haggard originally denied Jones’ allegations of sexual relations in 2006.
Haggard later stepped down from his national leadership post and his New Life Church in Colorado.
Jones is not alleging that he has had sex with Senator Craig but that he is alleging the senator came to see him.
“One of the things I was good at was figuring out what people did for a living when they came to see me by things they said or their actions,” Jones said on-air Wednesday night.
“So be in a position where you have to guess what people did for a living, occupation-wise. Someone comes in to you and the first question they say to you is ‘do you follow politics?’ and you would say, ‘yes’. ‘Oh.’ ‘the weather is cold outside, isn’t it? What would you think that person is involved with?
“I will just tell you a gentleman came in and said that exact thing to me.
“Did he look similar to Senator Craig?” Feingold asked.
“I’ve been with many politicians and all I can tell you is for a fact, that Larry Craig is a hypocrite.”
Senator Craig’s office also added “clearly anyone can make an accusation absent of details that would be easy to refute.”
NewsChannel 3 has contacted Jones for additional explanation of his allegation and reaction to Senator Craig’s denials.
Bombshell From Mike Jones: “Larry Craig Visited Me”
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/200….l-from-mike-jones-larry-craig.html
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articl….7_homosexual_allegations.htm
Larry Craig – Bathroom Bust Tapes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvOPwj-7utg
Sen. Larry Craig to resign
Craig’s Arresting Officer: “Embarrassing, embarrassing. No wonder why we’re going down the tubes.”
Keith Olbermann – Larry Craig Reenactment
Larry Craig Pervert Scandal Is Tip Of The Iceberg
Alan Greenspan’s Role in US Dollar Collapse
Filed under: 2-party system, Alan Greenspan, Alex Jones, Bank of England, Big Banks, Bohemian Grove, central bank, Child Abuse, child sex slavery, DEBT, Dyncorp, Economic Collapse, economic depression, Economy, engineered recession, Federal Reserve, Fema Camps, George Bush, global elite, Globalism, Greenback, halliburton, Hillary Clinton, homosexual prostitution, imf, Inflation, International Bankers, John Atchison, liquidation, neocons, New World Order, Police State, Sex Scandal, War On Terror, White House
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MMLozhEYPA
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The aims of the IWB
Achieving our aims
Project and campaign selection
Bond purchase scheme
Using your Wildlife Points
’Captive’ Lions – DEA Fails to Answer Questions Fully
Stephen Wiggins 21st August 2017 Article 18 Comments
Campaign Against Canned Hunting
Petition: “Stop the exploitation of captive bred lions and the export of lion bones!“
Let’s start with a working definition of ‘science:’
“Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence” – Science Council
Furthermore, ‘science’ is not static, but is based on the best available evidence and should be impartial to politics, or wedded (biased) to any theoretical dogma – credible ‘science’ is impartial.
“Speaking as a scientist, cherry picking evidence is unacceptable…..when public figures abuse scientific argument…..to justify policies that they want to implement for other reasons, it debases scientific culture” – Stephen Hawking
So, in response to questions raised (NW750, June 2017) by Mr P Van Dalen to the Minister, Department: Environmental Affairs (DEA), May 2017, we have some insight into the DEA’s ‘thinking.’
Q.1 – “How was the proposed quota of 800 lion skeletons established?”
In response, the DEA tells us that:
“The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) reviewed available information regarding the export of lion bones, lion skeletons and captive produced lion hunting trophies from South Africa between 2005 and September 2016. Based on the CITES trade database information and two studies, (i) Bones of Contention: An assessment of South African trade in African lion bone and other body parts and (ii) Southern African Wildlife trade: an analysis of CITES trade in the South African Development Community (SADC) region – a study commissioned by the Department of Environmental Affairs and the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Scientific Authority recommended an export quota of 800 skeletons per year. The Scientific Authority considered the recommendation by SANBI, and the comments were received by the Department of Environmental Affairs and made a recommendation to the Minister, relating to the final quota.”
So let’s take a look and see if there is any further enlightenment to be gained as to why “800 skeletons” and not 500, 400, or indeed no quota was recommended.
The two reports referenced by the DEA in its response are:
Report 1`
“Bones of Contention: An assessment of South African trade in African lion bone and other body parts[1]“
This 2015 report by WildCRU/TRAFFIC is a detailed analysis of the ‘legal’ trade, the corruption and the illicit profiteering, some key points of note:
a. “There appears to be a growing trade in Tigers and their parts and products from South Africa, and there have been calls for more transparency on the matter. An emerging concern is that Tiger bones from South Africa may be laundered as Lion bones using CITES Appendix II (instead of Appendix I) permits. Limitations in the South African legislation applying to endangered exotic animals have made it possible for an unregulated domestic trade in Tigers.”
Update – “Exposure of big cat slaughterhouse shows scrutiny of South Africa’s tiger farms is long overdue,” Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), 29 November 2018
b. “In South Africa, the trade in Lion bones currently has a negligible impact on wild Lion populations. The trade in bones appears to be a sustainable by-product of the sizeable trophy hunting industry in South Africa, and Lions that are hunted are almost exclusively captive-bred. There are few records of wild-hunting and poaching in the country, especially at a level that could supply the sizeable bone trade. The impact of the bone trade on wild Lion populations outside of South Africa, however, has yet to be determined” – but recent evidence (August 2017) suggest this latter threat, might be manifesting as the ‘trade’ develops. In fact some countries have taken pre-emptive action to try to deter the likely onset of wild lion poaching in the wake of South Africa’s “800 skeletons” quota – in July 2017, Namibia, introduced a N$1m fine/10 year jail term for possessing lion bones (with proposals to increase this to a potential N$15m/15 year jail term for illegal possession of wildlife products).
“Southern Africa wildlife trade – An analysis of CITES trade in South African Development Community (SADC) countries [2]”
This 2016 report reads like a company report and account, of units shifted, cash-flow and profits.
However, neither of these reports specifically considers any ‘captive’ lion skeleton quota implementation and/or makes specific recommendations on such a quota. Both reports pre-date the CITES CoP17, Sept – Oct 2016 gathering that facilitated an “Annual export quotas for trade in bones, bone pieces, bone products, claws, skeletons, skulls and teeth for commercial purposes, derived from captive breeding operations in South Africa will be established and communicated annually to the CITES Secretariat.”
Conclusions on the “800 Skeletons” quota
It still remains opaque how the SANBI formed its recommendation. Where is the SANBI’s actual, documented recommendation encompassing the justification and the ‘science’ behind its “800 skeletons” recommendation?
Perhaps, the “800″ is based purely on the past trade history of lion skeleton exports from South Africa’s ‘captive’/’canned’ lion hunting/bone industry. Based upon the CITES trade database, South Africa exported 4,901 lion “skeletons” and “bodies” between 2008 and 2016 (so an average of 612 per year). Is the DEA’s/SANBI’s recommendation based purely on the wedded (not impartial ‘science’) notion/theory that such ‘sustainable utilisation’ “must” be helping wild lions and tigers survive?
In the DEA’s 28 June 2017 media statement “Lion export quota for 2017 communicated to the CITES Secretariat in line with CITES requirements,” the DEA referenced a 2015 study by TRAFFIC:
“A 2015 study commissioned by TRAFFIC [“Bones of Contention“] raised concerns around the shift in lion and tiger bone trade; namely that when the trade in tiger bone was banned; the trade shifted and bones were sourced from South Africa, available as a by-product of the hunting of captive bred lions.”
“South Africa reiterates its concern that if the trade in bones originating from captive bred lion is prohibited, lion bones may be sourced illegally from wild lion populations.”
The DEA’s/lion bone industry’s hypocrisy is astounding:
The South African lion breeders themselves sought to establish a trade in lion bones/skeletons from 2008[1, page 7 – 10] as a by-product of the ‘canned’ lion hunting industry (with the DEA’s blessing). The DEA now lists this very lion bone/skeleton trade as a potential threat for wild lion populations as justification for perpetuating “…the trade in bones originating from captive bred lion.”
So, if the DEA thinks there is a threat to wild lion populations from the captive lion bone/skeleton trade, how can the DEA’s “800 skeletons” quota be proven by the DEA (with true ‘science,’ not an impartial belief in ‘sustainable utilisation’) at this very moment as not detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild as required by CITES?:
CITES Article IV states:
” ………an export permit shall only be granted for an Appendix II species [The African lion is currently Appendix II listed] when a Scientific Authority of the State of export has advised that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species“
The DEA is also under the delusion that the trade in tiger bones has subsided because of the 2007 (CoP14) CITES “ban” (decision 14.69), so must be compensated for by South Africa’s lion bone/skeleton trade. However:
The 2015 “Bones of Contention“ report[1, page 7 – 10] cited by the DEA suggests South Africa was/is still supplying tiger bones/parts.
The 2017, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), “The Lion’s Share[5]“suggests there are more than 6,000 tigers held in captive breeding facilities in China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to supply tiger bones to the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) industry (more than in 2008 when CITES’s “ban” guidance was supposed to be implemented), plus South Africa’s exportation of tiger parts.
“The Lion’s Share[5]“- Environmental Investigation Agency, July 2017
“Asia’s massive unchecked demand for skins, bones, teeth and claws continues to drive poaching of wild tigers. This demand is exacerbated by the supply of huge volumes of African lion bone, teeth and claws, sold as tiger parts to less-discerning consumers in Asia[5]“
“South Africa allows lion and tiger farming for commercial trade in parts and derivatives……in 2015, 280 tigers were estimated to be in at least 44 facilities in South Africa[1],[5]“
It must be that South Africa’s ‘captive’ lion bone/skeleton exports are supplementing, not replacing any diminished supply of tiger bones/parts – CITES’ “ban” has failed, but the DEA wishes to think otherwise to try to justify perpetuating the ‘captive’ lion bone/skeleton trade.
What does the SANBI’s recommendation say on the potential continent wide threat to wild lion and wild tiger species in Asia by perpetuating the demand for these species for TCM? These issues were not examined in the referenced reports “Bones of Contention: An assessment of South African trade in African lion bone and other body part[1]“ and/or “Southern Africa wildlife trade – An analysis of CITES trade in South African Development Community (SADC) countries[2]” and/or the 2015 “Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) for the lion (Panthera leo) in South Africa[6].”
“Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) for the lion (Panthera leo) in South Africa[6]” – (last sentence, para 3.8, page 28) says “The impact of the lion bone trade on wild lion populations outside of SA however has yet to be determined.”
The DEA has proposed a 3 year SANBI study to look into the effects of the lion bone/skeleton trade:
“The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) has initiated a study aimed at increasing the understanding of the lion bone trade in South Africa and the captive lion breeding industry.”
If an SANBI study is needed on the impacts of the current lion bone trade, if the potential effects on wild species is not fully understood, if the DEA suggests that without a “800 skeletons” quota there is potentially a risk to wild lion/tiger populations, where is the DEA’s/SANBI’s impartial ‘science’ that proves any of it and impartially justifies any “quota” as a risk mitigating ‘science’ (not a hypothesis based on a wedded devotion to ‘sustainable utilisation’)? If the SANBI has proof of the conservation purpose of the lion bone trade/captive bred lion breeding, then this of course would contradict the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) [7] when the IUCN concluded in September 2016:
“the prohibition by the South African Government on the capture of wild lions for breeding or keeping in captivity” and “terminating the hunting of captive-bred lions (Panthera leo) and other predators and captive breeding for commercial, non-conservation purposes.”
So again we ask, where is the SANBI’s actual, documented recommendation encompassing the justification and the ‘science’ behind its “800 skeletons” recommendation?
Q.2 – “What are the proposed amendments to Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS) regulations, 2007 to reinstate lions as a “listed large predator?””
In the DEA’s response to question NW750, it is hinted by the DEA that lion (Panthera leo) will be reintroduced as a “listed large predator,” thereby enjoying the protection of TOPS sub-regulation 24.(1) and (2) protection. TOPS subregulation 24.(2) prohibit the hunting of a “listed large predator” unless it:
a) has been rehabilitated in an extensive wildlife system; and
b) has been fending for itself in an extensive wildlife system for at least twenty four months.
In May 2007, the then South African Predator Breeder Association (PBA) (the body advocating for big cat/lion breeders, now superseded by the South African Predator Association (SAPA)) challenged the Minster’s (DEA’s) proposed inclusion of the lion (Panthera leo) in TOPS Regulations.
The PBA cited[1] the potentially prohibitive costs of any 24 month obligation to rewild their captive stock i.a.w. TOPS Regulation.
“The applicants sought to overturn the decision to prohibit activities listed in Section 24 of TOPS involving listed large predators applying to Lions on the grounds that this self-sustaining period would put an end to the hunting industry and make it financially unviable for them. An initial judgement in June 2009 found that the 24-month self-sustaining period was not unreasonable and could be practically implemented and that it would not necessarily result in an end to the hunting industry” [1]
Whilst this court case was proceeding, in January 2008 the DEA temporarily suspended the listing of Panthera leo as a “listed large predator” under TOPS Regulations. However, Panthera leo was not removed from the list of threatened or protected species, so the protections of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA)[3] (including exports) still remained applicable to lions.
Upon appeal to the South African Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), the SCA ruled (Case No. 72/10, 29 November 2010) of its own volition, “mero motu,” that ‘since no captive bred lions have ever been released back into the wild, then lion farming had nothing to do with conservation.’ Therefore, in the SCA’s view, the Environment Minster had no jurisdiction to impose welfare restrictions on what was essentially being declared animal ‘farming’ and TOPS Regulations could not be applied:
“It is declared that the inclusion of lion (panthera leo) within the definition of “listed large predator” in the definition in regulation 1 of the Threatened or Protected Species Regulations published on 23 February 2007 as amended, would have the effect of rendering regulation 24(2) in its current form, invalid in so far as it applies to a “put and take” animal that is a lion” – DEA response to questions raised (NW750, June 2017)
Where;
A “put and take animal” means a live specimen of a captive bred “listed large predator” that is released on a property irrespective of the size of the property for the purpose of hunting the animal within a period of twenty four months – TOPS definition
Conclusions on TOPS
So, the question remains, how will the DEA reintroduce the lion (Panthera leo) into TOPS Regulations as a “listed large predator” that does not conflict with the SCA’s ruling? The DEA has not made its proposed TOPS amendments on this issue public (yet, but clarity is being sought directly from the DEA as to when this might happen).
Update: TOPS revisions (Gazette 38600, 31 March 2015) includes lion (Panthera leo) under the definition of a “listed large predator,” but any 24 month rewilding obligation for a “listed large predator” has been removed from (“Permits“), Regulation 24 (“Compulsory conditions applicable to captive breeding facilities….”). Instead, under Chapter 7, Regulation 71 the restrictions (and exemptions) for hunting lions (wild and captive) are given (but no rewilding!).
The DEA’s 2015 “Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) for the lion (Panther leo) in South Africa,[6] ” defines three distinct lion categories:
“Wild Lions” – “completely fulfil their role in biodiversity processes and are largely unmanaged, and exist only in formally proclaimed national parks and game reserves. Conservationists do not actively manipulate vital rates and lion demographics.”
“Managed Wild Lions” -“include all lions that have been re-introduced into smaller fenced reserves (<1000km2), and are managed to limit population growth and maintain genetic diversity. Managers actively manipulate some vital rates and demographics.”
“Captive Lions” – “are bred exclusively to generate money. Managers actively manipulate all vital rates and demographics” – it is duly noted that any ‘conservation’ value is not stated, but the Biodiversity Management Plan acknowledges captive lions “are bred exclusively to generate money.”
Perhaps the DEA will say TOPS Regulation 24.(2) “listed large predators, lion (Panthera leo)” should not apply to “Captive Lions” that have no rewilding history – basically, “Captive Lions” somehow become a kind of sub-species separate from “Wild Lions” and/or rewilded captive bred “Managed Wild Lions” as far as “listed large predator lions (Panthera leo)” in TOPS is concerned – ie. it’s only a ‘real lion’ (Panthera leo) if it’s a “Wild Lion” and/or the lion has been rewilded from captive breeding as a “Managed Wild Lion.” If not, then it’s a “Captive Lion” and TOPS Subregulation 24.(2) will not apply, so “Captive Lions” will not be prohibited from being hunted under TOPS Subregulation 24.(1)(a).
The irony is, the SAPA will struggle to independently prove any conservation credentials for its members’ “Captive Lions” stock whilst “Captive Lions” are so defined under TOPS as ‘not real lions’ (Panthera leo). Therefore, the chances of exporting the SAPA members’ ‘canned’ lion trophies to the USA will remain restricted – until such time as the SAPA tries to self-approve some kind of rewilding exercise/Public Relations effort, or finally seeks to comply with the TOPS Subregulation 24.(2).(a) and (b) 24 months’ rewilding rulings (which the PBA/SAPA so vehemently resisted complying with of their own volition back in 2007, when the SAPA (PBA) still had the opportunity, which suggests there is no true, altruistic conservation ethos within the SAPA, but the ‘business model’ now dictates that they try to glean some conservation credibility).
Q.3 – “Since CITES decision in September 2016 to allow a captive lion skeleton quota, what are the numbers for October, November and December 2016?”
Update: Reference “The Extinction Business, South Africa’s ‘Lion’ Bone Trade,” EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading, July 2018 the conclusion is:
South Africa’s lion bone trade has “….created a situation where the legal trade in ‘lion’ bones is fuelling the illegal trade in lion and tiger bones and providing laundering opportunities for tiger bones in Asian markets.“
In the DEA’s response to question NW750, the following information (Table 1) was given and is compared with the CITES trade database* results obtained by independent interrogation.
Table 1 – Lion Skeletons Exported, October to December 2016
DEA Answer CITES Trade Database* (all trade terms)
October 2016 – 150 skeletons
November 2016 – 84 skeletons
December 2016 – 144 skeletons
Total – 378 skeletons 2016 Total – 6 skins, 2 skulls and 49 trophies
*The CITES trade database lists imports/exports under numerous trade terms (claws, skins, skulls, trophies, specimens etc.), so whole skeletons might not compare directly if the inputs are erroneous, plus there is a massive processing delay in the CITES trade database entries.
So, the DEA says 378 lion skeletons were exported October to December 2016, but CITES’ trade database lists no lion skeletons exported from South Africa for the entire 2016 period.
As an aside, in 2015, some 628 lion skeletons were exported from South Africa to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), 118 to Thailand, 208 to Vietnam (plus 618 “bodies”), 1 to Belgium and 3 to Denmark. “Bodies” is defined by CITES as “Substantially whole dead animals, including fresh or processed fish, stuffed turtles, preserved butterflies, reptiles in alcohol, whole stuffed hunting trophies, etc.” so I think we can assume the use of the trade term “bodies” has been used in the past to try to mask additional lion skeleton exports.
Between 2008 and 2016, South Africa exported 4,901 lion “skeletons” and “bodies” (all sources, wild and captive) – if one adds in “bones” to the CITES trade database search, the total leaps to 9,886, or 1,235 per year (where “bones” is defined as “bones, including jaws” – so is “bones” also used as another mask for whole skeleton exports perhaps?).
In response to an additional question, the DEA stated that “the provincial conservation departments are the issuing authorities for permits relating to the export to the private sector” and offered the following table of data.
Table 2 – DEA’s Province Issued Permits for Lion Skeleton Export
Province October 2016 November 2016 December 2016
GP 15 5 2
EC 0 0 0
NW 0 0 0
FS 0 0 0
NC 0 1 1
WC 0 0 0
LP 1 1 1
KZN 0 1 0
MP 0 0 0
Total 16 8 4
Conclusions on October to December 2016 lion skeleton exports
So, who is monitoring the South African’s captive lion skeletons exports at CITES, and the proposed “quota” that was sanctioned after CoP17 in October 2016? Why the discrepancy and lack of correlation in the DEA’s and CITES’ numbers (Table 1)? A reliable source has informed us that:
“South Africa doesn’t have to provide its 2016 CITES trade figures to the CITES Secretariat until 31 October 2017 and after that it will be many months before UNEP-WCMC fully upload them to the CITES trade database so, realistically and from previous experience, we’re well over a year away from having 2016 figures for South Africa on the CITES trade database that could be used for comparison purposes with any confidence.”
So, when it comes to the CITES trade database, it’s going to be of no short-term practical use in monitoring any semblance of compliance to South Africa’s “800 skeletons” quota.
At CITES CoP17, Decision 17.241 agreed many things regarding the African lion (Panthera leo), but of note is an obligation to:
“e) undertake studies on legal and illegal trade in lions, including lion bones and other parts and derivatives, to ascertain the origin and smuggling routes, in collaboration with TRAFFIC and/or other relevant organisations”
In response to questions raised, May 2017 on the lion bones trade in the European Parliament (E-002379-17 ):
“The [CITES] Secretariat will report to the CITES Standing Committee on this matter and the Commission will follow this question closely at the upcoming meetings of the Standing Committee in 2017 and 2018.”
The CITES Standing Committee met in Geneva in July 2017 and concluded with regard to Panthera leo (Decision 17.241):
“The Secretariat has not yet been able to secure external funding to start implementing the various elements of Decision 17.241″ – Twenty-ninth meeting of the Animals Committee Geneva (Switzerland), 18-22 July 2017, Panthera Leo, para 7
So when will this TRAFFIC led report for the CITES Secretariat even start, let alone report? Will this report expose (again) the corruption of tiger bones being illicitly exported under the guise of lion bones and other illicit activity?
It would seem (Tables 1 and 2) it only took 16 permits to export 150 lion skeletons in October 2016, it took 8 permits to export 84 skeletons in November 2016, and it took 4 permits to export 144 lion skeletons in December 2016 (or it took a total of some 28 permits to export 378 lion skeletons).
Without a further breakdown of where each lion skeleton, or batch of lion skeletons was exported and the source for each skeleton/batch, then the reassurance of ‘permits’ numbers issued is fairly meaningless to try and tally any coherent picture.
Q.4 – “Lion Bones and Tuberculosis (TB) Risk”
In another question (Question No. NW1581, raised by Mr N Singh, July 2017) to the Minister (DEA), concerning the human health issue of the transfer of Tuberculosis (TB) from lions to humans[4] [link to “Dying for a Myth” (PDF)], only a partial and wholly inadequate response was given.
The ‘captive’ lion breeding industry’s stock is not subject to regular TB testing and the whole arena of the ‘captive’ industry was not addressed in the Minster’s reply. So the question remains, how can it be known if the export of ‘captive’ lion bones/skeletons for human consumption are a hazard to human health? Or do we assume the Minister/DEA do not know, or wish to care about this potential human health hazard from lion bone/skeleton exports sanctioned by the DEA?
“I am therefore of the opinion that uncontrolled exposure of humans to bones from animals, in particular lion bones, poses a risk for development of the form of TB known as bovine TB in particular, although not necessarily being limited to this form of TB only” – Professor Paul van Helden[4], Director of the South African Medical Research Council’s Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology and Co-Director, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research
The Minster’s written reply suggests “the National Department for Agriculture [Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)] would be in a better position to respond.”
So where is the clarity that the ‘captive’ lion bones/skeletons being exported by South Africa do not carry TB organisms harmful to human health, and which department is responsible for checking the exports of lion bones/skeletons – the DEA, the DAFF, or the Provincial offices?
Letters to the Republic of South Africa Embassy, London
“‘800 Skeletons’ – ‘Captive’ Bred Lions Quota,” IWB, 11 July 2017
“‘Captive’ Bred Lions and the Tuberculosis (TB) Risk to Human Health,” IWB, 14 August 2017
“800 skeletons”- Captive lion export quota approved,” IWB, 28 June 2017
“Tiger Breeding in South Africa,” Don Pinnock, Daily Maverick, 23 April 2018
[1] “Bones of Contention: An assessment of South African trade in African lion bone and other body parts,” WildCRU/TRAFFIC, Macdonald et al., July 2015
[2] “Southern Africa wildlife trade – An analysis of CITES trade in South African Development Community (SADC) countries,” UNEP, July 2016
[3] National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA), 2004
[4] “Dying for a Myth,” Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH), June 2017
[5] “The Lion’s Share,” Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), July 2017
[6] “Biodiversity Management Plan for the lion (Panther leo) in South Africa,” DEA, Gazette 39468, Vol 606, 2 December 2015
[7] “009 – Terminating the hunting of captive-bred lions (Panthera leo) and other predators and captive breeding for commercial, non-conservation purposes,” International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Motion 009, September 2016
Canned Lion IndustryCaptive LionsDEADepartment Environmental AffairsEdna MolewaLion Bone TradeLion Skeleton QuotaSouth AfricaThe Campaign Against Canned HuntingTiger Bone WineTigers
Sharie Lomas
The transfer of TB from lion bones to humans is indeed scary. But it’s all about the money and sadly that’s how it is always going to be. I don’t believe that there is any “Science” that justifies the hunting of lions for body parts to send to Asian countries. That spiel IS fake news as DT would say ! MUMBO JUMBO. It is ALL ABOUT MAKING MONEY.
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Predicting cytotoxicity from heterogeneous data sources with Bayesian learning
Sarah R Langdon1,3,
Joanna Mulgrew2,
Gaia V Paolini1,4 &
Willem P van Hoorn1,5
Journal of Cheminformatics volume 2, Article number: 11 (2010) Cite this article
We collected data from over 80 different cytotoxicity assays from Pfizer in-house work as well as from public sources and investigated the feasibility of using these datasets, which come from a variety of assay formats (having for instance different measured endpoints, incubation times and cell types) to derive a general cytotoxicity model. Our main aim was to derive a computational model based on this data that can highlight potentially cytotoxic series early in the drug discovery process.
We developed Bayesian models for each assay using Scitegic FCFP_6 fingerprints together with the default physical property descriptors. Pairs of assays that are mutually predictive were identified by calculating the ROC score of the model derived from one predicting the experimental outcome of the other, and vice versa. The prediction pairs were visualised in a network where nodes are assays and edges are drawn for ROC scores >0.60 in both directions. We observed that, if assay pairs (A, B) and (B, C) were mutually predictive, this was often not the case for the pair (A, C). The results from 48 assays connected to each other were merged in one training set of 145590 compounds and a general cytotoxicity model was derived. The model has been cross-validated as well as being validated with a set of 89 FDA approved drug compounds.
We have generated a predictive model for general cytotoxicity which could speed up the drug discovery process in multiple ways. Firstly, this analysis has shown that the outcomes of different assay formats can be mutually predictive, thus removing the need to submit a potentially toxic compound to multiple assays. Furthermore, this analysis enables selection of (a) the easiest-to-run assay as corporate standard, or (b) the most descriptive panel of assays by including assays whose outcomes are not mutually predictive. The model is no replacement for a cytotoxicity assay but opens the opportunity to be more selective about which compounds are to be submitted to it. On a more mundane level, having data from more than 80 assays in one dataset answers, for the first time, the question - "what are the known cytotoxic compounds from the Pfizer compound collection?" Finally, having a predictive cytotoxicity model will assist the design of new compounds with a desired cytotoxicity profile, since comparison of the model output with data from an in vitro safety/toxicology assay suggests one is predictive of the other.
A 2003 study estimated the cost of the research and development of a drug up to the pre-approval point to be over 800 million US dollars [1]. Toxicity is the reason behind the withdrawal of over 90% of drugs from the market and the failure of a third of drugs in phase I-III clinical trials [2]. Because of the huge cost in researching and developing a new drug, pharmaceutical companies want to minimise the number of failures in clinical trials and the number of withdrawals from the market. One way to minimise the number of failures is to ensure drugs are not toxic before they reach clinical trials. This is done by screening compounds for toxicity in the early stages of drug discovery and understanding the mechanisms of toxicity to avoid designing toxic drugs in the first place.
The general toxicity testing pipeline in the pharmaceutical industry begins with in vitro toxicology screening followed by in vivo studies [3]. The majority of mandatory non-clinical toxicity investigations are in vivo [4]. Preclinical in vivo studies are used to determine potential adverse effects of drugs, estimate safety margins [5], understand mechanisms of toxicity and decide if compounds should be eliminated from the development process [6]. At the moment no in vitro test for acute oral toxicity has been approved by regulatory agencies to be sufficient evidence to allow commencement of clinical trials [4]. However, there are two mandatory in vitro studies, genotoxicity and hERG assays, that must be carried out before clinical trials can commence.
In order to use in vivo and in vitro methods, compounds must have already been synthesised and available in sufficient quantities. Moreover, the experimental methods are time consuming and costly. For the time being it is a requirement that in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies are carried out on all drug candidates before they reach clinical trials. Development of a predictive model allows in-silico screening of compounds in virtual libraries, i.e. before any compounds are actually made.
In vitro cytotoxicity assays are often run in parallel to primary cell-based activity screens in order to identify hits that only appear to be active because of their cytotoxic effects [7, 8]. These cytotoxicity assays are usually run to triage compounds which appear active in a cell-based primary assay against a target of interest. The choice of cytotoxicity assay is not restrictive, with some scientists choosing to re-use an assay from a previous project, while others opt for the newest cytotoxicity assay kits on the market. Cytotoxicity assays may be run against cell lines from different species (e.g. human, mouse, rat) and/or different cell types (e.g. skin, neuronal, liver). The choice of cell line and/or species may be aligned to those used in the primary target assay or be more comparable to the in vitro toxicology assay which it precedes. Assay methodologies vary widely (e.g. measurements of mitochondrial activity, ATP concentrations, and membrane integrity) but the basic principle is to assess cell viability and/or proliferation. Endpoint detection methods are similarly diverse, e.g. luminescence, absorbance or fluorescence. Finally, the period of cell incubation with compound varies from 2 hours in acute studies to several days in some long term antiviral assays. Again the length of incubation time may be selected simply to parallel that of the primary assay.
The aim of this project was to develop a computational model which could be used to generate a general "cytotoxicity score". This could then be used as a service to alert when a new synthesis is similar to a known cytotoxic compound, and/or as a tool to give an indication of compound cytotoxicity. To make this model as generally applicable as possible we tried to maximise the coverage of chemical space in the training set by merging data from multiple assays. We see a general cytotoxicity model as crucial in early stages of drug discovery when typically chemical series are pursued for which little cytotoxicity data is available and therefore no opportunity exists to build a more accurate series-specific model. Users could then access more information to include cell line, species, compound dose and incubation time details - and use this to triage their data further. Finally, we plan to collaborate with safety colleagues to be able to identify the cytotoxicity assays which are the best predictors of in vitro and clinical toxicity. This would provide the potential to reduce compound attrition since series with cytotoxic characteristics which track with known toxicology profiles would not be pursued.
Predicting toxicity is a challenging task because of the complex biological mechanisms behind it. The results of in vivo studies can be used to validate in vitro studies [9]. As long as the in vitro methods used to generate the data are successful at predicting in vivo outcomes, then the in silico models built with that data should be able to closely mimic the results of in vivo studies [9]. In this project, data from in vitro experiments will be used alongside Bayesian learning to predict the cytotoxicity of compounds.
There are several examples of predicting cytotoxicity from in vitro data in the literature, including the use of neural networks [10], random forests [11], decision trees and linear least squares [12]. The last example successfully predicts general cytotoxicity using in vitro results from 59 different cell lines. In this work we will attempt to predict general cytotoxicity using in vitro data gathered using many different assay formats, we will also compare our work with Guha and Schürer's random forests, as we can reproduce their models using our own methods and the same publicly available datasets.
Bayesian learning is a popular and mature machine learning method that can be used to classify molecules in two sets e.g. active/inactive or toxic/non-toxic. It has many applications in the pharmaceutical industry including modelling biological activity [13–15], such as kinase inhibitors [16] and hERG blockers [17, 18], enriching high throughput screening (HTS) data [19, 20] & docking results [21], predicting combinatorial library protocols [22] and describing compound similarity [23]. Bayesian learning is used in this paper because of its speed, safety with respect to over-fitting and its ability for handling noisy data. The speed of Bayesian learning scales linearly with the number of compounds, making it a fast and efficient technique. No pre-selection of descriptors is required prior to learning as only those descriptors that correlate with activity will have a great effect on learning and unimportant descriptors will not lead to over-fitting. This also means that Bayesian learning performs well with noisy data, as is the case in this study which has a large amount of primary assay data and an expected high number of false positives and negatives.
Another advantage of Bayesian learning is that it does not require the active/inactive ratio in the training set to be balanced; instead, the assumption is that the ratio present in the training set is representative of the ratio in the set where predictions are to be made. Therefore pre-processing to derive a training set with balanced active/inactive data is not required.
We have used Bayesian learning with publicly available and in-house cytotoxicity assay data to predict the cytotoxicity of compounds.
We start by discussing the use of Bayesian learning to model cytotoxicity using publicly available data and the validation of these methods. Next we describe the application of these methods to a much larger Pfizer in-house data set collected from multiple different assays. Prediction networks, based on the ability of assay data to predict the results of other assays are generated and then used to select assay data suitable as a training set for a general cytotoxicity model.
Modelling Public Data
Two publicly available cytotoxicity datasets were downloaded from PubChem [24]: "Scripps" which contained a mixture of single point (percent inhibition) primary data and IC50 confirmation data and "NCGC" which contained only IC50 data [25]. These datasets have previously been used by Guha and Schürer to derive Random Forest models [11]. For each data set, two versions of Bayesian models have been built using different descriptors. The FCFP_6 models used FCFP_6 fingerprints, AlogP, number of hydrogen bond donors, number of hydrogen bond acceptors, number of rotational bonds and molecular fractional polar surface area as descriptors. The BCI models used BCI-1052 structural keys as descriptors, as used in the published Random Forest models [11]. We were not able to calculate the BCI fingerprints for all compounds therefore some compounds were left out (11 from the NCGC data, 33 from the Scripps IC50 data and 3800 from the Scripps percent inhibition data). For each model, the data set was split into 5 equal-sized random sets. The models were built on 4 of these sets (80% of the data) and tested with the remaining 20%. This process was repeated so that 5 models were built, each tested on the set that was left out of the training data. This is a technique known as 5-fold cross-validation. For each validation a receiver operating characteristic plot (ROC plot) and truth table were generated. The models' performance can be assessed from the average ROC plot and truth table for the 5 models.
Scripps IC50 Data
We built a Bayesian model with a potency cut-off of 5.5, in accordance with Guha and Schürer [11]. This means that all molecules with pIC50 > 5.5 were considered cytotoxic. A ROC plot charts the false positive rate of a model versus its true positive rate and represents the cost-benefit trade-off [26]. The area under the curve is the ROC score: the probability that the model will correctly identify an active molecule from a randomly selected pair consisting of an active and an inactive molecule. A perfect model will have a ROC score of 1 corresponding to 100% true positive (TP) rate, and 0% false positive (FP) rate, while a random model will have a ROC score of 0.5 as there is a 50% chance of correctly classifying the active molecule from the pair. In Figure 1 the ROC scores for the 5 fold validation of the Scripps FCFP and BCI models are shown. The average ROC scores and standard deviations in the ROC score for the FCFP_6 and BCI models are 0.70 ± 0.03 and 0.66 ± 0.05, respectively. These scores indicate the models are poorly predictive and show no clear advantage or disadvantage for using either descriptor. The truth tables and derived specificity/selectivity data in Tables 1 and 2 show that although the specificity is fairly high, the sensitivity is rather poor, suggesting that the cut off for cytotoxicity is too low. The published Random Forest model by Guha and Schürer performed comparably to the Bayesian model described here [11]. Their sensitivity of 0.56 is comparable to our BCI model at 0.53 ± 0.10, but the Random Forest model is better at predicting inactivity with a specificity of 0.80 compared to the value of 0.68 ± 0.03 we obtained. The Random Forest model has a ROC score of 0.73. This is higher than the average score achieved here (0.66 ± 0.05), although for one of our five sets a close score of 0.72 was obtained, this illustrates the need for multiple cross-validation. The results here show that the performance of a model depends on the training set, as different ROC scores were obtained for each of the 5 validations. If the Random Forest model had been cross-validated multiple times an average closer to ours may have been obtained.
Table 1 Truth table for 5-fold cross-validation of the Scripps IC50 FCFP_6 and BCI models
Table 2 Specificity and sensitivity of Scripps IC50 FCFP_6 and BCI models
ROC scores for the 5-fold cross validation of the Scripps IC50 FCFP_6 (left) and BCI (right) models. Minimum and maximum ROC scores are shown.
Scripps Percent Inhibition Data
In an attempt to increase the performance of their model, Guha and Schürer added 10,000 molecules classed as non-toxic from the Scripps percent inhibition data set to the IC50 training set [11]. The reasoning behind this was to emphasise the difference between the two classes. We used a similar approach to improve our model, but included the entire Scripps percent inhibition data set in the training set (59,780 measurements). The Scripps percent inhibition data came from two assays (PubChem AID 364 and 463). The cut-off value above which a compound was considered toxic was calculated by taking the the average percent inhibition of all compounds tested plus three times the standard deviation. This equates to 39% in assay 364 and 30% in assay 463. However, not all of these compounds were available for submission to the corresponding IC50 assay and therefore some less active compounds were submitted instead. Applying a cut-off to classify a compound as toxic or non-toxic is arbitrary. There is no expectation that the toxicity differs significantly between a compound with a percent inhibition just above the cut-off and one with a cut-off just below, especially when taking into account the experimental error. The optimal cut-off can be determined by the desire to see as few false positives as possible in the IC50 confirmation assay, for which there typically exists a resource constraint limiting the number of compounds that can be submitted. Choosing a high percent inhibition cut-off like mean plus three standard deviations will limit the number of hits and the false positives amongst them, thereby ensuring a large proportion of compounds will pass the confirmation assay. However, the cost of building a Bayesian model is independent on the cut-off, in fact the cost of model building is low enough that the optimal cut-off can be found by building multiple models and choosing the best model according to a predefined metric. This idea was suggested by David Rogers [27]. This method assumes that the actives found in the IC50 confirmation assays are the true actives that can be found in the entire data set. All 100 models with percent inhibition cut-offs ranging from 1 to 100 were built. For each model, the ROC score was calculated for predicting the toxic compounds found in the IC50 assay as positives (toxic) and all other compounds from the HTS as negatives (non-toxic). In Figure 2 the ROC score is plotted against the percent inhibition cut-off. The optimum cut-off is 29% (ROC 0.89) for the FCFP_6 model and 28% (ROC 0.77) for the BCI model. This is close to the cut-off of 30% that was applied in assay 463, which is not surprising since this assay contributed ~17 times as many measurements as assay 364. However, the curves in Figure 2 are nearly flat; a similarly predictive model can be obtained using any cut-off between ~10% and ~80%. This was also observed previously by Rogers, who speculated that this could be used to exploit structure-activity relationships (SAR) that exist mostly or entirely in the region of low (below the cut-off) percent inhibition. Bayesian modelling is biased towards compound sets displaying clear SAR, i.e. actives that are part of a series of chemically similar compounds. By lowering the cut-off many random false positives will be included but, as long as enough additional members of the various SAR series are added, the model will improve or at least not deteriorate. The mean percent inhibition of all 59780 measurements was 1.2% with a standard deviation of 9.8%. The lower viable cut-off for toxicity (10%) is therefore close to just one standard deviation from the mean. The FCFP_6 models clearly outperform the BCI models, which is not unexpected since the FCFP_6 fingerprints contain far more features than the BCI fingerprints and the FCFP_6 models were built using additional physical property descriptors.
ROC score and percent inhibition cut-off for toxicity while training a Bayesian model. Each point represents a different model. The ROC scores are calculated using all compounds from the percent inhibition data set with actives defined as pIC50 > 5.5
In Tables 3 and 4 the results are presented when the Scripps percent inhibition models derived with optimised cut-offs are applied to the IC50 data set. Models were derived from percent inhibition data and evaluated using IC50 data as in Table 1.
Table 3 Truth table for Scripps percent inhibition FCFP_6 and BCI models.
Table 4 Specificity and sensitivity of Scripps percent inhibition FCFP_6 and BCI models
The prediction accuracy of cytotoxic compounds expressed by the sensitivity has increased markedly compared to models derived previously from IC50 data: but this was achieved at the cost of a decreased specificity. In contrast, Guha and Schürer did not obtain an appreciable difference in the sensitivity (or specificity) when adding 10,000 non-toxic compounds to the training set [11]. The cost of the increased sensitivity in our model is a much higher rate of false positives. However, of the 484 compounds classified as non-toxic (pIC50 ≤ 5.5), nearly half (231) could be classified as moderately toxic since they possess an IC50 ≤ 10 μM (pIC50 ≥ 5). The majority of these (151) are predicted as toxic by the FCFP_6 model (model score >0). For the BCI model similar numbers were obtained (463 compounds classified as non-toxic compounds, 223 moderately toxic, 136 with Bayesian score >0). Both Bayesian models derived from the Scripps percent inhibition data are good at picking compound series with toxicity issues but not as good at differentiating which member of the series is toxic and which one is not. This is illustrated in Table 5 where a series of 4 compounds is shown all of which are predicted toxic. Only one of these (CID 659940) actually has a pIC50 value above 5.5 but the toxic prediction counts it as true active. The other three are counted as false positive. However, it should also be noted that Guha and Schürer lowered the pIC50 cut-off for toxicity to 4.68 when they compared Scripps data with NCGC data [11]. Our main aim is to derive a model that highlights potentially problematic series early on in the drug discovery process and in this context one false positive such as compound 663916 which is a very close analogue to the moderately cytotoxic compound 664633 would not necessarily indicate failure of the model. Indeed, a slightly higher false positive rate could be considered an advantage when using the model output as a compound triage tool for deleterious safety effects.
Table 5 Example series of compounds which are all predicted to be toxic (Scripps percent inhibition FCFP_6 model score >0).
NCGC Data
As with the Scripps IC50 data, 5-fold cross-validated FCFP_6 and BCI Bayesian models were built from the NCGC Jurkat IC50 data set. The cut-off for cytotoxicity was set at pIC50 > 4.64 to enable comparison of our results to Guha and Schürer [11]. In Figure 3 the ROC plots for the 5-fold cross-validation are shown. The average ROC scores and standard deviations in the ROC score for the FCFP_6 and BCI models are 0.67 ± 0.07 and 0.65 ± 0.15, respectively, which indicates poor model performance, similar to the results obtained for the Scripps data. As was the case with the Scripps IC50 data, there is no appreciable difference between the BCI and the FCFP_6 models apart from the much larger variation of the ROC score for the BCI model. This can be explained by the lower number of toxic molecules in this dataset: with 5-fold cross validation there are on average 12 toxic compounds present in each test set. Tables 6 and 7 illustrate that the classification of cytotoxic molecules as expressed by the sensitivity is again low, but the specificity is high.
Table 6 Truth table for the 5-fold cross-validation of the NCGC IC50 FCFP_6 and BCI models
Table 7 Specificity and sensitivity of the NCGC IC50 FCFP_6 and BCI models.
ROC plots of 5-fold cross-validated NCGC IC50 FCFP_6 (left) and BCI (right) models
The low sensitivities of the Scripps and NCGC IC50 models are not a result of the percentage of toxic compounds in the data set since the Scripps IC50 set contained 37% toxic compounds while the hit rate of the NCGC set was much lower at 4.6%. Furthermore Guha and Schürer have selected compounds in their training sets to have a toxic/non-toxic ratio of 1/1 [11], yet they also obtained models with low sensitivity. A compound which is cytotoxic can be so via multiple mechanisms - a fundamental difference when comparing with single endpoint toxic mechanisms like hERG or P450 inhibition [17]. While for the latter category a single pharmacophore can be derived, this is not possible for cytotoxicity as a model of cytotoxicity is in effect a collection of models for each of the different toxicity mechanisms that result in the measured endpoint. To illustrate this point, even though the biological assay data for the Scripps and NCGC compounds was actually obtained from experiments using the same cell line (Jurkat) and measured cell viability determined by ATP concentration, the sensitivity of the NCGC model (0.32) is much lower than the sensitivity of the Scripps IC50 model (0.57). The most likely explanation is that the two compound sets act via different mechanisms to achieve the same endpoint - a reduction in ATP levels. This hypothesis is strengthened further upon examination of the different similarity distributions of both sets of compounds. In Figure 4 the internal similarity of toxic compounds is compared to the internal similarity of non-toxic compounds. For each compound, the FCFP_6 Tanimoto similarity scores were calculated versus all other compounds in the same class (toxic or non-toxic) and the highest value was retained. The toxic compounds in the Scripps IC50 set are more similar to each other (average similarity 0.52) than the non-toxic compounds (average similarity 0.44), while the opposite is the case for the NCGC set (average similarity 0.33 toxic versus 0.59 non-toxic). The toxic compounds in the NCGC set are less like each other than in the Scripps set which makes prediction of toxicity more difficult for the NCGC set.
Histograms of FCFP_6 Tanimoto internal similarity distribution. Toxic (red) and non-toxic (blue) compounds are shown for the Scripps IC50 set (left) and NCGC IC50 set (right). For each compound, the highest similarity score was kept to any other compound in the same (toxic/non-toxic) class. In the Scripps set the toxic compounds are on average more similar to each other than the non-toxic compounds. In the NCGC set the opposite is the case, toxic compounds do resemble each other less than non-toxic compounds. Similar distributions were obtained with BCI fingerprints. A similarity of 1 does not necessarily imply compounds are identical
Cross Predictions Between Scripps And NCGC
In Figure 5 we show the results of using models derived from the public datasets to cross-predict each other, compared with predictions from Ref. [23] and from the trivial "all toxic" and "all non-toxic" models.
Illustration of cross-predictive power for a number of models derived from public datasets. Trivial models ("All compounds are clean" and "All compounds are toxic") are compared to models developed in this study ("This study") and in reference [11] ("Ref[11]"). Arrows indicate the direction of prediction. The percentage shown below each arrow is the percentage of correctly classified compounds: (true positives+ true negatives)/all. The toxicity cutoff of the Scripps dataset (b) was defined in ref[11] resulting in 83% toxic compounds. Toxic and non-toxic sets are shown in red and green, respectively.
Firstly, we tested the NCGC Jurkat IC50 models (FCFP_6, toxicity cut-off pIC50 > 4.64) against the Scripps IC50 dataset (FCFP_6, toxicity cut-off pIC50 > 5.5). The NCGC models don't distinguish toxic from non-toxic, as indicated by the quasi-random ROC scores at 0.52 (the BCI model was no better at 0.50). In ref [23], Guha and Schürer considered their NCGC model predictive, but only after altering the fingerprint descriptors (CATS2D) used to train the model, and applying a different toxicity cut-off to the Scripps set, resulting in 640 out of 775 compounds being toxic (about 83%). They did not report a ROC score, but a percentage of correctly classified compounds (68%). This is shown in Figure 5 together with the value of 61% we obtained against the Scripps set with the original cut-off of 5.5. The model in ref [23] had a high sensitivity (0.76) and a low specificity (0.26); in effect the model was successful by predicting most compounds to be toxic - possibly as a consequence of forcing down the cut-off. The model "all compounds are toxic" would have correctly classified 83% of the compounds. Our FCFP_6 model can be considered the reverse. With the original cut-off for toxicity (pIC50 > 5.5) the sensitivity is low (0.08) and the specificity is high (0.92); this model yielded a 61% correct classification by predicting the majority of compounds to be non-toxic. The simplistic "all compounds are non-toxic" model would have correctly classified 63% of the compounds. As illustrates, the two trivial models would perform better than the models reported by Guha and Schürer and ourselves, indicating that our models failed at predicting each other. We also tried to predict the NCGC outcomes by models from the Scripps dataset. Again, the models derived from the Scripps IC50 could not correctly classify the NCGC set, as shown by the ROC scores of 0.51 (FCFP_6) and 0.40 (BCI). The ROC scores improved to 0.60 (FCFP_6) and 0.51 (BCI) when the Scripps percent inhibition models were used, but not enough to indicate good predictive power. Figure 5 shows the percentage of correct prediction (65%) of the FCFP_6 model.
We conclude that all attempts to predict NCGC from Scripps or the reverse have failed. Guha and Schürer derived bit spectra to show that the toxic class of the NCGC IC50 set is equally similar to the toxic and non-toxic class of the Scripps IC50 [11]. This was used to explain the failed prediction of Scripps results by a model generated from the NCGC data. In Figure 6 the FCFP_6 similarity distribution is shown between the toxic compounds from the NCGC set compared to the toxic and non-toxic compounds from the Scripps IC50 and percent inhibition sets. The NCGC toxic set is dissimilar to both the Scripps IC50 toxic and non-toxic compounds. When the NCGC toxic compounds are compared to the larger Scripps percent inhibition set, the similarity to the non-toxic compounds has increased slightly, partly due to the disproportionally larger number of non-toxic compounds in this set. The NCGC toxic compounds are also dissimilar to this larger Scripps set, which explains why a model derived from the latter is also not predictive for NCGC.
FCFP_6 Tanimoto similarity between the toxic compounds from NCGC and the Scripps compounds. In the Scripps data set, toxic compounds are red, non-toxic compounds, blue. In the histogram on the left the Scripps IC50 set was used as reference, on the right the Scripps percent inhibition set. For each compound from NCGC the highest similarity was retained with the Scripps compounds from each category. A similar distribution was obtained with the BCI fingerprints (not shown).
Since both assay formats were similar and we observed an increase in predictive power when all Scripps percent inhibition data were included, in all likelihood the NCGC and Scripps assays should be predictive for each other if there is sufficient overlap in chemical space. To test this hypothesis we merged the NCGC and Scripps IC50 sets into one set of 2103 compounds of which 345 are labelled cytotoxic. As with the separate NCGC and Scripps IC50 sets we built a Bayesian model with 5-fold cross validation. In Figure 7 the ROC plots are shown for the unified models built with FCFP_6 and BCI fingerprints. These models perform much better than the previous models from the individual NCGC or Scripps IC50 sets: the ROC score using the FCFP_6 fingerprints is 0.82 ± 0.02 and 0.75 ± 0.05 for the BCI fingerprints. These results clearly show that merging these two datasets has been synergistic, and therefore corroborates the hypothesis that it is only the lack of overlap in chemical space preventing better prediction scores in the separate models. However, the improvement in predictive power is unbalanced. The unified model is worse in finding the cytotoxic compounds that originated from the NCGC set (9 true positives for the unified FCFP_6 model versus 16 for the NCGC model), but better in identifying the true positives originating from the Scripps set (218 versus 161). The unified model identifies more true positives (and better ROC scores) because the number increased more in the Scripps set than it decreased in the NCGC set. Merging the sets is equivalent to adding more inactives to the Scripps set since the hit rate of NCGC is much lower at 4.7% compared to Scripps at 37%. In Bayesian statistics the probability of a compound being cytotoxic is compared to the baseline occurrence of cytotoxicity, mixing data sets with significantly different baseline hit rates will potentially yield unbalanced models as observed here.
Comparison of ROC plots for models derived using different fingerprints. ROC plots of the 5 fold cross-validated NCGC/Scripps IC50 merged model using FCFP_6 (left) and BCI (right) fingerprints.
Modelling Pfizer Data
The results obtained modelling the Scripps and NCGC sets using naïve Bayesian were comparable to the result obtained by Guha and Schürer using Random Forest models. Since Bayesian models do not need rebalancing of training sets with toxic/non-toxic ratios far from 1/1 we decided to use Bayesian models to analyse Pfizer data. We consistently obtained better results using FCFP_6 fingerprints than with BCI fingerprints and therefore decided to subsequently only use FCFP_6 fingerprints. We concluded from modelling the Scripps data that Bayesian models can improve if all percent inhibition data are used to augment the data set and that a much lower cut-off can be used than is typically applied by the experimenter. The Pfizer data set contains results from 33 assays with percent inhibition data and 52 assays with IC50 data. These data have been obtained by Pfizer and its multiple legacy companies and not surprisingly a variety of assay formats have been applied. We developed assay meta data collection tools for the biological assays to focus on the factors most likely to influence cytotoxicity (e.g. cell-line, incubation time, dose, endpoint detection method). Extensive data profiling was applied to generate a well characterised data set (Pfizer dataset collection and profiling - Methods).
Many of the Pfizer assays were selectivity assays, aimed at removing "actives" from the primary assay where the activity was in fact due to cytotoxicity or another non-specific event. Since the compounds submitted to these assays had already shown activity in a cell-based assay, they are not true random subsets of the Pfizer file and the expected toxic hit rate is closer to the Scripps IC50 set (37%) than to the Scripps percent inhibition set (1.4%). The cytotoxicity assay collection also covered different % inhibition and IC50 dose ranges. A particular cut off may give 20% actives in one assay, but 100% actives in another. Therefore to enable cross-assay comparison, the top 20% of compounds (by activity or pIC50) were considered active so that every assay would have the same hit rate. For an assay with a normal distribution this would equal mean plus (just under) one standard deviation. Modelling the Scripps percent inhibition data has shown that including this many actives in the training set can still yield a predictive model. An important feature of Bayesian learning is that it is not sensitive to the ratio of actives in the dataset; the ROC scores in Figure 2 illustrate this point: essentially the same model is obtained from the Scripps percent inhibition data, whether the cut-off for activity is set to 10% or to 80% or to any value in between. This advantage of Bayesian learning means we can pragmatically define the top 20% of compounds as toxic without decreasing the quality of the model.
Our aim was to derive one generally applicable cytotoxicity model and it was therefore tempting to integrate all data into one training set, hoping for a synergy in predictive power similar to that observed when the NCGC and Scripps IC50 sets were combined. We decided to take a more systematic approach and to only include data sets leading to models that are predictive for at least one other data set.
For each assay with at least 10 toxic molecules, a Bayesian model was derived and the ROC scores were calculated predicting the outcome of each of the other assays. To visualise connections between data sets prediction networks were created. (see Prediction Networks - Methods)
Prediction Networks
In a prediction network the nodes represent data from different assays, and the size of the node is proportional to the number of molecules in the corresponding data set. Nodes are considered predictive if the model yields a ROC score greater than or equal to 0.60. Two nodes are connected if the data at one node can be used to build a predictive model for the cytotoxicity of the molecules at the other node. The nodes are only connected if predictions are bi-directional.
The percent inhibition and IC50 prediction networks are shown in Figures 8 and 9 respectively. The edges connecting the nodes have an arrow indicating the direction of the prediction from the training set to the test set. The width of the edges is proportional to the ROC score. Differences in distances between nodes have no meaning. In both networks there is one main cluster of nodes connected to each other, showing that most models derived from these assays are predictive for at least one other model. As described previously, the Scripps and NCGC IC50 data sets were not mutually predictive and their nodes are not connected to each other or indeed to any other node (nodes 53 and 54 in Figure 9). However, the Scripps and NCGC nodes are connected to other assays in the percent inhibition prediction network (nodes 33 and 34 in Figure 8). This situation also occurs with other assays in the prediction networks, the assay pair (A.B) are mutually predictive, and pair (B,C) is also mutually predictive, but (A,C) is not as with the Scripps and NCGC data sets, this could be due to a lack in overlap in chemical space between assays A and C. Although there is enough overlap between (A,B) and (B,C) for the pairs to be mutually predictive, the pair (A,C) are too far apart in chemical space to be predictive. The nodes in the IC50 network are more inter-connected than in the percent inhibition network. This is not surprising since a higher percentage of true actives can be expected in the IC50 set compared to the percent inhibition set if the first is the follow up for the latter. Even with multiple mechanisms leading to toxicity, each of which coming with a different pharmacophore, the true actives are expected to be more like each other than random compounds and cross prediction should be easier.
Prediction network of percent inhibition models. Nodes represent assays with arbitrary assay number. Node size is proportional to number of molecules in assay. The presence of edges between two nodes indicates that a model from one set is predictive for the other and vice versa. All data sets are Pfizer assays except for 33 (Scripps) and 34 (NCGC). Assays with fewer than 10 actives were removed.
Prediction network of IC50 models. Nodes represent assays, with arbitrary assay number. Node size is proportional to number of molecules in assay. The presence of edges between two nodes indicates that a model from one set is predictive for the other and vice versa. All data sets are Pfizer assays except for 53 (NCGC) and 54 (Scripps). Assays with fewer than 10 actives were removed.
One Predictive Cytotoxicity Model
Although further investigation is required to determine why some assays are predictive of each other and some are not, it is worth examining the effect of utilising the information gained from our prediction networks to derive one predictive cytotoxicity model. The 17 connected assays in the percent inhibition prediction network were combined into a training set to derive the percent inhibition cytotoxicity model. The same was done for the 31 connected screens in the IC50 prediction network to derive the IC50 cytotoxicity model. The models were derived with the same descriptors and definition of cytotoxicity as the models built when constructing the prediction networks. These models were evaluated using a 5-fold cross-validation method as before. The ROC scores from the cross validation are shown in Table 8. The models have good ROC scores and the variance in ROC score between each cross-validation is also much smaller than that observed for the earlier Scripps and NCGC models.
Table 8 ROC scores from the 5-fold cross-validation of the models derived from the predictive assays
These results show that using a prediction network allows appropriate assay data to be selected to construct a training set to derive a predictive model. It appears that using data from a diverse set of assays and employing a prediction network to select assays for inclusion in the combined model is a powerful approach. The next step was to see if these two cytotoxicity models can be combined to give an overall predictive cytotoxicity model. A test set was created containing 10% of the molecules from the percent inhibition model training set and 10% of the molecules from the IC50 model training set. The two models were re-trained with the remaining 80% of molecules. Both the percent inhibition and IC50 cytotoxicity models were tested with the new test set. The Bayesian scores for the compounds in each assay were plotted against each other to see if there was a positive correlation between the two models. The scores were binned and for each bin a pie diagram was generated showing the percentage of cytotoxic molecules (Figure 10). The majority of cytotoxic molecules are at high Bayesian scores in both the percent inhibition and IC50 cytotoxicity models. As both models score cytotoxic compounds highly and there is a positive correlation, the two models can be combined. The training sets for the percent inhibition and IC50 cytotoxicity models are combined to give a new training set used to derive a predictive cytotoxicity model. The ROC score for the 5-fold cross-validated model is 0.842 ± 0.002, between the ROC scores of the IC50 and the percent inhibition models. This is a good model with little variance in performance between the 5 test sets. Although merging the two models does not produce a model better than the two separate models, its enrichment is still high and it creates a neater tool for predicting cytotoxicity, rather than having to use two models. The merged model also covers a larger area of chemical space making it more general than the individual models.
Correlation of Bayesian scores of a test set calculated from the IC50 and percent inhibition models. The test set consisted of 10% of the molecules from the percent inhibition cytotoxicity model training set and the IC50 cytotoxicity model training set. The Bayesian scores are binned to get 16 bins. The pies represent the number of molecules within those bins with size proportional to the number of molecules. Red segments represent the proportion of non-cytotoxic molecules and blue segments represent the proportion of cytotoxic molecules. A similar plot (not shown) was obtained using all of the data in the training set.
The merged model was also validated with a set of 87 drugs approved by the FDA since 2000. Approved drugs for obvious reasons are assumed to be non-cytotoxic; however we assumed the 11 drugs with an anti-cancer indication to be cytotoxic. Figure 11 shows the ROC plot for the predictive cytotoxicity model when validated with this set of drug compounds. The ROC score is 0.84, which means the model performed well at distinguishing cytotoxic drugs from other drugs.
Validating the predictive cytotoxicity model with a set of 87 FDA-approved drug compounds. ROC plot generated from a range of FDA approved drugs
In addition, to investigate translation of cytotoxicity score to toxic effects, ~11,000 compounds which had been tested in a Pfizer in vitro toxicity/safety assay were tested in silico through the cytotoxicity prediction model. Examining the in vitro toxicity/safety data, at high Bayesian scores (Figure 12) there are proportionally more toxic compounds (with IC50 < 50 uM), than at the lower Bayesian scores - i.e. the activity distribution of toxic compounds with IC50 < 50 uM, centres to the right of the inactives distribution (IC50 > 50 uM), which has a lower average Bayesian score. There is therefore a good indication that compounds flagged as active in the in vitro toxicity/safety assay would have been identified as cytotoxic by the model.
Distribution of cytotoxicity scores generated from Pfizer model (combined IC50 and Pct inhibition). A range of compounds tested in an in vitro toxicity/safety assay. Actives (red), having IC50 < 50 μM, inactives (blue) with IC50 > 50 μM.
Cytotoxicity can also be related to the descriptors used to derive the model. After the FCFP_6 fingerprints, the descriptor which has the largest impact on the Bayesian score is AlogP. Compounds having AlogP between 3.7 and 34 are given a high probability of being toxic by the model, the probability of being toxic increases at the higher end of the range. Compounds with AlogP below 3.3 are given a low probability of being toxic, generally the lower the AlogP the lower the probability of being toxic. There is one exception where an AlogP in the range of 34 to 63 gives a non toxic compound, but there is only one example of such a compound occurring, therefore this is an anomalous result. These are also unusually high values for logP; therefore AlogP is an unreliable estimate of logP for these compounds. Compounds with a high logP are lipophilic and can therefore easily cross cell membranes, their tendency to preferentially bind with proteins rather than remain in a polar solvent making them more likely to have non-specific intracellular effects. Molecular weight is the next most important descriptor. The model gives a low probability of a molecule being toxic if its molecular weight is below 370. Higher molecular weights give a high probability of toxicity. A molecule's lipophilicity will increase as its mass increases; therefore it is not surprising that heavier compounds have a higher probability of being cytotoxic. The polar surface area and the number of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors also show how cytotoxicity is dependent on the lipophilicity of the compounds.
The number of rotatable bonds also has a positive correlation with cytotoxicity score. This is to be expected, since a flexible molecule can adopt a greater number of conformations, allowing it to bind to many different sites, possibly leading to unwanted effects. Typically molecules with a large number of rotatable bonds also have a higher molecular weight - which is again correlated with logP.
The observed correlation of lipophilicity and related properties with cytotoxicity is not surprising as this has also been observed in studied linking in vivo toxicity[28] and bioavailability to physiochemical properties[29].
There is a wealth of data from cytotoxicity assays available both publicly and within pharmaceutical companies that can be used to derive predictive models. Here, a predictive Bayesian model has been derived from public and in-house Pfizer data.
During the development of this model the need for multiple-fold cross-validations has been reinforced, as this gives the most accurate validation results. A method for cut-off optimisation has also been shown to provide an appropriate definition of cytotoxicity to build a successfully predictive model. Prediction networks have been used to make informed decisions on which data sets should be included in the training set and have identified the need for more detailed examinations of what makes two data sets predictive of each other. The prediction networks identified assay data that could be used to derive predictive models. These assays were combined into one training set that produced a successful predictive cytotoxicity model with a ROC score of 0.842 ± 0.002.
The data indicate that some assays are highly predictive of each other. We speculated that this may because they shared common assay conditions (cell line, species, incubation time, detection method etc.). To investigate this further, more networks were created in Cytoscape to incorporate the assay conditions available. However no clear relationship between these factors and cytotoxicity could be demonstrated. This does not necessarily rule out a relationship as there was little overlap in assay conditions between data sets, and only a few compounds have been tested in more than one assay. To study this hypothesis further, the prediction network method should be repeated with a dense matrix of assays spanning diverse experimental conditions and compounds tested against all assays. This information can be represented in the network and any assay relationships between predictive data sets will become apparent.
Although there are gaps in the understanding of why the combination of assay data used to derive the predictive cytotoxicity model works, the model is still an extremely useful tool and also supports previous evidence in the literature that toxicity is related to lipophilicity. This model could be used to triage hits from primary cell-based screens for cytotoxicity, rather than running parallel cytotoxicity assays. The model predictions track well with the in vitro safety/toxicology assay we examined, but the applicability of the model as a tool to help identify toxic molecules early on in the drug discovery pipeline would be increased if its output could be compared with more in vitro assays of this type. Once more is understood on what makes a data set predictive, this knowledge can be utilised to derive a more accurate predictive model. Modelling methods described in this paper are not limited to cytotoxicity; they can also be used when predicting other molecular properties, or compound activities.
Cytotoxicity assay data from publicly available sources and Pfizer in-house screening data were used to train the Bayesian models. Four data sets were used covering 172,506 compounds from 89 assays and contain a mixture of percent inhibition and IC50 data (Table 9).
Table 9 Summary of the 4 data sets used to build Bayesian models to predict cytotoxicity
Pfizer dataset collection and profiling
We conducted a gap analysis on the original dataset to identify those protocols where a substantial proportion of the assay experimental conditions was missing or inconsistent, which was the case for some legacy protocols. Examination of the full assay documents and direct contact with the biologists involved allowed us to generate a list of 82 assays with comprehensive coverage of the assay experimental parameters.
Assay endpoint detection methods were classified as Fluorescence emission, Luminescence, RNA quantification and Absorbance. The assay technologies included dye binding, flow cytometry, formazan dye formation, luciferase, PCR, and Resorufin dye formation. Data was used from a variety of species - Human, Hamster, Mouse, Pig, Rat, and Monkey - and a total of 34 different cell lines across all of the assays. To standardize the data and improve confidence in the model, the cell lines were re-classified according to their tissue origin (blood, skin, colon, cervix, ovary, lung, kidney, breast, foreskin, liver, aorta, brain, connective tissue, muscle, and nerve). Incubation times were standardised to a base unit of hours - our observations indicate that a wide range of incubation periods are used in cytotoxicity screens (2 hours to 145 hours) and they can vary within the same tissue type, or assay technology.
In addition to assay profiling and classification we analysed the percent inhibition and IC50 results for each assay to determine whether these results could be included in our models. Wherever we could not identify the convention used to distinguish cytotoxic compounds we decided to remove this data from further analysis. The assays where we could not reliably differentiate between true actives, artefacts and different naming conventions were likewise excluded.
To allow the model to make appropriate comparisons, data from the remaining HTS assays was examined to ensure there was the expected normal distribution around zero % inhibition. Assays were excluded from further analysis where this was not the case. Assay results where the endpoint value violated the standard business rules (e.g. zero or null) were also excluded. Scitegic Pipeline Pilot was used to develop an automated data cleaning tools to perform the tasks described in this section. In addition, using curve fit descriptors and quality parameters, we generated Spotfire plots and screen data confidence scores [30] which enable interactive exploration and assessment of the data quality. These tools were used to refine the IC50 data set to a list of 52 assays where the data, curve fits and endpoints were reliable and well understood.
Bayesian Learning and Bayesian score
Pipeline Pilot[31, 32] was used to perform all calculations. During the period of research versions 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5 were used, but there are no differences in the components used in these versions. Bayesian learning is based on Bayes' rule for conditional probability which gives the probability of an event A occurring given that event B has already occurred. In a cytotoxicity context, this is the probability of a compound being toxic, given that it contains a particular descriptor. For each descriptor, D, the probability of a molecule being toxic given it contains descriptor D is calculated as P(Active|;D) = AD/(AD+ID), where AD is the number of active compounds containing descriptor D and ID is the number of inactive compounds containing descriptor D. These probabilities become unreliable as the number of molecules containing descriptor D becomes small. Therefore a Laplacian modified model is derived which takes into account the different sampling frequencies of different features by adding samples with the same hit rate as observed in the training set.
Laplacian modified model
If we assume most features have no relationship to activity then we would expect P(active|;D) to be equal to the overall activity rate, P(active) = A/(A+I). If we sample a feature K additional times, where K = 1/P(active), we would expect P(active)K of these samples to be active. Therefore the Laplace corrected probability of a compound being active given a certain descriptor D, P(Active|;D), is equal to (AD+P(active)*K)/((AD+ID)+K). As (AD+ID) approaches 0 the feature probability converges towards P(active) which is expected if it is assumed the feature has no relationship to activity. The Bayesian score calculated for a compound of unknown class is calculated by multiplying the probabilities for each descriptor contained in the compound; this score represents the likeliness of the compound being active.
Percent inhibition cut-off optimisation
The following method was used to find the best percent inhibition value to use as the definition for cytotoxicity for the molecules in the Scripps data set. The best cut-off is the value that gives the highest ROC score when used to build a model. The ROC score is the area under the curve of the ROC plot for the model. This method was originally suggested by David Rogers [27]. A set of 121 models was built, each with a different percent inhibition cut-off as the definition for toxicity. The cut-offs ranged from -20% to 100% in 1% increments. The ROC score was calculated for each of these models and was plotted against the corresponding cut-off. The optimum cut-off is defined as the cut-off that yields the highest ROC score. As 5-fold cross-validation is used to test the models, the same method is also used in the cut-off optimisation. The set of 121 models is trained on 80% of the data and the ROC scores are calculated by testing on the remaining 20% of the data. This is repeated 5 times using a different 20% to test the model each time. When the ROC score is calculated the cytotoxic compounds are defined as those that were labelled as active in the original data extracted from PubChem. These labels were assigned based on the percent inhibition or IC50 values if available for the molecules. This procedure was repeated twice. Once for the FCFP_6 fingerprints and once for the BCI fingerprints.
A major challenge for machine learning methods is to understand the applicability domain of models. For example a model trained on a particular data set may perform well when cross-validated, but fail at classifying compounds from a different data set. This research aims to determine which assay data can be used to predict the outcome of other assays and to understand any relationship between such data sets. To do this we have created prediction networks.
The available Pfizer data were split into two categories: IC50 and percent inhibition data. This is because IC50 data are often obtained as confirmations of previous data and are therefore enriched in hit rate but with lower chemical diversity of compounds (as was the case with the Scripps data). The hit rate for the Pfizer assays was artificially set to 20%, but the chemical diversity has probably been artificially lowered by routinely removing compounds with undesirable chemical functional groups and/or physical properties. The NCGC and Scripps data were included as well as separate screens. There are no distinct percent inhibition measurements available for NCGC, therefore we took the percent inhibition at 9.2 μM from the full curve data as a surrogate.
The Pfizer percent inhibition data set contains data from 33 assays, A Bayesian model was derived for each assay, giving a total of 28 models (5 of the assays contained only 1 molecule so a model could not be trained). Each of these models was then tested in turn with data from the remaining assays not used to train the model. Each of the models was also tested on the Scripps percent inhibition and NCGC percent inhibition data sets, and the Scripps percent inhibition and NCGC models were be tested with each of the Pfizer percent inhibition models. A text delimited file was created containing a column for training set, a column for test set and a column for the ROC score when a model trained with the training set, is tested with the test set. This file was imported into Cytoscape v.2.6.1[33] where the prediction networks were created.
The same method was applied to the 52 assays in the Pfizer IC50 data set. A total of 45 models were produced as 7 of the assays only contained 1 molecule. The Scripps IC50 and NCGC data sets were also included. For all models built, FCFP_6 fingerprints, AlogP, number of hydrogen bond donors, number of hydrogen bond acceptors, number of rotational bonds and molecular fractional polar surface area were used as descriptors. Since for most of the assays it had not been recorded what constitutes as a cytotoxic outcome the top 20% compounds (top percent inhibition or top pIC50) of each assay were classed as toxic. For the Scripps and NCGC data sets the definitions for toxicity described above were used.
Two prediction networks were built, one for the Pfizer percent inhibition data set and one for the Pfizer IC50 data set. Assays are represented in the network as nodes, and the nodes are connected with an edge if a model trained with the screen at the source node is successful in predicting the cytotoxicity of the screen at the target node as defined by a ROC score greater than 0.60. The networks are arranged using a spring-embedded layout. A spring-embedded layout positions nodes to give an aesthetically appealing layout. This is done by replacing the nodes with rings and each edge with a spring. The nodes are placed in an initial layout then are let go so the springs force the nodes to move to a minimal energy layout.
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Molnar L, Keseru GM, Papp A, Lorincz Z, Ambrus G, Darvas F: A neural network based classification scheme for cytotoxicity predictions:Validation on 30,000 compounds. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2006, 16: 1037-1039. 10.1016/j.bmcl.2005.10.079.
Guha R, Schurer SC: Utilizing high throughput screening data for predictive toxicology models: protocols and application to MLSCN assays. J Comput-Aided Mol Des. 2008, 22: 367-384. 10.1007/s10822-008-9192-9.
Lee AC, Shedden K, Rosania GR, Crippen GM: Data mining the NCI60 to predict generalized cytotoxicity. J Chem Inf Model. 2008, 48: 1379-1388. 10.1021/ci800097k.
Chen B, Harrison RF, Papadatos G, Willett P, Wood DJ, Lewell XQ, Greenidge P, Stiefl N: Evaluation of machine-learning methods for ligand-based virtual screening. J Comput-Aided Mol Des. 2007, 21: 53-62. 10.1007/s10822-006-9096-5.
Vogt M, Bajorath J: Bayesian screening for active compounds in high-dimensional chemical spaces combining property descriptors and molecular fingerprints. Chem Biol Drug Des. 2008, 71: 8-14.
Paolini GV, Shapland RHB, van Hoorn WP, Mason JS, Hopkins AL: Global mapping of pharmacological space. Nat Biotechnol. 2006, 24: 805-815. 10.1038/nbt1228.
Xia X, Maliski EG, Gallant P, Rogers D: Classification of Kinase Inhibitors Using a Bayesian Model. J Med Chem. 2004, 47: 4463-4470. 10.1021/jm0303195.
O'Brien SE, De Groot MJ: Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts: Combining Models for Useful ADMET Prediction. J Med Chem. 2005, 48: 1287-1291.
Sun H: An accurate and interpretable Bayesian classification model for prediction of hERG liability. ChemMedChem. 2006, 1: 315-322. 10.1002/cmdc.200500047.
Glick M, Jenkins JL, Nettles JH, Hitchings H, Davies JW: Enrichment of High-Throughput Screening Data with Increasing Levels of Noise Using Support Vector Machines, Recursive Partitioning, and Laplacian-Modified Naive Bayesian Classifiers. J Chem Inf Model. 2006, 46: 193-200. 10.1021/ci050374h.
Glick M, Klon AE, Acklin P, Davies JW: Enrichment of extremely noisy high-throughput screening data using a naive Bayes classifier. J Biomol Screening. 2004, 9: 32-36. 10.1177/1087057103260590.
Klon AE, Glick M, Thoma M, Acklin P, Davies JW: Finding More Needles in the Haystack: A Simple and Efficient Method for Improving High-Throughput Docking Results. J Med Chem. 2004, 47: 2743-2749. 10.1021/jm030363k.
van Hoorn WP, Bell AS: Searching Chemical Space with the Bayesian Idea Generator. J Chem Inf Model. 2009, 49: 2211-2220. 10.1021/ci900072g.
Bender A, Mussa HY, Glen RC, Reiling S: Molecular Similarity Searching Using Atom Environments, Information-Based Feature Selection, and a Naive Bayesian Classifier. J Chem Inf Comput Sci. 2004, 44: 170-178.
Wang Y, Xiao J, Suzek TO, Zhang J, Wang J, Bryant SH: PubChem: a public information system for analyzing bioactivities of small molecules. Nucleic Acids Res. 2009, 37: W623-W633. 10.1093/nar/gkp456.
Xia M, Huang R, Witt KL, Southall N, Fostel J, Cho MH, Jadhav A, Smith CS, Inglese J, Portier CJ, et al: Compound Cytotoxicity Profiling Using Quantitative High-Throughput Screening. Environ Health Perspect. 2007, 116: 284-291. 10.1289/ehp.10727.
Fawcett T: An introduction to ROC analysis. Pattern Recogn Lett. 2006, 27: 861-874. 10.1016/j.patrec.2005.10.010.
Rogers D: Does this stuff really work?. 2007 Pipeline Pilot European User Group Meeting. 2007, Pistoia, Italy
Hughes JD, Blagg J, Price DA, Bailey S, DeCrescenzo GA, Devraj RV, Ellsworth E, Fobian YM, Gibbs ME, Gilles RW, et al: Physiochemical drug properties associated with in vivo toxicological outcomes. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2008, 18: 4872-4875. 10.1016/j.bmcl.2008.07.071.
Lipinski CA, Lombardo F, Dominy BW, Feeney PJ: Experimental and computational approaches to estimate solubility and permeability in drug discovery and development settings. Adv Drug Delivery Rev. 1997, 23: 3-25. 10.1016/S0169-409X(96)00423-1.
Paolini GV, Lyons RA, Laflin P: How Desirable Are Your IC50s? A Way to Enhance Screening-Based Decision Making. J Biomol Screen. 2010, 15: 1183-93. 10.1177/1087057110384402.
Pipeline Pilot version 7.5.2. 2008, Accelrys, Inc.: San Diego, CA
Hassan M, Brown RD, Varma-O'Brien S, Rogers D: Cheminformatics analysis and learning in a data pipelining environment. Mol Diversity. 2006, 10: 283-299. 10.1007/s11030-006-9041-5.
Shannon P, Markiel A, Ozier O, Baliga NS, Wang JT, Ramage D, Amin N, Schwikowski B, Ideker T: Cytoscape: A software environment for integrated models of biomolecular interaction networks. Genome Res. 2003, 13: 2498-2504. 10.1101/gr.1239303.
The authors wish to acknowledge the following Pfizer colleagues for their contributions to technical discussions during the design, development and validation of this predictive tool:
Paul Driscoll, James Dykens, Ian Johns, Philip Laflin, Jens Loesel, Richard Lyons, Charles Mowbray, Russell Naven, David Pryde, Rachel Russell.
We wish to thank David Millan (Pfizer) for making available the set of 87 FDA-approved drugs.
Department of Chemistry and Biology, Pfizer Global Research and Development, Sandwich Laboratories, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9NJ, UK
Sarah R Langdon
, Gaia V Paolini
& Willem P van Hoorn
Department of Biology, Pfizer Global Research and Development, Sandwich Laboratories, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9NJ, UK
Joanna Mulgrew
In Silico Medicinal Chemistry, Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, Haddow Laboratories, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5NG, UK
Gaia Paolini Ltd, 29 High Street, Bridge, Canterbury, CT4 5JZ, UK
Gaia V Paolini
Accelrys Ltd, 334 Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge, CB4 0WN, UK
Willem P van Hoorn
Search for Sarah R Langdon in:
Search for Joanna Mulgrew in:
Search for Gaia V Paolini in:
Search for Willem P van Hoorn in:
Correspondence to Willem P van Hoorn.
SRL performed most calculations and wrote the first draft of this manuscript. JM suggested examining the Pfizer internal cytotoxicity data to develop a predictive model. GVP and JM collected, profiled and cleaned the Pfizer internal data. WPvH designed the study and performed some of the calculations. All authors contributed to the final version of the manuscript.
Langdon, S.R., Mulgrew, J., Paolini, G.V. et al. Predicting cytotoxicity from heterogeneous data sources with Bayesian learning. J Cheminform 2, 11 (2010) doi:10.1186/1758-2946-2-11
Percent Inhibition
Chemical Space
IC50 Data
Random Forest Model
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Soul-Making Halfway in Between August 21, 2012
Filed under: anima,animus,Carl Jung,Creativity,Ego,enlightenment,Evolution,Feminine Energy,Healing the Sacred Divide,Individuation,Inner work,Jungian psychology,Living,Love,Masculine Energy,Psychology,religion,Soul,spirit,Spiritual practices,the body,the shadow,uniting opposites,writing — jeanraffa @ 12:01 am
Tags: balance, Carl Jung, ego, inner work, interconnectedness, Malaprop's Book Store, Peggy Tabor Millin, the unconscious self, the writing process, uniting opposites, yin/yang
The other day I was on the phone with a regular reader and commenter to this blog. We live only a few hours apart during the summer, and we were trying to arrange to meet halfway in between for lunch. At one point she wondered aloud about the outcome of my inner work. Do I feel better? Wiser? Am I happier? More loving, balanced and spiritually connected than when I began?
My immediate response was, and is, “Yes!” But I’m not sure my explanation addressed this deeply sincere seeker’s question. Was she wondering if, as an introvert who has traveled my own way for the last 22 years with very little support from therapists, groups or spiritual guides other than books, I am satisfied with the results? Or was she wondering if determined inner work in general has resulted in my feeling somehow finished? Am I always wise and peaceful? Always emotionally open, balanced, loving and spiritually connected? Perhaps even… enlightened? If she meant the former, my answer is still, “Yes!” But if the latter, it would be an equally emphatic, “No!”
Sometimes I feel very stupid. Also anxious, emotionally closed, unbalanced, selfish, and judgmental. Certainly not whole or enlightened. Enlightenment is a term I first heard in reference to Eastern religions. Once, the idea drew me forward like a carrot dangling in front of a donkey’s face, but then I discovered Jungian psychology, turned around, and met my Shadow.
Essentially I find the meaning of my life in soul-making. This is a process, not a final product. Currently I’m reading “Women, Writing, and Soul-Making: Creativity and the Sacred Feminine” by Peggy Tabor Millen. If you’re a woman who writes, I highly recommend her books. Malaprop’s Book Store in Asheville, North Carolina has put us together for a joint presentation on Sept. 21st and I hope you’ll come if you’re in the area. Anyway, with her unique combination of Western and Eastern thought and practice, Millen strives to activate her creativity by balancing her masculine and feminine energies through writing and teaching. She calls this struggle to release her authentic creativity soul-making.
A typical Westerner, Carl Jung approached his soul-making work by strengthening his mind with logic and will-power until his ego-spirit mustered the courage to step aside. This allowed soul to move into consciousness, revealing disowned parts of his psyche. In the process, his unique creativity was released. The East historically begins its quest by quieting the mind and practicing physical austerities aimed at humbling and displacing the ego-spirit. But eventually the same thing happens. Letting go enables spirit to hear and express soul’s deep, compassionate voice.
For millennia these different approaches were separated by a divide that was geographical, philosophical, religious, spiritual, and psychological. Yet both have always aimed at uniting masculine spirit with feminine matter. As Millin says, the ideal is for both to participate in a cyclical yin/yang flow from one to the other which ensures that when balanced one never dominates, except temporarily.
Since the Dalai Lama made his home in the West, these perspectives have begun to merge and overlap. Each of us is discovering a new way to live in a never-ending process of moving first this way, then that, re-inventing ourselves anew every day in a middle way that encompasses both streams. The sacredness of this mandorla way speaks not to where we start or finish our journey, but to our willingness to release the creative flow in our natures with each step.
Has there been a payoff for my form of inner work? Yes indeed. But that says nothing about your form. Eventually, all paths to growth use the same process. The last thing that matters is how we got there.
You can purchase Healing the Sacred Divide at www.larsonpublications.com and www.Amazon.com .While you’re at Amazon, check out the newest review written by Joey Madia.
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Bisphosphonates as a supplement to exercise to protect bone during long-duration spaceflight
A. LeBlanc, T. Matsumoto, J. Jones, Jay Shapiro, T. Lang, L. Shackelford, S. M. Smith, H. Evans, E. Spector, R. Ploutz-Snyder, J. Sibonga, J. Keyak, T. Nakamura, K. Kohri, H. Ohshima
Suburban Hospital
We report the results of alendronate ingestion plus exercise in preventing the declines in bone mass and strength and elevated levels of urinary calcium and bone resorption in astronauts during 5.5 months of spaceflight. Introduction: This investigation was an international collaboration between NASA and the JAXA space agencies to investigate the potential value of antiresorptive agents to mitigate the well-established bone changes associated with long-duration spaceflight. Methods: We report the results from seven International Space Station (ISS) astronauts who spent a mean of 5.5 months on the ISS and who took an oral dose of 70 mg of alendronate weekly starting 3 weeks before flight and continuing throughout the mission. All crewmembers had available for exercise a treadmill, cycle ergometer, and a resistance exercise device. Our assessment included densitometry of multiple bone regions using X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and assays of biomarkers of bone metabolism. Results: In addition to pre- and post-flight measurements, we compared our results to 18 astronauts who flew ISS missions and who exercised using an early model resistance exercise device, called the interim resistance exercise device, and to 11 ISS astronauts who exercised using the newer advanced resistance exercise device (ARED). Our findings indicate that the ARED provided significant attenuation of bone loss compared with the older device although post-flight decreases in the femur neck and hip remained. The combination of the ARED and bisphosphonate attenuated the expected decline in essentially all indices of altered bone physiology during spaceflight including: DXA-determined losses in bone mineral density of the spine, hip, and pelvis, QCT-determined compartmental losses in trabecular and cortical bone mass in the hip, calculated measures of fall and stance computed bone strength of the hip, elevated levels of bone resorption markers, and urinary excretion of calcium. Conclusions: The combination of exercise plus an antiresoptive drug may be useful for protecting bone health during long-duration spaceflight.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-2243-z
Pelvic Bones
United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Bone Density Conservation Agents
Densitometry
Femur Neck
Computed bone strength
LeBlanc, A., Matsumoto, T., Jones, J., Shapiro, J., Lang, T., Shackelford, L., ... Ohshima, H. (2013). Bisphosphonates as a supplement to exercise to protect bone during long-duration spaceflight. Osteoporosis International, 24(7), 2105-2114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-2243-z
Bisphosphonates as a supplement to exercise to protect bone during long-duration spaceflight. / LeBlanc, A.; Matsumoto, T.; Jones, J.; Shapiro, Jay; Lang, T.; Shackelford, L.; Smith, S. M.; Evans, H.; Spector, E.; Ploutz-Snyder, R.; Sibonga, J.; Keyak, J.; Nakamura, T.; Kohri, K.; Ohshima, H.
In: Osteoporosis International, Vol. 24, No. 7, 07.2013, p. 2105-2114.
LeBlanc, A, Matsumoto, T, Jones, J, Shapiro, J, Lang, T, Shackelford, L, Smith, SM, Evans, H, Spector, E, Ploutz-Snyder, R, Sibonga, J, Keyak, J, Nakamura, T, Kohri, K & Ohshima, H 2013, 'Bisphosphonates as a supplement to exercise to protect bone during long-duration spaceflight', Osteoporosis International, vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 2105-2114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-2243-z
LeBlanc A, Matsumoto T, Jones J, Shapiro J, Lang T, Shackelford L et al. Bisphosphonates as a supplement to exercise to protect bone during long-duration spaceflight. Osteoporosis International. 2013 Jul;24(7):2105-2114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-2243-z
LeBlanc, A. ; Matsumoto, T. ; Jones, J. ; Shapiro, Jay ; Lang, T. ; Shackelford, L. ; Smith, S. M. ; Evans, H. ; Spector, E. ; Ploutz-Snyder, R. ; Sibonga, J. ; Keyak, J. ; Nakamura, T. ; Kohri, K. ; Ohshima, H. / Bisphosphonates as a supplement to exercise to protect bone during long-duration spaceflight. In: Osteoporosis International. 2013 ; Vol. 24, No. 7. pp. 2105-2114.
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T1 - Bisphosphonates as a supplement to exercise to protect bone during long-duration spaceflight
AU - LeBlanc, A.
AU - Matsumoto, T.
AU - Jones, J.
AU - Shapiro, Jay
AU - Lang, T.
AU - Shackelford, L.
AU - Smith, S. M.
AU - Spector, E.
AU - Ploutz-Snyder, R.
AU - Sibonga, J.
AU - Keyak, J.
AU - Nakamura, T.
AU - Kohri, K.
AU - Ohshima, H.
N2 - We report the results of alendronate ingestion plus exercise in preventing the declines in bone mass and strength and elevated levels of urinary calcium and bone resorption in astronauts during 5.5 months of spaceflight. Introduction: This investigation was an international collaboration between NASA and the JAXA space agencies to investigate the potential value of antiresorptive agents to mitigate the well-established bone changes associated with long-duration spaceflight. Methods: We report the results from seven International Space Station (ISS) astronauts who spent a mean of 5.5 months on the ISS and who took an oral dose of 70 mg of alendronate weekly starting 3 weeks before flight and continuing throughout the mission. All crewmembers had available for exercise a treadmill, cycle ergometer, and a resistance exercise device. Our assessment included densitometry of multiple bone regions using X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and assays of biomarkers of bone metabolism. Results: In addition to pre- and post-flight measurements, we compared our results to 18 astronauts who flew ISS missions and who exercised using an early model resistance exercise device, called the interim resistance exercise device, and to 11 ISS astronauts who exercised using the newer advanced resistance exercise device (ARED). Our findings indicate that the ARED provided significant attenuation of bone loss compared with the older device although post-flight decreases in the femur neck and hip remained. The combination of the ARED and bisphosphonate attenuated the expected decline in essentially all indices of altered bone physiology during spaceflight including: DXA-determined losses in bone mineral density of the spine, hip, and pelvis, QCT-determined compartmental losses in trabecular and cortical bone mass in the hip, calculated measures of fall and stance computed bone strength of the hip, elevated levels of bone resorption markers, and urinary excretion of calcium. Conclusions: The combination of exercise plus an antiresoptive drug may be useful for protecting bone health during long-duration spaceflight.
AB - We report the results of alendronate ingestion plus exercise in preventing the declines in bone mass and strength and elevated levels of urinary calcium and bone resorption in astronauts during 5.5 months of spaceflight. Introduction: This investigation was an international collaboration between NASA and the JAXA space agencies to investigate the potential value of antiresorptive agents to mitigate the well-established bone changes associated with long-duration spaceflight. Methods: We report the results from seven International Space Station (ISS) astronauts who spent a mean of 5.5 months on the ISS and who took an oral dose of 70 mg of alendronate weekly starting 3 weeks before flight and continuing throughout the mission. All crewmembers had available for exercise a treadmill, cycle ergometer, and a resistance exercise device. Our assessment included densitometry of multiple bone regions using X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and assays of biomarkers of bone metabolism. Results: In addition to pre- and post-flight measurements, we compared our results to 18 astronauts who flew ISS missions and who exercised using an early model resistance exercise device, called the interim resistance exercise device, and to 11 ISS astronauts who exercised using the newer advanced resistance exercise device (ARED). Our findings indicate that the ARED provided significant attenuation of bone loss compared with the older device although post-flight decreases in the femur neck and hip remained. The combination of the ARED and bisphosphonate attenuated the expected decline in essentially all indices of altered bone physiology during spaceflight including: DXA-determined losses in bone mineral density of the spine, hip, and pelvis, QCT-determined compartmental losses in trabecular and cortical bone mass in the hip, calculated measures of fall and stance computed bone strength of the hip, elevated levels of bone resorption markers, and urinary excretion of calcium. Conclusions: The combination of exercise plus an antiresoptive drug may be useful for protecting bone health during long-duration spaceflight.
KW - Bisphosphonates
KW - Bone loss
KW - Computed bone strength
KW - Exercise
KW - QCT
KW - Spaceflight
U2 - 10.1007/s00198-012-2243-z
DO - 10.1007/s00198-012-2243-z
JO - Osteoporosis International
JF - Osteoporosis International
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The Insufferable Gaucho
Randy Rosenthal has a BA from UCLA and a MFA in Creative Writing from the City College of New York. His work has been published in the Brooklyn Rail, fourpaperletters, and Promethean. He teaches at Kingsborough College and lives in Brooklyn.
Randy's Articles at KGB Bar Lit
In The Insufferable Gaucho, we leave Bolaá±o 's usual Chilean émigrés, whores, poets, and gangsters, and have, instead, horses and knife fights, strumming guitars and, of course, gauchos. We have the theme of recovering honor in a changing, shameless world. We have Bolaá±o 's homage to Borges.
The most recent in the outpouring of Roberto Bolaá±o translations is The Insufferable Gaucho, a collection of short stories and two essays. After finishing the opening story “Jim,” I surmised, dejectedly, that this was a collection of B-sides, stories that Bolaá±o did not see fit to include in his previous collections, released now only to capitalize on his wave of popularity. But a few more pages in, I realized that this wasn't quite the case. It wasn't that the stories were lesser, exactly - it was that in tone, in setting, in taste, they didn't feel anything like Bolaá±o 's other works. They felt like stories by Borges. It sometimes seems like every review of the late Chilean author must mention the name of the late Argentinean. Bolaá±o has been called “Borges' wisecracking, sardonic son” in the New York Times Book Review, and El Pais wrote that The Savage Detectives is “the novel that Borges would have written.” But though Bolaá±o 's works have displayed Borges' general influence, many authors have ‘borrowed' Borgesian meta-fictional devices. To see Borges and Bolaá±o 's names linked together has often made my eye twitch. That is, until now. In The Insufferable Gaucho, we leave Bolaá±o 's usual Chilean émigrés, whores, poets, and gangsters, and have, instead, horses and knife fights, strumming guitars and, of course, gauchos. We have the theme of recovering honor in a changing, shameless world. We have Bolaá±o 's homage to Borges. The homage appears deliberate. The title story centers on a respected judge named Pereda who leaves Buenos Aires to live on his family's decrepit estate on the Pampas. In the first few pages he remembers Borges' "The South," and the rest of the piece plays out like a retelling of Borges' original. And while it is usually hard to catch a breath during Bolaá±o 's mesmerizing paragraphs, the narration is here far more relaxed and mature - close to Borges' typical detachment. In "Alvaro Rousselot's Journey," too, Bolaá±o seems to have consciously shifted his style. As an Argentinean author tries to track down a Parisian screenwriter who has turned his books into films without permission, the pace is slow, the tone restrained - each sentence stands on its own, each action is carefully described, as if originating in the mind of a long distance runner.Bolaá±o 's Argentina is nevertheless one generation removed from Borges'. After the Argentinean economic crash, the gauchos in Bolaá±o 's redaction are pathetic and weak; they get around on bicycles instead of horses, and hunt rabbits instead of herd cattle. Pereda's insistence on riding horses, raising cattle and having knife fights – even when they are absurd - is an attempt to re-establish the honor of the gaucho, the honor they had in the stories of Borges.Though Gaucho takes on new settings and subjects, Bolaá±o doesn't entirely leave off his underworld interests, tweaking them with his twisted imagination to produce stories such as “Police Rat,” a deadpan first person narrative about a rat detective attempting to solve mysterious serial murders of baby rats. The rats have common names, philosophies, and their own methods of investigation. There is no irony here. Though I'd be hesitant to use the word allegory, we know the story is symbolic when the detective, Pepe the Cop says: “It's already too late, I thought, for everything. When did it become too late? Weren't we damned right from the origin of our species?”The two essays are Bolaá±o 's own, separate from the Borgesian stories. Whereas Borges' fictional and non-fictional styles are distinct, his fictions enigmatic and his essays crystal clear, Bolaá±o 's essays are written with the same urgency as his stories. “Literature + Illness = Illness” addresses the intrinsic human state of inner chaos: “Dionysus is to blame for everything.” Although Bolaá±o writes that this “illness” cannot be cured through the pursuit of travel, sex, or art - paths that lead “nowhere” - these paths must be followed since they lead to the loss of self, as "the self must be lost, in order to find it again.” Clearly, this essay was written by an author facing the abyss of his impending death, trying to figure out what the summation of his life can add up to. In this case, the sum is nothing. But nothing might be the goal. The second essay, “The Myths of Cthulha,” is so sardonic that it's possible for a reader to miss Bolaá±o 's mockery as he states the “public is never wrong” and advises us all to read best-sellers instead of serious literature. Actually, I'm still not sure if he is being sardonic.The fiction in The Insufferable Gaucho is an ode to the godfather of Latin American literature and should be understood as no more than that. Bolaá±o cannot do what Borges does. What Borges accomplishes in five pages takes Bolaá±o thirty-five. Roberto Bolaá±o may be the most important figure in contemporary literature, but there is and can only be one Jorge Luis Borges.Roberto Bolaá±o wrote the novels The Skating Rink, By Night in Chile, The Savage Detectives, and 2666, among many others. He died in 2003.
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Written by Kids Talk Radio Science and the Barboza Space Center May 18, 2017 May 18, 2017
NASA Needs Your Help On the Moon Europa
NASA asks science community for Europa Lander Instruments ideas
Washington DC (SPX) May 18, 2017
illustration only
NASA is asking scientists to consider what would be the best instruments to include on a mission to land on Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa.
NASA Wednesday informed the science community to prepare for a planned competition to select science instruments for a potential Europa lander.
While a Europa lander mission is not yet approved by NASA, the agency’s Planetary Science Division has funding in Fiscal Year 2017 to conduct the announcement of opportunity process.
“The possibility of placing a lander on the surface of this intriguing icy moon, touching and exploring a world that might harbor life is at the heart of the Europa lander mission,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “We want the community to be prepared for this announcement of opportunity, because NASA recognizes the immense amount of work involved in preparing proposals for this potential future exploration.”
The community announcement provides advance notice of NASA’s plan to hold a competition for instrument investigations for a potential Europa lander mission. Proposed investigations will be evaluated and selected through a two-step competitive process to fund development of a variety of relevant instruments and then to ensure the instruments are compatible with the mission concept.
Approximately 10 proposals may be selected to proceed into a competitive Phase A. The Phase A concept study will be limited to approximately 12 months with a $1.5 million budget per investigation. At the conclusion of these studies, NASA may select some of these concepts to complete Phase A and subsequent mission phases.
Investigations will be limited to those addressing the following science objectives, which are listed in order of decreasing priority:
+ Search for evidence of life on Europa
+ Assess the habitability of Europa via in situ techniques uniquely available to a lander mission
+ Characterize surface and subsurface properties at the scale of the lander
In early 2016, in response to a congressional directive, NASA’s Planetary Science Division began a study to assess the science and engineering design of a future Europa lander mission. NASA routinely conducts such studies – known as Science Definition Team (SDT) reports – long before the start of any mission to gain an understanding of the challenges, feasibility and science value of the potential mission. The 21-member team began work almost one year ago, submitting a report to NASA on Feb. 7.
The agency briefed the community on the Europa Lander SDT study at recent town halls at the 2017 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) at The Woodlands, Texas, and the Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon) in Mesa, Arizona.
The proposed Europa lander is separate from and would follow its predecessor – the Europa Clipper multiple flyby mission – which now is in preliminary design phase and planned for launch in the early 2020s. Arriving in the Jupiter system after a journey of several years, the spacecraft would orbit the planet about every two weeks, providing opportunities for 40 to 45 flybys in the prime mission. The Clipper spacecraft would image Europa’s icy surface at high resolution, and investigate its composition and structure of its interior and icy shell.
Wednesday’s community announcement in no way obligates NASA to solicit future proposals.
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In her opinion, as long as a young witch knew the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic then she was fit to go to Hogwarts, where there were plenty of young wizards to find a husband from. That wasn't to say that she was against women being intelligent, but it was a man's world and the best thing a woman could do was to find good place in it by finding a man who had a good place in it.
"Do you remember the story I wrote about the small boy who lives on a Dragon Reserve and finds out that one of the baby dragons is intelligent and they can speak to each other?" Margarita asked whilst her mother was occupied with why exactly the number 13 looked like the letter B and the implications of someone mistaking one for the other.
"Mmm."
"Well, there was an advertisement in the Diagon Alley's Diagonal News the other day about a short story competition and that the winner would get a fancy Never Out Quill and be published in their paper."
Margarita crossed her fingers whilst her hands were still behind her back, a Muggle gesture for bringing good luck, which made the cow in the 'ye olde Englande' landscape painting glare at her, maybe for her audacity at trying her luck against Phyllis but, more likely, for acting less than a Pureblood. "I was thinking of maybe sending it in. My story."
Phyllis delicately tapped the point where her current cigarette was embedded in her holder against the rim of the ashtray with a clink.
"If you must write about silly superstitions surrounding numbers do try and avoid Muggle ideas, because they're generally ignorant on such matters – that's 'ignorant' spelt with one 'a', not two – and if you must borrow things from my reading table then take the Daily Prophet's society pages. I've told you before; those are much more useful for you."
"There was an article in the Diagonal about the children of the London-based families that would be going to Hogwarts this September," said Margarita, although she hadn’t read it.
"Probably a Black or two, I imagine." Phyllis handed her daughter's essays back with one hand, the other still occupied with her cigarette holder, and blew a small smoke ring at the agitated cow in the painting, ignoring the mute warning that it was trying to give her about her daughter's behaviour. "I think the Silencing Charm is a wonderful thing," she commented, "because otherwise this room would be unbearable with all the inanimate objects that would be trying to force their opinion on me in a vocal fashion. Your father asked why I wouldn't allow any of the portraits to be hung in here and I told him that it was because of that charm's limitation in this respect. Which is?"
"Inanimate objects that have been imbued with the remnants of a person's personality and memories do not obey Quirke's Law," Margarita recited with only a little hesitation. Her home schooling may have been haphazard, but some things had stuck.
Phyllis raised her eyebrows slightly. "And why do photographs behave differently than portraits?"
"Photographs retain only a hint of a person's personality at the time the picture is captured rather than any actual personality traits or memories."
"Very good." She blew another smoke ring at the cow. "You may not send any of your stories, written or otherwise, anywhere. Storytelling is allowable when you are entertaining young children, but writing is an eccentric hobby for a young woman and you will do best to keep it to yourself until after you have been married and settled."
Margarita pinched the webbing between the finger and thumb of one hand with the finger and thumb of the other and promised herself that she wouldn't cry.
Her name was Margarita, as in the tequila-based cocktail and the Isla de Margarita located in the Caribbean Sea, which she knew because she was a Ravenclaw.
Ravenclaws knew all sorts of interesting things, not just things that came out of books like the rest of the school thought. Ravenclaws knew that knowing things was important.
What Margarita really liked knowing about was people. She'd never been interested in reading the society pages or gossip columns at home, but here knowing about people became important because she was actually living with those people. Some days walking through the corridors at Hogwarts was like walking through a scene out of a story as she brushed past the living embodiment of lives in print. For instance, from her place at the Ravenclaw table she could see the heads of the three Black sisters seated with their fellow Slytherins.
"Rumour has it that Malfoy was caught behind Greenhouse Two with Bellatrix yesterday," said Heather as she poured pumpkin juice into Margarita's glass as well as her own. She poured precisely with each glass being filled to the same level. Everything about Heather was precise, from the order of the books in her school satchel to the knot in her blue and bronze striped tie.
"Sprouting Relations," Margarita replied quietly. "Eldest members of supposedly eldest Pureblood families conspire to keep all that wealth amongst themselves, because those good looks just shouldn't be shared. Oh, and the money too."
Heather giggled. "What do you think Slughorn told Bellatrix in her careers meeting?"
"Don’t let him in your knickers until after you have his cash?"
Heather elbowed her in the side of her stomach to shut her up, because Gilderoy was sitting down across from them on the other side of the table and that boy was better at spreading tales of who'd said what about whom than anyone else in the school and Margarita could live without getting on Bellatrix's bad side (again).
"Well now I'm not hungry," said Margarita. She pushed her plate away and rubbed at her injured side exaggeratedly, which didn't really hurt at all, but she'd rather blame her lack of appetite on that than on the nerves wriggling inside her middle.
Margarita's careers meeting had been the day before and her mother was waiting to hear how it had gone, but she hadn't managed to summon the courage to send an owl yet.
Professor Flitwick had been kind as always, diplomatically letting her know that her essay writing style was still somewhat unorthodox and, whilst some of her Professors had praised her 'unique perspective', she should really pay more attention to the prescribed questions. On a more personal note, their new Head of House had been happy with her practical work in Charms, and so he should with all of the practise that her and Heather had been doing in their dormitory at the weekends.
Heather was muggleborn and obsessed with an American actress, a sex symbol and a beautiful woman who wore heavy ringlets and painted lips that they had been trying to imitate with all the 'swish and flick' they could muster, although they couldn't do anything with Margarita's glasses other than change the style of the frames. The fashions in the unmoving photographs that Heather had stuck to the wall between their four-poster beds dated back to the 1940s, but the rest of their dorm mates had been brought up in wizarding homes and couldn't tell the difference between Muggle fashion eras anyway. Margarita loved the fact that, thanks to her friend, she herself, Pureblood going back five generations now, could.
Professor Flitwick thought the Pureblood obsession with family history and history in general, which had been on the increase lately, was behind the fact that she was en route to gaining the highest marks in History of Magic for sixty years. She'd shifted uncomfortably under his praise when really she had paid as little attention to Binns as every other professor; she just happened to have enjoyed researching the facts behind the historical stories for her homework essays and telling them back to their Professor far more vividly than he had told them in the hope that he'd take the hint and make the class more lively.
In her head the Goblin Wars had been exceedingly bloody and exciting, and now she had to write to her mother and tell her that she was going to be the only person taking History of Magic at NEWT level.
"It won’t be that bad," Heather told her, either reading her mind or just offering a general reassurance, before reaching for the toast.
Margarita pulled a face. "You haven’t met my mother. She says the important thing for witches to do whilst they’re at Hogwarts is to find good husbands. I'll just get told there's no point in taking a subject where they won't be any boys in the class."
"Will she really get that worked up about it?" Heather's mother had been a librarian before Heather's older brother had been born, still worked part time and saw nothing wrong with her daughter concentrating on her studies until the right man came along some time in the future. Sometimes Margarita wished she'd been born to a Muggle family where mothers were like that, but then she might not have had magic and that would have been absolutely awful.
"No. She just won't let me do it." Margarita rested her elbows on the table, slumped forwards until her head was propped up with hands and let out a small sigh.
Heather spread butter carefully over her toast, covering every inch of one side, before doing the same with the raspberry jam. "Well, Binns is boring anyway, right? You don't really want to do History of Magic at NEWT, do you?"
"It’s the closest thing to storytelling we can take as a subject." She smiled. "You know, unless you count Divination."
"Are you planning on writing stories as a career then?" asked Heather. "Doesn't that take a long time before you earn any money, because you have to write them first and then wait for someone to want to publish them?"
"I'll have to have a job as well, won't I," said Margarita, in a tone of voice that said that this was perfectly obvious.
Heather nibbled on her toast, careful to hold it over her plate so any crumbs would land on it.
"I was thinking about maybe being a journalist," Margarita continued as she stared through her glass at the pumpkin juice dreamily. "I sent an article to The Trotter last week – you know, that weekly Hogsmeade newsletter – and they published it." She hadn't told her mother about that either, but then The Trotter, unlike the school, wouldn't be sending a letter to her parents about it and it was one of the few papers that her mother didn't bother to read.
"Journalism is more about news than stories though, really," said Heather.
"But people don’t want to hear the news," Margarita said excitedly and sat up straight, her hands becoming animated. "They want to hear the stories and the rumours and all the things that make the news interesting. News is stories - the facts from a different perspective."
Heather grinned. "From a 'unique perspective' maybe?"
"People don't want to hear that Malfoy and Bellatrix were behind Greenhouse Two, they want to hear that a Malfoy and a Black were secreting themselves behind Greenhouse Two to discuss more incestuous marriages between their old money families and Malfoy was going up her skirt to try and sweeten the deal!"
Across the table Gilderoy Lockhart dropped a slice of bacon in his tea and squeaked.
Under the table Heather kicked Margarita with a precisely-laced shoe (hard).
Her name was Margarita, which meant 'pearl' in Spanish; a sought-after hidden gem.
By the end of her seventh year at Hogwarts she'd had her own regular column in The Trotter and several articles published in the dailies, including the Diagon Gazette, so she knew she was worth something, but the Sub-Editor of the Daily Prophet just didn't seem to see it.
It had been a boiling hot June. Her last ride on the Hogwart's Express had been spent creating a self-waving fan and pooling her Sickles and Knuts with everyone else in the carriage to buy a huge jug of cool pumpkin juice from the trolley lady.
As hot as it was, she'd still spent the fifteen minutes before this interview leaning against the wall of the newspaper's offices with a cheap cigarette holder and a packet of fags bought in Knockturn Alley trying to blow a smoke ring, but she didn't have her mother's talent and her mother's cure for stress didn't cure hers. It made her stand out though, her smoking and her hair charmed into blond ringlets, which kept brushing against the back of her sweaty neck.
She'd been able to leave the house with her hair that way because Phyllis was dead and couldn't say anything about it. Fourth generation Purebloods might be pure-blooded, but they still didn't live as long as people from the bloodlines of the real Pureblood families. Margarita found that she didn't care, much as her father didn't seem to care about her. He wasn't cruel, but he planned to marry her off as quickly as possible to get her out of the house and set up for life, his paternal duty discharged.
Margarita didn’t want to be 'set up', she wanted to write down.
She imagined that all the eyes in Diagon Alley watched her as she rubbed her cigarette butt into the ground with the heel of a shoe tied so neatly Heather herself would be proud of them and pushed her glasses up her nose before walking through the door with chipped green paint and up three flights of narrow stairs into the future she wanted.
The Sub-Editor, Barney Cuffe, was a large man crammed behind what she'd always thought a journalist's desk would look like – old, wooden and littered with scraps, sheets and rolls of parchment. His robe was abandoned on an old coat rack in the corner, which kept shuffling its feet in an odd little waltz, his shirt sleeves were rolled up and the window behind his desk was open as far as it would go. Vanishing the glass would have let in more of a breeze though.
"Miss Skeeter is it?" he asked as she entered his small, private office and closed the door behind her. He didn't bother to look at her for longer than a glance and didn’t bother to offer his hand, so she didn't bother to ask him if she could take a seat, just sat down in the one closest to his desk.
"I read the cuttings you sent with your application," Cuffe said, speaking quickly but clearly, "and you're not hard-hitting enough for us."
He was reading through a wad of parchment that looked like someone had spewed purple ink all over it and every so often he'd reach for the grotty quill tucked behind one ear, shove it in his inkwell, scribble black ink over the purple, then slide it back behind his ear.
"All of our reporters have breaking news under their belts, from frontline war in the Grindelwald era, to political controversy, to the facets of human experience. What are you offering me? Idol stories?" He snorted. "What are they? Stories that stand around a lot and don't get sold."
Margarita opened her mouth to explain that celebrity stories were large sellers in the Muggle press, but what came out was, "All your reporters?" Of the few that she'd passed on the stairs and in the corridor five of them had looked like they hadn't yet begun to shave and one of them had a lopsided nametag saying 'apprentice'.
"Too young," Cuffe said, reaching for his quill again. "Good day."
She leaned forward in her chair, which made her glasses slip down, and took a deep breath. "Celebrity stories are a niche market that is yet to be fully realised. The amount of witches that use the WWN to listen to –"
"No," he told her flatly. "I said you're too young. Not what we're looking for. No good."
"What you mean is 'not male'," said Margarita and her cheeks, already pink (and perspiring along with the rest of her) in the heat, managed to grew a little darker.
All of the staff she'd passed had been male. Writing, as her mother had often said, was an unconventional interest for a woman. They could write in to newspapers and magazines, but they didn't write in them and they certainly didn't work for them. She thought the Prophet probably even had a male cleaner.
"Well, since you brought it up." Cuffe finally looked up at her. "Too young, not good enough and not male. Correct. Now grow some balls or get out."
There didn't seem to be anything to do at that point other than leave, or at least nothing legal. She thought about hexing his bollocks off, but there was probably a rule about that somewhere. Besides, if she hexed him he wouldn't hire her when she came back, because she was coming back.
Margarita decided then and there that she was going to be the best reporter the press machine had ever printed, that Cuffe would be begging her to come and work for the Prophet and she would just smile and tell him she was staying freelance, that he could fight every other paper for the right to print every article she was going to write.
She'll tell him with a feminine smile on painted lips, Margarita thought, because she's a woman and she won't change who she is for ignorant dickheads. She'll tell them that she's freelance with a smile on painted lips and they can watch her curves as she saunters out. The first time she's paid she'll buy short skirts and slinky, silky fabrics that cling to those curves, that show off her hips and bum, and heels that will allow her to walk tall, with make up and bright colours because she's fashionable and female and they'll be begging her because she'll be the best.
Her name is Rita, the same as Rita Hayworth, a famous, sexy, Muggle actress, and a name that she gives to herself.
Rita Skeeter saunters out of the offices of the Daily Prophet in search of a story.
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Mood: working
Margarita: A Story
Title: Margarita: Un Cuento
Beta: the lovely Velvet Mouse, all remaining mistakes are mine
Rating/Warnings: PG13 for mild swearing and insinuation, also includes sexism
Length: 3,684 words
Summary: Margarita has always loved writing stories, but as she grows up what stories mean to her and what her name means to her changes.
Disclaimer/Author Note: the Harry Potter franchise belongs to JK Rowling, Rita Hayworth belongs to herself and the title means 'Margarita: A Story', which is lifted from various translations of the Spanish poem 'A Margarita Debayle' by Rubén Darío.
Margarita: Un Cuento
Her name was Margarita, which was apparently a posh version of 'Margaret', but she thought it sounded like a smelly, foreign food.
She wasn't supposed to know about Muggle food, but pizza was an Italian dish and surely Italian wizards ate it? To be on the safe side she kept her thoughts on her name to herself, which was quite easy to do when she spent most of the time in her own company.
When she was little she had sat at the large table in the kitchen, with two or three cushions under her bottom to make her high enough to sit at it properly, so that the cook could watch her whilst she worked. But young ladies weren't supposed to spend time with the hired help and, at nearly eleven, Margarita didn't need constant supervision anymore and only one cushion, so now she did her work in the dining room on her own.
Margarita was quite happy with this arrangement. The dining room was colder, because it didn't have a fireplace and the warming charms were beginning to wear off, but it was quieter too, which made it far easier to think, and she only noticed how cold it was when she ventured into the drawing room at the end of the afternoon. That was the warmest room in the whole house, but Margarita thought it was also the most intimidating.
She hovered in the doorway, pushing the bridge of her glasses up her nose, feeling smaller than ever compared to that large space. She was unable to keep her eyes from flickering over all the photographs, paintings, mementos, ornaments, knick-knacks and clocks that adorned the walls, especially when all the things that had eyes used them to stare at her.
"Have we been productive today, then, sweetheart?"
The woman sitting in the armchair with the faded, flowery upholstery had her feet propped up on a matching footstool and was working her way through the pile of newspapers and magazines in her lap, if skim-reading for gossip could be called 'work'. A small cloud of smoke appeared over her head with every breath and the glass ashtray balanced on one arm of the chair narrowly avoided being knocked to the floor with every page turn, both of which made an inelegant scene, but Phyllis Skeeter liked the feel of the ivory cigarette holder, slim and cool between her fingers, and the stylish decadence that was the art of smoking.
"Well?"
Margarita hurried forward, then slowed down as she remembered to 'walk gracefully' with her 'head held high' and 'shoulders back' without 'slouching awfully, sweetheart', and placed her own pieces of parchment on top of the papers already on her mother's knee.
"An essay on the need for authors to consult dictionaries, since Newt Scamander obviously doesn't know the meaning of 'short' if his 'short' introduction is anything to go by…" She stopped talking long enough to finish reading it, blowing a stream of smoke out of her mouth, before saying, "That wasn't the essay on magical ecosystems that I asked for and you've spelt 'ignorant' wrong, darling."
She rifled through the rest of the ink-splattered sheets whilst in front of her Margarita stood with her hands clasped behind her back and tried not to squirm.
It wasn't that Margarita didn't like learning and she always completed her lessons. It was just that an essay on Grindelwald would turn into a story on what it might have been like to live in Eastern Europe during the Great War and her sums would trail off into a description of the shape of the number 5 – a snake with a crick in his neck, and how might it have gotten that way?
Phyllis didn't care. In her opinion, as long as a young witch knew the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic then she was fit to go to Hogwarts, where there were plenty of young wizards to find a husband from. That wasn't to say that she was against women being intelligent, but it was a man's world and the best thing a woman could do was to find good place in it by finding a man who had a good place in it.
Tags: fanfiction: all, fanfiction: harry potter
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Army’s Next Battle: Outdated IT Systems
by Susan Hall March 20, 2012 2 min read
As the U.S. Army makes its exit from Afghanistan, it’s turning its attention to modernizing operations at its bases at home.
Federal Computer Week tells of Army CIO Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, who recounted an encounter with a returning general:
‘You give me absolutely everything I need to command and control in the fight while deployed, but when I go back home to Fort Bragg, I go back to the Stone Ages.’… Soldiers could deploy to the theater and you’ll have everything over IP, unlimited bandwidth … whatever [joint urgent operational needs] there were, we filled. But when they came back home, they were on the old, circuit-based switches; didn’t work; there was a lot of frustration.
Lawrence estimated that about 85 percent of U.S. Army bases run on “antiquated” networks. She said the Army is going to “bite the bullet and redesign the entire architecture of the network inside of the continental U.S,” in an effort to standardize Army command, control, communications and computing services.
Said Lawrence:
It’s time to get right-size with the right talent.
Among the priorities are better network defense and thin-client capabilities, as well as enterprise email. All email accounts are expected to be migrated to a central enterprise system by March, 2013. The Army is looking at the potential for a BYOD strategy where users could access Army systems without storing any sensitive data.
A Wired article also looks at the Army’s efforts to plan for its next deployment. It almost sounds like a familiar commercial:
“The network,” says Lt. Gen. William Phillips, the Army’s acquisitions chief, “is our number one program going forward.”
The Army is looking for ways to provide connectivity for units on the move and to get tactical information to small units and infantrymen.
Maj. Gen. Anthony Cuculo, the Army’s self-described “hardware guy,” estimated that the Army needs to save at least 18 percent of its $184.6 billion requested budget – about $35 billion – for modernization.
Aria Systems Seeks 50 New Tech Hires
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HP Said To Plan Combining Printer and PC Groups
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Mario Rosenstock
Mario Rosenstock Cork
Mario Rosenstock Cork Tickets
Wednesday, February 26 2020, 8:00 PM. Cork Opera House, Cork, Ireland
Other Mario Rosenstock events
Mario Rosenstock Cork Tuesday, February 25 2020, 8:00 PM. Cork Opera House, Cork, Ireland
Mario Rosenstock Wexford Friday, March 6 2020, 8:00 PM. The National Opera House Wexford, Wexford, Ireland
Mario Rosenstock Galway Saturday, March 7 2020, 8:00 PM. Leisureland Galway, Galway, Ireland
Cork Opera House, Cork, Ireland 26 Feb 2020 - Wed 20:00
26 Feb 2020 - Wed 20:00
Cork Opera House, Cork, Ireland
Cork Opera House
Cork Opera House - Cork
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Bali & Beyond Travel Fair 2019 Set to Go Bigger after the great success achieved this year
guest article
Bali & Beyond Travel Fair 2019 was announced after the last event wrapped up at Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center at the end of June. Participants said the fair was a great success and it will return for its sixth edition next year on June 25-29.
Organized by the Bali chapter of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (Asita), BBTF was attended by 320 buyers from 41 countries and 241 sellers from 6 countries.
Rob Haynes, director of the United Kingdom’s Red Tree Representation, said during a press conference that feedback from the buyers he represented at BBTF showed they were impressed by the quality of the sellers at the fair as well as the variety of the promoted destinations.
“You can see existing destinations in Bali but also learn more about other parts of Indonesia,” he said.
Haynes said about half of the tour operators were keen on famous destinations, particularly in South Bali, and the rest were more open to explore other parts of Bali and Indonesia.
“Some tour operators are focused on volume, so they tend to concentrate on destinations that are easy to sell. Then you have tour operators who are more specialists and they’re looking for different experiences. It could be an exotic homestay, a trip to the Komodo Island, or the Gili Islands, or it could be a little cruise,” Haynes told reporters.
The travel fair went well despite the scare from Mount Agung’s eruption early on Friday, which caused Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport to be closed for a few hours. A total of 446 flights, including 207 international ones, were cancelled.
Badung Tourism Office head I Made Badra said the district office, which co-hosted BBTF, had prepared free buses and accommodation for passengers whose flights had to be rescheduled. Luckily, the airport was soon opened again on the same day at 2.30 p.m.
“The eruption gave us a bit of a worry because some of our buyers and some journalists were scheduled to leave the island that day. Thank God the airport was only closed for a few hours,” BBTF chairman Ketut Ardana said.
Bali & beyond travel fair 2019 will be even Bigger Next Year
Ketut said the fair reached its goal of Rp 7.71 trillion ($539.7 million) in transactions and next year he wants to “make this event much bigger, better and stronger.”
Ketut expects more overseas sellers will join the fair next year, which will help BBTF become an international travel marketplace. He said Cambodia and Thailand will definitely return as sellers in 2019.
“Cambodia and Thailand will have their pavilions side-by-side next year. It will be bigger than ever,” he said.
However, Haynes suggested the focus of the fair should still be Indonesia. He urged the organizers to “try and push your own beautiful destinations” and said it is better grow “a bit gradually rather than too big too soon.”
“Don’t get people just for the volume, you have to maintain the quality of your sellers,” Haynes said.
Ketut said BBTF’s ultimate goal remains to become a global travel market.
He said Badung will still co-host the festival next year, but other districts have also expressed interest to do it in the years after, including Jayapura in Papua, Samosir in North Sumatra, South Sulawesi and Togean Islands in Central Sulawesi.
“Selection will be on a first come, first served basis. We don’t want to take risks. All of them are capable of doing it. You should only apply to be a co-host when you have plenty of destinations ready to welcome tourists,” Ketut said.
This year, buyers and journalists were taken on a tour to explore tourist destinations in Bali after the fair. The Jakarta Globe and 13 other groups toured Jembrana, a district in West Bali.
Jembrana already has some popular tourist attractions, including the Bunut Bolong tree and Palasari Church, as well as several resorts. But the district so far has done little branding to promote them.
“The Jembrana administration knows it has very attractive tourist destinations. That’s why we invited them to showcase their potentials at BBTF,” Ketut said.
Next year, Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), which developed the Nusa Dua complex where BBTF took place, will organize a trip to their resort in Mandalika, West Nusa Tenggara.
Lombok is one of the Tourism Ministry’s four priority destinations that have been dubbed the “New Balis.”
“We’re building the next Nusa Dua in Mandalika. Next year we’ll try to organize a fam trip there,” ITDC president director Abdulbar M. Mansoer said.
Article source: http://jakartaglobe.id/features/bali-beyond-travel-fair-set-go-bigger-next-year/
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NASA living legend visits students, tells stories of space
North Medford, Ore. – A NASA “living legend” is in town. Today Dr. Norman Chaffee visited with students at North Medford High School, and tonight you can hear more about his time sending people to space. Dr. Chaffee was with NASA for …
Watch: SpaceX set to launch, land recycled rocket
Update: The SpaceX launch is now expected at about 12:10 p.m. PST. Titusville, Fla. – SpaceX is set to launch a satellite into orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The private corporation originally planned to launch the BulgariaSat-1 satellite on …
SpaceX scrubs ISS resupply mission
Update (06/01/07, 2:47 p.m.) – SpaceX has canceled Thursday’s launch due to weather. Cape Canaveral, Fla. – SpaceX is scheduled to launch its eleventh cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station at 2:55 p.m. PST Thursday. The launch marks the first …
NASA missions provide insight into “ocean worlds”
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – One scientist says NASA is closer than ever to identifying a celestial body that might be hospitable to life Images of Saturn’s moon Enceladus were taken by Nasa’s Cassini spacecraft. They indicate hydrogen is pouring into an underground …
NASA holds news conference on oceans beyond earth
LIVE: NASA scientists are holding a news conference discussing new discoveries about ocean worlds in our solar system. Members of the public can send questions on social media (Twitter, Facebook) during the briefing using #AskNASA.
Astronaut John Glenn laid to rest
Arlington, Virginia (CNN) — Former astronaut and American icon John Glenn was laid to rest Thursday. Glenn, who died in December at age 95, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. President Trump has ordered flags at all federal sites to …
Pres. Trump adds to NASA budget, approves mission to mars
Washington, D.C. – President Trump signed a law Tuesday authorizing funds for a crewed NASA mission to Mars. The bill adds a manned mission to the red planet as a key objective for the space agency and allows for test human space …
SpaceX to fly two space tourists around the moon in 2018
(CNNMoney) — Two tourists are paying SpaceX for a trip around the moon next year. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced Monday afternoon that the travelers had already placed a significant deposit. “Next year is going to be a big year for carrying …
North Medford High School students work with NASA
Medford, Ore., — Some of North Medford High School’s brightest stars are learning the sky isn’t the limit when it comes to science. Nbc5’s Nicole Stein spoke with some of those students who are currently working with NASA on a project that …
ISS crew members return to Earth
Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhastan (NBC) — NASA astronaut Jeff Williams along with cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka Roscosmos, returned home to Earth today on board a Soyuz spacecraft. The crew landed just southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhastan. As the Soyuz was preparing to land, …
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Rep. Clemmons and Safe Tennessee Project Host Vigil and Call to Action on Gun Violence
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) – People in the Midstate are calling for a change to gun laws in the wake of this weekend’s mass shootings.
Monday night a rally and vigil was held in Nashville. Dozens of people attended including some directly affected by gun violence.
Akilah DaSilva was killed last year in the mass shooting at the Waffle House in Antioch. Akilah’s brother Abede was also at Waffle House that night and survived.
Abede attended Monday night’s event and talked about changes he hopes to see regarding gun laws, especially after this weekend’s mass killings.
“It just re-brought up all the feelings, of the day of when we went through it, because I know what they’re going through, I know what their families are going through and it’s just so tragic because there’s really no words you can really tell them,” Abede said.
Action and change was the message from State Rep. John Ray Clemmons and The Safe Tennessee Project, which held the event.
The two talked about how people can advocate for what’s called “Gun Sense Policy,” a movement to get more responsible gun ownership.
“No one gun law is going to reduce gun violence in the state of Tennessee but we can affect several laws to reduce gun violence in Tennessee,” Clemmons said. “We continue to allow assault rifles in the state of Tennessee and you can also sell them out of the trunk of a car, these are examples of things that should not be taking place in Tennessee.”
Clemmons says this rally was time to start talking about policies, but they plan to follow-up with a round-table discussion with experts, victims and community activists.
October 29, 2019|Newsroom
← Happy Fall!
Rep. Clemmons and Safe Tennessee Project Host Gun Violence Roundtable →
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Posted by Johanna under 1995 - 2000, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror / Gothic / Dark Fantasy | Tags: Anne Rice, black magic, blood, book review, books, dark, Fantasy, gothic, Lestat, Louis, magic, Mayfair, R.I.P. Book Challenge, spirits, Talamasca, vampire chronicles, vampires, voodoo, witch |
“Merrick” is my first choice for the R.I.P. IV Challenge just because it’s been quite some time since I’ve read anything from my all-time favorite gothic author, Anne Rice. As a side story created from her famous vampire and Mayfair witch series, it merges Rice’s vampire world with those of her witches’.
Author : Anne Rice
Date of First Publication : October 17, 2000
Publisher of First Edition (Hardcover) : Alfred A. Knopf
My Edition’s Publication Date : July 2001
My Edition Published By : The Ballantine Publishing Group (Mass Paperback)
What It’s All About :
Readers of Rice’s vampire series will be familiar with David Talbot, the secretive Talamasca society’s former Director-General turned bloodsucker by the indomitable Vampire Lestat. As a favor to his preternatural friend Louis, he approaches the love of his former life, Merrick, a powerful mortal descended from a long line of witches of the Mayfair clan. He asks her to call the spirit of a dead vampire child, Claudia, whom Louis had so loved and protected. From Louis’ desire to know about the witch who agreed to grant his utmost desire, the story of Merrick is told by David who recounts her life, from the little girl she was when she first came to the Talamasca’s attention to the beautiful, sensual, powerful witch she has become–dangerous enough even to a vampire.
It would be a Rice vampire fan’s interest to know that the famous Lestat makes a minor comeback here.
The tale revolves mostly on the new character, Merrick, although there are some jolting surprises by our beloved vampires toward the end.
My Review :
Anne Rice is in her usual passionately sublime style with “Merrick“. The feel is deliciously dark although there is always a lofty atmosphere, which is a classic Anne Rice stamp on her gothic novels. Her characters always seem to yearn toward something much more and if anything, her novels always have a sense of hope and salvation.
She imbues her unholy characters with strong human passions, and in these are her characters’ saving graces which grip the reader’s affinity and empathy. When Louis or David feel, they feel deep pathos, exultation at beauty, stunned awe, infinite hatred, and all-consuming love. There seems to be no in-between for Rice’s characters.
This is particularly true with her vampire personalities which thrive on beauty. She has been consistent of their traits from the first book in the vampire series, “Interview With A Vampire” ’til this book. To illustrate, David’s thoughts on looking at Louis:
“He looked rather splendid in his sorrow. Again he made me think of the paintings of Andrea del Sarto. There was something lush in his beauty, for all the sharp and clear well-drawn lines of his eyes and mouth.” — p. 81
Moreover, her characters are always strongly sensual and oftentimes have no sexual boundaries. This leaves the author a lot of leeway in exploring sexual issues. In this particular novel, age factors and homosexuality.
As in most of her other novels, expect some philosophical meanderings in this one. As Rice’s vampires are deep feelers and thinkers, she keeps a consistency in their traits all throughout her chronicles. This novel is no exception:
Louis : “You speak of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as magical, and I understand you, because if the Bread and Wine are transformed into the Holy Sacrifice of the Crucifixion, it is magical, but why does it involve blood?…
What I’m saying is, we might compare rituals the worlds over in all religions and all religions and all systems of magic, forever, but they always involve blood. Why? Of course I know human beings cannot live without blood; I know that ‘the blood is the life’, saith Dracula; I know that humankind speaks in cries and whispers of blood-drenched altars, of bloodshed and blood kin, and blood will have blood, and those of the finest blood. But why? What is the quintessential connection that binds all such wisdom or superstition? And above all, why does God want blood?”– p. 83
You never leave a book from her vampire series without some food for thought.
To Read Or Not To Read:
Although Anne Rice does go back to give a bit of background on her characters, it would be better for new readers to read the first two or three novels in her “Interview With the Vampire” series so that they would know the characters in context. Not having a background on the Mayfair witches is alright because Merrick is a new character; but the Louis, Lestat, Claudia, and David Talbot are vital characters upon whose histories the reader’s appreciation depends.
If you had read the first six novels in the Rice’s vampire collection, “Merrick” is a must-read. It may not stand out as the others but in this, Louis goes through a major turning point which should not be missed.
Those who have not read Anne Rice should know that she has written a wonderful series on vampire and another independent series on witches. Those worlds had not touched each other until this book; so that Rice’s fans of both series had been thrilled to know that the author breathed new life especially to her vampire chronicles by merging them in “Merrick“.
The resulting novel is quite good; however, it is not that close to Rice’s best ones. Nevertheless, it is a good addition to her vampire chronicles for her famous pair, Lestat and Louis, are back and are setting the stage for more adventures with a looming war with the Talamasca. And Rice is still in top form with her lush detailing and profound prose.
My Mark : Very Good
2 Responses to “Merrick”
Memory Says:
I’ve got some mixed feelings about this book. Whenever I’m not reading it, I consider it one of the lesser Vampire Chronicles… but as soon as I pick it up, I have trouble remembering that. It may not be as good as some of her other books, but it’s still a very enjoyable story.
The quotes you’ve included remind me of how much I love Louis, too. I was very pleased with the stuff that happened to him in this book.
My thoughts as well. That’s why I was ambivalent about my rating. In the end, I didn’t rate it so high because Rice’s other books in the vampire series were better, overall, but her writing in this one is still compelling.
1995 - 2000, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror / Gothic / Dark Fantasy
Tags: Anne Rice, black magic, blood, book review, books, dark, Fantasy, gothic, Lestat, Louis, magic, Mayfair, R.I.P. Book Challenge, spirits, Talamasca, vampire chronicles, vampires, voodoo, witch
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Tension never leaves play on area stage
The Diary of Anne Frank’ grips audience with focused acting, direction
Sonya Ellingboe
sellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Posted 2/12/19
The flat Black Box Theatre thrust stage at the Arvada Center is crowded with furniture: beds, a table, chairs, a chest, as the audience is seated for a performance of the remarkable “The Diary of …
Anne Frank, family and others living in the hidden location in Amsterdam at the Arvada Center.
Photo by Matthew Gale
Posted Tuesday, February 12, 2019 4:23 pm
The flat Black Box Theatre thrust stage at the Arvada Center is crowded with furniture: beds, a table, chairs, a chest, as the audience is seated for a performance of the remarkable “The Diary of Anne Frank,” which runs in repertory with two other plays through May 17.
The Jewish Dutch girl, who didn’t live to fulfill her ambitions to become a professional writer, left the world the “most widely read book about the Holocaust … translated into 70 languages, published in more than 60 countries. Selling over 35 million copies,” according to Christy Montour-Larson, who directed this production.
Montour-Larson has worked skillfully with a cast of 10 to tell a familiar story with really remarkable style, limited by a congested stage, where actors had to, in keeping with the story, refrain from any exuberant actions or shouts, no matter how frustrated their character may have been. They certainly learned to convey tension with a look on a face or clenched fist.
This version of the play, adapted from the original by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, was released in 1995 by Wendy Kesselman, when previously edited passages of the original diary were added to a revised edition of the book. Anne’s comments about sexuality and accounts of her conflicts with her mother are included in this production. The original diary was found by the ever-brave Miep Gies (Regina Fernandez), who was able to keep food and supplies — though meager — delivered to the family and the others hiding with them for two years. Gies was able to connect with Otto Frank, the only family member who lived, soon after World War II ended and give him Anne’s diary, which he determined to publish. (Anne died of an infection at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.)
It’s almost dark as the Franks: Anne (the astonishing young Darrow Klein), father Otto (Larry Kahn), mother Edith (Emily Paton Davies) and older sister Margot (Annie Barbour) file into the secret hiding place and are told to be totally quiet while the business downstairs was operating during the day — no water running, no loud noises. They move slowly, pull sheets off the furniture and settle in to what will be their home — for nearly two years, it turns out ... A message from the SS had summoned Margot to report to them and they had to flee quickly.
Periodically, one hears loudspeakers blaring in the streets, adding to the tension that never leaves the scene.
Otto’s business partner, Mr. von Daan (Abner Genece), his wife (Emma Messenger) and teenage son Peter (Daniel Crumrine) soon join the Franks, as does a dentist, Mr. Dussel (Zachary Andrews). And they must attempt to live in close quarters, with very limited food, a radio that keeps them abreast with war news, occasional books and for Anne, her diary and a pen.
Of course, tempers flare, personalities become exaggerated and the fear of discovery is always there.
For an actor, a quiet shift in weight or gesture of a hand speaks volumes on this subdued scene, and strong skills in both director and cast grow increasingly evident.
Anne speaks as she writes in her diary, connecting the story and recounting incidents we may not have seen. Montour-Larsen quotes her at the start of her notes: “I don’t want to have lived for nothing like most people. I want to be useful or give pleasure to the people around me yet who don’t really know me. I want to go on living even after my death. And therefore, I am grateful to God for giving me this gift, this possibility of developing myself and writing, of expressing all that is in me.”
Readers know the story, but will want to see this excellent production, with a young lead as Anne, whom we will watch as she grows and continues to excel.
The other two Black Box productions coming later this spring are: “The Moors,” by Jen Silverman, described by director Anthony Powell as “channeling the Bronte Legacy …” running Feb. 22-May 18; “Basin Street Social Club,” newly finished by local actor Jessica Austgen, running March 15 to May 19. Once all are up and running, they will alternate performances, and the stage will be transformed with each show, which is part of the fun of watching a rep company! See arvadacenter.org for dates.
Sonya Ellingboe, Arvada Center, Diary of Anne Frank
Viking up for UllrGrass
Trees leave mulch to be desired
Longhorn drive launches another National Western Stock Show
My Name Is... John Sekulich
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VMA Soundoff- My Intense Hatred For Katy Perry *Originally posted 2/10/2008 via MySpace
Categories: attractive but useless, bains of society, Inane And Unimportant, leisure, lobotomy worthy, Madonna, makes you embarrased to be human, music, Music Stuff, people who serve little or no purpose whatsoever, pop culture and The End Times
Tags: bad influence on young children, Celebrities, God, junk food for the brain, katy perry, kisses with dogs, lipstick lesbian, media whore, MTV, MTV VMA, music, nobody cares, people you would love to sucker punch, pop culture, pop stars, proof of the end times the end times, rectal prolapse, slut, stupid, untalented
VMA Soundoff- My Intense Hatred For Katy Perry
Current mood: pure
***** ALERT! ALERT! What you are about to read HAS BAD WORDS IN IT. I REFERENCE BEASTIALITY AND OTHER SEXUAL ACTS OF A (SOMEWHAT) PERVERTED NATURE. NOT INTENDED FOR MY DAUGHTER OR ANY OF HER FRIENDS, CURRENT WORK COLLEAGUES AND ASSOCIATES, FUTURE POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS OF DEAD END JOBS, MY PASTOR, THOSE WHO UNFORTUNATELY ENJOY THE MUSIC OF KATY PERRY, THE LUGE COMMUNITY, AND SUFFERERS OF CHROHN’S DISEASE. YOUNG CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY SHOULD VIEW ONLY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A PARENT OR AN INATTENTIVE TEEN WHO IS UNER THE INFLUENCE OF MIND ALTERING SUBSTANCES. YOU MAY EXPERIENCE NAUSEA OR SUDDEN BURSTS OF IDIOPATHIC DIARRHEA. THOSE WITH TEMPORAL LOBE DAMAGE OR ABNORMALITIES MAY EXPERIENCE SEIZURES OR UNCONTROLLABLE SPASMS OF THE BLADDER. YOU MAY FALL DOWN AND NOT BE ABLE TO GET BACK UP. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY> OKAY, I’M DONE NOW.
So you kissed a girl.
Well woohoo, good for you, Miss Katy Perry, you talentless bucket of lusciously long-legged cow dung. I’m glad you pioneered this revolution, because certainly no one else would have ever, ever, figured it out.
I so very much cannot stand Katy Perry. No, not cause she’s prettier than me or anything. Huff. I’m not THAT shallow and insecure. I am perfectly comfortable waddling around in my rapidly-aging skin. You guys should know me better than to just assume I dismiss any hot young vixen I feel remotely threatened by.
Hey, I rock my elderliness. And again, I’m learning that maternity pants have many fun fashionable functions, even when you are not with child. I like elastic panels and stretch denim. Really handy when I make my 10th trip to the starch bar at Old Country Buffet.
No, I hate Katy Perry because HER SONG IS RETARDED!!!!!!!!
A couple days before she was on the VMA’s I saw her on the TODAY show, and I’ll tell ya, I’m not sure which was the most uncomfortable…the 9-year-old girls bouncing together in unison, chanting every lyric, undoubted primed to make out all together on the way home hiding in the back compartment of mom’s mini van…
Slumber parties will never be the same!
“Hey guys, after we eat this pizza let’s make out like Katy Perry and those skanky girls on dad’s “Girls Gone Wild” DVD! Yay! Then we can play Barbies and do each others hair!!! Yay! Hey mom, you wanna play too?!”
But even MORE creepy was Hoda Kotb, who’s like in her 50’s, and Natalie Morales, who’s 36 and preggers…were arm-in-arm, bopping around singing like it was…I dunno…maybe Bon Jovi or something. LOL! I wonder if they looked at each other, in that certain way…and silently communicated…”Yeah Hot Stuff. You. Me. Kathie Lee. In the Green Room…NOW!”
However, the Creep-O-The-Week Award went to a very apparently aroused Matt Lauer and Al Roker, who were saliviating like she was a pork chop and making these weird wet stains in their trousers. Eeww. (I have more to say on this topic, but that’s another blog)
Then she turns up on the VMA’s, singing a really bad cover of “Like A Virgin”, followed up by her catchy little lesbo ditty. I just realized, I had had enough.
And why? Not because I feel like she’s encouraging young girls to try out lipstick lesbianism…with all the bump ‘n grind ass action prevalent in todays media…we all get plenty of exposure to that. And whatever, if you want to kiss girls, cool, that’s your choice. I don’t think it should be particularly peddled to young girls, but that’s not the root of what gets me.
What gets me is girls with marginal talent making risque songs and using them to launch themselves to fame.
I mean, you saw it a bit with Madonna…let’s face it, she is obviously less talent than she motivation. But she was sort of the pioneer of embracing one’s sexuality (“Inner Slut” as I like to call it) and profiteering from it. Had there been no “Like A Virgin” just at the right time, and just more “Holidays” and “Borderlines”…would she really have broken out the way she did? Hmm. I think not. At least not until she put out that book of hers where she got nekkid with Vanilla Ice. (Eeww.)
Also…you got Alanis Morrissette, going down on Uncle Joey from “Full House” (Another massive “Eeww”) in her menstrual angst fest “You Outta Know”.
(Sidebar on that note- Here is a PSA from me to all mens out there…Please, if you have to date Alanis Morrissette…although, I cannot see why you’d want to, she looks kinda like a bonafide American Saddlebred….but hey, maybe that’s what you’re into…please, please, please, do not break up with her. Especially if she has gone down on you in a theatre, and for God’s sake, don’t dump her for Scarlett Johannson. You will have a very angry and hard to listen to record made to avenge your infidelity. Tread lightly, my friend. Tread lightly.)
Then you got the likes of Peaches, going on about father fucking and fucking the pain away…and she was nothing more than a low-rent neuvo Karen Finley, who with her “Tales Of Taboo”…well, as an ’80’s club kid, that was just about as explicit as you could get.
The example that really kills me though is Liz Phair and her “Exile In Guyville” back in 1991. Holy Shit, did guys get off on that one. Here is this really rather plain girl, kinda scrawny, with an average at best voice…who just happened to make a rather amaturish record detailing her love of fucking and blow jobs. Combined with some saucy pics of her half-naked with a guitar, or in a fur coat and bikini…and blammo! A star is born!
I remember certain guys would be so into her, and I would say, “Dude, it’s kinda alright..but it’s not all that!”
“But she gives BLOW JOBS!” was the usual retort.
Really? Wow! What are those? Are they like Charms Blow Pops? I sure do like those!
Really? She gives blow jobs? Really? You mean, just like me and every other twentysomething girl in America?????? Amazing!
Have you never had one?
Were you really fat, and girls just didn’t like you? Really, I just could never get it, the fascination with her and all of lame ass oral sex references.
Are you Amish?
Or did you just suffer from really bad acne as a teenager?
But, then I soon learned…I am a girl. I don’t particularly want to hear songs about other girls giving head. But I also have to say, I would be kinda creeped out by a song blatantly stating that a guy was gonna eat me out like he was at his favorite sushi bar.
(I’m sure there is a song out there somewhere, it just gratefully escapes my mind.)
You know, if I would have known all it would take to make me famous is write some raunchy, tongue-in-cheek songs about getting laid and sucking guys off, I would have released the anthology of coming-of-age classics I had been working on for The Time Life Library. The idea was is you would subscribe, and every month you would receive an exciting new title in the “Man. Does LeDonna LOVE To FUCK!!!!!” collection.
With easy monthly installments of only $9.99, every month, arriving in your mailbox, was your own personal treasury of gems like:
* 20 Cock-Sucking Classics
* 20 More Great Love Songs To Suck Cock By
* I Love Cock N’ Balls (Inspired by Joan Jett)
* Wow, I Love To Fuck
* Boy, Do I Love Balls
* Hey- Random Dude! Do You have A Cock! Well, I’d Like To Suck It!
* Once You Go Black
* Do You Really Want To Nut Me? 20 Great New Wave Classics To Get Pregnant By
* Did I Mention I Like To Fuck? 20 More Songs To Remind You In Case You Forgot
* Sure, Group Sex Is Kewl
* I Love It In The Ass
* I Dig Dildos, But Cock Is So Much Better
* Oh, OK, I Guess I’ll Eat You Out Too
* My Oh My…Please Come In My Eye
…And many, many more! It was great, with your first payment you were supposed to receive my special LeDonnatron Vibe-O-Matic 2000, a pair of Ben-Wa Balls, and a full set of steak knives.
Then, I had Alex. Got married. Had to put my passion for writing great fuck songs aside, and focus on family.
However, In light of this whole Katy Perry thing, I feel like I need to step up and get my 15-minutes of fuck-induced fame. But now, we’re all so jaded. We’ve had the blow-job songs. We’re kissing girls. And anal sex…well, that’s just so yesterday.
If I want to get famous writing something raunchy, I have to break new territory. So, after much thought, I took some inspiration from my little dog Trixie and the excited way she humps my leg…or arm…neck…whatever…and decided to “touch” on the theme of beastiality, but in a fun, playful way, not in some sick horse or goat fucking way. (Eeww.)
I am doing a cute little parody of Ms. Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl”…but instead focusing on my dog. Keep the tune in mind. It’s raw, edgy…I think you’ll like it.
It goes something like this…(imagine italics, I’m on a mac and don’t have a compatible text editor)
** I kissed my dog/and I liked it
The taste of her Iams diet
I kissed my dog /you should try it
Don’t worry she don’t bi-yi-et
It felt so good
It felt so right
It’s 2008 don’t be so damn uptight
Her hair jet black
Ears perked upright
Guess who’ll be my bitch tonight **
Whatdya think? I think I’ve got a hit. Katy Perry, look out…
The Fascinating Untold Truth About The Beatles, Manson,Helter Skelter,Roman Polanski and How I Figured Out I’m Rosemary’s Baby
By ledonnarama 15 Comments
Categories: childhood, conspiracy theories, Entertainment, God, Humor, Mental Health, Occult Matters, Satan and Uncategorized
Tags: Aleister Crowley, Anton Lavey, baby, Charles Manson, comedy, conspiracy theories, creepy, depression, Entertainment, funny, God, Helter Skelter, Humor, laugh, Led Zeppelin, ledonna, mental illness, music, occult, Roman Polanski, Rosemary's Baby, Satan, scary, Sharon Tate, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Urban Legends, weird
********AUTHOR’S NOTE: I just want it to be known when I found this piece on the Beatles, I thought of it as a hilarious conspiracy theory, a fun and twisted take on linking together these darker bits of pop culture. I don’t believe in, or subscribe to, the content of the following articles. In my mind, it just made sort of a “news of the weird” thing to laugh at. HA HA HA! See. Just like that. 😀 Thank you!
Yep, that’s ME. Well, at least, that’s how I feel most of the time,lolololololol………. Hey, I was born in 1969, I was adopted…I have 6 toes on each of my cloven feet…
HA! My feet are funky, but not quite to that extent.
So, this is what I read about the Beatles, The Devil, the Manson murders and the Polanski connection. It’s copied from the website http://stargods.org/BeatlesEvil.html.
The Beatles were satanists that had made a pact with the devil, and the bill had to be paid to the coven. Every band that has made a pact with satan has had a member die. Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Beatles, The Who, etc. In an interview with Barbara Walters, Lennon assassin Mark David Chapman clearly demonstrated that he was a satanist. In other words he was an errand boy collecting the payment for satan’s bill.
“Alone in my apartment back in Honolulu, I would strip naked and put on Beatles records and pray to Satan to give me the strength. I prayed for demons to enter my body to give me the power to kill” (cited by Evangelist Richard Ciarrocca, Observations, Dec. 1990).
“In his book, The Ultimate Evil, investigator-author Maury Terry writes that between 1966 and 1967, the Satanic cult, the Process Church, ‘sought to recruit the Beatles.'”
The Beatles’ Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album was dedicated to satanist Aleister Crowley. It was released 20 years, nearly to the day, after Crowley’s death in 1947. The title song with the lyrics, “It was twenty years ago today…” On the album cover we see a collection of the Beatles personal heros. Aleister Crowley appears there.
Crowley was born in 1875 and was called the “Great Beast.” He was known to practice ritual child sacrifice regularly, in his role as Satan’s high priest or “Magus.” Crowley died in 1947 due to complications of his huge heroin addiction. Before dying, he succeeded in establishing Satanic covens in many U.S. cities including Hollywood. Kenneth Anger, like Crowley, is a Magus, and appears to be the heir to Crowley. Anger was seventeen years old when Crowley died. In that same year, 1947, Anger was already producing and directing films which, even by today’s standards, reek of pure evil.” – http://www.geocities.com/mmiddleton87/
A key link between the Beatles and the Process Church is Kenneth Anger, a follower of the “founding father” of modern Satanism, Aleister Crowley. Anger, born in 1930, and a child Hollywood movie star, became a devoted disciple of Crowley.
The movie Rosemary’s baby was filmed in the Dakota building were John Lennon was shot to death. It also appears that John Lennon knew the director personally. “The Director of Rosemary’s Baby was Roman Polanski. (At a party in California in 1973, Lennon ‘went berserk, hurling a chair out the window, smashing mirrors, heaving a TV against the wall, and screaming nonsense about film director Roman Polanski being to blame’ – Giuliano)
It’s also interesting to note that when the Beatles went to India to see the Yogi, John Lennon took along Mia Farrow star of the movie Rosemary’s Baby. It would appear that birds of the same occult coven flock together.
Did this nobody Director make a pact with the Hollywood coven in order that he be given a very choice script. So what is the price for fame in the underworld. It is the killing of your baby! This fact is even stressed in the movie. The coven in the movie demand Rosemary’s baby in return for her husband’s success and Hollywood fame.
It was an amazing coincidence that the film had a plot that would be similarly played out a year later – Polanski’s pregnant actress/wife Sharon Tate would be murdered by Charles Manson’s followers.
The murder of his wife appears to be pre-payment for an Academy Award nomination for Polanski’s Best Adapted Screenplay. This movie was a critically-acclaimed and a commercially successful film.
Weeks before Lennon’s death, on his latest album there was a song by Yoko Ono titled Kiss Kiss Kiss. When played backwards one can hear Yoko say, “I shot John Lennon.” This is the same album that John Chapman listened to over and over again! Was Chapman under mind control induced by the album.
Now enter another mind control victim by the name of Charles Manson another santanic bill collector. His followers saw to it that Roman Polanski’s wife was killed along with the baby. In the movie Rosemary’s Baby, it is stressed that there is occult power in babies blood. Could this be the reason why Sharon Tate’s baby was almost taken out of the womb by Susan Aktins Sadie who wanted to cut out the baby, but couldn’t because there hadn’t been time. They wanted to take out the eyes of the people, and squash them against the walls, and cut off their fingers. “We were going to mutilate them, but we didn’t have a chance to.”
Rosemary the main character in the movie, and was to have her baby taken away, had the nickname “Ro.” I wonder what Roman Polanski’s (who in real life had his baby murdered) nick name was? By the way, holly wood is what magicians wands are made from, and stars are the points of light that shine forth Lucifer’s occultist wisdom.
Now that we know Mark Chapman and Manson were receiving messages from albums, let’s take it even further. Remember the Beatles White Album that Charles Manson received his murderous orders from.
Sexy Sadie what have you done
Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme
John Lennon Murder
Roman Polanski movie,
George Harrison attacked by man with knife.
All through the movie Help, Ringo Star is often chased by religious fanatics that are armed with a knife.
Susan Atkins was going to remove Sharon Tates baby with a knife.
Sharon Tate’s unborn baby, killed by the Manson family, was named Paul Richard Polanski.
Theatrical Release: Rosemary’s Baby
There is no comfort in the coven of the witch Some very clever doctor went and sterilized the bitch And the only man of energy, (Manson) yes the revolution’s pride (Manson) He trained a hundred women just to kill an unborn child.
—Leonard Cohen-
“No Diamonds in the Mine”
Date of birth (location)
24 January 1943, Dallas, Texas, USA
9 August 1969,
Note the three 9s in this date. Inverted it becomes 666! The number of Rosemary’s baby.
My feeling is that that the Beatles were members of the same Hollywood occult coven that Roman Polanski was. The Movie Rosemary’s Baby was a future template of what was going to happen to Polanski’s wife Sharon Tate. Also the songs recorded by the Beatles seem to indicate that they knew what was going to take place. I believe that songs like Helter Skelter, which Charles Manson felt he got his orders to kill from, were recorded by the Beatles for that express purpose.
As in the movie Rosemary’s Baby, I believe Sharon Tate was manipulated and set up by all the people that she trusted and loved including her own husband. She was the sacrifice to satan for all Polanski’s success. I for one was not fooled by his tears during his interviews.
At some point, Farrow allegedly feared she would be the next victim of the murder spree
1968 excursion to India, and John Lennon of The Beatles wrote ‘Dear Prudence’ (also a song on White Album) for Mia Farrow’s younger sister
Mark Chapman was the name of Lennon’s killer – Winifred Chapman was the maid who had first found the bodies at 10050 Cielo Drive.
And, I also feel that Anton Szandor LaVey, the founder of The Church of Satan – to whom the Family members (especially Susan Atkins)is the leader of the Hollywood Coven.
“HINCKLEY followed as exactly as he possibly could EVERY SINGLE MOVE that Mark David CHAPMAN had made, in the days before CHAPMAN murdered John Lennon.
Even MORE bizarre: at the time of their respective arrests following both shooting incidents, John Hinckley AND Mark David Chapman were each carrying on their person a paperback copy of the J.D. Salinger novel, ’CATCHER IN THE RYE.’ (AS did the MK-Ultra mind-controlled assassin Jerry played by Mel Gibson in the surprisingly revealing movie Conspiracy Theory.)
J.D. Salinger, certainly a gifted author, had SUBSTANTIAL and enduring ties to the U.S. intelligence community; in particular, the CIA. Was the book originally intended to be a mind-control programming tool? It’s hard to say, but not inconceivable.
SO: Hinckley traced Chapman’s footsteps, as it were, in an incredibly eerie AND incredibly REVEALING, scripted tableau; which culminated, as it did with Chapman, in mind-controlled Manchurian Candidate assassin Hinckley shooting his prey on the New York City streets.
Which indeed, brings up yet a FURTHER point. Hinckley FIRST CAME to New York WELL BEFORE his attempt to assassinate Reagan, in order to prepare himself for his assigned role by imitating Chapman’s moves and actions of a few months before.
SO: HOW did Hinckley KNOW, several weeks BEFORE-hand, that Reagan was going to be at the place in New York City were Hinckley would shoot him, AND the DAY and TIME Reagan would be there??
SOMEBODY on the “INSIDE,” who knew Reagan’s schedule some time in advance, positioned Hinckley in New York well before the date of the attempted assassination of Reagan.
Somebody like George BUSH, Sr., maybe? Trying to get a jump on taking over as President? Or, maybe just sending ol’ Ronnie a VERY strong, clear message about who the “boss” really was…
Written by NewsHawk
Recently George Harrison died from cancer. In the murky world of the occult there are many convenient deaths due to cancer. The occult bill collector had already come once in a previous failed attempt to kill Harrison with a knife. I find this rather curios when comparing real life to the Beatle movie called Help. In the movie Ringo is given a ring that makes him the target of a cult which wants to sacrifice him! They continually chase after him with a knife!
SANTA MONICA, December 30, 1999 — Another Beatle victimized by violence.
Ex-Mop Top George Harrison was stabbed at his London-area home today by a knife-wielding intruder, reports say.
Harrison, 56, was stabbed once in the chest before fending off the attacker. His wife, Olivia, suffered minor head injuries in the attack, but did not require hospitalization….The attack, which reportedly took place sometime around 3:30 a.m. London time, was said to have shocked residents of the quiet, upper-class community of Henley-On-Thames. Harrison’s estate was thought to be particularly well guarded. It reportedly featured 24-hour security, patrol dogs and barbed wire fencing. British authorities said they were investigating burglary as a possible motive.
A 33-year-old man — a resident of the Beatles’ own Liverpool — was arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted murder.
Harrison’s stabbing comes 19 years after fellow ex-bandmate John Lennon was shot and killed outside his New York apartment by obsessed fan Mark David Chapman.
By Jim Bartoo, Hollywood.com Staff
Occultists often use so called sacred numbers to bring them power. Sacrifices are often made on the bases of these numbers. Prime sacred numbers are 3, 6, 7, 9, 11. Sacred multiples are 19, 21, 33.
Note the year that Harrison’s attack took place. It was in 1999. Inverted with the number one left out you have 666, the most sacred number of all. He was 56 years old. 5+6= 11 which is a very sacred number. Note too that he is stabbed by a man who just happens to be 33 years old. This too is a very sacred number since it is 3X11. He was also attacked around 3:30 am (33).
Another interesting event was that Prime Minister Chretien of Canada was attacked by a young man with knife too. The man somehow got through the intense home security and found his way in to into the Prime Ministers home late at night. This murder attempt too had failed.
Amazing too is how years later with President Ford in the White House, then Vice President Nelson Rockefeller was just a heartbeat away from becoming leader of the free world. With Rocky as Vice President, if anything should befall Ford at that time, he would instantly become President. Well, time to send in Manson’s followers once again.
One of his followers Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme who steps out in a failed assassination attempt against President Ford. (September 5, 1975) Two weeks later another woman Sara Jane Moore attempts another assassination San Francisco with a handgun. (September 22, 1975)
Squeaky claimed that she did not attempt to kill President Ford, because she never injected a bullet from the handle into the chamber. Was she under mind control? Could she of been programmed just to show up with a gun?
“They’re COMPLETELY ANTI-CHRIST. I mean, I am anti-Christ as well, but they’re so anti-Christ they shock me which isn’t an easy thing.” Derek Taylor, Press Officer for the Beatles
“I believed that he was Satan himself at times” George Martin, Beatles Producer
“Jesus, a garlic-eating, stinking little yellow, greasy fascist bastard catholic Spaniard.” (John Lennon, A Spaniard in the Works, p.14)
“Christianity will go, it will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that. I’m right and will be proved right. You just wait.. . .We’re more powerfull than Jesus ever was..” John Lennon
On the album there is a song called Sexy Sadie. Well it turns out that this was the nickname of Susan Atkins. Now “Sadie Mae Glutz was the alias given to the Family member Susan Atkins by Manson even before the appearance of the White Album song ‘Sexy Sadie!’ –http://www.phinnweb.com/livingroom/rosemary/
It was Sadies testimony in court that brought an end to the Manson family. Now read the lyrics below from the Beatles song Sexy Sadie.
Sexy Sady “White album” Year 1968
You made a fool of everyone
Sexy Sadie ooh what have you done.
Sexy Sadie you broke the rules
You layed it down for all (the court) to see
You layed it down for all to see
Sexy Sadie oooh you broke the rules.
One sunny day the world was waiting for a lover
She came along to turn on everyone
Sexy Sadie the greatest (Manson killer)of them all.
(Susan Atkins was a sexual lover of the Manson family)
Sexy Sadie how did you know
The world was waiting just for you
Sexy Sadie oooh how did you know.
Sexy Sadie you’ll get yours yet
However big you think you are
Sexy Sadie oooh you’ll get yours yet.
Susan Atkins often bragged and boasted.
We gave her everything we owned just to sit at her table
Just a smile would lighten everything
Sexy Sadie she’s the latest and the greatest of them all.
She made a fool of everyone
Sexy Sadie.
Brackets by author.
Another nickname of Susan Atkins was Sadie Mae Glutz
Maggie Mae (Written by Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starkey)
Album “Let it be” Year 1970
Oh dirty Maggie Mae they have taken her away
And she never walk down Lime Street any more
Oh the judge he guilty found her
For robbing a homeward bounder
That dirty no good robbin’ Maggie Mae
To the port of Liverpool
They returned me to
Two pounds ten a week, that was my pay.
Beatles “Let It Be” Album
Speculation: Could the above lyrics also be a metaphor for black mail?
So why was Sharon Tate chosen to die. My feeling is that Roman Polanski made a pact with the Hollywood coven. This was an exchange for his child so that he be given fame and success. He was a nobody movie director till he was handed a script that would make him an instant success. So why give a major script to a basically unknown director and not a well established director? Why is because of his agreed sacrificial offering that would have to be made in the future. Manson would be the grocery clerk coming for the payment of the bill.
Suasan Atkins Sadie had stated that Sharon Tate had been the last to die because, “She had to watch the others die.” By all accounts, Tate died in excruciating fear and agony. Bugliosi gives Atkins’ account: she was holding Sharon Tate at the time and, “Tex came back and he looked at her and he said, ‘Kill her.” And I killed her… And I just stabbed her and she fell, and I stabbed her again. I don’t know how many times I stabbed her…” Sharon begged for the life of her baby, but Atkins told her, “Shut up. I don’t want to hear it.”
“Before he killed him, Charles “Tex” Watson told Voytek Frykowski: ‘I am the Devil and I am here to do the Devil’s business.’” Months later at the trial, Manson’s “disciples” were said to have been utterly under his power.
My New Favorite Song
Categories: Celebrities, Entertainment, Humor, Music Stuff and Uncategorized
Tags: Aerosmith, apple, apricot, Benecio Del Toro, Celebrities, chris martin, coldplay, comedy, crazy, elevators, Entertainment, Food, fruit, funny, gay, gwyneth paltrow, homosexuality, Humor, jealousy, ledonna, music, music review, NME, pear, Scarlett Johansson, sex, song, Tom Waits, tomato
Falling Down – Scarlett Johansson
Damn you, Scarlett Johansson. I’m trying to hate you here, with all of your pouty-lipped seductive perfection. That was supposed to be me who loved in the elevator with Benecio Del Toro. Seriously! He was looking for me, but there you were, already in the elevator shaft , obviously lookin’ for some shaft, then Benecio walks in and you just jumped on that poor man like a spider takes down the fly, and you not only sucked out his life blood, but you defiled him, in an act of lewdness so vile it was a mockery of that horrible Aerosmith song. You heathen hussy! He was supposed to be MINE! The latino men all love ME. ME. Not you! You already have every white man in America hot for you, at least leave the latin love for me. Thank God! for Benecio, don’t worry my love, there will be other days, other elevators, more opportunites. You will not cock-block me next time, O Ye Scarlett Wench!
Oh but yeah, your new song is really kick-ass. Seriously, I really, really love it. I have to hand it to you, I wasn’t expecting anything nearly this cool coming from the likes of you. I had pegged you as more of a Jay-Z or P-Diddy protege. Maybe called “Scar J”, or something like that. I could see you all hooched out with scarlet sequined booty pants and a matching red vinyl bra to show off your “gurls” { editors note: Scarlett refers to her boobs as “her girls”}, and maybe a funky fresh grill with “Scar J” in rubies. From a distance, all that red on your teeth could look like bleeding, like maybe you’d been punched by your baby’s daddy or had a bad case of the meth mouth.
Ok, no, that’s not true. Sadly, I know Scarlett is not that kind of girl. I have to resign my self to admit not only is she breathtakingly gorgeous, she is immensly talented. There! You happy! I said it. I am waving my white flag. I surrender to the splendor of Scarlett. She got me on that SNL show she hosted. I was hooked, I became a believer, not a hater.
Seriously, the song is great and I am really looking forward to hearing the rest of the record. From what I’ve read, NME has given it stellar reviews, calling it “brilliant” and “sure to top some best of 2008 lists”. And I always stand by my NME as an excellent gauge of musical authority…unless they’re talking about Coldplay. {Sorry! I just could never get into them. Possibly…due to a subliminal Gwyneth Paltrow resentment connection. Oh, and that thing about Chris Martin sounding like a congested muppet, or like Dave Matthews but having an asthma attack. BTW… WHY did they name their kid “APPLE?” Thankfully it wasn’t a multiple birth, or we would’ve had sisters “Pear” , “Plum” and “Apricot”. (Actually, I think she already has a friend named Plum, as in Plum Sykes, author of Bergdorf Blondes and occasional contributor to Vogue. How I know this, I have no idea, especially since I have no intrerest in Gwynneth or her boring perfect life. Really.) I can’t even begin to fathom the fruity name they would come up with for a boy. What fruit would be suitable to name a boy after? There really aren’t very many “manly” fruity names. I guess if you name a man after a fruit, it would be like calling him a fruit, and that would be a bit offensive to the gay community. Well, I suppose if there were a boy, she could just name him Tomato, and shorten it to to Tom. That’s right, tomato is indeed a fruit, and quite a masculine one at that. I love a good, rich, hearty, beefy tomato. Even more so when it sits atop a rich, hearty, manly patty of beef. Sigh. Yum.
Oh, sorry…I got lost in my dreams of hamburger. Wake up!
You know, it really would have been hilarious if Gwynnie would have had a whole litter of pups, she could nickname the gang “Her Little Fruit Bowl!”} (and she would have to say it just like Butters on South Park)
Whoa Nelly! . Now that’s what I call a tangent!
Kudos to Scarlett, anybody who can take Tom Waits music and work it into something that doesn’t make me want a lobotomy when I hear it…has magical abilities, and I am in awe.
Categories: Celebrities, Entertainment, Humor, Madonna, Me and My Life and Relationships
Tags: adoption, baby names, Celebrities, childhood, comedy, Entertainment, family, high school, Humor, identity, ledonna, ledonna lounge, life, Madonna, Mama, music, names, personal, pop stars, puberty, teenage years
You know, it figures it would have started right at the exact moment I just happened to hit puberty. The universe has its way of jacking with me like that. It gets a real big kick out of fucking with me, likes to tell me I’m an “easy target”. Yeah, I guess I always have been kinda gullible like that.
What the fuck am I talking about, you ask? And what is this nefarious “it” I’m pissing on about,and what does it have to do with that magical, yet subtly perturbing rite of passage that occurs when a girl takes her first wobbly steps down the golden path of her burgeoning womanhood? And, I don’t mean a bat mitzvah-that’s crazy, I’m not even Jewish. You know what I’m talking about.
That “it” is HER. HER!! Yeah, that her, as in the very famous lady in the picture you’re staring right at, who just happens to bear a name that is just too ridiculously similar to mine? You know who I’m talking about. That Miss Queen Of Media herself (no wait, that’s Perez!)…I mean, you know, Queen Of Pop, Queen of the World, Queen Of Sheba, Queen Of Shame, Queen Fucking Bee..whatever. Fucking queen of everything, MADONNA.
Do you have ANY idea what this woman has done to my life? Beginning at about age 13, she latched on to my psyche like a bloodsucking lamprey and has been gnawing her way through the corpulent bowels of my ego ever since. I mean, you remember when Madonna first exploded on the scene, and began herTerminator- esque quest for her Holy Grail of Complete and Total World Domination? Yeah, it was crazy, right? She was every where, you couldn’t escape her- radio, MTV, (or, Friday Night Videos for lame-o’s like me whose parents refused to get cable), the TV, magazines, album covers, posters, cds and cassettes flying all over the place…bad movies…Madonna t-shirts, bandannas, pins, notebooks,mugs, hats, underwear, outerwear, decorative tea cozys,vibrators…you name it, her face, name, ass, something-was on it. (Ok, I’m making up the vibrator part…but you know, now that I think of it…I wonder why there are no Madonna vibrators, dildos, scented massage oils…you think there would be, it’s a natural market…oh, wait,I’m getting a message here… what’s that? An anal plug? Really???? Ok, so, what you’re telling me is there was a limited edition anal plug Madonna was endorsing somewhere around 1987? Huh, interesting. I was not aware of that. Now, that little nugget should come in handy next trivia night!)
The point is that the 80’s were complete Madonna Mania for everyone, everywhere. Now, just stop for a second and put yourself in the shoes of someone whose name is almost just fucking like hers. It was hell, that’s what it was, pure and utter hell. The moment Borderline became a hit and the world fell under that damn strumpet’s spell, was the moment I ceased to be LeDonna…and morphed into LeDonna, The Ultimate Madonna Wannabe.
I didn’t even WANT to be like Madonna, really…ok, you got me. I suppose there was a certain moment when I would look upon her ever-increasing status as an entertainment, fashion and sex icon with perhaps a faint whisper of envy. And not that I particularly ever wanted to be any such thing myself…you know, beautiful, famous, wealthy, desired by the masses…oh, good heavens, no! Not me. No no no no no no.
Around the Sean Penn had dumped Madonna and she started showing up to awards shows with Micheal Jackson, I threw up my hands in defeat. Obviously, she was a creative force to be reckoned with, and much like that blasted ingrown toenail I’d been battling with since my freshman year that refused to heal-she certainly wasn’t about to give up and just go away, and in fact, was growing larger and more noticeable each and every day. I had to accept that Madonna had become a permanent cross-stitch in the fabric of my life.
It probably wouldn’t have bothered me so much that she had started this fashion phenomenon and all the hip girls were dressing like her and looking cute if I hadn’t been so damn fat. Those ripped tees,mesh tanks and black rubber bracelets that looked so cute on all the skinny girls-if you put that same outfit on me, I looked like something fished up out of the Hudson River. Now I’ll just throw on a dead body and maybe one of those plastic 6-pack holders…alright! Let’s go! I’m into the groove!
Everytime my name was mentioned, I would hear someone-somewhere-“Madonna”? As if, where? Here?! No, dipshit. Madonna is no where in the vicinity, today’s not your lucky day, you didn’t win the lottery or anything. It’s just me. LE-D0N-NA.
When I’m introduced to someone, 9 times out of ten, they will look at me quizically and say,“Madonna?!”, like I’m fucking with them somehow, playing some silly name game. “You’re not Madonna!” is one I get a lot. “I’m NOT?” I’d shoot back in astonishment. “Good God, you’re absolutely right. What was I thinking? There I go again, just assuming the identity of some random celebrity as my own…damn shrink was supposed to adjust my medication. I’m so sorry, this won’t happen again”.
Then I would be forced to clarify. “No, It’s LeDonna, kinda like Madonna, but with an ‘L’ instead of ‘M’…and ‘e’ instead of ‘a’, but it still sounds the same! Oh, and I get a big D, not a little one like hers”.
“So it’s like two names?” gggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
I always dreaded the start of each new school year, because it was inevitable at least half the teachers would totally bungle my name, they could never tell if it was “Lee” or “Donna” or “Lee-Donna”,none of which were correct.
“So is your first name ‘Lee’, or is it ‘Donna’, and your middle name’s Lee?”
Yeah, Miss Lady with The Master’s Degree. My first name is Donna, middle name is Le, and my last name is Lee. That makes perfect sense. Donna Le Lee. Donna Le Lee, that’s me! You know, my mother was crazy, and yes, a touch redneck,but she wasn’t so out of her freaking mental galaxy that she would dream up a name as stoopid as “Donna Le Lee”. If she had, I surely would not be standing before right now, because I would have already committed suicide the moment I realized I was actually supposed to spend the rest of my days with a name that sounds like I’m a back-up dancer for Don Ho.
And please, let’s not even get started on my middle name.
“Alright, what’s your middle initial?”
“What does that stand for?”
“Kay.”
“No, what does it stand for?”
“No, I mean, what does the “K” stand for? ”
“Kay!”
“Honey, are you speaking spanish, is that it, are you trying to say ‘what’? I didn’t mean “que” as in “que-so”,I meant, what does the letter ‘K’ stand for in your name?”
“IT STANDS FOR KAY. K-A-Y, MOTHERFUCKING KAY! AS IN MARY ‘KAY’, RHYMES WITH GAY, KAY!!!! Do you understand me now?”
“Oh, yes, I see, Kay! LeDonna Kay Lee. My, isn’t that just the prettiest name!”
You four-eyed fat fuck of a liar. You don’t have to patronize. I know my name sucks.
Actually, I have made peace and grown to like my name. I think it sounds kinda cool, kinda like a movie star. LeDonna Lee. Which is awesome, because one day, I will be. I haven’t given up dreams of entertainment glory. As long as there are webcams and pornos, I still have hope.
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Metathesis reactions
Apply the limiting reagent concept in chemical analysis? All other ions are termed "spectator" ions not shown.
Cross metathesis and ring-closing metathesis are driven by the entropically favored evolution of ethylene or propylenewhich can be removed from the system because they are gases.
When two solutions are mixed, cations of one electrolyte meat anions of the other. Determine the mole percentage of a mixture. No double bond migrations are observed; the reaction can be started with the butene and hexene as well and the reaction can be stopped by addition of methanol.
Thus, neutralization reactions are used for volumetric analysis, quantitative determination by volume Metathesis reactions.
Most nitrates are soluble. Carefully observe the reaction mixture and record your observations on the data sheet. Acyclic diene metathesis ADMET polymerization uses a condensation mechanism to polymerize monomers containing two terminal olefinic groups.
Adding energy to a reaction can increase the reaction rate significantly. The mixture will have all ions from the two electrolytes. The important feature is that the resultant polymer retains the unsaturation present in the original monomers.
Pour the second reagent into the test tube containing the first. Grubbs and coworkers to search for well-defined, functional group tolerant catalysts based on ruthenium. Photosynthesis is an example of this kind of chemical reaction. Rockets are propelled by the reaction that occurs when Metathesis reactions hydrogen and liquid oxygen are combined.
Similar strategies using alcohol- and acetate-substituted monomers have provided property models for industrially important ethylene-vinyl alcohol and -vinyl acetate copolymers 69, Formation of precipitates or gases is a sign that new bonds formed from the free ions in solution, resulting in a more stable product that comes out of solution.
Reagent bottles are arranged in numbered locations that coincide with the numbers of laboratory assignments described in the lab handout. The details of these general steps remain under debate.
Measure 3 mL of the solutions of a designated pair into each of two test tubes. If they form a more stable substance such as a solid or neutral molecules, exchange or metathesis reaction takes place.
When one reaction causes a sequence of reactions to occur this is sometimes called a chain reaction. Monosubstituted, disubstituted, and trisubstituted alkenes have all been employed with success. Thus, neutralization reactions are used for volumetric analysis, quantitative determination by volume measurement.
Experimental support offered by Pettit for this mechanism was based on an observed reaction inhibition by carbon monoxide in certain metathesis reactions of 4-nonene with a tungsten metal carbonyl [23] Robert H. It is not a substitute for reading the procedure in the handout before coming to lab.
Thus, neutralization reactions are used for volumetric analysis, quantitative determination by volume measurement. The reverse reaction of RCM, ring-opening metathesis, can likewise be favored by a large excess of an alpha-olefin, often styrene.
When the latter polymer is treated with HgCI2, its backbone bicyclo[1. Ring-closing metathesis, conversely, usually involves the formation of a five- or six-membered ring, which is enthalpically favorable; although these reactions tend to also evolve ethylene, as previously discussed.
ROMP methods are used in industry to prepare a number of specialty polymers generally, known as polyalkenamers With proper indicators or pH monitoring, equivalence points are easily detected. Here are two basic rules regarding solubility: Chauvin also explained how the carbene forms in the first place: Double displacement - A double displacement reaction is also called a metathesis reaction.
Converting these into moles, and the sum of the moles of Cl- ions from both salt must equal to the 0.
Since the solid can be collected and dried, precipitation reactions are often used in gravimetric analysis, chemical analysis by mass or weight. The first practical metathesis system was introduced in by Tebbe based on the what later became known as the Tebbe reagent. Equation 8 shows ADMET polymerization of a symmetrical monomer; however, asymmetrically substituted monomers can also be used.
The Grubbs group then isolated the proposed metallacyclobutane intermediate in also with this reagent together with 3-methylbutene: Bystander ions are also called spectator ions.
The tube was evacuated and refilled with argon.Olefin Metathesis in Organic Synthesis Intramolecular metathesis of a diene to form a n! Reaction pathway of diene depends on catalyst, dilution, ring. Name Reactions. Please use the following URL if you want to set a link: palmolive2day.com A 1,2-rearrangement is an organic reaction where a substituent moves from one atom to another atom in a chemical compound.
In a 1,2 shift the movement involves two adjacent atoms but moves over larger distances are possible. Appel Reaction. The reaction of triphenylphosphine and tetrahalomethanes (CCl 4, CBr 4) with alcohols is a ready method to convert an alcohol to the corresponding alkyl halide under mild palmolive2day.com yields are normally high.
This reaction is somewhat similar to the Mitsunobu Reaction, where the combination of a phosphine, a diazo compound as a coupling reagent, and a nucleophile are used to.
The vast number of chemical reactions can be classified in any number of ways. Under one scheme they can be categorized either as oxidation-reduction (electron transfer) reactions or non-oxidation-reduction reactions.
A chemical reaction is a process where a set of substances undergo a chemical change to form a different substance. Where do chemical reactions occur? You may think that chemical reactions only happen in science labs, but they are actually happening all .
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Invisible War
What Every Believer Needs to Know About Satan, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare
Beneath our tangible landscape lurks an invisible spiritual realm where unseen battles rage. It’s real. And it’s dangerous. If you’re prepared to remove the blinders and gaze into the unseen world, Chip Ingram is ready to take you there. Hang on to your seat. It’s going to be a journey inside the very folds of our Bibles, a journey that will teach us about our greatest foe, Satan, also known as Lucifer, the Dragon, Serpent, and Son of the Morning Star. Although this lying thief comes to “steal, kill, and destroy,” God details, in Ephesians 6, the battle plan to uncover Satan’s cunning deceptions and to resist his sinister schemes. The cosmic conflict exploding all around us will have eternal implications, for us and those we love. This series will prepare you to do spiritual battle with the enemy of your soul… and win! You’ll learn to clothe yourself with God’s spiritual armor so you can be confident of certain victory over the scheming enemy.
Message Notes Purchase
Spiritual Warfare 101: What is the Invisible War?, Part 1
Demons, Satan, the powers of darkness - they’re real and they are actively at work in our world. The question is do you know how to recognize them - and, if need be, go to combat against them? Chip begins this series, “The Invisible War: What Every Believer Needs to Know About Satan, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare,” with an overview on who the Enemy is and how they operate.
Listen Now Download MP3 Message Notes
Can a Christian be demon-possessed? Can Satan read my mind – or even control my thoughts? Chip shares that if you are going to have victory over Satan, you need to know who he is, how he works, and what weapons he will use against you.
Spiritual Warfare 201: How to Prepare Yourself for Spiritual Battle, Part 1
The Bible tells us we are in a cosmic conflict and Satan is doing everything he can to make you fail. Chip reveals how you can be victorious over the schemes of the Evil One by learning how to use the supernatural weapons God has provided to protect you and those you love. Find out how to fight back!
Condemnation. Doubt. Guilt. Is it possible that the enemy of your soul is using these common emotions to keep you from experiencing God’s love and power? The question is - how do you get rid of them? Chip explains how you can prepare yourself for spiritual battle and win!!
Spiritual Warfare 301: How to Do Battle with the Enemy and Win, Part 1
Spiritual warfare is real. Chip relates the most fearful encounter with demons he ever faced and how you can prepare yourself to do battle with the Enemy.
Have you ever been praying and had a wicked thought go through your mind? Have you ever been driving and had an impulse to do something crazy or evil? What’s the source of those wild, out-of-control thoughts? In this message, you’ll discover where those thoughts come from and how to combat them when they enter your mind.
Spiritual Warfare 401: How to Gain Deliverance from Demonic Influence, Part 1
Chip shares what he believes is the most powerful weapon God has given every believer to combat the forces of evil, and he’ll tell you how to use it to protect yourself from demonic attack.
What do you do when you suspect someone you know is under demonic influence? Do you know what to do? Should you do anything at all, or is this kind of thing reserved for the “professionals?” Join Chip as he tackles the important and controversial subject of deliverance ministries.
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Majors and Minors /
Spanish Minor /
Current page: Spanish Minor
Spanish Minor
With more than 600 million speakers globally, and as the official language in 21 countries, Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
18 Credit Hours for Minor
Spanish Minor Requirements (15 Hours)
Elective (3 Hours)
Download full requirements
Why Study Spanish?
It is the second most commonly spoken language in the world after Chinese. It is also the second most common language in the United States after English. There is a diverse group of cultures associated with the Spanish language, including those in south and central America, as well as those in Europe.
Having a command of the Spanish language will help you succeed in any career, including the sciences, medicine, engineering, architecture, business, teaching, social work, politics, and international affairs.
At Virginia Tech, you will study the Spanish language, composition, literature, and culture. Course options include Spanish for the Medical Professions, Spanish for the Business Professions, and Spanish-Caribbean Culture and Literature.
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
CLE Area 2 Courses in Spanish
Pathways Courses in Spanish
Spanish Placement Guide
Form to add a minor
El Camino de Santiago, Spain
On the trail we will hike 10-15 miles daily through the middle ages along the path of the Camino de Santiago. Each day takes us through the different geographical regions of Spain from the hot Spanish meseta to the refreshing eucalyptus forests of Galicia.
The program will be held at Estudio Sampere (EIS) in Madrid. The school is centrally located in the capital with convenient access to famous designer stores, banks, museums, monuments, and a wide variety of restaurants and cafes. We will take cultural visits around Spain on the weekends.
An exchange agreement between Virginia Tech and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) allows our students to spend one or more semesters studying at the other university but pay tuition and fees at their home institution. Experience the excitement and diversity of life in Ecuador.
Sigma Delta Pi offers free Spanish tutoring to students in all levels, as well as to students who would like to practice conversing. Contact Sarah Sierra at ssierra2@vt.edu to connect with a tutor and schedule a session.
For more information or to add this minor to your Virginia Tech course of study, contact:
Aarnes Gudmestad
220 Stanger St.
agudmest@vt.edu
liberalartsdean@vt.edu
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WHY I SUPPORT THE COLLEGE
“Students working toward academic degrees in Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences learn to think critically, communicate well, innovate, and collaborate effectively.” — Jeff Rudd ’83
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City Newspaper
Concert Review: Twins of Evil Tour w/Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson
by Frank De Blase
The Main Street Armory loomed ominous beneath a moonless sky Tuesday night as thousands lined up for the benediction within. It was like a scene out of a movie, as the soulless shuffled shoulder to shoulder past the bible beaters, buskers, and street-meat purveyors to the Twins of Evil circus inside, led by Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson. All that was missing were torches and howling dogs. Last night the Armory was more of a rock 'n' roll abattoir, a fortress of fear, a genuine highway to hell. And it was Rob Zombie's night as he commandeered the joint like his own castle Frankenstein. It was a positively brilliant show.
Rob Zombie performed as part of the Twins of Evil Tour Tuesday, October 16, at Main Street Armory.
Don't get me wrong, Manson was good, too. It's just that his darkness seems a little more serious and consuming. It's a scandalous spectacle indeed, with the man challenging decency and deity at every turn. But he seems consumed by it, as well. His sound was a lot more full-on rock than the last time I saw him. But his brand of showbiz lacks Zombie's irony and humor.
Zombie roared out on stage with "Jesus Frankenstein," and I've got to say, the stage set alone was straight out of my teenage dreams. Robots and flaming cauldrons, and confetti, and smoke, and skeletons, all before projected loops of classic horror clips and stag reels (which led me to wonder, when is Zombie going to do a Russ Meyer remake?). The setlist only had two White Zombie nuggets, "More Human Than Human" and the crowd fave "Thunderkiss '65," where guitarist John 5 kicked out the jams at lightning speed before morphing into Alice Cooper's "School's Out." What a mob, what a crowd, what a scene, what a show.
Concert Review Rob Zombie Marilyn Manson Main Street Armory
Photo Courtesy Rick Fagan
MUSIC INTERVIEW: Rob Zombie
Zombie-fied!
by Frank De Blase | Oct 10, 2012
© 2020 City Newspaper
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Veranstal tungen
Finden Sie sprachspezifische Nachrichten:
Kennametal Modernization
At the forefront of our industry for over 80 years, we deliver innovative products that help advance the world around us. Since progress never stops, neither do we.
METAV 2020 International Trade Fair for Metalworking Technologies
Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken e.V.
High-performance bandsawing machine KASTOwin pro AC 5.6
Maximum productivity in series: more performance, more efficiency The KASTOwin pro A 5.6 has been developed for the optimal use of bi-metal and carbide
It was in March 1980 that METAV (then subtitled "The Market For Metalworking") opened its doors for the first time in Düsseldorf. It very quickly became the leading trade fair for metalworking in the even years. Today it sets the pace in the largest industrial metropolitan area in Germany and the neighbouring markets.
Hans-Joachim Molka, Managing Director of Römheld GmbH in Laubach, Hesse, has been an exhibitor from the outset. He points out: "For 40 years, the METAV has provided an outstanding platform for holding face-to-face discussions with our customers from North Rhine-Westphalia, but also with visitors from all over Germany and the neighbouring countries, for presenting our products and companies and for attracting new customers. We particularly value the high calibre of the visitors, which makes it easy for us to communicate the advantages of our products and technologies." Reiner Hammerl, Sales Director at Index-Werke in Esslingen, adds: "The most obvious development in the METAV over the years is that it is moving away from its role as a pure machine fair to an event for presenting the process chain and for showcasing solutions, including organisational ones.
This is just what the trade visitors are looking for. They regularly give the event high approval ratings. 93 per cent of the 27,000 visitors from over 60 countries at the last event expressed strong satisfaction with METAV. The exhibitors, for their part, are most impressed by the high calibre of the visitors.
Focus topics and innovations for METAV 2020
EMO 2020 will take place from 10 to 13 March. At the request of the exhibitors, it is being shortened from five to four days. The survey results suggest that this will raise the effectiveness for exhibitors. METAV 2020 will focus on the metalworking process chain, plus the topics Quality, Medical, Moulding And Additive Manufacturing. "Each area attracts its own visitors and has become an established platform in its own right," says Dr. Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director of METAV organiser VDW (Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken – German Machine Tool Builders' Association). Industry 4.0 is also finally gaining ground in metalworking. Important aspects include networked manufacturing, cloud applications and data analysis. METAV offers comprehensive exploration and evaluation of this development, both on the exhibitors' stands and in the supporting programme.
"Of course we also want to celebrate the 40th anniversary of METAV in a fitting manner and, in particular, give something back to our long-standing and loyal exhibitors," says Dr. Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director of the METAV organiser VDW (Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken). "This is why we have introduced an early bird discount, which provides attractive conditions for bookings made by 31 July 2019. The VDW is also making a one-off contribution to the shipping costs within the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre." This should result in even more machines and even more technology on the stands.
The closing date for applications is 31 August of this year. "Although the attention of the companies is currently focussed on EMO Hannover, we are pleased about the strong response to the METAV announcement," Schäfer concludes.
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International METAV Press Forum at the WZL in Aachen
Networking and digital know-how for new business models ...um mehr zu lesen
Mit Vernetzung und digitalem Know-how zu neuen Geschäftsmodellen
Internationales METAV-Presseforum zu Gast beim WZL in Aachen ...um mehr zu lesen
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Award-winning apprentices fly out to Boeing
Can students clean up at soapbox race?. Students from the Industrial Doctorate Centre (IDC) for Machining Science – a collaboration between the University of Sheffield AMRC and Faculty of Engineering to provide EngD and PhD training – have spent their free time creating the motor-less, gravity-propelled ‘soapbox’, a name hailing from the early 20th century when people created the makeshift racing vehicles from wooden soap crates.The IDC students will be up against 44 other teams as they race, downhill, through the heart of Scarcliffe village in Derbyshire on Saturday, June 29. They are taking part to raise money for Ashgate Hospice in Chesterfield, which provides care for patients with life-limiting illnesses.Achieving speeds of up to 40mph on the course, racers in the derby have to overcome tricky obstacles including a chicane and a jump before reaching the finish line – hopefully with their soapboxes intact and a fast time on the clock.The self-funded IDC team – many of them in the first year of a four-year engineering doctorate programme - consists of Robert Frankland, Jack Secker, Josh Priest, Kieran McMullen, Luke Osmond, Max Champneys, Oscar Seward, Peter Neal and Sebastian Dabrowski. Team member Robert says they have just one goal for their first outing - pass the finish line with the soapbox, and driver Oscar Seward, in one piece.“We’ve been collecting parts over the last few months and it’s taken a while to bring it all together,” said Robert. “We started by getting a go-kart chassis to build it around. The first we got was too small and we had to source another. We then thought that might be too big so we had to make a few modifications to get it right.“It’s been back and forth to the point where the wheels have been delivered, the frame is on and all that is left to do is decorate it.”They had planned to use CAD (computer-aided design) to design the racer but work commitments meant they didn’t have time. However, Robert said half the fun has been going back to basics.“We started looking at websites like eBay and Gumtree for a go-kart chassis that we could adapt. Unfortunately, the first one we bought, the person who sold it to us had measured the length in bricks so we had no idea how long this thing was. When we went to collect it, it was tiny. So we had to find another and ended up taking a trip to Leicester for it.“Our soapbox is quite a conventional design really with axels and a frame for the decorations to go on. We want to make it go quite fast, however, we realise that we’re novice builders at this.“It’s going to have a mediaeval theme. We’re going to dress as dragons to push the driver off. We want to go as fast as we can but the main thing is we’re looking to have fun.”With just a few weeks to go until race day, the students are keen to fatten up their fundraising efforts and are asking people to donate a couple of quid to the good cause. Robert said: “We chose the hospice because it is quite relatable. I think most of us know someone who has had some kind of life-threatening illness and, unfortunately, some of us know people who have died from a life-threatening illness.“That’s why it’s good to be able to give money to a charity that makes those final days more comfortable.“As well as having a lot of fun with the soapbox there is something really great about being able to hand over whatever money we can to the hospice so they can put it to good use.” Read more...
Green light for high-tech facility to drive innovation in Lancashire
One of the world’s most prestigious research and development groups has been given the green light to build a dedicated facility in the North West of England .....read more
AMRC ‘inspires’ next generation of female engineers
More than 100 schoolgirls from across the Sheffield City Region have now been shown the huge potential of a career in engineering .....read more
Amplifying the brilliance of Sheffield’s manufacturers
DMM is the AMRC’s campaign to connect the Sheffield City Region’s growing digital community to manufacturing businesses. .....read more
UK joins hands with Canada to do the Salsa
The research team behind Project SALSA is developing an agile and dexterous tool that will use robotics and machine vision .....read more
Close encounter of the AMRC kind
A chance meeting in a pub with AMRC co-founder Adrian Allen proved to be a fortunate encounter for a Doncaster teenager. .....read more
Reinforcing global partnerships
A high-level delegation from Kordsa, which has facilities across the world, visited the AMRC to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). .....read more
Positive result for magnetics manufacturer
Quick-fire validation testing by engineers at the AMRC helped put the UK’s largest manufacturer of magnetic material on the right path. .....read more
Satellite system getting ready for launch
A former soldier in the Parachute Regiment has taken a giant leap towards creating a novel launching system using balloons to put satellites into space. .....read more
Digital Meet Manufacturing is critical to economic success
The Regional Technology Foresight report provides an in-depth investigation into a broad suite of what are often termed Industry 4.0 technologies. .....read more
Helping healthcare firm de-risk automation investment
Health Innovations package a significant range of bottles in various shapes and sizes, which are all processed manually by an operator. .....read more
Prof Brian Cox on mission to inspire Rotherham
World renowned physicist and TV astronomer Professor Brian Cox will be the star of a stellar new education event being supported by the AMRC. .....read more
Hang glider design takes ‘first step forward’ in years
Hang glider design could take its first significant step forward in two decades. .....read more
Korean students glide out of the ‘awesome’ AMRC
A group of South Korean students have ended an ‘awesome’ four-week visit to the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) .....read more
Exceptional contribution to a workplace.
Ambition, aspiration and confidence were not words that featured heavily in 20-year-old Rebecca Wright’s vocabulary. .....read more
AMRC plays key role engineering new world record
The University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has scaled new heights! .....read more
Smart factory knowledge the big prize for Shivan
Shivan Morkar - AMRC Training Centre Apprentice of the Year - is eager to use the knowledge gained from his visit to Siemens’ industry-leading Smart Factory in Germany .....read more
Innovation inside the box
Leading-edge IBM AI hardware on the shop floor of Factory 2050, at the AMRC, is giving UK manufacturers access to artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. .....read more
Smart factory test bed drives manufacturing innovation
The test bed aims to show the significant opportunities of applying digital technologies to manufacturing. .....read more
'Tribe' launches to attract young women into engineering
‘Be brave, try new things and don’t be afraid to ask questions’. .....read more
Can students clean up at soapbox race?
A group of research students at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has designed and crafted a soapbox racer to compete in the Scarcliffe Soapbox Derby. .....read more
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CareerLine
Be an IABC Board Member!
Claudia Miller, Principal ADirections and President of the IABC Orange County. She won the International IABC Leader of the Year award in 2017. Picture was from the IABC 2017 Leadership Institute in Dallas.
Ok, we can’t ignore this. Just exactly how do you pronounce your last name?
Lol the trick is that you break it down to four names and say it really fast – WICK- RAMA- SIN-HA. Sri Lankan names are long and difficult to pronounce. I love my name no matter what, as it a great conversation starter. When I meet someone new, they ask the same question you asked, “so how do you pronounce your name, or “what’s the history behind your name”. Really it’s just a typical last name in Sri Lanka.
Between student and professional life, you’ve been with The University of Winnipeg for more than 10 years. What drew you to the campus and what keeps you passionate about it?
Since my first year at the University of Winnipeg as a new international student from Sri Lanka, I received enormous support from friends, professors and staff. I still keep in touch with everyone who supported me and who truly made a difference in my Canadian life. Without them, things would have been difficult. There are some people who work 9-5, and some people who go above and beyond to help others. I met the latter at UWinnipeg. So working here, I get to pay it forward; to help students to have a positive university life. That’s what keeps me passionate.
How did you become involved with IABC? What made you decide to take the leap to Vice-President? What is it like to be the Vice-President?
I went to an IABC orientation and loved the fact that it is an International organization so I decided to join. World is too small to be just local. I’ve been involved with IABC since 2013ish. I have been in various director roles so I thought it’s time to sign the three-year contract of presidency! Lol does this sound too presidential? In my first six months, starting with an application in December, you first represent the chapter at Leadership Institute in February, then represent the chapter at Dare2Lead in May, and then co-lead the Strategic Planning Session with the executive in July. All while managing your original / current portfolio. But I knew this going in.
As much as the portfolio has its responsibilities, it also comes with a lot of perks. Networking with top calibre communications professionals at once in a life time conferences makes the commitment worth it. The conferences are leadership oriented where we learn best practices from neighbouring the IABC Canada West Chapters. If you need help with questions about your portfolios, we have chapter leaders from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Regina to step in and help.
You must work closely with IABC President Roland Pajares. What’s it like to work with him?
I had the opportunity to work with Roland while he was a student at PACE. Roland volunteered with the PACE Student Life Committee. I could see right away he was goal oriented, driven, and dependable. So when Roland joined the IABC MB, I was the Leadership Development (Volunteer) Director, and I was super happy that he was interested. Roland became an integral part of our team. One thing I appreciate about Roland is that he is a go-getter, he always says ‘yes’ to any exciting program we want to implement for our members in Manitoba.
We’ve noticed you post a lot of awesome selfies on social media. So tell us, who’s got the tastiest selfie jam, Bowman or Trudeau?
It’s a tough one. So can I stay away from the politics and say it’s Obama? 😉
Sure Mekala, we’ll go with that. We won’t tell. But don’t be surprised when Michelle’s team comes knocking on your door. Thanks so much for sitting down with us!
PreviousOct 16 PD: Communications in Changing Times with Leah Janzen
NextLet’s Converge @ the Forks – Fall Mix & Mingle
Sylvie Laurencelle-Vermette first professional communicator in Manitoba to receive GCCC’s CMP designation
MEMBER OF THE MONTH- COLLEEN HOLLOWAY
A message from our chapter President
Member of the Month – Tanya Misseghers
Want to work with one of Manitoba’s top employers 2020? Job vacancy now open for a Director, Communications and Pubtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…6ypl
1 week ago • Reply • Retweet • Favorite
We hope year 2019 ended with some beautiful memories and as the new year begins, we wanted to let you know that we�twitter.com/i/web/status/1…5H
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IABC Manitoba
Copyright © 2016 IABC Manitoba
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What's in your bags, Parcels?
What’s in your bags, Parcels?
Are these guys time travelers from the 1970s? Judging by their hair, yes, but the Parcels are, in fact, hipsters from here and now. Their first hit single, “Overnight” featuring Daft Punk, sold so well that the five Australian musicians now based in Berlin no longer need to share an apartment. They are currently touring Germany, promoting their debut album, Parcels, a mix of disco, funk and close harmony reminiscent of the Beach Boys. Lufthansa Magazin took a look inside their bags at Tegel Airport in Berlin.
© Robert Rieger
1 Sleep mask
We do look pretty funny in our sleep masks, snoring with our mouths open on the plane. But as we do lots of traveling, these silk masks are real luxury.
2 Hydrating gift
At a concert in Korea, someone gave us some face masks with green tea extract. It’s relaxing, so we like to apply them on long-haul flights.
3 Neck pillow
When we’re on tour, we only ever order a single prawn from the caterers as a joke. In Sweden, we were treated instead to this prawn-shaped pillow. Very comfy!
The sound of the Parcels
Parcels’ Playlist
Jerusalem, New York, Berlin – Vampire Weekend
Winners Circle – Anderson Paak
Good Times – Sam Cooke
For more about the Parcels, visit parcelsmusic.com
Utopia by Design
Utopia by Design is the theme of the first London Design Biennale taking place in Somerset House
Kitsch in the countryside
Grayson Perry is an artist of pretty unusual taste. He let his creativity run riot when designing this house in Essex, England
The soccer legend from the netherlands had his own view in terms of street credibility
Johan Johan Cruyff (1947–2016)
The joy of repetition
John Kitchin, aka Slomo, does the same thing every day: He rollerblades up and down the boardwalk in Pacific Beach, San Diego. This is his story
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Homepage > Celebrate > Snapshots From The Carnival
Snapshots From The Carnival
The street was closed. The tents were pitched. The food trucks were parked. And magic, the kind you’d associate with a carnival, was in the air.
Exciting times were once again to be had in the City That Makes It All Happen.
Indeed, for the neighborhood, it was a Sunday like no other, because on the sixth of May, 2018, Makatizens gathered round for Makati Street Meet: Carnival, an event filled with food, games, music, entertainment, and good cheer.
And if you missed it, don’t worry, for we here at Make It Makati would like to give you a look back on the fun things that happened that day…
( Oh, and if you’re asking, “Will there be another one?” Of course! Makati Street Meet is a monthly street celebration hosted by Make It Makati and Ayala Land to foster the spirit of community in our city.)
Paseo de Roxas was closed down for the carnival-themed street party.
The lady was so stoked about the Street Meet that she even wore a carnival mask for the festivities.
Kids try their hand at carnival games such as the Ring Toss. Prizes such as candies and chocolates were awarded to the winners.
Abracadabra! A show by a master magician highlighted the event, stunning the audience with sleigh-of-hand tricks left and right.
An enthralled audience watch the magic show at Makati Street Meet.
One of the best-sellers of the night was Wagyu Japanese Beef Cubes. Indeed, they were lip-smackingly delicious.
Nikki Nava and a slew of buskers sang their hearts out as the night went on.
Did you enjoy this event? See you in the next Makati Street Meet, folks! Tag us in your photos @makeitmakati.
*All photos are courtesy of Mike Lord Raymundo.
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The Declaration of Game Designer Independence
All / game design
On a cool, clear Austin weekend, a group of experienced game designers gathered for their yearly retreat. At night they swapped stories of an industry in turmoil. As social games and mobile games rewrite the landscape, power struggles between business and design dominate and designers find themselves being sidelined or abused. And the products they work on suffer horribly as a result. It is a time when musty old assumptions are questioned. It is also a rare opportunity to identify universal best practices that can help us navigate new platforms, new genres and new gaming experiences.
So during the day, we asked ourselves some hard questions. When was design successful? How do designers hurt their own credibility and effectiveness? This is a group that has shipped hundreds of games serving well over 100 million players. Over the past two decades, we’ve personally seen game titans rise and fall. Surely there are patterns and cycles. So we listed dozens of examples of great design environments and dozens more of times where design remained shackled. And over and over again, the same themes came up.
To guide game designers and the profession forward we wrote down a Declaration of Game Designer Independence. This document is primarily for the designers who run their own companies or the creative directors who own the creative process. It is also for the designers in the trenches, who aspire to a leadership role.
The following is a code for how great, visionary designers should behave. It rises up from an immense well of hard fought experience accumulated over decades of real world design. When followed, these practices sustain an environment where design thrives and revolutionary games are regularly brought forth into the world.
The Declaration of
Game Designer Independence
1. Without game design, there is nothing
You can get rid of visuals, music, business or technology and we will still make great games.
2. Designers must drive the vision of the game
We are prime movers, not replaceable cogs.
3. We dedicate ourselves to the lifelong mastery of design
Dilettantes need not apply.
4. We strive to be renaissance designers
We fluently speak the languages of game development and business:
We speak the language of creative. All art and music ultimately serves the game play.
We speak the language of production. Game design determines the scope and need for the content that production shepherds.
We speak the language of engineering. Technology is one tool that enable the experiences designers choose.
We speak the language of business. Modern monetization, retention and distribution are directly driven by game systems.
5. We will not be silenced
We tirelessly promote our vision both internally and to the public.
6. We fearlessly embrace new markets and trends
We then reinvent them to be better.
7. We demand the freedom to fail
Design advances through experimentation.
8. We have a choice:
Create with our own voices or sell our talents into servitude.
Not everything here is easy. To live up to this declaration, you likely need to be a better designer than you are right now. Still, always remember: You are not a slave. You are not a servant. You are not a cog-like employee. You are a creative force. And most importantly you have a choice for how you wish to spend your time on this earth. You can choose to take control of your life and change the world for the better in the process.
I personally left a large company with a steady paycheck in order to take control of my creative destiny. Now I’ve got multiple game designs speeding towards completion, I’m working with people with souls and the future looks amazing. This is easily the most productive and exciting time of my life. And the only reason it happened was because I realized a fundamental truth: Design works best when it leads, not when it serves.
If you support the Declaration, drop a comment below. Pass it on via Twitter, Facebook, Email, Forums and more. Pass it on to the people who need it the most.
PS: For a more in-depth look at our report, check out the Project Horseshoe website. There are some wonderful reports this year.
Nils says
Sara Pickell says
For my part, I agree.
Isaak says
This needs to be printed out on fancy paper and taken to this year's GDC to collect the signatures of all game designers attending 😀
\”So we listed dozens of examples of great design environment and dozens more of times where design remained shackled.\” What were these games?
I agree. =^.^=
Marcos says
\”You can get rid of visuals, music, business or technology and we will still make great games.\”Then you will need to learn how to draw, paint, program, debug, etc…
Thongrop says
@MarcosI think it means that even with the lack of those, great games can still be made. It doesn't mean ditching all the other team members and work on the game alone.As for the declaration, I agree 🙂 Also, THIS is going to be in the list of sentences I'll remember forever. <3\”Design works best when it leads, not when it serves.\”
Dagda says
Oh my god.This is a great piece in general. And when I consider that it's a mission statement, produced by a committee, addressing the modern game development industry. . .I don't I've ever seen those factors produce something clearly-written, insightful, AND persuasive.I've spent the last few years struggling to explain myself to programmers, artists and producers. You've just given me 5 years' worth of progress on that explanation, minimum.
Adrian Lopez says
Concerning the \”Board of Certification Proposal\” discussed in the document linked above, are you seriously proposing — by stating candidates must \”take several part tests […] which ensure that the candidates have a minimum necessary vocabulary and skill set to be called a Game Designer\” — that only those who are certified by said board should be able to call themselves game designers? If so, I'd like to remind you the term \”game designer\” is generic and cannot be claimed as the exclusive property of any certification body. A game designer is someone who designs games whether or not they also have, in the opinion of the Board, the \”skill set to be called a Game Designer\”.
This declaration is great in some regards and lousy in others. Point one cannot be emphasized enough. It needs to be told, it needs to be argued, it needs to be demonstrated, until a majority of game developers will start getting it.Point three, on the other hand, is incredibly snobbish. Every single great game designer started out as a dilettante. Every. Single. One. To turn your nose at amateurs is to reject the great game designers of tomorrow. Judge the work, not the person; that's equally valid in art as in science.Besides, while I understand the reasons for this declaration, I can't help but wonder, what exactly keeps you people chained to abusive employers? You're treated poorly? Walk away! You can earn more money by yourselves anyway. That is, of course, if you're good, but this declaration implies you are.
Scott Brodie says
signed!
Emile says
Preach it, bro!Marcos: it's also possible to make board games; a few video game designers I know also make board or card games on the side.
Federico Fasce says
I sign. I'm constantly fighting with coders thinking that making games is just about technology. Point one is great.
Jack at Fork and Bottle says
…I think, Marcos, he first needs to learn basic computer typography: just one space after a period at the end of a sentence. Never more. Never! You're not using an IBM Selectric.DanC: While I like the concept of this post/article, the content is very raw; yes, game designers deserve more credit, like having their name on the product. (Yes, don't work for a company who doesn't do that. Note, too, that the good boardgame companies all do this.)For example, \”You can get rid of visuals, music, business or technology and we will still make great games.\” Perhaps. But perhaps such will be played by no one. Do you score that a success or a fail?You say, \”Without game design, there is nothing\” – that doesn't mean anything. Anything. \”Without cheese, there is nothing\”, \”Without quatloos, there is nothing\”. Only when you get to some rare things like, \”Without love, there is nothing\” does that kind of line make any sense.Perhaps I'm the only one who thinks this, but is a \”Declaration of Game Designer Independence\” really needed? Will this make one iota of difference?In my opinion, a \”Facebook Gaming Bill of Rights\” is much more needed. (I've even written one, and it's kind of good, but doesn't totally kill and not quite funny enough.)Back to the subject, sort of…This rant seems to mostly be about how a bunch of game designers are regretting their past. Check. They especially didn't get enough credit. (Like who does at any big company?) But this is not news; the big game industry has always been poor at promoting Game Designers (with some exceptions), to their loss.Yes, yes, if you want your name in lights and want to design whatever you want, you have to form your own company. This is no revelation and no reason to create this \”Declaration of…\”. Oh, and that these game designers also regretted having to compromise on their designers, which (in their minds and true more often than not) made their game not as good as it could have been. Yep, that's what happens in the real world of big game company design. (I'll always think of SPORE as the classic example – Seven Games in One! All Seven could have been MUCH better.)But I can't help thinking that these same disgruntled/past-regretting game designers could have quit the big company they worked for earlier than they did and therefore could have created their \”vision of game\” sooner than they have (if they ever have).At this time in Gamedom, there are more outlets (forms, platforms, etc.) to create your game in than anytime in history. A tiny independent company can even make a small fortune (like some of the iPhone guys and the Mindcraft dude have just done). Even you, Dan, have sneaked to top of Kindle game sales…please don't wreck your Ferrari.Summing up (why not?) – I don't feel Game Designers are being suppressed in the quantity and manner that requires some sort of \”declaration\”. Instead, I think of now as the chance for the Second Golden Age of Game Design (the first one was in the Eighties, in case you missed it). Will it be seized? (If we're to judge by what we've seen so far on Facebook and mobile, no, as the percentage of independents is declining due to the (apparently) crazy money being made/pumped into companies that -ville.)
I appreciate the general message and the impetus for its creation, but this leaves something of an unpleasant aftertaste. It echoes of perceived victimization, and despite the good bits, feels swaggering.Could the declaration also be tempered somewhat by a touch of nuance or humility, and a focus on the quality of what we try to create, regardless of corporate or independent context or limitations? Is abject servitude vs. independent creation such a distinct binary? Can we be more inclusive?It reminds me of the \”design is king\” sentiment. Things always seem to be more complicated than that. Does this mean to the authors that I just don't have what it takes to be a designer of the calibre being discussed?
Zee says
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\”You can get rid of visuals, music, business or technology and we will still make great games.\”Yes, but you'll only make board games. I know the article doesn't mention 'video games' but given the people involved and the context of the whole website, it's clear that video game designers are the subjects. As such, I'd argue that you can get rid of everything but the programmers and you'll still be making games. Take that with a pinch of salt though, since it's coming from a programmer with design tendencies.
Tim Holt says
I'm in the \”like it but geez does it have to be so melodramatic?\” camp. It's like someone read too much Ayn Rand.
@FelixDilettante: an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledgeHe is talking about amateurs that are not serious but pretend to be.
João says
I agree with it.
Where do I send my signed copy?
Dr. says
As much as I want to be enthused by this declaration the only truth I find is in the title. . . A Designers freedom is found in independence.Creative freedom has always been restricted to designers, regardless of the field they work in by a single simple matter. We are not Artists in the traditional sense of the word, we can't forget that we are commercially lead to create a product that sells in a market. We work in a team drawing a wage for producing what the company managers and directors see as being viable. Its our job to mask as many mistakes created at the projects signing, use preproduction to be as creative as possible and spend the rest of the project playing nurse.If through the process of learning the trade of game design you feel secure enough in your own talent and skills to produce a meaningful game then there is nothing stopping you.I feel it would be more productive to the advancement of Videogames as a medium of expression to make our presence as game designers known to each other and find a way to promote communication between us.It's the restrictions of setting up as an independent that needs to be addressed not a call to arms to draw a bitter line in the creative sand.
IT Tips says
Its great to see that people are sharing quite profitable information with each other and now we can move our selves to a new era. Kid Rock Tickets
MECT says
Spanish Translation: La Declaración de Independencia del Diseñador de Juegos.
Juan Ramón says
I totally agree!Totalmente de acuerdo!
Jasonimus says
I rather like the grandiose expression of these points. True, some of them may seem like simple common sense, but sometimes people need things spelled out so they have something solid to hang a thought on. I intend to accept the Declaration as a challenge and strive always to live up to it.
podd says
Designers must drive the vision of the game- i certainly agree with this. Designers should have a vivid picture of the whole game so that they will be able to translate the actual design easily.
city says
thanks for share.....
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Taken by her boss
Annabelle comes from the bedroom wringing her hands in front. Luke’s heart thumps at sight of his wife. The little grey skirt she’s wearing looks even shorter than the first time he saw it. It reveals her full thigh gap. She sits up on her stool and Luke doesn’t even need to tilt his head to see her crotch. Her panties are white satin with a pretty lace trim around the edges – the lace extending above the tiny patch of satin and her pink skin visible through it – the top of her slit visible as a slightly darkened indentation. All of this is clearly on display with the tiny skirt stretched taut across her slender thighs and not even covering her bottom, as is apparent in how high the garment has ridden up at the sides.
Luke’s cock has firmed. “What about when you cross your legs – do your panties still show?”
Annabelle nods and crosses her legs to demonstrate. The view is then limited to a small triangle of lace with the indentation of her slit still clearly visible. She uncrosses her legs and rubs down to her knees. “Is this okay?”
Luke swallows hard and nods. He then leans forward and has a look down the front of Annabelle’s blouse. The matching white satin and lace bra is less revealing than the one she modelled the other day. It’s very pretty though, and offers a view of nipple through the lace – the blouse gaping quite a lot with just the one button undone.
“He’s gonna go nuts for you, baby. I mean, I know he will have his hands all over you at some point. I’m expecting that much.”
“Uh huh – me too,” Annabelle utters. “I can’t wait for him to get here now but I’m also too nervous.” She looks around. “I’ve still got two hours to wait. I think I might get changed and go for a jog.”
“Oh okay. Good idea. I’m just gonna get dressed and take off. I’m not going to work today though, so I’ll just take your car, okay?”
“Oh? You’re not working?”
“No, I’m too nervous too, baby. I’m going for a drive down the coast – just get out on the highway and try to chill.”
Annabelle is standing on her front porch when Paul Jamison pulls up in her driveway. She has her trusty favourite cardigan in her hand, strategically covering her bare upper thighs, and she keeps it in place as she hurries to the passenger side of the car. She is there waiting before Paul has had time to get out and open her door. He leans across and does so, beaming a smile as she slips into the soft leather seat – bare against her panty-covered bottom – her cardigan still strategically in place.
“Hi,” she sings cheerily while fastening her seatbelt. “Can we get going, please?”
Paul peers at the house, seemingly looking for her husband’s face in one of the windows, and backs out to zoom off up the street.
Annabelle’s plan is to break the expectation she had given the guy with her texting and the phone call. She needs to backtrack in order to meet the new limitations she has agreed to with her husband. She’s actually quite pleased to do so, feeling as though she had indeed gone too far too fast with this man she hardly knows.
He seems to have picked up on things quickly. After a question or two about why they had to leave so hurriedly he has settled into discussion about the lecture, seeming really quite nervous about it.
Annabelle had brushed his questions about their quick getaway. “Actually, you were right – I was worried about my husband seeing us, but he wasn’t there. I just wanted to be gone before he got back from down the street.”
“Oh, I see. Didn’t wanna be caught in that hot little skirt, huh? It looks every bit as short as you said it would be.”
“Oh this?” Annabelle concedes, blushing, and she folds her cardigan and puts it on the back seat. She has turned to do that and Paul is looking at her crotch.
“Yeah, now that’s much better,” he says. “Ooh that’s nice, Annabelle. That’s sexy.”
“Hmm – I’m glad you think so,” Annabelle utters, plucking a little at her hem but not pulling it down at all. She has her knees together but the seat is deep and they’re slightly raised. She can feel the full depth of her crotch exposed and she can also feel how wet she is. She’s been dripping all morning in anticipation of the man seated beside her. “I like your shirt,” she tells him. It’s a plain green polo shirt contoured to the muscle in his shoulders and chest. The short sleeves are stretched tight around huge biceps.
He gives her a smile then tilts to look at her crotch again. “Those are pretty too. Did you choose them especially for me?”
“Uh huh,” Annabelle utters, her blush rising a little more. She lets the warm tingly feeling wash over her. “I was thinking of you when I bought this skirt and these panties, Paul. I hoped you would like them.”
“Oh, I do,” Paul goes on and tilts for another look. “Fuck yeah.” he groans. “Every guy in the company wants a look up your skirt, Annabelle. You’ve got great legs – fantastic thighs that you never show.” He grins up to meet her eyes. “You’re already wet too.” He tilts for another look. “Can see the shape of your slit – all the way down. Fucking amazing.”
Annabelle takes a breath. “But you’re not allowed to fuck me, okay?”
“No? Sure looks like you want me to.”
“I did but I’ve changed my mind.”
The guy chuckles. “I’ve heard of women doing that.”
“Well, now you’re experiencing it,” Annabelle tosses back. “I brought slacks in case you can’t handle it.” She fishes in her shoulder bag and extracts a pair of black pants. “Would you advise me to put them on?” she asks her smiling driver.
“Might not be a bad idea with Michael around. I think I can handle this lovely view though.” He has another deliberate look at Annabelle’s panties. “So – look but don’t touch, huh?”
Annabelle thinks carefully about how to respond to that. She meets the man’s eyes. “Can I just be open with you, Paul?”
Paul nods. “Of course. Open would be good since I don’t really get what’s happening here. With you being a married woman obviously.” He looks at Annabelle’s left hand and wedding rings, shrugging the question.
“My husband and I are playing a sexy game with each other. I’ve been dressing up a bit and he’s been letting other men see me and enjoy me a little bit.”
“Enjoy you?” Paul questions immediately.
“Yes,” Annabelle answers simply.
“Enjoy you in what way exactly?”
“Um. I don’t really want to give details. Just to a certain level and no more.” Annabelle edges around to be facing Paul. His eyes lower to her crotch again – her knees having parted slightly. “It’s not just teasing with you other men though. My husband’s been letting me go as far as oral sex so far. We’ve just discussed what’s happening and decided to not go any further than that at the moment.”
Paul’s large hand closes over Annabelle’s lower thigh. He glances from the highway. She has closed her eyes and taken a breath, but she opens to find him looking at her face. “I like the idea of oral,” he says. “That’s a fair enough limit.”
Annabelle smiles through her blush and tries not to arch upward too obviously as Paul squeezes a little higher up her thigh. “Although I think it should be something for later – not until after work,” she tells him.
The concentration in his expression relaxes and he smiles again. “So – look but don’t touch until after work, huh? Sounds fair enough too.”
Annabelle places her hand upon his, holding it still while she leans forward and taps on the radio, scanning for a good travel music channel. She finds one and rests back in the soft leather seat, still with her hand upon Paul’s. They have stopped in a line of traffic waiting at road works. He holds her eyes and reaches for her, stroking her face and cupping the back of her head. She closes her eyes and leans into him as he pulls her close. His lips touch hers softly at first. She opens for him and he breathes into her, pressing more firmly and tilting as he deepens the kiss.
Annabelle relaxes into this new man – into the scent and powerful essence of him. She opens wide and caresses his tongue in her mouth. She has a hand clutched to her chest and she slips a button through its hole. She’s now holding his wrist with her other hand. His fingers are spread and pressing close to her crotch. She relaxes her hold and one of them strokes through her slit. He probes deeper with his tongue at the same time. She melts completely into him, allowing him to tilt her head back and move over her. He just softly strokes her pussy and continues taking her mouth. She releases his wrist and clutches his shirt, feeling the ripped definition of his pecs and digging her nails in a bit.
“I’ve been wanting to kiss you like this since the day you started at work, Annabelle.” He has relented and lifted to nuzzle her face and look into her eyes.
“Have you really?” she asks, taking a couple of breaths while she can. “I didn’t think you knew I existed,” she goes on with a giggle into his next soft kiss.
“I know. I’ve gotten into too much trouble in the past misbehaving at work. I’m good at feigning disinterest and professionalism now.” Cars are pulling out and driving around them. Paul’s eyes roll to check out what’s happening up ahead. There’s a green light in the distance. He takes Annabelle’s mouth once more – his kiss still soft but deepening as well. Annabelle can’t help melting into it but squeezes her thighs together as he gropes more firmly between them.
Paul suddenly lifts from her and refastens his seatbelt. He pulls into the passing line of traffic. Annabelle can feel the fabric of her panties creased into her pussy and she discretely fixes them while he isn’t looking. She checks her hair in the vanity mirror on the back of the sun visor, moving her legs around straight and tugging her skirt down a little as she settles.
Paul has a look at her breasts through her open blouse. He boldly reaches across and slips a hand in through the gaping neckline, covering one breast and squeezing it. She claims his wrist again but doesn’t push him away. “It’s supposed to be no touching,” she says with a mock glare.
He thumbs her erect little nipple before extracting his hand. “It’s amazing your husband’s okay with this.”
“He’s an amazing guy,” Annabelle states frankly.
Paul chuckles. “He’s a fucking lucky guy.”
“You usually make your own luck,” Annabelle tosses back with a glance. “You seem pretty lucky too. Bethany is beautiful and she’s really great to work for when she’s around.”
Paul nods. “Plus she’s cool with us both having our fun.”
“Oh? An arrangement?” Annabelle asks with interest. “An open marriage?”
Paul nods some more. “Beth has a couple of steady boyfriends overseas. We don’t hide anything and don’t sleep around too widely. I’ll have to tell her about you, but I could withhold your actual name if you’d prefer?”
“Oh wow. Um – I don’t know. I guess I wouldn’t mind her knowing about me if it’s all above board. Maybe best not to let it get around work otherwise though.”
“Definitely!” Paul agrees. “I’ve not actually slept with anyone else from work either, by the way. Well, not with any other current employee of the company.”
Annabelle smiles. “Well, I’m flattered then.”
Paul glances from the road a few times. “Me too.” He grins. “Can I ask one thing about ‘oral only’?”
“Um. I don’t know. What?”
He glances to check the road then looks back at Annabelle. “Do you swallow?”
Annabelle’s blush rises again and she does a little nod. “Yes I swallow,” she answers softly.
“Good. This will be fun,” Paul says, winking and looking back to the road.
Annabelle turns to watch out her window for a while. She has noticed the size of the package in Paul’s shorts though, and can’t help checking on it from time to time as they chat. It’s not as if he’s obviously erect at all – more so the whole crotch area between his powerful looking thighs is full, making Annabelle imagine both his penis and balls to be quite large. She hopes his balls are of the oversized variety as she glances again while remembering the glory hole from the previous night.
It takes less than an hour on the expressway to reach their destination. The college is right there at the exit. Paul knows his way around and drives right to the door of the admin building that houses his friend’s office.
Annabelle unbuckles and grabs her cardigan from the back seat. Paul checks around. The parking area is quiet. He pulls Annabelle to him and she tilts her head beneath as he presses to her lips. His kiss begins softly. Annabelle relaxes into the guy. She breathes and moans into his mouth as the sensuality of his kiss deepens and his tongue enters her. He’s holding her tight and sits back in his seat, drawing her across and onto his lap. He has her cradled with her face upturned. He strokes her hair and delves into her eyes. Annabelle lifts her chin and opens her mouth as he lowers close again. He only teases her lips though. She opens her eyes again and he’s still staring. “You’re so beautiful,” he tells her.
Annabelle draws a ragged breath and holds it as he takes her mouth again. She’s touching his chest. Her legs are scissored together on the other seat, the gear stick pressing against her groin. She’s lost in the passion and latent power oozing from the man holding her.
Suddenly there’s a knock on the passenger side window. Paul breaks the kiss and looks across with a start, his face quickly relaxing though. “Michael. How are you, man?”
The window lowers. Annabelle buries her head in Paul’s shoulder trying to hide there as the two men chuckle and exchange greetings. “This is Annabelle,” Paul says. “Annabelle – Michael.”
“Hi,” Annabelle squeaks through her full blush. The guy is smiling huge, his eyes all over her. She has her thighs pressed together but her legs are bent up there right in front of him. He gives her a little nod and greets her with wide eyes.
“So, you two are obviously hitting it off,” he comments.
Paul lifts Annabelle’s chin and presses his lips to hers softly. She holds his eyes – the teasing question in them. She frowns a little, unsure about this. He kisses her again but doesn’t try to force the situation, and he opens the door and slips from beneath her, leaving her sitting in the driver’s seat and fixing her clothing and hair.
Annabelle doesn’t know when she’ll get a chance to come back to the car so she takes her shoulder bag with her slacks in it, choosing to carry her cardigan and keep it covering the front of her bare thighs. She’s intensely aware of the amount of leg she’s showing. The skirt she has on is shorter than anything she’s ever worn outdoors before – shorter than anything she’s even worn around her house. She’s being included in chat and being ushered through doorways and along walkways. It seems the destination is the lecture hall where Michael is going to help out by getting Paul to do some practice on projecting his voice.
When they enter the lecture theatre, Michael asks Annabelle to sit at the back. She’s pleased to be hidden in a row of seats but keeps her cardigan steadfastly in place anyway. Michael’s voice booms and fills the theatre. It takes Paul a while to overcome his nerves and get the hang of it. He then proceeds to present the opening of his talk and Michael helps and instructs him through that – the pair of them finishing up laughing and chatting together while Annabelle relaxes in the cool dark of the big open room.
When the first group of students come in and take seats, Annabelle has to decide whether to stay up the back or join the men. She figures there’s no need for her to do anything in regard to Paul’s presentation. She’s only along for the ride – the thought of which makes her smile to herself and drift back to the kisses she has gotten so far.
The lecture theatre slowly fills. It’s quite cold with the air-conditioning, so Annabelle slips on her cardigan. A young guy two rows down from her immediately shifts sideways in his seat and has a look at her. The guy beside him notices and looks back as well. Annabelle’s heart is fluttering as she sits still with her knees not quite touching and the back of her thighs sticky on the wooden seat.
Paul begins delivering his lecture and seems to quickly overcome any nerves. Michael strolls up the aisle and takes a seat near Annabelle, but he chooses the row beneath her and sits one seat to the side turning to smile back at her. His eyes immediately flash to her legs and he blatantly checks out her crotch.
Annabelle’s blush rises instantly, but the way this man is so friendly and buddy-like with Paul has her feeling at ease with him. She shifts a little in her seat, swaying her legs towards him and allowing her knees to stray the tiniest bit apart. The two young guys are looking again but Annabelle keeps her head up and her gaze upon Paul.
Michael turns and has another look. “You’ve done a good job with this, Annabelle. Saved Paul’s arse.”
Annabelle meets his eyes and smiles. “Thanks. It was fun going through his old cases to find something.”
The older man leans across slightly and has another look. Annabelle rubs down her thighs but doesn’t press her knees together just yet.
“So, how long have you and Paul been seeing one another? He wouldn’t say.”
“Um – we’re not really seeing each other,” Annabelle answers.
“Ah okay – just hooking up then?”
“Hmm – I guess.”
The guy holds her eyes for a moment then his gaze slowly travels down her body. “Those are pretty,” he says, glancing back at her face then down to her panties again.
“Thanks.” Annabelle utters.
“You don’t mind me looking?” he goes on easily.
Annabelle gulps and shakes her head. “Except those young guys there are watching you do it.”
Michael turns and the two guys quickly look ahead at Paul speaking. Michael watches him for a moment too, and Paul gives him a tiny head toss to indicate he wants him to come back and help out. Michael turns back to Annabelle with a smile. “Don’t run off with any of these boys – I’m taking you guys to lunch, okay?”
“Okay,” Annabelle agrees cheerily.
The guy stands but leans right over to speak into her rear. “I know just the place for a skirt like that.”
He strides away and Annabelle crosses her legs away from the young guys still craning their necks to get looks at her. Paul and Michael have the theatre full of students enthralled and entertained for the next hour while Annabelle fails to keep her eyes open. She has dozed on and off and only wakes properly when everyone is filing out of the rows of seats and up the aisles to the exits.
Paul comes for her and claims her hand, keeping it within his own as he leads her to the front of the theatre and up several stairs to a staff exit. Michael is held up with a small gathering of students. Paul takes Annabelle out into a dark corridor and takes her into his arms. “Thanks for that – it was actually pretty easy following your script.”
“I’m glad,” Annabelle says, smiling up at the guy. He’s a full head taller than her.
He lowers to her lips and again his kiss is tender and sensual. She willingly opens for him when he deepens the contact and extends his tongue into her mouth. His arms are around her, crushing as he bends her back a little and moves more fully over her. She cuddles to his thick torso and uses her nails on the firm pillows of muscle rippling down his back.
He breaks the kiss and looks into her eyes. She waits with her mouth still open, the corridor and building beyond him a blur. He strokes her face and kisses her again softly. “We have to go to lunch with Michael. I kind of promised we would.”
“I know. That’s fine,” Annabelle agrees and tries to catch his lips as he brushes hers with them.
He grins. “You like being kissed, huh?”
Annabelle bites a lip and nods. “I love it.”
“Yeah? And your husband doesn’t mind?”
“Um – maybe a little. I’m not sure exactly.”
“Ah okay – that’s good. I hope you tell him how much you like my kisses.” Paul teases Annabelle’s parted lips again. “Will you tell him?”
Annabelle nods. “Uh huh, I’ll tell him how much I love your kisses.” She tries to capture another one but Paul pulls back out of her reach. “Plus you can kiss so much better than him,” she says through a sudden blush.
Paul chuckles and takes her lips again, pressing firmly then mashing his mouth over hers as he searches deep with his tongue. Annabelle senses a presence and rolls her eyes aside to see Michael watching from through the open door and down the few stairs. He’s examining her crotch again. He climbs the steps and closes the door behind him, the narrow corridor thrown into semi-darkness.
“Hey, man,” Paul says to him.
“Hey,” Michael echoes and moves close beside Annabelle, looking down at her face. He places a hand upon her belly and strokes her hair from her neck with his other hand. Paul kisses Annabelle’s ear and whispers, “Is this alright?”
Annabelle gulps and sucks in a nervous breath. “Um. I um.” The older man lifts her chin and presses his lips to hers. She’s stunned but responds a little. Paul feels a breast. She gulps again and lifts her head away from Michael. “But just like we talked about,” she says to Paul. “Not um.”
“I know. Just oral,” he breathes into her neck and sucks on her tender skin there – his big hand kneading her breast more firmly now.
Michael touches her chin, turning her to face him, and he covers her mouth with his more insistently. Paul kisses her shoulder and slips her cardigan from her arms, trailing kisses down her back and side as he kneels and lifts her skirt to suck hard on her upper groin. The older man kisses beneath her chin and sucks on her neck. He’s undoing her blouse. He opens it and gropes her breasts while returning his kisses to her neck. Paul lifts one of her legs and shoulders beneath it. Annabelle grabs his head as she rocks back against a wall. Michael pulls up her bra and covers a tit with his mouth. Paul nuzzles her pussy through her panties, pressing with his nose and sniffing deeply to draw the scent she can smell herself right then. He bares his teeth and nips her. Her lower body convulses and she lets out a little squeal. Michael lifts and covers her mouth with his again and Paul stretches aside the crotch of her panties and breathes on her exposed pussy.
Annabelle’s eyes are wide in the near dark but they roll back in her head. She can’t quite identify all the sensations. Her right nipple is being firmly tweaked. There’s the tongue of a man old enough to be her father swirling around hers inside her mouth. She thinks there’s a finger pressing around her clit, parting her folds to isolate it – or it could be the tip of Paul’s nose doing that. It feels like his breath is the thing cooling her down there. The chill is of wetness and air movement and it’s dripping from her pussy down her leg. She can distinctly feel the trail of that dribble now but suddenly it is being licked – the warmth and coarseness of a tongue traveling up her inner thigh, and she shudders a breath into the older man’s mouth as the tongue slices directly through the centre of her opening.
“Aw fuck that’s wet,” Paul groans into her down there, and Annabelle’s belly immediately clenches in mild orgasm. The sudden little climax grips and thumps through her, seemingly urging Paul on, as he parts her folds with a thumb and forefinger then gets in under her to cover her pussy with his mouth and tongue her deep.
“Uhh…hhh…” Annabelle moans and clings to two handfuls of his hair while mashing her gash against his whiskery face. Her peak has passed now though. The tongue inside of her has pushed it deeper into her belly where it’s building with more substance as the two men continue to eat her against a wall.
Annabelle is pleased that the older man has stopped kissing her mouth and is now focused on her breasts. She needs the clear head space to concentrate on what’s happening inside her pussy – a long thick finger has been inserted and is moving in and out. The mouth of the man down there is pressed over her clit and the sensations centred there are a combination of sucking and lashing with a broad or pointed tongue.
The older man’s hand travels down the back of her panties and his bony fingertips probe past her anus and into the base of her vagina. This seems to release a flood of her juices because she suddenly feels a trickle run down past her knee. Those fingertips only ply and tease her open though, while the other finger spearing in and out of her has curled back to massage her G-spot.
The two men work Annabelle relentlessly until her entire body is a mass of nerve endings that explode and have her convulsing and crushing the head in her hands against her pussy. “Uhh…uhh…uhh…” she pants with each contraction deep in her belly and extending the length of her vagina to throb against the fingers now holding firm inside of it.
“That’s it, beautiful – let it go,” the older man breathes into Annabelle’s hair. She has lifted one hand to grip his head as well, holding him still and defending herself against any further stimulation.
Paul moves up her body and presses his wet, tangy mouth over hers. “You ready to suck some cock now?” he groans into her.
“Uh huh,” Annabelle utters. “I’m ready.”
She is lowered by both men with a hand each upon her shoulders. The older man’s cock is long and thin. Paul’s cock is long and thick. Annabelle kisses one head then the other. The men stroke her hair and take turns to pull her forward, thrusting into her mouth as far as her fist will let them.
Annabelle strokes and sucks. She wants to kiss their balls but they’re keeping her head in place and fucking her mouth. She submits and lets them, unable to even let go and feel how big and heavy their sets of balls might be, because she can’t allow either of them to insert too deep. It’s just not something she can imagine doing – to take a cock down her throat. And there’s no way Paul’s would fit anyway.
“Yeah, that’s it.” Paul is the first to lose control. He takes Annabelle’s head in both hands and begins sawing the end of his cock in and out of her. His thrusts grow harder and faster, his bottom flexing and quivering beneath Annabelle’s nails. He suddenly holds firm and tenses – his cock hardening then beginning to pulse, and Annabelle squeezes her eyes shut tight and accepts his semen gushing and flooding her mouth. “Yeah, fucking nice,” he groans and gives another thrust then holds again while the last few spurts empty the over-sized balls Annabelle is now feeling and softly massaging.
She extracts the huge penis from her mouth and kisses her way down to the man’s balls. They’re heavy in her hand. She lifts them gently and moans as she sucks on the left one.
Paul smooths her hair from her face and tilts his head to watch her. “You like them?”
“Yes,” Annabelle tells him. “I love them – they’re so huge.” She peers from one man to the other, their features just distinguishable in the dimness of the corridor. She moves from Paul’s left ball to his right one. It’s sweaty with his musk and a bit too hairy, but she hums softly as she takes the full side of it into her mouth and sucks and massages with her tongue. She then nuzzles them both, allowing them to rest upon her face and over her nose and eyes. “Mmm – I just love the feel of them,” she utters and resumes kissing and licking them. The scent of him is strong underneath at the base of his sac. She nuzzles between his bulging thighs and licks more of his ball sweat, sucking the loose skin then licking her way up the side of his shaft. She lowers it and squeezes, milking a dribble of semen then sucking the head into her mouth. She peers up at the two men again and bobs her head. The older man is stroking his cock. She rolls her eyes to it then peers up at him again.
“Are you ready for another load?” he asks her.
Annabelle releases Paul’s cock and turns to face Michael with her mouth open and her tongue extended in readiness. He snarls and grits his teeth, his hand vibrating on the end of his dick. He shifts forward and positions the head then pushes it down against Annabelle’s tongue and snarls again as his semen spurts in heavy ropes into her mouth.
Annabelle swallows the pool of stringy goo and takes the narrow head of the man’s cock into her mouth and holds it there. She cups his balls. They’re quite small compared to Paul’s. They’re completely hairless though, and smooth and loose in their sac. Michael holds her hair aside as she gets in under him and gathers one of his nuts with her tongue, softly sucking the whole thing into her mouth and crushing her hand between her thighs as the powerful scent of him washes through her.
“That’s it – the other one too,” he encourages her. “Ooh yeah – suck on it,” he snarls. “You fucking love that, don’t you?”
“Uh huh,” Annabelle utters as she lets that ball pop from her mouth. “I love what you men make inside these. I wish I could have it all in my belly instead of having to swallow it.”
“And we wanna pump it into your belly too – don’t worry about that,” Michael says, including Paul with a chuckle.
“Yes – but you can’t. I’m not allowed and it wouldn’t be safe for me anyway.” Annabelle licks the older man’s balls and kisses them, peering up at him watching. “Plus I didn’t know I was going to have to swallow yours as well. I don’t know how I’m gonna explain this to my husband.”
Michael shrugs. “Serves the guy right if he doesn’t satisfy you himself.”
“Don’t say that,” Annabelle protests but has to squeeze her hand between her thighs again as the man’s words flutter in her belly. She kisses her way back up the underside of his cock. She takes the head into her mouth while gazing up at him.
He touches the back of her head and holds her while slowly rocking forward. He does his snarling grin. “Yeah, the husband’s obviously not enough man for her eh, Paul?”
Annabelle’s blush rises and she clamps her thighs tighter while her fingertips slip inside. She bobs back and forth, sucking the resurgent cock in her mouth.
“I say he’s a good guy though – letting us play with his wife,” Paul tells his friend. “Maybe not quite man enough but. Lucky us!”
Michael chuckles, the hand on the back of Annabelle’s head relaxing and he strokes her hair. “I need an hour to build up again, okay?”
Annabelle takes his fully erect cock from her mouth and squeezes against the flex of the shaft. She swallows and takes a breath. “Okay, but don’t make fun of my husband,” she utters and tilts beneath to kiss his balls again. She licks between and all around them, letting them roll over her nose and face while drawing the heady scent of such a mature man into her senses.
Michael continues stroking her hair while she nuzzles and smooches. “Alright, no more making fun of your hubby, but only if you promise not to cross your legs at this bar we’re going to for lunch.”
Annabelle glares up, stopping what she’s doing. “What bar?” Both men give a little chuckle. Paul takes her hand and helps her to stand. She pulls her bra down from where it’s still scrunched above her breasts and fixes it into place. “Well, is there a bathroom where I can freshen up and fix my makeup at least?”
Paul puts an arm around her as they walk. She cuddles to his side and he lowers his arm and takes her hand again instead, keeping hold of it until they have traversed several long corridors and Michael ushers her towards a ladies room.
Luke is sitting in Annabelle’s little Honda staring out at the calm blue ocean. He’s two hours from home, having gotten on the expressway south and driven in a daze all morning. He fights off the thought of his beautiful wife with the huge, muscular man pictured in his mind. He hasn’t been able to dispel the images of him enjoying the view up her tiny skirt and down her blouse – right there beside him in the car.
Luke manages to stave off the churning in his gut long enough to force down a meat pie and can of lemonade for lunch. He then spins the car around and spends another two hours in a daze driving home.
His heart is in his throat as he turns the corner into his street, but there is no car in his driveway. The next thing newly wrenching his gut is whether or not Annabelle is home. It’s almost three, and if she’s not already back she would be due anytime.
Luke locks her car away and glares through the kitchen window as he approaches the back door. There’s no movement in the house that he can detect. The door is locked – his heart slipping from his throat with a pulse of relief. He doesn’t want his wife to still be with this other man, but facing her afterward is going to be even harder to take.
The house is in silence. Luke walks to the sewing room and bedroom then checks to find the front door also still locked. He huffs a calming breath, his shoulders slumping, his heart rate slowing. He rushes back to the bedroom and finds the phone he had left behind that morning. There’s a text. His heart pounds in his chest again.
Annabelle: Oh my god Luke. Everyone can see up my skirt.
There’s a file attachment. Luke fumbles at the screen and opens an image of Annabelle sitting in a deep couch cuddled up to the man in Luke’s imagination. He has his arm around her and is grinning for the camera. His arm is massive – his bicep stretching his shirt sleeve. His other arm is resting across his lap, and with that hand he’s intertwining fingers with Annabelle. His other hand is wrapped around her hip with the tips of his fingers touching the exposed skin of her upper-thigh. Her knees are only slightly apart but the seat is low to the floor and there’s a full view of the white crotch of her panties. There’s a table with drinks and baskets of food in front, and the photo has been taken from the back of another couch opposite.
The calculation that the friend of this big dude must be taking the photo throbs through Luke’s chest. He swipes the screen for another picture but there’s only the one. He expands it but that makes it too hard to see on the tiny screen. He emails it to himself and gets it up on his computer screen.
Annabelle’s face is alight with a big toothy smile for the camera – seemingly oblivious to how this image is right then crushing Luke’s heart.
Luke slumps back in his office chair gripping his hair. He takes a few deep breaths then suddenly thinks to check the time of the text. It’s registered at 1:15. “Two hours ago.” he mutters aloud. His anguish is subsiding now – the shock of the visual wearing off. He argues with himself that nothing in the photo shows anything other than what he was expecting to happen – other than the intertwined fingers, but he knows how his wife is. She’s always wanting to hold hands, cuddle and kiss. She’s very affectionate in that simple way and never waits for Luke to initiate that kind of intimacy. Seeing her giving that particular brand of sweetness to another man still hurts though.
Luke checks the time again to see five minutes have passed. He leaves the computer on and strides back to the living room to peep through blinds and check the driveway. He slumps on the lounge and addresses his phone to type a message in reply. He stares at the screen, reading Annabelle’s message over and over.
Luke: I love you baby.
He clicks send and immediately wishes he could pull the message back, knowing he sounds desperate. And desperate is exactly how he feels. He gets up and checks the driveway again: Lunch was two hours ago and it’s only a one hour drive. The guy they’re with is probably only on a lunch break from his work. They should be back any minute.
Luke has his phone clutched in his sweaty fist as he stands there staring at the driveway and street. He checks his phone again after a few minutes, unable to imagine why Annabelle wouldn’t at least text a reply: She must be sitting in the guy’s car with him driving. How could she not be able to text or just call?
Luke stands there staring out the window for a long time before temporarily giving up and going to sit at the breakfast counter – his hands supporting his head as the image of them parked somewhere churns through his mind now. He can see the kissing and groping. He can see the guy fucking Annabelle in his back seat. He can’t stand the image any longer and kicks open the back door and storms into his garage. He has a speed ball and punching bag. He launches into the bag and thumps the hell out of it until he collapses exhausted on his back on the floor.
Luke lies there for a while sucking in breaths and staring up at the exposed timber beams above him. His knuckles are stinging. They’re raw, speckling blood. He gets up and finds some rag to wrap them then he starts with the speed ball. Luke boxed all through school and won a few medals at state level competition. He imagines being able to actually handle a man almost twice his size and punches the fuck out of this lawyer dude in his imagination.
Completely exhausted and somehow sated, Luke starts hitting pool balls around his table, planning to not even go inside when his wife does show up: He’ll be out here doing what he usually does most afternoons, not desperate at all.
The distraction of the pool game lasts ten minutes or so. Luke checks the house but there’s still no movement. He takes his phone from his pocket. Nothing. He goes back inside and to the living room window, standing there for another excruciating twenty minutes before scrolling for his wife’s number and calling her.
Annabelle’s phone diverts to voicemail immediately. Luke’s bursting heart implodes. He’s suddenly numb. He walks to the bedroom and falls back on the bed, pulling Annabelle’s pillow to his face and smelling her. He closes his eyes and relives their lives together, the notion of sharing his beautiful wife with other men completely absurd and utterly gut wrenching. His phone buzzes with a text and he lifts bolt upright and paws at the screen…………..
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mattcoolomon X-Rated eBook preview 4 Comments July 30, 2018 July 30, 2018 29 Minutes
Wife Shared on a Desert Island
Paul was sitting on the veranda when the other three men returned from swimming. They went inside, but Jasper came back out with a kitchen chair and the hair-trimming cloth for his shoulders. He got set up, and Paul’s wife Justine brought her comb and scissors.
She trimmed the back and top while standing behind then moved around to do the sides and his beard. Her tunic had just the one tie, around her waist. It was open above and below. Her hips were bare, the skirt of the garment opening to reveal her pubic hair sometimes. It did so one time when she was stepping across one of his knees. She had pressed against his arm, and her skirt gathered aside and revealed her fully down below.
Jasper had a look at her pussy. He tilted his head to see. She looked down too and noticed what had happened. A strand of cotton from the frayed edge of the fabric had caught on a button on Jasper’s sleeve. He lifted his arm, pulling her skirt up and to the side. She fiddled with the tangled thread while he grinned and examined her.
He winked over at Paul. “Nice, eh?”
Justine snipped the thread to release it. She brushed her skirt down, blushing as she glanced at Paul. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” she accused Jasper with a mock glare.
He just smiled up at her as she resumed trimming his beard. He touched her legs, clutching just above her knees.
“Don’t! I might snip you if you do it.”
He just kept smiling and only softly gripped her. He caressed upward a little and squeezed gently again. Justine combed his hair, checking her work. He felt up higher, gathering the bottom of her skirt and squeezing again. She turned her head and swallowed, her eyes closing and her chest lifting as she drew a breath. He stroked softly upward, gathering her skirt and lifting it with his thumbs. His fingers were travelling up the front of her thighs and touched her groin, either side of her little landing strip. He tucked her skirt into her waist band, keeping her revealed.
“That time was on purpose,” he said.
Justine glanced at Paul again. She stood combing her own hair while Jasper continued stroking her legs and looking at her pussy. He was running his fingertips up and down the outer of her thighs with his thumbs caressing the front. On one upward caress, he reached further with his thumbs and touched her inner thighs. She squirmed away before he touched her pussy, and she brushed her skirt down. Then Jasper grabbed her and tickled her ribs.
Justine squealed and laughed. He pulled her to him. She wriggled around and he held her from behind. She was squirming and pushing at his arm. Paul saw he had one arm inside her tunic and that he was groping her bare tit with that hand while tickling her with the other. He reached down and clutched her legs, making her bend forward and virtually sit on his lap.
He relented while she caught her breath. “Don’t!” she said, glaring back at him as he threatened to grip her thigh again. She was still giggling and trying to hold that wrist away. Paul could see his other hand feeling her tit. He was massaging it slowly and playing with the nipple. He clutched her thigh gently. “But don’t squeeze,” Justine pled. She held his other arm softly as he continued feeling her tit. He clutched higher up her thigh, and she gripped his wrist in readiness to push him away. He felt up between her thighs as he suddenly tickled her ribs. She squealed and squirmed from his lap with her legs pressed together. “Bad, bad, Jasper!” she scolded, hiding behind Paul.
Jasper laughed, and she did too. Paul met the other man’s gaze and wink. “Damn she’s hot, buddy,” he said.
“Yes, she is,” Paul agreed, cuddling Justine to his side.
Thomas called that dinner was ready. Justine brushed at the hair all over her tunic, complaining about it as they went inside. She changed behind her partition and came out wearing her frock.
After the meal, Paul helped Justine with the dishes, as he always did now. They just spoke with their eyes and knowing glances. Her frock had spaghetti string shoulder straps but was also a gathered elastic bodice.
Justine slipped her arms through the strings and left them hanging down. “In case I get tickled again,” she whispered to Paul.
“Do you have anything on underneath?” he whispered back.
She shook her head, biting a grin. “Jasper touched my pussy before – did you see?”
“Yeah. I thought he did.”
“I think he might grab me again if I walk too close. I think next time he gets a chance he might finger me.”
“Where did Steven and Thomas go?” Paul had seen them leave. Jasper was sitting at the table reading.
“They said something about checking a fishing net they made.”
“Okay. Well, I’m gonna sit out on the veranda for a while. Are you okay to finish clearing the table?”
Justine blushed a little. “You mean with him sitting there and no one else around?”
Paul nodded. “I’ll be just outside.”
“Okay,” Justine uttered.
Paul left her and nodded to Jasper as he glanced up. He went out and sat watching the clouds and the moon but listening intently for any sounds from inside the cabin. Moments passed before he heard voices. Then Justine giggled and shrieked.
Paul looked through the window to see Jasper holding her from behind again. She was pushing a hand away from her leg. She was smiling and pressing back against him, her face red, her eyes alight. He felt one tit then the other. She kept hold of his other wrist and reached back to hold his hip with her free hand. He felt up under her frock. She kept hold of his wrist and had her thighs pressed together. Her eyes closed as he obviously touched her pussy. She gripped the back of his head, her legs giving way as he forced his hand between them.
It looked like he was fingering her. His hand was concealed beneath her frock, but Paul was sure he had fingers inside her. Thomas and Steven were coming up from the beach so Paul went to the door and noisily shifted a chair to announce he was coming in.
Justine was fixing the top of her frock. Jasper was resting back in his chair, smiling. At a glance, Paul could see his fingers were wet.
“He grabbed me again,” Justine reported, poking her tongue out at Jasper and having to jump as he lunged for her.
Steven and Thomas came in carrying a couple of crabs in a net basket. They washed up, and cards were dealt. Justine read while the men played. She went to bed early with her partition half drawn and her bed in the moonlight from her window. They could see her as she pulled on panties and removed her frock. She lay back with her sheet up to her waist and her tits bare. Everyone was looking at her.
“It’s not too bright out here, love?” Thomas asked.
“No – it’s fine. I don’t mind the candlelight.”
“Yeah – they look nice in the candlelight.” Jasper chuckled. “Nice nips.”
She patted the sheet down either side of her body, her chest lifting, her nipples erect and casting shadows of their own. “Thank you, Jasper. I’m glad you like them,” she said sweetly and yawned.
“I like them too!” Steven said.
Justine giggled, making her tits shudder. “Thank you, Steven.”
“Me too,” Paul said, and everyone laughed.
“Lucky arsehole,” Jasper scoffed. “At least you’ve got your woman here with you.”
“Yeah – I know. We were talking about that earlier, weren’t we, sweetheart?”
Justine sat up. “It must be hard for you other men,” she offered sincerely.
Thomas moved his chair back to include Justine more directly.
Jasper stood and came around the table. “It could be worse – like, with no women at all.” He sat on the edge of the table, facing Justine.
Steven was nodding to everyone. “Yeah – it’s much better with Justine here.” He was peering around the edge of the partition.
Jasper was standing there. He pulled it back further, casting more light. Justine looked down at her bare breasts then up at everyone. She was resting back on her hands with them thrust forward. Her nipples were still erect.
“Are you men sure this doesn’t make it harder for you?” she asked sweetly.
“Only in a good way,” Thomas answered first.
“Definitely not,” Jasper declared forthrightly.
Justine nodded and looked to Paul. He held her gaze, shrugging an okay. They each knew what the other was thinking, though Paul wasn’t sure how far his wife had progressed with what they had spoken about earlier. He understood Justine was about to invite the others into the issue. She was asking if she should say something or whether he wanted to. He mouthed the words you can.
“Well, what if we did a little bit more?” she started, peering from Thomas to Jasper. “Paul and I were talking about it and wondering if we should put aside the fact that we’re married, in the real world, and do what we can to share everything here.”
Jasper’s jaw had sagged. Thomas spoke. “To share – everything?”
Justine’s blush was noticeable even in the candlelight. “Uh huh. To share me – as the only female here.”
Thomas’s jaw was sagging now. Steven’s eyes were wide as he looked from Justine to the men. Paul swallowed hard. Jasper was nodding, a tiny grin curving his lips.
“But, I don’t mean fully,” Justine went on. She had only paused for a split second, but time had slowed for Paul. “I don’t mean having full sex with me – just, um – well, a little bit less than full but more than you’ve already been having. Which no one said you could, by the way,” she scolded.
Jasper chuckled. “We’ve been trying to behave.”
“Hmm – and you’re the worst!” She giggled. “I think if we do anything more, then you should have to go last.”
Thomas sat on the end of the cot. Justine had sat forward, hugging her knees.
“What do you mean by a little more, love? You shouldn’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with – or you, Paul.”
Paul met the gazes of the other three men. “Well, we haven’t decided anything yet. We’re just talking about it and thinking it through at the moment. It feels kind of weird, but this whole situation is freaky.”
“Got that right, buddy,” Jasper agreed. “You wouldn’t read about this shit, but I reckon you and Justine are handling it well. It’s great that you’re both so open and considerate. I’d like to think I’d be the same if I were here with my woman and you three ugly mugs.”
“Oh, yeah – and which woman would that be?” Thomas tossed at the younger man.
“You mean, who would I prefer to be stranded on a desert island with?” Jasper frowned in thought. He shook his head. “Nah – forget that idea. I’ll stick with Justine, thanks.”
Everyone laughed. Paul edged onto the cot beside his wife, taking her hands within one of his and squeezing. She rocked her head onto his shoulder. He kissed her softly and rested back, cuddling her to his chest. Her tits were then exposed to the other men again.
Thomas looked up from them. “So, what did you mean by a little bit more, love?”
“Um. I was thinking of oral. That’s something I really enjoy, so if you men wanted it from me – well, I don’t see the harm.”
“All of us?” Steven blurted.
Justine nodded, biting her lip. “But not every five minutes – with four of you and only one of me!”
Thomas cleared his throat. “That would be amazing, love.”
Justine smiled through a deepening blush. “I’ll try and make it nice for you – to suck you really nice while you watch me.”
“Oh, love, that would be a sight to see.”
“Best offer I’ve ever heard of,” Jasper said. “What the hell, man?” he tossed at Paul. “How did you score a wife like this? What’s your secret, dude?”
“He’s a good kisser,” Justine said, peering up at Paul.
“So – it’s for everyone?” Steven asked. “Even…?” He pointed at himself.
“Yes – even for you,” Justine answered sweetly. “Of course for you too, Steven. You’re stuck here the same as all of us.”
“So, when?” Jasper asked, grinning.
Justine blushed again. “Um. What about starting tomorrow? I need to psych myself up.” She giggled. “And don’t forget, you’re last.”
“Aw, shit. Seriously?”
“Yes, and it won’t be one after the other either. I’ll need a rest in between.”
“A rest between drinks, eh?” Jasper quipped, and Justine tossed a hairbrush at him.
“Actually – yes – exactly that. I don’t know how the porno girls do it. It tastes too strong for me to even imagine swallowing from one of you and then another mouthful straight after. I mean – I won’t mind if you each give me a nice big mouthful when it’s your turn.”
“Oh, man, I’ve got a boner now,” Jasper groaned, moving it to the side in his shorts and tapping it with the hair brush.
“I don’t think I’ll be rolling out of bed tonight either,” Thomas said, chuckling. He was hiding his erection.
“Well, I’ll fix them for you in the morning, okay? The first time right away and after that we’ll see.”
“And what about you, love?”
Justine looked up at Paul. “I think I’ll be fine. My husband can take care of me……..”
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mattcoolomon X-Rated eBook preview Leave a comment July 23, 2018 July 23, 2018 10 Minutes
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